The Empty Closet number 437
a publication of the gay alliance of the genesee valley
Living History: Rochester Celebrates Pride 2010 By Ove Overmyer and Susan Jordan Over 1,000 LGBT people and allies marched down Park Ave. and Goodman St. on July 17, and organizers estimate, around 12,000 watched Rochester celebrate its 21st Pride. While the Parade boasted 75 units of various sizes and subject matters, the theme of the parade, “21 Years of History,” was not lost on those who marched or lined the route. “A lot of people who came before us made it easier for people of my generation,” said Stephanie Maurizio. Just before the parade began, Maurizio was walking up Goodman St. toward Park Ave. She and her large crew of friends took turns pushing her mother in a wheelchair. She added, “We understand that older gay and lesbian people broke down barriers, so we can enjoy the freedoms we have right now.” Parade Committee co-chairs Jo Meleca-Voigt, Bill Schaefer and Michael Hardy say things went off without a hitch, although two people were treated for heat exhaustion. Sue Cowell, the executive director of Pride organizers the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, said that while the weeklong events are fun and there is something for almost everyone, the community still needs to understand their history and shouldn’t
THE PRIDE FLAG RAISING took place at City Hall on July 11. Grand Marshals Tim Stallman and Gerry Mason generously gave the giant Business Forum rainbow flag to the Gay Alliance. The flag is historical in its own right. It is from the Stonewall 25th anniversary. It is the original eight-color flag, and from a limited run, the Alliance has number 96 of 750 in the series “Gilbert Baker 25th Anniversary Stonewall Flag.” More Pride photos on pages 9-12. Photo: Sean Soper
Gerry Mason and Tim Stallman, who have been partners for over 20 years, came from the Plano-Dallas area back to Rochester to enjoy the festivities that they and the Business Forum organized for nearly 15 years.
Rochester 2010
take things for granted. She told The Empty Closet, “Gay kids still face a lot of the same issues: higher rates of dropouts, teen homelessness and suicide. The Gay Alliance is working very hard toward minimizing the impact of these life altering events.”
Mason and Stallman were named Grand Marshals, and told The Empty Closet, “We are so honored and proud to be leading the parade this year. To be remembered for all the work we did all those years ago on behalf of the greater Rochester community is very touching.”
Equal=Grounds won the Show Stoppers award; Pride at Work won the Stonewall award; Tilt won the Rainbow award; Rainbow SAGE won the Community award and Flower City Pride Band took the Ruby Slipper award. Honorable mention went to Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus and ImageOut. The Festival The Festival site was located again in the parking lot behind the Auditorium Center near College Ave. Around 3,000 Festival-goers enjoyed hot music, cold drinks, grilled food and the LGBT specific goods and services on sale at vendor booths. Drag star Kasha Davis served as emcee and eight drag queens performed, while the Syracuse band Square Pegs and German diva Amber entertained thousands of revelers. Gay Day at Seabreeze Several family-oriented events took place during Pride Week. July 10 was Gay Day at Seabreeze amusement park, which drew around 90 people,
Partnerships The Gay Alliance appreciates the continuing partnership of businesses within our community who support our mission and vision. Gold Eastman Kodak Company; Excellus, Mass Mutual Financial Group; Merrill Lynch; MetLife, Nixon Peabody, LLP Silver Ace Mailing Services; Bachelor Forum; Bausch & Lomb Inc.; Corning Incorporated; Harter Secrest & Emory LLP; Heveron & Heveron CPAs; ITT Corporation; Monroe Plan for Medical Care; Out and Equal New York Finger Lakes; Professional Tutoring Services; Sage Advisors of Sage Rutty; St. John Fisher College; St. Likes and St. Simon Cyrene; Tim Tompkins Enterprises; Xerox Capital Services Bronze 140 Alex Bar and Grill; Bread and Water Theatre; Canandaigua National Bank; Center for Disability Rights; Empire State College; Equal=Grounds; Galaxe Pride at Work; Image Out; Kittleberger Florist & Gifts; MUCCC; Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church; Outlandish; Park Avenue Association; Third Presbyterian Church; Wegmans Food Markets; The Woolbright Group Pride RIT GLBT Center; Rochester Victory Alliance; Thomson Reuters; Upstate Tattoo
many from out of town, and numerous children (who got in free). Sue Cowell said, “People had a great time and were impressed by how clean it was and by the (Pride 2010 continues page 3)
Chely Wright Page B 1
Section A
New York State’s Oldest LGBT Publication august 2010
NewsBriefs LOCAL & STATE NEWS
Coming up in August: party, picnic, cruises By Susan Jordan On Tuesday, Aug. 10, Just Us Guys hosts a cruise on the Erie Canal on the Colonial Belle, 400 Packett’s Landing, Fairport, at 6 p.m. For information, call 223-2629; or e-mail rmatter1@rochester.rr.com. This is the first of two chances to sail away on the Colonial Belle this month. On Friday, Aug. 13, Out & Equal hosts its annual Pride Cruise from 6;30-8:30 p.m, on Colonial Belle, 400 Packett’s Landing, Fairport. Tickets are $35/person; available at Equal=Grounds; fingerlakes@ outandequal.org. Advance registration and payment required. Space is limited; deadline to register is Aug. 6. On Sunday, Aug. 15, Rainbow SAGE plans its Reunion Picnic, at the Sycamore Shelter, Ellison Park, at 11:30 a.m. Former members of the early gay seniors group Omega and Rainbow Seniors are invited. Food will be ready by 1 p.m. Special guest Michael Kornrish will perform at 2:30 p.m. For information, directions: Saundra Ehman, 585-473-4765; rainbowsage@gayalliance.org. Fun in the Sun 2010, a tea dance to support the Gay Alliance Anti-Violence Project, will take place on Aug. 15, from 2-8 p.m. at Mamooche Bistro, Alexander at East Ave. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the door (100 percent of proceeds go to the Anti-Violence Project). DJ Hector will provide music, and a Drag Show will be hosted by Kyla Minx with DJ Mighty Mic. The party will feature appetizers, a cash bar, door prizes and a silent auction. ■
Inside
Section A Newsfronts..................................4 Interview: Rainbow SAGE...........6 Remembering Rochester....... 14 Opinion...................................... 17 Making The Scene................... 18 Section B Entertainment: Chely Wright......1 Columnists..................................5 GAGV News: Sean Soper’s farewell.......................................... 12 Groups ..................................... 15 Calendar................................... 14 Classifieds................................ 14 Ongoing Calendar................... 15
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
Perspectives From the Empty Closet Editor Susan Jordan
Hypocrisy Conservatives have made it a fine art. They bluster that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan will be an “activist” judge who will serve her political opinions rather than justice. That isn’t true. And it’s not as if Republican judges on the Roberts court aren’t conservative activists who are making rulings that serve the conservative agenda – like declaring that corporations deserve the same civil rights as individual citizens in relation to campaign contributions. Hey, just because a corporation like Exxon made $40 billion (and paid no taxes and denied benefits to LGBT employees) last year doesn’t mean it will have more influence than actual humans who only made $40,000... right? Conservatives also say that liberals are lackeys of “special interests” – unions, the unemployed, gays, people of color, women. Very powerful “special interests”. Not like those poor, helpless, innocent multinational corporations and banks. Republican Senator Barton is the classic lackey. After receiving $1.5 million in campaign contributions from Big Oil, he went on record apologizing to BP for the anger expressed by Americans whose lives and environment have been destroyed by a corporation so incompetent and corrupt that employees were afraid to warn of problems at the doomed oilrig. Barton isn’t
working for his constituents, or for America. He’s working for Big Oil. But it’s only liberals who are the lackeys of “special interests.” Right? Hypocrisy. “Gays are destroying The Family.” No problem there with heterosexual (or closeted bi) men – preachers, politicians, conservative pillars of the community – who are cheating on or battering their wives, molesting young girls, harassing female staffers, paying prostitutes or hooking up with other men in airport restrooms. But if gay couples who may have been together for decades can get married, civilization as we know it will collapse. Right. The economy may be collapsing too. But will the CEOs and bankers whose corruption and/or incompetence caused the problems take responsibility? Of course not. They’ll get their humongous post-bailout bonuses and the workers, the middleclass, the poor, the elderly, students, etc. – “the small people” – will take the weight. Big Government is socialist! But don’t try to take the Tea Party fanatics’ government benefit checks away. They need that money to buy RVs and bigscreen TVs, which they are most reluctant to share with the inner city welfare mothers that Ronald Reagan liked to demonize. The Right compares liberals not only to Stalin but Hitler as well, shamelessly exploiting pictures of Holocaust victims to claim that this is what Obama wants! In reality, the Nazis would have loved the gun-toting, ultra-rightwing extremists. That’s what THEY were! But the Right and their hired “experts” can manufacture any lie they need. For instance, they claim that anti-gay conservatives are in constant danger of being beaten up by Militant Homosexuals. Right. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to join my affinity group of violent femmes and wait outside straight bars for some conservatives to bash. ■
Be an Ant As the heat of summer reaches it’s peak, and we are awash in local fresh vegetables, it is time to stop acting like the grasshopper of summer and behave like the sensible ant of fall. Put up your pickles, freeze the tomatoes, and invest in your community organization. For only $30 you can be a member of the Gay Alliance and have the satisfaction of knowing you have helped to ensure a successful future for LGBT and allied people in the region. You will also enjoy the benefits of membership, including the home delivery of the Empty Closet which may help you to survive the weather that lies ahead.
Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley The Empty Closet is published by the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley 875 E. Main Street, Suite 500 Rochester, New York 14605 © 2010, All rights reserved.
From the Executive Director Sue Cowell
Giving Thanks to Our Community! The past 10 days of Pride could not have happened without the support of the entire community. The Gay Alliance has so many people, sponsors and organizations to thank for a safe amd successful Pride 2010. This is the second year the Gay Alliance has produced Pride. If we miss anyone in our thanks, please let us know. A big thank you goes to Michael Hardy and Carrie Vernon for Co-Chairing Pride 2010 – not a small job. The Planning Committee consisted of more than 25 Volunteer Leaders organizing all aspects of Pride including the three major events: Parade, Festival and Picnic. We had a record number of volunteers with close to 200. Volunteers were at all of the events from the flag raising all the way through to the picnic clean up. At the Gay Alliance it was all hands on deck for our staff keeping our programs going and participating in volunteer recruitment, planning, and administration of Pride. This year we added several new events and new community partners. For example we held our Family Day at Seabreeze and our first Family Day at the Memorial Art Gallery. Both events were attended by close to 100 adults and children. We partnered with the Little Theater to bring Erin Davies, the director of Fagbug, for a showing
Editor-in-Chief: Susan Jordan Staff Reporters: Ove Overmyer, Laura McSpadden Graphic Design: Jim Anderson
of her film. This event was sponsored by the Gay Alliance Community Safety Program. Thanks to Paul Schieb and Jerry Rigby for organizing the first Pride Open Golf tournament as a benefit for the Gay Alliance Youth Program. Within each event the committee worked hard to make improvements. The parade was the largest ever, with more floats and units than last year. Thank you to the Parade Co-Chairs, Bill Schaefer and Jo MelecaVoigt. The Festival added more food and product vendors and used a larger footprint for the location. They also improved the bar service to reduce lines. Thank you to co-chairs Carrie Vernon and Sean Van Hatten. The Picnic had a great turnout with a variety of vendors and activities and an award for the best picnic site, won by Kate Sweeney. We provided live music in addition to the DJ dance music. There were more child friendly activities and I can testify the bounce house was busy all day! Thank you to co-chairs Jeff Markarian and Evelyn Bailey. We were blessed with fantastic weather and having a community rich in history and LGBT activism. Special thanks to all of our straight allies for their participation in Pride and all of our community groups throughout the year. Finally, stay in touch. We want your feedback and will be posting a post Pride survey on gayalliance.org to see what you liked and what we need to improve. Sign up for our eblast updates and I promise we try to do only one every two weeks. ■
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Please fill out our Pride Survey at www.gayalliance.org
Advertising policy: The Empty Closet does not print advertisements that contain nude drawings or photographs, nor does it print advertising that states that the person pictured in the ad is for sale, or that you will “get” that particular person if you patronize the establishment advertised. Advertisements that are explicitly racist, sexist, ageist, ableist or homophobic will be refused; advertisements from organizations that are sexist, racist, ageist, ableist or anti-gay will also be refused. All political advertisements must contain information about who placed them and a method of contact. Additionally, The Empty Closet does not print negative or “attack” advertisements, whether they relate to a product or politics and no matter in whose interest the ad is being produced. A negative advertisement is defined as one that focuses upon a rival product, or in the political area, a rival election candidate or party, in order to point out supposed flaws and to persuade the public not to buy it (or vote for him or her). The Empty Closet maintains, within legal boundaries, neutrality regarding products, political candidates and parties. However, “attack” ads that fail to provide undisputable evidence that the information in the ad is true do not further in any way the objectives and policies of the Gay Alliance or The Empty Closet, including the primary tenet that The Empty Closet’s purpose is to inform the Rochester gay community and to provide an impartial forum for ideas. Submissions: For publication, submit news items, ads, photos, letters, stories, poetry, ads, photographs or art by mail or in person to The Empty Closet office by the 15th of the month. Design services for non-camera ready ads are available for a fee. (www.emptycloset@ gagv.us) Publication Information: The Empty Closet is published 11 times a year (December and January combined) by The Empty Closet Press for the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, Inc. Approximately 5000 copies of each issue are distributed during the first week of the month, some by mail in a plain sealed envelope. The publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles is not an indication of the sexual or affectional orientation of that person or the members of that organization. For further information, please write to The Empty Closet, 875 E. Main St., Rochester NY. 14605, call (585) 244-9030 or e-mail emptycloset@gagv.us. The Empty Closet is the official publication of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, Inc., as stated in the bylaws of that organization. Its purpose is to inform the Rochester gay community about local and national gay-related news and events; to provide a forum for ideas and creative work from the local gay community; to help promote leadership within the community, and to be a part of a national network of lesbian and gay publications that exchange ideas and seek to educate. Part of our purpose is to maintain a middle position with respect to the entire community. We must be careful to present all viewpoints in a way that takes into consideration the views of all – women, men, people of color, young and old, and those from various walks of life. The opinions of columnists, editorial writers and other contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the collective attitude of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley or The Empty Closet. The Empty Closet shall not be liable for any loss or expense that results from the publication (whether correctly or incorrectly) or omission of an ad. In the event of non-payment, your account may be assigned to a collection agency or an attorney, and will be liable for the charges paid by us to such collection agency or attorney. Letters to the editor: The opinions of columnists, editorial writers and other contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the collective attitude of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley or The Empty Closet. We will print letters at the editor’s discretion and on a space available basis. Only one letter by the same writer in a six-month period is allowed. We will not print personal attacks on individuals, nor will we be a forum for ongoing disputes between individuals. We reserve the right to edit for space and clarity. We will print anonymous letters if the name and phone number are provided to the Editor; confidentiality will be respected. Submissions are due by the 15th of the month at: The Empty Closet, 875 E. Main Street, Suite 500, Rochester, NY 14605; e-mail: emptycloset@gagv. us. Online edition of EC available at www. gayalliance.org.
Name Address City/State/Zip Phone E:mail Membership levels: ❏ $30-99 Advocate ❏ $100-999 Champion ❏ $1,000-4,999 Triangle Club ❏ $5,000+ Stonewall Benefits include a subscription to the Empty Closet mailed to home or work, plus privileges at each level. Phone: 585 244-8640 or mail to the Gay Alliance, 875 E. Main St., Suite 500, Rochester, New York 14605 Home Delivery of The Empty Closet is Free with your annual membership in the Gay Alliance. 8/10
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august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet (Pride 2010 from page 1) rides and water park.” Brian Doran, Gay Alliance Development Director, said, “We want to repeat this next year and enhance it.” Pride Flag-Raising at City Hall Even though Wendy Falzoi and Sam Santiago arrived a few minutes after the giant rainbow flag unfurled in the City Hall atrium on Sunday afternoon, July 11, it didn’t seem to dampen their spirits or enthusiasm about what was to come. Falzoi, who is the mother of Gay Alliance AmeriCorps volunteer Sean Soper, said that they came to the event to support him as well as the entire Rochester LGBT community. “My son fights hard for basic civil rights, and how the federal government treats the gay community is just plain wrong. In light of that, I couldn’t be more proud of our city today,” she said. The giant 30 x 60 rainbow flag hung proudly from the fourth floor balcony in the atrium at City Hall, while over 200 people listened intently to Gay Alliance executive director Sue Cowell and City Councilman Matt Haag refer to the City of Rochester as “one of the best cities in New York for LGBT families.” Haag was joined by City Councilman Dana Miller, Monroe County Legislator Harry Bronson and host of other notable dignitaries from our community who listened to Pride officials list the upcoming events for the week. Sounds of the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus serenaded the crowd as the flag bounced rainbow colors of light around the building’s atrium. Several couples embraced and some people said tears came to their eyes as the flag was unfurled. This was the third year that the City of Rochester has flown Gay Pride flags throughout the building and around 30 Church St. during Pride Week. Rochester residents Judy Johnson and Mary Ann Sanford said that being at City Hall for the event “means a lot.” The couple married in Rochester in 2009 and has come to the flag-raising ceremony every year since, saying they have tremendous pride in our city for recognizing the LGBT community in this way. Johnson said, “Soon enough, our day to pass marriage equality will come. Right now — this week — we should all be celebrating who we are, our accomplishments and contributions to the greater Rochester community.” Tea Dance held at Boulder Coffee Immediately following the flag raising ceremony at City Hall, participants and others gathered at Boulder Coffee on the corner of South Clinton Ave. and Alexander St. in the Southwedge neighborhood for cool drinks and sharing information. Many folks met up and planned strategies to match calendars for the week. The crowd danced to a DJ, a 50/50 raffle was held and hanging out on the patio under a warm summer sun was a high priority. Youth Pride Dance and Pageant The Youth Pride Queen and King, Kelly Delish and Tye Herdown, were chosen in a pageant at Tilt on July 12. Jess Cohen, Youth Services Coordinator, said, “Bill Levy was so helpful. We thought we would just use a spotlight, but we were able to use the real Tilt lighting, smoke etc., for the Youth Pageant.” Kickoff Party at Strathallan Hotel thrills nearly 400 On Friday, July 16, Pride Week volunteers, GAGV staff and board and hundreds of community members and allies convened at the Strathallan Hotel for a kickoff party of major proportions. Organizers estimated that over 400 people attended the event. Christine Bryan and Gary Van Horn of the Delta Foundation, who organize and produce Pittsburgh Pride, sat at a lounge table munching on fresh fruit and sipping cocktails as partiers swirled around them. Bryan and Van Horn were in town to check out Pride weekend, picking up some organizing tips by networking with GAGV staff. “Rochester is a great city for Pride. It appears that you have done a great job here over the years,” said Bryan.
NewsFronts LOCAL AND STATE AD 131, Rochester: Harry Bronson (D), Open General Election: AD 25, Queens: Rory Lancman (D), Incumbent AD 60, Staten Island/Brooklyn: Janele Hyer-Spencer (D), Incumbent AD 61, Staten Island: Matthew Titone (D), Incumbent AD 65, Manhattan: Micah Kellner (D), Incumbent AD 66, Manhattan: Deborah Glick (D), Incumbent AD 95, Rockland County: Ellen Jaffee (D), Incumbent AD 101, Ulster/Columbia counties: Kevin Cahill (D), Incumbent AD 102, Ulster/Dutchess counties: Joel Miller (R), Incumbent
KICKING OFF: Sue and Bonnie Cowell sit with Gary Van Horn and Christine Bryan, producers for Pittsburg Pride. Van Horn and Bryan, who work for the Delta Foundation, attended the Kickoff Party at the Strathallan Hotel, which drew hundreds of people on July 16. Photo: Ove Overmyer
At the party, volunteers picked up the week’s job assignments, the Grand Marshals and Pride Queens were “sashed,” and attendees nibbled petits fours and were entertained by Aggy Dune and Kasha Davis’s clever Big Wigs show. Families gather at Memorial Art Gallery According to Karen Goulet, spokesperson for Pride and Joy Families, around 95 people, including 30 kids, came free of charge to the Memorial Art Gallery for arts and crafts plus a guided tour on Saturday afternoon, July 17. Goulet and the coordinator for community programs and outreach for the Memorial Art Gallery, Debora McDellHernandez, said families of all shapes and sizes stopped by the museum on University Ave. to enjoy face-painting and pinwheel making and learn about art. Goulet added, “This event gives LGBT families another chance to enjoy Pride week in a wholesome, fun and creative way. Patrons also get to see families just like theirs.” McDell-Hernandez lauded the first collaboration between the Gay Alliance and the Memorial Art Gallery for this year’s Pride events. “Any time we can reach out and attract more families to the museum, well, that’s a good thing,” she said. Jenny Gaul, who brought her daughters, Ellie, 3, and Katy, 6, loved the clowns and the face-painting activities. “It’s a very welcoming place here,” said Gaul. Picnic at Genesee Valley Park Evelyn Bailey, co-chair of the Pride Picnic, said that approximately 27 food and information vendors and nearly 2,000 people attended on a picture perfect day at Genesee Valley Park on Sunday, July 18. Judy Johnson and Mary Ellen Sanford say that their favorite part of Pride Week is the Picnic. Sanford told the EC after the flag-raising ceremony, “We love the picnic. It’s our favorite event of the week. We always entertain family and friends from out of town. It’s just a great time and we always create lasting memories.” Sanford took second place in the Picnic decorating contest, while Kate Sweeney took first with a Luau theme. Dogs, children and adults of all generations mingled on the riverside and devoured hots and burgers, Abbott’s Custard and iced coffee from Equal=Grounds, among other treats. Frisbees and volleyballs flew through the air and the beat of disco music resounded from the Roundhouse, as the close came to over a week of Pride events. ■
Register for Marriage Equality March Sept. 26 Register online at www.meny.us for Rochester’s Wedding March for Marriage Equality, set for Sept. 26. The March will take place in downtown Rochester and conclude with a community gathering at Genesee Crossroads/ Charles Carroll Park, sponsored by Marriage Equality New York (MENY). Call Todd Plank with questions at 585-278-4190, or email todd.plank@ gmail.com. More information will be forthcoming in the September Empty Closet. ■
Harry Bronson was endorsed by the Empire State Pride Agenda.
Pride Agenda announces first round of 2010 endorsements The Empire State Pride Agenda announced on July 13 its first round of endorsements for the 2010 Primary and General Elections. The 20 candidates endorsed have either been strong allies of the LGBT community in the New York State Legislature on issues at the top of the Pride Agenda’s public policy agenda, or have pledged their support on such issues including marriage equality for same-sex couples, ending legal discrimination against transgender New Yorkers and increasing funding for LGBT health and human services providers. The complete list of issues that candidates were questioned on can be seen on the Pride Agenda’s candidate questionnaire at http://prideagenda.org/Portals/0/campaigns/Pride%20Agenda%20 State%20Legislative%20Candidate%20 Questionnaire-2010.pdf. “We view this election as a crucial step toward accomplishing our governmental priorities for New York’s LGBT community,” said Executive Director Ross Levi. “We need – and will only be endorsing – candidates who already are or will be unabashed legislative allies who demonstrate their support for LGBT equality and justice with complete clarity.” The Pride Agenda will continue to make additional endorsements in the coming weeks. The first round of endorsements includes: New York State Senate Primary Election: SD 16, Queens: Toby Ann Stavisky, D, Incumbent SD 32, Bronx: Carlos “Charlie” Ramos D, Challenger General Election: SD 1, North & South Fork of Long Island: Regina Calcaterra (D), Challenger SD 3, Brookhaven: Brian Foley (D), Incumbent SD 11, Queens: Tony Avella (D), Challenger SD 12, Queens: Michael Gianaris (D), Open SD 40, Northern Westchester/Putnam: Michael Kaplowitz (D), Open SD 41, Columbia/Dutchess counties: DiDi Barrett (D), Challenger SD 49, Onondaga/Oneida/Madison counties: David Valesky (D), Incumbent New York State Assembly Primary & General Election: AD 114, Plattsburgh/North Country: Janet Duprey (R), Incumbent AD 119, Syracuse) – Phillip LaTessa (D), Open
Fight Back NY targets Stachowski; Ellner is HRC senior strategist Fight Back NY, the LGBT action PAC funded by Tim Gill, has announced their latest target: Buffalo Democrat Bill Stachowski, one of eight NYS Senate Democrats who voted against marriage equality in December 2009. “Sen. Stachowski has voted against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) New Yorkers at every turn, whether it’s nondiscrimination protections or marriage equality,” Fight Back says. “Sen. Stachowski’s been part of the dysfunctional New York State Senate for far too long -- 30 years. He does not represent fair-minded New Yorkers, and it’s time we hold him accountable. Remember the hard-hitting tactics we used to help keep anti-equality Hiram Monserrate from office this spring? We’ll be engaging in similar targeted outreach to voters in Sen. Stachowski’s district. It’s time our elected officials learned that they can’t vote against equality and expect to be voted back into office.” Brian Ellner, recently a candidate for executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, has been named senior strategist for the Human Rights Campaign’s NYS marriage equality campaign. He will work with the Pride Agenda, Fight Back NY, Marriage Equality NY (MENY) and Outspoken for Equality.
Pride Agenda: Hold Diaz accountable for hate After announcing their first endorsements for the 2010 elections, the Empire State Pride Agenda is spotlighting the Democratic primary challenge in the Bronx’s 32nd District by Carlos “Charlie” Ramos to take on New York’s arguably most openly homophobic, transphobic, anti-LGBT state legislator: Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. Sen. Diaz is the most vocal foe of marriage equality and transgender nondiscrimination in the State Senate. He has led rallies against marriage equality, spoken and voted against it on the Senate floor and is reported to have struck back room deals trying to prevent it from ever even coming to a vote. He led the debate against the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act in the Senate Judiciary Committee with unfounded and disproven myths. And he asserted a “one-man veto” to remove budgetary language that would have allowed legally married samesex couples to file jointly on their New York State income tax returns. “In stark contrast,” the Pride Agenda says, “Charlie Ramos has committed to co-sponsoring marriage equality legisla(Local & State News continues page 7)
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
NewsFronts national and international Argentina approves marriage equality On July 14, Argentina became the first country in South America to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, despite virulent opposition from the Catholic church. Statement from Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry: “Today’s historic vote shows how far Catholic Argentina has come, from dictatorship to true democratic values, and how far the freedom to marry movement has come as twelve countries on four continents now embrace marriage equality. Argentina’s vote for the freedom to marry marks an important advance for fairness and family values as more couples around the world will now share in marriage, with families helped and no one hurt. Today’s vote adds momentum to the international movement to secure the freedom to marry for all loving and committed couples. “Key to Argentina’s human rights achievement was strong leadership from legislators and the president. It is time we see more of our own elected officials standing up for the Constitution and all families here in the United States. America should lead, not lag, when it comes to treating everyone equally under the law.”
NCAVP reports “pattern of severe, persistent violence” against gays The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has released its report on Hate Violence against the LGBTQ Communities in the United States in 2009. Anti-LGBTQ hate violence continues to be a pervasive social problem at the same time as vital resources and support for hate violence survivors are at risk amidst economic crisis. This year, 22 victims of hate murder were reported by NCAVP, the second-highest rate in a decade, reflecting a pattern of severe and persistent violence against LGBTQ communities. Notably, NCAVP saw the highest spike in reported incidents of violence in October 2009, coinciding with the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This statistic seems to reflect a correlation between increased visibility and increased vulnerability and targeting. Despite these disturbing trends, financial support and much needed services for hate violence survivors have only declined due to ongoing economic conditions.
Of the 22 reported hate murder victims in 2009, 79 percent were people of color, and most were transgender women or were feminine-presenting. As evidenced in this report, members of traditionally marginalized communities continue to be disproportionately targeted for severe violence. “These facts are deeply disturbing as these are the same people who are more likely to face discrimination, criminalization or further violence when interacting with criminal legal and social service systems. What we see is that they are less likely to seek and access support from these institutions,” said Maria Carolina Morales, Intervention Director of Community United Against Violence (CUAV) in San Francisco. “During the past year, NCAVP member organizations lost crucial staff and programming in the wake of the fiscal crisis. In a survey of members participating in this report, 50 percent of respondents laid off staff (at an average decrease of 56 percent of all positions), 70 percent reported budget decreases, and others could not expand positions, staff hours or programming, despite a demonstrated need for such growth. We believe that this drastically limited the ability of LGBTQ people to report violence and access vital support and services in 2009,” said Lisa Gilmore, Director of Education and Victim Advocacy at Center on Halsted in Chicago. “While the total number of reported incidents of hate violence declined slightly in 2009, we suspect that this represents a decrease in reporting, not in actual violence.” “For many people, acts of hate violence come to be an expected part of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer,” said Kelly Clark, Community Safety Director at the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley in Rochester. “Hate violence exists in many forms, ranging from hate speech to sexual assault and murder. All can be traumatic and have life-long impact.” Many of the incidents reported to NCAVP, such as intimidation, harassment and other forms of discrimination (62 percent), may not fall in the category of criminal acts. Ann Atkins, Program Director of SafeSpace at the R U 1 2? Community Center in Winooski, Vt., states, “Hate violence can be challenged by everyone, on all levels, by working with and reporting even what seem to be the slightest acts to local anti-violence programs. This sort of reporting supports efforts to prevent the escalation of incidents as well as document the scope of anti-LGBTQ hate in our communities.”
NCAVP’s report strongly recommends that the federal and state governments and criminal legal systems support antiviolence programs by ceasing cutbacks, releasing allocated funding and increasing funding for prevention, education, and data collection. Most critically, NCAVP calls upon these institutions to end discriminatory practices that further promote anti-LGBTQ hate violence. “Ending anti-LGBTQ hate violence will require nothing less than a profound cultural shift supported at all levels of society,” said Crystal Middlestadt, Director of Education & Advocacy at the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. “Educators, lawmakers, service providers and the general public must support the work of antiviolence programs and LGBTQ people to transform a culture of hate into one that is inclusive, healthy and safe for all.”
Gov’t dismisses charges against Choi, Pietrangelo On July 14 the government abruptly dismissed the charges against Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. James Pietrangelo moments before their trial was to get underway. Both men were charged with “failure to obey a lawful order” after handcuffing themselves to the White House fence earlier this year, in protest of the Obama administration’s inaction in repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. Joe Sudbay at AmericaBlog has this quote from Paul Yandura, who was in the courtroom: “It’s clear that they were embarrassed that we were going to expose the fiction that repeal is finished or imminent. They were embarrassed that we subpoenaed the President and were going to use his words. It’s clear that civil disobedience was the winner today.” (Posted by Joe on joe.my.god.com) “Govt embarrassed. Govt did not want to move fwd; judge dismiss all charges and WhiteHouse stay-away order lifted. Never be guilty or ashamed when telling truth. Victory for truth today.” (E-mail from Lt. Choi to Bilerico Project’s Bil Browning)
Ireland approves civil unions bill 48-4 On July 8, Ireland’s Seanad rubberstamped the nation’s lower chamber and approved its civil unions bill 48-4. The Green Party Minister for State, Ciarán Cuffe, who instigated the move to introduce the legislation in 2007, welcomed its approval. He said changes will need to be made in social welfare and tax laws to facilitate the change, and those changes would most likely be made in December’s budget. “I would be happy if it was in place from January 1 next year. Without giving too many hostages to fortune, I am optimistic that the first civil registrations can take place from then,” he said. The Bill will extend marriage-like benefits to gay and lesbian couples in the areas of property, social welfare, suc-
cession, maintenance, pensions and tax. Same-sex couples register their relationship before a registrar. The legislation also provides for the legal recognition of civil partnerships obtained outside the State. At present, cohabiting couples have few rights under family laws. Among the objections voiced by Senators was the absence of a conscience clause for public servants to allow them opt out of the process. They also argued against the right to hire Church premises for celebrations of same-sex unions. Richard Greene of conservative group Cóir was one of a small group who protested outside Leinster House. He said a referendum should have been held on the issue.
Powerful antibodies found to attack HIV In a significant step toward an AIDS vaccine, U.S. government scientists have discovered three powerful antibodies, the strongest of which neutralizes 91 percent of HIV strains, more than any AIDS antibody yet discovered. Looking closely at the strongest antibody, they have detailed exactly what part of the virus it targets and how it attacks that site. The antibodies were discovered in the cells of a 60-year-old African-American gay man, known in the scientific literature as Donor 45, whose body made the antibodies naturally. Researchers screened 25 million of his cells to find 12 that produced the antibodies. Now the trick will be for scientists to develop a vaccine or other methods to make anyone’s body produce them. That effort “will require work,” said Gary Nabel, director of the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who was a leader of the research. “We’re going to be at this for a while” before any benefit is seen in the clinic, he said. -Joe.My.God.com
Lingle veto of Hawaii civil unions “a disgrace” A coalition of leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizations in Hawaii denounced Governor Linda Lingle on July 6 for vetoing HB 444, Hawaii’s Civil Union legislation. The bill provided that equal rights and responsibilities of married couples in Hawaii be afforded to thousands of non-married couples in the state – including same-sex couples. Coalition members include Equality Hawaii, the GLBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, the Human Rights Campaign, PFLAGOahu and Pride Alliance Hawaii. “Today is a sad day for the thousands of Hawaii families who remain second class citizens,” said Alan Spector, legislative affairs co-chair for Equality Hawaii. “We fail to see how the Governor’s actions are in the best interest of Hawaii’s future and (they) are nothing more than political maneuvering at the expense of people’s lives. We’re disappointed and outraged
august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet that same-sex families will not be treated equally under Hawaii law, but vow to come back and fight this fight another day.” “Today was the first time a civil unions bill passed both Houses in Hawaii by solid margins and was on the Governor’s desk for signing,” said Jo-Ann Adams, Chair of the GLBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. “With such broad support from the legislators, who are the elected officials closest to the public, and the consistent results of the professional polls showing broad support for civil unions as a civil rights issue, we are deeply disappointed that the Governor ignored the will of the people and vetoed the bill. We are determined, no matter how many sessions and election cycles it takes, to achieve full recognition for our families.” “Americans nationwide share in the disappointment and outrage of thousands of Hawaii’s families who will not receive equal treatment under law,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “Thankfully, there are local advocates as well as leaders in the Hawaii legislature who will continue to further the cause of equality. For decades, we have been a loyal partner in this fight for fairness in the Aloha State and we pledge to stand with them for years to come.” “Today, on July 6, 2010, Gov. Linda Lingle denied social justice when she vetoed HB444 for Civil Unions,” said Rev. Carolyn M. Golojuch, President of PFLAG-Oahu. “Her denial is a violation of the integrity of her office and a violation of her oath of office. Governor Lingle’s denial of equal rights, benefits and protections for one segment of our citizens is a denial for all of our citizens of Hawaii.” “The members of Pride Alliance Hawaii are greatly disappointed in Governor Lingle’s decision to veto the Civil Unions bill and allow the state to continue its discriminatory practices against samesex couples,” said Tara O’Neill, President of Pride Alliance Hawaii. “Two separate and independent economic studies, a poll conducted by a nationally recognized polling organization, and the thousands of residents who vocalized their support of the bill to the Governor and the Legislature over the past two years make clear that the passage of HB444 is good economic sense, is socially just, and is supported by the people of Hawaii. The LGBT community’s fight for equality in Hawaii will continue.” Statement from Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, on Governor Lingle’s decision to veto the civil union bill in Hawaii: “In the 1990s, Hawaii began the ongoing international movement toward ending gay couples’ exclusion from marriage and was the first U.S. state to create a legal status to provide some state-level recognition and protections for same-sex couples. In the historic Baehr case, the Hawaii Supreme Court acknowledged a constitutional mandate to treat same-sex couples equally. “Governor Lingle’s decision to veto
the civil union bill is deeply disappointing and unnecessarily delays Hawaii’s journey toward fairness and equality. Governor Lingle has rejected the will of the state legislature and the advice of countless business and faith leaders and turned her back on the committed couples and Hawaii kin who have expressed their support for this measure. Freedom to Marry urges the Hawaii state legislature to overrule Governor Lingle’s veto and take an important step toward fairness and equal protection for same-sex couples in Hawaii.” Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: “Governor Lingle’s veto of legislation that would protect and strengthen Hawaii’s families is beyond a disappointment: It is a disgrace. Hawaii’s lawmakers passed this bill because it was about fundamental fairness. The governor’s action today flies in the face of both common sense and common humanity. We urge the Hawaii Legislature to override this veto.” Statement from Chad Griffin of The American Foundation for Equal Rights: “Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle has aligned herself with another Governor, George Wallace, who also believed discrimination can and should be perpetrated under the law. Our Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law to every American, and our courts exist to protect those rights when they are violated. The (upcoming) Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial is a step toward affirming those rights.” Michael Sargeant, Executive Director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, issued the following statement: “We at the DLCC are disappointed in Governor Lingle for ignoring the will of Hawaiian citizens as expressed by the Hawaii legislature’s passage of this landmark legislation. Governor Lingle also broke her campaign promise not to veto a civil union bill if passed by the state legislature. She has denied Hawaii the opportunity to become the latest example of states leading the way on equality. “Vetoing the legislation broke a promise Lingle made in her first campaign for governor in 2002. It was during a live debate broadcast on PBS Hawaii that Lingle was asked by moderator Linda Taira about her position on the arrangements for gay couples with rights such as family and bereavement leaves, probate rights and hospital visitation. “’On the issue of domestic partnerships, I have stated that if the Legislature (should) pass legislation granting certain rights I would not veto that legislation,’ Lingle said. “Democratic legislators did their part and voted their conscience on ‘that legislation,’ after a marathon 18 hours of earnest debate. But their work was undone by the Governor’s broken promise. “And in breaking her promise, Governor Lingle denied hundreds of thousands of her own citizens a right she probably takes for granted. “The Governor’s veto is a sad setback
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in the ongoing fight for equality. But that fight continues. “One day, America will look back on the struggle for equal rights and wonder why it was so difficult. Governor Lingle will be one of the reasons.”
Mass. court rules parts of DOMA are unconstitutional In two related cases, a federal district court in Massachusetts has ruled that critical portions of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violate the federal Constitution. In striking down the section of the statute that bars federal legal protections to legally married same-sex couples, Judge Joseph Tauro found that the law violates states’ rights to define marriage and violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause by treating married same-sex couples differently from married different-sex couples. Prior to the passage of DOMA, the federal government always recognized the states’ right to define marriage. The cases were brought by the Massachusetts attorney general and Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). A bill is currently pending in the House of Representatives that would repeal DOMA and respect state marriages by providing federal protections for married same-sex couples. The Respect for Marriage Act would ensure that, once the federal government recognizes the marriage of a same-sex couple, it would continue to recognize that marriage even if the couple moved to another state that would not have allowed the couple to marry in the first place. James Esseks, Director of the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project, commented, “Today’s decision is an important step forward for marriage for same-sex couples. There are thousands of same-sex couples lawfully married in the five states and Washington, DC that currently allow them the freedom to marry. Today’s ruling recognizes that the federal government has literally no justification for refusing to respect those marriages. “To finish the job, Congress should pass the Respect for Marriage Act, which is pending in Congress and would completely repeal DOMA. We applaud this decision and congratulate GLAD and the Massachusetts attorney general for their work in bringing the cases.” Judge Tauro, a conservative who was nominated to the bench by President Richard Nixon, held in Gill v. OPM that DOMA violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the laws, concluding that “indeed, Congress undertook this classification for the one purpose that lies entirely outside of legislative bounds, to disadvantage a group of which it disapproves. And such a classification, the Constitution clearly will not permit.” These decisions are likely to be appealed by the Department of Justice
A 5 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. A move is underway to ask President Obama not to appeal the ruling. “Today’s decision is a confirmation of what every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender American knows to be a basic truth – we, and our families, are equal,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “This is an important step forward, but there is a long path ahead before we see this discriminatory law consigned to the dustbin of history. We thank our friends at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, their courageous plaintiffs and Attorney General Coakley for standing up on behalf of married samesex couples across the country and for their continued commitment to equality as these cases move forward. Judge Tauro’s decisions make clear that there is no constitutional justification for DOMA, despite the Department of Justice’s contentions in defending the statute. While we expect the Department to continue to defend DOMA on appeal, we urge the Obama administration to push Congress to repeal a law that we know, and Judge Tauro recognized, serves no purpose but to denigrate our families.” In March 2009, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed Gill v. OPM on behalf of eight married couples and three surviving spouses from Massachusetts who have been denied federal rights and benefits available to spouses, but denied to them because DOMA, a federal law adopted in 1996, defines marriage solely as the union of a man and a woman. In July 2009, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts filed its own suit challenging the federal government’s requirement that in operating federallyfunded programs, including Medicaid and the administration of veterans’ cemeteries, the state must treat some of its married citizens differently than others. Statement from Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry: “Today’s historic ruling strikes down federal marriage discrimination enacted under the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. DOMA created two classes of marriage -- those the federal government respects and some it doesn’t -- denying married same sex couples and their families equal treatment and depriving them of the crucial safety-net that marriage brings. In Gill et al. v. Office of Personnel Management, eight married same-sex couples and three widowers, represented by the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, demonstrated that federal marriage discrimination harms gay and lesbian couples who are trying to make ends meet and protect their families. “Today’s ruling affirms what we have long known: federal discrimination enacted under DOMA is unconstitutional. The decision will be appealed and litigation will continue. But what we witnessed in the courtroom cannot be erased: federal marriage discrimination harms committed same-sex couples and their families for no good reason. Today’s ruling provides (NewsFronts continue page 7)
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
Interview Rainbow SAGE By Susan Jordan Rainbow SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) is now affiliated with the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley. The Empty Closet recently met with group members Tony Perri, Sherlea Dony and Brian Hurlburt to discuss the many changes that the group (originally Rainbow Seniors) has experienced in the past year, as it struggled to meet the needs of the rapidly-expanding LGBT baby boomer population. Rainbow Seniors became Rainbow SAGE in July 2009 and John Altieri has just become president of the group. Empty Closet: Why did Rochester’s Rainbow Seniors become affiliated with the national organization SAGE? Tony Perri: Among our board members, we discussed our future goals and decided that for us to proceed with some of the things we wanted to do, things outside of social activities, like educational trainings at nursing homes and so on, and address some of the needs of our GLBT elders, we needed to affiliate with organizations with more resources. Sherlea Dony: Cultural sensitivity training is what we want to do. Brian Hurlburt: As a volunteer organization, we couldn’t head that way – we were busy enough just keeping track of finances. TP: And as an all-volunteer group we didn’t have a paid employee. SD: The hiring of an employee has more to do with our affiliation with the Gay Alliance than with SAGE. The SAGE affiliation does mean we can use SAGE’s training materials and their nationally-known name, and take advantage of their expertise. There’s so much to be done and with a volunteer board, we just can’t get it done. Now we also have a responsibility to national SAGE to increase our advocacy work. EC: Why did you decide to affiliate with the Gay Alliance? TP: When we first looked at this, and discussed it with Sue Cowell, it was looked on as a win-win situation for both organizations. We’d get the support of a large organization to meet our goals, and the GAGV would add elder services to the youth component, which would give them a broader range of services provided to the community. And it also gives us a forum to get out our message. We probably weren’t going to survive
as an organization without doing this. SD: We grew so fast but our manpower didn’t grow as quickly. I think the membership saw how hard we worked to put on events, and nobody wanted to be on the board for that reason! Hopefully, now we will hire a part time person to focus on senior issues. We have a cubicle in the Gay Alliance office and we can utilize the resources the GAGV already has in place – the office, program staff, grant writing, etc. BH: And more volunteers. TP: It also gives our organization a more professional feeling, as far as national SAGE and other groups are concerned. And even in these tough economic times, there is a lot of money out there being allocated for GLBT needs, and we need professional expertise to write grants. SD: We’re just beginning our eighth year and have been providing social programs and events, like the annual Intergenerational Panel, the euchre group, potlucks, dances, etc. – but the social services have been lacking. Now we can do advocacy, for instance working with the Gay Alliance Speakers Bureau to go into the greater community and speak on behalf of LGBT elders. EC: Are any events coming up in August? BH: The picnic this year is a Reunion Picnic – for people who were in the early elders group Omega, or who were in Rainbow Seniors and haven’t attended recently. The picnic is Aug. 15 in the Sycamore Shelter at Ellison Park, starting at 11:30 a.m. Food will be served at 1 p.m. For information and directions, call
Brian Hurlburt, Tony Perri and Sherlea Dony. Photo: Susan Jordan
your events. What would you say to someone who is thinking of checking out the group? SD: I’d say to someone, we’re a really friendly group and will greet you as a friend and show you around. It’s an opportunity to make new friends. BH: You just have to be over 21. SD: We no longer have membership. If you belong to the GAGV, you’ll be able to connect and get involved with Rainbow SAGE. BH: People don’t have to join the Gay Alliance to attend any SAGE events. But if you join the Gay Alliance as a donor, you’ll be able to get a subscription to the EC, use the GAGV library, etc. TP: There seem to be a lot of GLBT individuals coming out at a later age – 50s, 60s. There seems no place in the youth-oriented culture for older adults who are experiencing their sexuality to have a safe environment. We can provide that. Older people often experience a great sense of isolation. EC: Aging can be especially lonely for LGBT people. As everyone grows older, their friends and partners start to disappear -- and in the case of many gay elders, their families have rejected them. BH: If someone’s partner passes away, we can provide an opportunity for sup-
I see us as a forum within the Gay Alliance where elders’ needs will become known. And the Gay Alliance has a very good youth component, and it’s important for them to know our history – and that there’s life after 25! Saundra Ehman, 585-473-4765; or e-mail rainbowsage@gayalliance.org. Potlucks are still on the third Sundays at 4 p.m. at the First Universalist Church, 150 N. Clinton at Court St. SD: Euchre Night and Games Night will resume in the fall. We also have ongoing men’s and women’s discussion groups which started in June. EC: I know you don’t have age restrictions, and everyone is welcome at all of
port. SD: We were able not long ago to bring together two people who had both lost children. BH: I want to emphasize that even though we are a gay elder group, we’d like to have younger people and also straight allies join us. EC: Anything you’d like to add? BH: Rainbow SAGE is a member of the Empire State Pride Agenda, and Tony is on their Senior Issues Committee. TP: We have conference call forums every month and keep up with the latest GLBT news. I also went to Dallas last February for a national conference on aging, and a lot of SAGE people were involved. I learned more about networking, elder issues, what other groups are doing around the country. There are several SAGE affiliates now that joined after we did. EC: How is the national SAGE organization structured? TP: SAGE is comprised of 18 independent affiliates. New York SAGE is the oldest chapter. But each affiliate controls its own activities, funding, etc. There are a lot of needs within the GLBT elder community that aren’t being met, because we don’t know what the needs are in many cases. So hopefully with the GAGV affiliation we’ll meet a lot of people who need us. I see us as a forum within the Gay Alliance where elders’ needs will become known. And the Gay Alliance has a very good youth component, and it’s important for them to know our history – and that there’s life after 25! ■
august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet local and state
( Pride Agenda from page 3) tion, and has stated his full support for a statewide transgender non-discrimination law. He is also pro-choice and supports full access to reproductive health. “Senator Diaz and all state legislators need to know that their attacks against the LGBT community will not go unanswered. New Yorkers understand fairness and equality, and want legislators who work to better the lives of their constituents and their families, not to find opportunities to discriminate against them. We want to send a loud and clear message that it is unacceptable that Senator Diaz chooses to thwart equality and justice for all New Yorkers.”
Manhattan official won’t marry in New York Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer announced in the New York Times on July 11 that he and his fiancée Elyse Buxbaum will marry in Connecticut in protest of New York’s refusal of legal marriage rights to same sex couples. Connecticut permits same sex marriage. Stringer said that he and his bride made their decision to show support for their LGBT friends. Stringer, 50, a potential candidate for mayor in 2013, may be the first to boycott New York’s marriage bureau — an act that he hopes will encourage his constituents (and fellow lawmakers) to get married in states like Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts that have sanctioned gay marriage. “This gives Elyse and I (sic) a chance to take personal responsibility,” Stringer said. “If enough people who have somewhat of a profile — not just politicians, but artists and business leaders — start going into Massachusetts or Connecticut
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and show New York how embarrassing it is that you can’t get a marriage license for same-sex couples, then we will change things.” Stringer says the out-of-state wedding was suggested to him by gay activist Allen Roskoff. national and international
(Mass. Court continued from page 7) increased momentum to the national movement to end exclusion from marriage and Freedom to Marry’s Roadmap to secure the freedom to marry nationwide. The crucial work of changing hearts and minds and winning the freedom to marry in more states is more urgent than ever as we build on today’s momentum and encourage other decision-makers to do the right thing and end exclusion from marriage.” Statement from Chad Griffin, Board President, The American Foundation for Equal Rights: “We applaud the historic decision today by the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. The Defense of Marriage Act clearly violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law. Creating separate classes of people to deny them federal benefits, like DOMA does, is discrimination and it is wrong. Our courts exist to protect Americans’ constitutional rights when they are violated and this decision affirms the equal rights of gays and lesbians.” Rep. Tammy Baldwin said, “I am thrilled by Judge Tauro’s decision that declares part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. This is a tremendous victory for all who believe in equal rights and a dramatic confirmation of justice under law. “By ruling that DOMA violates the Fifth and Tenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, Judge Tauro affirmed states’ rights of sovereignty and individual rights to due process. Put simply, his (NewsFronts continue page 8)
Bill Schaefer and Matt Haag with their dog Brodie
Remarks From Councilman Matt Haag at the Flag Raising in City Hall Good afternoon everyone. On behalf of the Rochester City Council, as well as the City Administration, in particular Mayor Bob Duffy who unfortunately was unable to be here today, I would like to officially welcome you to City Hall, and thank you for coming here today to celebrate the kick-off of GAGV’s Rochester Pride 2010. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Matt Haag, a member of the Rochester City Council, as well as a proud member of the LGBT community. I thank each of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to be a part of this important celebration. As I look upon this large rainbow flag, so prominently and publicly displayed here in the atrium of this beautiful government building, it fills my heart with so many emotions. The presence of this flag is a reminder to me that it is truly wonderful to live in a city where both the Mayor and the City Council give their unabashed affirmation and support to the LGBT community, and do so in a very public way. I am hopeful that their leadership will provide inspiration and serve as an example for those in our midst who still have a little bit more work to do in terms of open-mindedness, tolerance, and acceptance. It’s also a great feeling to look up at this flag and know that we have so many straight friends and allies here in the Rochester area who stand with us in celebration of who we are, both as individuals and as a community, and who support our cause of justice and equality for all. Most of all, as I look at this flag today, it makes me proud to be an elected official in this city. I am honored and humbled to represent our community as a member of the City Council, and it gives me great joy that I can serve in this position as an openly gay man who can make certain that the voice of the LGBT community continues to be heard, and is not lost amid the many other concerns and issues facing our municipality. As I previously mentioned, Mayor Duffy is unable to be here today, but on behalf of the City of Rochester and the City Council, I would like to present a proclamation to the Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley. (Read the Proclamation at www.gayalliance.org.) In closing, I’d like to thank GAGV for organizing this year’s PRIDE event, and I’d like to give a special thank you to PRIDE co-chairs Carrie Vernon and Michael Hardy. I know it’s going to be an absolutely marvelous week, filled with wonderful activities. So enjoy the week, and let the festivities begin!! Thank you! Matt Haag
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8 A national and international
(Mass. Court continued from page 7) rulings confirm what we already know – there is no legal basis for discrimination against same-sex couples. “The right of same-sex couples to marry with the same protections, benefits, and obligations as straight couples may, ultimately, be decided by the Supreme Court. The long march to full equality is not yet over, but now is a time to rejoice in this victory.” Michael B. Keegan, President of People For the American Way, said, “The court did the right thing today — the right thing under the Constitution, and the right thing for the citizens of Massachusetts. For too many years, thousands of legally married couples in states across the country have seen the federal government turn its back on their unions. The Constitution doesn’t allow the federal government to give rights to some married couples and deny them to others. Today’s decision was vindication of that principle. “Americans don’t want to hurt their gay and lesbian friends and neighbors, but DOMA does just that — it causes real harm to people across the nation. Although this case has the potential to be contested for years, I hope that Congress will take this opportunity to do the right thing and repeal DOMA, so that all married couples, like those in Massachusetts, can enjoy the full rights and responsibilities of marriage.” “Today’s decision is a victory for families and for all who support equality under the law in America,” said Courage Campaign Founder Rick Jacobs. “It is clear that, as more people come to know the personal stories of neighbors, co-workers and friends being impacted as a results of discriminatory laws like DOMA and Proposition 8, support is growing for full removal of the barriers to full equality for LGBT Americans.” Signed into law in 1996, the Defense
the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010 of Marriage Act (DOMA), defined marriage as “a legal union of one man and one woman,” and effectively denied same-sex marriages in other states -- including more than 18,000 valid same sex marriages in California -- access to the more than 1,000 rights, benefits, and privileges conferred on married couples by the federal government. In the coming weeks, District Court Judge Vaughn Walker is expected to rule on the constitutionality of California’s gay marriage ban (Proposition 8), which has been challenged as a violation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause in Perry v. Schwarzenegger. “Today’s ruling underscores why we have courts, but it also reminds us why it’s so critical to debunk the lies and hollow arguments at the foundation of discriminatory laws like DOMA and Proposition 8.” Jacobs added. “As Perry, Commonwealth, and Gill continue moving through the judicial process, it is critical that the American people get to hear all the evidence and the stories of the millions of families being forced into second-class citizenship because of who they love.” In a statement released by the National Black Justice Coalition, Executive Director Sharon J. Lettman said, “Federal Judge Joseph Tauro’s ruling brings us one step closer to eliminating unjust laws targeting taxpaying gay and lesbian couples who desire to keep their families safe through the use of federal protections. Every couple, gay or straight, should be able to file taxes together to receive maximum financial benefits to sustain their households. Every widow, gay or straight, deserves the right to serve as the financial and material benefactor of his or her deceased spouse’s personal possessions, to preserve the memory of their lives together and to maintain the financial stability of the household they spent their lives building together. There are over one thousand federal protections that DOMA withholds from gay couples and the repeal of this act is long overdue.”
Opponents of equal rights said they are sure the ruling will be overturned on appeal, and that Tauro, a Nixon appointee, was a “rogue judge”. They called Massachusetts a “lowest common denominator state”.
Obama issues new HIV/ AIDS strategy The July 13 release of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) by the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) demonstrates the commitment of the Obama administration to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. The strategy calls for reducing the rate of HIV infection by 25 percent over the next five years. It also mandates getting treatment to 85 percent of patients within three months of their diagnosis. The National AIDS Fund said, “To ensure that the NHAS is effective we must keep the momentum going. ONAP has made it clear that the successful implementation of NHAS will require the commitment of all parts of society; including people living with HIV/AIDS, state and local governments, corporate America, faith communities, highly affected communities, philanthropy, and others. With the release of NHAS, we must be more diligent than ever in creating inventive cross-sector partnerships that capitalize on our strengths as individuals, organizations, government agencies and communities.” Phill Wilson of the Black AIDS Institute commented, “America has long required countries that receive foreign AIDS assistance to have a national strategy, but we have never had one. With no plan in place to mandate coordination between different government agencies or to ensure accountability, it is hardly surprising that we have an HIV/AIDS epidemic 40 percent worse than previously believed, with one in five Americans infected with HIV don’t know they have the disease, half or more of people diag-
nosed with HIV are not receiving regular medical care, and HIV rates in some communities worst than those found in some of the poorest countries on the planet. “America can do better. We must do better. This new strategy represents an important step in that direction. “The new strategy provides a promising opportunity for us to get real about the shortcomings in our national response to the epidemic. While the government has long funded intensive HIV prevention programs for individuals, we as a country have invested relatively meager amounts in efforts to affect community norms and values to promote risk reduction. At a time when AIDS deaths are largely preventable, the government has provided only minimal leadership in making knowledge of HIV serostatus an essential social norm in the most heavily affected communities. And even though the face of AIDS in America is typically Black or brown, most people with HIV are forced to seek medical care from health providers who neither look like them nor understand the challenges they face. The new strategy provides a blueprint for changing some of these realities, and it is an opportunity we must energetically grasp. “We salute President Obama for placing Black America front and center in his national HIV/AIDS strategy. AIDS in America today is a Black disease. Accounting for only about 13 percent of the national population, Black people make up half of all new HIV diagnoses. The AIDS death rate among Black males is eight times higher than for white males, while Black women are 19 times as likely to die as whites. “If the new AIDS strategy is to succeed, it has to work for Black people. In reporting results, the Obama administration needs specifically to report outcomes for Black people. Only if prevention and treatment programs work for Black America will we win our national fight against AIDS. (HIV/AIDS continues page 16)
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august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet
Rochester 2010
21 y ears of history
The Rainbow Flag is unveiled in the Atrium. Photo: Ove Overmyer
RAINBOW FLAG RAISING AT CITY HALL: The Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus sings. Photo: Sean Soper
City Council member Matt Haag reads the City’s Pride proclamation. Photo: Laura McSpadden
PRIDE KICK-OFF: Grand Marshals Tim Stallman and Gerry Mason at the kick-off party at the Strathallan on July 16. Photo: Laura McSpadden
Robin Wilt, Tom Privitere, Dawn Cuozzo and Neil Petersen at the kickoff party. Photo: Ove Overmyer
THE TEA DANCE at Boulder Coffee followed the flag raising. Photo: Ove Overmyer
FAMILY DAY: Clowns, face-painting and much more entertained kids at the Pride Family Day on July 17 at the Memorial Art Gallery. Photo: Ove Overmyer
Kasha Davis performs at the Strathallan. Photo: Laura McSpadden
At the Tea Dance. Photo: Ove Overmyer
At the Strathallan on July 16: Bill Giancursio, Tom Ferrarese and Damon Humes. Photo: Ove Overmyer
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
L i v i ng h i s t o r y p a r t y • d a n c e
c e l e b r at e
HOME SWEET HOME: L to R, Preparing the Gay Alliance float before the start of the Parade on July 17. Marriage Equality & Pride at Work.Photos: Ove Overmyer
Hello, sailor! The RGMC went naval at the Pride Parade. Photo: Bess Watts
Tilt won the Rainbow Award. Photo: Bess Watts
Gay Alliance youth on the march. Photo: Bess Watts
Photo by Bess Watts
Pride Queen Vanity Faire. Photo: Bess Watts
Larva and proud! The Gay Alliance’s Laura McSpadden as a butterfly. Photo: Susan Jordan
Kelly Baumgartner was the second GAGV butterfly. Photo: Susan Jordan
The pink flamingos led off the prize-winning Equal=Grounds float. Photo: Ove Overmyer
Kasha Davis. Photo by Garnetta Ely
Youth Pride Queen Kelly Delish & King Tye Herdown at the parade. Photo: Susan Jordan
Boys in the Band. Photo by Garnetta Ely
august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet
Headliner Amber. Photo by Laura McSpadden
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THE FESTIVAL drew around 3,000 people. Photo: Ove Overmyer
Photo by Ove Overmyer Erin Davis’s Fagbug at the Parade. Photo: Ove Overmyer
The Square Pegs from Syracuse perform at the Festival. Photo: Laura McSpadden
RPD LGBT liaison officer Kim Rasbeck and Chief David Moore at the Parade. Photo: Ove Overmyer
Robby Morris of Outlandish with friends at the Festival.
Thomas Warfield, Michael Gamilla, Mary Ann Sanford and Judy Johnson at the Picnic. Mary Ann won second place in the Picnic Site Decorating Contest. Photo: Bess Watts
Photo by Laura McSpadden
PRIDE PICNIC: Around 2,000 attended the Picnic on July 18. Photo by Ove Overmyer
Harry Bronson’s crew at the parade. Photo: Ove Overmyer
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
L i v i ng h i s t o r y p a r t y • d a n c e c e l e b r a t e
Photo by Bess Watts
The Gay Alliance’s Jeannie Gainsburg does her volleyball thing. Photo by Bess Watts
Photo by Ove Overmyer
Robin Wilt, candidate for the State Senate 56th District, attended the kick-off party on July 16, the Parade on July 17 and (above) the Picnic on July 18. Photo: Susan Jordan
Photo by Ove Overmyer
august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet
Shoulders to Stand On
The Vinnie-Vicki Cup Awards By Evelyn Bailey On June 30, the Gay Alliance presented the 35th Annual Vinnie–Vickie Cups to Sean Johnson and Pam Barres (see page A 18). Who are Vinnie and Vickie? What are the awards given for? Who started presenting them and when? From 1975 to 1984 there was only the Vinnie Cup. In 1984 the first Vickie Cup was awarded. The late Arnie Pegish, the owner of the Bachelor Forum, established this award in memory of his late business partner, Vinnie Wheeler. The award is presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to Rochester’s gay community. From The Empty Closet, March, 1975: “Vinnie Wheeler was a loving man who
was never too busy to help those in need. He is remembered with love and thanks by those who knew him and by those who came after him as a symbol of greater understanding and commitment. Vinnie Wheeler, whose name is on the prestigious award, left the gay community with a challenge. Arnie states that it is ‘a challenge to do our part to help make the gay community in Rochester one of the strongest in the country.’” The first Vinnie Cup was presented on March 16, 1975 to Ted Aldrich at a benefit dinner in memory of Vinnie Wheeler. The Benefit was held in the Vintage Room of the Bachelor Forum (I am sure many remember this room at the old Forum on Main St., Rochester). The proceeds from the dinner went to support the Albany lobbying efforts by the New York State Coalition of Gay Organizations (NYSCGO), represented by Rochester’s Ted Aldrich. The aim of the lobbying effort was to make consensual sodomy between two consenting adults legal. Ted’s efforts and those of many others were realized when in New York the sodomy law was struck down by People v. Onofre, (N.Y. 1980) and repealed by the legislature in 2000. After the presentation, Jim Van Allen, former owner of Jim’s, spoke and called for 30 seconds of silence for Vinnie Wheeler. Charles Jeanotte, pastor of the Rochester Community Church at this time, announced that a plaque was being placed in the Church in honor of Vinnie. Following this announcement, Bob Crystal, president of the Gay Brotherhood of Rochester, presented a certificate of honorary membership to Arnie for his service to the gay community far beyond and above the call of duty.
The first Vicki Russo Humanitarian Cup Award was presented in 1984 to Ginny Shear and Sue Slate. Named in honor of the late Vicki Russo, an employee at Arnie Pegish’s Bachelor Forum for many years, the Vicki Cup is annually given to a woman in the community who has given outstanding service, whether paid or volunteered, to the general community including the gay and lesbian community. Vicki Russo, long time activist, humanitarian and friend of the gay community, did volunteer work at St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality, helped raise money for the Al Sigl Center and St. Joseph’s Villa, prepared many dinners for gay men and women who did not have any place to go on Thanksgiving, and sent many housebound brothers and sisters meals on wheels at the beginning of the AIDS crisis. Vicki wrote letters to the editor when she saw community issues becoming divisive, she spoke up for what was right, contributed much to the well being of the community, and challenged everyone in the community to get along. “Many of you remember Vicki, the pushy broad who was always after money for the needy, the homeless, the disabled and the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Val-
A 13 ley. Vicki was one hell of a non-gay who realized that titles and stereotypes mean nothing. Vicki loved us all.” (EC, 1984) Shoulders To Stand On is very proud to recognize these two pillars of the community. Vinnie Wheeler and Vicki Russo reflect a passion and willingness to speak out for justice, reach out to those in need in our community. Shoulders To Stand On is very proud to recognize these two pillars of the community. ■
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
Remembering Rochester third in a series on Rochester historical sites of the LGBT and women’s communities Tracking The Gay Alliance By Susan Jordan The Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley has had five locations over the past 40 years – beginning in 1970 as the Gay Liberation Front at the University of Rochester. Then, in 1973, when the GLF became the GAGV, the new group was located at the first office on Brown St. in Bullshead; then for about 16 years at the Genesee Co-op on Monroe Ave.; then starting in 1990 at the first community center in a storefront at the corner of Elton St. and Atlantic Ave., and then in 2004 at the current location, the Auditorium Center on E. Main between Goodman and Prince Sts. Todd Union, University of Rochester. Patti Evans was a U.R. sophomore in fall 1970, and Bob Crystal was a senior at Cornell. The late Bob Osborne, Larry Fine and others started the Gay Liberation Front on the U.R. campus on Oct. 3, 1970, inspired by the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village in June 1969, which had led to the founding of the GLF on three campuses: Columbia, Cornell and the University of Rochester. A separate activist group in NYC that arose after Stonewall was the GAA or Gay Activists’ Alliance. Both Bob and Patti (who was living in NYC) were present on the second night of the Stonewall riots. Patti said, “It was a peaceful candlelight demonstration the night after the riots… Then I heard the sound of breaking glass. The police stormed us like an army.” Bob said, “People came to New York in the summer of ’69 and then went back to their campuses and talked about Stonewall. I was at Cornell and joined GLF there. There was back and forth communication between the three colleges, so when I moved to Rochester in summer 1971, it was natural to join the GLF at U.R.” Patti said, “I got ‘recruited’ by Bob Osborne at the Riverview (the former women’s bar). I soon started leafleting myself. I became very active in GLF. We got to the point where we were getting 100 people on Sunday nights in Todd Union – we had frequent dances with free beer and live bands, so lots of people came, including people from the city.” Bob added, “‘Townie’ men became the ‘Gay Brotherhood,’ while the women started GROW (Gay Revolution of Women), which rented an office in the Genesee Co-op on Monroe Ave., and GLF was still the campus group for a while longer. The name ‘Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley’ was carefully argued over. The Gay Brotherhood and GROW decided that the GAGV would be an umbrella group that could include the three different groups. We townies had been told we couldn’t come to GLF meetings on campus because student funds paid for campus student groups.”
Patti Evans and Bob Crystal on the U.R. River Campus. Photo by Susan Jordan
University of Rochester Gay Liberation Front from the 1972 Freshman student orientation for student groups: from left to right, the people in the photo are Marshall Goldman, Patti Evans and Karen Hagburg.
Wilfrid “Whitey” LeBlanc at the site of 812 Brown St. Photo by Susan Jordan
Patti said, “Obviously we had grown beyond the campus. It was time to move on.” Bob said, “One night at Jim’s bar Mark Hull offered to rent us a space in a building he owned on Brown St. After we moved off-campus, the GLF didn’t last long. Most of our materials went to Brown St., but the Empty Closet stuff went to Joe Baker’s home, where he edited the paper.” 812 Brown Street. The first Gay Alliance president, Whitey LeBlanc, said, “In 1973, after the Gay Liberation Front and Gay Brotherhood became the Gay Alliance, we rented an office behind a burnedout drugstore on Brown St. in Bullshead, not in the drugstore building but in what I recall as a dentist’s office – or a combination of vacant facilities. There’s nothing left of that building at all except a vacant lot. “We entered the building from the back, off Kensington St. -- back entrance as usual! The office had electricity but no heat, so we used electric heaters. There was one room adequate for the 40 or so people who came to meetings every Sunday night, and a couple of small rooms used as office space. We had the Speakers Bureau, a political action committee and some other programs. “We had a lot of vandalism at Brown St. I don’t know if the local kids knew we were gay, or if it was just random stone throwing. So we moved to the Genesee Co-op, where the women’s group GROW (later the Lesbian Resource Center) was located. They suggested we move there and we thought it was a great idea.” The Genesee Co-op, 713 Monroe Ave., an attractive renovated 19th century firehouse, was the home of the GAGV after leaving Brown St. in April 1974 and before moving in 1990 to the storefront on Elton and Atlantic. The Alliance rented a small brick-walled room on the second floor (which eventually became the Empty Closet office) and later also rented the Sunken Room, where popular coffeehouses were held on Friday nights. It was a step up from the derelict building on Brown St., but Paul Scheib, who was on the Gay Alliance board in the 1980s, remembers the Co-op site as less than perfect. Said Paul, “It was intimidating to come here for meetings after dark, because it wasn’t well labeled, you had to go down the alley past the dumpster, and sometimes the light over the door was off. The message was basically, this is where ‘people like you’ have to go. It was especially hard for people who weren’t out yet or were just coming out and trying to connect with other gay people. It was either the bars or down a dark alley past the garbage. All of that was a big reason to push for our own space on Atlantic…. This alley hasn’t really changed much
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august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet The Auditorium Center, 875 E. Main St.: The Gay Alliance moved in 2004 to offices on the fifth floor of this enormous, fascinating building, erected in 1929 by Freemasons, which also houses the Auditorium Theatre, currently the Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s venue for tour-
ing Broadway productions. The Youth Center has its own very large, high-ceilinged room on the first floor, now flanked by the Community Room and the GAGV Library in the Prince St. lobby. The staff office and the Nopper conference room are both located on the fifth floor. ■
Paul Scheib in the alley at 713 Monroe Ave. Photo by Susan Jordan
since 1989!” 179 Atlantic Ave. at Elton St.: Evelyn Bailey said, “We looked for a new building at the nagging of (Bachelor Forum owner) Arnie Pegish. At the Genesee Co-op in the Sunken Room, we did have an office. We were broken into a couple of times. The Co-op was also going to do renovations to make the building handicap accessible and the tenants would have to pick up the cost. Arnie said that until we got a building of our own we would always be at the mercy of a landlord and never be able to have an independent presence in the Community. So Claire Parker said, ‘Well, Arnie, find us a building.’ “He did, down the street from the new Bachelor Forum location. We could not get a loan from a bank, so Tim Tompkins gave us a loan to buy the building. We paid off the loan in 18 months. “A heated discussion followed about putting the name on the door -- needless
to say, with the Alliance having its own building, we needed to identify ourselves. As Board President at the time, Claire said. ‘The greatest gift you could give me, on leaving the Board, is to put the name on the door.’ We did.” Putting the word “Gay” on the building did not cause major problems. At one point a troubled local youth threw a stone through the front window, and once some bigots threw red paint – but although they were just a few feet away, they missed the building and the paint landed on the Elton St. sidewalk. By the turn of the century, after over a decade of occupation, the building had become too small to contain the growing staff, the groups that used the building as a meeting place, and the rapidly expanding Youth Group, which had no designated area of its own within the building. It was time to move on and the Atlantic Ave. community center was sold to ArtWalk.
At 179 Atlantic Ave. in 1990: GAGV Board member John Noble, Board President Claire Parker and political ally Gary Proud.
If you have a legal matter... ...Call the lawyer for you, your family and our community. Harry B. Bronson, Esq. 585.233.8789 harry@bronsonatlaw.com Wills Health Care Proxy Power of Attorney LGBT Partnership & Estate Planning Buying/Selling a House Name Changes Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Small Business Law Non-Profit Representation
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
national and international
(Newsfronts continued from page 8) “Unfortunately, the new strategy does not sufficiently address the issue of resources. Already, we are seeing many AIDS drug assistance programs impose caps or waiting lists for life-saving drugs. There are over 3000 people on ADAP waiting lists. This month, the President authorized a one-time funding increase for ADAP of $25 million, but this amount, while welcome, represents only about seven percent of amounts needed this year alone to ensure the program’s continued solvency. “At a time when we are largely losing the fight to prevent new infections, prevention programs currently account for only three percent of federal AIDS spending. To put available prevention weapons to effective use, experts estimate that annual prevention spending needs to increase from $750 million to $1.3 billion for at least each of the next five years. This new strategy offers a sound, evidence-based approach to better results, but it will be worth little more than the paper it is written on if we don’t follow through with essential resources.”
Presbyterians vote to permit gay clergy Leaders of the Presbyterian Church voted on July 8 to permit non-celibate gay men and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy. The vote will have to be approved by a majority of the 173 presbyteries in the U.S. in order for it to become church policy. The church’s general assembly in Minneapolis saw 53 percent approving the proposed policy. The assembly also decided not to redefine marriage in their constitution to include same sex couples. Benjamin Wind, a young non-voting delegate, told the Associated Press, “The world has become a more tolerant and accepting place. I’ve grown up with gay and lesbian friends, teachers, even spiritual lead-
ers. They stand proud as people who deserve the same rights as all human beings.”
U.N. approves U.S.-based gay group as NGO On July 19 in New York, the United States spearheaded a successful effort in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to accredit the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), a U.S.-based NGO whose respected work over 20 years has shed light on discrimination, combated HIV/AIDs, and promoted human rights around the world. NGOs inform, influence, and hold accountable United Nations members. “The UN was founded on the premise that only through mutual respect, diversity, and dialogue can the international community effectively pursue justice and equality,” President Obama said. “Today, with the more full inclusion of the (IGLHRC), the United Nations is closer to the ideals on which it was founded, and to values of inclusion and equality to which the United States is deeply committed.” Before Monday, no LGBT rights organizations with UN special consultative status were based in the U.S. Out of more than 3,000 accredited NGOs, only nine focused primarily on LGBT rights. Only one of those operated internationally. Before the vote, the IGLHRC had to navigate a maze of barriers thrown up by anti-gay members of the 19-member UN Committee on NGOs, culminating in a “no action” motion in May. On Monday, despite opposition, the U.S. pushed a resolution directly to ECOSOC to grant the IGLHRC special consultative status, resulting in a debate and a vote. After 23 countries voted “yes,” 13 voted “no,” and 13 abstained, the IGLHRC won. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said, “The vote was a significant achievement for all those who work to see the United Nations embody its founding principles and advance the tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” ■
Rainbow SAGE of the Genesee Valley Sunday, August 15th, 2010 Rainbow SAGE Reunion Picnic Rainbow Senior’s, Omega, Rainbow SAGE, Our Friends and Allies, Everyone! Location: Sycamore Shelter at Ellison Park Come at 11:30am Food at 1:00pm Entertainment at 2:30pm Please bring a dish to pass (if you can) and your lawn chair We’ll supply Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Beverages and Fun, Fun, Fun! Games Galore & More! Our Special Guest Is
MIKE KORNRISH
With Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, and Sing-a-long Favorites For more information and directions to the park contact Saundra Ehman at 585-473-4765 or email us at rainbowsage@gayalliance.org Sign language interpreters gladly provided upon request.
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august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet
35 Year Landmark in the Gay Community Happy Hour Every Day of the week Half-priced well drinks, drafts & $4 Call drinks 4-8pm Nightly Drink Specials every night of the week! Come check them out! Every Wednesday is Steak Night 6–10pm Euchre Party with Caroline Saturday, August 14 Games will begin at 5pm Margarita Monday August 16 5-9pm Cornhole Tournament Prizes awarded to Winner! Hawaiian Beach Party Saturday, August 28 Open at 3pm Beach Party runs all day & night! Wear your favorite beach attire – Swimwear acceptable Tropical Drink Specials, Food & Great Prizes
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At Pride 2010: Rachel Priestly is on the right and Renee Capron, an employee at Mott’s, on the left. Photo by Garnetta Ely
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By Anne Tischer, Equality Rochester It was hot, Africa hot, when we stopped to see the Mott’s workers who are on strike in Williamson. Some workers clustered under a sheltering tarp but most walked the perimeter in full sun. They know the importance of this strike for themselves, their community and all local workers. Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) which now owns the Mott’s plant had a banner year, making a record $555 million in profits but they are slashing worker benefits and pay at Motts. A $3200 pay cut is bad enough, but workers say the loss in benefits and health coverage is worse. Factor in that the DPS CEO made $6.5 million and Mott’s looks like the poster child for corporate greed. Plus, if DPS gets away with breaking this union, it could initiate a domino effect of wage reductions in all workplaces in western New York, as has happened elsewhere. Pride at Work AFL-CIO (PAW), like most local unions, is actively supporting the Motts RWDSU Local 220 workers by collecting food and spreading the word to boycott Motts Products. PAW is an LGBT constituency group of AFL-CIO dedicated to workplace visibility, advocacy and equity. If LGBT equal rights are earned by changing hearts and minds one at a time, the PAW trips out to Williamson have hit the mother lode. We have been wholeheartedly welcomed by every striker we met when we visited. We lured out a few gay folks and met an extraordinary transgender woman named Rachel Priestly who reflects the epitome of union solidarity. Rachel worked at Motts 22 years and was president of the union for six years. She left Mott’s after she transitioned to escape the hostile environment she encountered from management and co-workers. Despite her mistreatment, Rachel walks the picket line at Motts. “I believe in labor”, she says. ”These folks are still my brothers and sisters. We may not always get along but in times of need we pull together. “I couldn’t be prouder of them for standing up for their rights... They are my family and I miss them.” It has been a long time since someone disarmed me with their altruism, but Rachel did. Follow that encounter with a request from the Mott’s union communication officer Mike Bailey, asking if some Mott’s workers could march with Pride at Work in the Pride Parade to promote their cause. “We are straight talking guys from Rush Limbaugh country. It was an unexpected request but of course they can march with Pride at Work -- they are our brothers and sisters. To paraphrase Rachel, we believe in labor… we may not always get along but in
By Hilda L. Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor It’s been 17 years since Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) — groundbreaking legislation that allows parents to take unpaid time off from work to care for their children. Since then, thanks in large measure to technology, work has changed. And as a result, workers have changed, often at warp speed. But what many have been slow to recognize is the fact that “families” have been changing for a very long time. Well, the Administration took a major step in recognizing that change on June 22, when the U.S. Department of Labor clarified the definition of “son and daughter” under the FMLA. Our interpretation ensures that an employee who assumes the role of caring for a child receives parental rights to family leave regardless of the legal or biological relationship. We’ve done so because the realities of who is a “mother” and who is a “father”... and new, important and responsible concepts of “parenthood” simply demand it — at home, and at work. It’s called in loco parentis, a Latin phrase and legal doctrine meaning in the place of a parent. When applied to the new realities of work and family, it means all employees who have assumed the responsibility for parenting a child, whether they have a biological or legal relationship with the child or not, may be entitled to FMLA leave. Consider the case of Nazanin Meftah and her partner Lydia Banuelos, a lesbian couple in Tucson, Arizona. Ms. Meftah developed medical complications after the birth of the couple’s children in 2007 and 2009. Despite a clear need and obvious relationship to the children, Dr. Banuelos was denied unpaid leave both times by her employer. She wasn’t able to care for the kids because she was not a biological parent or legal guardian. I had the chance to meet Ms. Meftah recently, and her story is sadly as common as it is compelling. The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law estimates that more than 100,000 children growing up in same-sex families could benefit from this simple but important action. The Labor Department’s interpretation of the FMLA makes clear that children can get the support and care they need from the people who love them and are responsible for them. This is certainly a win for LGBT families, and recognizes the importance of a partner who shares in the parenting of a child in a same sex relationship. But it’s also a win for “Tia” (Spanish for “aunt”) who steps in to care for her young nephew when his mother has been called to active military duty, or a grandmother who takes responsibility for her grandchild. We know that family-friendly policies and laws like the FMLA aren’t “niceties” but rather necessities that contribute to the wellbeing of all families and a better bottom line for employers. No further interpretation of that is required. ■
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The Climate at Mott’s
Interpreting Families
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Opinion
times of need we pull together...” Contact Pride at Work at Besswhat@ gmail.com. ■
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
Making the Scene
Sean Johnston with Jeanne Gainsburg.
Pam Barres with Scott Fearing. Photos by Susan Jordan
Gay Alliance honors Pam Barres, Sean Johnston By Susan Jordan Activists and volunteers Pamela Barres and Sean Johnston were honored at the Gay Alliance’s Annual Meeting on June 30 at the Youth Center. New board members were elected and Evelyn Bailey gave the gathering of around 60 people the latest news on Empty Closet microfilming and digitization. Gay Alliance Program Director Scott Fearing presented the Vicki Award to Pam Barres, noting her enormous contributions to the Rochester community, with her work for, among others, the Transgender Group, Rainbow SAGE, the Gay Alliance (a former board member, she also served as Interim Executive Director in 2003 and is still on the Speakers Bureau) and currently the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation Board. Barres said that she has found family in the LGBT community. “We accept people as they are,” she said, adding, “Our fight is really a fight for social justice for all marginalized people.” She paid tribute to the Gay Alliance staff and to her wife of almost 50 years, Sue Barres. Jeanne Gainsburg, Gay Alliance Outreach Coordinator, presented the Vinnie Award to Sean Johnston, saying that she had been impressed by Sean’s courage during his transition, and that he has become a hard-working volunteer for the Gay Alliance Speakers Bureau, and founder of Guys Night Out, the transgender men’s social group. Sean responded, “I really appreciate this a lot. I love my work at the Gay Alliance with Jeannie. The Gay Alliance is a great organization, and has done so much for me over the past few years.” The Vicki and Vinnie Awards, for those who have contributed most to the Gay Alliance and the Rochester LGBT community, were created in the 1980s by the late Arnie Pegish, owner of the Bachelor Forum. The late Vicki Russo and Vinnie Wheeler were his associates (see page A 12). Evelyn Bailey of Shoulders to Stand On said that the history of these awards and much else can be researched online, now that the microfilming and digitization of 39 years worth of Empty Closet newspapers have been completed, starting with a four-page mimeographed sheet from January 1971. Every issue from that one through March 2010 is now on one DVD. Bailey presented Sue Cowell, Gay Alliance Executive Director, and Tom Ferrarese, retiring Board president, with a plaque, which lists the names of those who worked on the digitization project over the years. She presented “remembrances” to four of them: Richard Peek, Director, Rare Books, Special Collections & Preservation at U.R., Michael Robertson, Jeff Markarian and Mary McCrank. Ferrarese noted that this would be his last Annual Meeting as president of the board and thanked everyone for their support. He received a standing ovation. ■
Tom Ferrarese receives a standing ovation.
John Altieri and Sean VanHatten.
august 2010 • number 437 • gay alliance of the genesee valley • the empty closet
L i v i ng h i s t o r y p a r t y • d a n c e
PRIDE PICNIC: dancing in the Roundhouse. Photo: Laura McSpadden
c e l e b r at e
Photo by Garnetta Ely
Photo by Bess Watts
Photo by Susan Jordan
At the Picnic. Photo by Bess Watts
Faces in the crowd... New York City Pride. Photos by Eric Bellman
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the empty closet • the gay alliance of the genesee valley • number 437 • august 2010
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Thank you! LARAMIE PROJECT: David Henderson & Method Machine • GAY DAY AT SEABREEZE: Luther Long and Will Johnson • BROKEN COUCH COMEDY Improv Pride Show: Broken Couch and 140 Alex Bar & Grill: PRIDE AT PUBLIC MARKET: City of Rochester Special Events for the first LGBT event at the Public Market • Pandora Boxx • James Farr • Joan Hildebrandt • Tilt • PRIDE OPEN: Paul Scheib and Jerry Rigby for the first fabulous Pride Golf Tournament • RAINBOW FLAG RAISING: City of Rochester Special Events Department • Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri and their City Hall staffs • Ralph Smith • Vanessa Smith • Rochester City Council, especially Matt Haag • Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus • TEA DANCE: Premier Pastry • Lyjha Wilton and all his Boulder Staff, especially Jillian Wilton, Broc Gailit and Jenna Knauf as well as all of Napa’s Staff, Louis Mistretta and owner Dave Enos • DJ Lisa Kribs and partner Beth • Street Meat guys Kenny & Scott • YOUTH DANCE & PAGEANT: Bill Levy & Tilt Nightclub • DJ Chuck Argento • Evelyn Bailey • Peter Mohr & the Bachelor Forum • Janet Epstein • Chris Henning • FAG BUG SCREENING: Erin Davies • The Little Theatre Team • 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION SCREENING: ImageOut • The Cinema Theatre • Chuck Argento for sound system • KICK OFF PARTY: The Strathallan Team • Aggy Dune & Kasha Davis (Big Wigs) • DJ Chuck Argento • Matt Haag and Elaine Spaull of City Council • FAMILY DAY AT MEMORIAL ART GALLERY: The Memorial Art Gallery Team • Pride & Joy Families • Elizabeth Doyle • PRIDE PARADE: Michael Hardy • Jo MelecaVoigt • Bill Schaefer • Grand Marshals Tim Stallman and Gerry Mason • Deputy Mayor Patty Malgieri • Roc City Rickshaw • Chief David Moore and the Rochester Police Department • The Rochester Fire Department • Rochester City Council & city staff • Park Avenue Neighbors • Park Avenue Merchants Association • www.VisitRochester.com for sashes and marshal kits • Airagami’s Larry Moss and Kelly Cheatle and their balloon team, as well as Kasha Davis, Michael Ciaccia, Chris Eklund, Michael Delaney and Angel Carter • Judging Team: Deb L., T.J.H., Terry M., Brad, Chris C. and Neil P. • Kevin C. and Chris A. for Parade HQ • Rochester Museum & Science Center • Rochester’s media for fair and professional coverage again this year • And special thanks to all 75 units in the Parade! • FESTIVAL: Sean VanHatten • Carrie Vernon • Amber • Square Pegs • Nolan’s • DJs Hector and Jon Herbert • Saucke Brothers • Rochester Broadway Theatre League & Andy Parkhurst • Geva • Jimmy Catalano • Papa John’s • Rural Metro Ambulance • John Altieri • Vincent Pace and Jeff Briggs • Kasha Davis (& Ed Popil) • Samantha Vega • Ambrosia Salad • Vanity Faire • Poison Waters • Keke • Aneal Pleasures • Samantha Sulay & Miss Deelicious • PICNIC: Evelyn Bailey • Jeff Markarian • • Pat Cloonan • Tilt • Rochester Cart Rental • EZ Bottle & Can Return • Monroe County Parks – Ryan Loysen • Rural Metro Ambulance • Titan Media Productions • Shoulders To Stand On • Kevin Indovino • Dick Stenglein • Joe McCrank • Sam Nicolosi • Claire Parker • Tad Mack • Tim Crawford • Gerry Szymanski • Michael Gamilla • Travis Lewis • Barbara Moore • Thomas Warfield • Lou Vallone • VOLUNTEERS: Joe Alesi • Tonya Allen • John Altieri • Kayla Arrison • Zayne Austin • Stefan Baer • Cara-Dee Baginski • Sarah Baginski • Evelyn Bailey • Karen Barber • Andrew Baumgras • Lee Bender • James Biebel • Tara Bird • John Braun • Pauline Braun • Sam Brett • Mir Buchanan • Kimberly Bunker • Rhonda Bussey • Chris Caraccilo • Ralph Carter • Jimmy Catalano • Xin Yi Chan • Pat Cloonan • Doris Cowell • Judy Cranston • Jason Croft • Terri Cvetan • Brad Daruszka • Rachael Davis • Jennifer Dawson • Richard DeSain • Cynthia DeVille • Elizabeth Doyle • Andrew Dresang • Brad Druszka • Amber Dubicki • Evie Dubicki • Cassie Dubicki • Lisa Elder • Mary Beth Feindt • Tom Ferrarese • Stacey Fisher • Jeff Fowler • Ed Freedman • Hayden Freedman • Eric Frieday • Rebecca Gainsburg • Michael Gamilla • David Gaylord • Charles Genese • Danielle Gentile • Judy Glaubinger • Michael Goings-Benjamin • Eric Goodwin • Todd Gordon • Pamela Greer • David Gruttadaria • Gary Hallinen • Michael Hardy • Blanche Harling • Emma Hartzell • Juanita Harvey • Richard Hasely • Heather Henninger • Denise Herrera • Chris Hildebrandt • Amy Hodge • Alonda Howard • Rebecca Huber • Brittany James • Laurie Jenkins • Judith Johnson • Lakisha Johnson • Melinda Johnston • Sean Johnston • Paul Johnstone • Brandin Jones • Emily Jones • Leighton Jones • Mahogany Jones • Jodie Judd • Russell Kamerow • Paul Kaseman • Amanda Kelley • Jessica Kennedy • John Klobusicky • Marcus Kroll • Ron Kwasman • Robin Lavergne • Priscilla Leiter-Kendrick • Bob Lewis • Spenchelle Lowery • Daniel Maffia • Dave Mammarello • Christe Mammarello • Jeff Markarian • Tina Marple • Jose Martinez • Wanda Martinez • Elizabeth Matthews • Dennis Mazur • Kat McAnn • Marquita McCoy • Brendan McDonough • David McLuckie • Susan McManus • Cindy McMullan • Jo Meleca-Voigt • Christine Meleca-Voigt • Colleen Melisz • Melissa Miller • David Mooney • Gary Morrow • Terrance Nichols • Lisa Nolan • Debra Oppenheimer • Jacquie Payne • Trish Pellegrino • Billy Pellegrino • Cris Perez • Tony Perri • Tori Philipson • Lucy Pickett • Patrick Pitoni • Todd Plank • Pamela Polashenski • Maya Polashenski • Anastasia Polashenski • Tallis Polashenski • Mildred Portela • Laura Posner • Thomas Privitere • Daniel Quintana • Myrna Ramirez • Marcia Reaver • Bob Reed • Adriana Riano • Shanika Richardson • Kathryn Rivers • Eric Rodriguez • Diane Root • Rauncie Ryan • Nicole • Ryan, Mary Ann Sanford • Michelle Santilli-Kulik • Robb Schmiegel • Kathleen Schreier • Bill Schaefer • Tracy Skye-Meli • Kimberly Smith • Elijah Snipes II • Sophia Stanley • Jennifer Starr • Michael Tang • Lynn Tavernese • Aaron Thompson • Jean Tomalty • Barbara Turner • Sean VanHatten • Carrie Vernon • Anne Wakeman • Jamie Whitbeck • Sally Whitbeck • Courtney Williams • Chauncey Wilson • Tacara Windom • David Yip • Ann Young • Alex Phegley • Doris and Gina • SPONSORS: ImageOut • 140 Alex Bar & Grill • St. Luke St. Simon Cyrene Church • Liz Rebman and Empire Merchants • Three Olives, Proximo Spirits • Bread & Water Theatre • Absolut • Bacardi • Bud Light • Victory Alliance • Bachelor Forum • ID Lube • Equal=Grounds • Cheshire Audio Visual • John Borek Presents Boys in the Band • Professional Tutoring Service • Barefoot Wines • Park Avenue Merchants • Rainbow SAGE • OUTlandish • Bill Schaefer and Matt Haag • Center for Disability Rights • Lake Beverage • RIT GLBT Center • Jines • Sarah Rebis and Southern Wine & Spirits • Peter Mohr • Bachelor Forum • Upstate Tattoo Co. • AND THANKS TO: Third Presbyterian Church and Ralph Carter for “Tru Love” • Out & Equal • Susie Light of Brighton Securities • Robb Schmeigel for improving Pride Deaf Access, and ASL interpreters Alyssa Vaisey, Courtney Williams, Heather Gerber, Beth Helsdon, Patricia Lieter, Cat Hardesty, Amanda O’Hearn, Stephanie DiLaura, Jesús Colón • Photographers Ove Overmyer, Garnetta Ely, Bess Watts, Laura McSpadden • The Gay Alliance staff including Kelly Baumgartner, Kelly Clark, Jessica Cohen, Sue Cowell, Brian Doran, Scott Fearing, Jeanne Gainsburg, Susan Jordan, Laura McSpadden, Marian Mull, Sean Soper • The entire Gay Alliance Board of Directors for their support and year-round dedication • Special Thanks to the amazing Jim Anderson for design services for the 2010 Pride Guide • Special Thanks to Matt Haag and Bill Schaefer for their unending support of the Gay Alliance • Very Special Thanks to our LGBT pioneers and activists of the past 40 years, to whom we owe so much • And thanks and apologies to everyone whose name was unintentionally omitted! Please e-mail info@gayalliance.org with comments, suggestions, concerns or compliments before Aug. 30, and/or if you wish to help plan Pride 2011 or be a volunteer. And please fill out the Pride Survey at www.gayalliance.org