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The Empty Closet
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NUMBER 507
A PUBLICATION OF THE GAY ALLIANCE
DEC-JAN 2017
Photo: Doug Meszler
Candles shine in the darkness on Trans Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20 By Susan Jordan “We become something greater than ourselves when we dedicate ourselves to love.” The writer of these words, a trans youth, was assaulted twice this year. His mother, Brae Adams, pastoral leader at Open Arms MCC, read from his essay, “What an enemy they have made of love,” at the Transgender Day of Remembrance gathering on Nov. 20. Around 70 people attended the gathering, held this year at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. Organizer Rev. Karen Anne Bills introduced speakers NYS Assemblymember Harry Bronson and Andreas Rau, aide to Mayor Lovely Warren and LGBTQ liaison, who both expressed support for the trans community. A representative from City Councilmember Matt Haag’s office read the City Council proclamation recognizing the Day of Remembrance. Genesis Nunlee gave an explanation of the origin of
TDOR, founded in 1999 to honor the memory of murder victim Rita Hester. The observance has now spread to 200 U.S. cities and 20 countries. While Suzi Keirin played a clarinet, 23 people read the names of each of the 23 known trans murder victims of 2016, and each speaker lit a candle. Then the entire group passed the flame on. Julia Acosta said, “We read the names and repeat this tradition once a year. But so many names can’t be known. We have no idea how long the list would be if we included those lost to suicide.” She noted 41 percent of suicides are of trans people, compared to 4.6 of the overall US population and 10 to 15 percent of LGB people. “Names are often erased,” she said. “...Erasure refers to collective indifference that renders certain people invisible.” Karen Anne Bills closed the gathering with a prayer, ending, “Let us shine our light in hope and peace.” ■
Photo: Bess Watts
Over 100 speak out at Gay Alliance on feelings, concerns about election By Susan Jordan On Nov. 9, over 100 people gathered at the Gay Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center to share their feelings, thoughts, hopes and concerns about the election of Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s anti-gay, anti-woman and racist agenda. Everyone was encouraged to write those concerns on large sheets of paper attached to the wall, and they can be read at the Resource Center. Here are some of the statements: Under “Share Your Dreams: “That we can become a representative republic without big money influence, without religious bigotry.” “That we can use Trump as a common enemy that unites all minorities.” “That peace and healing can
Two days after Election Day, when national media featured thousands of people filing by Susan B. Anthony’s grave here in Rochester, anti-gay and racist incidents in our area made national and international news: WHEC TV reported on November 10: Rochester Police say two pride flags were burned this week. Police are investigating both incidents. One happened on Atlantic Avenue, and the other incident happened on Marion Street. Police say both incidents were reported on Nov. 9. The Democrat & Chronicle via Britain’s Attitude magazine: … another rainbow flag flying in the neighborhood was also vandalized on Wednesday evening. “Both incidents are currently being investigated as arson
“Heartbroken.” “Extremely sad – grief stricken.” “Galvanized!” “Obviously what has happened may set (us) a few years back, but WE are a community built on LOVE and PASSION. This event drives our advocacy and will build strength.” Under “Share Your Thoughts”: “How bad will it get?” “The fight is NOT over. Stay strong. Love.” “This is only a setback, not a defeat!” “There is always hope. There is always love. Never give up. Never leave anyone behind.” “We WILL retake the Congress! We WILL retake the White House! We WILL prevail!” ■
was discovered this morning and the police were called. The park is located near Wellsville High School and the town’s central business district. …At Canisius College, a black doll was found hung by a noose in an elevator on Tuesday night in Frisch Hall, a freshman dorm. ■
Burned rainbow flag.
Inside
PHOTO: JILL FRIER
Homophobic, racist incidents and antihate rallies follow election
be achieved in our lives, our communities and our nation.” Under “Share Your Hopes”: “That we can all unite to reclaim our nation from these hatemongers!” “That we will find a way to keep moving forward!” Under “Share Your Concerns”: “My son is not safe in this angry climate.” “Remember trans folks, persons of color and EVERYONE.” “I now have a target on my back.” “I will not be silenced by fear.” “Donald your stupid love Sammy age 8.” Under “Share Your Feelings”: “This is a SPOOKY HELL DREAM that we are all having.” “Fear! Anger!”
At the Browncroft Rose Garden anti-hate rally on Nov. 12. On Nov. 19 a CommUnity march against hate took place downtown. More on p. 15.
investigations,” Rochester police said in a statement. “No suspects are currently in custody. We are currently working in conjunction with the Gay Alliance regarding these two incidents.” Empty Closet update: The Gay Alliance has rainbow flags and is asking a $10 donation to help cover costs, but no one will be denied a flag.
From the Buffalo News: The first day following the election of President Donald Trump has seen two troubling incidents, one in Wellsville and another at Canisius College. A softball dugout in Island Park in Wellsville was defaced with the words “Make America White Again,” accompanied by a large swastika. The graffiti
Dr. Bill Valenti... Page 14
Editorials....................................... 2 Interview: Pastor Malik................ 6 Making the Scene......................10 Opinion: Using the Bible...........15 Health: Connect & Breathe .....16 LGBTQ Living: Village Parade .17 Shoulders To Stand On ...........21 Columnists ................................22 Community ................................25 Entertainment: Holidaze...........27 Gay Alliance: Leadership ........30 Calendar.....................................34 Classifieds..................................34 Comics........................................35 The Gay Alliance is publisher of The Empty Closet, New York State’s oldest LGBTQ newspaper.
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Perspectives The Empty Closet Editor SUSAN JORDAN
Community Center It has been exactly one year since the Gay Alliance moved into the new LGBTQ Resource Center at 100 College Ave., down the block from the old HQ in the Auditorium Center, where the Alliance had several rooms on different floors of that enormous 1929 building. The new Resource Center is all on one floor and we now have a real community space, even including an art gallery. The difference is amazing. In the new Resource Center, there is a constant flow of meetings, events and people passing through, not only during regular hours of 9 to 5 on weekdays, but for events in the evening and on weekends. You never know whom you will meet from day to day. You could encounter pioneer LGBT activists re-visiting Rochester, or youth from local GSAs, or elected officials, or Japanese students touring the U.S. The Center is a hive of activity and something is always going on. You can watch a film, take a yoga class, use a computer. That’s the way it should be. The Gay Alliance has existed for over 40 years to provide support, resources and information to our community and to bring people together, defeating isolation and injustice and encouraging personal growth. Many people have seen their lives change for the
better because of the Alliance – I personally remember an elder who said coming to SAGE had saved his life, and volunteers who met their partners when both were volunteering at the GAGV. Centers like ours are opening all over the country, or have been around for years. We welcome people from all the many diverse LGBTQ identities, and straight allies – people of all genders, classes, races, ages, religions and backgrounds. And the Alliance is open to those who are questioning – whether they’re questioning their own gender identity or sexual orientation, or whether they’re cisgender heterosexuals questioning the discrimination pushed by those who have attained political power through inciting hate. The Resource Center is a Safe Zone for all human beings with a good heart. It is a place where LGBTQ people can connect with each other and find friendship, support and fun. We need a united community more than ever, now that our civil and human rights are again under threat. Local anti-gay hate – and racist and anti-Semitic hate -surfaced after the election (see page 1). The 100+ people who came to the Center on Nov. 9 to talk about their feelings of grief and fear, and what comes next, showed the important role a community center can play. LGBTQ communities around the country are rallying to protect our hard-won rights and our families. This is a time to remain calm and thoughtful about our lives and our country’s future. There are challenges ahead, but across the country the LGBTQ community has built strong support systems and young people especially are self confident, as no generation before them has been. The center of our communities is really our own hearts. It’s time to move forward – together!
Gay Alliance Board of Trustees David Zona, President W. Bruce Gorman, Secretary Jason Barnecut-Kearns, Paul Birkby, Jeff Lambert, Jennifer Matthews, Martin Murphy, Colleen Raimond
THANK YOU
Gay Alliance Board Member COLLEEN RAIMOND
What Will I Do? The dangerous rhetoric that we have witnessed over the past several weeks and the choice that was made on November 8 is not a confirmation of the innate hate and bigotry of today’s America. It is not the sounding of the end of progress. No, it is merely the loud cry of a small number of small minded people. Rhetoric that exploited people who felt angry or scared or wanted someone to blame. That small group does not define us. We define ourselves. And you know what? There are a lot more of US. So instead of speaking the language of fear and asking “what will happen? or how did this happen?” we must choose to take this opportunity to make clear who we are as Americans. We must ask “What will I DO?” Let me offer some thoughts: I am going to talk to someone who doesn’t look like me. I am going to learn about the identities and beliefs that others want to marginalize so that I can be a true ally. I am going to make new friends. I am going to smile at people – especially when they don’t look like me. I am going to stand with my black and brown and LGBTQ and Jewish and Muslim and disabled and immigrant brothers and sisters. And we are going to stop just signing petitions on Facebook
Name
and we are going to call our legislators. We are going to speak. And not just online. In person. Where it’s hard. We are going to make clear that words of racism or sexism or Islamophobia or homophobia or transphobia or ableism or that are anti-semitic or anti-immigration are NOT acceptable. We will make this especially clear when the words of bigotry are hidden by catchy and reasonable-sounding slogans. We will make this clear to our family and neighbors and friends and co-workers. We will say to everyone that we know that when you speak against one of us, you speak against ALL OF US. We are going to meet and rally and speak out against what we believe to be unjust. We will give and help in any way that we can. And we WILL vote every chance we get. So, my friends, we will not bow to fear and we will not cower from bullies. Not us in this city of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. No, we will do what they did. Because every time we are knocked back three steps in the country, we push forward five. So, we will stand. We will stand together. We will stand against hate and bigotry. We will stand up for each other. But we sure as hell won’t just stand by.
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Address City/State/Zip Phone E-mail
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Gay Alliance Membership Levels: ❏ $30-99 Advocate ❏ $100 Champion ❏ $1,000-4,999 Triangle Club ❏ $5,000+ Stonewall ❏ Check enclosed in the amount of _________ (check #______) Please charge my credit card in the amount of __________ To: ❏ American Express, ❏ Discover, ❏ MasterCard, ❏ Visa Credit card # ____________________________Exp. Date: _______ ❏ I would be proud to have my donation publicly acknowledged. Benefits: Your annual Gay Alliance membership, aside from the good feelings, entitles you to a free subscription to New York state’s first gay publication: The Empty Closet – mailed to your home or work. There are also exciting privileges at each level. Phone: 585-244-8640 or mail to: The Gay Alliance, 100 College Avenue, Rochester, New York 14607.
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DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
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NewsFronts LOCAL AND STATE JCC, Gay Alliance plan trip to Tel Aviv Pride in spring Tel Aviv Pride takes place May 31-June 10, 2017. The Louis S. Wolk JCC of Greater Rochester and the Gay Alliance are partnering to sponsor a trip there. Information meetings were held in November. To register for the trip or to learn more, contact Joy Getnick, at jgetnick@ jccrocheter.org, or call 585-4612000 ext. 239, or Scott Fearing, TelAvivPride@gayalliance.org or 585-244-8640. The trip is open to those of all faiths and identities.
NYS Archives and Archives Partnership Trust presents the Debra E. Barnhart Annual Archives Award to Evelyn Bailey of the Gay Alliance and Shoulders to Stand On in Albany on Oct. 18.
NYS Archives announces Archives Award winners, including Gay Alliance In celebration of American Archives Month, the New York State Archives has presented the 2016 Annual Archives Awards, which include the Debra E. Bernhardt Annual Archives Award for Excellence in Documenting New York’s History. This was presented to Evelyn Bailey, representing the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley Library and Archives and Shoulders To Stand On. Evelyn Bailey told The Empty Closet, “In the world of archives, the NYS Archives Awards are the highest recognition you can receive from New York State for outstanding archives and records management work of individuals and organizations in New York State. I am proud to have represented the Gay Alliance at the NYS Archives Award ceremony in Albany on Oct. 18 to receive The Debra E. Bernhardt Annual Archives Award for Excellence in Documenting New York’s History. The Gay Alliance received this award as a result of the work done by the Library & Archives Program and the STSO On Documentation and Preservation Program begun in 2003. “This Award gives credibility to the Gay Alliance’s continuing commitment to document and preserve Rochester’s LGBT history. As a result of this commitment the Gay Alliance has placed 16 archival collections and 96 cubic feet of its own organizational and programming records in permanent repositories. “Our community should be proud to be among the first in the nation to document and preserve its own local history. A heartfelt thank you to all those who have entrusted their archival collections to the Gay Alliance, and to all of those who have worked on documenting, preserving and placing these collections in permanent repositories for future generations, and thus insuring the inclusion of the Rochester LGBT community’s history in NYS his-
tory. Another amazing first for Rochester’s LGBT community!” This annual awards program recognizes the outstanding archives and records management work of individuals and organizations in New York State. In addition, three awards were given to students for their use of historical records in research projects at a ceremony at the Cultural Education Center in Albany Oct. 20. “Historical records repositories across the state have a wealth of documents and information that help tell the history of New York,” said Regent Roger Tilles. “Teachers and students can bring history to life with these records. The Annual Archives Awards is an opportunity to acknowledge the exemplary work that organizations and individuals do every day to maintain and preserve historical records and celebrate the outstanding work students have done to incorporate historical records in their research. Congratulations to all the winners.” “The Board of Regents and I congratulate the winners of the 2016 Archives Awards,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. “By maintaining historical records we preserve our history for future generations. We urge the winners to continue their dedicated archives management work and encourage the student winners to continue using historical records in their research.” “We’re proud to recognize excellence in the use and care of New York’s records by individuals and organizations across the state,” said State Archivist Thomas Ruller. “The State Archives celebrates the vital role archives perform, the dedication and commitment to excellence of institutions and individuals in the archives profession, and the researchers, educators and students who are analyzing and sharing the information contained in these valuable records.”
LGBT Giving Circle awards $100,000 in 2016 grants In just five years, the LGBT Giving Circle has surpassed $100,000 in grants awarded and simultaneously built its endowment to more than $100,000. These milestones were announced on Nov. 17 when Giving Circle members, guests, and grantees attended a reception at the Strathallan to celebrate the 2016 grants approved by the membership. Grants totaling $27,040 were awarded to 19 nonprofit organizations. The breadth of the grants distributed by the Circle demonstrates members’ support for a broad array of social service, cultural, and LGBT rights projects, while continuing to focus on youth programs and transgender rights policies. “The purpose of the LGBT Giving Circle is to help make a real difference in the quality of life for LGBT individuals and for the community at large. Youth and transgender individuals often face especially difficult situations. A number of the projects we are supporting this year will help address these challenges across our eight-county region,” said Angela Bonazinga, co-chair of the Giving Circle. To achieve its mission, the Giving Circle awards grants to organizations that are LGBT focused and to others that serve the community at large and have demonstrated that they are LGBT inclusive in both their policies and their work. The 19 grants approved by the Circle membership are: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester: Mentoring program for LGBT youth, $2,000; BOA Editions Ltd.: Publication and promotion of My House Gathers Desires by Adam McOmber, $1,000; The Center for Teen Empowerment: 2017 Peace Initiatives, $2,000; The Center for Youth Services: Drop-in nights for LGBT youth, $2,000; The Children’s Agenda: “Dis-Order” Re-Ordered: Making children’s social-emotional health needs a priority, $1,000; East House: LGBT Training for Staff, $800; Empire Justice Center: Production of outreach and education materials for transgender New Yorkers going through
LOCAL LGBTQ-FRIENDLY CANDIDATES DID WELL: Above, U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter with Rep. John Lewis, civil rights hero, on his Oct. 26 visit to Rochester. Rep. Slaughter defeated her Republican opponent, as did NYS Assemblymember Harry Bronson. Photo: Bess Watts
pro-se name changes, $2,000; The Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley: Attendance at the 2017 Creating Change Conference, $1,000; The Gay & Lesbian Youth Services (GLYS) WNY: Start-up of gay-straight alliances in Orleans and Genesee counties, $750; Genesee Land Trust: Urban youth conservationists program, $1,010; GEVA Theatre Center: Hornets’ Nest programming, $1,000; Greater Rochester Teen Book Fest: To bring an LGBT-themed author to the festival, $1,730; ImageOut: General operations for this annual film festival, $2,000; Jewish Family Services: Adoption information and services outreach to LGBTQ community, $1,500; A Magical Journey Thru Stages: Theater experiences for youth ages 5-18, $750; RAPA/OFC: Theatrical production of Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, $1,500; Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus: Production and performance of the song cycle Tyler’s Suite, $2,000; Spiritus Christi: Clinical care and peer support, $2,000; Wil-
low Domestic Violence Center: Training and outreach to the LGBTQ community, $1,000. The LGBT Giving Circle was established in 2011 at Rochester Area Community Foundation and now has 80 member households. Annual membership contributions are split evenly between grantmaking for the coming year and an endowment to meet future needs. To be eligible for grants, organizations must be a 501(c) 3 charitable entity in the eightcounty region served by the Community Foundation and must have a nondiscrimination policy that is inclusive of LGBT people or be in the process of developing one. Projects and activities need to align with the mission and scope of the Giving Circle, which is “to support organizations that serve, are inclusive of, or are allied with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to enhance and strengthen our region”. For more information, visit www. racf.org/LGBT. ■
The new all-gender restroom at Rush Rhees Library. Photo: UR
UR Library adds all-gender restroom Rush Rhees Library at the University of Rochester has recently added a new multi-stall all-gender restroom, the first of its kind on campus and in Western NY. UR said via press release, “The construction of this restroom continues our effort to provide all our users with an inclusive environment and is part of our ongoing support of diversity in the library and beyond. The decision to put an all-gender restroom is Rush Rhees Library was a deliberate one. As the university’s most iconic structure, the library functions as a physical and symbolical crossroads that sets the tone for the campus as a whole. Having an all-gender restroom in such a central location sends a message of openness and inclusion to the entire university community and beyond.” (Local Newsfronts continue page 6)
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
NewsFronts NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
Hate wins; will gay bashing, discrimination skyrocket now? Joe Morgan posts on gaystarnews. com: Activists fear homophobic hate crime is set to rise as Donald Trump has won the US presidential election. They believe bigots may become emboldened and it could lead to a rise in attacks on the LGBTI community. Following Britain voting to leave the European Union in June, the three months after saw homophobic and transphobic hate crime more than doubled. In a poll from Gallup, hate crimes against LGBTI during July, August and September increased 147 percent compared with the same months last year. The jump in hate crimes has affected ethic and religious minorities as well, while LGBTI people were the worst affected…. Many on social media fear the same will happen in the United States. -See more on gaystarnews.com Morgan also posted: ….The Republican winners of the election have vowed to turn back the tide on LGBTI rights and activists are preparing to fight back. During his campaign, Trump told supporters he would be “better for the gay community” than Hillary Clinton. However, he also has raised fears of the following: Marriage equality Trump opposes equal marriage rights, and has vowed to appoint Supreme Court judges with a view to overturn federal equal marriage laws. He repeatedly said he was for “traditional marriage”. Mike Pence voted for the Marriage Protection Amendment in 2006, a law that would have stopped marriage equality nationwide. He said being gay is a “choice” and that preventing gay couples from marrying was not discrimination, but a means of enforcing “God’s idea”. Anti-LGBTI discrimination Trump has given support for the “First Amendment Defense Act”, otherwise known as “religious freedom laws”, seeking to legalize discrimination against LGBTI people. Pence voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2007, a law to prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. He said the law “wages war on freedom and religion in the workplace.” Transgender bathroom laws Trump supported North Carolina’s transphobic bathroom laws, banning trans men and women from using the restroom and locker room they identify as. “I believe it should be states’ rights and the state should make the decision. They’re more capable of making this
decision.” Despite a majority of people in the state opposing the law, Trump claimed there are “very few complaints”. Conversion therapy Pence supports conversion therapy, a dangerous and harmful practice condemned by mainstream health groups across the entire world. Pence (is) predicted to be taking on a major role in domestic policy…. “Gay cure” therapy for minors is banned in the states of California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont and New Jersey. HIV Before the introduction of Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, 24 percent of HIV positive people had no medical coverage. Trump has pledged to repeal it. Pence said in 2000 that he was in favor of sending money allocated to care for people with HIV and AIDS to organizations that provide conversion therapy. “Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior,” he said. -See more on gaystarnews.com
Judge rules that 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ people Nick Duffy posts on pinknews.co.uk: A federal judge has ruled that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects people from discrimination based on sexual orientation, in a landmark verdict. Civil Rights Act provision Title VII, passed more than 50 years ago, prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, colour, national origin, and religion, but does not explicitly include protections for LGBT people. However, in a landmark ruling, a federal judge in Pittsburgh agreed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in affirming that the protected characteristic of sex logically includes sexual orientation. In her ruling, Judge Cathy Bissoon wrote: “There is no more obvious form of sex stereotyping than making a determination that a person should conform to heterosexuality.” “As the EEOC states, ‘[d]iscriminating against a person because of the sex of that person’s romantic partner necessarily involves stereotypes about ‘proper’ roles in sexual relationships – that men are and should only be sexually attracted to women, not men’. “That someone can be subjected to a barrage of insults, humiliation, hostility and/or changes to the terms and conditions of their employment, based upon nothing more than the aggressor’s view of what it means to be a man or a woman, is exactly the evil Title VII was designed to eradicate.” The case, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Scott Medical Health Center, had come about after a gay employee at the centre, Dale Baxley, alleged he was subjected to harassment because of his sexual orientation Baxley contends he was referred to by his supervisor as a “fag,” “faggot,” “f**king faggot” and “queer”. Scott Medical Health Center had argued that the lawsuit had no grounds because there is no law outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation. -Read the full story on pinknews.co.uk
N.C. governor loses race due to trans bathroom bill; challenges result Nick Duffy posts on pinknews.co.uk: After a battle over contentious antiLGBT law HB2, North Carolina’s Governor narrowly lost his re-election bid… North Carolina has lost a string of big investment ventures over Republican Governor Pat McCrory’s decision to sign the contentious HB 2 – which voided all local ordinances protecting LGBT rights, banned transgender people from using their preferred bathroom, and permits businesses to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief. The state has been plunged into crisis over the law as it shed thousands of jobs, and Democratic candidate Roy Cooper had made repealing the law a cornerstone of his campaign. Cooper’s commitment to repealing the law had been an early hit with voters, initially taking a commanding lead over McCrory in polls. However, the race narrowed as McCrory hit back, buoyed by heavy investment from anti-LGBT evangelical groups – who ran an ad campaign in the state depicting a little girl getting raped because of trans equality. ...The count between Cooper and McCrory went down to the wire, separated by less than 100 votes at some points in the count. As the count concluded, Cooper pulled off a narrow victory – with 2,280,398 votes to McCrory’s 2,276,059. McCrory has refused to accept the result, claiming voter fraud.
Navy to name ship for Sally Ride, first U.S. woman in space Daniel Reynolds posts on The Advocate: Sally Ride has made history once again. The U.S. Navy will commission a ship named for the late lesbian astronaut, who in 1983 became the first American woman in space. The R/V Sally Ride is a new vessel known as a Neil Armstrong-class AGOR — auxiliary general oceanographic research — vessels which are generally named after trailblazers in exploration. It is the first of its kind to be named after a woman. Owned by the Navy and operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the ship will gather research on the planet’s oceans and seek out solutions to ecological problems. Its maiden voyage on Nov. 4 investigated plate tectonics. The 238-foot-long ship will be open to the public Sundays at San Diego’s Broadway Pier. A nearby exhibition at U.C. San
Diego’s Birch Aquarium, “Expedition at Sea: R/V Sally Ride,” is also dedicated to the vessel and its mission. Ride was not out to the public in her lifetime. She died of pancreatic cancer in 2012, and her obituary mentioned her partner of over two decades, Tam O’Shaughnessy. “I think she’d be thrilled,” O’Shaughnessy told The San Diego Union-Tribune, regarding the ship being named for her late partner. “There are so many connections — Scripps and being female and having the first academic research vessel being named after a woman. That’s just keeping with what she was all about her whole life. “She probably would want to sign up for an expedition,” she added. -See the full story on The Advocate
Victory Fund: 86 LGBT candidates won races From the Victory Fund: As our movement prepares for a presidential administration opposed to LGBT equality, LGBT elected officials will play an essential role in preventing anti-LGBT legislation and demanding equality. Several LGBT candidates achieved historic wins, and 86 of 135 Victory Fund endorsed LGBT candidates won their elections. In response to the presidential election results and victories for LGBT candidates across the nation, Victory Fund President and CEO Aisha C. Moodie-Mills released the following statement: “Today I am heartbroken that racist, xenophobic, sexist and transphobic demagoguery won last night’s presidential election. The devastating results hit the LGBT community particularly hard because we are unique in spanning all the demographic groups targeted by the president-elect throughout his campaign. We are Latino, Black, women, Muslims, undocumented and we have disabilities. We are all stronger together, and Victory Fund will continue to work to ensure that our collective voices are represented in the halls of power. “Amidst the darkness, however, there were rays of light. Kate Brown became the nation’s first openly LGBT governor, a stunning accomplishment and a win for the history books. Carlos Guillermo Smith became the first openly LGBT Latino elected to the Florida state legislature, representing Orlando and many LGBT people of color who danced at Pulse nightclub that horrific night. Georgia expanded LGBT representation in its state legislature, electing Sam Park to join three other openly LGBT voices. And voters reelected all six openly LGBT members of Congress despite a tough night for House Democrats – affirmation that LGBT leadership is effective and respected. “Now more than ever, LGBT elected officials are critical to defending our community and pushing forward equality for LGBT people, and Victory Fund will be at their side. We will work to support incumbents and build the next generation of diverse LGBT candidates so we can cement our gains and further equality for all people. But let’s not kid ourselves. We made huge strides these past eight years, and last night we took steps back. Now our community and allies need to rally and demand all elected lawmakers – not just LGBT elected officials – unequivocally stand on the side of equality for all people.”
Black trans woman shot in Va. is 23rd known victim this year The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) has learned of the homicide of Noony Norwood, age 30, a Black transgender woman, killed in Richmond, Virginia on Nov. 6. According to a Community Alert from local NCAVP member organization the Virginia Anti-Violence Project (VAVP), Noony Norwood was shot on
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
Noony Norwood
the south side of Richmond on Nov. 5 and died the next morning. VAVP’s Alert quotes Norwood’s longtime friend Zakia McKensey as saying, “Noony’s energy always brightened the room. She cared about her community and always lifted up and supported her friends and family.” “While there is still an active investigation happening into the shooting of Noony Norwood, we absolutely do know that perceived and actual gender identity and race often play a role in escalating violence against LGBTQ+-identified individuals,” said Stacie Vecchietti, Director of the Virginia Anti-Violence Project. “VAVP hopes that throughout the investigative process, the media, police, and the public at-large, will respect Noony’s identity and maintain a level of decorum and understanding when interacting with her family and other individuals who identify within transgender and non-conforming communities. VAVP will continue to stand in solidarity with the family and community of Noony and other LGBTQ+ individuals that have been impacted by violence.” “Noony Norwood’s death is a heartbreaking milestone for our communities. She is the 23rd transgender or gender non-conforming homicide victim that we know of in 2016, exceeding last year’s 22 lives lost,” said Shelby Chestnut, Director of Community Organizing and Public Advocacy at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. “It is on all of us to address this crisis of violence affecting transgender and gender non-conforming people in this country, and the transphobia, misogyny and racism that are at the root of this violence.” NCAVP’s most recent hate violence report, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIV-Affected Hate Violence in 2015, recorded 24 reported hate violence homicides of LGBTQ people, a 20% increase from the 20 reported antiLGBTQ homicides in 2014. Of the 24 reported homicides, 62% of the victims were people of color. Sixteen (67%) of the 24 reported homicide victims were transgender and gender non-conforming. Of the total number of homicides, thirteen (54%) of the victims were transgender women of color. In 2015, NCAVP responded to the homicides of 22 transgender and gender nonconforming people in total. This is the 23rd * reported killing of a transgender or gender non-conforming person that NCAVP has responded to in 2016. Along with Noony Norwood we have lost Brandi Bledsoe, a Black transgender woman (Cleveland, OH), Jazz Alford, a Black transgender woman (Birmingham, AL), Crystal Edmonds, a Black transgender women (Baltimore, MD), T.T. Saffore, a Black transgender woman (Chicago, IL), Rae’Lynn Thomas, a Black transgender woman (Columbus, OH), Erykah Tijerina, a Latinx transgender woman (El Paso, TX), Skye Mockabee, a Black transgender woman (Cleveland, OH), Dee Whigham, a Black transgender woman (St. Martin. Mississippi), Deeniquia Dodds, a Black transgender woman (Washington, DC), Goddess Diamond, a black transgender woman (New Orleans, LA), Amos Beede, a white transgender man (Burlington, VT), Mercedes Successful, a Black transgender woman (Haines City, FLA), Reese Walker, a Black Transgender Women (Wichita, KS), Keyonna Blakeney, a Black transgender woman (Rockville, MD), Shante Thompson, a Black transgender woman (Houston, TX), Jasmine Sierra, a Latin@ transgender woman (Bakersfield,
CA), Monica Loera, a Latina transgender woman (Austin, TX), Kayden Clarke, a white transgender man (Mesa, AZ), Maya Young, a Black transgender woman (Philadelphia, PA), Demarkis Stamsberry, a Black transgender man (Baton Rouge, LA), Kedarie/Kandicee Johnson, a Black, gender-fluid 16-year-old (Burlington, IA) and Quartney Davia Dawsonn-Yochum, a Black transgender woman (Los Angeles, CA). *NCAVP is looking into the deaths of Lexxi Sironen, a white transgender woman in Waterville, Maine, and Simon/ Sierra Bush, a white genderqueer individual in Boise, Idaho. As of now there is no known cause of death in either case, however, we are continuing to monitor. NCAVP also looked into the death of Veronica Cano, a Black transgender woman, in San Antonio Texas, and at this time does not believe that her death was a homicide.
Supreme Court will review ruling on trans student Gavin Grimm The Supreme Court on Oct. 30 announced it will review a decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that found that federal anti-discrimination law protects the right of a teenage boy, who is transgender, to use the men’s restrooms at his Virginia high school. The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Virginia brought the case on behalf of Gavin Grimm, challenging the Gloucester County School Board’s decision to force him to use separate, single-stall restrooms that no other student is required to use. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Grimm and the ACLU, and the school board appealed. “I never thought that my restroom use would ever turn into any kind of national debate. The only thing I ever asked for was the right to be treated like everyone else,” said Grimm, who is a 17-year-old senior at Gloucester High School. “While I’m disappointed that I will have to spend my final school year being singled out and
Gavin Grimm
treated differently from every other guy, I will do everything I can to make sure that other transgender students don’t have to go through the same experience.” The ACLU argued that the school board’s policy is a clear violation of Title IX, a federal law barring sex discrimination by schools receiving federal funding. “It is disappointing that Gavin will probably have to finish out his high school career under this harmful, humiliating policy,” said Josh Block, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT project. “These sorts of discriminatory policies stigmatize and isolate transgender students like Gavin just because of who they are. We look forward to presenting Gavin’s case to the Supreme Court as the next step in the fight to ensure fairness and equality for trans people across the country.” After a ruling by the appeals court, the district court issued a preliminary injunction requiring that Grimm be per(Supreme continues page 6)
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Interview
LOCAL AND STATE (Local and State continued from page 3)
Pastor Malik McFarley-Samples
COUPLE CELEBRATES 90Th BIRTHDAYS: Carl A. Talbot and J. Ernest Du Bois celebrated their 90th birthdays on Nov. 12 at Burgundy Basin in Pittsford. Carl was born on Nov. 1, 1926, and Ernest on Nov. 19, 1926. Ernest had written to England’s Queen Elizabeth II (born April 21, 1926) to invite her to the party – above he shows the note and photo he received.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
Sen. Brad Hoylman
Gay Jewish NYS senator finds swastikas scrawled in his Village building Gay, Jewish New York State Senator Brad Hoylman says two swastikas have been found in the building where he lives with his husband and daughter. Hoylman believes it is connected to the election of Donald Trump as president and notes the anti-Semite Steve Bannon has been appointed as Trump’s chief strategist. Wrote Hoylman on Facebook: I came home this evening to news that two swastikas had been discovered in the apartment building where I live with my husband and daughter in Greenwich Village. The NYPD Hate Crimes unit is investigating. This comes three days after swastikas were drawn on the doors of nearby students at The New School. Meanwhile, Stephen Bannon, an antiSemitic, white nationalist has been named as the senior strategist to President-elect Donald J. Trump. Connect the dots. WPIX reports: A pair of the hate symbols were discovered on an elevator door inside the 30 Fifth Ave. apartment, police said. -Read more on Towleroad.com (Local continued on page 15)
(Supreme from page 3) mitted to use the men’s restroom during his senior year of high school, which began in early September. On Aug. 3, the Supreme Court issued a stay halting that order until it decided whether to review the case. The stay will now continue in effect until the court hears the case and issues a decision. GLSEN response GLSEN’s Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, responded to the decision by the United States Supreme Court to review the case of Gavin Grimm. The district’s policy does not comply with the guidance issued in May by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice on how districts should accommodate transgender and gender nonconforming students under Title IX. “Too many transgender students suffer on a daily basis because their school districts are illegally discriminating against them. We are disappointed that the Supreme Court’s decision to take this case now likely means that Gavin Grimm is going to have to continue to use the wrong restroom throughout his senior year in high school. However, we are hopeful that the Court’s eventual ruling will at long last bring an end to discrimination against transgender students in schools nationwide. “Transgender students have suffered long enough. The mounting evidence of the harms to them is very clear, and schools that take steps to support transgender students experience no problems as a result. All students deserve to attend schools that affirm their whole identities so they can excel in school and live out their full potential. We believe that justice will prevail and are optimistic that the Supreme Court will ultimately affirm the (Supreme continued on page 11)
By Susan Jordan Pastor Malik McFarley-Samples, 25, was raised in Rochester and had a strict upbringing in the Pentecostal Church. “There were things you could and could not do,” he said in a recent interview with Evan Dawson on WXXI radio. He started preaching at age 14 and was ordained as a pastor at 20. He had ministries here and in Brockport. But then he came out on Facebook at age 22. As a result, many people ostracized him and he lost both churches. Now he has started New Beginnings Christian Church and is the first openly gay Pentecostal pastor. What was the determining Pastor Malik McFarley-Samples with his partfactor in his decision to come ner, Malik Samples-McFarley. out, knowing what it would cost him? Malik McFarley-Samples “It’s what I call a ‘wounded attachtold The Empty Closet, “I would say the ment’. LGBT people who haven’t come determining factor was deciding to be out – their attachment to the church true to myself. I’d been around so many becomes a wounded attachment. They pastors who were gay but on the downstay in the church because they don’t low, and I chose not to go down that road. want to lose that support. A lot of pastors It was a mental thing and I realized that I in Rochester who are on the down-low had a conversation with God. I said, ‘How don’t approve of hate—but they would can something so wrong feel so right?’ lose their congregations if they tried to God’s reply was, ‘I never told you that oppose hatred.” was wrong.’ The Lord told me basically to How can the fear and prejudice be study the Word – the Bible – and what it overcome? Malik McFarley-Samples said, really means.” “When it comes down to it, a lot of pasNew Beginnings Christian Church at tors wish they could be affirming, but it this point holds services at 5 p.m. every was church leaders who encouraged homfirst and third Sunday in Open Arms ophobia and now they’ll have to be the Community Church’s building at 707 E. ones to discourage it. Main St. Pastor McFarley-Samples said, “I feel as though there has to be a “What we’ve done is reach individuals movement outside the African American through Facebook and social media, such Church. If there is someone who can lead as Instagram.” He said around 15 people the movement the right way, there can be come to the services—there had been only a change. It just takes those few dedicated three services by early November when ones willing to stand up for love and comthis interview took place. passion and people’s rights. Everyone has It’s easy to get the impression from the right to be inclusive and worship God many politicized evangelical churches, with everyone else. If you can’t love right including those in the white supremayou can’t live right. cist world of the far right, that hatred “The big thing in the African American of LGTBQ people is THE central tenet church – it talks a lot about holiness and of Christianity, although homosexuality living right. But you can‘t live right unless is not mentioned either in the 10 Comyou love right. I believe that gays being mandments or in the teachings of Jesus, accepted by the church is something that who said, “Love one another as I have will happen. I want to be part of that.” loved you”. Where does all the hate come He concluded, “In Christianity what from? we have done that we should NOT do is “Hatred comes from fear,” Malik said. walk around with a Bible and a flashlight “In the Black African church there’s the – trying to see where other people are in image of the heterosexual family. The their relationship with God. They should reason for that fear is that accepting gays have a Bible and a mirror – to look at their could possibly turn the church upside own relationship with God. down. It’s very disappointing and disheart“Our service is called LIFE Service: ening that a lot of African American gays Love Is For Everyone.” ■ won’t talk about their lives to their families.
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Making the Scene Maya Douglas celebrated her 35th anniversary.
Keke Velasquez-Lorde.
CROWNING: Veronica Lace won the Miss Gay Rochester pageant on Nov. 13 at Harro East. Organizer Liza celebrated the 30th anniversary of her crowning as Miss Gay Rochester. Photos: Jill Frier
Veronica Lace.
HAUNTED HALLOWEEN: The Gay Alliance hosted a Halloween Dance at the Resource Center on Oct. 22. Photos: Bess Watts
SUSAN B. ANTHONY TRIBUTE: Seven thousand people filed by Susan B. Anthony’s grave in Mt Hope Cemetery on election day. The story made national media. Photos: Bess Watts
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL (Supreme from page 6) identity and rights of transgender students across the United States.” Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Justice Project response “We are pleased that Gavin’s case will now be considered by the Supreme Court. In taking the case, the Court is making history, as it’s the first time it has considered transgender freedom, justice and equality. Our hope is that it will make history again by affirming that stopping Gavin and other transgender children from using the restroom that matches their gender identities is sex discrimination and therefore illegal under Title IX,” said Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán, Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Justice Project Director.
Hate group NOM plans overturn of all LGBTQ rights across America Andy Towle posts on towleroad.com: The National Organization for Marriage, whose health has been so stunted in recent years that it has resorted to meddling in the marriage affairs of other countries like France, is feeling emboldened by Trump’s win, calling it a “bright and exciting time” for the hate group. NOM’s President Brian Brown presented the group’s plan to remove LGBTQ rights across the nation in a blog post Nov. 8. Here are his bullet points: We will work with President Trump to nominate conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, individuals who will adhere to the words and meaning of the constitution. Such justices will inevitably reverse the anti-constitutional ruling of the Supreme Court imposing same-sex ‘marriage’ on the nation in the Obergefell decision, because that decision lacked any basis in the constitution. We will work with President Trump to rescind the illegal, over-reaching executive orders and directives issued by President Obama, including his dangerous “gender identity” directives, attempting to redefine gender just as he sought to redefine marriage. We will work with President Trump to reverse policies of the Obama administration that seek to coerce other countries into accepting same-sex ‘marriage’ as a condition of receiving US assistance and aid. It is fundamentally wrong for a president to become a lobbyist for the LGBT agenda, and we are confident that will end in the Trump administration. We will work with President Trump and Congress to pass the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), which Mr. Trump supports. FADA is critical legislation to protect people who believe in marriage from being targeted by the government for persecution. Towleroad comments: If Brown thinks that LGBTQ people and our allies are going to sit quietly while they try to pull this crap again, he’s as delusional as ever.
City of Orlando buys Pulse nightclub; will create memorial Andy Towle posts on Towleroad.com: Following through on wishes by Mayor Buddy Dyer that the Pulse nightclub in Orlando be turned into a permanent memorial to the mostly-LGBT victims of the deadliest mass shooting in US history, the city has bought the property for $2.25 million. The Orlando Sentinel reports: “There are lots of people that are making a visit to the site part of their trip, part of their experience of Orlando, so I think 12 to 18 months of leaving it as-is would be appropriate,” Dyer said. In the meantime, the city plans to solicit ideas from the community for what form the lasting memorial should take.
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Dyer said the city hasn’t ruled out leaving part of the club intact permanently, such as the roadside sign featuring its nowiconic logo. The city’s ultimate goal, he said, will be to “create something to honor the memory of the victims that are deceased [and] those that were injured..: -See more on Towleroad.com
Out Army Secretary Eric Fanning approves ending the trans military ban Karen Ocamb posts on The Advocate: (Nov. 1) was the deadline for the Army to issue guidance for how commanders and soldiers are to respond to a transitioning transgender service member in their unit. And unlike the political brouhaha the very word “transgender” causes among many polarized civilians, the Army appears to be taking the changes in stride. “Commanders should approach a soldier undergoing gender transition in the
Eric Fanning
same way they would approach a soldier undergoing any medically necessary treatment,” says an October 7 directive issued after Defense Secretary Ash Carter lifted the ban on transgender service members last July. “Commanders will continue to minimize effects to the mission and ensure continued unit readiness.” There are an estimated 1,320 to 6,630 trans people actively serving in the military out of approximately 1.3 million troops on active duty, according to research conducted for the Department of Defense by the Rand Corp. While formal policies to plan a transition from diagnosis to changing gender markers in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System are being worked out, out gay Army Secretary Eric Fanning tells The Advocate that the Army has already been operating under an interim policy with no observable problems. “All of the services are pretty much doing the same thing because that’s what the Secretary of Defense directed us to do,” says Fanning. “The devil’s in the details, of course.” But, he adds, “the Army has leaned forward in basically presuming exceptions for soldiers who are transitioning or who have transitioned. And we’ve already granted some of those exceptions to change your gender marker in the computer system. So as far as I can tell, it’s moving nice and smoothly.” Fanning notes that the military has experienced resistance to change before. “Going back to integration in the 1940s, it’s the same argument. And it has been proven wrong each time,” says Fanning. “And my experience with the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ — and then the way we have opened up service to women — is that it just kind of hits with a dull thud out in the field. I think most people didn’t realize that transgender wasn’t a part of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ when the policy was repealed.” The Army is making religious accommodations, mostly for Sikhs, Fanning says. But “the funny thing to me is, these things have already been happening in the military. We’re just now putting pol-
Selena Milian
Native American trans teenager is school prom queen in N. Carolina A Native American transgender teenager has been voted prom queen at her high school in Spring Lake, North Carolina. Selena Milian, who identifies as transgender, won the crown on Oct. 21 in the popular contest at Overhills High School. She says after she came out life was initially difficult, but that did not prevent her from being a “social butterfly”. “When I first came out as a freshman, I was not allowed to wear dresses. I’ve had to stand up for myself every day and correct people in every part of my school,” she told TransCafe. “I was really depressed and had to go to therapy but transitioning gave me more confidence and then I became more involved in school activities, like plays and the modeling troupe I was in. “This is a military-based town so it’s not always the most welcoming for trans people, but that hasn’t stopped me from being myself.” Next year she hopes to start on a program of hormones. She says YouTube was a major source of inspiration and confi-
icy to it and essentially catching up.” Most young soldiers joining the Army are familiar with the fight for equality and LGBT rights, he says. They’re coming from “increasingly diverse communities and they’re used to it. They make it work and in many ways, as we work through some of these things, I always figure the best strategy is for us to just get out of the way because the soldiers in the field figure it out on their own.” Fanning says much of the resistance to change is generational. He’s surrounded by some senior generals “who get worried about change,” but then he’ll talk to a colonel who says he can work with the situation. “And then I go out into the field and talk to young officers or young soldiers, who kind of look at me like I’m crazy for even asking the question.” That may be a result in the corresponding change in judging qualifications, as ordered by the Obama administration. Standards are now linked to the job, “not arbitrary standards that you have to jump so high or run so fast or something, but linked to what you actually need to do to do a job. And then everything else goes by the wayside,” says Fanning. “If you can meet these requirements and you want to serve, then you have the opportunity to do so.” -Read the full story on The Advocate
NCLR, Pride at Work respond to appointment of Stephen Bannon to White House staff The National Center for Lesbian Rights responds to President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Stephen Bannon, whose news agency has been
dence for her after realizing she was trans. “I had never hung out with another trans person in real life so I got a lot of help and support by watching videos on YouTube.” After graduating, Milian hopes to study hairdressing and make-up. She also wants to give back to her community by creating online videos for other trans women. “I felt like this should be more publicized. Trans people exist and we are people. We are not recognized enough. They just think the typical Jerry Springer story – they think negative things. We are more than those stereotypes.” Milian’s success as a young trans woman living openly in her community contrasts with what is happening at the government level. The HB2 law, nicknamed The Bathroom Bill, states that you must use the bathroom according to what gender is listed on your birth certificate, regardless of your gender identity. The anti-LGBT bill has proved unpopular, as companies withdraw job contracts, and musicians and sports team cancel concerts and sports events in protest. Wired estimated the cost of the Bill so far to the state comes to $395 million. -Read the full story on pinknews.co.uk
a vehicle for extreme views about racial and religious minorities, women, and LGBTQ people, as his chief White House strategist and senior counselor. Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Esq.: “Steve Bannon’s appointment as a senior presidential advisor is a betrayal of the American people and of our democracy. No one associated with the toxic views Mr. Bannon has espoused and purveyed through his news agency should be given a platform, much less elevated to a position of such prominence in our national government. We applaud those who have spoken out in opposition to Mr. Bannon’s appointment and we urge others to speak out now. We cannot look the other way as individuals who have spread messages of racism, anti-Semitism, and the disparagement of women are put into positions of power and influence.” Following the recent announcement that the former executive chairman of Breitbart News, Steve Bannon, will serve as the chief strategist and advisor for President-elect Trump, Pride at Work Executive Director, Jerame Davis, issued the following statement: “Pride at Work condemns the appointment of Steve Bannon in the strongest possible terms. Bannon’s close association with hate groups and his own despicable rhetoric—including calling progressive women dykes—has no place in the White House. We refuse to allow a racist to hold one of the highest advisory roles in this administration. “President-elect Trump has a duty to represent all Americans, not just those on the fringes. We call on him to send Bannon back to the dark corners of the (NCLR continues page 12)
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017 edge of the violence happening against trans people. The highest numbers have been found in countries with strong trans movements that carry out professional monitoring.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL (NCLR from page 11)
Trevor Project: Calls from terrified youth surge after election
Internet and put together an administration that can help lead our country forward.”
Levent Piskin
Now VA may not pay for vets’ genderconfirmation surgery The Department of Veterans Affairs will not be paying for vets’ gender-confirmation surgeries in the near future after all. The department withdrew a proposed rule change, submitted in June, that would have allowed such surgeries to be performed at VA hospitals, citing problems with funding, Military.com reports. The federal Office of Management and Budget rejected the rule change because the VA didn’t have a plan for paying for surgeries, a senior VA official told the site. Agencies must consider costs when proposing rule changes, under a 2011 executive order from President Obama. OMB’s action doesn’t mean it opposes the change, but simply that it requires a funding plan, the official said. The VA “will continue to explore” changing the rule, said a statement from the department. But with Republican Donald Trump incoming as president, the change may not happen. Trump has not taken a clear stand on policy for transgender vets or active-duty service members, but he has supported state laws that restrict trans people’s rights. Transgender veterans and their allies expressed disappointment but vowed to keep up the fight. “It’s very frustrating to even see or hear that they are doing that because of all the work that many people before me have done,” trans vet Leila Ireland told Military.com. “But it’s important to remember that even though they are changing their minds right now, there’s going to be a way and we’re going to find that way. Everything happens for a reason and we’re not going to be set back.” “All of our nation’s veterans, regardless of their gender identity, deserve access to the medical care they earned serving our nation. This is a deeply disappointing setback in making sure an often medically necessary procedure is part of that care,” Ashley Broadway, president of the American Military Partner Association, said in a statement issued to the site. “We implore fair-minded Americans to stand united in holding our new administration officials accountable by insisting this be fixed.”
Turkish LGBT activist and lawyer arrested An LGBT+ activist and lawyer has been arrested in Turkey alongside members of his political party which is the only in the country to have pro-LGBT+ policies. The HDP’s Istanbul Provincial Executor Levent Piskin was detained in prison. He previously visited HPD Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş who was arrested (in early November). The pro-Kurdish HDP is the only major political party in Turkey which has pro-LGBT policies. Piskin, a lawyer, was arrested at 5 a.m. Nov. 14. According to reports, some of his belongings were also taken as he was detained.
A member of the Özgürlükçü Hukukçular Derneği (ÖHD), Piskin is known for his human rights work. The OHD released a statement saying: “Our member, HDP Province Co-chair and lawyer Levent Pişkin was detained after he was targeted by partisan media with an early morning police raid.” The leader of the pro-Kurdish HDP in Turkey was last week held alongside at least 11 MPs in a crackdown following a political coup. Back in April 2015, the HDP pledged to “end discrimination against LGBT people” and to end social injustice. The party also said it would tackle transphobia and homophobia in Turkey, where LGBT people often face discrimination and worse. The HDP also put forward its first out gay election candidate Baris Sulu. Sulu was not selected as a nominee for November’s early election in 2015. Selahattin Demirtaş, co-chair leader with Figen Yuksekdag, was also arrested, and at least another nine MPs were arrested after being reluctant to give testimony for crimes relating to “terrorist propaganda”. Raids also took place in the cities of Van and Bingöl. The raids come following a failed coup in July, after which Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım spoke out to say elected officials who “encourage terrorism” should face charges. But President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been accused of attempting to consolidate his power ahead of parliamentary votes in 2017. -Read more on pinknews.co.uk
Global trans murders top 295 in one year Trans people have been shot, beheaded and even killed by their own family, according to a new report. It highlights the 295 trans and gender-variant people, at least, who were murdered in the 12 months from 1 October 2015 to 30 September 2016. Thirty were reported to be 21 years old or younger, with some as young as 14. The Transgender Murder Monitoring Project has released this update in time for Transgender Day of Remembrance on 20 November. Brazil (123 murders) and Mexico (52), once again, lead the list of the most reported killings of trans women and men. The USA has seen 24, a decrease from 27 last year. Colombia and Venezuela each had 14, while in Europe the most reported cases were from Italy and Turkey with five. But these horrifying numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. Media organizations – including normally reputable names – are often guilty of misgendering the victims when they are trans, making it even more difficult to get a real sense of the problem. And there are multiple countries, many in Africa, where we have little knowl-
The Trevor Project issued the following statement on Nov. 16: The election of Donald Trump and Mike Pence took many by surprise, especially young people. After a divisive campaign marked by threats of stripping LGBTQ rights, and arguably the most anti-LGBT political party platform in U.S. history, the Republicans took control of our congress and executive branch of government leading many to fear the worst. The potential impact among LGBTQ youth is particularly disturbing. After eight years of progressive policies that championed diversity and were supportive of LGBTQ people, many are highly concerned about their futures. At the Trevor Project, the nation’s only accredited suicide prevention program for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ ) youth under 25, we hear from youth every day about the struggles they are facing. Contacts to The Trevor Project’s crisis services programs (by phone, chat and text) reached unprecedented levels in the days following the election. Volume surged 116 percent in two days after election, and the organization heard from person after person about their fears and anxieties. Among the topics raised by LGBTQ youth are worries that their rights will be taken away, that they might be forced into conversion therapy, that they could lose their healthcare, and more. Several youth reported concerns about their safety and new reluctance about coming out. Anxieties like these have been shown to
contribute towards increased thoughts about suicide. “The Trevor Project was prepared for an increase in crisis contacts following the election, but the amount we received was unprecedented. The level of anxiety young people are expressing since the election is at an all-time high,” said Abbe Land, Executive Director and CEO. “But knowing that we are here 24/7, to listen to and save the lives of LGBTQ youth, many of whom have no other place to turn, reminds us of the importance and necessity of The Trevor Project.”
MN court rules trans surgery ban unconstitutional A Minnesota district court ruled Nov. 14 that transgender people on the state’s Medical Assistance program in Minnesota deserve access to medically necessary services related to gender transition. Since 2005, surgical treatments for gender dysphoria have been excluded from coverage even though equivalent treatments were covered under the federal Medicare program and private insurance plans. In December 2015, the American Civil Liberties Union along with the ACLU of Minnesota filed a lawsuit on behalf of OutFront Minnesota and Evan Thomas, a transgender man, challenging Minnesota’s ban on coverage. Thomas was denied coverage for transition related surgery, despite being diagnosed with gender dysphoria. “I’m so happy we’ve won. The judge’s ruling is a forceful statement that transgender people deserve equal treatment under the law. Right now, when we’re suddenly facing a path that’s so much rougher than it looked a few days ago, this victory looks even more important, and I’m proud to have been part of this
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
Sierra Simon Bush.
More trans deaths in Idaho, Maine; total is now 26 Trudy Ring posts on The Advocate: The deaths of two more transgender or gendernonconforming Americans have been reported, and their loved ones suspect homicide — which, if that is the case, means that 26 trans people have been murdered in the U.S. this year. The body of 18-year-old Sierra Bush, who sometimes went by the name Simon Bush or Sierra Simon and usually preferred gender-neutral pronouns, was found October 22 in Mores Creek near Idaho City, Idaho. Police have released little information about the teen’s death, saying only that the circumstances are “suspicious,” the Idaho Statesman reports, but Bush’s mother and stepfather believe their child was murdered. Bush was a student at Boise State University and had been missing for a month before their body was found. At a memorial vigil at the university, friends described the teen as having both masculine and feminine sides and being “brave, funny, brilliant, energetic, accepting, pun-prone,” the Statesman reports. “It was just two different sides of the same person. Two different names of the same person,” Samantha McGraw, who had been friends with Bush since high school in Meridian, Idaho, told the paper. “It didn’t matter what she was going by, she was still the same person all of us knew.” “The fact that she was able to be her in all of her quirkiness and be completely fine with it was something that was very refreshing and encouraging to the rest of us,” McGraw added. Bush had lived with their mother and stepfather, Mary Helen and Bart Green, in Meridian until June, then moved in with father Phil Bush in Boise shortly after her high school graduation. The teen was last seen alive September 24, a Saturday, and friends and family became suspicious when Bush failed to show up for a meeting with friends at Boise State’s Albertson Library the next day or for classes when the school week began…. Meanwhile, national LGBT organizations have been notified of the death of transgender woman Lexxi T. Sironen, 43, in Waterville, Maine, in September. Her body was found in a reservoir of the Kennebec River September 6, the Kennebec Journal reports. -Read more on The Advocate
case,” said Thomas. “I thank the ACLU for taking it on and winning such a good ruling — it’s been a privilege to work with these wonderful, dedicated people.” OutFront is Minnesota’s largest LGBTQ rights organization and was also a plaintiff in the case. “OutFront Minnesota is delighted by this ruling, confirming what we knew all along: targeting transgender people like this is discriminatory, unconstitutional, and wrong. Since filing this suit, we have been contacted by many individuals and families whose access to health care has been unjustly harmed. At last we can provide some hopeful news that the care they need may now be within reach,” stated Phil Duran, legal director of OutFront Minnesota. Joshua Block, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s LGBT Project, said “The victory will bring immediate relief
to the scores of transgender people living in Minnesota being denied the medical care they need. Singling out groups of people and denying them medically necessary care for no legitimate reason is wrong and harmful. We are glad the court agreed with respecting the dignity of people.” The case was filed in Ramsey County District Court against Emily Johnson-Piper, the commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Human Services. Cooperating attorneys in the case include Block of the ACLU; Matt Ralph, Erin Conti, JoLynn Markison, James R. Mason, and Shannon McNeal of Dorsey & Whitney; and Teresa Nelson of the ACLU of Minnesota. The decision, issued Nov. 14, can be found here: https://www.aclu.org/ legal-document/outfront-minnesota-v-johnson-piper-order ■
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
“AIDS: A Matter of Urgency”: Dr. Bill Valenti’s memoir comes out in January
By Susan Jordan Dr. William Valenti of Trillium Health announced on Nov. 30 that his memoir, “AIDS: A Matter of Urgency” will be published in January. He read from the book on Nov. 30 at the Rochester Academy of Medicine, and a panel discussion and reception followed. The book tells the story of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in upstate New York (and around the country and the world) and of Dr. Valenti’s experiences, starting when he was working at Strong Clinic at the University of Rochester in 1981, the year the epidemic became nationally recognized, and running up to the 1990s when the “cocktail” changed the disease to a chronic medical problem rather than a death sentence. The book’s epilogue deals with the current NYS agenda of ending HIV transmission by 2020. “It’s my recollections of the era and the people that I worked with at UR and in the community,” he said. “I wanted to highlight community responses to the epidemic, starting in 1981, up to the early ‘90s when triple drug therapy (the cocktail) came about and we began to look at HIV as a chronic medical problem.” In the early days, Dr. Valenti said, the situation was chaotic and no one really understood what was happening. “It was a black hole, flying by the seat of your pants situation,” he said. “The reason I did this book was, if you talk about ending the HIV epidemic by 2020, it’s important for people to understand the history – ‘the past is prologue,’ as Shakespeare said. If we understand how it came about, we can end the epidemic locally and globally.” Since the arrival of triple drug therapy, many people have become complacent about the epidemic and the spirit of urgent resistance has lessened. Dr. Valenti said, “I try to convey a sense of urgency. That spirit has gone over time, since the advent of three drugs. That’s important, of course, but I think it’s also important to understand how we got here. What I’ve done is mix my early recollections with
short vignettes about individual patients. I start with Strong Clinic, which is where I was in 1981, when the cases were first reported. That leads into the founding of Community Health Network (CHN) in 1989.” Recently scientists have learned that the so-called “Patient Zero,” a flight attendant named Gaetan Dugas, was not actually the first American to contract the virus. Dr. Valenti noted, “Dugas is described in Randy Shilts’ book ‘And the Band Played On’ as Patient Zero. As it turns out, recently people have done genetic studies of those early strains of virus and looking at the genetic sequences of early strains of HIV, they found that Dugas did not have that – the strains didn’t match. “Dugas was just the first patient they NOTICED. Interesting that it took over 30 years to figure that out. HIV was circulating in Africa in the 1960s, long before we saw it in Rochester in 1981. This explosive new illness had actually been incubating all over the world before 1981. There were scattered cases all over the world, including a young man in St. Louis in the ‘60s. The ‘new disease’ of the ‘80s had been around and we didn’t notice until the first cases were reported by Dr. Michael Gottleib at UR. After the first cases had been reported, the French investigators discovered HIV. Robert Gallo made the connection between the virus, HIV, and the disease AIDS.” Dr. Valenti continued, “Another thing I talk about (in the book) that’s more local is that while I was still working in the Infectious Diseases Unit at Strong, two floors below, nurse practitioner Sue Cowell and Dr. Tom Rush, who were working in University Health Services, had a screening program for gay men. I always say they were finding answers before we knew there was a question! “The work that came out of that was that the virus, HIV, was the cause of the immune system destruction caused by AIDS. In 1981 little HIV was circulating in Rochester. So they studied gay men at risk for HIV who were negative, and found their immune systems were normally functioning. They concluded that it was HIV that contributed to the immune dysfunction in men with AIDS. The beauty of that study was that it was a once in a lifetime study. It couldn’t be done now because there’s no place on earth without HIV.” Dr. Valenti listed other milestones. “There was the founding of AIDS Rochester and its merger with CHN in 2010. In 1995, Helping People with AIDS, a Rochester fundraising group, was an example of the gay community response
became explosive. In 1982/83 the growth started and by 1986, there were 10,000 cases in the U.S. and 100 reported in Rochester, with 200 people in care. The other part of the story, also true today, is that the number of people in care represents a segment of the HIV population. Maybe another 25 percent at least are HIV positive and don’t know it. The numbers have changed, but the percentages not that much.” The epilogue of Dr. Valenti’s book deals with New York State’s current mission to end HIV transmission by 2020. He said, “I never imagined in those days that we’d be having this discussion today. Dr. Steve Schaible (CHN co-founder) and I knew that with better HIV drugs, the virus didn’t have to proceed to AIDS and the death sentence. Where we are today is a very different story and one I hadn’t envisioned in the early ‘80s. We were so overwhelmed with the numbers of sick people that there wasn’t any time to put the pieces together in a meaningful way. We were always trying to get ahead of a fast-moving train. “On the other hand, today I can see how the NYS plan could work to bring new statewide cases to under 750 by 2020. That’s the goal. We’re now at about 2500 cases a year. You need HIV caregivers to have people get into care and get the high-risk negatives on PrEP. We have to communicate with people using modern technology. So we advertise on social media.” ■
to HIV across the U.S. The advocacy movement (ACT UP) made a huge difference by lighting a fire under the FDA and the federal government. It’s no secret that the Reagan administration remained silent for a very long time, and people could only conclude that gay men were seen as expendable.” Bigotry, ignorance and the stigma attached to being gay caused and continue to cause deaths all over the world. Dr. Valenti said, “One of the most difficult parts of this whole thing was the public perception that this involved only gay men, and the resulting false sense of security, marginalization and stigma. There was an army of people out there doing media interviews, community forums, medical meetings, etc., to set the record straight. The biggest trooper of all here was the late Jackie Nudd (director of AIDS Rochester until 1989). She was tireless and totally dedicated. “Also, the medicalization of HIV -- a good thing – took a long time. Dr. Tom Rush was young and enthusiastic and had just started his training program. He was the doc on the spot before I was. People got into HIV for different reasons. Mostly these were personal reasons, like being part of the target population. But there were also straight allies and compassionate medical people. Some also saw it as more of a career opportunity than anything else. “In those early days you needed all the help you could get. It started slowly but
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DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
Opinion Why using the Bible against LGBT people is irresponsible By John Pavlovich Christians will go to great lengths to get God to consent to their prejudices. It’s actually quite astounding and equally sad. Every day I watch and read fellow followers of Jesus attempting to use Scripture to discriminate against, marginalize, and condemn people who identify as LGBTQ. They engage in the most protracted, passionate, theological gymnastics, arrogantly and confidently tossing out chapter-and-verse grenades in an effort to make the case that God has a problem with being gay and that the Bible is proof. They do this with great authority, unwavering confidence, and very little tolerance for dissent. This is one of the most irresponsible things Christians have ever done. “Woefully inadequate” In truth, only a literal handful of the Bible’s 31,102 verses mention what could be translated as homosexuality, and in even those few cases the reference is solely to a sexual act, never to anything remotely resembling what we understand as gender identity or sexual orientation. The reason for this is quite simple: such complex ideas were beyond the grasp of the writers, just as the shape of the planet or the inner workings of the human body or the nature of gravity were. This is understandable. They had no knowledge of how the brain worked and so they could only observe behavior and imagine that was the extent of sexual identity.
This is the greatest flaw in attempting to use the Bible to address the intricacies of human sexuality – that it is woefully inadequate for that specific task. The Bible did not drop from the sky and it isn’t a product of Divine dictation where God took over the faculties of the author. It is a sprawling library of 66 books, orally preserved and then written down over hundreds of years by dozens of disparate and largely unknown, very human authors in multiple languages, during which time the concepts of gender identity or sexual orientation were formed at only the crudest levels. The Bible is a product of its time and culture and contains the inherent limitations of its writers. It isn’t an attack or mutiny to admit these things, it is simply being honest with our sacred text. Even fundamentalists and Conservatives understand this. We see it in the way our orthodox
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STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE: New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand visited Rochester on Nov. 22 to give a press conference on the epidemic of hate crimes since the election. Above, Gillibrand stands with Gay Alliance Executive Director Scott Fearing and Greg Ventura, owner of a vandalized rainbow flag. Gillibrand said that our Constitution “stands for something” and that hate is not the American way. Scott Fearing noted that hate crimes are not simply crimes against an individual, but are meant as intimidation of an entire group.
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Christian understanding and approaches to slavery, women’s rights, mental illness, and divorce have all evolved with what we’ve learned over time. It’s the reason we no longer stone adulterers or accuse paralytics of moral failing or imagine Hell sitting below a flat earth. This is why arguing incessantly about a handful of parsed out lines of Scripture, as if these verses answer the complex questions of sexuality, is such misguided time and such a misuse of the texts themselves. Using these few bits of text to justify discrimination and bigotry is reckless and irresponsible. We don’t rely on the Bible to understand gender identity and sexual orientation for the same reason we don’t rely on a 2,000 year old medical text to understand
the circulatory system, or use ancient hieroglyphics to understand the Cosmos. We know that these things are not enough because time has taught us. When we put our bodies in the hands of surgeons, we want them to bring every bit of study and experience and historical learning to bear, because of the complexity of the task. We wouldn’t accept that what we knew in the first century was at all adequate. In fact, we’d demand that anything antiquated, technologically or intellectually, be discarded. That is the only responsible decision when life is in the balance. John Pavlovitz is a Christian pastor serving the North Raleigh Community Church. This article first appeared on his blog, Stuff That Needs to Be Said. Reprinted with permission. ■
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Health Connect & Breathe offers talk line for women dealing with abortions Connect & Breathe began as a small group of people with a bold idea, a passion for ending abortion stigma, and a vision of creating a safe place to talk openly and honestly about abortion. After years of meetings, research, and planning, Connect & Breathe incorporated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in the summer of 2010 and turned on the phones in January of 2011. Deanna Baker of Connect & Breathe told The Empty Closet, “Connect & Breathe was founded to combat the shame and stigma around abortion experiences. Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures — one in three women in the U.S. will have an abortion — but it’s rarely talked about openly. “From the beginning, it was vital to the mission of our work that Connect & Breathe remain a secular, unbiased nonprofit, freeing the conversation about abortion from the constraints of politics and religion. Our work remains staunchly outside of the political debate about abortion and inclusive of diverse religious perspectives, while not representing or advocating for any particular religion or faith. Each individual caller is unique, as each abortion experience is unique and we’re here to listen and provide safe space. “Our mission: Connect & Breathe creates safe space to talk about abortion experiences by offering a talkline providing unbiased support and encouragement of self-care. “Our vision: We envision a world free of abortion stigma. “We only offer talkline services. Unfortunately, those who provide in person abortion services face a number of safety and security risks. Our callers come from all over the U.S. and, while it would be great to be able to offer additional in-person services, it’s impossible given the national scope of our talkline. The talkline is the heart of our work. We are one of only three unbiased after-abortion talklines in the U.S. and the only one on the East Coast. “However, there are hundreds of biased and usually religiously affiliated hotlines across the country that consider abortion a ‘sin’ and use guilt as a tactic to make women feel ashamed after an abortion. Our talkline is one small, powerful way to counter that message with one of support, affirmation, and promotion of self-care. “Some of the volunteers who staff the helpline have professional degrees in counseling or therapy. However, not all do. Overall, our volunteers have a variety of different types of educational and professional backgrounds. “Regardless of their specific backgrounds, before they join the talkline, all volunteers participate in an extensive 18 hour training program led by two professional educators. Training includes completing and discussing readings about reproductive health and abortion, role play practice with different types of potential callers, and learning about different types of resources or referrals that might be offered to callers. “In addition, before being on call, newly trained talkline volunteers ‘shadow’ more senior volunteers to observe how these more experienced volunteers manage calls during the shift. Talkline volunteers also participate in regular debriefing meetings with a licensed clinical psychologist. “Our volunteers have a variety of different types of experiences with different reproductive decisions; these include experiences with abortion, adoption, birth, miscarriage, and parenting. Regardless of their own specific experiences, all volun-
teers undergo extensive training so that they are well informed and ready to listen and provide support. “It’s common for callers to say that they are worried about telling other people in their lives about their abortion experiences. Some of our callers say that they haven’t told anyone at all. We have had callers specifically identify themselves as having ‘pro-life attitudes’ or as having family members or friends who may have such attitudes. Other callers say that although their family members and/or friends seem to have politically liberal attitudes, they still worry about those family members or friends judging their decision to have an abortion. We hear from all kinds of callers and we hope to be able to provide individualized support to anyone who reaches out to us.” This is from KaeLyn Rich, Co-President: “Much like cultural shame and stigma can keep LGBTQI people in the closet, the shame and stigma around having an abortion is what keeps people feeling isolated and alone. It isn’t a negative thing that someone identifies as LGBTQI or that someone has had an abortion. The negativity and internalized shame come from cultural factors like family acceptance, religion, the media, etc. We are here to lift that veil of stigma and shame, if only for one phone call. Whether that person identifies as pro-choice, pro-life, or neither; whether they are experiencing feelings of grief, anger, happiness, or relief; whether their abortion experience was twenty minutes ago or twenty years ago; we are here to listen. “Also, it should be noted that, while the majority of our callers are women, men and people who are non-binary have abortions, too. Transgender and gender non-binary people who’ve had abortions are, most likely, feeling even more isolated and without support. Our volunteers are trained to speak with transgender and gender non-conforming people who’d had abortions during the talkline training.” For more information, visit the website www.connectandbreathe.org and follow Connect & Breathe on Facebook to learn more.
Trans therapy: An interview with Family Nurse Practitioner Laura Markwick By Susan Jordan The Empty Closet: As a nurse practitioner whose patients include transgender persons, do you help them with specific medical problems, such as physical concerns during transition? Laura Markwick: As a family nurse practitioner, I am qualified to treat people of all ages. I am capable of treating a variety of medical diseases and issues. Sometimes these issues are impacted by the transitioning process, such as hormone therapy and its effects on diabetes and cholesterol. There can also be issues relating to anxiety and depression. Each person is an individual and each individual has a unique medical history. It is my role to help them understand how the transition process that they are on is impacting their overall health and wellness and to help them achieve an optimal state of wellness. EC: Although not a therapist/counselor, do you counsel trans patients on how to find good mental health care, surgical care, insurance coverage, etc.? LM: I work with my patients to help find any interdisciplinary care that may be needed. This could include mental health providers, surgeons, or other specialists, depending upon the person. I work with the patient to try to locate the care needed within their insurance plan, which can be challenging. EC: Do you provide hormone therapy?
What are some concerns in that area? LM: I do provide hormone therapy if the patient and situation warrants this. It depends upon the person, their medical history, their emotional well-being, and any contraindications to hormone treatment. This would include uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled cholesterol, heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, amongst others. EC: Do you have patients who are not interested in surgical transition, and rather regard themselves as “gender fluid” or “gender expansive,” or “gender queer”? What form of support or counseling can you offer to those “beyond the binary”? LM: Each person is an individual with different goals. Some are interested in hormone treatment as well as surgery and some just want the hormone treatment. It doesn’t really matter what they choose to identify as long as they feel they can reach a state of physical and mental well-being. EC: Do you recommend support groups? LM: Some folks like support groups and some don’t, so it is an individual decision. Counseling is very important to help with coping with the stress they encounter.
Trevor Project: CDC report says youth suicide is on the rise Data released in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Report shows that the rate of death by suicide among adolescents, 10 – 14 years old, has been on the rise and is now higher than that of death by motor vehicles. In 2009 approximately one youth per 100,000 died by suicide, compared to 2014 when approximately two youth per 100,000 took their own lives. At the Trevor Project, the nation’s only accredited suicide prevention program for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) youth under 25, we hear from youth every day about the struggles they are facing. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) report, we know that LGB young people in 9th to 12th grade attempt suicide at a rate more than four times that of their heterosexual peers. While reliable national statistics for LGB youth in the 10 – 14 year old range do not exist, we know from the daily crisis calls, chats, and texts we receive that they too are at risk for suicidal ideation, particularly during this critical time in their identity development. Of note, the rate of death by motor vehicles has dropped significantly over the same period that the rate of death by suicide has increased, among 10 – 14 year olds. The success in combatting motor vehicle deaths is attributable to a comprehensive approach including infrastructure improvements, policy and system change, partnerships, education and awareness, along with a major investment of over $576 million by the National Highway and Traffic Safety
Administration funded in grants to promote motor vehicle safety and the U.S. If similar comprehensive, multifaceted national suicide prevention efforts were implemented and brought to scale, as outlined in the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, this country would have the potential to reverse the trend in suicide mortality. “At The Trevor Project we are very disturbed to know that suicide is rising among the youth of this nation. We receive calls from youth as young as 9 years old who are looking for support as they struggle with their sexual and gender identity,” said Abbe Land, Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project. “It is imperative that more resources need to go toward preventing suicide in this country. It is unconscionable that significant dollars are not allocated when we know that suicide can be prevented. We call upon our national, state and local leaders to take action immediately.” While incredibly informative about prevalence, the report does not include information on the causes of these trends. There are certainly many contributing factors to consider, but is it also very important to note what can be done to foster resilience and safety for LGBTQ and other youth. Families, schools, and communities must come together to reduce the risk for youth suicide by creating safe, connected environments that foster resiliency, non-violent problem solving skills, and coping skills. In particular, the public can take part in improving the lives of young people who report being LGBTQ by showing them that we all care about their mental health: Create classrooms of peers who are better equipped to help through acceptance and support with Lifeguard, Trevor’s free online suicide prevention and crisis intervention education program for middle and high school students. Advocate for the adoption of comprehensive, inclusive suicide prevention policies in school districts around the country and encourage the use of our Model School Policy which can help school districts draft suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policies based on their specific needs. Trevor’s crisis services save young lives 24/7 through the Trevor Lifeline at 866-488-7386. TrevorChat.org is available 3-9 pm Eastern Time daily, and youth can text TrevorText to 202-3041200 Thursday – Friday 4-8 p.m. Eastern Time. Young people can also find friends on the online safe supportive community TrevorSpace.org as well as resources at the Support Center. The Trevor Project says, “Help create a bright future for LGBTQ and all youth by showing that you truly care and that they can thrive, they matter, and they deserve support. More resources are available at www.thetrevorproject.org. The Trevor Project is a partner of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the public-private partnership advancing the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and championing suicide prevention as a national priority.” ■
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DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
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DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
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Shoulders to Stand On
The Long Road To Wellness (Part Two) By Evelyn Bailey Prior to the approval of AZT by the FDA, in 1986 NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease) established the Division of AIDS. The Division of AIDS (DAIDS) was formed to develop and implement the national research agenda to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Toward that end, the division supports a global research portfolio to advance biological knowledge of HIV/AIDS, its related co-infections, and co-morbidities. With the ultimate goal of creating an “AIDS-Free Generation,” the division develops and supports the infrastructure and biomedical research needed to: 1) halt the spread of HIV through the development of an effective vaccine and biomedical prevention strategies that are safe and desirable; 2) develop novel approaches for the treatment and cure of HIV infection; 3) treat and/or prevent HIV co-infections and co-morbidities of greatest significance; and 4) partner with scientific and community stakeholders to efficiently implement effective interventions. Well before 1986, the New York State Department of Health established the AIDS Institute. The AIDS Institute, still in existence today, protects and promotes the health of New York State’s diverse population through disease surveillance and the provision of quality prevention, health care and support services for those impacted by HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, viral hepatitis and related health concerns. In addition, the Institute promotes the health of LGBT populations, substance users, and the sexual
health of all New Yorkers. In 1986 and 1987 a clinical research site for HIV treatment (ATCG) and vaccines (HVTN) was established at University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). In 1987 the first identified HIV clinic in Rochester was established at URMC by Dr. Bill Valenti. By November 1987, there were at least 40 products being researched by various companies hoping to find vaccines or therapeutic treatments for AIDS. In 1988 URMC was among the first established Centers for AIDS Research by the NIH. In 1988, URMC was identified as one of six university medical centers to conduct clinical trials of the first experimental AIDS vaccine approved for testing in humans. This new genetically engineered AIDS vaccine was made with the virus used to inoculate humans against smallpox. In March 1987 AZT was approved by the FDA as the first treatment for AIDS. Burroughs Wellcome Co. changed the name to Retrovir so that it could be trademarked throughout the world. A total of 4000 clinical trial patients received the drug at a cost of $10 million to the developer/manufacturer. The plan at the time of approval was to provide Retrovir to the most seriously ill and to trial patients already using it. In May, 1988 Burroughs Wellcome Co. reported to the FDA that in human clinical trials of 144 persons with AIDS or ARC, nearly 85% are still alive after one year of treatment. All patients in the trials given the placebo died. In September 1988 the British pharmaceutical corporation, Wellcome PLC offered a grant of $5 million to the US Congress for the provision of the anti-AIDS drug AZT to the medically indigent, provided Congress extend a program supplying the life-prolonging drug to low income AIDS patients. The program extension was expected to cost $10 million. A year’s treatment with AZT costs approximately $10,000. The original congressional program, set to expire Sept. 30, was sponsored by Sen. Lowell Weicker (R-CT) in response to protests from advocates for AIDS patients over the high cost of AZT treatments. The Senate approved a six-month extension of a program providing AZT to medically indigent AIDS patients. On September 14, 1989 seven ACT UP members infiltrated the New York Stock Exchange and chained themselves to the VIP balcony to protest the high price of the only approved AIDS drug, AZT. The group displayed a banner that said “SELL WELLCOME” -- the pharmaceutical sponsor of AZT. Several days following the demonstration, Burroughs Wellcome lowered the price of AZT from $10,000 to $6,400 per patient
Learn the history of the LGBT community in Rochester from the people who made that history.
per year. In February of 1988, Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director, stated the final testing of any AIDS Vaccine may have to be done in Africa rather than the US because the US AIDS infection rate was not high enough to determine whether a vaccine is working. In March, Fauci reported that human clinical trials of experimental AIDS drugs had been delayed due to insufficient staffing to direct the drugs through the clinical testing process. In April 1988 the Office of AIDS Research is created by the NIH in an effort to centralize and coordinate national AIDS research activities. In May, 1988 AZT manufacturer Burroughs Wellcome Co. reported to the FDA that in human clinical trials of 144 persons with AIDS or ARC, nearly 85% were still alive after one year of treatment. All patients in the trials given a placebo were dead. In June, 1988 pharmaceutical manufacturer Ciba-Geigy Corp announced it would soon begin human tests on a vaccine against HIV. Also in June NIH AIDS researchers announced at the Fourth International conference on AIDS the results of their tests with a genetically engineered vaccine developed from the AIDS causing virus HIV. Dr. Jonas Salk, known for his work on the polio vaccine, suggested that whole, dead HIV cells be used as a vaccine. In July, 1988 federally sponsored human clinical trials of the anti-AIDS drug dextran sulfate began. By 1988 frustration was growing over the length of time it had taken to approve AZT and the FDA’s slow progress in improving access to other experimental AIDS drugs. On 11th October 1988 more than a thousand ACT UP demonstrators descended on the FDA headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, demanding quicker and more efficient drug approval. Eight days later the FDA announced regulations to cut the time it took for drugs to be approved. By the end of 1988 women were named the fastest growing group with AIDS. The FDA did speed up the approval process for experimental drugs. The First World AIDS Day was held in 1988 after health ministers from around the world met in London, England and agreed to such a day as a way of highlighting the enormity of the AIDS pandemic and nations’ responsibility to ensure universal treatment, care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS. In December 1988 a report in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a serum from healthy carriers of HIV was shown to remove the virus from the blood of patients with AIDS. At the end of 1988there were 89,864 cases
of AIDS nationwide, and 46,134 people who had died. There were 167 AIDS cases in Monroe County and 37 in eight rural counties. Shoulders To Stand On recognizes the monumental work done by those early researchers who identified drugs and treatment for a disease that appeared to be unstoppable. In 2017 we will continue the History of AIDS as we continue to walk The Long Road To Wellness. ■
History Corner December 1974 Empty Closet, A Monthly Newspaper of The Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, 713 Monroe Avenue, Room 4, Rochester, NY 14607 (716) 244-8640 December 1974, Number 45 Gay Brotherhood of Rochester Meeting Schedule Sun 1 Dec: Business Meeting/open forum Sun. 8 Dec: Discussion subject to be announced. Sun. 15 Dec; Coffee House/ Film: “The Homosexuals” A TV Documentary. Sun. 22 Dec! One Center Open (No Meeting) Tues 24 Dec: Gay Brotherhood “Family” Party Sat 28 Dec: Empty Closet Newspaper Distribution Sun 29 Dec: Gay Resolutions Discussion on personal and community goals for’75 OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST Every Week… Wednesdays: Gay Radio Programs “Green Thursday” and “Lesbian Nation” WCMF-FM, 96.5, Wed midnite. Thursdays: Gay Task Force meets. Info: 235-4961. Sundays: Gay Youth. 2 pm, GAGV Office. Phone first. Thursdays: Gay Waves. WRUR 88.5 at 5:30 to 6 M THIS MONTH... 5 Dec: (Thurs) VD Health Check, AM PM Club 8-10 pm 24 Dec: Candlelight Christmas Eve Service Midnight. 713 Monroe Avenue 25 Dec. (Wed) Jim’s 2-for-l Christmas party. 4 pm Do you want to read this issue of the Empty Closet? Here is Link: http://www.library.rochester.edu/rbscp/EmptyCloset On that page click on: Browse the Empty Closet issues Go to 1974 – December ■
The Gay Alliance invites you to celebrate 40 years of LGBT history in Rochester with your very own DVD/BluRay of this powerful film. Shoulders To Stand On Evelyn Bailey, Executive Producer Kevin Indovino, Producer/Director/Writer
Standard DVD $25 / BluRay DVD $30 Order at: www.GayAlliance.org
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Columnists 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.
Growing Up A SPIRITUAL SOLUTION By Eric Bellmann He watched a lot of television. Well, he spent a lot of time in bed in a nest of magazines and newspapers and the TV at the foot of his bed was always on, sometimes with the sound off. It was a form of companionship. Actually there was nothing much he liked to pay attention to on TV. He surfed around, stopping at the Home and Garden channel until the endless repetitions of “double vanity, crown molding, granite counter tops” drove him insane. He watched news mostly. MSNBC was a preference and he loved it in the morning when Joe Scarborough would sputter on like a loon about the virtues of being a Republican. Breaking news, when it was just that, would catch his interest. Early in the months of here and there, nearly everywhere, shootings by policemen of black people was initially riveting, probably because of the cell phone footage which felt authentic, unedited. Then, one evening when the clips showed street crowds milling around, looking to him like dangerous gangs and a voice over said, yet again, “Black Lives Matter”, he said to the TV, “Not to me they don’t”. No one heard him, of course, alone in his room. He heard himself. He was surprised by the freedom to declare his feelings. He feared and disliked disorder. He didn’t like the looks of the people in the clips. He thought to himself, well, honey, I guess you are a racist. And like many thoughts that came to him at this point in his life, he did not instantly reject it, deny it. He considered it. There were lots of answers to the questions of why he had this racist reaction. When a turmoil erupted last spring over the lack of black artists being nominated for Oscars and hasty measures were undertaken to address that, he thought, aren’t awards supposed to be about merit? What if there weren’t exceptional achievements? Oh, who cares anyway, the Oscars are just a publicity maneuver to pump up box office receipts. The winners are usually pretty crummy. He liked foreign films that no one paid any attention to. He continued to consider his reaction. His neighborhood, once mostly home owners, had shifted the last few years to more rental units. He resented the absentee landlords. He had black neighbors now. Lawns were not kept up. He worried about property values. A friend told him this was a matter of class, not color. That friend reminded him if he could handle men in high heels he should not object to corn rows. People on TV were always saying his demographic, white men who are old, are the problem. They vote conservatively. Because they have no longer have children, they are against school taxes. They are a stumbling block, reactionary, conservative. He didn’t think he was the problem. He was more than a Liberal, he preferred the term “progressive”. And he was old enough to remember Eldridge Cleaver who declared, “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” He spat out that phrase back in the day snarling at well mean-
ing folks who professed tolerance of gay people. He was, naturally enough, angry. When after a rant, his well intentioned therapist would offer up, “I know how you feel”, he would snap back, “Until you are a disabled black Lesbian, buster, you do not know how I feel.” A clever phrase. Being angry felt like an achievement. Then, he thought: I am part of the problem. That did not sit well. The solution appeared unexpectedly. At the gas station counter someone ahead in line was taking an eternity to cash out, maybe foolishly buying a sheaf of lottery tickets. Behind him was a middle aged black woman. He spoke to her. They had a conversation. He smiled: this could be my solution. He liked to talk to strangers. He liked covertly flirting with men; they thought he was just being friendly. He was good at being charming. How many times do we stand in line or in a crowd, lost in our own thoughts, probably impatient and never even acknowledging the people around us? Can I be part of the solution. He set one rule: no one who is working. Employees, the checkers at the supermarket, have to be nice no matter what you say to them. His audience would have to be civilians, people going about their everyday lives. Walking into a store one day he saw two women admiring a baby one of them was carrying. He considered walking over. Too creepy. Inside the store the woman with the baby was examining merchandise. He went over, spoke, admired the baby. She was friendly, welcoming compliments about her sleeping infant. She had a Caribbean accent. Too easy. Still, he considered it an accomplishment. For several weeks it was only women he talked to. Then one day, again at the gas station, the man at the next pump was singing to himself, clearly in a good mood. They exchanged pleasantries. This pleased him immensely. I’m ready for men, he thought. In New York he often visits an old friend who lives in a subsidized high rise. To gain access you have to call her, she buzzes you in. Then the security guard asks you to sign in and checks your ID. New York! Gwen buzzed him in. What did he talk about with the security guard? He half remembers. Gwen called him, “It’s 20 minutes, what’s happened to you?” He’d been gassing that long. He even told the security guard, a black man in his mid-30s, about his project. The man had said, “You know we are not all angry.” His experiences in his youth had been both bad and good. In elementary school his best friends were two black girl cousins, Diane and Shelby. By the end of high school he barely had any friends except for Earl. By college he knew no black people. That’s how life went. His mother’s home was broken into by a black man who assaulted her. When he was coming out he had an encounter he could not escape from. He made a list of what had contributed to his thinking. He missed the acceptance his childhood friends had offered. He did not want to be part of an obstructionist demographic. He did not want his country to fail. He hoped he could make a contribution to a solution. He was not at all sure if his strategy, his clever idea would do any good. But he is a gay man who learned how to fight for himself and he knows that being alone is never enough. Email: EricLBellmann@gmail.com
Cleaning My Closet RAINBOW ON MY DUCK’S ASS By Meredith Elizabeth Reiniger Peace, not politics. I bathed my rubber ducks. (Which followed my own lavender bubblebath. Which my weary body-parts much enjoyed. Which made me wonder why I abstain from daily bath-tubbing. Which helped me realize that I have replaced a ritualized, relaxing 33 minutes …mostly submerged… in make-my-skinlobster-red soothing water. Which clarifies that my opting for a 13-minute dash through shower spray is about time, not comfort. Which reminds me that dropby-drop sprayed water heats only sections of my elderly body. Which results in my twirling and spinning in a hopeless attempt to maintain 360 degrees of warmth. Which convinced me to worship my tub.) They were dusty. History, not politics. Election Day, USA. 2016. On the ballot, Hillary Clinton, the first woman in our country’s history to be nominated presidential candidate by a major party. I know that Hillary Rodham Clinton, running to crack the ultimate glass ceiling, stood on the shoulders of “our” Susan B. Anthony, another social reformer. So it was fitting that thousands of people traveled to Mt. Hope Cemetery to pay tribute to Susan B. Anthony, the womyn who successfully negotiated the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that, finally, in 1920, acknowledged women’s right to vote. From early morning throughout the day until ten at night, citizens peacefully gathered, waited in long lines, talking together, until it was their turn for a moment of silence and selfies at the grave of Susan B. Anthony. I was moved to tears as I watched wommin, children, toddlers, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, friends, as they stood together in respect. Some left flowers and mementoes. And many gently placed stickers on the tombstone of Susan B. Anthony: I VOTED TODAY BECAUSE OF WOMEN LIKE HER. At the end of that memorable Election Day, hundreds of stickers crowned Suffragette Susan B. Anthony. That is the 2016 event I want to remember. Irrefutable truth, not politics. Hillary Rodham Clinton won the greatest number of Popular Votes. Without a doubt, dignified Hillary Rodham Clinton was the only highly qualified candidate. The only open-minded, charitable, humane candidate. Sixty-one-million voters believed in her ‘stronger together’ philosophy. Regrettably, the Electoral College, not the majority of individual votes, has the power to anoint the winner-take-all. The loser is America. I, and a whole flock of we-the-people, whole-heartedly had believed that we had our ducks in a row. But all through that dreadful night, as mounting election numbers turned the map to blood red, I realized that my dream was a dead duck. Post-election black Wednesday, not a celebration. My altered reality felt like lead shoes held me in hell’s flames. All day I was lethargic, shell-shocked. Oh no. A misogynistic, racist, xenophobic narcissist will trespass across my boundaries every day for four frightening years. Will I be able to endure the next 1,460 days of authorized bullying? In despair, I took to my tub. I threw in cups and cups of Epsom Salts, salts enhanced with eucalyptus and spearmint. The package’s promises led me to believe that my tensed body would relax, that my jumbled mind would be calmed. Not so! Just more lies swirling at my feet! I tossed in a fistful of rubber ducks. Slowly I spread-open my fingers, making waves for my zebra-duck, my sheep-
duck, my rabbit-duck. Yes, I mumbled, no matter what is on the other side of the hyphen, they remain ducks. And yes, they are neighbor-ducks, floating peacefully in the same hot water. Thursday trauma. Some friends were felled by disbelief. Some escaped into long hours of sleep. Some struggled with ghastly nightmares. I flooded my mind with words, listening and reading, desperate for answers. I watched protesters parade their right to Freedom of Speech. I found comfort in signs declaring: NOT MY PRESIDENT. Friday, freedom to breathe. I reminded myself of what is. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s legacy beats in the hearts of many young wommin, many little girls, and 60 million voters. Her worldwide status as role model is imbedded in the psyches of activists and humanitarians working to make the world a better place. On the other hand. Today and next year, stronger together. NOT MY PRESIDENT expressions rise-up across our nation. Protestors and their signs, their chants, their vey presence, their numbers. Tears of our vulnerable citizens. Rainbow flags. Safety pins. Yes, advocates are wearing safety pins, symbolizing their solidarity with LGBTIQ persons, wommin, persons of color, Muslins, Mexicans, persons with other-abilities, immigrants, refugees. Determined advocates pledge allegiance to inclusiveness. Across the country, Anger marches against the Bully-elect who ridicules and demonizes and terrorizes Other Americans. Throughout the world, Rage challenges the treacherous Bigot-elect and his dangerous KKK buddies. Will more days of protest or my Safety Pin change America? Did black people sitting at a “white-people-only” lunch counter change our society? Did Susan B. Anthony successfully fight for the rights of women marginalized by ancient documents? Did Rosa Parks change her seat on a bus, in vain? Musical interlude. “I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair.” Singing, I fill my tub with soothing warm water. Add lavender oil. Toss-in daisy-like chamomile. Sprinkle rose petals. I sigh. I sink into flower-peace. Gently I launch my I-am-woman-pink rubber-ducky. Tenderly I plunge my I-am-lesbian-purple rubber-ducky into sparkling bubbles. I release a whole fleet of power duckies. This is my fight song. [excerpts from STILL I RISE by Maya Angelou.] “You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lies, you may tread me in the very dirt, but still, like dust, I’ll rise.” “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.” “I rise. I rise. I rise.” I refuse to be a sitting duck. MeredithReiniger@gmail.com
Faith Matters LAUGHING TO KEEP FROM CRYING IN “THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS” By Rev. Irene Monroe Broadway legends John Kander and Fred Ebb’s production of “The Scottsboro Boys” is here now in Beantown. When I was told that the framing devise of Boston’s SpeakEasy’s current production of “The Scottsboro Boys” is a minstrel show I was aghast. Employing a defunct and racist American theatrical form -- where black face makeup used by white performers is its signature -- to narrate a horrific travesty of justice, on the surface, you don’t expect it to tickle your funny bone nor to entertain you. However, John Kander and his collab-
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET orator and lyricist the late Fred Ebb have pushed theatrical boundaries by subverting the minstrel trope to highlight gearing forms of racism and discrimination in our judicial system. The trials of the Scottsboro Boys (1931-1937) are a painful story to revisit, especially in light of today’s continued mass incarceration of young African American and Latino men. But Kander and Ebb do a brilliant job satirizing the depiction of African American life in the South in “The Scottsboro Boys” that resonates so much with today’s racial tension, no matter where a black person resides in relations to the MasonDixon Line -- Down South like Scottsboro, Alabama or Up South here in Boston, Massachusetts. The Scottsboro boys lived during the time of the minstrel shows popularity performed by both black and white actors. However, while white blackface minstrelsy and black minstrelsy shared the same structural art form, they differ vastly in meaning and intention. For example, white blackface minstrelsy was both intentionally and offensively racist, whereas black minstrelsy turned racial caricatures on their heads to highlight their absurdity with subtle cultural markers and movements with nuanced and coded messages intended for black audiences only. The blackface characters of Mr. Bones and Mr. Tambo in minstrel performances historically play dimwitted unabashed racists. In Kander and Ebb’s “The Scottsboro Boys,” the Mr. Bones and Mr. Tambo characters are turned on their heads. “I thought, let’s tip that over and have them play stereotypical white characters,” David Thompson, librettist of the show told Playbill. “In the show, Bones and Tambo play cartoonish interpretations of racist, white law enforcement officers and lawyers,” and are depicted by black actors. For many, the Scottsboro boys’ trials are long forgotten, and their lives once
exonerated were never repaired in the form of reparations or recorded after prison. “The Scottsboro Boys” is about the imprisonment of nine teenage boys, ranging in ages from twelve to nineteen, falsely accused of raping two white women, a repeated racial trope in American history. For example, in 1989, The Central Park Five trial falsely imprisoned five black and Latino teenagers for savagely raping (called “wilding” at the time) a white female jogger, a Wellesley College graduate who was then an investment banker at Salomon Brothers. Republican presidential hopeful Donald J. Trump took out a full-page ad in the Daily News calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty in New York. But the historic event that catapulted a new strategic and more expressive phase of protest in the Civil Rights Movement, motivated by the Scottsboro Boys trials, was the 1955 lynching of 14-year old Emmett Till of Chicago in Money, Mississippi for purportedly flirting with a white woman. The Scottsboro Boys trials are one of the early historical antecedents that began to examine the systematic ways America’s penal system harm and disadvantage individuals based on race and class. In The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Michelle Alexander introduces readers to the phenomenon of mass incarceration in the U. S., stating, it’s “the most pressing racial justice issue of our time.” And the Black Lives Matter movement has broadened the conversation about state violence by campaigning against police brutality and highlighting ways in which people of African and Latino descent are intentionally left powerless at the hands of the state, as the Scottsboro boys were. “Certainly there are parallels to be drawn between this infamous episode in American history and events we see unfolding today, perhaps even more so now than when the show debuted on Broadway in
2010,” stated Paul Daigneault, SpeakEasy founder and producing artistic director. Kinder and Ebb’s use of satire is brilliant in “The Scottsboro Boys” because it doesn’t sanitize difficult issues in society we’d rather avert our eyes from. But rather “there’s a wonderful tension in the theater because audiences are not really sure how they’re supposed to react to the number,” Thompson stated. This sort of tension is also seen in their musical production of “Chicago,” a vaudevillian-style performance set during the Jazz Age satirizing crime and corruption, and “Cabaret,” which satirizes anti-Semitism in Weimar-era Germany. I held my breath through much of “The Scottsboro Boys” because I was told about those teenagers -- Olen Montgomery, Clarence Norris, Ozie Powell, Willie Robertson, Charlie Weems, Eugene Williams, Andy Wright, and Leroy “Roy” Wright -- while growing up in segregated Brooklyn in hushed tones of fear and sadness. But at the end of the performance I got up from my seat and applauded -- the performers, Kander and Ebb, and nine boys whose story was finally told with dignity and justice. Who would think a minstrel show would do it.
A Few Bricks Short SO LONG, FAREWELL, AUF WIEDERSHEN, GOOD-NIGHT By David Hull Years ago I remember I was reading an issue of The Empty Closet and I mentioned to my husband, Bernie that although the columnists in the paper were good and interesting, they were all too serious, too factual, and too journalistic. “The Empty Closet needs a columnist who writes something funny,” I said. “You know, like a gay Dave Barry or a lesbian Erma Bombeck; something like that.” “Well,” said Bernie. “You’re a writer. You’re gay. If you think that’s what the newspaper needs, why don’t you write a funny column and submit it?” So I did. And luckily, starting in October 2005, The Empty Closet has been kind enough to publish my columns every month – for the past 11 years! Now, trust me when I tell you that I haven’t aged a bit over the years – mainly because I keep lying about my age – but my column has certainly changed. When I first started writing A Few Bricks Short, I planned that my columns would be about my experiences as a gay man living with my husband in an old farmhouse in a rural, Republican, farming community and about my somewhat usual incidents with the neighbors and nature and home repair on a house that was … well, a “few bricks short” of being finished. And in the beginning I stuck to that topic – for a few months anyway. But, since I love sharing my unsolicited thoughts and opinions with others, I quickly felt tempted to write about numerous other themes and so over the years the column grew and altered (and hopefully made readers laugh) to include topics like family, politics, holidays, religion, technology and popular entertainment. And after more than a decade as a columnist, I’m ready for another change, so I’ve decided it’s time for me to end A Few Bricks Short. I owe thanks to Bernie for always being my proof-reader and sometime critic. “Yes, it is funny, Bernie! You just don’t get it because you don’t have a refined, cerebral sense of humor like mine.” Thanks to The Empty Closet editor Susan Jordan for publishing my columns all these years – even if I was sometimes a little tardy with my submissions. “Susan, I would have gotten this column to you earlier, but I was … uh … well, I was waiting to see if I got … um … nominated for the
23 Pulitzer Prize.” And thanks to all the readers of the column, especially to those who took the time to write and share their thoughts with me. “So, it’s a complement when some guy calls me a ‘hack writer’, right?” Even though the column is ending, rest assured I’ll still be writing; so hopefully someday soon you’ll stumble across something else I’ve written and be pleased with what you read. And you know I’ll keep busy sharing my opinionated, somewhat skewed thoughts with anyone who’ll listen while living with my husband in an old, rural farmhouse that will probably always be “a few bricks short” of being finished. You can contact David at Davidhull59@aol.com
Safer Computing PREPARING FOR THE WORST By David Frier Judging by people’s faces and demeanor around the community the past few days, I think we were all kind of shocked at how the presidential election turned out. Now we’re all looking for a way to cope with the coming nightmare. As always, my focus will be on information safety. A madman has been given the keys to the surveillance state. We’re all vulnerable now, to a greater or lesser extent. The situation calls for some common sense in all things, especially in the use of digital communications. Here are some basics. Up front: if you have plans that would put you in the sights of Trump’s legendary spitefulness, then being the least bit clumsy with operational and communication security will be extremely hazardous to your health. You have to do (at least!) the things I will set forth here, and you have to get them right the first time, and every time. But even if you are staying law-abiding and keeping your head down, these things are also important. The more traffic of every kind, of every level of innocence, that goes over the wires in encrypted forms, the better. That’s because an encrypted message about planning a massive protest on the Mall is indistinguishable from an encrypted message about adding milk to a grocery list. The surveillance apparatus has to crack either one to figure out whether it merits any attention. So the presence of five billion grocery lists traveling the wires encrypted makes things a little safer for the five thousand messages setting up that massive protest. The surveillance apparatus is huge, but it is finite. We can choke it. On to specifics. The rest of this column is going to be a little more techie than usual. My apologies for any items that are difficult to understand. Beginning with email. My first recommendation about how to send sensitive traffic via email would be, DON’T. To whatever extent possible, avoid using email for sensitive communications. But if there is no choice, and you want truly encrypted email, you have to use an endto-end crypto product like PGP, GnuPG, or Enigmail. Web-based mail products that claim they are secure are not encrypted for the entire traversal of the message through the system: it’s almost impossible for them to be. Setting up encrypted mail is fairly involved, not least because email was never fundamentally designed to be secure. Once it’s set up, then I would recommend making encryption the default. If a selection is not default, it’ll be too easy to forget to set it on individual messages. Text Messaging: the best option I can recommend is an app called Signal, by Open Whisper (Android or iOS). Signal incorporates texting and voice call functionality with strong end-to-end encryption. Using Signal in secure mode requires that everyone in the conversation have an Android or iOS phone, but aside from
(Columnists continued from page 23) that implied expense, Signal is free. In addition, Signal’s central servers never handle the decryption keys, so there’s no way for the content of your messages to be compromised by the company, even if they are served a subpoena. This operating model is called “zero-knowledge” and it’s the gold standard in secure apps and services. The provider can’t give up information they never had. Another messaging application with reasonably good security is WhatsApp. But since WhatsApp is owned now by Facebook, its trustworthiness may be compromised. Which brings up the next important topic in this discussion: social media. The only safe assumption about any social media site (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.) is that everything you share there is 100% public and available to anyone who bothers to look. Private messages are not private. Closed groups are not closed. DO NOT use social media for communications where anyone’s safety may be at risk if exposed. You must assume that all communications on social media are exposed. Finally, add the extension HTTPS Everywhere to your browser. This extension, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org) will set your session into encrypted mode on every site where that is possible, even if it’s not the default. Remember, the greater the volume of innocuous traffic flowing over the Internet encrypted, the harder conditions are for the surveillance state. HTTPS Everywhere is available for FireFox, Opera and Chrome. If you are not using one of those browsers, you definitely should be. This column has been more techie than usual. My apologies for any items that were difficult to understand. If anything here is opaque to you, please send questions or requests for clarification to questions@safer-computing.com. I will answer every one personally and privately. And I will assume that all your queries are strictly for the purpose of encrypting thousands upon thousands of grocery lists. Recommended further reading: https://is.gd/Trump_NSA_SD and also https://eff.org
Health and Wellness WINTER IS APPROACHING: TIPS TO PREVENT FALLS By Judy Daniel, MSPT, GCS, Director of Therapeutic Services, HCR Home Care As we approach the harsh winter season, the high risk of falling on slippery or icy surfaces still exists. Everyone needs to be careful to avoid falls, but falls are much more common among the older adult population. One-third of adults over age 65 suffer a fall each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Because of the prevalence of falls and the fact that they are a universal problem not specific to any one region, they need to garner as much – or more – attention as other medical issues affecting the aging population. Consider that: Every 14 seconds, an older adult is treated in a hospital emergency room for a fall-related injury (National Council on Aging). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among seniors, as they can result in serious health issues, including fractures, head trauma and other injuries. Falls on icy surfaces are a major cause of fractures and ankle sprains, reports the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. The repercussions of health issues resulting from falls also mean higher health care costs. Treatment for a fractured hip, for example, can result in exor-
THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017 bitant costs for surgery and rehabilitation. The total cost of fall injuries for older Americans is estimated to be $36 billion.\ While falls are more common among seniors, they are not a normal part of aging. The chances of falling and being seriously injured from a fall increase with age, however, this can be attributed to normal, age-related changes to the body. Eyesight becomes less sharp and more limited. Physical reaction times in the elderly are slowed and strength diminishes with age. In addition, medications commonly prescribed to those over 65 years of age can cause to dizziness, sleepiness and other side effects. Because of the higher risk, seniors need to take extra precautions to prevent a fall or to reduce the likelihood of experiencing one. Tips to help prevent a fall include getting regular screenings for risk factors, such as routinely seeing medical professionals for eye exams, blood pressure monitoring, medication review, foot exams and balance testing. Beginning a regular exercise program approved by your doctor that includes strength and balance training also can help prevent a fall. Other tips involve making the home as safe as possible. You can help prevent falls by “fall-proofing” your home, by storing objects within easy reach, keeping electrical cords out of the way, adding handrails and lights to stairs and using non-skid bath mats. Fall Prevention Awareness Month is celebrated nationwide each September, highlighted with Fall Prevention Awareness Day on the first day of fall. During this month-long effort, professionals, caregivers, family members and communities unite in raising awareness of, and preventing, falls in the older adult population. Fall prevention should be a year-round effort. Throughout the year, everyone and particularly seniors need to be aware of the risks associated with falls and of the ways they can help prevent them. Following the tips above will help prevent falls and the serious injuries that can result from them.
Both Sides Now A STRATEGY FOR CREATIVE INSURRECTION By Cora Treoir Duncan Literally hours after last month’s election results I received invitations to join new movements arising in protest as the local and national LGBTQ community reacted in panic. I felt the same tremors as the earth shifted and disrupted the solid ground under all of us who had begun to believe there was new hope as marriage equality and antidiscrimination laws were enacted. Yes, we knew we still had much to do and clear areas of resistance where counter forces gathered. With Hillary Clinton running for President it seemed like the tide was turning. Her expected election as the first woman President would signal the dawn of a new positive progressive era of diversity, acceptance and inclusion. My response to the invitations was a further shock to myself. I declined to sign up. I said “No.” I, who marched in the late 1960s, joined a student strike after Kent State, wore my Che Guevara T-Shirt and sewed American Flag patches on my bell bottoms, all in the name of Social Revolution. I let my freak flag fly and faithfully sang Guthrie, Seeger, Ochs, Country Joe and Dylan protest songs. I discovered a rich history full of topical songs in our country’s culture that have addressed abolition, economic injustice, civil rights, the temperance movement, women’s suffrage, the union movement, social activism, the military draft, environmental issues, racial discrimination, nuclear destruction, unpopular wars, the plight of immigrants and now gender equality.
I suggested to one of the younger barrier stormers that they do their research on what happened during the Civil Rights marches and demonstrations and their use of nonviolence. They should also consider the Anti-War movement and how they railed against a well entrenched Conservative element so they don’t make the same mistakes. Then, like Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride I ended saying “Have fun storming the castles!” Why the reticence to join in, you ask? Certainly there is ample reason to protest and march. But I chose to direct my attention and talents to the problem in the best, most effective way that I can...with my mind. I will vocally and spiritually support anyone who is willing to march, but for those of us who are capable, who have a creative talent I would suggest another approach that may be even more effective in bringing to light the plight of all minorities affected by the rise of the Trump Nation. I choose to respond by focusing my outrage into my words and music. I intend to use satire, parody and comedy to embarrass, educate and express all of the insanity. I will plumb my vast resources to find songs that make people squirm in discomfort, laugh at our follies, fails and flaws. I will write new songs that disturb the status quo and invite people to dance all DAY, singing anthems full of lusty choruses that cajole, floodlight and incite. I will say outrageous things, making listeners and readers uncomfortable, ridiculing the willfully ignorant, titillating the awkward and fearful to face their humanity. I will parody and satirize the rigid, the ridiculous, the sanctimonious and self righteous as a troubadour, a clarion and a beacon for reason and clarity. These are my aspirations as I face what may be the most culturally defining years of my life. I will harbor no shame nor shield myself from criticism or hatred. I will view all with compassion bearing in mind that everyone has hidden wars they wage. I will be outrageous, selfless, vulnerable and daring greatly. I will live an integral life that displays the values I embrace and embody wholeheartedly. I will use my voice and life force for the advancement of all persons. If the madness continues I am cognizant and accept that I may need to kick start a defense fund. Goddess, help us all!
What’s Bothering Brandon? AS GOD AS MY WITNESS… By Brandon W. Brooks I woke up to hear that rainbow pride flags had been burned – I thought to myself, “So, it’s already begun.” I feel like the universe split into two, and I was mistakenly sent into the wrong tangent. I’m being surrounding by conflicting messages of optimism and hoping for the best, and also fears and anger for a potential future of oppression, violence, and hatred. I’ve been told several times within the last few days that we are on our way to a civil war where races, religions, the sexes and sexual identities will clash in bloody opposition. I’ve been told that we (those minorities who are legitimately worried) “just to need to relax” and that nothing bad will actually happen. This seems all too familiar to me. I find myself sinking back into the mental space that I occupied in middle school, during the dark ages of the 1990s. It’s a place where I am hyper-vigilant, constantly monitoring how I look, how I walk, what I am holding, and how my voice sounds. Do I sound too gay? Did they notice me walking by? Should I walk faster, or wait until it’s daylight to go to this store? This is my closet voice – a voice that hasn’t sounded since the seventh grade for me. This voice has come out again,
evoked by my fears and worries for what this Trump presidency could mean for the LGBTQ population, the African American community, those who are not basic corn-fed Christians, women in general, and those who are simply “not white enough.” Most people I know understand this fear, experience this fear, and understand that this fear is very real, it is charged, and based on the realistic possibilities of oppression and violence. Others still, even immediate family members, continue to tell me that I am “looking into it too deeply” or that I am “buying into the Liberal hype.” The fact that some people still require exhaustive explanation as to how Trump and his House and Senate of conservatives with an extensive history of anti-LGBTQ policy, practice, and leanings could harm the LGBTQ population and all of its progress makes me see red. How could you not see it? How could being aware of the threats around me and how they are all closing in be viewed as “looking too deeply” into something? But then I remember – they don’t have to worry. They have never had to worry about LGBTQ issues, their own personal sexual identity, where they fit into the world, whether their parents and friends will reject them or hurt them, if they have job or housing security, if someone is going to follow them home and attempt to kill them, or if the whole world thinks their existence as a whole is sinful, evil, and perverted. How thoughtless of me. Even faced with the evidence of rainbow flag burning in our own town of Rochester, NY – I was told that it had nothing to do with Trump’s election win. It took everything in me not to jump across the table and throttle my own family member. That, or take an eye out. Who needs eyes when you refuse to use them? The time has come for LGBTQers to unite across races, across religions, across ages, and across sexes. We must fight together against the increasingly permissible homophobia that will most certainly arise in this country, and even our own home town. Stop and explain, calmly and collectively, when something is wrong. Violence, counter-flag burning, and anger only make matters worse. It confirms to our oppressor the notion that we are deviant, subversive, sinful, angry, whiny noncitizens who deserve to be silenced. If we burn American flags, a symbol of the freedom for all peoples, we are destroying the land that should love us, not the people of this land that hate and misunderstand us. Flag burning does not hurt our oppressor, it hurts our own cause. It makes us look like angry fools running around in a mob, who simply want to see the world torn apart. I cried when Trump was elected, a few small tears. But these tears dried quickly, and were replaced with a spark of indignation. This indignation grew into pride and faith in love and community, and a refusal to let the clock be turned back. They say progress is permanent, but I know better than to think it can’t easily be washed away again. As God as my witness, they’re not going to lick us! We’re going to live through this, and when it’s all over – WE’LL NEVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN. Questions, comment, or critique? Feel free to e-mail the author at: brandonbrooks@mail.adelphi.edu ■
SELL SOME ADS MAKE SOME MONEY
585 244-9030
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DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
Community Find the friends, fun, and common interests you’re looking for through the various groups listed here DIGNITY-INTEGRITY Since March, 1975, Dignity-Integrity Rochester has been welcoming all who come through our doors, worshiping every week at 5 p.m. at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St., at the corner of Broad St. We have the following services and activities for the month of December, 2016 and January, 2017. December: 1st Sunday: Episcopal Mass/Healing Service, with music. 2nd Sunday: Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word, with music. 3rd Sunday: 10th Annual Christmas Hymn Sing, followed by reception. 4th Sunday: Christmas Day: No Service or Potluck. January: 1st Sunday: Episcopal Mass/Healing Service, with music. 2nd Sunday: Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word, with music. 3rd Sunday: Episcopal Service, quiet 4th Sunday: Prayers to start the week, followed by Potluck. 5th Sunday: Catholic Eucharist, with music. The theme for the January potluck is “Bountiful Breakfast”. Here’s your chance to start your year off right with your favorite breakfast food! There is always plenty to share, so don’t worry if you’ve no time to shop or cook. After each service during the remainder of the month we’ll be gathering for fellowship around a tasty coffee hour and going out to a local restaurant for dinner. Join us anytime! Sunday, December 18: The Annual Christmas Hymn Sing is happening for the 10th year! This is one of the best ways to enjoy the holiday season. Sit back, sing along and join us afterwards for a scrumptious reception of punch and cookies. Don’t miss it! Reminder: The Hymn Sing replaces our regular service on the 18th. Since we’re also not having a service on Christmas Day (Sunday, Dec. 25), this is a great way to celebrate the holidays with us! SAVE THE DATE: We’ve got a special event coming up, so be sure you’ve got it on your calendar! Saturday, Feb. 25 is our annual winter cabin party. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras. Details will be in the February Empty Closet. Remember that you can always call the Hotline at 585-234-5092 or check our website at www.di-rochester.org/ for updates on services and activities.
EMPIRE BEARS Holidays are here. Empire Bears has some fun scheduled. Suppers are on Wednesday at 6 p.m. every week. 12/7 at Yummy Hot Pot. 12/14 at Ming’s. 12/21 Carrabba’s. 12/28 Winfield Grill. 1/4 Southwedge Diner. 1/11 Flavors of Asia. 1/18 Carrabba’s. 1/25 Winfield Grill. Special Events include Sat, 12/10 – we attend the RGMC concert, so there’s no potluck that night. We go out after the concert to Zebb’s. On Sunday afternoon 12/11 we’ll go to dinner at Fratelli’s. Saturday Jan. 14 we’ll host a potluck at the GAGV at 6:30. For other events, search Empire Bears Inc. on Facebook. Members of the Empire Bears often get together for movies, cards, games, and theater. Don’t forget to make your reservations to attend Drenched Fur in Erie at the end of March. WOOF!
OPEN ARMS MCC What is a Sunday morning service like at Open Arm Metropolitan Community Church? First there are the people – every gender identity and gender expression, all sexual orientations, every color, and all ages that gather to worship and celebrate the God who made them just as they are meant to be. When the service starts you can tell that this is not going to be just any worship experience. We blend traditional and contemporary music, multimedia presentations, a reading of the living word of God, and a message that shares how the word of God speaks to us today. Every service includes communion – God’s table is open to all no matter who you are or what you believe. When the service is over, join us for coffee, fellowship, and a snack in the Community Center. Our Sunday sermons are now available to listen to on our website – just click on the link below to listen to Sunday’s Sermon at: http://www.openarmsmcc.org/ newsletter-sermons Here’s what’s happening at Open Arms for the months of December and January: On Saturday, Nov. 5, the TRANSformative Ministry held its first ever TRANSformative Clothing Exchange. People came from the University of Rochester and all over the city to bring clothes and to go through racks and tables loaded with clothing of all kinds. They enjoyed trying on that, trying on this, joking and laughing, getting some new clothes and having a great time! Sunday School for Teens & Tweens will be on Sunday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Jan. 8 during the service and refreshments are served. On Wednesday, Dec. 14 the monthly Life and Faith Study group continues, based on the documentary “The Story of God” hosted by Morgan Freeman. The topic for this month: “The Power of Miracles”. We will meet in the Open Arms Community Center from 7 to 9 p.m. This study program will continue to Jan. 11 and is open to the public. Feel free to come for any one or all sessions. Tuesday Bible Study is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Our TRANSformative Ministry is in its second year and our next two meetings will be Sunday, Dec. 11, and Sunday, Jan. 22 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Through this ministry, we support and respect people of all gender identities and gender expressions. We create ties by linking people of diverse gender identities and expressions, and their allies, through stewardship, education, and social justice. Contact us to learn more and check our Facebook page. We host a number of community groups in our Community Center: AFTY (Adult Families with Trans Youth) meets the first Tuesday of each month from 5:306:30 p.m.; PFLAG (Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, and Questioning) meets on the third Sunday of each month at 1 p.m.; TAGR, Trans Alliance of Greater Rochester meets on the third Saturday of each month from 3- 5:30 p.m.; the Cobbs Hill Drum Circle meets the first Monday of each month (until it gets warm again!) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. And a new group, the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship, is having their Pentecostal church service in the sanctuary on the first and third Sunday of each month, from 5 to 6 p.m. We have a bin in the Community Center for recycling items like empty ink cartridges, empty toner cartridges, cell phones, chargers, batteries, cords. You can also drop off your scrap metal to be recycled at Metalico Rochester and you will earn money for Open Arms. Days will be arranged for drop off at church as well. Let your neighbors and friends know they can drop off recyclable metal, too. Just mention that it is for the Open Arms MCC account and the proceeds of the recyclables will come to us. We have a supply of non-perishable items in stock for when our neighbors stop in looking for emergency supplies. If you are out shopping and can pick up one or two items it would be greatly appreciated. Items such as toothpaste, soap, paper towels, toilet paper, tampons, sanitary pads, and baby wipes are needed. Also, non-perishable food items that require little preparation (pasta meals, canned meat/tuna, vegetables, and beans) and dry food items such as cereal, pasta and mixes. Pop-top cans are appreciated, as many homeless persons do not have access to can openers. Pet food is also needed. We have some clothing available -- socks, shoes, sneakers and shirts.
25 Our facilities are available for rental by any community groups or individuals needing a safe and flexible meeting space. You can see our ads with pictures and rental fees on Craigslist. At Open Arms MCC we are committed to Building Bridges and Changing Lives. You are welcome, regardless of your sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, or your religious beliefs. We are located at 707 East Main St., across from the Delta Sonic Car Wash. There is plenty of free parking in front and to the side of our building. For updated information on coming events and to view our facilities, check our website: openarmsmcc.org. Our provisional pastoral leader, Brae Adams, has office hours on Tuesdays, from 10:45 am - 2 p.m. and by appointment. (Please call first to make sure she’s available.) Open Arms regular office hours are Thursdays and Fridays from 12 to 4 p.m. and our phone number is (585) 271-8478.
ROMANS This is the time of the season we get together to celebrate the holidays and ROMANS members are happy to network with other nudist groups in the neighborhood. We join the Naturist Rochester at their nude swim on every first Saturday of the month, we go to Buffalo’s In-the-Buff meetings to mingle with like-minded friends and we connect with the members of Syracuse Naked Men at their holiday celebration. Rochester Male Naturists (ROMANS) promotes nudism as a healthy lifestyle in the Rochester and Finger Lakes area. We hold regular monthly meetings throughout the year and other outdoor nude activities during the Summer months. At the November meeting, our host put up a couple of massage tables for members to enjoy some relaxing time. ROMANS is a gay and gay-friendly social club for men over 21 years old to enjoy nudism in a safe environment. If you are interested in becoming a member, contact us via email at wnyromans@ yahoo.com, or by regular mail at PO Box 92293, Rochester, NY 14692 or call us at our message line 585-281-4964. You will find more information about the club and our activities at our website www.wnyromans.com. ■
Inquiring minds want to know...
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Join us at the Gay Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave., for new learning opportunities. There’s something for everyone and we invite participants experienced and new to come and enjoy these classes and community workshops. InQueery December/January Ongoing InQueery: Fistful of Stories at the LGBTQ Resource Center 6:30-8:30pm Join us the second Tuesday of the month as we welcome you to enjoy a variety of open mic sessions which will be facilitated by Miss Rickey Snowden. Throughout the series people from the community will share their coming out stories or stories relevant to LGBTQ Community. On the fourth Tuesday, monthly potluck dinner. Please bring dish to pass. All are welcome into this SAFE Space. Safe Space Discussion at the LGBTQ Resource Center: Thursdays 7-9pm A group designed to explore individual perspectives on various topics beginning with Spirituality. This group is specifically about respecting and encouraging our voices on various topics. The structure of this group is similar to Native American Gatherings. This is an 8-week event. The Repair Shop AA Meeting at the LGBTQ Resource Center Saturdays 5:30-6:30pm An open AA meeting in a safe space for all. This meeting will have an evolving weekly format. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Giver Support Group at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 5:30-6:30pm Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and Life Span. This is a group that offers support to care givers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia or Memory Impairment. Topics to be discussed are the basics of the disease, communication with the patient and responding to challenging behavior at the holidays. Homeland Security Citizens Disaster Preparedness at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/7 6:30-8:30pm. New York States Citizen Preparedness Team will be at the LGBTQ Center to teach about the type of emergency that may affect our community. They will discuss current emergency plans that are in place and how you will be notified of an event. Emergencies may strike when you and your family members are away from home so learn about plans at your work, schools or anywhere else you and your family spend time. Inqueery Holiday Candy Making at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/8 6:30–8pm. Learn how to make simple recipes for homemade truffles, bark and more. This InQueery is for all ages, children are welcome. Laugh Out Loud at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/9 6:30pm. LGBTQ Open Mic Comedy night for ALL. If you would like to perform please arrive 15 minutes early to get on the schedule. Refreshments will be served.
Name and Gender Change Legal Clinic at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/10 10am–2pm. Empire Justice Center’s LGBTQ Rights Protect and the Gay Alliance is hosting a free legal Name and Gender Change Clinic. Clinic participants will be able to meet with an attorney at no cost to complete their legal name and gender change documents. Inqueery Classic Campy Cinema at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/11 and 1/8 2pm. Free movies, free popcorn, building community... what more could you want? Chill with the Gay Alliance and get campy with our monthly classic LGBTQ films. Additionally, the Popcorn machine will be making a (very) rare appearance for FREE popcorn to all in attendance! This month’s film is Harold and Maude. Inqueery Coffee, Coloring and Crochet at the LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/13 6:30pm. Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore; it’s a great way for adults and children to let the stress of the day just melt away. So grab a cup of coffee and a coloring book! Welcome to the world of Yarn! Learn the art of crocheting, we will be creating beautiful crochet scarves to give to the homeless. LGBTQ First Time Home Buyers InQueery at the LGBTQ Center: 1/3, 6:30–7:30pm. First Time Home Buyer Workshop. Objective: To help educate first time home buyers on the subject of purchasing a home – from pre-qualification to finding the right home. Complete overview of the home buying process; useful tips, information, and resources. JAZZ Night Out InQueery at the Pythodd Jazz Room: 1/11 6:30pm. We are bringing back to the Jazz Community of Rochester the rebirth of the Pythodd Jazz Club, with the Pythodd Jazz Room. Dinner at 7pm and the music begins at 8pm. Pythodd Jazz Room 4705 Lake Avenue.
Rochester LGBTQ Resource Center
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
Arts & Entertainment
27 role of a symphonic conductor of sorts in an interactive comedic skit in Act 1. Five audience members are picked at random to ring holiday bells and I get to have fun with them with a big surprise at the end of the scene. Audiences love it and every night it’s a bit different based on who is chosen to participate and the audience in general. “We’re thrilled to be coming to the Auditorium Theater and can’t wait to spend the HOLIDAZE with audiences in Rochester!”
G A L L ER Y Q Gallery Q exhibit of AIDS posters opens First Friday, Dec. 2
Billy Jackson, front center.
Billy Jackson, jumprope artist, talks about Cirque Dreams Holidaze By Susan Jordan Cirque Dreams Holidaze will perform eight spectacular shows at RBTL’s Auditorium Theatre at 885 East Main St. from Dec. 13 through Dec. 18. Tickets are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, 800.745.3000. Billy Jackson plays Skipping Reindeer and Comedic Maestro in Cirque Dreams Holidaze. Billy is featured as a jumprope artist and also conducts an interactive comedic Bell Symphony with audience participation. He’s been jumproping for over 20 years. Billy Jackson has performed with Cirque Dreams Holidaze since 2009, also appearing in Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Rocks, Cirque Dreams Broadway, Cirque Dreams Splashtastic and Cirque Dreams World Tour for Armed Forces Entertainment. Since joining Cirque Dreams, he has been featured in his own personal jumprope groups on America’s Got Talent and MTV’s ABDC (America’s Best Dance Crew). Billy says, “I sort of fell into jump rope accidentally. I started it as an after school program in Louisiana where I grew up. My mom wanted me out of the house more because I had way too much energy and was difficult to keep up with. I attended many camps, workshops and competitions through high school. By the time I was a senior, I was a national and world champion and training up to five days a week for up to 4-5 hours a day. This was something nobody could have predicted -- that I would completely latch onto jump rope as a sport and later an art form. “At 20 years old I sent an audition video to Cirque Dreams with my group at the time and weeks later found myself in my first national tour of Cirque Dreams Holidaze. I get to play
a skipping reindeer alongside three other world-class jumprope artists. My role within the show has grown over the years and I am excited to bring those characters and the show to Rochester! “I am a dancer. I started out very young in gymnastics and dance. I trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, and clogging. I then fell in love with hip hop and music video style dancing. I love combining various styles of dance with jumprope as it elevates our performance to another level. I dream to one day dance behind Britney Spears. “Cirque Dreams Holidaze
“Comfort and Joy”: RGMC winter concert is Dec. 9, 10; RWCC is Dec. 3 The Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus (RGMC) presents Comfort and Joy on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Hochstein Performance Hall, 50 North Plymouth Ave. The show will offer a range of songs, from classics (“It’s the
is a family stage spectacular, from the Cirque Dreams international entertainment brand and it’s my eighth year touring with the production. This show takes the magic of circus and blends it with Broadway theatrics to create a holiday extravaganza. The moment the curtain rises, it’s like opening a holiday gift. We’ve got 30 international artists, over 300 dazzling costumes and 20 breathtaking acts. There’s something in it for everyone.” Although Billy conducts onstage, he is not really a conductor. He said, “I’m not actually a musician, but I play the
Most Wonderful Time of the Year”; “Winter Wonderland”; “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”; “What Child Is This?” and more) to pure fun (including “Santa Got a Tummy Tuck”; “Recycle the Fruitcake”; and the chorus’s own take on “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”). The Rochettes a dance-troupe offshoot of the chorus, will also perform. For the sixth consecutive year, the chorus will collect toys to donate to the Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality
Seated: Michael H. Arve, (Ralph) Denise Bartalo (Carol) Standing: Diane Chevron (Rose). Photo: Sean Lounsberry
“The Last Romance” is coming to MuCCC. The play will run from Jan. 12,13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m. to Jan. 14 at 2 p.m.
Directed by Peter Fekete, the play features Michael H. Arve (Rochester), Denise Bartalo (Rochester) and Diane Chevron (Fairport). A crush can make anyone feel young again -- even a widower named Ralph (Michael H. Arve). On an ordinary day in a routine life, Ralph decides to take a different path on his daily walk -- one that leads him to an unexpected second chance at love. Relying on a renewed boyish charm, Ralph attempts to woo the elegant, distant Carol (Denise Bartalo). Defying Carol’s reticence and his sister Rose’s (Diane Chevron) jealousy, Ralph embarks on the trip of a lifetime. Ralph and Carol’s romance is an Italian opera in which the words are the music. Ralph tells Carol that every Italian opera has the same plot as does their relationship: “Two people fall in love, but life gets in the way.” ‘The Last Romance’ is a heart-warming comedy about the transformative power of love. Advance sale students and seniors $15; at door: $18. Accepting phone reservations at 585-234-1254 ■
Network (RAIHN), a nonprofit organization that assists homeless families. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy. Tickets are $20, $17 for seniors and students, and $8 for children 12 and under. They are available at www.thergmc. org or by calling (585) 4230650. Tickets can also be purchased in person at Parkleigh, Equal=Grounds, Vittorio Menswear and Tuxedo, or from RGMC members.
Though the price of individual tickets has increased a bit this year to help offset the chorus’s own increased costs, season tickets have remained at the same great price of $45 ($40 for seniors and students). Season tickets, as well as individual tickets for the RGMC’s entire 201617 season, are available at www. thergmc.org. The Rochester Womens Community Chorus concert is Dec. 3 at The Clover Center, 1101 Clover St., at 7:30.■
“AIDS: don’t be afraid. BE AWARE,” an exhibit of AIDS awareness posters from the large collection of AIDS awareness posters at the University of Rochester, opens with a reception from 6-9 p.m. on First Friday, Dec. 2. The exhibit displays how poster art, through the use of color, creativity, and wit, can be a useful tool to educate, inform, and communicate in times of crisis. This show runs through December. Also in the evening on Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. the Gay Alliance will screen the moving documentary We Were Here, which presents the stories of five people who lived through the worst of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco.
“The Last Romance” at MuCCC is about a second chance at love
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Harry G’s recently expanded area can accommodate parties, luncheons and other gatherings for all occasions. Our bar is now open and we are in a New York state of mind... featuring New York craft beers and wines! Be sure to check out our website or Facebook page! 678 South Avenue Rochester, NY 14620
POETRY
Just Poets to offer three workshops at Resource Center in February
Just Poets of Greater Rochester will offer three workshops at the Gay Alliance beginning in February. Poets Colleen Powderly and Jonathan Everitt will lead the workshops. A workshop will be offered each month, February-March-April, at the Gay Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. When the workshops are done, Just Poets would like to have a reading for the public, possibly at the end of the Day of Silence in April. See the February Empty Closet for more information.
CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT Reiki Healing * Meditation | Laws of Attraction | Mind, Body, Spirit Balance | Setting Intentions
Rochester Light & Learning Wellness Center Paula Morisey, Spiritual Coaching 1790 NY RTE 441, Penfield | Roclightandlearning.com | Schedule a session: 585-857-7163
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE
Poetry Poetry Poetry
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GAY ALLIANCE NEWS – DEC-JAN 2017
THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Where We’ve Been in October 2016
Jamie Allen
Volunteer of the Month: Jamie Allen Jamie says: My love for photography and passion for museums brought me to Rochester three times. Each time I made the move from my home state of Arizona, and each time I learned a little more about the community here in Rochester. I began volunteering at the Alliance to support my wife and her efforts for the community. What I found is a group of loving people who care deeply about preserving our past and making our collective futures brighter. My first project with the Alliance was through the Shoulders to Stand On project, organizing and rehousing photographs collected for The Empty Closet. Admittedly, when I began, I knew little about LGBTQ and Rochester history. After we completed creating a method for documenting and finding the images held in that collection, we began to volunteer in the library. I discovered that the library is a vast resource available to individuals inside and outside of this community, and a true gem offered by the Alliance. In 2013 I was asked to help create an exhibition about local LGBTQ history. Again, my knowledge of our collective and local history grew through the other amazing volunteers that worked on the project with me. When I had the opportunity to see others experience this history during the exhibition Forging Alliances, I understood just how far our community has come in a short time, but also how much more we have to work towards. When the Alliance moved to its new space last year, my wife and I shifted our focus to use our skillset to coordinate exhibitions for Gallery Q. As a space for all members of our community, I enjoy attending first Friday openings and welcoming individuals who did not previously know about the Resource Center at the Alliance, but suddenly find themselves not only welcomed but treated to a cultural experience. Similarly, as a volunteer with ImageOut as part of the art exhibition committee, I am constantly reminded of just how expansive the resources in our community are, as the festival and its related events provide a place to appreciate the accomplishments and creative abilities of artists around the world. In addition, I have enjoyed volunteering with my wife for ROC Pride and Ride for Pride the past two years. While I may not be an activist at heart, I know that the Gay Alliance provides vital support and programing for people in all stages of life. As a member of this community, the Alliance continually provides me with opportunities to make friends, strengthen our community, and expand my knowledge of the issues that face me in the world. Not everyone has such a place filled with love in the town that they live in, so for that reason I volunteer my time to preserve our collective history and to make our sense of community stronger. ■
Several members of our community graduated from the PRIDE Leadership Development Program sponsored by United Way in collaboration with the Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley and Excellus BCBS. The primary focus of the program is the development and application of effective leadership skills and competencies to use in professional and volunteer pursuits such as serving on community boards and volunteer leadership positions.
Pride Leadership Development offers training, networking for leaders of tomorrow Rochester diversity consultant Sady Fischer is an expert on facilitating workshops. She had this to say about the Pride Leadership Development Program: “The purpose of the program is to prepare our LGBTQ+ communities for positions of leadership in Rochester. We have unique challenges, and this program provides a forum for us to be visible, proud and learn how to use leadership as a tool to create more equitable policies, safer spaces, and more inclusive services. It is an opportunity to network with other members of the community who want to advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ people and learn from the collective wisdom of new and more experienced leaders in our community. “The Pride Leadership Development Program helps identify, train and promote visibility of LGBTQ+ leaders, in order to partner with community organizations and make the world a better place for all people. Homophobia and transphobia impact all of us. Therefore by providing better, more inclusive ser-
vices for LGBTQ+ people, we end up providing better, more inclusive services for all people.” The PRIDE Leadership Development Program was sponsored Oct. 27-28 by United Way, in collaboration with the Gay Alliance and Excellus BCBS. The primary focus of the program is the development and application of effective leadership skills and competencies to use in professional and volunteer pursuits such as serving on community boards and volunteer leadership positions. Carol Ebersole-Weiss, HRC Coordinator for Upstate New York, added, “The Pride in Leadership Program is a terrific educational tool for anyone looking to take their volunteering to the next level. I have been on various committees and councils over the past 10 years and have been wanting to make the leap to a Board of Directors level. This program not only walks you through the process, but also leaves you with valuable assessment tools to help you determine the type of organization that suits your skills and interests so that your service is beneficial to the organization as well as fulfilling for you.” ■
HALLOWEEN FUN: Volunteers Marilyn and Liz had fun while taking down the decorations for the Oct. 22 Halloween Dance at the Center. Photos: Susan Jordan
• SafeZone Training at SUNY Brockport • Tabling at the St. John Fisher College Wellness Fair • Creating LGBTQ Inclusive Schools at Penfield Central Schools x 2 sessions • Creating LGBTQ Inclusive Schools at BOCES Monroe #1 O’Conner Academy • LGBTQ Book Discussion at Pittsford Barnes and Noble • Who’s Who Panel at Canandaigua Academy x 2 sessions • SafeZone Training - Part 1 at West Irondequoit Central School District • Creating LGBTQ Inclusive Schools at the NYS Center for School Health Professional Seminar x 4 sessions in Albany, Depew, Melville and Poughkeepsie • Tabling at Stepping Out: An Evening of Comedy Hosted by Spectra of Corning, Inc. • SafeZone Training at the CSEA Annual Delegates’ Meeting (DC) • LGBTQ Caucus at the CSEA Annual Delegates’ Meeting (DC) • LGBTQ Vocabulary at Westside Academy • Trans Panel Presentation at The Harley School • Creating LGBTQ Inclusive Summer Camps for the American Camp Association Conference (Upstate NY) x 2 sessions • Trans 101 at St. John Fisher College for an American Identities Course • Creating Trans Inclusive Campuses at Corning Community College • Pride in Leadership Development Program at the LGBTQ Academy at the Gay Alliance • Understanding Trans Identities at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Women Helping Girls Program Feedback from our October Presentations: • “Most wonderful, genuine and intelligent. Incredible.” • “I wanted to say ‘thank you’… this helped me feel more comfortable about my sexuality and how I identify. This was 100% great and very enjoyable.” • “Clear communication. Approachability of presenters was awesome. Nothing could have made this better. Further presentations with staff and students and PTSA would be great!!”
The Gay Alliance is a non-profit agency, dedicated to cultivating a healthy, inclusive environment where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) people are safe, thriving, and enjoying equal rights. We are a coalition of individuals and groups working to empower LGBTQ people to affirm their identities and create an atmosphere where the diversity can thrive both collectively and separately. We educate and advocate for civil rights for all and for the eradication of homophobia. Board President: David Zona • Executive Director: Scott Fearing • Center Director: Jeffrey Myers • Education Director: Jeanne Gainsburg Education Coordinator: Rowan Collins • Database: Kat Wiggall Bookkeeper: Christopher Hennelly The Empty Closet: Editor: Susan Jordan E-mail: susanj@gayalliance.org Phone: (585) 244-9030 Designer: Jim Anderson Fax: (585) 244-8246 Advertising: (585) 244-9030; Jennie Bowker, jennieb@gayalliance.org. The Gay Alliance, 100 College Avenue, Rochester, New York 14607 • Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm Phone: (585) 244-8640 • Fax: (585) 244-8246 • Website: www.gayalliance.org • E-mail: Info@gayalliance.org
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
GAY ALLIANCE NEWS – DEC-JAN 2017
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SAGE DECEMBER-JANUARY
Kimberly Perls and Amy Swanson of Genesee County Office for the Aging, cohosts with the Gay Alliance for the first Traveling LGBTQ Potluck in Stafford, NY. Photo: Anne Tischer
DECEMBER 2016 Thursday December 1 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; 11:30am-2:00pm, Brown bag lunch & a movie: “A Home of Our Own” starring Kathy Bates. They had nothing and tried to find their dream. LGBTQ Resource Center, hosted by Gerry. Tuesday December 6 10:30-11:30 Yoga with Tom; 11:30am-2:00pm, “Cake Day” celebration of December birthdays, catered lunch, “Tell your story” discussion. Cookie decorating for Veterans. $3.donation. Hosted by Jessie & Anne. Wednesday December 7 5:30pm- 7:00pm SAGE Leadership Council, LGBTQ Resource Center Thursday December 8 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom;10:00amnoon Breakfast Club at Denny’s (911 Jefferson Rd, Henrietta ) Please RSVP to Audet by 12/6 at 585-287-2958 or email aprice002@ aol.com . 1:00pm – 4:00pm Holiday Decorating of the LGBTQ Resource Center - all are welcome to help! 6:30pm – 8:00pm Inqueery class: Holiday Candy Making with Joy Perrone. Bring your school-aged grandkids! Saturday December 10 4pm – 7:00pm Holiday Pot Luck Social at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 6188 Main Road, Stafford NY, 14143. Appetizers & short program at 4pm, Dinner at 5pm. Bring a dish to pass and a friend. Carpool with Anne: annet@gayalliance.org or 585 244-8640 x23 Sunday December 11 2:00pm – 5:00pm Euchre Social & Campy Classic Cinema at the LGBTQ Resource Center. Your choice of fun! All level card players welcome. Film: “Harold & Maude”, a classic cult film featuring a most unlikely pair - outrageously funny and affecting. $3.00 donation. Tuesday December 13 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; Catered lunch $3.00 donation, 12:30pm – 2:00pm Wreath-making with Margaret. Wednesday December 14 5:30pm-6:30pm InQueery: Lifespan & Alzheimer Association presentation, “Alzheimers and Dementia Care Giver Support Group @LGBTQ Resource Center” All are welcome. Thursday December 15 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom in LGBTQ Resource Center Friday December 16 5:30pm – Fabulous Fish Fry at Jay’s Diner 2612 West Henrietta Rd Please RSVP to Audet by December 14th 585287-2958 or email aprice002@aol.com Saturday December 17 1:00pm-4:00pm SAGE Jingle Mingle Holiday Party, LGBTQ Resource Center, Appetizers, adult beverages, Holiday Sing-Along, $5.00 grab bag (optional), Best Cookies Contest…4 awards: traditional sugar cookies, tastiest, ethnic specialties, best decorated. Volunteers to help host please contact annet@gayalliance. org or (585) 244-8640.
Tuesday December 20 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom, Catered lunch $3.00 donation, 12:30pm Fun with party foods demonstration. Wednesday December 21 5:30pm-6:30pm InQueery: Lifespan & Alzheimer Association presentation, “Alzheimers and Dementia Care Giver Support Group @LGBTQ Resource Center” All are welcome. Thursday December 22 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom in LGBTQ Resource Center. Tuesday December 27 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; 11:30pm – 2:00pm: Catered lunch $3.00 donation. Hanukkah Celebration. HCR Care Manager available onsite 12:30pm to 2:30pm. LGBTQ Resource Center Wednesday December 28 5:30pm-6:30pm InQueery: Lifespan & Alzheimer Association presentation, “Alzheimers and Dementia Care Giver Support Group @LGBTQ Resource Center” All are welcome. Thursday December 29 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom in LGBTQ Resource Center. 5:00pm – 7:00pm SAGE Happy Hour at 140 Alex Bar & Grill, 140 Alexander St, 14607. Food & drink specials.
JANUARY 2017 Tuesday January 3 10:30-11:30 Yoga with Tom; 11:30am-2:00pm, “Cake Day” celebration of January birthdays, catered lunch, “Tell your story” discussion. $3.00 donation. Hosted by Jessie & Anne. Wednesday January 4 5:30pm- 7:00pm SAGE Leadership Council, LGBTQ Resource Center Thursday January 5 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; 11:30am-2:00pm, Brown bag lunch & a movie: “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar”. 11:30 am brown bag, film at noon at the Resource Center meeting room.....contact Gerry (585) 730-8772 LGBTQ Resource Center. Sunday January 8 2:00pm – 5:00pm Euchre Social & Campy Classic Cinema at the LGBTQ Resource Center. Your choice of fun! All level card players welcome. Film: “Lust in the Dust”, raunchy but irresistible! A Paul Bartel film starring Tab Hunter, Lainie Kazan and Divine. $3.00 donation. Tuesday January 10 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; Catered lunch $3.00 donation, 12:30pm – 2:00pm Crafts: Bird Seed Ornaments. Thursday January 12 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom;10:00amnoon Breakfast Club at Denny’s (911 Jefferson Rd, Henrietta ) Please RSVP to Audet by Jan. 10 at 585-287-2958 or email aprice002@aol. com . Sunday January 15 2:00pm – 6:00pm Viva Las Vegas Casino Cabin Party. Black jack, craps and more. Food, theme music and prizes. Buckland Park Lodge, 1341 Westfall Road, 14618 $7.00 donation. Tuesday January 17 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; Catered lunch $3.00 donation, 12:30pm – 2:00pm Hidden LGBTQ History: the African American Experience. Thursday January 19 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom in LGBTQ Resource Center. 5:00pm – 7:00pm SAGE Happy Hour at 140 Alex Bar & Grill, 140 Alexander St, 14607. Food & drink specials. Monday January 23 6:30pm – 8:30pm, film & snacks: “Soldier’s Girl”…the true story of the price a young soldier paid for falling in love with a transsexual night-club performer. Hosted by SAGE Vets & ROC Vets in LGBTQ Resource Center. Tuesday January 24 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom, Catered lunch $3.00 donation, 12:30pm: Spirituality…why it matters (guest speaker). LGBTQ Resource Center. Thursday January 26 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom in LGBTQ Resource Center. Friday January 27 5:30pm – Fabulous Fish Fry at South Wedge Diner, 880 S. Clinton Ave. Please RSVP by Jan. 26 to Audet at 585-2872958 or email aprice002@aol.com Tuesday January 31 10:30am-11:30am Yoga with Tom; 11:30pm – 2:00pm: Catered lunch $3.00 donation. Games & conversation. LGBTQ Resource Center
SAGE Rochester is a program of the Gay Alliance designed for LGBTQI people over 50. SAGE operates at the Gay Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Avenue. All programs are open to the public and all are welcome. Yoga is $5. per person and is offered every Tuesday and Thursday unless specified in calendar. All programs are subject to change and all members are responsible for their own transportation and meals. Become a SAGE member or get more information at: sage@ gayalliance.org or 585-244-8640 x23. We are also on Facebook as: SAGE Rochester a program of the Gay Alliance
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Resources
Check our monthly and ongoing calendar and community section for more groups and events. For further information, call the Gay Alliance, 2448640 or visit: www.gayalliance.org. More SAGE and Gay Alliance Youth Group info: pages 30-31.
BISEXUALITY RESOURCES AMBI Los Angeles; American Institute of Bisexuality (Journal of Bisexuality); Bay Area Bisexual Network; ; BiNet USA; Bisexual Organizing Project (BOP); Biversity Boston; Boston Bisexual Women’s Network; ComBIne - Columbus, Ohio; Fenway Health’s Bi Health Program; Los Angeles Bi Task Force; New York Area Bisexual Network; Robyn Ochs’s site; The Bi Writers Association; The Bisexual Resource Center (email brc@biresource.net)
CULTURAL Rochester Women’s Community Chorus 234-4441. (See Ongoing calendar). Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus www.thergmc.org Open Arms Community Center Available for parties, events, meetings. 707 E. Main St. Parking. Accepting and welcoming of all. 271-8478.
DEAF SERVICES Deaf Rainbow Network of Rochester See Facebook. Spectrum LGBTIQ & Straight Alliance RIT/NTID student group. <SpectrumComment@ groups.facebook.com ASADV Our mission is to provide support to the Deaf community and to Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing individuals, families, and children who are or have been victims/survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse. A safe and supportive environment of advocacy, empowerment, community education, and training services. All staff are Deaf. All staff, advocates, and volunteers are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). It is our vision that the various components of ASADV be Deaf-run and be advocates within institutionalized systems. We work cooperatively with various Deaf and hearing-based agencies. PO Box 20023, Rochester, NY 14602, www.asadv.org. 585/2862713
ELDERS Gay Alliance SAGE Rochester Many monthly get togethers, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. 244-8640; SAGE@gayalliance.org. See page 31.
FAMILY Adoption Place at JFS Jewish Family Service of Rochester 441 East Ave., Rochester, NY 14607. You can adopt! Adoption Place at Jewish Family Service of Rochester provides adoption consultation, home studies and post-placement supervision to the entire community regardless of race, religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity. Laura Glasner, LCSW-R, Adoption Director, 585-461-0110; lglasner@jfsrochester. org; www.jfsrochester.org Rochester Gay Dads The meetup.com website is: https://www.meetup.com/RochesterGayDads/ Resource or starting point for gay dads in the area to reach out for support, questions about starting a family, etc. Open Arms Community Center Open Arms Community Center available for parties, events and meetings; 707 East Main St. Plenty of parking. We are inclusive, actively accepting, welcoming of all people. 271-8478 openarmsmcc.org CNY Fertility Center Integrative Fertility Care. Support meetings, webinars, workshops. Information: cbriel@cnyfertility. com; www.cnyhealingarts.com Rochester Gay Moms’ Group Support group for lesbian mommies and wannabe mommies in Rochester and surrounding areas. Subscribe: RochesterGayMoms-subscribe@ yahoogroups.com. Catholic Charities Community Services 1099 Jay Street, Building J (585) 339-9800, www.ccsrochester.org . Offers: Families in Transition services for HIV positive parents with small children, short term/long term housing assistance, employment services, supportive case management, health education and behavioral health education and peer navigation for substance abuse linkages. Lesbian & Gay Family Building Project Headquartered in Binghamton and with a presence throughout Upstate NY. Claudia Stallman, Project Director, 124 Front St., Binghamton, NY 13905; 607-724-4308; e-mail: LesGayFamBldg@ aol.com. Web: www.PrideAndJoyFamilies.org.
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) PFLAG’s threefold mission: supporting parents and family members in coming out process; educating the community; advocating on behalf of LGBT family members. rochesterepflag@gmail. com; 585-993-3297. Adoptive Parent Support Group Monthly potluck lunches. For information, location, call Shari, 350-2529.
HIV/AIDS Free testing for HIV exposure is available from New York State Department of Health: call Rochester Area Regional Hotline at (585) 423-8081, or 1 800 962-5063. Deaf or hearing impaired people should call (585) 4238021 (TDD.) Available from NY Dept. of Health: HIV and STD resource testing site. Rapid testing in only 10 minutes. STD testing provided by Bullshead Clinic, 855 W. Main St., Rochester. Contact: Narissa @ Rochester hotline. Volunteer Legal Services Project (585) 232-3051; www.vlsprochester.org. 1 West Main St., Suite 500 Rochester, NY 14614. Free legal services for low-income HIV positive clients. No criminal cases. Appointments: scheduled at medical provider locations or at 295-5708. Trillium Health Trillium Health is the leading provider of HIV/AIDS services in Rochester and the Finger Lakes. Onsite services include HIV testing and limited STD screenings, Primary and HIV Specialty Medical Care, Pharmacy, and many more. Satellite offices in Geneva and Bath. Contact Information: Website: www.trilliumhealthny.org. Main Office: 259 Monroe Ave., Rochester, NY 14607; Main Phone: 585-545-7200, Health Services After Hours: 585-258-3363; Case Management After Hours (Lifeline): 585-275-5151; Fax: 585-244-6456. Finger Lakes Office: 605 W. Washington St., Geneva, NY 14456, 315-781-6303. Southern Tier Office: Buell St. Box 624, Bath, NY 14810 607776-9166. The Health Outreach Project: 416 Central Ave., Rochester, NY 14605; 585-454-5556. Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley Referrals to physicians and service agencies. (585) 244-8640; www.gayalliance.org. Victory Alliance University of Rochester Medical Center. One of several research sites worldwide that comprise the HIV Vaccine Trials Network. Rochester site conducts research vaccine studies sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH). 585-7562329; www.vaccineunit.org. Threshold At The Community Place, 145 Parsells Ave., third floor, 585-454-7530. Provides confidential HIV, STD testing and General Health Care, ages 12-25. Sliding fee scale, no one denied, most insurances accepted. Mon., Wed., Fri. 9am-5pm; Tues., Thurs., 9am-7pm; Sat. 10am-2pm. www.ThresholdCenter.org Center for Health and Behavioral Training of Monroe County 853 W. Main St., Rochester 14611. Collaboration of Monroe County Health Department and U.R. Provides year-round training in prevention and management of STDs, HIV, TB and related issues, such as domestic violence and case management. (585)753-5382 v/tty. Planned Parenthood of the Rochester/Syracuse Region 114 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14605; Tollfree Helpline: 1 866 600-6886. Offers confidential HIV testing and information. Ask about our sliding scale fees. No one is turned away for lack of ability to pay. Rochester Area Task Force on AIDS A collection of agencies providing a multiplicity of resources and services to the upstate New York community. Their offices are located through the Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, which also provides medical literature and newspaper clippings, as well as demographic and statistical data for use in developing health care services. (585) 461-3520. The MOCHA Center of Rochester Our mission is to improve health and wellness in communities of color. Youth drop-in center, HIV testing, peer education, support groups, computer lab, referral services and more. 189 N. Water St., lower level. (585) 420-1400. Monroe County Health Department at 855 W. Main St., offers testing and counseling for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. (585) 753-5481. Hours: M-W 8:30-5:30; R: 8:30-11 am; F 7:30-2:30. Strong Memorial Hospital provides a complete range of HIV medical care, including access to experimental treatment protocols, and HIV testing. Also provides individual and group psychotherapy. Training of health care professionals also available. Infectious Disease Clinic, (585) 275-0526. Department of Psychiatry, (585) 275-3379. AIDS Training Project, (585) 275-5693.
Planned Parenthood of Rochester and Genesee Valley Offers testing and information (585) 546 2595. Rural HIV testing Anonymous and confidential, in Allegany, Livingston, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Wayne or Yates Counties, call 1 800 962-5063. Action Front Center (Action for a Better Community.) Provides HIV, STD, viral hepatitis prevention counseling, risk reduction counseling. Tailored programs available to incarcerated, ex-offender individuals. Services for people living with HIV; case management, peer support groups, United Colors support group for MSM of color, educational groups, peer educator training and leadership development, multicultural, bilingual staff. 33 Chestnut St., 2nd floor, Rochester 14604. Office hours M-F 8:30 am-5 pm. 585-262-4330. Anthony Jordan Health Center Jordan Health’s Prevention & Primary Care Department provides personalized care designed to address and treat the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C; and services focusing on the prevention of those diseases. Bilingual staff serves both English and Spanishspeaking patients. HIV and hepatitis C virus (HVC) rapid testing as well as HIV and HCV education and counseling. Walk-in testing at all Jordan Health Sites. Prevention & Primary Care Department hours are Mon – Fri 830a – 5p. HIV Clinic hours are Tuesday and Friday 830a – 400p. HCV Clinic hours are Wednesday and Friday 100p – 500p. The Prevention & Primary Care Department has two sites: Anthony L. Jordan Health Center 82 Holland Street, Rochester 14605 585.423.2879, fax 585.423.2876 and Woodward Health Center, 480 Genesee Street, Rochester 14611, fax 585.295.6009 Jordan Health’s Prevention and Primary Care Department is now providing PrEP services. For more information please call 585.436.PREP (7737). We are accepting new PrEP patients at the following sites: Anthony L. Jordan Health Center, Woodward Health Center and Jordan Health at Community Place, 145 Parsells Ave. 585.436.3040 x1764 - 585.454.7530 CDC National STD and AIDS Hotline 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) 24 hours a day. TTY service: 1-888-232-6348. E-mail address: cdcinfo@cdc.gov. Fair Housing Enforcement Project of Monroe County 585-325-2500; 1-800-669-9777. Deals with housing discrimination on basis of race, orientation, HIV status, etc. Public Interest Law Office of Rochester 1 W. Main St., Suites 200 & 300. Free legal services to HIV positive persons, families. Spanish bilingual advocates available. All civil cases except divorce; no criminal cases. Ask to speak to someone in PILOR. 454-4060. Westside Health Services Brown Square Health Center, 175 Lyell Ave. (254-6480); Woodward Health Center, 480 Genesee St. (436-3040). HIV/AIDS services, support, more. McCree McCuller Wellness Center at Unity Health’s Connection Clinic (585) 368-3506, 89 Genesee St., Bishop Kearney Bldg., 3rd floor. Full range of services, regardless of ability to pay. Caring, confidential and convenient. Geneva Community Health 601 W. Washington St., Geneva. Provides HIV testing, HIV specialty and primary care for residents of Ontario and surrounding counties. M, W, R, F 8am-8pm. 315-781-8448.
LGBT HEALTH Huther Doyle Healthcare, chemical dependency treatment. 585-325-5100; www.hutherdoyle.com Trillium Health See www.trilliumhealthny.org LGBT Healthy Living: Veterans Canandaigua VA, second and fourth Tuesdays, 10-11am, Building One, 2nd floor, room 245. Matt Cokely 585-393-7115. HCR Home Care We provide a full multidisciplinary team consisting of nursing, social work, physical, occupational, and speech therapies as well as home health aides who have completed the eight-hour cultural competency program provided by the Gay Alliance. More information: 585-272-1930 or visit us online at HCRhealth.com.
TRANSGENDER Trans Alliance of Greater Rochester (TAGR) Support/educational group for gender variant people and allies. Last Saturday, 3-5:30pm, Open Arms MCC, 707 E. Main St. Adult Families of Trans Youth (AFTY) First Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30pm, Open Arms MCC, 707 E. Main St. Trans Lifeline Hotline for transgender people experiencing crisis. Staffed by transgender people for transgender people. (877) 565-8860. Additional info is available at www.translifeline.org.
TransParent Support group for parents of trans children. Third Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. Empire Justice Center Milo Primeaux, Esq., Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellow, Empire Justice Center, LGBT Rights Project, Telesca Center for Justice, 1 West Main Street, Suite 200, Rochester, NY 14614. (585) 295-5721 Fax (585) 454-2518, mprimeaux@ empirejustice.org, www.empirejustice.org. Volunteer Legal Services Project (585) 232-3051; www.vlsprochester.org.1 West Main St. Suite 500, Rochester, NY 14614. Free legal services for low-income clients seeking a name change. Other services for low-income clients include family law issues, bankruptcy, unemployment insurance hearings, wills and advance directive documents for clients with serious illnesses. Gay Alliance Youth Gender Identity Support Group First Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 100 College Ave. Ages 13-18. 244-8640 Genesee Valley Gender Variants Thurs. 7-9pm, Equal Grounds, 750 South Ave. GVGenderVariants@yahoogroups.com Guys’ Night Out Trans* group, 1pm second Saturdays at Equal=Grounds, 750 South Ave. Transmen and those identifying with trans-masculine experience (including questioning individuals) welcome. Contact Adrian at abartholomeo@gmail.com.
WOMEN L.O.R.A Late Bloomers Group E-mail info@loragroup.org Website: www.loragroup.org; L.O.R.A (Lesbians of Rochester & Area) Highland Hospital Breast Imaging Center 500 Red Creek Drive, Rochester 14623; 585487-3341. Specializing in breast health, diagnostic breast imaging and treatment and mammography outreach and education. Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester 1048 University Ave., Rochester NY 14607 585-473-8177; www.bccr.org; info@bccr.org Programs and services for those diagnosed with breast or GYN cancer. Programs include support and networking groups, Healing Arts classes, book club, writing workshop, monthly evening seminars and a group for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Comprehensive lending library. All programs and services FREE. Center for Community Health (585) 224-3050. Comprehensive breast cancer screening services for uninsured and underinsured women. Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic 170 Sawgrass Drive. 442-8432. Mammograms. Self Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer (SHARE) Breast: 866-891-2392; Ovarian: 866-537-4273. Willow Domestic Violence Center 232-7353; TTY 232-1741. Shelter (women only), counseling. Lesbians, gay men welcome. Victim Resource Center of Wayne County Newark N.Y. Hotline 800-456-1172; office (315)331-1171; fax (315)331-1189. Mary Magdalene House Women’s outreach center for HIV positive women and women at risk. 291 Lyell Ave. Open Mon-Fri. 6:30-9:30pm. Planned Parenthood of the Rochester/ Syracuse Region 114 University Ave., Rochester, NY 14605; Toll-free Helpline: 1-866-600-6886. Planned Parenthood has led the way in providing high quality, affordable reproductive health care since 1916. All services are confidential. Accept most insurances; including Medicaid. You may qualify for low- to no-cost family planning services. When you make your appointment, ask about our sliding scale fees. No one turned away for lack of ability to pay. Women’s Shelter YWCA, 175 N. Clinton Ave. 546-5820.
YOUTH Gay Alliance Youth Group Monthly Special Events 100 College Ave. 2448640; Ages 13-20. www.gayalliance.org. Check Facebook.com/GayAllianceYouth Gay Alliance Youth Gender Identity Social/Support Group First Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave., Ages 13-18. 244-8640 Trevor Project The Trevor Project offers 24/7 Lifeline with trained counselors, 1-866-488-7386; Trevor Chat, instant messaging; TrevorSpace online where youth can talk to each other, and Trevor Text with text trained counselors for support and crisis intervention. CNY Youth Group Bi-Polar Support. Second Monday of every month. 315-428-9366 Teen Clinic at Planned Parenthood 114 University Avenue Rochester. Birth control, condoms, HIV testing, counseling. Weekly, Tuesdays 3-7pm..
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
Ongoing Calendar DAILY Free confidential walk-in HIV testing M/W 9am-5pm, T/Th 9am-7pm, F 9am-12:30pm Trillium Health 259 Monroe Ave. 585-545-7200 Gay Alliance Library & Archives 9am -5pm. Wed. 6-8pm 100 College Ave. Walk-in HIV testing At all Anthony Jordan health center sites including 82 Holland St. (See Resources)
MONDAYS Women’s Coffee Social Equal Grounds Coffee House 750 South Ave. Monday evenings. 7 pm. Contact: Regina Altizer: reginaaltizer@gmail.com Crystal Meth Anonymous Meeting Every Monday 12-1pm. Huther Doyle, 360 East Ave., Rochester. Starting Monday Oct. 5. Rochester Historical Bowling Society 7pm. Empire Lanes Born That Way Formerly 3rd Presbyterian LGBT Support Group. First, 3rd Mondays, 7:30-9:30pm, 34 Meigs St. Carol, 482-3832 or Kaara, 654-7516. Frontrunners/Frontwalkers Mondays, 6pm, George Eastman House parking lot. www.rochesterfrontrunners.org. Steps Beyond Stems Crack Support Group, Mondays, 7-8pm, 289 Monroe Ave.
TUESDAYS The Social Grind 10am-12noon and again 7:30-9pm at Equal Grounds, 750 South Ave. Email: DHutch457@aol. com for information Teen Clinic at Planned Parenthood 114 University Avenue Rochester. Birth control, condoms, HIV testing, counseling. Weekly, Tuesdays 3-7pm. Adult Families of Trans Youth (AFTY) First Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30, Open Arms MCC Community Center, 707 E. Main St. TransParent Support group for parents of trans youth. Third Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. LGBT Healthy Living Veterans support. 2nd, 4th Tuesdays, 10-11am Canandaigua VA, bldg. 9, room 8, Library conference room. 585 463-2731, 585 205-3360. Testing Tuesdays at Trillium Health FREE HIV Testing for everyone, STI/STD testing FREE for women and MSM. Trillium Health, 259 Monroe Ave, 5-8 pm. 585-545-7200 Women’s Community Chorus Rehearsals each Tuesday, 6:30-9pm, Downtown United Pres. Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh Street. 2344441, www.therwcc.org Gay Alliance Youth Gender Identity Support Group 5:30-6:30pm, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. Ages 13-20. 244-8640. SAGE Rochester 50+ Tuesdays and Thursdays, usually 10:30am at venues including LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. 244-8640. (See page 31) SAGE Men’s Group 50+ 7pm, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. 1st, 3rd Tuesdays. rtony13@aol.com
Gay Alliance Board of Directors Meets Third Wednesdays, 6pm, 100 College Ave., 244-8640 New Freedom New Happiness AA Gay meeting, 7pm, Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Rd. Men and women. Open. COAP Come Out and Play Wednesday game nights. 7-10pm. Equal=Grounds, 750 South Ave. coap.rochester@ gmail.com Rochester Rams General Meeting 2nd Wednesdays, 7:30pm, Bachelor Forum, 670 University Ave. www.rochesterrams.com Positive Warriors Wednesdays, 11:30am-12:30pm. Trillium Health, 259 Monroe Ave. Positive Divas Wednesdays, 11:30am-12:30pm. Trillium Health, 259 Monroe Ave. Frontrunners/Frontwalkers 6pm, Eastman House parking lot. www.rochesterfrontrunners.org. Gay Alliance Library & Archives 100 College Ave. 6-8pm. Empire Bears Every Wednesday. 6pm dinner at various venues. See Empire Bears Inc. on Facebook.
THURSDAYS Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns 6:30pm, first Thursday. Ralph, 271-7649 Pride at Work & AFL CIO First Thursdays, 5:30pm. 1354 Buffalo Road, Rochester 14624, 426-0862. Depression Bipolar Support Alliance Youth and young adults. LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. dbsa.monroecounty@gmail.com GLOB&L (Gays & Lesbians of Bausch & Lomb) Meets every third Thursday in Area 67 conference room at the Optic Center. Voice mail: 338-8977 Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh St. 7-9:30pm, 423-0650 NLIST Transgenger Support Group 5-6:15pm, Trillium Health. Must pre-register. LORA Late Bloomers Group 4th/Last Thursday of the month. Coming out group for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women of all ages and backgrounds! Last Thursday of each month in a safe private location. For more info visit: www.loragroup.org or contact Jessica Cohen at LGBTHealth@trilliumhealth.org or email us at info@loragroup.org Out & Equal Second Thursdays Social/business networking, 5:30-7:30pm. Changing venues. E-mail: fingerlakes@outandequal.org Genesee Valley Gender Variants 7-9pm, Equal=Grounds, 750 South Ave. GV GenderVariants@yahoogroups.com SAGE Rochester 50+ Tuesdays and Thursdays, usually 10:30am at venues including LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave, 244-8640. (See page 31)
FRIDAYS Gay Men’s AA meeting Fridays, 7:30-8:30pm, Closed meeting. Emmanuel Baptist Church, 815 Park Ave. Gay Alliance Youth Monthly Special Event, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave., 244-8640; Ages 13-20. youth@gayalliance.org. Check Facebook.com/ GayAllianceYouth GLBTQI Motorcycle Group Second Fridays, 5:30pm, Various locations. RochesterGLBTIQbikers@yahoo.com; 467-6456; bmdaniels@frontiernet.net. Boyz Night Out Drag king revue. First Fridays, The Firehouse Saloon, 814 S. Clinton Ave. LORA GaYmes Night Meets 4th Friday of the Month, 7-10pm, Equal Grounds Coffee House, 750 South Ave. Rochester. Contact Person: Christine O’Reilly. Email: irishfemmerochester@yahoo.com. Phone: 585.943.1320. More Info: www.loragroup.org. Events: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ L.O.R.A.14464/
SATURDAYS Rochester Rams Bar Night Third Saturdays, 8pm-2am, Bachelor Forum, 670 University Ave. 271-6930 Sapphic Singles – Professional Women’s Group http://www.meetup.com/Sapphic-Singles-Rochester/. Contact: Patty: Email: pattyrdn11@gmail. com. Phone: 585.223.6743. 3rd Saturday of each month. Monthly Dinner Socials for single professional women at various locations in and around Rochester NY area! Join us! Trans Alliance of Greater Rochester Support/educational group for gender-variant people, allies. Last Saturdays, 3-5:30pm, Open Arms MCC, 707 E. Main St. Frontrunners/Frontwalkers 9am, George Eastman House parking lot.www. rochesterfrontrunners.org. Guys Night Out GNO, social group for transmen, now meets on the second Saturday of the month, @ 1pm @ Equal Grounds, 750 South Ave. Saturday Night Special Gay AA 7pm, Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Rd., S. Men and women. Open meeting. Sophia’s Supper Club First, third Saturdays, 25 Bernie Lane, 6:30 pm. Men’s Cooking Group Third, fourth Saturdays. 585-355-7664; mcgofrochester@aol.com.
SUNDAYS PFLAG (Parents Families & Friends of Lesbians And Gays) 585 993-3297; rochesterpflag@gmail. com. Dignity-Integrity 1st Sunday: 5pm Episcopal Eucharist with music; 2nd Sunday: 5pm Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word with music; 3rd Sunday: 5pm Episcopal Eucharist (quiet); 4th Sunday: 5pm Prayers to start the week, followed by potluck supper. Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church 707 E. Main St. Rochester, Services at: 10:30am. 271-8478. Gay Men’s Alcoholics Anonymous St. Luke’s/St. Simon Cyrene Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St. 8pm, 232-6720, Weekly. Closed meeting ■
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ROCHESTER AA/NA MEETINGS
Every week there are three regularly scheduled GLBTI AA and two inclusive NA meetings in Rochester.
TUESDAYS Narcotics Anonymous 6-7:30pm. AIDS and Recovery 1124 Culver Road (Covenant United Methodist Church) This is an NA meeting that is open to all addicts who have a desire to stop using. Although it is not specifically a gay-oriented meeting, it is welcoming to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as to anyone who is affected by HIV and AIDS.
FRIDAYS LGBT 7:30pm. Immanuel Baptist Church, 815 Park Ave. • Open meeting • Handicapped accessible This is a round-robin discussion meeting. If you are shy about meeting people or speaking up in a group, you will find this meeting particularly warm and inviting because everyone gets their turn to speak (or pass). As a result, this meeting often runs long, so plan on more than the usual hour.
SATURDAYS Saturday Night Special 7pm. First Unitarian Church, 220 S. Winton Rd. Bus riders: The #18 University Ave. bus does not go by the church on weekend evenings. Take the #1 Park Ave. bus to the corner of East and Winton, then walk five minutes south (uphill) on Winton. • Open meeting, all are welcome, “straight friendly” • Mixed men and women • Handicapped accessible, take elevator to basement Meeting begins with a speaker, followed by open discussion.
SUNDAYS Step in the Right Direction 7:30-9pm. 1275 Spencerport Road (Trinity Alliance Church) This is an NA meeting that is open to all addicts who have a desire to stop using. Although it is not specifically a gay-oriented meeting, it is welcoming to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Each week features a reading from NA literature, followed by discussion. Rochester Gay Men 8pm. St. Luke/St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh Street. Bus riders use the Fitzhugh Street stop on Main Street at the County Office Building and walk south one block. • Closed meeting, restricted to alcoholics and addicts • Men’s meeting • NOT handicapped accessible Meeting begins with a speaker, followed by open discussion. ■
WEDNESDAYS Identity Group LGBT identified individuals who have a developmental disability diagnosis. The group meets Wednesdays 3-4 pm at ARC Health Services (2060 Brighton-Henrietta Townline Rd. 14623). The goal is to provide a safe space to discuss identity issues, share personal experiences and increase self-esteem. Facilitated by Delaina Fico. LMSW. Contact Delaina Fico at dfico@arcmonroe.org or 585-271-0661 ext. 1552. LORA Knitting Group 6:00pm, Equal Grounds Coffee House, 750 South Ave. L.O.R.A. Knitting group meets the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of the month from Equal Grounds Coffee House. Join Us! Bring your supplies and a sense of adventure! For more info visit www.loragroup.org or Contact Kerry Cater: dressyfemme@ aol.com or email us at info@loragroup.org Lifetime Care LGBT Bereavement Support Group For loss associated with any type of relationship. Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month from 5:30-7pm at Center for Compassion and Healing (3111 Winton Rd S). No fee. Please call 475-8800 for more details.
GAY ALLIANCE LIBRARY &
ARCHIVES
Now open at its new location at 100 College Avenue, 9am-5pm and on Wednesday evenings, 6-8pm. Check out our ten thousand-volume library, along with the Bohnett Cyber Center. Contact us: library@gayalliance.org or at 585-244-8640.
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017
Dec-Jan 2017 DECEMBER 2016 THURSDAY 1
World AIDS Day AIDS Quilt panels. Equal=Grounds, 750 South Ave., 11th annual display of four panels from AIDS Quilt of Rochester area folks. “Homecoming” includes blocks 02328, 02330, 01253, 04277 on view Dec. 1-8. Panels can be previewed at www.aidsquilt.org. World AIDS Day concert. 7 pm, free, Third Presbyterian Church, 4 Meigs St. Inqueery: The Repair Shop AA Meeting. Open AA meeting. 5:30 pm, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. 244-8640.
FRIDAY 2
Gallery Q First Friday opening, film screening. “AIDS: Don’t Be Afraid; Be Aware”. 6-8 pm, 100 College Ave. Also on Dec. 2 at 7 pm the Gay Alliance will screen documentary “We Were Here”, using archival photos and video following five people from the beginning of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco. Big Wigs Kasha Davis and Aggy Dune at Blackfriars, also Dec. 3. Tickets: www.blackfriars.org
SATURDAY 3
Rochester Women’s Community Chorus Holiday Concert, 7:30 pm at The Clover Center for Arts & Spirituality, 1101 Clover St. Concert tickets may be purchased in advance (including online at rwcc.ticketleap.com): $12 adults, $10 seniors/students, $6 children under 12. At the door: $15 adults, $12 seniors and students, $6 children. ASL interpreted; wheelchair accessible.
SUNDAY 4
Dignity Integrity. Episcopal Mass/ Healing Service, with music. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St.
WEDNESDAY 7
Homeland Security Citizens Disaster Preparedness @ LGBTQ Resource Center: 6:30-8:30 pm. New York State Citizen Preparedness Team will be at LGBTQ Center to teach about the type of emergency that may affect our community. They will discuss current emergency plans in place and how you will be notified of an event. Emergencies may strike when you and your family members are away from home, so learn about plans at your work, schools or anywhere else you and your family spend time. Empire Bears dinner at Yummy Hot Pot, 6 pm.
THURSDAY 8
Inqueery Holiday Candy Making @ LGBTQ Resource Center: 6:30–8 pm. Learn how to make simple recipes for homemade truffles, bark and more. This InQueery is for all ages, children are welcome. Out & Equal Second Thursdays Networking. 5:30-8 pm, Artisan Works, 565 Blossom Rd. Sponsored by Trillium Health.
FRIDAY 9
Laugh Out Loud @ LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave., 6:30 pm. LGBTQ Open Mic Comedy night for ALL. If you would like to perform please arrive 15 minutes early. Refreshments.
Classifieds Classified ads are $5 for the first 30 words; each additional 10 words is another $1. We do not bill for classifieds, so please send or bring ad and payment to: The Empty Closet, 100 College Ave., Rochester, NY 14607. Paying by check: checks must be made out to Gay Alliance. The deadline is the 15th of the month, for the following month’s issue. We cannot accept ads over the phone. Pay when you place your ad. We will accept only ads accompanied by name and phone number. Neither will be pub lished, but we must be able to confirm placement. The Empty Closet is not responsible for financial loss or physical injury that may result from any contact with an advertiser. Advertisers must use their own box number, voice mail, e-mail or phone number. No personal home addresses or names allowed. Classified ads are not published on The Empty Closet page of our website. However, each issue of the paper is reproduced online in its entirety at ww.gayalliance.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Children’s Ministry thriving at Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church for toddlers to ‘tweens. Join us for vibrant, inclusive, progressive worship on Sundays at 10:30 am, 707 E. Main St. info@ openarmsmcc.org; (585) 271-8478.
SERVICES
Rochester’s Best Man to Man Rubdown. Unwind with this degreed, employed, fit, friendly, healthy, Italian GWM. Middle aged, 5’8”, 165 lbs., 32” waist, nonsmoker, d & d free, HIV negative. My 10-plus years experience guarantees your relaxation and satisfaction. Hotel visit, in call in my home or out call in your residence. Reasonable rates. Discretion appreciated and practiced. Don’t delay, call me today at 585-773-2410 (cell) or 585-235-6688 (home).
Sacred, loving interfaith presence to mark your life’s special days and help you to navigate your way. Weddings, memorials, baby blessings, house blessings, spiritual counseling. Reverend Gaioma Bair (585)494-1795. Martin Ippolito master electrician. Electrical work, telephone jacks, cable TV, burglar alarm systems, paddle fans. 585-266-6337. Wedding Space and clergy services available. Celebrate your special day at Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church, 707 E. Main St. info@ openarmsmcc.org (585) 271-8478.
FOR RENT
Housemate wanted. Two-room upper space, unfurnished, with bath, for rent. Use of kitchen, washer/dryer, off-street parking. Reliable, employed. $400/$450/ month. 224-0194.
Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus concert. “Comfort and Joy”. 7:30 pm, Hochstein Music Hall, 50 N. Plymouth. Also Dec. 10. Tickets $20, $17 for seniors, students, and $8 for children 12 and under. Available at www.thergmc.org or by calling (585) 423-0650, or in person at Parkleigh, Equal=Grounds, Vittorio Menswear and Tuxedo, or from RGMC members. Big Wigs Kasha Davis & Aggy Dune at Golden Ponds, also Dec. 10. Tickets: 585- 723-1344.
SATURDAY 10
Name and Gender Change Legal Clinic @ LGBTQ Resource Center 10 am – 2 pm. Empire Justice Center’s LGBTQ Rights Protect and the Gay Alliance host free legal Name and Gender Change Clinic. Clinic participants will be able to meet with an attorney at no cost to complete their legal name and gender change documents.
SUNDAY 11
Dignity Integrity. Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word, with music. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St. Inqueery Classic Campy Cinema @ LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/11 and 1/8 2 pm. Free movies, free popcorn, building community... what more could you want? Monthly classic LGBTQ films! This month’s film is “Harold and Maude”. Empire Bears dinner at Fratelli’s.
TUESDAY 13
Inqueery Coffee, Coloring and Crochet @ LGBTQ Resource Center 12/13 6:30 pm. Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore; it’s a great way for adults and children to let the stress of the day just melt away. Welcome to the world of Yarn! Learn the art of crocheting; we will be creating beautiful crochet scarves to give to the homeless.
WEDNESDAY 14
Inqueery Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Giver Support Group @ LGBTQ Resource Center: 12/14 12/21 12/28 5:30-6:30 pm. Sponsored by Alzheimer’s Association and Life Span which offers support to care givers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia or Memory Impairment. Topics to be discussed are the basics of the disease, communication with the patient and responding to challenging behavior at the holidays.
SATURDAY 17
SAGE Jingle Mingle. 1-4 pm, LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. Appetizers, desserts, champagne punch, sing-along, fill stockings for local vets.
SUNDAY 18
Dignity Integrity. 10th Annual Christmas Hymn Sing, followed by reception. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St.
TUESDAY 20
Winter solstice. Ongoing InQueery: Fistful of Stories @ LGBTQ Resource Center 6:308:30pm. Second Tuesdays of the month open mic sessions facilitated by Miss Rickey Snowden. People from the community will share coming out stories or stories relevant to LGBTQ Community. On the fourth Tuesday, monthly potluck dinner. Please bring dish to pass. All are welcome into this SAFE Space.
WEDNESDAY 21
Empire Bears dinner at Carabba’s, 6 pm.
SUNDAY 24
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. 7 pm, First Universalist Church of Rochester, 150 S. Clinton Ave.
WEDNESDAY 28
Empire Bears dinner at Winfield Grill, 6 pm.
THURSDAY 29
Big Wigs Kasha Davis and Aggy Dune at JCC, also Dec. 31. Tickets: www.jccrochester.org
JANUARY 2017 SUNDAY 1
Dignity Integrity. Episcopal Mass/ Healing Service, with music. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St.
TUESDAY 3
LGBTQ First Time Home Buyers InQueery @ LGBTQ Center: 1/3 6:30 – 7:30 pm. First Time Home Buyer Workshop. Objective: To help educate first time home buyers on the subject of purchasing a home – from pre-qualification to finding the right home. Complete overview of the home buying process; useful tips, information, and resources.
WEDNESDAY 4
Empire Bears dinner at Southwedge Diner, 6 pm.
SUNDAY 8
Dignity Integrity. Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Word, with music. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St.
WEDNESDAY 11
Empire Bears dinner, Flavors of Asia, 6 pm. JAZZ Night Out InQueery@ Pythodd Jazz Room 1/11 6:30 pm. We are bringing back to the Jazz Community of Rochester the rebirth of the Pythodd Jazz Club, with the Pythodd Jazz Room. Dinner at 7 pm and the music begins at 8 pm. Pythodd Jazz Room 4705 Lake Ave.
SATURDAY 14
Empire Bears potluck at Gay Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave., 6:30 pm.
SUNDAY 15
Dignity Integrity. Episcopal Service, quiet. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St.
WEDNESDAY 18
Empire Bears dinner at Carabba’s, 6 pm.
THURSDAY 19
Out at Geva. Free reception for LGBTQ community, 6 pm, before performance of “Sylvia”. Mention Out at Geva when buying tickets. 232-4382.
SUNDAY 22
Dignity Integrity. Prayers to start the week, followed by Potluck. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St.
WEDNESDAY 25
Empire Bears dinner at Winfield Grill, 6 pm. The Road Ahead. Discussion of key anti-LGBTQ legislation around the country. Guest speaker Lynne Bowman, Regional Field Director, Human Rights Campaign. Hosted by Carol EbersoleWeiss, HRC WNY Coordinator and the Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley. Gay Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center, 100 College Ave. Details announced first week of January on GAGV and HRC Greater NY FB pages. To be on event email list, send info to carol.HRC4WNY@gmail.com.
SUNDAY 29
Dignity Integrity. Catholic Eucharist, with music. 5 pm at St. Luke’s and St. Simon’s Church, 17 S. Fitzhugh St. ■
DEC-JAN 2017 • NUMBER 507 • THE GAY ALLIANCE • THE EMPTY CLOSET
The Empty Closet is published by the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley 100 College Avenue Rochester, New York 14607 © 2016, All rights reserved. Editor-in-Chief: Susan Jordan Graphic Design: Jim Anderson Ad Sales: Jennie Bowker (jennieb@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. 244-9030, susanj@gayalliance.org 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, 100 College Avenue, 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, 100 College Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607; e-mail: susanj@gayalliance.org. The online edition of EC is available at www. gayalliance.org.
Bed & Breakfast
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THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 507 • DEC-JAN 2017