Newton VOL 2, NO 5
NEWTON’S VOICE
March 7 - 21, 2017
Photos | Joshua Resnek There are alternatives for boys and men from Newton put off by the high prices of the Chestnut Hill Mall, and one of them for great quality clothing is Simons in Needham, just over the line from Newton. Paul Simon, the owner, is a great guy who knows what he’s doing. Check out the store and enjoy.
Transgender people still safe, protected citizens in Newton By Alexander Culafi
The Voice President Trump reversed the Obama administration’s Title IX guidance allowing transgender people to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity just over two weeks ago. Despite that, transgender individuals are still protected and can still use their bathrooms of choice not only in Newton, but also in Massachusetts as a whole. Massachusetts is a bit of an exception compared to other states, as we already have state legislation in place protecting transgender people. Signed by Governor Baker last July, the bill gives a transgender person the right to use whatever locker room and bathroom corresponds to his or her gender identity. It also gives a broad range of antidiscriminatory protections to transgender people. The obvious question was: Could this reversal have any effect on our community? Our state? Despite these protections? The answer is a resounding “no.”
Take this statement from Newton Mayor Setti Warren: “Thanks to the work of the LGBTQ community, transgender people in Massachusetts are protected from discrimination under state law, but no Americans should face discrimination because of their gender identity - regardless of where they live.” Or Congressman Joe Kennedy III: “Civil rights are a promise this country makes each of us. They cannot be rescinded by the careless swipe of a thoughtless pen. The Trump Administration’s actions tonight do not change the fact that discrimination is illegal. But they send a devastating message to our transgender students that their President does not find them worthy of equal protection. If President Trump wants to make good on his alleged support for the LGBTQ community, then he and his Attorney General must pledge to defend these critical protections at all costs.” If you have any doubts, ask the Trump administration. “As President Trump has clearly stated,
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What’s Next:
The Nintendo Switch has arrived By Alexander Culafi
The Voice It’s an exciting time to play video games when a new console comes out. New games, new ways to play video games, and a new, specific kind of hope spark that video game players like me only feel once every few years. The new system, with that new spark of hope, is the Nintendo Switch, available now in stores or online.
Switch tablet on it.
Released March 3 at an MSRP of $299.99, the Nintendo Switch offers a unique approach to playing video games. Instead of making you choose between a system you play on your TV, like a PS4, and a system you play on the go, like a 3DS, the Switch can do both. It’s a fully-powered HD game system that you can play in the palm of your hands, with a dock that allows you to play these games on the television instantaneously by simply placing your
The system also features Joy-Cons, Wii Remote-like controllers that either slide into the tablet to act as a control scheme or can be used as separate controllers on the television.
I played it in New York City in January following its full unveiling, and I can tell you firsthand that it works. The tablet looks sharp and feels good to hold. It also looks like a real piece of consumer electronics; I like the Wii U (this system’s predecessor), but the controller felt like a Fisher Price toy to hold.
If you can read this, I’m elbow deep in that new Zelda game as we speak. Maybe you saw the Super Bowl ad for it?
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