Issue 3, Volume 3: March 2015 by Living Out

In THis Issue March 2015 - Volume 3, Issue 3 1 Cover 3 In this issue

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in the news: 6 national 7 interNational Out on LI: 8 Network News

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Out front: 10 Gwen Stefani Out and about: 13 Calendar 15 Spring

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Saturday, June 13th Parade: 12pm PrideFest: 1pm – 6pm

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2015 LGBT business directory 35 Screen Savor: Sci-Fi High 36 i-music: it's the women Living healthy: 40 parenting: If i had a hammer 40 wellness: It's not about your

40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

weight Living smart: 42 Finance: Home improvement Points of view:

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Contributors Chris Azzopardi, Belo Cipriani, Chris McNamee, Rev. Irene Monroe, Jennifer Nyx, Rachel Roth, Gregg Shapiro, Gwen Smith

Cover Photo Daniel Sannwald

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In the news

national News

By Rachel Roth

gay marriage debate still on in nebraska amid appeals United States District Judge Joseph Bataillon has declared Nebraska's statewide ban on same sex marriages unconstitutional. However, just days before marriage licenses were set to be issued, a federal appeals court allowed the ban to stay in place. The decision came after Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson (left) filed a motion to stay Judge Bataillon's ruling. Peterson made the argument that the state "shouldn't be forced to recognize gay marriages until the U.S. Supreme Court decides

whether same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marry everywhere in the U.S." The Wall Street Journal also reports The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska sued the state on behalf of seven same-sex couples challenging the ban, which also forbids civil unions and legalized domestic partnerships. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments over same-sex marriage on April 28th. A decision is expected to be reached before July of this year.

LGBT State workers lose Senate GOP bill to restrict spread of marriage equality protected status Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback rescinded an executive order that protected state employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. rownback denounced the original directive, which was issued by then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in 2007, as something that should have been done through legislation. “Any such expansion of ‘protected classes’ should be done by the legislature and not through unilateral action,” Brownback said in a statement. According to The Wichita Eagle, hundreds of gay rights activists marched in front of the Statehouse to protest what the called a step “Brownbackwards.”

Nondiscrimination bill advances in wyoming senate The Wyoming Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill that would bar workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Cody Republican Hank Coe told Wyoming Public Media that; “it’s not a bill the Senate would have considered 15 years ago.” “Time has changed. This is 2015; we need to step up and do what we need to do, and we need to pass this bill. Discrimination in the workplace -- that’s what this bill is about -- is just wrong,” Coe said. The bill now heads to the Wyoming House.

Kate brown to make history as next oregon governor When Embattled Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned amid a mounting ethics scandal involving him and his fiancée, history was made. His replacement, Secretary of State Kate Brown will become the first U.S. governor to take office who has previously identified as bisexual when she is officially sworn in. Brown has been married to her husband since 1997, but considers herself bisexual wrote about her sexuality in an essay for “Out and Elected in the USA.” In the essay she described telling her parents about her sexuality and how her gay friends called her “half-queer.” 6

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A group of Senate Republicans led by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz reintroduced a bill that would seek to prevent the federal government from enforcing its definition of marriage in states that do not recognize marriage equality. Under the bill, same-sex spouses living in states that don’t recognize their marriages would be barred from accessing federal benefits. “[W]e should reject attempts by the Obama administration to force same-sex marriage on all 50 states,” Cruz said.

The Supreme Court is set to make a final decision on the matter of marriage equality in June. President Obama recently expressed hope that the Supreme Court would rule in favor of nationwide marriage equality during its current term, putting an end to the “patchwork” of marriage recognition across the country.

Arkansas passes lgbt discrimination bill Arkansas’s legislature passed a bill preventing cities and counties from enacting their own laws to protect LGBT people. The state’s House of Representatives voted 57-20 to put the bill through and it has already cleared the state Senate. Gov. Asa Hutchinson (right), a Republican, is not expected to veto it. The bill’s sponsor told BuzzFeed News that it was created to encourage consistent policies and attract businesses, and because he did not want cities expanding civil-rights laws to LGBT people. Rep. Clarke Tucker, a Democrat, called the bill a “proactive act of discrimination” on the House floor.

In spite of the law Eureka Springs, Ark., City Council passed an LGBT-inclusive antidiscrimination ordinance. It passed unanimously on three readings, and Mayor Robert D. “Butch” Berry signed it into law, making Eureka Springs the only municipality in Arkansas with such an ordinance.

S.D. House looks to reverse nondiscrimination policy for trans high school athletes Lawmakers in South Dakota are pushing a bill that would impose a ban on transgender student-athletes. The measure, which has advanced out of a state House Committee by a vote of 10-2, would overturn a nondiscrimination policy agreed to by the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) last year that allows students to participate in sports in a manner that’s consistent with their gender identities. According to ThinkProgress, the SDHSAA’s policy is among the most protective in the country, affirming of trans students wherever they may be on their journeys, relying on support from medical professionals who have experience working with the World Professional Association for Transgender

Health (WPATH) Standards of Care, and guaranteeing “participation for all students regardless of their gender identity or expression” so that they can “compete on a level playing field in a safe, competitive, and friendly environment, free of discrimination.”

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social security spousal benefits for same-sex couples

Michigan same-sex marriages are valid

President Barack Obama’s (below) budget for fiscal 2016 seeks a change to the Social Security Act that would allow same-sex couples to receive spousal benefits even if they live in a state that doesn’t recognize marriage equality. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has indicated that she plans to reintroduce legislation that would amend federal code to help same-sex spouses access Social Security benefits.

Marraige equality chaos in alabama: the fight continues

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (above) announced that the state will recognize 300 same-sex marriages that took place during a 24-hour period following a judge’s marriage equality ruling last year. “The judge has determined that same-sex couples were legally married on that day, and we will follow the law and extend state marriage benefits to those couples,” the governor said in a statement.

Conversion therapy is fraud, says New Jersey Judge A New Jersey judge said that people who provide gay-to-straight conversion therapy are committing fraud. In his decision, Superior Court Judge Peter F. Bariso Jr. ruled in favor of four men and two parents suing Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing or JONAH. They are accusing the Jersey City organization of violating New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

or selling conversion therapy services to describe homosexuality, not as being a normal variation of human sexuality, but as being a mental illness, disease (or) disorder.” The ruling also said conversion therapists could not advertise their “success rate” of turning people into heterosexuals because “there is no factual basis for calculating these statistics.”

In his decision, Bariso wrote: “It is a misrepresentation in violation of the Consumer Fraud Act, in advertising

international News

The status of marriage equality in Alabama remains in flux. On Feb. 9, Alabama became the 37th state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the Supreme Court refused state officials’ request to stay a ruling bringing marriage equality to the state. Couples began receiving marriage licenses in many counties, including those containing major cities such as Montgomery, Birmingham and Huntsville. However, officials in 52 of the state’s 67 counties declined to process marriage requests from same-sex couples after Roy Moore, Alabama’s Chief Justice, urged probate judges not to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling. Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said he hopes the court will act quickly "to provide certainty to couples throughout the state and establish once and for all that Alabama's same-sex couples have the freedom to marry."

By Rachel Roth

relaxed surgical barriers Malaysia political leader fails for trans citizens’ legal to reverse sodomy conviction recognition Both Israel and the Canadian province of Manitoba announced that their trans citizens will no longer be required to show proof of gender confirmation surgery to change their gender marker on certain legal identification. Officials from Israel and Manitoba explained their new ID policy changes as a way to keep up with “modern times.”

Trans lawmaker announces bid for polish presidency LGBT school Mural spurs controversy in canada Transgender lawmaker Anna Grodzka announced her bid to become the next president of Poland, breaking fresh ground in the conservative Catholic country. The 60-year-old told former filmmaker and publisher is backed by the Green Party. Grodzka transitioned in 2009 and was elected Poland’s first transgender Member of Parliament in 2011.

A school northwest of Edmonton is deciding what to do next after a student’s mural featuring two young men kissing was covered up. According to CBC News Edmonton, the principal and art teacher at Onoway Jr/Sr High School approved the mural one-week prior to Nepal could become the first Asian country to extend it being displayed. marriage rights to same-sex couples if its government The school says it received accepts the recommendations of a committee that complaints so they studied the issue. A translated copy of the recomcovered the mural mendations obtained by Washington Blade from with a bulletin gay Nepalese Parliamentarian Sunil Babu Pant, who founded the Blue Diamond Society, the country’s only board. Students LGBT advocacy group, notes the “positive international tore down the trends” towards homosexuality and marriage rights for bulletin board in protest calling the kiss “natural.” same-sex couples..

Nepal explores legalization of marriage equality

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A Malaysian court on unanimously upheld a sodomy conviction and a five-year prison sentence for Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the country’s opposition. A lower court had sentenced Anwar to five years in prison on the charge last year, and the rejection on of his final appeal by the Federal Court effectively removed him as the linchpin of a fractious but ascendant opposition less than two years after the government was nearly toppled in a general election, The New York Times reported.

Slovakia referendum to bloster ban on marriage equality & adoption fails A referendum in Slovakia that would have bolstered a ban on marriage equality and adoption by samesex parents failed this past weekend amid low voter turnout. Despite an endorsement by Pope Francis, only 21 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. Slovak law requires participation of at least half of registered voters for a referendum to be valid. LIVING OUT

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out on li

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

2015 LGBT NETWORK GALA TO TAKE PLACE AT A NEW AND EXCITING VENUE! Big and exciting changes are set for this year's LGBT Network Gala, scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 7th at The Space at Westbury! The LGBT Network is gearing up for a very special event this year. Starting with a change in venue, the Gala will be held at The Space at Westbury, a stunning concert and entertainment venue with vintage cues and grand appeal set-off by 40-foot ceilings, brick façades, and chandeliers. While the venue may be changing, the event will continue to feature a cocktail reception leading into a sit down dinner accompanied by an open bar and silent auction.

However, the LGBT Network is looking to shake up its regular program by adding special entertainment to be announced in the coming weeks. Sponsorships for the event are available and can be purchased online. General tickets will become available in early April.

Robert A. Corsentino, CPA, PC

Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors

Free Tax Preparation at The LGBT Network February 3rd – April 8th

Professional Quality trusted by the Long Island/NYC GLBT Community Since 1993

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax help for low– to moderate–income (generally $55,000 and below) individuals and families. Bilingual tax assistors are available.

Professional, confidential, year-round service. You deserve a CPA firm that cares about your needs. We are well-versed in the ever-changing tax laws affecting both married and non-married taxpayers in all states. 105 Maxess Road, Suite S124, Melville, NY 11747 Phone (631) 574-4500 • Fax (631) 574-4501 www.corsentinocpa.com • bob@corsentinocpa.com

To find out more on this year's Gala, become a sponsor, take out an ad in the Gala Journal, or to make a donation, you can visit lgbtnetwork.org/gala or call the Development Department at 516.323.0011.

VITA Location and Times: Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore 34 Park Avenue Bay Shore, NY 11706 (631) 665-2300 Every Tuesday beginning February 3rd, 2015 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Every Wednesday beginning February 4th, 2015 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Please remember to bring the following:

• Photo Identification • Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents • Current year’s tax package if you received one • Wage and earnings statement(s) Form W–2, W–2G, 1099–R, from all employers • Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099) • A copy of last year’s Federal & State returns (if available) • Bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit • Total paid for day care and provider’s tax ID

LGBT NETWORK

For more information, and additional times and locations for free tax preparation, please contact Keri Divanian at (631) 665–2300 or via e–mail at kdivanian@ligaly.org

www.lgbtnetwork.org

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out Front

Underneath It All Gwen Stefani on ‘late’ introduction to the gay community, teaching her kids individuality and why she’s politically private

by CHRIS AZZOPARDI Photos by DANIEL SANNWALD & VIJAT MOHINDRA 10

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out Front

rom bed in her Los Angeles home, Gwen Stefani insists she doesn’t mind doing her first gay press interview in a decade on her day off. “I love talking about myself,” the No Doubt frontwoman says, giggling.

and people that have just been friends to me in a way that I haven’t had in my life before that. It’s hard to put into words. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s interesting because we can talk about so many things that we are all interested in and yet it’s different from having a guy friend or a girlfriend. It’s like having a creative partner.

Set to release her third solo album this spring, Stefani rang to open up about her “late in life” introduction to the gay community, the lesson she’s teaching her boys when she paints their nails and how hubby Gavin Rossdale has broadened her worldview.

When No Doubt first hit the scene, you were known for your tomboy image. Because of your style, were there times you were mistaken as a lesbian?

You were raised Roman Catholic in infamously conservative Orange County. Considering this upbringing, what was your introduction to the gay community? Oh, that’s a really good question. I’m going back in my brain. When did I get introduced? I think my first friend that I had was Mathu Andersen – that was pretty late in life. He’s a makeup artist that I met doing the “Ex-Girlfriend” video (in 2000), and he was with this guy Zaldy, a designer who’d eventually work on L.A.M.B. with me. Then Mathu introduced me to Danilo,

I don’t remember there ever being too many rumors about that. I think everybody knew my story, because when Tragic Kingdom came out I had broken up with Tony (Kanal), so everybody knew that “Don’t Speak” and all those songs were about that, so I think that’s probably why (there weren’t rumors). I was so young when all that started. I mean, I started the band when I was 17. The way you’ve personally subverted gender norms seems to have influenced your three boys. You’ve gone with your oldest, Kingston, to get manis; also, he wore a tutu on his birthday. As a parent, how

else has, and I don’t really like that. If they do want to, I’ll support that as well. You just want them to be happy. It’s a short life and it goes by so quick.

It’s really important more than anything else to not be talked into something, to stand your ground and to be able to be strong about what you feel...that’s what I want [my kids] to learn – that being individual and being unique is important. Don’t be scared of that.

It’s just normal for them. What I like to say is that being unique and original is what makes me happy, and I think that rubs off on them. My sons did nails just the other day, and the only reason was because their nails were so disgusting! Like, they were in the mud and I was like, “We have got to do your nails! Why don’t we do ‘Nail Salon’?!”

who ended up being my hairdresser, who introduced me to Gregory Arlt, my (current) makeup artist. These guys have become some of my closest friends over the years, and also the team that have helped me creatively on so many levels. It’s interesting how it feels. All the people that I’ve met in the gay community in my particular life have just been very creative people

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important is it to you to show your kids that there’s no wrong way to express themselves? It’s one of those things where, it’s not like I don’t think about it, but they’re used to being around me, and I’m always doing my hair, makeup, nails. Their whole life is, like, sitting on my lap while I’m doing that surrounded by three gay men who are on me the entire time. (Laughs)

I literally have 400 bottles of nail polish, so they took them all out and put them all over the bathroom. We really played “Salon” and we did tiger stripe nails. I said to Kingston, “Are you sure you wanna do pink, because you’re gonna go to school tomorrow? Are you sure you’re not gonna be embarrassed?” He said, “No, I don’t care; it’s a cool color.” I just love that. It’s really important more than anything else to not be talked into something, to stand your ground and to be able to be strong about what you feel. That’s what I like and that’s what I want them to learn – that being individual and being unique is important. Don’t be scared of that. I don’t want them to try to be like everyone else, and at that age, everybody just wants to have the same shoes everybody

In 2012 you designed a marriage equality shirt for Target that said “Love Is Love.” What inspired you to raise awareness for marriage equality? Overall in my life I’ve been shy to be too politically active in any kind of way. I’m a Libra. I’m all about balance; I’m not about confrontation. I feel like I’m sort of rebellious, but you said it – I grew up in a Catholic family. I was the peacemaker of the family. I just wanted everybody to be happy. So, taking a stand was – I mean, obviously I have my feelings about things, but I’m subtle about it. That shirt was not meant to be a big statement. It can work for that, but it doesn’t have to be for that. It wasn’t meant to be like, “Oh, I’m making a huge statement here.” What I’m saying is that this shirt can work for anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do and what you think – love is love. Take it whichever way you want to take it. In the spirit of the emoji-filled “Spark the Fire” single, what’s your most used emoji? These days, luckily, they have a little spark and fire and cloud emoji, so I’ve been using those a lot. The thing is, they’re right up my alley. Emojis are the perfect thing. Like, of course we have to have those! I’m surprised you didn’t invent them, actually. I wish that I did. I feel like they invented them for me. (Laughs) Pharrell called “Spark the Fire,” which he co-wrote and produced, a feminist anthem, but you say otherwise. What does that song mean to you? Yeah, for me, it’s not a feminist anthem. Our relationship is so interesting. I say to him, “You are so talented and incredible; how do you come up with this stuff? It’s blowing my mind.” And he’ll say to me, “It’s you. I wouldn’t have come up with this unless I got the energy you gave me that night.” And I didn’t do anything! It’s so weird. His interpretation of me is: He thinks that I need to be the torch for feminism. (But the song) was so perfect for my story – for what I was feeling in my own personal life – that I didn’t even get it as a feminist anthem. I thought it was just about me! I was just feeling me. What’s so weird is, it works on two levels, but it’s very personal for me. If it’s working for (feminism) LIVING OUT

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as well, that’s awesome. But with “Just a Girl,” too, I wasn’t trying to make a statement at all when I wrote that song. I never even thought that anyone would hear the song. I was just making a personal statement about my life, about me, and I feel like this is the same thing. It’s really about me, my journey and where I’m at in my life. It’s just very personal. I love the fact that it kind of has two faces. But it’s funny, because he’s so fired up about it. Watching my journey, he knows a lot about me personally that maybe not everyone knows, so he sees me in a different way as well. He sees me as being really strong, and I don’t really see that as much. It’s really an incredible relationship that we have and a surprise that I would be hanging

I really am not. I’m sorry! There’s nobody. But I have to say that I like a lot of the new Taylor Swift. There’s a few songs on that record that I like and she’s a good songwriter. Charli XCX is a very good songwriter too – she wrote songs for my record – and who else? I mean, my favorite alltime girl songwriter is Joni Mitchell, but I wouldn’t say I have a girl crush on her. (Laughs) After 2012’s “Push and Shove,” No Doubt postponed their tour to make new music because you said you were feeling inspired at that time. But then there was no new music and no tour the following year. What’s the story there? What derailed plans for a new No Doubt album and tour?

I feel like I’m on a journey and I’m at a totally different point in my life, and it just feels good to be doing something completely different, new and unexpected. out with him so much again (after “Hollaback Girl” in 2004). There are obviously lots of gays who adore you, but how aware are you of all the gay love for your hubby, Gavin Rossdale? Girls and guys love him because he’s a beautiful person. The thing about him is, growing up in London – it’s such a cool place to grow up because there is so much freedom there, and there’s so much exposure to so many different people and art. It’s just a different way of growing up compared to (my) growing up in Anaheim. With all the music that we grew up to – and the British invasion and Vivienne Westwood and everything that I love about London in the ’80s – it’s been really amazing to be able to have a friend and lover like Gavin because he is from London. He’s a smart, interesting person, and he’s this connection to something I was a fan of growing up and getting to know London, where I think so much music and fashion has come out of, and which has so much history for me. Let’s take it back to No Doubt’s “Staring Problem” and all those “cute girls” who made you jealous. These days, who can’t you stop staring at? Who are your girl crushes? I’m not feeling a girl crush right now.

I got pregnant, so I was blessed by my little Apollo. That was something that I wasn’t planning. We were in the studio, I got pregnant, and I was very sick during the pregnancy so I didn’t do anything. I was designing and doing stuff from home, and then I had the baby, and then four weeks later The Voice called. So, you’re caught up to date to today: I did the (upcoming) record because I couldn’t do a No Doubt record that quick – there was no way – so I was like, “Let’s do some new music with being on (The Voice),” and then Pharrell happened to be there and then we had a song. Everything that happened since I got pregnant, including getting pregnant, has been a complete surprise, and it’s awesome. I love that I didn’t know any of this was gonna happen, and now I’m plopped into this new chapter. I feel like I’m on a journey and I’m at a totally different point in my life, and it just feels good to be doing something completely different, new and unexpected. Everyone’s always surprised you’re 45. And it’s true – you look half your age. What’s your secret? (Laughs) Thank you! I do not have any secrets. I’m doing what everyone else is doing – just trying to make it last as long as possible on all levels.

Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service. Reach him via his website at www.chris-azzopardi.com. 12

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Know Your Status for you and your partners Free HIV and STD/STI Testing Available during drop-in hours and by appointment at all locations of The Long Island LGBT Community Center.

Drop-In Hours The Center at Woodbury 20 Crossways Park Dr. N., Suite 110 Woodbury Every Thursday, 5-8pm

The Center at Bay Shore 34 Park Avenue, Bay Shore Every Wednesday, 5-8pm

The Hamptons GLBT Center 44 Union Street, Sag Harbor First Friday of the month, 4-8pm

Free, quick, and confidential testing for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the HIV/STD Outreach and Testing Program at testing@lgbtnetwork.org or 631.665.2300 Nassau: Center at Woodbury 20 Crossways Park Dr. N., Suite 110 Woodbury, NY 11797 T 516.323.0011 F 516.750.4715

Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore 34 Park Avenue Bay Shore, NY 11706 T 631.665.2300 F 631.665.7874

East End: The Hamptons GLBT Center 44 Union Street Sag Harbor, NY 11963 T 631.899.4950 F 631.665.7874

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show your pride

calendar of events SAGE-LI Restaurant OUTing Lessing's Monday, March 16th, 1p.m. 5 Third Avenue, Bay Shore Following the Monday Mingle, we are having lunch at The Southside Hotel (5 Third Avenue in Bay Shore) which has been a Long Island staple since The Prohibition. They are known for their Irish cuisine and warm, welcoming atmosphere. The menu ranges from $7 to $24 and offers Irish classics such as corned beef and cabbage, Sheppard's pie as well as burgers, snadwiches, steaks, and salads. Join us for a St. Patrick's Day lunch that you will not forget! www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

SNAP: Sexual Negotiation and Prevention Saturday, Feb. 23rd,10 a.m. -2 p.m. Saturday, March 7th,10a.m.-2p.m. Saturday, March 14th,10a.m.-2p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore SNAP is back...and you don't want to miss it! Sexual Negotiation and Prevention (SNAP) is a group about friends (both old and new) talking about sexual health and everyday issues that impact our communities, especially stopping HIV/ AIDS. Young gay and bi men up to age 24 will meet three Saturdays in a row at The Center at Bay Shore and all graduates get a $50 gift card to Target! RSVPs are required and sign up fast, because space is limited! www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

SAGE-LI Movie & Discussion: To Russia with Love Tuesday, March 17th, 11 a.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, Li-Queens Gay PTSA 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Monday, March 9th, 7 p.m. Suite 110, Woodbury Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, This documentary follows the media 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300 frenzy leading up to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, as LGBT athletes and Volunteer Orientation activists confront Russia's anti-gay Tuesday, March 10th, 6 p.m. laws. Join us for some popcorn, light refreshments & an awareness raising film! Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

LGBT Families Pancake Brunch Saturday, March 21st, 11a.m. East End: The Hamptons GLBT Center, 44 Union St., Sag Harbor The Pancake Brunch will kick off "Center Families," a new program for LGBTheaded households who are looking to network and meet families just like them. Join us for pancakes and family friendly activities. Tours will also be available. RSVP to Chris Polistena at 631.899.4950 or visit lgbtnetwork.org/pancakebrunch www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.899.4950

SAGE-LI Health Series: Tai Chi Monday, March 23rd, 1 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore Tuesday, March 24th, 1 p.m Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

Monday, March 16th, 6 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury Learn how you can become a volunteer for the LGBT Network! www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

20 Something 2nd & 4th Fridays, 7:30-9 p.m Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury Discussion and support group for LGBT people in their 20’s. A safe and affirming space to share their experiences. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

Advisory Board (SAGE-LI) Monday, April 6th, 1-2 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore Tuesday, April 7th 1-2 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

Come join our coed, peer-led, issuefocused discussion group. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Free and confidential testing for HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Hampton Bays Mingle 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 3-5 p.m. Hampton Bays Senior Center, 25 Ponquogue Ave., Hampton Bays SAGE-LI’s bi-monthly social for LGBT seniors 50+ on the East End. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

LIFE in Nassau 2nd Thursday, 7-9 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

Brother2Brother 2nd & 4th Fridays, 7-8 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury Social and discussion group for gay and bisexual men of color age 21+. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

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Long Island LGBT Bereavement Group 2nd & 4th Mondays, 7-8 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

SAGE-LI Evening Mingle 3rd Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

Monday Mingle Mondays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore

SAGE-LI Women at Nassau Wednesdays, 7:30-8:45 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

If you workand/or have engagements This group provides a safe and supportive during the day that limit you from environment for those who have attending the fabulous SAGE-LI daytime experienced the loss of a loved one or programming, this is the program for friend while offering help and guidence you. All are welcome! with the grieving process. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011 www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

SAGE-LI’s weekly social for LGBT seniors 50+ at The Center at Bay Shore. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Nassau County Mingle Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

(SWAN) A social and discussion group for lesbian, bisexual, & transgender women as well as women questioning their identity. There is no SWAN Wednesday, March 18th. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

SAGE-LI’s weekly social for LGBT seniors 50+ at The Center at Woodbury www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

TRUE Calling Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

LIGALY Advisory Board Mondays, 6-8 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore

OUTlet Fridays, 8 p.m.-Midnight Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore

LIGALY is offering a great opportunity for black & Latino gay & bisexual youth and their friends to show off their skills! Sing, act, dance, or perform. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

Youth help plan new programs and events at LIGALY. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Friday night social program for LGBT youth and their friends ages 13-21. Themes for this month include "Back to the Future Night" (March 13th), "Green Day Night" (March 20th), "Comicon Night" (March 27th). $2 admission, transportation available. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

LIFE in Nassau meets every second Thursday. Open to adults of all genders and orientations with an interest in BDSM topics.

LIPSA Tuesday Night Tease Bowling League Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. Bowl Long Island, 138 West Rd., Patchogue

Parent Support Group 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 6-7 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore LITE Social and 1st Monday, 6-7 p.m. Discussion Group Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 1st & 3rd Mondays, 7:30-9 p.m. 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Nassau: Center at Woodbury, Suite 110, Woodbury 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, If you workand/or have engag Suite 110, Woodbury Discussion group for parents of LGBT Wednesdays, 7:30-9 p.m. children. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 6:30-8 p.m. PEP Teams – Suffolk East End: The Hamptons Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. GLBT Center, 44 Union St., Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, Sag Harbor 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore Friendliest co-ed/mixed LGBT Bowling League. LIPSAbowling@optonline.net, 516.375.9473

We want to hear your voice! This group provides feedback on current SAGE-LI programming, offers ideas for additional An open discussion group for programming, and helps plan future transgender people and their friends events. All are welcome! and family. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300 www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Tai Chi is an ancient meditative form of exercise that began in China as a martial art and is recognized by its slow, captivating movements. More than just exercise, Tai Chi represents a way of life, helping people of all ages meet day-to-day challenges with energy while Alcoholics Anonymous remaining calm and relaxed. Join us for a Tuesdays, 8-9 p.m. 40 minute class guiding you through Tai Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, Chi movements step-by-step. Be sure to 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore wear comfortable clothes and sneakers! Closed group for all ages. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300 www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Senior Focus Group Monday, March 30th,1 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore

Drop-In HIV/STD Testing: Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore Thursdays, 5-8 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury

Living PositHIVly 1st & 3rdThursdays, 7-8:30 p.m. Nassau: Center at Woodbury, 20 Crossways Park Dr. North, Suite 110, Woodbury A support group for LGBT people living with HIV/AIDS. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 516.323.0011

Interactive leadership program promoting sexual health for LGBT young people. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Safe Schools Team Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore Youth leadership program for young people committed to creating safer schools on Long Island. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

Women 2 Women Tuesdays, 7:15-8:45 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore

You Gotta Believe Mondays, 6-9 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore The Long Island LGBT Community Center has partnered with You Gotta Believe, a non-profit organization that places teenagers into permanent adoptive homes, to provide Adoptive Parent Preparation Classes! If you are interested in participating, please call 631.665.2300. www.lgbtnetwork.org

Youth Group Tuesdays, 5-7 p.m. East End: The Hamptons GLBT Center, 44 Union St., Sag Harbor All East End youth should come check out this new hot LGBT spot. Every Tuesday is a fun interactive youth group: hang out with others in the lounge. You won’t want to miss it! www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.899.4950

Youth Support Group 4th Thursday, 5-6p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore For all youth under 21 to come share their thoughts, problems and ups and downs in a confidential, safe space. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.899.4950

VITA Free Tax Preparation Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. Wednesdays, 4-7 p.m. Suffolk: Center at Bay Shore, 34 Park Ave., Bay Shore

W2W is dedicated to providing a safe and Free tax form preparation for low- to supportive space for lesbians age 40+. moderate- income individuals and families. Bilingual tax assistors available. www.lgbtnetwork.org, 631.665.2300

THE LGBT NETWORK WANTS YOU TO SAVE THE DATE! LGBT NETWORK GALA THURS., MAY 7TH THE SPACE AT WESTBURY 25TH ANNUAL LONG ISLAND PRIDE PARADE & PRIDEFEST SAT., JUNE 13TH HUNTINGTON, NY 2ND ANNUAL BOOTCAMP AGAINST BULLYING SAT., SEPTEMBER 19TH LIVING OUT

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AFFINITY PROGRAM: A MESSAGE FROM OUR CORPORATE PARTNER

Exceptional Value. Extraordinary Service. Bethpage is owned by its members, so every dollar that is earned is reinvested in better rates and lower fees for our members. That difference in ownership translates to a difference in service that banks can't match. That's the Bethpage difference! First Mortgage (Purchase or Refinance) • NO application fee - a savings of $95! • $500 off closing costs

Refer-a-Friend – Earn up to $250!

Home Equity Line of Credit • NO closing costs for loans or lines up to $250,000. • Save 0.25% with automatic transfer payment from a Bethpage checking account.

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Refer up to 10 people to earn $250!* When you refer a friend, you get $25!* When you do full direct deposit to a Bethpage checking account, we will give you $50** and give $50 to the Long Island GLBT Services Network on your behalf!

Credit and Financial Education • FREE one-on-one credit counseling after hours with certified credit counselors at Balance Pro, a Bethpage Federal Credit Union partner.

Bethpage Credit Card – New & Improved with more options!

Business Services • Great rates, low fees! • Personalized service by local Business Specialists and underwriters! • Scan and deposit your checks from your office directly into your Bethpage Business Checking account. Auto Loan • Refinance your auto loan from another financial institution and see how much you can save each month!

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VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

ABOUT THIS BUSINESS DIRECTORY The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Business Directory is the exclusive listing of LGBT-friendly businesses on Long Island and Queens. The Business Directory is a publication of the LGBT Network.

encourage you to patronize our Partners in Pride members.

Each business listed within the directory is a member of the LGBT Network’s Partners in Pride business program. Each business has provided financial support to the LGBT Network, and we thank each business for their participation. Please support those who support us: we strongly

If you are a business owner or manager, or if you know a business or business leader that should be involved with Partners in Pride, please contact the Development Department at 516.323.0011.

The LGBT Business Directory can also be viewed online by visiting: www.lgbtnetwork.org/directory.

Thank you and enjoy your Spring 2015 LGBT Business Directory!

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

BUSINESS CATEGORY ACCOUNTANTS

ADOPTION

ATTORNEYS

AUTOMOTIVE

SERVICES

BANKING

GIFT SHOP

CATERING

HEALTH &

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY

NIGHTLIFE

HOTEL, CATERING & CONFERENCE

FINANCIAL

WELLNESS

CRUISE & TRAVEL

ENTERTAINMENT &

RELIGIOUS 10

INSTITUTIONS

INSURANCE

TECHNOLOGY

LANDSCAPING

THERAPISTS &

MEDIA

NON-PROFIT

PHYSICIANS & HEALTH SERVICES

HOME SERVICES

REAL ESTATE &

HOSPITALS

MORTGAGE

COUNSELORS

15 15 15

WEDDING SERVICES

13 13

Denotes company has made an annual commitment of $10,000 or more to the LGBT Network.

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY V “ MOST UNBEATABLE ” L F  2014  L I P

We are more than attorneys; we are trusted counselors and advisors to our clients in the GLBT community.

990 Stewart Avenue I Garden City I New York 11530 516-741-6565 I info@msek.com ALBANY

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

GARDEN CITY

NEW YORK CITY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Attorney Advertising. www.msek.com

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ACCOUNTANTS

ADOPTION

Peter J. Bertuglia, CPA, PC, CFP

You Gotta Believe!

775 Park Avenue, Suite 222 Huntington, NY 11743 tel. ��(631) 385-7003 email. . . . . . . . . pjb@bertugliacpa.com web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bertugliacpa.com

Robert A. Corsentino, CPA, PC

105 Maxess Rd. S124 Melville, NY 11747 tel. ��(631) 574-4500 fax. ��(631) 574-4501 email. . . . . . . bob@corsentinocpa.com web. . . . . . . . . . . . . corsentinocpa.com All tax services for married and unmarried LGBT taxpayers.

Larry R. Martinez, Esq.

The Older Child Adoption and Permanency Movement

751 Coates Ave., Suite 45 Holbrook, NY 11741 tel. ��(631) 588-3045 3114 Mermaid Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11224 tel. ��(718) 372-3003 email. . . . . . . . ntodd@yougottabelieve.org web. . . . . . . . . . . . . yougottabelieve.org Adoption of older children and teens in foster care. HRC recognized as LGBT affirming.

ATTORNEYS

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Steven M. Ostrer, J.D.

20 Crossways Park Drive N., Ste. 110 Woodbury, NY 11797 tel. ��(516) 448-4714 email. . . . . . . . . . . s.ostrer@yahoo.com

Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld, LLP

Gregory Matalon, Partner 100 Jericho Quadrangle, Suite 233 Jericho, NY 11753 tel. ��(516) 931-8100 email. . . . . . . gmatalon@cbmslaw.com web ��cbmslaw.com Look for our ad on this page

Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP 190 Willis Ave. Mineola, NY 11501 tel.. . . . . . . . . . (516) 747-0300, Ext. 155 fax. ��(516) 237-2893

Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein P.C.

900 Stewart Avenue, Suite 300 Garden City, NY 11530 tel. ��(516) 741-6565 fax. ��(516) 741-6706 email ��info@msek.com web ��msek.com Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bankruptcy & Business Reorganization, Corporate FInance, Corporate Law, Criminal Defense, Education Law Including Bullying, Employment Law Including Discrimination & Harassment Claims, ERISA & Employment Benefits, Government Relations, Labor Law, Litigation, Local Government, Land Use Law & Environmental Compliance, Personal Injury, Professional Responsibility, Real Estate, Tax Certiorari & Condemnation & Wills, Trusts & Same-Sex Estate Planning Look for our ad on the previous page

Howard E. Sayetta

Attorney at Law 235 Southwood Circle Syosset, NY 11791 tel. ��(516) 921-0556 General Practice, Wills, Real Estate, Family Court...35 Years Experience

email . . . . . . . . . lmartinez@meltzerlippe.com

web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . meltzerlippe.com Corporate Labor and Employment Law

Law Office of Adam B. Grossman

Adam B. Grossman, Esq., Sole Practitioner P.O. Box 155 120 Court Sreet Riverhead, NY 11901 tel. ��(631) 727-4200 fax. ��(631) 369-4080 email. . . . . . . . . . . agrossman2@verizon.net

web. . . . . . . . . adamgrossmanlawyer.com Estate planning for LGBT couples and singles, Real Estate, Probate

Law Office of Christopher J. Chimeri, Esq.

Christopher J. Chimeri, Esq., 888 Veterans Memorial Hwy., Ste. 530 Hauppauge, NY 11788 tel. ��(631) 532-8088 fax. ��(516) 977-3211 email . . . . . . . chris@longislandlawyerny.com web. . . . . . . . . longislandlawyerny.com Personally serving the LGBT community in family matters including adoption, pre-marital and partnership formation, and dissolution.

Is proud to support the LGBT Network Long Island GLBT

Services Network

Counselors and Advisors:       

Last Wills and Testaments and Trusts Estate Administration Business and Contracts Tax Planning Asset Protection Elder Advocacy Not-for-Profit and Religious Corporations Offices on Long Island and in New York City www.cbmslaw.com (516) 931-8100

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

Representing Plaintiffs in Medical Malpractice Actions 1 Hollow Lane, Suite 107 • Lake Success, NY 11042 (516) 684-2900 • (718) 567-7177 • (212) 517-9995 Toll Free (866) MED-MAL7 or (866) 633-6257 www.pegalisanderickson.com

Call for a free consult at (516) 684-2900 or (718) 567-7177 We advocate for those suffering from life changing injuries as a result of medical errors. We have helped thousands obtain justice. From those mistreated or misdiagnosed, to children with birth injuries, to adults whose disease diagnosis should have been made earlier.

We expose medical errors to make medical care safer for everyone. Visit us for health news.www.pegalisanderickson.com Please join us on Social Media

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

BANKING Pegalis & Erickson Attorneys at Law

Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard 1 Hollow Lane Lake Success, NY 11042 tel. ��(516) 684-2900 fax. ��(516) 684-2939 email . . . . . . . . . info@pegalisanderickson.com

web. . . . . . . . . pegalisanderickson.com Representing Plaintiffs in Medical Malpractis Actions Look for our ad on the previous page

Tayne Law Group P.C.

Leslie H. Tayne, Esq. 150 Broadhollow Road, Ste. 213 Melville, NY 11747 tel. ��(631) 470-8204 fax. ��(631) 470-8211 email. . . . . . . . . . . . info@taynelaw.com web ��taynelaw.com Debt Resolution and Bankuptcy Alternatives

AUTOMOTIVE

Bethpage Federal Credit Union

Robert Suarez, AVP Community Development 899 S. Oyster Bay Road Bethpage, NY 11714 tel ��(516) 349-6826 email. . . . . rsuarez@bethpagefcu.com web �� lovebethpage.com Built to give you more. Look for our ad on page 2

Find a branch near you: • Bay Shore • Bethpage • Central Islip • Commack • Elmont • Farmingdale • Freeport • Glen Cove • Hempstead • Huntington, Levittown • Lynbrook

• Massapequa • Melville • Mineola • North Babylon • Patchogue • Port Jefferson • Roosevelt • Seaford • Smithtown • West Babylon • Westbury

Visit bethpagefcu.com for directions.

South Shore Honda

Robert Spanier 704 West Merrick Road Valley Stream, NY 11580 tel. ��(516) 285-8036 fax. ��(516) 285-4978 web ��southshorehonda.com New and Used Car Sales Look for our ad on this page

Competition Subaru Smithtown

Cris Notaro 463 Middle Country Road St. James, NY 11780 tel. ��(631) 361-4500 fax. ��(631) 361-4550 email . . . . cnotaro@competitionsubaru.com email . . . ckelleher@competitionsubaru.com web ��competitionsubaru.com Your Destination for the Subaru – Best Price Guarantee

Nardy Honda

Khalid Syed 559 Middle Country Road St. James, NY 11780 tel. ��(631) 724-0300 fax. ��(631) 724-5981 email ��syed@nardyhonda.com web ��nardyhonda.com Stands the test of time

SSH-18018 GLBT Expo.qxp_Layout 1 10/21/14 9:44 AM Page 1

TD Bank

tel ��(888) 751-9000 web �� tdbank.com America’s most convenient bank Look for our ad on the next page

CATERING

We Are Proud To Support The LIGLBT Expo

The BBQ King Andy Spirou 87 Carlough Road Bohemia, NY 11716 tel �� (866) 800-FOOD(3006) fax ��(631) 589-2918 email �� thebbqking@outlook.com web �� thebarbequeking.com “We do it all, while you have a ball!

New 2015 Honda Accord EX-L SEDAN

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Mediterranean Manor Caterers

Lois Piro 303 East Main St. Patchogue, NY 11772 tel ��(631) 289-5857 email �� lois@medmanor.com web ��medmanor.com Look for our ad on this page

704 W. Merrick Rd. Valley Stream SouthShoreHonda.com

516- 285-8036

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

At TD Bank, we’re proud to celebrate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

TD Bank, N.A. | Equal Housing Lender

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

CRUISE & TRAVEL

Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau & Sports Commission

Janet Clark 330 Motor Parkway, Suite 203 Hauppauge, NY 11788 tel ��(631) 951-3900 email. . . . . jclark@discoverlongisland.com web �� discoverlongisland.com Ocean beaches, wineries, history, more. Free Long Island Travel Guide.

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY Robert Half

Gabrielle Petitto 522 RXR Plaza, 5th Floor Uniondale, NY 11556 tel ��(516) 357-2010 email. . . gabrielle.petitto@officeteam.com web �� roberthalf.com Worldwide Leader in Specialized Consulting & Staffing Services Look for our ad on this page

ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE

Mickey - Spiritual Reader

tel ��(516) 582-9809 email. . . . mickeyread1953@gmail.com Private readings, events and home parties! 30,000 Nominated Votes Best of LI 2015!

NYCB Theatre at Westbury

The Space at Westbury

Bruce Michael - Executive Director 250 Post Avenue Westbury, NY 11590 tel ��(516) 283-5567 email. . . . bruce@thespaceatwestbury.com web ��thespaceatwestbury.com The Space at Westbury is Long Island's state of the art concert hall and special event center, the perfect place to see your favorite stars and to stage your next special event. From corporate meetings to holiday parties, product launches to weddings, we welcome you to make The Space your space, the venue of your dreams.

DJ SpinDetta Music Enterprises Inc.

Dineen Sigona – DJ SpinDetta 2 Cadman Avenue Babylon, NY 11702 tel ��(631) 539-9577 fax ��(888) 725-6449 email �� detta@spindetta.com web ��spindetta.com Spinning from Pride to Radio to Your Party!

960 Brush Hollow Road Westbury, NY 11590 tel ��(516) 334-0800 fax ��(516) 333-7991 email �� infotaw@livenation.com web. . . . . . . thetheatreatwestbury.com Long Island’s Best Concert Venue – Comedy, Rock, Pop, Variety

The Paramount

370 New York Avenue Huntington, NY 11743 tel ��(631) 673-7300 email. . . . . . marketing@paramountny.com web �� paramountny.com Long Island’s Best New Music Venue

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

Paul Pitsironis, CMT 222 East Main Street, Suite 106 Smithtown, NY 11787 tel ��(631) 360-2440 tel ��(631) 265-1728 email . . . . . . paul.pitsironis@wfadvisors.com web . . . . . . thepminvestmentgroup.com Financial Services Look for our ad on this page

GIFT SHOP

wit & whim

6 Carlton Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050 tel ��(516) 944-9200 email ��witandwhim@gmail.com web �� wit-and-whim.com A unique philanthropic gift shop where edgy meets chic & artsy meets affordable Look for our ad on the next page

Premier Debt Resolution

David Herbst 809 Carman Avenue Westbury, NY 11590 tel ��(631) 778-6200 fax ��(631) 778-6206 email . . . david@premierdebtresolution.com web . . . . . . . premierdebtresolution.com Debt Relief

mowww.nardyhonda.com cwww.nardyhonda.com .adnohydran.www

YOU ASK. WE ANSWER. For insight into financial salaries, trends and hiring from the industry’s leading staffing firm, visit the Robert Half Salary Center: roberthalf.com/salarycenter. 1.800.803.8367 roberthalf.com © 2014 Robert Half International Inc. An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. 0914-9015

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THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

HEALTH & WELLNESS

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Michael Camacho 515 Bellport Avenue Bellport, NY 11713 tel ��(631) 432-6904 email. . . michael.camacho@aidshealth.org web �� hivcare.org Cutting edge medicine and advocacy – regardless of ability to pay Look for our ad on page 12

Island Family Chiropractic Wellness

HOSPITALS

BGCC Proudly Serves the LGBT Community

North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System

Glenn M. Gibson, DC 165 Pauls Path Coram, NY 11727 tel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (631) 346-3660 fax ��(631) 346-3661 email. . . . . . . . docgibson1026@gmail.com web �� islandfamilychiropracticwellness.com

Tyra Kasendorf 19 Suffolk Street Freeport, NY 11520 tel ��(516) 623-2945 fax ��(516) 977-1362 email ��tyrak@bgccorp.com web �� bgccorp.com

“Welcome to Our Family”

Custom Closets Direct

Laser & Electrolysis Hair Removal

Aleya Located in Great Neck, NY tel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (516) 551-8194 web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . laserbyaleya.com Proudly serving the LGBT community for all hair removal needs. Look for our ad on page 13

HOME SERVICES

145 East Merrick Road Freeport, NY 11520 tel ��(516) 223-2232 fax ��(516) 223-2143 email. . . . . curt@customclosetsdirect.com web �� customclosetsdirect.com Custom closets, home offices, entertainment centers, built-ins & more!

Designing with Elements, LTD.

700 Lakeland Avenue Bohemia, NY 11716 tel ��(631) 573-6600 email �� team@designingwithelements.com web. . . . . designingwithelements.com Landscape and Exterior Designers

Drew Patrick Spa

Drew Patrick Allt 128 West Main Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 tel ��(631) 206-3739 email ��info@drewpatrickspa.com web �� drewpatrickspa.com

Ben’s General Contracting Corporation

Sunation Solar Systems

Tammy Lea, Marketing Director 1217 Montauk Highway Oakdale, NY 11769 tel ��(631) 750-9454 fax ��(631) 750-9455 email. . . . tammy@sunationsolarsystems.com web. . . . . . . sunationsolarsystems.com Solar Panel Installation Look for our ad on the next page

U.S. Home Remodeling Corp

706 Atlantic Avenue Baldwin, NY 11510 tel ��(516) 377-6853 email ��warrenglick@yahoo.com web ��americanrenovation.com Home Renovation and Remodeling, Specializing in Kitchens and Baths

301 East Main St. Bay Shore, NY 11706 tel ��(631) 968-3000 email �� efraser@nshs.edu web ��northshorelij.com Hospitals in Manhasset, Syosset, Bay Shore, Plainview, Glen Cove, Staten Island, Queens, and Manhattan

HOTEL, CATERING, & CONFERENCE Danfords Hotel and Marina

Therese Coppola, Director of Sales 25 East Broadway Port Jefferson, NY 11777 tel ��(631) 928-5200 fax ��(631) 928-9082 email �� tcoppola@danfords.com web �� danfords.com The perfect setting for weddings, social events and conferences

a unique philanthropic gift shop where edgy meets chic & artsy meets affordable discover a treasure house filled with vintage, contemporary, americana & global products for people of all ages! one added twist: profits from our creative collections go to organizations that benefit individuals, communities & our world. six carlton avenue, port washington, ny 11050 516-944-9200, wit-and-whim.com, facebook.com/witandwhimPW 10

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

A local Long Island company serving Long Islanders since 2003! SUNation is a proud supporter of the

We welcome and support the LGBT community and invite you to join our solar family

RESIDENTIAL • MUNICIPAL • COMMERCIAL

We’ve installed solar on over 1,250 Long Island homes…

Let our family help yours too.

Install solar with SUNation and we’ll donate to your favorite organization! CALL US FOR MORE INFORMATION

BUY, Don’t … d Lease an VERY E PAY LESS r your o f H T N O M and electricity he increase t our value of y property!

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THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Heron Suites at Port of Egypt Marina

Erin Doucett 61600 Main Road Southold, NY 11971 tel ��(631) 765-5121 email �� info@heronsuites.com web �� heronsuites.com Your one stop destination resort. Look for our ad on the next page

INSURANCE

Prudential

Allyson Swidler 530 RXR Plaza, 5th Floor, West Tower Uniondale, NY 11556 tel ��(516) 507-5093 fax ��(516) 357-8891 email. . . . . allyson.swidler@prudential.com web �� prudential.com

Allstate Insurance

John M. Cuenin 629 Route 112, Suite 10 Patchogue, NY 11772 tel ��(631) 758-7225 fax ��(631) 758-7229 email �� jc@allstate.com web �� allstate.com/012089 Auto, Homeowners, Life, and Long-Term Care Insurance

Budget Brokerage

David Herbst 809 Carman Avenue Westbury, NY 11590 tel ��(516) 307-1563 fax ��(516) 750-5664 email. . . . dave@budgetbrokerage.com web ��budgetbrokerage.com Providing personal service that is customized to meet your personal needs.

Leslie Larson M.S., Ed., PD, CAS, LUTCF

576 Broad Hollow Road Melville, NY 11747 tel ��(516) 972-4463 fax ��(516) 221-3729 email. . . . . ljlarson@ft.newyorklife.com web �� leslielarson.com Serving the LGBT community for all Life & Health Insurance Needs.

LANDSCAPING Silverleaf Landscaping

MEDIA LGBT Network

Long Island Pulse Magazine

Nada Marjanovich 1 Terry St., Suite 1 Patchogue, NY 11772 tel ��(631) 289-4315 email ��nada@lipulse.com web ��lipulse.com dining - the arts - lifestyle - business Look for our ad on page 14

NON-PROFIT

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Inc.

tel ��(516) 768-6741 email. . . . silverleaf.keyser@gmail.com web �� hamptonssilverleaf.com Landscape Designs – Masonry, Decks, Irrigation, Lighting, Maintenance

Christopher Long, Ed.D. 191 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Road Old Bethpage, NY 11804 tel ��(516) 870-1648 email ��clong01@familyres.org web ��familyres.org

20 Crossways Park Drive N., Ste. 110 Woodbury, NY 11797 tel ��(516) 323-0011 fax ��(516) 750-4715 34 Park Avenue Bay Shore, NY 11706 tel ��(631) 655-2300 fax ��(631) 665-7874 44 Union Street Sag Harbor, NY 11963 tel ��(631) 899-4950 email �� info@lgbtnetwork.org web ��lgbtnetwork.org The LGBT Network is an association of non-profit organizations, Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY), Long Island LGBT Community Center (The Center), Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders - Long Island (SAGE-LI), & Q Center: Queens LGBT Community Center – serving the LGBT community throughout the lifespan and across Long Island and Queens. For more information, visit page 19

PFLAG Long Island

Mitch Levy, President PO Box 692 Jericho, NY 11753 tel ��(516) 938-8913 email �� info@pflagli.org web �� pflagli.org Parents and Families of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender People

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

PHYSICIANS & HEALTH SERVICES

Long Island IVF

8 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 101 Melville, NY 11747 tel ��(631) 752-0606 fax ��(631) 752-0623 email �� lmontello@liivf.com web �� longislandivf.com “Building families every day” Look for our ad on page 15

Family Wellness Center

Diana Clendaniel 120 Plant Avenue Hauppauge, NY 11788 tel ��(631) 851-3810 email �� fwcinfo@familyres.org web ��familyres.org

HIV Uninsured Care Programs

New York State Department of Health P.O. Box 2052, Empire Station Albany, NY 12220-0052 tel ��(800) 542-2437 tel ��(518) 459-2749 web. . . . . health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/ general/.resources/adap Helps pay for medications, healthcare, and insurance premiums for HIVpositive New Yorkers with income below $50,765 (higher for families)

HRH Care

Carlos Ortiz 330 South Meeting House Lane Southampton, NY 11968 tel ��(631) 268-1008 fax ��(631) 259-0298 email �� cortiz@hrhcare.org web �� hrhcare.org Community Health

IslandCare Pharmacy

John F. Civitello, RN - Principal 1860 Walt Whitman Road, Suite 700 Melville, NY 11747 tel ��(516) 822-6300 email ��johnc@islandcarerx.com web ��islandcarerx.com HIV/HCV/Oncology, Specialty Pharmacy Look for our ad on this page

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Reproductive Specialists of NY

200 Old Country Road, Suite 350 Mineola, NY 11501 tel ��(516) 739-2100 fax ��(516) 873-8068 email ��jbarocas@rsofny.com web �� rsofny.com Proudly building families in a warm, compassionate environment Look for our ad on page 17

REAL ESTATE & MORTGAGE Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

Edie Esposito, Associate Real Estate Broker 364 Plandome Road Manhasset, NY 11030 tel ��(516) 946-8082 fax ��(516) 627-7045 35-16B Francis Lewis Blvd. Flushing, NY 11358 email. . . . . edieesposito@danielgale.com web ��edieesposito.com Helping Sellers & Buyers - Queens, Long Island “North & South Shores”

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

Marie Skarren, Licensed Sales Associate 2300 Merrick Road Merrick, NY 11566 tel ��(516) 322-7135 email ��MSkarren@elliman.com web ��elliman.com/real-estateagent/marie-skarren/9153

FCU Holdings

Frank C. Ullman 44 South Bayles Avenue, Suite 210 Port Washington, NY 11050 tel ��(516) 250-6804 email ��fullman@fcuholdings.com web ��fcuholdings.com Look for our ad on page 15

Paramount Land

Jeffrey N. Zipser, Esq. 584 Main Street Islip, NY 11751 tel ��(631) 224-1345 email. . . . jzipser@paramountland.com web ��paramountland.com For all your residential & commercial real estate title needs throughout New York State

ART is my life. Long Island is my place. Long Island Pulse is my magazine. —Artist Jerelyn Hanrahan

Long Island Pulse Proudly Supports LGBT Network

Sophisticated, successful professionals who live, work and play in the Hamptons, Gold Coast and boutique communities of Long Island subscribe to Long Island Pulse Magazine to catch up with the who’s who and find out where to go and what to do. Join this influential readership. Subscribe today at lipulse.com/subscribe.

14 PulseAd_March15.indd

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2/26/15 12:00 PM VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

THERAPISTS & COUNSELORS

Temple Tikvah

Michele A. Cipriano, LCSW-R

Rabbi Randy Sheinberg 3315 Hillside Avenue New Hyde Park, NY 11040 tel ��(516) 746-1120 fax ��(516) 746-7408 email ��office@templetikvah.org web �� templetikvah.org A liberal reform temple that welcomes the LGBT community

TECHNOLOGY Network Solutions & Technology

Diana Santariello 81 Larkfield Road East Northport, NY 11731 tel ��(877) 678-8080 fax ��(631) 368-1164 email �� dsantariello@nst-li.com web ��nst-li.com Technology Services

TIMTEK Repairs

Tim Rismiller 764 Deer Park Avenue North Babylon, NY 11703 tel ��(631) 455-2146 web ��timtekrepairs.com Computer, Cell Phone, Flat Screen, Game Console

538 Route 25A, Suite 5 Rocky Point, NY 11778 tel ��(516) 297-0704 email. . . . . firstbtru2u@optonline.com Hours by appointment, individuals, couples - LGBT

COPAY, Inc.

Ruth Trujillo-Pertew 21 North Station Plaza Great Neck, NY 11021 tel ��(516) 466-2509 fax ��(516) 482-3146 email ��copayincgn@aol.com web ��copayofgreatneck.org Therapy for substance/alcohol abuse, mental health, relationship issues

Dennis Damato Psychotherapy

Dennis Damato, M.ED, LCSW 221 Woodycrest Drive Holtsville, NY 11742-1714 tel ��(631) 758-0418 fax ��(631) 654-4726 email ��dentomato@hotmail.com Treating adults, children, teens, families, and couples

Doris Starr, LCSW

Veronica Harkins, LCSW

500 Old Country Road, Suite 300 Garden City, NY 11530 tel ��(516) 484-3326 Specialist in Therapy for LGBT People, Couples and Families

360 Ira Place Bayport, NY 11705 tel ��(631) 332-1288 email ��vharkins1@optonline.net Psychotherapist

Joan Rubinstein, M.D.

Look for our ad on this page

60 North Country Road, Suite 205 Port Jefferson, NY 11777 tel ��(631) 331-0974 email ��drjoanr@verizon.net General psychiatry for adults and adolecents: Evaluations, medications and psychotherapy

WEDDING SERVICES

John Bottone, LMHC

535 Broad Hollow Road, Suite A-14 Melville, NY 11747 tel ��(631) 680-3609 email �� jbottone2@gmail.com Psychotherapy and Counseling for LGBT Individuals and Couples. Trained in Gestalt Therapy and Internal Family Systems Therapy

North Shore Psychotherapy & Wellness

Nicole Borzelleca, MHC, M.S. 28 Jones Street Setauket, NY 11733 tel ��(631) 505-3769 email. . . Nicole.Borzelleca@gmail.com LGBT Counseling for individuals, families, couples, groups; gender concerns specialist

Allegria Hotel

Peter Pizarro 80 West Broadway Long Beach, NY 11561 tel ��(516) 992-3765 fax ��(516) 992-3783 email. . . . . ppizarro@allegriahotel.com web ��allegriahotel.com Long Island's Only Luxury Oceanfront Hotel Look for our ad on the next page

HOLDINGS FRANK C. ULLMAN FCU HOLDINGS, LLC 44 S. BAYLES AVENUE, SUITE 210 PORT WASHINGTON, NY 11050 T 516.250.6804 E FULLMAN@FCUHOLDINGS.COM W FCUHOLDINGS.COM

We Know What It Means to Have a Family. We Help Build Them Every Day. At Long Island IVF, we are committed to helping all people become parents, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. When you are ready to start, Long Island IVF is here to help. Please contact us to learn more.

Melville Phone 631-752-0606

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

Brooklyn Phone 718-375-6400

Plainview Phone 516-939-2229

East Patchogue Phone 631-687-2229

West Islip Phone 631-661-5437

Building Families Every Day

Lake Success Phone 516-358-6363

Stony Brook Phone 631-331-7575

www.longislandivf.com

THE SPRING 2015 LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Rev. Kenneth Corbin

Artisan Photography & Media Group

Chuck Gosline, Photographer 141 S. Wellwood Avenue Lindenhurst, NY 11757 tel ��(516) 938-4430 email. . . info@artisanphotogroup.com web �� artisanphotogroup.com Photography and video services, all occasions, personal and corporate Look for our ad on the next page

DJS Unlimited

Pierre or Carl 400 Crossways Park Drive Woodbury, NY 11797 tel ��(516) 496-9616 fax ��(516) 496-9620 email ��carl@djsunlimited.com web �� djsunlimited.com The Ultimate Party Experience

DTAC Productions

DJ Domenica Islip, NY 11751 tel ��(602) 828-3374 email. . . . domenica@djdomenica.com web ��djdomenica.com Spinning a global mix of music

Hotel Indigo

Tiffany Tuzzolo 1830 West Main Street, Route 25 Riverhead, NY 11901 tel ��(631) 369-2200 fax ��(631) 369-1202 email ��stay@indigoeastend.com email. . . wedding@indigoeastend.com web �� indigoeastend.com Our boutique hotel offers a chic, contemporary and cosmopolitan setting for your private event or escape to Long Island’s famous East End.

Insignia

Keri D’Arpa 610 Smithtown Bypass Smithtown, NY 11787 tel ��(631) 656-8100 fax ��(631) 656-8105 email. . . . . banquet@insigniasteakhouse.com web ��insigniasteakhouse.com Tired of the same style wedding? Introducing Insignia where the Hamptons meet Manhattan. Unique, Fine Dining, Trend Setting, Personal...

Catholic Diocese of One Spirit Wedding Officiant tel ��(631) 416-4308 email ��kcorb421@gmail.com Catholic Wedding Officiant Available for Ceremonies - All Faiths Welcome

Venue on Seven at Courtyard by Marriott Long Island MacArthur Airport Hotel

5000 Express Drive South Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 tel ��(631) 612-5000 fax ��(631) 612-5007 email �� deborah.miller@marriott.com web ��venueonseven.com Venue on Seven proudly serving the LGBT Community on Long Island - The perfect venue for any celebration weddings, anniversaries, corporate events, reunions, celebrations and more...

THE LGBT NETWORK THANKS ALL OF ITS PARTNERS IN PRIDE MEMBERS.

LIST YOUR BUSINESS HERE! CALL 516.323.0011 OR VISIT LGBTNETWORK.ORG

LG B T LG B T

WE DO

YOUR WEDDING WITH STYLE

80 West Broadway | Long Beach NY 1561 www.allegriahotel.com | 516.992.3765 | 16

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

LGBT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

(a Partners in Pride program)

The LGBT Business Directory, the only directory of its kind on Long Island and Queens, connects LGBT-welcoming businesses with LGBT consumers. The directory is printed twice a year and online listings are updated regularly with marketing directly to 15,000 households and 75,000 unique web site visitors.

Basic Membership $199 LGBT Business Directory PRINT • Business listing with company name, tagline, contact name, address, phone, e-mail address, and web site address (no logo placement) • Two full color printings per year

LGBT Business Directory ONLINE • Business listing with company name, tagline, contact name, address, phone, and e-mail address (no logo placement)

Other Marketing • New and returning members receive a welcome mention in one Partners in Pride e-blast • 20% discount on ads in Living Out, The Network’s monthly publication • Partners in Pride business member window decal

Premium Membership $1,000 LGBT Business Directory PRINT • Business listing with company name, tagline, contact name, address, phone, e-mail address, and web site address • Highlighted featured business listing with logo placement added to your listing • Business card ad • Two full color printings per year

LGBT Business Directory ONLINE • Business listing with company name, tagline, contact name, address, phone, e-mail address, and web site address with web link to your web site • Logo with web link to your web site

To learn more:

Contact the Development Department

516.323.0011 | development@lgbtnetwork.org

LGBT NETWORK

VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

CORPORATE PARTNERS The Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corporate Partners are businesses that make a year-long commitment to support The Network with an annual contribution of $10,000 or more. Corporate Partners have the opportunity to develop strategic partnerships with the LGBT Network, which include hosting and sponsoring special events, developing affinity programs, establishing collaborations, and overall aligning their brands with ours. Interested in having your business or organization become a Corporate Partner? Contact the Development Department at 516.323.0011 or e-mail development@lgbtnetwork.org.

Allegria Hotel

MEDIA PARTNERS makes you feel good 18

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THE LGBT NETWORK The LGBT Network is an association of non-profit organizations serving the LGBT community of Long Island and Queens throughout the lifespan. Together, each organization works to end homophobia and transphobia, to provide a home and safe space for the LGBT community, and to advocate for equality. The LGBT Network and its organizations operate Long Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only three LGBT community centers in Woodbury, Bay Shore, and Sag Harbor and recently opened its first community center in the borough of Queens, Q Center: Queens LGBT Community Center.

Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) provides a safe space for LGBT youth, and empowers LGBT and straight-ally youth to create change in their schools and communities.

The Long Island LGBT Community Center (The Center) builds community for LGBT adults and families through social, cultural, and health programming.

Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders - Long Island (SAGE-LI) provides LGBT seniors ages 50+ with social support and health programming.

Queens LGBT Community Center (Q Center) offers programs and services to LGBT and straightallies of all ages in a safe and empowering environment.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR WORK: VISIT LGBTNETWORK.ORG

SUPPORT THE LGBT NETWORK TODAY! YES! I WANT TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE LGBT NETWORK! DONATATIONS CAN ALSO BE

name(s) please write your name(s) exactly how you wish to be acknowledged

Donation $35

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Sustaining Donation $20/mo.

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LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DONATE address, city, state, zip

phone

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signature

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Please send this completed form with payment to: LGBT Network, 20 Crossways Park Dr. N., Suite 110, Woodbury, NY 11797 VIEW THE BUSINESS DIRECTORY ONLINE AT LGBTNETWORK.ORG/DIRECTORY

T B LG

out and about Screen savor

THE “SUCCESS HAS NO DEMOGRAPHIC” CHALLENGE At The Prudential Insurance Company of America, success has no gender, gender expression/identity, age, race or sexual orientation obstacle. Success is for anyone who accepts the challenge of working for our respected global company. By creating an environment that values all people, at Prudential we are able to be innovative, relevant and successful in meeting our customers’ diverse financial needs. If you’re ready for the challenge, we’re ready for you.

Financial Professional Associate Career Development Program Through our Financial Professional Associate Career Development Program, you’ll have a strong foundation to reach your goals. Our most successful Financial Professional Associates are strong communicators and relationship builders with a drive for results. They’re men and women from all walks of life. Join us now and you’ll also be able to: • • • •

ENJOY excellent compensation potential PARTICIPATE in a ﬂexible training plan LEARN through on-the-job sales experiences EARN your professional licenses

Prudential received a 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for programs and practices that are inclusive of LGBT employees, consumers and investors. Find out why our diversity is also our strength. For more information, please contact: Rony A. Nehme CLU®, LUTCF, CLTC Managing Director Email: rony.nehme@prudential.com Phone: 516-794-6175

©2012. Prudential, the Prudential logo, the Rock symbol and Bring Your Challenges are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities. The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Newark, NJ and its affiliates are Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employers and are committed to diversity in its workforce. Prudential is an Employer that participates in E-Verify. 0213194-00005-00 Ed. 1/2013

>> READ MORE AT LIVINGOUTLI.ORG

by Gregg Shapiro

SCI-FI HIGH In 2014, Scarlett Johansson appeared determined to get science fiction out of her system. In Jonathan Glazer’s Under The Skin, Johansson played an alien feasting on lonely men. For Luc Besson’s Lucy (Universal), now out on Blu-ray/DVD/

Digital HD, Johansson plays the titular character, a woman who unwittingly becomes a drug mule for Asian crime kingpin Jang (Min-sik Choi), leading to a terrifying metamorphosis. Following surgery to insert a bag of the lethal and illegal drug CPH4 into her body for transport, Lucy is brutally beaten and some of the drug leaks into her system. The alteration that occurs at Lucy’s cellular level transforms her into a super-human being who, as the movie progresses, is able to access 100% of her brain capacity. Combining science fiction (including cool special effects) and action/thriller violence (you may be watching more than a few scenes through your fingers covering your eyes), Lucy aims to cover three main bases. First, it’s a full-throttle revenge picture with goons getting their due as the body count mounts. Second, it’s a crime story as Lucy and police in Berlin, Paris, and Rome race to prevent the other human drug transporters from reaching their final destinations. Third, and here’s where Lucy gets loosey goosey, it’s a movie that messes with science, represented by evolution expert Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman). Alternately exhilarating and terrifying, and often downright kooky, Lucy is a rip-roaring high that, like most drugs, will leave viewers crashed and burned, and potentially craving more. Extras include the Blu-ray exclusive featurette The Evolution of Lucy featuring Besson, Johansson and Freeman, as well as Cerebral Capacity: The True Science of  Lucy.

Coherence (Oscilloscope Laboratories) is a different kind of sci-fi flick. Set on the night that Miller’s comet is supposed to be passing over Southern California, and coming close to earth, eight friends – dating couple Kevin (hot Maury Sterling) and unemployed dancer Em (Emily Baldoni), married couple Hugh (Hugo Armstrong) and woo-woo Beth (Elizabeth Gracen), Amir (Alex Manugian) and Kevin’s ex Laurie (Lauren Maher) and the hosts Lee (Lorene Scafaria) and actorin-recovery Mike (Nicholas Brendon) – gather for a dinner party. Things go wrong right from the start. Em’s cellphone screen shatters while she’s talking to Kevin on her way to the party. In fact, the comet causes all sorts of cellular interference, preventing reception, as well as loss of internet. Lights flicker, dim and go out. Things randomly break. Hugh’s scientist brother warned him about the possible effects

the comet might have, which leads Em to mention things she’d read about a 1923 comet in Finland, as well as other comet stories. What started out as an already awkward gathering rapidly goes downhill. When the lights go out, some of the friends venture out into the dark, armed with flashlights and blue glow sticks. Of course, going outside was the first in a series of bad decisions. The discovery that the comet is creating multiple realities existing simultaneously, including one in which they come face to face another group of people who turn out to be themselves (!), brings up all sorts of complicated issues, as well as a shout-out to Schrodinger’s Cat. Writer/director James Ward Byrkit occasionally veers into incoherence, but he maintains control. The subtly played last scene makes it all worthwhile. Like the 2014 Australian horror film The Babadook, Coherence doesn’t need to rely on over-the-top special effects to elicit an audience response. DVD special features include audio commentary bt Byrkit, Manugian (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Baldoni, original camera test footage and a behind the scenes  featurette. LIVING OUT

•

out and about

i-Music

by Gregg Shapiro

i-Music: It’s the Women Bette Midler is no stranger to girl-group songs. Beginning with “Leader of the Pack,” “Chapel of Love” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” from her first album, 1972’s The Divine Miss M, Midler has been mining the girl-group genus, either in cover versions or in tribute to the style, on practically every one of her studio albums. So, it makes sense that she would commit an entire disc, It’s The Girls (WB) to the genre. The results are classic Midler, combining her camp sensibility with dignity and respect. Some versions honor the originals by staying close to the bone, as in the case of “Be My Baby,” “Bei Mir Bust Du Schön,” and “Mr. Sandman.” In the case of “He’s Sure The Boy I Love,” Midler raises the bar on the tribute spectrum by teaming up with legendary girl-group-era diva Darlene Love. As is often the case, It’s The Girls is most interesting when Midler takes risks, all of which pay off handsomely. Her dramatic readings of “Baby It’s You” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” rank among her best. Her stellar rendition of TLC’s “Waterfalls” may reveal the song’s weaknesses (it’s a song that was clearly not meant to be covered by anyone else), but Midler triumphs and makes the song her own. On previous albums, the hipster mixed-gender duo She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) have performed mainly original material written by her (She) with the occasional retro cover tossed in for good measure. On the suitably named Classics (Columbia), She & Him reaches deep into the American Songbook for its interpretations of a baker’s dozen standards. Like Midler, they cover the chestnut “Teach Me Tonight,” as well as “Oh No, Not My Baby,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” “This Girl’s In Love With You,” “I’ll Never Be Free” and “We’ll Meet Again.”

from Oklahoma! (wait, what?). She balances the gospel (“Upon This Rock”) with the gay-friendly (“Over The Rainbow” and “No More Tears”), so she deserves props for that.

Live albums are often a mixed blessing and that includes Coming Home (Concord) by diminutive diva Kristen Chenoweth. One way of looking at it is, why would you want to listen to a recording of a concert that you didn’t attend? Also, live albums have a tendency of bringing out the worst (read: hammiest) in a performer. Recorded live in Oklahoma at the Broken Arrow Arts Center (they have an arts center!?), Chenoweth makes a genuine homecoming, returning to her motherland for the concert. Show-tunes abound, including “Popular” and “For Good” from Wicked (well, duh!), as well as “Bring Him Home” from Les Miz, “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from Phantom, “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret (which she also performed on Glee) and “I Could Have Danced All Night” from The King & I, although nothing 36

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Outrun ‘Em,” “Aloha & the Three John,” and the gorgeous title track that closes the disc, are all equally amazing.

One of the best (and most enduring) albums of 2014 is The Voyager (WB). The second solo record by Jenny Lewis finds the Rilo Kiley leader abandoning the blues that weighed down her 2008 solo debut Acid Tongue. Produced by Ryan Adams and Mike Viola, The Voyager is about as perfect as pop music gets. Gently queer centerpiece “Late Bloomer” is the kind of eternal tune you hope all of your favorite straight singer/songwriters write at least once in their career. A born storyteller, Lewis amazes us throughout the album, making it difficult to single out songs, but know that “Just One of the Guys,” “Slippery Slope,” “You Can’t

Kat Edmonson deserves to be better-known than she is. No one else sounds like Edmonson – think 21st century Blossom Dearie – and the songs on The Big Picture (Masterworks), produced by Mitchell Froom, are clever and catchy. A breath of musical fresh air, Edmonson’s performance of her original compositions has a timelessness similar to those of Jenny Lewis. Numbers such as “Oh My Love,” “You Said Enough,” “Avion,” “Dark Cloud,” “Till We Start To Kiss,” and “Who’s Counting,” could just as easily have been written in 1964 or 2014. Also recommended for fans of queer singer/songwriter Erin McKeown.

Want to get a sense of the swift passage of time? It’s been almost 25 years since Ani DiFranco released her first fulllength on her own record label. That’s right, 25 years since you first heard her sing “Both Hands.” Since that time she has released 18 studio albums, including her latest Allergic To Water (Righteous Babe), some live recordings, signed some big names to her label (hello, Nona Hendryx!), released some collaboration albums and has generally become one of the most famous feminists, activists and entrepreneurs in the music world. Allergic To Water continues in the same mood and style of her previous New Orleans-era recordings such as Reprieve, Red Letter Year and Which Side Are You On?, and features standout tracks such as “Careless Words,” “Yeah Yr Right,” “Still My Heart” and “Rainy Parade”.

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living healthy

Parenting

by Chris mcnamee

volunteer hours that go into building a Habitat house.

hen not moonlighting as the writer of a parenting column, I spend my days as a construction supervisor at Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk. As you may know, Habitat builds homes in partnership with lower income families, providing an opportunity for homeownership that they would not be able to achieve on their own. While Habitat hires electricians and plumbers, almost everything else, from framing to sheet rocking to windows, roofing, siding and interiors, is done by volunteers as young as 16. In fact, high school groups account for a large percentage of the total

You might be thinking that 16 is awfully young to be out on an active construction site, but I assure you that with proper training and supervision, even children much younger than that can have a fun and rewarding experience using tools to build or repair things. And while “giving back” by working at a Habitat site or getting involved in a neighbors-helping-neighbors project with a scout troop or youth group is not uncommon among teenagers and younger kids, actually helping with a building or repair project at their own homes might be.

This winter, why not involve your children in an activity that will provide both a bonding experience and a lasting, tangible reward for their hard work? Here are a few simple guidelines designed to help you choose an appropriate project to tackle with your children, based on their ages and skill levels. Remember, the process is at least as important as the product, so do your best to make this a stress-free, fun experience for everyone involved.

Assess your child’s interest and attention span, keeping in mind that if your assistant loses interest half-way through, you will be stuck completing the work yourself. First, pick a project. Does a bedroom need painting? Would new bookcases or toy selves in the playroom help reduce clutter? Perhaps you have a bigger job in mind, such as replacing that old vanity in the bathroom or putting up a few ceiling fans. When deciding on a project, consider how involved your child can be. While an older teen might be ready to learn the finer points of sink repair, a younger child could easily get bored if his or her only duty is to hand you tools as you lay on your back with your head under the sink.

including prep and clean up. Assess your child’s interest and attention span, keeping in mind that if your assistant loses interest half-way through, you will be stuck completing the work yourself. If you think this could become an issue, it might be a good idea to choose something you can leave and come back to another day, perhaps building a birdhouse from a kit rather than painting a bedroom.

Safety is of paramount importance when working on a DIY project with kids. Be sure to instruct them on the proper use of tools and insist that they wear eye protection, ear plugs, gloves or even a hard hat if the task at hand involves any overhead work. Using safety equipment actually makes the project more fun for kids, so getting them to comply shouldn’t be an issue. Be sure to set a good example by protecting yourself, too!

Before you begin, clearly explain the sequence of tasks to be completed,

about the author: Chris mcnamee has a b.S. in Family Services/Child Studies, a M.A. in Intersex Conditions and Gender Identity Disorders in Children and Adolescents and is the Former owner/operator of Kid ‘n Kaboodle Child Care as well as the Former Coordinator for Long Island Family Connections, Gay Parents Support Network.

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living smart

Wellness

by Jennifer Nyx

It’s Not About Your Weight, It’s About Your Health

Weight is a very complicated issue in our society. On the one hand, we have a very influential media that puts forth a very, shall we say, “narrow” standard of beauty, one that screams, “thin is in.” In fact, this standard is often taken to dangerous extremes, as we see in countless heartbreaking cases of young women caught in the grip of anorexia and bulimia, and in particular with girls who begin to obsess with their body image at earlier and earlier ages every year. On the other hand, we cannot deny an obesity crisis in America. We are fatter

than ever, and the main reasons for this are the kinds and amounts of foods we eat. It’s typical in this nation for one person to sit down in a restaurant to a plate of food that could feed three – and the food is typically processed, laden with trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, and refined carbohydrates. It’s a dangerous combination that is literally killing us by the hundreds of thousands. And yet, there are people who, understandably tired of being judged on what is solely their appearance, want us to accept being fat as normal and healthy.

A UCLA study conducted in 2007 was the Study of Diet Studies. Tracking the eating activities of over 19,000 participants, guess what the researchers concluded was the biggest predictor of weight gain. It was if someone had been on a diet in the last couple of years!

So since we are worried about kids having distorted body images and disordered eating on the one hand, and another kind of disordered eating where food is actively causing harm, where do we strike the balance?

inches around the waist, or some other indicator that is very hard to measure in the present. It takes weeks before you might feel your clothes fitting a bit looser, months before you might fit into your old clothes.

It’s not by going on a diet...

It’s challenging at best to stay focused on a goal that seems so far out of reach, and all too easy to give up when the results don’t come fast enough. Additionally, there are so many diets out there, it’s overwhelming. They often require some kind of deprivation that goes against your nature, and makes it psychologically difficult to stick with, never mind physically. Plus, the deprivation mentality actually works against your body’s efforts to do what’s in your best interests for survival!

Diets don’t work. At least not as traditionally understood and practiced. A UCLA study conducted in 2007 was the Study of Diet Studies. Tracking the eating activities of over 19,000 participants, guess what the researchers concluded was the biggest predictor of weight gain. It was if someone had been on a diet in the last couple of years! In other words, if you choose to diet, you are more likely to gain weight than someone who doesn’t. Also, 83% of people who lost weight on diets gained back more than they had lost. This is because when we diet, we focus on the wrong things – pounds on the scale,

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The fact is, most of the diets won’t work for you. One way of eating will. And it takes time to figure out which one that is.

What Food Can Do For You – Now! So how can eating right give you that sense of immediate gratification that we humans long for – you know, the kind of pleasure that so many of us might derive from a few slices, or more, of pepperoni pizza, or that pint of Ben and Jerry’s? We’ve long been told that eating healthy is an experience of deprivation and sacrifice that requires perseverance, will power, and an ability to deal with feeling grumpy and unfulfilled. Well let me tell you, if that’s your experience, you’re NOT eating right. You’re eating wrong! Making the switch to nutritional excellence and making better choices leads quickly to results you can feel. You may initially go through a period of discomfort as your body eliminates toxins and works to restore balance. But once you actually start figuring out what foods really work for you and

fuel your body properly, you’ll be amazed. You will derive the kind of pleasure from eating that doesn’t just linger on the palate. It’s the kind of pleasure that lasts from one meal to the next. Intuitive eating – learning to truly be in touch with what our bodies are telling us they need does take a little time, practice, and support. Once you get it down, you will realize that food is not only supposed to taste good, but it’s also supposed to make us feel good. And not just at the point of contact. It’s supposed to give us a sense of well-being throughout the day. If you shift your focus there, to what food can do for you instead of what food does to you, you’ll find the weight will eventually take care of itself, and you’ll be happy in your healthy body no matter what. About the author: Jennifer Nyx is a Holistic Health Coach and Personal Trainer dedicated to support her clients with their health goals and empower them to make lasting changes in their behavior and lifestyle.

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living smart

finance

Finding the Right Home Improvement Loan

ith spring right around the corner, and (hopefully) better weather on the way, many of us may begin looking into doing some spring-cleaning. Others may be looking into making some home improvements. Whether you’re looking to make an addition to your home or remodel, it may cost a large amount of money. In those cases, finding the right home improvement loan is extremely important.

Many homeowners today have a first mortgage on their home. This is usually from when the homeowner(s) made a home purchase, and is a substantial lump sum. However, home equity loans function differently from mortgages. Home equity loans have a variety of uses, including remodeling, education, marriage, and even investing in a second property. Just like a mortgage, there are fixed home equity loans (HEL), as well as home equity lines of credit (HELOC). In both cases, a Home Equity Loan is a loan that uses your property as collateral. You need to have equity in your home in order to take out this type of loan. For example, if your home is worth $350,000 and you have a $100,000 mortgage balance owed on your home, you have $250,000 worth of equity in your home. In essence, equity will be the value of your home that is free and clear of any obligation.

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Depending on the financial institution and your financial situation, you may be able to find a fixed-rate home equity loan (HEL). With a HEL, you would take out the entire amount of the loan in one lump sum to complete your home improvements, and then make monthly payments. Another option however would be to take out a HELOC.

A home equity line of credit (HELOC), in most cases, is a much better option for homeowners to utilize. There are many different needs for a substantial amount of money on a year-to-year basis, and a HELOC gives you flexibility to utilize it as needed. The rate on a HELOC may be fixed for a small promotional period, but they are usually variable rate loans. Other rules may apply as well, depending on the financial institution. Such rules involve closing costs, the initial draw amount, the minimum outstanding balance, the draw period and the repayment period.

While it may sound like a lot of hoops to jump through, it is much simpler to understand once it’s broken down: Closing cost consists of anything that you have to pay for the HELOC to be booked for you. These costs usually involve the processing of your loan, which includes title fees, flood certifications, appraisal fees, and general processing. • The initial draw amount is any amount that the financial institution requires you to take out once you close on the HELOC. • The minimum outstanding balance is an amount that the financial institution requires you to maintain. For example, an institution may require you to have a balance of $25,000 for the first year on the HELOC, but then you can pay it down afterwards. • The draw period and repayment period are the most important timeframes of the HELOC. The draw period consists of the time where you can utilize the HELOC as you wish; you can make payments towards the HELOC as well as take out funds from the HELOC as needed. During the repayment period however, the line is closed you can ONLY make payments back to the HELOC.

In general, a HELOC functions the same as a credit card but with a much higher limit- you will have a certain line limit, and will have to make minimum payments each month.

will only be charged interest on your outstanding balance, and if you are only taking out a small amount at a time, this will save you money in the long run as opposed to taking HEL out.

The payments on a HELOC would be lower than a HEL since you

So, which is better for you? That is up for you to decide – you can

take everything out at once with a HEL and have a fixed-rate loan or have flexibility with a HELOC, at the cost of having a variablerate loan. In the end, both types of loans can help with making the home improvements you dreamed of!

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points of view POV

by Belo Cipriani

Seeing in the Dark:

Gay Bars in Dire Need of Disability Training Nothing arouses my senses quite like a lively party. In gay bars, there are a multitude of things that scream out, “It’s time! It’s time to relax and have fun!” The sound of laughter coming from across the room suggests there’s a group of friends sharing stories. The shaking of ice in cups tells me the bartender is about to serve a frosty cocktail, and the smell of smoke tells me the place has a patio where patrons can enjoy a ciggy. And when I enter a bathroom, the scent of certain chemicals lets me know the toilet is off to my right. But, unfortunately, not every gay bar experience is relaxing and fun for someone who is disabled.

Making a connection A warm rush of elation washed over me as I sped down the street with my guide dog, Oslo. I’d been curious about speed dating and was thrilled when a gay bar promoted the speedy

singles night on their Facebook page. I heard a buzzing crowd a few feet away and I knew we had arrived at the club. Oslo guided me to the entrance and I heard a man shout in accented English, “No dogs allowed!” And so began another epic struggle for my pre-existing rights as a blind man. I explained to the bouncer that Oslo was a service dog, yet he continued to deny me entrance. I told him he was breaking the law and the men around me began to pipe up in my defense. The bar manager came out to speak with me and coldly said I could enter – albeit beneath a flurry of angry mutters. Feeling exhausted, I made my way in when suddenly I was approached by a woman with a cheery voice. “I’m sorry,” she huffed, “but you can’t be here.” I drew a deep breath and shared that the manager had let me in and that Oslo was a service dog. The woman exhaled and said, “Well, I don’t have any blind guys for you to date. Plus, the men here are guys that are serious about meeting someone.” “I’m serious, too,” I replied.

“Yeah, but this crowd is not expecting someone like you. Why don’t you give me your information and I will notify you if we do an event for people with handicaps.” My face felt hot. Tired and frustrated, I turned around and left. The tense and silent trip back home represents many of my experiences in dealing with personnel at gay venues. Even though the Americans with Disabilities Act protects my rights, I am constantly reminded by bartenders, bouncers and other staff that the LGBTQ community is not being trained on how to interact with the disabled.

Losing my sight I was not born without sight. My vision loss was the result of a brutal attack that occurred in San Francisco seven years ago. The point being that I know what it’s like to enjoy gay venues as a sighted person. It was a shock when I went from being greeted politely by members of an establishment to having to instruct workers to ask me what I wanted, instead of asking my friends. In San Francisco, The Café in the Castro has been the only venue that has consistently given me great service. I have had a hard time in gay clubs in Miami, New York City, and Los Angeles, to name a few. More and more, I see straight places offering more accommodations for people with disabilities, while gay establishments continue to offer poor service.

A message to gay business owners It is important for gay businesses to start recognizing the disabled as a viable market. By training workers to better serve the disabled population, gay businesses will be ensuring things run smoothly for them, as well as for all of their patrons. It’s time for a change.

Belo Cipriani is the Writer-in-Residence at Holy Names University, a spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, the “Get to Work” columnist for SFGate.com, and the author of Blind: A Memoir and Midday Dreams. Learn more at BeloCipriani.com. 44

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points of view op-ed

by Rev. Irene Monroe

HISTORIC BLACK LGBTQ INTERGENERATIONAL DISCUSSION ON “SELMA”

Oprah’s remarks, however, resonated with a generation that’s shaped by a heterosexist male-dominated movement rather than a nonhierarchical, diffuse model with an intersectional analysis that “Black Lives Matter” activists are illustrating. But this is not the first time younger and older generations locked horns. House Rep. John Lewis and his group, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, didn’t see eye-to-eye with King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on how to move forward on voting rights in Selma. Corey Yarborough, co-founder of HBGC, saw both the occasion of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the release of the film “Selma” as an opportunity.

If Bayard Rustin were alive today he certainly would have been proud as Boston’s LGBTQ communities held discussions on the film “Selma”. Flashback Sunday, a social group for LGBTQ Elders of Color and their friends, and the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition (HBGC) convened “an honest and open dialogue” between generations of LGBTQ activists. Folks who were active during 1960’s civil rights era and today’s LGBTQ “Black Lives Matter” activists met at the historic Emmanuel Church in Boston as a way of honoring the twenty-ninth anniversary of Martin Luther King Day. Emmanuel Church works at the nexus of Christianity and LGBTQ justice.

For me it is to encourage those of us living comfortably in privileged positions in liberal cities to carry our work to the rural communities to help elders and those without a community find their voice.” For the first time an intergenerational and interracial gathering of LGBTQ voices met and created a paradigm of how future discussions should take place. “Selma” is about King’s campaign to secure equal voting rights for African Americans in the South. Rustin was an integral part of King’s efforts that Ava DuVernay’s film depicts. A lot of what Rustin endured and learned as an openly gay activist is still with those unsung LGBTQ activists of King’s era. During the Civil Rights movement Rustin—the strategist and chief architect of the 1963 March on Washington that catapulted MLK onto a world stage—was always the man behind the scenes— mostly due to the fact that he was gay. Since the Ferguson protests of last summer (resulting from the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, one of several unarmed African American males killed by police that year) a younger generation of activists has emerged. Some have questioned their tactics. In promoting the film “Selma” producer Oprah Winfrey set off a firestorm with her comments to “People” magazine stating that “Black Lives Matter” activists lacked leadership.

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“HBGC and Flashback Sunday wanted to begin bridging the generational divide in Black and Latino LGBTQ communities of color, by bringing together community members of all ages to discuss our history...sheds light on how young leaders were groomed to take power and transform the very institutions that once oppressed them.” Yarborough said. “It’s my hope to pull the inspiration and lessons learned from these civil rights icons and encourage a new generation of leaders.”

Many from Yarborough’s generations stated they went to see “Selma” to see the film’s connection to Ferguson, and they came to the event looking for a way to make connections …to find clues and tidbits on how to be in the Black Lives Matter Movement. “It was inspiring to have LGBTQ people in the room who lived through many of the events in the film and could speak to their personal experiences with it,” said Quincey Roberts, Yarborough’s partner and co-founder of HBGC. And Charles Evans was one of them. Evans was born and raised in the South in the small town of Wallace, North Carolina (population 3,880 at the 2010 census), which is several miles from the big port city of Wilmington. Evans shared with the group that he “never went to an integrated school. I remember the KKK growing up, riding at the back of the bus and whites using the n-word for my name.” Evans attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College (NC A&T), a historically black college, in Greensboro, NC, which was one of the hot spots during the 1960’s civil rights era. Evans not only remembers the sit-ins that became an iconic form of civil disobedience but he was actively engaged in them. “I was afraid. We all were but it was our clarion call for action.” And those actions paid off. On February 1, 2010 the International Civil Rights Center and Museum (ICRCM) opened in Greensboro, North Carolina, honoring the courageous action of four African-American students. Their actions led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which mandated desegregation of all public accommodations. Fifty-five years ago on February 1,1960 the now ICRCM was a Woolworth’s store and the site of the original sit-in where Ezell A. Blair Jr. (also known

as Jibreel Khazan), David Leinhail Richmond, Joseph Alfred McNeil, and Franklin Eugene McCain from NC A&T) sat at its lunch counter as a form of non-violent direct action protesting the store’s segregated seating policy. And as a result of their civil disobedience, sit-ins sprung up not only in Greensboro but throughout the South, challenging other forms of this nation’s segregated public accommodations, including bathrooms, water fountains, parks, theaters, and swimming pools, to name a few. For a younger generation of African-Americans, people of color as well as whites, whose ballots help elect this country’s first African-American president Evans stated he could have never fathomed “a black man in the White House.” And his clarion call to those in the room was to vote. “I had to know the preamble to vote, too,” Evans stated referring to the scene in “Selma” where Annie Cooper (played by Oprah) goes to register to vote and is denied.

The film “Selma” is unquestionably a call to action. And it invites white allies, like Bob Linscott, Assistant Director of the LGBT Aging Project that operates out of The Fenway Institute, to reflect and act in intergenerational and interracial ways that will keep them ever vigilant of other isolated and oppressed groups. “Selma calls each one of us, regardless of race, gender or orientation, to action if we care to listen. What Edmund Pettus Bridges are we called to cross? For me it is to encourage those of us living comfortably in privileged positions in liberal cities to carry our work to the rural communities to help elders and those without a community find their voice.” For the first time ever an intergenerational and interracial gathering of LGBTQ voices of color and our allies came together creating the paradigm of how future discussions should take place with an amazing younger generation of LGBTQ activists’ fierce commitment toward civil rights for all Americans. “I thank God to see this moment with you all and to share it with a younger generation, “ Evans told the group. “While representing themselves as openly LGBTQ individuals they clearly understand the struggles of their forefathers and how they stand on the shoulders of so many unsung heroes who paved the way for them,” Paul Glass, head of Flashback Sunday, proudly shared with me because his partner, Charles Evans, is one of them.

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points of view trans-missions

by gwendolyn Ann smith

STATING THE

OBVIOUS This January, President Barack Obama ascended to the speaker’s rostrum in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to deliver the 2015 State of the Union address to the 114th United States Congress. Anything said during the State of the Union is important. This is where the President not only addresses the current state of the country as a whole, but lays out his administrative agenda. One particular section of the speech, however, deserves special mention here.

speech the President makes. He could have easily weaseled out of it, maybe saying a far more vague “sexual minorities” in place, or even just sticking to the acronym. After all, every word of this speech is vetted before the President even leaves the White House for the Capitol. That he included it is to send a clear message of support from this President – a President who did mention in this very speech that he has no more campaigns to run and at this point does not need to take any sort of risks.

is no magic to a statement from the Department of Justice or anyone that will prevent a transgender person from being discriminated against. By the same token, while the ACA does prohibit insurance companies from discriminating, a lot of the work to prevent it has to be done at the state level, opening the door for abuses to take place regardless of the law. Even with this administration’s repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” transgender people remained out in the cold, having to remain in a sort of limbo in the military, unable to serve openly. Even with Title VII protections, we do not have an explicit bill like

I feel I should include that this Administration has done quite a bit for transgender people, making the use of the term “transgender” in this speech that much more than lip service. This is an administration that has spoken with the transgender community, has shown its support, and has even hosted the first Transgender Day of Remembrance at the White House.

“As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we’re threatened, which is why I’ve prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained,” said the President, adding, “That’s why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We do these things not only because they’re right, but because they make us safer.”

This marks the first time any President of the United States of America has used the word transgender. It was also the first time for the words lesbian or bisexual, for that matter. Like I said above, this is important. This says that this is an Administration that isn’t afraid to speak our name, that is willing to put support for members of the LGBT community in the most important annual

This administration has streamlined passports for transgender people, has seen the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Health and Human services speak out on transgender rights, and has seen the Department of Justice clarify that Title VII protections extend to transgender people. Even the signature bill of this administration, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), includes transgender coverage. The law prohibits health insurance companies from discriminating against transgender people. This administration has, unquestionably, made great strides on behalf of the transgender community. Yet, with so much done, so much remains to be done. We have seen anti-transgender violence remain one of the bigger killers of transgender people, with transgender people – particularly transgender women of color – murdered with a disturbing regularity. There have been three antitransgender murders reported in the United States since the State of the Union. It is hard to cheer words in a speech when people are dying – and their killers remain free. Suicide, too, remains a top killer of transgender people. Leelah Alcorn’s death has topped the news, yet she is just one of many. 41% of trans folks have attempted suicide, even more so for those who have become homeless, experienced bullying, or have had troubles with their families. Even with the Administration taking such a strong stance for transgender rights, abuses happen. There

the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. We’re, of course, unlikely to get it with this current congress and – as it stands – that’s probably a good thing. We want a strong bill, not one that includes a “Hobby Lobby” style religious exemption to discriminate. This brings up the last big issue. While the President can speak of condemning persecution of transgender people, he is going to be facing a congress that is largely set against him, and will be doing its level best to roll back the legislative changes he has made to date. In 2016, too, we’ll see the election of a new President – and potentially one who does not share his opinions on transgender people. It may not be the last time President Obama mentions transgender people in the State of the Union, but it could be a long time before another president does so, depending on the next election. So let’s look at what this is: an Administration that has worked on our behalf making it clear that they will continue to attempt to do so, even in the midst of the uphill battle that will be the 114th Congress. Meanwhile, I will hope we’ll see even more down the line, and can reach a time when our human dignity is respected regardless of the words of the President.

Gwen Smith always wants more. You’ll find her on Twitter at @gwenners. 46

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Exciting Career Opportunities! Grow at the LGBT Network and make a difference in the lives of LGBT Long Islanders Open Positions Since 1993, the LGBT Network has been a lifeline to Nassau and Suffolk Counties’ LGBT population, providing education, advocacy, and social support services to our members and their families. Network Circle members provide support for the organizations of the LGBT Network to serve more than 10,000 LGBT annually and operate Long Island’s 3 LGBT community centers and the Q Center: Queens LGBT Community Center, the LGBT Network’s first center in Queens.

Your Membership changes lives. Throughout the year we provide a place for people of all ages to call home when they might not have a supportive family to turn to. Our much-needed educational programming, support services, inclusive social events, and welcoming community centers are some of the main ingredients to providing that safe, comfortable place many people do not find at home.

Your support is vital to our success.

Center Family Project Coordinator (F/T) Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY) has an immediate opening for a Center Family Project Coordinator to oversee the Long Island LGBT Foster Care Project and the delivery of support, advocacy, and social programming for LGBT families. Duties & Responsibilities include: Provide oversight of the Center Family Initiative including the Long Island LGBT Foster Care Project; Provide support services and programs to parents and families; Provide support and advocacy services to couples and individuals interested in becoming parents through surrogacy, insemination, fostering, and adoption; Coordinate and deliver parenting and parenthood planning workshops to current and prospective parents; Coordinate networking opportunities and family play days for LGBT families; other duties as assigned. Qualification Requirements: Bachelors degree required, Masters degree in social work or related field preferred; Minimum of 2 years experience working in the human services field; Commitment to and knowledge of the LGBT community; The ability to respond sensitively to the needs of parents and families; Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.

Community Program Coordinator (F/T) The LGBT Network has an immediate opening for a Community Program Coordinator to play a lead role in coordinating social support, leadership, and educational programming for youth, as well as coordinate and implement major youth events and programs. Duties & responsibilities include: Coordinate and facilitate weekly Friday night youth social and prevention program; Organize and plan youth special events in concert with youth leaders, including but not limited to annual LGBT youth prom and other social and cultural events; Coordinate van transportation schedule for youth programming; Coordinate and facilitate weekly youth leadership development programs; Conduct outreach and promote programs on an ongoing basis, including the continuous recruitment and engagement of youth leaders. Qualification Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree required; Minimum of 1 year experience working in the human services field; Commitment to and knowledge of the LGBT community; Excellent written and oral communication skills; Proficiency with computer skills such as Microsoft Word and Excel; Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.

For full job descriptions and to apply, visit lgbtnetwork.org/careers >> READ MORE AT LIVINGOUTLI.ORG

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