Options Magazine-November 2014

options

November 2014

LGBTQ News, Resources & Events

AIDS Walk for Life pg. 12

FREE Rhode Island’s LGBTQ Community Magazine Since 1982

options

In This Issue:

Rhode Island’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community news source since 1982.

November 2014, Vol. XXXIII, Issue 7

Explore the Great Outdoors with Chiltern Mountain Club pg. 18

Out on the Town pg. 12

An Interview with Wendy Becker pg. 14

New Domestic Violence Support Group pg. 20

4 Letter from the Editor 4 Reject Question 3 5 Your Letters 6 Letter from the Publisher 6 Our Advertisers 7 Adoption Awareness 8 Calendar 10 News Briefs 12 Out on the Town 14 On the Shoulders of Giants 18 Chiltern Mountain Club

20 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 38

Love Shouldn’t Hurt Shopping for Health Insurance ACOS’ Drag Bingo Chick-fil-A Comes to RI Rhode Island Pride Recipe for 7 Nights of Fun Youth Pride Inc. AIDS Project RI SAGE-RI Resources Worth a Look

Home delivery is free! Sign up online at www.optionsri.org or send your name and mailing address to our PO Box. © OPTIONS 2014. Options is published monthly.The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the governing board,volunteers,or staff.Listings are provided as a resource and do not imply endorsement. Submissions to Options must include a phone number or email address. Names may be withheld on request.Submissions,ads,calendar,or resource listings for the December issue must be delivered by November14.

Publisher Kyle McKendall kyle@optionsri.org Editor in Chief Jen Stevens editor@optionsri.org Calendar Editor Samuel Simas info@optionsri.org Resource Editor Myra Shays info@optionsri.org Copy Editors Ryan Anas, Steve Kagan, Elizabeth LaRoque, Maria Phillips, Samuel Simas, Myra Shays Graphic Design Theresa Barzyk Writers Kurt Bagley, Adam Brooks, Joanne Bussiere, Cathy S. Cranston, Christopher Dalpe, Ken Fish, Erin Gargurevich-Gorman, Bradford Greer, Kerri Kanelos, Ethan Kennedy, The Lit Chick, Corey McCarty, Jennifer Porcelli, Kelly A. Scafariello, Samuel Simas, Haley Star, Jen Stevens, Greg Wright Photographers Elvert Barnes, Jennifer Bonin, Ryan Clarke, Jack Hartwein-Sanchez, Finance Director Donny McKendall billing@optionsri.org Subscription Manager Francis Ryan frank@optionsri.org Distribution Coordinator Sean Drury sean@optionsri.org Advertising adver tising@optionsri.org

General Information info@optionsri.org PO Box 6406 Providence, RI 02940 (401) 724-LGBT www.optionsri.org Rhode Island State House Cover Photo by Jennifer Bonin.

Options | November 2014

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From the Editor Dear Reader, We sure are making it hard for “main-streamers” to ignore us these days. As you’ll read in these pages, health insurers, domestic violence prevention advocates, social media giants, fast food chains, electoral candidates, and school committees are paying attention to the specific needs of our mighty minority.

It’s hard to know which factors contribute most to our rising worth in the collective consciousness: LGBTQs living more openly and having money to spend weigh in heavily, but I’d attribute much of this to our organized and persistent insistence that we are equal and deserve to be counted. In Rhode Island alone, one monumental event—the AIDS Walk for Life—has been celebrated annually 29 times now. Last month, in its 18th year, Gay Bingo had a record number of attendees. Pride will be celebrated for the 40th time in Rhode Island next year. And the magazine you hold in your hands has been on Earth almost as long as I have. No one plans to go away any time soon.

My interview with Wendy Becker, one of the most persistent

people I’ve had the pleasure to know, takes us back 20 years to the inception of Youth Pride Inc. and the days when gay activists held protests in the State House rotunda that were so loud, the legislators were afraid to come out of their chambers. You can be sure Wendy will be on the front lines this election day. (So do your part and be sure to vote November 4.)

On the flip side, we received letters from frustrated readers experiencing discrimination from the Blood Bank and within higher education. It’s upsetting that these institutions are lagging behind, but I’m proud to see that we’re sticking up for ourselves, and we have every reason to believe things will get better.

In Solidarity, Jen Stevens

The Ballot Measure

That Could Rollby Ken Back LGBT Rights Fish Gay Activist since 1969

This past August marked the one-year anniversary of Marriage Equality here in Rhode Island. Countless volunteers dedicated endless hours of their time to making samesex marriage a reality in our state. Thousands of phone calls. Thousands of signatures.

Thousands of doors knocked. This was a success story that took decades to unfold, and RI’s LGBTQ community, along with their allies, deserve our gratitude for never giving up on righting a tremendous wrong.

With such a success, one would think that the battle is over. Unfortunately, that may not be the case. Question 3 on the November ballot will ask voters whether or not we should convene a Constitutional Convention (Con Con), an assembly of elected delegates whose purpose is to propose to the voters of Rhode Island amendments or edits to our state constitution. Once convened, the delegates set their own agenda, and it is impossible to predict which issues they would consider.

Those who have fought so hard to have their rights recognized could find their rights, once again, in jeopardy. We are all aware that human rights should never be placed on a ballot, yet that is exactly what could happen if Question 3 is passed. It is imperative that we reject Question 3.

This is not the first time RI voters have faced the question of a Con Con. Our state constitution requires that the question be placed on the ballot every ten years. The last

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Con Con in the nation was held in our state back in 1986. Rhode Islanders were told that convening a Con Con would be their best opportunity to create government reform.

Instead, the convention quickly devolved into what has been referred to as “abortion politics.”

The reproductive rights of women were put at risk by two anti-abortion constitutional amendments. A time-consuming campaign was waged and one of the proposals was ultimately defeated, but at tremendous cost.

Knowing this history, we should expect that the assault on our civil rights will continue, and this time marriage equality will be included.

The passage of broad religious exemptions could severely undermine marriage equality, even if the right itself can’t be taken away.

Campaign finance laws have been changed drastically since the ’86 Con Con, and the battle will be even more expensive. Wealthy special interests would flood our state with campaign contributions in order to make damaging changes to our constitution, and local organizations will find themselves using scarce resources to battle these outside influences. In more recent Con Con battles in both Connecticut and Iowa, marriage equality opponents were the most prominent and well-funded supporters, and we can expect the same here.

RI Pride is an active partner of Citizens for Responsible Government, a diverse coalition of almost 60 organizations that

was formed to oppose the convening of a Con Con. Comprised of a variety of groups, including unions and civil rights organizations, we recognize the significant threat a Con Con poses to our civil rights. We know that our best chance to protect ourselves is to stop a Con Con from convening. We have to act now!

Proponents of a Con Con are using the same arguments for government reform that they used in the past. One of the loudest supporters has been the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity. On page six of a report titled “The Path to a Constitutional Convention,” they write that a Con Con could, “Resolve some thorny cultural issues…” While they do not specify which issues they have in mind, it is probably safe to assume that the rights of our community will be at risk, and may not be limited to marriage equality.

There are those who attempt to invalidate our concerns by accusing us of “fear mongering,” but we know what it’s like to live without equal protections. We know what it’s like to fight for the most basic of rights, and we know that we have more battles ahead.

Of course we should be concerned, and our concerns are based on facts. We cannot afford to lose the ground we have gained.

This November, take the time to vote and protect our rights. Say no to a Constitutional Convention. Reject Question 3! q

Options | November 2014

Your Letters

A

s someone who works in public safety and is gay, I am outraged—and you should be too— by the Food and Drug Administration’s ban on gay and bisexual men from donating blood. The American Red Cross estimates that every two seconds someone needs blood, and according to another recent study, this ban costs hospitals 219,000 pints of blood each year.

The FDA enacted this policy back 1985, saying that there was an increased risk of disease from gay men.The ban still exists, despite the fact that all blood is allegedly screened after being donated. So if it is screened, why keep this policy that could save thousands of lives?

Thousands of members of the gay community, including me, are interested in donating blood and simply would like to save a life.

- Caleb Laieski, Alexandria, VA

L

et me preface the following thoughts: I am not an inclusion specialist, I do not wor k in a multicultural center or union, I do not advise our LGBTQ student group, nor am I a professor of social justice issues, gender equity, or gay rights.

However, as a professional in student affair s in higher education and an openly gay man on my campus, I continually find myself let down by the lack of intentionality in trainings, seminar s, webinar s, and educational sessions at national conferences covering various student issues and higher education topics. From my experience, presenter s and other professionals assume that member s in the LGBTQ community follow the same guidelines and trends as their heterosexual counterpar ts. Or perhaps, even wor se, we ignore the fact entirely that experiences and trends are significantly more severe, or completely not applicable, for students who are member s of the LGBTQ community.

I wor k at a univer sity where meticulous research, experimentation, in-depth analysis, and rhetorical philosophizing will stimulate change. Yet, somehow, change in a practical under standing of culture surrounding the day-to-day lives of LGBTQ individuals is nonexistent. I can read ar ticle after ar ticle in journal after journal discussing queer theor y, best practices of LGBTQ suppor t systems, and LGBTQ histor y, but I tr y to find valuable research about retention and student success: practically nonexistent. What about the trainings for same-gender sexual violence, inter-LGBTQ

Options | November 2014

community bullying on campus, or sexual health programming that is inclusive for LGBTQ students?

I could go on and on.

The fr ustrating piece is that any per son who takes a quick glance at research surrounding the previously mentioned topics will find that people like myself and my students are at a significantly higher risk for facing these problems compared to those students who identify as straight. But, as a well-intentioned higher education professional I sit in trainings, read ar ticles, and watch webinar s. Slowly but surely the terminology changes; the language shifts to she and he, abandoning all intentionality for inclusive language. I then read, listen, or watch a flurr y of heteronormative assumptions and archaic rhetoric. This is the moment that I hate the most, that moment when I want to stand and flip over a table, the moment when I shut down, the moment when I think, “what can I do?” I sit staring blankly, feeling helpless, tr ying to determine my next move.

These students need me. They need a voice.

I have seen many higher education institutions claim to champion diver sity and inclusion, even plastering such “community building” phrases and words across strategic mar keting materials used to recr uit incoming students. Administrator s cling to the written word, the pamphlet, the strategic plan, and the univer sity initiative, all while ignoring the reality of campus climates. The lived experiences of people in marginalized groups are always spoken, but no one is listening. We need to do better.

- John Zajicek, Providence John Zajicek is the Assistant Director of Student Programs & Leadership at Roger Williams University.

Send your letters to: editor@optionsri.org.

Advertise with Options!

Every issue of Options Magazine is mailed free to a dedicated subscriber base. Thousands of additional copies are distributed throughout the state at over 100 distribution locations.

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From the Publisher Last month we watched as the Providence Phoenix printed the last issue of its 36-year-old publication. The closing comes after our state’s largest daily newspaper, The Providence Journal, was purchased in July by GateHouse Media, a newspaper publisher headquartered in New York. In March we watched Media General, which owns NBC 10, purchase LIN Media, owner of WPRI, a merger worth about $1.6 billion in cash and stock.

While Options hasn’t been part of a billion dollar buyout, 2014 has been a year of significant changes for our publication amidst these larger changes on the state’s media landscape.

From new leadership to a redesign with improved paper and print quality, Options is seeing some of the best months we’ve had in years, though it would be a stretch to say that our publication is financially stable and closing our doors is an unimaginable event.The future of Options relies on our ability to bring new advertisers into our publication. We are making great strides; with each issue we publish welcoming new advertisers to our pages. I ask for your help with connecting us to business owners that would consider supporting Options.

There is another simple way to support Options. On November 11, Whole Foods Market Waterman Street is hosting a 5% day that will benefit the LGBTQ community.

Options Magazine and AIDS Care Ocean State will share 5% of the day’s sales. Please make every effort to shop at this Whole Foods Market, located at 261 Waterman Street in Providence, as 5% of your total purchase will be donated to Options and ACOS. Whether you stop in for a coffee, or do a week’s worth of shopping, your purchase will have a huge impact.

We need to keep this momentum going, because without it, I fear that Options Magazine will be making the next major announcement about a change in the local media landscape.

This publication is too important to the LGBTQ community.

We must work together to ensure that Options succeeds.

Onward,

Advertisers in This Issue 22, 25, 31 & 37 AIDS Care Ocean State 16 American Wallpaper & Design Center 33 Bill Hendrickson, Electrician 28 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island 40 Buddy Cianci For Mayor 33 City Kitty 25 The Colosseum 9 Cruise Planners 37 Daigneau Insurance 9 Family Service of Rhode Island 34 Gregory’s Optical 29 High Rocks Condominiums 27 JDHS Photos 34 Jennifer Minuto, Attorney 26 Jennifer Minuto, Musician 35 John D. DaPonte, Mental Health Counselor 26 Marjorie L. Roblin, Mental Health Counselor 17 Patriot Subaru 23 Plumbing by Paul 19 Providence Gay Men’s Chorus 37 Quidnessett Country Club 36 Residential Properties 15 Rhode Island Association of Gay Professionals 25 Rue De L’Espoir 17 Servpro 32 Sawmill Square Apartments 22 The Stable 8 Stephen J. Dennis, Lawyer 23 Town Hall Lanes 2 The Village 21 Yael & Paula, Relationship Coaches Please Donate to Options!

Since 1982, Options has provided the LGBTQ community with news, resources, and event listings.

Please consider making a contribution to help support the cost of printing and mailing.

Kyle McKendall

Checks can be made out to Options Magazine and mailed to PO Box 6404, Providence, RI 02940.

Online donations accepted at www.optionsri.org.

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National Adoption Awareness Month

by Greg Wright, Program Manager, Family Service of Rhode Island

N

ovember is National Adoption Month and it’s the perfect time to remind families there are many children throughout Rhode Island waiting to be adopted. One of the best and most supportive ways to adopt a child is through the foster care system.

Many children in foster care are also available for adoption and are waiting for a nurturing, structured, and loving home, perhaps like yours. At Family Service of Rhode Island, our program recruits, trains, and supports families who have room in their homes and their hearts to provide a stable home for children.

Collaborating with Adoption Rhode Island and the Department of Children,Youth, and Families (DCYF), Family Service of Rhode Island is one of the largest agencies in the state to provide foster care services for children of all ages. While there are children of all ages, there is an urgent need for families who can provide a home for teens between the ages of 12 and17.

criminal records and DCYF background check. Our Foster Parents receive full initial and on-going training and a weekly payment to help support the placement.

The commitment is huge; the rewards are great. For more information, call Greg Wright at the Family Service of RI Treatment Foster Care Program, 331-1350, extension #3305. As part of National Adoption Month, Family Service will be hosting an Information Open House at their office, 134 Thurbers Avenue in Providence on Wednesday, November 19 from 5-6:30pm. For more details, visit our website at www.familyserviceri.org or check us out on Facebook. q

Being a foster care parent is a monumental task and a huge responsibility. That’s why the Family Service of RI Treatment Foster Care Program provides a 24 hour/7 day a week on-call support system, along with a staff of clinicians and family case managers, all working together with the foster family to form a treatment team to help the children and families through the process.

With Family Service of RI, Adoption RI, and DCYF all working together to assist you through the licensing and adoption process, our goal is to make the process as smooth as possible and to give every child the home he or she deserves.

So whether you’re gay or straight, married, partnered, or single, you may be qualified to be a foster care parent with our program.

The initial requirements are simple. You must be 25 years of age, have sufficient income to support your household, and be able to pass a

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Calendar of Events 5% Fundraiser November 11

November Tue. 4 Election Day, polls open 7am-8pm. For more info, and to find your polling location, www.sos.ri.gov/elections.

Wed. 5 Training with Tim R. Johnston PhD of the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, 11:30am-4:00pm. $50.

Healthcentric Advisors, 235 Promenade Street, 5th Floor. Geared toward agencies and professionals concerned with inclusive, safe, and welcoming environments for LGBT older adults. To RSVP or for more info, sageriinfo@gmail.com.

Fri. 7 4th Annual Sojourner House Masquerade Ball fundraiser, 7pm. Featuring the Tropigals and a Frank Sinatra tribute orchestra.

Providence Biltmore Hotel, 11 Dorrance Street. $55-$75. For more info, www.sojournerri.org.

Sat. 8 Chiltern Mountain Club, hiking a four-mile loop on Mts. Belknap and Gunstock in New Hampshire with views of Lake Winnipesaukee. For more info, contact Charlie at charlieg.email@yahoo.com.

Tue. 11 5% Fundraiser for Options Magazine and AIDS Care Ocean State, 8am-9pm. Whole Foods Market, 261 Waterman Street, Providence. 5% of all sales will be donated to the organizations.

Sat. 15 St. Peter’s & St. Andrews Annual Drag Variety Show, 6pm. 25 Pomona Avenue, Providence. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance: 272-9649 or email stpanda25@verizon.net.

Sun. 16 RI Prime Timers, 4:30-7pm. Network for gay and bisexual men 50+. Social, dinner, and meeting. For more info, www. riprimetimers.org or call Steve at 996-3010.

Transgender Day of Remembrance November 20

Wed. 19 Queer Book Club, 7-9:30pm. Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, Providence. Reading: Our Lady of the Flowers by Jean Genet. Discount if book is purchased at Books on the Square. For more info, email queerbookclub@gmail.com.

Thu. 20 Drag Bingo, 6-9pm. Theme: Pie Eating Contest. Riviera Bingo Palace, 1612 Elmwood Avenue, Cranston. $20 gets you in all games with over $2000 in cash and prizes awarded monthly.

Hosted by Kitty Litter and Haley Star. All funds raised benefit AIDS Care Ocean State and AIDS Project RI. Thu. 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil & Resource Fair, 6:30-8:30pm. Temple Beth-El, Providence. For more information, contact Youth Pride Inc. at 421-5626 or Elliott Buelter at ebuelter_8842@email.ric.edu.

Fri. 21 Modern Brides & Modern Grooms by Mark O’Connell, book signing, 7pm. Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, Providence.

Sun. 30 Options Magazine Release Party, 3-6pm. The Stable, 125 Washington Street, Providence. Volunteers needed for distribution.

December Wed. 10 Pride Holiday Party, 7-9:30pm. RI Pride Center, 1005 Main Street #1105, Pawtucket. All are welcome. For more info, info@prideri.com or 467-2130.

Thu. 11-14 Providence Gay Men’s Chorus presents I’ll Be Home With Bells On,Thu.-Sat. 7-9pm, Sun. 4pm. Beneficent Congregational Church, 300 Weybosset Street, Providence. For tickets or more info, visit www.provgmc.org.

Thu. 13-23 Avenue Q, 7:30pm. University of Rhode Island Fine Arts Center, 105 Upper College Road, Kingston. Tony Award winning musical. For tickets or more information, www.events.uri. edu/event/uri_theatre_avenue_q.

Mon. 17-21 University of Rhode Island LGBTQ Center, Trans* Awareness Week. For more information, www.web.uri.edu/gendersexuality.

Wed. 19 Family Service of Rhode Island Foster Care Program, National Adoption Month open house, 5-6:30pm. 134 Thurbers Avenue, Providence. For more information, 331-1350, ext. 3305.

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Options | November 2014

Calendar of Events Pride Holiday Party December 10

Gay Men’s Chorus December 11-14

Sun. 14 RI Prime Timers, 4:30-7pm. Network for gay and bisexual men 50+. Social, dinner, and meeting. For more info, www. riprimetimers.org or call Steve at 996-3010.

Sun. 28 Options Magazine Release Party, 3-6pm. The Stable, 125 Washington Street, Providence, RI. Volunteers needed for distribution.

Wed. 17 Queer Book Club, 7-9:30pm. Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, Providence. Reading: Patience and Sarah by Isabel Miller. Discount if book is purchased at Books on the Square. For book selection and more info, email queerbookclub@gmail.com.

Regularly Scheduled Support Groups: ACOS (youth): Tue. 4pm, (gay males): Wed. 1:30pm Alcoholics Anonymous (LGBT Group): Tue. 7pm COLAGE (children of LGBTs): 3rd Sat. 10:30am Sojourner House (domestic violence): Wed. 6pm PFLAG (parents, friends, allies): 1st Wed. 6:45pm TGI Network (trans*): 1st & 3rd Tue. & Sat. 7pm TransFamily New England: 2nd Mon. 6:30pm Youth Pride Inc. Way Out:: Thu. 4pm Youth Pride Inc. Gender Spectrum: Tue. 4pm

Thu. 18 Drag Bingo, 6-9pm. Theme: Martha Stewart Craft Bingo.

Riviera Bingo Palace, 1612 Elmwood Avenue, Cranston. $20 gets you in all games with over $2000 in cash and prizes awarded monthly. Hosted by Kitty Litter and Haley Star. All funds raised benefit AIDS Care Ocean State and AIDS Project RI.

See Resources on page 31 for more info.

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News Briefs

by Adam Brooks with Joanne Bussiere and Bradford Greer

Cathy Cranston

RI LGBT Groups See Staffing Changes

October brought many leadership changes to local LGBT-based groups.

At their 2014 annual meeting, LGBT advocate group SAGE-RI announced that Cathy Cranston would become the group’s first ever Executive Director. In this position, Cathy will focus on the group’s organization, community outreach, and fundraising, in order to ensure the longlasting impact of its members.

After celebrating four years of service working as the Executive Director of AIDS Project Rhode Island (APRI), Thomas Bertrand has recently started working for the Rhode Island Department of Health as the Chief of the Office of HIV, STDs, Viral Hepatitis, and TB. In his time at APRI, Bertrand helped to establish the New England Alliance for Gay/Bisexual Men’s Health, and the “Take Charge Get Tested” HIV testing campaign.

Youth Pride Inc. celebrates the success of two of its members this month.

Elana Rosenberg, YPI’s Gay/Straight Alliance and Programming Coordinator of five years, has taken the position of Senior Project Manager of Expanded Learning at the United Way. Additionally, Kristen Pfeiffer, YPI’s HIV Prevention & Sexual Health Program Coordinator, is starting a position as the Project Director with Dr. Phil Chan at The Miriam Hospital. YPI is currently looking for new candidates to fill the shoes of these two accomplished staff members.

Facebook Apologizes to LGBT Community

After causing an uproar in the last few months by requiring users to use only their legally given birth names on their personal profiles, Facebook sent out an apology to members of the

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LGBT community who were affected by the policy. When members of the community, specifically drag queens and transgender individuals, spoke out about the importance of pseudonyms, stage names, nicknames, and preferred names to one’s legal name, Facebook decided to back down on its new policy. Chris Cox, Facebook’s chief product officer, issued a public apology, saying, “Our policy has never been to require everyone on Facebook to use their legal name. The spirit of our policy is that everyone on Facebook uses the authentic name they use in real life. For Sister Roma, that’s Sister Roma. For Lil Miss Hot Mess, that’s Lil Miss Hot Mess. Part of what’s been so difficult about this conversation is that we support both of these individuals, and so many others affected by this, completely and utterly in how they use Facebook.”

GLAD Sues SSA for Denying Survivor Benefits to Disabled Widow

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed a lawsuit last month against the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island over unlawfully denying survivor benefits to resident Deborah Tevyaw, after the death of her wife, Patricia Baker. Deborah, now 56 and unable to work due to a disability, married Pat in 2005 and lost her wife to lung cancer in August of 2011.

Despite Deb’s legal marriage to Pat, the SSA refused to provide Deb disabled widow’s benefits and a lump sum death payment in 2012, citing the Defense of Marriage Act. Because of this refusal, Deb had to live on a monthly disability income of $723, which forced her to sell her home of 38 years. “I’ve lost my wife and my best friend, and Social Security has made that so much worse by telling me that in their eyes, I was not Pat’s wife,” said Deb. “Not only is that hurtful and insulting, it has meant that I am living in poverty. I am not looking for a handout;

this is money that Pat earned through hard work.” With any luck, now that DOMA has been ruled unconstitutional, GLAD’s lawsuit will eventually mean the financial security that Deborah deserves after facing such a tragic loss.

Supreme Court Rejects Five Appeals to Prohibit Gay Marriage

Last month, the Supreme Court turned down appeals seeking to prohibit same-sex marriage from Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

At press time the courts were still waiting to hear rulings on appeals from Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

This will bring the total number of states to allow same-sex marriage to over 30, not including the District of Columbia. In order for these cases to make it to the Supreme Court, four of the nine justices must vote to hear the case. To determine a ruling, five or more must come to a consensus. Two lesser federal appeals courts in Cincinnati and San Francisco are preparing to make decisions on gay marriage rulings for Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Westerly School Committee Plans to Adopt Policy for Transgender Students

The School Committee in Westerly, Rhode Island is in talks to adopt a policy that would prohibit discrimination against transgender or gender nonconforming students. This policy would allow transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender with which they most identify.

This policy, which is still undergoing deliberation is being set in place in order to reduce the criticism of transgender and gender non-conforming students and

Options | November 2014

News Briefs to allow for a safer and more productive learning environment. “Schools may maintain separate restroom, locker room, or changing facilities for male and female students, provided that they allow students to access them based on their gender identity,” the policy states. And “under no circumstances” will students be required to use “sexsegregated facilities that are inconsistent with their gender identity,” the policy states. Superintendent Roy Seitsinger Jr. states, “As a district we are expected to strike the appropriate balance between maintaining order and ensuring that all students’, including transgender students’, individual rights are respected and protected.”

Las Vegas Goes All-In for Gay Weddings

Last month, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the samesex marriage ban in Nevada, making it the 32nd state to legalize gay marriage.

As of October 8, LGBT couples visiting Las Vegas could tie the knot. Said Nevada tourism officials, “This is a historic day for Las Vegas and the great state of Nevada.

As the ‘Wedding Capital of the World’ and one of the top destinations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender visitors, Las

Fire Fighters Sue Cianci Over Forced Pride Parade Participation

Providence Mayoral candidate Vincent “Buddy” Cianci is currently being sued for constitutional violations in a complaint filed by two Providence firefighters who objected to being ordered to drive a fire truck in the 2001 Pride Parade. Parade organizers had requested that a fire truck be part of the parade, and Mayor Cianci directed the Fire Department to participate.Then Fire Chief James Rattigan assigned the nearest engine company, Engine 7 on North Main Street, to the parade. The two firefighters assigned to the truck objected on moral, ethical, and religious grounds. Chief Rattigan ordered them to participate. Mr. Cianci stated: “Our policy was to send a fire truck to any parade that made a request if one was available and the truck’s participation did not compromise public safety.

Why should the Gay Pride Parade be any different than the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Purim Parade or any parade in Providence? It shouldn’t and it wasn’t.”

welcome gay people, unmarried couples, divorcees, and children of those less traditional families. The 12-page report does not revoke the traditional church teachings on the sacrament of marriage or communion, but did say that there are “positive aspects of civil unions and cohabitation.”

The document was read to almost

200 priests, bishops, and lay-people gathered at the Synod. It pits Pope Francis’ vision to “respect the dignity of every person” against those who insist this new openness is too far from the traditional papal teachings of Catholic values. Conservative Cardinal Raymond Burke says, “A large number of the Bishops do not accept the ideas of openness.” He is concerned that many in the Synod are “supporting the possibility of adopting a practice that deviates from the truth of the faith.” The report will be discussed and modified by working groups of bishops and a final version will be released over the next year. q

What’s the Story with Deville’s?

Vegas welcomes LGBT couples wishing to legally recognize their relationship.

There is simply no better destination to host a fabulous wedding followed by a one-of-a-kind honeymoon.” Earlier this year Las Vegas tourism released a “What Happens Here, Stays Here” television commercial targeted specifically to gay and bisexual men, airing on Bravo and Logo TV. Tourism experts are now expecting the almost 100,000 marriage licenses issued yearly in Las Vegas, to almost double with this new legalization.

Options | November 2014

Gina Bartolomucci, owner of Deville’s--a Providence lesbian bar--opened the first of four locations 25 years ago. Her South Water Street location closed on June 30.

During the interim, Olive’s Restaurant & Bar hosted Deville’s for the month of September. Bartolomucci is seeking a new location and plans to reopen before the end of the year.

Vatican Considers a Change of Heart

“Gay people have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community,” say an assembly of Roman Catholic Bishops convened by Pope Francis at the Vatican. In a preliminary document the bishops called for the church to

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OUT

ACOS benefit with Joslyn Fox at The Colosseum RCSL Ocean State Cup Classic 29th Annual AIDS Walk for Life Photos by Jack Hartwein-Sanchez

On the Town 12

Options | November 2014

OUT on the Town

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“On the Shoulders of Giants”

An Interview with Wendy Becker

by Jen Stevens

remember being impressed by lots of activists like Derek Livingston, Julie Smith, Julie Pell, and Nancy Rose. And of course Rodney Davis, Kate Monteiro,Tina Wood, and Sally Hay are inspirational for the work they’ve done for so many years. I also remember people like Diane Cook, Jonathan Lubin, and Dorcy Baker who were fighting for equality years before I was.

O: In 1992, recognizing a critical need, you created a weekly support group for LGBTQ youth, which resulted in the founding of Youth Pride Inc. How would you describe YPI’s evolution and what are you most proud of?

Judy McDonnell, Wendy Becker, Nancy Rose, and Lise Iwon watch the Wizard of Oz banner unfurl.

Options: Where did you grow up?

Wendy: I grew up in Livingston, NJ— about a half hour outside New York City.

O: What kept you in Rhode Island?

W: College and then community. I stayed because I have built an extended family that I love.

O: Do you have a coming out story you’d like to share?

W: I came out in college and for me it was really about feminist activism. I was part of a college community that was full of fabulous, political women; we engaged in pretty intense discussions about sexuality and feminism and race and class. We were all coming out at about the same time so it was exhilarating and scary and pretty great. We created a mostly lesbian feminist activist group that still meets today—30 years later.

O: You graduated from Brown, Boston University, and Northeastern University with a BA, MSW, and Ph.D. respectively.

What experiences led you to pursue an education in social work?

W: I was an activist—anti-nuke, peace, anti-violence against women, LGBT (going to Pride marches when people wore paper bags over their heads). A woman I volunteered with at a battered women’s shelter had a Master’s in Social

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Work. I remember thinking that she got paid to empower women and end sexism--seemed like the right profession.

I was a social worker for about fifteen years and started teaching at RIC while at Youth Pride. I went back to school to get my Ph.D. so I could teach full time.

O: As a Rhode Island College professor of social work, what do you see as the biggest challenge your students face?

W: Many struggle financially. It is difficult to do your best work if you have to hold three jobs in order to pay for school and rent and food.

O: Imagine you had the power to write and enact any statewide law tomorrow.

What would it be?

W: I can’t choose one but here are some: 1) outlaw racial profiling; 2) make higher education free; 3) increase the minimum wage; 4) eliminate voter ID; 5) tax the wealthy at higher rates.

O: Were there leaders in the RI LGBT community who brought you into the fold and inspired your activism?

W: I am inspired by all the people I know who worked on the civil rights bill, youth equality issues, marriage equality, and trans equality and who put out Options and put on the Pride March. Back in the early 80s when I was starting out, I

W: I was working at the YWCA when the Director of the Samaritans asked if we knew of any services for gay and lesbian youth. They were getting a lot of calls on their suicide-prevention hotline and didn’t know where to send people. We decided to start a group in Providence and began advertising in the fall of 1982. We had our first meeting of four young people during a snowstorm in Providence. Ann-Marie Harrington and I, along with an amazing group of young people—many of whom are community leaders today—grew the support group into a social service and advocacy organization serving hundreds of young people yearly. I am proud that what was most important to us as an organization—developing strong, confident leaders while working to create social change—is still the mission of Youth Pride.

O: Were you present for the infamous State House riots over the defeated civil rights bill in 1993? If so, please describe that scene!

W: One of the best days of my life. Really.

Our anger was so genuine and justified and to have a group of people to share it with is what political activism is all about. To be chanting in unison for hours while the entire legislature was scared to come out of their chambers still makes me smile. Imagine that. We were so loud and “scary” that they locked themselves in while we had pizzas delivered to the rotunda. Those years were full of fun moments of political theater—dropping

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GLAD’s one-year anniversary celebration of marriage equality in Rhode Island.

manure off at a legislator’s business (he was full of crap), holding street protests dressed as puppets (of leadership). I remember our plan to have Derek Livingston suspend himself over the House Chamber in a harness. We were a bit nuts. And it was great.

O: You and your wife, Mary Norton, represented Rhode Island as plaintiffs in the high-profile 2006 lawsuit to allow out-ofstate same-sex couples to wed in Massachusetts. How did you prepare for the case, and what stands out about the experience?

W: Regarding preparation, GLAD gave us lots of media training.

Basically, they had to teach me to be slightly less political in my answers and focus more on love and family. I was so pissed that people thought we would destroy the fabric of society that it was a little hard to talk about how much I love Mary and my kids. I just wanted to talk about how unfair it was to institutionalize discrimination and how morally bankrupt the opposition was. [GLAD] didn’t think that would go over as well.

One thing that stands out for me was when the bishop went after us personally. When we won the case, he wrote a letter to the Providence Journal about our “morally objectionable” family, and specifically mentioned our kids. That made me really angry, and it still does. I can’t believe people think he has the moral authority to lead. A wonderful thing about being part of the lawsuit was getting emails at work from people all over the country who read about us in their daily paper and wanted to offer support. It was really cool being part of a national movement.

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O: You were a key strategist throughout the fight for marriage equality in Rhode Island. Looking back, what were some of your proudest moments during the campaign?

W: I would not describe myself as a key strategist at all. But I have three moments that stand out to me. The first was the fabulous banner that Kelly Smith drew of the Wizard of Oz when we called out the Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, and the Governor (if you only had a heart, only had a brain, only had the courage, you’d pass marriage equality). Kelly’s work was fantastic and the moment [the banner was dropped in the House chamber] was well-covered with a giant picture on the front page of the Journal. Another favorite moment was when Gordon Fox came out during a Valentine’s Day rally. It

Welcoming LGBT professionals and their friends

A membership organization focused on: • Shared Member Contact Information • Professional Networking • Philanthropic Causes • Member Benefits

For more information, please contact: Phil Laffey at 401-727-4100, visit RI AGP on Facebook or email us at info@riagp.com

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was unexpected, emotional, and beautiful.

And I loved all the times Frank Ferri spoke on the House floor. He made me cry a few times. Oh, and then there was the giant wedding cake that students busted out of and the individual wedding cakes delivered to the Legislative Committee hearing the bill. And of course, passage.

The votes and speeches in both chambers were fantastic.

O: Your frequent testimony at State House hearings could be described as frank, personal, intelligent, unabashed, and convincing. When preparing testimony, would you start fresh or work with testimony from your last hearing? And about how many times have you testified?

W: First of all, thanks. I completely obsess over it trying to get the right tone. I am often so angry writing it that it’s hard not to be a jerk. Some years I was more angry than others and I’d have to rewrite a lot of times to take out much of the vitriol and sarcasm. I often referred to previous years but tried to change it up each time. On LGBTQ stuff, I’ve testified for twenty-five years or more. Don’t really know how many times but tried

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hard to never miss it. And I liked to stay as long as I could stay awake.

O: At a rally or event, you’re often cheering the loudest when you support a statement, and in a meeting you’re quick to speak up if you disagree with what’s being said. Is there a trick to maintaining energy while standing by one’s convictions?

W: I guess I get energy by engaging— cheering, arguing, discussing. But I am too quick to open my mouth, and way too self-righteous.

O: Do you think there was anything we could or should have done to achieve equal marriage ahead of 2013?

W: I think we should have worked harder against Governor Carcieri’s election. We didn’t focus enough energy on organizing the LGBTQ community against him and we paid the price. Once he was in, I think we could have been more confrontational. I had a hard time being as nice as I think we were.

O: You volunteer for candidates in every election cycle. Who are you supporting November 4th, and why should voters

head to the polls?

W: This is a tough election for me given the choices. I wish I could be voting for Frank Ferri. But I will be supporting the most progressive candidate in every race, and that includes a lot of women and Seth Magaziner. Why should people vote?

I know Options readers are beyond this question. We’ll use our collective voice to send the smartest and most forwardthinking women and men to our State House.

O: Is there a phrase or quote which best explains your personal philosophy?

W: Cornell West said, “Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public.”

Love that. q On the Shoulders of Giants is an ongoing series showcasing those who have dedicated decades to furthering LGBTQ equality in RI and have made major contributions to our community’s shared history and victories. This is the eighth interview in the series.

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Chiltern Mountain

Club

by Kelly Scafariello

T

he year was 1977 and a gentleman by the name of Sturgis Haskins had recently moved to Boston from the great State of Maine. Haskins, a gay man, was looking to meet new people within the community who shared his passion for the outdoors. He took it upon himself to put an ad in the Gay Community News announcing a time and date to meet at the gates of Boston’s Public Garden for anyone interested in climbing Mt. Wachusett for the day. The ad proved to be unsuccessful as no one showed up. A disappointed Haskins did not give up. He gave it another shot the following spring with a new date and time.

This time, around ten individuals showed up for the hike.

That hike was so successful that other outdoor activities soon followed. Haskins teamed up with Bliss Woodruff, whom he knew through his involvement with the Boston Unitarian-Universalist Gays and Lesbians (BUUGL). Both men were supported by BUUGL, which became a sponsor for the club. More member interest soon followed (around 100

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by Kelly A. Scafariello people) and more trips. Over the next few years, the club went hiking up Mt. Monadnock, took cabin trips to Maine, and enjoyed skiing and skating trips. As the club’s success grew and new ads to market the club were submitted, Haskins knew he needed a name for the club.

He looked through a cottage directory of Maine and saw the name Chiltern.

He valued the story about the Chiltern cottage, which was built by Edgar Scott.

Scott’s son was reportedly gay and was killed in WWII. Haskins thought the name had a “nice ring.” Thus began the

official era of the Chiltern Mountain Club (CMC).

Today, the CMC is a fully functioning “volunteer, non-profit, outdoor recreation and sports club sponsored by its gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, and gayfriendly members.” CMC’s goals haven’t changed much since the 1970s. Based on the club’s bylaws, the goals for CMC are “to provide active, group outdoor recreational opportunities for its members; to inform members of activities and outings; to encourage among its members an appreciation for the natural environment; to encourage responsibility and safety among its members; and to provide opportunities for fellowship and group interaction among a broad membership drawn from various communities of gay men and gay women, their friends, and other persons wishing to associate with them.”

Board member Josiah Richards finds this club to be a very special one.

He appreciates the unique opportunity CMC provides its members. CMC is yearround and he stresses the club’s “safe and

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judgment-free zone,” which is afforded to all members looking to “enjoy the great outdoors New England has to offer.” CMC offers various activities from urban strolls, kayaking, and cycling to strenuous White Mountain hikes.

The activities are run by volunteer trip leaders.

The CMC welcomes the membership of the queer community, its straight allies, friends, and family over the age of 18. New members can join in on the fun by paying a membership fee of $20 for the year. Currently, the club’s membership is roughly 75% male, 22% female, and the remaining three percent are either transgender or have not disclosed their gender identities.

The majority of members are between the ages of 35-55 years of age.

Interested, but still not sure if this club is for you? Just take a look at how CMC impacted one member: Bruce F.

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said, “I found Chiltern was a safe place to come to as I was going through the process of accepting my gay identity and therefore my identity, period.

Chiltern is a place to meet and hang out with others who share a common bond of life.”

Richards shared a similar sentiment about the connections made by doing something you love. He first learned about CMC at Boston Pride in 2006, but did not initially attend an event until a few years later. Richards explained, “My first event was trail maintenance in the White Mountains. It turned out I knew or had connections with others who were there, and had wondered why I hadn’t joined sooner. I have been a member ever since.”

The CMC is in full swing for the fall season. If you are interested in hiking on Saturday, November 8, the club will be hiking two summits in New Hampshire:

Mts. Belknap and Gunstock. This will be a four-mile loop that showcases the amazing views of Lake Winnipesaukee.

For more details, please contact Charlie at charlieg.email@yahoo.com.

To learn more about the Chiltern Mountain Club’s membership, upcoming events, and the “36-year history that has left a legacy that continues to shape the outdoor queer community,” visit their website at www. chiltern.org. q Some quotations and information for this story were taken from the Chiltern Mountain Club website, www.chiltern.org, with particular credit to Robert Mack for historical information.

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Love Shouldn’t Hurt: Sojourner House’s New, Confidential Support Program

by Erin Gargurevich-Gorman

S

ojourner House has begun a new support group called Keep It R.E.A.L. (Respect. Empower. And. Love). It began October 15 and aims to provide a safe space, advocacy, and information relevant to the unique experiences of LGBTQ-identified people who have experienced intimate partner violence or dating abuse. It is our goal to provide emotional support to LGBTQ victims

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and survivors who are still dealing with the lingering effects of those experiences, and to encourage them to begin thinking seriously about what they need and want out of future relationships.

In 1976, a small group of women— Providence community members and Brown University students—came together to discuss a topic rarely mentioned in public: domestic violence.

It was a private issue, one that almost never left home, but the group decided that breaking the silence was the only way to end domestic abuse. Those early meetings led to grassroots activism and thus Sojourner House and the antidomestic violence movement in Rhode Island was born.

For the past 38 years, Sojourner House has allowed its clients to shape

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resources. At times I’ve even seen some resistance to stories told (a.k.a realities lived) by LGBTQ victims of intimate partner violence. For me, working at Sojourner House has been a source of strength. It has been a place where I was able to find acceptance and validation from others and from myself for many things that I struggled with for a long time. Remember: domestic abuse is not about the violence itself. It is about power and control, which are two things that no one should be forced to surrender. Sojourner House has given me hope that LGBTQ victims will begin to break their silence because there is a place that is committed to supporting them in doing so. q Sojourner House is a comprehensive domestic violence agency committed to providing culturally sensitive support, advocacy, safety, and respect to victims and survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence. We provide drop-in and residential services, a domestic violence hotline, support groups and healthy relationship/empowerment workshops, rapid HIV testing, teen dating violence prevention, and community education and training.

Join us November 7th for our annual Masquerade Ball fundraiser.

For more information or services, visit www.sojournerri.org, or call (401) 861-6191 or (401) 765-3232

the services it provides to victims and survivors of domestic violence. Beginning in the late 1980s Sojourner House began to offer culture-specific/sensitive programming to meet the needs of particularly marginalized communities. In 1995 the organization began Rhode Island’s first Lesbian Advocacy Program, and in 2003 started its Gay Advocacy Program, both of which were born out of an obvious need to create accessibility to services, and to provide culturally appropriate advocacy for victims of same-sex domestic abuse. Although both of these initiatives were relatively short-lived, the LGBTQ community’s need for these services has not changed, and Sojourner House has not forgotten that.

Recent national surveys show that LGBTQ people are, in fact, just as susceptible to experiencing violence by an intimate partner, regardless of gender. Most victims of domestic violence feel a mixture of fear and shame, though victims in same-sex relationships often experience additional guilt worrying that disclosure could harm perceptions of the LGBTQ community, so the victim is more likely to stay quiet. As we all know: the longer we are silent, the bigger the problem becomes.

As a Caucasian woman born to a middle-class family in the United States, it is no surprise that I’m familiar with a world where myths that maintain social inequalities are unspoken but generally accepted without question. However, as a Latina woman who identifies as both an abuse survivor and a member of the LGBTQ community, I have seen firsthand the lack of inclusivity or understanding to provide the appropriate

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Get Ready to Shop for

Something Different This Fall

by Corey McCarty for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

W

e shop for a lot of things in our lives – groceries, clothes, cars, and vacations, to name a few – but health insurance isn’t a purchase we typically think much about. However, there are now a variety of ways you can buy health insurance if you don’t receive it through your employer. Understanding these options will help you make the choice that’s right for you.

Starting November 15, individuals and families can connect to the state’s health benefits exchange, known as HealthSource RI. The exchange provides people with the ability to make sideby-side comparisons about their health insurance options and receive tax credits if they are eligible for them. Take your time choosing a plan and make sure to weigh all of your options.

Consider deductibles, monthly premiums, co-pays, and out-ofpocket maximums in order to choose a plan that best fits your needs. Remember: you can’t be denied care due to your gender identity, for being in a same-sex relationship, for having HIV/ AIDS, or any other pre-existing condition.

The upcoming open enrollment period to sign up for coverage starts November 15 and ends January 15, 2015.

October is also an important time for seniors, as it marks the beginning of the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which runs from October 15 - December 7. AEP is the one time each year when seniors can make changes to their Medicare coverage. It’s important to remember that the opening of HealthSource RI will have no impact on Medicare beneficiaries.

They can still get Medicare the same way they have in the past and will not need to use the exchange.

Take a look at these informative websites to learn more:

• Healthcare.gov • BCBSRI.com/HealthcareReform • Kaiser Family Foundation on Health

Reform: kff.org/health-reform.

• Healthsourceri.com q

You can visit HealthSourceRI.com to get started, but it’s important to know that the service is more than just a website.

Connect with a HealthSource RI “navigator” who can walk you through the steps by visiting them in person at their customer service center at 70 Royal Little Drive in Providence, or by calling 222-5192.

Just as you might have done in the past, you can still purchase coverage directly from an insurance company. Many insurers, such as Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, allow you to not only call them and visit their websites for information, but to also stop by their customer service centers or retail locations.

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Options | November 2014

18 Years

of Daubers, Jackpots, and HIV/AIDS Support

by Christopher Dalpe for AIDS Care Ocean State

There is a lot of history in the Riviera Bingo Palace in Cranston. No, I’m not talking about the wood paneling, the fluorescent lights or even the fact that it used to be the hopping place to disco in the 70’s. The history I’m talking about is the years of HIV/ AIDS advocacy and support the LGBTQI community and its allies have championed within that hall. I’m talking about the past 18 seasons of monthly Bingo. I’m talking about the hundreds of businesses and organizations that have made Bingo possible and the thousands of people who have donated, tabled, or played.

When many individuals affected by HIV/AIDS in the 1990s were not receiving adequate comprehensive care, the LGBTQIA community took it upon itself to make a difference in their lives. And thus, Cranston joined the list of cities, including Seattle, San Francisco, Austin, and Philadelphia, to name but a few, that started hosting Gay/Drag/ Queer Bingo in response to the epidemic.

The first Rhode Island Bingo was started in December 1997 by Chris Butler, Executive Director of AIDS Project RI (APRI). The torch was later passed on to Stephen Hartley, Development Director at AIDS Care Ocean State (ACOS), and Bingo has continued to raise essential funds for ACOS and APRI’s programs and services for almost 18 years.

“We all have our stories. We all have our reasons to be here,” said Jen Bonin,

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photographer and community advocate, who frequently volunteers her time to charitable causes like Drag Bingo. I think about those words at every event I attend.

It’s been just over a year since I first walked into the Riviera. I had lived in Rhode Island for only a month, never played a game of Bingo in my life, and had just learned a week prior that my boss was not only the Development Director of ACOS, but also the infamous Drag Diva of Providence, Miss Kitty Litter. I was there to help manage the funds raised, but when I first saw the 500 individuals standing up with their daubers held high and reciting the oath spoken by the Bingo Pope, I realized this wasn’t just a fundraiser – it is a pillar of our community. Drag Bingo is for everyone. Though it’s advertised as “not your grandma’s bingo,” it’s cool; she can come too. That’s what this whole shebang is about: coming together, being surrounded by friends, family, and peers; and raising money for HIV/AIDS services.

ACOS prides itself on being located in the areas where it is needed most and in the lives of the people who need it most. Drag Bingo allows these services to continue and grow, and to better meet the needs of the community. It is part of the ACOS mission to adapt to these needs as they change. ACOS addresses the challenges that face each and every one of its clients, whether someone needs to get tested for HIV or HEP C, get

connected to resources, find a home, get to their doctor appointments, receive food assistance, or find a supportive environment to talk about HIV/AIDS. ACOS serves as that hub. It assists people in getting these basic needs met and to manage HIV/AIDS in their lives.

As Drag Bingo continues to grow, reaches out, and makes history in Rhode Island, it is important to recognize the role it has played and continues to play in supporting those with HIV/AIDS. To learn more about Drag Bingo and the ACOS programs it supports, please visit www.aidscareos.org.q AIDS Care Ocean State provides comprehensive AIDS service, supportive housing, emergency funds, and a Speakers Bureau.

Located at 18 Parkis Avenue, Providence. (401) 521-3603. Appointments: (401) 781-0665. www.aidscareoceanstate.org.

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Photo by Elvert Barnes

Chick-fil-A Comes to Rhode Island T

he beloved Southern fast food chain Chick-fil-A has been serving up what the late COO Dan Cathy considered the “filet mignon” of chicken sandwiches since its inception in 1946. The chain’s growing popularity allowed it to expand its franchise to over 1,700 restaurants worldwide including here in Rhode Island this past September. The new Warwick location has created 70 job opportunities and has generated a great deal of excitement throughout the state. Aside from the chicken, the chain is also widely recognized for its recent controversy. Dan Cathy was under fire for making very public statements in opposition to same-sex marriage and was also known to use corporate funds to support anti-gay organizations. Consequently, LGBT people protested at Chick-fil-A locations throughout the United States. Shortly thereafter the chain stopped funding all but one of the anti-gay organizations previously supported, and 2012 tax filings confirmed this.

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by Jennifer Porcelli

The opening of the first Chick-fil-A in Rhode Island has sparked some heated debates within the LGBT community and allies, as many still believe that a boycott is necessary. Openly gay Rhode Island resident Steve Isherwood offered up an interesting perspective on the matter after being criticized on social media. Steve has been diagnosed with cancer and has endured a few very difficult months. When he heard Chick-fil-A was offering a year’s worth of free meals to the first 100 customers, he was determined to win. “I’m home almost all the time by myself during the week, so when I saw the contest I figured, what the heck—I’ll give it a shot. I need a challenge right now, and that’s why I went down,” Steve explains. In order to receive the prize, the contestants are required to camp out overnight to participate in pre-grand opening events. Although this may seem like a simple challenge to most, pulling an all-nighter outside in early September was a feat for Steve, who continuously updated supportive friends using his Facebook page. As soon as his posts began, he immediately

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received backlash and criticism. People were angered by the fact that a gay man would show any type of support toward a restaurant that clearly opposes the gay community. Steve feels that this is simply not the case and offered to shed some light on the situation in hopes that boycotters will be able to gain insight on the bigger picture.

Steve’s first encounter with Chick-fil-A had been through a friend who owns a franchise in Corona, California. “My friend has been an owner of the restaurant for eight or ten years. He’s straight, married, has kids, and is very religious,” Steve explained. “He told me that in all his years as an owner they never had a problem with serving or hiring gay people—it was a non-issue.” Steve believes the mass boycotts of Chick-fil-A in 2012 have already served their purpose. “Within months of the boycotts, the company realized they made a mistake and they changed their corporate policies and added homosexuals to their non-discrimination policy. They also stopped using corporate funds to support anti-gay nonprofit organizations.” Steve used this argument to defend himself against dozens of people criticizing him on Facebook, to which he received the response that Chick-fil-A should have made these changes public knowledge.

buy Coors even though the boycotts worked.”

As for the brand new Chick-fil-A here in Warwick, Steve recounts his experience as nothing but positive. From the friendly and diverse staff to the quality of the food, he felt it was a strong opening for the restaurant. Whether or not people decided to shun the restaurant is ultimately their own choice. For Steve Isherwood, he will continue to chronicle the facts of the Chick-fil-A controversy as he enjoys a year’s worth of free meals. q

The chain did in fact publicly announce the changes in 2012, shortly after the comments were made in June that year. Although Dan Cathy never admitted the changes were implemented as a result of the boycotts, it is obvious the protests against the company did have an impact. Steve believes that there is a direct correlation between the two and doesn’t see the point in prolonging a protest.

“It’s just like Coors Beer. Many years ago there was a boycott against the company due to LGBT discrimination allegations and as a result they changed their policy. There are still people out there who won’t

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Rhode Island Pride

by Kurt Bagley

For RI Pride, autumn is the time of year when we focus on our infrastructure and lay the groundwork for the following year. There is plenty to do if you are interested in getting involved. The Pride Events Committee meets regularly and planning for various fundraisers and programs over the winter months will keep volunteers engaged. Gallery Q, Rhode Island Pride’s arts and culture offering, is expected to return in January as a new winter program, featuring fabulous art works on display from local LGBTQ artists and an evening program/lecture series, including a showing and discussion of the film TransJourney, which premiered recently at the RI International Film Festival. Planning for the Goddess Show, a celebration of women artists, will also be under way as we put together a showcase of great women musicians, poets, and performers for this annual March event. And you don’t want to miss out on a myriad of fundraisers

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being put together by our Triple Crown Titleholders: Mr. Gay, Miss Gay, and Ms. Lesbian RI. There are multiple ways to get involved during our “off-season” – send an email to info@prideri.com if you are interested in knowing more or getting involved.

November 4 is Election Day and we are advising our supporters to vote No on Question 3, which asks if Rhode Island should hold a Constitutional Convention. Because outside interests can spend unlimited money to elect delegates to do their bidding, Constitutional Conventions are particularly dangerous for minority groups, as civil rights often end up on the chopping block. To learn more about the issue, visit www.rejectquestion3. com.

A new board of directors was elected at our Annual Meeting on October 29, marking the one-year anniversary of my stepping into the role of President. As I begin the second year of my term, I am thrilled at how successful the past year has been, in no small part due to the commitment and heart of our core group of volunteers and board members. From the Goddess Show, to the Triple Crown Pageant, to the Countdown to Pride and PrideFest itself, I hope you all will agree that this organization has continued strongly on the well-laid path set by my predecessor. It is my hope to continue to build on the organizational success of the past year – maintaining the high level of corporate sponsorship for the

festival, which in 2014 was double our 2013 commitments; continuing our collaboration with Options Magazine to produce the Annual Pride Guide; sharing our office space with Options and the RI LGBTQ Center as we work together towards a shared space for all; and most importantly, keeping our organization firmly in the black financially so that we can continue to bring our community together through this great work.

I hope you will keep all of this in mind as we launch our Annual Appeal campaign later this month. Direct giving from individuals has been one of the weaknesses of RI Pride, dropping steadily since the market crash in 2008.

As we end 2014, I hope members of our community will consider personal gifts to Pride, which when matched with our fundraising events, corporate sponsorship, and grant support, will put us on a firm path to a most incredible 40th Anniversary in 2016. Make sure you’ve liked us on Facebook, or stay tuned to our website and eNews as we launch our annual appeal in the coming weeks. q Rhode Island Pride is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the visibility, equality and diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and providing safe space to come out, express and celebrate their sexual identities and gender. For more information, visit www.prideri.com, email info@prideri.com, or call (401) 467-2130

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Gay Nightlife: A Recipe for Fun Every Night of the Week

by Haley Star

Being Rhode Islanders, many of us are spoiled by the comfort of our gay nightlife. We take it for granted and sometimes complain about how it’s the “same old” routine over and over again. What we fail to realize is that in so many cities, some twice the size of Providence, LGBT residents have only one bar to visit. They aren’t afforded options, choices, or variations on their Saturday night. That being said, I thought I’d take us on a little tour on some of the fabulousness our LGBT nightlife has to offer.

There is something to do every night of the week in Providence. Monday nights are often the first night of our work week and hitting the town after a long day is the last thing on your mind. However, for those of us in the service industry, it’s our Sunday night. Saunter over to the Mirabar for some karaoke and a relaxing beverage at one of two bars. It’s the perfect wind-down from your weekend and an entertaining way to kick off your week. If you’re still in the singing mood come Tuesday, head down to The Dark Lady where Providence’s songstress Sabrina Blaze hosts the longest running karaoke in the city. Sing a song, chat with friends, and be wowed by Sabrina. It’s an easy and laid back way to spend your Tuesday night.

Hump day has come and gone and you’re wondering how you are going to make it through two more days of work before your weekend. The best cure? Call a friend who feels the same way, grab some dinner downtown, and then head to The Stable. Wednesdays are a great night at The Stable; even though it is low key, you can still have a fantastic time with friends. With Michael Slade behind the bar, there’s always something lovely to look at.

Thursday is when my week usually goes off the rails. I like to refer to it as Thirsty Thursday. I love to bar-hop and this (in addition to Saturday) is the best day to do it, especially with some delectable arm candy in tow. I’ll make The Stable my jumping off point. Whether you start with just a shot or a few drinks, it’s the perfect place to begin the night. Then I’ll meander over to The Dark Lady and take a gander at the “Juice” Pong competition hosted by Jennie Talia—always a good show. After a shot or six, I jet over to EGO to see a bit of their Star Search Thursday competition hosted by Lili Whiteass and the EGO Girls. After a few more shots, I’ll make my way around the corner to the Mirabar to check out Strip Poker (hosted by yours truly, LaDiva Jonz, Sabrina Blaze, and Jacqueline DiMera). You even have the chance to win their progressive door prize just by walking through the

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door. If you’re still able to walk back and retrace your steps, finish off with a nightcap where you started – The Stable!

Friday and Saturday are equally enjoyable. If you feel like dancing you can twerk yourself at EGO or show some skin at The Dark Lady in their hot body contest.You can even see yours truly whipping up your favorite libations behind the bar. Saturday, simply repeat your Thursday routine. Be sure to catch Sabrina Blaze’s Drag Extravaganza at midnight. You can catch me there a few Saturdays a month. Make sure you add the Eagle into your route before EGO – located right on Snow Street; it’s always a good time with Mikey and the boys. Wear your leather and you’ll fit right in.

Recover on Sunday afternoons with irresistible sangria at Stable’s Sangria Sundays. There are guest bartenders each week who bring their own added flair, and monthly Options release parties or gatherings with gay softball and rugby teams make every single Sunday there completely different.

As you can see, there is absolutely no reason to say there’s nothing to do in this lovely Renaissance City of ours.

In fact, there are more than enough options seven days a week. I’ve so many more suggestions. Next time you see me out, let’s kick back a Jack Honey and I’ll tell you all about it.

- Peace, love, and cupcakes! q

JDHS PHOTOS

JDHSPHOTOS.COM 401.624.6698 JDHSPHOTOS@VERIZON.NET

27

Youth Pride Inc.

by Kerri Kanelos 16th Annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance

Youth Pride, Inc. and the TGI Network have collaborated to organize a vigil and resource fair to mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance on Thursday, November 20 from 6:30-8:30pm at Temple Beth-El in Providence (70 Orchard Avenue).

The ceremony begins at 6:30pm with speakers, music, time for reflection, and a reading of the names of those we have lost this year. Following the ceremony, there will be a panel discussion with members of Rhode Island’s transgender community and a resource fair featuring trans-friendly providers.

This event marks the 16th anniversary of the first candlelight vigil that took place in San Francisco in 1998 in honor of Rita Hester. Hester was a well-known transgender woman who was brutally murdered in Boston on November 28, 1997. Her death was subsequently treated with great disrespect by the Boston Police Department and media coverage was derogatory, insensitive, and mischaracterizing. Her murder remains unsolved to this day.

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Every November since, the transgender community, along with its advocates and allies, gathers in communities around the world to remember those we have lost to violence as a result of transphobia, racism, classism, and sexism. We call on all LGBTQ community allies and advocates to join us at this solemn, yet powerfully inspiring event.

For more information about the event, contact Ethan at ethan@youthprideri.org or 421-5626.

Changes Youth Pride Inc. is proud to welcome our newest board member, Michael Espina from Hasbro, Inc. We are always interested in meeting dedicated people who want to serve on one of our board committees (fund development, communications/ marketing, and finance). Please contact Kerri at kerri@youthprideri.org or 4215626 if you’d like more information.

We sadly say goodbye to one of our staff, Kristen Pfeiffer. Kristen started at YPI a few years ago—first as a BSW intern from Salve Regina University and then as our Sexual Health Coordinator. We wish her

all the best in her new role at The Miriam Hospital.

Holiday Needs Each holiday season we hold a Thanksgiving dinner for YPI youth and a Yankee Swap in December so each YPI participant goes home with a holiday gift.

Youth are encouraged to bring a small gift to swap, but some are not financially able to do so. We would greatly appreciate donated food (turkeys, ham, stuffing, desserts, beverages, etc.) for Thanksgiving dinner and gifts (lotion or other fun hygiene products, candy, card games, candles, funky socks, costume jewelry, RIPTA tickets, gift cards in small denominations, etc.) for youth who cannot afford to bring one.

Please be in touch with us (421-5626) if you are willing to donate.q Youth Pride Inc. provides support, education and advocacy for LGBTQQ young people ages 13-23. Our Drop-in Center is at 473 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903. Visit www.youthprideri.org, email info@youthprideri.org, or call (401) 4215626 for more info.

Options | November 2014

Sex, DRUGS, and HIV T

he bartender had just put out some dinner and I was stuffing my face while watching Joan Crawford yell about wire-hangers on the television. I had finished my second beer of the night when Sean came over, grabbed my arm, and yanked back the chair next to me. He plopped down and flashed a bleary, red-eyed smile at me just before knocking over the peanut-filled dish with his elbow. A guy whose name I never learned followed close behind him, eyebrows furrowed in irritation.

“Do you want to dance with me?” Sean asked me.

“I think I’m happy here, thanks,” I said, brushing some of the rogue peanuts from my shirt. I ordered another beer from the bartender.

“Don’t you think it will be fun?” he pressed.

“It looks like you have someone to dance with right there,” I said pointing at his friend. “Plus,” I continued, “I have a boyfriend.”

His friend looked dazed. It seemed as if he were staring through us instead of at us. Sean’s loud cackle blocked out Joan Crawford’s screaming, and he said, “He’s just my friend… my friend with cocaine!”

In a misguided effort to seduce me, Sean lifted his leg and placed it on the bar as if he were stretching. His chair rocked back, and, in an attempt to stop himself from falling, his foot kicked out and sent someone’s beer flying. His friend walked away as the bartender began wiping up the spill.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” Sean said. He winked at me and tilted his chin up to see if I had understood. I had, and I wasn’t impressed.

Whatever was running through his system had shut down his ability to moderate his behavior. On his way to the bathroom he poked and prodded other men, catcalling almost everyone he saw.

Then he tripped on the mat near the door and fell. Everyone was looking at him, and not in a good way.

Most people have embarrassed themselves in public at one time or another, whether under the influence of alcohol and drugs or not.

Some people feel an abundance of emotion when they drink. Others have libidos that seem to catch fire in their guts. Sean wasn’t a special case; he had thrown his discretion to the wind and was looking for a sexual fix. You could spot it like a smoke-signal in the distance. It could have been with me, or it could have been with the guy who was just drunk enough to say yes at the other end of the bar.

I wondered what would happen when someone finally said yes to Sean. Would they go somewhere and strip down, ready to do the deed? If they’re both as drunk or high as Sean was, then they might not use a condom. They might, but let’s be real.

A few weeks later maybe Sean would start making phone calls to the doctor because something just wasn’t right. Maybe he’d start to feel generally unwell. Maybe it would burn when he peed. Either way, the person who took the bait and hooked up with Sean the other night didn’t use a condom. The alcohol in his system took his guard down just low enough that Sean thought it was still a good idea.

It’s not always that extreme, but I’m a hypochondriac — forgive me; my mind rushes to the worst case scenario where unprotected sex leads to nasty viruses that make you ooze and itch and burn. It’s a reality that I’ve seen my friends experience; I’ve seen some people get

Options | November 2014

by Samuel Simas for AIDS Project RI

lucky, too. One thing to remember is that alcohol doesn’t make us do anything that we don’t want to do, but it does prevent us from being able to make decisions for ourselves that we’d make in a sober frame of mind.

Sometimes I wonder what happened to Sean that night. The last time I saw him, one of the bouncers was handing him a pail of hot water to wash away his puddle of vomit on the sidewalk. I just hope that, wherever he ended up, he was safe.

So, have sex – maybe even a lot of sex. But make sure that you’re practicing safe sex, no matter who you’re having sex with. If you’re sexually active, then you should be tested every three months for HIV. Why three months? Well, it takes the virus about that long to be able to be picked up in one of the rapid-tests used by most testing agencies. Knowing your status will keep you and others stay safe. So, suit-up and come to AIDS Project Rhode Island for free HIV or HEP-C testing.q

AIDS Project RI is a division of Family Service of RI, providing case management, various health-related services, advocacy, prevention education, and HIV and Hep-C testing. APRI’s location is 9 Pleasant Street, Providence. Call (401) 831-5522 or visit www.aisdprojectri.org for more info.

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News from SAGE-RI

by Cathy S. Cranston

Reminder about Medicare Open Enrollment

The open enrollment period for Medicare is October 15 to December 7. During this time all people with Medicare can change their Medicare health plan and prescription drug coverage for 2015. For more information call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov for plan information.

SAGE 2014 Annual Meeting Fifty SAGE-RI members and allies gathered on September 20 for the 2014 SAGE Annual Meeting and brunch at Chelo’s Restaurant in Warwick. Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts was honored for her unwavering commitment to the LGBT community and for her innovative and bold leadership in the development of, what may be the first in the nation, the State Plan on LGBT Aging. SAGE Co-Chairpersons Sally Ann Hay and Marguerite McLaughlin presented the Lt. Governor with an artistic rendering of the State House and shared the profound gratitude of a community and an organization that has benefited in untold measure because Elizabeth Roberts stood up, spoke up, and stepped up as our champion.

The Lt. Governor gave eloquent and thoughtful remarks about her experience working with SAGE and others in the LGBT community. The collaborations and relationships she has developed through the work have brought great personal and professional meaning to her. She spoke of her vision for a state in which each person is valued and enjoys a high quality of life, where safety and acceptance is the norm rather than the exception, where health care and long term care providers understand the needs and preferences of older LGBT Rhode Islanders, and where social and economic justice is a right of all.

Our wish is that when she leaves office in January, she will look back and smile, knowing she has made a difference and left a legacy. And then she will happily turn off the alarm clock (at least for a few weeks!). Lt. Governor Roberts plans to remain actively and passionately involved in the health care field in one capacity or another and will continue to work to promote equality and opportunity for all.

New Interim Executive Director Cathy Cranston was introduced at the Annual Meeting as the SAGE Interim Executive Director. Ms. Cranston has extensive experience working in the advocacy, aging, and health care fields.

In the coming months she will focus on building the infrastructure and financial health of SAGE and will meet with members and allies to determine how SAGE can meet their needs and engage them.

Deep gratitude and admiration go out to Sally Hay, who is retiring from her role as SAGE Coordinator. Sally has done a herculean job managing the day-to-day functioning of SAGE. Lucky for us all, she will continue to be actively involved, representing SAGE on various committees in the community and serving, along with Margie McLaughlin, as Co-Chairperson of the SAGE Steering Committee.

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Member Input

Annual Meeting attendees engaged in a dynamic exchange of ideas on ways that SAGE could serve as the nexus for the older LGBT community. Enriched programs such as a travel club, opportunities for people to use their expertise and experiences in meaningful ways, and promoting positive images of aging in the LGBT community were some of the topics discussed. You’ll read more on how to move forward on these suggestions in the coming months.

SAGE Training Program for Those Serving Elders On Wednesday, November 5, SAGE will sponsor a training program featuring Tim R. Johnston PhD from the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. The program is geared toward agencies, organizations, and professionals interested in learning what it takes to provide inclusive, safe, and welcoming environments for LGBT older adults. The program will be held from 11:30am-4pm at Healthcentric Advisors, 235 Promenade Street, 5th floor. Registration is $50 per person. Social Work CEUs are pending. Beverages will be provided but participants are asked to bring their own lunch. Contact SAGE-RI at sageriinfo@ gmail.com to reserve your place at this informative session.

SAGENet SAGE-RI will be meeting with the National SAGE Office and 27 SAGE affiliates representing 20 states later this month to discuss new initiatives and to share ideas and resources.

One exciting joint venture is a partnership with Alzheimer’s Associations in states with SAGE affiliates. Look at next month’s column for news on how this project will be implemented in RI.q

SAGE-RI (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) addresses issues of concern to LGBT elders and is an organization of diverse people of all ages. For information on programs or to join SAGE-RI, drop us a line at sageriinfo@gmail.com; leave us a message at (401) 528-3259; write to us at 235 Promenade St., Suite 500, Box 18, Providence, RI 02908; or find us on Facebook as SAGE/Rhode Island.

Options | November 2014

Resources

Options originated in 1982 as the offical newsletter of the Rhode Island Gay Task Force. Editor Jos Fayette explained, “The RIGTF wants to make the homosexual community aware of their options as gay men and women in Rhode Island. And it’s only because we live, work, love, and play in this state that there are such a large number of options available to all of us.” Options has always, and will continue to print LGBTQ resources so that you can, as Fayette went on to say, “Exercise your OPTIONS today to make positive changes in your life tomorrow.”

Help us help you! Email info@optionsri.org if you come across a resource listing that needs updating. Phone numbers are in the 401 area code and addresses are in RI, unless otherwise indicated.

Addiction Support Groups AA Brothers in Sobriety: Saturday 7:30pm. 372 Wayland Avenue, Providence. 751-9328.

Alcohol/Drug Helpline: RI Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence. 24hr. (866) 252-3784.

RI LGBT AA Group: Tuesdays 7-8pm. The Wellness Company,132A George M Cohan Blvd., Providence. All are welcome.

Set Them Free: Narcotics Anonymous open discussion group.

Wednesdays 7:30-9pm. Anchor Recovery Community Center, 249 Main Street, Pawtucket. 721-5100. info@anchorrecovery.org. www.anchorrecovery.org.

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous: 12-step program. Fridays at 7pm. Providence Presbyterian Church, 500 Hope Street, Providence, side entrance, downstairs to the left. Gay, but all are welcome.

AIDS/Health Resources AFIA Center for Health & Wholeness: Meals, food pantry, HIV support groups, recovery groups, recreational and social activities. Sponsored by AIDS Project RI. Free to clients.Wednesday and Thursday 12-3pm. Mathewson Street Church, 134 Mathewson Street, Providence. Contact Gordon Cooper, 331-1350 ext. 3268. info@uwri.org. www.familyserviceri.org.

AIDS Action Hotline: MA only. (800) 235-2331. www.aac.org.

AIDS Care Ocean State: Confidential HIV & HEP C testing, safer-sex supplies, case management, emergency funds, clinical services, assisted and supportive housing for people living with HIV/AIDS, street outreach, ENCORE, HIV+ support groups. Speaker’s Bureau, 18 Parkis Ave., Providence.

521-3603 (call 781-0665 to schedule an appointment). www.aidscareos.org.

AIDS Project RI: Division of Family Service of RI. Case management, buddies, COBRA and dental services, emergency fund, mental health counseling, nutrition support, assessment and referral, wellness programs, advocacy, strength training, prevention education, HIV testing. 9 Pleasant Street, Providence. 831-5522 www.aidsprojectri.org.

AIDS Quilt RI: Displays local AIDS memorial quilt panels, panel-making programs including Anna’s Workshop, HIV/AIDS education for young people. PO Box 2591, Newport. 434-4880. admin@aidsquiltri.org.www.aidsquiltri.org.

Brown University AIDS Program: Clinical trials, public policy, research, lectures, conferences, patient and community education. 121 South Main Street, Second Floor, Providence. 863-6790. brunap@brown.edu. brown.edu/Departments/BRUNAP. Community Care Alliance: Case management, support, personal care items for people living with HIV/AIDS in northern Rhode Island. 245 Main Street, Woonsocket. 235-6092. lcohen@famresri.org.

Comprehensive Community Action Programs: Medical, mental health, dental, social services, LGBT outreach. 311 Doric Avenue, Cranston. Also Coventry, Pawtucket, and Warwick. 467-9610.

Gabriel Care, LLC: Nursing/social worker case management and financial compensation for assistance and supervision for those living with HIV. MassHealth funded for MA residents. 376 South Main Street, Fall River, MA. Contact Jenn, (508) 678-1002.

HIV Antibody Testing: Anonymous. Free or sliding scale. RI Department of Health. Providence, Newport and other locations. 222-2320.

Home and Hospice Care of RI: Medical care management for HIV/ AIDS. 24hr nursing staff for treatment. 1085 North Main Street, Providence. Referrals: 782-0725. Bereavement groups: Contact John Charette,

Options | November 2014

727-7079. Main Office: 415-4200 or toll-free 800-338-6555.www.hhcri.org.

House of Compassion: HIV/AIDS housing. 2510 Mendon Road, Cumberland. 658-3992.

LGBT Caregiver Online Support Group: For LGBTs caring for someone with chronic health problems. www.caregiver.org Luis E. Martinez House CHS, Inc.: Supportive, permanent housing for 10 adults living with HIV/AIDS and/or substance abuse. New Bedford, MA. Contact Joe Taylor. (508) 984-7514.

Partners in Learning About AIDS: Outreach to minorities, women of color, and LGBT community at clubs and other locations. North Providence office provides free condoms and information about STIs and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV. 1006 Charles Street, Suite 5, North Providence.

484-7523. info@plaidsproject.org. www.plaidsproject.org.

Project Weber: Services for male sex workers. Drop-in center, support groups, HIV and Hep C testing, clean needles. 383-4888. www.projectweber.org.

SSTAR (Stanley Street Treatment & Resources): Counseling, drug treatment, detox, domestic violence programs, free and confidential HIV, HEP C and STD testing, education, case management and support. MA and RI locations.

Main location: 386 Stanley Street, Fall River, MA. (508) 679-5222. Project Aware (HIV/HCV). (508) 324-3561. Family Healthcare Center (508) 675-1054. www.sstar.org.

Steppingstone, Inc.: Welcome Home Medical case management program.

One-on-one peer support in Somerset to Wareham area. HIV support groups available. Free and open to any HIV+ person 18+. 5 Dover Street, New Bedford, MA. (508) 984-7514. www.steppingstoneinc.org.

Tranquil Mind &Wellness: Counseling, alternative healing, yoga, Pilates, meditation.109 Rhode Island Road, Lakeville, MA. (508) 947-1683. www.tranquilmind.net.

Thundermist Health Center: Provides HIV/AIDS services including medical care and treatment by an HIV specialist, dental care, behavioral health counseling, nutritional assessment and counseling, pharmacy consultation, free and confidential HIV testing. 450 Clinton Street, Woonsocket. Contact Philip Kane. 767-4100 ext. 3516.

Information/Education The Center for Sexual Pleasure & Health: Education, pleasure, health, advocacy. Thursday-Saturday 12-6pm and by appointment. 250 Main Street, Unit 1, Pawtucket. 489-5513. www.thecsph.org.

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Fenway Community Center LGBT Helpline: Support, information and referrals. Fenway Community Health Center, Boston. Open daily 6-11pm. (617) 267-9001 or 888-340-452 GLBT National Help Center Hotline: Local resources nationwide provided by social services agency. 888-843-4564. www.glbtnationalhelpcenter.org.

Newport Out: LGBT website for Newport. www.newportout.com.

RILGBT-News: Low-volume email distribution list for LGBT & AIDS news from RI. Not a discussion list. To subscribe:tinawood@cox.net.

United Way of RI Referral Line: 2-1-1 Nightlife The Alley Cat Providence: Downtown neighborhood bar. MondayThursday 3pm-1am, Friday 3pm-2am, Saturday 2pm-2am, Sunday 2pm-1am. 19 Snow Street, Providence. 272-6369.

Bobby’s Place: Dancing, pool, video lounge, karaoke. Sunday-Wednesday 5pm-1am, Thursday-Saturday 5pm-2am. 62 Weir Street, Taunton, MA. (508) 824-9997. www.bobbysplacema.com.

Brooklyn Coffee Tea House: Special events space, film screenings and other public and private events. Open mic first and third Saturday 8:30-10:30pm. 209 Douglas Ave, Providence. 521-2095. www.brooklyncoffeeteahouse.com Club Body Center: Gay men’s sauna. Membership required. Oneday pass available. Open 24hr. 257 Weybosset Street, Providence. 2740298. www.clubbodycenter.com.

The Dark Lady: Downtown bar and nightclub. Tuesday-Thursday 9pm-1am, Friday & Saturday 9pm-3am, Sunday 9pm-1am. 17 Snow Street, Providence. 272-6369.

DeVille’s at Olive’s: Wed-Fri 5pm-close. $5 cover. Kiten open until 10:30pm. 108 N. Main Street, Providece. 751-1200. www.facebook. com/deville1989.

EGO: Providence’s newest gay nightlife performance/event space.

Sunday and Thursday 9pm-1am, Friday and Saturday 10pm-3am, 73 Richmond St, Providence. 383-1208. www.egopvd.com.

KiKi at Vanity: 18+ lesbian dance party. Sundays 9pm-1am, Vanity, 566 South Main Street, Providence. 383-0220. www.facebook.com/kiki.lolas.58.

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Mirabar: Downtown bar and nightclub. Monday-Thursday 3pm-1am, Friday and Saturday 3pm-2am, Sunday 3pm-1am. 15 Elbow Street, Providence. 331-6761. www.mirabar.com.

Providence Eagle: Leather, Levi, bear cruise bar. Monday-Thursday 2pm1am, Friday 2pm-2am, Saturday-Sunday 12pm-2am. 124 Snow Street, Providence. 421-1447.

The Stable: Downtown video bar. No cover. Monday-Thursday 2pm1am, Friday 2pm-2am, Saturday 12pm-2am, Sunday 12pm-1am. 125 Washington Street, Providence. 272-6950.

Political & Legal Groups American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): 128 Dorrance Street, Suite 220, Providence. 831-7171. riaclu.org.

Amnesty International OUTfront: Program to campaign globally for LGBTQ human rights. (212) 807-8400. Cvohs18904@yahoo.com. www.amnestyusa.org.

Brown University Queer Alliance: Student advocacy and support organization. queer@brown.edu.

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD): LGBT/HIV legal info hotline. Weekdays 1:30-4:30pm. 30 Winter Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA. (617) 436-1350 or (800) 455-GLAD. gladlaw@glad.org www.GLAD.org.

Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund: 120 Wall Street, Suite 1500, NY. (212) 809-8585. www.lambdalegal.org.

Lawyers for Equality and Diversity (LEAD): Advocates for LGBT causes. lawyersforequality@gmail.com.

The Next Thing (TNT): Political and support group for queer people of color located at Brown University. 863-3062. tnt@brown.edu.

RI Commission on Prejudice and Bias: Hate crime awareness training program. www.hatecrimeri.org.

RI Socialist Action: 952-5385, adgagneri@gmail.com. Spanish: 351-3514, walsil@cox.net.

RI Human Rights Commission: Anti-discrimination law enforcement agency with jurisdiction in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit. 180 Westminster Street, 3rd floor, Providence. 222-2662 TTY: 222-2664, richr.ri.gov.

Options | November 2014

Scouts for Equality: An organization composed largely of Boy Scouts of America alumni dedicated to ending the BSA’s ban on gay members and leaders. Contact Carol Crowther. ccrowther1@gmail.com. Facebook.com/ riscoutsforequality.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network: Serving LGBT military personnel and veterans. PO Box 65301,Washington DC. (202) 328-3244. or (800) 538-7418. sldn@sldn.org. www.sldn.org.

Religious & Spiritual All Saints Memorial Church: 674 Westminster Street, Providence. 7511747. asmcri@verizon.net. www.allsaintsmemorial.org.

Amicable Congregational Church: UCC. Open & Affirming. Pastor William Sterrett. Sunday 10am. 3736 Main Road,Tiverton. 624-4611. amicablechurch@aol.com, www.amicablechurch.org.

Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists: robin@awab.org, www.awab.org.

Barrington Congregational Church: UCC. “The white church.” Sundays 10am. 461 County Road, Barrington. 246-0111. office@bccucc.org, www.bccucc.org.

Bell Street Chapel: Unitarian Universalist. A Welcoming Congregation.

Rev. Margaret Weis. Sundays 10am. 5 Bell Street, Providence. 273-5678. www.bellstreetchapel.org.

Beneficent Congregational Church: UCC. An Open & Affirming congregation in the heart of Providence. Co-Pastors Todd & Nicole Yonkman. Sundays 10am. 300 Weybosset Street, Providence. 331-9844. BeneficentChurchUCC@gmail.com, www.beneficentchurch.org.

Berean Baptist Church: A safe and welcoming place for all God’s children. Sunday 10am. 474 Chapel Street, Harrisville. 568-5411. bereanbaptist@verizon.net. www.bereanri.org.

Calvary United Methodist Church of Middletown: LGBTQ early dementia support group. Contact Amy. Sundays 10:30am. 200 Turner Road, Middletown. 847-6181, www.middletownmethodist.com.

Central Congregational Church: UCC. An Opening & Affirming Congregation. Sundays 10:30am. 296 Angell Street, Providence. 331-1960. www.centralchurch.us.

Channing Memorial Church: Unitarian Universalist. A Welcoming Congregation. Sundays 10am. 135 Pelham Street, Newport. 846-0643. administrator@channingchurch.org. www.channingchurch.org.

Charter Oak Grove ADF: An Open and Welcoming Congregation of Neo-pagan Druids in CT. charteroakadf@gmail.com, www.charteroakadf.org.

Christ Church in Lonsdale: Episcopal. 1643 Lonsdale Avenue, Lincoln.

Services 8am and 10:30am. 725-1920. office@christchurchlincoln.org. www.christchurchlincoln.org.

Church of the Epiphany: A diverse Open & Affirming Episcopal congregation. 1336 Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence. 434-5012. info@epiphanyep.org, www.epiphanyep.org.

Church of the Holy Paraclete: Independent Old Catholic. Fr. Jakob Lazarus. Sunday 6pm. 155 Douglas Avenue, Providence. 218-0706. www.holyparaclete.org.

Options | November 2014

Edgewood Congregational Church: UCC. Open & Affirming. Service 10am. 1788 Broad Street, Cranston. 461-1344. office@edgewoodchurchri.org. www.edgewoodchurchri.org.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church: Sundays 8 and 9:30am. 120 Nate Whipple Highway, Cumberland. 658-1506. office@emmanuelri.org. www.emmanuelri.org.

First Congregational Church in Bristol: An Open and Affirming Congregation. Pastor Dan Randall. 281 High Street, Bristol. 253-7288. www.fccbristol.org.

First Unitarian Church: A welcoming congregation. Sunday 10:30am.

1 Benevolent Street, Providence. 421-7970. admin@firstunitarianprov.org, www.firstunitarianprov.org.

First Unitarian Church: Service 11am. 71 8th Street, New Bedford, MA. (508) 994-9686. admin@uunewbedford.org, www.uunewbedford.org.

First Universalist Society: UU. Welcoming congregation. Same-gender weddings. 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin, MA. (508) 528-5348. fusf@verizon.net www.fusf.org.

Foxboro Universalist Church: UUA. Service 10am. 6 Bird Street, Foxboro, MA. 508-543-4002. chair@uufoxborough.org. www.uufoxborough.org.

Grace Episcopal Church in Providence: 175 Mathewson Street, Providence. 331-3225. hello@gracechurchprovidence.org. www.gracechurchprovidence.org.

Immanuel Lutheran Church: A Reconciling in Christ congregation.

Pastor Sandra Demmler D’Amico. 647 North Main Street, Attleboro, MA. (508) 222-2898. www.immanuellc.org.

Interweave at Channing Memorial UU Church: A membership organization for the spiritual, political and social well-being of LGBTQ persons, and their allies, confronting oppression. 135 Pelham Street, Newport. 846-0643.

Mathewson St. Church: United Methodist. 134 Mathewson Street, Providence. 331-8900. MathewsonStUMC@gmail.com.

Mercy of God Community: Christian, inclusive religious order. mercycomm@yahoo.com, www.mgc.org.

Murray Unitarian Universalist Church: Marriage and commitment ceremonies for all. Rev. Bob McKetchnie. 505 North Main Street, Attleboro, MA. (508) 222-0505 www.murrayuuchurch.org.

Newman Congregational Church: Open & Affirming. 100 Newman Avenue, Rumford. 434-4742. www.newmanucc.org.

Newport Congregational Church: UCC. Open & Affirming. Rev. Hayes and Rev. Baker. 73 Pelham Street, Newport. 849-2238.

Park Place Congregational Church: 71 Park Place, Pawtucket. 7262800. office@ppucc.necoxmail.com, www.parkplaceucc.com.

The Pub Church: An Open & Affirming church that meets in a pub.

Location may change. Saturday 5pm. The Dugout, 722 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA. thepubchurch@gmail.com.

Pilgrim Lutheran Church: An inclusive congregation. Sundays 8 and 9:30am. 1817 Warwick Avenue, Warwick. 739-2937. parishasst@pilgrimlutheranri.org, pilgrimlutheranri.jimdo.com.

Pilgrim United Church of Christ: Open and Affirming. 635 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA. (508)-997-9086.

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Riverside Church: UCC.15 Oak Avenue, Riverside. Service 10am.

433-2039. www.rcc-ucc.com.

St. Augustine’s Church and Episcopal Center at URI: 15 Lower College Road, Kingston. 783-2153. Sundays 8am and 10am.

StAugustinesChurch@necoxmail.com, www.staugustineuri.org.

St. James Church: Episcopal. 474 Fruit Hill Avenue, North Providence. 353-2079.

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church: Sundays 8 and 10am. 50 Orchard Street, Providence. 751-2141. StMartinsNB.Secretary@gmail.com, www.stmartinsprov.org.

St. Martin’s Episcopal Church: Welcoming Church. Monthly LGBT Eucharist. 136 Rivet Street, New Bedford, MA. (508)994-8972. stmartins1887@comcast.com, www.stmartinsma.org.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church: Sundays 9am. 50 Park Place, Pawtucket.

728-4300. office@stpaulspawtucket.org, www.stpaulspawtucket.org.

St. Paul’s Church: A welcoming Episcopal church. Sundays 9am. 2679 East Main Street, Portsmouth. 683-1164. stpaulsportsmouthri.org.

St. Peter & St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church: 25 Pomona Avenue, Providence. 272-9649.stpanda25@verizon.net. www.stpeters-standrews.org.

Saint Therese Old Catholic Church: Open & Affirming. Fr. David Martins. Sunday 10:30am. 134 Mathewson Street, Providence. 6809076. stocc134@gmail.com, www.saintthereseocc.org.

Second Congregational Church of Attleboro: UCC. Open & Affirming. 50 Park Street, Attleboro, MA. Sunday 10am. (508) 222-4677. office2nd@verizon.net, www.attleborosecondchurch.org.

Seekonk Congregational Church: Rev. Joy Utter. Sundays 9am. 600 Fall River Avenue, Seekonk, MA. (508) 336-9355. sccucc@verizon.net, www.scc-ucc.com Soka Gakkai: Buddhist association for peace, culture, and education.

Contact for weekly meetings in Providence. 930 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston. (617) 264-2000. www.sgi-usa.org.

Temple Agudas Achim: Reconstructionist congregation. 901 North Main Street, Attleboro, MA. (508) 222-2243. office@agudasma.org, www.agudasma.org.

Temple Beth-El: Rabbi Sarah E. Mack. 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence. 331-6070. info@temple-beth-el.org, www.temple-beth-el.org.

Temple Emanu-El: A welcoming Conservative congregation. Rabbi Wayne Franklin. 99 Taft Avenue, Providence. 331-1616. info@teprov.org, www.teprov.org.

Temple Habonim: A warm, Welcoming Reform congregation. Rabbi Andrew Klein. 165 New Meadow Road, Barrington. 245-6536. office@ templehabonim.org, www.templehabonim.org.

Temple Sinai: A Welcoming Reform temple. Rabbi Peter Stein, 30 Hagen Avenue, Cranston. 942-8350. webmaster@templesinairi.org, www.templesinairi.org.

Unitarian Church in Fall River: Sunday 10:30am. 309 North Main Street, Fall River, MA. 508-678-9700. office@unitarianchurchfr.org, www.unitarianchurchfr.org.

Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven: Service 10:30am. 102

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Green Street, Fairhaven, MA. (508) 992-7081.www.uufairhaven.org.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of South County: 27 North Road, Peace Dale. 783-4170 or Val 789-7282. uucscri@yahoo.com. www.uusouthcountyri.org.

Westminster Unitarian Universalist Church: A UUA Welcoming Congregation. 119 Kenyon Avenue, East Greenwich. 884-5933. www.westminsteruu.org.

Social Organizations Bear Providence: Monthly social events for the bear community. www.bearprovidence.com.

Bisexual Resource Center: PO Box 170796, Boston, MA. (617) 4249595. brc@bicresource.net www.biresource.net.

Biversity Boston: Mixed-gender social events for Boston and the surrounding area. (617) 424-9595. biversity-subscribe@biversity.org, www.biversity.org.

Boston Bisexual Women’s Network: Social activities including monthly brunches, coming out groups and quarterly newsletter “Bi Woman Quarterly.” www.biwomenboston.org.

Bears Ocean State (BOS): Informal e-group for gay & bisexual bearidentified and affiliated men for friendly companionship. All welcome. groups.yahoo.com/group/bearsoceanstate.

Cape and Islands Gay & Straight Youth Alliance (CIGSYA): 56 Barnstable Road, Hyannis, MA. (508) 778-7744. info@cisgsya.org, www.cigsya.org.

Communisong: For unity through song. Non-performance monthly singing session. www.communisong.net.

CORISMA: Potluck get-togethers for couples from RI and southeast MA. corismainfo@comcast.net, www.corismagroup.org.

Defenders/Providence: Leather/Levi club. Third Sunday, 6pm. PO Box 41153, Providence.

Imperial Court of RI at Providence: Drag and non-drag performers raise funds for local charities. First Monday. All welcome. RI Pride Office,1005 Main Street #1105, Pawtucket. PO Box 6583, Providence. icri.prov@gmail.com. www.icriprov.org.

Mixed Borders Gardening Group: Gardening and more. Monthly meetings, all welcome. Mixedborders@cox.net. www.MixedBorders.com.

Opera Club: Enjoy hearing and attending. Last Sunday of each month at 1pm. BrettCornellpi4@aol.com.

Providence Gay Men’s Chorus: New season rehearsals begin in January and August. Singers and non-singing volunteers welcome. Monday 7-9:30pm. Beneficent Church, 300 Weybosset Street, Providence. www.provgmc.org.

RI Association of Gay Professionals: Professional networking and philanthropy. riagp.com.

RI Parents Pride: Gay parents socializing together with their children.

Contact Melanie. 464-2288. saphicangel120@yahoo.com.

RI Pride: Open house 4th Wednesdays. Festival & Parade 3rd Saturday in June. Office: 1005 Main Street #1105 Pawtucket. Mail: PO Box

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1082, Providence, 02903. 467-2130. info@prideri.com, www.prideri.com.

RI Prime Timers: Social and networking group for gay and bisexual men 40 and older. Second Sunday. Contact Steve, 996-3010. www. riprimetimers.org.

RI Skeptics Society: Yearning to talk with someone rational? Refreshing discussion. Fourth Saturday. East Providence restaurant location. www.meetup.com/skeptics-133/.

RI Women’s Association: Lesbian social group. 21+. Dances & events. www.riwa.net.

SAGE/RI (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders): Advocacy, education and social events for LGBTQ seniors. 235 Promenade Street, Suite 500, Box 18, Providence. 528-3259. sageriinfo@gmail.com.

SEMASSMEN: Social group for GBQ men of southeastern MA & RI to foster strong friendships. Semassmen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. rlevass@yahoo.com.

Yankee Lambda Car Club: Regional club for GLBT vintage & specialty car enthusiasts. www.yankeelcc.com.

Sports & Recreation PrideSports Boston: Network of twenty-plus gay sports leagues/ teams in Boston area. www.pridesportsboston.com.

Boston Gay BASKETBALL League: ksg.bgbl@gmail.com, www.bgbl.com.

Big Gay Al’s Duckpin BOWLING League: Proceeds benefit AIDS causes. Tuesday 6:30pm. 1463 Atwood Avenue, Town Hall Lanes, Johnston. Contact Frank Ferri. 831-6940.www.bgalbowling.com. www.townhalllanes.com.

GALA Bowling League: Sundays 5:50 p.m., E. Providence Lanes, 80 Newport Ave., E. Prov. Season thru April. View us on Facebook or email galabowlingleague@gmail.com.

FLAG (For Lesbians And Gays) FOOTBALL: Boston-based recreational football club. All skill levels are encouraged to participate. Saturday mornings in the fall and spring. www.flagflagfootball.com.

Boston Pride HOCKEY: www.bostonpridehockey.org.

Rondeaus KICKBOXING: 272-5425. www.rondeauskickboxing.com.

Main Street MARTIAL ARTS: Non-profit. Welcoming dojo and community center. 1282 North Main Street, Providence. 274-7672. www.mainstma.org.

Chiltern Mountain Club: OUTDOOR recreation club in New England. events@chiltern.org. www.chiltern.org.

Boston Gay ROWERS: Worldwide online community for gay and lesbian rowers, coxies, coaches, and race officials. www.glrf.org.

Boston Ironsides RUGBY Football Club: www.bostonironsides.org.

Frontrunners Rhode Island RUNNING Group: Running and walking group. Newcomers welcome. Meet at the end of Blackstone Boulevard at Hope Street, Providence.Thursday 6pm. Contact Brian. 751-7643. bripm@cox.net, frontrunnersri@gmail.com Frontrunners Boston RUNNING Group: Morning walk/run along the Charles River. Saturdays,10am. Club Cafe, 209 Columbus Avenue, Boston,

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MA. www.frontrunnersboston.org.

OutRyders SKIING: New England’s largest gay and lesbian ski and snowboard club. www.outryders.org.

Boston Strikers SOCCER Club: Non-profit social organization to learn and improve soccer skills in a relaxed, congenial environment. www.bostonstrikers.com.

Renaissance City SOFTBALL League: New players and boosters always welcome. www.providencesoftball.org.

Beantown SOFTBALL League: Friendly competition. 27 teams in four divisions of play: competitive, intermediate, and recreational. (617) 2977490. www.beantownsoftball.com.

LANES (Liquid Assets New England SWIMMING): Fitness and/or competition. (617) 937-5858. www.swim-lanes.org.

TENNIS-4-All: Boston area tennis organization. www.tennis4all.org.

Cambridge Boston VOLLEYBALL Association: Players of all skill levels welcome. secretary@cbvolleyball.net www.gayvolleyball.net.

Ocean State Pride VOLLEYBALL League: Adult co-ed indoor league following USVBA rules. No try-outs. Fee applies. Kent County YMCA, 900 Centerville Road, Warwick. ospvolleyball@gmail.com.

East Coast WRESTLING Club: (617)937.5858 x6 ecwc@juno.com. www.eastcoastwrestlingclub.org .

Students & Youth Bristol Community College Gay/Straight Alliance (BCC/GSA): Steven Camara, Advisor. BCC-H202, 777 Elsbree Street, Fall River, MA. (774) 357-2391.

Brown University Queer Alliance: Umbrella organization at Brown University for LGBTQ groups. 863-3062. queer@brown.edu or lgbtq@brown.edu.

CCRI Triangle Alliance: an LGBTQQ student-run group at CCRI, on the Flanagan, Liston, and Knight campuses. www.ccri.edu/triangle/.

COLAGE: Support and social activities for children of LGBT parents. Coordinator Veronica Jutras. Third Saturday 10:30am-12pm. Gordon School, E. Providence. rhodeisland@colage.org www.colage.org/colage-chapter/colage-rhode-island-chapter/.

LGBT National Youth Talkline: 800-246-7743. Private one-to-one chat and info on local resources.

Peer Listening Line: Youth-staffed hotline for GLBT youth. Support, info and referrals. 5-10pm. Fenway Community Health Center, Boston, MA. (617) 267-9001 or (800) 399-PEER. www.fenwayhealth.org.

Salve Regina University – The Alliance: 100 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport. Contact: Mandy Hart. mandy.hart@salve.edu.

SeaQuel (Southeast Asian Queers United for Empowerment and Leadership): a program of PRYSM. Monthly Sunday meetings. 383-7450.

SeaQuel@prysm.us. www.prysm.us.

Scouts for Equality: Organization largely of Boy Scouts of America alumni dedicated to ending the BSA’s ban on gay members and leaders.

Contact Carol Crowther, ccrowther1@gmail.com.

Facebook: riscoutsforequality.

S.H.E.P.A.R.D. (Stopping Homophobia, Eliminating Prejudices and Restoring Dignity): Providence College, 1 Cunningham Square, Providence. 865-1631. shepard@providence.edu.

The Trevor Project: The only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBT youth. Also offers social networks. (866)4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386). thetrevorproject.org.

University of RI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer & Questioning (LGBTIQ2): Alumni association. 874-5808. gsimonelli@uri.edu.

URI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Center: A cultural department for students, faculty and staff. Florence Badejo.

874-2894.

Youth Pride Inc.: Support, education & advocacy for LGBTQQ young people ages 13--23. Tues. -- Fri. 2 -- 8pm. The Way Out peer support group Thurs. 4pm. Gender Spectrum support group Tues.

4pm. Visit our website for full calendar of events. 743 Westminster St., Providence. 421-5626. info@youthprideri.org. www.youthprideri.org.

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Support Groups & Social Services Abuse Victims and Survivors: Support on phone for LGBTQ victims & survivors of partner abuse. Confidential peer-led groups. Hotline: (617) 742-4911. TTY: (617) 227-4911. advocate@tnlr.org.

Adoption Options: Non-sectarian help. Jewish Family Service, 959 North Main Street, Providence. Contact Betsy Alper. 331-5437. www.adoptionoptions.org.

Community Care Alliance: Stipend, assistance, training provided by Family Resources Community Action. 235-6095. www.famresri.org.

Foster parents needed: For newborn to age six.

276-4300. www.childrensfriendri.org.

Family Service RI: Training, stipend, support provided for nurturing families. Family Service of RI. Contact Gregary Wright. 331-1350 ext.

3305. www.familyserviceri.org.

Seven Hills Behavioral Health: HIV Prevention and Screening. 310 South Main Street, Fall River, MA. (508) 235-1012. T.W.I.S.T. (508) 672-0378.

Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center: Offering resources for victims of domestic violence. 723-3057. www.bvadvocacycenter.org.

Compass: FTM trans info, support and social group. Boston first Thursday 7-9pm. compassftm@gmail.com. www.compassftm.org.

Crossroads RI Hotline: (800) 367-2700.

Day One (Formerly Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center of RI): Counseling & legal aid for victims of sexual assault/abuse & incest. 24hr hotline. (800) 494-8100. 421-4100. www.dayoneri.org.

Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County: Support, court advocacy, counseling, safe home, info for women and men in abusive or controlling relationships. 24hr free and confidential helpline. 7823990 or toll free 800-494-8100, www.dvrcsc.org.

Gay Fathers of Greater Boston: Support. 738 Main St. #323, Waltham, MA. (781) 333-8429. info@gayfathersboston.org, www.gayfathersboston.org.

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Gay Officers Action League (GOAL)/New England: Law enforcement officers (sworn & civilian), fire, rescue and publicly employed EMS. Confidential. PO Box 587, Boston, MA 02117. (617) 376-3612. info@goalne.org, www.goalne.org.

Gay Share: Coming Out? Gay men’s support group. No fee. Wednesday 7:30pm. Contact Tom or Mike. 369-9448. info@gayshare.org, www. gayshare.org.

GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project: Support, info, shelter. 955 Massachusetts Avenue, Private Message Box 131, Cambridge, MA. (800) 832-1901. www.glbtqdvp.org.

Helpline for LGBT Youth: Trevor Helpline and social networks for crisis and suicide prevention. 24/7. (866) 4-U-Trevor.

HIV+ Gay Men’s Support Group: Refreshments served. AIDS Care Ocean State, 18 Parkis Avenue, Providence. 521-3603. New members contact Scott. 640-3108.

Kathys’ Group: Free support group for lesbians with cancer or any life-threatening illness. Partners and caregivers welcome. Meets monthly in Providence. 888-5KATHYS. Mantalk of S.E. Mass: Socializing and discussions for gay, bi and curious men. Confidential. Drug and alcohol-free. 18+. Thursdays in Taunton and first Tuesdays in New Bedford. 7-8:30pm. mantalksouthcoast@yahoo.com.

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Assoc./New England: Works for fair and accurate media coverage of LGBT issues. info@nlgja.org, www.nlgja.org.

Partner Support Group at Fenway Health: A ten-week support group with the purpose of building community and connections for anyone who identifies as non-trans, ages 18+, and is in a relationship with a trans* person(s). 1340 Boylston Street, Boston, MA. Contact Sarah Eley, LICSW. 857-313-6551. seley@fenwayhealth.org.

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PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays): Greater Providence chapter, serves all RI and southeastern MA. First Wednesday 6:45pm. Met School, 325 Public Street, Providence. 751-7571.

PFLAGprovidence@gmail.com, www.pflagprovidence.org.

RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 24hr helpline: (800) 4948100. 467-9940.

RI Rainbow Support Group: For people with disabilities who identify as LGBTQ. Last Tuesday. 98 Rolfe Street, Cranston. 6-7:30pm. Contact Ken Renaud. 785-2100.

Samaritans: 24hr hotline for suicidal, lonely, despairing, depressed.

(800) 365-4044. 272-4044 (RI only). www.samaritansri.org.

Sexual Health Education & Advocacy Program: HIV, sexual wellness, domestic violence risk reduction. Free, confidential, bilingual (Spanish). No caller ID used. Calls blocked for safety. 861-6191 ext.

121.

Sojourner House: Call for confidential support group. Support, shelter, advocacy and information for people in abusive relationships.

Including specific LGBT services. No caller ID used. Outgoing calls blocked for safety. 24hr helpline. 765-3232. 861-6191. www.sojournerri.org Straight Spouses Group: For information on groups and online support. www.straightspouse.org.

TGI Network of RI: Support, advocacy for transgender, transsexual, gender-variant, genderqueer and/or intersex people. Borderlands peer group, first and third Tuesday 7-9pm. For location and information 4415058. info@tginetwork.org, www.tginetwork.org.

Trans* Partners New England: Gives romantic partners of transgender people a confidential, safe space to explore the impact of a loved one’s gender identity on their relationships, and to connect with other loved ones of transgender people. First Wednesday 6:308:30pm. Providence. Location unpublished for privacy. partners@tginetwork.org.

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Trans* Youth Family Allies: Support for gender-variant and transgender children ages 3-18. info@imatyfa.org, www.imatyfa.org.

Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA): Growing organization to address the concerns of fair treatment of transgender veterans and active duty service members. www.tavausa.org.

Women’s Resource Center of Newport and Bristol Counties: Offering services to victims of domestic violence. 846-5263. www.wrcnbc.org. q

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Worth a Look

by The Lit Chick

Just in time for holidays with family, Providence author David Robert serves up his new book, Wanderlush, a rollicking adventure memoir chronicling his series of vacations with his mother.

I love a good story, and Wanderlush delivers many. Reading the book feels as if you’re sitting at the family table with Robert, listening to his best ones.

“Wanderlush in many ways became a tribute to my mom and the incredible gift of humor she gave me,” says Robert.

“She’s been a fierce advocate for my partner and me for our entire 18-year relationship, and she’s a perfect example of a strong woman. Wanderlush is my way of sharing her with the world.”

A few years ago, Robert, convinced he had cancer, proposed a series of goodbye vacations to his mother, who accepted the invitation just before he learned it was a false alarm. Luckily for his readers, they decided to travel anyway.

“I describe my mom as a cross between Bea Arthur and Karen from Will and Grace,” says Robert. “Others refer to her as ‘that Xanax-popping, Chardonnay-swilling lady with the large, lime green purse.’ I still have dirt under my fingernails from digging her out of a rain gutter in Costa Rica.”

Wanderlush is published by Abbot Press. Order it at your local bookstore or get it online at Amazon.com and learn more about Robert and his mom at www.wanderlushthebook.com.

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Natalia Zukerman is back with her seventh album, Come Thief, Come Fire, an eclectic mix featuring collaborations with several leading artists, including Willy Porter, Adrianne Gonzalez and Erin McKeown. As always, Zukerman’s sound is hard to describe, but her deft guitar picking and smoky, folksy vocals are a constant. Zukerman says this album is her first one that’s focused on a common theme. “This record is very much about what we are compelled to do,” she says.

Zukerman’s songs get inside you, and it can be hard to sit still when you listen to them. I enjoyed the variety,

from the bare studio recording of the title track and “Courage to Change,” to the delicate electronica of “What Comes After” and “One of Us,” to her bouncing, sultry portrait of Moulin Rouge’s famed Jane Avril. “I love all different kinds of styles,” she says.

“However the songs come out, that’s how they come out.”

Growing up in a musical family on New York’s Upper West Side, Zukerman has strong roots as a songwriter and performer. She has been in Brooklyn since 2008, where she has also been developing a side business painting solo and collaborative mural projects and portraits.

Download Come Thief, Come Fire on iTunes and check out Zukerman’s visual

art galleries at www.nataliazukerman. com and www.offthewalldesign.com.

Written, directed, and produced

by Jill Soloway, best known for HBO’s Six Feet Under, Transparent is a halfhour dark comedy series about an older father who decides to live as the transgender woman she has always been. The series stars Arrested Development’s Jeffrey Tambor as Maura, who has spent her life as Mort, the Pfefferman family patriarch.

Tambor’s Maura sees coming out as the end of the world, but it turns out to be just the beginning, as family members work their way through situations that lead them to discover and reveal who they really are, too. The series is brilliantly acted by an all-star cast that also includes Judith Light as Maura’s ex-wife, and Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker, and Jay Duplass as her grown children.

Although Tambor is a cis-male actor playing a trans-woman, Soloway has instituted a trans-preferential hiring policy for the production, with 20 transgender individuals working on set and another 60 employed as extras. At least some of the story hits close to home for Solloway, whose own father came out as transgender in 2011.

“Artistically, it’s been a dream come true,” she says. “I absolutely got to make the show I wanted to make.”

Transparent is currently available to Amazon Prime members at amazon. com/piv.The first episode is available to all for free at www.amazon.com.

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Shop at Whole Foods Market Waterman Street and support your LGBTQ nonprofits!

Options Magazine and AIDS Care Ocean State will receive 5% of the day’s sales at Whole Foods Market’s Waterman Street location.

Options | November 2014

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