2 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
Now what? LGBT struggles and changes that lie ahead Creep of the week: Baptist David Wells By: Nicole Lashomb*/TRT Editor-in-Chief
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OPINIONS
’ve seen many changes during my editorship at The Rainbow Times. The changes came with the needs of the community, first reflected significantly as the battle for marriage equality. It wasn’t because marriage equality was the only worth fighting for then. On the contrary, it seemed like many people, especially Gay Inc., mostly focused on that. As it mostly happens, the media shapes up most of the masses’ ideas. The more you heard about marriage equality, same-sex marriage, at first also called gay marriage, the more it became a “must” conversation among LGBTs. I remember how many people, including myself, wanted to be able to marry. I also recall the many stories I heard of, watched on TV, listened to on radio, read in LGBT papers and online. The stories were about the horrors of samesex couples, living together for so many years, sharing a house, finances, items, etc., and having someone take it all from them just because they couldn’t get married. That was all we heard. It was all we were automated to think, breathe, and live. I am guilty. I followed the media, Gay Inc., and the crowd at chow time. Since then, we should now be wiser. The same thing happened to us with “terrorism,” a word so embedded during “W’s” presidency that we became scared of its mention. “Terror alerts, high alert, code orange, anthrax, and more terror,” were all we heard via all media. We became “terrorized” of “terror.” The media is powerful. Most of it is controlled by powerful and enormous companies, which happen to largely be white-owned too. No wonder there is almost no positive coverage of minority groups.
Their needs, their voices and their struggles, should be the voices that we represent. The only positive coverage I used to remember, as in a complete black cast, was only seen in a handful of shows. The same happens with Hispanic or Asian coverage. A society that is owned by one race cannot comprehend the intricacies inherent to other races and ethnicities. It just cannot relate. Lack of knowledge and understanding leads them to fear and disdain. “Why bother?” some ask. I bother because I co-exist with beautiful people. I bother because I see the same thing happening with LGBTQ mainstream and LGBTQ people of color. I see mainstream struggles at the forefront and PoC struggles continuing to lag behind. I hear the pleas of my fellow colleagues of color and I want to go into action. And, I will. The Rainbow Times will continue its diverse coverage, but it will start to focus more on people of color struggles, on LGBTQ Youth homelessness, on transgender women of color’s short lives, on undocumented immigrants’ invisibility in this country, on Black lives because they matter, a lot! We believe that although we are not media moguls by any chance, we can bring about change. And, so we will. You will see that our coverage of stories will mostly focus on the struggles ahead ... To read the rest of this story visit: http://wp.me/p22M41-3JL
Amazing Grace strengthens; marriage equality isn’t safe By: Paul P. Jesep*/TRT Columnist
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n late June, President Barack Obama gave a momentous eulogy (http://tinyurl.com/o78sxjb), at a funeral service for a pastor, one of nine African-Americans murdered in South Carolina. The president ended by singing “Amazing Grace,” a Christian hymn by John Newton written in 1779. The lyrics have evolved over time. One version has steered away from personal sin of being a wretch to focusing on overcoming injustice. For some, the hymn represents finding strength during times of social and personal difficulty. Diverse groups, while affirming and celebrating the ability of the human spirit to prevail, have used it. According to one stanza: The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures; He will my Shield and Portion be, As long as life endures. There is hopefulness in these words. Justice endures because it is pursued and never taken for granted. However, justice is sus-
Do not assume public opinion will get behind the court’s historic decision, especially when there is an orchestrated, well-financed campaign of misinformation about religious liberty. tained because of vigilance. According to a recent Associated Press poll (http://tinyurl.com/ntn4stp), support for marriage equality is down since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its historic ruling on marriage equality. Americans are evenly divided as to whether taxpayer salaried government officials should be allowed to refuse to issue marriage certificates on religious grounds. Everyday Americans are worried religious freedom is now under threat. In short, the unfolding misinformation campaign by the religious right is working.
See Marriage Equality on page 15
By: D'Anne Witkowski*/Special to TRT
G
ood news for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and intersex kids who get arrested in Kentucky! Well, I mean, bad news to have been arrested, but at least there's a policy that forbids the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) personnel, including volunteers, from using "derogatory language in a manner that conveys bias towards or hatred of the LGBTQI community" and telling "LGBTQI juveniles that they are abnormal, deviant, sinful or that they can or should change their sexual orientation or gender identity." When I first heard of this I had to doublecheck the state. Kentucky, really? Yes, Kentucky! (My apologies to the Bluegrass State for doubting, but y'all do keep voting for Mitch McConnell). To anyone who volunteers to work with juvenile offenders, let me first say, "Good for you!" Too often society writes these young people off as "bad kids" and once a young person finds him or herself in the system, it's really hard to get out. And a lot of these kids are LGBT. According to The Center for American Progress, "Though gay and transgender youth represent just 5 percent to 7 percent of the nation's overall youth population, they compose 13 percent to 15 percent of those currently in the juvenile justice system." Clearly only a really terrible person would say, "You know what, I want to work with juvenile offenders and I want to tell the LGBT ones how gross and sinful they are as is my right as an American Christian." Or so argues Baptist minister David Wells who, with the help of the gay-hating Liberty Council, is suing the DJJ because they won't let him gay-bash the inmates with his "ministry." According to Liberty Council's (http://goo.gl/1ulY9b), LGBT youth involved in the criminal justice system are a bunch of sex-crimers anyway, so it's totally
Letters to the Editor [Re: Op-Ed: Positive Thoughts – Passing the HIV Test] Dear Editor, Maybe if “HIV leadership” like Oriol here didn’t allude to a positive HIV test as a “failure”, people would feel less stigmatized by the results. Maybe if they prioritized mutually beneficial ways to end the virus rather than encourage privileged seronegatives to wall themselves in with Truvada and wait for everyone else to die, the test wouldn’t seem like a scam to people who suspect they’ll wind up positive. —Andy Frazier, Online [Re: Obama Owes Transgender Community an Apology] Dear Editor, As a post op transgender female, I would have kicked her out too. She was disrespectful and rude. Obama does not owe her
See More Letters on Page 15
“...I want to tell the LGBT [Youth] ones how gross and sinful they are as is my right as an American Christian." —Minister Wells unfair to Wells that he can't call it like he sees it. "Many juveniles are in DJJ custody because of sexual crimes," said Staver in a July 24 press release. "David Wells must be able to discuss what the Bible says about matters
See LGBTQ Youth on Page 15
The Rainbow Times The Freshest LGBT Newspaper in New England—Boston Based TheRainbowTimesMass.com editor@therainbowtimesmass.com sales@therainbowtimesmass.com Phone: 617.444.9618 / 413.282.8881 Fax: 928.437.9618 Publisher Gricel M. Ocasio Editor-In-Chief Nicole Lashomb Assistant Editor Sara Brown National/Local Sales Rivendell Media Liz Johnson Lead Photographer Alex Mancini Steve Jewett** Reporters Chuck Colbert Christine Nicco Sara Brown Chris Gilmore Jessica Castellanos Keen News Service
Ad & Layout Design Prizm PR Webmaster Jarred Johnson Columnists/Guest* Lorelei Erisis Deja N. Greenlaw Paul P. Jesep Natalia Muñoz Francisco “Jimagua” Cartagena Mendez Keegan O’Brien* Affiliations National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association QSyndicate *Guest Writer **Photographer
The Rainbow Times is published monthly by The Rainbow Times, LLC. TRT is affiliated with the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, NLGJA, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, NGLCC, The Connecticut Alliance for Business Opportunity,CABO, and QSyndicate. The articles written by the writers, columnists, and correspondents solely express their opinion, and do not represent the endorsement or opinion of The Rainbow Times, LLC or its owners. Send letters to the editor with your name, address and phone number to: The Rainbow Times (address shown above), or e-mail any comment/s to the editor at: editor@therainbowtimesmass.com. All submissions will be edited according to space constraints. The Rainbow Times, LLC reserves the right not to print any or all content, or advertisements for any reason at all. TRT is not responsible for advertising content. To receive The Rainbow Times at your home via regular mail, or through electronic delivery, please visit its website. The whole content and graphics (photos, etc.) are the sole property of The Rainbow Times, LLC and they cannot be reproduced at all without TRT’s written consent.
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 3
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
By: Sara Brown/TRT Assistant Editor
IN THE LIMELIGHT
BOSTON, Mass.—The state the Legislature voted in favor of an override to Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of $2 million to support the creation of housing and wraparound supportive services for youth and young adults age 24 and younger who are experiencing homelessness outside the care and custody of a parent or legal guardian. Many that work with and help homeless youth welcomed the override. “I was elated,” said Erica KayWebster, founder & CEO of The Promise Place School (http://tinyurl.com/qfut89c), a home and educational program for homeless LGBTQ youth that have been rejected by their families. “I was keeping track of every single vote and I couldn’t be happier.” According to The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, funding would be given to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to enter into performance-based contracts with organizations and agencies to provide a continuum of housing and wraparound support services to unaccompanied youth who are experiencing homelessness. Key-Webster was not the only one who reacted positively about the override. "We are extremely grateful that the Legislature swiftly overrode Governor Baker's disappointing veto of the much-needed,
highly anticipated $2 million for housing and services for unaccompanied youth and young adults,” said Kelly Turley, Director of Legislative Advocacy at the Coalition. The override was a bipartisan effort with the Legislature voting 154-0 in the House of Representatives and 38-0 in the Senate to restore the $2 million in youth homelessness funding. “I think that shows that everyone understands the need of this funding,” said KeyWebster. “They took the necessary steps to address this issue in the budget and not ignore it.” Gov. Baker said his biggest concern was that the state has a balanced budget when asked about the overrides the state voted on including the one on homeless youth. “The budget is a combo platter, it's a combination of decisions made by the House, Senate and us,” Baker said to reporters at the State House. “When they finish their work, we will take a look at it, add it up and figure out what we need to do to make sure the budget is balanced and we live within our means.” According to Kay-Webster, almost half of the youth homeless population is LGBTQ. “We keep encouraging our youth to come out younger and younger,” she said. “They are not all greeted with great reactions. Many are kicked out onto the street. They don’t have a safety net. It’s heartbreaking. How can you just ignore your youth like that?” When news came out about Baker’s veto, many reacted negatively including Massa-
PHOTO: OFFICE OF GOV. BAKER
State votes to override Gov. Baker’s veto to support homeless youth
MA Governor Charlie Baker
chusetts LGBTQ Youth Commissioner, Coco Alinsug. “I paused for a good minute when I found out,” Alinsug said. “I was speechless. It was an insult.” According to a former TRT story (http://tiny.cc/3u5a1x), the MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth stated the need for other recommendations in their March, 2015 report that included “providing more funding dedicated to services for homeless LGBTQ youth; providing training for teachers and school staff on issues and risks facing LGBTQ youth; and identifying foster families for LGBTQ youth.” Since 1992, the
TRT story also reported that the Commission has been tasked with making annual policy recommendations to address issues such as harassment, assault, suicide attempts, and homelessness, which affect LGBTQ youth at high rates. Kay-Webster said $2 million is not nearly enough money to help solve the problem. “It doesn’t even begin to make a dent but at least it’s a start,” she said. “If the money wasn’t restored, Gov. Baker would be contributing to chronic homelessness.” Turley emphasized the urgency of the situation. “As the youth and young adults we work with who are experiencing homelessness know all too well—and as most people can imagine, youth without homes can't wait another year for state government to respond to their urgent needs," Turley said. However, before the override, Baker said he would revisit the issue of funding after the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Commission gave their recommendations to the administration. “I am vetoing this item because it is not consistent with my House 1 recommendation,” said Baker when he released his
See Homeless Youth on Page15
NEW ENGLAND LGBTQ MEDIA DIVERSE............just like our team is OBJECTIVE..........someone has to be INCLUSIVE........no one is left behind .....That is HOW media should be.....
4 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
Same-sex marriage is not enough: Refocusing the fight for LGBT equality mainstream community. “In some states you can still be fired form BOSTON, Mass.—Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling in your job for marrying your same-sex partObergefell v. Hodges, LGBT activists agree ner,” said Corey Yarbrough, Executive Dithat there are still more battles to win before rector, Hispanic Black Gay Coalition. LGBT equality is achieved—battles includ- “Activists need to focus more on workplace discrimination and ing those of the most economic justice disenfranchised, they within the LGBTQ said. community. [They] “Though the June 26 should also underruling by the U.S. stand and embrace inSupreme Court was a tersectionality by tremendous victory for showing visible solithe LGBTQ commudarity to other social nity, by no means is justice battles and fothe work done,” said cusing on those within Robyn Ochs, MassEour own community quality board co-chair. who are often voice“There are still numerless in the movement. ous issues that need to Undocumented queer be tackled in Massaimmigrants, HIV+ inchusetts and nationdividuals, and homeally. From solidifying less LGBTQ youth, explicit legal protecfor example, are all tions for transgender that de—Neal Minahan populations people in public serve more attention spaces to ending youth and resources from homelessness to prothe mainstream viding culturally competent care for LGBTQ community.” LGBTQ seniors to ensuring funding for proOchs agreed with Yarbrough’s assessment grams and services for people living with and expressed the need of organizations to HIV/AIDS, the work is ongoing.” Leaders agree that intersectionality is a work together. “It is essential that we do this work taking critical component to securing the future of LGBT rights, often drawing focus on mar- into account the intersections of demoginalized groups that lack support of the graphic markers such as race, ethnicity, By: Nicole Lashomb/TRTEditor-in-Chief
“We need to evaluate and confront racism in our community and address issues of economic inequality that affect so many of us.”
class, gender identity and age, working collaboratively with other organizations and movements to ensure that the disparities that exist at these intersections are adequately addressed,” she said. Although Boston filmmaker Amir Dixon celebrates the marriage equality ruling, he also expressed concern for how true equality is depicted. “As long as Trans* women of color are being murdered, under-employed and face discrimination in health care settings, 40% of youth are LGBTQ and young black gay men sit at the epicenter of the HIV epidemic in this country, we are not even close to equality,” Dixon said. Yarbrough explained the impact that the Obergefell ruling had on him as a black gay man. “Like many Black LGBTQ people across the country, the day of the marriage equality ruling was extremely bittersweet for me,” Yarbrough explained. “While thousands were publicly celebrating marriage equality in the streets, others were mourning the burial and murder of Black lives, resulting from acts of racism and injustice in Charleston.” It’s not that marriage equality was legal nationwide, it is that Yarbrough’s concerns are about inequalities that still exist and still affect him, despite gay marriage. “The landmark ruling represents great progress, yet came on a day that painfully reminded me that not everyone, even within the LGBTQ community, can benefit from that progress due to other forms of injustices and discrimination,” he said. “It is impossible for me to disassociate the joy of being able to marry as a gay man from the rage of feeling devalued as a Black person in America.” Healthcare equity is another issue that the LGBT collective should be focused on, according to Dixon. “Access to comprehensive services is something we are not receiving,” he said. “Something that we are not talking about is our lack of access to mental health services, sexual health services or simply finding a doctor that isn’t a completely homophobic and transphobic a$$hole!” In addition, other LGBT issues have also been forced to stay in the dark in order to pave the way for same-sex marriage. “The single-focus on marriage equality has deferred progress on full equality for LGBTQ people in all other areas of our lives,” said Ben Power Alwin, Curator, Sex-
“Undocumented queer immigrants, HIV+ individuals, and homeless LGBTQ youth, for example, are all populations that deserve more attention and resources from the mainstream LGBTQ community.” —Corey Yarbrough ual Minorities Archives and Executive Director, Sexual Minorities Educational Foundation, Inc. “In particular, the Transgender community has been forced to take a back seat and ‘wait our turn’ for any measure of Trans rights on the federal level and within most states in the U.S. We must change this and refocus our united LGBTQ commitment in the spirit of Stonewall, a rebellion ignited by Trans people of color!” MassEquality board co-chair Stan Zanarotti posed a question to mainstream LGBT America. “… this is a critical moment for our community nationally: Now that marriage has been won, will the folks who have focused on the marriage equality movement step up
See LGBT Equality on Page 15
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 5
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
Mass. lags behind in Transgender protections, Freedom Massachusetts launches as a result By: Christine Nicco/TRT Reporter
BOSTON, Mass.—Freedom Massachusetts, a bipartisan campaign working to ensure all people are treated fairly and equally under the law, has launched its effort to secure public accommodations protections for transgender Bay Staters this year. According to the campaign’s co-chair, Mason Dunn, the campaign is a “coalition of businesses, policy makers, and organizations,” aimed at passing S.B. 735 and H.B. 1577, An Act Relative To Transgender AntiDiscrimination, through the state legislature. “We have an opportunity right now to fix a glaring gap in our state’s nondiscrimination laws so that Massachusetts cannot only be a state that reflects the values of its residents, but a state that is poised to carry its economic successes and growth well into the future,” said Kasey Suffredini, Freedom Massachusetts co-chair, via a press release. “Over the course of this campaign, we intend to show lawmakers just how broad support is for this commonsense update to our law.” Currently, state law provides nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, credit/lending, and public education. Excluding the transgender community in public accommodations protections means it is not free from facing discrimination in public spaces such as restaurants, retail stores, government offices, malls, transportation, bathrooms and hospitals. “At the end of the day, this work is about individuals,” said Dunn, also Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, via the same release. “It’s about making Massachusetts a better, safer place where transgender people and their families don’t have to worry about facing unwarranted, hurtful discrimination when they’re simply going about their lives.” Based in grassroots efforts, Freedom Massachusetts will be hosting phone banks every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the campaign, explained Katie Guare, field outreach coordinator.
“Our hopes for these actions is to grow larger as we get closer to a vote, and generate more contact with legislators and policy makers in the State House,” she said. “Participants at our phone banks range from long-time activists in the LGBTQ community, to family members, friends, and neighbors who understand the importance and urgency of this legislation, and many people who are getting involved in grassroots advocacy for the first time." According to the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, more than 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies have established policies protecting gender identity, depicting that big business recognizes the importance of ensuring protections for all Americans. Such companies also stand behind Freedom Massachusetts. “The support of companies like Google, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Eastern Bank sends a powerful message that these bills are the right thing to do, and that they move our state in the right direction,” Dunn said. Massachusetts lags behind 17 states and Washington D.C., which have already passed nondiscrimination laws protecting gender identity in public spaces. “We’re hoping to engage more community members and allies in this work,” Dunn further explained. “Whether that means attending a phone bank, writing letters to the governor, or urging your legislator to support this legislation, we hope community members will get involved with the campaign. This is not only a great way to get involved, but also an excellent opportunity to empower community members with core leadership and grassroots advocacy skills.” A vote is expected in the coming months, according to the campaign. The bill’s cosponsors are Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and Representatives Denise Provost and Byron Rushing. Freedom Massachusetts is a joint effort of state and national organizations, including the Massachusetts Transgender Political ...
See Freedom Massachusetts - P. 15
6 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
What it is like to date as a trans person and the complications that follow By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/TRT Columnist
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TRANS NEWS
h e n people are attracted to each other, usually dating follows and a relationship may begin. If things develop, there may very well be discussions on where the relationship is going. Will this become a steady relationship? Will it progress to eventually living together? When is it time to introduce this new person to their friends and family? This may become tricky if one of the people in the relationship is a trans person. Knowing a trans person and having a trans person as a friend is one thing, however, having a trans person as a significant other may be too big of a challenge for some folks. I have dated non-trans men for the past eight years and I am well aware of my dates' apprehension of announcing to the world that they are dating me. The men are fine with being seen with me in public as long as the public is not in their hometown or in their circle of friends. I found this to be a very common practice on all of my dates. I did, however, have one man introduce
me to a couple of his friends and invited me into his home several times. We even went grocery shopping in his hometown. This was wonderful. However, he did draw the line on introducing me to his family. When he was a teen, his parents caught him with some trans porn and he was told that this was very wrong and that they never wanted to see this again. Years later, he still heeded his parents warning. I was not happy about this, but I
me. Yes, he was comfortable with being seen with me with a few of his friends, but he is not comfortable at all being seen with me with the majority of his friends. If someone he knew saw us together, the questioning might likely begin. Why is he going out with me? Why doesn't he go out with a “real” woman? Is he gay? The questions are really quite unfair and daunting. If he stood up for
Many people do not wish to be “outed” as loving a trans person. It really is quite similar to some trans people who do not wish to be “outed” as being a trans person. understood the root of his fears. As all of my other dates, this man had admitted to me he had fears of being seen with me in public. He asked me if I remember how I felt when I first began going out in public dressed in women's clothing and how scared I was that someone I knew would see me and recognize me. I told him that I do remember that fear. He then told me that's the same fear that he had when he was out with
our relationship, he would most likely be thought of in a negative fashion. Some may even turn their back on him just like some folks turned their back on me when they found out that I transitioned to living full time as female. I knew the sting of people turning their backs on me, so I understood his fears. Some folks might say that people who don't own up to loving a trans person are not
strong people. These people might call that person weak and spineless for not choosing love over the fear of rejection from their friends and family. These folks do have a good point. However, I believe that there is a counterpoint, which is the “outing” aspect of the situation. Many people do not wish to be “outed” as loving a trans person. It really is quite similar to some trans people who do not wish to be “outed” as being a trans person. If you can respect and support the trans person's wish not to be outed, then how can you deny the wish of a non-trans person the same wish? In my opinion, to out anyone against their wish is a very big faux pas. I simply cannot draw the line and exclude the outing of the person who loves a trans person. Until society becomes comfortable with accepting that some people love a trans person, this will continue to be an issue. Yes, there are currently some folks who are very upfront about loving us, but they are very few. For the majority of people, I guess that they will have to wait until society's views change. In the meantime, many of us trans people are also waiting. *Deja Nicole Greenlaw is a trans woman who has 3 grown children and is retired from 3M. She can be contacted at dejavudeja@sbcglobal.net.
Ask a Trans Woman: Why trans actors should play more trans characters By: Lorelei Erisis*/TRT Columnist
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PHOTO: DAVID MEEHAN
recently finished watching the new Netflix science fiction series, “Sense8.” And of course by “finished watching” I mean, my girl-boyfriend and I binged on it in a couple of big gulps. It’s that good. This column isn’t going to be a review of “Sense8” though. Instead, I am inspired to make an argument for trans actors playing trans roles. “Sense8” was created, written and executive-produced by Andy and Lana Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski. The reason it is notable here is that one of the main characters in the story is a trans woman; written and conceived by a trans woman; and played by a trans woman! Despite the Sci-Fi premise of the show, this character felt so real to me. She was a revelation. In my own acting training, I have been told over and over to play what I know. Indeed, one of the strongest influences that convinced me to begin my own transition was a former director who kept giving me the instruction to, “play myself.” From this, I became convinced that I needed to transition; not merely because I desired it, but because I believed it would make me a better and honest actor.
THE RAINBOW TIMES DIVERSE............just like our team is OBJECTIVE..........someone has to be INCLUSIVE........no one is left behind .....That is HOW media should be.....
It is natural to seek out characters that represent who we are. We like to see ourselves and our experiences reflected on a flickering screen. It affirms our lives and reassures us that we are not invisible and alone. I think this is one of the primary purposes of art. It is a mirror that reflects more than just our outer image. At its best, it reflects our inner
in our entertainment, culturally aware casting rises in importance. Modern audiences will no longer accept men playing all the parts, nor will we stand for a film in which Mexican or Italian actors play all the Native American parts. Yes, I have seen a number of incredible performances of trans roles by cisgender ac-
What mattered was that they were instantly believable as those characters. I didn’t have to be convinced. I didn’t have to work to forget the actor playing the role. I could immerse myself in the story and enjoy the subtler nuances of the characterizations. selves. In the past several years, there have been more and more interesting trans roles being written for film and television. I have made a point of watching as many as I could. Now, speaking strictly as an actor, I don’t want to say that actors shouldn’t be able to play roles that don’t directly reflect who they are in real life. The best actors can imbue any character they inhabit with a piece of themselves and a glimmer of their own truth. Frankly, acting would be boring if we were always expected to play exactly who we are. However, film is a fairly unforgiving medium. Film, and to an even greater extent television, is a close-up medium. As such, the job of the casting director becomes quite important. Proper casting can make or break a film or a series. As audiences demand more “authenticity”
tors such as Felicity Huffman in “Transamerica;” Chloë Sevigny in “Hit or Miss;” and most recently Jeffrey Tambor in “Transparent.” The one flaw all these performances share for me is that I can never quite forget these are actors, playing a role. This brings me back to “Sense8” and the remarkable Jaime Clayton as trans hacker Nomi Marks. There was so much that I connected within that character; so much I identified with. Here was my life, my reality, reflected in art. I assure you, I am not a telepathically connected super hacker. But, I found the performance utterly relatable. I was more able to forget that I was watching an actor giving a performance, and simply be immersed in the character and her story. It was exciting. It was interesting. It was great art!
I felt similarly while watching some of the trans characters played by trans actors in “Transparent.” Alexandra Billings was mesmerizing to me. Ian Harvie required zero suspension of disbelief. Here were trans people playing trans people - playing their truths. I felt similarly watching Laverne Cox in “Orange Is The New Black.” Harmony Santana in the film, “Gun Hill Road” was heartbreaking in her authenticity. I haven’t the faintest idea if Billings, Cox or Clayton or any of the others are anything like the characters they played. That didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were instantly believable as those characters. I didn’t have to be convinced. I didn’t have to work to forget the actor playing the role. I could immerse myself in the story and enjoy the subtler nuances of the characterizations. Acting is a tricky thing. The best performances should not feel like acting. The best performances should feel real. They should make you think about things other than what a good job the actor is doing. I don’t want to see trans actors in trans roles for fairness or because it is politically correct. No. I would like to see more trans actors playing more trans roles because it elevates the form. It makes for more interesting, engaging, exciting, relatable and even thoughtful films and television. It helps tell better stories. It is quite simply better art. Also, I would like to work more. There is that. Slainte! * Lorelei Erisis is an actor, activist, adventurer and pageant queen. Send your questions about trans issues, gender and sexuality to Lorelei at: askatranswoman@gmail.com.
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 7
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
Positively Trans (T+): On the needs & realities of transgender people living with HIV/AIDS OAKLAND, Calif—Late last week, Transgender Law Center launched the Positively Trans (T+) survey (http://goo.gl/rgBsT0), a first-of-its-kind community-led needs assessment to examine the legal and policy landscape as experienced by transgender women, men, and gender non-conforming people living with HIV/AIDS across the country. “As transgender people living with HIV/AIDS, we are capable of forming our own network, telling our own stories, and developing our own strategies for advocacy,” said Cecilia Chung, Senior Strategist at Transgender Law Center and project lead for Positively Trans. “This survey is a groundbreaking opportunity to not only highlight our needs, but also our resilience when there are few resources available. We are ready to offer policy makers, providers and legislators our own solutions.” Positively Trans is a response to the structural inequalities that drive the high rate of HIV/AIDS and poor health outcomes for transgender people, especially transgender women of color. The survey is a safe and anonymous place for trans and gender nonconforming people living with HIV to share their experiences with barriers, discrimination, violence, and triumphs in health care, housing, employment, relationships, and community. The survey was developed in partnership with the project’s nine National Advisory
Board members from across the country — Arianna Lint, Channing-Celeste Wayne, Dee Dee Chamblee, Milan Sherry, Octavia Lewis, Ruby Corado, Tela Love, Teo Drake, and Tiommi J. Luckett — the majority of whom are trans women of color living with HIV. “This survey is for us and will not be done without us,” said T+ National Advisory Board member Tiommi P. Luckett of Arkansas. “Every trans woman and man living with HIV should fill out this survey because we need people to know that we’re here, and that we can develop our own solutions and strategies to take care of ourselves.” Positively Trans was made possible with the support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The survey’s findings, which will be released in October, will ultimately inform policy and program recommendations, prioritization of needs, strategic planning and advocacy efforts. Take the survey, available in English and Spanish, at: http://goo.gl/rgBsT0. Transgender Law Center works to change law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression.
8 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
The Outfield: LGBTs seek extreme sports’ acceptance By: Dan Woog*/Special to TRT
F
QSPORTS
ive-yearold Tedi Bowler was “totally into” sports. But in Duluth, Minn. in the 1980s, she says, “girls were not allowed to do that.” So she grew wary of following her passion. Two years later, she rode her first BMX bike. That too was a bit odd for a girl. But she loved everything about it—the tough terrain, the danger, the adrenaline rush—and she kept riding. In seventh grade, Bowler came out as a lesbian. “It was a mess,” she recalls. “I was a loner. Plus, I had anger issues.” Being biracial, and born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, added to her stress. Yet she kept riding. On a BMX bike—also called “bicycle motocross”—he felt free. She performed tricks. And Bowler was getting much-needed exercise. Bowler gained the confidence to join team sports. She played ice hockey, flag football, softball and basketball, but extreme sports were the best. At 35, after watching the X Games, Bowler began skateboarding. For more than a decade, Bowler says, “I’ve been able to fully enjoy extreme sports.”
Lesbians, like Tedi Bowler, have to contend with being lesbians (and, women) in extreme sports
She’s worked two or three jobs at a time, since she was 19. Her Fetal Alcohol Syndrome made it hard to keep any one job, she says, so she has done mostly temp work. The variety appeals to her. “Otherwise, she says, “I’d be bored and agitated.” “Boredom” is not something that BMX riders, skateboarders and other extreme sport athletes suffer from. They constantly seek the next challenge. For Bowler, that challenge means getting
extreme sports into the Twin Cities Pride celebration. And not just for the traditional participants: men. About 10 years ago, Bowler says, women’s skateboarding was added to the X Games. However, BMX racing still has not made it into ESPN’s annual homage to extreme sports. Bowler says that, very quietly, women have become a presence in the extreme sports world. But she knows of very few
who self-identify as lesbian, or are open about it. “We’re already being judged as women by the extreme sports community,” Bowler explains. “Most lesbians probably keep quiet. They don’t want one more issue to contend with.” She assumes there are “tons” of lesbians— and “probably plenty of gay guys too.” But, she says, extreme sports is one place where homosexuality is still not discussed. She recalls one “aggressive” inline skater who came out in the 1990s. Bowler says his disclosure did not go over well. Google searches for “gay or lesbian BMX riders” come up empty. There are a few online discussions about whether anyone is out in the sport. The level of discourse is not high. “It’s too manly a sport,” is one comment. Speculation about a rider with a pink bike is another. After Tim Von Werne’s career was cut short under what one magazine called “a cloud of controversy,” gay skateboarders seem to have remained in the closet too. Bowler has vowed to increase visibility of extreme sports, and of the lesbians and gay men who love it. She envisions BMX racing, skateboarding and more as part of the 2016 Twin Cities Pride festival. “I’m tired of walking around every year at Pride, feeling like I’m ignored,” she says. “This is a real sport.” To read the rest of this story visit: http://wp.me/p22M41-3JB
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 9 PHOTO: FENWAY HEALTH
The Engaging Parents Project team—from Left-to-Right: Dr. Kerith Conron, Jonathan Reveil, and Dr. Toña Delmonico
A focus on LGBTQ Youth of Color: Engaging Parents Project seeks participants, pays
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ings and experiences about parenting a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning youth of color,” the Fenway Institute’s release read. “The Project team is interested in talking with parents who are at all stages of acceptance—those that are comfortable, as well as those who are struggling with their child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” If you are the parent or guardian of a youth of color between the ages of 13 and 17 and your child identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or uncertain about their sexual orientation or gender identity, you may be eligible for participation in this study. Parent or guardian participants will be compensated $50 for a one-hour confidential research interview. Interviews may be conducted in English or in Spanish. “Hearing from parents who volunteer to be interviewed will help us create resources that are useful to parents and families in the broader community,” Conron said. As for one youth’s advice to parents at Dixon’s screening, “Even if you don’t understand, just love us.” The event was also co-organized by The Fenway Institute’s Stigma Subcommittee of Connect2Protect and was supported by ABCD, BAGLY, Boston Alliance for Community Health, Boston GLASS, Codman Square Health Center, Connected Boston, GLAD, HBGC, and PFLAG. For more information about the Engaging Parents Project or to find out if you are eligible for participation, please call or text 617.804.5436 or e-mail them at: parent@fenwayhealth.org (no hyphen). Para español, llame o envíe un texto al: 857.400.9393.
Courtesy: WolfeVideo.com
BOSTON, Mass.—The Fenway Institute recently announced the launching of its Engaging Parents Project, a new study that examines the varied experiences of parents of LGBT Youth of Color. “LGBTQ YOC [Youth of Color] face racism, particularly at institutional and interpersonal levels, and this makes family support even more important for LGBTQ youth of color,” explained Dr. Kerith Conron, Research Scientist at the The Fenway Institute and team lead for Engaging Parents Project. “When parents are uncomfortable with their children being LGBT, or in unchartered territory, the whole family can end up feeling isolated and stressed. We believe that if parents have more opportunities and resources for support, it will benefit parents, youth, and the whole family.” Continued community engagement is critical to the success of this study, Conron explained. Need and interest has already been established. The Engaging Parents Project recently co-organized a community movie screening with over 30 young adults, children, and parents who gathered at Codman Square’s Black Box Theatre to view and discuss Amir Dixon’s film “These Are Our Children Too.” The film examines the experiences of five LGBT youths of color as they navigate issues of identity, invisibility, and acceptance, a Fenway Institute release read. “One of my goals for the film was to start a dialogue with parents of color who have LGBTQ youth who also need support and a safe space,” Dixon said. “My hope is that with this group, parents can feel supported. For many of us who are queer, we come out to ourselves and with time, come out to our parents. Like my parents, they have a ton of questions and things they have to learn and this space is for that. I want parents to know they are not alone.” “The goal of the Engaging Parents Project is to talk with parents about their feel-
LESBIAN TOP 10
By: Christine Nicco/TRT Reporter
1. Eat With Me 2. Seashore 3. Tiger Orange 4. Free Fall 5. Gerontophilia 6. Match 7. Boy Meets Girl 8. Boys 9. The Circle 10. My Beautiful Laundrette Blu-ray
10 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 11
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
PR: Luego del matrimonio igualitario Reflexión: Pérdidas y ¡hasta luego a tod@s!
LATIN VISION
no es un concepto único pues ya se ha tratado en los E.U. enció el Otros grupos religiosos han expresado que amor y el Puerto Rico será victima de grandes desasrespeto a tres naturales como terremotos y tsunamis, la diversidad de ori- como un “castigo divino” por el simple entaciones sexu- hecho que dos personas del mismo sexo que ales. Hoy, Estados se aman, ahora podrán enlazar su amor en Unidos y Puerto una unión civil (matrimonio), y obtener los Rico con la legali- derechos legales y jurídicos que dicha unión dad del matrimonio supone. igualitario elevan el amor y la democLa equidad avanza en el mundo entero reracia a la equidad. Hoy nuestras so- conociendo que toda persona merece tener ciedades son mucho mejor que ayer. iguales derechos, protecciones y oportuToda persona en Puerto Rico tiene nidades. No debe existir razón alguna para que comprender que el matrimonio discriminar a un ser humano por su oriigualitario ya es una realidad en nue- entación sexual. Mucho menos se debe perstro país. Esto incluye a organiza- mitir que una creencia religiosa sea utilizada ciones religiosas fundamentalistas y para seguir perpetuando el discrimen en políticas, que, a pesar de su grito opresor, nuestras sociedades. tienen que aceptar de una vez y por todas Lo cierto es que todo matrimonio debe que la equidad avanza y no se detiene. primero consagrarse en una unión civil avalEn el mes de junio de este año, en una de- ada por un juez del estado, luego si la pareja c i s i ó n que se casó histórica, la (en lo civil) C o r t e lo desea, Suprema puede efecde Justicia tuar una de Estados ceremonia Unidos dereligiosa. cidió que la La decisión prohibición de la Corte del matriSuprema de m o n i o Estados entre perUnidos no sonas del obliga a las m i s m o iglesias sexo viola t r a d i la Constitucionales a ción de esa casar a pernación. La La 13ra Parada de Orgullo Gay del Oeste (Boqueró) 2015, celebrada en junio sonas del d e c i s i ó n luego de que el matrimonio igualitario fuese ley nacional. mismo sexo hizo legal FOTO: EMANUEL MORALES Y PATRICIA M. OCASIO/FOTÓGRAFOS DE TRT /PR si no lo deel matrimosean. nio igualiTal como tario en los 50 estados, lo que incluye a dijo el Presidente de Estados Unidos, Puerto Rico por ser un territorio regido por Barack Obama, este logro del matrimonio las leyes de dicha nación. igualitario se debe a la “lucha de incontables En Puerto Rico, recibimos con gran emo- héroes anónimos" que hicieron la medida ción la noticia del avance que representa la posible, subrayando que la "gente ordinaria decisión de la Corte Suprema de legalizar el puede lograr cosas extraordinarias". matrimonio igualitario. Reunidos en nuestra El amor venció y Puerto Rico es hoy Capital de San Juan, al ritmo de música, mejor que ayer. Luego del matrimonio llanto y alegría, cientos de personas cele- igualitario, tenemos como menester seguir bramos este gran avance. luchando en contra de otros tipos de disComo era de esperarse, ya se han real- crimen contra parejas del mismo sexo, aqueizado las primeras bodas gays en nuestra llas comunidades LGBTT que son más isla, lo que reivindica este momento vulnerables a la desigualdad, las agresiones histórico, este avance tan necesario para y las horrendas consecuencias de la homonuestra democracia, y los postulados de lib- fobia. Además, debemos de luchar por ertad y equidad para todo ser humano, tan cualquier comunidad marginada también, presentes en nuestra Constitución. pues todos debemos de gozar de las protecSin embargo, varios grupos religiosos fun- ciones legales y justas que tiene la mayoría. damentalistas y políticos del Partido Nuevo ¡Aún hay mucho por hacer por la equidad, Progresista (PNP), han llevado a cabo una y a por ello vamos! Para comentarios serie de recursos legales para que se siga eljimagua@live.com | Twitter: @eljimagua prohibiendo la unión entre parejas del (https://twitter.com/eljimagua). mismo sexo en Puerto Rico. Haciendo el *Escritor y activista de derechos humanos ridículo, estos políticos encabezados por la de Puerto Rico. legisladora novo progresista, María Milagros Charbonier (Tata), no lograron detener la legalidad del matrimonio igualitario. The Rainbow Times - Mass. El fanatismo religioso es tan peligroso y repulsivo, que en Puerto Rico un grupo de DIVERSO.........como nuestro equipo pastores, como protesta en contra del matOBJECTIVO...alguien tiene que serlo rimonio igualitario, han decidido no realizar INCLUSIVO....sin dejar a nadie fuera bodas entre parejas heterosexuales, lo cual Así es como la prensa DEBE ser
V
Por: Wilfred W. Labiosa*/Columnista de TRT
D
urante el mes de Junio tuvimos la decisión de la Corte Suprema aprobando nuestras uniones/matrimonios entre parejas del mismo sexo en toda la nación. Debo de estar celebrando pero, todo lo contrario, estoy triste por dos razones. Primero, el día antes de recibir las noticas de este triunfo, mi papá nunca se levantó de su cama. El durmió su sueño eterno y ahora esta con nosotr@s en espíritu y a través de su arte. Wilfred Labiosa, mi padre, fue hermano, esposo, tío, amigo, vecino, maestro y reconocido artista. Su nombre y pinturas siempre vivirán entre la historia del arte. Representará siempre a la cultura Puertorriqueña. Aunque nació en Nueva York de padres puertorriqueños, siempre decía con orgullo que era, “‘Nuyorican’ con la mancha de plátano”. Para él, el mar, los adoquines y ventanas del Viejo San Juan, la canción del coquí, La Perla, y las fachadas de los edificios coloniales, eran ¡lo más bello del mundo entero! Él siempre estaba dispuesto a hablar de Puerto Rico y de su Viejo San Juan, no importa donde estuviéramos, siempre hablaba de su “Patria” que lo vio florecer en las artes. En Tailandia, Japón, Alemania, Francia, España, Sur África, Estados Unidos, Méjico, Australia, Cuba, República Dominicana, Canadá, y en tantos otros países, sus obras quedan plasmadas en las paredes de coleccionistas, amantes del arte y museos. A tod@s los que han sido reconocidos a través de Orgullo Latin@ LGBT, desde el 2004, papi quedará plasmado en sus certificados de reconocimiento; ya que él los diseñó con mucho cariño. Él amaba a Boston por que esta ciudad y la comunidad Latina nos dieron la bienvenida durante los años 80. Mi papá siempre hablaba con orgullo de Villa Victoria, del Festival Puertorriqueño, el periódico El Mundo, Jolgorio Navideño, el espacio radial ¡Con Salsa!, de Jamaica Plain y de la ciudad en general. El trabajó con tant@s personas en Boston y Providence, Rhode Island; Dr. Angel A Amy Moreno, José Masso, Alcalde Thomas M. Menino, Gobernador Michael Dukakis, Dr. José & Erna Sánchez, Carmen Pola, Wilfredo, Karmen Zayas, Máximo Torres y tant@s más, ¡gracias! Papi siempre les conPHOTO: ERIC HESS
Por: Francisco “El Jimagua” Cartagena Méndez*/Especial para TRT
sideró su familia en su segunda casa, ¡Boston! Su hogar y amor eterno fue el Viejo San Juan. Allí estableció su galería de arte desde los ’70 hasta el día de hoy. El enseñó arte a los niños en La Perla y siempre patrocinó a artistas del patio para que se superaran y se impulsaran en las artes plásticas. Much@s de ell@s ahora exponen en la Galeria W Labiosa (200 Calle Tetuán, Viejo San Juan, PR) junto a las obras de su maestro. La segunda razón por la que estoy triste es porque ésta será mi última columna en este periódico. Vivo en Puerto Rico y estaré acá, ya que quiero ser parte de la solución a nuestro problema financiero que en estos momentos estamos confrontando. Tengo muchas cosas que hacer por acá y debo de enfocarme en el legado de mi papá. Ahora comparto el espacio radial, Saliendo del Closet, con la activista Cecilia Laluz; manejo la Galería Labiosa y, Cuba Puerto Rico Tours; proveo sesiones sicológicas a miembros de la comunidad LGBTT en el Centro Comunitario LGBTT de Puerto Rico; y cuido a mi mamá y tía. Viví en Boston por más de 26 años—y yo también tengo a esta ciudad como mi segunda casa. Hice mucho trabajo en Boston con la comunidad Latina y LGBT. Salí del closet en Boston. Estudié mis grados en varias universidades, formalicé muchas amistades y aprendí tanto allí, pero ahora es tiempo de seguir hacia adelante en mi patria. Regresaré a Boston de visita y me mantendré al tanto de lo que pasa en mi “segunda casa”. Estaré en el área de Boston en noviembre por dos razones. Primero, promocionando el libro, “Queer Brown Voices” que incluye un capítulo escrito por mí sobre el movimiento LGBT Latino en Massachusetts. Segundo, estaré presente en la Retrospectiva de papi, en La Galería del Centro Cultural y Arte de Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción. Esta retrospectiva comenzará en Puerto Rico y viajará a otros estados hasta finales del próximo año. Espero poder compartir con tod@s ustedes en la recepción en Noviembre—este periódico anunciará más detalles luego. Quiero darles las gracias a tod@s por apoyar esta columna que comenzó humildemente en “Inn Newsweekly” y siguió, después de 16 años, en este periódico.
Vea “Latin Vision” en la Página 15
12 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
Matt Bomer: More than meets the eyes Public accommodations protections critical to Trans, gender nonconforming health M 452
By: Chris Azzopardi/Special to TRT
of people no matter who they are and where they come from. Q. Channing was very complimentary toward you in his recent Reddit AMA interview. He said he "absofu@kinglutely” gets lost in your eyes, and that “I don't know what they are made of outside of dreams and rainbows and amazingness…” How did you react when you learned of his enthusiasm for you? A. (Laughs) I mean, obviously, I blushed. Knowing Channing, and what a kind soul he is, I guess when you’re the most handsome man on the planet—and probably the most desired man on the planet—you have the security to give those kinds of compliments. And so, it was great. It made my day, of course! I and the rest of the world feel the same way about him. Q. Your eyes get a lot of attention from a lot of people. Have they always stopped traffic? I don’t think they do! I think that’s sheer fallacy and kindness on the part of
PHOTOS
: WARN ER BRO S.
att Bomer is not buying all the buzz about Matt Bomer. Channeling his trademark charm, the actor calls it “sheer fallacy” that anyone— let alone heterosexual men—could possibly find his piercing baby-blue eyes swoon-worthy. And then there’s his body. On display in all its near-nakedness in Magic Mike XXL, Bomer is modest about his sculpted physique. You expect it, of course. The 37year-old dreamboat—just ask Channing Tatum—was born in Missouri and raised in Texas, and he hasn’t strayed from his humble Southern roots despite scorching screen after screen. Not just with a striptease, either. His Golden Globe-winning performance as Felix Turner in HBO’s powerful adaptation of Larry Kramer's 1985 play The Normal Heart was a tear-jerking tour de force. And soon, Bomer will bring the spooks, starring alongside Lady Gaga during the upcoming American Horror Story: Hotel, another collaboration with Ryan Murphy (both worked together previously on Glee and The New Normal). We talked to Bomer about geeking out to Gaga, explaining Magic Mike to his sons and how Channing Tatum made him blush. Q. ou and your Magic Mike costar Channing Tatum recently made a surprise appearance at LA Pride. As a gay man yourself, what was it like having Channing show his support for you and the rest of the LGBT community? A. It’s one of the many things that makes him the magnanimous, amazing, cherished soul that he is. It was his idea, to be honest with you. And he didn’t have to do it. The reality of the situation is, it wasn’t some PR move on his part—he wanted to be inclusive, and that’s a big part of who he is as a human being. So, given the opportunity to work with him, and really everybody in this cast— they’re just a great example of what we all can be, which are people who are secure in themselves, and loving and accepting
Read the rest at: http://goo.gl/EK32yV
others. A. (Laughs) No—I’m still just trying to wake up in the morning with the kids, so I don’t really have time to think about that. More like, “Do I look like I got five hours of sleep last night?!”
According to a recent study, gender minority people who are transgender or gender nonconforming experience widespread discrimination and health inequities. Since 2012, Massachusetts law has provided legal protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment, housing, public education, and business. However, the law does not protect against discrimination based on gender identity in places open to the public, such as transportation, retail stores, restaurants, health care facilities, and bathrooms. A new Early Exclusive View study in The Milbank Quarterly (http://goo.gl/6vqGUh) that surveyed transgender and gender nonconforming adults in Massachusetts has found that discrimination in public settings is not only common, but is associated with adverse health outcomes (read the abstract here - http://goo.gl/9gdnNy). The study, by lead author Dr. Sari Reisner of The Fenway Institute (http://goo.gl/glRhGd) at Fenway Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (www.hsph.harvard.edu/) , and colleagues, examines the relationship between social stressors, including discrimination, and the health and well-being of gender minority adults in Massachusetts since the 2012 implementation of the state’s gender identity nondiscrimination law. It also looks at the frequency and health correlates of public-setting discrimination among gender minority adults in Massachusetts, with particular attention to discrimination in health care settings, such as health centers, hospitals, and nursing homes. Currently, 18 states, including Massachusetts (and the District of Columbia) have gender identity nondiscrimination laws that provide protections against discrimination in employment, housing, public education, and business/credit. Massachusetts is the only one of these states in which the law, which was established in 2012, does not protect against discrimination in public settings. Since the 2012 enactment of the gender identity nondiscrimination law in Massachusetts, this is the first study to explore experiences of discrimination, including those in public settings. The researchers surveyed 452 adults in Massachusetts ranging in age from 18 to 75 years and found: • 65% had experienced discrimination in at least one public setting between 2012 and 2013. • Discrimination was associated with a greater risk of adverse emotional and physical symptoms.
adults took the survey in Mass. ranging in age from 18 to 75 years.
The results showed:
65%
had experienced discrimination in at least one public setting between 2012 and 2013.
RISk
Discrimination was associated with a greater risk of adverse emotional and physical symptoms.
24%
Because of discrimination, about 24% of the sample reported postponing routine medical care, which can result in significant health consequences. • Because of discrimination, about 24% of the sample reported postponing routine medical care, which can result in significant health consequences. “Passage and enforcement of transgender rights laws that include protections against discrimination in public settings, inclusive of health care, is a critical public health policy approach needed to move toward health equity,” says Dr. Reisner. Study authors included researchers from The Fenway Institute, Yale School of Public Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, and Wagner School of Public Service at New York University, and Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. Continuously published since 1923, The Milbank Quarterly (http://goo.gl/7Ea3FJ) features peer-reviewed original research, policy review, and analysis from academics, clinicians, and policymakers. The Quarterly’s multidisciplinary approach and commitment to applying the best empirical research to practical policymaking offer indepth assessments of the social, economic, historical, legal, and ethical dimensions of health and health care policy. The Milbank Quarterly is published in March, June, September, and December on behalf of the Milbank Memorial Fund by John Wiley & Sons. Since 1971, Fenway Health (http://fenwayhealth.org/) has been working to make life healthier for the people in our neighborhood, the LGBT community, people living with HIV/AIDS and the broader population. The Fenway Institute is an interdisciplinary center for research, training, education and policy development focusing on national and international health issues.
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 13
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Clea DuVall, Luke Evans, Grace Jones and more
DEEP INSIDE HOLLYWOOD
By: Romeo San Vicente*/Special to TRT
Clea DuVall in the director’s chair Lesbian fan favorite Clea DuVall, star of Argo, American Horror Story and, back in the day, the queer indie cult hit But I’m A Cheerleader, is stepping into a new role: director. She’ll take the reins for an untitled feature film currently in pre-production. The cast is set— Melanie Lynskey (Togetherness), Natasha Lyonne (Orange is The New Black, and DuVall’s Cheerleader costar), Jason Ritter (Parenthood), Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) and Cobie Smulders (Avengers)—and apparently so is the original script, written by DuVall, but nobody’s talking about that just yet. That’s right, fanticipators, no title and no plot details, the way they did it before the Internet spoiled everything all day long. You’ll just have to wait. Unless you’re down with Hollywood’s power-lesbian In Crowd, that is; they probably know all about it by now.
Luke Evans: The gay action star Here come three new Luke Evans movies, Three Seconds, High Rise and SAS: Red Notice. Unsurprisingly, they are all action thrillers about one crime or another, with co-stars like David Oyelowo, Tom Hiddleston and Elisabeth Moss. That’s
Luke Evans
where this rising star lives, usually, in the land of The Fast and the Furious films and big action spectacles like The Hobbit movies. But what makes Evans unusual is that he’s navigating action film stardom as a gay actor. You may remember him as the actor who was totally out of the closet, then shoved back in by weird marketing/publicity folks, and who is now kinda-sorta re-emerging from that bizarre moment. Either way, it’s fairly unprecedented for any openly gay actors to continue being cast as top-tier talent in the tough-guy action genre, so this Read the rest of this story at: http://wp.me/p22M41-3Jy
TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 15
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015
Homeless Youth from Page 3 vetoes. “Once the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Commission finalizes its recommendations, appropriate funding levels will be analyzed relative to Commission findings.” Advocates for the homeless like KayWebster worry what will become of the youth if they are on the streets for too long. “Once they hit the streets, they are victimized again,” said Kay-Webster. “There are a lot of sexual predators out there. They often find themselves victims of human trafficking. It’s just more guilt and shame on top of guilt and shame.” Alinsug said being homeless is tough for anyone, not just children. “They face a lot of discrimination. They are tempted to do illegal stuff to get by. They lose their self-respect sometimes,” Alinsug said. Kay-Webster said she would like to meet with the governor to discuss the issue and have him tour The Promise Place School. “He needs to understand the ramifications of this,” she said. “Just imagine for a moment [if] he had to go through those experiences as a young person.” According to Alinsug, the state needs to start taking better care of their homeless youth population. “What is $2 million for our kids? It’s nothing. We need to give them more,” Alinsug said.
Letters from page 2 or the glbt community an apology. Obama has done far more for the glbt community than any republican ever. —Bobbie Jo Justice, Online [Re: The Reframing of Adam Lambert] Dear Editor, What a great interview! Love it! Thanks Adam for being so open. You really don’t
Marriage Equality from page 2 Forty-one percent (http://tinyurl.com/psmh7ux) of Americans disapprove of the court’s decision while 39 percent support it. Nearly 20 percent don’t have an opinion on one of the most important decisions in American jurisprudence. Americans are evenly divided on marriage equality within their own state. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, (http://tinyurl.com/pyxace3) a Republican presidential candidate, who may become his party’s nominee and has a reasonable chance to beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, is calling for a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality. LGBTQ leaders must emphasize why religious liberty for those opposed to marriage equality is not threatened. They must especially do so among Americans ambivalent or genuinely concerned about the perceived negative impact of marriage equality. If the right-wing is allowed to define religious liberty in a narrow manner, then there are likely to be setbacks ahead for the LGBTQ community. So far, justice is on the side of the LGBTQ community, but public opinion is fickle. If conservative-leaning justices are added after
“We are extremely grateful that the Legislature swiftly overrode Governor Baker's disappointing veto of the much-needed, highly anticipated $2 million for housing and services for ...” —The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless Kay-Webster wanted to thank Democrats and Republicans alike who voted in favor of the override. “We needed this funding and I am so thankful it’s a reality now,” she said. To learn more about The Promise Place School, visit www.promiseplaceschool.org. To find more information on The Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, visit www.mahomeless.org. The complete Commission’s March 2015 recommendations can be found at: http://tiny.cc/massgovyouth.
LGBT Equality from Page 4 to the plate and support advocacy organizations as we work on other LGBT issues?” Zanarotti asked. With more activists and organizations dedicated to forging ahead on the LGBT road to equality, the marriage victory, according to other leaders, can be used as a springboard to further other initiatives, especially for communities of color, among others. “Marriage equality nationwide does represent a huge victory, but we still need to keep working for other protections,” said Christopher Ott, Communications Director, ACLU of Massachusetts. “We particularly need to protect transgender people and LGBTQ people of color from discrimination, and to include protections for all LGBTQ people in employment, housing and public accommodations. We also need to make sure that claims of religious liberty don't get used as an excuse for discrimination, as we saw in Indiana a few months ago.” The message to the masses and the subsequent framework it established, set up the fight for other causes, according to Ott. “… The marriage fight showed that we can move public opinion—and the protection of the law—in favor of equality, and we need to continue doing that to address other forms of discrimination,” Ott said. Some protections cannot wait.
LGBTQ Youth from page 2 comprehend how your pjhenomenal voice and just being your beautiful self inspires and touches our hearts. It’s an unconditional Lov connection. Part of me would feel empty without hearing your Phenomenal voice. The Lov is cemented knowing your a genuinely Beautiful Kind Humble soul. XXO —Yvette Jazys, Online a new president takes office and public opinion remains evenly divided because of fears over religious liberty, it is not inconceivable the U.S. Supreme Court could scale back LGBTQ civil and human rights protections. There’s a stanza in “Amazing Grace” that reminds me of fire and rain. If the house is burning, you don’t get down on your knees and pray for a sudden storm. You call the fire department. Grace is God given and also something pursued. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. These words also can be about free choice. Choice infers that in humility one seeks grace. Justice is always there. However, it requires pursuit and sometimes a fight. Once justice is obtained, it must be protected. Take nothing for granted. Do not assume public opinion will get behind the court’s historic decision, especially when there is an orchestrated, well-financed campaign of misinformation about religious liberty. *Paul is a corporate chaplain, seminary trained priest, and attorney in greater Albany, NY. Reach him through his business site at: www.CorporateChaplaincy.biz.
of sexuality with the juveniles he is trying to help." Yeah, because telling a kid, "You're in here because you're a damaged perv," is Biblical healing. Staver continues, in complete hysterics, "To remove the Bible from a pastor's hands is like removing a scalpel from a surgeon's hands. Without it, they cannot provide healing." Let me just say, "All the nopes." Any bozo can pick up a Bible and claim to be a pastor. Being a surgeon, however, requires a medical degree, which means a lot of training and belief in science. And let us not forget how for so long LGBT people have had the Bible used against them as a weapon. Which is what
“...the rage of feeling devalued as a Black person in America.” —Corey Yarbrough “First, we need to win full equality protection for transgender people in Massachusetts—and we need to do it this year,” said Neal Minahan, Boston Attorney, Chair of the Board of BAGLY, Chair of the MassEquality PAC. “We need to focus on LGBTQ young people—they come out younger and younger and need our support. The rate of homelessness among LGBTQ youth is staggering and, even in Massachusetts, we’ve only just begun to deal with the problem.” It has to start somewhere, including everyone, protecting everyone, deconstructing systematic barriers meant to compartmentalize individuals, was the resonating message of community leaders. “We need to evaluate and confront racism in our community and address issues of economic inequality that affect so many of us,” Minahan said. “We need to make sure health needs are being met by ensuring full health coverage for transgender people and by finally getting Massachusetts down to zero new HIV infections. We have a lot to do— but marriage showed us we can do it.”
Wells wants to do. His argument is thus: "My right to hurt you trumps your right not to be hurt." Which is bullshit. By the time young people end up in the criminal justice system they have already had more than their fair share of hurt. Being an LGBT kid sadly means an additional layer of pain. So if Wells isn't willing to sign a piece of paper that says, "I won't use my position of authority as a minister to further victimize these kids," then the DJJ is within its rights to say GTFO. And good riddance. *D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.
“Latin Vision” de la Página 11 Gracias a los lectores, a la comunidad Latina y LGBT, a los patrocinadores de Orgullo Latino y Somos Latin@s LGBT de Massachusetts, a Gricel y Nicole, a John y Oz, a “Papi Chulo”, a Evelyn, a Diego, a Henia y a tod@s l@s que apoyaron mis ideas y sueños. Todavía hay mucho por hacer en Boston. Deben de seguir en la lucha por una igualdad para nuestr@s herman@s transgeneros, una póliza de migración justa para tod@s, igualdad para nuestra comunidad de color LGBT, por nuestra inclusión en
Freedom Massachusetts from P. 5 Coalition, MassEquality, the American Civil Liberties Union, Freedom for All Americans, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, BAGLY, the Massachu-
Boston Pride y otras organizaciones locales y nacionales, y por equidad. Gracias a tod@s y que la revolución Latina LGBT continúe en Boston y a través del mundo. Espero poder compartir con ustedes pronto en Boston o en San Juan. ¡En la unión esta la fuerza; unid@s por la equidad y por la aceptación de nuestras comunidades Latinas LGBT! ¡Hasta pronto! *Escrito por Wilfred Labiosa, wlabiosa@hotmail.com y en Facebook. Editado por Gricel Martínez Ocasio. setts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, the Anti-Defamation League, PFLAG and the Human Rights Campaign. To join the coalition, volunteer, or to learn more about the campaign, visit their site: www.freedommassachusetts.org.
16 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
August 6, 2015 - September 2, 2015