The Rainbow Times' February 2019 Issue

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February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Sen. Kamala Harris “for the people” Fighting depression by putting pen to paper By: Nicole Lashomb*/TRT Editor-in-Chief

By: Mike Givens*/TRT Assistant Editor

I

’ve followed Kamala Harris shortly after she took office as the second African American and first IndianAmerican woman in U.S. history to be elected to the Senate. Her Twitter feed impressed me months, if not years ago, when she relentlessly took on Trump in the social media sphere, calling it as it was, and ripping off his mask of deceit and lies in an attempt to inform the American people of what was actually happening within the White House walls and government. She still does so.

Yet, more so, she appeals to me because as a woman in politics, she was unapologetic for her views of the reality in which we all live. She is not concerned about being politically correct nor does she tiptoe around issues out of concern of getting on someone’s bad side. She is blunt yet charismatic. She is strong, yet empathetic and she is fierce yet likeable. Her arguments against the current administration and her quick wit are so impacting that back when I first started following her career, I hoped she would go head-to-head with Trump one day in a presidential contest. I had hoped she would take him out of office with her brazen intelligence. And, I may witness just that, after all.

Harris announced her candidacy for President of the United States in her native Oakland, Calif. I watched on in awe of her ability to harness the goodness in others while deconstructing the negativity that has shackled our nation. Her announcement speech, of which more than 20,000 people gathered to witness, left me spellbound of her tenacity and strength.

Her campaign slogan “for the people” couldn’t come at a more apropos time in

I

our history where the rich and powerful have squashed opportunity, dreams and ideals for the average American. Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, and anti-Semitic behaviors have been emboldened under this presidential administration at an all time high in modern time.

Immigrant children, as young as 17 months old, have been ripped away from their families by this government and thousands have still not reunited. Transgender people serving in the military have been disrespected, demeaned and disregarded and discharged, all because they answer the call to serve so that we all can enjoy freedom— all 15,500 of them. Trump has ...

See Kamala Harris on Page 21

often struggle with how much of myself I should let leak into my columns.

Part of me wants to keep my prose limited to talking about politics, current events, or other issues that directly impact the lives of LGBTQ people. However, most times, I want to write about humanity and how I experience life with the small hope that my writing, my experiences, my unique approach to life and living, can help others, even if it’s to let them know that they’re not alone.

I write this column on the eve of my 37th birthday and in the midst of a debilitating depression. I’ve struggled with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) since I was a teenager; right around the beginning of November until mid-March, I suffer from a massive bout of psychic darkness and a paralyzing sense of ennui. I could write 1,000 words about how I’m struggling and not come close enough to doing justice to just how overwhelming the depression is.

It’s difficult to get out of bed in the morning. For example, the day that I’m writing this column, I got out of bed at 4 p.m.

Doing small things like sweeping the kitchen floor, dusting, or doing laundry feel Sisyphean. Going to work everyday is a battle. There’s an intense sense of listlessness, dread, and an agonizing inability to see into the future. Life just feels like it’s too much to handle; so fragile and so intricate that it’s not worth going through.

Depression is a disease of self-involvement. One becomes so wrapped up in one’s sense of despair that it’s hard to realize that there’s light. For example, I’m able-bodied, work a high-paid full time job that is rewarding and helps people, I’m surrounded by people who are intelligent, caring, engaged, kind, and hard working, and

Faith, God & Family: Offering a gift of love at Valentine’s to combat hate, ignorance By: Paul P. Jesep*/TRT Columnist

FAITH

Happy Valentine’s Day hopeless romantics! If you’re still seeking “the one,” don’t despair. Patience, persistence, and optimism wins the day. Being a guarded romantic helps too.

February 14 is named for a third century Roman (https://is.gd/A6P4md) who is associated with courtly love. Although St. Valentine is not rumored to have been gay, throughout history there have been several LGBTQ Christian saints (https://is.gd/lVu9M7) believed to have taken a same-gender life partner. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender saints.

They’re worth exploring both for the example they set and the spiritual grounding each offers.

At times the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament suggest the existence and acceptance of same-gender attraction. “And it came to pass …” I Samuel 18:1 teaches “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” The story of these two men, one the son of a king and the other a warrior, borders on the erotic as well as romantic.

In another teaching, Naomi, a widow, and her daughter-in-law, Ruth, had a unique connection (Ruth 1:16-17). This is not to say they were lovers, but the scriptural language suggests a clear possibility.

You don’t have to be Christian to be inspired by LGBTQ Christian saints or the Judeo-Christian heritage that may support same-gender relationships. Judaism and Christianity are parts of the infinite spiritual cosmology unfolding at every moment.

Due to some of the unsettling news faced by the LGBTQ community, St. Valentine’s Day is a “holiday” needed more than ever.

In January, the Trump Administration announced federally funded foster agencies in South Carolina (https://is.gd/9Gt8Va) may deny services based on religion and same-gender relationships.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the AntiDefamation League (ADL) issued a statement (https://is.gd/NvSAAd) noting his shock because “the federal government is openly sanctioning discrimination against Jews, LGBTQ and others. Allowing a taxpayer-funded agency to discriminate against Jews and other minorities is outrageous and sets a dangerous precedent for

our nation.” According to ADL, a local Jewish woman has already been rejected as a volunteer mentor of children.

I take comfort knowing ADL and other groups are out there also fighting the good fight. The LGBTQ community is not alone.

St. Valentine and saints perceived as LGBTQ are courageous reminders of resilience during persecution. They didn’t stop loving. Didn’t become jaded. Didn’t lose hope. Didn’t become misanthropes.

Their timeless lessons teach us to look beyond what we can see and touch. They teach us to transcend bad experiences.

These lessons spiritually mentor us to go beyond the visible. Each of us comes with our own baggage and limitations. The goal is to be as self-aware as possible, so personal insecurities don’t give us a reason to limit our growth.

I remain hopeful, often reflecting on the words of a favorite theologian Teilhard de Chardin (https://is.gd/gPVymq): “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness the energies of love. And then, for the second time in the history of the world, we will Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

I’VE MADE MYSELF VULNERABLE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, WARTS AND ALL.

BUT I DON’T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT. I have a small, but loyal network of friends who love me dearly. I’m healthy (save for an annoying head cold), have a roof over my head, food in my stomach, money in my bank account, and I live independently.

Yet, I’m so wrapped up in a sense of selfsorrow and bleariness that I can’t see the forest through the trees.

My childhood, my irrevocably damaged relationship with my father, unrequited loves, my weight, social anxiety, and a litany of other disappointments all creep their way into my head and make me feel

See Depression on Page 22

The Rainbow Times The Freshest LGBT Newspaper in New England—Boston Based TheRainbowTimesMass.com editor@therainbowtimesmass.com sales@therainbowtimesmass.com Phone: 617.444.9618 Fax: 928.437.9618 Publisher Graysen M. Ocasio Editor-In-Chief Nicole Lashomb

Nicole Collins (Intern) Audrey Cole Ad & Layout Design Prizm PR

Assistant Editor Mike Givens

Webmaster Jarred Johnson

National/Local Sales Rivendell Media Liz Johnson

Columnists/Guest Lorelei Erisis Deja N. Greenlaw Paul P. Jesep Mike Givens

Lead Photographers Steve Jewett Christine M. Hurley Reporters Mike Givens Jenna Spinelle Chris Gilmore

Affiliations NGLCC QSyndicate

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, 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-in-chief 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.

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February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Trans Military Ban decided but pending injunction delays its execution Justice Department fails to bring up injunction to High Court & Judge from Maryland refuses to lift the injunction

IN THE LIMELIGHT

The Supreme Court recently lifted nationwide injunctions allowing for the Trump administration’s transgender military ban to be implemented while appeals played out in the lower courts. But, a week later, Trump’s ban still couldn’t take effect because Maryland federal judge, George Russell (US District Court, Maryland), hadn’t lifted an injunction that the Justice Department failed to bring up to the Supreme Court’s attention, according to news reports.

The Justice Department has asked Judge Russell to lift his order and dissolve the case.

"In light of the Supreme Court's order, this court should immediately dissolve" its injunction, DOJ lawyers argued, reported CNN. Responding, the ACLU told the court that it “agreed that it would be appropriate for Russell to put the nationwide injunction on hold, but the lawyers also asked him to exempt the 14 named plaintiffs from the ban because of their specific circumstances.

Some have been working closely with recruiters and medical boards and believe they are on the cusp of being able to enlist.”

Still in the ranks, but questions remain Trans service members currently serving

PHOTO: CLAIRE ANDERSON/UNSPLASH

By: Chris Gilmore/TRT Reporter

can “remain in the ranks,” however, the Pentagon could force them to “serve” according to their assigned “gender at birth,” said the NYT (https://is.gd/17lwPY).

Immediately after the Supreme Court decision, organizations weighed in on the controversial decision.

“In declining to hear these cases, the Supreme Court saw through the administration’s contrived efforts to gin up a na-

tional crisis.” said GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi. “ …

The Trump administration’s cruel obsession with ridding our military of dedicated and capable service members because they happen to be transgender defies reason and cannot survive legal review.”

The Court’s decision means trans recruits will be forbidden from entering the military while a final ruling on their service is de-

cided.

"For the past two-and-a-half years, thousands of qualified, transgender individuals have made our nation's armed forces better, in every measurable quality, with their authentic service," said Andy Blevins, OutServe-SLDN Executive Director, in a statement. “The Court's decision to allow the Trump-Pence Administration to institute their wanting and discriminatory practices while the litigation proceeds is disappointing—our siblings-in-arms deserve better. We look forward to continuing our representation of these proud and selfless patriots, and reminding this Administration that military policy cannot be defined by baseless and discriminatory rationalizations."

According to Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, a research and advocacy group that focuses on sexuality and the military, the military officials preserve their prudence over personnel policies.

“While it is unfortunate that the Supreme Court has allowed military discrimination to be reinstated, it’s critical to understand that the military is not required, and has no need, to reinstate the transgender ban, which would cause destabilizing whipsaws in personnel policy,” Mr. Belkin said to the New York Times (https://is.gd/HdUjkv).

“The Defense Department should not ...

See Military Ban on Page 21

4 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

BOSTON—GLSEN recently released state-level data from its benchmark National School Climate Survey, which demonstrate that Massachusetts’ schools were not safe for most lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) middle and high school students. In addition, many LGBTQ students in Mass. did not have access to important school resources, such as an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, and were not protected by supportive and inclusive school policies.

GLSEN’s biennial National School Climate Survey (https://is.gd/THUURO), begun in 1999, is the only survey of its kind, documenting the experiences of LGBTQ youth in schools, including the extent of the challenges that they face and their access to the school-based resources that support their educational success and well-being. The survey has consistently demonstrated that specific school-based supports are related to a safer and more inclusive school climate, including supportive educators, LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum, comprehensive and affirming policies, and student clubs, such as GayStraight Alliances or Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs).

The release of today’s state-specific data allows advocates, educators, administrators, and policymakers, among others, to evaluate school climate in their state. For Massachusetts specifically, the report found the following: 1. The vast majority of LGBTQ students

PHOTO: BROOKE CAGLE / UNSPLASH

MA schools lack inclusive resources, affirming policies for LGBTQ students

in Massachusetts regularly heard antiLGBTQ remarks.

• 72 percent of LGBTQ students reported regularly hearing homophobic remarks in school, and 64 percent reported regularly

Valentine’s

hearing negative remarks about transgender people.

• Some students also regularly heard school staff make homophobic remarks (10 percent) and many regularly heard school staff

make negative remarks about someone’s gender expression (29 percent).

See MA Schools on Page 19

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

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February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Boston Pride announces 2019 Pride theme, parade marshals and dates for this year’s Pride BOSTON—Boston Pride has announced the new theme for 2019 Pride season and marshals for the Pride Parade. The decisions on the theme and marshals were made through online voting by the community. This year’s theme “Looking Back…

Loving Forward” represents the recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and is meant to encourage the community to reflect back on the many challenges and incredible victories of the LGBTQ+ community in that time.

“The new theme ‘Looking Back…Loving Forward’ acknowledges the people and Pride groups who have come before us who have helped us strengthen our community,” said Linda DeMarco, President of Boston Pride. “The fight for our rights must continue as well as fighting for our ability to love ourselves and each other freely without fear of hate or persecution.”

Boston Pride is also announcing this year’s marshals. The community voted Dale Mitchell, founder of the LGBT Aging Project, as Grand Marshal; Ava Glasscott, trans model and former Miss Trans USA Pageant contestant will serve as Marshal; and Honorary Marshal is the late Chris Harris, entertainment impresario and longtime supporter of the LGBTQ community, who passed away in January. The 2019 Pride Week kicks off with the annual Flag Raising at City Hall Plaza on Friday, May 31 and continues through Tuesday, June 11.

PHOTO: NECESSARYOUTLET.COM

Ava Glasscott PHOTO: BOSTON PRIDE

The annual Boston Pride Parade and Festival are on Saturday, June 8.

“Boston Pride’s 2019 Parade Marshals represent a diverse spectrum of the LGBTQ community who have all made significant contributions,” said DeMarco.

“We look forward to having Dale and Ava as marshals in the 2019 parade while we also honor the legacy of Chris Harris and his tremendous impact not just on Pride but on the entire the community.”

Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

Gay web series, “History”, returns for 3rd season The third season of Jack Tracy’s LGBTQ series, “History”, premieres this Valentine’s Day. Executive produced by Tracy, and financed through him, the third season features six half-hour episodes and follows his character, Jamie, as he discovers how the examples set by his parents framed his expressions of love and what he values most in relationships. The story picks up a year after the close of season 2 when the gang is finally all coupled up. Jamie is with Mark, a sexually charged Brit, and they are considering the possibility of opening their relationship, eyeing Will’s ex as a possible candidate. Meanwhile, Will is deciding whether or not to give in to his new boyfriend’s insistence they move in together while Matthew has decided to look past the gang’s objections and accept his boyfriend’s flaws. Then there’s Ted, whose own hang-ups may destroy his burgeoning relationship with a local drag queen.

“The struggles all of these 30-somethings face are a direct result of growing up gay,” explains Jack Tracy. “They’re forced to confront complex issues such as gender roles, toxic masculinity, rejection and loyalty. In the end, we learn what love is for each individual, and whether the baggage from their past can ever be overcome.”

Nearly all of the cast from the first two seasons of “History” return to reprise their roles in season 3. Will Cohen stars as Will, Jacob Seidman as Matthew and Trent Stone as Ted. Samanthia Nixon takes over the role of Bianca. Supporting actors include James Evans as Mark, Matt Kuyawa as Kevin, Kathy Biehl as Jamie's mother Molly, Corry J. Ethridge as Elliot, Claire Kennedy as Jamie's therapist and Haulston Mann as Brandon.

Key to “History” are the flashback scenes which shed light on where Jamie may have learned the behaviors that shape his adult life. Season three flashes all the way back to the 1980s and 1990s and viewers witness Jamie's formative childhood moments: his father's business failures, his mother's depression, being caught with gay

porn, coming out to his sister and his obsession with his weight and appearance.

Aaron Drill plays Young Jamie and Alexandra Rey takes on the role of his mother, Young Molly.

Also, as is a tradition with “History”, the third season will be accompanied by a new original song by Jack Tracy. In "You Lose," Jack laments on a central theme to the series, singing, “If you're scared your choice was mistaken, it never matters what road you choose. When everything you're given is taken. Life is a game you lose."

“History” is produced and distributed by Necessary Outlet, a film production company founded and owned by Jack Tracy that produces several LGBT web series and will soon debut its first full-length film, Snowflake. Written by Jack Tracy and currently touring the festival circuit, Snowflake draws inspiration from the 2016 US election, telling the story of a group of gay men and their friends and how they deal with the election of a wannabe conservative dictator with an anti-gay bigot VP on his coattails.

“Like all of our projects, the film takes a look at the state of the world through an LGBTQ lens,” Tracy explains. “My hope is that it inspires audiences to consider what, if anything, any of us would or will do to stop the insanity.”

Many of the actors in Snowflake appear in “History” in supporting roles.

The first two seasons of “History” are available worldwide on YouTube (www.youtube.com/necessaryoutlet) and Vimeo (www.vimeo.com/necessaryoutlet).

All six episodes of season three ("Bad Thoughts", "Good Gay Sons", "Liar", "Confrontation", "Advocate" and "Companion") will premiere on Youtube and Vimeo on Valentine's Day, February 14th.

The first teaser for season 3 can be viewed here: https://is.gd/xASjpi.

Visit http://necessaryoutlet.com for more information. Follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @Historywebs.

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

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TransMilitary: Laila Ireland on advocacy & inclusion under Trump Documentary exposes lives of trans service members and their struggles to serve authentically By: Chris Gilmore & Audrey Cole/TRT Reporters

The multiple award-winning documentary TransMilitary, by filmmakers Gabriel Silverman and Jamie Coughlin, chronicles the lives of four transgender service members, Senior Airman Logan Ireland, Corporal Laila Villanueva, Captain Jennifer Peace and First Lieutenant El Cook, who vehemently defend their country’s freedom while ‘fighting for their own.”

Transgender people are twice as likely to serve as their fellow citizens, according to the NYT. Some service members have to serve while concealing their gender identity because of military policies that ban their open service while fighting. Concerned about being discharged or prevented from voluntarily enlisting, they fight from the start for what should be their equal right to serve the United States of America.

Available to stream on a variety of platforms since January 2019, the film’s online launch took place days before the Supreme Court decided to uphold Pres. Trump’s ban on transgender military service members— the approximately15,500 transgender officers serving in the U.S. military (the largest transgender employer in the country). The trans men and women in TransMilitary courageously—and willingly—put themselves in the line of fire while serving, to help bring visibility and education, activism and equal rights, to a self-sacrificing cause they serve, live—and die—for.

One of them, Army Corporal Laila Ireland (married name), now medically retired after 12 years of service, sat with The Rainbow Times to discuss the film, the ARMY, the love for the military that she shares with her husband, Logan Ireland, and what has come out of the despair of being “forced” to leave behind a life of service that she never thought would end so quickly.

The Rainbow Times: In light of the Supreme Court of the United States decision to uphold President Trump’s ban on transgender service members, why is this documentary important to watch?

Laila Ireland: The premiere of this film could not have come at a better time as Trump’s transgender military ban is facing legal battles. Representation of transgender individuals in the media today is extremely important. TransMilitary is an up-close and personal, colorful and insightful documentary that insists on the importance of films like this to assist in educating, introducing and making people aware of who transgender people are, specifically those who have volunteered to put their lives and livelihoods on the line in order to protect the people of this country and the country itself. Contrary to what some may think, the lives of transgender people are not an experiment at all, nor are their individual decisions to join the military. They just want to live their lives as anyone else does.

Q: Looking back (after news broke

Laila Ireland, Toronto JAYU Human Rights Film Festival

about the High Court decision), do you regret your participation in the documentary?

A: Participating in this documentary has changed my life in ways I never could have ever imagined. My part in this film is just a very small but extremely impactful part of this journey. I do not regret at all being a part of this film. Through this film, I have been afforded the opportunity to forge many great relationships, travel to many different amazing places, and hold many telling conversations surrounding transgen-

der people in the military and society.

Through this film, the team and our trans military [service] members have been really able to change hearts and minds across the world.

Q: According to the documentary, you left the ARMY with an honorable discharge because you wanted to keep your benefits. When exactly did you leave and under what conditions? Would you have continued serving, had you not been given the grief you were given (dress

PHOTO: GILAD COHEN

code, discrimination, etc.)?

A: If I were afforded the opportunity to continue to serve, I would definitely still be in the military today. I medically retired from the military in November 2015 under Honorable Conditions. I am very proud to say I am a veteran and have served in the greatest armed forces for the greatest nation in the world. But, obviously, life had very different plans for me.

See Laila Ireland on page 16

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

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Valentine’s: Do you think they are worthy of being your partner?

FOR A TRANS PERSON TO BE PARTNERED WITH I SOMEONE IS, APPARENTLY FOR SOME, A JOKE IN THE LEAST AND, AT BEST, A DEFENSE MECHANISM TO WARD OFF UNWANTED ADVANCES. By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/TRT Columnist

TRANS OPINION

was browsing through Facebook the other day and I saw a meme, “Telling a man you already have a ‘man’ won’t stop them from hitting on you, but if you say you used to be a man …” Most of the comments on that meme were from people who found laughter and some of those folks even said that it was a good idea to ward off unwanted advances from men in the future. After all, who wants to be with a woman who used to be a man? Whoa! There were so many things wrong with that meme and with the comments.

Evidently, there are some, if not many folks, who consider transgender women not worthy as partners.

It doesn’t matter if the trans person may have spent their life in hiding, in shame, with guilt, and with self-hatred because of the message they received from the world that being a trans person is awful, sick, twisted, and disgusting. The trans person may have worked through all those issues and they may now be able to live their

life openly as a trans person, but evidently, they can’t even think for a minute that they could be desirable as a partner. For a trans person to be partnered with someone is, apparently for some people, a joke in the least and, at best, a defense mechanism to ward off unwanted advances. Yes, the trans person may have come a long way in their personal journey to be and live authentically, but there are some other people who evidently have not come that far. In their minds, the trans person is still the gender assigned at birth and not seen as worthy of being a partner.

Before I go any further, I have to say that in the past ten years that there has been a growing number of people who do consider trans people to be worthy as partners.

Some of these folks have coupled up with a trans partner or they have remained as a couple throughout the transition of the trans partner. To the folks who say that trans people are worthy as partners, I thank them from the bottom of my heart. To those folks who do have and love their trans partner, I thank them profusely from the bottom of my heart too. Yes, there truly are a growing number of folks who have coupled with a trans person. This could definitely signal that things are looking up for us. However, getting back to the Facebook meme, you might see just how far we

haven’t come in the minds of some other folks.

So, what can we do about this issue?

How can we educate people about trans people’s worthiness as partners? This might take time, but we shouldn’t give up.

Ten years ago, just existing openly in public as a trans person was a radical statement. Today, trans people are seen just about everywhere. In that light, I’m thinking that the new, radical statement for today just might be trans people existing as partners in public. Seeing more and more trans people as partners in public is helpful. I really do believe in the Harvey Milk thought of “coming out, of being seen in public, of being visible.” Visibility shows normal-

ness. The more we see trans people as partners in relationships, the easier it will be for cis folks to begin accepting trans people as partners.

In the meantime, there most likely will still be some offensive memes and non-acceptance of trans people as partners. Currently, I see only a relatively small number of trans people who may celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, but someday in the future, I hope to see many, many more transgender people celebrating Valentine’s Day. Trans people are, indeed, worthy of being partners. *Deja Nicole Greenlaw is retired from 3M & has 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Contact her at dejavudeja@sbcglobal.net.

Trans military ban: Why we need to resist, and why I dislike doing so By: Lorelei Erisis*/TRT Columnist

I

PHOTO: DAVID MEEHAN

have an admission to make. The Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military has put me once more into an uncomfortable position.

You see, I was raised a good hippie kid.

My hippie parents taught me the importance of peace and love and non-violence.

My parents were also, in many ways, a second generation of this sort of thinking. My gram further reinforced this by stressing the importance of settling disputes through peaceful discussion, debate, understanding and empathy. Basically I was taught to always seek any conflict resolution that provided an alternative to violence.

I also heard stories of my grandfather, who I never knew, because he died when my dad was young. Apparently he had served in the Marines, in the Pacific, during World War II. But though he was offered an officer’s commission several times, he consistently refused it. He believed in nonviolence. And, while he was willing to fight for his country himself, he would not order another man to fight or kill.

As a child, I went for several years to a summer camp run by the Unitarian-Universalists, which was basically staffed by a bunch of old hippies, assisted a younger generation of punks, hippies and wonderful weirdo–almost all of whom were strongly anti-violence and anti-war. Who I am today was deeply molded by my overwhelmingly

positive experience with those folks and by the upbringing I received from my family.

A month after I turned 18, and was required to register for “Selective Service,” the first Gulf War started. I immediately met with The Quakers and researched all my options to stay out of the military as a conscientious objector.

deep problems with our history of sending our military forces into countries that often neither need nor want our help, and the centuries of occupation and colonial expansion our military has been such an integral part of. Further, I strongly believe that our military has an ugly history of exploiting the most marginalized and poorest

THE SUPREME COURT’S RECENT DECISION UPHOLDING TRUMP’S BAN ON TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SERVING IN THE MILITARY HAS PUT ME, ONCE MORE, INTO AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION. I also led a walkout from my school and joined a local anti-war march. Thankfully, the war was over, at least that first round, before any of this became a serious issue.

All of this is to express to you how deeply uncomfortable I have been when it comes to the fight to allow trans people to serve openly in the military. I do not, and cannot support violence, particularly of the nationalistic and militaristic variety. It’s not a cause I talk about often, but I have deep,

of our people to fill its ranks.

I tell you all this so you know, absolutely and without a shred of doubt how fundamentally and deeply problematic it has felt for me to actively fight, or even support the fight to allow my trans sisters, brothers and siblings to join and serve openly. I strongly believe that no one should join, trans or cis.

But. I recognize the reality of our military. It is unlikely we will be able to disband it

anytime soon. Our military is simply too deeply entrenched in our society and our national world-view. It’s also unrealistic to think we live in a world where eliminating our military forces wouldn’t be an absolutely disastrous thing to do in terms of security and stability. Though, I will seek and strive to build that world where that is possible till my last breath.

Frankly, for all the violence and imperialistic actions our military engages in, there’s still a lot of good work they do, and a lot of very good people who do believe in the mission of our military, who serve us with honor and with high principles.

Plus there’s, y’know, the Coast Guard.

It’s easy to forget they’re one of the main branches. But they are and they do some of the most dangerous, most important, and least recognized work of any branch.

So, I’ve never been ideologically happy with this fight, but I think it’s incredibly important. No matter what I, or you, might think about the military, we cannot deny how glaringly terrible, how unjust it is for such an entrenched American institution to blatantly discriminate against any good and qualified person who wishes to serve—Especially trans people!! I mean seriously, you read my whole diatribe about how strongly I believe in non-violence and how I’ve been marching practically since I could carry a sign! You won’t be surprised to know that I didn’t exactly hang out with, or even know, many military or ex-military types.

That is, until I transitioned and started spending time in the trans community.

See Trans Military Ban on page 21

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February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

ALL PHOTOS: CAITLIN CUNNINGHAM PHOTOGRAPHY

24rd Annual Taste of the South End brings celebrated chefs together for AIDS Action Benefit BOSTON—AIDS Action announces today that tickets are now on sale for the 24th annual Taste of the South End. The South End’s premier food and wine event will take place Tuesday, March 19 at the Cyclorama of the Boston Arts Center. Attendees will enjoy small plate culinary creations from the top chefs in Boston’s favorite “foodie” neighborhood. The popular event will also feature live cooking demonstrations, a diverse selection of wine, beer, and spirits to taste, and a silent auction. Taste of the South End is from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama, 539 Tremont Street in Boston. Tickets are $150; VIP admission is $200 and includes a tasting preview beginning at 6 p.m. Proceeds benefit AIDS Action.

Tickets are available online: https://is.gd/Hflbav.

“Taste of the South End is fueled by food and wine lovers throughout Greater Boston who not only get to sample specialties from South End’s talented chefs, but can also ask questions about their favorite dishes,” said Scott Walker of the Taste of South End Host Committee. “The money raised

by Taste of the South End supports AIDS Action’s vital work with people living with HIV as well as those who are vulnerable to infection. The average client of AIDS Action has an annual income of less than $10,000 a year, and AIDS Action’s services make it possible for many of them to remain healthy while dealing with life’s other challenges.”

“We always look forward to Taste of the South End. Mistral supports Taste every year and in March we’ll bring along our newest restaurant concept, Bar Lyon,” said Mark D’Alessandro, general manager of Mistral. “We look forward to seeing friends Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

12 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Derrick Young Jr. and Jonathan Allen PHOTO: DERRICK YOUNG JR. AND JONATHAN ALLEN

Gay couple: True love stories can & still happen By: Mike Givens/TRT Assistant Editor

Derrick Young Jr., 25, and Jonathan Allen, 28, have a fairy tale love story that took the internet by storm when their engagement went viral (https://bit.ly/2UiBj2i) in October 2017. The Rainbow Times interviewed the couple to learn more about how they met, their engagement, and their pending nuptials.

TRT: Could you start off by telling us what your backgrounds are?

DY: I was born in Chicago and raised in Kansas City, Mo. with my parents and two siblings. I was a quiet yet popular kid who loved to learn and create. You would either catch me in my room creating something or at work creating something. We were a moderately religious family that definitely condemned homosexuality. My dad approached me about my sexuality at age 16 and it pole-vaulted my coming out. I began to openly embed myself in the gay scene more frequently. One thing many people do not know about me is that I’ve walked in a few gay balls back in my day. As a teenager who could sense the [discomfort] in my parents after I came out, I felt embraced by the gay community.

JA: I was born in Lufkin, a small town in East Texas. I grew up in a very religious family; often in church multiple days a week. But, we were certainly just as much secular. I was also very engaged in my community and leadership in school. I have always felt called to serve and be a voice and light for the hopeless. I preached my first sermon at age 11, was licensed at 14, and ordained at 20. Growing up I did everything I could to hide the fact that I was attracted to men. Much of my teens and twenties have been spent reconciling my identity with societal expectations and my religious beliefs. When I finally came out at 25 to my family and friends, I made a decision to love my life. What’s so incredible is that I get to be on this journey with Derrick, who brings tremendous love and strength [to] my life.

TRT: How did you two meet one an-

other?

DY: We met in 2012 at the T.H. Harris Auditorium during election week at Grambling State University. Jonathan was running for student body president, and I was managing a young lady’s campaign— a different position of course. After the big debate, I noticed something in Jonathan’s campaign that could have led to him getting disqualified. I approached him about it and after resolving the problem, he asked me for my number. I thought nothing of it at the time because it was just work, and he was apparently the best man for the job. He invited me to his campaign meeting that night, and I couldn’t make it, so we met after elections the next day. He won, my candidate won, and we won each other.

We’ve been going strong since that day, but we haven’t always been how we are.

Jonathan and I spent the first four years of our relationship closeted. Our love was divined, but we struggled individually with many personal and social traumas resulting from our sexuality as two black men in the south, one who is an ordained minister.

TRT: Take us back to the day you got engaged. What was that day like, from each of your perspectives?

JA: Engagement day was super exciting and frustrating at the same time. The day was planned as part of our annual photo shoot. I had it all planned out with the help of my friends. Derrick and I would go to the Boston Commons to take casual photos and then change into suits at a friend's nearby apartment on Newbury Street. Then the photographer would suggest a change of scenery, and we head to the Harvard Arboretum where our friends would be behind trees and bushes waiting to celebrate with Derrick and me. All of this happened, but not without life and Mother Nature intervening. It rained the entire morning for the first half of the photo shoot. I was utterly paranoid and unraveled because the other special surprise was that one of our friends would play our song, So Amazing, on the violin. However, she would have been unable to play the violin in the rain.

See Gay Couple on Page 23

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

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14 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com

PHOTO: TOA HEFTIBA/UNSPLASH

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

9 Things You Need to ‘Cleanse’ When Entering a New Relationship

THE FRIVOLIST

By: Mikey Rox*/Special to TRT

New relationships are the universe’s way of giving us yet another chance to get it right in the love department–and since none of us are getting younger, it’s wise not to squander it by making the same mistakes over and over. This time around, along with changing toxic behaviors that may have sent your significant other running for the nearest therapist or liquor store, consider cleansing a few areas of your life, tangible and otherwise. Here are a few places to start.

1. Gifts You don’t have to burn all the cards and gifts your ex ever gave you–that relationship is still part of your “story,” and you’ll regret expunging those things in the long run (I’ve been there myself)–but it’s important to close that chapter and put the literal lid on those memories. Store them in a weatherproof bin in the basement or attic (or the back of a closet) as a future reminder of what once was instead of a constant reminder of what went wrong.

2. Bed sheets This may seem like an insignificant place to concentrate your cleansing energy, but you and your ex spent a lot of time on your bed sheets. They hold memories (among other things, like your ex’s DNA), and your new partner deserves to make new memories on sanitary cotton that’s not a graveyard of ghosts of relationships past.

3. Yourself One of my best strategies to shake off a particularly bad breakup is to get a new ’do. A fresh hairstyle (or even just a shapeup) has the uncanny ability to change your physical appearance and mental and emotional outlook by providing a sense of satisfaction and confidence. But don’t stop there. Schedule a few self-care appointments, like a massage, fitness class and a gripe-and-get-over-it brunch with your

besties before moving on.

4. Your Car Maybe you don’t have anything in your car that reminds you of your ex, but it’s still an area that you’ll want to cleanse before picking up a romantic prospect for a date.

Nobody with any self-respect wants to date a slob, and a dirty vehicle is the first warning that you might have cat skeletons buried under stacks of newspapers at home.

5. Underwear drawer My boyfriend and I enjoy buying each other sexy underwear for special occasions, but if we ever breakup those skivs are going straight to the dumpster. They’re an intimate part of our relationship, and I wouldn’t carry them over into a new one.

I’d think about him every time I put them on, which is hardly fair for the new guy I’m trying to entice. It’s sad to see them go, I know–they represent many satisfying experiences–but you’re here to make new ones, however that may work out in the future.

6. Closets Did your partner leave clothing in your closet? Return them. Are there items they bought you in there? Put ’em in that bin in the attic. You’re not alone here. According to a Nectar Sleep survey, 59 percent of respondents said they do a "fall refresh" to their wardrobes when starting a committed relationship to get rid of previous partners' favorite sweaters and t-shirts.

7. Medicine cabinet Toss the toothbrushes, colognes and any other grooming products your ex might have left behind. Keep the expensive skin creams, though; dumpster divers don’t need $90 worth of retinol, son.

8. Nightstand There are several life rules I stand by, and one of them is that drawer dild@s don’t Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 15

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

What is Love? Does my HIV diagnosis change the definition of it?

By: Josh Robbins*/Special to TRT

MY DADDY ALWAYS TOLD ME TO NEVER DATE ANYONE FROM NOVEMBER 1ST THRU FEBRUARY 15TH! There were people that I loved in my life that disappeared—that proved love hurts.

There are stories that I have heard which made me want to just love on people more.

And, there are times I even questioned if I deserved to be loved. That insecurity quickly faded, as it should have.

But does an HIV diagnosis change how we think of love? I asked several HIV activists that exact question: What does love mean to you?

• “Love to me is complete acceptance of oneself or another person” —Robert Briening, Host of POZIAM Radio • “Love means never having to say I'm sorry for living with HIV. And after many years living with HIV and coming to love myself exactly the way I am, my feelings about love ultimately are the same as everyone else's. I want to care

? e n i t n ale V y m Be lth in hea PHOTO: JENNY PACE /UNSPLASH

HIV & LOVE

Love.

It is a time of year you either dread or love. Valentine’s Day. The gifts, the candy, the dates, the sex, the moment, the fights, the overdrawn bank accounts, the sex... the love.

Sigh.

Is it just me or am I jaded AF? Alright, maybe I am a little jaded this year on “Singles Awareness Day”, but at least I am going to save some money.

My daddy always told me to never date anyone from November 1st thru February 15th! Doing so allows you to skip all the major holidays (like Thanksgiving at your partner’s family’s house, the horror of Christmas gift giving, the expense of New Year’s Eve, and the awful and dreaded Valentine’s Day!). I think my old man was on to something there.

What does love mean, really?

When I think of love, there are so many different types—the love for my family, the love of a music artist, the love for my broski, and the love for a special someone.

But even that type of love can have levels—like puppy love, boyfriend or girlfriend love, and one I’ve never experienced—married love. And let’s not forget the baby making kind of love.

Since I have been diagnosed with HIV, my experience with love has changed a bit.

In

nd a s s e sickn

for someone and have them care for me.

I want respect and honesty and forgive ness.” —GLAAD Award nominee Mark S. King of myfabdisease.com • “Love to me now with HIV is absolute ac ceptance. I know that if someone loves me, they truly love every single ounce of me. There is no better proof.”

—YouTube star Jennifer Vaughn • “Love is unconditional acceptance. When someone connects to you, not in spite of your ‘flaws’ but because of them, they can embrace and celebrate all the complexities of who you are—even the parts of yourself that you don't like. And of course love is about the physical connection. It doesn't have to just be in tense, passionate break the bed style sex, it can be something as simple as hand holding or the caress of your cheek.” —Alex Garner • “Love looks like family, friends, support in your community. Love looks like looking yourself in the mirror and knowing you have value.” —Chris Richey (co-founder of The Stigma Project) • “For me I have lost two long term partners to complications from AIDS so I say love is having someone you connect with mentally, physically, and emotionally. As a person living with HIV I am happiest when I have some one to share my life with. As I age with HIV having that companionship is extremely important.”

— Larry Frampton What does love mean to me?

Although I first think of love as something I want to receive, I think it’s important for me to reflect on it being something I can give—to love—an action.

To show love, we all try and do good deeds, volunteer for great causes, raise money for worthy initiatives and we try to

Wi t h

HIV

... or N ot

help people feel better by doing things they need.

For me, as an HIV activist, I’ve felt called to speak out against things that cause people to not feel loved. I try and speak positive things into people’s lives—I speak life and love into them. Or at least I try.

And I’ve felt those exact things before from individuals who appear just at the exact moment I need them. I felt what love is because of people’s intentional actions.

I loved it!

But I also try and show love to people by actions that I take. One obvious example is that as someone living with HIV, I was dealing with an incredibly embarrassing situation—a comorbidity of living with HIV. I had HIV-related diarrhea. But, I found a treatment option that works for me Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

16 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com

PHOTO: LAILA IRELAND

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Logan and Laila Ireland in 2016, when they tied the knot in Hawaii.

Laila Ireland from page 8

Northey Street House Bed & Breakfast Inn Est. 2002

30 Northey St, Salem, MA • (978) 397-1582 TRAVEL BACK INN TIME AND STAY IN THE NORTHEY STREET HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST INN SALEM MA. AN 1809 FEDERAL HOME BUILT FOR A FINE CABINET MAKER WHERE HIS DAUGHTER AND SEA CAPTAIN SON-IN-LAW ALSO LIVED. GIVE THE GIFT OF

ast!

reakf

yb Heart

HISTORY. DISCOVER AN UNFORGETTABLE HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE.

AMENITIES • Consistently Rated 5-stars on TripAdvisor.com • Walk to waterfront, attractions, restaurants, train.

• Private baths, parking, AC, deck, garden, cable TV/DVD/VCR, hairdryers • Year-Round Packages

Commuter Rail Newburyport / Rockport line.

Bus #459 from Logan Terminal C

Q: Is Logan still serving? If so, do you fear what this will do to his career and career plans to advance within his branch? Is he an Airman now?

A: Logan is still currently serving in the Air Force. While I am not fearful of what this proposed policy will do to his career, it is extremely disappointing. The proposed policy allows him to be grandfathered in and stay in the military, but prevents him from taking the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test, a test that would help him advance his career as an officer in the Air Force.

The court’s ruling is irrational, it is biased, and it is hurtful to a lot of troops that are currently serving both here at home and overseas, and even to the ones that have served.

Q: If you were face-to-face with Pres.

Donald Trump, what would you tell him about this ban? About transgender service members?

A: I truly believe that it takes extreme courage to enlist in today’s military knowing the state of affairs overseas and here in the United States. I also believe that transgender people tap into absolute vulnerability to be emotionally engaging and open about themselves in order to be able to work with a team you basically live life with, about all your real life experiences.

By excluding transgender people from being in the armed services, it validates the idea that transgender people are worth less than their comrades. You give up a sense of self when you enlist into the military. It is a selfless act when you become a service member. That is an experience that only the brave 1% of Americans are willing enough to embrace.

Q: For those of us, who've never been in the military, please help us understand why when your employer discriminates against you and threatens to fire you or requires you to live unauthentically, why would you still want to serve under those conditions?

A: Many see joining the military as a calling. The need and desire to be a part of something bigger than just themselves.

Though it isn’t an inherent right to serve in the military, it is an opportunity earned through capability and character. The fight for open transgender military service does not seek "a right to serve," but to show, through both capability and character, that we have earned the opportunity to serve.

Exclusion gives credence to the notion that we are somehow less than other service members. It flies in the face of the meritocracy that says the best and brightest succeed. When a person has a calling, they will fight to their last breath to remain and will do their very best to prove, even to the most ardent detractors, of their folly.

Q: Where do you think this is going?

What hope do you give others trans people wanting to enlist or join the military after the Supreme Court decision?

A: It’s hard to assume where this movement will go, especially in a time when anything is possible. At this moment, it’s hard to say whether one should attempt to join the military or not. We have trans folks going into recruiters’ offices and putting in their enlistment packets but being told they have to enlist as their gender assigned to them at birth. It is quite unnerving to hear that. This ban goes against the very practice of measuring a person’s value in the military by what each individual person brings to the table and not by our gender identity.

So, it is a gamble making the decision to enlist or not. We have to keep looking forward and have to continue to work even harder. We have to keep moving, because our lives depend on it.

Q: Tell me, how did you meet Logan?

The film talks about having children, how does yesterday's news affect that too?

A: Logan and I met in 2012 from an online support group for TransMilitary members called OutServe-SLDN: Transgender ...

See Laila Ireland on page 22

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

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February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Jess Dugan’s Every Breath We Drew spotlighted at Montserrat Gallery Artist portrays complexity of gender identity, sexuality & intimacy through compassionate lens By: Audrey Cole/TRT Reporter

BEVERLY, Mass.—Drawing inspiration from its own transgender and LGBQ+ students and surrounding community, Montserrat College of Art has brought in the work of internationally acclaimed artist Jess Dugan to its gallery, according to the college’s Director of Exhibitions.

“We have a large percentage of trans and LGBQ+ students, and we believe it is paramount for them to see themselves depicted and their stories told,” said Nathan Lewis, Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs at Montserrat College of Art, of the exhibit.

Montserrat professor Diane Ayott has followed Dugan’s work for years, ultimately culminating in the solo exhibit at the institution.

“Several years ago, when I first saw the photography of Jess Dugan at Gallery Kayafas in Boston, it resonated with me immediately,” she said. “I was struck by the presence of the images, how connected to them I felt, and began to follow the work.”

According to Dugan, the photography

was first inspired through self-reflection and the artist’s own identity in the world.

“Working within the framework of queer experience and from my actively constructed sense of masculinity, my portraits examine the intersection between private, individual identity and the search for intimate connection with others,” Dugan wrote in Lens Culture (https://is.gd/LARycY) about “Every Breath We Drew.”

The insider’s look is what makes this exhibit especially appealing. “‘Every Breath We Drew’ is particularly powerful as it is not from the vantage of an outsider looking in, rather an insider looking around,” Lewis said.

“I have always used photography to understand myself and my place in the world,” Dugan said via a previous interview published in The Rainbow Times (https://is.gd/8CHJPB). “… but it’s not always my primary need to assert my own identity over and over.”

The exhibit explores human connection, how desire and identity is formed and how intimacy is sought, all from behind a compassionate lens.

Jess Dugan Self-Portrait

PHOTO: JESS DUGAN, PROVIDED BY MONTSERRAT GALLERY

“I hope for viewers to reflect on how ordinary the people photographed are,” Lewis added. “They are not spectacle, they are not ‘freaks’ as Arbus would write, they are people. People in love, people relaxing, people in contemplation, people in struggle, people, who much like one image in particular shows, put their boots on one foot at a time.”

However, in a time where the current political climate is robust with equal rights issues, or lack there-of, perhaps Lewis poses the most important question of all that is provoked by “Every Breath We Drew.”

“There is still much fetishization in the depiction of marginalized and underrepresented groups; it is wonderful to see an exhibition made with a compassionate eye; Dugan’s intimacy with the subjects is evident,” he said. “Many of those photographed meet the viewers’ gaze, looking back as deeply as one looks in. In a time when courts are mandating who qualifies for personhood, the gazes seem to ask: “Do I?... Do you?”

With “Every Breath We Drew” and its thought-provoking nature, the lessons taught from this exhibit go beyond what meets the eye.

“Besides the work on the walls, we have created a small reading library in the gallery,” Lewis explained. “The books in

the library were suggested by Dugan as introductory, further, or supplemental reading to the exhibition. All artists are researchers, and it is important to contextualize Dugan’s thought process and aesthetic eye.”

Ayott hopes that attendees will take home a simple yet profound meaning from the exhibit.

“The recognition that we are all human, with more in common than not, is embedded in this photography,” she said. “That, in itself, is something of great value. When viewers take time to really look, they are rewarded with the experience of beauty, authenticity, and a shared humanity.”

Montserrat has joined the likes of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the Grey House Gallery in Poland, the Leslie/Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, and many other colleges and universities nationwide that have displayed Dugan’s work. In addition, the photographs have colored the pages of the New York Times, The Advocate and the Boston Globe.

“I trust that this extraordinary work will speak to our Montserrat students and affirm those who are in transition or a part of the LGBTQ community,” Ayott affirmed.

“This work is technically sound, formally considered, and socially expressive. ...

See Montserrat on Page 21

TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 19

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

MA Schools from page 4 2. Most LGBTQ students in Massachusetts experienced bias-based victimization at school.

• 60 percent of LGBTQ students experienced verbal harassment at school based on sexual orientation, and 52 percent experienced verbal harassment at school based on gender expression.

• One-half of LGBTQ students never reported incidents of school victimization to school staff (50 percent) and only 25 percent of those who reported incidents said it resulted in effective staff intervention.

• LGBTQ students reported that they also experienced victimization at school based on disability (25 percent), race/ethnicity (19 percent), and religion (19 percent).

had a policy or official guidelines to support transgender or gender nonconforming students.

• Fewer than 2 in 5 (35 percent) were taught an inclusive curriculum that had positive representations of LGBTQ people, history, or events.

• Only 18 percent reported receiving LGBTQ-inclusive sex education at school.

• 82 percent of students reported having a GSA or similar supportive club in their school.

“This research makes clear that many LGBTQ students in Massachusetts still face hostile school environments, many of which lack the resources to ensure their safety,” said Trenda Loftin, Co-Chair from GLSEN Massachusetts. “In order to prioritize the safety and well-being of all stu-

February QPuzzle: “What's Up?” Documentary

IN MASS. SCHOOLS, NEARLY 45% OF STUDENTS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE FORM OF ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION AT SCHOOL DURING THE PAST YEAR. 3. Many LGBTQ students in Massachusetts reported discriminatory policies and/or practices at their school.

• Nearly half of students (45 percent) experienced at least one form of anti-LGBTQ discrimination at school during the past year.

• Nearly 1 in 5 LGBTQ students (17 percent) in Massachusetts were disciplined for public displays of affection (PDA) that did not result in similar action for non-LGBTQ students.

• Over 1-in-3 transgender students (36 percent) were unable to use the school restroom aligned with their gender, and nearly 1-in-3 transgender students (31 percent) were prevented from using their chosen name or pronouns in school.

• Some LGBTQ students reported being unable to wear LGBTQ-supportive apparel (6 percent), being unable to form a GSA (8 percent), and being unable to bring a samegender date to a school dance (5 percent).

4. Many LGBTQ students in Massachusetts did not have access to in-school resources and supports.

• Only 25 percent of LGBTQ students attended a school with a comprehensive antibullying/harassment policy that included specific protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

• Only 24 percent reported that their school

dents, leaders throughout the state of Massachusetts must support comprehensive policies and practices that are inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ students. ” Comprehensive state snapshots for 41 states and Puerto Rico with additional data can be found at https://is.gd/YAoUru. To access national-level info-graphics, an executive summary and the full GLSEN National School Climate Survey report, visit https://is.gd/THUURO. About GLSEN: GLSEN works to create safe and inclusive schools for all. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools, via action at the national, state, and local level. Over nearly three decades of work, GLSEN has improved conditions for LGBTQ students across the United States and launched an international movement to address LGBTQ issues in education and promote respect for all in schools. Find more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, school-based programs, research, and professional development for educators at www.glsen.org.

Across 1 Samurai's libation 5 Sites for three women in a tub 9 Benjamin Britten's Peter 14 Wasn't straight 15 Sushi ingredient 16 Stan's sidekick 17 Potent opening 18 Paintings and such, to da Vinci 19 Cats was based on his kitty lit 20 Documentary series that explores LGBTQ cultures around the world 22 Sends a nude selfie, maybe 23 Edmonia Lewis work 24 "Nuts!"

26 Cable car 29 Ex of Etheridge 33 Shakespearean manuscript 37 Barrie's lake 39 Autobahn car 40 Director Kazan 41 Type of hole 42 Worker on Broadway 43 Ghostbusters role 44 Apollo's plaything 45 Susan's role on Fued 46 Johansson kisser Bullock 48 Slight advantage 50 Verdi work adapted by John 52 Like Beauty and the Beast 57 Shaped like balls 60 Broadcasting company that airs 20-Across

63 Bert's longtime companion 64 Stadium namesake Arthur 65 Isn't getting any younger 66 Ceremony at Beth Simchat Torah 67 Laurel of laughs 68 Wise guy 69 They hang from utility belts and under them 70 Mall bag 71 Love of Lesbos

Down 1 Plods along 2 Target before shooting off 3 Obama birthplace, in a Trump lie 4 Decree from the queen 5 Rippon or Mattis 6 Roz portrayer on Frasier 7 Voice in a loft 8 Shoot your wad 9 What Emily Dickinson put out 10 Whip It star who cohosts 20-Across 11 Singer Dobkin 12 Pussy ___ of punk rock 13 Becomes Jell-o 21 Wheels, so to speak 25 Remembering the S&M, perhaps 27 War partner 28 Julianne of The Hours 30 Kiss of the Spider Woman's William 31 Polish up the copy 32 Like a fruit ready to eat

33 Lawyers' charges 34 Russian saint 35 Pride member 36 Sri Lankan cricketer who cohosts 20-Across 38 Rep on the street 41 Gay, even to heteros 45 Gymnast's perch 47 Dykes on Bikes, e.g.

49 What the Dead Remember writer Harlan 51 "Cease!" on the seas 53 Style some hair, in Hairspray 54 Second name in crossdressing 55 Frida's husband 56 Oxygen and nitrogen 57 Silence for Tchaikovsky 58 Chocolate sandwich 59 Disengage, as a bra hook 61 Words in an analogy 62 Converse at OurTime, e.g.

SOLUTION

20 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

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February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

Kamala Harris from Page 2 singlehandedly signed executive order after executive order to strip away things like healthcare, safety and equality for our fellow Americans while the 1 percent continues to line their pockets.

Military Ban from Page 3

In contrast, Harris highlighted some of the most important issues for her campaign such as “Medicare for all,” universal preschool, raising working families’ incomes via a new tax credit and criminal justice reforms. And, of course, she believes in science calling for an urgent need to fight

reinstate the transgender ban because it would undermine readiness, cause significant disruptions and uncertainty, deprive the military of much-needed talent, and wreak havoc with the lives and careers of the 14,700 transgender troops bravely protecting our nation’s security.”

Department of Defense's) proposed policy is NOT a ban on service by transgender persons. It is critical that DoD be permitted to implement personnel policies that it determines are necessary to ensure the most lethal and combat effective fighting force in the world,” Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokesperson, told CNN (https://is.gd/66DhFk).

Who can stay and who can’t According to CNN, the implementation of the ban would now disqualify most transgender service members from military service except: • Service members who have been stable for three years in their biological sex prior to joining the military—meaning 36 months after completion of surgery and hormone treatments.

• Service members diagnosed with "gender dysphoria" after joining the military can stay in the military if they don't require a change of gender and remain deployable. Gender dysphoria involves a conflict between a person's physical or assigned gender and the gender with which the person identifies, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

• Service members who were diagnosed with "gender dysphoria" before the effective date of the policy can still serve and receive medical treatment.

• Transgender persons without a gender dysphoria diagnosis or history can serve in their birth sex.

In addition, the Defense Department can issue waivers on a case-by-case basis.

The policy also states that transgender persons serving, who require gender affirmation surgery or hormonal treatment during their service, would be disqualified due to their inability to be deployed for a period longer than 12 months.

A Pentagon statement released after the Supreme Court action, seeks to clarify that its policy is not a ban on all transgender persons from the military.

"As always, we treat all transgender persons with respect and dignity. (The

The Vote The five conservatives judges — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh—voted for the restrictions to go into effect. Judges Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan voted to keep the injunctions in place. The decision supersedes former Obama administration rulings that have allowed transgender troops to continue to serve openly in the military.

Plaintiffs challenging the ban include transgender men and women serving in all branches of the military, including some who have completed multiple deployments overseas. Plaintiffs also include service academy and ROTC members, as well as individuals seeking to enlist.

President Trump first announced that he was banning military service by transgender people in July 2017, without consultation with military leadership. Before Trump ordered the ban, transgender people were permitted to serve under a policy that has now been in place for more than two and a half years.

NCLR and GLAD have been at the center of the legal fight challenging the Trump transgender military ban since filing Doe v. Trump, the first of four cases filed against the ban, on August 9, 2017.

For more information, check NCLR and GLAD’s respective website pages outlining the history and status of the TrumpPence transgender military ban https://notransmilitaryban.org/.

Trans Military Ban from Page 10 Suddenly, I was practically surrounded by ex-military folks and even still-serving members of the military. There are so many trans people who have served or are actively serving in the military. I don’t even see how it’s realistically possible to have a functioning military if you were to boot out all the trans people!

You’d end up with one guy named Jimmy, alone in Afghanistan.

I joke, of course. But even if you discount the incredible number of trans people who are serving or have served, even if you take that out of the equation. It’s still a fundamental conflict with the whole basic concept of equality to specifically exclude

any one group of law-abiding citizens from serving.

You just can’t. It’s not right. It’s not just.

So despite my objections, that’s why I believe it’s so important to fight this fight—why I fight this fight, to allow trans people to serve openly and proudly, in the military. And it’s why I would encourage you to fight too.

I just, well, I thought we had settled this already. But here we go again.

Slàinte! * Lorelei Erisis is an actor, activist, adventurer and pageant queen. Send your questions about trans issues, gender and sexuality to her at: askatranswoman@gmail.com.

climate change.

Harris first made a big splash in Washington during the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, taking on U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions with a no non-sense approach so much so that he said “I’m not able to be rushed this fast. It makes me nervous.” She also joined the ranks of those on the committee for the Supreme Court Confirmation hearing of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who joined the likes of Trump with virulent sexual assault allegations against him by Dr. Blasey Ford. Kavanaugh, who refuted the allegations, was also visibly squeamish with Harris’ direct line of questioning. More so, Harris is not afraid to draw a line in the sand of where she stands and what she stands for … truth, justice, and people, regardless of the “power” stature of whom she is taking on.

She is fearless.

A leader does not back down. They ask the tough questions and demand a competent response. They analyze truth from fiction and they don’t belong to a “club” that advances some and leaves no room for others. They lead while walking in solidarity with fairness and truth. That is what Kamala Harris has proven to do.

She did it when she fought to dismantle California’s Proposition 8 at the U.S. Supreme Court and to fight for marriage equality nationwide. And, according to her campaign site, she did it as U.S. Senator, when she introduced or co-sponsored legislation to provide sweeping tax cuts for the middle class, address the high cost of rent, raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour,

make higher education tuition-free for the vast majority of Americans, reform the cash bail system, protect the legal rights of refugees and immigrants, and expand access to affordable, quality health care with Medicare for All. Harris’ track record continues at length but it is all focused on serving “the people.”

“The people in power are no match for the power of the people,” she said during her announcement remarks in reference to the current state of the nation. “As Americans, we have much more in common than what separates us. So, let’s not buy into this stuff that they are trying to peddle, these powerful voices that are trying to sow hate and division. Let’s hold onto the fact that we know on the fundamental issues, we all have so much more in common than what separates us.”

And, as her campaign website states, “Any fight—any good fight—is born out of optimism.”

This month when we honor and celebrate Black History, and every month of the year, I am proud to support Harris’ candidacy. To learn more about Kamala Harris, check out her official site at KamalaHarris.org. *Nicole Lashomb holds an MBA from Marylhurst Universtiy & a BM from the esteemed Crane School of Music, SUNY Postdam. She is also the Co-Ed and cofounder of Project Out, a non-profit serving the transgender community. Nicole can be reached via her TRT e-mail at: editor@therainbowtimesmass.com.

22 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com

Laila Ireland from Page 16 Chapter. We then helped create and build another non-profit organization called SPART*A Trans in 2013-2014. Before we formally met at the annual SPART*A conference in 2014, our relationship was purely professional. But that soon turned into dating and quickly followed was a surprise proposal in Hawaii, orchestrated by Logan with the help of my closest family and friends. And, we married in May 2016.

Our plans of having children have not been detoured by the recent news and we still plan on moving forward.

Q: What exactly are you doing now?

Where do you go from here?

A: Currently, I work as a Healthcare Management and Administration Supervisor.

The only way from here is up. We have to keep on fighting. We have to continue to believe that it will get better. While visibility does not equate to equality, ignorance does equal fear and fear and silence does equal death. We have to believe and be proactive if we want to change the negative narrative that continues to berate our communities.

Q: What were your parent’s reactions when they heard about yesterday’s news in terms of support for you?

A: We are very lucky and blessed to have very supportive parents, very supportive family and friends. Their reactions and sentiments echoed that of many other people hearing the news–they were enraged and disappointed. They also had many questions on what was going to happen next in our lives. But we continue to remain positive and humble and realistic about moving forward.

Q: What does SPART*A do and how can others help fund it or how can they become involved?

A: SPART*A is a non-profit organization that was founded in late 2012 and stands for Service Members, partners and allies for the respect and tolerance of all. This organization exists solely online and consists of over 850 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen who are currently serving and identify as transgender.

Its membership represents the entire transgender spectrum including non-binary and gender fluid folks, even though the military does not recognize NB and GQ people.

Under the direction of LCDR Blake Dremann, our all-volunteer staff serves as a one-stop shop for guidance and support while transitioning in the military, or from military to civilian life. This includes how to conduct name changes to starting the transition process with their unit leadership and medical teams. We also offer a safe space for support for the families of our SPART*A members. If you’d like to get involved with SPART*A, you can find us on Facebook or you can visit our website at www.spartpride.org. If you’d like to donate to SPART*A, you can go to www.spartpride.org/donate. All profits go to our Jessie Shipps Emergency Relief Fund to assist those in our transmilitary community should they need it.

Q: When I watched the film, I felt anger

February 7, 2019 - March 6, 2019

for the way you were treated and sadness for your struggle and outcome.

What do you say about those reactions?

A: I think the audience reactions gives credence to what myself and any normal person would see as disrespectful and mistreatment. People who have watched the film and meet me, often apologize for the way that I was treated. But, I think it is also important to highlight that there is a huge disparity in how trans women, let alone women, are treated in hyper masculine environments because of toxic masculinity. I also live at several intersectionlaities: being a woman, being transgender, being a woman of color, being Asian American and Pacific Islander, being Latinx, being raised Catholic, coming from a military family and background, being a spouse and being a veteran. There is a lot to unpack there, but these are the conversations that are important to have.

“... THERE IS A HUGE DISPARITY IN HOW TRANS WOMEN, LET ALONE WOMEN, ARE TREATED IN HYPER MASCULINE ENVIRONMENTS BECAUSE OF TOXIC MASCULINITY.” Q: Do you ever think visibility places you at risk in the outside world?

A: Visibility as a transgender person, let alone a woman, let alone a person of color is inherently placing myself at risk in today’s society. But it is a risk that I am absolutely willing to take if that means we get to actually start having the hard conversations surrounding those things.

Q: What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

A: I think the thing that most people would find surprising to learn about me is that while I love the glam dresses and makeup and hair do’s, if I could actually go to all my events in a sweater, sweatpants and my hair tied in a bun with a box of pizza, I totally would. But you know, I have to clean it up every once in a while.

Q: What message would you like to send to trans youth seeing the film and now hearing about this Trans Military ban?

A: I didn’t have a person or a mentor to hold my hand going through this journey.

No one told me how hard it was going to be. But, I also grew up in a different time.

Don’t let the crazy rhetoric of one person, even if they are the leader of the “free world,” detour you from being your authentic self and living your best life. Don’t allow people like them to steal your sunshine. Life is way too short to spend ...

See Laila Ireland on Page 23

nAGLY Executive Director honored by Boston Celtics at first Pride Night game at TD Garden By: Audrey Cole/TRT Reporter

SALEM, Mass.—A local Salem leader recently received a recognition award in Boston given to those doing extraordinary things and making impact in their community, according to Boston Celtics’ officials.

At the Celtics’ first annual pride night, held at TD Garden, Steve Harrington, Executive Director, North Shore Alliance of GLBTQ Youth (nAGLY), received the “Heroes Among Us” award for his relentless work with the organization.

“It was very humbling to be recognized for my work with nAGLY youth,” said Harrington. “Although the work is tremendously rewarding, it's also daunting and overwhelming at times, especially in these difficult fundraising times … it was surreal to be honored for my efforts in the world of gay basketball. I never could have imagined a day would come when LGBTQ sports would even gain mentioned in mainstream society.”

The NBA has a long history of advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ community. They did it when the league pulled the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte North Carolina because of its objection to a North Carolina law that limited protections for the LGBTQ community. They also were the first sports organization to march in the New York City Pride Parade and their support of the coming out story of player Jason Collins was widely celebrated across the country. The organization has been vocal in the battle for social justice equality on nearly all fronts. It was only a matter of time before the Boston Celtics brought it to their home turf too.

“Since 1982, Steve Harrington has competed in every Gay Games & won multiple basketball gold medals,” read the Celtics Twitter feed. “Determined to make a difference off-court, our Mass. State Lottery “Hero Among Us” began volunteering at nAGLY, empowering over 19K LGBTQ youths in Boston over 11 years!”

“I so much wanted to grab a mic and ask people to sign up for our Campaign for 1000,” Harrington said referring to a current fundraising effort for the youth organization. “With more than 18,000 in the audience, we could have reached our goal in one night!”

To continue the ongoing rate of acceptance of the LGBTQ community, Harring-

Depression from Page 2 like a victim, rather than a survivor.

That’s the deceptively tricky part of depression, isn’t it? The way it makes you take stock of the have nots rather than the haves. The way it makes you so myopic that you focus on the past and things that cannot be changed, rather than on your future and the things that you can. It drains you, makes you feel like you’re inadequate, and as though there’s no hope left. It perfectly positions you to be a victim instead of the self-determinant, heroic, and selfpossessed master of your own narrative.

Steve Harrington PHOTO: TWITTER/CELTICS

ton encourages others to come out.

“I still think there's a massive underestimation of the impact and participation of LGBTQ athletes, on every level, in every sport, and on every continent,” he said.

“Until the general population sees some of these athletes play, I think the misconception will remain. It's going to take more and more people coming out during their prime years for mainstream to change its perceptions.”

Though the award has left Harrington a “bit gob smacked,” he focused the honor and its message on the collective that he is so impassioned by and serves day in and day out.

“One of the mainstays of my philosophy is that nothing is off the table when it comes to fulfilling dreams,” he said. “I look back on my years as a youth and remember the darkness I thought would follow me. I simply could not imagine anything approaching a fulfilling life. I could not have been more wrong. My hope is that LGBTQ youth can take some of this honor with them, and help them achieve whatever dreams they have.”

To learn more about nAGLY or to get involved in their Campaign for 1000, visit the site at https://is.gd/z46hbh.

It puzzles me, quite a bit, how I can go into work every day with a smile on my face and a joviality that fools my colleagues into thinking that I’m this happygo-lucky, 30-something young professional with few cares in the world. I keep a blue box of assorted candy at my desk and periodically walk around the office giving my coworkers mid-day confections. I joke around with colleagues and show them a comic and outgoing side of myself that only belies a much sadder doppelganger that I keep hidden away under lock and ...

See Depression on Page 23

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Depression from Page 22 key.

I do it so that they can’t see the “real me,” that part of me that fears failure, is constantly second-guessing himself, and wonders if I’m truly an impostor who somehow worked his way into a great job that he doesn’t deserve.

“WE SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG AND PRETEND IT’S NOT THERE ...” *** I’ve done it again; I’ve exposed myself.

I’ve made myself vulnerable for the world to see, warts and all. But I don’t feel bad about it. I don’t feel embarrassed or worried. Quite the opposite, actually. I feel relieved and unburdened.

Mental health is something we never talk about because it’s “too personal,” particularly in the black community where I grew up. We sweep it under the rug and pretend it’s not there so as not to deal with it; talking about feelings and emotions isn’t what men do.

Well, I don’t care. I write these words because the act of writing them makes me feel better. It’s therapeutic to throw your feelings out there and discuss something that the world would rather not. It’s freeing

Laila Ireland from Page 22 another day at war with yourself. When LGBTQ2 folks decide to be visible and present, and unapologetically authentic, that is the reality that we choose, not one that can be chosen for us. SO LIVE YOUR LIFE!!!

Q: Use three words to describe yourself.

A: Three words? Hmmm. If I had to choose I’d say: Determined. Outspoken. Unapologetic.

Q: Use three words to describe your love for Logan.

A: Three words to describe my love for Logan would be: Giddy. Random. Equal.

Q: There are young people who look up to you via social media, what message do you tell them? Where can people find

Montserrat from Page 18 Therefore, there are many gifts to take away from the work of artist, Jess Dugan.”

“Every Breath We Drew” will be on display until March 16.

“Deeply, at the core,” Dugan said, “I’m interested in people and identity and kind of how we each come to be

to name something that’s coiled itself around your mind, body, and soul, and speak to it in a way that disempowers it.

I don’t just speak for myself. I speak for the queer 16-year-old in the midwest who frustratedly sits in the closet, terrified of owning his identity. I speak for the mother of four who can’t stop drinking as a way of numbing herself to her unhappiness. I speak for the trans girl out there who is consistently misgendered. I speak for all the little black boys and girls whose parents left. I speak for the trans man who's fought all his life to be taken seriously and live genuinely, for his identity to be affirmed. I speak, quite frankly, for anyone who feels as though they’re lying flat out on the ground, on their stomach, in front of the world, while the heavy boot of depression is squarely placed on their back and all they can do is lay there and pray for a reprieve.

I see you, I hear you, and I know exactly what you’re going through. I know what’s it’s like to dread the morning. I feel your anxiety when you must interact with large groups of people when you prefer to just be left alone. I understand your frustration when you feel as though others just don’t get it. And I affirm your humanity, dignity, and personhood when others try to make you feel as though it’s all in your head.

You’re not alone, and you never will be … *A graduate of the Boston University College of Communication, Mike Givens has been a social justice advocate for 10 years.

During that time he’s worked on a range of initiatives aimed at uplifting marginalized populations. An experienced media strategist and communications professional, Mike currently devotes his spare time to a number of vital issues including racial justice and socioeconomic equity.

Gay Couple from Page 12 As we were arriving at the location, the clouds began to part, and the sun started to shine brightly. It was like God was with us!

DY: Our engagement was very interesting and exciting. I noticed something strange with Jonathan a few weeks before, so I spoke with my friend about it. She deterred my thoughts exceptionally well, which now I know why. It was our annual photo shoot, and it was one of the rainiest and grayest days I can remember. Jonathan was starting to get frustrated, and I remember saying to him, “It’s okay, people do photoshoots in the rain all the time so let’s make it pop.” I didn’t know it was because he was planning to propose in the grass an hour later with his good suit on. However, as we drove to the next destination, Harvard Arboretum—one of my most favorite spots in Boston—the rain stopped entirely and the sun shined like never before. After he proposed, I was stuck. Not only did he bring Tiffany, a violinist I fell in love with months earlier, but he also brought my sister from Missouri … I’m so happy I was able to spend that moment with people who have been a part of our journey during many different elements.

TRT: Could you describe what your life is like now?

DY: Life is great. We’re in a very transformative time in our individual and collective lives. We value bringing change and positivity into people’s lives, and we’re doing that more and more. We currently live in Boston! We appreciate what Boston has provided us over the past four years and we're honored to serve this community.

Jonathan is finishing his last semester at Boston University School of Law. Derrick is the executive director of our non-profit, you in social media?

The Leadership Brainery A: I receive tons of messages on a daily (https://bit.ly/2G6XeWm). The organizabasis across all social media platforms. I always encourage my followers to be unapologetic about themselves, to harness that sunshine and share the love with those that need it so that they may be able to pass along those planted seeds. It’s tough out there in the world but our love, determination, and will to fight for humanity is what is going to keep moving us forward. You can find me on IG: @laila.ireland, on Twitter: @lailaireland, and on FB: @TheOfficialIrelands.

tion’s unprecedented National Ambassador Fellowship funnels underrepresented, yet extraordinary college student leaders into various fields including law, health, tech, and the arts. First-generation and diverse college student leaders—who we call “Ambassadors”—are selected amongst a pool of nominated rising sophomores. One ambassador is chosen from each state, including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, to create an essential network of different representations and perspectives. During the three-year fellowship, we focus on long-term personal, professional, and leadership development and preparation for graduate and professional school. Once our ambassadors graduate college, they will be prepared to enter top graduate and professional schools and make change for the greater good.

TRT: What's the top piece of advice that you have for those who may be single and looking for love?

DY: It’s okay to have expectations, but don’t expect perfection. It’s essential that we each take time to find the humanity within ourselves before we properly deal with the humanity of someone else. A genuine merger of two people cannot be foreseen or planned, and neither is it easy.

Focus on self-love and being your best self, and the purposed time will come.

TRT: What's the top piece of advice that you have for those who are in a relationship and are looking to keep it exciting and intimate?

DY: Be transparent with each other! The more we’re able to know and understand each other’s thoughts, the more we’re able to excite each other. Whether that’s being open about your most vivid life dreams or your hidden desires, transparency will allow for each partner to excite and satisfy the other in a way the other truly desires to be excited and satisfied.

We honor Black History Month

TransMilitary is a feature-length documentary by SideXSide Studios and Fiona Dawson of Free Lion Productions. To view, rent, purchase, stream online or schedule a screening of TransMilitary, visit their site at https://is.gd/TrAnsMil.

who we are … and how other people perceive us as that person that we know ourselves to be.”

To view this exhibit, visit the Montserrat Gallery at 23 Essex Street, Beverly, Mass. For more information on “Every Breath We Drew”, visit the Gallery online at https://is.gd/Jr173U.

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