The Rainbow Times' Feb. 2023 Issue

PHOTO:UNSPLASH

Rogue politicians target LGBTQ+ community rights in bills nationwide

Marjorie Taylor Greene, others open direct fire against the community; Over 451 bills against our people; Texas: 51; Missouri: 48; Oklahoma: 35; Iowa: 29; Tennessee 26; Mississippi: 24, & even in Massachusetts

By: Nicole Lashomb* TRT Editor-in-Chief

2023 is already a record year for anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. (especially against trans youth). Currently, there are a whopping 451 of them, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), https://is.gd/SbKhsg. And, the agenda they’ve had is clear and it goes from bottom to top— from local government all the way to the Supreme Court and Clarence Thomas’ stance and intentions on it. These officials are in bed with the extreme and hypocritical “Christian” right—and at war with anyone else. They assault our community’s rights mercilessly, while they leave intact the rights of rapists, domestic violence abusers, white supremacists, traitors, pedophiles, etc.

So, when many members of the LGBTQIA+, PoC and women communities voice their refusal to live (or continue to) in Texas, they are justified to do so. Texas is the state with the highest number of anti-LGBTQ bills this year—all 51 of them, to be exact.

These Tx. bills are specifically worded in such a way as to target rights that relate to “public school library materials; public school employee's refusal to participate in certain inclusivity policies; regulations and policies for entering or using a bathroom; parental rights and public school responsibilities regarding instructional materials; protecting individuals from participation in a health care services for reasons of conscience; health benefit plan coverage for and prohibitions on gender transitioning procedures and treatments provided to certain individuals; cause of action for drag perform-

In 2022, there were many LGBTQIA+ stories that made the news in the nation such as those pertaining to Governors Abbott, TX, and Gov. DeSantis, Fla., who used their power to strike down protections and rights from LGBTQ+ youth, their parents and their healthcare providers, to criminalizing those using the word “gay” or even prevent mental health professionals from affirming queer lives and enforced non-consensual identity disclosure. And, the lack of rights and humanity did not only happen in those two states, but in many others too. Anti-LGBTQ legislation is on the rise while white supremacists elsewhere have stopped, harassed and disrupted Pride celebrations and drag queen events for no other reason than to use violence and intimidation to further isolate this community.

One thing is clear, those elected to Congress in Washington are using their status and reach to influence the naive and those who are already biased

ances performed in the presence of minors; health benefit plan coverage for and prohibitions on gender transitioning procedures; requiring students who compete in intercollegiate athletic competitions to do so based on biological sex; prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion offices at public institu-

don’t these states allot monies and bills to punish rape for what it is?

If these bills were targeting any other minority group in the nation, drastic measures would have been taken to halt or limit them.

During LGBTQ History month, we should celebrate the progress we’ve

is already higher than that of any other community. Add to that the fact that trans people of color, specifically trans women, are murdered at significantly higher rates as well. These are issues we have been publishing about and sounding the alarm for over a decade. These stories are not always breaking news, but it is a gradual, never ending current that has become so strong, we are drowning in the process. It is undeniable that the rhetoric and the violence and the insurmountable number of bills proposed and passed this year is like no other seen before in queer history.

However, it goes beyond strictly LGBTQ+ issues.

The division at the federal level over Trumpism and the MAGA hate-driven movement should have taught us what can result from it all. In an already

tions of higher education; the use of the terms ‘male’ and ‘female’ of certain government documents; the inclusion of a person's sex on a birth certificate; the definition of child abuse; authorizing disciplinary, criminal and/or civil actions” in most cases, and more. Although the Christian right seeks to deny other individuals’ rights, they are not keen to propose or pass stringent bills relating to pornography, extramarital affairs, cosmetic surgery based on vanity, dissatisfaction with appearance, aging, genitalia enhancement and reduction, etc.? It is ok for them to take their children to have elective surgery and do so themselves, for those are their prerogatives. But, the same doesn’t apply to the collective. And, why

made throughout the years but still be keenly aware that our history is still currently being written today. We must prepare for what’s to come.

We should summon our allies residing within these states and commonwealths to take stances, protest and use the strongest weapon there is to battle against the war mongers in these very divided states—their vote. It is only through political participation and discourse that we can curb the passage of these bills. We should lobby for those who are pro-equality to use all legal means possible to keep this vitriol from moving forward.

Lives are at stake—especially LGBQ and trans youth of color. The risk for trans people to commit suicide

pean cisgender and heterosexual person. These members of Congress use their bully pulpit as a weapon to spread lies and hate on the floor and through their social media accounts. Those actions have created catastrophic consequences both individually and widespread, reaching millions of people who believe their words to be gospel truth.

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The Rainbow Times is published monthly by The Rainbow Times, LLC. TRT is an award-winning publication that started printing in late 2006. The 1st print issue was published in Feb. 2007. 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.

against others. Their prejudice doesn’t end with the LGBTQIA+ community, but it also includes anti-Semitism, racial and ethnic bias, discrimination against gender minorities, and just about anyone who is not a white Euro-

Still, the LGBTQIA+ community has continued to rise, to fight, to be present, even when many times it has cost them their lives. We remember them and continue our work to do our part to resist and fight those spreading misinformation for personal and political gain, which ultimately hurts everyone. Such lies, in a not so different fashion, resulted in the January 6th riots. The thrive on division and target the ignorant to cast blame on innocent individuals, no matter the cost, espe-

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IN AN ALREADY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY LIKE OURS, ERASURE IS THE END GAME FOR SOME OF THE MOST VILE POLITICAL ADVERSARIES. THE STEPS

THE RADICAL RIGHT HAS TAKEN ARE AKIN TO GENOCIDE MEASURES ...

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll delivers

18th & final state of the city address

Remarks celebrate 17 years of achievements that have made Salem the successful community it now is

SALEM, Mass.—As part of the 2023 reorganization of Salem’s City government, Mayor Kim Driscoll offered remarks that highlighted the City’s accomplishments and successes under her administration’s 17 years. At the conclusion of her address, Mayor Driscoll resigned from her position as Salem’s 50th Mayor, in anticipation of her inauguration on January 5, 2023, as Massachusetts’ 73rd Lieutenant Governor.

The full text of her remarks, as prepared, can be found below.

“Good evening, as we start public meetings in this Chamber, I would like to begin by acknowledging that this land is Naumkeag, or fishing place, where generations of Indigenous peoples lived and passed through for centuries. We acknowledge that this is Indigenous land and also acknowledge the Massachusetts Tribe, who continue to honor and hold this land into the present.

In addition to members of the Council, I’d like to recognize other elected and city officials joining us this evening.

My heart is full of pride and appreciation as I stand before you tonight to deliver my final State of the City address. After 17 years of growth and prosperity together, we’ve transformed our nearly 400-year-old city into a vibrant, thriving community, the hub of the North Shore and, in so many respects, the envy of many Massachusetts communities. Together, we've built a city that is poised for an even stronger and more successful future. We professionalized local government, rebuilt city finances, prioritized transparency, encouraged more voices, and engaged more residents across Salem to participate in their government.

All of this is the direct result of intentional actions we have all taken together, city employees, City Council and School Committee members— both current and past—local leaders, business owners, institutional partners,

See Lt. Gov. Driscoll On Page 7

The best books of 2022 and a bonus book too!

By: Terri Schlichenmeyer* Special to TRT

It happens every year. The decorations come down.

The last of the Christmas leftovers have been eaten. Errant bits of ripped wrapping are found and discarded. You have no more holiday candy or cookies, you look around at your empty hands, and you wonder now what?

Now it’s time to settle in and catch up once this long winter ends. For your pleasure, here are the Top Five Bookworm Picks for the Best of 2022...

Fiction

Lovers of fairy tales are in for a big surprise with “The Book Eaters” by Sunyi Dean (Tor, $26.99). It's a dark, dark legend filled with evil dragons that look like men, princesses that are worse than second-class citizens within their realms, and a chase that will chill you. Book lovers will adore this tale, especially if you don't necessarily need a happily-ever-after.

Pick up a copy of “Dot and Ralphie” by Amy Hoffman (University of Wisconsin Press, $16.95) and it doesn't look like much. But aren't you glad you don't judge a book by its cover? This is a sweet tale of two elderly women, partners in life and love, and aging. It's sweet and grumpy and charming, somewhat like a lesbian Honeymooners episode, only better.

Readers who are familiar with the thrillers that James Lee Burke writes will absolutely be stunned by “Every Cloak Rolled in Blood” (Simon & Schuster, $27.00) because in this book, the thrill is secondary to the main plot. Here, retired detective Aaron Broussard has lost his beloved daughter and it's cut him to the core. Fiery, glasssharp grief doesn't stop crime, though, and so he still has crime to solve— whether real, or imagined. Read this book with an open heart and tissues at hand. It may be Burke’s best.

Lovers of clever, clever stories will love “Sign Here” by Claudia Lux (Berkeley, $27.00). It's the tale of Peyote Trip, whose job on the Fifth Floor of Hell is to recruit new souls for eternity. But Pey has a plan to get out of his purgatory, which turns this funny, sharp-witted story into a shady mystery that will make you laugh a lot and squirm even more.

Here’s a book that’s absolutely not for everyone: “Manhunt” by Gretchen Felker-Martin (Macmillan Nightfire, $17.99) is a lesbian feminist dystopian thriller, which sounds like a lot and it is. A virus has hit every corner of the world, making men into wolf-like killing machines and sending the women into hiding. When two young women—one of them, trans—learns that a “healer” might be able to save her from the inevitable, they head out to find the woman but a makeshift band of warrior women get in their way. Again, this isn't a book for every-

one but if you're looking for something very, very different, this is it.

BONUS BOOK: “Things Past Telling” by Sheila Williams (Amistad, $25.99) is a novel of the memories of a 112-year-old former slave, who was also a pirate’s woman, a healer, and someone reaching for things her soul needed. It's an adventurous book with the tiniest touch of fantasy and you shouldn't miss it.

Non-Fiction

You have questions. And “All the Living and the Dead” by Hayley Campbell (St. Martin’s Press, $29.99) has answers. When someone dies, what happens next? A wide variety of things, that's what, and it's someone else's job to see that it's done right. This book is careful not to be (too) gruesome but it is compellingly fascinating.

“Charlie’s Good Tonight” by Paul Sexton (Harper, $27.99) is on this list because it could be the biggest surprise of the year for readers. It's the story of the late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, a man who really never wanted fame and often actively shunned the limelight. If you think you know all about the debauchery of your favorite rock & roll band, think again and be totally charmed by one man's life.

There are two business books on this list because they don't at all read like business books; in fact, “Think Like a Horse” by Grant Golliher (Putnam, $28.00) and “Meet Me by the Fountain” by Alexandra Lange (Bloomsbury, $28.00) both seem more like snuggle-up-in-front-of-the-fire kinds of books. Golliher's book is pure cowboy—he was a rancher and worked ex-

PHOTO: GOVERNORS OFFICE

AG Healey issues 1st-ever mental health & gender-affirming care resource guide for LGBTQ2IA+ youth

Guide centralizes info. on existing mental health resources for LGBTQ2IA+ care across the state; improves access

BOSTON—Seeking to increase access to critical mental health resources for LGBTQ2IA+ young people across Massachusetts, Attorney General Maura Healey issued her office’s firstever “Mental Health and Gender-Affirming Care Resource Guide for Massachusetts LGBTQ2IA+ Young People and Their Trusted Adults (https://is.gd/3BfgzK) last month.”

The Resource Guide (https://is.gd/3BfgzK), intended for LGBTQ2IA+ young people, their trusted adults, and supportive community members, was developed in connection with a $1 million grant (https://is.gd/pGSWUR) awarded to the AG’s Office by the U.S. Department of Justice for the STOP School Violence and Mental Health Grant Program in 2018. The AG’s Office is utilizing the funding to collaborate with Sandy Hook Promise to implement and expand violence and suicide prevention training programs in middle and high schools across the state. As part of this federal grant, the AG’s Office also created this Resource Guide with the goal of providing information about specialized mental health services available throughout Massachusetts for LGBTQ2IA+ young people, a community who experiences high rates of suicide and mental illness as well as high rates of discrimination and victimization, yet traditionally has had unequal access to health care services. The Resource Guide also aims to acknowledge the roles that intersectionality and social determinants of health play in mental health outcomes of the LGBTQ2IA+ community.

“As dangerous homophobic and transphobic policies are being enacted across the country, it is more important than ever that we support our LGBTQ2IA+ young people and ensure they have access to critical services and resources,” said AG Healey. “In publishing this Resource Guide, it is our hope that we are able to increase the visibility and accessibility of health care providers to our young people, and to better help them navigate through various financial and sociocultural barriers to receive care.”

“There are so many caring professionals and organizations looking to support and affirm LGBTQ2IA+ people in the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Scott Hadland, Chief of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Mass General Hospital. “The LGBTQ2IA+ Mental Health Resource Guide is full of high-quality services, and it will not only save lives, but just as importantly, it will help LGBTQ2IA+ people find affirmation and thrive, all across our state.”

“On behalf of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH), I commend Attorney General Healey and her office for their leadership in developing a Mental Health Resource Guide for LGBTQ2IA+ Youth and

to services

Their Trusted Adults,” said President and CEO of Mas sachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH), Danna Mauch. “This resource is particularly timely, as we know that LGBTQ2IA+ youth are suffering disproportionately in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Guide will be a key resource in supporting the Commonwealth’s Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform, in that it will help advance equitable access to culturally competent mental health and substance use services. This resource will remove barriers to care access for LGBTQ2IA+ Youth — a community that has been historically marginalized and is as a consequence at greatest risk for disruption of their mental health and well-being. We look forward to

disseminating the Guide through the Network of Care Massachusetts website, and trust it will be a helpful tool for the new Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line call, text, and chat operators.”

“In these challenging times, mental health resources, especially for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, are critically important in helping young people access the support that they need and deserve,” said Grace Sterling Stowell, Executive Director of BAGLY, Inc. “We applaud outgoing Attorney General and Governor-Elect Maura Healey and her team for developing this much needed and useful resource for all LGBTQ+ youth, and those who provide services for their support.”

“LGBTQ+ youth are the targets of significant and unprecedented attacks resulting in increased need for mental health services and supports,” said Christopher Bellonci, M.D. Senior Policy Advisor, Baker Center for Children and Families.

IN THE COMING WEEKS, THE RESOURCE GUIDE WILL ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, HAITIAN CREOLE, AND MANDARIN.

In new song, Queer artist Kyle Motsinger reflects on the long and difficult road he has travelled in the pursuit of his rock star dreams

By: Mike Bahr Special to The Rainbow Times

Kyle Motsinger was born and raised in the middle of cornfields in a small, conservative town outside of Peoria, Illinois. “I grew up singing Broadway tunes by a tractor,” he remembers.

He moved to NYC after college, where he performed in Off-Broadway productions, released two albums and several singles including “Dark Shadows”, based on the gothic sixties’ series and film by Tim Burton. The music video for the song starred Kathryn Leigh Scott from the series and premiered to much fan acclaim at the Dark Shadows convention in Los Angeles.

As Kyle Motsinger approached his mid-thirties’, he began to feel that he wasn’t where he wanted to be in life. He channeled that frustration into a batch of new songs that appear on his upcoming album. His new single is “Bad Years”, and it muses on his life’s struggles and finding joy in conflict.

Q: What was it like growing up gay in Peoria?

Kyle Motsinger: I had a good childhood but I was not out and dangerously uncool. I spent most of my time in theatre and pursuing brainy activities. Things became more complicated as I discovered my sexuality and started

forming my own world opinions.

Why did you stay in Illinois for college?

My family couldn’t afford to send me to a private university and a school out of Illinois was not an option. I went to a junior college, five minutes from my house, for my first year of college. I was scouted by Western Illinois University while singing a solo in Handel’s Messiah. I auditioned and got in on a scholarship the next fall, eventually graduating with a BFA in Musi-

cal Theatre.

How did you make your way to NYC? After college, I visited NYC and it just felt like home. I knew I had to move there. Two girls — that I knew from community theatre — and I decided to make the move together.

What was that first week like in NYC? I remember being so excited! I was living in Astoria, Queens and feeling like an adult for the first time in my life. I wasn’t scared. I was determined!

How did you establish yourself in the theater scene?

I did several cabarets and showed up at open mics. That’s a whole community in itself. I started auditioning and within that first year, I met a casting director that believed in me and helped me to get my first Off-Broadway show in NYC.

What was that?

Fancy Nancy the Musical. It was based on the popular children’s books. We recorded a cast album on Ghostlight Records and I toured with the show.

What did you learn about yourself from performing on stage?

neighborhood groups, the countless talented volunteers serving on our boards and organizations, and the residents of this remarkable community.

Soon [January 2022], I’ll be sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts and, with Governor Maura Healey, I’ll continue to work hard every day for those I’m fortunate enough to represent in all 351 of our cities and towns. Governor-elect Healey and I will bring the kind of government we prioritized here in Salem, and the kind of results we’ve had here, to our entire Commonwealth.

This is truly a bittersweet moment for me. While I’m thrilled by the new challenges and opportunities ahead, I’m leaving a job I love, and have loved, every single day that I’ve been honored to serve you. Because of the work we have done together for these past 17 years, I’m bringing with me a clear vision for a stronger Commonwealth, one based on values that both Governor-elect Healey and I share: that our communities matter. Local government matters.

I've been fortunate to have had some terrific jobs, but this has been the best job I’ve ever had, working alongside some of the most dedicated and professional people with whom I’ve had the privilege of collaborating.

These chambers are steeped in history and pride, and the work we do here impacts just about everything in Read the rest of this story at TheRainbowTimesMass.com

Read the rest of this story at TheRainbowTimesMass.com

PHOTO : AUSTIN RUFFER