2 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
10th Year Anniversary • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 3
4 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
10th Year Anniversary • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 5
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
Boston Pride under fire as accusations of transphobia, racism, censorship loom By: Mike Givens & Al Gentile/TRT Assistant Editor and TRT Reporter, respectively
IN THE LIMELIGHT
BOSTON—On Saturday, June 10, at the corner of Fairfield and Boylston streets in Boston, more than 100 demonstrators challenged the inclusivity and fairness of Boston Pride’s long-standing Pride parade, an event that garners thousands of marchers and observers. “Stand up, fight back!” chanted the Stonewall Warriors (https://goo.gl/N6C8tH), a grassroots organization that alleges Boston Pride has been co-opted by corporations and elected officials. In their advocacy, the Stonewall Warriors invoke the sentiments of the 1969 Stonewall Riots (https://goo.gl/1u5T5E)—the genesis of Pride demonstrations and celebrations around the world. According to Diva T. Williams, the Stonewall Warriors’ marching position towards the back of the June 10 parade was unacceptable. “The Stonewall Warriors are here to bring Pride back to its roots. The Stonewall Riot was a riot against police brutality [of] black and Latinx queer people,” she said. “It’s been hijacked by mostly cisgender white men and turned into this commercial circus. Anyone with a political or radical message is segregated to the back of the parade.” The corporate sponsors who participated in the parade include TD Bank, Liberty
At Boston Pride 2017, the Stonewall Warriors protested the organization's alleged transphobia incidents.
Mutual, Delta Airlines, and Bank of America, among many others. According to several people participating in the Stonewall Warrior’s contingent of the parade, these corporations have no place in Pride. “Having TD Bank and all these other huge corporations that are invested in pipelines and all kinds of terrible things come out with their logo on a rainbow flag … has nothing to do with protecting mar-
ginalized people,” she continued. “It has nothing to do with uplifting marginalized people. It has nothing to do with anything.” Mark Crandall, TD Bank’s regional president for Southern New England, said the company’s participation upholds its core values. “TD Bank is proud to support Boston Pride as [a] Gold sponsor. We feel Boston Pride—and all of the 30-plus Pride events
we support across our Maine-to-Florida footprint—is an opportunity to celebrate diversity, inclusion and love within our own community,” he said. “As an employer, and good corporate and community citizen, we cultivate a service-oriented, barrier-free culture that attracts, invests in, and promotes talent that reflects the diverse communities we serve.
See Boston Pride on Page 23
6 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
Thank you: TRT Pride cruise series, success Grappling with God: The never-ending struggle
I
f there is anything we’ve learned this June throughout pride month, it is how our LGBTQ community comes together to celebrate, mourn, and rise up as a collective, especially when we, broadly speaking, are once again being preyed upon by the system of inequity. Strength in solidarity was demonstrated with record attendance at pride celebrations throughout the region this year, not only by spectators, but also through non-profit and for-profit participation in the events themselves. At The Rainbow Times, we know we have our most difficult work ahead of us. As responsible LGBTQ media, we continue to tackle the injustices that infiltrate our lives as we are reminded none of our community rights are truly safe. Almost no one is safe, especially as we witness what is happening in Washington, especially in the White House. However, we must never forget to celebrate our lives and the lives of those that have gone before us, in order to brave the good fight that lies ahead. To do just that, as a part The Rainbow Times’ 10th year anniversary celebration, we launched our first pride cruise series out of Salem, MA during North Shore Pride weekend. The first
cruise on June 23 sold out so quickly that we decided to launch a second one just to accommodate ongoing requests we received. The second cruise departed on June 25, closing out the weekend’s festivities. Though The Rainbow Times has always given philanthropically from the start, it became our vision and goal to do so at an even a larger scale this year and also looking to the years that lie ahead. Because of the hundreds of cruise-goers, our generous sponsors, raffle donors, and community partners, we were able to raise thousands of dollars for charity (Fenway Health’s The Borum and North Shore Pride). This would not have been possible without the generosity of those who believed in this cause. I’d like to thank our sponsors Eastern Bank, our cruise partner Mahi Mahi, and local LGBTQ hotspot, Mercy Tavern for making this series a possibility, and Northey Bed and Breakfast. Special gratitude goes to DJ Andrea Stamas, who didn’t let our energy dip at any point during these events as she spun her killer beats for both nights.
WE MUST NEVER
FORGET TO CELEBRATE OUR LIVES AND THE
LIVES OF THOSE THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE US, IN ORDER TO
BRAVE THE GOOD FIGHT THAT LIES AHEAD.
See Thank You on Page 10
Small acts: Tremendous impact on others By: Paul P. Jesep*/TRT Columnist
I
FAITH
t’s easy to get into a funk these days. The nation is at a crossroads in more ways than one. LGBTQ rights appear threatened. Concerns about terrorism persist. This is in addition to whatever personal or professional challenges an individual faces like, in my case, a 90-plus-year-old father who insists he’s able to drive. The week this column was due I brought home a chocolate cream pie for dinner. It managed to last over three days and didn’t disappear in one sitting. This is significant progress for me. Years ago I gave up cable to avoid spending too much time watching CNN, A&E, Sci Fi, and BBC America. Surprisingly, there is a lot you can still watch with an antenna and no cable. Unfortunately, I recently discovered free, livestream cable news on YouTube. It’s exactly what this news junkie doesn’t need. Normally, I would have simmering angst due to the ongoing foibles in Washington. With practice, discipline, and a great deal
of patience with myself, I’m using metaphysics to manage emotions and frustrations. Metaphysics can be defined several ways, but for purposes of this column it means developing new habits and routines that dramatically alter mood, outlook, and perceptions. Find a reason to be grateful each day. Expose yourself to the positive energy of others. Like attracts like—surround yourself with non-toxic people. It’s a way of thinking and approaching life going back thousands of years. In the last several decades it’s become part of “New Age” thinking. Earl Nightingale authored “The Strangest Secret” (https://goo.gl/kDXGJZ). Some of the messages in this short, highly readable book are hokie. There’s also a great deal of wisdom and common sense in it as well. The book has been turned into several YouTube audios (https://goo.gl/GP2EK1). It’s one of many books that looks at personal energy, attitudes, and whether we react or respond to events. Read the rest of this story at: http://wp.me/p22M41-4Sb
to make sense of the senseless and believing By: Mike Givens*/TRT Assistant Editor
A
little over two years ago, an Arizona mother was taking her twin 18-month-old sons on a walk near a canal. While swatting away a bee, the mother let go of her stroller, which abruptly slid down an embankment and into the canal. The currents were so strong it pulled the stroller and the two toddlers deep under water and away from the shore. It took rescuers more than an hour to find their bodies. I have family members who would listen to the details of this story, shake their heads, utter some cliché about praying for the victims and family, and end the conversation with the oft-repeated phrases of “It’s all a part of God’s plan,” “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” or “God’s will be done.” Empty, uncomforting, and utterly baseless platitudes, in my opinion. Children with leukemia. Innocent people who die in terrorist attacks. Transgender people denied their personhood. Black people being lynched. People circulating videos on social media depicting grotesque violence. A reality TV star who is now president of one of the most powerful countries in the world. All senseless things that mainstream Christians will undoubtedly call part of “God’s will.” I was raised Southern Baptist and have the emotional scars to prove it. I distinctly remember one particular deacon in the church who was often called “funny” behind his back. He was a tall man, effeminate, and spoke with a softness and delicacy that others would use to castigate him. Of course, these castigations were always done behind his back, never to his
OPINIONS
By: Nicole Lashomb*/TRT Editor-in-Chief
Letters to the Editor [Re: Mayor Walsh Announces Boston's Participation in Global Fast-Track Cities Initiative at AIDS Walk] Dear Editor, In his proclamation let’s hope the Mayor is joined by other Mayors in the Metro Hub to make an announcement. Let’s hope they are joined by the area universities that attract thousands of young people here from wealthy families throughout the world and the teaching hospitals who make millions and millions in surplus funds each year from their nonprofit tax status. We want to hear a commitment to a fund that underwrites the $300,000 being slashed from the AIDS Action budget by the state DPH for the well being and prevention of HIV among street youth populations. $300,000 picks up the street youth HIV cuts this year by the state DPH for Aids Action. $300,000 can help save the lives of hundreds of kids, alone on the street without families or hope. Let’s get real fellas. HIV is rising again in every demographic. Street Youth are easy targets for needle use drug hustlers
See Letters on Page 22
I OFTEN JOKE WITH MYSELF THAT IF ANYONE EVER ASKS ME WHETHER I BELIEVE IN
GOD, I’D RESPOND, “IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY.” face (the true Christian way, I suppose). As a child, that man typified for me the incongruity between being a Christian and being gay. I don’t know what his orientation was, but the perception amongst the narrow-minded parishioners of that church was that he was gay. His mannerisms were a litmus test for masculinity. Men are deepvoiced, not soft-spoken; no rings on their fingers unless it’s a wedding ring; and never, ever switch your hips or be caught...
See Grappling with God on Page 23
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 Gricel M. Ocasio Editor-In-Chief Nicole Lashomb Assistant Editor Mike Givens National/Local Sales Rivendell Media Liz Johnson Lead Photographers Alex Mancini Steve Jewett Reporters John Paul Stapleton Christine Nicco Jenna Spinelle Chuck Colbert Al Gentile Chris Gilmore Keen News Service
Ad & Layout Design Prizm PR Webmaster Jarred Johnson Columnists/Guest* Lorelei Erisis Deja N. Greenlaw Paul P. Jesep Mike Givens Natalia Muñoz* Keegan O’Brien* Mike Yepes* Affiliations National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association NGLCC QSyndicate *Guest Freelancer
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.
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
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8 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
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Boston Medical Center releases study on gender affirmation surgery, research BOSTON—Boston Medical Center recently released the results of a study quantifying the number of transgender patients opting for gender affirmation surgery (GAS) between 2004 and 2015 (https://goo.gl/1FHVZH). GAS procedures can range from “top” surgeries—breast reduction or bindings, breast enhancements, etc.—to “bottom” surgeries—male-to-female or female-tomale genital reconstruction—and also facial feminization and several other medical interventions. Just last year, Boston Medical Center opened the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery (https://goo.gl/Bm316Y), a near-comprehensive program that provides most gender affirmation procedures except for femaleto-male genital reconstruction. “The purpose of the study was to set a baseline for surgeries done among a defined group of transgender individuals,” said Dr. Joshua Safer, the medical director of the Center, noting that the study was the first of its kind in the nation. “In this case, all were patients in the Endocrinology Clinic at Boston Medical Center ... meaning that they were transgender individuals who had chosen to have a transgender medical intervention at least in the form of hormone therapy.” The findings According to Safer, 71 trans women and 28 trans men who were seeking care at the clinic agreed to have their medical charts reviewed dating from as far back as 2004 to January 2015. In June of 2014, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced changes in statewide health insurance policies to ensure that transgender people receive comprehensive coverage for gender affirmation medical services (https://goo.gl/dHxkgG). The study found that only 35 percent of patients chose to pursue any form of GAS. Of that number, only 15 percent chose genital reconstruction surgery. It also found that trans men were twice as likely than trans women to opt for surgical procedures. Trans men typically opted for chest surgery more so than genital reconstruction, according to the report. Trans women were less likely to pursue genital surgery and often opted for facial feminization or top surgery. “Trans men seem to overwhelmingly be interested in chest reconstruction surgery … “ Safer said. “The surgery is more modestly priced than other gender affirming surgeries. It is also available and considered very effective by trans men who then can feel comfortable removing their shirts or at least walking around with clothes on confident that there is no feminine appearing breast tissue.” Safer noted that the three typical surgeries for trans women—top surgery, facial feminization, and vaginoplasty—can be expensive, are less available, and also less reliable compared to surgical procedures for trans men.
PHOTO: BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER
By: Mike Givens/TRT Assistant Editor
Dr. Joshua Safer
The response Johanna, a trans woman who wanted to speak on the condition of anonymity said that, in her opinion, the percentages are low for several reasons. “Trans people tend to be poor and have little resources,” she said, noting that she’s had her testicles removed and genital reconstruction surgery. “Without insurance coverage, there was basically no way to pay for transition. “Between electrolysis, facial surgery, top surgery, bottom surgery, [and other procedures] there is just simply no way most of us can afford to have [without it being] covered by insurance. Not to mention the fact that trans people are discriminated against in the workplace, in the doctor's office, and even when we attempt to get therapy.” Ray Bernoff, a trans man, echoed Johanna’s opinion, but also stressed more global concerns about the effectiveness of GAS procedures. “Some trans people don't pursue surgery because it's not for them and they don't feel strongly enough about that part or parts of their body to want to make a permanent change, because there are too many risks in comparison to the benefits for them …” he said, noting that he’s had top surgery. Safer said that the Center at BMC currently doesn’t offer female-to-male genital surgeries because of the high risk attached to them. “Genital surgeries for trans men are more difficult and carry much higher risks of complications,” he said, but also stated that BMC is “actively exploring” the possibility of providing the procedures. “Therefore that is the last major category of medical intervention for us.” Jaime Matheny, a trans woman from Newton, is currently considering facial feminization and GAS procedures. “It’s a big step. And even though insurance companies cover it … even the the best insurance companies don’t cover all of it … It’s still expensive, it’s permanent … ” Michelle Hirsch, a trans woman considering GAS, said the low percentage of participants opting for bottom surgery makes sense. “Looking beyond the absolute numbers,
See BMC-Trans on page 17
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
10th Year Anniversary • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 9
10 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
“Becoming Visible” workshop educates clinicians on transgender patient care PHOTO: RACHEL LEGEND
SOUTH ATTLEBORO Mass.—Rachel Legend has spent her career advocating for the LGBTQ community across the country, collaborating with celebrities, and winning awards in the process. Currently the CEO of Arbour-Fuller Hospital (arbourhealth.com) in South Attleboro, Legend is using her education and advocacy experience to provide training for doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff through a workshop called “Becoming Visible.” Legend most recently presented “Becoming Visible” on June 9 in Dedham, Mass. as part of a larger training on providing culturally sensitive treatment to LGBTQ patients, with a special focus on suicide prevention and substance abuse. The workshop drew about 125 attendees and also included a keynote address from Ashby Rachel Legend Dodge, clinical director of The Trevor ProjShe realizes that there’s no one size fits ect (https://goo.gl/Zsx32t). all solution for all clinics and, in her work“We are seeing more and more transgen- shops, encourages practitioners to share der patients and that is where we have some ideas and develop something that works for of the most clinical need for training,” Leg- their unique circumstances. Ideally, she end said. “We wanted to focus on the soup said, each practice would have its own to nuts experience … everything from a checklist culled from a collective set of warm handoff in the ER to use of pronouns ideas shared among facilities. and sharing best practices with community “What needs to happen at my facility is partners.” not what needs to happen at someone else’s Arbour-Fuller treats adults with general facility,” Legend said. “What does the papsychiatric or intellectual disabilities, as perwork look like? Are our receptionists well as adolescents with psychiatric issues. trained? If someone’s name on their insurOne of the challenges Legend and her col- ance card doesn’t match what they sign in leagues continue to see is the restrictive the office, how do we work with that? The gender binary terms mandated by the Cen- answers to those questions will vary from ters for Disease Control (CDC) Division of practice to practice but we can share ideas Health Informatics and Surveillance to help each other along the way.” (https://goo.gl/NVyTxF). Before she moved to The CDC requires that New England, Legend all patients be classified spent 15 years as an “THE SMALLEST ACT OF anti-bullying as male or female, which advocate leaves providers with the in California. She redifficult choice of staying SOCIAL JUSTICE WE CAN DO ceived an award from true to their patients’ the Human Rights Camwishes or satisfying re- IS WE CAN ASK THEM WHAT paign (hrc.org; HRC), quirements that are tied to along with singer KD federal funding and insurLang and former PRONOUN IS .” THEIR ance company payment. Speaker of the House Legend said there is no Pelosi, for work—LEGEND Nancy easy solution to this probing with youth in Calilem, nor is one likely to fornia. She’s also a appear any time soon in the current politi- recipient of Rhode Island College’s Annual cal climate. With that in mind, she said it’s Diversity Award. more important than ever for providers to Melissa Holcomb, Arbour-Fuller’s clinifind creative solutions like creating sepa- cal director, has seen the “Becoming Visirate, more inclusive, forms for internal use ble” presentation and said Legend takes while maintaining the binary gender sys- participants outside of the comfort zone tem where needed. and encourages interaction without being “Our community is incredibly resilient too over the top. and incredibly strong and I hate to be the “Rachel has a way of doing a training bearer of bad news but the onus for change [that gets] everyone involved without putsits in federal government. [I] don’t think ting people on the spot,” Holcomb said. anything is going to change in the current “Sometimes people are shocked to hear administration,” Legend said. “We can cer- some of the things she says and the data she tainly lobby, but I spend much more time pulls out, but they leave feeling like they talking about what we can do in facilities learned a great deal and can put it to use in to work within the framework we have their practice.” now.” Another topic Legend discusses during Another struggle Legend and her col- “Becoming Visible” is bathrooms at clinileagues face is that things could change at cal facilities. Following the bathroom rights any minute given the uncertainty about the battles in North Carolina and other states, future of the Affordable Care Act and what she says the tendency among treatment the new proposed American Health Care centers is to create individual rooms and Act (https://goo.gl/FfvsAq) may mean for bathrooms for transgender patients. trans patients. However, as history has proven, separate
is not always equal and what can seem like a good intention can come across as a restrictive measure rather than an inclusionary one, she said. “We have patients who clash for any number reasons and this is one of them, but single rooms and restroom are not the answer,” Legend said. “Rather, we work with our patients every day in our facilities to come up with solutions that will work for everyone. At the end of the day, folks should be allowed to use the restroom of the gender with which they identify.” While issues related to reporting and bathroom access will take time to correct,” Legend said one easy thing everyone can do right now is be diligent about asking which pronouns patients prefer. “The smallest act of social justice we can do is we can ask them what their pronoun is,” Legend said. “That small act really allows you to have a conversation about why we’re doing this. It’s going to matter for the trans patient and allows teaching moments for others.” This point has definitely stuck with Holcomb since she first heard Legend’s presentation. “I am very conscious and hear her voice in my head being conscious of how I ask questions and asking people which pronouns they prefer,” Holcomb said. “We are making sure we’re clinically sensitive and asking questions in a way that doesn’t make anyone feel embarrassed.”
Thank You from page 6 Likewise, we’d like to thank all of our community partners—Salem State University, the PEM, New England Dog Biscuit Company, Gentle Aesthetics Med Spa, Eye Center f the North Shore, Beverly Bank, the Independent Living Center of the North Shore and Cape Ann, Erik Rodenhiser and Melt Ice Cream. Last, but certainly not least, we are so grateful to all of our local raffle donors who gave without hesitation. Those businesses include Opus, The Cheese Shop, Jolie Tea, Koto, the Highland’s Inn Lesbian Resort, Athena Spa Baskets by Heidi Z, the Salem Wax Museum, House of the Seven Gables, Cultura Latina, the Flatbread Company, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Keep an eye out and ear to the ground for our next upcoming event on September 30 on the Salem Sound! It should be a ghoulish time. *Nicole Lashomb is the Editor-in-Chief of The Rainbow Times. She has obtained an MBA from Marulhurst University and earned her BM from the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam). Nicole can be reached via her TRT e-mail at editor@therainbowtimesmass.com..
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
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BLAA artists bring empowerment, politics, and art to the fore in response to Trump presidency By: Al Gentile/TRT Reporter
BOSTON—At Midway Studios in Fort Point, Boston, several LGBTQ artists are making a statement. The Boston LGBTQIA Artist Alliance (blaa.us; BLAA), an organization which “seeks to elevate the visibility of and provide resources to LGBTQIA artists,” launched a political art exhibition called “Hydra Effect.” In Greek mythology, the “Hydra Paradox” is a situation where a proposed solution worsens the problem it was aiming to solve. “[President] Trump’s inauguration and the fears of what was to come were present on the minds of everyone on the BLAA Committee,” said BLAA Director Dylan Hurwitz. “We talked about the ways LGBTQIA artists have had to grapple with the unthinkable historically, and we wanted to provide a venue for LGBTQIA artists to respond to this urgent moment.” The exhibition, which runs until July 14 with a closing reception on July 7, is filled with the art of 15 local LGBTQIA artists. The art pieces on display are an emotional proclamation of the role of art within the political reality under President Donald Trump, according to Hurwitz. “Hydra Effect presents examples of the roles that art can play in our current political climate,” Hurwitz said. “The arts provide a crucial opportunity for people to not only reflect on reality, but to imagine alternate and new realities, new ways of organizing, and of being.”
The Rainbow Times spoke with two of the showing artists, Lauren Alindogan and Ena Kantardzic, to expound on the role of art in society. Alindogan, who identifies as genderfluid and bisexual, said in today’s political climate, art is another way to be heard. “Art is a component of resistance, a format for ideological discourse,” Alindogan said. “It provides a visibly recognizable aesthetic and a point of connection for a community.” Yet for Alindogan, it is not wholly a political statement. Her art is also a way to express her emotional reality as a genderfluid person. “Most of my work is about my experience as a queer person of color in an often uninformed or hostile world,” Alindogan said. “This nebulous sense of identity affects my daily perception and experience, and from there it informs my art practice.” The expression of gender identity and sexual orientation can be a difficult undertaking. In circumstances where fear of misunderstanding are present, these artists, in some cases, have many hurdles to cross before being able to simply express who they are. LGBTQIA artists, Hurwitz said, are facing a world where they are underrepresented. Alternately, externalizing this internal experience can be at once terrifying and liberating. “The voices of LGBTQIA artists are underrepresented in the world, including
PHOTO: BLAA
Kolin Perry’s Digging up David (Face in Dirt) featured in the BLAA’s Hydra Effect exhibition
within the arts. The act of creating art involves an externalization or visualization of the ideas and experiences of the artist,” Hurwitz said. “This externalization forces viewers to confront and negotiate what was previously a private experience of the artist.” For Kantardzic, who recently came out as pansexual, art is a way to navigate inwardly in a way that allows others to benefit from her exploration.
“My identity has impacted my art in a way that it has helped me explore my own autonomy, and through this I feel my idea of self has grown,” Kantardzic said. “I also think it gives a lot of context to the type of work I am making, as I am constantly finding things and ideas that I am drawn to.” While definitively an inward experience, Kantardzic said her art also reflects the
See BLAA on Page 22
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July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
Cambridge: Bayard Rustin Award to The Rainbow Times
On June 10, Cambridge City Mayor, E. Denise Simmons and the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission awarded The Rainbow Times with the Bayard Rustin Service Award. Thank you Mayor Simmons and the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission for this honor! We love your city and what you've done with it. The inclusion is palpable everywhere you turn (people, signage, rainbow colored areas, immigration & #BlackLivesMatter messages).
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July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
Thoughts on what it’s like being & living as a transgender woman now By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/TRT Columnist
O
TRANS OPINION
ne of the reasons I write for The Rainbow Times is to try to explain to people what being a trans person is like. Please note that these thoughts are mine. They may or may not be shared by other trans folks. First, it feels wonderful finally being who I really am. After living decades as a gender that I never felt comfortable being, I now feel comfortable and I have a great peace within my soul. It took me a long time to get to this point and I had to work through so many obstacles, both internal and external, but I finally got there and I love it! I had to accept who I am and I had to accept my shortcomings as female. I am tall, 6'3”, I have a low voice and large hands. These characteristics make me stand out. What is it like standing out? Most of the time I don't let it bother me. I just go about my business but occasionally I do have awkward moments. I realize that when people see me because of my size they might be taken aback. I may tower over them and initially cause them fear. I
usually soften the situation by smiling, acknowledging their presence, and then proceed to go about my business. Is it worth it to transition? Yes and no. Yes, because I have finally reached my core
present female with my clothing choices, my makeup, my mannerisms, my D cups, and my shaved legs. However, somehow I still get the male pronouns. It stings every time someone misgenders me. I want to
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY [MEN] WANT ME IN THEIR PRIVATE LIFE BUT NOT IN THEIR PUBLIC LIFE. identity and I can draw peace from within my soul. No, because not everyone is comfortable with me and I may get stares, unwanted remarks, or exclusion from activities that I would like to engage in. Yes, occasionally I have to deal with being seen as a social pariah, an outcast, an unwanted member of society. That hurts but it happens, and that's the way it sometimes is right now for me. I may occasionally be on the outside looking in on social circles and people's perceived acceptable social norms. What are the costs? Besides occasionally being seen as a social pariah I may also be misgendered. I understand that I am a tall person with a low voice, but I do try to
live my life as female and I want to be seen and accepted as female. This is what I've been grappling with my whole life. I was uncomfortable living as male and now when I am finally confident to live in my true identity as female, I still get misgendered. I realize that the misgendering is not usually done on purpose, but the sting is still there and it still hurts. Other costs I've incurred are loss of the love and support from some family members and friends. One can lose a lot of love and support when one is trans. If you've ever lost a lot of love and support, you know the feeling. If you haven't, try to imagine it. It's a pretty awful situation. When you lose the love and support of
family and friends, birthdays, holidays, and even the “Hallmark holidays” can leave a sting and a day of depression because you are no longer included in the day's festivities. As far as dating, I like men and there are many men who like me. The problem is that they want me in their private life but not in their public life. They don't want their family and friends to know that they are dating a trans woman. This leaves me “in the closet” with them, which is not good for a healthy relationship. My final thought is about happiness. Am I really happy? The answer is once more, yes and no. Yes, because I am finally living authentically after years of working through frustration, shame, guilt, torturous self-loathing, and incredible fear. I've overcome all of those odds and I am finally where I need to be—not because of the exclusions, the misgenderings, the stares, and the looks of disapproval. They can be too much to bear at times. Yes it may be tough at times, but I will keep on smiling through it all because I have reached my lifelong personal goal, the biggest item on my bucket list: I am finally me! *Deja Nicole Greenlaw is a trans woman who has three grown children and is retired from 3M. She can be contacted at her email: dejavudeja@sbcglobal.net.
Makeup, femininity & identity—Complicated social issues facing women By: Lorelei Erisis*/TRT Columnist
T
PHOTO: DAVID MEEHAN
ASK A TRANS WOMAN
hese are serious times, and I've written about some pretty serious topics recently. These things are important to write and talk about, but this month I thought I'd talk about something a bit less serious, or at least, less earth-shatteringly awful: makeup. As a trans woman, and as a woman in this society generally, I’ve had a long and sometimes strange relationship to the stuff. I can get a decent face of makeup on myself, but I'm no expert. I can't tell you about contouring or shading or blending or any technique beyond the basics. The subject of “makeup” is rarely something I feel qualified to address. However, a Facebook “acquaintance” recently commented on an old selfie of mine: “Are you antimakeup??” In the photo, I’m collecting rose hips by the beach on Cape Cod. It's a nice picture and I think I look really pretty in it. Of course I'm not wearing makeup, because as
THE RAINBOW TIMES DIVERSE............just like our team is OBJECTIVE..........someone has to be INCLUSIVE........no one is left behind .....That is HOW media should be.....
a good Cape Cod girl, it would be ridiculous for me to put on a full face to go climbing around in thorny, sandy beachside rose bushes. I immediately understood the question’s subtext as a vaguely misogynistic and possibly transmisogynistic criticism of my choice to show my face publicly without meeting 21st Century Western standards of “femininity.” Even knowing this, I hate to play other people's games, so rather than react angrily (a normal, human reaction) or ashamedly (the reaction that the commenter likely expected), I took the opportunity to reflect on my own relationship with makeup as a woman, and specifically as a transgender, femme-identified woman. For the first few years of my transition, I would seldom leave the house dressed “en femme” without makeup. It took a few things to break me of the habit of regular makeup use: living in New Orleans in early summer, where I would sweat makeup off as quickly as I could apply it, and then moving to Northampton, Mass., where my butch lesbian friends and practical Yankee friends alike would judge my makeupwearing habit (motivated by femme-phobia, perhaps, but a powerful social norm nonetheless). The norm among my closest friends and family here in New England is little or no makeup, and that’s my usual these days— but I'm not anti-makeup at all. Sometimes, I really like it! When I get it right, it makes me feel pretty and particularly femme-y. There are also situations where it can be useful. When I'm performing on stage, it helps to compensate for the effects of distance in communicating expression and nu-
... TRANSMISOGYNISTIC CRITICISM OF MY CHOICE TO SHOW MY FACE PUBLICLY WITHOUT MEETING 21ST CENTURY WESTERN STANDARDS OF “FEMININITY.” ance. When I know people will be taking lots of pictures of me, which happens often in my life, I like to present a polished look for the camera—partly for my audience and partly because I’m just as judgy as most other women I know about the little flaws and imperfections I see on my face in pictures. As a trans woman, I also sometimes choose to wear makeup as a type of armor. When I'm worried about not being accepted, or even actively mistreated, I use makeup to conform to what I perceive is “expected,” despite not being the kind of woman who usually cares about these things. As a performer, adventurer, and activist, I say yes to random adventures whenever possible, so I often end up as a visible trans woman in places that aren't necessarily LGBTQ friendly or “safe” spaces. On a recent trip to Los Angeles to host a standup comedy show, I wore makeup every day— I didn’t leave the house without it. Right now I'm in Austin, Texas, and I find I'm doing the same thing, even though Austin is just about the safest place in Texas for me to be whoever the hell I want, however the hell I want. As a trans woman, makeup can be a way for me to assert my femininity
to the people around me. So what am I saying? Makeup—or lack thereof—doesn’t define a woman or say anything about her other than “I decided to wear makeup (or not) today.” I know strong, beautiful feminists who rarely wear makeup, and equally strong, beautiful feminists who won’t be seen without it—even at the beach. Many of my selfies are without makeup or “imperfect” in some way, because I want folks to see a trans pageant queen who can enjoy being all glammed out—and also take pride in my normal-looking, flawed, still-totally-gorgeous self without makeup. I want you to know—especially younger women, both cis and trans, and newly transitioning trans folks of any identity—that there are no wrong choices when it comes to makeup. If you object to makeup on principle, but find yourself wearing it because you feel unsure in a strange place, or you know it’ll help you get through the workday with less strife, that’s okay. If you put on a full face to go to your job at the construction site because it makes you feel pretty, that’s okay too. Makeup is just a tool, and if you’re using it in the way that Read the rest of this story at: http://wp.me/p22M41-4S6
16 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
Sexual Minorities Archives celebrate grand re-opening at new home in Holyoke By: Sandra Dias/TRT Guest Reporter
HOLYOKE, Mass.—More than 100 people attended the grand opening of the Sexual Minorities Archives (SMA) at its new home in a refurbished pink Victorian in Holyoke, Mass., and the inauguration of the Leslie Feinberg Library. The SMA, a 43-year-old grassroots community repository of LGBTQIA literature, history, and art, was previously located for 32 years in Northampton, Mass., at the rented home of SMA curator Ben Power. Power was forced to relocate the archive to Holyoke after being displaced from his Northampton home when the landlord allegedly decided to sell it at a price he couldn’t afford. The Sexual Minorities Archives are now located in Power’s new home—dubbed the Pink Lady—in a residential neighborhood in Holyoke, which he was able to purchase with the help of the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (www.naca.com), a non-profit community advocacy organization helping low-income people purchase homes. Power has established a nonprofit to maintain the SMA in perpetuity and hopes that supporters will come forward to keep it going after he is gone. “This is a victory and a celebration not just for me, but for the whole community,” said Power, SMA’s transgender founder. “We almost lost this archive due to ‘trans’ discrimination and gentrification and greed that has made property values here so out
LGBTQ community members and allies celebrate the reopening of the Sexual Minorities Archive in Holyoke, Mass. PHOTO: MARIAH DIXON-WHEELER AND MONTANA MCKIM/WHITMAN & KATZ VISUALS
of sight, it is unimaginable ... it is a stone cold miracle that this house is here.” Power, 67, who lives on Social Security disability income due to a rare disease called Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis, said he was nearly on the verge of suicide after losing his and the archives’ longtime Northampton home, but regained a sense of purpose when Leslie Feinberg’s widow, the renowned poet, activist, and essayist, Minnie-Bruce Pratt, drove a truckload of more than 1,000 books and other materials to do-
nate to the SMA. Feinberg, a trans activist and author of “Stone Butch Blues,” “Transgender Warriors,” and other seminal LGBTQIA works, agreed to donate her entire personal research collection to the SMA a few months before she died in November 2014 from complications related to chronic Lyme Disease. Power said Feinberg was committed to making her collected works—what she called a “powerful body of intersectional knowledge”—accessible to future genera-
tions of researchers in gender and queer studies, as well as to the overall LGBTQIA community. At the event, Pratt, whom Power called “a national treasure,” read a selection of poems she had written during Feinberg’s long illness and praised Power’s perseverance in relocating the SMA. “I’m very honored and moved to be here today to honor the tenacity and vision and courage of Ben Power,” she said. “To me, this space represents the ongoing struggle to take the reality that is in our hearts and minds and make it real . . . a place of respect and caring for one another, a place with no economic injury . . . where people can be however they want to be in their genderness. We know more than ever how badly we need each other right now. “ … there is so much hope for me” that Feinberg’s books reside in the SMA. Leslie had revolutionary hope, and by that I do not mean an uninformed fantasy hope, but a hope directed at looking at who was in struggle and what can I do to help.” Pratt said Feinberg’s last words to her were “Remember me as a revolutionary Communist,” and noted that she wanted people to let go of the old Cold War stereotype of what that means. Instead, she said, Feinberg hoped that people would think about “what it means to engage the world, to know what it means to suffer . . . In this room, I think about the LGBTQIA
See SMA-Holyoke on page 21
10th Year Anniversary • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 17
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
The future is Nico: Actor embraces polyamory and being a ‘proud’ bisexual
W
hen it comes to Hollywood interviews, they’re “just so f#@king straightforward and boring and everybody asks the same questions and it just gets redundant,” explains Nico Tortorella. But our interview is different, he says. “This is a straight-up Love Bomb episode,” acknowledges the 28-year-old actor, likening the conversational tone of our exchange to his love- and sexualitycentric podcast, now in its second season. Though he touches on Menendez: Blood Brothers, his Lifetime movie about the infamous, parricidal siblings, and the upcoming season of TV Land’s Younger, Tortorella greatly expounds on his everevolving sexual identity, which has been an ongoing dialogue—internally and externally—since the actor revealed his labelless fluidity a year ago. Now identifying as a “proud” bisexual, the Chicago-born dreamboat candidly discusses his desire for a polyamorous relationship, struggling with his sexuality as a kid before finding his queer “safe haven” within the theater and his current mission to normalize the abnormal. Q: Your sexual identity has really evolved over the last year; in 2016, you revealed you were label-less and "emotionally fluid." Then, you said you identify as bisexual. A: I really like the term bisexual, and I fall
BMC-Trans from Page 8 it certainly seems reasonable that lots of people haven’t had surgery and that even fewer elect to have bottom surgery,” she said. “While bottom surgery is critical for many transgender people, it typically requires the most difficult, expensive, and time-consuming procedures.” Hirsch also noted that standards of care typically require that a trans person live in their true identity for an extended period of time before receiving authorization to pursue surgery and that bottom surgery may not be high on the priority list for many trans people. “Bottom surgery has a smaller impact on social aspects of transition, since most people with whom we interact won’t be aware of our bottom surgery status,” she said. “As
somewhere under the umbrella that is bisexuality. I use the word bisexual because people have fought for so long for this word and the fact that it even exists in part of the LGBTI-etcetera is just a beautiful thing, and I’m not gonna be the person to take, like, fluidity or emotional fluidity or pansexual. I’m comfortable somewhere under the bisexual label, and I’m proud of it.
surrounded by a bunch of queer people. I really got along with them as a little kid and they really liked me too, so I don’t think there was one moment in my career, like, “Oh, now I see I can get along with these people.” I feel like it was always there. It was always in me; it was always part of me.
Q: After you revealed that you’re open to dating men, did you hear from more gay male admirers? A: I think it was actually more when I came into touch with my own sexuality—not in terms of who I prefer, but just me as a sexual being. I just became more aware of different energies.
Q: Recently, on your Instagram, you posted a pic of you sporting a shirt that says, “The Future Is Non-Binary.” What’s the story behind that shirt? A: I bought it when I was shooting the Menendez movie up in Vancouver at this little thrift store. And yes, the future is non-binary, but I am a hardcore believer that so is the past. It has been forever, but for whatever reason, during these past 300 years, we have—and it probably has to do with religion—created the binary. And listen, nothing else exists. But finally, over the last 50 years there’s been this amazing breakthrough and clearly now it is the zeitgeist. I’m just so fascinated by that whole story.
choose boxes to put themselves into? Is Hollywood influenced by this rigidity? A: Look, in Hollywood these are the stories that are being told that everybody’s watching. And if you look at mainstream televi-
Q: Do you think people are too sexually rigid because society forces people to
Read the rest of this story at: http://wp.me/p22M41-4S8
Q: When did you embrace your bisexuality? A: Honestly, I think with the work that I’m doing on my podcast—really exploring sexuality as a human condition has educated me on many different people’s lives and the importance of labels and the unimportance of labels, for that matter. I’m in a really interesting place where I can talk about these things, but I’m really doing the work outside of myself on it. Q: When were you first aware that you had a gay following? A: That’s an interesting question. I grew up in Chicago on stage, and I was constantly we prioritize and stage procedures for our transitions, bottom surgery can feel like one that can wait the longest.” Where we are today “I believe that, over time, the percentages will change,” Johanna said. “The more genital surgery is available, safe, covered by insurance and accessible, the more trans people will feel empowered to be themselves and will take the necessary steps.” Dr. Safer agreed, but with the caveat that he doesn’t feel that genital reconstruction surgery will be the primary medical intervention for most patients. “Were the study conducted today, I think that modestly more trans men would have had their chest reconstruction surgery, but that most trans men would still avoid gen-
“GENITAL
PHOTO: MATT MARTIN
By: Chris Azzopardi*/Special to TRT
SURGERIES
FOR TRANS MEN ARE MORE DIFFICULT AND CARRY MUCH HIGHER RISKS OF COMPLICATIONS,” HE SAID, BUT
BMC EXPLOR-
ALSO STATED THAT
“ACTIVELY ING” THE POSSIBILITY IS
OF
PROVIDING THE PROCEDURES. ital surgery,” Dr. Safer of BMC said. “For trans women, I think that in 2017 we would be seeing the beginning of an increase among those having genital reconstruction surgery due to insurance coverage and ease of access to Boston Medical Center’s program. However, I think that many trans women would still prioritize facial feminization surgery and breast augmentation surgery over genital surgery.” Matheny said that years ago, trans people were pressured to fit into a binary identity and now more people are learning to accept themselves as they are, for who they are, without the need for medical procedures or
Nico Tortorella
a rigid gender binary. “I think a big part of it is that people who were not willing to identify as trans in any way shape or form would be willing to do as such,” she said. “I can’t say it’s becoming more accepted, but there’s a lot more movement behind it. People are coming out of the woodwork, as it were. “I think so many more people are just loving themselves as trans …” Hirsch said that practical considerations will still take precedent in decisions around pursuing GAS. “We are finding it very difficult to get insurance companies to cover the procedures we need from the specialists with the experience to perform them safely and effectively,” she said. “Insurance still has a big blind spot regarding the procedures [that] need to be covered. My insurance company … still considers all procedures related to hair to be cosmetic, including hair removal through laser or electrolysis and hair regrowth through transplants. Similarly, they don’t cover scalp prosthesis for gender [dysphoria]. It’s pretty crazy—[my insurance] will help a trans woman get breasts, a vagina, and a wellsculpted face, but she will still have a beard, a hairy chest and back, and be bald. This is not a recipe for a successful transition for the person who needs or desires to present within the gender binary.” Though controversy still surrounds transgender identities and GAS, Matheny contends that trans people are no different than anyone else when it comes to identity: “Trans people just want to be left alone. We just want to feel comfortable in our bodies, like everyone else.”
18 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
10th Year Anniversary • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 19
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
QPuzzle: Don’t be scared of the “Gay Bogeyman” Society must come to terms with bisexual male identity Erasure of the experiences & desires of bisexual men contributes to toxic social norms around masculinity By: Jason Graves*/TRT Guest Columnist
A
s a bisexual male who’s been asked if I’m “gay yet” or whether I’m “over that bi thing,” I acknowledge how blessed I am to have a partner who unquestioningly accepts me and my attraction to both genders. Bisexuality is not a passing trend. It does not mean that you are mentally ill. You are simply wired that way or you are not. My gay friends are understanding, but some cannot relate, while many straight women I’ve dated find a bisexual male “confused” or “disgusting.” This has lead me to feel that being a bisexual male is less accepted and understood than being gay or even being a bisexual woman.
Across 1 Head-turner 5 Hightail it 9 Mortify with porn, perhaps 14 Palindromic fellow 15 Architecture, to Philip Johnson 16 Keep moist in the kitchen 17 Cordial, as a welcome 18 "The ___-splitter" (Lincoln nickname) 19 Where to find your first mate 20 Nursery rhyme in a gay horror film? 23 He made boxers more visible 24 Fleur for Foucault 25 Joan of Lesbian Herstory 26 Show a really good time 28 Poem of Sappho 30 Rock guitarist Barrett 31 "Come, come!" 32 Mychal Judge, e.g. 35 Horror film with a gay title character 38 Dictator of Nureyev's land 39 Limp body part, allegedly 42 ICU amounts 45 Point between "gay" and "com" 46 Granola lesbian's concern 47 Pinball Wizard's game venue 50 The Batmobile, e.g. 51 One-night-stand partner, crudely 52 School where actors study to be in a gay horror film?
56 Day of many Hudson flicks 57 Cucumber wasted on the kitchen? 58 Gently sloped hill 60 Not potent 61 Off-Broadway prize 62 Cole Porter's "__ Love Again" 63 Francis Bacon work 64 Come across as 65 "___ in the Clowns" Down 1 Blow in a comic book 2 Stallion sheds 3 Like a beard 4 What Lara Croft raids 5 Ken's fag hag? 6 Face-to-face tests 7 Carrie in Star Wars 8 It might go right to the bottom 9 Take down a peg 10 Sites for three men in a tub 11 Nice buns, e.g.? 12 Rock's ___ Dan 13 In a mound 21 Cockeyed 22 Hit in the family jewels 23 Dadaist Jean 27 Sounds of "Baby, that was good!" 28 Circle of Uranus 29 Gorillas in the Mist author Fossey 32 Lorca's stick 33 They scatter their seed
afar 34 Scroll for the cut 36 Boy Scouts founder ___Powell 37 Screw around without having sex 40 Doesn't leave the closet 41 Leonard Bishop's Creep Into ___ Narrow Bed 42 Bag carrier for Sheehan 43 Sings "White Christmas," maybe 44 Bernstein manuscripts, e.g. 46 Audre Lorde's birthplace 48 The Seven Samurai director Kurosawa 49 Singer Springfield 50 Whoopi's role in "The Color Purple" 53 Vows now legal for all 54 It's a sensation 55 The Unicorn author Murdoch 59 Pull the plug on
SOLUTION
Society’s perception of masculinity skews reality The problem with surveying males—especially married males—to discover if they are bisexual is that society’s conception of sexuality undermines our collective understanding of what masculinity is (https://goo.gl/xWKu7X). Therefore, these men are less likely to admit their true orientation. I’d guess that the number of bisexual males in a heterosexual relationship is easily 40 percent or more. Unfortunately, there is no way to truly quantify my theory and I am basing this notion on my own discussions with married men. I’ve known many married men who’ve been attracted to me or to another male, but they simply could not tell their wives or significant others. Conversely, I have known many gay males who have had relationships with women. Does this mean they are actually bisexual? Or does this mean that they were trying to fit within society's explicit framework of what masculinity should be? Our society is more accepting of female sexual fluidity in heterosexual relationships than male fluidity. Most straight people view bisexuality as a form of “gay” whereas gays view bisexuality as a form of “straight.” There are no collective understandings of bisexuality. Does the bisexual man in a 20-year marriage reveal himself just to lose the dignity
MOST STRAIGHT PEOPLE VIEW BISEXUALITY AS A FORM OF “GAY” WHEREAS GAYS VIEW BISEXUALITY AS A FORM OF “STRAIGHT.” he has with his wife and his children? Or, does he maintain his secrecy and take it to his grave? These are questions that I have asked myself many times while attempting to understand my own sexuality during my previous marriage to a conservative woman whom I could never reveal my true sexual identity to. I can personally say that there is nothing more liberating than being with someone who accepts you for who you are and continues to see you as masculine. A generational divide Many in the baby-boomer and older generations are reticent to understand and relate to the LGBTQ community to the point that they have completely shut out any acceptance of it. Many view gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender identities as “drama” or a fad. They feel that too many young people are easily persuaded that they are gay or bisexual simply because the media has increasingly covered differences in sexual orientation and gender identity. Although I do understand the reasons that Caitlin Jenner has chosen to publicize her identity, she has done very little to help older members of our society understand the reality of what the LGBTQ community faces. Dramatizing one’s identity through hosting your own reality TV show, unfortunately, reinforces the idea amongst older generations that transgender identities are a “fad,” or even worse, a mental illness or public spectacle.
See Bisexuality on Page 22
20 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
10th Year Anniversary • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • The Rainbow Times • 21
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
SMA-Holyoke from Page 16 community and gender nonconforming people, but also how it overlaps with all struggles.” Openly-gay Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse said he was pleasantly surprised to see so many people at the event. He issued a proclamation declaring June 3 as “Sexual Minorities Archives Day” in Holyoke. “What an amazing treasure and resource we now have in the city of Holyoke,” he said. Morse noted the unfortunate circumstances that drove Power and the SMA out of Northampton, but said Northampton’s loss is Holyoke’s gain. “The positive is that we are now right here in Holyoke, in a city that is in some ways more inclusive than a lot of other cities we think of as being inclusive. You are welcome here in this city . . . we have always been the progressive city that could.” Morse said appreciation of diversity is an “essential feature” of a progressive society, but that LGBTQIA history, literature, art, and research is, even today, not always easily accessible. Relocating the SMA—one of the largest LGBTQIA archives and educational research centers in the U.S.—to the city of Holyoke will go a long way towards improving access, he said. Morse joined Power, Pratt, a delegation from the Workers World Party in Boston, and members of the LGBTQIA community in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new trans-dedicated Sylvia Rivera Room at the SMA, where the Leslie Feinberg Library is housed. The room is named after Rivera, a trans rights pioneer who was a
MAYOR ALEX MORSE ISSUED A PROCLAMATION DECLARING JUNE 3 AS “SEXUAL MINORITIES ARCHIVES DAY” IN HOLYOKE. veteran of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. The Sexual Minorities Archives houses more than 12,000 books, periodicals, subject files, films, videos, audio recordings, multimedia, and art related to the LGBTQIA community in the United States and abroad. The SMA offers internships to college students in queer and gender studies and other disciplines, operates a free lending library, and distributes books, films and other LGBTQIA material through a “books on wheels” program to those who are housebound or in nursing homes. Students and volunteers at the SMA learn queer archival methods. The archives are open to the public, as well as to academic researchers from nearby and afar. To volunteer, to schedule a visit, or for more information, contact the SMA at: sexualminorities.archives@yahoo.com. Via social media, like the SMA Facebook page (https://goo.gl/jbePH2), or follow the organization on Twitter @SMA_NoHo.
22 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017
El Mes de orgullo LGBTQ: Un mes de amor y éxito, pero todavía tenemos que luchar Por: Gricel M. Ocasio/Publicadora de TRT
E
LATINX VOICES
l mes pasado fue uno lleno de mucho orgullo gay. Verdaderamente, la comunidad mostró lo que ser LGBTT y lo que eso significa. Ser parte de esta comunidad quiere decir que venimos de varias razas, etnias, culturas, edades, colores, de varios aspectos socio económicos y de una inmensa diversidad de pensamiento y de identidades de género. En el mes pasado lo que conocemos como el binario de género se despedazó al observar a las muchas personas que están cansadas de que todo sea hombre o mujer, masculino o femenino, rosa y azul. Se pudo percatar con grandeza los impulsos que la comunidad transgénero ha estado movilizando. Es tanto así que un sinnúmero de personas protestaron la comercialización de muchas de las celebraciones de orgullo LGBTQ. Una de ellas sucedió en Boston, otras en otras celebraciones alrededor del país. Lo que me inspiró este pasado mes de orgullo LGBTQ fueron los aliados quienes fervientemente dijeron presente y mostraron que no estamos solos en esta lucha para continuar de obtener nuestros derechos. En noviembre 2018, hay una pregunta a los votantes del estado de Massachusetts que trae la controversia sobre los
Letters from Page 6 and those trading unsafe housing for sex. Meantime: • $300,000 is the cost of sending fifteen people to conferences or half the cost for the city Department of Health to host a conference. • $300,000 is the tuition from 5 wealthy stu-
... INFÓRMESE SOBRE LA PREGUNTA EN ESTA PAPELETA DE VOTO, VOTE CON SU CONCIENCIA Y SEPA QUE LOS INMIGRANTES SON SERES HUMANOS DIGNOS DE NUESTRO APOYO Y DE SU DIGNIDAD. derechos de las personas transgénero de usar los baños públicos. Los derechos humanos no deben estar en una papeleta. Los derechos humanos que ya han sido decididos por las cortes y los gobernantes locales, estatales o federales o por jueces de varias cortes locales, etc., no deben ser puestos a votación, pues muchas personas no votan, otros no entienden completamente los asuntos de justicia social, y algunos al votar marcan sin leer. Eso es lo que hace que esto sea muy peligroso. Algo parecido estará pasando en las papeletas de Salem, Mass. relacionado a los inmigrantes indocumentados de esta ciudad. Nuevamente, infórmese sobre la pregunta en esta papeleta de voto, vote con su conciencia y sepa que los inmigrantes son seres humanos dignos de nuestro apoyo y de su dignidad. Hay algunas personas en Salem que no quieren que haya inclusión ni diversidad en el área.
Ellos, entienda, no son la mayoría, pero hablan y hacen ruido como si fueran. Por eso tenemos que estar al tanto de lo que sucede electoralmente. Hay que votar por los candidatos que ofrecen su apoyo a dichas comunidades: la transgénero y la de inmigrantes indocumentados. Además, cuando vote, considere a candidatos que apoyan a otras comunidades y grupos marginados. Este país se convirtió en la potencia que hoy es gracias a los inmigrantes, ya hayan sido irlandeses o centro americanos, musulmanes o árabes, japoneses o franceses. Todos somos humanos. Todos fuimos creados por un ser omnipotente a su imagen y semejanza. Antes de terminar quería agradecerle a la comunidad de negocios de Salem, quienes se dieron grandemente a ayudarnos a proveer los dos cruceros de beneficio (para el Borum de Fenway Health y North Shore
dents out of the thousands your school brings to Boston or a <5% of your marketing budget in China. (Read the rest at: https://goo.gl/MMDWz4) —Dale Orlando, Online
BLAA from Page 12
[Re: Pride Season is Upon Us, But Whose Pride Is It?] Dear Editor, Here in Boston, I think a lot of the trans presence has shifted to the Dyke March, an event that many of us perceive as more welcoming to our presence and more in alignment with our goals and beliefs. Disclaimer: I’m one of the organizers of the March. —Shirley Dulcey, Online
current external realities through the lens of her creativity. “I believe that the artist must always reflect the times we inhabit, and that this is done naturally,” Kantardzic said. “Our role as creators and makers is a somewhat biological [phenomenon] in our pack-species. We are indicators of how our culture and society are functioning. The role of art is the representation of this experience.” “BLAA sees its role as facilitating dialogue around art and in bringing people together,” Hurwitz said. “Around these exhibitions we facilitate community building through dialogue at artist talks and at
Bisexuality from Page 19 It’s not the gender, it’s the soul Regardless of your gender, orientation, or identity, when you find the right person that fits you, you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. You hold true to that which God has granted you and take it as the blessing that it is. It does not matter (to me) whether a person is male, female, or transgender. If you and I have an attraction to each other, I’m willing to have a monogamous relationship with you. According to most Christian and Islamic beliefs, there is nothing natural about homosexuality or bisexuality; our sexual and gender identities are solid lines drawn in stone. These lines have become less visible as we progress towards a better understanding of our nature and what it means to be human. I believe that we as a society are only beginning to touch the tip of the iceberg in our understanding of human sexu-
Pride) celebrados antes y después del Orgullo de North Shore. Entre ellos están: Highlands Inn, Jolie Tea, Eastern Bank, Beverly Bank, Mercy Tavern, Northey Street House, Turner’s Sea Food, Opus, Salem Hysteria/Wax Museum, el museo de Peabody Essex (PEM), Kristi Kreamm (drag queen), Mahi-Mahi, la alcaldesa Kim Driscoll, concejal David Eppley, Jeff Cohen, Flora Thorntat, la fotógrafa Fara Wolfson, Elizabeth Hill, Andrea Stamas (tremenda con la música), Tito Vodka, el Cheese Shop, Koto Sushi , la Casa de los 7 Tejados (House of the Seven Gables), Salem State University y muchos, muchos más. ¡Gracias por su generosidad y apoyo! No hubiésemos podido hacerlo sin ustedes. A nuestra visita de Pulse Orlando, Christopher Hansen (Chancen), muchas gracias por haber venido y por haber tratado de hacer lo mejor de un evento tan doloroso para ti. Y a nuestros ángeles, las 49 personas que perdieron sus vidas en #PulseOrlando: les tenemos en nuestras mentes, recuerdos y oraciones, especialmente a nuestra amiga y fallecida en la tragedia, KJ Morris. ¡Siempre estás en nuestros corazones! Espero que se hayan recargado sus baterías pues la lucha por nuestros derechos continúa. ¡Hasta el próximo mes queridos lectores!
receptions, as well as through other public programming including performances, film screenings, art workshops, and vigils.” This sense of community—and the healing and evocative power of art—are needed more than ever, according to Alindogan. “Many minority communities, including but not limited to the LGBT community, are under attack in the current political climate,” Alindogan said. “In this state of duress, it is of even deeper importance that we utilize art. Art can inform a community about its history, make vital connections within the community, and provide cultural visibility.” For information on BLAA, visit their website at www.blaa.us. ality. That fact blurs the lines more every day and makes those opposed to change more uncomfortable. Only time will tell how our society progresses, but I think in trying to understand bisexuality, we may find that we will also come to understand ourselves and each other much more. *A writer for more than 20 years, Jason Graves has focused his talent on fiction and biographical writing. As a bisexual male living in a society that often negates, and erases, bisexual identities, he's had a wealth of experiences that give him a unique perspective on sex and how it defines us in modern culture. Jason is a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights, a philosopher of human sexuality, and a strong promoter of family values. He can be reached at biwritergraves@gmail.com or via Twitter, @JGravesWrites.
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Boston Pride Page 5 “Sponsorships are not just about marketing; we carefully choose the events and causes that we sponsor to reflect and embrace the diversity of our customers and communities.” Yet, the investment practices of TD Bank, and several other sponsors, raise questions about the values of the companies. TD Bank (https://goo.gl/8w75Ha) has for the past eight years been voted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (https://goo.gl/46ZxOE) a "Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality." TD Asset Management, according to NASDAQ, invests in several companies which many argue would disqualify the company as a “good corporate and community citizen.” The company invests nearly $300 million in Exxon Mobil (https://goo.gl/DTa7Xd), a company with a history of institutional discrimination against LGBTQ people
Grappling with God from Page 6 with a limp wrist. Growing up as a black male in the south had its own set of rules, and corresponding traumas. Several years ago, when I was in college, I came home one holiday to visit family. One of my relatives was there, a woman who I truly liked when she first married into our family. Over the years, she transformed from being a relatively benign Christian to a fervent, Bible-thumping, judgmental “prophet” of God. By the time I was in my mid-20s, the woman petrified me. Every time we encountered each other, after chastising me for not calling her more and bragging about how much she prayed for me, she would go into a long diatribe about God and how blessed she was. On this particular occasion, she shared with me a dizzying anecdote. She and some church friends had gone on a trip to New York City. While on the subway, a man sat down across from her and right next to one of her friends. According to this relative, he seemed nice and made small talk with her friend, but, using her “gift” from God, she was able to “discern” that he was “touched.” She was convinced the man was possessed by a demon and was up to no good. She ended the story by saying that she gave him a look so stern that, according to her, he knew that she knew that he was possessed. They parted ways after that without incident. I was once acquaintances with a member of the clergy who I’d periodically chat with about issues of faith and my struggle with believing in God. I thought he was benevolent, wise, and truly gracious. I happened to write an article that had nothing to do with religion or spirituality, but reported on the questionable behavior of one of his parishioners, and he abruptly unfriended me on Facebook and blocked my profile. To this day I wonder if he feels any sense of hypocrisy for turning his back on someone seeking his counsel. I share these stories from my past more out of befuddlement than anger or sadness. I often joke with myself that if anyone ever asks me whether I believe in God, I’d respond, “It depends on the day.” Some days I do; most days I don’t. Christianity could be a perfect religion … as long as there
(https://goo.gl/P44lVp), according to a CNN. Matthew Doherty, manager of corporate communications and public affairs for TD Bank, declined to comment on whether these investment practices conflicted with Crandall’s statement about being a good corporate citizen. Adrianne Kaufmann, a senior public relations consultant for Liberty Mutual, maintained that the insurance company’s participation in Pride is part of a fundamental commitment to dignity and respect for all people. “As a strong corporate supporter of LGBTQ community events and organizations across the country, sponsorship of our Pride@Liberty employee resource group, who are marching in the Boston Pride Parade, embodies this principle and demonstrates our belief that we are all stronger by standing together,” Kaufmann said. Liberty Mutual (https://goo.gl/XRdYGF),
IF GOD DOES EXIST, I WONDER IF
HE/SHE/THEY/IT LOOKS ON WHAT IS DONE IN THE NAME OF RELIGION AND SHEDS A TEAR. aren’t people around to practice it. I loathe how people use religion to justify the senseless, to denigrate and judge others, or to imbue themselves with some sort of gift. If God does exist, I wonder if He/She/They/It looks on what is done in the name of religion and sheds a tear. I know that I do. I’ve struggled with mental illness for most of my life (and my sexual orientation is not a mental illness). I often wonder, on the days that I do believe in God, whether there is some sort of divine purpose in it. Maybe all of the mental anguish I’ve experienced will lead to something profound. On the days I don’t believe in God, I just chalk up my mental health to the apparent randomness of the universe. It’s maddening to want to believe in God, but to be so depleted of faith and hope that you simply choose not to. What’s even more harrowing is that the more I try to run away from God, the more I feel drawn towards He/She/Them/It. I will always be in the middle of this tug of war, more than likely up until the moment I die. Will I go to heaven? Hell? Will I merely cease to exist or be reincarnated as a mushroom or an octopus? It’s disheartening that I have no idea. *A graduate of the Boston University College of Communication, Mike Givens has been a social justice advocate for more than eight years. During that time he’s worked on a range of initiatives aimed at uplifting marginalized populations. An experienced media strategist and public relations professional, Mike currently devotes his time to a number of vital issues including racial justice and socioeconomic equity.
EVEN WITH THE LARGE CORPORATE SPONSORS, BRUNI SAID, THE VAST MAJORITY OF PRIDE’S SPONSORS ARE SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. HOWEVER, BP TOOK IN APPROXIMATELY $348K ALONE THROUGH MAJOR DONATIONS, ACCORDING TO
2017 PARTNERSHIP PACKET.
THEIR
a Platinum Sponsor of Pride, invests about $18 million in Exxon Mobil (https://goo.gl/e0Mibj) as well as about $11 million in Energy Transfer Partners (https://goo.gl/W61W5D), which is building the Dakota Access Pipeline, and more than $5 million in TransCanada, which is constructing the Keystone Pipeline (https://goo.gl/cM4vvf). Both projects have elicited public protests from Native American and environmental activists over con-
cerns that the pipelines could contaminate drinking water. Liberty Mutual has also invested $2 million each in GEO Group (https://goo.gl/7HQLeA) and CoreCivic (https://goo.gl/oSENe8), both of which are operators of privatized prisons. Both groups have also been accused of civil rights violations (https://goo.gl/LhuXwY). GEO Group, the largest private prison operator in the nation, has recently been accused of illegally funding a super-PAC supporting Donald Trump in 2016 (https://goo.gl/Gsabbe), according to a recent Mother Jones story. It is illegal for any company like GEO Group, which contracts with the U.S. government to house federal prisoners, to make donations to political campaigns (https://goo.gl/4iN7JK). Kaufmann did not respond to The Rainbow Times’ request for comment on the company’s investment practices. Boston Pride President Sylvain Bruni said sponsorships from large corporations are required for an event the size of Boston Pride. This year’s Pride celebration, he said at a press briefing, is the largest Boston Pride celebration to date. Even with the large corporate sponsors, Bruni said, the vast majority of Pride’s sponsors are small businesses and nonprofit organizations. However, BP took in approximately $348K alone through major donations, according to their 2017 Partnership Packet and the donor’s list that appears on its website (https://goo.gl/Ng9bjm and https://goo.gl/9KsAFH). “Having corporate sponsors is a necessity Read the rest of this story at: https://goo.gl/t6BvmA
24 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com • 10th Year Anniversary
July 6, 2017 - August 2, 2017