2 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
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Independence & freedom for whom? By: Nicole Lashomb* The Rainbow Times’ Editor
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s the July 4 federal holiday passed, and patriotic hymns echoed across the country, I found myself examining my own past, my present thoughts (racism, #BlackLivesMatter, Indigenous people’s rights, Trans rights, women rights, etc.), and the future I want to see as it relates to “independence” and all that it should represent. Growing up and the privilege I had, the 4th of July meant a time to gather with friends and family, a time for BBQs in the backyard or going to camp along a beautiful crystal clear river. It was rural white America, an America I had grown all too accustomed to and an America that I foolishly believed belong to us all. It was years later, in my young adulthood, when I realized that there was only independence for a select few, the same few that are ancestors of colonizers that slaughtered the Natives Americans and enslaved black people around the world, regardless of what we tell ourselves as white folks. The truth is, the U.S. was found based on a dark past, a very dark past, that even centuries later, we have not been able to break away from its binding chains. The COVID-19 pandemic that we’re all experiencing with no leadership from the federal branches of government, only adds to the chaos that we’ve lived for decades
where some of us are free and others are not. Brutality is a cold hard fact of what has occurred since this nation was colonized. Marginalized groups are still being brutalized by society, by police, by bureaucracy, by institutional racism, and by our own neighbors—specific targets are Black and Brown people along with other people of color. Add to that our vast intersectionalities with some of us of being women and having healthcare rights being stripped away by the Supreme Court who recently
truly has independence? In nearby Lynn, Mass., 37 percent of the population is white, yet they hold most (if not all) of the power. And, who is making all of these “rules” in the first place? I know the answer to that today. I didn’t then. When there have been times of great duress in the recent past and, admittedly, it is nothing like what we are visibly experiencing now, I’ve “turned it off.” My white privilege and fragility took a hold of me because I was able to turn away from it all then. It is easy to turn it off when you’re not brutalized, when you’re not the target, when you’re not afraid of being killed by
“YOUR CELEBRATION IS A SHAM ... A THIN VEIL TO COVER UP CRIMES WHICH WOULD DISGRACE A NATION OF SAVAGES. THERE IS NOT A NATION ON THE EARTH GUILTY
S
FAITH, GOD & FAMILY
omeone asked me the other day, “How are you doing? Did quarantine take a toll?” I responded, “I’m grateful.” Here’s why: My day lilies are in bloom. The hardy, yet delicate wildflowers are multiple bouquets of small, colored jewels. I’ve discovered the joy of “tea cakes” (https://amzn.to/38uRguv; I’m a tea snob. I try to avoid dust in a bag.). If I drove and, depending on the route, I did so on a beautiful country road often seeing deer and rabbits frolicking; as unpleasant as these times can be, I am grateful for opportunity to self-reflect. These were some of the daily joys I appreciated. I would, however, be dishonest to say anxiety over national politics and the pandemic didn’t have an impact. The waistline shows it. Pasta is a blessing and a curse. My blood pressure responded accordingly. Yet, blessings surround all of us. I often reminded myself of this fact. Gratefulness does not pay the rent, mortgage, or put food on the table. But, it does give you a minute to experience something positive and escape from the harsh realities that challenge us. I’ve also found gratefulness kept me grounded and assisted me to better manage
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OF PRACTICES MORE SHOCKING & BLOODY THAN ARE THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THIS VERY HOUR.” ruled in favor of employers being able to deny birth control. Then consider sexual orientation and gender identity, compounded white supremacy running rampant. I ask legitimately, who is free? Who
police officers. I refuse to turn it off now. People that are the most persecuted in this country, including those in the non-mainstream LGBTQ+ community, with its vast racial and ethnic intersectionalities, don’t
Laughter, gratefulness, and self-reflection during COVID-19 By: Paul P. Jesep* TRT Columnist
get to “turn it off.” Everyday, it is lived. Every day, lives are taken and everyday, white folks have an obligation to learn and do better, especially to dismantle the systemic oppression as it relates to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. I didn’t know it at the time, but that very act of turning away because it was just “too much anxiety” for me to process is the very definition of white privilege and the fragility that exists within it. When others are suffering endlessly at the hands of a government that is supposed to be protecting us all, the fact that some are celebrating “independence” makes them grossly unaware of the trials, burdens, and torture that so many native people and black Americans have lived under and continue to do so. “On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass gave a speech at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, held at Rochester's Corinthian Hall,” according to PBS.
FRANKEL’S WORK ADDRESSES THE BASIC HUMAN NEED FOR PURPOSE, TO FEEL VALUED, AND CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING POSITIVE. anxiety or problems in general. There were days in which finding joy was tough. On those days, I took envelopes and pieces of paper and started writing notes to friends. A kind, positive note makes a difference to both your mental wellbeing and to the person who received something other than an e-mail. E-mails will never give the energy or feelings of a handwritten connection. Why have we forgotten the art of letter writing?! I had to remember to laugh, though never at someone else’s expense. I gave myself a haircut! The results were, to put it charitably, modest. I don’t recommend it without
the right tools, but it can be done. Thank God (gender neutral) for gel. You can hide many mistakes with globs of gel. After this debacle, I did purchase and successfully used a self-hair cutting tool I renewed old friendships. These friendships included re-reading several books that are staples in my library, though I may not re-read them for years. Always on my bookshelf is The Brothers Karamazov (https://amzn.to/2Z4hz82), The Trial of God (https://amzn.to/3iBuBBp), and the Bible (Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament; https://amzn.to/2BycMCV). I also re-read and keep on my shelf, Man’s Search for Meaning (https://amzn.to/38wm6TI), by Viktor Frankel, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. Frankel’s book is about men and women who found meaning during the most horrible human experiences. It’s short and can be a life-changing book. While Freud focused on humankind’s drive for pleasure and Adler explored the human need for power and domination, Frankel believed in the quest to find the “will to meaning.” Frankel’s work addresses the basic human need for purpose, to feel valued, and contribute something positive. It was especially worth re-reading during the pandemic and peaceful demonstrations for social justice. COVID-19 and calls for change will be included with the Civil War, Read the rest of this story at TheRainbowTimesMass.com
Multiple Award Winning
The Rainbow Times The Largest LGBTQ Newspaper in New England—Boston Based TheRainbowTimesMass.com editor@therainbowtimesmass.com sales@therainbowtimesmass.com Phone: 617.444.9618 Fax: 928.437.9618 Publisher Graysen M. Ocasio Editor-In-Chief Nicole Lashomb Assistant Editor Mike Givens National/Local Sales Rivendell Media Liz Johnson Lead Photographers Steve Jewett Christine M. Hurley Photographer Jenna Joyce
Reporters Mike Givens Chris Gilmore Audrey Cole Ad & Layout Design Prizm PR Webmaster Jarred Johnson Columnists/Guest Lorelei Erisis Deja N. Greenlaw Paul P. Jesep Mike Givens Keegan O’Brien* Affiliations QSyndicate *Guest Columnist
The Rainbow Times is published monthly by The Rainbow Times, LLC. TRT is an award-winning publication affiliated with 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. The appearance of names or photographic representations in TRT does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation or gender identity of the named or depicted individuals.
July 9, 2020 - August 5, 2020
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July 9, 2020 - August 5, 2020
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LGBTQ+ community and allies come together to celebrate black transgender lives Black trans leaders unite to organize an event that truly provides visibility to those who need it most By: Mike Givens TRT Assistant Editor
IN THE LIMELIGHT
The weather that day saw a low of 63 degrees and a high of 75; a perfect day for congregating, fellowshipping, and marching. Saturday, June 13, originally designated as the date for the Boston Pride Parade and Festival, would instead become a day to honor the power, beauty, and resilience of Black trans people. “My initial desire to organize a march came from an article I read about Los Angeles Pride marching in solidarity with Black Lives Matter,” said Jessica “Frenchy” French, one of the co-organizers of that Saturday’s Trans Resistance Vigil and March. “I immediately thought, ‘Why isn’t Boston Pride doing this?’” French said she and a few others set about coordinating their own event to honor Black lives. “After Boston Pride’s failed public message about Black Lives Matter (https://is.gd/IdnRNe), we took things into our own hands,” she said. “My reaction to that thought was reaching out to local queer leaders in Boston to put [an event] together.” Black trans leaders like French, Athena Vaughn, Tre’Andre Valentine, and Chastity
Bowick came together to organize an event providing visibility to Black trans lives. “We did that in a week,” French said. “Without corporate sponsors, without police, without thousands of dollars.” Dorchester vigil On the afternoon of June 13, a vigil was held in Playstead Field in Franklin Park, a public recreation area near a predominantly Black neighborhood in Boston’s Dorchester suburb. After the vigil, the crowd marched to Nubian Square, in the nearby suburb of Roxbury. “I want to take back the power that was given to others to create space and create community for us by us,” said Vaughn, who estimates that 2,500 people attended the event. “It was not being done by those who have claimed to have been doing it for so long, but have failed at it so miserably.” Vaughn said it felt like a “slap in the face” for an organization like Boston Pride, an institution with roots in a resistance driven by Black trans people, to, “support and stand in solidarity with” the police instead of Black Lives Matter. “Trans women are dying everyday and no one is marching, no one is speaking, no one is demanding change and enough is enough,” she said. “We need our space, we need to speak for ourselves ... I said it is time for Black trans excellence to lead for
itself, time for us to speak up for ourselves, time for us to advocate and fight for ourselves.” Kimm Topping, a member of the trans community, attended the event and said they were touched by its intention, but also by the opportunity to support the leadership of others. “I was eager to support an event centering Black trans leadership,” they said. “The non-profit industrial complex has a real problem with hoarding resources and putting white folks in leadership positions, while organizations led by Black trans women fight for resources. This gathering envisioned a future that shifts our priorities to where they should have been in the first place. Transgender people of color and sex workers began the movement and have since been degraded by LGBTQ+ rainbow capitalism. It’s time for a change and I was grateful to participate.” March led by black trans people Topping said that the vigil and march was a direct expression of what real genuine community looks like. “It was a caring, community space filling the park,” they said. “It returned us to the roots of Pride—a protest, march, and vigil led by Black trans people. The event centered humanity and community, instead of capitalism and elitism. Free water, personal
protective equipment, food, herbs and flowers, and signs were available to everyone. Every few minutes, you'd see a community member walking through the crowd offering supplies. The pace of the march was set by folks with disabilities who were asked to lead the front of the march. There was a real sense of togetherness and love. As we walked through the streets, people chanted with us, beeped their horns, and volunteers passed out water.” Bowick, who co-lead the event along with Vaughn, French, and Valentine, said that she was appreciative of the community for its solidarity. “It was emotional and I was very grateful for everyone who came out to support,” said Bowick, who administers the Massachusetts Transgender Emergency Fund (TEF; https://is.gd/diCgw6). Bowick said that the Fund, which the vigil and march raised money for, has passed $120,000 in donations. “I became involved in organizing Trans Resistance because I never saw myself or my community—trans and POC—reflected at Boston Pride … ever,” said Valentine, executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Politial Coalition (MTPC; www.masstpc.org;) who co-lead efforts to organize the event. “Additionally
See BLACK TRANS On Page 11
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“Boston Pride 4 the People” forms after Boston Pride leadership “fails” 21 Committee Chairs, co-chairs & volunteers resign after ongoing allegations of racism and transphobia By: Audrey Cole TRT Reporter
IN THE LIMELIGHT
BOSTON—Boston Pride 4 the People, an organization formed by resigned committee chairs and volunteers of Boston Pride (BP), recently launched a campaign to demand BP’s board of directors step down citing a long history of allegations of racism and transphobia stemming from the board leadership, its co-founder said. “[Boston Pride 4 the People] is an organization founded by the volunteer workforce of Pride and community leaders (https://bit.ly/2Z8bEic) who have lost trust in the current members of the Pride board to adequately serve the LGBTQ+ community, especially the trans and LGBTQ+ community of color,” said Jo Triglio (they/them), a resigned member of the Boston Pride Communications team and cofounder of Boston Pride for the People, who was also selected as the Boston Pride Grand Marshal in 2018. According to Triglio, Boston Pride is missing the mark in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable within the LGBTQ+ community and they believe Boston Pride must and can do better to rep-
“YOU CAN’T REBUILD TRUST WITHOUT TALKING TO YOUR WORKFORCE AND THE COMMUNITY YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. INSTEAD THE BOSTON PRIDE BOARD HIRED A CONSULTANT THAT DOES NOT LIVE IN MA AND IS NOT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU WANT TO PRESERVE YOUR POWER. IT’S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE BOARD IGNORING THE VOICES OF ITS OWN WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.” resent the community it serves. “[We] want to preserve Pride, but refocus back on the community,” they said. “We want to address issues that affect our community—racism, white privilege, transphobia, etc. The purpose of Boston Pride 4 the People is to bring Pride back to the people.” For a number of years, Boston Pride has come under fire for a lack of diversity
(https://bit.ly/2ZaivHR) and inclusion, prompting actions and branches of movements to manifest due to the exclusion of LGBTQ+ community members. “Boston Pride has a duty and responsibility to address the needs, concerns, and interests of its entire community,” said Triglio, who also served on the Dyke March Organizing Committee. “Boston Pride should be robustly inclusive. It has a
long history of failure on this measure. In addition to being white-centered, Boston Pride was deeply male-centered and sexist in the 80’s and early 90’s. The Boston Dyke March was founded in response to Boston Pride’s perpetual failure to address issues of gender oppression. The Trans Resistance March (https://bit.ly/2O6Djtx) that took place a few weeks ago is yet another example. If Boston Pride were serving its community adequately, we would not need to start separate organizations or have separate marches.” Henry Paquin, (one of 21 people who stepped down; https://bit.ly/38DrqVn) resigned Entertainment Chair for Boston Pride, spoke pointedly of what is needed and what Boston Pride 4 the People ultimately seeks. “We are looking to improve Boston Pride by changing the failed leadership of the board,” he said. “We need board members who will listen to the voices of their own community and respond to their needs.” Black & Latinx Pride tossed to the side According to Boston Pride 4 the People, Boston Pride has failed throughout the years addressing the needs and concerns of the Black and Latinx communities, specifically, including defunding Black and Lat-
See Boston Pride on Page 9
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LGBTQ Puzzle: Everybody Loves Raymond Burr
Across 1 Terminal Bar playwright Paul 6 NCAA home of the Bruins 10 Top of the head 14 Cinematic wear for the Devil 15 Race in a regatta 16 Words before about 17 With 26- and 44-Across, what Raymond Burr said about no longer playing 60Across 19 Prissy temper tantrum 20 Beat, but barely 21 Omar of ER 22 Source book for Dreamcoat 23 A Girl Thing director 25 Early movie dog 26 See 17-Across 31 Ways to get off 35 Dirt chopper 36 Invite from bottoms to tops? 37 Irish pop singer 38 Cleis ___ (erotica source) 40 Sam's twitcher when she was a bewitcher 41 Straight, to mixologists 42 Where they yell "Cut!" 43 Moore's costar Ed 44 See 17-Across 48 Irate, with "off" 49 Miley Cyrus' Hannah 54 Sex toy, for some 56 Show Boat rank 58 "Help ___ the way!" 59 Em, e.g. 60 Lawyer played by Ray-
mond Burr 62 Chicago producer Meron 63 Award coveted on Mad Men 64 Cara of Fame 65 Greeting for a mate 66 Navratilova, for one 67 Condom material
Down 1 Long talk 2 Eat away at 3 Jessica of Feud 4 Time waster 5 Like a beard's date 6 Billie Jean won this often 7 Al of Alison Bechdel's field 8 Fibber's repertoire 9 He made boxers more visible 10 The Gay Kama Sutra suggestions 11 Odd Girl Out author 12 Work your fingers to the bone 13 Ziegfeld Follies costume designer 18 "For ___ jolly good ..." 22 "Morally straight" org. 24 It turns out lts. 25 Is unlike Dorian Gray 27 Gone with the Wind guy 28 Canon shooter 29 Jane Siberry's "I ___ Aloud" 30 Belgian border river 31 Butch Janet
32 From the top 33 Cather novel of 1918 34 How Dr. Kildare treated his clients? 38 Answered a judge 39 Political analyst Reagan 43 The Fountainhead author Rand 45 "Look at Me, I'm Sandra ___" 46 Cho activity 47 Theater award 50 It tops a queen 51 It's a good thing 52 Not a single person 53 Wing for Julia Morgan 54 Sharp pain 55 Tinted 56 Kiss of the Spider Woman setting 57 Aida solo 60 You can double-click your mouse on these 61 A thousand Gs
SOLUTION
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5 ways to spend your time during COVID By: Mikey Rox* Special to TRT
A
PHOTO: TOOMAS TARTES
s we all hunker down to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, here are a few ways you can cope and stay productive for sanity’s— and humanity’s—sake. 1. Take free online classes Your mediocre SAT scores may not have gotten you into the Ivy League school of your dreams (don’t feel bad—mine didn’t either), but the Internet doesn’t give a hoot about aptitude tests. You now can take online courses from the likes of Harvard, Columbia and Princeton, among other top institutions, without paying a dime or leaving the comfort of your home. More than 450 free courses are available in a collection on Class Central (classcentral.com), in categories that range from computer science and engineering to humanities and art and design. Learn about the United States health policy (which is more topical than ever in these wild times we’re living in), take an intro to classical music, or brush up on Buddhism and modern psychology. You’ll also find LGBTQ courses, including the titles “Queering Identities: LGBTQ+ Sexuality and Gender Identity” and “Monitoring the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons.”
tice other self-care Curfews have been instituted in several states already—and that practice shows no sign of slowing as COVID-19 continues to spread widely and rapidly. While social distancing has been encouraged, it doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself in the house for the foreseeable future. There’s always nature, and it’ll do you good to get out and stay active so long as you’re not spreading germs with person-to-person contact or congregating in groups of more than 10, per instructions from the White House. Take a private hike, clear your mind, and recognize that this temporary interruption in our lives is just that—tempo-
2. Hit some of your local trails and prac-
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Boston Pride From Page 7 inx Pride programming. “Boston Black and Latinx Pride were underfunded when I began volunteering in 2016,” said Casey Dooley, resigned Chair for Black Pride, an arm to Boston Pride. “When I became Chair in 2017, I wanted to work in collaboration with established LGBTQ+ organizations of color. I wanted to work in partnership with them and support their events. But the board put so many obstacles in place … It was a constant struggle. There are no written policies for partnerships or for providing financial support to other organizations. And the rules keep changing. The process keeps changing. The board can say yes or no to any idea without needing to explain.” The current Boston Pride board does not prioritize the needs of marginalized communities (https://bit.ly/2Z8ZGVl), Dooley noted. “The bottom line is that the board is not interested in centering the issues and concerns of Black and Latinx Pride,” Dooley said. “They [Black and Latinx Pride] are underfunded and neglected because they are not priorities for this board.” Poor leadership As for Triglio, the disregard for communities of color is ultimately the cause of poor leadership and an inability to break down the barriers of structural racism. “What has happened to Black and Latinx Pride is indicative of the poor relationship the Pride Board has had [with] the
“WE HAD TO BATTLE THE BOARD TO NOT REMOVE WORDS LIKE ‘OPPRESSION’ AND ‘RACISM’ FROM OUR
EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAD TO EXPLAIN INTERSECTIONALITY TO THE
BOARD.” LGBTQ+ community of color in Boston,” they said. “Most people of color are not interested in volunteering their time and energy for an organization that is structurally white-centered. It takes only one or two meetings for a person of color to see that the Pride board does not center issues of racial justice, to experience or witness racist microaggressions, and to see that there is no critical mass of people of color to enact change from within. Failing the Black and Latinx communities for so long is a clear failure of leadership.”
See Boston Pride On Page 10
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July 9, 2020 - August 5, 2020
Deep Inside Hollywood: Justice Smith just queered up ‘Jurassic World’, Riverdale, more
HOLLYWOOD
Justice Smith just queered up Jurassic World Rising star Justice Smith (Pokemon: Detective Pikachu) just came out alongside his boyfriend, actor Nicholas Ashe (Queen Sugar), over social media, just in time for Pride Month. They’re adorable together— an Instagram picture of them brushing their teeth side by side is the sweetest thing, truly—and since Smith’s statement on the matter included the perfectly composed and forthright, “…if your revolution does not include Black Queer voices, it is anti-black,” it’s just all the more satisfying. Smith also has some career news, some cinematic content coming down the road. First, a psychological thriller called The Voyeurs. Then a high school dramedy about kids exploring their sexuality titled Generation. And a little indie feature co-starring Chris Pratt called Jurassic World: Dominion. Now, there was a time when an up-andcomer would be forbidden from even thinking about joining a blockbuster megafranchise and then risking it all by coming out of the closet. But that was five minutes ago; the kids are doing whatever they damn
Boston Pride From Page 9 Paquin agrees and believes that diversity in leadership roles is key. “The lack of diversity throughout the Pride organization indicates the inability of Boston Pride to address issues of racism and white privilege,” he said. “Until we have a more diverse board and an organizational structure that welcomes community input, the Black and Latinx communities will continue to be an afterthought of the board of Boston Pride.” Corporations not community According to Triglio, Boston Pride has
PHOTO: KATHCLICK
By: Romeo San Vicente* Special to TRT
Justice Smith
Kristen Stewart to play Princess Diana in Spencer, a drama written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders) about one critical weekend in the early ’90s life of the princess, and the freeing consequences of decisions she made then. In other words, it’s a biopic of sorts, but one that takes the micro versus the macro approach. No tragic death, no heartbreaking and sensational aftermath, just the story of a three-day Christmas holiday that found Diana deciding that her royal life was no longer working (something her son Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have also recently decided for themselves). And the casting is indeed inspired. Now that Kristen Stewart has secured a place in cinema history as one of the most talented and fascinating actors of her generation, she’s poised to interpret this character from a place of understanding, since there was also a period in her own younger life when she was the object of intense media scrutiny and criticism. Call it an anti-fairy tale, and we’ll be patient while production schedules remain on hold, but they can just go ahead and take our money right now.
well please now. Isn’t it great? Kristen Stewart will play Princess Diana in Spencer Pablo Larraín (Jackie) is set to direct and lost focus on representing the people and instead caters to corporations (https://bit.ly/2BIbs0l), a contentious topic for a number of years and one that has drawn protests and political action against the organization. A change in leadership could change that, Triglio said. “People want a community Pride, not a corporate Pride,” they said. “Prides have two purposes, to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and community, and to increase awareness and participation in issues of social justice, especially those that affect the most disadvantaged among us. In this historical moment, it is essential that Boston Pride center and amplify the voices of trans, indigenous, and people of color. It’s time for new leadership. We want an organization full of diverse voices.” Resignations, external consulting group Prior to the resignation of a substantial portion of volunteers (https://bit.ly/2ZOpRjn) and those chairing committees within Boston Pride, its members offered insight and guidance to the organization to make it stronger, Dooley said. “We suggested allowing the community to select a mediator to open a dialogue between the Pride board and the community leaders and Pride volunteers,” she said. “You can’t rebuild trust without talking to your workforce and the community you are supposed to serve. Instead the Boston Pride board hired a consultant that does not live in MA and is not part of our community. This is what you do when you want to preserve your power. It’s another example of
Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart just came out Betty Cooper is bi. Well, OK, it’s actually Lili Reinhart, who plays Betty on Riverdale —and who, lest we forget, also lit up the
“THEIR REFUSAL TO RESIGN IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THEIR INABILITY TO HEAR THE
VOICES OF OTHERS. THE COMMUNITY IS SPEAKING
LOUDLY, AND THEY CAN’T HEAR. THEY ARE BUSY TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR POWER.” the board ignoring the voices of its own workforce and community members.” According to a press release disseminated by Boston Pride, the consultant hired is Dorrington & Saunders, LLC, an agency that “specializes in transforming organizations to honor and operationalize their social justice missions from theory to application to practice.” Boston Pride president Linda DeMarco vowed institutional change, the release read.* “We have heard the voices from our community and we know that Boston Pride must take more substantive steps towards becoming more diverse throughout our or-
PHOTO: KATHCLICK
The latest on Kristen Stewart playing Princess Diana, Riverdale, Charlize Theron, Queen of The Capital
Kristen Stewart
screen in the superfemme crime hit Hustlers—that just went public about being bisexual. Read the rest of this story at The Rainbow Times’ website
ganization, including in our leadership,” she said via the press release. “It is important for the community to know that Boston Pride supports the Black Lives Matter movement and the efforts to end systemic racism and police brutality against Black and Brown people including the LGBTQ+ community. The experience and commitment to the LGBTQ+ community that both La Verne Saunders and Judah Dorrington bring will help us fulfill the mission of Boston Pride to represent the full spectrum of the diverse community that we serve and to address structural racism and police violence in the region.” A legacy of promises Throughout the years, Boston Pride has backtracked statements and actions, relating to race (https://bit.ly/3iMzMPk), ethnicity and trans status while “promising to do better,” similarly to when the parade was halted for 11 minutes in 2015 (https://bit.ly/3fhOImo) a protest to highlight trans and racial inequities within the organization. “Black Lives Matter made their ten demands of Boston Pride in 2015, and the Pride board ignored them,” Dooley explained. “And they have ignored them every year since then. There is no evidence that the board listens to the voices of the community. They just keep doing whatever they want, regardless of what the community keeps saying.” According to Triglio, the final straw
See Boston Pride On Page 11
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BLACK TRANS From Page 6 … for five years now, the community has been demanding that there be changes in Boston Pride and on the Pride board. All of which have been met with hostility, dismissal, and performative actions and statements.” Boston Pride The march and vigil has also become a referendum on Boston Pride, which has a long history of allegations of racism, transphobia, and cultural insensitivity. A group
work in our city for decades should always be central to our gatherings. Trans Resistance reminded us what community care really looks like and we will look to their leadership for the future of Boston pride events.” Valentine echoed Topping’s contention and discussed how vigils and marches, at their core, seek to right a wrong, not just with Pride institutions, but with society in general. “Marches and vigils are not born out of importance, they are born out of hurt and frustration, and of the experience of im-
FOR YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN PROTESTING BOSTON PRIDE AND DEMANDING THAT THE ORGANIZATION BETTER REFLECT THE NEEDS AND LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE NOT MET THOSE DE-
MANDS AND CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE RACISM THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS AND REFUSAL TO STEP DOWN. of former board members and volunteers have initiated a public campaign (https://bp4thepeople.org; story on page 7) to overhaul the leadership of Boston Pride. Said Topping, “For years, we have been protesting Boston Pride and demanding that the organization better reflect the needs and leadership of the community. They have not met those demands and continue to perpetuate racism through their actions and refusal to step down. A few years ago, we interrupted Pride by stopping the parade to read the names of trans people of color killed that year. Centering people whose lives have been taken by violence and centering Black trans leaders doing the
mense ongoing silence and violence,” he said. “And Black and brown, indigenous, disabled trans people are tired of being pushed aside, violated, raped, and murdered. We have as much right to life, love, healthcare, education, employment, stable housing and success as anyone else.” For French, this event is only the beginning of a longer march towards equality and justice. “Trans resistance didn’t end at the march,” she said. “We are not done. We will be having our own Pride in 2021. We look forward to continuing [our] vigils and marches until the world believes that all Black Lives Matter.”
Boston Pride From Page 10 prompting the formation of Boston Pride 4 the People was the ongoing erasure of Black lives by the Boston Pride Board in a unilateral decision to remove any reference of Black Lives Matter in the official statement on police brutality (https://bit.ly/31TFo4d) after the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade. “The current board of Boston Pride removed ‘#BlackLivesMatter’ from a statement condemning unjust, racist police violence (https://bit.ly/2BQ59rs),” they said. “The board members discussed it, removed it, approved the statement, and posted it. It was not an accident, mistake, or oversight. It was purposeful. Everyone should ask them why.” In response to community outcry of the erasure of #BlackLivesMatter, the board’s subsequent reaction heightened the response. “The community, rightfully, responded with anger and disgust,” added Triglio. “The communications team and the volunteer workforce demanded an explanation from the current members of the Pride Board. Instead of explaining, the board retreated to its bunker for two weeks. Instead of starting an interactive dialogue with its own volunteer workforce and community members, the board hired a consultant from New Jersey to help protect their power. If they were serious about ‘doing better’ and ‘transforming,’ they would have done what they always fail to do, engage in dialogue with the community that is unhappy with them.” Dooley said such actions speak for the current state of Boston Pride leadership. “ … In 2020, instead of finally supporting BLM [Black Lives Matter], they remove #BlackLivesMatter from an anti-police violence statement. There has been no change [in the organization].” Paquin expressed his concerns about the intent behind Boston Pride’s actions. “I personally do not feel proud to volunteer for an organization that clearly has issue with saying #BlackLivesMatter,” he
“THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE BOARD IS NOT INTERESTED IN CENTERING THE
ISSUES & CONCERNS OF BLACK & LATINX PRIDE. THEY ARE UNDERFUNDED & NEGLECTED BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PRIORITIES FOR THIS BOARD.” said. “They [the board] will tell you it was an oversight, but don’t let them fool you, they removed [it] with intention. Boston Pride vowed to do better, according to an original statement on the organization’s website (https://bit.ly/2O5V5x9), which was later revised.* “We promise to do better at listening to our community and pledge our commitment to support and work in collaboration with organizations that serve communities of color and address racism, to ensure that our organization, programs and events prioritize their needs and concerns,” the statement read. “We hear our community and are committed to transforming Boston Pride to serve every facet of that community better.” “Enough is enough” However, Triglio says that is not enough. When given the opportunity to work within their organization to give Black and Latinx voices amplification, they refuse to listen and seek outside assistance they said. “Every time the Read the rest online at community calls The Rainbow Times
12 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com
July 9, 2020 - August 5, 2020