Pride 2016

After Orlando, OPALAGA promises love

T

he members of the Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association share in the grief of those who, as a result of the horrific and violent hate crime that took place last Saturday night lost loved ones, as well as the city of Orlando, and the LGBT community.

Our sorrow is deep, the loss of so many lives profound. But we have fought hard to live and love as we are, and no one act by any individual will diminish our pride in our past or dim our future. Love will carry the day.

Oak Park gets it Behind transgender bathrooms | PAGE A3

SENATOR DON HARMON Fighting for equality | PAGE A2

OPALGA Supporting the youth | PAGE A3

MIKE ROSANOVA Gay Straight Alliance award | PAGE A4

MEET SUSAN ABBOTT Weichert Realtors | PAGE A5

GAY AND AWAY Travel on the rise | PAGE A6 Moving to Oak Park was one of the things that helped Ryan Brennan (above) and her family navigate her gender transition during elementary school.

See story, page A3.

WILLIAM CAMARGO | Staff Photographer

A2

PRIDE 2016

June 15, 2016

Redefining family

OPALGA stands for support

Harmon goes to bat for constituents

Once Anderson explained the issue, Harmon was happy to take it on.

Contributing Reporter “This was one of those great ideas that a constituent brought to me,” he said. “It’s the kind of job I should en years ago when Mary Anderson and her wife be doing in Springfield. The law as written did seem wanted to start a family, Anderson learned she absurd on its face.” had fertility issues and was surprised to find out Harmon worked with his staff in that her health coverage wouldn’t Springfield to create a law that he calls cover the cost of infertility treatment. “patently fair” and was pleasantly sur“The laws at that time only covered hetprised when it passed the Senate unanierosexual married couples. Our insurance mously and the House with an overwhelmwouldn’t cover it. The denial didn’t have ing majority. anything to do with my medical condition.

“I was very involved with the marriage It had to do with my status as a human equality battle,” he noted, “and that was a being.” difficult fight. This one wasn’t. Everyone in The couple paid thousands of dollars out Springfield behaved like adults and helped of pocket to get the treatments needed to a lot of people in the state. I think that’s a allow Anderson to become pregnant, and testament to how far we’ve come in Illinois they are now the happy parents of a 10-yearDON HARMON in accepting that families have a lot of difold son. Anderson said they were forced to ferent definitions.” reconsider expanding their family because The law took effect on Jan. 1 of this year, and of the costs associated with trying to have another child. Even when marriage equality was signed into Anderson is pleased to see her friends benefitting.

“We have a lot of friends who are getting married law in Illinois in 2014, the insurance coverage for fertiland starting families,” she said. “Now they can focus ity treatments did not change.

So Anderson picked up the phone and called her state on their families, not on their status as human beings.”

Harmon said Anderson’s actions were important. senator, Don Harmon (39th), to see if he could take a stab “This law would be the same as it was 10 years ago at getting coverage for everyone, regardless of marital status. “The way the law was written,” she said, “it was if Mary hadn’t called me. It’s really important when not only gay couples, but single adults who were denied people see an unfairness embedded in the law that they call. This is what I am supposed to be doing.” coverage.”

By LACEY SIKORA

T

Senator Senator Senator Senator

By LACEY SIKORA

O

PALGA, the Oak Park Area Lesbian & Gay Association, has been working in the community for 27 years. Colette Lueck, cochair of OPALGA and Oak Park village trustee, said the key to the key to the organization is civic engagement.

“We do a gala every year,” she noted by way of example. “It’s our major fundraiser, and it’s also where we raise money for our scholarship fund.”

Every year, OPALGA provides at least three scholarships as part of its new program designed to provide financial support for the continuing education of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning students; children of LGBTQ parents; or allies of the LGBTQ community. The scholarships are in the amount of $2,000 and are intended for graduating high school students or continuing college students from the Chicago area.

Lueck said that using their annual fundraiser to support youth has been meaningful for OPALGA and its supporters.

“We wanted to offer these scholarships because we know that there are challenges for LGBTQ youth,” she said. “The transition is challenging.

Suicide rates are higher among LGBTQ youth.”

For OPALGA and the recipients, Lueck said, it’s about so much more than the money.

“It’s about saying that there is a group of people who believe in you.

Strangers are committed to your success and are demonstrating that by investing in your future.”

This year’s gala will be held on Oct. 1 at the Carleton Hotel in Oak Park, with a live auction, emceed by Val Camilletti of Val’s halla Records in Oak Park.

Proud to to Serve Serve Proud

Don Harmon Don Don Harmon Don Harmon President Pro Tempore President Pro Tempore President Pro Tempore President Pro Tempore

Representative Representative Representative Representative

Camille Lilly Camille Lilly Camille Lilly Camille Lilly 5755 W. Division St. 5755 W. Division St.St. 5755 W. Division St. 5755 W. Division Chicago, 60651 Chicago, IL 60651 Chicago, ILIL 60651 Chicago, IL 60651 (773) 473-7300 (773) 473-7300 (773)(773) 473-7300 473-7300 282-S Stratton 282-S Stratton 282-S Stratton 282-S Stratton Office Building Office Building Office Building Office Building Springfield, 62706 Springfield, IL 62706 Springfield, ILIL 62706 Springfield, IL 62706 (217) 782-6400 (217) 782-6400 (217)(217) 782-6400 782-6400

6933 W. North Ave. 6933 W.North North Ave. 6941-B W. Ave. 6933 W. North Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 Oak Park, IL 60302 Oak Park, IL 60302 Oak Park, IL 60302 (708) 848-2002 (708) 848-2002 (708) 848-2002 (708) 848-2002 329 Capitol Building 329 Capitol Building 329 Capitol Building 329 Capitol Building Springfield, IL 62706 Springfield, IL 62706 Springfield, IL 62706 Springfield, IL 62706 (217) 782-8176 (217) 782-8176 (217) 782-8176 (217) 782-8176

www.donharmon.org www.donharmon.org www.donharmon.org www.donharmon.org

Contributing Reporter

Senator Don Harmon & harmon@senatedem.illlinois.gov dharmon@senatedem.ilga.gov dharmon@senatedem.ilga.gov dharmon@senatedem.ilga.gov Representative Camille Lilly

statereplilly@yahoo.com statereplilly@yahoo.com statereplilly@yahoo.com staterepcamilleylilly@gmail.com

WWW.OAKPARKDEMS.ORG WWW.OAKPARKDEMS.ORG WWW.OAKPARKDEMS.ORG WWW.OAKPARKDEMS.ORG 6941-A. W. NORTH AVE., 1243 WOODBINE, SUITE 101 1243 WOODBINE, SUITE 101 1243 WOODBINE, SUITE 101 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS 60302 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS 60302 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS 60302 OAK PARK, ILLINOIS 60302 (708) 386-0090 (708) 386-0090 (708) 386-0090 (708) 386-0090 DPOP@DONHARMON.ORG DPOP@DONHARMON.ORG DPOP@DONHARMON.ORG DPOP@DONHARMON.ORG

PRIDE 2016

June 15, 2016

A3

Transgender bathrooms: How Oak Park schools stack up

By LACEY SIKORA

A

Contributing Reporter

cross the country, transgender bathrooms and locker rooms have become a hotbutton issue. This spring in North Carolina, Gov. Pat McCrory signed a controversial law requiring transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to the gender on their birth certificates.

Closer to home, a group of students sued Palatine School District 211 after a transgender student was granted access to the girls locker room.

We asked one Oak Park family about their experience with both bathrooms and locker rooms in the village schools.

Sabrina Tellez-Brennan and Chris Brennan found themselves taking on a trailblazing role when their son Ryan was in kindergarten more than seven years ago. As Chris recalls, Ryan, who was born male, had frequent meltdowns. Ryan also had two sets of clothes: boy clothes for school and girl clothes for home.

“As soon as she got home from school every day, there would be a trail of boy clothes going up the stairs, and she would immediately change into girl clothes. Finally, we asked her if she wanted to wear the girl clothes to school and she did. The temper tantrums stopped, and we later learned that those issues are very common when kids are self-suppressing or having their natural instincts suppressed by their families.”

Sabrina and Chris turned to OPALGA for guidance, sought out the services of a therapist, and connected online with the parents of other children whose gender identities did not match their gender at birth. Moving to Oak Park was part of helping Ryan transition publicly to life as a girl.

A key to acceptance, Sabrina says, was being proactive at the school.

“Every year, we met with her classmates, administrators and teachers to talk about what to expect,” she recalled. “From kindergarten through third grade, there was a bathroom in the classroom, so there wasn’t a big issue attached to that. In fourth grade, she had to use the nurse’s bathroom, and she hated it. The school wouldn’t allow her to

WILLIAM CAMARGO | Staff Photographer

Chris, Ryan, Sabrina, and Sidney outside their home in Oak Park on May 30. use the girls bathroom. We appealed all the way up, and after about two weeks of back and forth, she was allowed to use the girls bathroom for the rest of her time there.”

When Ryan moved on to middle school at Julian, Sabrina and Chris had to adjust their role. Used to the close-knit environment of the elementary school, they were entering a new field with more kids whose parents they didn’t know. They were attuned to the increased prospect of bullying in the middle-school atmosphere. Ryan was allowed to use the girls bathroom, but initially she was not granted access to the girls locker room. Although she is very public about her gender identity, Ryan recalled that having to change for

gym in the nurse’s bathroom called for uncomfortable explanations.

“It wasn’t cool,” she said. “I had to keep making up injuries as excuses when people noticed I was always leaving from the nurse’s office.”

She became more integrated into middle-school activities, acting in a female role in a school play and joining the girls cross country team, and she was granted access to the girls locker room.

Sabrina stresses that both Longfellow and Julian have been very accepting of their family but they still lack a written policy regarding transgender bathroom and locker rooms in District 97. “A lot of gender variant and transgender families are moving to Oak

“As soon as she got home from school every day, there would be a trail of boy clothes going up the stairs, and she would immediately change into girl clothes.”

— Chris Brennan Park,” she said, “and I’ve been surprised to find out there was no uniformity between schools. It really depends on the principal.”

As bills in support of, and against, transgender bathroom and locker

room access continue to find support in the state, for Ryan’s family there is plenty to look forward to in the future. OPRF High School has a strong Gay Straight Alliance group and provides gender neutral bathrooms for transgender students.

Through their experience, Sabrina sees a larger societal understanding of what creates a healthy environment for gender variant and transgender children.

“When we first started getting involved,” she noted, “none of the kids transitioned socially. The research validates that kids who are allowed to transition socially are happy and well-developed, and we see kids Ryan’s age who are able to do this now.”

A4

PRIDE 2016

June 15, 2016

Award affirms role of Gay Straight Alliance at Triton

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

PROVIDED

Mike Rosanova was named Triton faculty advisor of the year.

Triton College’s Gay Straight Alliance was looking for a lifeline last fall when one of Mike Rosanova’s students asked him to take on the role of faculty advisor. Rosanova, an adjunct professor and board member of OPALGA, happily accepted. This May, GSA was named Triton’s student organization of the year, and Rosanova was named faculty advisor of the year.

We talked to him about his own journey coming out and the importance of groups like GSA to a young generation.

Rosanova remembers that, growing up in Oak Park and attending Catholic schools, there were no organizations to support LGBT students. Indeed, when he enrolled at Yale in 1968 and fell in love with a male classmate, he didn’t know what to do.

“I went to the student health center,” he recalls, “and they said that in order to be gay, you have to be crazy. They asked me if I was hearing

voices, and they told me to find the right woman and it would go away.

We’re really lucky that these clubs exist because, back in 1968, there was no such thing as normal development for LGBT people. It was looked at as crazy or criminal to fall in love with someone of the same sex. Today, we know that this is a normal part of development and that’s the piece GSA is trying to provide.”

Rosanova has been teaching at the college level for almost 40 years and believes that organizations such as GSA help both gay and straight people understand that there are different paths to a normal life and embracing who you are is a good thing for healthy development.

As someone who came out later in life, after marriage to a woman and raising two children, Rosanova hopes that groups like GSA at Triton and a similar group at OPRF High School can provide a needed sense of support for everyone.

“One of the chief problems LGBT students have is finding a community

“We’re really lucky that these clubs exist because, back in 1968, there was no such thing as normal development for LGBT people. It was looked at as crazy or criminal to fall in love with someone of the same sex.”

— Mike Rosanova of other people like themselves. There is a need for some kind of social role model and support that you can’t get from other groups. Stepping up to the bat and trying consciously to make up for those missing elements is the point of GSA. The emphasis as a community college is on community, and GSA at Triton puts into practice that emphasis in a way that affects the lives of regular kids and brings the message home to the community as well.”

Come Out and Enjoy Classic Italian Dishes on Cucina Paradiso’s New Covered Outdoor Patio weather permitting

20% Off Your Carry-Out Order Good through 07/02/16 not valid when combined with other offers or gift cards

814 North Boulevard 708-848-3434 • www.cucinaoakpark.com

814 North Boulevard • 708-848-3434 • www.cucinaoakpark.com

PRIDE 2016

June 15, 2016

Good Shepherd Lutheran Celebrates

Marriage equality

Start Planning Your Wedding With Us Today!

WILLIAM CAMARGO | Staff Photographer

Susan Abbott

Getting to Know: Weichert Realtors’ Susan Abbott

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter How long have you lived/worked in Oak Park?

My wife Lynn Heald and I moved here 18 years ago.

How did you choose Oak Park?

We were living in the city and went to hear someone speak about the legal issues facing gay families. The meeting was held at the Fox Center, and we looked around the neighborhood. I was pregnant at the time with our first son, and our daughter was in junior high.

Domestic partnerships had just passed, and what really drew us in here was the diversity of the community.

How did you get involved in the community?

With a background in social work, I first approached OPALGA as a volunteer. During my training, I found out they were looking to hire someone to oversee youth programming.

I worked there for 13 years.

What is your current position?

I’ve been a Realtor for nine years and with Weichert for two. It’s a really good marriage of my social work skills and business skills.

Has being a gay woman affected your career in realty?

Being gay has helped me. When you’re part of a minority, you tend to be more openminded. You certainly don’t have to use a gay realtor if you’re a gay buyer, but there is a certain familiarity and comfort level, especially dealing with people new to the community or people wondering how their kids will fit into the community. I understand that in a way the average person wouldn’t.

Have you seen changes in Oak Park in terms of the community’s acceptance of gays and lesbians in the local business environment?

I’ve just seen such a shift in the past 18 years. With gay marriage being legal, there’s not an issue as much with being out of the closet. It just isn’t a big deal anymore.

What has living and working in Oak Park as a gay woman meant to you?

Oak Park has been great. We’ve gone through all of the schools with our three kids, and I feel like we couldn’t have moved to a better place. Having two moms isn’t an issue. It’s nice to live and work in the same community. I can work with LGBT clients and really sell them on the community because I believe in it.

www.GoodShepherdlc.org 611 Randolph St., Oak Park | 708-848-4741

Don’t miss our Annual Bake Sale at the Oak Park Farmers Market • Sat., July 2nd

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender We meet on the 4th Sunday First United Church of Oak Park: 848 Lake Street, Oak Park (at Kenilworth) 3 pm - 5 pm

708.386.3016 www.pflag.org www.oakpark-pflag.blogspot.com

This is a place of confidentiality.

Support... Education... Advocacy

A5

A6

PRIDE 2016

June 15, 2016

Gay and away

By LACEY SIKORA

F

Contributing Reporter

ormer Illinois governor Pat Quinn legalized marriage for same-sex couples in Illinois in June 2014, and on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court legalized samesex marriage throughout the United States and its territories. In the local travel industry, the effects of these historic decisions are already being felt.

Lydia Villanueva-Soto of Oak Park’s Tan Travel has been working as a travel planner for almost 20 years and notes that the past two years she has seen a marked uptick in reservations for destination weddings and honeymoons for same-sex couples.

“Once the laws changed, not only in Illinois but legalizing marriage throughout the U.S., it really opened things up. Much of my business is planning destination weddings, and as the laws have changed, we’ve been able to do a lot more with gay couples.”

She notes that many of her clients want to use a destination wedding as an opportunity to vacation with friends or to combine a wedding and honeymoon. Villanueva-Soto has volunteered with the Brown Elephant, the Human Rights Campaign, and OPALGA and recommends a combination of research and

travel industry knowledgee as the key when it comess to planning same-sex desti-nation weddings and honey-moons.

“Not every country is welcoming to same-sex couples,”” she says, “and same-sex marr rriage is not legal everywhere. e e.

You need to be careful. A large ge chain might be good, but you ou want to know about the reputautaut ation of a particular location. io on.

Mexico is probably the main desdes-tination my clients are interested est stted in, especially Puerto Vallarta. rta. It I is extremely gay-friendly, and and there are lovely resorts. Europe pe is also popular. France, Italy aly and and Spain are always friendly and nd open e en to everyone.”

As the travel industry embraces embrace cess same-sex couples, Villanueva-Soto ueva-Soto o sees more and more suppliers liers and nd d companies dedicating their i services i to same-sex couples, expanding the offerings available to her clients.

As with all clients, she says, taking the time to understand what same-sex couples are looking for is an important part of the equation.

ANGELIKA KUEHN Law Office

“You “Y You ou want wan nt to to sit sitt with wiitth the the th client and get to know them.

Get to know their budget and what kind of food they like, and then you use your knowledge to help them decide on the right place.”

Your Door to the World!

www.kuehnlawoffice.com 171 S. Oak Park Avenue 708.383.0785 Proudly Serving the Community

FOR 25 YEARS

• • • • •

Wills • Trusts • Powers of Attorney Resolution of Blended Family Issues

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! Wise Counsel For Your Future

Vacation Packages Domestic & International Vacations Cruises Destination Weddings Honeymoons

Find us on OakPark.com or at TanTrvl.com Follow us on: Facebook

Twitter

708.386.6363 email: lydia@tantrvl.com

PRIDE 2016 Chicago 47th Annual Pride Parade Chicago Pride Weekend consists of a two-day festival and our world-famous parade.

The two-day festival takes place along Chicago’s famed Halsted strip on Saturday, June 18, 2016 and Sunday, June 19, 2016.

The parade takes place over a fourmile route on Sunday, June 26, 2016.

A7

Edward Cross & Son, Inc.

Since 1937

• Tuckpointing • Building Cleaning

Stage acts and event for the festival The parade kicks off at noon on Sunday, June 26, 2016, at Montrose Avenue and Broadway in Uptown and ends near the intersection of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road in Lincoln Park. Pride Month in June is the culmination of Chicago’s vibrant LGBT community. The energy in the city peaks on Pride Weekend, which falls on the last weekend of June each year in commemoration of the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

On Pride Frida and Saturday thousands will gather along Halsted for the two day festival.

Stages of music, exhibitors, great food and drinks are available to enjoy. In the evening the revelers will pour into Boystown clubs and party into the wee hours of the night.

On Sunday the roar of the crowd heralds the start of the Pride Parade, a dazzling cavalcade of diversity. The streets are lined 12 people deep as 750,000 people cheer the contingents on and enjoy the show, culture and experience! For the liveliest viewing

June 15, 2016

• Window Caulking • Chimney Repairs spots head to the Boystown section of North Halsted Street, between Belmont Avenue and Grace Street. If you are seeking a less crowded area to view the parade, look for your viewing spots near the beginning of the route along Broadway between Montrose Avenue and Sheridan Road or further along Broadway between Belmont Avenue and Diversey Parkway.

— CHICAGOPRIDE.GOPRIDE.COM For more information, visit online at Chicagopride.gopride.com

Come Come as as you you are.

Be Beinspired. inspired.

Connect.

Connect.

Live Liveyour your values. values.

Worship education Worshipservice serviceand and religious religious education Sundays Sundaysat at 11:00 11:00 a.m.

Please join us at our home, Please join us at our temporary temporary home, 409 Park 409Greenfield, Greenfield, Oak Park unitytemple.org • facebook.com/UTUUC unitytemple.org • facebook.com/UTUUC

• Fully Insured

Lori Hannigan 518 N. Lombard Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302

708-848-8631

A8

PRIDE 2016

June 15, 2016

Join us as we build If you are

 Social  Cultural  Educational  Volunteerism  Activism  Philanthropy

new to the

Since 1989

OPALGA

area or have not yet become a part of our efforts, we encourage you to find out more about our work and join us.

has strived to promote diversity, encourage acceptance of differences, and build bridges to the broader community.

OPALGA isn’t simply an “Oak Park thing”, we have members throughout the Chicagoland area. We are open to all who want to join and believe that lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and trangendered people should live in communities that respect them as individuals and families.

Our organization caters to the needs of families, couples and individuals through a variety of social, cultural and educational programs throughout the year. We also provide scholarship support to college bound high school graduates.

The Oak Park Area Lesbian & Gay Association If you would like more information about our programs and becoming a member, please visit opalga.org "When all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free." — Barack Obama