2 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Ring-a-ding-ding, or not this Holiday Season Queer sex and sexuality, learning and understand - By: Nicole Lashomb*/ TRT Editor-in-Chief make consensual gay sex illegal,” Bil Brown - ing of the Bilerico Project wrote last year. At ing the history in public spaces and more ’Tis the season. You may not be able that time, Salvation Army representatives By: Jason Lydon*/ TRT Columnist Revolting: Queer Strategies for Resisting As - to go out shopping without hearing the similation,” but my knowledge is not extensive. S hile adorably, if around the world even called for the death of Legacies of patriarchy and objectification of joyous ringing of that glorious bell that all LGBT people since it was not a part of their not gratuitously,

N women for men's sexual consumption hides sto - sounds for charitable good at this time “belief systems.” In 2004, they threatened to Wsmooching my of year. Too bad that charitable good boyfriend outside against a ries behind closets, under gravestones and in

O close their New York City soup kitchens if the does not include LGBT people, unless business' wall in the middle of coded letters still unknown to me. I look for - I city were to offer domestic partnership bene - you are basically willing to denounce the day, I paused and asked ward to continuing to learn these pieces and fits. Hmm. Imagine the implications here. would love ideas of where to look if readers

N him, “What happened to pub - who you are. In the past, I’ve often do - The Salvation Army has taken a strong have direction. I lic gay sex and sexuality in nated to Salvation Army, the organiza - stance on encouraging LGBT discrimination I was recently asking tion that proudly used its Boston? Public sex is P here in the United States too. “They have lob - some gay men I know in distinguishable red kettle to take my supposed to be one of the bied to prevent federal money from going to fun parts of being gay.” Boston, who have been

O Legacies of patriarchy dollars, my gay dollars. However, in cities or states with LGBT anti-discrimination His response illuminated around quite a bit longer more recent years, I refuse to donate to laws and, even worse, it goes out of its way to an important distinction and objectification of than me, where the cruis - the cause that works actively to ensure my less in sexual identity and ing spots had been. Most discriminate against vulnerable LGBT people of us already know about fortunate LGBT friends cannot utilize their during moments of crisis,” said Dan Savage via culture. “Public sex, women for men's sex - services, regardless how much they are in Boo,” he responded, “is the Fens, and I have writ - an editorial published at http://bit.ly/vRtdwJ. ual consumption hides ten in the past about the need. Additionally, the organization works to ac - part of queer sexuality www.SalvationArmyUSA.org and many, many gay impact policing has in that According to , tively discriminate against LGBT people in the organization claims that its services “are people are anything but stories behind closets , area. I did not know about employment, hiring and firing and promotion “The Block” in Back Bay available to all who qualify, without regard to queer.” of benefits. Desire by men who under gravestones and revolving around Marl - sexual orientation.” However, after further ex - This year, America Blog is asking LGBT borough Street. I have homosex - have sex with men to ploration, under a subsection called shoppers and allies to give downloadable in coded letters still many times been biking uality have a quick hook up or on the website, the group explains that "vouchers" to Salvation Army bell ringers in toward the Common on services are restricted to those “who accept and a “no-strings-attached” unknown to me. Marlborough Street from lieu of cash in an effort to let the organization fling has not decreased as abide by the Salvation Army's doctrine and dis - know that “bigotry is not a Christmas value,” Mass Avenue and found cipline.” In order for an LGBT person to qual - same-sex marriage cer - myself quite annoyed that according to John Aravosis. The downloadable tificates get filed at city hall. What has changed the street all of a sudden becomes one-way for ify, they must denounce either themselves or “voucher” can be found at: their families. Ostensibly, their doctrine does is where men are finding each other. I look only a single block. This piece of the street has http://tinyurl.com/crh6tfj . around at a gay bar, walk around on the streets, not allow for same-sex partners and their chil - The bottom line is simple. Donate to inclu - dren, causing these needy families to go hun - or peer at men in a coffee shop, and so many are See Sexuality on Page 11 sive organizations that support and embrace all scrolling down images of men on Scruff, Grindr, gry or without a place to sleep except for the walks of life. Alternatives include Goodwill, A4A, Growlr, or even posting on Craigslist to streets. Toys for Tots, or other local non-profit organ - get what they might have gotten in a bathroom The Rainbow Times “The organization also has a record of ac - izations that actually represent what this ... in the Boston Public Library. Yet when we stum - The Freshest LGBT Newspaper tively lobbying governments worldwide for ble upon each other in public, unintentionally, in New England - Boston Based anti-gay policies — including an attempt to there seems to be a shameful glance away, rather See Salvation Army on page 6 www.therainbowtimesmass.com than a knowing grin and quick hello. So many of us are ashamed of our desires. [email protected] Faith, family, and God: Christmas is a myth I recognize that I do not know enough about [email protected] the history and culture of same-sex sexual ex - pression of women in public spaces. I know of Phone: 617.444.9618 / 413.282.8881 and Jesus was not born in December a few hot tubs in San Francisco, a story of a hot Fax: 928.437.9618 of the Cosmos cares spot in Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore’s “That's By: Paul P. Jesep*/ TRT Columnist Publisher Design theists and humanists are using bus, who says what on a Gricel M. Ocasio Prizm Designs city and highway billboards to pro - billboard. Editor-In-Chief Webmaster claim the myth of Christmas. Reli - I wonder, however, if Letters to the Editor Nicole Lashom b Jarred Johnson A Dear Editor, gious folks are having their annual conniption atheists and humanists about the so-called disrespect. Others com - sometimes protest too I am soooo proud of The Rainbow Times for Assistant Editor Columnists plain retailers use “Happy Holidays” instead much. Certainly, I un - supporting and endorsing Congressman Emily Scagel Lorelei Erisis of “Merry Christmas.” Step back and look at derstand the discrimi - Tierney. He won, you know!!! All the gays Sales Associates Deja N. Greenlaw nation shown to them in the North Shore love him and I also vol - Chris Gilmore Paul P. Jesep the big picture. People are the same all over the Liz Johnson Jason Lydon world regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, by society for being unteered on his campaign. Anyways, we all love him because of what he did for the Wilfred Labiosa or level of faith. They get caught up in the non-believers. Yet, the Lead Photographer John Verlinden GLBT community. Does it mean that we mundane, the meaningless, or the small stuff. reaction, as evidenced by billboards, seems a Glenn Koetzner Personally, I like see - bit over the top. As the just have to support candidates who are gay? Reporters ing atheists and human - writer Dostoevsky noted, I beg to differ. Tierney did a lot for the Photo/Videography Chuck Colbert ists make their case “There are no atheists, GLBT community; more than Tisei. I read Rob Deza Clara Lefton Brook Rosini during Christmastime. Every day we empower just restless souls.” Sim - an article about Tierney thanking those who ilarly, Christians who supported him, including 3 publications – They’re right. Christ - The Rainbow Times is published monthly by The Rain - mas is a myth. Mary did someone to make us froth at the mouth in out - and you, The Rainbow times – were one of the 3, yet Tisei was endorsed by like 28 bow Times, LLC. TRT is affiliated with the National not give birth to Jesus in rage over the billboards Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, NLGJA , Na - December. Accepting angry , frustrated, or feel also prompt me to ask, newspapers and other gay publications too. tional Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, December 25 as the why? What does per - Good call, Rainbow Times. NGLCC , The Connecticut Alliance for Business Op - bad . We often, as the ex - sonal faith, if it’s solid — Coco Alinsug, Exec. Director, nAGLY portunity, CABO , and QSyndicate. The articles written birth of Jesus had more by the writers, columnists, and correspondents solely to do with converting and genuine have to do Dear Editor, express their opinion, and do not represent the endorse - pagans. Jesus is likely pression goes, sweat with a billboard? Noth - ment or opinion of The Rainbow Times, LLC or its own - to have been born in ing. Nice call on the endorsements, Rainbow ers. Send letters to the editor with your name, address late spring or early the small stuff , forget - A lot of time, money Times. I thought you’d lose the Tierney en - and phone number to: The Rainbow Times (address and energy will be used dorsement, but Tierney voters came through. shown above), or e-mail any comment/s to the editor summer. at: [email protected]. All submissions Atheists and human - ting what really mat - in this heated debate. In I commend you for sticking to your guns on the endorsements. I think you were the only will be edited according to space constraints. The Rain - ists challenge people of the final analysis, it bow Times, LLC reserves the right not to print any or paper who endorsed all the candidates that faith to explore spiritu - ters . doesn’t matter! Here’s all content, or advertisements for any reason at all. TRT ality. I’m called to something that does – won. is not responsible for advertising content. To receive move beyond personal the Ali Forney Center, —Freddy Lowenstein, Boston, MA The Rainbow Times at your home via regular mail, or AFC, in New York City. The Center is a shelter through electronic delivery, please visit its website. The and spiritual comfort zones. Ultimately, I’m re - whole content and graphics (photos, etc.) are the sole minded genuine faith isn’t threatened or deter - and transitional housing ... See Letters to the Editor on page 9 property of The Rainbow Times, LLC and they cannot mined by a billboard. Nor do I think the Maker See Jesus on page 11 be reproduced at all without TRT’s written consent. www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 3 Worrisome rates of HIV infection among youth; LGBT organization leaders react By: Chuck Colbert/ TRT Reporter more likely to have used alcohol or drugs be - study, released this summer during the Inter - The number of new HIV infections the fore their last sexual experience and were less national AIDS Conference, which showed gay, United States remains relatively stable, stand - likely to have used a condom. bisexual, and black men between the ages of ing at about 50,000 people annually. And young MSM were also less likely to re - 18 to 30 are infected at a rate nearly three times But HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is on port having been taught about HIV or AIDS in more than whites. the rise among younger Americans under the school. The study enrolled more than 1,500 black, age of 25. Just what’s going on here? gay and bisexual MSM, between 2009 and In fact, too many youth in the United States During a telephone interview, Kenneth H. 2011, from six cities, including Atlanta, continue to become infected with HIV. And Mayer, M.D., Medical Research director and Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Fran - few are tested. co-chair of The Fenway Institute, said for cisco, and Washington. Those are two key take away points from a youth, “The AIDS epidemic is silent. It may Dr. Mayer was a leader of the study. new report out by the Atlanta-based Centers have been horrible for older people, but youth Haag continued, “The CDC report calls for for Disease Control and Prevention, whose re - don’t know people who are very sick. They more community- and school-based interven - lease was timed for World AIDS Day. think of AIDS as a disease of old people, and tions to help stop the spread of HIV among Specifically, young people between the ages it’s a manageable disease. At least that is the young people. We already know that this is of 13 and 24 in the U.S. account for more than youthful perspective.” what needs to happen. We’ve been doing this a quarter of new HIV infections each year (26 Dr. Mayer is also the director of HIV Preven - work for years and we continue to do it. But it tion at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Hospi - there is a whole set of structural issues that is unconscionable that we do not have compre - percent) while 60 percent of these youth living place young, urban disenfranchised youth at with HIV are unaware they are infected, ac - tal. hensive sexuality education in every school. For African Americans, he said, discrimina - risk for HIV,” he explained. “Our young people should know everything cording to the CDC’s Vital Signs report, re - Indeed, the increased infection rates are wor - leased on Tuesday, November 27. tion, stigma, and homophobia are contributing they need to know about how they can keep factors to increased rates of HIV infection. risome for AIDS activists and service themselves safer from HIV infection. In order The most-affected youth are gay and bisex - providers. Rebecca Haag, president and CEO ual men and African-Americans. “These youth are very disenfranchised from to end the AIDS epidemic, we need to employ society,” Mayer explained. “If you are a young of Boston-based AIDS Action Committee, of - every public health tool available to us to re - The analysis looked at the latest data on HIV fered an assessment concerning the report’s infections, testing, and risk behaviors among black man, you may have been ostracized by duce new infections, and that includes educat - your family of birth, experienced racism so findings. ing those vulnerable to infection on ways to young people. “The CDC report is quite disturbing, but it The report offers insights into what kinds of there is a lot going on in your life.” keep themselves safer.” Other independent factors, he said, that ac - doesn’t really tell us anything that we did not Overall, an estimated 12,200 new HIV infec - behavior are driving the high rates of infection. already know. Young people, particularly For example, young men who have sex with count for HIV infection among young black tions in the U.S. occurred in 2010 among MSM are poverty, unemployment, being a bot - young black and African American gay and bi - young people aged 13-24, with young gay and men — or MSM — were more likely to report sexual men, are incredibly vulnerable to HIV having had sex with four or more partners or tom (receptive in anal intercourse), and having bisexual men and African-Americans hit other sexually transmitted diseases. infection and more than half of those who are harder by HIV than their peers. In 2010, for ever injecting illegal drugs. infected with HIV are unaware of it. This is the In addition, among students who were cur - “The economic factors that make more peo - ple susceptible to HIV speak to the fact that perfect storm for spreading HIV,” she said. rently sexually active, young MSM were also Haag was referring to the results of an earlier See HIV Page 23 4 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com President Obama appoints eight nominees to the Federal Bench By: Lisa Keen/ Keen News Service ter. In September, President Obama nominated President Obama Tuesday (November Quiñones is currently a judge for the Philadel - Pittsburgh native Michael McShane, 51, to the phia Court of Common Pleas, presiding over U.S. District Court for Oregon. McShane, who

T 27) nominated Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to a federal district court seat both civil and criminal cases. A press release has served as a state circuit court judge in Port -

H in Philadelphia, bringing to eight the from the White House noted she earned her law land, Oregon, since 2001, attended Northwest - number of openly gay people he has degree in 1975 from the University of Puerto ern School of Law. His resume to the Senate G nominated for the federal bench. Rico School of Law and began her legal career committee indicates he was a “resource coordi - I While Judge Quiñones declined to as a staff attorney for two years with the Com - nator” for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps between L make any comment to a reporter con - munity Legal Services, Inc., in Philadelphia, 1983-84, helping homeless parolees. He also

E cerning her nomination, the Human which helps residents with low incomes with noted he is a member of the Oregon Gay and Rights Campaign posted on its website their legal needs. From 1977 to 1979, she served Lesbian Law Association and served for four that, if confirmed, Quiñones “would be as staff attorney for the U.S. Department of years on an HIV Services Planning Council.

M

I the first out gay Hispanic woman to Health and Human Services and, from 1979 to And also in November, President Obama serve on the federal bench.” 1991, as staff attorney to the Department of Vet - nominated Miami-Dade circuit court Judge

L

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Penn.) erans Affairs. She has served as a judge on the William L. Thomas, an openly gay African and Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) recom - Court of Common Pleas since 1991. American, to serve on the U.S. District Court E mended the nomination of Quiñones and President Obama has nominated seven other Pamela Ki Mai Chen, 51, to serve on the U.S. for the Southern District of Florida. A press re - two other Pennsylvania judges to the openly gay people to the federal bench in his lease from the White House indicated Thomas H District Court bench for the Eastern District of president. In a joint statement released first term —three who were confirmed in 2011, New York. The Senate Judiciary Committee earned his law degree from Temple University T November 27 with Casey, Toomey –who three whose nominations are still pending, and School of Law and, upon graduation in 1994,

held a hearing on her nomination in September. earned the lowest score possible on one who withdrew after being blocked by Re - In her response to questions on a routine ques - worked as an assistant public defender in the

N HRC’s most recent legislative score - publican opposition. tionnaire to the Senate committee, Chen indi - Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office. I card– praised Quiñones for her “exten - The Senate confirmed Paul Oetken (on a vote cated she is a member of the National LGBT From 1997 to 2005, he worked as an assistant sive experience in the courtroom” and for of 80 to 13) and Alison Nathan (on a vote of 48 Bar Association. She began her legal career in federal public defender. The 41-year-old native having “remained active in her community to 44) to the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, 1986 as an associate litigator with the Washing - of Pennsylvania was recommended by the Gay through her work with schools and mentoring and Michael Fitzgerald (on a vote of 91 to 6) to ton, D.C., office of Arnold & Porter. She worked and Lesbian Victory Fund’s Presidential Ap - summer law interns.” the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Depart - pointments Project. Neither the White House nor the senators Edward DuMont, President Obama’s only ment of Justice from 1991 to 1997, and then There are 874 federal bench seats nationally, cited any connection between Quiñones and the openly gay nominee to serve at an appeals court joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern according to the U.S. Courts website. If the cur - LGBT community. The Gay and Lesbian Vic - level — on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals District of New York. Chen became Chief of rent pending nominees are confirmed, the total tory Fund said Quiñones was not nominated in for the Federal Circuit-- withdrew after it be - that office’s Civil Rights Litigation Unit in number of openly gay federal judges will stand connection with its Presidential Appointments came clear Senate Republicans would not allow 2003, working on both civil and criminal mat - at nine. Two other openly gay federal judges — Project. And the National LGBT Bar Associa - his nomination to be given an up-or-down vote. ters, including hate crimes and human traffick - - Emily Hewitt and Deborah Batts —- were ap - tion said Quiñones is not a member of that In addition to Quiñones, the three pending ing. She became Deputy Commission for pointed by President Clinton. group. Through an assistant, Quiñones declined nominees were announced since August this Enforcement of the New York State Division of © 2012 by Keen News Service. All rights re - to respond to a reporter’s questions on any mat - year. The president nominated Chicago-born Human Rights in 2008 served. www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 5 Beyond the Stage raises $45K for At-Risk LGBTQ True Colors youth

BOSTON, Massachusetts— Beyond the Stage, PHOTO: A NDREW MCFARLAND “This was the first time we’ve really called The Theater Offensive’s inaugural cocktail re - on the business community for their support of ception and fundraiser, raised $45,000 to ben - True Colors and they answered. I am hoping efit the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, that others will stand up for True Colors and queer, questioning and the straight allied youth join as charter business supporters of our of True Colors OUT Youth Theater. Over 150 work,” said Managing Director Adrian Budhu. supporters gathered in the Lenox Hotel’s Award-making filmmaker Ellen Brodsky Dome Room on Thursday, November 15th to was in attendance with a film crew. Last sum - honor the courage and strength of True Colors. mer, Brodsky embarked on a process to create “My daughter is your average 17-year-old a documentary about True Colors. Brodsky’s suburban lesbian,” said Joey Baron, a member crew began following True Colors in Septem - of the Beyond the Stage host committee and ber & will do so through June 2013. View father to a current troupe member. “We were more photos of the event here. pretty excited when, on her own, she found and True Colors OUT Youth Theater provides auditioned for an LGBT theater group. Partic - year-round theater programming for lesbian, ipating in True Colors has helped my daughter gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and question - gain confidence, make friends, and expand her ing youth and their straight allies horizons far beyond the gay kids’ table at her (LGBTQQA), ages 14 to 22. True Colors is high school.” dedicated to presenting work for, by and about Though Baron and his daughter live with Premiere cocktail reception to benefit True Colors OUT Youth Theater. Nov 15th @ The Lenox Hotel. LGBTQQA youth and engaging youth in skill their family in Needham, most True Colors America!” who might be struggling and needs that same building, personal development and commu - troupe members live in urban neighborhoods Other speakers included Board member and lifeline that was extended to me.” nity engagement. of Boston and face a variety of challenges. True Colors alum Nia Clark, Executive Artistic Thanks in part to two $10,000 matching gift The Theater Offensive OUT in Your Neigh - Fifty-nine percent of troupe members are Director and founder Abe Rybeck, Managing challenges from the host committee and Chris - borhood works in Boston neighborhoods to youth of color, 40% identify as low income, Director Adrian Budhu, and Board member tine & David Letts, Beyond the Stage dona - create original, groundbreaking works by, for and 30% face violence in their neighborhoods. Pamela Bynum. tions tallied $45K toward True Colors’ and about the LGBT community. Their year- True Colors troupe members shared testimo - “True Colors threw me a lifeline and gave life-changing program. round community-based workshops, intensive nials about their struggles in coming out as me the tools necessary to accept myself and Beyond the Stage received support from engagement with at-risk youth to end bullying, LGBTQ, including dealing with depression, move forward in life. I learned I was more than local businesses and community organizations and free street theater performances are fo - rejection from family members, and being sus - a product of my trauma,” said Clark. “I now including a sponsored bar by Bully Boy Dis - cused in Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain ceptible to discrimination and violence. Addi - work with children at the Home for Little Wan - tillers and corporate sponsorships from FMC and the South End. OUT in Your Neighbor - tionally, alumni troupe members performed an derers. Some of my clients have been involved Ice Sports, Eastern Bank, Human Rights Cam - hood expresses the diversity of the city of original satirical skit advertising the fictional with True Colors and this organization has had paign, InterSystems, Penn’s Hill Media, Boston, gives voice to underserved LGBT prescription drug “Gayloft,” singing, “Gayloft a profound effect on their self-pride and confi - GLAD, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, AIDS community members, creates avenues for makes you happy & straight! Take control of dence. And that’s why we are here tonight. To Action Committee, Queer Soup Theater, and cross-cultural dialogue and breaks down the your emotions and desires. Take Gayloft – for invest in the future of another young person Truth Magazine. barriers of homophobia, bigotry and hate. 6 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Municipal Equality Index in MA: Boston & Cambridge 100; Northampton, others not so WASHINGTON — A new report on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equal - ity in America’s cities by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, rated 137 cities across the nation, including Boston, Cambridge, Northampton, and Provincetown. The Munic - ipal Equality Index (MEI), the first ever rating system of LGBT inclusion in municipal law, finds that while many U.S. cities lag behind in protections for LGBT people, some of the most LGBT-friendly policies in the country have been innovated and implemented at the on the forefront of this movement. Cities in falling under six broad categories: public squares across the country” said HRC municipal level, including in states with laws every region of the country are fighting for • Non-discrimination laws; President Chad Griffin. “This index gives ad - that are unfriendly to the LGBT community. equality at the most intimate level of govern - • Relationship recognition; vocates and municipal lawmakers a potent tool The MEI was issued in partnership with the ment. At the same time, cities across the coun - • The municipality’s employment practices; to improve the lives of LGBT people.” Equality Federation Institute and the Gay and try also have room for improvement. The MEI • Inclusiveness of city services; “Advances at the local level are often unher - Lesbian Victory Institute. The average score articulates a path forward and celebrates the • Law enforcement; and alded, but they are critical to building the mo - for cities in Massachusetts is 82 out of 100 success of cities doing this important work. • Municipal leadership. mentum we need for statewide and federal points, which exceeds the national average. MEI at a glance: In today’s world, cities must compete for victories,” said Rebecca Isaacs, Executive Di - Boston and Cambridge both earned the perfect • Eleven of the 137 cities surveyed earned a business and brain power. Research shows that rector of Equality Federation Institute. “The score of 100 points. Northampton scored a 64, perfect score of 100 points – these cities came to do this, they must treat their LGBT citizens Municipal Equality Index not only recognizes and Provincetown a 59 (page 20). • from both coasts and in between, were of with dignity and respect. Acclaimed Professor the remarkable progress that state equality Key findings from the MEI create a snapshot varying sizes, and not all are in states with fa - Richard Florida authored the forward for the groups and local partners have made in cities of LGBT equality in 137 municipalities of vorable laws for LGBT people; MEI. Professor Florida is a pioneer in research and towns across the country, but is a powerful varying sizes drawn from every state in the na - • A quarter of the cities rated scored over 80 into how the nurturing of a “creative class” tool to help push local governments to do bet - tion — these include the 50 state capitals, the points; (entrepreneurs, artists and architects, re - ter.” 50 most populous cities in the country, and the • 45 percent of cites surveyed obtained a score searchers, scientists, engineers, and other pro - “The freedom to be ourselves is most impor - 25 large, 25 mid-size, and 25 small municipal - of 60 or higher; fessionals) creates prosperous, economically tant where we live, work and raise our families. ities with the highest proportion of same-sex • Nearly a third of cities scored between 40 and competitive cities. That’s why it’s so crucial that local and munic - couples. 60 points, showing good intentions on behalf “Here in Massachusetts, we have a long and ipal governments understand the need to make Boston and Cambridge and the other 100- of municipal governments but also opportunity proud tradition of advancing equality,” said life better for LGBT people. We work hard to point cities in the MEI serve as shining exam - for improvement; and Kara Suffredini, Executive Director of MassE - make sure openly LGBT people participate in ples of LGBT inclusivity, with excellent • Just under a quarter of the cities scored less quality. “Many of those advances took place government as elected and appointed officials, policies ranging from non-discrimination laws, than 20 points, including eight cities that early on in city councils and municipal admin - and the MEI will be a great resource for them,” equal employee benefits, and cutting-edge city scored under ten points and three that scored istrations. As Massachusetts worked to make said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the services. As America moves forward in support zero. history as the first state with marriage equality Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute. of LGBT equality, cities across the country are The MEI rates cities based on 47 criteria and an LGBT Youth Commission, and as we The full report, including long form score - advocated for our transgender equal rights law, cards for every city and a searchable database, we realized that this work could not have hap - is available online at www.hrc.org/mei . pened without the foundation of equality al - The Human Rights Campaign is America’s ready created by many of our municipalities. largest civil rights organization working to We are looking forward to having the MEI as achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender a valuable tool for advocates, policymakers equality. By inspiring and engaging all Amer - and residents alike.” icans, HRC strives to end discrimination “Our nation is on an irreversible path for - against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that ward in LGBT equality and local and state- achieves fundamental fairness and equality for level advocacy ensures our voices are heard in all. Salvation Army From Page 2 otry and that’s why you won’t hear my Holiday Season and any other day of the quarters spiraling down that red kettle this year should be about … giving to those less year. Happy fortunate. Concerning the faux “Christian” *Nicole Lashomb holds an MBA from principles often cited by religious groups to Marylhurst University and a Bachelor’s discriminate against others, it just doesn’t from SUNY Potsdam. She can be reached HOLIDayS! sound evangelical. It resonates as pure big - at: [email protected] www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 7 End of AIDS globally feasible, report says By: Chuck Colbert/ TRT Reporter point from a new report out by the Centers for The global response to the worldwide AIDS Disease Control and Prevention, whose release epidemic continues making remarkable was also timed ahead of World AIDS Day. progress in HIV prevention, improved treat - Young people between the ages of 13 and 24 ment, and reduced AIDS-related deaths, a new in the U.S. account for more than a quarter of report says, holding out hope and the possibil - new HIV infections each year (26 percent); and ity for the end of AIDS. 60 percent of these youth living with HIV are “The global community has embarked on an unaware they are infected, according to the historic quest to lay the foundation for the CDC's Vital Signs report, released on Tuesday, eventual end of the AIDS epidemic,” stated the November 27. United Nations in its latest report on the global The most-affected young people are young AIDS pandemic. “This effort is more than gay and bisexual men and African-Americans. merely visionary. It is entirely feasible.” The analysis looked at the latest data on HIV The report was released on Tuesday, Novem - infections, testing, and risk behaviors among ber 20, in advance of World AIDS Day Satur - young people. day, December 1. Overall, an estimated 12,200 new HIV infec - But unsafe sexual behavior, intravenous drug tions in the U.S. occurred in 2010 among use, stigma, discrimination, and misinforma - young people aged 13-24, with young gay and tion remain as formidable challenges in stem - bisexual men and African-Americans hit ming a disease that, entering its fourth decade, harder by HIV than their peers. In 2010, for ex - has claimed nearly 30 million HIV-related ample, 72 percent of estimated new HIV infec - deaths. tions in young people occurred in young men Since the beginning of the epidemic more who have sex with men. than 60 million people have contracted HIV. By race/ethnicity, 57 percent of estimated But there is evidence that the AIDS pandemic new infections in this age group were in is waning. African-Americans. “Results,” the title of a 48-page report issued “That so many young people become in - by the Joint United Nations Programme on fected with HIV each year is a preventable HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), shows a dramatic 50 tragedy,” CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden percent decrease in new HIV infections across told reporters during a telephone conference 25 low- and middle-income countries, mostly call this week to discuss the findings. “All in Africa, the continent most affected by HIV. young people can protect their health, avoid Altogether, new infections globally fell to 2.5 contracting and transmitting the virus, and million last year, down from 2.6 million, which learn their HIV status.” represents a 20-percent decrease from 2001. Despite recommendations from CDC and the “The pace of progress is quickening,” said American Academy of Pediatrics that call for Michel Sidibé, executive director of UNAIDS routine HIV testing of youth in medical set - in a statement. “What used to take a decade is tings, the analysis showed that 35 percent of now being achieved in 24 months.” 18-24 year olds have been tested for HIV, while Better yet, in some countries with the highest only 13 percent of high school students - and prevalence of HIV in the world, rates of infec - 22 percent of sexually experienced students - tion have been reduced dramatically since have ever been tested. 2001. For example, in Malawi the infection Gay and bi men remain at risk rate dropped by 73 percent. In Botswana, the Despite the encouraging statistics globally, rate is down 71 percent, with similar decreases UNAIDS also expressed concerns about spe - reported in Namibia (down 68 percent), Zam - cific populations most at risk for HIV. One bia (down 58 percent), Zimbabwe (down 50 group is men who have sex with men. percent), and South Africa and Swaziland “Go to any capital city in the world, men (down 41 percent). who have sex with men are significantly more Declining numbers of HIV infections in chil - likely to have HIV - on average 13 times more dren is a particularly encouraging finding of than the general population,” the “Results” re - the report. Half the global reductions in new port states, adding, “As global HIV prevalence HIV infections in the last two years have been trends appear to have stabilized, there is dis - among newborns. turbing evidence suggesting that global HIV Last year, for instance, 330,000 children prevalence among men who have sex with men worldwide were infected with HIV, down from may have increased between 2010 and 2012.” 370,000 in 2010 and 43 percent fewer than in 2003, according to UN - See End of AIDS on Page 11 AIDS. Yet too many youth in the United States continue to become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and few are tested. That's one overarching take away 8 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com LGBTQ news from around the country: The good, the bad and the ugly Baltimore, MD first three years. The estimates are based upon Philadelphia, PA products into categories based upon their score Marriage equality approved at ballot Census 2010 data, average state wedding ex - Nation’s first LGBT-friendly low-income sen - on the HRC's Corporate Equality Index. They D box in Maryland penditures and state tourism reports, but do not ior housing to be built are clearly sectioned into red, yellow and green

O Maryland voters approved the Civil take into account resident same-sex couples The dmhFund and Pennrose Properties have ratings, so consumers can easily see what Marriage Protection Act, which paves who may be registered as domestic partners, or broken ground on the John C. Anderson Apart - brands support LGBT workplace equality, em -

O the way for gay and lesbian couples to out-of-state couples that decide to travel to ments. Being built in Philadelphia, this will be powering them to make informed purchasing receive a marriage license. This is the these states to marry. the nation's first urban LGBT-friendly afford - decisions. H first time that any state has voted on and able senior housing. The apartments are named GLAAD examines ten years of catalogued Open bisexual joins largest class of LGB law -

R passed marriage equality on the ballot. for John C. Anderson, a City Council member The Act approved also protects reli - transgender images who was instrumental in the passage of makers

O gious freedom, so no church or clergy GLAAD has analyzed its archives of trans - Philadelphia's civil rights bill for sexual minor - The first openly-bisexual Member of Con - member has to perform any marriage gender images on television episodes over the ity individuals. The dmhFund president stated gress has been elected to the House of Repre - B they do not want to. past ten years and has found that more than half that this project is different from other LGBT sentatives. Kyrsten Sinema, representing

Y of all catalogued episodes contain negative im - housings in that it is approaching funding from Arizona's Ninth District, will join the largest- Boston, MA ages and stereotypes. Offensive representations outside the LGBT community. ever class of openly LGB lawmakers, including A Patrick Administration recognizes and and storylines were found on every major Portland, ME the first openly-gay Senator, Tammy Baldwin

G advocates for needs of LGBT elders broad network and seven cable networks over Maine approves citizen’s initiative for mar - of Wisconsin. The 113th Congress will have MassEquality and the LGBT Aging the ten years, showing that the problem is riage equality seven openly LGB members, and includes the Project have applauded the Deval Patrick Ad - widespread. GLAAD also found that anti- Maine became the first state in the country to first openly-gay person of color in congress, ministration for recognizing the unique needs transgender language was present in at least 61 approve a citizen's initiative for the freedom to Mark Takano. of LGBT elders and for urging specific out - percent of catalogued episodes and storylines. marry. The campaign manager for Mainers reach. The Executive Office of Elder Affairs United for Marriage stated that Maine proved HRC releases guide for purchasing from pro- published a directive to Massachusetts' elder New York, NY that voters can change their hearts and minds equality corporations service agencies to inform them that the state UPS stops funding to anti-gay organizations, if stories are told and citizens are given a per - The HRC has released a guide detailing would be adopting federal guidelines around includes Boy Scouts of America sonal connection to the issue. He also advo - American brands and their treatment of LGBT elder populations in need of targeted outreach. UPS has decided to no longer fund the Boy cated for hope to other states who have seen employees. The guide, "Buying for Workplace The EOEA is requesting that these agencies Scouts of America, based on their gay ban. marriage equality blocked at the ballot box. Equality 2013," divides businesses and their work specifically with LGBT elders. MassE - UPS released a statement saying that they seek products into categories based upon their score quality and the LGBT Aging Project are advo - to support organizations in alignment with their Saint Paul, MN on the HRC's Corporate Equality Index. They cating for passage of a bill that would require focus areas, guidelines and non-discrimination Minnesotans United responds to successful are clearly sectioned into red, yellow and green EOEA to develop a specific curriculum. policy. Because of this, organizations that are marriage equality campaign ratings, so consumers can easily see what unable to attest to having policies or practices Minnesotans United for All Families re - brands support LGBT workplace equality, em - Fenway Health congratulates Pres. Obama that align with the UPS non-discrimination pol - sponded to the defeat of Amendment 1 in Min - powering them to make informed purchasing Fenway Health has congratulated President icy will be no longer eligible for funding. Boy nesota, an amendment that would have limited decisions. Obama on his victory and his commitment to Scouts of America currently ban gay youth and the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian cou - promoting expanded access to healthcare for adults from being scouts and scout leaders. ples. The campaign manager for Minnesotans Post-election poll shows change toward LGBT all. The President and CEO of Fenway Health United released a statement saying that their equality from voters stated that the Obama Administration has dra - Video series features stories of homeless campaign has sparked an honest and statewide Results from a post-election poll released by matically increased attention to LGBT health. LGBTQ youth conversation about why marriage matters and the HRC shows a change on LGBT equality re - The Affordable Care Act of 2010 contains im - The nation's largest LGBT youth services who should participate in it. He continued to flected in voters' attitudes. Whereas LGBT is - portant protections for LGBT people and those and advocacy organization launched its second say that Minnesotans voted in favor of love, sues were previously used as a wedge to drive living with HIV/AIDS. Fenway Health will annual "Homeless for the Holidays" series. The freedom and fairness, because that is what conservative turnout, these issues are now mo - continue to advocate for the full implementa - Ali Forney Center's weekly video series show - Minnesota is about. tivators for progressives, youth and independ - tion of the Act. cases faces and stories of diverse New York ents. The poll also found that because the LGB LGBTQ youth that were forced to endure Tucson, AZ community significantly favored Obama, 45.7 GLAD challenges decision to dismiss trans - homelessness without shelter. The series will Alum pledges $1 million to LGBT Studies in - percent of Obama's national popular vote mar - gender discrimination case run through New Year's Day and will be avail - stitute gin was due to LGB voters. It was also shown GLAD has announced that it will appeal the able on YouTube. A University of Arizona alumnus has that more Romney voters were in support of decision made in a Maine court to dismiss the pledged $1 million to UA's LGBT Studies in - marriage equality, than were Obama voters case of a transgender girl who experienced dis - Lawsuit filed against deceitful reparative stitute, moving it to the top of national LGBT who oppose marriage equality. crimination and harassment in school. A therapy group Studies research efforts. The alumnus stated GLAD senior attorney stated that the girl was A lawsuit has been filed in the Superior that he wanted to make a difference, so kids Campaign connects LGBT families with foster subject to severe bullying, and was made an Court of New Jersey against Jews Offering would not have to experience what he did children outcast by school officials, which is in violation New Alternatives for Healing, a group that growing up. The institute conducts research on HRC has partnered with RaiseAChild.us in a of Maine's anti-discrimination law prohibiting fraudulently claims that their counseling serv - immigration, socioeconomics, race, health and campaign to encourage LGBT families to pro - discrimination against people based on gender ices can convert customers from gay to straight. more, all in relation to sexuality and gender vide safe and loving homes for children in fos - identity and expression in all areas, including This lawsuit is the first to directly sue a con - identity. ter care. The initiative, All Children -- All public education and public accommodations. version therapy provider for fraudulence, and Families, includes networking events that en - charges that the group violated New Jersey's Washington, D.C. sure LGBT individuals and couples are con - Kansas, MO Consumer Fraud Act through these fraudulent NOM sees drastic decline in contributions nected to agencies and professionals that are Lambda Legal supports spousal benefits for and deceptive claims. The National Organization for Marriage saw committed to welcoming and supporting the LGBT law enforcement officers a sharp decline in contributions for 2011. The LGBT community. The campaign works to in - Lambda Legal has filed a friend-of-the-court LGBT groups condemn Dr. Oz Show for misin - amount of money raised dropped from $9.1 form and engage LGBT people in opportuni - brief on behalf of Law Enforcement Gays and formed reparative therapy episode million to $6.2 million. Only two donors were ties to become parents to waiting children. Lesbians in support of the partner of a deceased GLAAD, GLSEN and PFLAG National have responsible for funding 75 percent of NOM. Missouri State Trooper who is being denied denounced the Dr. Oz Show for airing an NOM released their 2011 990, after HRC re - Inmate pleads guilty to hate crime surviving spousal benefits. A senior staff attor - episode about "reparative therapy" and positing quested the documents in-person at their Wash - A Texas inmate has pleaded guilty in federal ney for Lambda Legal stated that there cannot a representative of one discredited and anti-gay ington, D.C. office. HRC Vice President of court to violating the Matthew Shepard and be a gay exception to family protections for po - organization as an "expert." The three LGBT Communications stated that NOM's financial James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act lice and first responders, which sends a dis - and ally groups are calling on Dr. Oz to stand records serve as proof that supporting LGBT through assaulting an inmate he believed to be criminatory and disturbing message to LGBT with the entire medical community against equality is common-sense and mainstream, and gay. The inmate admitted that he targeted the law enforcement officers. reparative therapy, and for him to tell his LGBT that NOM is simply channeling the anti-gay victim because of his perceived sexual orienta - viewers that he does not supporting "repairing" agenda of a few wealthy and secretive donors. tion. The Assistant Attorney General for the Los Angeles, CA their sexual orientation. The audience was mis - Civil Rights Division stated that the department Wedding spending will generate over $166 led by the show to believe that there were ac - HRC releases Corporate Equality Index will continue to vigorously enforce the Hate million in Maine, Maryland & Washington tual experts on both sides of the issue. Dr. Oz The HRC has released a guide detailing Crimes Prevention Act and others to protect the The Williams Institute estimated that same- wrongfully presented the topic and chose to ig - American brands and their treatment of LGBT rights of all. sex weddings in Maine, Maryland and Wash - nore what actual experts say. employees. The guide, "Buying for Workplace ington will generate over $166 million in the Equality 2013," divides businesses and their www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 9 The year in queer: Celebrities talk 2012 By: Jimmy Newsum/ Special for TRT heard in a peaceful protest the way Dr. King 2012 was a rollercoaster year, with terrific led his revolution to freedom? We need to take highs like gay marriage passing in Maryland a page from the civil rights movement of the and Maine, the first gay Senator (Tammy Bald - 20th century and form our fight based on those win) being elected, and of course, Obama win - values. ning a second term. Also, another delightful gay show joined prime time television – three Who was the biggest cheers for The New Normal! out star of 2012? But there were deep lows too including the Marti Cummings: Lind - devastation of storm Sandy and the continued say Lohan, but maybe rise of hate crimes against gay and transgender not for the best reason. people. We polled some of our favorite bold- Aiden Leslie: Ellen De - faced names on how they will remember the generes. past year in queer. Raph Solo: I have a lot of respect for Neil Besides Obama win - Patrick Harris and his continued outreach to ning the election, what Frenchie Davis was the gay highlight gay youth. PHOTO: ROBERT ECTOR of 2012? Kristine W: Jane Aiden Leslie: Obama Lynche. She is amaz - announcing he was pro ing! Gay Marriage! Pam Ann: Joan Rivers… she’s gay, right? Marti Cummings: All the great exposure and Who do you hope will characters of LGBT disappear into the gay folks on television. abyss in 2013? Raph Solo: California Kristine W Marti Cummings: Bris - PHOTO BY: KARL GIANT banning reparative ther - tol Palin and The Kar - apy. dashians. Bye-bye! Frenchie Davis: That's a hard one. Oh honey, Aiden Leslie: Mitt there are gay highlights everyday. Just ask my Romney. hairstylist. Frenchie Davis: Kristine W: We pushed gay bullying even far - Michelle Bachman and her little husband. I'm ther into the spotlight this year. Aiden Leslie Pam Ann: My appearance as bar bitch on PHOTO: RICK DAY sure he is secretly in the Andy Cohen’s show with Cyndi Lauper and mirror somewhere with Sherri Shepherd, of course. a hairbrush, lip-syncing to Dreamgirls. What was the gay Kristine W: Honey Boo Boo. That poor kid. I lowlight of 2012? hope a fabulous gay uncle appears and sends Raph Solo: Jack Reese, her to boarding school In Europe. Now that the gay Utah teen, com - would be a reality show worth watching. mitting suicide after Pam Ann: One Direction could disappear in being subjected to bul - one direction outta here. lying in school. Pam Ann: Hurricane How will you ring in Sandy’s devastating ef - 2013? fects on my darling Aiden Leslie: Perform - Raph Solo East Coast gays. ing my new single, Di - PHOTO: MICHELE MARTI - Marti Cummings: Mitt amond Dreams, live on NOLI Romney and Paul Ryan. stage. Aiden Leslie: Mitt Marti Cummings: In se - Romney. quins with gratitude and Kristine W: Straight actors portraying gays as surrounded by twinks. cartoons on TV and movies. I find it demean - Raph Solo: With the ing to my peeps. biggest smile I have ever had, because, fi - Marti Cummings PHOTO: JEFF EASON What is the biggest nally, I am here, queer issue facing the gay and very comfortable community today? with it! Frenchie Davis: The Frenchie Davis: Probably singing somewhere fights against homo - followed by lots of wine. phobia in the straight Kristine W: I hope to ring In the New Year community and bi-pho - singing, hugging my fans and working “Every - bia in the gay commu - thing That I Got ". nity. Pam Ann: I will be at home, in the arms of Kristine W: We need to someone special – a girl can hope! teach safe sex to the Pam Ann youth and educate them PHOTO: PAMANN.COM Letters to the Editor from page 2 on the high cost of AIDS. People can’t survive the disease if they Dear Editor, can't afford the medication. The Guide to Election night was really helpful. Raph Solo: In a lot of countries, it is still illegal We were all tense when suddenly someone re - to be gay. Ignorance breeds a lack of tolerance. membered the Guide in the Times and we We need to stand up and educate people about waited for each hour’s votes as each polling who we are. station closed, as the article said. Thanks for Marti Cummings: What happened to the days the Guide. It eased our mind. of taking to the street and demanding to be —Janeth Meyers, Jamaica Plan, MA 10 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 11 End of AIDS from page 7 Africa, according to the report. people who inject drugs - both by 50 percent. about safer sex practices, including the use of And the report states, “People who inject In the last two years the numbers of people Two other targets include eliminating new condoms, and the prudence of having fewer drugs are the worst off: Evidence from 49 accessing treatment has increased by 63 per - infections among children and substantially re - sexual partners has shown success in some countries shows that their risk of being infected cent globally. ducing the number of mothers dying from countries, such as Kenya, Malawi, Niger, with HIV is 22 times higher than the general However, the report notes, some seven mil - AIDS-related causes. Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia population.” lion people worldwide do not have access to Additional goals are to provide anti-retrovi - But in other countries risky sexual behavior Overall, in 2011, an estimated 34 million this life-saving HIV treatment, including 72 ral therapy to 1.5 million people, reduce the has increased - namely the Ivory Coast, worldwide are living with HIV, according to percent of children living with the virus. number of people living with HIV who die Guyana, and Rwanda. UNAIDS, at the same time 2.6 million people “We are scaling up faster and smarter than from tuberculosis by 50 percent, close the Guyana, Haiti, Lesotho, and Rwanda, for in - became newly infected, with 1.7 million ever before,” said Sidibé, a native of Mali who global AIDS resource gap, and reach annual stance, report statistically significant increases deaths. The death rate, moreover, is down 24 has served as under-secretary-general of the global investments of $22 billion to $24 billion in men having sex under the age of 15. Haiti percent from 2005 and is nearly six percent United Nations since January 1, 2009. “It is the (measured in US currency) in low- and middle and Lesotho report a similar statistically sig - below the rate in 2010. proof that with political will and follow income countries. nificant finding for women having sex under There is some particularly good news about through we can reach our shared goals by Still other targets aim to eliminate gender in - the age of 15. HIV prevention, as the “Results” report shows 2015.” equalities and gender-based abuse and vio - At the same time condom use by men has that sub-Saharan Africa has cut AIDS-related Sidibé was referring to ten specific targets lence and to increase the capacity for women decreased by a statistically significant measure deaths by one third in the last six years and in - pledged in a 2011 United Nations Political and girls to protect themselves from HIV. in the Ivory Coast, Uganda, Benin, and Burkin creased the number of people on antiretroviral Declaration on HIV and AIDS: Intensifying The elimination of stigma and discrimination Faso. The same results hold for condom use by treatment by 59 percent in the last two years Our Efforts to Eliminate HIV and AIDS. against people living with or affected by HIV women in Ethiopia and Uganda. alone. The targets are outlined and discussed in is another goal, along with eliminating travel The report notes another challenge in stem - The report shows in fact that antiretroviral “Global Report,” a 108-page UNAIDS docu - and residence restrictions for people living ming the spread of HIV – a stepped up effort therapy has emerged as a powerful force for ment, released on the same day as “Results.” with HIV. to offer men circumcision, which in trials has saving lives - an estimated 14 million life- Among those goals are to reduce HIV sexual Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer, director for Ev - shown to be effective in the preventing some years, including 9 million in sub-Saharan transmission and reduce transmission among idence, Innovation, and Policy at UNAIDS, new infections from women to men. sounded an upbeat tone about reaching the UNAIDS acknowledges the challenge in get - Sexuality from page 2 goals. ting people to change their behavior. indoor place to be a sexual person. The polit - “I am optimistic that with the progress we're “It involves knowledge, motivation, and ical nature of queer sexuality then calls us to not always been one-way however. Through - seeing we can actually achieve the targets we choices, which are influenced by sociocultural out the 1970s this was a busy cruising spot work toward a sexual culture that affirms de - sire and also knows that healthy sexuality set last year,” he told reporters during a tele - norms, as well as risk assessment in relation to both to pick up sex workers and also to cruise phone conference call Tuesday, November 20. immediate benefits and future consequences. for free. Men in cars would drive down Marl - means a safe home, stable food source and freedom from (non-consensual) forms of Schwartländer holds a doctorate in medical It involves both rational decision-making and borough Street, take a right on Common - epidemiology. Prior to joining the United Na - impulsive and automatic behavior,” according wealth, a right again on Berkeley and then domination. drive down Marlborough Street again until Understanding history and linking queer tions, he was the director of infectious disease to the report. they could pick up a guy of their liking. Sadly struggle to public sex is important when just epidemiology at the Robert Koch-Institut in More money would also help. The report as the neighborhood became more bourgeois, two months ago City Councilor Frank Baker Berlin. says that only five percent of HIV funding in residents organized to shut down the cruising led a public meeting about sex work on Nonetheless, prevention programs for groups the worst-hit nations was spent on programs and pressured the city to make the block one- Dorchester Avenue without including advo - of people who are most at risk – sex workers, aimed at changing behavior, including the pro - way and increase policing. cacy groups that support sex workers. The drug users, and men who have sex with men – motion of condom use. Many parts of the white, middle-class, pro - connections between public sex and commer - are too limited, the UNAIDS report says. © Copyright. Chuck Colbert. All rights re - fessional, able-bodied, privileged gay, les - cial sex are key to understand, and when we And yet education efforts aimed at teaching served. bian, bisexual and transgender communities allow people to be complex sexual creatures, thrive on a push for legitimacy and systemic we can find ourselves aligning with struggles acceptance. These efforts like to leave stories for justice and boundary pushing. Personally, of public sex in the past. Queer sex and queer not only do I intend to keep learning the his - sexuality, however, refuse to go away. We tory I will also be looking for corners or need not exchange wedding rings to display greenery to sneak over to as I enjoy one of the our public relationships, cruising in parks/al - best parts about being queer. leyways/dark corridors is not simply a sign of *Rev. Jason Lydon is a Unitarian Univer - cultural repression, rather it can be fiercely salist minister in Boston. He is a long time fun opportunities for fooling around. Queer anti-prison organizer and founder of Black & sex/uality pushes the boundaries of what is Pink, an LGBTQ-focused effort working to - acceptable, there is no reason to be ashamed ward the abolition of the prison industrial of our bodies experiencing pleasure. Queer complex. Jason is also an avid lover of fa - sexuality simultaneously recognizes that pub - mous people and blockbuster action flicks. lic sex can be fun, kinky and liberatory and/or You can reach Jason at jason@blackand - a consequence of not having a home or a safe pink.org

Jesus from page 2 LGBT,” according to Siciliano. “For many of for LGBTQ homeless youth. Hurricane Sandy these kids coming to our drop-in center pro - destroyed its drop-in center in New York’s vided their first encounter with a loving and af - Chelsea area. firming LGBT community.” According to Carl Siciliano, AFC’s Execu - It’s always fun to receive a gift to unwrap re - tive Director, “Our worst fears were realized; gardless of the occasion. This year, however, everything was destroyed and the space is un - consider going to www.AliForneyCenter.org to inhabitable. The water level went four feet add something extra special to a gift stocking, high, destroying our phones, computers, refrig - like a small card noting your donation. erator, food and supplies.” Every day we empower someone to make us He also noted the lost space “was dedicated angry, frustrated, or feel bad. We often, as the to our most vulnerable kids, the thousands expression goes, sweat the small stuff, forget - stranded on the streets without shelter, and was ting what really matters. Rather than get upset a place where they received food, showers, by billboards or right-wing religious activists, clothing, medical care, HIV testing and treat - re-focus energy on giving a gift in someone’s ment, and mental health and substance abuse name that will make a difference. Please do - services. Basically a lifeline for LGBT kids nate to AliForneyCenter.org. whose lives are in danger. We are currently scrambling for a plan to provide care to these *Paul is an author, attorney, and a seminary desperate kids while we prepare to ultimately trained, ordained priest in greater Albany, NY. move into a larger space.” He recently authored “Lost Sense of Self & the “For the past seven years it has been a place Ethics Crisis – Learn to Live and Work Ethi - of refuge to thousands of kids reeling from cally,” and is founder of www.CorporateChap - being thrown away by their parents for being laincy.biz.(no hyphen) 12 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Savage Love: Polarizing media pundit talks ‘crazy’ queer people, It Gets Better & why he’s not a bully By: Chris Azzopardi*/ Special for TRT know, when queers show up and somebody trans woman who does escorting or a particular body gets to be Ellen. n his two-decade career as a sex-advice throws a jar at your face and dumps glitter on porn genre, because what other term is there? Q, Some of your critics thought that It Gets columnist, and more recently as creator you and says that you’re an anti-trans bigot. To What are you supposed to say when you mean Better was too passive, that we should tell Iof the It Gets Better Project, Dan Savage accuse somebody in the hothouse environment she-male porn? kids to fight back. Scott Thompson of _The has entertained readers with his frankness and of queer activism of being an anti-queer bigot Q. You also use “fag,” so that must make Kids in the Hall_ told me his advice to kids inspired queer kids with his encouragement – is bullying, especially when you’ve got nothing you anti-gay. would be to “grow a pair.” even when some people would rather he just to back it up. A. And I use “breeder,” so I’m anti-straight. A. (Laughs) You know what, that’s what some go away. Those same people – critics who have Q. Where does this hatred come from? How We could pick this apart. I’m a rape apologist. people said in the videos. One of our favorite called him racist, transphobic, the devil and did you become this “bully” within the gay I’m racist. It’s kind of hilarious. (Laughs) videos was from Gabrielle Rivera, this Latina even The Gay Fred Phelps – are the ones he community? Q. The It Gets Better Project has be - lesbian poet in the Bronx who made this video takes on in our recent interview. A. What that comes from is that come a worldwide movement. Did that some people thought we would hate. In Chris Azzopardi: How does it feel going some f#@$%&g queer people you anticipate it taking off like it her video she’s like, “I’m here to tell you that from cheeky columnist to a leader in the are crazy. That’s where that has? it doesn’t get better. These white people and LGBT movement after launching the It comes from! (Laughs) I’m for A. No, absolutely not. When I an - their money, and they can sit in their nice apart - Gets Better Project? trans-inclusion. I keep pointing nounced it, I thought it would be ments.” But she was like, “F#@k that and these Dan Savage: (Laughs) I don’t know! I never out that the Don’t Ask, Don’t this cool project for my readers. people. I’m here to tell you it does not get bet - describe myself as a spokesman or having any Tell repeal is not finished be - We hoped that we would get ter; I’m here to tell you, you get stronger.” sort of role in the movement – because it pisses cause trans people are banned about 100 videos, because I felt That’s grow a pair – or you will have a pair off people who probably should be pissed off, from serving in the military, and like if we got 100 videos, we’d grown for you. (Laughs) or probably just want to be pissed off. I’m just I raised $5,000 for a trans get some of everybody. Terry Most of the misconceptions people have of a writer. Usually when people start talking woman’s funeral on my blog in and I were both aware when we what’s in the videos can be cured if they spend about a gay writer in relation to their role in 2004. Buck Angel and Kate released that first video that not five minutes watching them. If you watch the movement, what comes next is they want Bornstein have been guest all queer people look like them, what you see are people talking about you to shut up. sexperts. Find me a us, have penises like how they made it better themselves, what they Q. It’s true. There are a lot of conservatives sex-advice colum - the both of us did, how they demanded better of their families who wish you’d shut your mouth. nist who was happen to, and their communities. It didn’t just happen to A. There are a lot of lefties out there who are seeking out the want the them – the sun didn’t just come up and it was trying to get me to shut up! There are lefty opinions of same things better one day. So there’s nothing passive queers who think that I’m the devil. high-profile out of life – about the project. Q. The people who hate you, especially in trans people and it Q. Who told you it gets better when you the gay community, say that although you 15 years ago would only were a kid? created the It Gets Better Project to curb and lending be mean - A. People have asked me, “Would you have bullying, you are a bully yourself – that you them their plat - ingful if liked there to be an It Gets Better Project for bully the obese, Republicans and Christians. form. If that there was a you?” and I’ve always said that there was. How do you respond to people who call you amounts to lot of When I was 13 years old in 1977, growing up hypocritical? anti-trans big - everybody, in Chicago, I remember very distinctly being A. Well, usually they’re lying or they’re full of otry, if I’m the a lot of dif - out at the movies with my mother, siblings and it, or they’re confused about what bullying is. enemy in the trans ferent kinds dad – and there were two gay guys in line hold - Bullying is a power relationship; it’s about the community, then of queer ing hands in front of us. My parents were kind powerful picking on the weak and the vulner - the trans community people. of unhappy and freaked out, and I just remem - able and the persecuted. That I have an opinion could use more ene - We got 100 ber looking at the couple and going, “I always about the obesity epidemic that you disagree mies like me. videos in knew I was different. Now I know how.” I just with doesn’t make me a bully. That I write a The It Gets Better probably 12 or looked at them and thought, “They look happy; column where people are allowed to use the Project wasn’t the 24 hours, and it I’ll be OK.” And they were telling a story, language that they actually use when they talk S#@k My D&@k, kind of blew us which is what the project is about. about their sex lives, and that I use the word I’m Dan Savage away. That Fifty years ago, you used to think you were the “fag” in my column, doesn’t make me a bully. Project. (My part - just only queer person in the world. You didn’t Rick Santorum says I’ve bullied him – because ner) Terry (Miller) think there was another boy like you. Queer he is somehow the moral equivalent of a vul - and I got it rolling kids don’t grow up with that kind of isola - nerable and isolated closeted gay 13-year-old and then stepped tion anymore. But there are bul - growing up in Texas who has no support and out of the way. And lied queer kids out there who nowhere to turn? That’s Rick Santorum? This a lot of trans people know there are happy queer is dumbing bullying down to mean absolutely made videos. Some of adults in the world, but they everything. the first videos that don’t know how you get to be People who claim that they’ve been bullied by came in were from one. But so many of us suffered, me or my column are full of $#&t. (Laughs) trans people and upped and then we got past it. Now they’ll claim that that _is bullying because the visibility of trans peo - With this project, we were able I’m supposed to go, “Oh, golly gosh, you just ple. I’m the executive pro - to share those stories. And there threw the word ‘bullying’ on the table and it’s ducer of the two It Gets have been other suicides since kryptonite and I must melt in the face of it.” Better specials that we did this that have been earth-shattering, particularly Somebody disagreeing with you – that ain’t for MTV, which reached week Jamey Rodemeyer’s suicide. We’ve heard from f#@$%&g bullying. millions and millions of It thousands of kids – and some parents, even. Q. How about telling Republicans to kill people. One of the six Dan Savage Gets And nobody writes about the kids who didn’t themselves? What’s that? stories we told was Aydian’s PHOTO: LARAE LOBDELL Better kill themselves. It’s not a news story when a A. (Laughs) I actually haven’t ever told a Re - – who’s trans! What’s funny gay kid doesn’t kill him- or herself. publican that they should kill themselves, and is that anything I do that is vaguely in-line with launched in Portugal and Italy, and there are It Q. Who do you go to for advice? the one time on Bill Maher I said under my stuff that I’ve always done that’s pro-trans is Gets Better Projects in Latin America, Aus - A. I used to go to my mom, but my mom breath, “I wish they were all dead,” I immedi - now, “He’s just covering up for his transphobia tralia, the United Kingdom and Sweden – it’s passed away, so I go to my brother Billy. He ately apologized before anybody barked at me by being pro-trans.” kind of amazing. There’s probably 80,000 gives great advice. He’s a smart dude. about it. It was the wrong thing to say, and I Q. What do trans people point to? Why do videos, and millions of people have taken part Q. Does Terry give you good advice? apologized before anybody yelled at me. I did - some of them think you hate them? in the projects. A. (Laughs) Well … Terry and I are spouses; n’t wait for there to be a scandal to apologize. A. That I’ve used the word “tranny” and the It became part of a sensation, and then celebri - we talk about everything. Terry is a very smart You know, when you run your mouth for a liv - word “she-male” in my column. I stopped ties and politicians started jumping in; we did person, but usually when I need advice it’s ing, sometimes you run yourself into a ditch. using them after people raised objections, but not solicit videos from celebrities and politi - about Terry, so I can’t really go to Terry. It’s important at those moments to man-up and people still cite columns I wrote 10 years ago. cians. The ones that are really valuable to Q. What are some trends in gay sex? Have say, “Hey, that was wrong.” I think we all know more about trans issues everyday ordinary queer kids are the everyday dental dams caught on yet? People try to claim that I’m a bully – and it’s than we did 20 years ago. I have trans friends ordinary queer people who you haven’t heard A. No – dental dams for [oral intimate acts] bull$#&t. It’s actually a form of bullying, you who actually think we should use the term of. We don’t want to say that to be happy and “she-male” when we’re referring to a type of loved you have to be Ellen, because not every - See Savage on Page 21 www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 13 Screen Queen: The Gift Guide for all things LGBT or not By: Chris Azzopardi/ Special for TRT “C.C.” Bloom, a came to some of his more questionably gay Holden as Joe Gillis) who’s hurting for money FOR FANS OF Broadway star – characters. Obviously there’s Norman Bates as and could also be key to the comeback she so CHANNING share 30 years of a cross-dresser in Psycho , but there’s no ques - desperately needs. What starts as a movie- TATUM love, laughs, men tion that, viewed now, there’s a lot of gay going making partnership turns into codependency, a Magic Mike and tacky clothes. on in 1948’s Rope , about two probably-“it” screwy affair and ultimately murder. Rightfully It’s the season of On two very differ - men who murder a former classmate, stuff him regarded as one of the best American films of giving – and direc - ent paths, their in a chest and serve a buffet-style dinner on it. the 20th century, Sunset Boulevard is a deli - tor Steven Soder - lives converge During one extra, out screenwriter Arthur Lau - ciously campy black comedy about celebrity bergh is very when, decades rents and actor Farley Granger talk about the vanity that’s still relevant to the real-life stars generous with the after meeting as gay subtleties that were snuck into the play- of today – don’t you think Lindsay Lohan is amount of men he kids, Hillary drops turned-film. Fifteen more hours of bonus fea - ready for her close-up? Included on the stun - unwraps in his the cancer bomb on tures – commentaries, screen tests and a new ning Blu-ray remaster are an insightful com - male stripper C.C. We all know documentary on The Birds – accompany the 15 mentary and the debut of a deleted scene. movie. As if that wasn’t enough, he includes what happens after that, even 25 years after the films in this sublime Blu-ray collection (only an actual story. It’s not as beefy as Channing film’s release: “Wind Beneath My Wings” two have ever been released in this format). FOR RETIREES Tatum’s butt, but it’s there: Based on the plays over that sappy beach scene and – god The essential ones are all here: Rear Window , (AND THE PEO - actor’s real-life go as a peeler, Magic Mike help us – we turn into mush. So who cares if North by Northwest , Vertigo , with old-Holly - PLE WHO LOVE merges art-house indie with MTV video it’s got all the makings of a Lifetime movie and wood legends like Grace Kelly and Cary THEM) stripteases to tell the story of a veteran dancer the first hour seems longer than all the years Grant. And of course there’s Psycho , the movie The Best Exotic – and other “cock-block kings of Tampa” – we spend with these girls. This one’s about that secured Hitchcock’s master status. In hi- Marigold Hotel who learns there’s more to life than stuffing seeing The Divine Miss M in this hug-a-friend def, Anthony Perkins never looked so good as There’s not much dollar bills in a G-string. It’s part cautionary PSA. Extras include a new interview with a woman. eating or praying, tale/part reason for getting hot actors to take Mayim ‘Blossom’ Bialik, who plays young but grief and re - their clothes off in a legit film (hello, it’s C.C., and Bette’s “Wind Beneath My Wings” Sunset Boulevard newal – and lots of Soderbergh). Matthew McConaughey steals music video – for the real masochists. Sunset Boulevard loving – all reside scenes as the club’s resident dirtbag, and Matt was Gloria Swan - in this old people’s Bomer does a Ken doll routine that gives new FOR FILM BUFFS son at her crazy destination movie, The Best Exotic Marigold life to those Mattel toys. More of him – the Alfred Hitchcock: best (read: those Hotel . The delightful adaptation of the best - perfect little butt not seen in theaters – shows The Masterpiece eyes), inhabiting selling book casts seven retired strangers – up in the special features, which are truly, truly Collection the role of a played by the elite British ensemble of Judi special. Scary birds and a washed-up starlet Dench, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson – killer shower scene who’s lost her mar - who are off to India to experience new begin - FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO CRY gave Alfred Hitch - bles. The actress nings. When they arrive at what was advertised Beaches cock his nickname – plays Norma as a swanky resort (but isn’t), that turns out to There’s nothing like sobbing – with a cup of The Master of Sus - Desmond in the be nearly impossible – or so they thought. tea, in the fetal position, in bed (don’t pretend pense – but the great 1950 film noir you haven’t) – to Beaches . Two friends – filmmaker also left about said woman, a silent movie star long for - See Screen Queen page 16 Hillary Whitney, an ACLU attorney, and us hanging when it gotten, who takes in a fella (the studly William 14 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Are you ready to celebrate the December family holidays as an outsider? By: Deja Nicole Greenlaw*/ TRT Columnist within the family. The same is true when the side. by finally living as your true gender, it is very he Decem - son, brother, uncle, father, or grandfather be - How does it feel to be on the outside? How hard to go back to the “old gender” and the gins living as female. In the family, emotions does it feel when thoughts of past family holi - “old ways.” Forcing yourself back to the old

S ber holi - Tdays will may run high, as well as feelings of shame or days are recalled? There are family memories clothes, the old shoes, the old hairstyle and the soon be upon us. old mannerisms can do quite a psychological W Whether it’s number on you. All the work you’ve done

E Christmas, They could possibly change their wardrobe for mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritu - Hanukkah, Kwan - ally, now all has to take a step back, a big step. N the day, and dress as the gender that the family Add to that the resurgence of your old name zaa, or Yule, it’s a time of coming to - and old pronouns. They feel like bullets fired S gether as a family and celebrating the members prefer them to be . There are transgen - at you as you hear them again and again, as holidays. Holiday cheer, exchanging you are being constantly misaddressed and N gifts and celebrating with the members der people who do this, but it is very hard to do . misgendered. It’s very hard to keep a festive

A of your family is the order of the sea - mood under these conditions. Bless the trans - son, but sadly it’s not for everyone. In embarrassment, or even disgust. The transgen - of togetherness, happiness, laughter, sharing gender person who can pull this off. R far too many cases there are those who der person is now pushed into the position of the meal and holiday goodies and perhaps en - The other thing that you can do is to wait.

T are viewed as outsiders of the family being an outsider to the family. joying a cup of cheer. Now there are no holiday Wait until some period of time passes by and and who are not invited to take part in the fes - Is this fair to place a family member on the times with the family. Those times are gone, maybe one of the family members will change tivities. There are many reasons why some outside of the family, especially during the maybe forever. Now the ousted family member their mind and reach out to you. Maybe then may be viewed as being an outsider. One of family holiday season? What happened to the is forced to spend the holidays apart from the they can convince another family member to these reasons may be that there is a transgender love for this now ousted family member? family. Do the memories now become painful? give you a chance, then maybe another family family member, and the family might not want Maybe the other members of the family might Is there now a deep feeling of loss of family member, then another. It could happen. Time this member to be present at the celebration. not truly understand, but they can accept un - love? Are there tears? Yes, yes and yes. can change things. This family member now becomes an outsider conditionally, can’t they? Why not? Maybe in What can the transgender person do so that Until something changes, the transgender to the family. this case, the concepts of unconditional love they are welcomed back into the family? They family member will remain an outsider to the When a transgender person finally begins and unconditional acceptance could be too could possibly change their wardrobe for the family, maybe forever. living as their true gender, resistance may be much for some family members? Maybe the day, and dress as the gender that the family *Deja Nicole Greenlaw is a local encountered within the family. When a daugh - family needs more time to reflect? Maybe it’s members prefer them to be. There are trans - transwoman who has 3 grown children and ter, sister, aunt, mother, or grandmother begins some other reason, but in the meantime, the gender people who do this, but it is very hard works at 3M. She can be contacted at de - living as male, things might not go so smoothly transgender family member is left on the out - to do. After you have found your peace within [email protected] Ask a Transwoman: LGBT unity and trans solidarity part 2; why we must stand on our own By: Lorelei Erisis*/ TRT Columnist us. and Separatist Transsexuals each claiming to for Americans, our individual identity is impor - In the first part of this Even at that, while my Facebook feed is have nothing whatsoever to do with the other. tant to us. column, I presented my ar - filled with announcements of my gay and les - GenderQueer folks just stepping away from the At the same time, for similar reasons in fact,

gument for why the “T” bian friends tying the knot, I, as a transgender lot of it to have their own party! And all of them I celebrate the ways in which GenderQueer N

A belongs as an integral part woman, can still be asked to leave a restaurant, arguing about who should and should not be people challenge the binary and a host of other

H E

E of the LGBT Community. be removed from a bus or denied the use of standing under the Transgender Umbrella. gender norms, often disregarding gender alto - M

Why we are stronger to - public restrooms and changing areas, just be - All of this in-fighting, all of this splintering gether. I identify pretty solidly as a binary-

D I

V gether than apart. cause of my gender identity. of the community does nothing more than esque woman myself, but that doesn’t mean I

A D

I don’t see anyone putting off their big day alienate our allies and keep us from fighting ef - can’t appreciate what they are trying to do.

: Now, though, I shall O

T present my reasons why until I can safely go to the bathroom without fectively for the things that are really impor - I could go through the whole list of folks O

H we need to also stand on fear of being arrested. But then, why should tant. Like, you know, basic human rights. who fall under the Transgender Umbrella and P our own as Trans People, make similar statements. I do believe it’s im - united under a Transgender Umbrella, in soli - portant for us as a community to remember and darity with the LGB communities, yet a proud Transsexuals insulting Drag Queens . Drag Queens celebrate the richness of the parts that make up and distinct community ourselves. Why we our whole — all the hues of the Transgender must have our own vital and visible movement, belittling Transsexuals. post-Op disassociating from spectrum. though we march as an important unit of a big - But we have to set aside our differences and ger whole. pre-Op . Everyone heaping scorn on Crossdressers . work as one. Like it or not, as far as the outside Their causes must be our causes, just as we world goes, we are all the same bunch of “oth - hope that our causes will be theirs. That as the Closeted Crossdressers and Separatist Transsexu - ers.” Whether we mean to be or not. Whether fight for same-sex marriage and an end of we’re radically minded or middle of the road. DOMA win major victories, our GLB allies Whether we vote socialist, republican, libertar - will lend their considerable strength and back - als each claiming to have nothing whatsoever to do ian or democrat. We force people to think about ing to the still struggling Trans Rights Move - things they thought were settled and done. We ment. with the other. GenderQueer folks just stepping away question the accepted gender norms by our We hope they will, but such is not always the very existence, each and every one of us. And case. Witness how, on issues such as the Em - from the lot of it to have their own party ! and all of that can stir up a lot of ignorance and hate. ployment Non-Discrimination Act and other If we hope to be an effective part of the equal rights battles, as soon as push comes to them arguing about who should and should not be LGBT community, if we are going to become shove, transgender people are often the first a strong and viable movement for social thing to go. standing under the Transgender Umbrella . change and acceptance, we absolutely must We are told to be patient that our turn will find a way to stand united as our own commu - come. But then when the laws are passed and nity. We must figure out how to support each the ink dries, we so often find that we are still they? They are allies, but they are not us. We And hey, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s im - other, so that instead of being knocked down waiting out in the cold. must take the lead if we hope for them to fol - portant to remember and honor our separate as parts, we can raise ourselves up as a whole. In Massachusetts, for example, a place where low. identities. I understand why a lot of transsexu - As a distinct and unified community, we can I think the LGBT community is actually pretty How can we ask the rest of the LGB, etc. als fear that their own issues, access to surgical lead. We can be accepted as a big “T” in the unified, we had to wait for marriage equality to community to support us if they see us squab - procedures, proper insurance coverage and in - TLGB movement. Not a little “t” bringing up become a reality, while trans people still had bling so much among ourselves? Screaming clusion in mainstream society, to name a few, the rear. no rights at all. and shouting about who belongs and who will be subsumed by the larger movement. As I said previously, together we are strong. And yes, when it came time to pass our re - should lead and which issues are paramount. Many do not want to think of themselves as But ALL together, we are invincible! cent Trans Civil Rights Law, much of that ma - Transsexuals insulting Drag Queens. Drag radicals, or even anything other than “regular” Slainte! chine was retooled to help us. Nonetheless, it Queens belittling Transsexuals. Post-Op disas - men and women. They don’t want to disappear *Lorelei Erisis is Miss Trans New England still took a strong transgender community to sociating from Pre-Op. Everyone heaping in what some folks disparagingly refer to as 2009. Send your questions about trans issues lead the way and get that machine working for scorn on Crossdressers. Closeted Crossdressers “The Transgender Borg.” I get that. Especially to her at: [email protected]. www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 15 The Gay Year in Review: 10 Hot topics that had us talking in 2012 By: Mikey Rox*/ Special for TRT the veteran actor touched them inappropriately. President Obama, who has “always been more frequently letting the well-groomed ex - his year the LGBT community laughed Johnny boy was almost out the woods when the adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should otic cat out of the fabulous leather man-bag by together, cried together, and celebrated anonymous litigators both dropped their suits be treated fairly and equally,” called his thought treating with whom they share their lives and together as news broke on issues im - less than a month later, but then two more suits process on the issue an “evolution,” a statement their beds as a non-issue. Just as it should be. T surfaced: The first was filed by cruise-ship em - that gave renewed hope to the marriage-minded portant to us all. To refresh your memory on the year that almost was, here are our picks for the ployee Fabian Zanzi, who claimed that the LGBT community. All hail the chief. 5. Chick-Fil-A COO ignites firestorm with top stories that had us talking in 2012. Grease star made unwanted sexual advances to - controversial anti-equality comments 1. Atlantis Cruise couple caught in the act on ward him; the second suit was from Robert 4. ‘Non-coming-outs’ increasingly becoming Corporate bigwigs rarely make polarizing dockside balcony Randolph, author of the aforementioned tell-all the norm statements in the press for fear of biting the After a cruise ship operated by Atlantis who said that Tra - Celebrity com - proverbial hand that feeds its business, but Events ported on the Caribbean island of Do - volta and his ing-outs have al - Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy took off a few minica, hot-blooded lovers John Robert Hart, lawyer, Marty d? ways made news, fingers when he told the Baptist Press back in 41, and Dennis Jay Mayer, 53, of Palm Springs, Singer, spread vi - tre but this year their July that his family-owned fast-food chain was cious rumors about e ha declarations were “guilty as charged” in its unwavering support stepped out onto their Sky Suite balcony to take ell th in the view – and each other. The amorous va - the state of his men - Sm more likely to be of the “biblical definition of the family unit.” In cationers were quickly spotted by local by - tal health. Ran - buried within an ar - response to the Cluck You Heard ‘round the standers, prompting military police to board the dolph’s suit was ticle or treated as an World, the LGBT community and its allies – ship and arrest the diddling duo on charges of dismissed in court, aside instead of the including celebrities Ed Helms, Andy Richter, “buggery,” the local equivalent of sodomy. Hart but Zanzi’s suit still long-standing tradi - and The Muppets – called for a boycott of the and Mayer vehemently denied having inter - stands despite being tion of making restaurant while supporters (like the Palin fam - course on the balcony and subsequently called “ludicrous” headlines. “White ily and Mike Huckabee) rallied to celebrate an protested the “inhumane” treatment to which and “inane” by Singer. It remains to be seen Collar” star and all-around über-cutie Matt impromptu Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. De - they were subjected while in custody. After the who’ll come out on top in this Face/Off. Bomer acknowledged his sexual orientation spite the franchise’s dip in public approval, charges were dropped and they returned home, during an acceptance speech for a humanitarian however, it seems the deep-friend dissidence however, the couple finally admitted to doing 3. President Obama announces that he sup - award when he thanked his family, which in - wasn’t enough to cause permanent damage to the vertical mambo out in the open, but not ports same-sex marriage cludes his partner, publicist Simon Halls, and Chick-fil-A’s rancid reputation: It came out on without throwing shade at Atlantis Events for When President Obama took office for his their children, Kit, Walker, and Henry. Actor top of Market Force’s recent survey of Amer - taking them to a country where public poking first term, he was opposed to same-sex mar - Jim Parsons, star of the top-rated “The Big ica’s favorite chicken chains, and the 45th between consenting gay men is outlawed. riage because, in his words, he was sensitive to Bang Theory,” quietly came out in a profile in Chick-fil-A Bowl, to take place on New Year’s Since, ya know, it’s legal nowhere else either. the traditions that the word “marriage” repre - the New York Times. And the Silver Fox him - Eve, was nearly sold out for the 16th year in a sented to certain people and because he thought self, Anderson Copper, put years of gay rumors row as of press time. 2. John Travolta gets down and dirty with “civil unions would be sufficient.” But in May, to rest in an e-mail to blogger Andrew Sullivan multiple masseurs (allegedly) a day after North Carolinians passed a vote on who published Coop’s admission in his Daily 6. Collective gay hearts skip a beat with the Three weeks after a tell-all book detailing an amendment that defined marriage as a union Beast column The Dish. Coincidentally, the release of nude pics of Prince Harry John Travolta’s penchant for naked time on between a man and a woman, the now-two- catalyst for Cooper’s matter-of-fact coming out Despite what the adage promises, what hap - massage tables, two masseurs (whose identities term prez did an about-face, officially affirming was a story in a June issue of Entertainment pens in Vegas never stays in Vegas, and scar - were kept secret) came forward claiming that his support for same-sex marriage in an exclu - Weekly titled “The New Art of Coming Out in sive interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts. Hollywood,” all about how today’s stars are See Gay Year on page 21 16 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Screen Queen from page 13 quotables. Film aficionados analyze his impres - Ebenezer Scrooge heck out of “Somewhere,” Lea Michele doing sive oeuvre during the Critics Corner extra, and with this Blu-ray re - “My Man” and a career-best from Faith Hill on Dench, as a newly widowed woman, adds an - there’s a Q&A with Tarantino and Grier who re - lease. Fresh off a “Send in the Clowns.” But it’s Babs herself, per - other dynamic performance to her IMDB list, unite to talk Jackie Brown . Both are among five welcome big-screen forming two songs at the end, who shows these as does a fiery Smith playing a wheelchair- hours of new special features. Pantsuit not in - return with The girls why they’re bowing down to The Voice. bound racist and Wilkinson in the role of a gay cluded. Muppets , out last man with romantic ties to India. With so much year, Kermit and FOR TV acting greatness, no wonder there’s a Blu-ray FOR KIDS (AT Miss Piggy take on FANS extra dedicated to them: “Casting Legends” re - HEART) the Cratchits with Friends: The inforces why The Golden Girls aren’t the only Finding Nemo charm – and, in the Complete Se - blue hairs worth our time. Who knew a fish case of the latter, ries that speaks whale diva audaciousness The legacy of FOR HIPSTERS and forgets every - – while Michael Caine as Scrooge does a dead- Friends isn’t Tarantino XX thing could keep on interpretation of the legendary party pooper. just Jennifer Women are fierce in Ellen DeGeneres’ Two new extras, including Christmas carols Aniston’s hair: the twisted world of career swimming? from the singing puppets when the movie’s The award- Quentin Tarantino. Finding Nemo , paused, debut on this edition. Joy to the world, winning NBC show about six pals living in New They cease knife though, was just as the Muppets have come. York was a cultural phenomenon with ratings brawls, kick Kurt much a success for that are unheard of today in TV land. But it did - Russell’s butt and the once-lambasted FOR MUSIC n’t just champion the tube. Friends , which rock a pantsuit with lesbian (turned cool talk-show host) as it was LOVERS wrapped in 2004, was the first show to ever tele - the empowering for Pixar, who made box-office history with its A MusiCares Trib - vise a lesbian wedding – and even though it was swagger of a lesbian. sweet story of a fish tyke separated from his dad ute to Barbra no Will & Grace , it definitely registered a 3 on That’s why his iconic after braving the underwater world – the catalyst Streisand the Kinsey scale for its sly gay jokes and bud - femme fatales are so revered: They are to film for his father to face his own fears as he sets out Imagine having to ding bromances. Now those – and wedding pro - what Madonna is to music. The Kill Bill dyad’s on a wild adventure with Dory to find his son. sing for Barbra posals, triplets and a really bad tan – can be Uma Thurman as an avenging Bride, Zöe Bell Nemo , released in 2003, raised the (sand)bar for Streisand – and not revisited outside of reruns, with all 10 seasons and Rosario Dawson holding their own in a animated features of the last 10 years, but now just any song, but as they aired in glowing hi-def and reformatted high-speed car chase, and pre- L Word Pam Grier – on Blu-ray and in 3D for the first time – one of hers. The for widescreen sets. Along with an episode in a wildly amusing grrl-power plot that has her there’s no forgetting that this Oscar winner is thought itself makes guide, the discs come in a hardcover book double-crossing a money launderer – they’re all one of Pixar’s masterpieces. Even if you’re you wish for over- housed in a handsome box that features a ma - here in this 10-disc commemorative release that Dory. the-counter Xanax, even if your name is Faith turing hologram of the cast. Seventeen hours of celebrates the influential and controversial vir - Hill, Diana Krall, Barry Manilow, Leona Lewis extras are carried over from previous releases, tuoso. Also among them: Tarantino’s earliest The Muppet Christmas Carol or any of the other artists who tribute the legend while brand-new retrospectives and a gag reel films, Reservoir Dogs and True Romance , and For the ’90s generation of kids, it wasn’t Christ - during this gala recorded in February 2011. make their debut. For anyone wanting to re - Pulp Fiction , the quintessential 1994 release mas without the Muppets. Now the Justin Babs’ music career is swiftly captured in just member Central Perk and the musical musings that became as well-known for its imitable style Bieber crowd – and grown-ups who still re - one hour, with Krall’s opening performance of of Phoebe Buffay, this is the way to go. as it did for that gay rape scene. Those films member this holiday classic as a gay ol’ time – “Down with Love” – from 1963 – all the way Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the launched a career of pop-culture riffs and genre can bask in all the lighthearted glee of watching through to Streisand’s 2011 release What Mat - international LGBT wire service. Reach him via subversion with high body counts and hardcore Jim Henson’s puppet pals starring alongside ters Most . Standouts include Lewis belting the his website at www.chris-azzopardi.com. www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 17 Pregúntale a Lambda Legal: ¿Podré Lo importante es compartir nuestra felicidad salir del clóset con los ‘Boy Scouts’? con los demás durante las festividades Por: Thomas Ude, Jr./ Abodado de Lambda nación perjudicial del BSA. El escrito dice que Por: Wilfred W. Labiosa*/ Columnista de TRT aquellos/as que lo necesitan ahora y en el 2013. Legal aunque los “Scouts” tienen derecho para ex - urante este A las personas que viven en el área de Nueva S

presar sus creencias, como reconocido en el S Querido Lambda Legal: E mes de fi - York y Nueva Jersey que siguen viviendo en al - H N caso de Dale, la discriminación aún hace bas - bergues por la devastación del huracán Sandy; P: Soy un Eagle Scout y C estas I

R D tante daño. A la ciudad de Filadelfia no se le a las personas vagabundas a través de nuestra E vamos a celebrar y

soy gay. Comencé en los O

: O “Boy Scouts” cuando tenía requiere continuar aportando un subsidio a la I darnos regalos que nación; a aquellos/as que no tienen de comer; T

conducta discriminatoria de los “Boy Scouts”, O no sean materiales. a aquellos/as que necesitan nuestra mano para seis años H S y quiero llegar a ser un al darle uso exclusivo y gratis de una oficina P ¡En vez, démonos re - salir de su adicción(es); y en general al prójimo I jefe de “Scouts” para mi de la ciudad. galos de amor, felici - que necesita de nosotros/as.

tropa local, pero no quiero El BSA tiene derecho a sus políticas perju - V dad, paz y Durante esta época de fiestas (y si pueden) ocultar mi diciales y discriminatorias al restringir su lid - deseémonos prosperidad! Hay mucho ofrezcan de su tiempo o dinero. Recuerden que erazgo; y ha escogido continuar así, resistiendo que celebrar ya que ganaron muchos/as este regalo durará mucho más y les aseguro que

orientación sexual. ¿Qué debo hacer? N aliado/as en el ámbito político al igual le va a traer felicidad, una sonrisa y paz. Como R: A pesar los esfuerzos de muchas personas – incluyendo I de cuánto ha muchos que un número alto de candidatos/as gay dijo Oprah Winfrey: “Un regalo es la manera cambiado el “scouts” anteri - T y lesbianas. También hay que celebrar de expresar como uno se siente hacia la otra persona”. No seamos tan materialistas y demos mundo desde Los individuos lesbianas, gay o ores y “Eagle A ya que en el 2012 hubo muchos logros Scouts” líderes. para la comunidad Latina y LGBT. un paso para recibir esa paz interna. Proveamos la fundación de L un regalo que exprese a otro/as como uno se los “Boy bisexuales implicados con el Pero la Consti - Espero que todos/as podamos ofrecer el regalo de amor, felicidad y paz a nuestros/as siente internamente. Se que dar una donación Scouts of tución no re - BSa tienen que hacer una quiere que los seres queridos, compañeros de trabajo y veci - monetaria, tiempo, cualquier otra cosa, les va America” nos/as. Más importante aún espero que po - a traer una sonrisa, se van a sentir bien y les va (BSA), tantos grupos anti-gay reciban subven - damos ofrecerlo también al prójimo que no a traer un regocijo en sus almas. No hay ningún jóvenes como decisión difícil acerca de sentimiento ciones públicas conocemos o tu todavía no mejor que éste. para facilitar su al que nos pueden vivir revelar su orientación sexual desea odio y ... hay que celebrar ya que en el Espero que abiertamente discriminación. todos/as reciban Por favor desigualdad. en una de y arriesgar represalias o ser En este 2012 hubo muchos logros para este regalo que toma en cuenta las organiza - mundo necesi - nunca se olvida ciones más expulsados. que esto no es tamos más la comunidad Latina y LGBT. (o se rompe). grandes para asesoramiento amor, felici - Quizás estos jóvenes en los jurídico. Si dad y paz, ya conceptos sean Estados Unidos. tienes preguntas sobre los “Boy Scouts” en tu que nos hace falta. Debemos comenzar con un poco extraños para algunos/as pero espero Desafortunadamente, el BSA nacional ha ciudad, llama a nuestra Línea de Ayuda: 866- nosotros mismos ya que debemos tenerle com - que comiencen a pensar al respecto y que le dicho en varias ocasiones que concilios locales 542-8336, o visita www.lambdalegal.org/help . pasión al prójimo y al que nos desea mal por den la oportunidad de realizarlos. ¡Qué mejor deben conformarse con la prohibición dis - Lee este artículo en inglés via: que la persona que nunca nos acepta tiene un tiempo de tratar algo diferente que esta época criminatoria hacia miembros y líderes que sean http://tinyurl.com/btjxmjp destino incierto. Como dice la canción El Gran de fiestas! ¡Les deseo a todos/as una Feliz gay o bisexual – esto continúa molestando a Varón (por Willie Colon): “Hay que tenerle Navidad, Hanukah, y Kwanza! Espero que en los jóvenes y a sus familias a través del país. compasión, basta ya de moral negra y el que el año que viene todos/as podamos recibir feli - Aunque el BSA sea una organización que ¡Anúnciate con esté libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra cidad, armonía, paz, y prosperidad. enseña el valor de respeto para otros, y no la … El que nunca perdona tiene el destino cierto *Escrito por Wilfred Labiosa, psicólogo y discriminación, los “Scouts” abiertamente The Rainbow Times! de vivir amargos recuerdos en su propio in - representante regional en la Organización Na - gay continúan siendo castigados por mantener fierno”. cional LGBT Latina: Unid@s. Este enero 2013 los valores que aprendieron. Al igual que celebrar hay que tener un mo - habrá una conferencia organizada por NGLTF Los individuos lesbianas, gay o bisexuales Patrocinador Oficial de mento de contemplar y ayudarnos los unos a con días y sesiones para la comunidad Latina implicados con el BSA tienen que hacer un - Boston Pride, Latino los otros ya que hubo mucha devastación en el LGBT; para mas información visita, 2012. Si podemos, demos el regalo de ayudar http://tinyurl.com/cbqt6lk. adecisión difícil acerca de revelar su ori - Pride, NAGLY, HBGC, y entación sexual y arriesgar represalias o serexpulsados. Mientras la opinión pública no otros eventos a través de apoya la política discriminatoria del BSA, ac - todo el año 2012. tualmente la ley no la prohíbe. En 1992, Lambda Legal presentó un caso a favor de “Eagle Scout” James Dale contra el Tu fuente latina de noti - BSA y su Concilio local en Nueva Jersey, de - cias Gays, Lesbianas, Bi - spués de que el BSA le prohibió a Dale con - sexuales y Transgéneros. tinuar como un líder adulto de “Scouts” por ser El periódico de mayor lec - gay. Lambda Legal defendió su caso hasta la Corte Suprema de EE.UU., la cual, en el 2000, tura por los Latinos LGBT decidió que el BSA es un grupo privado con en Nueva Inglaterra. derecho constitucional de excluir a personas abiertamente gay de sus puestos de liderazgo. Desde la decisión de la Corte Suprema, muchas familias, padres, grupos religiosos, corporaciones, ciudades y escuelas han deter - 617-444-9618 minado que la discriminación anti-gay no es saludable para cualquier niño y le han puesto fin a su apoyo financiero del BSA. Lambda Legal continúa ayudando y asistiendo a los que escogen no apoyar dicha discriminación. En 2010, Lambda Legal presentó un escrito como amigo de la corte para apoyar la ciudad de Filadelfia en su decisión de ponerle fin a su subvención de la discrimi - 18 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Tomlin and Tina, Chelsea Handler, Divine, Bill Condon By: Romeo San Vicente*/ Special for TRT

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the other team. And P doesn’t have to import any lesbians for its sto - Y when Admission , her latest film, opens rylines. L next spring, that audience will get the

L added bonus of actual lesbian Lily Tom - Gay documentary round-up: Divine at the lin as a co-star. The story revolves Continental

O around Fey as a college admissions di - Jeffrey Schwarz, the documentary filmmaker rector who both falls for Paul Rudd and whose most recent movie, the highly acclaimed H learns that the baby she gave up for Vito (about the life of The Celluloid Closet ’s

adoption might well be a maladjusted groundbreaking film writer and historian, Vito E genius applying for admission to her Russo) received a coveted HBO premiere, is school. It’s always good news when hard at work on his next film. Shining deserved D light on another gay icon, Glenn Milstead, aka

I Tomlin decides to do a film, but it’s al - ways just as interesting to see how Fey Divine, I Am Divine will pay loving tribute to

S carries a movie that she didn’t write. The the equally groundbreaking film star, a man who star didn’t call her book Bossypants for did for insane drag what his close friend, direc - N no reason: as former head writer of SNL , tor John Waters, did for insane cinema. The film I

screenwriter of Mean Girls and creator will feature interviews with Waters, Ricki Lake, of 30 Rock , she is, more often than not, Bruce Vilanch, Tab Hunter, Mink Stole and P seemingly in charge of her own destiny. Holly Woodlawn and is currently in post-pro -

E But she’s had pretty good luck so far, ap - duction. pearing comfortably at home in the Meanwhile, Continental , the latest from doc - E comedies Baby Mama and Date Night . umentary filmmaker Malcolm Ingram ( Small And if she can do warm-hearted ro - Town Gay Bar ) will explore the heyday of New D mance-and-family comedy without turn - York City’s famed Continental Baths. A gay ing it all inside out with Liz Lemon-style bathhouse that became a non-gay entertainment self-deprecation and absurdity, she’ll be inching venue as it launched the musical careers of Bette closer to, well, a persona her fans don’t quite Midler and Barry Manilow, drawing crowds of recognize. And you’ll have to wait until March celebrities and regular gay guys in towels look - of 2013 to find out. ing for anonymous sex, Continental is sure to open younger gay eyes to the subculture of 1970s hedonism in the same way that Paris is Burning brought the world of late 1980s drag balls to moviegoers’ attention. Be on the lookout for both films to turn up at festivals sometime in 2013.

From Dreamgirls to Twilight to… Wikileaks? Gay filmmaker Bill Condon translated his slowly growing career success directing movies like God and Monsters and Kinsey into a spot helming the big-budget Dreamgirls and, finally, Tina Fey both parts of the global smash franchise The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn . What this Chelsea Handler presents Fortune Feim - and who regularly engages in whatever frank means now is that he can do pretty much what - ster’s furniture show sexual discussions Handler initiates with the ro - ever he wants, so he’s going to tackle an entirely Regular viewers of the extremely loose late- tating comic panel. And ABC has taken notice different sort of challenge: Wikileaks and the night talk show Chelsea Lately know Fortune of this dynamic, greenlighting a half-hour sit - fate of its head whistleblower in charge, Julian Feimster very well. She’s the brash, plus-size, com written, produced and starring Feimster Assange. You may remember that Assange go-to lesbian comic on staff who can play both and co-executive produced by Handler. It’s started the website as a source for leaked diplo - Honey Boo Boo and Honey Boo Boo’s mother called Discounted and it’s a rural, blue-collar matic cables and messages in order to expose corruption in world governments, a job for which he received few thank-you notes. Nego - tiations are currently underway to cast James McAvoy opposite Benedict Cumbatch (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), who’ll play the embattled Assange, a man still facing prosecution by the United States. And if McAvoy signs on he’ll star as Daniel Domscheit-Berg, whose book Inside WikiLeaks: My Time With Julian Assange At The World’s Most Dangerous Website will serve as one screenplay source for the DreamWorks project. No timeline is set for this one just yet, but it’s going to have to wait until Condon is fin - ished promoting those sparkly vampires all over the globe. Think 2014.

*Romeo San Vicente could leak all sorts of in - formation, but it would only embarrass some A- list male celebrities whose hearts he broke back in the day. He can be reached care of this pub - lication or via his work e-mail address at: [email protected]. www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 19 Why 2012 should take its place Creep of the Week: The Trade Union of Russian Citizens, losing to Madonna next to 1969 in LGBT History By: D’Anne Witkowski*/ Special for TRT laughing too much. By: Abby Dees*/ Special for TRT After 28 straight defeats for marriage equality o not f#@k with Madonna. And you kind of have to laugh when you get ights and fabulous - at the state-level, by popular vote, since 1998, a load of some of the crazy testimony heard. ness make history; we won four marriage referenda in one shot, S "Who will children grow up to be if they hear D about the equal rights of the lesbian lobby and good news and pol - three of which were ballot measures legalizing Not many court opinions can be

F W icy shifts rarely do. As an same-sex marriage. We’ve never been able to summarized in five words, but when it manly love with traditional sexual relations?" vote down a marriage ban and suddenly people one plaintiff testified. “The death rate prevails example, I don’t think I’ve E comes to a favorable ruling for seen more than two pictures are all for it in places as un-swishy as Maine. Madonna after a right-wing group in over the birth rate in the West; young guys are

from the 1969 Stonewall Emboldened by the passage of North Car - N Russia sued her for not hating gay becoming gender neutral.” riots, but my mind is filled olina’s draconian Amendment One in May, people, I think this about does it. Ah, yes, the children. Just who will these chil - If you aren’t familiar with the case, dren learning about “manly love” from The National Organization for Marriage de - P with images of those amaz - Madonna grow up to be? Androgynous and ing ‘60s-era drag queens using handbags like cided to bet the house on the overwhelming in August an anti-gay and pro-Kremlin E group calling itself the Trade Union of dead, I suppose. weapons and kicking out the back of a police opposition to marriage equality among racial The plaintiffs even submitted, as evidence, ar -

E Russian Citizens sued Madonna for over $10 million for daring to speak in ticles from Wikipedia, “claiming that a real en - cyclopedia could not have articles about R favor of gay rights during a St. Peters - ... I believe that historians will one day look back burg concert. homosexuality,” according to the AP. You can’t C Madonna and her band waved rain - even use Wikipedia as evidence in a freshman and declare 2012 a great civil rights turning bow flags on stage and handed out pink comp paper, by the way. point. bracelets, t-shirts, and rainbow banners reading “We aren't against homosexual people, but we “No Fear” to the crowd. are against the propaganda of perversion among Now, if you know anything about Madonna minors,” plaintiff testimony continued. “We van with stiletto heels. Stonewall is so burned minorities. Then NOM lost. Nov. 6 exit polls you’ll notice that this sounds pretty tame. want to defend the values of a traditional family, into my consciousness as The Beginning that show that both African-American and Latino What’s the big deal? Is being pro-gay illegal in which are currently in crisis in this country. it hardly matters that I’ve never really seen voters support marriage equality by a large St. Petersburg? Madonna violated our laws and she should be what it looked like. margin. (Can we finally put that myth to rest, Why, yes. It is. At least since March when a punished.” Did you also know that four years earlier everyone?) law was passed banning “propaganda of But it was not to be as the judge called there was an organized gay rights protest in Tammy Baldwin, from Wisconsin, became front of the White House? In 1965, brave the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate, members of the Mattachine Society and the and she was just one of the 152 openly LGBT Daughters of Bilitis put on suits (the men) and candidates up for election on Nov. 6. Seventy- That’s right. One day you’re a young Russian man or dresses (the women), carried signs and politely seven percent of them won in such notoriously picketed one Saturday afternoon. This was no pink bastions as North Dakota and West Vir - woman at a Madonna concert , the next you’re re - small thing, considering that homosexuality ginia. was still listed as a mental disorder. Still, it Stacie Laughton of New Hampshire became nouncing procreative sex in order to subvert the looked more like a bunch of accountants the first openly trans person elected to state of - protesting tax code changes. fice, and self-described pansexual Mary Gon - military. I’ve seen a lot of pictures from that day, and zales of El Paso became a Texas state I might even argue that 1965 is Year One of the representative. sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgen - bull$#&t on it all and sent the Trade Union of modern LGBT rights movement, not 1969. Yet 2012 also set the stage for what could be our derism, and pedophilia to minors,” and now Russian Citizens packing. that protest has become not much more than biggest legal victory yet: Three different circuit waving rainbow flags is apparently hard-core As for this “we aren’t against homosexual an interesting footnote in our collective histor - courts (the 1st, 2nd and 9th) ruled for marriage gay propaganda in this part of Russia. people” stuff? That’s bull$#&t, too. Anyone ical memory compared to the sheer brass of equality. The odds favor at least one of these And so a bunch of anti-gay nuts sued. And who passes or supports laws that make support Stonewall. cases making it to the Supreme Court next lost. for LGBT equality illegal is definitely against I have a feeling 2012 might go down like year, which has implications for LGBT rights According to the Associated Press, during a people. And while this might seem like some - 1965. There’s hardly any photographic evi - far beyond marriage. While the Court could court hearing the Trade Union of Russian Citi - thing far removed from the United States, we dence this year of a critical mass of queers rule against us, good money says it won’t, es - zens “claimed that Madonna's so-called ‘propa - forget at our peril that there are plenty of folks who see anti-gay laws like St. Petersburg’s a pushing down the fences and stopping traffic, pecially if it chooses to hear the DOMA cases ganda of perversion’ would negatively affect instead of the Prop 8 case. Either way, the out - Russia's birthrate and erode the nation's defense model for what should be happening right here. and I don’t remember a word being about We’ve made a lot of progress, but there is still LGBT rights in the Presidential debates, come will send us out in the streets, in celebra - capability by depriving the country of future sol - diers.” much work to be done. Don’t just stand there, though I did nod off a few times. You could tion or fury. And watch: that will be the day we let’s get to it. even say 2012 was boring, which would be a remember. That’s right. One day you’re a young Russian man or woman at a Madonna concert, the next *D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay shame, because I believe that historians will *Abby is a civil rights attorney-turned-au - since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet one day look back and declare 2012 a great thor who has been in the LGBT rights trenches you’re renouncing procreative sex in order to subvert the military. (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps civil rights turning point. for 25+ years. She can be reached at: of the world she reviews rock ‘n’ roll shows in www.queerquestionsstraighttalk.com. The AP also reported that the judge almost Let’s not say goodbye to 2012 without giv - kicked journalists out of the courtroom for Detroit with her twin sister. ing it its due: Obama “evolved” on same-sex marriage. Right, overdue, whatever. But then he went on to become the first president elected on a platform of full LGBT equality. That didn’t happen in 2008, and it couldn’t have. For the last 12 years, LGBT rights have been used as a wedge issue to get out the conservative vote. Notice how little of that there was this time around, though there were marriage initiatives in swing states – oh, and Obama took all the states that put marriage on the ballot. We didn’t have a Prop 8. We didn’t even have a loss. 20 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com ACOS holds annual art auction fundraiser: Raises monies for HIV/AIDS programming By: Clara Lefton/ TRT Reporter PHOTOS BY: JDHS PHOTOS munity, so being able to give to a cause that can affect my societal group means a lot to In October, AIDS Ocean State Care, me," explained Shaw. "Most of all, I was hon - ACOS, held its 16th annual Art Beat, ored to be there among other artists and con - D an auction dedicated to raising money tributors." for those affected by AIDS and HIV in

N For those unable to attend in person, ACOS Rhode Island. The live silent auction has included an online portion of bidding for A took place at the Providence Biltmore the last nine years. This often includes gift cer - Hotel on October 19, while the online L tificates and smaller items, and also allows an portion was spread out over September international opportunity for those to access S 8 through October 15. After expenses, the “Bidding For Good” website. Ultimately, I the event raised a total of $36,897, the internet bids have allowed ACOS to gener - falling just short from last year’s ate a buzz about the event before it physically E $39,540. happens.

D "The success is not just measured in "We've found over the years that we are see - donations but the visual representation ing more people coming to the auction because O of art auctioned for a cause. Folks par - they saw it online. Last year we had a couple ticipate … with the excitement of auc -

H from Chicago that came up specifically to bid tion competitiveness and the on a piece that was in the live auction," said R satisfaction of contributing to the AIDS Hartley, who is in his eighth year with ACOS. community," said ACOS President and CEO His assistant, Kalene Brennan, Development Paul Fitzgerald. "I was pleased with this years' and Communications Manager, also believes experience." the organization has a good formula going. She The live auction brought in 322 people, Kitty Litter with Kim Zandy, from 92 PRO-FM pointed out that Art Beat has attracted back where each $45 ticket gave access to a 6:30 credible sponsors, including Bank of Rhode Is - p.m. cocktail party and then to the show at 8 said. "Last year she bought the safari that we "It was super important for me to contribute auctioned off, so she was able to to talk about because I am an avid promoter of the LGBT land, who provided event registration volun - p.m. teers, and Citizen's Bank, who has largely For the past two years, the live gala has been that. This year she bought a piece of art. So community. My work almost always is in re - next year she'll come back and talk all about sponsored ACOS in most events for the past hosted by local celebrities Kim Zandy of 92 three years. PRO-FM and Miss Kitty Litter, the drag queen that artist." This year’s big attractions included “Project "We've been doing this event for 16 years alter ego of ACOS' Development Director, and people are still excited about it. That's Stephen Hartley. Runway” Season 7 finalist Jonathan Peters, as the Featured Celebrity Designer. Also the Cre - probably the most important thing because Hartley attributed Zandy as a strong promo - sometimes, with long running events, people tional tool for the night. ative Director and Vice President of Brand De - velopment at StyleWeek Providence, Peters' tend to get bored ... But this event, year after "She schmoozes for an hour and a half be - year, has always been a huge success for us be - fore [the auction and] gets them all going," he custom gown sold for $3,500. The evening's Featured Artist, Dennis Akervik Coelho, sold cause we always get great, new artists and his oil on canvas piece "Ice Castles" for some of our artists have been donating to us TOP 10 BEST SELLER VIDEOS for over 10 years. So it's a good mix. It's al - Courtesy: WolfeVideo.com $8,000. "It is a great event with wonderful visual arts ways nice to see the mix of old and new at our on sale through the beneficence of donors to Art Beat." said Brennan. an appreciating audience. All in a great cause. All of the funds raised from the auction will LESBIAN TOP 10 go directly toward helping the state's largest 1. Kiss Me I had a wonderful time at the event and this year, once again, noticed that there is an abun - AIDS service agency, now in its 22nd year. 2. A Perfect Ending: Auto- dance of new supporters to this cause," said the Programs and services do not require medical graphed Photo + DVD 2012 Honorary Chair, Roz Rustigian of Rusti - coverage, and offer a wide variety of care op - 3. Elvis & Madonna gian Rugs. tions. ACOS offers free HIV testing, as well as emotional and clinical assistance. The organi - 4. The Guest House Although the art auction is a great opportu - nity for those with well-established careers, Art zation also offers housing assistance and vari - 5. Chely Wright: Wish Me Beat 2012 also opened doors for artists new to ous support groups. Away the event. The self described "'neo-pop gay "It was important for me to contribute to the 6. Lost Girl: Season 2 artist" Phil Shaw featured his six piece, bright event because it aligns closely with my passion 7. The Perfect Family acrylic "Fierce Fresh Fish," which sold for Kitty Litter with Jonathan Peters from Project — art, and the funds raised stay in the local community for a very important, life-threaten - 8. Joe + Belle $1,050. Shaw's participation allowed him to Runway, auctioning off his "one of a kind" gown connect with an audience he loves and network sponse or in reference of something related to ing disease," said Jonathan Luke O'Brien, a 9. The Secret Diaries of Miss with other artists in his field. the LGBT com - sponsor of the event, whose artwork was fea - Anne Lister tured for the 10. Farewell, My Queen first time. Thiis coulld have been your ad! "My experi - ence was 661177--444444--99661188 great! It was my first Art GAY TOP 10 Beat and I 1. Gayby will be defi - nitely partici - 2. The Men Next Door pating next 3. The Wise Kids year." 4. Elliot Loves For more 5. Weekend information 6. August about ACOS 7. Funkytown and upcom - 8. Keep the Lights On ing fundrais - ing events, 9. Judas Kiss visit ACOS: 10. North Sea Texas www.aid - scareos.org . www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 21 Savage from page 12 A. Gay people tend to know more about sex Gay Year from page 15 rights by posing sweaty and shirtless in the No - didn’t catch on during the worst of the AIDS and be better at it than straight people, because vember issue of OUT magazine. Even though sex is what makes us not straight people so we let-haired hottie Prince Harry learned that the professional sports still isn’t exactly an arena epidemic; they’re certainly not catching on hard way when, after a night of Sin City-style now. Trends in sex: Well, kink has gone com - think about it more. So everything I write of acceptance, progress is being made – and partying, scandalous photos of the undressed pletely mainstream. I’d like to think that my about – not everything; I haven’t salined my that’s something we can all cheer for. column sort of opened the discussion of kink b@!!s. Not yet, anyway. The night is young. British blue blood leaked and spread like wild - and helped make it more mainstream. Look at Who knows what could happen. But I take a fire across the Interwebs – thanks to perennial 8. More LGBT characters represented on Fifty Shades of Grey now. Back when, people healthy interest in variance and difference. I’m celeb whistleblower TMZ. The images – TV than ever before who had the audacity to hang Robert Map - always kind of curious about what people are snapped by a cell phone from within a private After last year’s drop in LGBT characters on plethorpe pictures in museums were put on up to. We have, I think, a pretty awesome sex suite at Wynn Last Vegas – feature the ginger the big five networks – ABC, NBC, CBS, trial; newspapers and courts talked about S&M life, and it’s adventurous and we’ve been to - Royal Army lieutenant cupping his junk in one FOX, and The CW – GLAAD’s annual as if it were the most depraved and disgusting gether a long time and everything is still pretty photo and baring all in the back while pressed “Where We Are on TV” report found that there against an equally naked lady in another. Gay are more of us represented on television than tails everywhere wagged for the salacious ever before. Out of 97 scripted shows and 701 snapshots that sent the son of Prince Charles total regular characters, 31 identify as LGBT, Gay sex always had at its heart that sex is and the late Princess Diana into hiding for as do an additional 19 recurring characters. days, presumably while Queen Liz gave her Cable’s scripted shows upped their antes as about pleasure and intimacy and not about re - grandson, who’s third in line for the throne, a well, raising their number from 29 LGBT char - tongue lashing for the ages… while you fanta - acters last season to 35 this year. As individual production – and it’s not about reproduction sized about giving him one of your own. networks go, ABC has the most LGBT regu - lars – 10 in total – with CBS coming in last for straight people either , but they like to pre - 7. Straight sports stars stand up for equality place with only four. That number was recently There are still no out-and-proud active athletes cut in half, however, by the abrupt-but-war - tend that it is . in any of the four major sports (MLB, NBA, ranted canceling of freshman series “Partners,” NFL and NHL), but this year some of the (as - starring Michael Urie and Brandon Routh as a sumed) straight players helped pick up the thing that a human being could possibly do … great. (Laughs) committed gay couple. Sad, but maybe the Eye Q. There were about four other adjectives slack by speaking out in favor of marriage Network will repent and make Two and a Half next to gay sex. And if you did it in addition to equality. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bren - gay sex or at the same time, oh my god – you in there. Men’s Walden Schmidt the hot gay nerd we all A. There were! Some people are shocked when don Ayanbadejo, who has promoted LGBT wish his alter ego, Ashton Kutcher, was in real were Satan. Now it’s pretty mainstream. But equality for several years, stood firm on his that’s human sexuality. they come over to our house and they expect life. Time for a letter-writing campaign. stance despite a nasty letter to Ravens owner Gay sex always had at its heart that sex is about that there will be a sling over the dining room pleasure and intimacy and not about reproduc - table, and there isn’t. It’s very Ozzie and Har - Steven Biscotti from Maryland legislator Em - 9. First openly gay senator elected to Con - tion – and it’s not about reproduction for riet around here. We kind of have a grandma mett C. Burns Jr. calling on Biscotti to silence gress straight people either, but they like to pretend house. It’s very boring. Not that we don’t have the player regarding his public advocacy of gay At least 118 gay and lesbian candidates won that it is. Straight people have a lot more sex a sling; we do – it’s just not hanging over the marriage, a request that Biscotti refused. In the local and state races during the 2012 election than they have babies. dining room table. midst of the uproar, Ayanbadejo and the LGBT cycle, but perhaps the most notable is Tammy Q. For someone who gives advice on sex, you *Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndi - community gained another ally in Minnesota Baldwin: the seven-term Democratic congress - must have a pretty fulfilling, or at least en - cate, the international LGBT wire service. Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, who shot back at tertaining, sex life. How much of the advice Reach him via his website at www.chris-az - Burns for his insensitive rhetoric then solidi - Read the rest of this story at: you give is based on your own sex life? zopardi.com. fied his commitment to equality and human http://tinyurl.com/d8zf5q8 22 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com www.therainbowtimesmass.com • The Rainbow Times • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • 23 The OutField: No turkeys this Thanksgiving, but LGBT cheer By: Dan Woog*/ Special for TRT The National Football League seemed al - line. Some were sponsored by organizations, Navratilovas and Tom Waddells, and many o what do most relieved that the national conversation like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education others — who, in their own ways and their own turned from concussions and Tim Tebow’s Network. Some were the work of individuals, times, first opened the locker room closet door

S LGBT Americans Christianity to a passionate defense of gay like straight ally Hudson Taylor’s Athlete Ally. that the rest of us walked through. T S have to be thankful marriage by an articulate, insightful punter and All are gaining adherents and gathering power We should thank the leaders of LGBT ath - for this Thanksgiv - an equally outspoken linebacker. Both athletes every day. And — although each works to letic organizations – Gay Games, leagues and R ing? were inspired to activism by ballot initiatives make itself eventually irrelevant — all are cru - teams, in sports ranging from softball, flag

O The passage of in their states (Minnesota and Maryland). Both cial to the cause. football and volleyball to running, swimming same-sex marriage in turn inspired thoughtful debate on gay mar - For trans athletes, the news is good too. and bicycling – for creating safe spaces for gay P in three more states riage, as well as the generational divide sur - Sports governing bodies have moved beyond men and lesbians to participate. We should rounding that issue that’s increasingly apparent the oh-my-god-a-guy-wants-to-compete-with- thank those same

S earlier this month, and the rejection of

an anti-gay resolution in another. The leaders for opening their ranks to straight al - reelection of a president who ended lies. Their numbers are growing, and have Q “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and who rou - played an enormous role in demystifying the tinely mentions gay men and lesbians in his We should thank the pioneering men and women entire concept of “gay sports.” litany of American life. The increasing visibil - — the Dave Kopays , Martina Navratilovas and We should thank the commissioners of the ity of LGBT people everywhere: on TV, at the five major sports leagues: the NFL, NBA, pulpit, in the halls of Congress. Tom Waddells , and many others — who, in their NHL, Major League Baseball and Major And on the playing fields, in the arenas and League Soccer. They have backed up their on the courts, all around the world. own ways and their own times, first opened the words of inclusion with action. So have the This has been a watershed year for gay ath - locker room closet door that the rest of us walked owners of many professional teams. Too many letes — and straight allies. LGBT sports finally franchises to count have sponsored LGBT emerged from the locker room – the clichéd through. Nights this year, reached out to organizations but true “last closet” — and the result was and taken actions, large and meh. across America – including the sports world. girls phase. Serious consideration is now being small, to prove that they value all their fans, The NFL did not crumble under a torrent of Progress in professional sports was evident given to policies and procedures. This ensures gay and straight. These sports leaders show limp-wristed linemen, or tacklers who couldn’t too in the quick, heartfelt reactions whenever that rules for competitions are fair, acknowl - that change comes from the top down, as well wait to jump on opponents after hurling them behind-the-times athletes messed up. The edgment of gender variations is addressed, and as the bottom up. to the ground. College and high school locker Toronto Blue Jays quickly suspended a player the rights of all athletes are honored. That’s a lot of thanks to give. rooms were not filled with erstwhile non-ath - for writing an anti-gay slogan in his eye black So what does all this mean for the LGBT Now stop reading. Go eat your turkey. letes now eager to shower with heretofore un - – and donated his fine to the You Can Play community? As we sit around the Thanksgiv - Then turn on the TV. Watch a football game. touchable jocks. Sports radio airtime was not Project. Major League Soccer slapped athletes ing table — with our family of birth, our fam - And smile. filled with fanatics foaming at the mouth be - with hefty fines for vocal outbursts. Leagues ily of choice, or our legally married spouses *Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer cause the end is near. did it not because they had to. They did it be - (thanks, Chris Kluwe and Brandon Ayan - coach, gay activist, and author of the "Jocks" Our athletic institutions, in fact, are stronger cause they wanted to – and because it was the badejo!) — we should all give thanks for lots series of books on gay male athletes. Visit his than ever — now that it’s evident to everyone right thing to do. of things. website at www.danwoog.com. He can be that gay folks play sports, watch sports and talk A slew of LGBT sports projects gathered We should thank the pioneering men and reached care of this publication or at his e- about sports. Just like so-called normal people. momentum as they so often do these days – on - women — the Dave Kopays, Martina mail: [email protected].

HIV from page 3 health-care costs, and every year $5 billion to engage in risky behaviors, such as unpro - An openly gay man, Dr. Fenton, who partic - from preventable infections in youth.” tected sex and sharing needles. ipated in the conference call, is stepping down example, 72 percent of estimated new HIV in - Despite recommendations from CDC and “We can and must achieve a generation that from his position at the end of the year to re - fections in young people occurred in young the American Academy of Pediatrics that call is free from HIV and AIDS,” said Kevin Fen - turn to his native England. He has served as men who have sex with men. for routine HIV testing of youth in medical set - ton, M.D., director of the National Center for head of the CDC’s HIV/AIDS division for By race/ethnicity, 57 percent of estimated tings, the Vital Signs analysis showed that 35 HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Pre - seven years. new infections in this age group were in percent of 18-24 year olds have been tested for vention at the CDC. Currently, an estimated 1.2 million people in African-Americans. HIV, while only 13 percent of high school stu - “It will take a concerted effort at all levels the U.S. are living with HIV. Two data sources were used for HIV testing dents – and 22 percent of sexually experienced across our nation to empower all young people, and risk behavior analysis, including surveys students – have ever been tested. especially young gay and bisexual youth, with © Copyright. Chuck Colbert. All rights re - from public school students in grade 9 – 12 in “The key here for clinicians is to make it rou - the tools and resources they need to protect served. 11 states (Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, tine,” said Frieden. “It is routine screening just themselves from HIV infection,” he said. Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, as we screen adults for high cholesterol, we New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and screen people for HIV infection.” Washington) and nine large urban school dis - Of course, testing is only the first step to tricts (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, District of Co - treatment, which can lead to improved pa - lumbia, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York tients’ health if they are found to be HIV pos - City, San Diego, and Seattle). itive, as well as prevent them from spreading “That so many young people become in - infection. fected with HIV each year is a preventable The phenomenon is known as “treatment tragedy,” CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, cascade,” which Frieden addressed during the M.D., M.P.H., told reporters during a tele - conference call. By “improving what we call phone conference call this week to discuss the the treatment cascade, increasing the number findings. and proportion of people whose infection is “All young people can protect their health, controlled whose viral load is suppressed, we avoid contracting and transmitting the virus, will reduce the risk for everyone in society,” he and learn their HIV status,” he said. said. “That’s a critical goal for us to work with “This is our future generation and the bottom communities, health care providers, and most line is that every month 1,000 youth are be - importantly with people infected with HIV so coming infected with HIV,” said Dr. Frieden. they can get the care and services they need to He added, “HIV despite the great treatments live long and productive lives, be healthy, stay that we have remains an incurable infection. out of the hospital, and not to infect other peo - And the cost of care of a single patient is ap - ple.” proximately $400,000 over their lifetime. That Furthermore, studies have shown that people means we are incurring about $400 million who know they are HIV positive are less likely

TRT is Now Boston Based, New England Read! 24 • December 6, 2012 - January 2, 2013 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com