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And the Transgender Community 2 • The Rainbow Times • TheRainbowTimesMass.com July 4, 2013 - July 31, 2013 DOMA: A nick on the tip of the iceberg Representation to marginalized groups By: Nicole Lashomb/ TRT Editor-in-Chief the Bible belt? These couples are discrimi - By: Jason Lydon*/ TRT Columnist fied technology, not only learning how to use DOMA. It is about time that nated against each day for their sexual orien - his month I am writ - it, but how to design and build our own.” heinous act of discrimination was tation or gender identity without any laws ing my column from The Rainbow Times functions as a form of S protecting their families due to their marital Detroit, Michigan queer/LGBT media written by and for overturned. Like many of you, I was status or lack-there-of. T in tears, celebrating with friends and while attending the 15th Al - queer/LGBT people in New England. As a N Although, inarguably, DOMA’s repeal is a lied Media Conference reader of this newspaper you are engaging in family, that my wife and I and thou - huge victory for the LGBT community, there O alternative media consumption. When you sands like us, are finally recognized is still insurmountable work to do to ensure (AMC). This space has been I and treated as a family in every sense, that we all have equal marriage protections, created for grassroots com - write Letters to the Editor you are participat - as protected not just by Massachusetts regardless of the state in which you reside. munity ing in this media and N law, but by federal law. It is a victory organizers and alterna - knowledge exchange. I And, even when this vic - As a reader of this I that I wasn’t tory has afforded so tive media creators to Our responsibility is to P sure I would see The repeal of DOMA is many of us to finally be come together to share newspaper you are not allow media to be in my lifetime. I treated as a family unit resources, build skills something done to us, O am proud of the just the first step in the equally under law, this is and transform our engaging in alterna - but rather something we Supreme Court only the first victory of movements. The confer - are constantly engaged Justices that stood on treacherous road ahead. many battles still to ence is facilitated and at - in as active participants. the right side of equal - come. tended by majority tive media consump - One of the workshops ity. I attended was facilitated Although this decision was historic, too We must forge on fully and combat the people of color, LGBTQ tion. When you write many of our LGBT brothers and sisters are stigma of homophobia and transphobia in people and women, with by the Chicago-based still left out of the equation and too many our churches, schools, and on the streets. We explicit attention to Letters to the Editor Young Women's Em - families are still not recognized nor protected must not become complacent because we media created by mar - powerment Project. This by the federal and state governments. may have attained the inalienable rights we ginalized communities. you are participating organization works with According to www.glaad.org , “The federal deserve in relation to marriage equality. We Far too often the domi - young transgender and government [now] has to recognize the legal must strive to end racism through education, nant media perpetuates in this media and ... cisgender women who marriages of same-sex couples. However, the even as it exists within our own community. oppression when creat - are engaged in the sex ruling does not require any state to legalize We must work vigilantly to stop the war on ing representations of trade and are often or recognize marriage equality that has not women and immigrants. We must rile up to queer people, people of color, poor people, homeless, home-free or street-based. These already done so.” Simply put, if you don’t fight against child abuse and objectification, people with disabilities, Indigenous people, young women are working with each other in in all forms or simply because one may be youth and so many others of us who are si - live in a state that has marriage equality, then gay. We must work to end the ignorance To read the rest of this story visit: you do not have equal marital rights. leading to the disproportionate number of lenced. The Allied Media Conference pro - http://tiny.cc/trtlydonjuly For those legally married same-sex couples LGBT kids living on the street as a result of vides space for people to strategize around that reside in states that have affirmed same- their sexual orientation or gender identity. efforts to challenge mainstream media while sex marriage, more than 1,100 federal legal sharing our own created media with each The Rainbow Times We must continue to stand united in our The Freshest LGBT Newspaper rights are afforded to them, the same rights front, until all Americans have the rights that other. that heterosexual married couples have en - The AMC program book reminds attendees in New England - Boston Based joyed for years. But, what about the rest of they deserve. The repeal of DOMA is just the first step in the treacherous road ahead. the media is more than the television shows TheRainbowTimesMass.com our LGBT family living in rural America or we watch. The organizers wrote, “We've come to understand media as any tool we use [email protected] to communicate with the world–whether film, [email protected] Despite apology, Exodus continues spiritual abuse fashion, or community wireless networks. Phone: 617.444.9618 / 413.282.8881 By: Paul P. Jesep*/ TRT Columnist perienced…some of We've made media that exposes, investigates Fax: 928.437.9618 you spent years work - and heals, builds confidence and radical hope, hysical and emotional harm are two incites dialogue and debate. We've demysti - Publisher Lorelei Erisis known forms of abuse. However, ing through the shame Gricel M. Ocasio Paul P. Jesep Pspiritual abuse is often overlooked. and guilt you felt when Editor-In-Chief Wilfred Labiosa Spiritual and emotional mistreatment carries your attractions didn’t Nicole C. Lashom b Jason Lydon scars and wounds long after physical harm change …I am sorry Letters to the Editor John Verlinden Assistant Publisher heals. The unseen abuse can go on for a life - … there were times I Dear Editor, didn’t stand up to peo - Emily Scagel Lead Photographer time. Although some find a level of closure, [I am writing to Deja Nicole to let her Assistant Editor Glenn Koetzner for many the door remains cracked open, just ple publicly ‘on my know that] I was hoping that there was an Lauren Walleser enough to allow a few demons to loiter. side’ who called you uncomplicated answer to the washroom Boston Photographer Recovering from spiritual violence is a names like sodomite ... Reporters/News Orgs. Sean Sullivan crisis. I am a closet cross dresser but I did Keen News Service Lorelei Erisis lifelong sojourn. Sojourners struggle by act - I…failed to share pub - dress up in P-town as a girlie (last week)in licly that the gay and lesbian people I know QSyndicate ing out in dysfunctional relationships, with the daytime. This was a first for me. I did - Chuck Colbert Design/Webmaster unhealthy eating habits, and in the work - were every bit as capable of being amazing n’t get enough of Ptown, so I’m returning Clara Lefton Prizm Designs place, unable to manage ill-tempered super - parents as the straight people that I know… in September. Will I have to run to my Ashley Mark Jarred Johnson visors. Anxiety and I am sorry that I have Brook Rosini motel again? What if I am in a gay bar? Sales Associates depression are con - communicated that you One Halloween night, I used the men’s and your families are Columnists Chris Gilmore stant companions. “The theology of con - room; I was treated like a lady. This was Deja N. Greenlaw Liz Johnson In June, Exodus In - less than me and mine.” Halloween; I’m not so sure about this time ternational—long-con - The Rainbow Times is published monthly by The Rain - demnation must be of the year. I know! Hide in the corner and bow Times, LLC. TRT is affiliated with the National demned by the Other groups misus - use a beer cup! ing religion will fill the Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, NLGJA , Na - scientific and medical replaced with a the - —Mary Ann Loveheart, Online tional Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, community for at - vacuum of quack faith NGLCC , The Connecticut Alliance for Business Op - tempting to “cure” or ology of grace in the and medieval science Dear Editor, portunity, CABO , and QSyndicate. The articles written “heal” LGBTQ chil - left by Exodus. It is not Wow, what a great an article! [Re: by the writers, columnists, and correspondents solely dren of God—an - just about saving souls. express their opinion, and do not represent the endorse - service of God’s good Lifeskills Project celebrates 1st year at an - ment or opinion of The Rainbow Times, LLC or its own - nounced the closing of It is an industry making niversary Ball] It’s so nice to see the a fortunate selling spir - ers. Send letters to the editor with your name, address part of its little shop of creation -including voices of three beautiful women repre - and phone number to: The Rainbow Times (address horrors.
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