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Vol. 15 • April 15, 2010 - May 5, 2010 www.therainbowtimesnews.com The FREE! RYour LGBTQainbow News in MA, RI, North Central Times CT & Southern VT BERGGREN ll PHOTO: BI p.23 DADT ACTIVIST LT. DAN CHOI Receives Fenway Health’s Gerry E. Studds Award IA GRENIER C I L PHOTO: A p.16 THE TUCKER JAMES PROJECT: Documenting the journey of a Transman’s rebirth PHOTO: LESTER COHEN LESTER PHOTO: O ll BOTHE Melissa Etheridge L Fierce & Fearless PHOTO: EMMANUE p.12 p.b18 Like never before DJ HECTOR FONSECA SPINS Epic Saturday at House of Blues NOHO PRIDE GUIDE INSIDE! on April 17 • April 15, 010 - May 5, 010 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesnews.com NoHo Pride: Support our supporters! The Controversial Couch By: Gricel M. Ocasio/TRT Publisher committee and Board members of NoHo Pride, Lie back and listen. Then get up and do something! t is that time of the year again, when along with its Chair. They have done a great job, we celebrate NoHo Pride, first, and especially considering how fresh they were to By: Suzan Ambrose*/TRT Columnist probably say “OMG HELP!” It’s then the rest of the Pride Marches Pride when we first met them. Good job Bear ex. It sells. It’s hot. It’s all the been building for a few months I rave. now: Europe is going through the and celebrations in the nation. This & Cid White! time is particularly important because Our involvement in Pride this year has been S Unless you’re involved same revelation/ revolution in the we are around the people who share our the NoHo Pride Guide. It is proudly designed with a scandal or two. Sex scan- pedophile upset that the U.S. did a struggles, who are dear friends, who and produced by The Rainbow Times, and it is dals are all over the place: politics, the Church, few years back. And it’s a growing fury, be- support us—at least most of them. inserted in this issue. We hope that you like it. Hollywood; everybody’s doing it, so what’s cause for the first time ever, there appears to be NoHo Pride this year will be a spe- Please, as always, visit, support and thank all of the problem? We’re so immune to it; we barely a direct link to the Pope. Specifically, Joseph cial Pride. It will be the first time in the advertisers found in the Guide and through- give it a glance after the first breaking news. Ratzinger, before he became Pope Benedict, more than ten years that we have had out the newspaper. They are a vital part of this Unless you’re Tiger Woods. Balls and the peo- had direct knowledge of abuse. new leadership, fresh faces and dif- operation. Without their support and presence ple who touch them have a way of grabbing Well, as you can imagine, all of those grown ferent ideas. We are thankful for the none of us could be here today. If there is some- the American populaces’ attention for more men in hassocks are pulling the wagons around Publisher former leaders of the old Northamp- thing important that we should all do, is to en- than a day. their infallible dude. Infallible, for those who ton Pride, however. They, too, worked sure that these supporters/advertisers/sponsors And why is it such a big deal, anyways? are Catholic Church lingo unaware, meaning hard to make a Pride Day a memorable know that you also care and support them too. Well, when it involves youth, abuse or vio- “Makes no mistakes,” “His word is law,” “and experience for everyone. Ensuring that We, at TRT, support our advertisers in that man- lence, that’s when it goes a little outside the This is straight from God’s mouth to our ears.” this event happens involves the partici- ner. We hope you do too! box, no? True believers are supposed to accept every pation of a lot volunteers and people Happy Pride! From the recent Republican National Com- decision without question as there is a direct who are the “behind the scenes” amaz- mittee’s (simulated) lesbian sex-bar night out link to the holy one. Basically, what Papa Pope ing individuals who give to Pride each Gricel M. Ocasio to the sex hotline (wrong) phone number being says, goes. year relentlessly, then and now. Hav- Publisher given out for contributions, I’d say these fel- And what’s he’s saying is NOTHING. ing been on the Board of the former lows really know how to get membership up That’s right. For weeks now, faithful Chris- Northampton Pride at some point, and *Gricel M. Ocasio is the co-founder, co- (amongst other things). Thumbs up there, big tians have sat back and waited for a few choice then having attended most of the com- owner and Publisher of The Rainbow Times. guys. words from Rome, but could the Big Cheese mittee meetings, I know the organiza- She is a graduate of Temple University and Then there’s singer Ricky Martin’s an- in the Vatican take a few moments on Easter, tional aspects that it all entails. It can has been in the journalism and publishing field nouncement that he’s a gay man where it’s when the whole world was watching to say From the the From be very overwhelming. So, perhaps for almost 20 years. You can reach her at: only big news in Siberia or the Midwest people “Pedophilia in our ranks is an abomination that this year we can thank the present volunteers, [email protected]. of the Corn. we will root out?” Apparently not. But when the Pope, the Roman Catholic I can’t help but draw a parallel between pe- closest-thing-to-Jesus steps in a pile of doo- dophilia and celibacy. Forced celibacy, that is. I have returned to enjoying being doo, it’s time to wake up and focus! When the Church makes healthy young men Yes, the Vatican’s all atwitter—and I don’t See Couch on page 8 gay too: I’m not defined by labels! mean tweets per hour, although if I did, they’d By: Jason Lydon/TRT Opinion Writer so angry? And, Last month I got incredibly excited the answer was Letters to the Editor to write and preach about the queer pretty simple. The Rainbow Times Jesus for Easter and, as I did, I began My sexy, older, Dear Editor, 351 Pleasant St., #322 I Northampton, MA 01060 to get some push back. The first push queer mentor I was not happy with Jason Lydon’s story back I received is a little too obvious was not say- saying that Jesus was queer. I think that is www.therainbowtimesmass.com to even write about, I am sure you can ing F#@& you disrespectful and offensive. I understand [email protected] figure that out on your own. The next to particular about freedom of expression, but religion [email protected] push back I received was from some i n d i v i d u a l s should not be a point of focus to queer [email protected] people who still do not like the word (well, not all of people. Phone: 413.282.8881, queer. There are those who still find the the time). The Jason Lydon —Lillian S., Chicopee, MA 617.444.9618 or 617.438.4364 word queer to be offensive, demeaning, “you” was to Fax: 206.203.0436 Opinion and degrading. In all honesty, this has heterosexism, homophobia, and all the institu- Dear Editor, not really been the case for me. By the tions keeping queer people down. Queer was The story about Congresswoman Tammy Publisher Columnists time I came out, 15 years ago, people had moved a sign of resistance. For him, queer was about Baldwin and the cover were covered in great Gricel M. Ocasio Suzan Ambrose on to “Fag” and “Faggot.” Queer, for me, was tearing down borders and pushing boundaries. detail by Ms. Gormley. I was not there, but Editor-In-Chief Paul P. Jesep always a political term. I had come out to the Queer went beyond sexuality and gender reach- have met the Congresswoman and she is Nicole Lashomb Deja N. Greenlaw world as a pudgy little gay boy, relishing in the ing into all areas. Queer was a verb, to queer “family.” It’s great to see an open lesbian Sales Manager Tetty Gorfine J.M. Sorrell happiness of my gay identity. However, an older something was to challenge its placement or receiving this Fenway Award. I commend Bill Berggren Lorelei Erisis friend of mine told me that he was not gay as in to obliterate the borders of confinement. Queer Fenway for having chosen her. Distribution Manager happy, but queer as in f#@& you. My happy lit- sexuality was about pushing the boundaries of —Luka G., Boston, MA Reporters SJ Seymour Lisa A. Eramo tle gay pacifist self was astonished; why was he See Labels on page 4 Sales Associates Dear Editor, Tynan Power Liz Johnson Joel Siegel I like that we will be having a Dyke Chris Gilmore March in Northampton. It sounds exciting, Elizabeth Gormley empowering and plain fun! Yeah, let’s re- Webmaster Lead Designer C’mon Out – Just Ask! Advice Column Jarred Johnson Jim Curran By: Tetty Gorfine*/TRT Columnist Dear Louise: claim what’s ours, like our “vaginas” were Thank you for your with the Vagina Monologues. There are so The Rainbow Times is published monthly by Dear Tetty: question.