Year 1, Vol. 12 • July 19-Aug.1, 2007 www.therainbowtimesmass.com The FREE! Trans leader of The Clicks: Calendar of Events for RainbowTimes Music not social statement Summer Fun ... p. p. 14 Your LGBTQ News Source in Western MA, Northern CT and Southern VT 16 Pull-out ing . oiz WEDDING GUIDE K St B inside! TELL ALL center spread fresh from the start p. 3 $835 BILLION BY 2011? Gay Buying Power Keeps Growing p. 15 FIRST EVER Gay PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE p. 15 2 • July 19-August 1, 2007 • The Rainbow Times • www.therainbowtimesmass.com Opinions No more Pride Love, Rights…and the Rest of It after surgery? By JM the JP* traffic); The Berkshires for Tanglewood, TRT Columnist Jacob’s Pillow and theatre (not all per- By: Nicole Lashomb/TRT Editor-in-Chief ummer is here. Kids are out of am, and we at The Rainbow formances are costly/check web sites); Times are avid supporters of the school and local farmers’ mar- and MassMOCA in North Adams. ILGBTQ community as a whole. Skets will soon have more than Locally, there are college museums, We continue to pride ourselves to be plants and lettuce to offer. We are in high botanical gardens, and summer theatre inclusive. However, not too long ago season. How fortunate we are to live in something truly bothered me. companies. Nearly every weekend, there I was at a certain trans event that we an area with an endless array of day trips is a town fair, free concert or food festi- fully support. We always want to know to meet our needs and desires and where val somewhere in western what we can do to help our diverse we can choose to “vacation” without Massachusetts, southern Vermont or community. But, at this particular spending large sums of money and place I met someone who seemed dif- northern Connecticut. There are many ferent to me. She alerted me to the fact overnight costs for hotels. J.M. the JP natural “swimming holes” in Franklin Daytrips I have experienced in the sum- that she was a trans woman. We chat- Love is in the air when we can smell and Hampshire counties. ted for a long time. At some point she mer include: NYC for a matinee play and see flowers in bloom. We simultane- There are scenic parks for picnics and told me about her former life, and I lis- (hint: drive to New Haven, park at the ously crave the heat of the sun and the sports. Before the summer ends, take at tened as she explained her former job train station, take Metro North to Grand duties, and how she exacerbated her coolness of ocean or river waters. Lovers least one day to explore the advantages of Central Terminal); Rhode Island beaches masculinity then to hide the obvious and families commune around the grill. living here. Celebrate your pleasure conflict that she had within. (yes, there are crowds, but it’s nothing Cold beverages of every sort are popular. principle. Plan a romantic no-cost or I felt very bad that and started shar- like the Cape Cod bumper to bumper ing with her that something similar low-cost day with a loved one. happens to the gay/lesbian community. Letters to the Editor: EDITOR’S RESPONSE: No, The Chez If you are inclined, feel free to send me Before someone comes out, that per- Est is an LGBT bar. All people are wel- a description of your beautiful summer son usually dates people from the Dear Editor: come at the club! day—real or imagined—so that I may opposite sex to try to prove to them- We all have a duty to represent people share it with our readers. selves and others that everything is ok, for who they are and not for their sexu- Dear Editor: even when they are full of turmoil. I ality. I am proud to be a reader of your I am writing in reference to the article * J.M. Sorrell is a Justice of the Peace. Her remember trying to do the same when newspaper or magazine. I still haven’t on same sex marriages. It makes me commitment to justice and equal rights ranks I was trying to hide who I was, very angry in today's society when the up there with her romantic nature and well- because I was trying to please other figured that one out yet. But what I do people, I explained. know is that I simply admire your work. government thinks it should vote on how honed pleasure principle. She nodded subtly, as she said, “but You’ve taken a stance on LGBT issues people should their lives. Our Lord now this is totally different for me and you’ve stayed with it. Jesus Christ tells us to love one & anoth- because I am fully and biologically a I’ve never seen a paper like yours er. He doesn't say to change that person The Rainbow Times woman, because I’ve had all of my before. We go all the way from our home & then love him/her. 13 Old South St. • Suite 2C surgeries done.” I could’ve never been every two weeks to pick it up. Until Our Heavenly Father has created each Northampton, MA 01060 able to tell that she had ever been a recently we didn’t know that you even of us in His own image & He doesn't www.therainbowtimesmass.com male before. When I asked her if she [email protected] had enjoyed going to the Pride had coverage in Hartford and downtown make junk!!!!! Even God gives each of us our own free will, to make choices for [email protected] Festivities, she said that she didn’t Springfield. But what I like the most is Phone: 413-204-8959 • Fax: 866-310-8512 have to go to Pride anymore. You can how clean your paper is of the other ourselves! imagine my shock, well at least I know Why does man (the government ) garbage that I see around full of sex, sex Publisher Viviana Valiente that I was shocked. I asked her why and more sex. Don’t think I don’t like think that he is more powerful than God Gricel M. Ocasio Jane Hamel would she not be a part of Pride any- sex, of course I do. What male would- & try to make laws on whom people Editor-In-Chief Jack/ie Kennedy more? She proudly said, “Now I am a n’t? But I also enjoy the other aspects of should marry?This is so very Nicole Lashomb Writers: woman and not part of that struggle Lindsay Wilson wrong!!!!The government should stick Sales & anymore.” I was totally astounded. My life and your papers stands from the rest (Street Sense) Distribution face dropped, and I realized that she in that it is respectable, clean and family to making laws & signing bills on the J.M. Sorrell acts of the criminals of our society, Ben Peterson never believed in our struggle. oriented, no pun intended. I like that Webmaster: I say, once a lesbian, always a les- instead of trying to dictate whom one Columnists: about The Rainbow Times. Keep up the Dr. Renee Lang Jarred Johnson bian. Even if you are not a member of good work. should marry& chose to have a life with! Atty. Jennifer the LGBT community, we need peo- J. Harren I say the government should live& let Dexter ple’s support, everyone’s support, for Hartford, CT live. Letting each person make their own this is about human rights, civil rights The Rainbow Times is published by The Rainbow personal choices in what is best for Times, LLC. The articles written by the writers, and about what is right, period! Dear Editor: themselves! columnists, and correspondents express their opin- Needless to say, I was highly disap- Who is Jack/ie Kennedy? Recently, I ion, and do not represent the endorsement or opin- pointed. I must say that she was the didn’t care for his story about sinners These people also deserve to have the ion of The Rainbow Times, LLC or its owners. To only one out of a big group who same civil rights & opportunities as any write letters to the editor, please send your letters, and everyone going to hell. It was a bit with your name, address and phone number to: The expressed herself in that way. too out there. Although he or she hit on other heterosexual couple.They are not Rainbow Times (address shown above), or e-mail some great points, it was a bit strong criminals! By the way I am a straight, any comment/s to the editor at: editor@therainbow- and opinionated. I wonder is this a real caucasian, catholic female, just for the timesmass.com. All submissions will be edited Back to School Supplement? according to space constraints. The Rainbow Times, Kennedy in disguise? record! LLC reserves the right not to print any or all con- Early August! J. Lopez, Springfield, MA Gidget O’Hara tent, or advertisements for any reason at all. To Dear Editor: Easthampton, MA receive The Rainbow Times at your home via regu- Be a part of this lar mail, or through electronic delivery, please visit important supplement. Is the Chez Est Club only for men? our website. The content and graphics (photos, etc.) S. Logan are the sole property of The Rainbow Times and it FMI: 413-204-8959 West Springfield cannot be reproduced at all without TRT’s consent.