Opinion: NYC Pride… The Empty Closet page 15 LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS, INTERVIEWS, OPINION, ENTERTAINMENT, COLUMNISTS, EVENT CALENDARS, COMICS, & HEALTH RESOURCES FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AT EMPTY CLOSET NEWS • FOLLOW US AT WWW.TWITTER.COM/EMPTYCLOSETNEWS NUMBER 492 A PUBLICATION OF THE GAY ALLIANCE AUG 2015 E. Main St. Auditorium Theater Gay Alliance College Ave. Village Goodman St. Gate Memorial Prince St. Art Gallery Gay Alliance ED Scott Fearing with Scott Pellino, Ray Saucke and Jeff Myers at the sneak preview of the new office space and Mayor Lovely Warren (center) joined in the Pride Parade on July 18. Photo: Jeanne Gainsburg resource center on July 14. Photos: Bruce Gorman The Pride is with us: thousands fill the 60 attend Gay Alliance streets for Rochester Pride 2015 preview of new office; By Susan Jordan The streets were full of col- City issues proclamation orfully costumed intergalac- By Susan Jordan lamation of July 14 as Gay Alli- tic Pride marchers on July 18, The Gay Alliance held a sneak ance Appreciation Day. The and the sidewalks were crowded preview of the new office and proclamation called the Gay with LGBTQ people and allies LGBTQ Resource Center on July Alliance and its programs “an of all ages and backgrounds, as 14. Over 60 people attended the invaluable community resource” Sci Fi Pride made its way down event at 100 College St., across and stated that the City urges Park Avenue and on to Martin Goodman St. from Village Gate. “all its citizens to be champions Luther King Jr. Park for the The space is currently being for LGBTQ life and culture.” Pride Festival. renovated and the Alliance Executive Director Scott The recent Supreme Court hopes to move from the current Fearing talked about the organi- ruling in favor of marriage office in the Auditorium Center zation’s future goals and the need equality drew a high number sometime during the fall. It will for all local LGBTQ groups to of parade-watchers to congratu- include a large meeting room/ work together, including using late and cheer on the marchers. classroom, a gallery/program common space. Observers estimated there were Photo: Ove Overmyer CSEA space, and the David Bohnett The following day Brighton approximately 6,000 people on Cyber Center, as well as the Gay Town Supervisor Bill Moehle the streets. A record of 92 units (candidate for Monroe County Slipper Award for The most Alliance Library & Archive and said on Facebook, “Congratula- took part. Executive) and James Sheppard imaginative depiction of Parade staff offices. tions to the Gay Alliance of the Marching were many wel- and Molly Clifford (candidates theme by a Walking unit (with Speakers included City Genesee Valley on their upcom- coming and affirming churches, for Monroe County Legislature). or without a vehicle): United Councilmember Elaine Spaull, ing move to their new home Rochester Atheists, the Rochester A large contingent marched with Church of Christ. The judges Brighton Town Supervisor Bill in NOTA. GAGV is a great Fire Department, Empire State signs for presidential candidate were Tasha Brooks (Miss Gay Moehle, and Ray Saucke, the community resource and I am Pride Agenda, East Coast Two Bernie Sanders. Rochester), Judge Karen Morris, Alliance’s landlord at the Audi- proud to be an ally and friend Spirit Society, unions includ- On Friday, July 17, Rain- KaeLyn Rich, Sean Thody, Ser- torium Center and now at 100 as GAGV works for equality. ing CSEA, NYSUT, the AFL- bow Riders brought the Pride ena Thody and Zackary Waffle. College St. How appropriate to hold a recep- CIO and Pride at Work (with a colors through city neighbor- Both the Festival and the James Smith, communica- tion and sign a lease for this gigantic tractor-trailer), Trillium hoods to the flag ceremony site free Picnic on July 19 in Gene- tions director for Mayor Lovely new space during Pride Week in Health, the University of Roch- in MLK Jr. Park, where the Gay see Valley Park went on success- Warren, read the mayor’s proc- Rochester. See you at the Parade ester, Colgate Crozer Divinity Alliance’s 30 x 50’ rainbow flag fully, under clear if humid skies. on Saturday!” ■ School, the VA LGBT Support flew from the superstructure, The Roc Pride 5 K run on July Group, social agencies including and Mayor Warren, Harry Bron- 19 was a special success. Photos the Center for Disability Rights, son and others spoke. Evelyn pages 8-11. ■ LGBTQ groups and businesses Bailey presented the Shoulders including ImageOut, the Trans To Stand On Lifetime Achieve- Rochester marriage celebration… page 7 Alliance of Greater Rochester ment Award to Sue Cowell. (TAGR), Genesee Valley Gen- Winners of the Parade der Variants, the Rainbow Pride awards were: Muther’s Favor- Inside Band, the Rochester Gay Men’s ite for Best Float unit overall to Editorials ...................................... 2 Chorus, SAGE, Outlandish, Tilt incorporate the Parade theme: Interview: John White .................. 6 and the Bachelor Forum, and Tilt (runner up: Center for Dis- Marriage Celebration ................. 7 ally businesses and organizations ability Rights); Stonewall Award Pride 2015 .....................................8-11 including Roc City Roller Derby, for the most imaginative depic- Health: Bill Belecz .......................16 RAPA and the Rochester Broad- tion of the Parade theme by a Shoulders To Stand On ...........21 way Theatre League. not-for-profit Float unit: Roch- Columnists ...............................22 Congresswoman Louise Community ...............................25 ester SAGE; Rainbow Award for Entertainment: Kasha & Melissa ...27 Slaughter, Mayor Lovely Warren, the best for-profit business Float Gay Alliance: Meet the Board ..30 City Council President Loretta unit portraying Pride: WNY Calendar ....................................34 Scott, City Council members cast of Rocky Horror of Hoopla; Classifieds .................................34 Matt Haag, Elaine Spaull and Community Award for the not- Comics ............................... 34, 35 Dana Miller and NYS Assembly for-profit Walking unit (with The Gay Alliance is publisher member Harry Bronson all took or without a vehicle) which best of The Empty Closet, New York part. Candidates for office in the exhibits community Pride: Gen- State’s oldest LGBTQ newspaper. PHOTO: SUSAN JORDAN SUSAN PHOTO: Parade included Sandy Frankel esee Valley Trans Groups; Ruby 2 THE EMPTY CLOSET • THE GAY ALLIANCE • NUMBER 492 • AUG 2015 Gay Alliance Board of Trustees David Zona, President, W. Bruce Gorman, Secretary, Jason Barnecut-Kearns, Paul Birkby, Kim Braithwaite, Emily Jones, Jeff Lambert, Perspectives Jennifer Matthews, Shira May, Colleen Raimond, William Schaefer The Empty Closet Editor Gay Alliance Executive Director THANK YOU SUSAN JORDAN SCOTT FEARING THE GAY ALLIANCE Thanks also to Rochester’s Albany hoping to help, they have APPRECIATES THE dedicated marriage equality given countless hours to cajole CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP activists, including Anne Tisch- politicians in Albany to do the OF BUSINESSES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY er and Bess Watts, who married right thing. For what? WHO SUPPORT symbolically in 2004. “Wait until next year.” Times OUR MISSION AND VISION. When the Court’s decision nine. was announced on June 26, Rochester Trans community GOLD several national organizations activist JoAnne Metzler sent an Bachelor Forum reminded us that the struggle email following the SCOTUS City of Rochester isn’t over. While it might have marriage ruling with a subject been nice to have just one day line that says it best: “Great SWS Charitable Foundation, Inc to feel only joy, they did have a News! Bad news! AND I’m Trillium Health point. LGBTQ Americans, like happy AND I’m angry.” all Americans, must still con- Every New York gay, lesbian SILVER front issues of “religious free- and bi person who celebrated Constellation Brands dom” discrimination (next: the the SCOTUS decision should Empire Merchants national LGBTQ rights bill), feel JoAnne’s anger. Her anger Lake Beverage racism, sexism, poverty and the should be their anger. Politicians This moment in control of our democracy by Marriage joy in Albany have done us ALL Nixon Peabody, LLP history the “entitled” elite. Anti-gay overshadowed by an injustice when they allowed Southern Wine & Spirits states must comply with feder- the legislature to go on sum- Victory Alliance Pride 2015 was very special New York shame al law regarding our marriages mer vacation, while our fellow Waddell & Reed – maybe the most important and families. We must challenge As supporters of marriage LGBTQ community members Pride in history. Many LGBTQ the extremist Right’s hate rheto- equality were celebrating in the were left without basic human communities celebrated joyful- BRONZE ric that incites terrorist violence streets in Rochester and through rights protections. 140 Alex Bar & Grill ly on June 28, two days after against us. out the nation, those who pay In 2003 when NYS passed the Supreme Court decision that And then there’s the fact that attention to the crazy world of SONDA (Sexual Orientation Advantage Federal Credit changed everything. the “T” in “LGBTQ” repre- New York politics should have Non-Discrimination Act), which Union Here in Rochester, we sents a huge number of citizens been equally upset. provided basic human rights Anderson Windows observed Pride last month, and who still do not have basic civil The New York legislative ses- protections for gays and lesbians, Avenue Pub our Pride was also special and rights. In New York State, the sion again ended without the Trans people were, for the sake Bank of America, Merrill Lynch joyful (photos pages 8-11). Of Republican-dominated Senate passage of the Gender Non- of the win, left out -- “tossed course we celebrated on June 26 CSEA refused for the eighth year to Discrimination Act (GENDA). under the bus.” We should be Empire North as well, among the sculptures allow GENDA onto the floor for Every year since 2007, the NY embarrassed that cisgendered in front of the Bachelor Forum a vote.