GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders Photo: InfinityPortraitDesign.com GLADBriefs WINTER ’17 A crowd at the Boston Women’s March, January 21, 2017 Every One of Us Can Do Something INSIDE y husband Adam’s great-grandfather about our country’s future, and about the owned a chocolate factory in most vulnerable people among us. Yet, the M Germany in the early 20th century. scope and scale of what lies ahead can feel Landmark Syringe Access Case He traveled frequently, and gained a overwhelming. How much activism is enough? Before MA SJC....................................3 sophisticated perspective on what was How much should we give? What can we Working to Ban Conversion Therapy happening in his own country. He came to possibly do that is useful? Across New England...........................5 believe that it wasn’t normal and that it was It is easy—and understandable—to feel not safe for him, his wife and his child, who overwhelmed right now. But we do have Transgender Students and the were Jewish. They escaped to Argentina, power, and we’re obliged to resist. We can Right to Education...............................6 where Adam’s grandmother and mother grew rest and restore when we need to—but we Who is a Parent? Catching the Law up. Most of the rest of their family did not cannot retreat. To use another favorite Up with Families..................................7 survive World War II. quote of Adam’s, this time by Rabbi Tarfon: Adam’s family history has always made Thank You...........................................8 him feel responsible to have an awareness of It is not your responsibility to finish the work injustice, prejudice, and violence in the world. of perfecting the world, but you are not free to Docket Update...................................14 It has spurred him to humanitarian action desist from it either. as a doctor. One of his favorite quotes, by Dostoevsky, is engraved in the entry hall of While no one can do everything, everyone the International Red Cross and Red Crescent must do something. What is your “something? Museum in Geneva: It helps to look at the tools we have at hand: elections; courts and the law; direct action; Everyone is responsible to everyone communication; and philanthropy. for everything. Elections matter, and there are elections in our immediate future—mid-term congressional I’ve thought about this quote a lot post-election, elections, state level elections, and local when people of good faith are concerned elections—that will make a difference in our continued on page 2 From the Executive Director Continued from page 1 GLAD STAFF Janson Wu, Executive Director James Barden, Public Affairs Assistant Jason Bisson, Development Co-op Brianna Boggs, Director of Development Mary Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director Eva Boyce, Chief Financial Officer Gary Buseck, Legal Director Patience Crozier, Senior Staff Attorney Beth Grierson, Senior Manager of Operations and Administration Amanda Johnston, Director of Public Affairs and Education Colin Kegler with the GLAD contingent at the Boston Women’s March, January 21, 2017 Kenyon King, Web Developer Bennett Klein, Senior Attorney and AIDS Law Project Director lives. Making our voices heard by voting and communicating with our elected officials is key to our democracy. There are ballot questions that will demand our attention, such as the attempt Erica Larocque, Events Manager to repeal the hard-won Massachusetts transgender public accommodations bill in 2018. Jennifer Levi, Courts have tremendous power to protect us and advance our rights, especially when Transgender Rights Project Director legislatures are failing. Congress may be unlikely to pass affirmative LGBTQ protections, but Stephanie Lowitt, we can continue to make progress in federal court—and in many state courts. Who sits on our Assistant Director of Development courts matters, and we cannot stand by silently as they are packed with judges who do not Carol Marton, Business Manager interpret our laws and our Constitution to extend equal justice for all. Elaine McGrath, Operations Assistant There is a direct action through line from the suffragists chaining themselves to the White Aria Pierce, Development Assistant House fence, to Selma, ACT UP, and Black Lives Matter. Direct action can show those targeted Erin Semagin Damio, they are not alone, as well as push our allies to do the right thing when there are competing forces. Database Manager None of these tools are effective without communication and dialogue. It is only when we do Rachael Smith, Legal Assistant the hard work of having face-to-face, nonjudgmental, empathetic conversations with reasonable people who disagree, that we help perfect our society. Marisa Thomassie, Development Co-op Finally, philanthropy is the fuel that allows non-profit organizations like GLAD to run at full speed. Adam and I recently reached our goal of giving 10% of our income to organizations Bob Tumposky, IT Manager whose missions and work we support, inspired by the Jewish concept of tithing. It wasn’t easy, Michelle Weiner, Legal Assistant it took some time, and it was a priority. These times call on all of us to determine what we are Alex Weinstein, Legal Assistant 2 able to give to support the many organizations on the front lines in the fight ahead. Daniel Weiss, We can’t do everything, but every one of us can do something. This is the way we take care Public Information Manager of each other, and guard our future. Choose your something. Allison Wright, Staff Attorney Towards Justice, Janson Wu Photo: InfinityPortraitDesign.com Executive Director Landmark Syringe Access Case Goes Before the MA SJC lean needles save lives, but the town on an individual or organization providing the public at risk. It is well documented that of Barnstable, MA wants to stop their free access to clean needles,” says Klein. syringe distribution programs are effective Cdistribution. This is what Ben Klein, “The town of Barnstable’s recalcitrance in interventions that help lower transmission GLAD’s AIDS Law Project Director, will argue the face of HIV, spiking Hepatitis C rates, rates of HIV and Hepatitis C. Since the February 9 before the Massachusetts Supreme and an unprecedented opioid crisis—not to establishment of needle access programs in Judicial Court in a landmark syringe access mention the law—is stunning.” Massachusetts, the prevalence of HIV among case. GLAD is representing the AIDS Support At issue is the interpretation of a 2006 law residents who inject drugs has dropped by Group of Cape Cod (ASGCC), which is fighting passed by the Massachusetts legislature, in 92 percent. to keep its completely legal syringe access which it lifted all previous restrictions on the Medical and public health organizations program open and operating in the face of the distribution of syringes in the Commonwealth. have filed a powerful friend-of-the-court town’s opposition. “What animated the legislature in 2006 was brief with the SJC, reviewing the public GLAD and AIDS Action Committee represent the desire to save lives,” adds Klein. “They health benefits of syringe distribution ASGCC, and have already won a very strong were responding to two rising crises: HIV and programs, and documenting the painful but preventable human suffering caused by decision in Barnstable Superior Court in Hepatitis C.” intravenous drug use. It tells the personal December 2015. The judge agreed that the The case originated in September 2015 stories of people who inject drugs, their ASGCC program meets a critical public health when Barnstable’s director of public health families, and the professionals who work to need, and noted of the people it serves: “They hand-delivered to ASGCC a “cease and desist” save their lives. Signed by groups including aren’t just any people. They are extremely order, demanding that the group shut down Partners Healthcare System, UMASS the program. In addition to distributing clean vulnerable people. They are men and women, Memorial Health Care, Blue Cross Blue young and old, people from all places and all syringes, the program collects syringes, Shield of Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim stations. They are our brothers and our sisters.” educates clients about addiction and recovery Healthcare, the Massachusetts Infectious “The judge agreed with us: Massachusetts options, and makes referrals to treatment. Disease Society, and the Massachusetts law is very clear that there are no restrictions Crucially, the program also distributes Narcan, Public Health Association, the brief argues, which reverses overdoses. “An erosion—to say nothing of a reversal— The importance of the SJC clearly of two decades of success in reducing HIV BOARD OF DIRECTORS interpreting the law is not only for the good transmission rates among people who inject of ASGCC’s clients, but for people who inject drugs would greatly harm the public health.” Richard J. Yurko, President drugs all across the state. Every city and “In many ways, it’s disheartening to be Joyce Kauffman, Vice President town in Massachusetts has been touched by fighting a battle that should have been Darian Butcher, Clerk the opioid crisis. Shutting down a program concluded long ago,” says Klein. “We hope David Hayter, Treasurer that works—this year alone, AIDS Support with this case to settle this once and for all—at Beck Bailey Group of Cape Cod helped reverse nearly 300 least in Massachusetts—and enable groups Mark Brown overdoses—recklessly and needlessly put like ASGCC to go on saving lives.” n Edward F. Byrne Andre L. Campagna Jo Davis Shane Dunn Kyle Yvonne Faget 3 Benjamin Franklin Ralph Freidin Photo: InfinityPortraitDesign.com Deborah Heller Joseph Metmowlee Garland George Hastie Terry Holzman Charles Latovich Dianne R. Phillips Marlene B. Seltzer Trina Soske “Massachusetts law is very clear that there are no restrictions on an individual David Wilson or organization providing free access to clean needles. What animated the legislature in 2006 was the desire to save lives.” – Ben Klein, GLAD AIDS Law Project Director Ropes & Gray Transforms Lives Through Pro Bono Legal Services hen GLAD was founded in 1978, not provide the highest level of service.