Got Harvey Milk?

Remember Harvey Milk and support LGBT equality with these cute buttons. 100% of the proceeds go to advancing LGBT equality via Driving Equality. 

LGBT Rights Protest

This Saturday, supporters of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people, will rally at Boston City Hall to call on President-Elect Obama and the new Congress support equal rights. The event is being organized by Join The Impact MA, the same group that organized the protest at Boston City Hall on November 15th which drew thousands of people as Boston saw the largest LGBT related protest in decades.

LGBT Rights Protest
1:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 10th
Boston City Hall

Advocates and allies are urging the new administration to repeal the anti-gay marriage Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), repeal the ban on gays in the military (Don’t Ask Don’t Tell), enact Hate-Crimes legislation, and fight against HIV/AIDS.

The demonstration on Saturday is part of a nation-wide effort to draw attention to LGBT equality. There will be simultaneous protests in over 50 cities across the country. The recent surge of LGBT related activism is being seen as a new push for equal rights for LGBT people.

On November 4th 2008, with the election of Barack Obama and the passage of Proposition 8, a new LGBT civil rights movement was born. Election Day sparked a fire that has spread across the country. It is clear that a new push for LGBT equality is upon us.

Speakers at the rally will include Congressman Barney Frank, Boston Mayor Menino, Cambridge Mayor Simmons (the first openly-lesbian African American mayor in the United States), a clergy member who supports equal rights for LGBT people, a same-sex married couple who is affected by DOMA, and a transgender man who was fired in Massachusetts for being transgender.

Those attending the rally will have an opportunity to sign an open letter to Barack Obama that will be sent directly to newly elected President once he occupies the White House. The letter calls on Obama to keep his promise to the LGBT community. While running for office, Obama wrote an open letter to the LGBT community declaring his support for the repeal of DOMA and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, as well as his support for the passage of ENDA and hate-crimes legislation.

Our community is coming together to urge President-Elect Obama and the new Congress to make LGBT equality among its top priorities in the upcoming legislative session. We will no longer be treated like second-class citizens. We will not accept anything less than full equality.

While Massachusetts has a good track record on LGBT equality, there are still many issues facing LGBT citizens of the commonwealth. Massachusetts allows same-sex couples to marry, yet they only receive 25% of the rights, benefits, and privileges that come with marriage. Seventy-five percent of marriage rights are denied to Massachusetts same-sex married couples because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Openly gay and lesbian people from Massachusetts are barred from joining the military. LGBT people can be fired from their jobs and evicted from their apartments in a majority of the United States simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. In Massachusetts, gays and lesbians are protected from employment discrimination, but transgendered people are not.

The demonstration on Saturday is being endorsed by many progressive organizations in Massachusetts, including:

Gay and Lesbian Advocate and Defenders
Guerrilla Queer Bar
MassEquality
The Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus
The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter
National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts Chapter
The Progressive Project
The Stonewall Warriors
The Young Democrats of Massachusetts

Find out more information by visiting the website: Join The Impact MA

Rick Warren Raises Thousands of Dollars for LGBT Equality at Obama’s Inauguration

That could be the headline on newspapers across the country the day after President-elect Obama’s inauguration.

Driving Equality is hosting a Rick-A-Thon to turn Rick Warren’s anti-equality stance into positive change for LGBT people. Every second that Warren stands at the podium, he will be raising money to advance LGBT civil rights. (Pledge Online)

Rick Warren, a staunch opponent of equal rights for LGBT people, has used his pulpit to spread lies about LGBT families and to raise money for anti-gay legislation, such as proposition 8, which stripped equal marriage rights away from same-sex couples. When Warren takes the stage on Inauguration Day, however, he will be raising thousands of dollars to advance LGBT equality across the country.

Rick Warren’s invocation will not last longer than a couple minutes. You can pledge any amount you chose, whether it be $0.05, $0.10, $0.25, or even $1 for every second he speaks. You can even pledge a flat rate for the entire time he is at the podium. We will be displaying signs around Washington D.C. on Inauguration Day, tallying how much money Warren has raised for LGBT equality. We will make sure that everyone knows exactly how much money Rick Warren is raising for LGBT civil rights.

We are using Warren’s own bigotry to raise funds for a good cause, one that will help counter the lies that are being spread about LGBT people. Donations will go to Driving Equality, a 100-day trek across America, through all of the lower 48 states, to advance LGBT equality.

Phelps-A-Thon a Huge Success!

The Phelps-A-Thon was a huge success! We raised over $4,500 for Driving Equality! We collected $755 of that during the 45 minutes we were on the street counter-protesting the Phelps clan. Seventy-five people showed up to support the Phelps-A-Thon and to say no to hate. Everyone cheered as we updated the sign every five minutes, tallying the amount raised by the Phelps-A-Thon. People walking by handed us $5, $10, $20 bills. Someone wrote a check for $250 on the spot. It was incredible!

See the photos here.

Watch the videos here.

Congratulations to everyone that made the Phelps-A-Thon a success! We collected donations from over 100 people all over the country. A few days ago I received a letter from a woman in a small town in Montana. She thanked me for turning Phelps' message of hate into one of positive change for LGBT people. She included a check for $10 as a contribution to the Phelps-A-Thon.

It is not too late to make a contribution to the Phelps-A-Thon. I am sending Fred "God Hates Fags" Phelps a card, telling him how much he raised for LGBT equality. Make a donation today and your amount will be included on that card.

Thank you!

"GOD HATES FAGS" in Boston

Fred Phelps' clan is coming to Boston! The "God Hates Fags" Westboro Baptist Church is coming to picket the Laramie Project at the Boston Center for the Arts. Fred Phelps and his group travel all across the United States spreading their message of hate. When the group comes to Boston, however, they will be helping to drive equality across America.

Driving Equality is hosting a Phelps-A-Thon to counter Fred Phelps' hateful message. For every minute the "God Hates Fags" clan is protesting, we will be collecting donations for Driving Equality, a 85-day trek across America to all of the lower 48 states to advance LGBT equality. (Pledge Online)

The Phelps clan will be protesting in front of the Boston Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre from 7:15 PM to 8:00 PM on December 12th. You can pledge any amount you chose, whether it be $0.25, $1, $2, or even $5 for every minute they protest. You can even pledge a flat rate for the entire time the group will be demonstrating. (Pledge Online)

The point of this Phelps-A-Thon is two fold. First, we are using Phelps' own hateful message to raise funds for a good cause, one that will help counter the lies that are being spread about LGBT people. Second, we will be displaying a sign in front of the "God Hates Fags" clan tallying how much money they have helped raise for LGBT equality. This will certainly upset the group and it is possible that they will leave early to stop our fundraising.

On the "God Hates Fags" website, Phelps has this to say about the upcoming protest in Boston:

BCA Black Box Theatre - God Sent Matt 2 Hell! 527-551 Tremont Street. Matt is in Hell! Deal with it. Just read Romans 1, and see him and you in those words, and finally this: Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have in them that do them. AMEN!

We can turn these hateful words into positive change. Help Drive Equality Across America.

MassResistance "Special Report" on the Boston Protest Against Prop 8

The anti-gay hate group, MassResistance, has posted a "special report" on the protest against prop 8 that took place November 15 at Boston City Hall. It was the largest LGBT rights demonstration in Boston in decades. It is obvious that Brian (the author of MassResistance) was not able to hear any of the speeches. He was counter-protesting the rally. The "special report" talks about the rally targeting people of faith. This is ludicrous. The only mention of religion was one speaker who said that we must love everyone, not matter what faith they may practice.

This report is another attempt by MassResistance to spread lies about LGBT people. They call the rally a fascist-like protest. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, watch the videos here and decided for yourself.

MassResistance is also attacking Congressman Capuano and Congresswoman Tsongas for speaking at the event. I guess they missed Congressman Ed Markey since there is no mention of his speech in the "special report". It is obvious that Brian just watched the two minute news clip on the event (which only mentions Capuano and Tsongas) and then made up his own story.

The MassResistance "special report" asks readers to contact the Congresspeople and scold them for speaking at the event. Let's make sure they hear from us as well. Give them a call and send them an email thanking them for speaking at the rally and for standing up for equality. 

Below is an excerpt from the MassResistance "special report". They are even calling on people who live out of state to contact the Congresspeople. Let's flood their offices with THANK YOUS! You may use the contact information below to call and email Congressman Capuano and Congresswoman Tsongas to thank them for their support.

This is an OUTRAGE! Every good person in America should be disgusted by this. No matter WHERE you live, you have an obligation to let these two know that their endorsement of this vile behavior over the last few weeks is not just un-American, it's inhuman. Contact BOTH of them:

Congresswoman Nikki Tsongas

(Massachusetts 5th District)
Website: http://tsongas.house.gov/
Website: http://nikitsongas.com/

Washington office: Phone: 202-225-3411 Fax: 202-226-0771

Local offices (address, phone, fax): LINK to local office contact list

Other local contact info: Phone: 978-458-6454

Email: ntsongas@nikitsongas.com


Congressman Michael Capuano

(Massachusetts 8th District)
Website: http://www.house.gov/capuano/index.shtml

Washington office: Phone: 202-225-5111 Fax: 202-225-9322

District office: Phone: 617-621-6208 Fax: 617-621-8628

Email: Email form

News Coverage of Protest at Cambridge City Hall

The protest at Cambridge City Hall on Sunday was a testament to the city's strong commitment to social justice and to the queer community. It was literally freezing out, yet dozens of people showed up to hear the mayor, city counselor, and four state representatives speak.

After the speaking program at city hall, we marched to Harvard Square, chanting the entire way. 

Here are a couple of good news articles about the protest:

The Harvard Crimson

The Cambridge Chronicle

Harvey Milk Candlelight Vigil

This Thanksgiving marks the 30-year anniversary of the death of Harvey Milk. On the eve of this sad day, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, and their heterosexual allies, will come together to remember Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office. There will be a candlelight vigil across from Kendall Cinema, where the film Milk is scheduled to open on the same night. After the vigil, we will all be watching the film together.

Candlelight Vigil Honoring Harvey Milk

Wednesday, November 26

5:40pm

Corner of Binney St. and Fulkerson St.

Across from Kendall Cinema

Cambridge

Map

Harvey Milk is an iconic figure in the LGBT community. He gave hope to a community struggling to be treated with respect. Milk was elected city supervisor in San Francisco in 1977. He was responsible for passing the gay rights ordinance in the city and was a leader in the gay community's efforts against California's Proposition 6, which would have barred openly-gay people from teaching in public schools.

“Harvey Milk is my political hero. He never shirked from leading, powerfully and openly. Milk knew that openness and honesty was the only path to equality for LGBT people," said Marc Solomon, the Executive Director of MassEquality. "The power of his example is as true on the 30th anniversary of his slaying as it was when he was leading the fight against banning gays from teaching in California schools. Milk liked to say about LGBT young people, ‘you gotta give ‘em hope.’ Through his powerful way of living, Milk’s legacy still does.”

The candlelight vigil is being organized by the new LGBT rights organization, Join The Impact MA. Organizer Chris Mason said, "Harvey Milk was a true American hero. He stood up for what he believed in and even died for his cause. The candlelight vigil will be a reminder of the struggles LGBT people have faced in the past, and still face today. We will continue to carry Harvey Milk's message of full equality and will not rest until we reach that goal."

Those interested in attending the candlelight vigil can find out more information by visiting the website for Join the Impact MA (www.JoinTheImpactMA.com). Local organizers have also established a Facebook page for event (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=36065638738).

Protest Prop 8 at Cambridge City Hall

Join us on Sunday in Cambridge at a rally in favor of equal marriage rights. Cambridge has a special place in the struggle for marriage equality. We will be gathering at Cambridge City Hall - the site where the first legal same-sex marriage licenses were issued over four years ago.

This event is co-sponsored by Join The Impact MA and the Cambridge GLBT Commission. Mayor Denise Simmons, the first openly lesbian African American mayor in the country, will be speaking at the event.

CAMBRIDGE CITY HALL
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2008
2:00PM

"With the passage of discriminatory legislation like Proposition 8, progressive cities like Cambridge are the beacons that light the way towards a more tolerant future," Simmons said. "We were the first city in the nation to grant same-sex marriage licenses, we certainly won't be the last, and we look forward to the day when Proposition 8 takes its rightful place in the dustbin of history alongside errors like Plessy v. Ferguson and Jim Crow."

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people have been treated as second-class citizens for long enough. November 4th marks a turning point in the fight of LGBT civil rights. The passage of Prop 8 was the spark that has ignited the new LGBT civil rights movement. The protests are not going to stop until we achieve full equality in every state.

Bring signs, bring your friends, and most of all: don’t give up!

If you want flyers but don’t have a printer, e-mail: ryan.macneely@gmail.com. Visit the Facebook Event page here.

Hope to see you all there!!

Driving Equality Across America

I am launching an exciting new project called Driving Equality (www.DrivingEquality.com). During the summer of 2009, I will be going on an 85-day,15,000-mile road-trip, through all lower 48 states, to advance LGBT equality.

Check out DrivingEquality.com to find out more about the project, read about me, take a look at my route, learn about the trip's net-zero environmental impact, and consider donating or becoming a sponsor. When the trip starts, I will be updating the site on a daily basis with blog posts, photos, and videos.

Driving Equality is a trek across America to raise awareness of the various forms of discrimination faced by LGBT people in each state of the nation. Highlighting the differences in rights, laws, and amendments between the states will shed light on the current social standing of queer individuals today. I hope to create a dialogue about the disparities across the nation, and what can be done to end discrimination for all.

During the 85-day trip, I will be meeting with LGBT community organizers, activists, and any citizens willing to talk. Through these interviews, I will gain an understanding of the current political climates, and explore ways of combating discrimination. Throughout my journey, I will make frequent posts on the website, including photos and video clips.

The project will culminate with a documentary of my experience, with the aim of activating a discussion about potential strategies for ensuring equality.

Be sure to check out www.DrivingEquality.com for more information. I am looking for people to talk with all over the country. If you are interested in learning more, or becoming part of the project, send me an email at Chris@DrivingEquality.com.

Pictures and Videos from the Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention

June 14, 2007

The huge win at the Constitutional Convention will be remembered as a milestone in Massachusetts history. After years of fighting off anti-gay marriage constitutional amendments, it is finally over.

We made history.

Take a look.


Click here to see pictures from the Constitutional Convention.


Click here to see videos from the Constitutional Convention.

Anti-Gay Organization Focused on Next Election

The anti-gay organization, Vote On Marriage, announced yesterday that they would not try for another anti-gay marriage amendment this session. To do so they would have to file paperwork by August 1st. It would be pointless to do because the question would come before the same legislature that just voted it down last month.

The leader of Vote On Marriage, Kris Mineau, continues to threaten Massachusetts with his remarks, "This campaign is far from over, believe me," Mineau said. "Some of these legislators will go away, but we will not."

Instead of collecting signatures for yet another anti-gay marriage amendment, Vote On Marriage will be focusing their energy on the 2008 elections. The Boston Globe reports:

The group vowed to publish voter guides and urge its members to unseat lawmakers who opposed the amendment, especially those who campaigned in favor of a gay-marriage ban, but changed their minds.

This is slightly comical when you consider the success Vote On Marriage and other anti-gay groups have had in past elections. They have never been successful in defeating a pro-equality incumbent, not even once. Yet, in every election since the issue has been on the radar, we have been successful in taking out one of their anti-equality incumbents. Their candidates do not win. That is a fact.

It is funny that Vote On Marriage still believes that voters actually care about gay marriage. In reality, voters care about education, health care, jobs, and taxes. Gay marriage is way down on people's lists of important issues. But shhhhh, don't tell Vote On Marriage that. I like watching their candidates get all riled up about gay marriage. They always lose. And I love winning elections!

Presidential Candidates to Debate LGBT Issues

The leading Democratic candidates for president will be participating in an historic televised debated devoted solely to issues affecting the LGBT community. The debate will be held in front of a live audience in Los Angeles on August 9th. The debate will be aired by LOGO and will also be available online through live streaming video at LOGOonline.com.

This is the first time in our nation's history that the leading candidates for the presidency will participate in an LGBT focused debate. During the 2004 presidential campaign all but two leading Democratic candidates participated in a similar, HRC-sponsored forum.

The leading Democratic candidates have confirmed that they will participate in the debate. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards will most likely be joined by other Democratic presidential hopefuls. The panel questioning the candidates will include HRC President Joe Solmonese and outspoken lesbian singer Melissa Etheridge.

Questions from the panel will range from marriage equality, workplace discrimination, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", hate crimes, HIV/AIDS, and other issues. Let's hope we get some real answers from the candidates.

You will be able to submit your own questions for the candidates through LOGOonline.com and HRC.org.

Senator Barrios Gives Farewell Speech

Senator Barrios, the only openly gay Massachusetts Senator, gave his farewell speech on the floor of the Senate Chamber today. He was introduced by Senator Wilkerson, who mentioned Barrios' husband in her remarks; "behind this great man, is a great man." She then paused and said, "you were supposed to laugh."

Senator Barrios' speech was very moving. He spoke about being young and realizing that he was gay. He found a book on a library shelve about an openly gay athlete. He was grateful to find that book because he was able to relate to what he read. It helped him to read about someone who had gone through it before him.

He spoke about when he first sought public office in 1997; he couldn't find a book about running for office in Massachusetts with a name like "Barrios". He was the first, and still is the only, Latino Senator in Massachusetts. He had to write that book himself, as did many of his female colleagues in the Senate. However, after they write their own books, they will leave them on the shelve for others to pick up after them.

Senator Barrios has written a very powerful book in Massachusetts. He stood proud as an openly gay Senator and led the fight for safe schools for LGBT young people and against the discriminatory amendments that would have banned equal marriage rights. As he departs from the Senate, he will leave the book he has written on the shelve. Perhaps one day one of us will pick up that book.

Teens Indicted in Hate Crime Attack

The three 19 year-olds charged in the hate crime attack of Jenine Nickola in Lowell on June 2 were indicted today by a Middlesex Grand Jury. The men are being charged with violation of constitutional rights, assault and battery for purpose of intimidation due to sexual orientation, and assault and battery.

Both the Lowell Sun and the Boston Globe use the wrong pronouns in reporting the story.

"According to police, James Nickola of Lowell was walking alone to his [home] from a nightclub in downtown Lowell when he heard someone behind him call him "faggot." Nickola, who considers himself a transsexual, quickened his pace when his attackers caught up with him."

The attackers are being charged with a hate crime because they believed Jenine Nickola was a gay man. The Boston Globe reported that "the men allegedly used epithets about the man's [sic] sexual orientation prior to and during the beating and told the victim, 'We don't like your kind in our neighborhood.'"

The Massachusetts hate crime laws do not protect transgender people. If the attackers had used epithets about Jenine's gender identity or her gender expression they may not have been charged with a hate crime. This is blatant discrimination that needs to be corrected.

This year, Representative Carl Sciortino and Representative Byron Rushing introduced House Bill 1722, "An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes". We need to make this bill our community's top priority. Go to the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition for more information.

UPDATE: Local LGBT newspapers are split in reporting the story, disappointing the community they are supposed to serve. In Newsweekly gets it wrong, refers to Jenine as a man. However, Bay Widows gets it right, refers to her as a transwoman.

FURTHER UPDATE: In Newsweekly re-writes their article to correct themselves, refers to Jenine as a transwoman. Better late than never.

Stonewall Rebellion Anniversary

Today is the 38th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion that started the queer revolution in America. It was just after 1:30 a.m. when New York City Police busted into the the gay bar in Greenwich Village like they had done so many times before.

That night was different. The bar patrons were fed up and decided to fight back. This is a good description of what happened. This is another short description of what took place that night.

The first Pride parades took place in June of 1970 across the United States to commemorate the first year anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. The LGBT community has been celebrating Pride once a year, usually in June, ever since.

A couple years ago I met a Stonewall Veteran living with his partner on Cape Cod. David Bermudez was there the night the police raided the Stonewall Inn. David was part of the rebellion that started the gay movement. He is one of about 30 Stonewall Veterans that are still living today. I had a chance to hear about the night of the raid and the following events.

David told me that in the early morning hours on June 28, 1969 he was mourning the death of the gay icon Judy Garland. She was buried earlier that night and everyone was feeling down. David was out with his friends and decided to go to their usually hangout, the Stonewall Inn. He said that Stonewall was raided by police on a regular basis.

David showed up at Stonewall around 12:30 in the morning. No one had any idea what was about to happen. An hour later David was standing near the rear of the bar. He noticed smoke near the entrance. At first he thought there was a fire. He told his friends that they had better get out of the bar.

The next thing he knew he was being hit and starting punching back. David explained to me that when the police raided the bar, as they had done so many times before, they started to rough up some of the guys. He said that the drag queens started pushing the cops back. This started the fight. People who usually would not fight back were so upset over the death of Judy Garland that they decided they were not going to take it anymore.

David started to make his way to the front of the bar. He realized that the smoke was not from a fire, it was tear gas used by the police. He was being hit by police and had to punch his way out the door. Once he made it outside, he met his friends at the park across the street. They watched as the police patty wagons pulled up. The police started hauling people away.

A large crowd of LGBT people gathered outside the bar. They banded together and began to fight back. They started throwing rocks at the police. The crowd outnumbered the police and overtook the officers. The police retreated into the bar, dragging people with them and beating them. Someone uprooted a parking meter and used it as a battering ram to force the police officers out of the bar. Someone else set a fire. The crowd started chanting, "Gay Power" as they fought back for the first time in history. The rebellion continued for the next few days.

There are no pictures from the five days of the rebellion because the media completely ignored the entire event. There have been a couple of documentaries made about Stonewall. There was even a movie, titled Stonewall, made in 1995 based on the actual events. The film is excellent.

Today David lives with his husband Bob on Cape Cod. David and Bob have been together for over thirty years. They were legally married in 2004. Both David and Bob are very involved in politics to this day.

David is a member of the Stonewall Veterans Association. He and his partner marched at the front of New York City's LGBT Pride Parade two years ago as the first Stonewall Veteran to legally marry. It is an honor to know them both.

Happy Gay Sex Day!

It was four years ago today that the United States Supreme Court legalized gay sex. The court handed down it's historic decision in Lawrence v. Texas, striking down the anti-sodomy laws across the nation. The court's decision overturned it's 1986 ruling in Bowers v. Hardwick which stated that laws against gay sex were perfectly legal.

"Bowers was not correct when it was decided, and it is not correct today. It ought not to remain binding precedent. Bowers v. Hardwick should be and now is overruled," wrote Justice Kennedy.

The court's majority held that intimate consensual sexual conduct was part of the liberty protected by substantive due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. This includes the decision to engage in sex with a same-sex partner.
Justice Scalia wrote a dissenting opinion, referring to the overruling of Bowers as "a massive disruption of the current social order". He argued that Lawrence set the legal groundwork for the legalization of same-sex marriage. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court legalized same-sex marriage just five months later.

Many conservatives considered the ruling in Lawrence v. Texas to be judicial activism. Conservative groups held protests on the steps of the court. They knew the implications of the court's decision.

The landmark ruling in Lawrence v. Texas laid the foundation for the modern day fight for equal rights for queer people. We are gay or lesbian because we desire to have sex with members of the same sex. While the right to marry one's partner is important, the right to have sex with one's partner is fundamental.

If it were against the law for us to have sex, it would be illegal for us to be gay. This ruling opened the door for gays and lesbians to be treated equally in all aspects of the law.

Transgender Civil Rights Bill Must Be Our Community's Top Priority

Now that we have defeated the anti-gay marriage amendment, many in the LGBT community are asking, "what now?" Where do we go from here? Where should our community be directing its efforts? What is the next fight?

These questions are being asked and speculated upon all across Massachusetts. It has been said many times that our next fight should be to repeal the "1913 law" that prohibits gays and lesbians from other states from marrying in Massachusetts. This law is clearly discriminatory and it needs to go.

However, before we take up the fight to allow gays and lesbians from other states to marry here, lets make sure we take care of all the members of our own LGBT community first. The right to marry is important, but there are still some basic human rights being denied to some in our community today. We need to make sure that everyone in the Massachusetts LGBT community has the same basic protections that gays and lesbians have been enjoying since 1989.

Transgender people are not protected in our state's non-discrimination or hate crime laws. Transgender people in Massachusetts have been fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, and beaten up on the street. Before we do anything else, we must address this blatant discrimination.

Of course we have the ability to work on more than one issue at a time. However, our top priority must be to fight for the basic rights of those in our LGBT community who are not yet protected under the law. We should all be able to work, go to school, and live without fear.

This year, Representative Carl Sciortino and Representative Byron Rushing introduced House Bill 1722, "An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes". The bill is currently sitting in the Judiciary Committee. We need to make it clear to the leaders in the LGBT political movement that this bill is our top priority. We have the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker of the House on our side. They have each made a commitment to our community. Let's use that to get this bill passed.

Please join me in advocating that the Transgender Civil Rights Bill be our community's top priority. Go to the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition for more information.

What We Have Been Fighting For

Today I was reminded of what the fight for equal marriage rights is all about. I attended my cousin's wedding in Buzzards Bay. It was a beautiful ceremony in a gazebo by the Cape Cod Canal. The happy couple was joined by friends and family members rejoicing in the spirit of love.

This is what the marriage equality movement is all about. It is not an abstract idea, it is two people in love. This is what we have been fighting to protect. This is why we made all those phone calls, wrote those letters, and spent countless hours at the State House for Constitutional Conventions.

My cousin Steve and his husband Mike set their wedding date months ago. It seems appropriate to me that the wedding took place exactly one week after we secured equal marriage rights in Massachusetts. They said their vows at exactly the same time the winning vote was announced last week.

While we celebrate our huge win over the anti-gay forces and debate where our movement should be headed next, let's not forget what we have been fighting for. It's about love. It always has been.

Congratulations Steve and Mike. May you have many happy years together.

Legislators Being Bombarded

The 11 legislators who switched their votes to protect marriage equality are being bombarded with phone calls, emails, and letters from same-sex marriage opponents. The anti-gay marriage callers are harassing legislators and yelling at their aids.

In this recent article, Representative Paul Kujawski, who switched his vote to protect marriage equality, said that he doesn't know how many calls he has received since the vote on Thursday.

“There are some people who called who said ‘You’ll never win (an election) again.’ There were emotional outbursts of disappointment," Representative Kujawski said.

“They called me unmentionable names. There have been some real insulting and unmentionable statements.”

This is not surprising given the recent email that the organization leading the fight against equal marriage rights, Vote on Marriage, sent out to their members. The email is titled "Tell the 11 Benedict Arnolds how you feel about their betrayal".

Vote on Marriage portrays itself as a professional "mainstream" organization. Yet, in this recent email to their members, they sound more like the radical fringe group MassResistance than a "mainstream" organization.

Ironically, in another letter to their members titled "Keep the Faith", the leader of Vote on Marriage, Kris Mineau, wrote "We have always conducted ourselves in a professional matter." What do you think?

This is the latest Vote on Marriage email to their members:

Dear Supporters,

After a few days to ruminate and digest the events of last Thursday, it is time to remove the knife from your back and let the eleven legislators who betrayed the people of this state know how outraged you are at their betrayal.

Last Thursday, after the votes were cast and the final tally revealed, eleven legislators (nine who had voted for the Marriage Amendment at the Constitutional Convention held on Jan. 2; two freshmen legislators who ran and won election on "letting the people vote" last year) turned their back on the citizens of this Commonwealth and voted to deny the people a say on the definition of marriage. This is an outrage and these eleven legislators must understand that disloyalty has consequences.

The Traitors

Rep. Geraldo Alicea, D-Charlton

Rep. Christine Canavan, D-Brockton
Rep. Paul Kujawski, D-Webster
Rep. Paul Loscocco, R-Holliston
Rep. Robert Nyman, D-Hanover

Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Springfield
Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham
Rep. James Vallee, D-Franklin
Rep. Brian Wallace, D-South Boston

Sen. Gale Candaras, D-Wilbraham

Sen. Michael Morrissey, D-Quincy

These eleven Benedict Arnolds not only lied to the leaders of our movement, they lied to every citizen in this state. Right up until the day of the vote, each of these legislators reiterated their commitment to voting "Yes" to give the people a right to voice their opinion on same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, the true character of these so-called "public servants" became apparent once the final vote was recorded.

The day of the Constitutional Convention, Arline Isaacson, the chief lobbyist for the homosexual movement, was quoted in the Boston Globe saying, "It's very frustrating because legislators keep upping the ante on what they want to get for their votes." What could she possibly mean by that sentence other than bribery? How do the eleven legislators who switched their votes feel about that quote?

Please visit www.voteonmarriage.org and click on "Click Here for the 11 Benedict Arnolds" in the red "Alert Area." (You can also just CLICK HERE.) This link will bring you to a page that has all the contact information for the eleven vote switchers. Please call, email and write to them today. Let them know, in civil but strong terms, how you feel about their decision to change their votes. They need to know that the outrage over their betrayal is real and will not go away overnight. Get your family, friends and neighbors to join in as well.

Our opponents may have won this round, but the fight is far from over!

It is no wonder these legislators are being harassed. It is extremely important to let these 11 legislators know that we truly appreciate their vote against the discriminatory amendment. They are being flooded with calls and emails from the anti-gay side, lets make sure they get plenty of calls and emails from the pro-equality side as well. (Don't forget to call and email your own legislators)

Rep. Geraldo Alicea Rep.GeraldoAlicea@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2060

Rep. Christine Canavan Rep.ChristineCanavan@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2006

Rep. Paul Kujawski Rep.PaulKujawski@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2017

Rep. Paul Loscocco Rep.PaulLoscocco@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2220

Rep. Robert Nyman Rep.RobertNyman@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2020

Rep. Angelo Puppolo Rep.AngeloPuppolo@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2011

Rep. Richard Ross Rep.RichardRoss@hou.state.ma.us
617-722-2305

Rep. James Vallee Rep.JamesVallee@hou.state.ma.us
617-722-2380

Rep. Brian Wallace Rep.BrianWallace@hou.state.ma.us 617-722-2013

Sen. Gale Candaras Gale.Candaras@state.ma.us
617-722-1291

Sen. Mickael Morrissey Michael.W.Morrissey@state.ma.us 617-722-1494

Provincetown Film Festival

I am in Provincetown this weekend for the Provincetown International Film Festival. There are a bunch of films playing that I have wanted to see. This is a great a way to wind down after a long Pride week and the emotional Constitutional Convention.

After reading an article in the Advocate about the new film Red Without Blue, I was please to see that the movie is playing at the film festival. It looks like an interesting movie:

Twins Mark and Alex Farley came out in their early teens. A tumultuous divorce, boredom, and sexual abuse led to drug addiction and a failed suicide pact. Separated for several years during and after treatment, the pair reconnects as Mark starts art school and Alex begins to transition to Clair.

Some of the other movies I am looking forward to seeing are Itty Bitty Titty Committee, Full Grown Men and Everything's Cool.

I will be spending the rest of the weekend watching independent films, relaxing on the beach, and strolling down Commercial Street. This is a perfect way to celebrate the huge win at Thursday's Constitutional Convention.

VICTORY!! MARRIAGE EQUALITY SAVED!

The Massachusetts Legislature defeated the anti-gay marriage amendment today by a vote of 45 to 151. This was the state's seventeenth Constitutional Convention regarding gay marriage.

It is finally over.

Hundreds of people cheered and protested outside the State House today for hours before the vote. When the vote was taken, gay marriage supporters rejoiced by cheering, clapping, singing, crying, and hugging each other.

It has been a long fight. Along the way we lost a few battles, but today, we won the war.

Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to make this victory possible. Every phone call, letter, email, and visit to the State House was needed to win this fight.

You did it!

I will be posting pictures and videos from inside and outside the Constitutional Convention, including a video of the crowd erupting the moment the vote was announced.

UPDATE: The video below is of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom Marry marching from the interfaith service at 7:30 in the morning, across Boston Common, and across Beacon Street to join pro-equality demonstrators in front of the State House.

Click here to see pictures from the Constitutional Convention.


Click here to see videos from the Constitutional Convention.

The Seventeenth Constitutional Convention

This Thursday, June 14, will be the seventeenth Constitutional Convention in Massachusetts to deal with an anti-gay marriage amendment.

This battle has been going on for over five years. We have watched, argued, maneuvered, protested, cheered, sang, cried, yelled, clapped, and chanted for countless hours while our rights have been debated in Constitutional Conventions. We have seen two anti-gay constitutional amendments move forward and we have seen two anti-gay marriage amendments defeated.

We have had to defend ourselves through sixteen Constitutional Conventions and endless hours of debate. Here is the list:

May 1, 2002 - The Constitutional Convention convenes to consider the initiative petition amendment (H 4840) to the Constitution relative to the "protection of marriage". RESULT: Recessed until 6/19/02.

June 19, 2002 - The Constitutional Convention reconvenes to consider the amendment (H 4840) that would ban same-sex marriage. RESULT: Recessed until 7/17/02.

July 17, 2002 - The Constitutional Convention reconvenes to consider the anti-gay marriage amendment. Senate President Birmingham adjourns the convention. RESULT: The amendment is effectively killed.

May 14, 2003 - The Constitutional Conventions meets to discuss a new proposed amendment (H 3190) that would ban gay marriages and marriage-like benefits for same-sex couples. RESULT: Recessed until 11/12/03.

November 12, 2003 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment (H 3190). RESULT: Recessed until 2/11/04.

February 11, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment (H 3190). After much heated debate, the concon recesses until the next day.

February 12, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay marriage amendment. Hundreds of people fill the State House as the second day of the Constitutional Convention heats up. Lawmakers on both sides debate and maneuver. The night ends with pro-gay marriage legislatures conducting a filibuster until midnight. RESULT: Recessed until 3/11/04.

March 11, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes. The legislature votes three times on a gay marriage ban that would also establish civil unions. Maneuvers by both opponents and supporters of gay marriage leave it unclear whether the constitutional amendment would ever get to the voters. RESULT: Recessed until 3/29/04.

March 29, 2004 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes and votes in favor of the "compromises amendment" that would ban gay marriage and establish civil unions. RESULT: The amendment passes and moves to the second round with a vote of 105-92.

May 11, 2005 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay amendment. RESULT: Recessed until 8/24/05.

August 24, 2005 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay amendment. RESULT: Recessed until 9/14/05.

September 14, 2005 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay amendment. Pro-gay marriage forces have enough votes to kill the amendment. Anti-gay marriage groups drop support for the amendment in favor of a new amendment that does not include civil unions. Both sides urge legislators to vote against the amendment. RESULT: The amendment is defeated with a vote of 157-39.

May 10, 2006 - The Constitutional Conventions meets to take up a new amendment to ban gay marriage. This new amendment does not include civil unions and, because it is an initiative petition, needs only 25% of the legislature's support to pass. RESULT: Recessed until 7/12/06.

July 12, 2006 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay marriage amendment. Marriage equality advocates do not have enough votes to win. RESULT: Recessed until two days after the general election, 11/9/06.

November 9, 2006 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to debate the anti-gay marriage amendment. Marriage equality advocates still do not have the votes to win. In a procedural maneuver designed to kill the amendment, the legislature votes to recess until the last day of the session. RESULT: Recessed until 1/2/07. MassEquality declares victory.

January 2, 2007 - The Constitutional Conventions reconvenes to take up the anti-gay amendment. After a lawsuit filed by anti-gay marriage advocates, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said that state lawmakers have a constitutional duty to vote on a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. The amendment only needs 50 votes to pass. RESULT: The amendment passes and moves to the second round with a vote of 62-134.

May 9, 2007 - The Constitutional Conventions takes up the anti-gay marriage amendment in the second round. RESULT: Recessed until 6/14/07.

Many in the LGBT community, including me, are sick and tired of going to Constitutional Conventions. They can be incredibly draining. I can think of a million things that I would rather do than go to the State House and fight for my rights...again.

However, we can't give up, or even slow down now. We are so close to winning. State House sources say that we are just three or four votes away from winning. We need to be there on Thursday, even if there is not actually going to be a vote. We need to be there to show the legislature that we are not giving up our rights.

We have survived sixteen Constitutional Conventions. We can make it through the seventeenth one as well. See you there!

Pride Week Recap

Boston Pride ended today after a week filled with celebration and controversy. This was the 37th Pride Celebration in Massachusetts.

The first official Pride Celebration was in 1970. It was a week-long series of events to mark the one year anniversary of Stonewall. The theme that year was "Love Is All You Need". The week culminated on June 28 with a Be-In on Cambridge Common with balloons, banners, dancing - a day of peace and love under the sun.

This years Pride theme, Ask. Tell. Proud to Serve Our Community, Our Country, Our World, created a lot of controversy with-in the LGBT community. The militaristic theme was opposed by many organizations and individuals in the community, including me. The Ask. Tell. Act. Coalition was formed in response "to encourage our community to think about the issues of militarism, corporitization, transphobia, sexism, and racism that are presented by the theme." Pride participants were encouraged to wear hot pink as a sign of opposition the the militaristic Pride theme.

Pride Week began Friday, June 1 with the Flag Raising at City Hall. Mayor Menino's liaison to the LGBT community presented a declaration from the mayor proclaiming the start of Pride Week. The Pride Marshals were introduced and the rainbow flag was raised over City Hall Plaza. The Ask. Tell. Act. Coalition raised their own hot pink flag at the same time.

Tuesday, June 5 was the 12th Annual Pridelights Tree Lighting. This event marked "the unofficial kick-off to Pride Week in Boston". Boston Mayor Tom Menino spoke to the crowd, encouraging people to get involved with the fast approaching constitution convention. City Counselor Sam Yoon also spoke to the crowd about the significance of pride in the community.

The best speech of the night was by Abe Rybeck, Artistic Director of The Theater Offensive. Abe spoke about embracing sex and sexuality in the LGBT community. The Theater Offensive's guerilla AIDS activist theater troupe, A Street Theater Named Desire, does shows and HIV prevention outreach in the heart of the Fens.

Wednesday, June 6 was the GLBT Holocaust Commemoration Service at the holocaust memorial. This service is always very powerful. Especially this year, after an anti-gay crusaders had just testified at the State House that homosexuals were not targeted by the Nazis.

Wednesday was also the Pride Idols Finals where Miss Kitty Litter stepped over the line from distasteful to racist. QueerToday has the full report. Rumor has it the Boston Pride Committee will be issuing a public apology.

Thursday, June 7 was the candlelight vigil in response to the hate crime in Lowell. Jenine Nickola was attacked over the weekend while walking home. The vigil was attended by over 100 people. Jenine identified herself as a trans woman to the press at the vigil. I have nothing but the utmost admiration for her honesty and her courage. She is recovering well and wants to tell her story.

Friday, June 8 was the Dyke March. This is my favorite event of Pride Week. This event is free from the corporate sponsorship that has branded the Pride Parade. The people are fun and the energy is amazing. It is what a Pride fest should be.

This years Dyke March had its own controversy when the transphobic performer, Bitch, was scheduled to play. The Dyke March states that their top priority is, "to provide a dynamic and welcoming space for participants of all sexualities, genders, races, ages, ethnicities, sizes, economic backgrounds, and physical abilities." After much outcry from the community, the Dyke March Committee decided to cancel Bitch just in time. This years march was a blast.

Click here to see photos and videos from Boston's 2007 Dyke March.

Saturday, June 9 was the Pride Parade and Festival. Governor Patrick made history by becoming the first Governor in the Commonwealth to march in the Pride Parade. The opposition to this years militaristic Pride theme was apparent throughout the parade. There were hot pink shirts, hats, signs, and over 500 armbands worn by parade participants. QueerToday has the report with photos.

Click here to see photos from Boston's 2007 Pride Parade.

The Pride Parade is Boston's largest parade of the year. It is attended by hundreds of thousands of people. Think that's a lot? Check out this years Pride Parade in Brazil. It was attended by an estimated 3 million people. That's a lot of queers.

The video below is from the Dyke March. Click here to see more videos and photos from the Dyke March.

Boston Pride Parade Photos

Boston's 2007 Pride Parade was a lot of fun. The new route brought the parade up Beacon Street, in front of the State House, and ended up on City Hall Plaza. The route was lined with people cheering and taking pictures.

History was made today as Governor Patrick became the first Governor in Massachusetts to march in the Pride Parade. Even though the sky was gray, the crowd was very gay.

Click here to see photos from Boston's 2007 Pride Parade.


Click here to see photos and videos from Boston's 2007 Dyke March.

Hate Crime Victim Comes Out as Trans Woman

When I heard about the beating of "a gay man" in Lowell last weekend, I knew that I had to do something. I drove down to Lowell to find the victim, "James" Nickola.

After a bit of detective work, someone led me to her house. I met "James" and talked with her for a while. I told her that there was a candlelight vigil being planned in response to the violence she experienced.

While talking with "James", she disclosed to me that she is not a gay man, but a transgender female named Jenine. I gave her some information about Fenway Community Health's Violence Recovery Program and we talked for awhile about what happened the night she was attacked. Then I headed back to Boston.

I have not mentioned on this blog that Jenine is transgender. I am writing about it now because Jenine has disclosed this information herself during an interview with Channel 7 News. I applaud Jenine for her honesty and openness. The reason I did not mention that Jenine is transgender is because the Massachusetts hate crime laws to not include gender identity or gender expression.

Jenine's attackers have been charged with a hate crime. Once the lawyers for the men who attacked her find out that Jenine identifies as transgender, they will try to have the hate crime charges thrown out in court. They will argue that the men attacked Jenine because she was transgender, not because they thought she was a gay man. This argument could very well result in the court being forced to drop the hate crime charges.

This is a huge problem in Massachusetts. Gender identity and gender expression are not covered in the state's hate crime or non-discrimination laws. There are 17 states that do cover gender identity and gender expression in either their hate crimes or non-discrimination laws. Massachusetts usually leads the country on issues of fairness and equality. In this case, we are behind 17 other states.

This year a bill, H1722, was introduced to include gender identity and gender discrimination in our hate crimes and and non-discrimination laws. This bill must become law to protect people like Jenine. If her attackers are successful in arguing that the hate crime charges do not apply to their case, it will be a real blow for justice in Massachusetts.

Go to the Massachusetts Transgender Polititcal Caucus website to find out what you can do to right this wrong.

UPDATE: Bay Windows article on the attack and the vigil.

Hate Crime Vigil Draws Large Crowd

The candlelight vigil in response to the recent hate crime in Lowell drew a crowd of over 100 supporters. The vigil was held at St. Anne's church in downtown Lowell.

Speakers included Lowell Mayor William Martin, City Counselor Eileen Donoghue, State Senator Steve Panagiotakos, and Father Ramón Aymerich. The speakers all touched on the subject of combating violence against LGBT members of the community.

Marianne Gries, a Lowell resident and former MassEquality employee, took these pictures of the vigil.

Candlelight Vigil in Response to Hate Crime in Lowell

The Greater Lowell Equality Alliance is sponsoring a candlelight vigil in response to the recent hate crime that took place early Saturday morning in Lowell.

Candlelight Vigil
Thursday June 7th
7:30 PM
St. Anne’s Episcopal Church
(corner of Merrimack Street & Kirk Street)
Downtown Lowell

Early Saturday morning, James “Jimmy” Nickola was the victim of a hate crime while walking down the street in Lowell. Jimmy was brutally assaulted by three individuals. The attackers shouted homophobic slurs while nearly tearing off Jimmy’s bottom lip. Hate crimes affect more than the individual who is attacked, they affect the entire community.

This candlelight vigil is to show that Lowell is a welcoming community that will not tolerate this type of violence. Lowell is a strong, diverse, and vibrant community. Let's show the unity in our community.

Gay Man, 22, Taunted and Beaten in Lowell

James Nickola, 22, was attacked in Lowell on Friday night while walking through a residential neighborhood. His attackers allegedly yelled anti-gay slurs while beating him. One of his attackers yelled, "We don't want you in our neighborhood".

He told officers that three men began to taunt him as he walked along Bridge Street in Lowell. They caught up with him on West Fourth Street where he was jumped and beaten while being called a "faggot."

He was able to make his way to the Lowell police station, his face covered in blood. His attackers beat him so bad, while shouting homophobic slurs at him, they nearly tore off his bottom lip.

Although prosecutors asked that his attackers be held on $2,500 cash bail, a Lowell District Court judge released the three 19-year-olds on personal recognizance with the condition that each report to probation and abide by a 10 pm to 6 am curfew.

The men who attacked Nickola face three charges: violation of constitutional rights with bodily injury, assault and battery, and mayhem.

District Attorney Gerald Leone is treating the case as a serious hate crime.

"We take our responsibility to protect citizens' rights and liberties extremely seriously," said Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. "To the extent that hatred of any kind is a motivation to target a particular person or group, we place a high priority on prosecuting those defendants and sending a strong message that that type of hatred will not be tolerated."

Read the Lowell Sun article here.
Read the Boston Globe article here.

Macy's Still Apologizing to Queers

One year after Macy's Pride window display debacle, the company is still trying to make amends to the LGBT community. They have a new window display this year celebrating Boston Pride. This time there are no mannequins.

Last year Macy's caved in to the anti-gay group MassResistance and removed the mannequins from their Boston Pride display window. MassResistance complained to the company that the mannequins featured in the display were offensive because they had "enlarged breasts".

After Macy's removed the mannequins, they were flooded with calls and emails from people criticizing them for caving in to the anti-gay radical right. QueerToday organized a protest in front of the store. We marched into the store and to the management offices to voice our outrage.Even Mayor Menino chimed in, "I'm very surprised that Macy's would bend to that type of pressure," Menino told Bay Windows. "Macy's was celebrating a part of our community, gay Pride, and they should be proud of the gay community, and I'm proud of the gay community and gay Pride. Once again it's the radical right wing that's doing it. They don't represent the people."

Macy's eventually apologized for removing the mannequins and admitted they had made a mistake. Now Macy's is trying to make good with the LGBT community. They have again apologized for their mistake with last years Pride display. The CEO of Macy’s East blames an “internal breakdown in communication” for the debacle last year.

This years Boston Pride window display was designed by a member of the Boston Pride Committee. I took a walk downtown last week to see the display. It is nice to see the large rainbow flag backdrop and the silhouette of two men holding hands along with the Boston Pride Calender.

However, the display seems a bit empty to me. How did we go from two life-like full scale mannequins, to just a silhouette of hands holding? That seems backwards to me. I can't blame Macy's for this though, it was designed by a Boston Pride Committee member.However, I will give the Boston Pride Committee props for not letting Macy's off the hook too easy. Instead of praising Macy's for actually having a Pride window display again this year, vice president of the Boston Pride Committee, Keri Aulita, said the organization isn’t going to forgive and forget. “Does one action make amends for something that was really painful for the community? No,” Aulita said. “They’re very well aware that the road to repair is not going to be a quick fix. We’re holding them to a continued relationship, and so far we’ve seen nothing but them willing to do so.”

Update: According to Kyle Hemingway, the designer of the Pride display window, he "was only charged with the creation of the graphic, the emptiness of the window is the artistic intention of Macy's".

Boston Pride Begins Amidst Controversy

Boston Pride week officially began today with the Flag Raising Ceremony at Boston City Hall. Mayor Menino's liaison to the LGBT community presented a declaration from the mayor proclaiming the start of Pride Week.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE CEREMONY.

The Pride Marshals each had their turn at the microphone. This years Marshals are Representative Liz Malia, the openly lesbian legislator from Jamaica Plain; Jacob Smith Young, the executive director of Massachusetts Asian & Pacific Islanders for Health; and SpeakOut, the nation's first LGBT speakers bureau.

To the right of the stage that hosted the Pride Committee, Marshals, and Boston City Counselors was a group representing the Ask. Tell. Act. Coalition. During the ceremony they held a sign that read "Radical Queers Resist".

The President of the Boston Pride Board of Directors, Linda DeMarco, mentioned the controversy over this years pride theme. She welcomed the demonstrators, saying that they were being true to themselves and to their idea of Pride. While her message may have been sincere, it came off as patronizing.

Our favorite anti-gay crusaders from MassResistance were also at the event. Amy Contrada was wandering around with a video camera, filming the ceremony. Brian Camenker was also lurking around the crowd with a camera. He wrote on his website today that the mayor "has to raise the rainbow flag over Boston City Hall and keep it there for an entire week to rub it in, and embarrass us all in front of all the tourists who come to Boston at this time of year."

After the speeches, the rainbow flag was raised over City Hall Plaza. The Ask. Tell. Act. Coalition demonstrators raised their own hot pink flag at the same time. The two flags; one rainbow flag being raised on the official city hall flagpole with full support from the mayor of the capital city, and one hot pink flag being raised on a make shift flagpole by queer radicals, seemed to represent the differences of the Pride celebrations of today and the Pride celebrations of the past.

As the controversy over this years Boston Pride military theme unfolds during this week, let's not forget where we came from. Boston Pride began in 1970 with "a few dozen lesbians and gay men marching as part of a Vietnam War protest". Members of the Gay Liberation Front carried signs that read "Send the Boys Home Now!"

The first Boston Pride Celebration was that June. The theme that year: "Love is All You Need".

Boston Pride Straying from its Routes

Boston Pride week begins this Friday with the Flag Raising Ceremony at Boston City Hall. This event marks the starts of a week filled with events to celebrate LGBT pride. The biggest event of the year for the LGBT community, the Boston Pride Parade, will take place on Saturday, June 9. The LGBT Pride Parade is the biggest parade in the city of Boston all year. The last event of the day is a "Military Ball".

There has been much controversy in the LGBT community over this years pride theme: Ask. Tell. Proud to Serve Our Community, Our Country, Our World.

I do not understand why the Boston Pride Committee chose a military theme for this years pride. It doesn't make sense, especially because we are in the midsts of a very unpopular war.

Interestingly enough, the first Boston Pride Parade began during another very unpopular war. In fact, Boston pride began with "a few dozen lesbians and gay men marching as part of a Vietnam War protest".

It troubles me that Boston pride has strayed so far from its roots. The LGBT community was a very active component of the anti-war movement of the 1970s. The first pride parades had strong anti-war sentiments to them. These early LGBT activists laid the foundation for all the advances that we have made in LGBT rights in Massachusetts.

The book Routes of Pride "traces the evolution of the Boston Pride celebration - from a few dozen lesbians and gay men marching as part of a Vietnam War protest, to a massive celebration that often draws more than 100,000 participants."

Identifying as LGBT does not mean that you must be liberal, progressive, or anti-war. The LGBT community is made up of liberals and conservatives, Democrats, Republicans, and every other political ideology out there. However, as a movement, our community has a history of activism; not just against homophobia, but also against racism, poverty, oppression and war.

What would the early pioneers of the LGBT movement think of a pride theme that celebrates militarism?

Check out the Ask. Tell. Act. Coalition for more information.

Honor the brave men and woman who fought for our rights before us. Wear pink at Boston Pride events to show solidarity with the coalition.

Both Sides Testify At Hearing

State House hearing room B-1 was filled with citizens waiting to testify against and in support of a number of bills. The room was packed with close to a hundred people. Most of the usual anti-gay characters showed up to testify against the Health Education bill (S288) and a few in favor of MassResistance's Parental Notification bill (S321).

Check out the umbrella organization supporting the Health Education bill: Coalition Advocating Responsible Education for Youth.

There were some interesting arguments against the Health Education bill. One woman compared the bill to eating brownies that contained dog excrement. There were a few people who argued that god would not want health education taught in our schools.

Catholic Action League executive director, C.J. Doyle, testified in favor of the MassResistance parental notification bill. He claimed that teaching students about condoms would violate the rights of Catholic parents because of their religious beliefs. Senator Augustus, Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Education, mentioned that there are a few very conservative sects of Islam that believe women are inferior to men. The Senator then asked Doyle if teaching that "girls are equal to boys" would violate the rights of those parents. Doyle, understanding the point that Senator Augustus was making, couldn't answer the question.

Tom Lang, co-founder of KnowThyNeighbor.org testified that, if the Parental Notification bill were to become law, students would need to have a signed permission slip in order to be taught the truth about important figures in history that were gay or lesbian; such as Gertrude Stein, Alan Turing, Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci. Students would even need parental permission to discuss the fact that victims of the holocaust included homosexuals.

Brian Camenker of MassResistance testified in favor of his anti-gay bill. He declared that everything from lesbianism to pansexuality to “bondage and discipline” and sado-masochism to bestiality is being taught in public schools across the Commonwealth. Camenker, responding to Lang's testimony, denied that homosexuals were ever a target of the Nazis. He claimed that homosexuals were not among the victims of the holocaust.

Representative Wolf, a strong ally to the LGBT community, stated that homosexuals were targeted by the Nazis and victims of the holocaust. Camenker continued to deny the facts. He would like to see any trace of LGBT history, good or bad, disappear from the history books.

Members of the committee questioned the opt-in aspect of the parental notification bill. Senator Augustus mentioned that opt-in, rather than opt-out, could harm students who have parents that do not take an interest in their children's schooling one way or another. These parents may not sign permission slips, leaving the student left out of health class discussions about safe sex or drug abuse.

It doesn't look like MassResistance's anti-gay bill will go very far. However, with nearly half of the legislature sponsoring the Health Education bill, it looks like it has a good chance at coming up for a vote.

TAKE ACTION: Public Hearing Tuesday on Anti-Gay Bills

On Tuesday, May 29, there will be a number of anti-gay bills taken up at a hearing at the State House in front of the Education Committee. The public is encouraged to come and testify in front of the committee. [If you can not attend the hearing, you can submit written testimony to the committee.]

When: Tuesday, May 29 @ 1:00 pm
Where: State House, Room A1

The anti-gay group, MassResistance, is making a big push to get people to this hearing. Their infamous "Parent Rights Bill" will be taken up at this hearing.

This is one nasty bill. To start, this bill, AN ACT regarding parental notification and consent S321, would change the current parental notification bill. The current bill states that parents can opt their children out of any portion of curriculum that involves "human sexual education or human sexuality issues".

Chapter 71: Section 32A. Sex education; policy regarding notice to parents, exception: Every city, town, regional school district or vocational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum which primarily involves human sexual education or human sexuality issues shall adopt a policy ensuring parental/guardian notification. Such policy shall afford parents or guardians the flexibility to exempt their children from any portion of said curriculum through written notification to the school principal.

MassResistance's new bill seeks to add the language "alternative sexual behavior" after the words "human sexual education or human sexuality issues". The bills then goes on to state:

The term “alternative sexual behavior” means homosexuality, bisexuality, lesbianism, transsexuality, transgenderism, cross-dressing, pansexuality, promiscuity, sodomy, pederasty, prostitution, oral sex, anal sex, masturbation, polygamy, polyandry, sex re-assignment treatments, “bondage and discipline”, sado-masochism, bestiality, and similar behaviors. It also includes issues and relationships deriving from those behaviors, including but not limited to “sexual orientation”, and alternative family, parenting, and marriage constructs.

Wow. That is quite the definition! Pay close attention the the last sentence. Like I said, this truly is one nasty bill.

Wait, there's more! The bill would add this language:

All such school programs shall be offered only in clearly identified non-mandatory elective courses or activities in which parents or guardians may choose to enroll their children through written notification to the school, in a manner reasonably similar to other elective courses or activities offered by the school district.

This of course means that there will be no discussion of LGBT issues in health class, history class, english class, or any other class that is part of the general curriculum.

The bill then defines the term "school programs":

The term “school program” means any school sanctioned activity, or portion thereof, whether on or off campus, whether during or outside school hours, whether organized, presented or directed by school employees, agents of the school, students, volunteers, or others. This shall include, but not be limited to classes, curriculum, assemblies, outside speakers, workshops, clubs, exhibits, private or non-private counseling sessions, ‘teachable moments’, reading assignments, videos, posters, displays, and handouts. It shall not include spontaneous student-initiated conversations among themselves.

Notice that the term "school programs" includes "teachable moments" as well as "posters, displays, and handouts". The last sentence is almost comical as it states that the definition "shall not include spontaneous student-initiated conversations among themselves."

This bill would change the law from opt-out to opt-in. This would mean that any student who would like to attend a meeting of their school's Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) would need a permission slip signed by their parent or guardian.

Many of the students that attend GSAs are not out to their parents. This may be because they are not ready to come out, or because their parents would kick them out of the house if they were to come out. The GSA clubs in schools provide a safe place for LGBT students and their allies to meet. These clubs have been proven to reduce the rate of LGBT teen suicide.

The Gay/Straight Alliance at my school helped me accept my own homosexuality at a time when I felt that no one could possibly understand how I felt. After gaining support from other members in the club at my school, I came out to my parents. If I needed to have my parents sign a permission slip in order for me to attend a meeting of the GSA, I am not sure what I would have done. I probably never would have been to a meeting of the GSA club.

That is exactly what MassResistance is trying to do!

The last part of this new bill is relative to surveys conducted in school. The Department of Education conducts surveys in schools for various reasons. Information gathered from these surveys are used to determine what is needed in our schools.

It is this survey that provides us with the information about LGBT teen suicide, violence, and feeling unsafe in school. This survey proves that students who describe themselves as gay or lesbian (the survey does not include bisexual or transgender) are:

• Over four times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year

• Over four times more likely to have missed school in the past month because of feeling unsafe

• Almost twice as likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school.
  

The information that this survey provides is proof that we need funding for Gay/Straight Alliances in our schools. That is exactly why MassResistance wants to do away with these surveys with this last part of their bill:

No student in any public elementary or secondary school shall be requested or required to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals information concerning: (1) political affiliations; (2) mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student or his family; (3) sexual behavior and attitudes; (4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior; (5) feelings of victimization; (6) suicide or self-abuse; (7) birth control or abortion; (8) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships; (9) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those with lawyers, physicians and ministers; or (10) income without the prior written consent of the parent or guardian.

As you can see, this is one hateful and extremely hurtful bill. On Tuesday, May 29, MassResistance will pack the hearing room with its supporters who will testify in favor of this awful bill. We need to be there as well.

We need to testify against this bill. Did you have a gay/straight alliance in your high school? Did your health class ever discuss LGBT issues? Did you have any LGBT signs, posters, or assemblies in your school? If so, write a letter on how they affected your experience in school.

If you cannot attend the hearing in person, you can submit written testimony to the committee.

There is also a good bill that will be taken up at the hearing on Tuesday. This bill, AN ACT to provide health education in schools S288, would add health education as a requirement for graduation. Can you believe that health education is not already a requirement for graduation?

There is a lot of good parts to this bill. Check out Planned Parenthood's website for more information about this bill. You can also take a look at why MassResistance hates this bill and wants people to testify against it.

Come to the State House on Tuesday, May 29 and testify against the horrible MassResistance anti-gay bill and testify in favor of the health education bill.

If you plan on attending the hearing, bring written testimony to submit to the committee. If you can not attend the hearing, send written testimony to the committee.

Openly Gay State Senator, Jarret Barrios, Poised to Retire

Senator Jarrett Barrios, the only openly gay member of the Massachusetts Senate, is leaving the Senate to take a job with The Blue Cross Foundation. The foundation promotes health coverage in Massachusetts.

Senator Barrios is one of only five openly gay members in the Massachusetts Legislature, which consists of two hundred members. The other openly gay legislators are Representative Liz Malia, Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, Representative Carl Sciortino, and Representative Sarah Peake.

Senator Barrios has been an outspoken advocate for safe schools legislation, domestic violence prevention, and same-sex marriage. He has been a leading voice in the Senate for LGBT rights. He will be missed.

Protect Funding for LGBT Suicide Prevention and Domestic Violence

Please call your Senator today and ask them to support these amendments to the budget.

Line item number 7010-0005: LGBT Youth Suicide Prevention Services - Amendment for $50,000

This program funds suicide prevention programs in the Department of Education. In the most recent survey conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Education, more than 40% of the LGBT youth reported that they had attempted suicide.

Line item number 4513-1130: LGBT Domestic Violence Program - Amendment for $92,000

This program funds the only LGBT-specific domestic violence program in the Commonwealth. LGBT couples have the same rate of domestic violence as heterosexual couples. Currently, this line-item is level-funded at $158,000 from FY 07 in both the House and Senate budgets. The program needs additional funds to expand their intake beds from 5 to 7. This additional appropriation will allow them to help more victims of domestic violence.

Obsessed with Homosexuality

It is no surprise that Brian Camenker and Amy Contrada, of the anti-gay group MassResistance, are obsessed with homosexuality.

Just by taking a quick glance at their website or their blog you can clearly see that they spend an enormous amount of time and energy documenting every kind of LGBT issue and event that takes place in or around Massachusetts.

They have detailed photographs, videos, scanned in handouts, and lengthy reports. Their obsession with the LGBT community and it's individuals is, at best, scary.

Take a look at their recent detailed report on Massachusetts LGBT Youth Pride.

Pay attention to the pictures, the video, the comments, even the words they use. It is a small glimpse inside the minds of two very sick people who are obsessed with homosexuality.

This leads one to wonder why these two people are so obsessed. Why would someone spend all of their time spying on young LGBT people? Why would someone spend hours photographing, documenting, writing, and thinking about homosexuality? Why would someone work so hard to attack LGBT people? I don't know the answers to these questions, but I am reminded of Ted Haggard. I will let you come to your on conclusions there.

Update: QueerToday has a great report on Amy Contrada and her actions at Youth Pride.

Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker Join Hands in Support of Marriage Equality

Governor Deval Patrick surprised the crowd in Nurses Hall at the State House yesterday. The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry organized the event to celebrate the three year anniversary of marriage equality.

During the rally, the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President made an impromptu appearance. They were greeted with thunderous applaud by marriage equality supporters. Massachusetts's three most powerful people joined hands and raised them high as supporters cheered them on.

Later in the evening, Governor Patrick spoke at an anniversary celebration hosted by MassEquality. The Governor presented a proclamation declaring May 17th Equal Marriage Day in the Commonwealth.

During the celebration, MassEquality released their new ad campaign. See the new ads here.

Check out pictures from the Three Year Anniversary of Marriage Equality Celebration here.

Federal Judge Dismisses Anti-Gay Suit Over School Lesson Involving Same-Sex Couples

Chief Judge Mark L. Wolf of the US District Court said that under the Constitution, public schools are "entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy. Diversity is a hallmark of our nation.''

Update: Read the full Boston Globe story here.

Brian Camenker Disrupts Gay and Lesbian Youth Commission Meeting

Our favorite homophobe / shutterbug was at it again on Monday. It looked for a while like Brain Camenker of MassResistance had forgotten about the LGBT community and was focusing all of his energy on attacking Mitt Romney. Alas, he was in full force at the first meeting of the new independent commission on gay and lesbian youth.

According to the State House News service:

Moments after the meeting at state Department of Public Health headquarters began, a conservative activist began taking pictures of commission members. Several commission members immediately objected. Talking over one another, they said it was disruptive and wondered whether legal releases were needed.

Brian Camenker argued, "If you don't want your picture taken, don't join a public body".

While the commission chairs agreed, members said later they plan to look into the legality of the picture-taking, since students serve as members, along with many adults who are on the commission.

Brain Camenker loves taking photos of people he disagrees with. He then posts the photos on his website along with his own witty remarks.

The picture on the left is of him trying to take a photo of me at Romney's anti-gay rally. Another picture of me was also posted on his website last year with this caption: Chris, a 23-year-old "team leader" for MassEquality (note walkie-talkie) was quite friendly, and seemed about the most "normal" of everyone we ran into. We wish he weren't involved in such a destructive cause.

As you may know, the legislature created the new independent commission on gay and lesbian youth after Romney threatened to disband the original Governor's commission created by Governor Weld in 1992. For the short time that Brian Camenker had the ear of Governor Romney, he gave him much misinformation about the commission. It was then that Romney decided to disband the commission.

After the Monday night meeting of the new independent gay and lesbian youth commission, citing his push to abolish the governor's commission, Camenker told the News Service, "I'm the reason this whole group was formed."

Back in July, Camenker lobbied hard for the legislature to sustain Romney's veto of the new independent commission. It was a crushing loss for him when the final vote was taken. The House of Representatives voted to override the governor's veto by one vote. I had also spent the days prior to the vote in the State House lobbying legislators. It was a crushing defeat for Camenker and the other homophobes. I guess he is still upset about the loss.

A Reason to Write

A month ago I started a new job working inside the Massachusetts State House. At first, because of the office I now work in and the person I work for, I decided that it would be best to lay low for a little while. I have not posted on this website while I tried to decided whether or not it would be appropriate for me to continue to write on my blog. In the past month two things have happened that have helped me decide to continue writing.

The first was an email from someone I have never met. He contacted me through the website. He explained to me that he recently came out to his friends at college and even spoke on a panel promoting LGBTQ rights on campus. Something he wrote made me rethink my decision to stop posting. This is what he said:

"I LOVE YOUR WEB SITE. Thank you so much for being a voice for so many who will not, or cannot do it for themselves. I look forward to meeting you at a rally sometime soon."

The second event that happened was my first day of school. I am taking a class called "Sociology of Homosexuality" at Bunker Hill Community College. In this class we are discussing LGBT history and related issues. It reminded me that I am part of a movement. Anyone who speaks openly and advocates for change is part of a much larger movement.

Where would I be today if no one spoke up in the past? I do not believe that I have the right to remain silent today. There is still so much work to be done. So lets do it!

I will not be able to post very often, as my job and school do not permit me much free time. However, I will be doing my duty as an openly gay citizen. I will be an advocate for change. I will continue to speak up and I will use this forum to create dialog.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

Two Steps Foward, One Step Back

On January 2nd, two-thirds of Massachusetts legislators voted against a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, but their votes were not enough. The amendment, which required only 50 votes to move forward, will now face a second round of consideration in 2007 or 2008.

Do Something Now.

We have lost this battle, but we will most certainly win this war.

Marriage is a civil right. In all fights for civil rights there are two steps forward and one step back.

We need to keep this amendment off of the ballot. There is more at risk than our right to marry.

Growing up gay can be hell. Gay teenagers commit suicide at a rate four times higher than their peers. Growing up gay during an all out anti-gay campaign would be deadly. If this war on gay marriage was allowed to continue there would certainly be casualties. Most of those casualties would be gay and lesbian teenagers.

Massachusetts stands as a beacon of hope for fair-minded individuals all across this nation. Let us now come together to fight to protect our rights.

We should take a minute to realize how far we have come.

Be proud.

Now fight.

We will win this fight for full equality.

We will win. I promise you that.

"The moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice" -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Profiles in Courage

MassEquality, the organization working to protect same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, delivered copies of John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage to the 109 brave legislators who voted on November 9th to recess the Constitutional Convention. They are urging legislators to adjourn on January 2, killing the anti-gay amendment once-and-for-all.

JFK's Profiles in Courage describes acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States Senators from throughout the Senate's history. The profiled senators defied the public opinion of their constituents to do what they felt was right and suffered severe criticism and losses in popularity because of their actions. The book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957 and remains one of the definitive books written on political courage.

The 109 legislators that voted to recess the Constitution Convention are perfect examples of Profiles in Courage. The recent SJC ruling lambasting the legislature for not voting on the anti-gay amendment is putting a lot of pressure on pro-equality lawmakers.

If the anti-gay side is able pressure at least 8 representative to abandon the adjournment strategy they will be able to force a vote on the amendment. If the amendment does come to a vote it will pass with just over the 50 votes needed.

Thank the 109 legislators who bravely stood up for equality at the last Constitutional Convention. Ask them to do the right thing again on January 2nd and end the war on equal rights.

Contact your representatives and ask them to stop the anti-gay amendment on January 2nd.

Thank the full list 109 legislators that voted to recess on November 9th.

SJC Rejects Romney's Anti-gay Lawsuit

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has refused to force the legislature to vote on the anti-gay marriage amendment. This is an important victory for the pro-equality side. If the legislature had been forced to vote on the amendment, we would have lost.

In its decision the SJC scolded the legislature, saying that it is their constitutional duty to vote on the amendment. However, the court did agree with the pro-equality lawyers saying, "there is no presently articulated judicial remedy for the Legislature's indifference to, or defiance of, its constitutional duties."

The SJC had some harsh words for the legislature:

The members of the joint session have a constitutional duty to vote, by the yeas and nays, on the merits of all pending initiative amendments before recessing on January 2, 2007. With respect to legislative action on proposals for constitutional amendments introduced to the General Court by initiative petition, the language of art. 48 is not ambiguous.

The decision goes on to state:

Some members of the General Court may have reasoned, in good faith, that a vote on the merits of the initiative amendment in accordance with the directives of the pertinent provisions of art. 48 was not required by the constitutional text and that their duty could be met by procedural (or other) votes short of a vote by the yeas and nays on the merits. [FN7] Today's discussion and holding on the meaning of the duty lays any doubt to rest. The members of the General Court are the people's elected representatives, and each one of them has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the Commonwealth. Those members who now seek to avoid their lawful obligations, by a vote to recess without a roll call vote by yeas and nays on the merits of the initiative amendment (or by other procedural vote of similar consequence), ultimately will have to answer to the people who elected them.

The court has made it very clear that the legislature has a "constitutional duty to vote" on the pending anti-gay marriage amendment. I believe that both sides will be claiming victory with this ruling.

This is a civil rights issue. It is just for the legislature to practice civil disobedience by refusing to vote on the pending anti-gay amendment.

If the legislature practices civil disobedience by refusing to vote on the amendment, they will be taking part in a long standing tradition in the commonwealth. Massachusetts has a very long history of civil disobedience when it comes to matters of freedom and civil rights. Let us not forget the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution.

Vigil for Peace and Reconciliation

In response to the violence perpetrated by Larry Cirignano, Executive Director of Catholic Citizenship against pro-marriage equality demonstrator Sarah Loy, The Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project and The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry are co-sponsoring a candlelight vigil on Wednesday, January 10th.

The tentative plan is to gather at Copley Square, and process to the offices of Catholic Citizenship at 198 Tremont Street in Boston.

The invitation I received goes on to say:

There will be a call to dialogue to anti-marriage activists in Catholic Citizenship, the Catholic League, and the Archdiocese of Boston, as we seek to move beyond the bitter and divisive debate over the proposed ban on same-sex marriage that has raged for over 3 years now. We seek to affirm peace, tolerance and mutual respect for all citizens of the Commonwealth. The tone will be respectful as we seek to dispel the anger and aggressiveness that culminated in the violence in Worcester on Saturday.

There is more news about "ShoveGate", as a reporter from Bay Windows refereed to the scandal now surrounding Larry Cirignano, over at KnowThyNeighbor. Edge Boston is reporting that Cirignano admitted to police that he did push Loy to the ground. "He pushed her down and he admits that as well," said Sgt. Kerry Hazelhurst of the Worcester Police Department.

Interesting because in the Boston Globe Cirignano is quoted as saying, "I promise you, I did not throw her to the ground." The Globe article states:

Cirignano acknowledged guiding the woman away from the event with his arm on her back, but said he had a portfolio in his left hand and did not knock her down. He said he did not see her fall.

Now we see that Larry Cirignano not only pushed a woman to the ground, but also lied about doing it. Is this the man the members of Catholic Citizens want as their leader? I doubt it. It is time for Larry Cirignano to resign.

President of Massachusetts Catholic Citizenship Attacks Woman

The WORCESTER TELEGRAM & GAZETTE is reporting that Larry Cirignano, the president of Catholic Citizenship, physically assaulted a woman at the anti-gay marriage rally in Worcester on Saturday.

Sarah Loy, 27, of Worcester was holding a sign in defense of same-sex marriage amid a sea of green “Let the People Vote” signs when Larry Cirignano of Canton, who heads the Catholic Citizenship group, ran into the crowd, grabbed her by both shoulders and told her, “You need to get out. You need to get out of here right now.” Mr. Cirignano then pushed her to the ground, her head slamming against the concrete sidewalk.

Larry Cirigano, who is a very visible member of the anti-gay movement in Massachusetts, was also a speaker at the rally. Just moments before he pushed the woman to the ground, he had opened the afternoon rally by leading a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Afterward, Ms. Loy, in tears, arose and yelled to no one in particular, “That’s what hate does. That’s what hate does.”

Larry Cirigano is also part of the VoteOnMarriage team. The picture on the left was taken inside the State House. It shows Larry Cirguano with Kris Mineau, president of Massachusetts Family Institute, and Evelyn Reilly, executive director of the Massachusetts Family Institute. All three also act as lobbyists for VoteOnMarriage.

Larry Cirigano is also a spokesman and consultant for the Political Action Committee, MIPAC (Massachusetts Independent Political Action Committee). MIPAC is the PAC for VoteOnMarriage, Massachusetts Family Institute, and Catholic Citizenship.

MIPAC is "Dedicated to Restoring Traditional Family Values in Massachusetts" by electing anti-gay candidates to office. MIPAC claims that "Since its founding nearly 8 years ago, MIPAC has raised several hundred thousand dollars and helped elect some of the leading legislators in the Massachusetts House of Representatives."

Larry Cirigano has ties to the radical anti-gay group, MassResistance. He was a special guest on the infamous MassResistance radio show. He was on the radio show on July 29th, 2006 as a representative from MIPAC to discuss the upcoming November elections for Legislature & Governor's Council.

I have my own relationship with Larry Cirigano. In January of 2006 we had an extensive email exchange. Here are just a few of the interesting things that Larry had to say to me:

"Chris we pray for your recovery from same sex attraction everyday."

"I pray that they do not find a "gay Gene" or most gay people will be aborted."

"You might have a homosexual inclination or be bi-sexual BUT you choose to be gay and celebrate your sexuality. Its not okay and never will be."

"Black people are born that way and Gay people to choose to act that way."

"What about celibate instead of celebrate?"

"Jim McGreevey and many others are bisexual or tri-sexual (try anything once, twice if I like it) Its behavior, a choice. There are lots of former homosexuals and lots of people with same- sex attraction that are celibate.

There are no "former" black people except maybe, Michael Jackson."

Larry Cirignano
617-755-7668
www.CatholicVote.org

This is from the man who shoved a woman to the ground because he did not like her message. This is completely unacceptable.

Call Catholic Citizenship and let them know how disgusted you are in the actions of their president. Then call VoteOnMarriage and express your outrage with one of their leaders.

Catholic Citizenship
(617) 755-7668

VoteOnMarriage
(617) 795-2667

One Last Rally

The anti-gay organization, VoteOnMarriage, has held a few rallies across the state recently. They are supposedly to show the legislature that people all over Massachusetts want to vote on civil rights.

These rallies have been met each time by pro-equality supporters drowning out the anti-gay crowd.

At the New Bedford rally pro-equality supporters actually outnumbered the anti-gay crowd two to one at their own rally. Think I am exaggerating? Read the newspaper article.

"About 100 people rallying at City Hall in support of efforts to place on the ballot a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage yesterday were confronted by double their number in opponents."

That is certainly a bad sign for VoteOnMarriage.

At the Barnstable rally the pro-equality side nearly matched our opponent's turnout. There were chants of "Equal Rights" and "Give It Up" as the anti-gay ringleader, Massachusetts 'Family' Institute President, Kris Mineau spoke about "tyranny today in our commonwealth."

At the Springfield rally the pro-equality side kicked the bigots out of their own rally. VoteOnMarriage never actually secured a permit for their rally. MassEquality realized this and quickly filed for a permit for the same time and place as the VoteOnMarriage rally.

The bigots showed up with their signs and sound system. Then the pro-equality forces stepped in and produced their permit. The LGBT crowd kicked out the bigots and had a rally of their own. The anti-gay crowd was forced across the street into a small park.

There is one last rally in Worcester Today at 1:30PM at City Hall. It should be quite a sight. I encourage everyone in the area to attend and wave goodbye to the bigots. My favorite chant, "You Lost. Go Home. Get Over It."

Join the Protest

This Wednesday a number of people and organizations affected by Romney's latest budget cuts will be holding a protest outside the State House.

Wednesday, December 6th
11:00am
State House

One of Romney's last actions in office has been to slash $425 million from the state budget. These last minute cuts affect a number of programs. LGBT related programs are among the worst hit.

Here is the break down on how Romney's budget cuts will affect the LGBT community:

LGBT youth: The entire $150,000 Safe Schools budget cut from the Department of Education. Romney also cut $300,000 from a DPH line item that includes $350,000 in gay and lesbian youth program funding. The cuts include $100,000 from SHCGLY, a program aimed at reducing LGBT youth suicide.

HIV/AIDS: $735,000 cut from the Department of Public Health funding for HIV/AIDS programs and services.

Domestic violence: The entire $158,000 in the Department of Public Health budget for the Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project cut, representing a loss of one-third of the organization’s annual budget.

LGBT elders: Romney cut $250,000 from the councils on aging’s budget. The councils were scheduled to allocate $50,000 to the LGBT Aging Project.

March and Rally

Friday, December 1st, is World Aids Day. It is also the 51st anniversary of the day Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus and was arrested. The Boston Rosa Parks Human Rights Day Committee is working to make December 1st a legal holiday called Rosa Parks Human Rights Day.

There will be a march starting in Dudley Square at 1:00pm on Friday.

The march will end with a rally being held at Boston City Hall. QueerToday is reporting that protesters will be speaking out against Romney's dreadful budget cuts. His latest cuts slashed thousands from HIV/AIDS programs. The cuts also included extensive cuts to LGBT youth suicide prevention programs.

Join us for this important march to honor Rosa Parks and continue her fight for social justice. Stay for the rally and commemorate World AIDS Day by protesting Romney's deadly funding cuts to HIV/AIDS programs.

Shortbus

I just saw the movie Shortbus. If you have not seen it yet, I suggest you do so soon. Shortbus is playing at the Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge. You can watch the trailer here.

Shortbus was written and director by John Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell also wrote and starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Hedwig is another great movie that you should rent if you haven't seen it yet.

Shortbus takes place in New York City and tells a great story. There was something very moving about this film. Mitchell knows how to bring characters to life. The soundtrack is also amazing.

The film has been talked about much because it contains several unsimulated sexual scenes. In fact, the main character, Sook-Yin Lee was almost fired from her job at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for taking the role in Shortbus.

Mitchell is a little surprised that it hasn't provoked any outrage since it opened in the United States.

"That is a bit strange," he says, "we haven't had any public controversy at all about the film, and it's still playing in the more civilized towns. I think the Republicans have been busy with midterm elections."

Shortbus has an array of queer and hetero characters. It explores many different sides of human sexuality. I believe this film will be another cult classic, much like Hedwig and the Angry Inch has become. John Cameron Mitchell is on a roll.