The Rainbow Times' Pride 2022 Issue

The cowards that have power refuse to end it, save thoughts and prayers

Politicians should not be allowed to accept monies from the gun lobby or other questionnable players

By: Nicole Lashomb* TRT Editor-in-Chief

ince claiming the lives of 49 members of the LGBTQ+ community in the nation’s largest mass shooting at the 2016 Pulse Orlando nightclub massacre, they have climbed consistently year after year. It’s safe to say that these rampant acts of violence will not diminish so long as we are sitting ducks incapable of action or unwilling to pass legislation, especially legislation against the most deadly and most commonly used mass shooting weapon being discharged, the AR-15. Just last month, 19 children and 2 teachers were mercilessly gunned down at a Uvalde, Texas Elementary school, where the shooter unleashed rapid fire from an AR-15, again.

As analysts and some pundits try to explain away how this could happen, how mentally disturbed this person was, how he clearly needed mental health assistance, I pose another layer to it. Doesn’t anyone who would choose to outwardly murder another human suffer from some sort of mental health issue? It’s safe to say that no one who kills in cold blood is mentally healthy — no one. Societally, why is there such sympathy for shooters and not for the victims and their families who’ve succumbed to these mass acts of murder? Likewise, those that are

EVEN THE STRONGEST STATE SYSTEM CAN’T PROTECT FROM NEIGHBORING STATES’ WEAK LAWS. THERE IS NO STATE “BORDER PATROL” TO ENSURE GUNS DO NOT CROSS BORDERS.

mostly focused on solely accessing mental health services, and not curbing gun access, are only addressing one side of the double-edged sword. Firearms were involved in 53% of suicides. If mental health is the primary focus of particular politicians, it

cannot be addressed with out severing the head of the snake as well. Two words — gun lobby, AKA the NRA.

It’s well known that the United States is one of the countries with the greatest number of gun deaths in the world and has been for a number of years. It is also the country with the largest and most lucrative gun lobby, buying off politicians for supporting “the more guns, the merrier” philosophy. Leaving the issue to the states is and should not continue to be an option. State legislatures have already proven their incompetence to legislate on the behalf and betterment of the American people. If there are not federal gun laws established, states’ rights are also infringed upon. Massachusetts has some of the toughest gun laws in the country but that does not prevent individuals from crossing state lines to obtain one they otherwise wouldn’t be able to obtain in their home state. Even the most stringent gun laws in one state cannot protect their residents from neighboring states’ weak gun laws.

According to the CDC, there were more than 45,000 gun-related deaths, which equates to approximately 124 deaths per day, the highest number of firearm deaths ever recorded in the country.

It should come as no surprise. States with more lenient gun laws also have higher rates of mass shootings when compared to their counterparts.

In 2020, firearms were involved in

stroke on sexuality in LGBTQI+ stroke survivors, partners; exclusive TRT report

have these so called uncomfortable conversations.

Q: In your study, if the number of respondents are vastly Australian and British, but not as many American, will the results then be skewed as each country’s perspective of members of the LGBTQIA+ community and how to treat them medically varies based on geographical location and cultural norms? Can you apply general results of the main populations to other countries who may not have as many participants?

A: This is a good point and you’re right – we know that experiences of stroke, experiences of rehabilitation and experiences of sexuality will vary by country. But, we also know that in each of these countries there are clinical guidelines, which provide recommendations for the provision of stroke rehabilitation based on best available evidence. These guidelines all make recommendations that stroke survivors should have the opportunity to receive information and ask questions about sexuality – regardless of sexual orientation. We also know from previous research that stroke rehabilitation professionals in all of these countries often fail to address sexuality

– in fact earlier research shows us only 23% of professionals ever ask questions about sexuality. So, while there will naturally be variations in people’s experiences, we anticipate that the findings will be relevant in other contexts.

Q: Is the study seeking participants who come from all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc.? Please explain.

A: We are open to participants from different backgrounds, however they must identify as LGBTQI+ and have experienced a stroke or be the partner of a stroke survivor, reside within USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia and speak English.

Q: Will the study be conducted in one or more languages?

A: All participants will have to be fluent in English, as our research team does not speak any other languages. However, persons with aphasia or other communication impairments are encouraged to participate as we have a speech pathologist on the research team who can assist with these interviews.

Q: Are you partnering with other clinics, hospitals, etc. in the United States for the study? If yes, who are

your U.S. partners? If not, why did you decide not to partner with medical institutions for it?

A: This has been spoken amongst the research team and due to there being no existing data on this topic we decided to approach any organisation that identifies as LGBTQI+ or related to stroke to try recruit first, and not actively partnering with any one organization.

Q: When you say that you hope the research can amplify the voices of LGBTQI+ stroke survivors in a medical setting, what do you specifically mean by it?

A: Because the LGBTQI+ community can have different experiences, approaches and meanings to health care, we need to be able to understand their experiences of stroke and its impact to be able to develop more inclusive materials that touches on this subject. For example, you may give someone who identifies as a man a flyer on erectile dysfunction, but the flyer would not necessarily be appropriate for someone who identifies as a transgender man and will not provide the knowledge they need around sexual issues pertain-

Read the rest of this exclusive story at TheRainbowTimesMass.com

79 percent of all homicides.

Even the strongest state system can’t protect from neighboring states’ weak laws. There is no state “border patrol” to ensure guns do not cross borders.

As matter of fact, out of all guns showing up at crime scenes after crossing state lines, “four out of five come from states that lack good background check laws. That’s how northeastern states with strong laws ended up victims of the infamous ‘iron pipeline,’ the route traffickers use to bring guns up from southeastern states with weak laws,” the research branch of Everytown for Gun Safety (EFGS) found.

According to EFGS, “When we compare the states head-to-head on the top 50 gun safety policies, a clear pattern emerges. States with strong laws see less gun violence. Indeed, the “13 states that have failed to put basic protections into place — ‘national fai-

Read the rest of this story at TheRainbowTimesMass.com

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The Rainbow Times is published monthly by The Rainbow Times, LLC. TRT is an award-winning publication that started printing in late 2006. The 1st print issue was published in Feb. 2007. The articles written by the writers, columnists, and correspondents solely express their opinion, and do not represent the endorsement or opinion of The Rainbow Times, LLC or its owners.

Send letters to the editor with your name, address and phone number to The Rainbow Times (address shown above), or e-mail any comment/s to the editor-in-chief at: editor@therainbowtimesmass.com. All submissions will be edited according to space constraints.

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Part II: Impact of

Fathers’ Pride: An interview with Daddy-Artist Michael Turchin, oh baby!

Along with husband

By: Mikey Rox* Special for TRT

Pop artist Michael Turchin — and his husband, NSYNC’s Lance Bass — welcomed fraternal twins to the world in October 2021, which makes this June a milestone month for the proud papas: Not only are they celebrating Pride, but also their first Father’s Day. In a recent interview, Turchin details his newfound dad life, plus how you can pick up his Pride-inspired prints to benefit The Trevor Project.

Q: When did you and Lance know you were ready for kids?

Turchin: Independently from each other, we both grew up wanting a family, and so when we first started our relationship, the prospect of children was always on the table. We’ve been with each other now for almost 12 years, so a few years back we decided it was finally time to start that journey — and I’m beyond thrilled that we did.

Q: This is your first Father's Day as

parents. How will you celebrate?

It sure is! We’re so excited to finally be able to celebrate this day. I think we’ll probably spend a nice day at home with the kids since it’s really all about them.

Q: It's Pride Month! What’s a proud papa moment you've recently had?

A: It doesn’t seem like much but our twins finally started sitting up and playing with each other and it’s been such a joy watching them explore each other and their surroundings. It seems like they accomplish something new

every week, and every time my heart expands more and more.

Q: What are you most looking forward to as a new dad?

A: The thing I’m most excited about is celebrating the holidays and experiencing it all again through their eyes. The older you get, holidays seem to lose their magic and so I can’t wait to see their excitement and joy.

Q: What's been the most unexpected challenge?

A: I think the biggest — although not very unexpected — challenge is the

on

lack of sleep. I’m still trying to get used to it. Luckily I love my babies more than I love my sleep because it sure is exhausting … in the best way possible.

Q: How do busy parents like yourselves co-parent? What tips do you have for other new LGBTQ+ parents?

A: My husband and I are usually on the same page so we don’t butt heads too much, but we definitely have our moments. I think the best way to coparent is to keep the communication flowing and always support one another. We take turns with the kids most days so the other can nap, and we’ve built a great support system of friends and family that can always be there when we need a helping hand — which has been a lifesaver on many occasions.

Q: Do you find time to relax, decompress? What does that look like these days?

A: As busy as we are with our jobs and kids, we do make a point to take time for ourselves. We’ve taken several staycations in the city where we live so we can get away and recharge without

Read the rest of this story at The Rainbow Times’ website

Lance Bass, Turchin became a dad recently, continues to work

his art

Urvashi Vaid: Remembering and honoring her legacy

Honoring The Legacy of Urvashi Vaid, Trailblazing Attorney, Author, and LGBTQIA+ Rights Activist

The world lost a true visionary this weekend with the passing of Urvashi Vaid, a celebrated attorney, award-winning author, and trailblazing LGBTQIA+ activist. Vaid, 63, died on May 14 at her home in New York City after a battle with cancer.

Vaid’s legacy of social justice work spanned decades. From 1983 to 1986, she was staff attorney at the National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, heading the organization’s work on HIV/AIDS in prisons. After starting as Media Director, she served as Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force from 1989 to 1992, and would go on to direct the Task Force’s Policy Institute and become a co-founder of the Creating Change conference.

“Like so many who came of age as queer people and AIDS activists in the early 1990’s, I was both awed and deeply inspired by Urvashi’s profound eloquence, her fierceness and passion, her capacity to lead, and by her warm and beautiful heart,” said Fenway Health CEO Ellen LaPointe. “She consistently centered the interwoven intersectionalities that are inherent in our fight for equality. She was relentless,

and she urged us not to compromise. And she helped us understand that we all have a role to play in our shared struggle. While the full impact of Urvashi’s leadership and example is beyond measure, we know that the best way to honor her legacy is to double down in our efforts to continue the fight. I am grateful and honored to have known her.”

Vaid was a tireless advocate for HIV policy reform and health care justice, and did not hesitate to shake up systems of power. During a 1990 press conference on AIDS by former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Vaid famously held up a sign reading “Talk Is Cheap, AIDS Funding is Not.” Her powerful statement brought attention

App for LGBTQ+ refugees wins World Justice challenge

The Washington-D.C.-based World Justice Project (https://bit.ly/3cMI3nv) has awarded the World Justice Challenge (https://bit.ly/3JaEbsC) Data for Justice Prize to InReach, an app providing legal aid and support to LGBTQ+ people fleeing persecution (https://bit.ly/3PHYQqG).

The prize was announced at the June 2 closing plenary (https://bit.ly/3SaV5eP) of the World Justice Forum (https://bit.ly/3zEOS3u) — a global gathering of the justice and rule of law movement held in The Hague, Netherlands, and online — and carries a $20,000 award for InReach, formerly known as AsylumConnect.

“We are so excited to win the Data for Justice Prize at this year's World Justice Challenge,” said Jamie Sgarro, InReach Co-Founder and Executive Director. “We look forward to working with the World Justice Project to continue to advance the world’s first tech platform matching LGBTQ+ people with safe, verified resources. Everyone deserves the safety and freedom to live authentically.”

See Sgarro's acceptance speech at the World Justice Forum here (https://bit.ly/3oCL7Fu).

Originally called AsylumConnect, InReach was created in 2016 to support LGBTQ+ fleeing one of the more than 80 countries where it remains illegal or unsafe to live openly as an LGBTQ+ person. Because discrimination often continues in "safe" havens, LGBTQ+ asylum seekers

struggle to access legitimate local services and support, and face increased risk of detention and homelessness when accessing critical social services. Out of options, many are forced to give up on their legal claim and face deportation.

InReach’s free technology matches LGBTQ+ people fleeing persecution and other LGBTQ+ people in need with independently verified medical and mental health care, immigration and other legal help, housing, education and employment opportunities, translation services, community support, and more critical support services. It is currently active in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with plans to expand.

The World Justice Challenge (https://bit.ly/3zDwtUT) is a global competition to identify, recognize and promote good practices and high-impact projects and policies that protect and advance the rule of law. Selected from a pool of 305 applicants from 118 countries, the winners were among 30 World Justice Challenge finalists invited to showcase their groundbreaking work at the World Justice Forum.

Five $20,000 USD prizes were given to best-in-class local initiatives under the themes of Access to Justice, AntiCorruption and Open Government, and Equal Rights and Non-Discrimination. A fourth, Data for Justice, prize was given to the project that Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

to the failed policies of the administration and put much needed pressure on the government to increase funding for HIV/AIDS services.

“I had the honor and privilege of working with Urvashi at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute from 1999 to 2001, and after that, the even greater honor of becoming friends with her and Kate,” said Dr. Sean Cahill, Director of Health Policy Research at The Fenway Institute. “Urvashi was a visionary, and a veritable idea machine. In meetings, she would come up with several brilliant ideas; we would struggle to get them all down on paper and then try to implement some of them. Working with Urvashi and other community leaders, we launched the Racial and Economic Justice Initiative and the Aging Initiative. These projects led to groundbreaking research on the experiences and priorities of LGBT people of color, including the largest-ever Black Pride Survey and Asian Pacific Islander LGBT Survey. Together, we analyzed the impact of welfare reform and homeless services and policy on our communities. We produced Outing Age: Public Policy Issues Affecting

GLBT Elders, and Transgender Equality: A Handbook for Activists and Policymakers.”

In 1995, Vaid wrote Stonewall Book Award-winning Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation (https://bit.ly/3zFrUtq), which explored and critiqued the modern gay rights movement. She advocated for the movement’s focus to be on protecting the most marginalized members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

In a 2014 interview with Huffington Post (https://bit.ly/3bcnhNK), she said: “I would really like us to do two things. One is to take care of the parts of our community that are less powerful. That means low-income LGBT people, transgender people and our community’s women, whose rights are getting the crap kicked out of them, parts of our community across the board — kids, old gay people — parts of our community who are less powerful than middle- or upper-class professionals like me — for our organizations, donors, our foundations, Read the rest at Fenway Health at https://bit.ly/3Q1FM6k

Near & far: Pride celebrations

June 1

Woburn Pride flag raising @ Woburn City Hall; 5:30p; https://fb.me/e/3eLM3pSuO

Boston Pride Month Kickoff; Boston City Hall; 5:00p; FMI: https://bit.ly/3NKPmKa

Malinda Lo: Inside the Telegraph Club: On the Real History Behind Last Night at the Telegraph Club; 6-7p; Cambridge Public Library; FMI: https://bit.ly/3MOt34U

Newton Pride Flag Raising; 6-7p; Newton South Lawn (Homer St.)

June 1-30; Pride Toronto; https://bit.ly/3mUsmwx

June 4; Trans Pride: A Celebration of Liberation; All day; Boston City Hall Plaza; FMI: https://bit.ly/3tBhCH7

’22

June 4

Framingham Pride Flag raising; 3-5p; City Hall Plaza in front of the Memorial Building; FMI: https://bit.ly/3MMSPXw

Medway Flag raising ceremony; Choate Park; 9a; FMI: https://bit.ly/3MMT58W

Waltham Pride; 11a-4p; Waltham Common; FMI: https://bit.ly/3tB7sGB

Watertown Pride Extravaganza; 11a-4p; Saltonstall Park (walk from library at 11); FMI: https://bit.ly/3NuSTM9

June 5

Bolton Pride; 1-3p; Not Confirmed; Check online

June 5, June 7, & June 9

Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

PHOTO:EDUARDO PASTOR /UNSPLASH

LGBTQIA+ people to Legislature: Pass MA Parentage Act; call

Despite rain and chilly weather, LGBTQ families, advocates, and allies kicked off Pride Month June 1 with the Rally for Massachusetts Families outside the State House, calling on the legislature to promptly pass the Massachusetts Parentage Act (MPA) (S. 1133 / H. 1714), a bipartisan bill to ensure important legal protections for all children, including those with LGBTQ+ parents. After a hearing last November, the bill is awaiting further action in the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.

Access a video recording (https://bit.ly/3xkha2o) of the rally.

With the July 31 end of the current legislative session quickly approaching, speakers at the event, which was hosted by the Massachusetts Parentage Act Coalition (https://bit.ly/3xj85Xm), illuminated the issues confronting families in Massachusetts due to the Commonwealth’s outdated parentage laws and how passage of the MPA would address such problems.

The speakers at the rally were:

• Kate Weldon LeBlanc, executive director Resolve New England

• State Rep. Kay Khan, lead sponsor of the MPA

• State Rep. Adam J. Scanlon, LGBTQ caucus and Judiciary Committee member

• J. Shia, a de facto parent

• Polly Crozier, GLAD senior staff attorney

your legislators

• Darmany Jimenez, youth activist and the teenage child of a de facto parent

• Jordan Budd, Executive Director, COLAGE

• Emily McGranachan, adult child of lesbian parents and director of corporate and foundation relations for Family Equality

• Owen James Nichols-Worley, the teenage son of gay dads and the first child born in MA to have both samesex parents listed on his birth certificate

Based on the Uniform Parentage Act (UPA) 2017, a best-practice framework for ensuring the protection of the legal relationship between parents and children, the MPA would update state law to clarify who can be a parent and how to establish parentage. The MPA would add important protections for children born through assisted reproduction and surrogacy. The bill would also enable LGBTQ+ parents to establish parentage the same way other families do, including through a voluntary acknowledgement of parentage, and provide a clear standard for courts to resolve competing claims of parentage.

“We are here today to celebrate our families and also to celebrate the Mass. Parentage Act, which would update Massachusetts law that is definitely in need of updating. It has been over forty

Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

“Burn the Page: A True Story of Torching Doubts, Blacing Trails, and Igniting Change” by Danica Roem

By: Terri Schlichenmeyer* Special to TRT

Sometimes, the smallest things make you hot under the collar.

It doesn't take much: an idiot on the road, a disrespectful eyeroll, something muttered under someone's breath and that's it, you're torched. Sometimes, conversely, the smallest things can change your bad mood. In "Burn the Page" by Danica Roem, it was an email.

It seemed like Danica Roems was always crying.

To be fair, she had good reason: she was working two jobs and they weren't enough to pay the bills. Her car was a piece of junk, it was 2016, and her states' Republican delegates had just filed several anti-LGBTQ bills. For a trans woman like Roem, tears were perfectly appropriate until someone emailed her, asking why she didn't run for office herself.

Actually, why not?

So, in preparation, Roem hired a team to do "opposition research" to suss out any past behavior that her homophobic opponent might try to use

against her.

Born in the fall of 1984, Roem was three years old when her father committed suicide in their back yard; soon after, her mother's parents needed care and moved into the Roem household. This, Roem admits, was stressful all around.

Even in fifth grade, Roem knew that she wasn't a "cis-het straight kid" but since she had no "positive representation of LGBTQ people," she stayed closeted. By 13, though, she knew she was trans but didn't want anybody to know; to help hide it, she participated in sports; fell in love with baseball and heavy metal music; and admired girls, albeit in ways different than did her male peers. Eventually, she made a community for herself.

But when she began to think about maybe having a relationship, Roem soon realized that she had some work

Read the rest of this story at: TheRainbowTimesMass.com

Rainbow PrideDoku — Enjoy!

To our readers, we hope you enjoy a little before, during and after Pride Season. Maybe it’ll help de-stress you too. Good luck! The solution is

LGBTQI+ orgs. to policymakers: Protect abortion rights

National Center for Lesbian Rights Spearheads Joint Call for Action; prepares for all situations

WASHINGTON, DC—Recently, the National Center for Lesbian Rights released an open letter signed by 91 organizations representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community voicing their strong support for the right to abortion.

PHOTO: COLIN LLOYD / UNSPLASH

Channeling the outrage and alarm being felt across our nation at the prospect that the U.S. Supreme Court may betray its role as the guardian of civil liberties and reverse Roe v. Wade, the letter calls on policymakers at all levels and in all branches of government to do everything in their power to protect access to abortion care. The organizations expressed their undeniable support for women and their right to abortion.

“The undersigned organizations representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) people write to state our deep and unequivocal support for the right to abortion,” read parts of the letter. “We call on policymakers in all branches and at all

levels of government to use every mechanism at their disposal to ensure that abortion care remains not only legal, but also available and accessible to all who need it.”

Julianna S. Gonen, NCLR Federal Policy Director, expressed the support and solidarity that the LGBTQI+ community should have for women’s rights and struggles.

“The LGBTQI+ community stands shoulder to shoulder with advocates in the reproductive health, rights, and justice movements, and all who cherish true liberty, in condemning this impending retrenchment around our fundamental rights. It is imperative that