Pride Center Loses Nonprofit Status
by | Nov 1, 2022 4:04 pm | Comments (11)
The New Haven Pride Center has lost its tax-exempt nonprofit status and has replaced its executive director after failing to file multiple years’ worth of tax forms.
LGBTQ
Pride Flies High Over Green
by | Sep 12, 2022 4:23 pm | Comments (1)
Laura Glesby Photo
The flag marks PRIDE New Haven, eight days of LGBTQIA+ events.
A rainbow burst through the Monday afternoon fog in the form of a Pride flag newly raised over the New Haven Green, marking the start of a week of LGBTQIA+ celebrations amid growing resistance towards transgender rights in the state and across the country.
Courtney Barnett Confesses
by | Jul 27, 2022 12:34 pm | Comments (0)
Matthew Esposito Photos
“Put me on a pedestal, and I’ll only disappoint you!”
The College Street Music Hall crowd scream-sang along with Courtney Barnett.
“Tell me I’m exceptional; I promise to exploit you!”
In the pit, a teenage girl with winged eyeliner looked around to make sure she wasn’t the only one letting loose. Near her, a white-haired man in a ponytail thrashed his arms to the beat. Toward the center, rowdy 20-somethings tossed their bodies against one another; if there were ever a time to mosh, it was now.
“I think you’re a joke, but I don’t find you very fu-u-u-u-u-nny!” the Aussie rocker continued from the state, as two middle-aged women crooned the line to two middle-aged men.
In fact, at that moment, there wasn’t a single person in the hall who didn’t sing along.
Queer Pride Reigns At Hamden Fest
by | Jun 19, 2022 11:01 am | Comments (3)
Jhah Cook and Farrah Mohammed collecting pride pins at a Bi+ table.
Kimberly Wipfler Photos
Moms Madeleine and Jessica with daughter Emma Brunson.
It was all sunshine and rainbows on Saturday, as hundreds of folks filled Hamden’s Town Park Center with queer joy and loving community in celebration of the town’s largest-ever Pride festival.
Spring Glen Marks 25 "Open & Affirming" Years
by | May 9, 2022 8:41 am | Comments (3)
Allan Appel Photo
Pastor Jack Perkins Davidson in the tree in front of Spring Glen Church.
With kids in colorful masks and skirts, praise of God as the “womb of life and source of being,” and a pastor high up in a sugar maple helping to secure a long gauzy rainbow banner, Spring Glen Church marked both Mother’s Day and the 25th anniversary of becoming an “open and affirming” congregation within the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination.
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1 Valentine's Day Later, Love Survives
by | Feb 14, 2022 4:02 pm | Comments (0)
The word on Foxon Boulevard Monday was: Love lives on Valentine’s Day.
“Life-Saving” Transgender Policy Adopted
by | Nov 23, 2021 9:56 am | Comments (6)
The Board of Education has approved a new policy that will provide school staff with professional development in transgender sensitivity and protect transgender and gender-non-conforming students’ identity, dress code, bathroom, and other rights.
Transgender Alder-Elect Triumphed Over Whispers
by | Nov 4, 2021 5:39 pm | Comments (14)
Natalie Kainz Photo
Devin Avshalom-Smith, who will be New Haven’s first known transgender alder, on the campaign trail with supporter Kim Harris.
After months of tireless teamwork, Devin Avshalom-Smith was cruising to election. Then the whispers and texts started.
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“Gayborhood” Cleans Up
by | Mar 29, 2021 9:00 am | Comments (14)
Alder Ellen Cupo, Hunter Ian Cupo Dunn and Alli Warshaw at Saturday’s cleanup.
Emily Hays Photos
Dominic Warshaw wanted to meet their neighbors.
Roughly 30 people came out Saturday to Lyon Street and William Street for a “gayborhood” cleanup, with a dual focus on beautifying the blocks and meeting fellow LGBTQ neighbors.
Fed Trans Athletes Fight Officially Over
by | Oct 20, 2020 9:35 am | Comments (1)
Zoom
Magnet School Assistant Program Coordinator Michele Bonanno: The grant came through.
New Haven Public Schools have a much-contested $3 million in hand, officially ending the fight between the city and the federal government over the rights of transgender athletes.
Breakthrough Reached On Trans Athletes
by | Sep 23, 2020 10:38 am | Comments (24)
Zoom
Attorney Laubin: Suit averted.
New Haven Public Schools and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights have come to a tentative agreement that would allow transgender athletes to continue to play on teams of their choice — without the city losing millions of federal dollars.
Cost To Fight Trans Sports Ban: Up To $99K
by | Sep 21, 2020 8:55 pm | Comments (7)
Local officials have grown more optimistic that they will be able to head off a $3 million hit to school budgets and still allow transgender athletes to compete in school sports. If they are not successful, the cost of taking a lawsuit against the federal government to the U.S. Court of Appeals could cost up to $99,000 — though New Haven would have help paying the tab.
These are the latest updates from the New Haven Public Schools Board of Education, which convened for a special meeting on the subject Monday night.
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Showdown Looms On Trans Athletes
by | Sep 9, 2020 10:17 pm | Comments (38)
New Haven Pride Center
Lifeline operator Karleigh Webb: Trans people under siege.
The federal government may withhold key dollars for New Haven’s magnet school program if New Haven does not agree to ban transgender athletes from their chosen sports teams.
The New Haven Board of Education Wednesday night vowed to fight what it called strong-arm tactics, in court if necessary.
Pride Center Pivots Towards Virtual Support
by | Apr 21, 2020 3:14 pm | Comments (0)
New Haven Pride Center photo
Drag artist Loosey LaDuca records a virtual drag story hour video.
Video-recorded drag queen story hours to promote LGBTQ+-friendly children’s books.Online safe spaces for queer youth to share stories and get advice about sheltering in place at home.Advocacy for the repeal of a decades-old federal policy that discriminates against gay man who want to donate blood.
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“Queer Joy” Photo Exhibit Is A Matter Of Trust
by | Oct 24, 2019 12:03 pm | Comments (0)
Cate Barry Photos
In the first photo, the two people in the image are coming in close, breathless, passionate, ready for a kiss. The intention is completely serious, even formal. It makes the next picture feel almost jarring. It’s the same couple, but where there was tension, there’s now relaxation. Where their brows were furrowed, there’s now laughter. Are the pictures separated by a minute or an hour? How long does it take for the mood to change? How long does it take for the photographer’s subjects to let their guard down?
And is it OK for us to see them like this?
Continue reading ‘“Queer Joy” Photo Exhibit Is A Matter Of Trust’
“Culturally Affirming” Teaching Explored
by | Sep 29, 2019 3:23 pm | Comments (10)
Christopher Peak Photo
endawnis Spears, with other speakers at forum.
Teachers feel unprepared to buck the way schools have taught about race and culture, gender and sexuality. But they can start with small changes as they push the district to do more, activists said.
LGBTQ+ View: New Policy Isn’t Enough
by | May 14, 2019 1:35 pm | Comments (1)
Kathleen Rooney to Board of Ed: I should be learning about LGBTQ+ rights from administrators, not just from my kids.
In eighth grade, a transgender boy’s standardized test scores tanked after his former name appeared on every window on the computer-based test — a former name he’d wanted to keep secret from his classmates.
Real-life HIV Stories PrEP State For Change
by | Apr 10, 2019 8:09 am | Comments (1)
CT-N
Samuel Smith, 20 and living with HIV, testifies.
A change in state law won’t come soon enough to have protected Samuel Smith from contracting HIV during his senior year at Wilbur Cross High School. He told state lawmakers about that — in the hopes that they’ll make the fix for other kids soon.
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LGBTQ+ Students Push For Change
by | Feb 22, 2019 3:08 pm | Comments (11)
New Haven Academy’s GSA.
Christopher Peak Photo
Shubert’s Kelly Wuzzardo seeks LGBTQ+ students’ inclusion in public schools’ anti-discrimination policy.
After coming out as a transgender boy, Daniel Martinez asked his Wilbur Cross teachers to start calling him by a new name.
One refused.
“This is not your name,” the teacher told Martinez, as he handed back an assignment. “Put your legal name or I will not grade it.”
LGBTQ Workplace Discrimination Targeted
by | Jun 12, 2018 1:56 pm | Comments (6)
Allison Park Photo
IV Staklo addresses DeLauro and the roundtable.
When IV Staklo started working in the food service, they faced not only threats of physical and sexual assult by coworkers but also hourly cuts by their employers, all because of their identity as a non-binary person.
Organizer Takes “Sawdust-On-Floor” Tack
by | Dec 18, 2017 3:19 pm | Comments (1)
Lorenzo Jones.
For Lorenzo Jones, co-founder of the criminal-justice reform Katal Center, there is a big difference between being an advocate and being an organizer.
One strives for progress, the other for revolution.
Trans Lives Remembered
by | Nov 21, 2017 9:04 am | Comments (0)
Markeshia Ricks Photo
Trans activists and allies gather on the Elm Street courthouse steps to remember Monday night.
Merlot: No more names.
Chardonnay Heather Charlene Merlot said she’s tired. Tired of the list of trans men and women that seems to grow longer with each Transgender Day of Remembrance.
“I’m tired of saying them,” she said. “Because I’m afraid and I’m scared that one day one of those names could be mine.”
Drag Queens Rake In Dough For A Cause
by | Jul 17, 2017 8:02 am | Comments (2)
Lucy Gellman Photo
Kiki Lucia at this weekend’s “Dragapalooza” fundraiser.
Climbing the 168 York Street stage, Kiki Lucia pulled at a noose hanging low around her neck, looking out at the audience with long-lashed, saucer-sized doe eyes. She jerked backward. The noose loosened, and she broke free.
I’m aliiiiiiiiiivvvveeee, Sia belted from the second-floor balcony.
Kiki Lucia ripped open her blouse, exposing a heaving chest and two bright, sweat-slicked nipples, along with a message written in black: Trans rights now.
Pride Center Names First Paid Director
by | Jun 30, 2017 1:46 pm | Comments (2)
Lucy Gellman Photo
Dunn at the New Haven Pride Center.
Patrick Dunn never thought that turning the pages of National Geographic magazine would lead him to the New Haven Pride Center (NHPC). Now his thinking about herd mentality has him stepping up as its first executive director.
Bard Vogues In Egypt At Yale Summer Cab
by | Jun 6, 2017 4:36 pm | Comments (0)
Elizabeth Green Photos
The battle of the … sexes?
At the Yale Cabaret’s tiny basement theater on Park Street, something mystical was unfolding. A scarved, glitter-clad and turbaned soothsayer worked their hands around a glowing glass globe, looking into the future. In wide fishnets, shiny booty shorts and a pink tank top, Charmian begged for her fortune.
“Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married / to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all: / let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry / may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius / Caesar, and companion me with my mistress,” she cackled.
“You shall outlive the lady whom you serve,” said the soothsayer in a singsong, wispy voice.