Center Blog

On Thursday, May 24 the Center and several other agencies co-sponsored a community forum on HIV criminalization featuring a screening of a short film, HIV is Not a Crime followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists included Robert Suttle, Assistant Director of The Sero Project, who was convicted and incarcerated in Louisiana for HIV non-disclosure, Attorney Beirne Roose-Snyder from The Positive Justice Project, and Sean Strub of Poz Magazine and Executive Director of The Sero Project.

Partner organizations included the Positive Justice Project, ACT UP, SERO, Queerocracy and the Center.

Here are several points covered during the May 24 discussion:

-HIV criminalization penalties are vastly disproportionate to any potential risk or actual harm.

-HIV criminalization undercuts most basic message about sexual health, which is that each person must ultimately be responsible for him or herself.

-HIV criminalization is inherently discriminatory, and singles HIV out in an exceptional manner, treating it differently from other sexually transmitted infections which, if left untreated, can also cause serious harm.

-HIV criminalization creates a “viral underclass” in the law, creating different criminal law for people with HIV than for everyone else.

-Prosecutions have little or nothing to do with contemporary science or whether or not there is an actual risk present; they are about whether or not the person with HIV can prove disclosure.

-HIV criminalization leads to poor public health policy because it discourages testing (ignorance of one’s HIV status is the best defense)

- HIV criminalization discourages disclosure, for fear of someone from one’s past coming forward; every person with HIV is now one disgruntled ex-partner away from being in a courtroom.

-Mounting evidence shows these laws don’t achieve their intended purpose (to reduce HIV transmission); a growing body of evidence shows they actually contribute to the spread of HIV by driving stigma and discouraging testing.

To learn more about this issue, watch HIV is Not a Crime here.

Guest Post by Simeon Mishev

Queens Pride & Multicultural Festival celebrated its 20th anniversary last Sunday, June 3rd, 2012. This year the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center was honored to participate, share its support for the community and commemorate this special occasion in Queens. A number of participants and over 40,000 spectators gathered in Jackson Heights, Queens, between the hours of 11 AM and 6 PM to “promote awareness and education among and of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning community of Queens, New York.”  Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee, Inc. has been in charge of organizing the festivities since the very first Pride march in the early 90s.

The weather was in sync with the overall joyous feel of the event, the warm summer sun made the colorful costumes even more vibrant and, at some point, a real rainbow formed over the marching participators (if one believes in signs from Mother Nature, God and/or the Universe, well, here you go).

Newlywed City Council speaker Christine Quinn joined the Pride march alongside Public Advocate Bill De Blasio, New York Assembly Members Francisco Moya, Aravella Simotas and Costa Constantinides, SAGE Queens, Renaissance Charter School, American Veterans for Equal Rights, Metropolitan Community Church of New York, Queens Pride Lions Club, Transsexuals New York, and many, many more.

As rainbow flags, music and free condoms flooded the streets, people of various colors, ethnicities, races, religions and faiths mingled, hugged, kissed, and greeted each other; the feeling of happiness and joy was overwhelming. One could hear discussions about President Obama’s recent statement endorsing same-sex marriage and how that might help eventually end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA); there were a number of bi-national couples full of hope that once married they will be able to stay together in the US legally.

While walking around and enjoying this judgment-free, accepting and tolerant environment, I couldn’t help but wonder when every day would feel just like Pride day. When will same-sex couples be able to walk hand-in-hand without fear?

It is of utmost importance to actively participate in advocacy efforts concerning the LGBT community; every effort counts. We must be patient, yet persistent, relentlessly seeking equal rights. There are a number of organizations one can join, such as The LGBT Center, It Gets Better Project, Empire State Pride Agenda, Marriage Equality New York, etc.,  or why not start one yourself?

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much…” – Helen Keller

On Sunday June 17, a coalition of groups, including the Center, will gather for a silent march against racial profiling. The event is set for 3 PM in Manhattan.

Join 1199 SEIU, the NAACP, National Action Network, civil rights, faith, LGBT, labor and community groups in a silent march against NYC’s “Stop and Frisk” policy! On Father’s Day, let’s stand together to show that New Yorkers refuse to let our children be victimized by racial profiling.

Here’s detailed information:

Time: Silent March begins at 3 pm, EST

Assembly Point: LGBT Table Entry Point #3 : 110th Street and Lenox Ave. – also includes RWDSU, LGBT Table, Latino/Hispanic table, UAW, Working Families Party

March Route: march south on Fifth Avenue from 110th Street to 78th Street, passing near the Mayor’s mansion on 79th Street.

Posters: organizers will have posters for people to carry, but they also encourage people/groups to make their own signs and banners to carry in the march. It is important to keep the focus on ending the Stop & Frisk policy and ending racial profiling rather than relevant but peripheral issues.

Website: www.silentmarchnyc.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/341929132541010/

You can also read more about the issue in this New York Times article and a blog post from The Task Force, recapping a recent press conference on the topic.

MATCH GAME LIVE- Photo by Clarissa Macaya

Guest Post by Christopher B. Cox

Thursday’s Match Game Live, hosted by comedian and musician Ben Lerman, was raucously entertaining and brimmed with the wild humor and sincerity only an event the Center could pull off.

Based on the classic game show, contestants were selected from the audience and competed to match six celebrities’ answers to fill-in-the-blank questions.  The celebrity panel ranged from the lovely and luscious drag diva Bianca Del Rio (who also hosts “Hot Mess” Wednesday nights at XL), to the strikingly beautiful comedienne and Huffington Post contributor, Phoebe Robinson. The panel also included the alarmingly handsome adult entertainer and singer, Colton Ford, and social media mogul and professional charmer, Daniel Nardicio.

MATCH GAME LIVE- Photo by Clarissa Macaya

Jackie Hoffman, a comedy veteran and crowd favorite kept the evening uproarious, with racy, impromptu, and often-unsolicited answers, as well as shameless plugs for her upcoming show (“June 3^rd at 54 Below!”).

Rounding out the panel was Sirius radio host and Dead Celebrity Cookbook author, Frank DeCaro, who donned an “I’m Fat, Let’s Party” t-shirt. When DeCaro’s name came up as an answer to a question that called for ”something no one wanted on their face at the end of a night of partying,” he retorted: “It’s dangerous, but worth it!”

Match Game Live was the final event in The Center’s Summer “Camp” series, a month-long celebration of the elusive queer aesthetic known simply as “gay camp.”

“Camp” was promised, and camp was delivered. Host Ben Lerman smiled infectiously throughout Match Game Live, which he also wrote and co-produced.

The joy was contagious. Todd Mick, a bra designer and Match Game contestant admitted upon winning, “It feels like being the President!”

MATCH GAME LIVE- Photo by Clarissa Macaya

Paul Menard, Director of Cultural Programs at The Center, teased the crowd with cocktails sponsored by El Dorado rum while they waited for the panel, which became a game in itself. One free drink went to the first audience member to pull up a picture of their pet (the winner had an image of her cat in a bow tie), and another to the first person to prove they had Paul’s favorite Madonna song on their smartphone.

The final drink ticket went to the first person that could prove he or she was carrying a condom.

This bit of trivia reveals the most about The Center, their Match Game Live, and what they both stand for: The realities that some consider unpleasant or crass are exactly those truths which need to be recognized and celebrated.

MATCH GAME LIVE- Photo by Clarissa Macaya

Speaking clearly about sexual health, re-examining the supposed gender binary, and respecting, even laughing about sexuality are the salves that mend broken hearts and broken communities. What the Match Game taught its audience most was that being Queer and being honest are both good things.

When The Center hosts another Match Game Live be sure not to miss it.

There’s a new report out today that emphasizes the importance of LGBT community centers.

CenterLink, the Community of LGBT Centers and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) released the comprehensive report which details the critical services offered by LGBT community centers, as well as a national overview of centers across the country. The 2012 LGBT Community Center Survey Report: Assessing the Capacity and Programs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Centers surveyed 79 LGBT community centers nationwide.

Despite the slow economic recovery, LGBT Centers manage to provide vital resources to 1.7 million people annually. The report details the many ways in which community centers are a lifeline in the LGBT community, offering a variety of much-needed resources including Physical and Mental Health Programs, Information and Education Programs, Legal Services and Programs, Social and Recreational Programs, Community Outreach and Civic Engagement, Computer Centers, and more.

 The full report is available online at www.lgbtcenters.org or www.lgbtmap.org.

Senator Tom Duane at Center's Wedding Reception, July 2011- Photo (C) Tom Sengel

State Senator Tom Duane announced that he will not seek reelection after he completes his current term in office, ending December 31, 2012. Duane’s disctrict spans the Upper West Side to Greenwich Village, and across to the East Village, and includes the LGBT Center.

As The New York Times reported on Sunday, Duane “first burst onto the political scene two decades ago, when he disclosed during a successful bid for City Council that he was H.I.V. positive, and later made his mark as the first openly gay member of the Senate.”

Throughout his time in office Duane has been a fierce advocate for the LGBT community and for the Center.  He’s been here in our home for nearly every major celebration, rally and  pivotal moment in our rich history.  Last July Duane attended our special Wedding Reception, on the first day same-sex couples could legally marry in New York, a day that he helped make possible.

Also from the New York Times:

“Mr. Duane, who was a pivotal figure during the recent battle over same-sex marriage, said that he had only begun to think seriously about retiring a few weeks ago, around the time that he and his longtime partner, Louis Webre, attended the wedding of Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker and his former chief of staff, and Kim M. Catullo.”

The Center wishes Senator Duane the best of luck as he prepares for a new chapter in his life; we applaud him for his numerous accomplishments as a legislator and for his tireless pursuit of social justice on behalf of the entire LGBT community.

He has been a true friend to the Center.

Guest Post by Terry Levine

Swan Lake’s ballet. Celine Dion’s music. Hedda Lettuce’s antics.

On May 11^th at 7 PM, these elements and many more were featured in Go Go Crazy, a film presented by Center Cinema as part of the Summer Camp series of events.  This mockumentary from director Fred M. Caruso gave Center viewers an interesting glimpse into Philadelphia’s ”premiere” go-go boy contest.  Which one of the five competitors would ultimately take home $1,000 in cash and the illustrious title?  Who would win the favor of the contest’s host, Hedda Lettuce?

Go Go Crazy introduced the audience to five speedo-clad aspirants each with a distinct personality and stage “presence.”  Vinnie attracted the support of folks with his uncanny resemblance to Jersey Shore’s The Situation; Kiernon a native of Georgia (the country) provided a ballet routine, a stark contrast to typical stripper pole performances; Chase schemed to get ahead in the competition; Connor, the straight one of the group, enhanced his “assets;” and Ken had dreams of Broadway.  With back-stabbing, sex and great costumes, the constant bursts of laughter proved that just about everyone was entertained!  Viewers also met three judges: former contest winner, Blake Goldenrod; Celine Dion “embodier;” Tina Perkins; and Hank, the club’s owner and contest’s bank roller.

The film’s Director and Producer, Fred M. Caruso has worked all over the United States in shows like Big River, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Shenandoah, Mame, The Music Man, and Oliver. He wrote The Big Gay Musical which follows a brief period in the lives of two young actors, one who is openly gay and the other who is in the closet.

Overall, watching this film was a great way to spend a Friday evening!

The Center is reposting two blogs with permission from our friends at GLAAD. The blogs call the New York Times to task for its recent sensational coverage of the death of Lorena Escalera, a transgender woman who died in a fire this past weekend in Brooklyn. We join GLAAD in criticizing the extremely problematic article and urge The Times to acknowledge its mistake and take steps to ensure this kind of faulty coverage does not happen again. We also join the community in mourning the loss of Lorena Escalera

NY Times Trans Exploitation Completely Unacceptable

Update: NY Times Does Not Retract Dehumanizing Coverage of Trans Woman Who Died in FireThis weekend, the New York Times published an extremely exploitative article about a transgender woman who had died in a fire. The article, about Lorena Escalera, only mentions that she was killed in a fire after telling readers that she was “curvaceous,” that she “drew admiring glances” in her “gritty Brooklyn neighborhood,” that she “was known to invite men for visits to her apartment,” that Lorena was “called Lorena” (as opposed to saying she was “named Lorena” or that she simply was Lorena) and that she “brought two men to her apartment” sometime between late Friday night and early Saturday morning.

The article by Al Baker and Nate Schweber treats Escalera completely disrespectfully, later describing a pile of debris outside the burned apartment which “contained many colorful items. Among them were wigs, women’s shoes, coins from around the world, makeup, hair spray, handbags, a shopping bag from Spandex House, a red feather boa and a pamphlet on how to quit smoking.”

Take the word “transgender” out of the equation.

Would the New York Times ever describe a woman who is not transgender, who had died in a fire, as “curvaceous” – in the first sentence, no less? Would it carefully note that her apartment contained makeup and “women’s shoes?” Would it say that she was “called” whatever her name was – especially if police later identified her by that name?

Janet Mock, Autumn Sandeen and other noted leaders in the trans advocacy movement have been speaking out about this article online. Colorlines.com also wrote about the problematic coverage. Thank you to all of you who submitted incident reports about this article, or alerted us to it through Twitter. We are reaching out to the Times to discuss the many incident reports we received, and to ensure that exploitative pieces like this don’t get printed in the future.

–

NY Times Does Not Retract Dehumanizing Coverage of Trans Woman Who Died in Fire

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 – 3:57pm by Aaron McQuade, Director of News and Field Media at GLAAD

In response to criticism from the LGBT community and allies over its coverage of a fire that killed a transgender woman this weekend, the New York Times released a statement that reveals a lack of understanding of how serious this problem is.

New York Times Metro Editor Carolyn Ryan stated: “We typically try to capture the personal stories of those whose lives are lost in a fire, and we sought to do so in this case. We certainly did not mean any disrespect to the victim or those who knew her. But, in retrospect, we should have shown more care in our choice of words.”

Unfortunately, the problem with the Times’ article on the death of Lorena Escalera, a transgender woman of color, is bigger than their “choice of words” or with their attempt to “capture” her story. It’s their failure to recognize trans women as women.

The decision by writers Al Baker and Nate Schweber to call her “curvaceous” in the first sentence was not a poor choice of words. It was a poor choice of focus. The way this entire article is framed comes directly from an idea that transgender women are curiosities. That they’re other. That they should be treated differently than other people. Saying that Lorena was “called” Lorena, even though that is exactly how police identified her, was not a poor choice of words. It was a disrespectful jab at her identity as a trans woman, by implying that she wasn’t really Lorena.

Lorena was a daughter. She was a friend. She was a beloved member of a community. But the only elements of her story that writers Al Baker and Nate Schweber seemed concerned with were; what she looked like, what her neighbors thought she looked like, and whether any items that would typically belong to a woman were in her apartment when it burned. Very little of this is relevant to the actual personal story of Lorena Escalera’s life. It seems very clear that this personal information was included in order to “spice up” the story by exploiting Lorena’s status as a transgender woman – not to actually inform readers about her life.

“As my city’s and our nation’s paper of record, I would expect the New York Times to treat any subject, regardless of their path in life, with dignity,” said trans advocate and journalist Janet Mock. “In Lorena Escalera’s life she was so much more than the demeaning, sexist portrait they painted of girls like us. It goes beyond a ‘choice of words.’ According to the Times’ limiting, harmful portrait of Lorena, she was nothing more than a ‘curvaceous’ bombshell for men to gawk at. That is not the ‘personal’ story of any woman, and until we treat trans women like human beings – in life and death – with dignity, families and struggles, our society will never see us beyond pariahs in our communities.

Unfortunately, many Americans, including members of the media, do view transgender people – and trans women of color in particular – as curiosities at best, or not deserving of basic human dignity at worst. And very few Americans know any trans people in their day-to-day lives, so this viewpoint is never dispelled. This is why extra care must be taken when reporting on a story that involves a transgender person, especially if that person is no longer able to speak for themselves, as is the case here. Writers and editors alike must be made aware of how common this underlying bias is, and make a conscious effort to remove it when they see it.

This is where the Times’ statement truly fails. Not only does it not show an understanding of what the problem with the original article was, it also makes no assurances to the community that it will educate its writers and editors about how to report on transgender people in the future. There’s nothing forward-looking in the Times statement.

GLAAD did ask the Times to detail what steps will be taken in the future to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We were told that this statement “will be all there is from us on this.”

But this statement is not good enough. The New York Times has highlighted the personal and inspiring stories of transgender people in the recent past, including an article on Harmony Santana, Laverne Cox and other transgender actresses, a piece on triathlete Chris Mosier and one on classical pianist Sara Davis Buechner. We can be almost certain that the New York Times does understand the problems with its piece on Lorena, and is embarrassed that it ran. Now it’s time for them to say so publicly, and to tell its readers that steps are being taken to ensure that an article like this won’t be printed again. We thank members of the LGBT community, including trans leaders like Janet Mock, Autumn Sandeen and Laverne Cox, as well as Colorlines and Feministing, for bringing attention to this story. We hope to continue putting pressure on the Times until they offer assurances that changes will be made.

On Thursday, May 24 the Center and several other agencies are co-sponsoring a community forum on HIV criminalization featuring a screening of a short film, HIV is Not a Crime followed by a panel discussion.

Panelists include Robert Suttle, Assistant Director of The Sero Project, who was convicted and incarcerated in Louisiana for HIV non-disclosure, Attorney Beirne Roose-Snyder from The Positive Justice Project, and Sean Strub of Poz Magazine and Executive Director of The Sero Project.

Partner organizations include the Positive Justice Project, ACT UP, SERO, Queerocracy and the Center.

The event is from 6 PM to 9 PM at the Center on 208 West 13^th Street in Room 101.

For More Information call: 646-556-9300

RuPaul's Drag Race Finalist Sharon Needles Performs for Center Youth- Photo by Lester Echem

On Monday, April 30 “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Finalists, Sharon Needles, Chad Michaels and Phi Phi O’hara visited the Center and each gave a special performace for the young people in our Youth Enrichment Services Program.

Photo by Lester Echem

LogoTV also sent a camera crew to capture all the fierce and fabulous moments, and highlight the young people who use the Center’s services– and their reactions to the show. It was a great opportunity for the youth to see these fabulous queens showcasing their creativity and being fearless.

The Center thanks LogoTV and all the finalists for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their immense talents and their message of inclusivity with our amazing young people. 

Photo by Lester Echem

And huge congratulations to Sharon Needles on winning Drag Race!

View photos of the Queens’ visit to the Center here.