The Best Damn Newsletter in New Jersey!
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The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County Serving New Jersey’s GLBTI Communities Since 1972 Volume 42, Issue 7, September 2016
In Memoriam: Kerry Dinkin It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news of the passing on August 8th of Kerry Dinkin, a former multi-term Community Trustee and officer of GAAMC, serving most recently as a member of our Discussion Group Resources Committee. For many years Kerry also helped run Alternate Thursdays, a monthly discussion group for women held in Montclair. Our hearts go out to Kerry's soul mate and life partner, Mette Christensen, and to the rest of Kerry's loving family. All who knew Kerry remember her as a lady through and through. A woman of many gifts, she was a conservatory-trained classical guitarist; a highly skilled facilitator; and a mentor and friend of the heart who left her fingerprints on a host of souls during her all too brief time with us. Her love for Mette and her dearest friends was boundless and lives on in our hearts. Knowing Kerry was a gift in itself; every day, in every way, we will continue to strive to be worthy of her love. She is our newest Guardian Angel.
President’s Letter Back to the Future by Mickey Suiter In recent years I finish Pride Month feeling both elated and depressed. I’m elated because of all of the large, passionate, excited groups of people of all ages doing so much for our community coming together in a celebration at the festivals and especially the march in NYC. But then I look at GAAMC, one of the oldest and most important organizations in the history of our community in NJ. Behind our banner I see a half dozen gray-haired men. And those are the active members we have who are physically able to walk 2 miles. It makes me wonder at the difference in the size of groups and the ages and the passion. I know a big reason for the difference between them and us is the type of group. Most of the successful groups these days are either community centers or single purpose groups; GAAMC is much more general in its purpose. But I think we may just be too general and nonspecific. Often at festivals
I’m asked what GAAMC is and what we do. After 44 years, I have trouble answering that simple question. We try to do a little of everything, to provide a little something for everyone. But I’m afraid the result of that is that we don’t really provide much of anything for anyone. We’re too vague, too unfocused, too all-over-theplace. We are an organization with ADD.
What we started out to be was a safe space, a place where LGBT people could be themselves and meet others like themselves. That was important 20-40 years ago; far fewer members of our community need that now. We had three purposes -- social, educational, and political. Inside Challenge Again, nearly everyone is Challenge Information .......................... page 2 able to create their own GAAMC Events for September .............. page 2 LGBT-incorporated social Gleanings ................................................ page 4 life these days. As far as September Q-munity Calendar .............. page 5 education goes, media exposure and members of Buddies Corner ....................................... page 7 our community living out So Long, Farewell…? ............................ page 7 lives is teaching the world GAAMC Board Minutes......................... page 8 (continued on page 3)
GAAMC Information ............................. page 9
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Volume 42, Number 7 September 2016 ISSN 0277-1675 Editor: Allen Neuner Assistant Editor Bill Stella Submissions The deadline for all articles, inserts, and advertisements is the 15th of the previous month. The staff requests that all submissions be provided as electronic files. E-mail all submissions to challenge@gaamc.org. Ad Rates Single issue: Full page, $125.00; Half page, $85.00; Quarter page, $45.00; Business card, $25.00. For multi-issue rates, contact the Editor. GAAMC members may place one free classified ad per month, of no more than 200 characters in length. Challenge is © 2016 by the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation. All rights reserved. All articles reflect the views of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of GAAMC, its officers, or executive board. All copyrights revert to the original contributors upon publication. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the contributor. All articles, contributions, and advertisements are printed at the discretion of the Editor and/or GAAMC Executive Board.
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GAAMC Events for September 2016 Main meetings start at 8:15 unless otherwise stated. Discussion groups and Film Festival movies start at 7:00. September 5: LABOR DAY COOKOUT – It’s the end of summer, and what better way to end it than at a cookout with friends? We provide the meat, the buns, the beverages, and the fixin’s. You bring something to share (for six at least) – you famous potato salad, your spicy pork and beans, or whatever you want! Join us for a GAAMC tradition of end-of-season fun, food, and friendship! We’ll save a seat for you! Open Talk Discussion Group Tonight’s moderator: Gordon September 10: Morristown Community Health Day GAAMC will be participating in this event, located at Headquarters Plaza in downtown Morristown, sponsored by Morristown Memorial Hospital. The event will be taking place from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more information, contact Mickey at President@GAAMC.org September 12: GAAMC's Anniversary Archive Program! 44 years of activism is being celebrated tonight as GAAMC, one of the two longest running Gay Activist Alliances in the country, sees another anniversary of making positive change in the lives of LGBTQ people and our allies. Mickey Suiter is our current President, chair of the Archive Committee, and also one of the four founders whose brainchild has meant survival to thousands of people over the course of its existence. See what all the celebration is about when you join us on this historic evening! Open Talk Discussion Group Tonight’s moderator: Sherri September 19: At press time, no program had been set for this evening. Be sure to check out GAAMC.org for the latest word on what will be happening tonight! Open Talk Discussion Group Tonight’s moderator: Liz September 26: At press time, no program had been set for this evening. Be sure to check out GAAMC.org for the latest word on what will be happening tonight! Open Talk Discussion Group Tonight’s moderator: Gordon 20-Somethings Group meets tonight. Moderator: Nick. Topic: "Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are: 20-Somethings Discuss How Our Lives Have Changed Since Coming Out." If you are between the ages of 18 and 35, join the 20-Somethings as we talk about the effect coming out as LGBT has had on our lives OR, if you have not come out yet, how you think it will affect you in the future. We will also discuss National Coming Out Day (10/11/16) and any plans we may have for it.
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President’s Letter (continued from page 1) more than a few speaking engagements could ever do. We used to be politically active through the NJLGC and accomplished a lot, but once they folded we haven’t done much in that area. So what is GAAMC? Very simply, we are a small weekly discussion/social group. That is pretty much it. We provide few services for the LGBT community at large, just for 30-35 individuals who semi-regularly attend our meetings. As such, we really can’t expect the community to support us, nor can we claim to be a community service organization. Basically, we are offering a product that very few people need anymore. We’ve been acting as though all we have to do is improve our product (better programs) and marketing (better advertising) and all will be well again. But it is the product itself that is the problem. When GAAMC was shrinking in membership 12-15 years ago (as were all LGBT organizations at that time), some of us wondered why we were even still around when other groups like us had closed up shop. We credited ourselves with being flexible and changing with the times. But that’s not quite the case; our structure and our operation are pretty much the same as it has always been. The real reason we are still around is we have a half dozen stubborn people who just won’t give up. So what are we to do? As down on GAAMC as I may sound, I don’t think we should declare “Mission Accomplished,” turn out the lights, and go home. Our community still has a long way to go. I don’t have a problem with our Monday nights being predominately a discussion group. But going forward we are going to try to provide, in addition to a monthly social, one major program a month on a subject that is important to our community. The problem with 52 mostly small programs a year is that it takes a lot of work -- it’s hard to find that many topics of high interest to our community. Also, we are going to once again become the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County. Our community needs activism -– political and social. We will have a committee for each that will focus on political and social needs and provide our members with an opportunity to help the LGBT community at large. Once upon a time we were community activists, building a community, serving that community. It’s time to get back to our activism roots. Mickey Suiter is one of the four founding members of GAAMC and currently serves as President. He lives in Boonton with his husband, John DeLeeuw.
Gleanings (continued from page 4) Erik Lamontagne, a researcher at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, has stated that discrimination
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against lesbian, gay and bisexual communities carries a substantial economic cost. A combination of factors, including discriminatory hiring practices, unequal pay, and shorter life expectancies, mean LGBT people may not be earning as much as they deserve, possibly holding back the global economy to the tune of more than a hundred billion dollars a year. According to Lamontagne's findings, which haven't yet been published, homophobic laws and social norms could be costing a worldwide total loss of up to $119.1 billion of GDP. Lamontagne's results only reflect homophobia against gay men and other men who have sex with men, or MSM. "These figures are underestimating the real cost of sexual orientation-related stigma," Lamontagne said. "[The] figures would be higher if we higher if we could account for LBTI and effeminate men." (mic.com) The Belize Supreme Court ruled that a law punishing homosexuality was unconstitutional. Unibam, an LGBT organization in Belize, first brought the challenge against the law back in 2010. Caleb Orozco, the main plaintiff in the case, said that the Supreme Court ruled in his favor on privacy grounds, as well as under protections of “dignity, equality, and freedom of expression.” He added that the court also decided that protections in the Belizean constitution surrounding sex extend to sexual orientation. Belize, a country of around 350,000 people on the Caribbean coast neighboring Mexico and Guatemala, has had the law in place since its days as a British colony. LGBT advocates are hopeful that the ruling could bolster efforts to eliminate similar laws in 10 other English-speaking countries in the Caribbean that also have roots in their colonial past. (Washington Post) Mark Thompson, a former senior editor at The Advocate for two decades and an editor of a book chronicling its history, died on August 17th. Thompson got started in LGBT causes as a founding member of the Bay Area-wide Gay Students Coalition at San Francisco State University. He started writing for The Advocate in 1975 and would spend two decades at the LGBT magazine, covering the fight for rights at a pivotal time and the AIDS crisis. He became not only a respected journalist but also an author who wrote Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate History of the Gay and Lesbian Movement, which included rare first-person accounts of Stonewall, Harvey Milk’s election and death, and other major milestones in LGBT history that he helped record as a journalist for The Advocate. Thompson’s partner, Episcopal priest and author Malcom Boyd, died just last year. (Advocate.com) Xulhaz Mannan, editor of Roopbaan, the only magazine for the LGBT community in Bangladesh, and a US embassy employee for USAID, was murdered in a stabbing attack in his apartment. Mannan had worked in the human rights sector specially for the LGBT community in Bangladesh. He successfully arranged a "rainbow rally" in Dhaka last year. He had received death threats after trying to organize a youth LBGT “Rainbow Rally” in early April. Mannan’s friend Mahbub Tabbi Tonoy was also killed in the attack. A witness reported five men leaving the scene chanting "Allahu Akbar" ("Allah is Great"). Ansar-al-islam, an Al-Qaida-linked group, claimed responsibility for the murders. (TheGuardian.com)
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Gleanings Queer News from across the nation and around the world US District Judge Carlton Reeves struck down Mississippi's controversial "religious freedom" law hours before it was slated to take effect. If allowed to go forward, the law — known as House Bill 1523 — would have made it easier for individuals, organizations and private associations to deny services based on religious objections to one of three things: same-sex marriage, transgender rights and even extramarital sexual relationships. Reeves concluded that the law "violates both the guarantee of religious neutrality and the promise of equal protection of the laws." Reeves' decision to block HB 1523 in its entirety came three days after he struck down a portion of the law that would have allowed clerks to refuse to issue marriage licenses based on "sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions." That provision was inspired by Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who made national headlines in 2015 when she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. "Religious freedom was one of the building blocks of this great nation, and after the nation was torn apart, the guarantee of equal protection under law was used to stitch it back together," he wrote. "But HB 1523 does not honor that tradition of religion freedom, nor does it respect the equal dignity of all of Mississippi's citizens. It must be enjoined." Attorneys for the state are expected to appeal the decision. (NBCNews.com) Gay Air Force Lieutenant Joshua Seefried was found not guilty of all charges stemming from a 2012 incident in a New York hotel room in which he was accused of sexual assault. The verdict, rendered by Air Force Lieutenant Coronel Andrew Kalavanos, followed a four-day court martial proceeding at Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, MD. Seefried was on trial more than two years after being charged in April 2014 with wrongful and abusive sexual contact and forcible sodomy based on allegations by a gay U.S. Marine. The Marine acknowledged during four and a half hours of testimony that multiple witnesses saw him and Seefried hugging, kissing, and fondling one another in a hot tub in the hotel’s spa. Judge Kalavanos announced his verdict one hour after closing arguments were delivered, indicating the charges against Seefried didn’t have sufficient weight to result in a conviction. Seefried had waived his right to a jury trial, choosing to have the judge render the verdict as well as preside over the trial. Lt. Seefried has been a prominent advocate for the rights of LGBT people in the military and co-founded the LGBT military advocacy group OutServe. (Washington Blade) The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that a D.C. gay man who believes he’s entitled to a share of the estate of his deceased partner can petition the District’s courts for a declaration of common-law marriage between him and the partner, even though the partner was a resident of Rehoboth Beach, DE, at the time of his death. The appeals court ruling overturned an earlier ruling by the D.C. Superior Court, which granted a motion to dismiss James Spellman’s petition for a common-law marriage declaration between him and Michael Kelly, his partner of 17 years, on grounds that the Superior Court didn’t have personal jurisdiction over Kelly’s estate and relatives in Delaware. The ruling remands the case back to the D.C. Superior Court, which must now make
a determination on the merits of whether a common-law marriage existed between Spellman and Kelly. Spellman’s attorney has said his client’s relationship with Kelly meets the legal criteria for a common law marriage – the two lived together and acted as married spouses. (Washington Blade) The U.S. Navy plans to name a ship after LGBT equality icon and former Naval officer Harvey Milk. According to a congressional notification signed by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, the Navy will name a planned Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206). Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of American Military Partner Association (AMPA), the nation’s largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) military families, said, “Harvey Milk’s incredible leadership in the face of adversity continues to inspire all of us in our ongoing fight for full LGBT equality. By breaking down barriers and fighting for the dignity and worth of all Americans, he left behind an example for all of us in his service to our nation, both in and out of uniform.” (MilitaryPartners.org) Survivors of the Orlando nightclub massacre won't be billed for out-of-pocket medical expenses, the two hospitals that treated them announced. "Orlando Health has not sent any hospital or medical bills directly to Pulse patients and we don't intend to pursue reimbursement of medical costs from them," Orlando Health, a non-profit network of medical facilities that includes Orlando Regional Hospital, said in a statement. For patients with insurance, the hospital will bill their health providers, but whatever isn't covered will be absorbed by Orlando Health. Even after tapping into state and federal funds, victim funds, and other sources, Orlando Health expects to write off more than $5 million in total unreimbursed costs. (NBCNews.com) Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) signed S2407 into law less than a day after it had cleared final votes in the Massachusetts House and Senate, putting a quick end to a decade-long campaign to protect transgender Bay Staters from discrimination in places like restaurants, concert venues, shopping malls, doctors’ offices, and public transportation. The Governor followed the example set by the Legislature, which swiftly maneuvered the legislation’s final versions through both chambers within 24 hours of receiving it from a conference committee where House and Senate versions of the bill had been combined into a single piece of legislation. The new law officially takes effect October 1st. (FreedomMassachusetts.org) The NBA will pull its 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, NC as a result of the state’s anti-LGBT bathroom bill, HB 2. The NBA was reportedly not satisfied with hollow changes made to the bill earlier by Governor Pat McCrory. New Orleans is reportedly the front-runner to take over hosting duties for the game. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had warned that the NBA would pull the game from North Carolina if lawmakers did not amend HB 2 to address its concerns about antiLGBT discrimination. (Towleroad.com) (continued on page 3)
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September 2016 Q-munity Calendar Recurring Contact Information *Hackensack Peer Support Groups: 800-508-7577; njbuddies@aol.com †Pride Center, Highland Park: 732-846-2232; www.pridecenter.org ‡Hudson Pride Connections Center: 201-963-4779; HudsonPride.org #QSpot LGBT Community Center: 732-455-3373; info@jsqspot.org λNewark LGBTQ Center: 973-424-9555; info@NewarkLGBTQCenter.org Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm - HIV testing, Morristown; 973-889-6802 9:00 am to 1:00 pm - HIV testing, Asbury Park; 800-947-0020 10:00 am to 5:00 pm - HiTOPS Health Center, Princeton; www.hitops.org; 609-683-5155 x 211 Noon - Library Lounge, Ocean Grove# 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Internet Café, Newark λ Syringe exchange program, Newark; variable hours; njcri.org; 973-558-5054 Adult drop-in center, Newark; variable hours;njcri.org Tuesday - Saturday Project WOW! youth center, Newark; variable hours; njcri.org; 973-412-7080 Every Sunday 10:45 am - MCC of Christ the Liberator, Highland Park; tombohache10@gmail.com Noon - St. Francis of Assisi Church, Glen Ridge; 973-731-7765; stfrancisnj.org 12:30 pm – SOS meeting, Ocean Grove# 1:30 pm – Library Lounge, Ocean Grove# 2:30 pm - Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship Church, Newark; 973-621-2100 5:30 pm - Central Jersey Rainbows Bowling League, Bradley Beach; CJRBowling@gmail.com Every Monday 10:30 am - The Wellness Community, Newark; 973-565-0300; info@hyacinth.org Noon – QSpot Job Resource Center, Ocean Grove# 7:00 pm - GAAMC, Morris Township (see page 2) 7:00 pm - Bowling, Union; merenl@comcast.net 6:30 pm – Yoga, Newarkλ 7:00 pm - S.E.L.F. HIV Men’s support group, Hackensack * 7:30 pm - New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus choir practice, Princeton; 609-396-7774; www.njgmc.org 8:00 pm - Bowling, Green Brook; qcrollers@aol.com Every Tuesday Noon – QSpot Job Resource Center, Ocean Grove# 12:30 pm - The Wellness Community, Newark; 973-565-0300; @hyacinth.org 4:00 pm - Treatment Adherence Support Group, Jersey City; 201-432-1134; info@hyacinth.org
01 Thu 7:00 pm –Coffee social, Edison; njlgh.onefireplace.com 7:30 pm – NJ Women Coming Out, Highland Park† 02 Fri 7:00 pm – Positive Women peer support group, Hackensack* 8:00 pm - Karaoke, Highland Park;† 03 Sat 2:30 pm – First & Third for GLBTI Youth, Princeton; 609-6835155; www.HiTOPS.org 5:30 pm – Hudson County HIV/AIDS Services Planning Council, Jersey City ‡
6:00 pm – TransView trans support, Jersey City ‡ 6:00 pm - SAGE, Jersey City ‡ 7:30 pm - Tuesday Night Lesbian Connection, Bound Brook; 908-791-3764 7:30 pm - Men’s HIV support group, Asbury Park; 732-7755084; apstillpoz@yahoo.com 7:30 pm - Positive Yoga, Oradell * 8:00 pm – Primary Purpose Group, Ocean Grove# 8:45 pm - Bowling, Belleville; 973-256-5936; NJGLB@aol.com 9:00 pm - Bowling, Jersey City; 201-933-6028; JoeyNJ@aol.com 9:15 pm - Bowling, Edison; 732-548-4550;cnjgbl@yahoo.com Every Wednesday 10:30 am - The Wellness Community, Jersey City; 201-4321134; info@hyacinth.org 2:30 pm - RU Pride, Newark; 973-353-5716 6:30 pm – Overeaters Anonymous, Ocean Grove# 6:30 pm – Craft/Crochet/Knitting Circle, Newarkλ 7:30 pm - Men’s Living Out group, Highland Park† 7:30 pm - Gay Men’s Coming Out group, Highland Park; njwarrior@aol.com† Every Thursday 11:00 am – Meal distribution, Newarkλ 6:00 pm - Our Youth weekly support group, Jersey City; www.myspacenj.org 6:00 pm – Chill Night, Newarkλ 6:30 pm - Double Jeopardy peer support group, Hackensack* 6:30 pm – Men of Hudson Pride, Jersey City ‡ 7:00 pm - Sexual Assault Survivor Support, Princeton; www.hitops.org 7:00 pm – Visions HIV Support Group, Ocean Grove#
7:00 pm – Yoga, Highland Park† 7:30 pm - Rainbows on Cleveland Street, Orange; 973-2565936; rbowsoncleveland@aol.com 7:30 pm - Writers group, Highland Park † Every Friday 6:00 pm - Youth Connect, Jersey City ‡ Every Saturday Noon – Library Lounge, Ocean Grove#
04 Sun 2:00 pm – Central Jersey Rope Share, Highland Park† 4:00 pm – Dignity Metro NJ Mass, Maplewood; 973-8574040; Dignitymetronj@msn.com 6:30 pm – Gay Men’s Opera Club; 732-249-9034; hagol@msn.com 05 Mon 6:05 pm – Somerset Patriots Pride Night, Bridgewater; www.pridecenter.org/pridenight† 6:30 pm – JSTSURF trans support group, Ocean Grove# 7:00 pm -- Support Group for Lesbians with Cancer, New Brunswick; 732-235-6781; slirzero @umdnj.edu
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06 Tue 5:00 pm – Creative Expressions, Ocean Grove# 7:00 pm – Meditation AA Meeting, Ocean Grove# 7:30 pm – LGBT Fellowship, Belleville; 973-751-0616 7:30 pm – Come OUT and Play, Highland Park† 07 Wed 6:30 pm - Positive People peer support group, Hackensack * 7:30 pm – Jersey Boys of Leather, Highland Park† 08 Thu 7:00 pm – Under the Rainbow, Highland Park† 7:30 pm -- PFLAG of North Jersey, South Orange; 908-7897489; pflagwaver@aol.com 7:30 pm -- Alternate Thursdays, Montclair; sherrrase@gmail.com 7:30 pm – Kollege of Kink, Highland Park† 09 Fri 7:00 pm – Young Men’s Social Network, Highland Park† 10 Sat 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡ 1:00 pm – Youth Drop-In, Highland Park† 7:00 pm – Men’s Movie Night, Highland Park;† 7:30 pm – Dignity New Brunswick gay Catholic liturgy; 732968-9263; dignitynb@earthlink.net 11 Sun 2:00 pm – Male Drawing Session, Highland Park† 6:00 pm – Gay Men’s Classical Song Club, Kingston; 4 pbrown02@worldnet.att.net 12 Mon 6:30 pm – Lesbian Moms Support Network, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – PFLAG of Morris County, Mendham; 973-5437229; craig.bcc@verizon.net 7:30 pm – PFLAG, Princeton; 609-663-5155; www.pflagprinceton.org 7:30 pm – Hot Topics 4 Lesbians, Ocean Grove# 13 Tue 7:30 pm – Pride Center Board Meeting, Highland Park† 14 Wed 7:00 pm – QSpot Book Club, Ocean Grove# 7:30 pm – Wednesday Night Women’s Hang Out, Highland Park† 15 Thu 7:00 pm – GAAMC board meeting, Morristown; all GAAMC members are invited to attend. 7:00 pm – Transgender Family Support Group, Somerville; 732-740-3971 7:30 pm – NJ Women Coming Out, Highland Park† 7:30 pm - PFLAG of Northwest NJ, Sparta; 973-729-9909 16 Fri 7:00 pm – Positive Women peer support group, Hackensack* 7:30 pm – Dignity New Brunswick social; 732-968-9263; dignitynb@earthlink.net 7:30 pm – Movie Night Out, Ocean Grove# 7:45 pm – Out of the Box open mic, Highland Park†
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17 Sat 2:00 pm – NJ Hypnokink, Highland Park;† 2:30 pm – First & Third for GLBTI Youth, Princeton; 609-6835155; www.HiTOPS.org 7:00 pm – Rainbow Bowling, Bradley Beach; 732-774-4540 7:00 pm – NJ Gay Film Society & Potluck Dinner Club, Location TBA; gayfilms@bigfoot.com 18 Sun 4:00 pm – Dignity Metro NJ Mass, Maplewood; 973-8374040; Dignitymetronj@msn.com 4:00 pm – TrueSelves trans support group, Highland Park† 19 Mon 7:00 pm -- Support Group for Lesbians with Cancer, New Brunswick; 732-235-6781; slirzero@umdnj.edu 7:00 pm – HIV testing, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Young Men’s Social Network, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Raices Latinas LGBT, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Anxiety Support Group, Highland Park† 20 Tue 5:00 pm – Creative Expressions, Ocean Grove# 7:30 pm – Come OUT and Play, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – LGBTQ for Social Justice, Highland Park† 21 Wed 6:30 pm - Positive People peer support group, Hackensack * 7:00 pm – JCLGO monthly meeting, Jersey City; 201-3335725; www.jclgo.org 7:30 pm – United in Grace discussion/support group, Jersey City; 201-946-0650; greg.perez@comcast.net 7:00 pm – Board meeting, Edison; njlgh.onefireplace.com 22 Thu 7:00 pm – Under the Rainbow, Highland Park† 24 Sat 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡ 1:00 pm – Youth Drop-In, Highland Park† 7:00 pm – Gay Bowling, Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park; 732776-6160 8:15 pm – Selichot, Edison; njlgh.onefireplace.com 25 Sun 1:00 pm – G-Rope, Highland Park† 4:00 pm – In the Spirit, Highland Park† 26 Mon 7:30 pm – NJ Rope Bite, Highland Park† 27 Tue 8:30 am – 3rd Annual Gay Men’s Awareness Day Summit, New Brunswick; tinyurl.com/gmad2016 8:30 pm – Men’s Social Night, Highland Park† 28 Wed 7:30 pm - United in Grace discussion/support group, Jersey City; 201-946-0650; greg.perez@comcast.net 7:30 pm – Wednesday Night Women’s Hang Out, Highland Park†
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Buddies Corner Knowledge Is Power by Raymond Welsh We, for the most part, have the knowledge and resources needed to stop the spread of HIV and the progression of HIV to AIDS. We also have the knowledge and resources needed to restore human dignity for those living with and/or affected by HIV. Stigma is the largest hurdle to executing our strategy of ending this plague. Stigma stops people from engaging in the conversations, relationships, and support needed to beat this virus. The topic most often brought up in groups is if, how, and when to disclose to family, friends, potential partners, employers... I suspect that it is the fear of what the consequence of disclosure may lead to. Some people do not even get tested because of the assumed negative consequences of diagnosis. THE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES of knowing your status far outweigh the negative ones. The below is an anonymous submission from one of our clients and expresses social stigma and an educated, perhaps experiential opinion of how Stigma affects someone living with HIV.
Fact: There are several different strains of HIV. So if two POZ people get together and Person A didn’t know he was POZ/wasn’t on meds, Person A could infect Person B with a new strain. Or, if Person A has another STD, Person B is at higher risk of contracting this STD. Persons living with HIV have a compromised immune system, so that STD will find it far easier to live in that POZ person than one who is not. I hope this information helps you to better understand the impact of your words and gives you more information about your risk of contracting HIV. Always be safe by using a condom and know your status. Ray Welsh, from Buddies of NJ, a premier HIV/AIDS service organization for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS., is an out gay man living with the virus since 1995. He manages fundraising, events, and Harrison House, a home to 7 adults living with HIV. Ray is also a Peer Support Group Coordinator who participates with the NJPG’s Gay Men’s Work Group and the Bergen/Passaic-Paterson HIV Services Planning Counsel.
SWM looking for Mr. Right. Masculine, Professional, Fit, HIV Negative. Please be clean and disease free. How often do you read a profile like this on your app or online dating site? Typical, yes. Ignorant? Definitely. Please do not use language like “Clean” when speaking about someone’s HIV status. It is hurtful and inaccurate. Educate yourself about fellow members of our community. Fact: A person who is infected with the HIV virus and consistently takes their medication can be “undetectable” which means you would have a less than 1% chance of contracting the HIV virus. Fact: There are no known cases of a POZ person who is on meds whose viral load is “undetectable” infecting a partner. Fact: An undetectable person has more to fear than you. They know what they have and they have it under control. Many walk around not knowing they have HIV or any other STD. Fact: Some people with HIV do not tell their partner because they are unaware of their own HIV status or they feel in some cases the person would not sleep with them Alif they knew.
So Long, Farewell…? According to our records, the following members will see their memberships lapse in September. If your name is here in error, please contact the Webmaster. Alexa V., Riverdale Chris N., Morristown Claire P., Chester Dale L., Montclair Dolores Y., Chester Edward L., Cranford George D., Haledon Gordon S., East Hanover Javier M., East Hanover Jay K., Randolph Raymond M., Springfield Robin S., Cranford Wendy R., Murray Hill Dolores Y., Chester You can renew by going to GAAMC.org, or at any Monday night meeting of GAAMC.
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September 2016
GAAMC Board Minutes
GAAMC Board Minutes
June 16, 2016
July 21, 2016
Members: DeLeeuw, Gannon, Gayle, Kohn, Sauer, Schaublin, Suiter
Members: DeLeeuw, Gayle, Kennedy, Schaublin, Skurna, Slicer, Suiter
Non-Voting Attendees: Allen Neuner
Non-Voting Attendees: Allen Neuner
The meeting was called to order at 7:03.
The meeting was called to order at 7:05.
The minutes of the April meeting were approved (moved, Saure; seconded, Gannon).
The minutes of the May meeting were approved (moved, Schaublin; seconded, Gayle).
Old/Current Business: Plans for our participation at NYC Pride were discussed. Mickey will relay information about the parade at a later date.
Old/Current Business: Sherri will follow up on the grant from the NYC Rally. A lengthy discussion was held on GAAMC’s present and future, including possible options for future action.
Pride Guide: Andy and Wendy were thanked for their efforts in producing this year’s Pride Guide. New Business: Gordon, Dev, and Jay will be contacting the Morris Plains police to express our gratitude for their security presence following the Orlando shooting. Andy, Gordon, and Sherri will give a training session to the NJ Coalition to End Domestic Violence. There was discussion of GAAC’s involvement with a vigil in Morristown about the Orlando tragedy. Mickey led a discussion about what steps GAAMC could take regarding the Equality Act. Reports Treasurer (Andy Skurna) Challenge/Front Desk (Allen Neuner) Webmaster (Andy Skurna) Programs (Sherri Rase) Socials (John DeLeeuw) Discussion Group Resources (Gordon Sauer) Development (Gordon Sauer): Plans for a 44th anniversary dinner on September 26th were discussed GAAMC Pride (Mickey Suiter): Jersey City Pride will be in August; Mickey will follow up on GAAMC’s participation. Outings (Jay Kohn): Three possible events were discussed: Monster Golf for the 20-something group (moved Kohn; seconded Gayle; approved); Shakespeare (moved Kohn, seconded Sauer; approved); and a day at the beach. Ideas and Suggestions: There was a suggestion to publish an entry about GAAMC on Wikipedia.
New Business: Our contract with MUF is the same as last year’s, except we have dropped use of the dining room on Monday nights. Morristown Memorial Hospital’s Community Health Day is September 10th. Reports Treasurer (Andy Skurna): Andy will get a quote on hiring a CPA. Pride Guide has made money, but there are still some expenses still to be deducted. Challenge/Front Desk (Allen Neuner): A new spare set of keys for the cash register needs to be purchased. (Moved, Shaublin; seconded Kennedy; approved). Webmaster (Andy Skurna): Our current website will transfer in September; it will be a bare-bones site until we start using NationBuilder. Programs (Sherri Rase) Socials (John DeLeeuw): There were 20 people at the ice cream social. The next social will be Labor Day. Discussion Group Resources (Gordon Sauer) Development (Gordon Sauer) Social Action (Gordon Sauer) GAAMC Pride (Mickey Suiter): Participation in Newark Pride should be considered for next year. Outings (Jay Kohn) Ideas and Suggestions: Andy suggested a possible outing on the lobster boat at Pier 81 in NYC, combining a 45 minute cruise (free) with dinner (paid on an individual basis). A motion to adjourn was approved (moved, Schaublin; seconded, Gayle).
A motion to adjourn was approved. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28. The meeting was adjourned.
September 2016
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Challenge
Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County GAAMC Officers President (President@GAAMC.org) .......... Mickey Suiter VP Community Services (Info@GAAMC.org) ..................................................... Gordon Sauer VP Operations (Operations@GAAMC.org) ....................................................John DeLeeuw Secretary (Secretary@GAAMC.org) .......... Ron Kennedy Treasurer (Treasurer@GAAMC.org) ........... Andy Skurna
Trustees Dev Gannon, David Gayle, Jay Kohn, Sherri Rase, Richard Schaublin, Liz Slicer
Committee Chairs & Functional Officers Challenge (Challenge@GAAMC.org) ......... Allen Neuner Development (Discussions@GAAMC.org) .... Gordon Sauer Discussion Group Resources (Discussions@GAAMC.org) ..................................................... Gordon Sauer Information (FreeLibrary@GAAMC.org) ...... Andy Skurna Outings (Outings@GAAMC.org) .................... Jay Kohn Pride Events ..................................... Mickey Suiter Pride Guide (PrideGuide@GAAMC.org) ...... Andy Skurna Programs (Programs@GAAMC.org) .............. Sherri Rase Public Relations (PR@GAAMC.org) ............. Dev Gannon Social Action .................................... Gordon Sauer Socials (Socials@GAAMC.org) ................John DeLeeuw Webmaster (Webmaster@GAAMC.org) ....... Andy Skurna
GAAMC, the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County, has served New Jersey’s gay, lesbian bisexual, transgendered, and intersexed communities since 1972. GAAMC is a notfor-profit volunteer-run organization that provides social, educational, and outreach programs. GAAMC also offers opportunities for individuals to become politically active on issues related to the GLBTI communities. Our intent is to maintain a positive, healthy, respectful, and supportive environment in a safe space. Meetings are held every Monday evening at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Rd., Morris Township, NJ (near the Morris Museum). Discussion groups usually meet from 7:00 to 8:00. The evening’s program usually starts shortly after 8:00. Refreshments are available. For program information, check our home page (see below). Members and non-members are always welcome. Annual membership dues are: Regular, $40/single, $70/couple; Students/Seniors, $30/single, $60/couple. How to reach GAAMC Mail: PO Box 137, Convent Station, NJ 07961 Telephone: 973-285-1595 E-Mail: info@gaamc.org Home page: http://www.gaamc.org Mail List: http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/gaamc