The Best Damn Newsletter in NJ™!
CHALLENGE
The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County Serving New Jersey’s GLBTI Communities Since 1972 Volume 41, Issue 3, Summer 2015
Power in Forgiveness by Sherri Rase I sit to write this just a few days after the tragic shoot- his mayhem. Emanuel AME Church dates back nearly ing at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 200 years and most recently has been a critical meeting Charleston, South Carolina. Dylann Roof, a just- place during the (currently ongoing) struggle for civil turned-21-year-old white male took his birthday mon- rights. This shooting is a reminder that for some who ey and bought a follow the Bible, the Old Testament is still alive. From gun. He filled his my perspective, Holy War is Wholly Chaos and just as Facebook page the Old Testament is superseded by the New Testament, with racist, inthose who call themselves Christians should be mindful flammatory rhetof what Christ actually taught -- forgiveness and peace. oric, took his gun to a Wednesday When we look at the spirituality of different cultures, evening prayer the singular emergent purpose is to create peace in meeting with a the world by looking after one’s neighbor. We are all little over a dozen the same. We need air to breathe, a roof over our people in attendheads, and safety and food for our families. Reach out ance, and sat to your fellows in the community. If there is not a there for an hour community, build one. Be the leader you wish you during that meeting. Then he opened fire, killing six had, is what Simon Sinek says, and I wholly agree. women and three men, one of whom was the pastor of the church. This is a Join me. Join hands. Join tragedy for the families of GAAMC. Do good works Inside Challenge those killed and wounded, Challenge Information ........................... page 2 and be part of a tiny splash as well as a tragedy for a GAAMC Events for July/August ............ page 2 that makes lasting ripples. youth fueled by hatred. Be proud. Be connected. Gleanings -- Queer news from around When we step out of the world ............................................... page 3 Rodgers and Hammerstein July/August Q-munity Calendar – LGBT where we’re comfortable, events in and around New Jersey ....... page 4 tell us in “You’ve Got to Be that’s where we grow. GAAMC Board Meeting Minutes............ page7 Taught”. We are taught haLet’s grow. Together. What Makes a Woman? ........................ page 10 tred. We are taught fear. Dylann Roof chose a most The Theatre Bear Reviews… ................ page 11 historic church to commit Reflections on the Supreme Court’s Decision ............................................... page 12 The Soapbox: A Trans Awareness Expansion............................................ page 12 GAAMC Information ............................ page 14
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Summer 2015
Challenge Challenge
Volume 40, Number3 Summer 2015 ISSN 0277-1675
: GAAMC Events for July/August 2015 .
Discussion Groups
Editor: Allen Neuner Assistant Editor Bill Stella
Open Talk: Weekly discussion group, open to all. Every Monday, 7:00, in the Library. Moderators: Liz (Jul 27; Aug 10); Kerry (Jul 6; Aug 3); Gordon (Jul 13, 20, 27; Aug 24). NOTE: Open Talk does not meet on Film Festival nights.
Submissions
Current Events: Discussion of topics in the news. Topics are not chosen until the night the group meets. First Monday of the month, 7:00, in the Terrace Room. Moderator: Frank.
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 © 2015 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 public ation. 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.
20-Something: Monthly group for young members of the queer communities. Last Monday of the month, 7:00, in the Terrace Room. Moderator: Nick. Topics: portrayals of LGBTQIAA people in the media (Jul 20); online dating (Aug 31).
Main Meeting NOTE: Main meetings start at 8:00 unless otherwise stated. July 6: Ice Cream Social Board members are your servers tonight as we offer ice cream, sorbet, and other frozen treats! Be sure to go low on sugar early in the day so you can enjoy frozen treats with your GAAMC friends. July 13: Central Jersey GLSEN Carol Watchler, co-chair of GLSEN’s Central NJ chapter, will discuss how the group serves LGBT students. July 20: to be announced. July 27: The Next Stage Ensemble of the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ will be performing tonight! As of press time, the show has not been selected, but based on past years’ experience, the Ensemble will provide us with fine entertainment from the Theatre’s stars of tomorrow! NOTE: Admission for tonight’s program is $10 per person – no exceptions! August 3: GAAMC Film Festival In honor of its 50th anniversary, tonight we present The Sound of Music – as a sing-along! Limber up your voices and let the hills come alive!. August 10: International Food Festival This year, the theme is “Latin Night”! Your Board will be providing, cooking, and serving a variety of dishes enjoyed by our neighbors to the south. NOTE: Admission for tonight’s fundraising dinner is $10 per person – no exceptions! August 17: GAAMC Film Festival Tonight’s feature is the HBO documentary Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God. The film focuses on a group of men who claim they were abused as boys by a Catholic priest at a Milwaukee school for the deaf. NOTE: The movie begins promptly at 7:00 pm this evening. August 24: GAAMC Summer Carnival Tonight we play some of our favorite summer games—even a water balloon catch if it’s warm enough! NOTE: Open Talk and 20-Something discussion groups start after sunset. August 31: GAAMC Film Festival Tonight’s feature is Coming of Age in Cherry Grove: The Invasion, a portrait of a variety of long-term residents and what they find so wonderful about life in the town. NOTE: The movie begins promptly at 7:00 pm this evening.
Summer 2015
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Gleanings
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Queer News from across the nation and around the world The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled that the 14th Amendment guarantees the right of same-sex couples to marry in all 50 states. The ruling also mandates that same-sex marriages performed legally in one state must be recognized as valid in all states, finally making all of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. The 28page decision was written for the majority by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Samuel Alito, John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas each wrote dissenting opinions, an unusual move. (SCOTUSblog.com) A New Jersey jury, after just three hours of deliberation, unanimously found that a Jewish group violated the state's consumer fraud protection laws in claiming it could "cure" clients of being LGBT. The verdict found that New Jersey–based nonprofit Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH) violated the state's Consumer Fraud Protection Act by marketing "conversion therapy" that has been denounced by every major medical and mental health organization in the country. The lawsuit was filed in 2014 by the Southern Poverty Law Center on behalf of three young men and two mothers subjected to the discredited therapy. In 2013, New Jersey became the second U.S. state to ban the unscientific practice when used by licensed therapists on minors. (Advocate.com) The U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment adding LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies to housing and urban development spending. Introduced by Democratic Representative Scott Peters (CA), the amendment is part of a fiscal year 2016 transportation and housing and urban development appropriations bill. (Washington Blade) The U.S. Senate failed to pass an amendment that would have extended certain veterans benefits to married samesex couples and their children who reside in states where their marriage isn't recognized. Introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the legislation was seven votes shy of the 60 votes needed to pass. "Veterans served their country bravely, and yet some are deprived of the very rights they risked their lives to protect," said Shaheen in an e-mail. "The impact of this is discrimination is real." (Roll Call) Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Raul Labrador (R-ID) proposed the First Amendment Defense Act, a bill that would prevent federal agencies from punishing an individual, association or business based on their opposition to same-sex marriage. "Not only is it wrong to promote discrimination with taxpayers' money, it's even worse to allow those taxpayer funds to be used to reward discriminatory actions by federal employees," said David Stacy of the Human Rights Campaign. (Washington Blade) The House of Representatives voted against a bill that could have paved the way for the Obama administration to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade
agreement. The TPP has been criticized by some LGBT advocates for opening up trade with countries that criminalize homosexuality, as well as having the potential to limit access to HIV medication. Last week, however, LGBT U.S. ambassadors authored a letter in support of the measure. (Washington Blade) The Pentagon will revamp its Military Equal Opportunity Policy to include the words "sexual orientation" as part of the nondiscrimination policy. "All service members, regardless of their sexual orientation, deserve to be able to serve our nation in an environment free from discrimination and harassment," said Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partner Association. (Washington Blade (DC)) The Alabama House’s Judiciary Committee, in an 8-3 vote, stopped the passage of a bill that would have replaced all marriage licenses with a contract. Sponsored by Republican state Senator Greg Albritton, the legislation was a response to a district judge's rulings earlier this year that legalized marriage equality in Alabama. (Montgomery Advertiser) The Connecticut Senate passed a measure that would make it easier for transgender people to obtain a birth certificate that accurately reflects their gender. The bill, which now heads to Democratic Governor Dannel P. Malloy, would allow people to change the sex on their birth certificates even if they have not undergone gender reassignment surgery. (The Hartford Courant) Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) signed legislation that repealed an almost 40-year ban on same-sex couples adopting children. The Florida law has not been enforced in five years, and the repeal will take effect on July 1. Representative David Richardson (D), Florida's first openly gay lawmaker, was responsible for amending the adoption bill to remove the ban. (Orlando Sentinel) Guam’s Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood ended the territory’s law banning marriage equality, making it the first U.S. territory to legalize same-sex marriage. The decision, which went into effect June 5th, followed a lawsuit based on a U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals decision that ruled in favor of marriage equality. (Pacific Daily News) The Hawaii Marriage Equality Act causes no harm to plaintiffs in a case seeking to overturn the law, according to the state Supreme Court, which dismissed the case Wednesday. "The most important part of the Supreme Court's ruling was its conclusion that the 'Legislature's decision to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples did not, in any way, diminish the right to marry' for the plaintiffs or anyone else,” said Attorney General Doug Chin, who quoted the court’s opinion. (Honolulu StarAdvertiser) (continued on page 8)
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July/August 2015 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 #Princeton University LGBT Center: www.princeton.edu/lgbt/programs 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 Project Access syringe exchange program, Newark; variable hours; njcri.org; 973-558-5054 Project Access 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 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 7:00 pm - GAAMC, Morris Township (see page 2) 7:00 pm - Bowling, Union; merenl @ comcast.net 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 - Men's support group, Newark; www.njcri.org 12:30 pm - The Wellness Community, Newark; 973-565-0300; info @hyacinth.org 4:00 pm - Treatment Adherence Support Group, Jersey City; 201-432-1134; info @hyacinth.org 6:30 pm - TransView, Jersey City ‡ 7:30 pm - Tuesday Night Lesbian Connection, Bound Brook; 908-791-3764
July 01 Wed 5:30 pm – Hudson County HIV/AIDS Services Planning Council, Jersey City ‡ 6:30 pm - Positive People peer support group, Hackensack * 7:30 pm – Jersey Boys of Leather, Highland Park 02 Thu 7:00 pm –Coffee social Edison; njlgh.onefireplace.com 7:30 pm – NJ Women Coming Out, Highland Park† 03 Fri 7:00 pm – Positive Women peer support group, Hackensack* 7:30 pm - Karaoke, Highland Park;† 8:00 pm – HIV Testing, Highland Park;† 04 Sat 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡
7:30 pm - Men’s HIV support group, Asbury Park; 732-7755084; apstillpoz @ yahoo.com 7:30 pm - Positive Yoga, Oradell * 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 6:00 pm - SAGE, Jersey City ‡ 6:00 pm -"With These Hands" crochet and kitting circle, Newark; 973-424-9555; NewarkLGBTQCenter.org 6:00 pm - My Brother's Keeper game night, Newark; www,njcri.org 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 4:00 pm - True Colors drop-in center, Newark; 973-424-9555; newarklgbtqcenter.org 6:00 pm - Our Youth weekly support group, Jersey City; www.myspacenj.org 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 7:30 pm - Rainbows on Cleveland Street, Orange; 973-2565936; rbowsoncleveland @ aol.com 7:30 pm - Writers group, Highland Park † Every Friday 3:00 pm - Youth Connect, Jersey City ‡ 3:00 pm - WAVE Youth, Ocean Grove; 732-455-3373; qspot.org 6:15 pm - Gay Men's AA, Ocean Grove; 732-455-3373; qspot.org Every Saturday 7:00 - Project Wow! Kiki Function, Newark; www.njcri.org 2:30 pm – First & Third for GLBTI Youth, Princeton; 609-6835155;www.HiTOPS.org 7:30 pm –WAMP!, Highland Park† 05 Sun 2:00 pm – Central NJ Rope Share, Pride Center, Highland Park† 4:00 pm – Dignity Metro NJ Mass, Maplewood; 973-857-4040; Dignitymetronj@msn.com 6:30 pm – Gay Men’s Opera Club; 732-249-9034; hagol@msn.com 06 Mon 10:00 am -- Something Positive treatment adherence workshop, Newark; www.njcri.org 7:00 pm -- Support Group for Lesbians with Cancer, New Brunswick; 732-235-6781; slirzero @ umdnj.edu 7:00 pm - Lesbian Hot Topics, Ocean; schiffman @ rocketmail.com
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06 Mon 7:30 pm – Raices Latinas LGBT, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – TrueSelves trans support group, Highland Park† 07 Tue 7:30 pm – LGBT Fellowship, Belleville; 973-751-0616 7:30 pm – Come OUT & Play, Highland Park†
08 Wed 7:30 pm – Wednesday Night Women’s Hang Out, Highland Park† 09 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; kjdinkin @ comcast.net 7:30 pm – Kollege of Kink, Highland Park† 8:00 pm – Booked for Supper Highland Park† 10 Fri 1:00 pm -- Women's support group, Newark; www.njcri.org 4:00 pm -- SPECTRUM youth drop-in, Newark; NewarkLGBTQCenter.org 11 Sat 1:00 pm – Youth Drop-In, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Dignity New Brunswick gay Catholic liturgy; 732-9689263; dignitynb@earthlink.net 12 Sun 2:00 pm – Male Drawing Session, Highland Park† 6:00 pm – Gay Men’s Classical Song Club, Kingston; pbrown02@worldnet.att.net 13 Mon 2:00 pm – HPCC Bi-Lingual Spanish Group, Jersey City‡ 7:30 pm – PFLAG of Morris County, Mendham; 973-543-7229; craig.bcc@verizon.net 7:30 pm – Young Men’s Social Network, HighlandPark† 7:30 pm – PFLAG, Princeton; 609-663-5155; www.pflagprinceton.org 14 Tue 7:30 pm – Pride Center Board Meeting, Highland Park† 15 Wed 6:30 pm - Positive People peer support group, Hackensack * 7:30 pm - United in Grace discussion/support group, Jersey City; 201-946-0650; greg.perez @ comcast.net 16 Thu 7:00 pm – GAAMC board meeting, Morristown; all GAAMC members are invited to attend. 7:30 pm – Volunteer Group Meeting, Jersey City‡ 7:30 pm – NJ Women Coming Out, Highland Park† 7:30 pm - PFLAG of Northwest NJ, Sparta; 973-729-9909 17 Fri 7:00 pm – Positive Women peer support group, Hackensack* 7:30 pm – Dignity New Brunswick social; 732-968-9263; dignitynb@earthlink.net 8:00 pm – “Out of the Box” open mic night, Highland Park 18 Sat Noon – PCNJ Family Picnic, Highland Park† 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡ 2:30 pm – First & Third for GLBTI Youth, Princeton; 609-683-
Page |5 5155; 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 19 Sun 4:00 pm – Dignity Metro NJ Mass, Maplewood; 973-837-4040; Dignitymetronj@msn.com 4:00 pm – TrueSelves trans support group, Highland Park† 20 Mon 7:00 pm -- Support Group for Lesbians with Cancer, New Brunswick; 732-235-6781; slirzero @ umdnj.edu 7:30 pm – Raices Latinas LGBT, Highland Park† 21 Tue 7:30 pm – Caregivers Support Group, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Lesbian Alliance of Princeton; 609-924-8174; Loisj@msn.com 7:30 pm – Come OUT & Play, Highland Park† 7:30 pm -- PFLAG of Hunterdon County, Flemington; 908-7521370; pflaghc @ yahoo.com 8:00 pm -- PFLAG of Bergen County, Paramus; 201-287-0318; www.bergenpflag.org 8:00 pm – NJ Women, Secaucus; info@njwomen.org 22 Wed 7:00 pm – JCLGO monthly meeting, Jersey City; 201-333-5725; www.jclgo.org 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† 23 Thu 7:00 pm – Under the Rainbow, Highland Park† 24 Fri 4:00 pm - SPECTRUM youth drop-in, Newark; 973-424-9555; NewarkLGBTQCenter.org 7:30 pm – Living Soulfully, Highland Park† 25 Sat 1:00 pm – Youth Drop-In, Highland Park† 7:00 pm – Gay Bowling, Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park; 732-776. 6160 7:00 pm – Men’s Movie Night, Highland Park;† 27 Mon 2:00 pm – HPCC Bi-Lingual Spanish Group, Jersey City‡ 28 Tue 8:30 pm – Men’s Social Night, Highland Park†
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August 01 Sat 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡ 2:30 pm – First & Third for GLBTI Youth, Princeton; 609-6835155; www.HiTOPS.org 7:30 pm –WAMP!, Highland Park;† 02 Sun 2:00 pm – Central NJ Rope Share, Pride Center, Highland Park† 4:00 pm – Dignity Metro NJ Mass, Maplewood; 973-857-4040; Dignitymetronj@msn.com 6:30 pm – Gay Men’s Opera Club; 732-249-9034; hagol@msn.com 03 Mon 10:00 am -- Something Positive treatment adherence workshop, Newark; www.njcri.org 1:00 pm – Hudson County HIV/AIDS Services Planning Council, Jersey City‡ 7:00 pm -- Support Group for Lesbians with Cancer, New Brunswick; 732-235-6781; slirzero @ umdnj.edu 7:00 pm - Lesbian Hot Topics, Ocean; schiffman @ rocketmail.com 7:30 pm – Raices Latinas LGBT, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – TrueSelves trans support group, Highland Park† 04 Tue 7:30 pm – LGBT Fellowship, Belleville; 973-751-0616 7:30 pm – Come OUT & Play, Highland Park† 05 Wed 5:30 pm – Hudson County HIV/AIDS Services Planning Council, Jersey City ‡ 6:30 pm - Positive People peer support group, Hackensack * 7:30 pm – Jersey Boys of Leather, Highland Park 06 Thu 7:00 pm –Coffee social Edison; njlgh.onefireplace.com 7:30 pm – NJ Women Coming Out, Highland Park† 07 Fri 7:00 pm – Positive Women peer support group, Hackensack* 7:30 pm - Karaoke, Highland Park;† 08 Sat 1:00 pm – Youth Drop-In, Highland Park† 7:00 pm – Men's Movie Social, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Dignity New Brunswick gay Catholic liturgy; 732-9689263; dignitynb@earthlink.net 09 Sun 2:00 pm – Male Drawing Session, Highland Park† 6:00 pm – Gay Men’s Classical Song Club, Kingston; pbrown02@worldnet.att.net 10 Mon 2:00 pm – HPCC Bi-Lingual Spanish Group, Jersey City‡ 7:30 pm – PFLAG of Morris County, Mendham; 973-543-7229; craig.bcc@verizon.net 7:30 pm – Young Men’s Social Network, HighlandPark† 7:30 pm – PFLAG, Princeton; 609-663-5155; www.pflagprinceton.org 11 Tue 7:30 pm – Pride Center Board Meeting, Highland Park†
Summer 2015 12 Wed 7:30 pm – Wednesday Night Women’s Hang Out, Highland Park† 13 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; kjdinkin @ comcast.net 7:30 pm – Kollege of Kink, Highland Park† 8:00 pm – Booked for Supper Highland Park† 14 Fri 1:00 pm -- Women's support group, Newark; www.njcri.org 4:00 pm -- SPECTRUM youth drop-in, Newark; NewarkLGBTQCenter.org 15 Sat 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡ 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 16 Sun 4:00 pm – Dignity Metro NJ Mass, Maplewood; 973-837-4040; Dignitymetronj@msn.com 4:00 pm – TrueSelves trans support group, Highland Park† 17 Mon 7:00 pm -- Support Group for Lesbians with Cancer, New Brunswick; 732-235-6781; slirzero @ umdnj.edu 7:30 pm – Raices Latinas LGBT, Highland Park† 18 Tue 7:30 pm – Caregivers Support Group, Highland Park† 7:30 pm – Lesbian Alliance of Princeton; 609-924-8174; Loisj@msn.com 7:30 pm – Come OUT & Play, Highland Park† 7:30 pm -- PFLAG of Hunterdon County, Flemington; 908-7521370; pflaghc @ yahoo.com 8:00 pm -- PFLAG of Bergen County, Paramus; 201-287-0318; www.bergenpflag.org 8:00 pm – NJ Women, Secaucus; info@njwomen.org 19 Wed 6:30 pm - Positive People peer support group, Hackensack * 7:30 pm - United in Grace discussion/support group, Jersey City; 201-946-0650; greg.perez @ comcast.net 20 Thu 7:00 pm – GAAMC board meeting, Morristown; all GAAMC members are invited to attend. 7:30 pm – Volunteer Group Meeting, Jersey City‡ 7:30 pm – NJ Women Coming Out, Highland Park† 7:30 pm - PFLAG of Northwest NJ, Sparta; 973-729-9909 21 Fri 7:00 pm – Positive Women peer support group, Hackensack* 7:30 pm – Dignity New Brunswick social; 732-968-9263; dignitynb@earthlink.net 8:00 pm – “Out of the Box” open mic night, Highland Park
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22 Sat 1:00 pm – Youth Drop-In, Highland Park† 7:00 pm – Gay Bowling, Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park; 732-776 -6160 24 Mon 2:00 pm – HPCC Bi-Lingual Spanish Group, Jersey City‡ 25 Tue 8:30 pm – Men’s Social Night, Highland Park† 26 Wed 7:00 pm – JCLGO monthly meeting, Jersey City; 201-333-5725; www.jclgo.org 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† 27 Thu 7:00 pm – Under the Rainbow, Highland Park† 28 Fri 4:00 pm - SPECTRUM youth drop-in, Newark; 973-424-9555; NewarkLGBTQCenter.org 7:30 pm – Living Soulfully, Highland Park† 29 Sat 1:00 pm – Women of Pride, Jersey City‡ 6:00 pm – New Jersey Furries, Highland Park
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GAAMC Board Minutes May 21, 2015 Members: DeLeeuw, Dinkin, Gayle, Kennedy, Kohn, Lucek, Rase, Schaublin, Skurna, Slicer Non-Voting Attendees: Allen Neuner; Gordon Sauer; Mickey Suiter The meeting was called to order at 7:01 The minutes of the April meeting were approved (moved, Schaublin; seconded, Dinkin). Old Business: Details for the Memorial Day Social were finalized and reviewed. New Business: Possible Outings were discussed. David Gayle was welcomed to the Board. One open Board position still remains. A new section for articles from Board members is being planned. Reports Treasurer (Andy Skurna): GAAMC made a profit in May. Challenge (Allen Neuner): Allen will do stuffing for the June issue himself. Content is needed for the July/August issue. A newsletter will be produced for May. Webmaster (Andy Skurna): Dropbox calendar blurbs need to be added/updated. Listserv is failing; Andy is investigating alternatives. Programs (Sherri Rase): a play date is scheduled for August. Discussion Group Resources (Gordon Sauer) Development (Gordon Sauer) GAAMC Pride (Mickey Suiter) Ideas and Suggestions: Whole Foods is opening a new store in Morristown and have offered food for our activities. Allen suggested we use Morristown Town Hall as a trial run for a speaker engagement on a non-Monday evening to try out the venue. A motion to adjourn was approved (moved, Kohn; seconded, Schaublin). The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.
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Gleanings (continued from page 3) The Illinois Senate voted to pass a bill to stop mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on LGBT minors. The bill had been approved by a wide margin in the House in May, and now heads to Republican Governor Bruce Rauner. "Illinois lawmakers on both sides of the aisle stood up for equality and against a dangerous practice that uses fear and shame to tell young people the only way to find love or acceptance is to change the very nature of who they are," said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. (Metro Weekly (DC)) Republican North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory vetoed a bill that would allow state court officials to opt out of presiding over same-sex marriages for religious objections. However, the North Carolina Senate voted 32-16 to override the veto. Roughly a week later, the North Carolina House also voted to override the governor’s veto, making the bill law. (The Charlotte Observer (NC)) A Texas Supreme Court ruling will allow a divorce of a same-sex couple granted in a lower court. Republican Governor Greg Abbott and others had argued that a state could not dissolve a marriage it did not recognize. "Accordingly, and as a simple matter of fact and record, the state is not party to the case," the court said in its decision. (The New York Times) New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission gave official recognition to the Stonewall Inn, naming it as a landmark worthy of protection. Though the buildings at 51-53 Christopher Street lie within the Greenwich Village Historic District, and enjoy some safeguards as a result, local preservationists had been lobbying the commission for nearly a decade to recognize the Stonewall Inn on its own. It now becomes the first landmark explicitly honored for its place in New York’s long, rich history of gay culture, a fitting form of recognition for a location that many consider the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement. (The New York Times) Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to approve a same-sex union. Gerald Castro and Cristian Zamora, who have been living together for 12 years and began their legal battle for recognition in 2013, were finally granted a common-law marriage by a family court in the city of Goicoechea, setting a precedent for other judges to follow. The ruling is based on a 2013 amendment to the Youth Code, which states that common-law marriages should be granted regardless of gender and “without discrimination against their human dignity.” (Gay Star News) The German coalition government is facing increasing pressure from within to grant same-sex couples full marriage equality. The Bundesrat, Germany’s Federal Assembly subordinate to the Bundestag (the parliament), urged the government to make necessary constitutional changes to open marriage to gay and lesbian couples. In its resolu-
Summer 2015 tion, the assembly proposes changing the German Civil Code to include marriage equality; the proposed changes to the Civil Code would also grant same-sex couples equal adoption rights. Although the German government is obliged to react to a resolution, the resolution is nonbinding. A bill forcing Germany’s government, a coalition of the Labor and Conservative parties, into a clear stance on the matter has been passed to state committees for discussion; the assembly is expected to approve it. All legislative changes have to be approved by the Federal Assembly before they reach the Bundestag; they also have to approve any constitutional change with a 2/3 majority, giving them the power of an absolute veto. (Gay Star News) Greece's left-leaning government introduced legislation on same-sex unions for the first time, two years after the European Court of Human Rights condemned the country for excluding gay couples from civil unions. The bill will extend insurance, taxation, and inheritance rights to gay couples, but not adoption. The ruling Syriza party has a majority in parliament, so the bill is expected to pass without difficulty when it goes to a vote in July. Greece's first gay marriage was held in 2008 but was annulled by a court the following year. (Gay Star News) Greenland has become the 21st nation in which legal marriage rights are now available to same-sex couples, according to multiple media reports The new law, which was agreed to unanimously in Greenland's Parliament will go into effect October 1, and will include adoption rights for same-sex couples. (Advocate.com) The lower house of Italy's Parliament passed a motion on gay civil unions for the first time. The motion, proposed by the ruling Democratic Party, commits the government “to promote the adoption of a law on civil unions, particularly with regard to the condition of the people of same sex”. The government must also ''ensure equal treatment throughout the nation.” Premier Matteo Renzi and Justice Minister Andrea Orlando have both long called for a civil unions law. After Catholic-majority Ireland legalized gay marriage by referendum in May, Renzi said: 'Civil unions cannot be delayed any longer.” Socially conservative Italy is now the only country in Western Europe that does not recognize either gay marriage or civil unions. (Gay Star News) Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council has thrown out a Russian-style bill that would ban “propagandizing nontraditional sexual orientation” to minors. The bill passed Kazakhstan’s Senate in February but had not yet been signed into law by President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The council cited technical reasons in its decision to reject the bill; several provisions in the draft legislation were formulated incorrectly and thus could violate Kazakhstan’s constitution and citizens’ constitutional rights. The council also ruled that Kazakhstan’s government can enact laws that restrict citizens’ rights to access and distribute information. (US News & World Report) (continued on next page)
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Gleanings (continued from previous page) The Mexican state of Chihuahua said same-sex couples are now permitted to marry, becoming the third state in the country to support marriage equality. The federal district of Mexico City legalized same-sex marriage in 2009. The Mexican Supreme Court recently issued a decree that said any state law that limits marriage to heterosexuals is biased. (The New York Times) Poland has rejected civil unions for gay couples for the fourth time. The parliament voted to table the discussion of the proposed law which would allow same-sex couples to have similar rights to opposite-sex married couples. The bill included a range of benefits which currently are only granted to married heterosexual couples, including protections and responsibilities, inheritance, pension funds, notary, and medical rights. Joint tax benefits and adoption rights are not included in the bill. Currently there is no legal recognition of same-sex couples in Poland. (Gay Star News) Barnard College announced that it will begin accepting applications from transgender women, becoming the last of the “Seven Sisters” all-female college association to change its policy. The new policy, approved by the board of trustees, welcomes applicants who "consistently live and identify as women, regardless of the gender assigned to them at birth." "For part of the community, that mission is defined as educating women," said Barnard President Debora Spar, adding that transgender admission has been a key issue for her since taking office in 2008. "For another part, it's about providing a space for genderoppressed minorities. And when you come down to it, that divide affects how you see the issue of transgender admission." (The New York Times) Fun Home, a musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's bestselling graphic novel, received five awards, including best musical, at the 69th Annual Tony Awards. The memoir chronicles Bechdel's coming-of-age story as a young lesbian. "Our show is about home, it's about finding who you are," said Michael Cerveris, who won the best actor in a musical award for playing Bechdel's closeted gay father. (The New York Times)
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What Makes a Woman? by Barbra Casbar Siperstein Editor’s note: The following was written in response to an op-ed by Professor Elinor Burkett which appeared in the June 6, 2015 edition of The New York Times. This rebuttal was submitted to The Times for publication, but was rejected. It appears here courtesy of its author. I would hope that a “Kardashian” woman, whether of female or male experience, does not get to define all the women of the world. I do understand and sympathize with Professor Elinor Burkett's frustration at all the press and attention that comes with a “celebrity”, a newbie, coming out as a woman. I share that frustration as a transgender activist living in a “straight” world, a “gay” world, and a “trans” world for many years and reading about instant transgender mavens who suddenly come out, find their media soapboxes, and express their often naive and myopic opinions as facts to the general public. Let’s get to the basics and try and keep it simple. We talk about sex and gender and gender identity. For 98% of us, sex is what’s between the legs; gender is what’s between the ears. Medical research indicates that approximately 2% of the population have some sort of a medical condition that could be called “intersex”. So when transgender women say they have a female brain, yes, based on their gender identity, they identify as a woman for lack of better and more precise terminology. I understand about the experiences that most women have that Caitlyn Jenner and most transgender women have not. I’ve spoken at many venues -- academic, political, social, and educational -- and I describe myself as “a woman who has been scarred by many years of testosterone”. I understand male privilege; I’ve experienced it and I’ve experienced the loss of it. I understand the double standard and have experienced that as well. I have neither experienced a period nor PMS. I have not given birth, although I was a coach and had my hand crushed in the process. But not all women have experienced childbirth, either. Many years ago a powerful political leader once grabbed a “feel”. My reaction was acute yet mixed. I felt violated and wanted to “pop him” in the face, while on the other hand there was a sense of satisfaction that he viewed me simply as a woman, not just a transgender activist. I said nothing, gave him a “look”, and it never happened again. In my 72 years, I’ve had only 2 long term relationships, both with strong, yet sensitive women, real feminists. My late wife of 34 years was a teacher who, in the late 60’s with a few other women, took the lead in a successful action to allow teachers to wear pants in New Jersey’s second largest school district. We had a powerful balanced partnership together, and when I came out of my denial to myself, I had the confidence to come out to her as well. We remained married, continued to raise our family, and led a double life together for many years,
meeting, dining, and travelling the world with many other middle aged-middle class couples where the husband was transgender. I met my current partner in 2002 quite serendipitously. I was certainly not what she initially assumed and she was truthful about her concerns having a relationship with a fully transitioned transgender woman. She is, as my late wife was, secure in her own gender identity. She is a veteran feminist activist and leader, who left the public advocacy arena and thrived as a corporate leader who helped raise the glass ceiling for women in her industry. Her stories about being the lone female executive or as one of the very few women in executive positions to be dealing with the male culture of the business world of that era are eye-popping and stomach churning and often shocking. She was nearly 10 years ahead of the time of the women in the movie 9 to 5! She is warm, sweet, creative, tough and disciplined, and a role model! Brava! Elinor Burkett has several complaints about transgender women and that our messaging somehow demeans womanhood. “But undermining women’s identities, and silencing, erasing or renaming our experiences, aren’t necessary to that struggle.” It seems that Professor Burkett has only looked at the surface and not made an attempt to dig into the transgender movement and our struggle that has gone hand in hand with the women’s movement. In citing only Ms Jenner and Chelsea Manning as representatives, she picked the two people who are arguably the least representative of transgender women in America! “The ‘I was born in the wrong body’ rhetoric favored by other trans people doesn’t work any better and is just as offensive, reducing us to our collective breasts and vaginas.”
Well, as one who experienced that exact feeling realizing I was “born in the wrong body” as a pre adolescent, I do not know of a better or more succinct way to describe the feeling. Yes, womanhood is so much more, and so much of that is different for each individual, but that is the basic starting point and we must start somewhere! Professor Burkett complains about Ms. Jenner’s preoccupation with her external presentation and her excitement over wearing nail polish and presenting all femme! For most trans women including me, it is very normal to be fixated on the ability to be doing such openly, to have the freedom after being repressed by societal restrictions or even actual harm for years and years is exhilarating. I remember the excitement of my first manicures, my first makeovers, my first times out in a woman’s bathing suit. Now it’s a clear coat to protect the nails, a little tinted powder with sunscreen to protect and understate the flaws and it’s been a dozen or so trips to venues with a beach or a pool that I’ve packed a bathing suit and not (continued on page 13)
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The Theatre Bear Reviews… “On The Town” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost” by Allen Neuner Two revivals brighten up your summer theatre-going pleasure with comedies about the bumpy road to love. One is a lesser-known Shakespearean piece, Love’s Labour’s Lost; the other is a raucous 1940’s-era musical, On the Town. On the Town was Leonard Bernstein’s Broadway debut as a popular composer. The idea for the show – three sailors with a 24 hour pass to see New York City – was based on the ballet Fancy Free, composed by Bernstein and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. The ballet proved so popular that Bernstein and Robbins decided to expand it into a full-length musical, with Robbins directing as well as choreographing. Betty Comden and Adolph Green, friends of Bernstein’s, signed on to write the book and lyrics – in the process writing two comedic roles for themselves. The show premiered in 1944, the year in which it was set. World War II was in full swing, and audiences connected with the characters’ dilemma – meeting the one who could be the love of your life, then having to leave after 24 hours, not knowing if you would survive the war and find them again. This new production, nominated for the “Best Revival of a Musical” Tony Award, succeeds in recreating those emotions for modern audiences. In a time where American soldiers are fighting and dying in foreign lands, the show’s message of the importance of fully living the time you have now, and of seizing love when it comes your way are as timely today as they were 70 years ago. The plot is simple. Three sailors – Gabey, Chip, and Ozzie – rush off their ship at 6:00 a.m. with 24-hour passes to see New York. Gabey sees a poster of Ivy Smith, this month’s Miss Turnstiles, and takes it from a subway car. Chip and Ozzie are enlisted to help find Ivy; Chip is shanghai’ed by cab driver Hildy Esterhazy, while Ozzie finds his own runaway enthusiasms matched by those of anthropologist Claire de Loone. Gabey
finally meets Ivy and makes a date with her for that night in Times Square, but Ivy is forced by her music teacher to go to her night job – a “cooch” dancer in Coney Island. The three couples are reunited, then sundered; the boys are boarding their ship at 5:59 a.m. when the girls finally run onstage, have one last embrace, then watch their men board their ship as three new sailors begin their own 24 hour leave… The cast is perfect. Not just the leads – Tony Yazbeck, Megan Fairchild, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Alysha Umphress, Clyde Alvez, and (at the performance I saw, understudy) Holly Ann Butler as, respectively, Gabey and Ivy, Chip and Hildy, and Gabe and Claire –but the supporting characters, foremost among them Jackie Hoffman as music teacher Madame Dilly; Michael Rupert as Claire’s impossibly understanding fiancé Pitkin; and Allison Guinn as Lucy Schmeeler, Hildy’s roommate. Adding to the period feel are the scenery and projections created by Beowulf Boritt; Jess Goldstein’s era-evocative costumes; and the lighting designs of Jason Lyons. Joshua Bergasse rivals Jerome Robbins’ choreography in invention and sparkle, while John Rando’s direction ties all these elements together into what on the surface may seem a light confection but hooks an audience with the poignancy of the preciousness of life and love during wartime. Love’s Labour’s Lost deals with the complications of love as well, but with the lightness and complex wordplay that William Shakespeare can pull off as so few playwrights have, before or since. The play is set in the court of Navarre, whose King has decreed that, in order to make his realm a new Utopia of learning and logic, he and his court will forswear the company of women, eat only once a day, sleep for only three hours a day, and spend the rest of the time in study and contemplation. But the King has, in his zeal, forgotten that the Princess of France is coming on an official visit, bringing her ladies-in-waiting with her. How can the King and his three friends entertain the Princess and her three ladies without breaking his oh-sopublic decree? Especially when the four men are so obviously in love with the four damsels? And especially when some of Shakespeare’s funniest clowns are causing complications of their own? (continued on page 13)
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Reflections on the Supreme Court’s Decision by Len Resto I am celebrating the GLBT community’s big win in the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. As an openly gay man, I am thrilled that I am free to marry, if I so choose, and have that marriage recognized in every state, territory, and possession of the United States including the Federal Government. We stop being second-class citizens. Upon the decision being handed down, the sky did not fall, the earth did not quake, nor did the ground beneath us open up to devour us all as so many right-wing conservatives had predicted. Their bigotry did not win the day. Despite my elation, it is tempered by the reality that the decision was not unanimous. It was a 5-4 ruling and despite gaining the right to marry, the GLBT community has much more to do. Justice Anthony Kennedy, usually siding with the conservative wing of the Court, sided with the liberal block. He wrote an inspired and passionate defense of gay marriage which, if you get a chance, you should download and read. It is, perhaps, one of the most reasoned opinions I have ever come across for defending the concept of allowing gays to marry. Justice Kennedy is to be commended and I plan to write him to thank him for his very reasoned view and thought pattern. Any rational person couldn’t have concluded anything less. Unfortunately, Justice Antonin Scalia, perhaps the most conservative justice on the court, wrote a mean-spirited dissent which belittled the GLBT community. Justice Samuel Alito displayed not his hatred but his absolute ignorance of the issue by his questions. For example, he asked, “If we allow two men to marry who have been living together for 10 years, what’s to stop two sisters who have been cohabiting for 25 years from seeking the right to marry?” Yet another question he asked was, “Where does this marriage thing end? What if 4 or more people come in and say we’re in a polygamous relationship and wish to marry, do we allow that? It’s a slippery slope.” Indeed. You cannot make such ignorance up. The Michigan State Attorney General arguing against gay marriage stated, “By allowing gay marriage, it will lower the birth rate in this country at a time when we need the birth rate to increase to support Social Security.” Again, you cannot make this up. Fortunately, Justice Sonia Sotomayor told the Attorney General that he was “mistaken and was embarrassing himself” and asked him to sit down. When he attempted to keep speaking, even Chief Justice John Roberts said “You are not helping your case with such nonsense, please sit down.” He sat down. With the four dissenting justices and the toxic dissent authored by Justice Scalia, it showed that the GLBT community is in the same boat as the African-American community as the sad events in Charlestown, NC have shown this week. While certain words are no longer spoken in “polite society”, it doesn’t mean for a moment that racism or discrimination against the GLBT community doesn’t exist. It exists in our schools in the form of bullying; it exists online in the form of cyber-bullying; it exists
in the streets by hate crimes committed where gays are beaten, sometimes to death; and it happens in the workplace. As a matter of fact; it happens everywhere. Please don’t get me wrong: today was a huge victory and I am ecstatic. However, I don’t want those younger than me (which is about everyone these days) to think we have reached the top of the mountain and can rest on our laurels and think we’re done. We’re not done; not by a longshot. We must now begin the hard work of ending the discrimination against us. End bullying in all its forms. End verbal and physical threats and attacks. End the name calling and much, much more. We need to begin to get a much better understanding of our transgendered brethren. We’re guilty of not understanding that issue as well as we should. These are our next challenges. These are our next hurdles. Let’s face those challenges together. I’m 62; but, I’m ready to jump those hurdles. Will you join me?
The Soapbox A Trans Awareness Expansion By Jay Kohn On Monday, June 22nd, GAAMC was fortunate enough to have a panel of three transgendered speakers -- Barbra (Babs) Casbar Siperstein, Jennifer M. Long, and Seth Rainness. These three speakers overwhelmed our GAAMC audience with their stories of personal courage and dedication to the transgender community. To those GAAMC members who were not able to attend the lecture due to scheduling conflicts, you missed a priceless opportunity to be in the presence of three true iconic defenders of civil rights. It is my hope that our Program Committee can schedule an opportunity to have them back again soon. It was a very hot night at the Fellowship and yet the panel was so interesting and so well spoken that people just didn't want to leave. Eventually we had to tell our members and guests that we had to close the Fellowship! Many of us left the lecture discussing how wonderful it was to listen to these three speakers, admitting to each other how ignorant we were to the struggles and emotional hardships of these people. They made me realize that my personal hardships pale exponentially compared to theirs. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank the panel members for coming to us, and thank our Program Chair, Sherri Rase, supported by our Discussion Group Resources Chair, Gordon Sauer, for scheduling a great forum.
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What makes a woman? (continued from page 10) had the time or taken the opportunity to wear it. Jenner is a celebrity and is part of the Kardashian culture, the uniquely Hollywood California celebrity culture! She’s done at least 10 hours of facial feminization surgery. I ask you how many trans women can afford that? I also ask, what is the culture in California (and other places) regarding plastic surgery for every little perceived flaw? Over the years I’ve observed and experienced that women who transitioned later in life go through a female “growing up” period to make up for the childhood and adolescence we never had. We learn the basics of walking and talking, the protocols that girls learn naturally from their mothers, female relatives, and peers. We make mistakes. A middle-aged woman wearing clothes appropriate for a teenager or twenty something stands out and even more so if she’s a 6 foot transgender woman. Eventually we learn and grow up! Transgender activists are natural allies of women. Where we have succeeded, we who have toiled years and years in the political and social trenches to get non discrimination laws passed in 21 states and hundreds of counties and municipalities have done so working as women together. We do not get on primetime TV or mainstream magazine covers. We’ve worked with women’s groups, labor unions, businesses, religious institutions, and political organizations. We’ve worked together as part and parcel of American culture in our fight for acceptance and respect. My truth is not your truth. My female identity is not your female identity. You have not had to hide who you are, lie to family and friends and employers and shopkeepers and medical providers. You have not had to play the role that you were not. You didn’t feel guilt and internal shame when a transgender woman was beaten or murdered for fear you might “out” yourself by speaking up! We are all different, and to paraphrase Jefferson’s words that most of us memorized in our grammar school civics class, “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all (peo-
P a g e | 13 ple) are created equal….” You all should know the rest. Don’t blame transgender women for your problems as a woman. Understand that our society loves cosmetic glamour and that our media embraces that to thrive. Reach out to transgender women who have survived the “hard” way and learn from them. Use our combined knowledge to help empower “all” women. Be part of the solution; our movements have more in common than you can possibly imagine.
The Theatre Bear Reviews… (continued from page 11) This play is the only one being presented this season by the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at the Greek Theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre on the grounds of the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station. The delightful outdoor setting, complete with ample grounds for a preshow picnic, is a fitting place for this gem of a theatrical auditorium. The beauty of the setting is complemented by the stage designs of Charlie Calvert, Nikki Delhomme’s costumes, Hamilton Smith’s lighting and newcomer William Koch’s sound design. Of the large cast, I single out for particular credit Ben Jacoby as Berowne, the leader of the King’s courtiers; Susan Harris as his partner-in-love Rosaline; clownish rivals in love Jeffrey M. Bender as Don Armado and Connor Carew as Costard; and the object of their affection, Rebecca Gomberg as Jacquenetta. Bringing this multi-talented troupe through the hoops of love in the court of Navarre is veteran director Brian B. Crowe, who is also the Director of Education for the Shakespeare Theatre. Playing only through the end of July, Love’s Labour’s Lost is truly worth the trip to Navarre via Convent Station. On the Town is playing at the Lyric Theatre, 213 W. 42nd Street, New York for an unlimited engagement. Love’s Labour’s Lost is presented by the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey at the Greek Theatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, NJ, for a limited engagement through July 26th.
(At left: Barbra Casbar Siperstein)
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Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County GAAMC Officers President (President@GAAMC.org) ............. Sherri Rase VP Community Services (Info@GAAMC.org) ...................................................... Kerry Dinkin VP Operations (Operations@GAAMC.org) ....................................................John DeLeeuw Secretary (Secretary@GAAMC.org) .......... Ron Kennedy Treasurer (Treasurer@GAAMC.org) ........... Andy Skurna
Trustees David Gayle, Jay Kohn, Frank Lucek, Richard Schaublin, Liz Slicer
Committee Chairs & Functional Officers Challenge (Challenge@GAAMC.org) ......... Allen Neuner Discussion Group Resources (Discussions@GAAMC.org) ..................................................... Gordon Sauer Development (Discussion@GAAMC.org) ..... Gordon Sauer Information (FreeLibrary@GAAMC.org) ...... Andy Skurna Pride Events ..................................... Mickey Suiter Pride Guide (PrideGuide@GAAMC.org) ...... Andy Skurna Programs (Programs@GAAMC.org) .............. Sherri Rase Publicity .................................................... open 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