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First Universalist Church of Essex  a Unitarian Universalist Church 

                                                    


     

        

                                                   



 Sunday Services 10:00 AM  

Photo by Mike Dyer



PFLAG provides an opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. 

PFLAG meets at our Church the First Tuesday of every month.

Support: to cope with an adverse society,

Education: to enlighten the public,

Advocacy: to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.

Click here for the PFLAG Website 

Suggested background reading:

Heather has two mommies: (1989)


King & King : (2010)


This is how it always was: (2017): Novel about a family w/trans child


Quarantine Fatigue is Real (and what we can learn from the earlier epidemic, 1980's AIDS.)


Tony Kushner (Angels in America)


Larry Kramer, Author and Outspoken AIDS Activist, Dies at 84 ...


While there is frequent, brutal persecution of gay people around the world, there is also the pervasive, subtle persecution which is implemented in our own society, or countries we consider enlightened. For example, the two children's books mentioned above - Heather's Two Mommies, (1989) and King & KIng (2010), were banned in libraries in the US when they first came out: one for mentioning that same-sex couples could have children, the other for suggesting that two same-sex children could fall in love; I know, because I had to buy my own copies for my children! And since most kids (and families) who are uncomfortable nowadays in their gender identity are trans kids, we can celebrate the fact that the novel "This is how it always was" was offered by the Essex public library last year for the monthly reading group!

And, for the family still quarantined at home during Pride Month,

Movies and Stories from WGBH public television:


WGBH Celebrates #PrideInside

https://www.wgbh.org/pride

In the News


BostonPride.org


Gay Panic Defense Act (2018): Sen. Ed Markey (D. MA) and Rep. Joe Kennedy (D.MA)

Bathroom bills/trans children in Mass govt. 2019.

Conversion Therapy has been illegal in MA for a year, but kids can be sent out of state - incl. to Texas where licensed therapists can practice this

GLBT-free towns in Poland (Sister town w/US towns - this could help de-tox the situation.)

In Hungary, govt. issued IDs will only carry birth-assigned sex identification, so trans people are "outed" every time they board a plane, show their driving license, or sign up for unemployment. 

Same-sex Marriage only legalised in Australia in 2019. (Joan and Maria were married in our UUEssex church in 2005 by Art.) Marriage equality law passes Australia's parliament in ...


And on "intersectionality",  additional current thinking from within the gay community:

Pride looks like a party, but it is a celebration of human rights, fight for civil rights, and about being "seen" when you are an "Other". 

Any Gay Pride month conversation could tie in the idea that the original Stonewall Riot was led by a black, trans person

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pride-started-revolutionary-riots-advocates-point-movement-s-radical-roots-n1221416

Both share centuries of oppression, I don't want to weigh them against one another here

Some contrasts between LGBT community and African-American Community:

LGBT rights and pride Often associated with white cis male upper income privilege (I am squarely there, and many of my friends have a bunch of those privileges)

LGBT community No longer scared for life (in most of the country), and specially not from authority figures - Major exception for Trans women of Color, 18 hate crime deaths and counting this year 

How mostly white people can still lead a protest - Chicago article, noting that queer-initiated protest in Chicago for the black lives matter cause last Monday had the huge privilege of being mostly white, and that was probably why there were no major police conflicts.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/06/01/this-isnt-the-pride-parade-north-side-black-lives-matter-march-a-reminder-that-black-trans-women-started-gay-liberation-movement/

HRC + 100 groups have written a letter about their rejection of the violence and violations of freedom underlying this protest

https://www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-and-75-lgbtq-organizations-release-letter-condemning-racist-violence

(these groups include PFLAG National,   Boston's BAGLY,   MASS Equality,   and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition.)

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If this all seems a bit much, the New York times suggests a few movies -

(NYT 6/2/2020.  Arts section Page C1.)

Celebrating Pride on Film - The New York Times


 

"3 days ago - Here are seven films that will deliver the revolution, camaraderie and flirtatiousness of Pride right to your home. 'Gay USA' (1977) Stream on Amazon Prime. 'Jeffrey' (1995) Stream on Fandor or Hoopla. 'Pride' (2014) Stream on Amazon Prime. 'The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson' (2017) Stream on Netflix."


First Universalist Church of Essex

59 Main Street

Essex, MA 01929

978-768-3690

essexfirstuniversalist@gmail.com

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