June/July 2007 Vol.19, No. 4
F A I R F I E L D COUNTY PRIDE 2007 GETS A NEW LOOK AT A NEW LOCATION Saturday June 16, 2007 the Triangle Community Center presents the 6th Annual Fairfield County PRIDE 12:30 – 5:30 PM, St. Paul’s on the Green, Norw a l k “ Where Out is Always In” Rain or shine, come out and join us! This year we have something new to celebrate at PRIDE, a new location and co-sponsor, St. Paul’s on the Green. PRIDE serves as a central event where we can openly acknowledge and share our individual selves and our relationships with family, friends and the community at large. Our new location truly expresses this year’s theme and TCC’s tagline: where out is always in! The 2007 PRIDE committee has lined up singer-songwriters Karen Grenier from Provincetown, local sensation Jen Taylor and a special appearance by Real TV’s host and creator Josh Zuckerman. And of course, returning again is the Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut. From NYC and points south (I-95N), t a ke exit 16, t u r n left at the stop sign onto East Av e . , and proceed a few blocks to St. Paul's on the Green, 60 East Av e . From New Haven and points North (I-95S), t a ke exit 16, t u r n right at the stop s i g n , and proceed as abov e. Look for PRIDE volunteers to direct you to park i n g . N e w s V i ews Josh Zuckerman brings his charismatic stage presence and strong, truthful lyrics to PRIDE 2007. Triangle Community Center and present JUNE 22 & 23, 8pm The evening begins with a wine and cheese reception. Tickets $20. For reservations call 203-229-9797 Carriage House Arts Center: Cranbury Park, 300 Grumman Ave. & Kensett Ave. Norwalk, CT
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TCC: Heading in New Directions By George Anderson For more than a year, the Board of Directors of the Triangle Community Center has been involved in a series of activities dedicated to thinking about the future of the Center. There have been a series of mini-retreats and Marianne Seggerm a n attended a national conference of LBGT community centers. Our new brand identity, logo and tagline, “Where Out is Always In.” was a direct result of these sessions. We have learned the emergence of technology, the rise in spec ial-purpose political interest groups, and the more general societal acceptance of our community have forced community cent ers around the country to ask, “How can we continue to be of service to our community?” This issue of relevance is an important one, as community centers are no longer the sole source of health info rm a t i o n , social networking and political advocacy. Still, we realize there is much to be offered by our community center. At a recent retreat, the board identified Three Areas of Relevance still vital to our community: ? Delivering Education: The need still exists to educate the community at-large and our own community on the unique issues -- health, financial or emotional -- faced by LBGT individua ls. ? Building Community: There is an important need to unite and build our community through various fo rms of netwo rking ? Strengthening our Voice: The need to advocate, endorse and support those who support our community is also vital. At the upcoming PRIDE event, we will be actively soliciting your input on these and two other issues we plan to address in 2007: ? Connecting with our membership, and ? TCC’s physical space. Watch for special, clipboard bearing TCC volunteers, who will be asking you to respond to a brief questionnaire. In lieu of a Town Meeting, an event that has been held in past years to solicit the views of our community, we felt that a live contact at PRIDE would reach more people and give us a diverse range of opinions and input. Please know your Center and it’s Board are striving to tra n sfo rm itself and remain a vital part of LGBT life in Fairfield County. We look forward to seeing you in the future. Congratulations to This Year’s TCC Raffle Winners! TCC’s annual raffle drawing, held on April 2, yielded the following winners: 4th Prize: Brunch for 2 at Rye Town Hilton. Ann H. of Stamford 3rd Prize: Brunch for 2 at Renaissance Hotel. Margaret S. of Stamford 2nd Prize: New York City Getaway package for 2 at the Affinia 50 All Suites Hotel. Kim H. of Wilton 1st Prize: 2 round trip airline tickets to Switzerland via Swiss International Air Lines. Regina S. of Harrison
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Unless otherwise noted, events take place at the Center, 16 River St., Norwalk,CT (enter on Mechanic St. from Wall St.). Detailed directions are available at www.ctgay.org/directions.htm. See more TCC events and groups on Page 5. Spice up your poolside attire, firm up those abs, and get ready to make a SPLASH! Once again David Frishkorn and Jack Hellaby have graciously offered their pool and deck for a summer pool party and BBQ. The date will be in August – check www.ctgay.org for details. You don’t want to miss this party – it is always one of the events of the summer to see and be seen! WOMYN’S SOCIAL A group for women of any age seeking to make friends and connect with the community. Ml3017@hotmail.com Come out to enjoy these summer evenings with new and old friends! Friday, June 1, 7:30 PM, Womyn’s Social gets cultured at the 1st Friday Black Rock ArtWalk. Meet at the Black Rock Arts Center parking lot, 2838 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, CT. Afterwards we will hit the town for bowling, shooting pool or dancing at the Brook Café. The group will decide! winslow707@aol.com Friday, July 6, 7:30 PM, Womyn’s Social goes organic at BLOODROOT, a feminist restaurant and bookstore. If you think you don’t like vegetarian food, get ready for a real treat! 85 Ferris St., Bridgeport, CT. www.bloodroot.com. JanisTCC@sbcglobal.net TCC News & Views June / July 2007 Unless otherwise noted, events take place at the Center, 16 River St., Norwalk,CT (enter on Mechanic St. from Wall St.). Detailed directions are available at www.ctgay.org/directions.htm. See more TCC events and groups on Page 5. Carriage House Arts Center And Triangle Community Center Team Up For An Encore Presentation Of ‘ When I Knew’ June 22 & 23, 8 PM By popular demand, the Carriage House Arts Center and Triangle Community Center will present two encore performances of last year’s smash hit “When I Knew”*; a collection of smart, hilarious and often poignant stories about that revelation for all gay men and women: when they first knew. Compiled and edited by acclaimed fashion and celebrity photographer Robert Trachtenberg,“When I Knew” is a vibrant and witty celebration of that sometimes glorious, sometimes painful, but always captivating moment when everything suddenly makes sense. Director Frank Gaffney has adapted the book into a new multi-media presentation that promises to enlighten and entertain. Last year’s performances were sell-outs, so make your reservations now at 203-229-9797. This marks TCC’s 11th fundraising theatre production and our second year of partnership with the Carriage House Arts Center.A second TCC production, “ Sordid Lives,” will be staged in October. Visit www.carriagehousear tscenter.org for a schedule of their exciting 2007 season. *This show is recommended for mature audiences. 3 Lesbian Lit Group Must-read summer fare! Wednesday, June 20, 7:00 PM “ A Season of Change,” by DC Elmore Wednesday, July 18, 7:00 PM “ Fresh Tracks,” by Georgia Beers Tinap73@gmail.com
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NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS Bar & Gay (B&G) gay nudists PeterM21@juno.com Bread & Roses (203) 855-1485 Connecticut Freedom to Marry Coalition 203) 791-9553 Connecticut Kids (203) 256-8414 G ay Father’s Group (203) 938-2881 GLSEN <www.glsen.org> (203) 332-1480 Hartford Community Center (860) 724-5542 The Loft (White Plains,NY) <www.loftgaycenter.org> (914) 948-2932 Love Makes a Family <www.lmf-ct.org> (860) 525-7777 Ma rried Lesbian Support Grouptrucolur@aol.com, (203) 430-9227 Ma rried Men’s Bisexual Support Group of Hartford 860) 264-5605 Metropolitan Community Church of New Haven (203) 397-2312 National Runaway Switchboard (773) 880-9860 New Haven Gay & Lesbian Center <www.nhglcc.org> (203) 387-2252 PFLAG (Danbu ry) <www.pflag.org> (203) 797-4743 QEvents (Danbury) qe vents1@aol.com Rainbow Task Force (Unitarian Church of Westport ) (203) 222-1441 Senior Lesbians Happily at Play (SLAPHAPS) katskew@aol.com (Kathy) (203)929-8113 lceeroady@comast.net (Linda) (203)606-2640 True Colors CT< www.ourtruecolors.org> (888) 565-5551 TCC News & Views June / July 2007 LGBTQ Resources,Activities and Events Beyond TCC Transgender Friendly Nightclubs from the Transgender Guide Online Backstreet, 81 Pope Park Hwy., Hartford, CT (203) 951-0500 Be arristers , 601 Broad S t., Hartford, CT (203) 525-2553 Chez Est, 238 Columbus Blvd., Hartford, CT (203) 247-3224 Choices, 8 N. Turnpike Rd., Wal lingfor d, CT (203) 949-9380 Club ONE @ The Bar With No Name, 115 Asylum St., Hartford, CT (203) 522-4646 Maxies, 2627 Waterbury Rd., Waterbury, CT (203) 574-1629 Rumors, 379 E. Main St., Waterbury, CT (203) 574-3077 Til Dawn, 495 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT (860) 305-9695
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Every Sunday, 9-10 AM Alcoholics Anonymous, Don 203- 762-9964 Every Sunday, 4-6 PM Outspoken, TCC’s LGBTQ youth support group. 203-227-1755 Friday, June 1, 7:30 PM Womyn’s Social, 1st Friday ArtWalk, Black Rock Arts Center, Bridgeport, CT winslow707@aol.com Saturday, June 2, 7 PM My Pride,My Soul, for women of color and their friends and families. mypridemysoul@yahoo.com Tuesday, June 5, 7 PM Triangle Transgender Society, TCC.TriangleTGS@yahoo.com Wednesday, June 6, 7:30 PM PFLAG Monthly Meeting, TCC. 203-226-0257, pflagswct@yahoo.com Saturday, June 16, 12:30-5:30 PM TCC’s 6th Annual Fairfield County PRIDE, St. Paul’s on the Green, 60 East Ave., Norwalk. TCCenter@aol.com Wednesday, June 20, 7 PM Lesbian Lit Group, “A Season of Change,” by DC Elmore,TCC. Tinap73@gmail.com Friday and Saturday, June 22 & 23, 8 PM “ When I Knew,” Carriage House Arts Center, Cranbury Park, Norwalk.Tickets are $20. For reservations call 203-229-9797. Friday, June 29, 8 PM Friday Night Hang Out, TCC. jenabbott@optonline.net Tuesday, July 3,7 PM Triangle Transgender Society, TCC. TriangleTGS@yahoo.com Friday, July 6, 7:30 PM Womyn’s Social, dinner at BLOODROOT Restauant and Bookstore 85 Ferris St., Bridgeport, CT. www.bloodroot.com. JanisTCC@sbcglobal.net Saturday, July 7, 7:30 PM My Pride,My Soul, TCC. mypridemysoul@yahoo.com Wednesday, July 18,7 PM Lesbian Lit Group, “Fresh Tracks,” by Georgia Beers,TCC. Tinap73@gmail.com August Pool Party & BBQ. Details to be announced. TCC and Business Networking Organization Form Alliance to Support LGBT Professionals Business Networking International (BNI), the largest business networking organization in the world, in announcing the formation of the first ever Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,Transgender (GLBT) BNI group, is in discussions with the Triangle Community Center to reach out to Fairfield County’s GLBT community. Michael Mahoney, who works in the Fairfield office of Merrill Lynch, had the idea to create an entrepreneurial networking group among the growing numbers of GLBT entrepreneurs in Fairfield County with extensions into Westchester and New Haven counties as well. “ We are hoping that this group attracts anyone in the GLBT community who is in business, is an entrepreneur, and wants to network and do business with people who are like-minded,” Mahoney said.The BNI chapter plans to advertise in the TCC newsletter as a way to reach Southwestern Connecticut’s GLBTs. Already members have indicated an interest in developing a Gay Yellowpages or similar publication promoting GLBT issues, services and businesses. Mahoney estimates that there are hundreds of GLBT residents in Fairfield County who have very successful businesses. By forming a BNI group, the GLBT community can come together to meet and support the growing needs of the community.This might help expand the TCC community itself and provide the business and professional base to support the more substantial programming TCC is seeking to develop. Four of the first 12 chapter members are TCC members, including current Board member Dr. Brian A. Schwartz. The Fairfield County Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender BNI group will be meeting every Tuesday morning at 7:00 at the Merrill Lynch office in Fairfield, 1499 Post Road on the second floor. For further information and to find out how to join the group, please call Theresa Bildt at 203-487- 6304 or Michael Mahoney, Asst.VP at Merrill Lynch, at 203-254-6956.
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HIV “Superinfection” Can Lead to New HIV Strains Resistant to All Drugs HIV-positive individuals can potentially become “superinfected” with new, drug-resistant strains of HIV-1 through unsafe sexual practices, according to a paper published in the May 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Gary Blick, MD, of Circle Medical LLC, and colleagues describe how infection with a second strain of HIV, known as “ superinfection”, can also lead to evolution of new, highly multi-drug resistant “recombinant” strains of HIV-1 when these newly introduced strains recombine with the original strain of HIV -1 in someone who is already infected. This finding calls into question the increasingly popular sexual practice of “serosorting”, whereby HIV-positive individuals seek out other HIV-positive sexual partners for unsafe sexual activities in an attempt to reduce sexual transmission of HIV to uninfected people and increase intimacy between HIV-positive partners. Dr. Blick says, “HIV-positive individuals who engage in serosorting, unsafe sexual intercourse with other HIV-positive individuals, run the risk of becoming superinfected with drug-resistant HIV and producing recombinant strains of HIV that may be even more dangerous and drugresistant than the strains of HIV they already harbor. These new strains can render the drugs they are currently taking useless in controlling their HIV and, in turn, can be passed on to other individuals via unsafe sexual activities.” While serosorting may reduce HIV transmission to uninfected individuals, “this paper illustrates that the practice of serosorting among two HIV-positive individuals may have serious, potentially devastating consequences.” Dr. Blick and his associates have called on healthcare professionals and public health workers to counsel HIV-1-positive individuals about the need to continue practicing safer sex to avoid these newly discovered risks. For more information contact Dr. Gary Blick, Medical and Research Director, Circle Medical, LLC, 203-852-9525, BlickMD@CircleMedical.org Dr. Blick will be honored by the LIVE Foundation at the 5th Annual LIVE event on Sunday, June 3rd at g/r/a/n/d in Stamford. www.pflag.org pflagswct@yahoo.com 6 GLSEN Small Grant Program GLSEN Connecticut is offe ring grants of up to $200 to students, staff, and teachers in Connecticut schools. These grants are intended to be spent on projects, events, or curriculum materials that will help to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual ori e ntation and gender identity/expression. If you would like an application for a small grant, please glsenct@eart hlink. net with “Small Grant Application Request” as the subject line, and it will be emailed to you. Mentoring Opportunities TrueColors is looking for adults who want to mentor a LGBT youth.There are about 20 kids on a waiting list - they are waiting just for you! Particularly needed are mentors in the Storrs area, in the Waterbury area and in the Danielson area - but wherever you live a kid is waiting! If you have a couple of hours a week to spare, you could make a profound difference for a young person in your area. For more information or for a mentoring application, please call Kamora at 860- 649-7386, ext 203. Safe Schools Coalition Do you teach a course or have you taken a course in a school of education that spent at least one session addressing sexual diversity, LGBT issues or anti-LGBT bullying? We'd love to see the syllabus. If you are the instructor or know of a program, you can help the Safe Schools Coalition build a database to support other schools of education. Full credit will be given to the course’s developer and institution. Send your syllabus and contact information, or your questions, to beth@safeschoolscoalition.org GayTrivia: 1) This actress received a best-supporting actress award for her work in a Martin Scorsese movie. 2) This actor, a major figure in British acting circles, is best known to American viewers for his work as the title character in a classic mini-series. He had, unlike so many of his peers, not been open about his sexuality but as he recently entered a civil partnership with a man he's out now.
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News & Views is published bimonthly. To make an addition to the newsletter or calendar, send an e-mail to tcceditor@aol.com
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