Tag: <span>LGBTQ</span>

Inclusive Sex Education – Hunter Wagenaar

(July 11, 2019) Making Change Radio host Catherine Read talks with activist Hunter Wagenaar, a student at the University of Virginia, who is advocating for more inclusive sex education. Sex education curriculum needs to be fact based, medically accurate and science based and it needs to include the LGBTQ community. This is the mission of Hoos for Inclusive Sex Education Now (HISEN) the organization that Wagenaar founded at UVA.

Making Change Radio can be heard every Thursday night at 9 pm (EST) online at Radio Fairfax or on Ch. 37 locally.

Caldecott & Company – Maurice Sendak

(July 2019) I love this book so much! I was led to it from a footnote in Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordsrom which was published in 1998. Maurice Sendak dedicated Caldecott & Co: Notes on Books & Pictures to his beloved editor Ursula Nordstrom, who died in 1988, the year this book was published.

By 1971, Sendak had illustrated 70 books in twenty years. Most of his illustrations in the 1950s were for the works of other authors. In 1964, he wrote and illustrated Where the Wild Things Are which won the Caldecott Medal that year. His acceptance speech for that award, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award make up the last part of this book of essays.

Where the Wild Things Are was not universally embraced by librarians and the adult buyers of children’s books, and In the Night Kitchen even less so. In one of Sendak’s essays published in 1964, he quotes Nordstrom about the difficulties in publishing quality children’s books:

It is always the adults we have to contend with — most children under the age of ten will react creatively to the best work of a truly creative person. But too often adults sift their reactions to creative picture books through their own adult experiences. And as an editor who stands between the creative artist and the creative child I am constantly terrified that I will react as a dull adult. But at least I must try to remember it every minute!

In a separate essay from 1964 he talks about Nordstrom’s support for Where the Wild Things Are despite her “squeamishness” on seeing the first pictures for the book.

This admission of misgivings and her realization that she was reacting in a stereotyped adult fashion was a confession of utmost truth, and only she could have made it. This is how she put it recently: “And so we remembered once again, as so many times in the past, that the children are new and we are not.” Her support and unflagging enthusiasm helped bring the book to a happy conclusion.

These essays written by Sendak are from 1955 to 1987 and are not in chronological order, but rather arranged topically about the history of children’s books and the artists who illustrated them.

One of the essays is the preface to Pictures by Sendak published in 1971. It’s a selection of 19 illustrations from eight of the 70 books he illustrated – all of them after the 1950s. I went searching for the portfolio at my “go to” website for out-of-print books www.abebooks.com and they do indeed have sellers in their network who have the portfolio for sale from a low of $750 to a high of $16,000. I’m guessing it was a small print production.

One fact that emerged in these essays is his love for music and he refers to some of his drawings as “a kind of pen-and-ink ballet.” He drew his illustrations to classical music and had a fondness for Mozart. In addition to picture books, he also designed sets for operas and ballets, including The Magic Flute. The Morgan Library in New York City has a special exhibit of his theatrical designs from June to October 2019, Drawing the Curtain: Maurice Sendak’s Designs for Opera and Ballet, which I’m hoping to see this month.

Woven throughout the essays are stories of his childhood growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930s- the impact of Mickey Mouse, comics and the movies. From his acceptance speech for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1970:

Mine was a childhood colored with memories of village life in Poland, never actually experienced but passed on to me as persuasive reality by my immigrant parents. On the one hand, I lived snugly in their Old Country world, a world far from urban society, where the laws and customs of a small Jewish village were scrupulously and lovingly obeyed. And on the other hand, I was bombarded with the intoxicating gush of America in that convulsed decade, the thirties. Two emblems represent that era for me: a photograph of my severe, bearded grandfather (I never actually saw him), which haunts me to this day and which, as a child, I believed to be the exact image of God; and Mickey Mouse. These two lived side by side in a bizarre togetherness that I accepted as natural. For me, childhood was shtetl life transplanted, Brooklyn colored by Old World reverberations and Walt Disney and the occasional trip to the incredibly windowed “uptown” that was New York – America. All in all, what with loving parents and sister and brother, it was a satisfying childhood. Was it American? Everybody’s America is different.

One of many interesting things about Ursula Nordstrom and Maurice Sendak is their choice of life partner. In her letters to writers over the decades, Nordstrom refers to her partner Mary Griffith – their homes, their travels, their parties. In 1988 Nordstrom predeceased Mary Griffith, who is credited in Dear Genius with providing some of the letters that appear there.

Maurice Sendak’s longtime partner, Eugene Glynn, predeceased him in 2007 and in Glynn’s obituary Sendak was mentioned as his partner of 50 years. The following year, in an interview with the New York Times, he said never told his parents. “All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew.”

I’m struck by how two such talented people impacted children’s literature, had wonderfully rewarding lives and loving partners, and were part of an LGBTQ community that wasn’t itself “out” in the workplace from the 1930s through the 1980s in New York City. When we talk about the need to teach LGBTQ History, we need to teach about the amazing accomplishments of people like Ursula Nordstrom and Maurice Sendak who persevered and gave so much to this country and to our culture. There are a number of well known authors long deceased who were less well known members of the LGBTQ community. Let’s put these role models out there for students.

I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve spent with both Dear Genius and Caldecott & Co. and I’m awestruck by seeing how some of my favorite childhood books were made. I would highly recommend these books to anyone of any age who loves books.

by Rachel Simon

Gay Rights Movement with Dale Brumfield

(January 23, 2019) Catherine Read sits down with Cultural Archeologist Dale Brumfield, to talk about the history of the Gay Rights Movement. Looking back to the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Brunfield outlines the struggle faced by so many LGBTQ individuals, and the ongoing fight for equality.

This year will mark the 10^th year in a row that the Virginia General Assembly will introduce bills to protect LGBTQ people from housing and employment discrimination. These bills do not ask for special treatment for LGBTQ individuals, only equal protection under the law. In years past, these bills have made their way out of the Senate, but failed to gain passage through the House of Delegates. This year, there are two bills regarding employment non-discrimination (SB 998 and HB 2067), and four bills about fair housing non-discrimination (SB 1109, SB 1232, HB 2677 and HB 1823) that are being introduced. These bills are working their way through committee and will hopefully make it to the floor for a full floor vote in both chambers.

Looking back to 1953 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10450, our history shows that it was commonplace to be able to fire someone for being gay. There was systemic discrimination throughout the federal workforce, and society in general, against homosexuals. Gay people were labeled as sexual deviants, and thus regularly shunned. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was notorious for investigating those suspected of being gay, and formulating memos on people that dated back to the 1920’s. This was also during the time of McCarthyism, when many Americans were wrongly accused of being communists, and the two issues were often conflated. Many people who were even suspected of being gay were singled out and fired from government jobs, or shamed to the point of committing suicide.

There was one government astronomer name Frank Kameny who, instead of giving up when he was fired, decided to fight the injustice. He joined forces with Jack Nichols to form the Mattachine Society in Washington, D.C. In addition to acting as a support group for gay people, the Mattachine Society worked to raise awareness and fight for civil rights. Kameny was no stranger to Washington, as his father was an FBI agent, so he changed his name to Warren Adkins to avoid putting his father’s career in danger.

The gay rights movement began to churn forward, and chapters of the Mattachine Society began popping up in other large American cities, such as New York and Los Angeles. Mike Wallace of CBS News hosted the first mainstream documentary about the movement in 1967 entitled “The Homosexuals”, and Walter Adkins was interviewed for the show.

At the same time, gay publications were beginning to flourish. The first gay magazine was called One: The Homosexual Magazine, which mostly existed as an underground publication. Interestingly enough, it was rolled off the presses at the same time as the first Playboy magazine. Ironically, ONE was considered to be obscene, and the US Postal Service refused to allow the magazine to be sent through the mail, even though it contained no pictures or imagery. The irony was that Playboy could be sent through the mail, even though it contained nude photos. The publishers of One took the case to the Supreme Court and won, and the magazine survived and thrived for another 25 years.

The first widely circulated newspaper to serve the gay community was the Gay Blade (now called the Washington Blade), first published in Washington DC in 1969. The newspaper brought the gay community together, and chronicled LGBTQ news locally, nationally and internationally. In 1968, the Stonewall Riots in NYC were considered the first big act of the gay rights movement that gained national attention. These events were a jumping point for activists who were looking to gain civil right protections.

To this day, the LGBTQ community are still looking for equal protections under the law. Even after marriage equality was passed in the Supreme Court in 2015 with the Obergefell vs. Hodges case, and the federal workforce is protected with nondiscrimination, states like Virginia still lag behind in offering protections for LGBTQ individuals in regards to housing and employment.

by Rachel Simon

Reverend Emma Chattin on Inside Scoop

(Dec. 24, 2018) Reverend Emma Chattin, of the Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia, joins Catherine Read for the Christmas Eve edition of Inside Scoop. Their conversation covers Rev. Chattin’s ministry work throughout her career with LGBTQ and transgender individuals.

Equality Virginia recognized Rev. Chattin as an “Outstanding Virginian” for her many years of work in planning programming and providing support to LGBTQ and transgender Virginians. After living and working for 18 years in Harrisonburg, Rev. Chattin moved to Northern Virginia in 1997 with her partner Heather. Although she has never been a fan of the traffic in Northern Virginia, she quickly made her home and set down roots in the community.

As part of her ministry, Rev. Chattin has been involved with the Transgender Education Association (TGEA) of Greater Washington. The organization has been around since 1982 in various forms, and was on the brink of closing down when Rev. Chattin became involved. She convinced the Board to keep the organization open, and after taking over the reigns she helped to transform it into a vibrant organization it is today. She focuses on providing safe harbor for transgender individuals, while also helping people in this community find their identity.

Over the years, the TGEA has worked together with individuals and families to help make the world a little less daunting for transgender individuals. Starting with the youngest members of the community, Rev. Chattin has worked with TGEA to form a playgroup for children ages 5-11. This is a safe space with childcare professionals who are attuned to the children’s needs. While the children play, the parents can find respite with other parents of transgender kids. Again, it is a safe space to connect, find resources and share stories.

On the policy side, Rev. Chattin has worked throughout the years with the school systems to develop strong, positive policies designed to keep children safe. She has successfully worked with Fairfax County Public Schools on establishing policies around language regarding gender. This work required long hours of meetings and public hearings in order to ensure that all students are safe and represented. Chattin was pleased to see the outcome, and looks forward to continued work in moving other policies forward. She also works with employers by helping them put good policies in place, even before they may need to have them.

On a bit of a more somber note, Chattin points out that the suicide rate amongst transgender children is exceptionally high when children are not supported by the adults in their life. 54% of kids whose parents do not accept them for who they are, will attempt to take their own lives. Statistics show that only 4% of these children will try and commit suicide if their parents are open and accepting. It is so important for parents to try and understand their children, so that they can survive and thrive.

Central to Chattin’s ministry is the concept of diversity by God. She preaches that we are all made in God’s image, even people who differ from ourselves. She notes that the Bible has been used throughout history to justify a variety of terrible atrocities, including slavery. As she wisely states, the Bible is like a hammer, it can be used to build us up or to tear us down. She believes the Bible should be read as a metaphor, with stories dating back thousands years. There is wisdom to be learned but she does not believe that it should be read literally. On this Christmas Eve she wants to send a message of peace and hope, and encourages us all to go out and do good in our community today and all throughout the year.

by Rachel Simon

Sam Brinton – The Trevor Project

(July 16, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Sam Brinton, head of advocacy at The Trevor Project, an organization that supports LGBTQ youth through a crisis intervention and a suicide prevention lifeline. (Sam identifies as gender fluid and uses the pronouns they/them/theirs.)

The TrevorLifeline is a 24/7-support line accessible via voice or text, manned by thousands of trained volunteers nationwide. The creators of the Academy-Award winning short film TREVOR founded the Trevor Project in 1998 with the proceeds that they made from the film, when they realized that there was often no place for LGBTQ youth to turn to for support.

Brinton joined The Trevor Project as head of advocacy in October of 2017. Their chief job is to ensure that the organization is advancing policies and taking positions that help LGBTQ youth when in crisis. They themselves experienced a great amount of trauma in their youth when they attempted to come out to their family. Consequently, Sam is passionate about creating a safer world for the next generation. Their job covers working at the federal, state and local levels, as well as with the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

Sam Brinton DC Sam Brinton has an MS in Nuclear Engineering from MIT, work they still do on a consulting basis through Core Solutions Consulting. Their work at The Trevor Project is driven by the pressing need to provide a safer and more inclusive world for LGBTQ young people across the country. Their advocacy includes providing testimony at legislative hearings on both the federal and state level, sitting on panels and speaking at conferences to raise awareness of these issues, and writing for many publications on subjects related to the safety, mental health and the well being of LGBTQ young people.

The TrevorLifeline has provided a safe space for hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth in crises over the past 20 years. It is their longest running project and brings in thousands of volunteers who are trained to manage the calls and texts received on their crisis line. LGBTQ youth are 4-5x more likely to attempt suicide, and often have no one who they can talk to about what they are going through. The ability for them to reach out and speak with someone who can relate to them can literally save their life.

One of the newer initiatives that Brinton has taken on is advocating for legislation that outlaws the practice of conversion therapy. Sam himself is a conversion therapy survivor, and they feel passionately about making sure that others do not have to suffer the same fate. In 2014, Brinton was the first person to testify before the United Nations Committee Against Torture as a survivor of conversion therapy.

Born to Baptist Missionaries, their parents had strong feelings about their suspected sexual orientation, and Sam was subjected to some very cruel practices starting at the tender age of 11. Sam didn’t know any other people who were like them, and was very impressionable at such a young age. They were told horrible lies, such as the government had killed all of the gay children in America because they brought the AIDS virus to the country. They also suffered psychological torture such as placing their hands in ice-cold water (or extremely hot water) and showing images of men with other men, so they would have a negative association in his mind. Sam suffered greatly from this abuse, which led to a suicide attempt.

None of these practices are legitimate, nor are they scientifically proven be effective. Up to 300,000 children a year are put through these abuses. Brinton is working tirelessly to make these practices illegal in all 50 states through The Trevor Project’s 50 Bills 50 States Initiative. Over the past 5 years, they have had success limiting licensed therapists from practicing conversion therapy in 13 states. They have submitted legislation in 21 additional states, as they move toward their goal.

Here in Virginia, Sen. Scott Surovell and Del. Patrick Hope submitted HB-363 to outlaw conversion therapy. Unfortunately, the bill was defeated along party lines in committee. Additionally, Del. Betsy Carr and Del. Danica Roem introduced HJ-73, a proposal for a study to be conducted to evaluate causes of bullying and to evaluate work on suicide prevention. Again, this was killed in committee along party lines. If the Democrats are able to flip control of the Senate and House in 2019, a Democratic House Speaker and Senate Majority Leader would be able to assemble committees where these proposed bills would actually make it on to the floor of each chamber for a floor vote.

The other major program that Brinton is working on is promoting the Model School Policy for Suicide Prevention. It is a modular, adaptable document that will help educators and school administrators implement comprehensive suicide prevention policies in communities nationwide. This program is designed to make it easier for the school system to respond to suicidal behavior, as well as assess warning signs and intervene when appropriate to help prevent tragedies from happening. More information can be found online, including a one-page fact sheet, a full policy document, and a webinar to learn more about the program.

As suicide rates amongst teens is on the rise, Brinton encourages everyone to push their school districts to make sure that they have sound policies in place around suicide prevention. They also encourage everyone to contact their own legislators and tell them what bills you would like to see passed in the next legislative session. Additionally, The Trevor Project always welcomes volunteers who would like to be trained answer TrevorText and calls at the TervorLifeline.

You can find more information at www.TheTrevorProject.org, follow them on Twitter @TrevorProject and Sam @SBrinton.

by Catherine Read

Supporting LGBTQ Students – Back to School 2016

(Aug. 22, 2016) Catherine Read examines the challenges facing LGBTQ students as they prepare to return to school in September. Recent cases regarding transgender bathroom policies in Fairfax County, Gloucester County, Stafford County and Grayson County have left Virginia students and families with a great deal of anxiety.

In the first segment, Pat Hynes of the Fairfax County School Board outlines the policies put into place in FCPS school policy recognizing sexual orientation and gender identity as categories that join others as being protected from discriminatory treatment. She discusses the goals of the school board to protect the rights, privacy and safety of some of the most vulnerable students in our schools – transgender children.

Robert Rigby joins Catherine in the second segment to discuss the organization he founded to meet the needs of LGBT teachers, “FCPS Pride.” As an out gay teacher, he has sought to provide information and support for other teachers and school staff, and that effort has now grown to include many more people in the community. Robert has become a key organizer in galvanizing support among many interested constituencies in the fight for stronger protections for the LGBTQ student population in Fairfax County and beyond.

In the third segment, Marianne Vakiener, an LGBT Ally and parent of two FCPS graduates, talks about her support for better education on human sexuality that goes back to the 1970s. As a tutor and educator, Marianne has spent decades in front of students teaching them many things in addition to academics. As a Unitarian Universalist, she teaches a program called “Our Whole Lives: Lifespan Sexuality Eduction” (OWL) that includes accurate information about the LGBTQ community. She has great stories to tell that illustrate the challenges faced by students on a daily basis.

Bianca Rey, a trans advocate, joins Catherine in the final segment of the show. Originally from the Philippines and educated there, Bianca talks about her transition as a child and how she was supported by her school and her family. She lives in Northern Virginia, has a job, recently became an American citizen and is in a supportive relationship. She is party of the Equality Virginia Transgender Advocacy Speakers Bureau and is available to speak to groups who are interested in knowing more about issues related to the transgender community.