OUTINCT2019

T H E O F F I C I A L L G B T Q + G U I D E O F C O N N E C T I C U T 

Equality Begins 

At Birth! 

LGBTQ+ and 

Foster Care 

Opportunities 

Out & About 

LGBTQ+ and Aging

Chief Editor 

Design 

Charlie Ortiz 

Influential Designs 

September 14, 2019 

Hartford, Connecticut 

Stories 

Pride Committee 

Charlie Ortiz 

AARP 

Wheeler Clinic 

Intact Connecticut 

Pedro E. Segarra 

Lynette Correa 

Charlie Ortiz 

Luis Quiros 

Rosa Rivera 

Keith Rhoden, Jr. 

Web & Marketing 

Influential Designs 

www.influentiald.com

Sincerely, 

Charlie Ortiz 

Dear Friends, 

We proudly celebrate our Fourth issue of OUTINCT.COM. 

we are mindful of your incredible support over the years. 

celebrate Pride in our LGTBQ+ community and the many 

successes and accomplishments towards our struggle for 

respect and equality. 

NTENTS 

bout Us 

quality Begins 

t Birth! 

GBTQ+ and 

oster Care 

ut & About 2018 

LGBTQ+ and Aging 

Last year, we embarked on a mission of strengthening 

another record-breaking number of readers, both in our 

City Pride events nearly doubled. More importantly, the 

was ever-present. 

work is ongoing. This year we will also focus on the youth 

and elderly members of our community. It is our aim to foster 

understanding amongst both of these age groups. We should 

I repeat, lets unite: stronger than ever before, strengthening 

service our community. Lets bridge the gaps and reconcile the

ABOUT US 

OUTINCT.COM relies on the commitment of volunteers 

and donations to publish this guide to LGBTQ+ life in 

Connecticut. As a community, we all share in the success 

of this publication by promoting pride and awareness 

of LGBTQ+ community supporters during the year. 

When you make a donation or volunteer with us, you 

make a difference for your community as a whole. 

Why it matters? OUTINCT.COM showcases LGBTQ+ 

accomplishments and the best our community has to 

offer in Connecticut. We need you to make sure that 

“Pride, Love, Life and Equality” continue to be alive and 

well in Connecticut. We will continue to build awareness 

of our community in order to make Connecticut more 

inclusive. 

www.claroct.org 

Our work is about community! If you want to help make 

the world you live in better, then the best way is to join in! 

Make your voice heard and play your part. Volunteering, 

fundraising, or donating to OUTINCT.COM gives you the 

opportunity to get involved with the future and success of 

your community. By volunteering you can gain experience, 

develop new skills, improve your career prospects, build 

confidence and meet new, interesting people. 

How can you help? 

Sponsor Events 

If you own a business or work for a company that supports 

our community, please support PRIDE by having a booth or 

donating towards the event. Your support makes it possible 

for us to bring events like the PrideFest to Hartford. Events 

like these raise awareness and help the community as 

a whole by bringing attention to all the things to do and 

venues to visit here in Hartford. 

Volunteer 

There are a whole range of volunteer opportunities for 

all types of people of all abilities and skills. We need event 

staff, ad sales, fund raisers, public relations, marketing 

assistants, photographers, and administrative staff. 

Want to know more? 

Please visit our website or write for more information on 

how to be part of the OUTINCT.COM team. Give us your 

contact information and let us know what volunteer 

opportunities interest you. 

info@outinct.com 

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LGBTQ+ GUIDE OF CT | 5

Begins 

at Birth! 

By Brian D. Brown 

6 |

For many people in the LGBTQ+ community, Pride 

is a moment in our lives where we can forget the 

outside world and be ourselves, without fear of 

discrimination or retaliation. Although we come 

from many different walks of life, we’re united in 

the belief that equality is not a special right, rather 

it is a human right that should be granted to all. 

We seek to live free of the boxes that our own 

society has placed us in, and have the freedom 

to love who we choose, and to determine our 

own sexual experiences. 

I came out 20 years ago, while 

growing up in a suburb of Hartford. I 

was initially met with name-calling, 

bullying, and some fear for my 

own personal safety. Although 

Pride as we know it today didn’t 

exist locally then, I eventually 

found support in the company 

of understanding friends and 

family. It was during this time 

that I met my first boyfriend, 

which opened up a multitude of 

questions about my own sexual 

freedom. 

You see, I soon discovered that my 

boyfriend had a foreskin and I did not. When I began 

to research what I was missing, I learned that foreskin 

is not ‘just skin.’ I discovered that circumcision 

destroys a complex structure which includes the highly 

innervated ridged band and frenulum, and compromises 

approximately 15 square inches of highly specialized 

mobile skin in the adult male. It was a painful realization 

to learn that functional and pleasurable tissue was 

taken from my body when I was powerless to object. 

While it appeared that my sexual revolution may 

have ended before it ever began, I soon learned about 

the concept of foreskin restoration. I discovered that 

although it’s not currently possible to regain all that is 

lost to circumcision, with some time and patience, a 

man can restore much of the form and function of the 

foreskin. Today, hundreds of thousands of men living 

with varying degrees of circumcision damage are 

choosing to reclaim their bodily autonomy through 

restoration. 

Whether you have your own children or 

not, we should all be advocates for keeping 

children intact regardless of their sex, and 

allowing them the right to determine 

how their own genitals should look and 

function when they are old enough to 

consent. It is impossible to advocate 

for the sexual freedom of adults while 

simultaneously advocating for cutting 

off intimate, erogenous, functional 

tissue from the genitals of a child. 

Thousands of people, many from 

within the LGBTQ+ community, are 

publicly standing for the rights of innocent 

babies and the adults they will become. I 

encourage you to connect with us, and help spread 

the word that equality begins at birth! 

The author is Director of Intact Connecticut, a local not-for-profit 

educational effort to raise awareness of genital autonomy, intact care, 

foreskin restoration, and the dangers of circumcision. Learn more at 

Facebook.com/IntactCT and IntactNetwork.org 


OPEN HEARTS “GLBT” MINISTRY 

at the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry 

MISSION STATEMENT 

The Open Hearts Ministry provides educational 

experiences to build greater visibility and understanding 

of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (GLBT) 

experience within our Church community, and 

develop faith-building outreach 

programming to the diverse spectrum 

of the GLBT community. 

As a Catholic parish committed to social 

justice, Open Hearts Ministry of the 

Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry 

actively provides and promotes faith opportunities 

that build community for those who have experienced 

spiritual disconnection. 

For more information email us at info@spsact.org. 

The Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry at St. Patrick-St. Anthony 

285 Church Street Hartford, CT 06103 

860-756-4034 www.spsact.org info@spsact.org 

Hartford Psychological 

Services 

Just Peace 

Open & Affirming 

Multi-cultural 

Environmentally-conscious 

You are welcome here! 

Sunday Worship: 10am 

Immanuel Church, 10 Woodland St., 

Hartford, CT 06105, 860.527.8121 

www.iccucc.org, facebook.com/iccucc 

Richard W. Stillson, Ph,D. 

Psychologist 

210 Wethersfield Avenue 

Hartford, CT 06114 

(860) 296-0094 

8 |

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10 |

LGBTQ+ 

& 

Foster Care 

Opportunities 

by Chris Popilowski, Senior Foster Care Recruiter 

Wheeler Clinic 

As a recruiter, I attend many events 

in the community. I get a number 

of different questions but none that 

surprised me and changed my way 

of thinking as much as one in particular. 

As I stood at my table, with all my foster care 

info and small items with our logo on it, ready to 

disseminate to anyone that would take it, I was 

approached by an older gentleman. I could immediately 

tell he had something important to ask as 

he hurried over. Before I could introduce myself, 

the man asked, “Is it illegal for same sex-couples to 

adopt in Connecticut?” 

My immediate answer was, “Of course it’s not 

illegal. We have numerous same-sex couples in our 

program.” He then went on to tell me that this was, 

or previously had been, the case in many states. I 

assured him that this was not the case in Connecticut 

and that Wheeler Clinic Foster Care is proud of all the 

amazing work our same-sex foster parents do. He was 

happy to hear this, thanked me, and went on his way. 

But this wasn’t where this question ended for me. 

The magnitude of the problem of not allowing 

same-sex or transgender couples to be foster or 

adoptive parents is quite obvious. Children need 

homes. In this state, we are facing a crisis, and 

we need homes for them more than ever. What 

we don’t need is to make outdated and unfair 

judgments of people based on how they identify. 

I look for good homes for our kids. A good home 

does not have anything to do with a person’s 

sexual orientation or gender identity. It isn’t about 

what they look like or where they live. It’s about 

who they are on the inside, how they treat people, 

and how much compassion and concern they have 

for those around them. And we can’t overlook the 

need for patience. 

How many caring and loving parents have not 

even approached the table because of a fear of 

rejection? Even one is too many. 

For information about foster care opportunities, 

call 860.793.7277 or email FosterCarePrograms@ 

Wheelerclinic.org or www.wheelerclinic.org/foster. 


12 |


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United in Christ’s Love, a just world for All. 

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CELEBRATING THE UNIQUENESS IN EACH OF US. 

At The Hartford, we believe each person’s differences make us all stronger – in business and in life. It’s why we’re 

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Out & About 

HARTFORD 

2018 

PRIDEFEST 

Send your photos to info@outinct.com 

24 |

Thousands of LGBTQ+ community members, their families 

and allies attended PrideFest 2018 in Hartford’s, Pratt Steet. 

They came together in celebration of love, peace, and pride. 

PrideFest has become the largest annual LGBTQ+ event in 

Connecticut. 

Pratt Street was filled with rainbows, music, and fun, which 

included over 80 vendors, live music, shows, local business 

booths and community organizations that sponsored the 

event. The day’s celebration ended with a late night GLOW 

party at Infinity Hall on Front Street, Hartford featuring 

Crystal Waters. 

Charlie Ortiz, the event’s coordinator, said “We have come 

together to celebrate our right to be ourselves and to thank 

our community supporters. We also want to send a message 

to Washington and the current administration that we will not 

go back to the way things were before. We are out and proud! 

Former Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra emceed the event, 

introducing speakers and performers including Connecticut’s 

2018 candidate for governor Ted Lamont. We look forward 

to welcoming you again on Saturday, September 14, 2019, 

for our 5th annual PrideFest in Hartford. 


26 |

Connecticut Chapter 




Friends Embracing Life 

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A group of gay Friends senior Friends Embracing men and Life their Life admirers 

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SCHOOLS ARE UNSAFE AND UNWELCOMING 

FOR THE MAJORITY OF LGBT STUDENTS 

85% 

heard “gay” used in a 

negative way (e.g. “that’s 

so gay”) 

52% 

were verbally harassed 

because of their gender 

expression 

62% 

of transgender students were unable to use the school 

restroom that aligned with their gender 

Visit our website to learn how you can get involved and help end bullying/harassment in K-12 schools. 

GLSEN.org/Connecticut - Facebook.com/GLSENCT - Twitter: @GLSENCT - Instagram: @GLSENConnecticut 

HEY, FELLAS! 

HAVE YOU HEARD? 

A child needs you. 

BLACK AND HISPANIC MEN ARE 

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28 |

Soka Gakkai International-USA (SGI-USA) is a 

diverse Buddhist community in the US and is part 

of the global SGI network of more than 12 million 

people in 192 countries and territories. 

SGI members base their practice of chanting 

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on the Lotus Sutra and 

Nichiren Buddhism, which teaches that each person 

has within the courage, wisdom and compassion to 

face and surmount any of life’s challenges. 

Based on Buddhist principles such as respecting 

the dignity of human life and the interconnectedness 

of self and the environment, SGI engages in peace 

activities like human rights education, the 

movement to abolish nuclear weapons and efforts to 

promote sustainable development. 

LGBTG Courageous Freedom members in 

SGI-USA proudly practice within our 

organization, meet occasionally for affinity 

and to represent SGI-USA in Pride events. 

SGI-USA Connecticut Activity Center 

518 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477 

203-799-0512 Open Sat/Sun 8:30am-5pm 

sgi-ct.org sgi-usa.org 

Your New England 

LGBTQ and HIV 

Legal Rights Resource 

800-455-GLAD 

gladanswers.org 

free & confidential 

translation available 

Creating a world 

where youth of all 

orientations and 

genders are valued 

and affirmed 

Proud Supporters of Har4ord PRIDE! 

True Colors’ Programs 

LGBTQ Youth Mentoring 

Professional Training/Consultation 

LGBTQ Youth Issues Conference 

Youth Leadership Development 

Policy & Advocacy 

meetup.com/atheists-727/ 

(860) 232-0050 

www.ourtruecolors.org 

meetup.com/Har4ord-Humanists/ 


30 |

LGBTQ+ 

& Aging 

Many people have either used or been 

told the figure of speech “you can’t 

put the toothpaste back in the tube” 

to illustrate the difficulty of going back 

once something has been done. 

While it may seem like a stretch of the analogy, 

try to imagine living a life in which you felt open and 

comfortable with being who you are with your family, 

partner, friends and others, only to feel a need to put 

that life back into the proverbial “closet” as you age. 

That is the necessity many LGBTQ+ elders in 

the United States are being forced to confront. The 

generation of pioneers who created and carried the 

flag in a charge to gain rights, eradicate discrimination 

and change laws, now often choose to hide 

their sexuality out of fear for their safety or quality 

of life. 

According to a Gallup poll, the percentage 

of American adults born before 1964 who identify 

as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender has 

declined since 2012, when Gallup began tracking 

the data. Despite this trend, a record 4.5 

percent of American adults overall identified 

as LGBT in 2017, up from 3.5 percent in 

2012. The growth is being driven by millennials, 

whose self-reporting jumped from 5.2 

percent in 2012 to 8.1 percent in 2017. 

While the growth points to a brighter future, 

the six-year trend shines a spotlight on 

a troubling present. The median age of the 

nation is rising, increasing from 35.3 years in 

2000 to 37.9 in 2016, according to the U.S. 

Census Bureau. Connecticut, with a median 

age of 40.3, is the seventh oldest state in 

the nation and aging. The number of res- 

idents over 60 in the state is projected to hit more 

than one in four by 2030. The estimated number of 

older LGBTQ+ residents in Connecticut is 24,000 

and, like the rest of the population, that number is 

growing. 

While AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization 

for people 50-plus, we are also on the frontlines 

advocating on issues that impact residents of all ages. 

Our membership of nearly 38 million nationwide and 

over 600,000 here in Connecticut represent every 

walk of life and reflect diverse populations. 

We recognize the only way to be successful in our 

efforts to serve and advocate for the residents is to 

ensure that the views and interests of all segments of 

the population – across race and ethnicity, gender, 

physical ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity 

– are reflected and included. 

In a multifaceted approach, AARP Connecticut 

teams up with diverse organizations around the state, 

including LGBTQ+, to give everyone a voice and 

provide information that is relevant to them. As part 

of this, we provide information and resources on important 

topics; advocacy on state and federal issues; 

quality volunteer opportunities; and special access to 

local AARP events, programs and services. 

Statistics that make people pause, gasp and 

speak-up for change are easily found on the internet, 

but more than reading words, it’s seeing the people 

being impacted, hearing their stories and feeling 

their heartbreak that often leads to the foundation of 

a movement and sustained motivation. 

The award-winning documentary Gen Silent is 

one tool that can do that and AARP Connecticut is 

showcasing the 2010 film to as many people as possible 

at locations across the state. 


The critically-acclaimed Gen Silent, directed and 

produced by Stu Maddux, follows the lives of six 

LGBT seniors over a one-year period in the Boston 

area who must decide to either stay open about their 

sexuality or hide it from out of concern for their safety 

or quality of life because of the religious objection, 

bullying and abuse they face. 

The documentary premiered at the Boston LGBT 

Film Festival and has won multiple awards, including 

Audience Award for Best Documentary in the 2011 

Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. 

AARP Connecticut’s first Gen Silent event was in 

June of 2014 in front of approximately 100 people 

at the Avon Senior Center. Since then, AARP Connecticut 

has hosted nearly two dozen film screenings 

for more than 1,200 people at places such as community 

and senior centers, churches, libraries, health 

organizations, and on multiple secondary education 

campuses, including Quinnipiac University, University 

of Saint Joseph, University of Hartford, a variety of 

University of Connecticut campuses and more. 

“It is crucial to have multigenerational events in 

which people of every age can share their ideas and 

opinions if we are going to move this conversation 

forward and effect change,” said Nora Duncan, AARP 

Connecticut state director. “Participating in conversations 

that are representative of multiple perspectives 

will inspire and help us reach our common goal to 

build healthier and inclusive environments for all.” 

It took a generation to advance gay rights and 

achieve monumental legal victories, yet we are only 

in the early stages of an advocacy effort to help eliminate 

the factors causing LGBTQ+ elders to hide their 

identity out of fear and concern. 

It may be early, but we have noticed positive developments 

since 2014. There has been an increase 

in the number of people who identify as LGBTQ+ 

volunteering with AARP Connecticut. Our volunteers 

are the voices and faces in their communities who can 

deliver the messages best. They are vital to our work. 

“Volunteering with AARP Connecticut has offered 

us a way to give back to our community and raise 

awareness of the unique stressors of aging experienced 

by LGBTQ elders,” said Darlene Dunbar and 

Carol Bozena, AARP Connecticut volunteers. 

Darlene, who is also a member of AARP Connecticut’s 

Executive Council, added, “As lesbians who 

have been in a 36-year partnership, including nine 

years of being legally married, and as retired Social 

Workers, we were well aware that LGBTQ aging issues 

are often overlooked by both the community 

at large and within the LGBTQ community itself.” 

There is also now a movable senior center 

that travels around the state to raise awareness 

of the issues facing LGBTQ+ elders. The goal 

of the LGBT Moveable Senior Center – a pilot 

partnership among senior centers in the Greater 

Hartford area with goals to expand statewide – 

is to advocate for and provide resources to help 

create LGBT inclusive aging services. 

“As senior center directors, we knew we 

needed to have specific programming for the 

LGBT community,” said Jennifer Bennett, Avon 

Senior Center coordinator. “As a social worker, 

being culturally aware is in our ethics and making 

sure older adults of all communities feel welcome 

in our senior centers is important, necessary, 

our job and most importantly in our hearts. 

We want to open our senior center doors so 

older LGBT adults do not feel their best option 

to is to go back in the closet.” 

Charlie Ortiz, chair of Hartford Capital Pride 

and PrideFest coordinator, wrote in the October 

2017 issue of Out in CT, “Once again we have 

come together to celebrate our right to be ourselves 

and to thank our friends and supporters 

for making our latest achievement possible…. 

We are out and proud! We have the right like all 

to the pursuit of happiness.” 

PrideFest 2017 was the largest LGBTQ+ 

event in Connecticut. There were over 70 vendors, 

live music, shows, local business booths 

and community organizations that sponsored 

the event. 

While social acceptance of the LGBTQ+ 

community has come a long way since this 

documentary was filmed, older LGBTQ+ adults 

still face challenges when it comes to aging and 

caregiving. LGBTQ+ elders are less likely than 

heterosexual adults to frequent many of the 

places older people socialize, access entitlement 

programs and avoid medical care out of fear of 

harassment and discrimination. Consider the following 

data from Services & Advocacy for GLBT 

Elders (SAGE) that help illustrate why this film 

and this topic are important: 

• There are an estimated 3 million 

LGBT adults over 50 in the 

United States and a projected 7 

million by 2030. 

32 |

• LGBT elders are twice as more likely 

to age alone and four times less likely 

to have children than older heterosexual 

adults. 

• Research suggests older adults who 

are socially isolated experience cognitive 

decline and are at risk for more 

medical and mental health complications. 

Nearly 60 percent of LGBT 

older adults report feeling a lack of 

companionship; over 50 percent reported 

feeling isolated from others. 

• Older LGBT adults are more likely to 

become caregivers than those who 

are heterosexual. Twenty-one percent 

of LGBT elders have provided care to 

friends, while only 6 percent of older 

heterosexual adults have done so. 

• About 20 percent of LGBT people 

avoid medical care out of fear of 

discrimination. Nearly one-third of 

transgender people do not have a 

regular doctor and 50 percent have 

taught their medical providers about 

transgender care. 

The LGBT Aging Center published a survey to 

capture the opinions and experiences of LGBT elders 

in long-term care facilities. The results from the 

769 respondents – ranging from people who identified 

themselves as LGBT adults, family members or 

friends, and people in the industry – are very telling. 

Nearly 90 percent predicted staff would discriminate 

against an LGBT elder who was living openly. Unfortunately, 

the feeling isn’t just with staff as a majority 

felt other residents would discriminate (81 percent) or 

isolate (77 percent) an LGBT resident. 

Because discrimination is unacceptable and 

because we are committed to making Connecticut 

a great place to live and age for everyone, AARP 

Connecticut utilizes this moving film as a tool to 

generate an open dialogue in communities across the 

state. We hold discussions at the conclusion of the 

film at every event where attendees are encouraged 

to get involved with their own reaction to the film and 

questions. 

“The University of Saint Joseph Department of Social 

Work and Equitable Community Practice prepare 

social workers who are appreciative of diversity in its 

many forms,” said Raymie Wayne, Saint Joseph professor 

and department chair. “Gen Silent is a poignant 

film that demonstrates the concept of intersectionality, 

such as how our multiple identities can overlap, 

and the complexities of aging and navigating healthcare 

systems – all of which are important lessons 

for aspiring social workers. Practitioners with raised 

awareness of clients’ potential identities and vulnerabilities 

will be more prepared to create safe spaces 

for all and to provide advocacy when needed.” 

We want to be a part of your community and 

welcome any suggestions, feedback and invitations 

to participate in organized events we may not be 

aware of quite yet. If you are interested in bringing 

free AARP programs, such as a showing of Gen 

Silent, to your community please contact us at 

ctaarp@aarp.org. 

There are also many ways for people get involved 

in helping their community and supporting 

our advocacy efforts by becoming an AARP volunteer. 

Through education, advocacy and service, an 

AARP Connecticut team of nearly 800 volunteers 

have the opportunity to share the lessons of their 

life experiences; benefit from high-quality training 

and education; enjoy stimulating challenges and 

meet new people; and know that they are truly 

making a difference. 

Visit www.aarp.org/volunteer to learn more 

about the different programs and contact Elaine 

Werner at ewerner@aarp.org or 860-548-3169 to 

inquire about how you can share your experiences 

through volunteering. 

You can help in a variety of ways, such as: 

• Become a volunteer 

• Become an advocate 

• Sign up to become an AARP activist, 

and you’ll receive e-newsletters, 

email action alerts on the issues you 

care about, and the latest news from 

the General Assembly, Congress and 

the White House. 

Stay informed and join the conversation: 

• Get the latest local news and information 

from AARP at www.aarp.org/ct 

• Facebook: AARPCT 

• Twitter: @AARPCT 


34 |

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Slalom is a purpose-driven consulting firm that helps companies 

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focused on men who have sex with men (MSM) in the state of Connecticut. 

Our Mission: To educate, decrease stigma, encourage and bring awareness of HIV testing 

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42 | 

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If you are interested in being part of next year’s PrideFest 

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By supporting us you help keep PRIDE alive in Hartford.

OUTINCT2019

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