By River Olsen When SpeakOUT’s Executive Director, Ellyn, asked me if I was ready to tell my story for the Walnut Hill School for the Arts engagement, my heart both skipped a beat and started racing off into the hills. I was thrilled and excited to finally have a chance to step up and speak […]
By Bill Barnert Gordon College has gotten a lot of negative press in recent years on LGBTQ issues. The college’s behavioral standards specifically includes a ban on “homosexual practice,” and Gordon’s President D. Michael Lindsay co-signed a letter to President Obama asking for a religious exemption from Obama’s executive order banning federal contractors from […]
SpeakOUT is proud to introduce the Board of Directors for 2016. We welcome four new board members who have joined us over the last six months and will be helping to guide our work in the coming year. If you are interested in learning more about SpeakOUT and how you can become involved with the organization, […]
“Back-to-school” season is a great time for SpeakOUT. We get excited to be returning to classrooms and assemblies across the state as we speak about LGBTQ lives. And we value our connections with students and faculty who are working to improve the supportive climate in their school systems for all students. Jennifer Wolfrum, Assistant Coordinator […]
“You seem to be experiencing a lot of pain. I am worried about you. Are you thinking of killing yourself?” Can you picture yourself saying those exact words to a friend, an acquaintance, a co-worker, or maybe a student? Does the thought make you squirm, just a little? Be honest. Asking someone if they are […]
The only marriage license I’ve ever signed is the one between my dad and step-dad. Signing it was a given, almost to the point that it felt meaningless. What is a squiggle of ink on a leaf of flattened pulp? For that matter, what is the word “marriage” compared to the fact that they have […]
June is not just any month to the LGBTQ community. It is our high holiday season. We honor the history and heroism of those who came before us, we recognize the current struggles that we are still facing, and we celebrate the beauty and fierceness of our diverse community. Being an activist, I love the […]
I believe there is strength in numbers, power in words, and freedom in art and I strive to raise awareness with this book. -Rachelle Lee Smith On Thursday, June 4th, 2015, SpeakOUT Boston and BAGLY will be co-hosting a book event with author Rachelle Lee Smith for the release of her book Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in […]
The International Transgender Day of Visibility, commemorated on March 31, was started in 2009 to celebrate transgender people’s lives and to raise awareness about the discrimination that transgender people experience. SpeakOUT invited several of our trans speakers to describe the importance of visibility and why they choose to speak about their lives out in the […]
SpeakOUT is proud to introduce the newly elected Board of Directors for 2015. This talented group of new as well as tenured members offers a wonderful array of experience, interests, and commitment to help chart the next leg of SpeakOUT’s journey. If you are interested in learning more about SpeakOUT and how you can become […]