Articles from the Constitution State
Equality CT
Members of the LGBTQ community in Connecticut gathered on Jan. 23 at Hartford’s Legislative Office Building to announce the launch of Equality Connecticut, a state-wide, queer-led social justice organization dedicated to building LGBTQIA+ power and joy in every corner of the state.
For the past decade, Connecticut has been one of the few US states without a statewide political organization, note the group’s press release about the launch.
“We recognize that queer people in Connecticut face multiple and varying forms of oppression,” said the group’s new executive director Matt Blinstrubas. “We see the fights against systemic racism, gender discrimination, criminalization, violence, poverty, health disparity, reproductive justice as all inherently queer issues.” (See related story on page <?>.)
More: eqtc.org
Out Film CT
Out Film CT hosts a monthly “Queer Thursdays Cinema.” On the second Thursday of each month, they screen a film at Cinestudio, an independent theater in Hartford, Connecticut. On March 9, they’ll show “Close” at 7 p.m.
Their 36th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival takes place October 6–15. According to their FilmFreeway submission page, the Early Bird Deadline for submissions is April 15; early submissions are preferable due to the high number of films that they typically receive. (Final submission deadline is July 1.) Those submitting films for consideration must own the rights to those films, and the movies must include LGBTQ content in their storylines.
Out Film CT is a volunteer, nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to presenting outstanding LGBTQ cinema and other theatrical events throughout the year, culminating in the nine-day Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival.
More: outfilmct.org
Middletown Pride
The organizers of Middletown, Connecticut’s PrideFEST are among the first to announce the date for their LGBTQ+ Pride festivities for the coming year — June 3, 2023.
“In less than six months, we will come together to celebrate another fantastic Middletown Pride,” Steven Kovach, chairperson of the LGBTQIA+ Commission, told The Middletown Press. “Each year, Middletown Pride has grown to new heights, thanks to our partners, volunteers, and the hard work of staff from the city of Middletown and the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.”
“PrideFEST is a magical day for Middletown’s queer community, where we can come out together to demand that our local, state, and federal leaders continue the hard and necessary work of obtaining equal rights for all members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community,” city Assistant General Counsel Christopher Forte, founder of Middletown Pride, said in a prepared statement.
More: middletownpride.org
Lavender Resilience Collective
March 7 will mark the final of six meetings for UConn’s Lavender Resilience Collective. The event will be hosted by UConn’s Student Health and Wellness Office of Health Equity and The Rainbow Center.
The Lavender Resilience Collective is an educational support group for LGBTQIA+ students aimed to interrupt any internalized bias they may have based on the identities they hold. Together, students will learn new tools to help build resilience and feel empowered to be their authentic selves.
The Rainbow Center’s mission is “to operate in the service of a more equitable world for all students, faculty and staff at the University of Connecticut. Using an intersectional lens, we center our work on advocating for, and increasing education, access, retention, identity development and community-building for queer- and trans-spectrum communities.”
HRC equality leader
Connecticut — along with the other five New England states — earned tops scores on Human Rights Campaign’s most recent State Equality Index.
This index delivers a comprehensive state-by-state report on laws and policies that affect LGBTQ+ people and their families across the country. Scores are broken down into the following categories: Active Laws & Policies; Parenting Laws; Hate Crimes & Criminal Justice Laws; Non-Discrimination Laws; Religious Refusal & Relationship Recognition; Youth Laws; and Health & Safety Laws.
Find out how the Constitution State scored in each at hrc.org/resources/state-scorecards.
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