Articles from the Constitution State
A gender-neutral win
A new state House bill introduces the gender-neural term “Latine” to replace Latino, Latina or Latinx, the latter of which several Latino legislators in the Constitution State proposed banning because they consider it a “woke term,” according to a report in NBC News report. (Notes the report, the criticism against “Latinx” comes in the wake of newly elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders banning of the term on her first day in office.)
The same Connecticut state lawmakers who appear to agree with Sanders are now proposing an Act Concerning State Agency Communications Relevant to the Latin American Community (6909), which does not prohibit the use of “Latinx,” but provides the new option as an alternative.
State Rep. Geraldo Reyes, a Democrat and cosponsor of the bill, pointed out that Latinx is not a Spanish word, and in particular it is offensive to the Puerto Rican population in his state.
However the gender-neutral “Latine,” spelled “Latiné” in Latin American countries, appears to have proved a winning compromise for the concerned legislators and advocates of gender-neutral language.
“The fact that we’ve gotten those six legislators that are just from a different generation to see the light and to acknowledge that the term Latine does come from our community, it is acceptable, it is inclusionary, I think is a victory for the LGBT community,” Nelson Rafael Feliciano Roman, founder and CEO of the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center and coalition president of the Greater Waterbury PRIDE (a coalition of 15 LGBTQ+ community organizations), told NBC.
The bill is expected to pass in the Senate and would then go into effect in October.
Youth support groups
There’s no shortage of support groups for young members of the LGBTQ+ community in Connecticut this summer, thanks to Q Plus.
On July 1, Middletown’s LGBTQ+ Preteen Group will meet at First Church in Middletown. The event is for ages nine through twelve, and will include opportunities to make artwork, play games and enjoy pizza, all while getting to know other members of the community.
Southington’s LGBTQ+ Youth Group will meet on July 5 and 19, and the West Hartford group will convene on July 14 and 28, both for similar activities, food and opportunities to connect with others.
Q Plus, began as a “grass roots, community based, youth led” organization run by volunteers, states their website, with the goal of filling gaps in programming specifically for LGBTQ+ youth in Connecticut. They hosted open-mic events in 2019 and became a 501(c)3 organization in 2022. They now host weekly youth groups in addition to school support services, summer camps and the open mics.
More: qplusct.org
New Haven book club
According to their meetup.com page, the New Haven LGBT Book Club started last month by a few friends who aimed to create a club centered around LGBTQ+ books and authors.
They host their “New Haven Queer Book Club Monthly Meetings” at Never Ending Books in New Haven, and at each meeting they discuss a book of the month, with a facilitator who brings questions for discussion. Attendees are encouraged to bring food to share with the group.
This summer, the book club will meet on July 3 and August 7 at Never Ending Books, located at 810 State Street.
More: meetup.com (enter club name in search field)
Back to school party
On August 30, Enfield Pride will host a Back to School Party at Enfield Congregational Church.
The event, featuring food, a photo booth and a deejay, will follow Enfield Pride’s first-ever Pride Month celebration, which took place in June.
States their website, “Enfield Pride exists to promote community, fellowship and support around lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer issues in the greater Enfield, Connecticut area. This purpose is furthered through advocacy, outreach, education, communication and event sponsorship.”
More: enfieldpride.org
