News from the Pine Tree State
Pathway for trans health
A new law signed on July 11 by Maine Governor Janet Mills will allow transgender minors who have reached a minimum age of 16, have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and are being harmed or will be from being denied medically necessary health care, to have a medical pathway to receive such care.
The law, LD 535, authorizes 16- and 17-year-olds in those circumstances and who meet detailed requirements of counseling and informed consent to receive evidence-based, medically recommended non-surgical care if they are deemed competent to give such consent and their parents refuse to provide the required care.
While many transgender minors receive care with the support and involvement of their parents, LD 535 ensures minors capable of informed consent and who have had detailed counseling with a physician and some other health care providers are not denied necessary and timely care. (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders)
Outdoor gear library
A queer-focused “outdoor gear library” in Portland, Maine is helping the LGBTQ+ community get out into nature with all the health, fitness and fun that entails, according to a Maine Public report, and the initiative is a terrific model for other communities. Not only can members access the gear, they can also take special training courses and trips set up just for LGBTQ+ members.
The group is called Kindling Collective, and it started when a couple of outdoor enthusiasts came up with the idea on a hike through the White Mountains. According to a report by Maine Public, cofounders Hallie Herz and Eva Fury “wanted to make camping, backpacking, and skiing more accessible to the queer community by collecting high-end gear and lending it out.”
“Gear is really important. It’s what keeps you safe and gives you an enjoyable experience,” member Mia Delbene told Maine Public. “A lot of people don’t have the gear so they can’t have an enjoyable experience.”
Herz and Fury aim to ensure that membership in Kindling Collective is affordable. In fact, it’s as affordable as free. “Our model is an economic justice model. We see Kindling Collective as a shared resource that belongs to members. It’s a tiered pricing model for membership,” Herz said. “So based on resources and money, the more you have the more you pay. The less you have the less you pay.”
Visibility and acceptance at Bangor High
Contrary to right-wing misinformation claiming Bangor High School paid a drag queen to perform for students, a drag queen did in fact participate in one of three speaker sessions, including a panel for students and teachers, “to provide students and parents with accurate information, broaden their perspectives and encourage critical thinking,” according to a Bangor Daily News report.
The speaker series was intended to promote acceptance and visibility of LGBTQ+ students.
“Across the country, I see marginalized students having a hard go and I believe it’s my job to be encouraging of all 3,500 of our students,” Bangor Superintendent James Tager told BDN. “Every student comes to school for some reason and we have to be a place where students can shine and there’s a place for everybody.”
Notes BDN, the series was paid for with a $15,000 grant without any taxpayer money. The programs were part of the Bangor School Department’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging efforts, launched in 2020 in response to reports of racism at the school.
OUTMaine transitions
OUT Maine, the statewide youth organization, added two new members to its board of directors: Rev. Patty Fox of Camden and Christina Theriault of Fort Kent.
Fox is associate minister at the First Congregational Church of Camden and is ordained in the United Church of Christ. As a chaplain for the Presbyterian Church, she worked with survivors of domestic violence and people living with HIV/AIDS. She and her wife, Lisanne, have two adult children whom they adopted at birth and live in Midcoast Maine with their four-legged family members: Daisy, Percy, and River.
Theriault, a nurse practitioner for 17 years, serves at Maine Family Planning in Fort Kent and Presque Isle. She’s also on the faculty at UMO, and adjunct faculty at UMFK. She lives in Fort Kent with her husband, two young sons and Cooper the cat.
As the new members begin their first terms this month, three longtime members: John Adams, Ralph Moore, and Amy Paine will complete their last terms. John, Ralph, and Amy are champions of OUT Maine’s work and spent the past several years representing OUT Maine at Pride Month, church, and community events.
More: OutMaine.org
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