This Just in from the Ocean State
Parentage Act becomes law
On July 21, Governor Gina Raimondo signed the Rhode Island Uniform Parentage Act into law at a ceremony on the south lawn of the statehouse. The law will take effect January 1, 2021.
The legislation updates the state’s 40-year-old parenting laws, to ensure that all Rhode Island children have equal access to the security of legal parentage. Among other benefits, it allows LGBTQ couples access to establishing parentage through a simple civil Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage, reducing the need for a difficult, expensive and lengthy co-parent adoption process. It also creates, for the first time in Rhode Island, an accessible path to parentage for children born through assisted reproduction, as well as protections for children born through surrogacy.
Championed by Rhode Islanders for Parentage Equality (RIPE) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), this legislation had come before the General Assembly for three years. Each year parents testified before the Judiciary committees of both the House and Senate, telling their painful personal stories about the fears and consequences of not having a clear legal relationship to their children. This year it finally passed both the Senate and the House, allowing Governor Raimondo to sign a bill she has long supported.
Gender-neutral driver’s licenses
Rhode Island residents can now select a gender-neutral designation on their driver’s licenses, the new option appearing on driver’s licenses as an X.
The move aligns Rhode Island with neighbors Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine..
Residents who want to change their gender designation on their driver’s license can fill out the appropriate forms and return them in person to a Division of Motor Vehicles site.
Changes at RI Pride
Rhode Island Pride’s Acting President Tatiana Renders announced on July 21 that the organization’s board of directors has been undergoing changes amid allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of a member of the executive board.
“We are working on ourselves as an organization,” Renders said in a statement. “It’s important that we work on healing relationships with the community.”
The organization held a public meeting in late July on Zoom, giving many community members a chance to air concerns and grievances.
At an August 12 board meeting, they announced the formation of a nominating committee to begin the work of board development. Already in place are new policies regarding ethics and sexual harassment.
Plans also include audits of the organization, one to be done internally within the next six months, and possibly a larger external audit, not scheduled as of yet. It is not clear how far back in the organization’s history the larger audit will go.
Drag horror film fest winner
It’s the story of a dejected bartender and an aging drag queen who try to survive the eccentric and hostile nightlife of a corrupt city as a masked maniac slaughters young gay man and drains them of blood.
And it all takes place in modern-day Providence.
The cast of “Death Drop Gorgeous” includes local queer talent, and there’s lots of nudity, several Providence clubs and revolting death scenes. It is the brainchild of Michael J. Ahern, Christopher Dalpe and Brandon Perras-Sanchez, all of Providence. Funded in part by a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, it premiered at this summer’s Wicked Queer Film Festival in Boston, winning the coveted Audience Award.
More: deathdropgorgeous.com
Gay polo league
The world’s only LGBTQ polo association has moved its annual tournament from Palm Beach, Florida to Newport. The Gay Polo League’s event will be taking place September 12 and 13 at the International Polo Club.
Founded in 2006, the group has attracted national attention, welcomes LGBTQ players of all gender identities and prides itself on being an open and welcoming space.
The event will also be taking all the measures required by the CDC and the city of Newport for COVID-19 cautions. Crowd size will be limited, and extra sanitation measures will be implemented throughout the venue.
More: gaypolo.com
Not a subscriber? Sign up today for a free subscription to Boston Spirit magazine, New England’s premier LGBT magazine. We will send you a copy of Boston Spirit 6 times per year and we never sell/rent our subscriber information. Click HERE to sign up!
