September 2017 Rainbow Elders Newsletter

Boulder County Colorado sent this bulletin at 09/02/2017 03:49 PM MDT

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September 2017 | Rainbow Elders Newsletter

Boulder PrideFest 2017 - Rainbow Elders Mixer

Out Boulder County is launching Boulder PrideFest 2017 this week and it all begins on Tuesday Sept 5 with a screening of "Real Boy" at the Dairy Arts Center. The whole week is filled with events- from an LGBTQ Youth Talent Show to the Visibility March on Sunday, Boulder PrideFest gets bigger and better every year! Check out the full schedule here.

This year, Rainbow Elders is partnering with Out Boulder County to host a mixer at Golden West (1055 Adams Circle), in the fantastic penthouse Aspen Room. We'll have door prizes, food, and fellowship along with brief presentations from Jill Moore and Elisabeth Borden, outlining inclusive housing opportunities for older adults in Boulder County. The mixer is FREE to attend but please RSVP to our event volunteer, Mark Holdbrooks so that we can know how many folks to include in our planning. No doubt, this will be a fun and lively event and we hope to SEE YOU THERE!

Transgender Military Ban Challenged

"The government will have its hands full defending the notion that this is bad for cohesion" -Eugene Fidell (Yale Law School)

Two separate lawsuits filed by civil rights groups are attempting to block the current ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military.

Just last year, then President Obama delivered the order that ended military discharge based solely on being transgender. On Friday August 25, 2017, President Trump officially directed the military to cease enacting that order, effectively continuing discrimination against transgender service personnel by denying access to medically necessary treatment regimens associated with being transgender. It is not yet known if current troops will be allowed to remain in the military, having come out as transgender following President Obama's directive in 2016.

In response, the American Civil Liberties Union and LGBT groups (Lamba Legal and OutServe) have filed lawsuits on behalf of transgender people who are currently serving and transgender people who are seeking permission to join the military. On Thursday, August 31, three former military service secretaries added their names and voices to an additional lawsuit filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, saying that the Pentagon group investigating the matter in 2015 concluded that "transgender people whould be permitted to serve openly" and further that such a ban would result in "discharge of highly trained and experienced service members."

Plaintiff Regan Kibby (U.S. Naval Academy midshipman) summarized the issue by saying that the continued ban of transgender service members "ruins [their] lives for no reason other than who they are."

Watch "Gen Silent" online- FREE

In 2015, LOGO showcased the groundbreaking documentary "Gen Silent" highlighting portraits and unique struggles of LGBT elders who face discrimination in care and housing. Now, you can watch this powerful film online for free.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday Sept 6 5:30pm

Rainbow Elders LGBTQ and Allies Mixer, celebrating Boulder Pride Week @ Golden West Senior Living- Aspen Room Penthouse Level

Saturday Sept 9

12 noon - 3pm

Old Lesbians Organizing for Change @ Broomfield Senior Center

Recurring 2nd Sat of every month

Sunday Sept 10

10:45 am

Boulder PrideFest Visibility March starting at the bandshell in Boulder Central Park

Wednesday Sept 13 & 27

9-10:30am

Rainbow Elders Coffee Klatch @ Lafayette Senior Center

Recurring every 2nd & 4th Wednesday every month

Thursday Sept 14

5:30pm

Rainbow Elders Supper Club @ Roosevelt Park, Longmont (informal potluck)

Recurring 2nd Thursday of every month

September is Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors Awareness Month

According to the CDC's National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, transgender and bisexual people face the most alarming rates of sexual violence that typically begins early- often in childhood.

WINGS' mission is to break the cycle and heal the wounds of childhood sexual abuse by providing education, advocacy, and support to adult survivors, loved ones, providers, and communities.

In September 2016, Gov. John W. Hickenlooper of Colorado signed a proclamation declaring the month of September will be forever recognized as Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors Awareness Month. Statistics show that one in five adults have experienced sexual abuse in childhood, and in the LGBTQ community the numbers are even higher. Historically, only one in ten survivors ever report childhood sexual abuse to authorities. Shining a light on this highly sensitive subject, Gov. Hickenlooper’s Proclamation brings awareness, support and encouragement to both survivors and their supporters alike.

This month, the Wings Foundation of Colorado has organized two events in honor of CSASAM. One is An Evening with Marilyn Van Derbur Atler on Friday, Sept. 8th and a 5k Run/Walk Race for Healing on Saturday, Sept. 9th. Marilyn Van Derbur Atler is a lifelong Coloradan who was crowned Miss America 1958. Her deeply personal story of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her millionaire father and how she managed to bring healing into her life from this trauma has been featured in publications from the Denver Post to the cover of People magazine, and her own Writer’s Digest Award Winning Most Inspirational Book, “Miss America by Day” Lessons Learned from Ultimate Betrayals and Unconditional Love.

“The pain ends, I promise… if you do the ‘work’ of healing” she assures her audiences. She was 53 years old before she could speak the words in public, “I am an incest survivor”.

There are many ways to show support for adult survivors. The Wings Foundation website is a great resource for ways you can help bring compassion and healing to the many lives affected by childhood sexual abuse.

---Submitted by Mark Holdbrooks

Rainbow Elders Supper Club Grows Leaps and Bounds!

This fun and lively bunch keeps growing and growing... so much that we've outgrown the restaurants! What began with a handful of folks has exploded into a group that frequently tops 30 in numbers and we'd like our location to grow with us.

Beginning in September, the Rainbow Elders Supper Club will shift to becoming an informal potluck that begins with a fun activity and ends with the usual cacophony of laughter and meet-up planning. See you at Roosevelt Park in Longmont on the 14th!

In the event of inclement weather, we will meet in the Longmont Senior Center.

Photo Right: "360 degrees of sunset" during the total eclipse in the plains of Alta, Wyoming.

Photo credit: Nancy Kiang

Photo below: International Space Station traversing the eclipse.

Photo credit: NASA

Total Eclipse

On Wednesday morning, I bumped into my friend Linda at Vitamin Cottage. She said, aglow with excitement, “We’re going to see the eclipse! Here's the number if you want to come."

After I picked up a few things, I thought "What the heck, I'll call & get some information." By the end of the call, I heard myself saying, "Yes, I'll be there Friday & leave on Tuesday."

Such is the nature of this eclipse!

Then, when I told my friend John about it, he found that he & his son could join us too.

We straggled in over the weekend, sharing information about traffic, Wyoming, and the eclipse. We were camping with a few other small groups & families on a working cattle ranch that had opened the fields around their home to us. It was all quite wonderful to be there together!

Monday morning we prepared, but there was really no way to be ready for such a spectacular experience.

As it grew dark we were able to see Venus & other planets; the crickets started to chirp. An ominous energy filled the air. We watched for Bailey's Beads & the Diamond Ring.

Then wow! There it was! Totality! We whooped & hollered & yelped all kinds of sounds - oh gosh! oh my! oh wow! I twirled slowly around & around - the 360 degrees of sunset was breath-taking.

What a marvelous time we had.

-- Submitted by Sami M. (no pronouns)

Got News?

Do YOU have an idea for an news item, announcement, or other addition to the Rainbow Elders Newsletter? Ideas/ invitations for Rainbow Elders events? We'd love to hear from you!

Email your ideas/ content to Beit Gorski with the subject "Newsletter Submission" or "Rainbow Elders Idea" and xe will follow up ASAP.

Thanks for your active and engaging participation!

The LGBT Programs of the BCAAA receive support from:

the Dave Ensign Charitable Foundation and many individual donors like you.

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