Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association
Since its inception in 1989, OPALGA has become one of the largest community based, multipurpose lesbian and gay membership organizations in Illinois.
Blowout 2010 Party AKA Holiday Party
Join us on Sunday, January 17, 2010 from noon to 2pm for food and beyond that for an afternoon of board games and cards. The event, to be held at Papaspiros at 733 Lake Street in Oak Park, will feature a raffle to win 7 days in Nob Hill Street in San Francisco. The charge for the party is $25.00, cash or check and there will be a cash bar. Raffle tickets may be purchased for $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. Winner need not be present. So come for the afternoon, bring your favorite game (there will be some there) and purchase a couple raffle tickets. Remember, all proceeds from the raffle go directly to OPALGA.
New OPALGA Contact Information and Drop In Groups
As of October 1st OPALGA’has new contact information and drop in group location. Our main phone line will remain the same, 708.848.0273, and our new mailing address is PO Box 1460, Oak Park, IL 60304. The Gale House in Oak Park will host all of our drop in groups. The Gale House is located at 124 N. Kenilworth in Oak Park, directly south of Unity Temple in Oak Park. The drop in group schedule is as follows:
Spectrum is for LGBT young adults 18 and over and will meet every Monday night from 7:30-9:30.
Amigos Latinos Apoyando Siempre (ALAS) is for Latino gay/bi/trans men 18 and over and meets the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7:30-9:30. (No Group the 4th Tuesday).
Ankh is for les/bi/trans women 18 and over and meets the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 7:30-9:30. (No Group the 4th Tuesday).
Women Like Me is for women who are coming out in heterosexual marriage, separated, divorced or coming out later in life, and meets the 4th Sunday of each month from 2-4PM.
OPALGA’s HIV testing program will continue by appointment. If you would like to make an appointment please call Susan at 708.408.3463.
HIV Testing—A Personal View
The availability of HIV testing through OPALGA began in April of this year. Since that time, we have tested 48 people. Of those, three have tested HIV+. Although providing HIV tests is new to OPALGA, it is not to me. Prior to my work at OPALGA, I was an HIV counselor at Children’s Memorial Medical Center, where I worked with women and children. Although working at OPALGA and providing much-needed HIV prevention education is a crucial service in our community, I had forgotten how much I enjoy HIV counseling and testing.
Through this program, we are being given the opportunity to provide targeted risk reduction counseling and to work on a prevention plan that is individually tailored to each client we serve. When we give positive test results to a client, it is certainly a challenge, but we also know that we have given information that may save lives. Hector Salgado and I have been able to connect with people in the community to bring them a service to which they may otherwise not have access. HIV testing is free and anonymous, and results are received in 20 minutes.
According to a report from the Cook County Department of Public Health, from 2001–2005, 99 Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) were diagnosed HIV+ in West Suburban Cook County, which includes the Oak Park area. Of these men, 30 were Caucasian, 27 were Hispanic, 39 were African American, 1 was Asian, 1 was Native American, and 1 was unknown.
Knowledge is power in the fight against HIV.
OPALGA tests in the community, at bars, and at The OPALGA Center. If you have an event or group who would like testing, you can contact us to set up an appointment. If you would like an individual test, we can schedule an appointment at The Center. We are also available to talk about whether or not you need a test. For more information, please call us at 708-386-3463.
Around The OPALGA Center
HIV Testing
Don’t forget, you can get a free, anonymous rapid or conventional HIV test through OPALGA. If you are in need of a test or know of an event at which you would like testing to be available, please call The OPALGA Center at 708-848-0273. We are able to provide testing that fits your schedule.
Prism
Prism, our weekly drop-in group for LGBT youth, took a break during September so that we could reach out to youth in their schools. Prism will resume on Thursday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center.
Educational Outreach
Did you know that OPALGA’s trained professional staff is available to provide technical assistance at your school or workplace on issues affecting the LGBT community? If you or anyone you know is looking for a speaker for your next workshop or staff in-service day, please call The OPALGA Center at 708-848-0273.
Happy LGBT History Month and National Coming Out Day!
A Note from PFLAG
Thank you OPALGA!
Once again, you have helped to make our Farmers’ Market bake sales wildly successful. Not only did you help with the baking, but you also helped by buying delicious, homemade goodies. We also thank you for just stopping by and visiting with us. It’s good to make money but even better to know that our efforts are appreciated.
On a sadder note, one of our beloved members, Rosalie Lambis, passed away on September 12. You may remember her for her outrageous jewelry and hats and her love of talking to anyone and everyone. She will be missed by everyone who knew her.
2009 Potluck Hosts Needed
Have you always dreamed of hosting an OPALGA potluck, presiding over an evening’s get-together of scintillating women and men engaged in highbrow conversation and delicious gossip? (Okay, so maybe “highbrow” is an exaggeration and “scintillating” is a stretch, but the potlucks are really fun!) NOW’S YOUR CHANCE!!
The monthly potluck is OPALGA’s longest-running and most successful social activity. Held on the second Friday of each month, the potlucks are a great opportunity to share a meal with friends and to meet new people who are interested in the organization. Many of our members were first introduced to OPALGA through attending a potluck.
Planning is well under way for 2009, and we are still looking for volunteers to host potlucks. If your abode can accommodate upwards of 30 people and you would like to join the legendary ranks of potluck hosts, please contact Jim Kelly and Bruce Broerman at jamesbkelly@comcast.net or at 708-524-2542.
Book Club to Discuss Sense and Sensibility in October
We encourage anyone who loves to read to join us for the upcoming meetings of the OPALGA book club. The discussions are informal and enjoyable, and we always have a lot of laughs. So, if you want to find out what you’ve been missing, check out the OPALGA book club!
Following are our upcoming selections:
October 19 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Jane Austen’s debut novel follows the adventures of the Dashwood sisters as they find love in a class-conscious Regency England.
November 16 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
A young Indian on a reservation wants to become a comic author.
The book club meets every third Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The OPALGA Center, unless otherwise specified. All books are available through http://www.amazon.com. In addition, copies can be requested from the Oak Park Public Library (834 Lake St., Oak Park) or ordered from The Book Table (1045 Lake St., Oak Park). Remember, OPALGA receives a charitable donation from The Book Table for each book purchased there (regardless of whether it is a book club selection). Please let them know that you are purchasing your book as a member of OPALGA.
Recipe Corner
Several years ago, OPALGA talked about putting together a cookbook containing our members’ favorite recipes. Now, in anticipation of our organization’s 20th anniversary, we have decided that the time is right for this tasty project!
Talk to your family, your friends, and your neighbors to find those recipes that you really enjoy and want to share with other OPALGA members. Please feel free to submit any of your favorite recipes, and be sure to give a credit for the originator of the recipe, if applicable.
All recipes should be submitted to jeziebarth@comcast.net. Please include the word “RECIPE” in your subject line, and be sure to attach your recipe to the e-mail as a Microsoft Word document. Thank you!
In the meantime, we plan to publish a few of the recipes that we have already received in upcoming issues of Empower. Bon appétit!
Caribbean Spiced Salmon Steaks
Submitted by Gayle Weiss
4 1-inch thick salmon steaks
½ c. brown sugar
½ tbsp. allspice
½ tbsp. dried mustard
½ tbsp. ginger
Combine dry spices with brown sugar; mix well.
Clean and dry salmon steaks and coat well with spice mix. Rub mixture into the salmon flesh and refrigerate for at least four hours (overnight is okay, too).
Broil for approximately five minutes per side. Delicious and easy!
Looking Across the Lines of Gender
“Mask,” “cocoon,” “closet” . . . all are metaphors to describe how we choose to hide ourselves before coming out and being free to be ourselves. On this National Coming Out Day, October 11, one Oak Park area resident will be able to celebrate being free for the first time after over 35 years of hiding in a physiological cocoon.
At the age of 11, with pains in his chest, Shawn Baggett went to the doctor. The diagnosis, not unusual for a pre-teen, was puberty. What was unusual was that chest pains (also known as breast tenderness) are a common symptom for puberty in girls. The doctor confirmed his diagnosis in an x-ray that revealed an ovary and a partial uterus (hidden within Shawn’s clearly male exterior) and in blood tests that showed lower than normal levels of testosterone in Shawn’s blood.
The information made a lot of sense and explained why Shawn was so different from his brothers: less competitive, less aggressive. Shawn had even earned the nickname “Sis” from his father because he was reluctant to fight. Even so, in fearing for his safety, Shawn and his mother decided that they needed to hide his feminine side from the world. Shawn would continue to hide for 35 years, until April, 2008, when Shawn came out to his family and to the world as Shauna.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Shauna at George’s for breakfast. During our meal together, she talked openly about her life, the process of coming to accept herself, coming out, and the journey ahead of her. She has led a complex life where even the question “What is your name?” does not have a simple answer.
Q: Name?
A: My legal name for now is Shawn Eugene. Shauna Elizabeth will be my name in April.
Q: Age?
A: 47.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: Brookfield.
Q: How long have you been in Brookfield and the Chicago area?
A: 35 years I believe.
Q: What were some early indications of your being transgender?
A: As others can, I cannot say that I was born in a male body and have a female mind. I do have an 89% female and 11% male body, and the same goes for my soul. How can someone with one ovary, one testis, and a partial uterus be classified in female and male gender roles? I have no answer for that. I am an intersex person, and that is all I know.
Q: After the medical appointment that resulted in the discovery of your ovary and uterus, how did you decide to continue identifying and dressing as a male?
A: I was 11 years old, and being a boy was all that I knew. Also, my mother believed that I would be safer if I never told anyone about my intersex. She was right. I was more effeminate than I was manly, but I tried to hide that the best I possibly could so as not to be beaten or worse.
Q: When did you come out?
A: April 8, 2008.
Q: At what age?
A: 46.
Q: What support systems do you have/have you had?
A: I have a wonderful family, which includes my sister and three brothers. My friends, who are in the hundreds, have sent me e-mails and expressed their utmost happiness at being friends with someone like myself. Even though my outside appearance will change, it is the person on the inside with whom they will always be friends.
Q: Are there organizations in the area specifically for transgender individuals?
A: There are so many: Tri-Ess, CGS, Island Girls, Transend, Transitions from the Inside Out. These are for transgender people. And then I also belong to OII (http://www.intersexualite.org), Bodies Like Ours (http://www.bodieslikeours.org), and AIS (http://www.aissg.org). I belong to about nine or so different organizations ranging from intersex to transgender to LGBT groups.
Q: 35 years is a long time to be in the closet. Did you want to come out and embrace your female side previously?
A: I have wanted to change a couple times in my life, but each time I talked myself out of it. It is so confusing at times because there were times in my life when everything was working out. I’ve learned that to be intersex isn’t a sexual mishap. My gender is balanced between the female and male sides. I just think I will be much happier with my female gender.
Q: Do you have a significant other?
A: No, I have been divorced now for eight years.
Q: What are some problems and issues specific to the transgender/intersex community?
A: There is not enough help or enough ways of finding help.
Q: How can OPALGA help or what can we do to raise awareness of intersex and transgender issues?
A: I am so new to this. Can we work together on this? I think mostly it is making children and teens aware that there are people like us to help them. I was hidden for 35 years because no one was there for me. I don’t wish to see anyone live that kind of life.
One evening in April, 2008, Shawn dressed up as Shauna and went out for the first time. Her blog describes the anxiety and excitement of coming out as herself, of being Shauna for the first time in public after over 35 years of hiding as a man.
Shauna writes, “I felt more comfortable tonight than I have in 46 years. As it washes over me, I now know where I belong. Being Ms. Shauna B has given me more happiness than anything I have ever felt or had before.”
We all want to be comfortable and to be accepted as ourselves. National Coming Out Day is a chance for us to celebrate who we really are. While many intersex individuals remain conflicted and in hiding, this year, October 11 will hold a special significance for one Brookfield resident. Congratulations, Ms. Shauna B, and we wish you well!
November Presidential Election
This November will present us with one of the most important presidential elections in our history.
The next president will be presented with a host of issues: two wars, economic turmoil, global warming, and international relations. Add to this three very important words: THE SUPREME COURT. The next president will probably have the opportunity to nominate at least two Supreme Court justices. These justices will eventually decide very important matters, two of which will likely be same-sex-marriage rights and women’s right to choose.
In an effort to inform the LGBT community, with the assistance of the Human Rights Campaign, we have compiled issues that we believe are important and that stand out for the two candidates for President of the United States: Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
Transgender-Inclusive ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act)• Obama: Supports ending employment discrimination against the entire LGBT community.
• McCain: Cast a deciding vote against ENDA.
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment• Obama: Supports Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act and cosponsored the Medicaid Early Treatment for HIV Act.
Supports comprehensive sex education aimed at preventing disease.
• McCain: Voted for a Jesse Helms strategy to remove the LGBT community from HIV/AIDS programs.
Supports abstinence-only education.
Lifting the Military Ban
• Obama: Opposes the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
• McCain: Believes that LGBT people should not be allowed to serve openly and supports “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Relationship Recognition• Obama: Supports repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Supports civil unions and domestic partnerships.
Opposes civil marriage for same-sex couples.
• McCain: Voted for and supports the Defense of Marriage Act.
Voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment but campaigned for a state amendment that would have banned civil unions and domestic partnerships.
Does not support family benefits for partners of federal employees.
Opposes civil marriage for same-sex couples.
Same-Sex Adoption
• Obama: Supports adoption by LGBT people.
• McCain: Opposes adoption by same-sex couples.
Hate Crimes
• Obama: Supports inclusive legislation to protect entire LGBT community against bias-motivated crimes.
• McCain: Voted against hate crimes legislation three times.