Tag Archives: Boston

Gay History - August 18, 1978: Boston Police Beat, Arrest 2 Gay Teens, State "This is for Anita Bryant"

Gay History – August 18, 1978: 2 Boston Police Officers Gay Bash Three Teens “This is for Anita Bryant!”

On August 18, 1978 three gay teens, two of them in drag, were walking to a Beacon Hill apartment when they heard screams coming from the Arlington Street T station. Two men came out of the station and ran to their cars. When Larry Brown called out their license plate numbers to his friends, the two men chased them down, beat and kicked them, and shouting, “This is for Anita Bryant.”

When the police finally arrived, the three youths learned that the men who had beaten them were actually Boston police officers: John Gillespie and Thomas Clifford. Patrol officers then arrested the victims, with Gillespie and Clifford going free. On the way back to the station, the arresting officers threatened to dump the youths “in the Charles River or the Blue Hills” saying: “queers have no right to live.”

Then Massachusetts State Rep. Barney Frank demanded an investigation, the BPD’s Internal Affairs Division obliged. They found Clifford and Gillespie guilty of physical and verbal abuse against the young men, failing to submit incident reports, and submitting false statements to their commanders and to IAD. Lt. Ralph Maglio was also found guilty of neglecting his responsibilities as a duty supervisor and of making false statements to IAD.

BPD Commissioner Joseph M. Jordan suspended Clifford and Gillespie for three months without pay. Maglio received a one week suspension without pay.

Jordon’s action made it the first time Boston police officers had ever been disciplined for abusing gay people

Source: Box Turtle Bulletin

Gay History – May 23, 1920: Harvard University’s “Secret Court” Expels 10 Gay Students

On May 13, 1920 Cyril Wilcox, a Harvard undergraduate, committed suicide after telling his older brother, George, that he had been having an affair with another man. Shortly after Cyril’s death, George intercepted two letters from a Harvard student and a recent graduate.  George, a clerk at the granite mills in Fall River, decided to act. He tracked down his brother’s former lover, Harry Dreyfus, who lived in Boston. Dreyfus, after he was beaten by George Wilcox, denied responsibility for Cyril’s suicide but gave three names of other men involved: Roberts, Harvard Dental School student Eugene R. Cummings and Pat Courtney, a non-Harvard man living in Boston.

George took these letters to Harvard’s Acting Dean, Chester N Greenough, and shared with him what he knew. After consulting with Harvard President Abbot Lowell, Greenough formed a special five-man tribunal on this date in history which became known as the “Secret Court.”

The court launched a wide-ranging witch hunt, with Greenough summoning each witness one-by-one with a brief note. Thirty-seven men testified before the Court, including a tutor, an assistant professor, Harvard students, and several Boston men. 

The Court’s inquiry was exhaustive, posing questions about masturbation practices, sex with women or men, cross-dressing, overnight guests, parties, and reading habits. The scope of the inquiry soon expanded to area businesses, cafés and bars. Eight students were expelled, ordered to leave Cambridge and reported to their families. They were also told that Harvard would disclose the reasons for their expulsion if employers or other schools sought references. Four others unconnected to Harvard were also deemed “guilty.” The school couldn’t punish them directly, but they did pressure one café to fire a waiter.

In 2002, a researcher from Harvard’s daily newspaper, The Crimson, came across a box of files labeled “Secret Court” in the University’s archives. After pressure from the newspaper staff the University finally released five hundred documents related to the Court’s work, and The Crimson published its findings in November of that year. Harvard’s president Lawrence H. Summers responded to the revelations, expressing deep regret for the anguish the students and families experienced.

 Based on actual court documents, “Perkins 28” the video documentary below dramatizes the testimony from the Secret Court Files of 1920,  Filmed in Cambridge, MA, and starring Harvard undergraduates. 

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Montreal Pride Cancels Today’s Parade at the Last Minute

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: Boston PRIDE Dissolves After Nasty Fight With Trans, QPOC Activists

Boston Pride released a statement late on Friday, July 9, 2021, announcing that effective immediately that Boston Pride is dissolving.

Like other PRIDE celebrations across the country the group grappled for months with complaints of structural racism, and transphobia so much so it had hired consultants and formed an advisory committee to help facilitate that process.

The full statement from the Boston Pride board of directors:

For years, we have volunteered our time with Boston Pride because we care about and are passionate about the LGBTQIA+ community. We strived to foster an environment of diversity and unity within our organization and the community. Over the past 50 years, Boston Pride has facilitated programs and events that have changed our society and promoted equality, but we know there is still work to be done.

Over the past year, we have invested time and energy to address the concerns of the community, both with our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access work with Dorrington & Saunders and by forming the Transformation Advisory Committee comprised of members of the LGBTQIA+ community to help bring change to our organization. We are grateful for all who have been involved in this process.

It is clear to us that our community needs and wants change without the involvement of Boston Pride. We have heard the concerns of the QTBIPOC community and others. We care too much to stand in the way. Therefore, Boston Pride is dissolving. There will be no further events or programming planned, and the board is taking steps to close down the organization.
We know many people care about Pride in Boston, and we encourage them to continue the work. By making the decision to close down, we hope new leaders will emerge from the community to lead the Pride movement in Boston.

This decision was made with a heavy heart, out of love and hope for a better future.”

Recent changes to other June celebrated PRIDES across the country due to a small percentage of the communities loud complaints have further split and created a pushback especially between older lesbian and gay activists.

PRIDE is dead. LONG LIVE October Gay History month!

Pioneering Gay Television News Anchor Randy Price Retires and Signs Off After 38 Years

Pioneering Gay Television News Anchor Randy Price Retires and Signs Off After 40+ Years

Randy Price, considered the nation’s first openly gay news anchor, signed off for the final time Wednesday after 42 years in the business.

For 38 years, New Englanders have trusted me and my colleagues to bring them the important news and information of the day. I thank you for that trust and inviting me into your home. But, beyond that, I want to thank so many people for letting me be a part of your life, in causes that are important to you. 

To the pioneers of the LGBT movement: thank you for wanting me to be part of something that would forever change the opportunities for millions of people across this country .”

 Price came out inadvertently in the early 1990s during an interview with a newspaper reporter. 

There probably were other people who were gay [in TV news at the time]. The difference is I was the first person where it was highly publicized. I remember getting letters like: ‘I don’t agree with you, but I’ve seen you for a long time, and I like you. 

Randy Price has worked as an anchor at all of the major network affiliates and the country and in Boston since moving to the city in 1983. He’s received the Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast in a large television market — and been named “Boston’s Best News Anchor” by Boston Magazine.

Below watch Randy’s finals good-bye to his Boston co-anchors and friends and very rare and hysterical clip of Paul Lynde visiting WSPD, Ch. 13, In Toledo, OH in 1978 where he did a guest weather forecast with a very young Randy Price early in his career.

3 Men Attacked Outside Popular Boston Gay Bar - VIDEO

3 Men Attacked Outside Popular Boston Gay Bar – VIDEO

Boston police are investigating an attack that happened to three gay men after a group of people physically and verbally assaulted them right after they left the popular gay bar Jacque’s Cabaret around 12:15 a.m Saturday morning.

According to a statement from the men, “the group was shouting homophobic slurs while they punched and kicked one of the victims on the ground before putting him into a chokehold.”

The suspects ran off before police officers arrived. The Boston Police Department has confirmed they responded to the attack and are investigating.

“What we were always scared of happening to us as finally happened,” said one of the victims.

None of the victims wanted to be identified but they said they plan on filing hate crime charges.

Boston Straight Pride Parade A Bust, Marchers Outnumbered by Counter-Protesters and Riot Police

Boston Straight Pride Parade A Bust, Marchers Outnumbered by Counter-Protesters and Riot Police

Only about 100 – 150 people showed up today to march in the much hyped Boston “Straight Pride Parade”. Despite the months of publicity they were out-numbered by far larger crowds of counter-protesters and a heavy police presence.

Organizers from the group Super Happy Fun America (SHFA) staged the march from Copley Square to City Hall Plaza to draw attention to the straight or heterosexual community. 

However, the parade the parade and some of its featured speakers consisted mostly of Donald Trump supporters many of which have ties to far-right organizations like Resist Marxism and the Proud Boys, two groups that have been associated with violence at similar events.

Boston Pride tweeted a statement about the parade, writing in part, “It has become increasingly clear that the Straight Pride Parade is organized by a group of white supremacists and is an attempt to bait the Boston LGBT community, as well as racial and ethnic minority communities in Boston. It’s a trolling event, designed to get a rise out of vulnerable communities.”

At 7 p.m. Saturday, Boston police had arrested 34 people. Four officers were injured, and none of those injuries were considered serious.

Straight Pride Parade

Straight Pride Parade

Protesters arrested

Trumpkins
PayPal Cancels Boston's Straight Pride Fundraising Account, Labeled "Hetrophobic"

PayPal Cancels Boston’s Straight Pride Fundraising Account, Labeled “Hetrophobic”

Clutch those pearls!:

Super Happy Fun America received an email from PayPal on July 29, 2019 notifying us that our account had been permanently limited. This means that we can no longer use PayPal to collect donations. In the same manner as other corporations, they accused us of violating their “Acceptable Use Policy” without citing any violation. In fact, they didn’t even bother to fill in the space on their template. This is an act of cowardice likely designed to avoid a lawsuit by not having a reason on record. We will prove them wrong!

PayPal is just the latest corporation to cancel or suspend Super Happy Fun America’s accounts. BlueHost suspended our website. Patreon and Constant Contact both cancelled our accounts. Super Happy Fun America is a civil rights organization advocating on behalf of the straight community.

Massachusetts General Law c.272, s.98 prohibits discrimination based upon sexual orientation. Other states have similar laws. Super Happy Fun America will hold global corporations to account for their hate against our community. After Netflix attacked Super Happy America and straights two weeks ago their stock plummeted. If corporations think that they can get away with heterophobia then they better think again.

You can watch a clip of slob Straight (Far-right extremists, including the Proud Boys) Pride‘s John Hugo whining like a little man-baby about the “backlash” he has received on a segment of Watters World that of course was done on FOX News earlier this month.

At Least 2 Boston Gay Bars Have Received Threatening Phone Calls

At Least 2 Boston Gay Bars Have Received Threatening Phone Calls

At least two Boston gay bars have received threatening phone calls this weekend at about the same time on consecutive nights, prompting police investigations into both.

“We don’t take any threats lightly,” said Police Commissioner William G. Gross  “Everybody should be able to enjoy any establishment that they wish to go into in the City of Boston. Whether it’s the Alley or the dbar, you should be able to enjoy yourself peacefully.”

A spokesman for the department confirmed that a threatening call was answered by an employee at Dbar, a full-service restaurant and nightclub on Dorchester Avenue, Friday night.

Another call targeted The Alley Bar, a nightclub located downtown, Saturday night. The calls came into the bars about 7:30 on both nights.

The Boston Globe reported on the threat to The Alley: “Rocco LaMonica, the bar’s manager on duty, said a doorman answered the bar’s phone and heard the threats. LaMonica would not comment on what happened during the call but said it ‘was threatening enough that we needed to call the police.’ ‘We’re not going to stand back for anybody,’ LaMonica said.

The police department wouldn’t say whether the incidents were linked and didn’t release any further information about the nature of the threats.

Gross, however, assured both businesses that “all of the areas will be covered” in the investigation.

‘You can’t take a chance now. If we receive calls for threats, we’re going to investigate it, we’re going to investigate it to the fullest potential and hope we get the individual making those threats,” Gross said. 

Boston’s Cardinal Bernard Law, the Face of Church Child Sex Abuse Scandal, Dead at 86

 

Cardinal Bernard Law, the former Boston archbishop who resigned in disgrace during the church’s child sex abuse scandal, has died in Rome, where he served as arch-priest of the Papal Liberian Basilica of St. Mary Major after he was forced to resign as archbishop of Boston in 2002

Revealed by the Boston Globe’s investigative reporting team  it was uncovered that Law and other bishops before him had covered for pedophile priests in the Boston Archdiocese.

n a news conference, Law apologized to victims of abuse by a priest, John Geoghan, who had been moved from parish to parish, despite Law’s knowledge of his abuse of young boys. Law continually insisted Geoghan’s abuse was in the past even after over 30 former victims came forward.

Geoghan was eventually convicted of indecent assault and battery on a 10-year-old boy

Law never faced criminal sanctions for his role in allowing abusive priests to remain in church parishes. The scandal reverberated through the church, exposing similar allegations worldwide that compromised its moral authority and led to years of multi-million-dollar settlements. After his resignation his second career at the Vatican was a slap in the face to victims of church sex abuse, one that further undermined the church’s legitimacy.

The Vatican issued a press release early Wednesday confirming the death of Cardinal Bernard Law, with one line reading “Cardinal Bernard Law died early this morning after a long illness.”

Good.

Hate Group Leader Scott “Crimes Against Humanity” Lively Marches In Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Scott Lively in Uganda

After much controversy again this year which resulted with beer sponsorship’s being pulled and political personalities boycotting, South Boston’s St. Patricks Day parade once again did not allow openly LGBT groups or people to march openly in their annual parade.  One person they did allow to march however was hate group leader Scott Lively who is currently facing  charges for “crimes against humanity” for pushing anti-gay sentiment and helping to enact anti-gay laws in Uganda.

Lively told the press that he marched in solidarity with the parade organizers who banned LGBT groups from participating.

Lively, a Shelburne Falls native who owns the Holy Grounds coffee shop in Springfield, is running as a independent candidate for governor. He said he marched with his new running mate Shelly Saunders, of Springfield, and a small contingent of supporters. Many other politicians, including Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Congressman Stephen Lynch, skipped the parade after they could not come to an agreement with organizers to allow gays and lesbians to march in the parade. The maker of Sam Adams beer also withdrew his support. “The LGBT bullies, including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, are giving the St. Paddy’s Day Parade organizers a hard time for keeping the parade a family-friendly event, but they are standing strong for family values and not bowing to intimidation,” Lively said in a press release. “The media is predictably crying ’discrimination,’ but thank God the United States Supreme Court has ruled that the parade organizers have the constitutional right to exclude anyone they please,” he said in writing.

Scott Lively, heir apparent to the Phelps legacy.

As for the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day parade.  What a fucking disgrace.