COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS
EDUCATION
AND ACTIVISM
Below
is a sampling of local and national organizations engaged in community
education, social change, and political action. Every year, the
Human Rights Campaign, Bromfield
Street, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
each sponsor a major conference; please see the respective organizations
for more information. See also the "Support and
Social" section of this guide, as some of those groups are also involved
in education and activism.
Bromfield
Street Educational Foundation
29 Stanhope Street, Boston, MA 02116
617-262-6969
Offers a range of community-based forums for critical and strategic
thinking about the future directions of queer culture(s) and organizing,
within both the LBGT and other progressive movements. Operates
projects such as Gay Community News, OutWrite Conference, and the Gay
and Lesbian Prisoners' Project.
Citizens
Against Homophobia
ctznsAgnst@aol.com
P.O. Box 1509, Boston, MA 02117
617-576-9866
Uses mass media campaigns to reduce homophobia.
Human
Rights Campaign
hrc@hrc.org
919 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
202-628-4160, Fax 202-347-5323
The nation's largest LBGT political organization, with over 360,000
members, both gay and non-gay. HRC lobbies the government on LGBT and
AIDS issues, educates the public, supports gay-friendly political candidates,
and provides expertise and training at the state and local levels.
At the annual OutVote Conference, HRC brings together politicians and
activists from across the country.
International
Foundation for Gender Education
info@ifge.org
P.O. Box 540229, Waltham, MA 02454-0229
781-899-2212, Fax 781-899-5703
Advocacy and educational organization to promote self-definition and
free expression of individual gender identity. Publishes a magazine,
Transgender Tapestry, dealing with these topics, including crossdressing,
transsexualism, FTM and MTF concerns spanning health, family, medical,
legal, workplace issues. Tends to focus on crossdressing, but
its website is very comprehensive.
Intersex
Society of North America
webmaster@isna.org
PO Box 3070, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3070
An education, advocacy, and peer support organization which works to
create a world free of shame, secrecy, and unwanted surgery for intersex
people (individuals born with anatomy or physiology which differs from
cultural ideals of male and female).
Keshnet
info@boston-keshet.org
Idit Klein (Director), 58 Glen Road #3 Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Keshet is a non-denominational organization committed to diversity and
inclusion of all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Jews.
Keshet seeks to create a fully welcoming and inclusive Jewish community
for GLBT Jews in Greater Boston.
Lesbian
AIDS Project of Massachusetts
lapm69@hotmail.com
Contact: Beth at 617-524-5895
LAP'M is a grass roots activist group that promotes awareness and sex-positive
education around HIV/AIDS/STDs for women who have sex with women and
provides support for HIV+ LBT women. Monthly meetings in Jamaica Plain.
Lesbian
Avengers
Boston_Avengers@hotmail.com
c/o Boston GLASS, 93 Massachusetts Ave., 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02116
A radical political lesbian group, known for its politics and fire eating
demonstrations. Meetings held weekly at Boston GLASS.
Massachusetts
Gay Lesbian Political Caucus
MGLPC@aol.com
P.O. Box 246, State House, Boston, MA 02133
617-262-1565
"The Caucus," as it is known locally, is the largest state-wide lesbian
and gay political lobbying organization in Massachusetts with more than
15,000 people on its mailing list.
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
PO Box 301897, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-779-0519
MTPC, a group dedicated to ending discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression, is the leading transgender advocacy organization in New England.
National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force
1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20009-2624
202-332-6483, Fax 202-332-0207, TTY 202-332-6219
A large national group working towards equality for LBGT people.
Works closely with social justice organizations at the local, state
and national levels to address homophobia, racism, sexism and discrimination.
Every year, it sponsors "Creating Change," a conference on local and
grassroots organization and activism.
NOW
(National Organization for Women)
massnow@hotmail.com
214 Harvard Ave., Allston, MA
617-232-1017, 617-232-4764
NOW is dedicated to making legal, political, social, and economic change
in society in order to achieve the goals of eliminating sexism and ending
all oppression. This is the Massachusetts affiliate of the national
organization.
South
Asian Women for Action
sawa@way.net
A Boston-based, progressive, non-hierarchical collective of women of
South Asian descent. SAWA members speak out and strategize against all
kinds of discrimination, and articulate their experiences living as
South Asian women in the United States. Meetings are held the second
Tuesday evening of every month.
SPEAK
OUT!
31 Heath St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-238-2470
A Boston-area group that supplies speakers on LBGT issues in order to
educate the public, dispel myths, build understanding, and let other
LBGT people know they're not alone.
SPIRITUALITY
The
entries below include LBGT-friendly congregations and spiritual groups.
We encourage you to call in advance for specific information, particularly
regarding LBGT-friendly service times-some of the groups below have specifically
supportive services. Of course, information changes, so please verify
the appropriateness of a particular group for you. Remember too,
that some congregations/faiths are more LBGT friendly than others.
MIT
Chaplains
The religious groups at MIT represent a wide variety of views on sexuality
and LBGT issues. These views represent the traditions of each religion.
As a starting point for any religion, feel free to contact Protestant
Chaplain John Wuestneck (chaplain@mit.edu)
or Senior Associate Dean for Student Life Robert Randolph (randolph@mit.edu).
American
Baptist
Old Cambridge Church, 1151 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
617-864-8068
Catholic
Dignity
Church of St. John the Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin St., Boston
617-421-1915
The
Paulist Center
5 Park St., Boston
617-742-4460
Episcopalian
Christ Episcopal
Church
66 Fellsway West, Somerville
617-628-4519
Church
of St. John the Evangelist
35 Bowdoin St., Boston
617-227-5242
Emmanual
Episcopal Church
15 Newury St., Boston
617-536-3355
St.
Luke's and Margaret's
5 St. Luke's Rd., Allston, MA
617-782-2029
Trinity
Episcopal Church
Copley Square, Boston, MA
617-536-0944
Jewish
Am Tikva
info@amtikva.org
P.O. Box 1268, Brookline, MA 02446
617-883-0893
Havurat
Shalom
113 College Ave., Somerville
617-623-3376
**Also
seeKeshnet.
Lutheran
University Lutheran Church
66 Winthrop St., Cambridge
617-876-3256
Methodist
Cambridge Welcoming
Ministries
College Avenue
Methodist Church
14 Chapel St., Somerville
617-776-4172
Mennonite
Congregation of Boston
6 Longfellow Rd., Cambridge
617-868-7784
Metropolitan
Community Church
Old West Church, 131 Cambridge St., Boston
617-973-0404
Union United Methodist Church
485 Columbus Avenue, Boston
617-536-0872
Presbyterian
Church of the Covenant
Church of the Covenant
(joint with United Church of Christ)
67 Newbury St., Boston
617-266-7480
Clarendon
Hill Presbyterian Church
155 Powderhouse Blvd., Somerville
617-625-4823
Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
6 Chestnut St., Boston
617-227-9118
Friends
Meeting in Cambridge
5 Longfellow Park, Cambridge
617-876-6883
Unitarian-Universalist
All Souls Unitarian Universalist
Church
196 Elm St, Braintree
781-843-1388
Arlington
Street Church
351 Boylston St., Boston
617-536-7050
First
Parish United Universalist Church of Arlington
630 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington
781-648-3799
United
Church of Christ
Central Congregational
Church
85 Seaverns Ave., Jamaica Plain
617-524-3343
Church
of the Covenant (joint with Presbyterian)
67 Newbury St., Boston
617-266-7480
First
Church in Cambridge
11 Garden St., Cambridge
617-547-2724, 617-876-5829, 617-354-4185
Wellesley
Congregational Church
2 Central St., Wellesley
781-235-1988
SUPPORT
AND SOCIAL
This
list is by no means comprehensive. Additional groups can be found
in the "Web Resources" section of this
guide. Bay Windows has a lot of
information regarding groups both in the publication itself and at its
on-line community
guide. For example, the Boston area is host to a wide array
of LBGT sport and recreational clubs, from board games to soccer to volleyball
to swing dancing, none of which are listed below, but most of which may
be found in Bay Windows. Also refer to the section of this guide
on "Education and Activism," as many
of those organizations also provide support services. Transgenders
should start by contacting the Transgender
Education Network.
Student
Groups at Other Universities
| Boston
University |
617-353-9808 |
| Harvard
BGLTSA |
617-495-1193 |
| Northeastern
University |
617-373-2738 |
| Tufts
University LGBT Center |
617-627-3770 |
| UMass
Amherst (Stonewall Center) |
413-545-4824 |
BAGLY
(Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth)
bagly@bagly.org
P.O. Box 814, Boston, MA 02103
Information: 800-42-BAGLY
Office: 617-227-4313, TTY 617-983-9845, FAX 617-227-3266
A well-established Boston area youth group which meets weekly and sponsors
occasional events (such as an annual gay ball). A gay group which is
especially welcoming to transgender folks.
Bisexual
Resource Center
brc@biresource.org
29 Stanhope St., Boston
P.O. Box 400639, Cambridge, MA 02140
617-424-9595
Boston area resource center for bisexuals. Home to many local support
groups and an excellent source of information on issues facing bisexuals.
Recently has worked to focus on youth-specific resources, BiYouth.
Biversity
Boston
29 Stanhope St., Boston, MA 02116
617-424-9595
A mixed-gender bisexual network of greater Boston operating out of the
Bisexual Resource Center. Call to leave a message or listen to a list
of coming events. If you want to receive the Biversity Calendar and
other Boston-area bi announcements by email, send a message (with the
word subscribe as the only text) to: biversity-request@blank.org.
Boston
Bisexual Women's Network
biwomen@biresource.org
617-424-9595
A feminist, not-for-profit collective organization whose purpose is
to bring women together for support and validation. It is meant to be
a safe environment in which women of all sexual self-identities, class
backgrounds, racial, ethnic, and religious groups, ages, abilities and
disabilities are welcome. Through the vehicles of discussion, support,
education, outreach, political action, and social groups related to
bisexuality, we are committed to the goals of full acceptance as bisexuals
within the gay and lesbian community, and to full acceptance of bisexuality
and the liberation of all gay people within the larger society.
Boston
Gay and Bisexual Married Men's Support Group
29 Stanhope St., Boston, MA 02116
781-316-1985, 781-545-2516
A discussion group for gay and/or bisexual married men, including many
who are working to preserve the marriage and some in the process of
separation or divorce
Boston
GLASS (Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services)
93 Massachusetts Ave., Floor 3, Boston, MA 02116
617-266-3349
A drop-in center for GLBT youth (ages 13-25), offering 21 different
programs ranging from support to social to activist groups, such as
College Night, Youth of Color, Women's Night, Lesbian Avengers, Men's
Group, and Slice of Rice.
Cambridge
Women's Center
46 Pleasant Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
617-354-8807
An incredible resource for women right in Central Square! They have
a library and childcare and sponsor many interesting discussion and
support groups including: battered women's support group, lesbian Al-Anon,
open discussion for incest survivors, lesbian rap, coming out support
group, single Jewish lesbian and bisexual women group, sexual harassment
support group, and much more!
Gay
Fathers of Greater Boston
info@gayfathersboston.org
617-742-7897
A network of gay men who have children, living either with or
apart from them. Meets first and third Tuesday of every month at 8 PM
at the First Parish Church, 50 Church St., Waltham. There is a voluntary
$3 donation at the door. Meetings center around speakers and the issues
of gay fatherhood. Hosts social events.
Massachusetts
Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth
State House, Room 111, Boston, MA 02133
617-727-3600 x312
The Commission's mandate is to make schools safe for gay and lesbian
youth and to eliminate harassment, violence, and suicide for all youth
in Massachusetts. Many of the problems facing gay and lesbian youth
are within the purview of state government and can be corrected by promulgation
of information, training, and the implementation and diffusion of formal
guidelines and state policy.
Project
10 East
info@project10east.org
P.O. Box 382401 Cambridge, MA 02238
617-864-GLBT
Project 10 East, Inc., builds bridges between communities and between
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and straight youth alliances, creating
its model from the successes of existing school-based and community-based
programs. The project is geared toward direct support, advocacy, education,
and empowerment.
Greater
Boston PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
617-547-2440, 978-579-9769, 781-749-7730
Promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an
adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and
advocacy,rimination and to secure equal civil rights. This is the Boston
affiliate of the national PFLAG.
QAPA
(Boston Queer Asian Pacific Alliance)
qapa@geocities.com
P.O. Box 543, Prudential Station, Boston, MA 02199
617-499-9531
QAPA is committed to providing a supportive social, political, and educational
environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning women and men
of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage (this is inclusive of A/PIs,
A/PI Americans and those who are of mixed A/PI heritage).
Sabor
A Mi (Es Algo Diferente)
Contact: Orlando Colon at 617-927-6244 (Fenway Community Health)
A social/cultural group for Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Latinos
in the Boston area. Meets twice a month.
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