Undercurrents

Free all-day gathering for activists and the curious!

Saturday, November 8^th 12pm-11pm
Co-Sponsored by the Area Radical Reading Group of Hartford, Hartford Food Not Bombs, and the Hog River @ Collective, this all day event features panels on diverse topics such as feminism, anti-racism, anti-capitalism, radical queer politics, and domination of all kinds and their relationship with contemporary anarchist practice. We still see mostly misinformation and distortion as norms when people talk about anarchism or anarchist-inspired projects. This event seeks to dispel some of these myths, as well as build bridges between activists throughout the region by engaging in dialogue about this diverse movement—and, perhaps more importantly, what anarchism can offer other activist perspectives towards the creation of a free and egalitarian world. Thus, this event is not just about anarchism, but centered on strategies to create justice and resist structured inequality.

Activist groups throughout New England will be tabling and holding panel discussions throughout the day. This will be followed by a free community dinner provided by Food Not Bombs (from 7-8). Finally, we will finish the event off with music by local groups dedicated to social justice.

For more information please see www.myspace.com/spotlightonanarchism, call 860.978.3562 or email hartfordfnb@gmail.com.

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Today at 11:30 the CT Supreme Court ruled IN FAVOR of same sex marriage - 4 in favor, 3 against. Read the official ruling here. (Under Kerrigan v. Commissioner of Public Health)

There will be a RALLY celebrating this victory at 5:30 PM on the north steps of the Capitol (facing Bushnell Park). Click here for info on the rally, from Love Makes a Family.

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First HRC attempts to marginalize the Transgender Community and now Metroline is quick on their heels of Trans Oppression! The current issue of Metroline has an Editorial by the Editor Joseph DaBrow that revises Stonewall History (4th paragraph) by stating that at Stonewall “there were no drag queens there at all. It was gay human beings simply standing up for being who they were.” Has Mr. DaBrow and the publisher of Metroline John Crowley never heard of Sylvia Rivera or Marsha P. Johnson both well know and prominent Stonewall Veterans? Perhaps if Mr. DaBrow and Crowley attended our New England Trans Pride, they would have heard Miss Majors, a Stonewall Veteran, as well as many other speakers remember the critical participation of our Transgender (i.e. Drag Queens or Transvestites in 1969 vernacular) comrades at Stonewall. Or to learn that the theme of this first ever New England Trans Pride was: “Remember Stonewall? That was us!” Or perhaps they never listened to Pacifica Radio’s excellent audio documentary: “Remembering Stonewall.” (more…)

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Julia and I enjoyed a night in downtown Hartford last night. We saw a great show, knocked a few back at The Russell, and then headed over to Aladdin for some much needed grub. Anywho, at Aladdin the pizza was cold, the falafel was soggy, and the homobigotry was flowing. (more…)

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January 28th is the submission deadline for the next issue of the print Hartford Undercurrent.

The Hartford Independent Media Center seeks submissions on the topic of sex–however you interpret it. Have you interviewed sex workers on Wethersfield Avenue? Reviewed the gay nightlife in Hartford? Gotten into a discussion with the steady activists who pray outside of the Hartford GYN Center on the corner of Jefferson and Main?  Articles should relate to Hartford if possible, and represent your own original work.
Send submissions of 1000 words or less to himc@riseup.net and write “journal submission” in the subject line. Please include a short bio with submission, including your name as you would like to see it in print. We regret that due to space limitations we can’t publish every item received.

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Join TransAdvocacy and Queers without Borders at UCONN, Storrs to reveal the REAL TRUTH about HRC, ENDA and Trans Exclusion…

On Saturday, December 1, 2007 from 2 - 5 PM there is to be a Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) Town Hall / Meet Congressman Joe Courtney and sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) at UCONN Storrs Thomas J. Dodd Center. The Connecticut TransAdvocacy Coalition strongly opposes the prominent role HRC has taken in this event (more…)

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[note jointly written by Richard D. Nelson and Jerimarie] This blog entry is written to celebrate the struggle of Trannies during one hot August night in San Francisco in 1966. If interested in a pivotal piece of Trans history, then we hope you will read on.

Today’s political landscape for queer rights is dominated by the struggle for Marriage Equality. And with this we see many gays and lesbians, as well as LGBT allies, demanding equal rights in Marriage. However, what gets lost in this drumbeat for “gay civil rights” is the more fundamental issue of Queer Human Rights! Simply consider the fact that in nearly 30 states one can still be fired, denied housing, credit, etc for their homosexuality and that in more than 40 states for simply being transgender. Yet we hear the drumbeat that queer oppression will vanish once Marriage Equality is bestowed upon gays and lesbians. And with this mainstream “Civil Rights” struggle many queers and trannies are simply left at the bus station of equality, still looking for their basic human rights. (more…)

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NYC’s Homophobic/Misogynist/Ageist/Racist system of InJustice

On Aug 16, 2006, seven young African-American, lesbian identified friends from Newark (now known as the Lesbian 7) ended up in a fight with a man in the West Village following his repeated verbal and physical attacks on them. Though the instigator in the confrontation, the man was never charged and in May 2005, three of the women entered into plea agreements and received six-months in prison. On June 15th the remaining four (ages 19, 20, 20 and 24) received sentences ranging from 3.5 to 11 years in prison. Their crime was simply defending themselves from a homophobic/misogynist attack by a man who choked them, ripped hair from their scalps, spat on them and threatened sexual assault – all because they were lesbians who refuted his sexual advances. (more…)