VERMONT'S VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN. GAY, BISEXUAL 8: TRANSGENDER IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS co~w«u~wv SINCE 1985 EDITOR Lynn McNico| editor@mountainpridemedia.org ART DIRECTOR Don Eggert don@mountainpridemedia. org OPERATIONS MGR. Greg Thompson opsmgr@mountainpridemedia.org CLASSIFIEDS Greg Thompson classifieds@mountainpridemedia.org ‘ CALENDAR Dan Brink calendar@mountainpridemedia.org SOURCE EDITOR Greg Thompson source@mountainpridemedia.org CONTRIBUTORS: Paul Olsen, Beth Robinson, Jen Berger, Liz Blocker, Connie Beal, Faerie Camp Destiny, SafeSpace, Samara Foundation, Leah Wittenberg, Arlene lstar Lev, Peggy Luhrs, Kerry Lobel, Julie Dorf, Camp Trans, Sadelle Wiltshire, Ann Coakley, Renee Lang, ND; Glo Daley, Outright Vermont, Will Holden, Cedric Davis, Donna lverson, Bennett Law, Lynn Martin, Jessi Burg, Lluvia Mulvaney-Stanak, Rev. Sarah Flynn, Robert William Wolff, Stuart Granoff, Alison Bechdel, Glen Hanson, Allan Neuwirth, and Robert Kirby. AD MANAGER Greg Thompson ads@mountainpridemedia.org NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Marketing Co., Inc. (212) 242-6863 MOUNTAIN PRIDE MEDIAIBOARD OF DIRECTORS Brian Cote, Greg Weaver, Tina Giangrande, Miguel Bernard-Rivera, Kim Howard, Kate Kinney STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of Out In The Mountains [OITM] is to serve as a voice for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and our supporters in Vermont. We wish the newspaper to be a source of information, insight, and affirmation. We also see OITM as a vehicle for the celebration of the culture and diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities here in Vermont and elsewhere. EDITORIAL POLICY We will consider for publication any material that broadens our understanding of our lifestyles and of each other. Views and opinions appearing in the paper do ’ not necessarily represent those of Out In The Mountains. This paper, as a non—profit organization, cannot and will not endorse any political candidates. We reserve the right not to publish any material deemed to be overtly racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, ageist, classist, xenophobic, or homophobic. Unless otherwise specified, all submissions of articles, photographs, graphics, and advertisements herein are the , property of Mountain Pride Media, Inc. and any re-publication or broadcast without written permission is prohibited. We are not responsible for the return of unsolicited materials. All contributions are donated to Mountain Pride Media, Inc. for our use including, but not limited to, publishing in print and electronic (Internet, Web, etc.) versions, advertising, marketing, and archival purposes with appropriate attribution to the original author. No assumption should be made about the gender, gender identity,‘ or sexual orientation of any contributor or any person named in these pages. OITM is not responsible beyond the printing of corrections for errors in any submitted materials. OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS (ISSN 1081-5562) is published on the last Wednesday of each month by Mountain Pride Media, Inc. It is printed by BD Press of Fairfax, VT. The paper maintains offices at 34 Elmwood Ave in Burlington, Vermont. The bulk mail subscription rate is $29 per year within the USA. WWW.MOUNTAlNPR|DEMEDIA.ORG is updated to includethe current issue of OITM, generally by the 10th of each month, in our online archive. OITM is available in alternative formats upon request. OITM is printed on recycled newsprint containing 30% post-consumer and using 100% soy-based inks. PO BOX 1122, Burlington VT 05402 802.861.6486 802.860.0705 (f) editor@mountainpridemedia.org www.mountainpridemedia.org ©2006, Out In The Mountains, All Rights Reserved is out in the mountains I AUGUST 2006 I MOUNTAINPRIDEMEDIAORG Voting Is... oting. It's oneof the best ways to participate in the democratic process. Voting is the right of Vermont residents who are 18 and older on election day and who are U.S. citizens. Voting is important in determining how our laws will be shaped in the future. By choosing elected officials who are responsive to your interests and needs, you will have taken part in one of the fundamental ‘process- es of our democracy, and you will have spoken your mind at the ballot box. The outcome of races nearly too close to call can sometimes be determined by only one voter. That one voter could be you, and your vote will affect deci- sions made that will affect your future and that of your community. In our local election this past March, Democratic candidate and R.U.1.2? member Joanna Cole came very close to upsetting an-incumbent on Burlington’s City Council, 503 to 534 votes, in a four-way race. And that’s just one example among many. Promote the Vote, a project of the'National Associa- tion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and 'l‘ransgender Com- munity Centers, was launched in New York City nearly a decade ago to organize, register and educate voters. Several board members of this Naiional Association were in Burlington last month for a meeting, and had some interesting stories to tell about voter registration drives in their respective parts of the country. Ann DeGroot, Executive Director of 0utF‘ront Min- nesota, said registering folks from the gay-lesbian-trans gender-bisexual community potentially impacts public policy for years to come.» She said candidates like groups that register people and get out the vote. Doing this work then gives the organization clout with newly elected officials. “They’ll listen to you,” DeGroot said. In 2004, OutFront registered a remarkable one percent of all newly regis- tered voters in Minnesota, or 1,000 people, she said. Registering voters is “a simple thing to add to any event,” said Kent Burbank, Executive Director of Wing- span, another community center in Tucson, Arizona Wingspan is now “kicking into high gear,” Burbank said, with elections coming up in November. Two years ago, Arizona passed Proposition 200 in order to discour- age immigrant Mexican voters, by requiring additional identification and other measures, Burbank said. To coun- ter the effects of the law, Wingspan is working to register voters and is encouraging people to vote early by mail. In Vermont, it’s clear that by voting for candidates who support our rights - the rights of same-sex couples to marry, and the rights of transgender citizens and pub- lic school students to live without fear of harassment - makes a big difference in our lives. Several candidates who identify as gay or lesbian are nmning for office this year. As a nonprofit organiza- tion, OI TM carmot endorse any political candidates. What we can do is offer a glimpse into a few of the campaigns, and encourage our readers to also seek information elsewhere and make informed decisions at the ballot box. Of course, while one or a few voters may determine the outcome of a local race, they won't have quite the same impact in national elections. But the more people who vote and get involved in the electoral process, the greater our chances of getting results that reflect the will of the people, and of having truly fair elections. A convenient way to vote in Vermont is to request a.n absentee ballot up to 30 days prior to the primary or general election (20 days for municipal elections). Vot- ers may fill out their ballots at the city or town clerk’s office, or mail them back. No need to miss Work, wait in line or find transportation to the polls. If you're not registered, or have moved and want to vote at your new location, the deadlines to register are Tuesday, September 5th to vote in the September 12th primary; and Monday, October 30th to register to vote inthe general election:on.—November.7th. ~,,j...: ,. - You may register to vote with your town or city clerk, or at the Department of Motor Vehicles. If you don’t know where to find your town or city clerk, call 1- 800-439-VOTE for information. You can also download a voter registration form by going to the VermonL-eleC- tions.org Website. ‘ Anyone may register to vote at R.U. 1.2? at 34 ElIn- wood Avenue across from the main post office, at ' Outright Vermont at its new location in the Mult:igenera- tional Center at 241 North Wmoosld Avenue in Burling- ton, or go to OI TM’s website at mountainpridemedia. org and register there.V WI'I-I"Sl_’:.N D BY LEAH WITTENBERG You Give Me Fever Mm M01’/7 er‘ Ea/"T/2 Sings The Blues