Inthe IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS VERMONT'5 VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL 8: TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 Openly Gay and Lesbian Candidates iCampaign,fm VT, g STORY3:Ké‘I*HOTOS BY PAUL OLSEN MONTPELIER - Afong with one lesbiantwho is nin- ning _forlstatewide’ oflice, six openly gay men and are tgserve in» Montpelier rj§xtPr6'§réssive Martha Abbott is running for auditor. Progressive Jean Szilva hopes to join the following Democratic incumbents; state Reps. Steve Howard, Jason Lorber, Bill Lippert and Robert Doslis, and state Sen Ed Flanagan, in the Vermont legislature. ' ’ As chair of Vermont's Progressive Party for the past five years, Martha Abbott is known to many Vermonters. In her first run for statewide office, Jason Lorber Ed laagan Abbott faces incumbent Republican Auditor Ran- dy Brock and Democrat Thomas Salmon. Abbott lives in Underhill with her partner Barbara Brody. As state auditor, Abbott plans to make sure “tax dollars are being spent wisely and legally.” “Being Independent of the two brand name parties, I will be in a unique position to monitor the administration and its fiscal policies,” she says on her campaign website. If elected in No- vember, Abbott would be the second openly gay or lesbian auditor in the state’s history. The post was previously held by Sen. Ed Flanagan. Flanagan was first elected state auditor in 1992 and publicly came out as a gay man in 199a He made history when, in 1996, he became the first and only openly gay statewide elected of- ficial in the United States. He left the auditor’s post in 2000 to run for the United States Sen- I ate, making him the first openly gay U.S. Senate candidate. In that race, he lost to incumbent Sen. James J effords. Flanagan was elected to the state I Senate, representing Chittenden County in 2004 - and, following his recovery from a serious car ac- CONTINUED ON P.5 -) Bennington Comes Out With Pride 3 Fledgling Groups.lMakeBig Splash BY LYNN MCNICOL BENNINGTON — For the second year . in a row, a gathering of enthusiastic LGBT citizens took over the four cor- ners of downtown Bennington with colorful signs and slogans on National Coming Out Day on October 11. Last year, students from the local K high school started the tradition, and the students were joined this year by members of the Bennington Pride Co- alition, Bennington College students, and several allies. ’ What seemed surprising to some of those joining the effort to increase visibility and defeat discrimination was the friendly reactions of those driving by. Many drivers honked their horns in support, an older woman on a passing bus waved, and one car paused briefly for a chat withdem- onstrators. _ Louise Webb of North Pownal stood with a sign on the chilly afternoon in support of her son, Aaron, who is ac- tive in the gay-"straight alliance (GSA) _ at _Mt. Anthony Union High School. “We both did it last year,” Webb said, but since Aaron was working on this ‘particular afternoon, she attended on his behalf. Taylor Hayes, age 7, of Bennington, stood with her aunt, Sandy Barnard of Readsboro. Both held colorful signs that were created at a potluck a few days before. ' Sandy repeated a phrase that Tay- lor said recently: “people that are gay aren’t bad.” Taylor then smiled at San- dy and said “ ‘cause you’re gay!" , Sandy said she heard about the demonstration through mutual friends. _ “I think it’s a very positive thing for l the Bennington Area," she said. Breeanne Moffitt of Bennington joined the small crowd a sign and smiled when an older man walking by V said'to “keep up the good work.” Breeanne said there had been “a lot of positive reception it’s really been nice.” Last year Breeanne was searching for answers to some impor- tant personal issues and finally found a transgender site on the Internet that was helpful. . ' _ ._“It’s been so difficult without any an- swers at all Now I have friends that support and understand.” ' nu.2ns _ nn Culer (L) and Anja Pfeffer celebrate Coming Out Day in Bennington. V O ’‘J‘./\\‘ 1.‘ l‘~'J\./K2‘: .. :.-r. V A .PRlDE‘»’E:7" Last year, Coming Out Day hap- pened to fall on an in-service day for Bennington ‘teachers, ‘ so students weren’t able to celebrate that day in school, said Anja Pfeffer, faculty ad- visor of Glow-Up, the school’s GSA. When she asked what students want- ed to do instead, a couple of them sug- gested standing with signs at the four comers. After some hesitation, every- one agreedit was a good idea and four corners became the spot to celebrate - , Coming Out Day. Students had just organized Glow- vUp (Gay, Lesbian or Whatever Unit- ed People) a few weeks before, after much discussion with some parents and schoolboard members, who op- posed their efforts as well as some. who were supportive. That was in the fall of 2005. Eventually, Glow- Up was successful when the school board voted 5-4 to allow the group‘ to continue. - _ _ The ‘same year, Bennington Pride Coalition (BPC) was getting on its feet with help from a Unity Project grant. - Cynthia, Himmel helped with grant- ‘ writing, and co—coordinators Sadelle Mam~*ta::ge ».A_ti\.»=';a=r_tt::e.-5‘. Néew Rhede Island . Wiltshire and Ann Coakley have been working with other Volunteers to get BPC going. Activities have included weekly gatherings at the local coffee _-shop, and organizing the well—attend— ,ed performance of Peterson Toscano. earlier this year. ‘ National Ally Week,-October .15 to 21, was also celebrated in Bennington. Pfeffer said Glow—Up made pledges for allies of LGBT students to sign in an ongoing effort to reduce stigma and harassment in the schools. With other supporters, the students from Glow-Up and BPC, more and more LGBT residents are coming out . of the closet and joining the growing community. Mark McCourt joined the ranks on the four corners with a sign and waved as cars. went by. Last year on Coming Out Day, he drove past the Glow-Up students at the four corners, and thought the action was “incred- ~ iblybrave and cool I wondered if I would have the guts to do something ‘ like that. So I’m pleased to have the opportunity to do this, this year, with this great group of people."V ‘ uaoawx 1‘aH3Iw"=616"”a‘ ‘“:"‘:§'*‘ti?’\. ‘Shun,