We here at Queerty are big fans of the United States, the nation that bore us, Celebrity Jeopardy, the hamburger and that whole representative democracy thing. It’s a nation rich in natural resources, can-do attitude and homosexuals, and each week, we’re visiting a new state to find out just what makes it so uniquely fabulous.
Massachusetts
Marriage Town
Massachusetts has long prided itself as the birthplace of freedom in America. The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired on Concord Green, Abolitionists made Boston the headquarters of the anti-slavery movement and it was the first state to offer marriage to gays and lesbians. The state is so tolerant that it would elect a Republican Mormon like Mitt Romney governor without batting an eye, though it just got around to electing its first Black Governor, Deval Patrick, in 2006. Between its rich history and funny accents, Massachusetts remains defiantly and proudly iconoclastic.
The Fight For Your Rights
The Bay State is so ahead of the curve from the rest of the U.S. that it’s able to address questions that seem out of reach for the rest of the country. Last week, 15 gay and lesbian couples from Massachusetts launched the first major assault on the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents federal recognition of state marriages. The litigants argue that they’ve been denied basic rights, such as social security benefits, tax benefits for spouses and the ability to use their married partners last name on U.S. passports. While the suit would not overturn DOMA and would apply only to Massachusetts gay couples, if successful, it would represent the first chip in the armor that denies gays and lesbians their equal rights under the decade old law.
Local Hotspot
Guerrilla Queer Bar
Location Varies
With its history of combining political action with partying (think tea party), it’s no surprise that one of the most popular nights for gays and lesbians in Boston would be built on the idea of subversive action. Guerrilla Queer Bar takes over a new straight bar on a monthly basis to raise visibility, raise money for gay causes and, of course, to drink up in Boston’s many popular pubs and bars.
Model Citizen
Roger Bacon is a 31-year-old living in Lowell, Massachusetts, with his boyfriend Bob. (Full disclosure: Roger and your editor went to high school together and when I was still a confused teenager, he came out to the entire school during an assembly, making him, a personal hero and one of the major reasons I decided to come out.)
What’s the best part about living in Massachusetts?
You want just one? Well, you can get married in Massachusetts. The fact that Deval Patrick is the governor and his daughter is a lesbian and knowing that and the state decided you could get married. It’s just a really great place to be gay and live.
What do you think is the biggest problem facing gays and lesbians in Massachusetts?
Maybe jobs. I think people are pretty laid back when it comes to political things. We do have a lot of rights and freedoms, so I guess we take it for granted. The majority of people who did get married when it did get passed are still married, though the couple who did get married when it first was passed got divorced, which is sad, but the majority of people are still married.
Being from the first state to offer gay marriages, how do you feel about all the recent gay rights protests? Is it all old hat?
At least, my friends, we definitely pay attention. The [California Supreme Court hearing on Prop 8], I, myself went online and watched some of it and read a lo of the news articles on it. We’re definitely watching. We want California to have the same rights as us. There’s a court battle going on right now to get the federal government to recognize the state marriages here– and that could be years away, but if that happens, then I think it will help make it pass everywhere else.
Describe your average Massachusetts gay.
I think you’ll find there’s more gay couples in Massachusetts than in other places. There’s a smaller pool of people. The average gay here is hanging out with friends and family and enjoying their life together with their partner. If you’re single, there’s nightlife and a good scene, but I think that the average gay in Massachusetts, at least for me, is coupled. It’s cold here! Winter in March still. For me, growing up and through my gay adulthood, I was single for a good amount of time. But the last 10 years I’ve been in relationships, so I feel detached from the singles scene.
If there’s one thing a gay visitor to Massachusetts should do, what is it?
Visit Boston, absolutely. There’s so much history here. Check out the Museum of Fine Arts. They have a really good variety. They change it up a lot. Wednesday’s are free—not the special exhibits, but they have a really good collection of art and it rotates. There’s a lot of good stuff there. Also, check out the Cape. You know what I was going to say about the best thing about Massachusetts is? Is that it’s the place that you and I grew up. One of the things that makes Massachusetts so special to me is that I grew up here.
What’s one misconception about Massachusetts you’d like to clear up?
Overall, I think people think we’re a bunch of snobs, but we’re really not. Yeah, it take a little while for people to warm up to you, but once they do, it’s pretty solid. We’re a pretty laid back bunch of people.
Four down, forty-six to go. Each week until we’re done, Queerty will be traveling to a new state and meeting the gays. We love featuring our readers, so if you think you’re Model Citizen material, shoot us an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
Jock
Massachusetts is very very cool.
Sebbe
Go Massachusetts! Thanks Japhy for spotlighting the state the bore you.
The only thing I would add to Roger’s commentary is the differences between the gays in the city and the gays in the bush (or suburbs if you prefer for i.e. Lowell). I find personally in the city few gay in their 20s and 30s are married (men anyways, the ladies all seem married post 26). While a lot are partnered, of all the gay men I know only a handful of couples that lives in the city are married. I think we still find comfort in the fact that we always have that option, and really that is what marriage equality is all about. Once you get to the suburbs (and I went once on the LONG journey to Lowell once) it seems all of the gay couples are married. I guess that likely holds true for their straight counterparts. Once your married many move to the burbs.
Disclosure: I rarely leave the city limits of Boston & the People’s Republic of Cambridge unless it is to the Cape or out of state. Lowell is about as far away from Boston as you can get and still say you live in the “Boston metro area”. I believe it is the last stop on the commuter rail. A lot of the the lgbt I personally know in the Lowell/Chelmsford area actually head to Nashua, New Hampshire since it is much closer for them than the city (probably 15 miles as opposed to 35 miles). To many city New Englanders 35 miles is a day trip. LOL
Apparently the ladies like the Northhampton area close to the Berkshires and is home to a sizable lesbian community. I think this is the area Rachel Maddow lives in as well.
radg
I’m from Mass and i LOVE IT,except the winters. The Cape is amazing, beautiful beaches that in the middle of summer feel like the Caribbean. Gay can get hitched, pot is decriminalized. We got Universal Health Care and lots of Jobs. Conservatives always try and put us down, but we’re doing better than alot of their states…
thisismikesother
Ahaha, @Sebbe made me laugh with “The People’s Republic of Cambridge.”
It’s true that Massholes are some of the most accepting folks though. As a resident of Cambridge, we currently have a black lesbian mayor (you go Denise Simmons!), a black governor, and a black president. (Which is also kind of ironic considering if you live in Cambridge, you’re probably white or a college student.)
While I’m a Texas transplant, but I think Mass really is a great place, and I plan on being here as long as I can. And there are a lot of couples, but also, there are just flat out a lot of gays here period.
This is also one of the few places where parents actually teach their kids that being gay is normal. Even the Republicans love the gays here. You’re more likely to be discriminated against for NOT liking the gays than you are for actually being gay. And isn’t that the way it should be?
Chitown Kev
@thisismikesother:
Didn’t Cambridge have a gay black mayor in the 90’s also?
thisismikesother
@Chitown Kev:
Indeed she is the second consecutive gay black mayor we’ve had.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/archive/x1925662189
rem
We also elected the first gay congressperson ( Elaine Noble). And, before Romney, had a very pro-gay Republican governor (Bill Weld). And we have Barney Frank!
NICHOLAS
I am from Massachusetts and i LOVE living here. Anyone visiting the state (or those who live here) should spend time in The Berkshires. The area is beautiful and it offers a cultural scene that is sure to impress any lover of the arts. I also love Boston, The Cape (Provincetown), Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
As said in previous comments, we have gay marriage and universal health care. ‘Massholes’ are very accepting of their fellow gay residents. I recommend MA to any gay looking for a great place to call home.
Steve
Provincetown is my favorite place in Mass!
Sebbe
@thisismikesother – LOL, I just recently made the big move down Mass avenue from Harvard Square (where I have been living for awhile) in the PROC to the Back Bay in Boston. Missing Harvard Square already, but Back Bay is of course very nice as well, just in a different more upscale way. On a plus note, I can know walk through the Commons and Public Gardens to work in the financial district (well when the weather cooperates) instead of taking the T which is nice.
Sebbe
@@thisismikesother – Of course us Cantabrigians refer to the PROC with pride, although others may use the term disparagingly.
zach
there are gay men in northampton, not just lesbians (although mostly lesbians, let’s be honest).
most of the gay people i know out here are coupled, however, as the comment above suggests.
Tom Bardwell
YAY!!!
Way to shout out GQB and not blather on about the groan-worthy gay bar staples like Roxy or Club Cafe. GQB (Guerrilla Queer Bar) is the best thing that’s happen to boston’s gay night life.
Ryan
My political blog is on Mass politics 😉
We’re a fantastic state. I will admit, though, that we think awfully highly of ourselves. Boston has long been nicknamed “the Hub of the Universe.” Meanwhile, we’re a medium-large sized city (although, to be fair, huge metro area). Thankfully, because of various factors, Metro Boston has thrived where most similar cities like Buffalo or Detroit are failing. We were able to make the leap from being an industrial, manufacturing city into being a ‘smart city’ in large part because of our openness and liberalness. That’s a pretty common theme with all the medium-large cities across this country that have done well post ’80s.
In terms of where to go in Massachusetts: Don’t limit yourself to Boston. If you’re only going to be in the Boston area, at least stay for a few days and check out places like Salem (where the witch trials happened), Marblehead and Newburyport. But if you’re looking for a real vacation, people should definitely check out Western Mass & the Berkshires. There’s so much out there — from scenery and hiking to the arts. There’s Tanglewood, home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the summers (as well as other musical acts, many of them free out in the grass). Northampton is an awesome town with plenty of stuff to do. The Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, Mass. And the gigantic national Yankee Candle Shop out there is so out of place and, well, gigantic that everyone needs to go there once. It’s ridiculous – straight out of Disney World, a stone’s throw from UMASS.
The South Coast also has a lot of cool areas nearby New Bedford — just outside of Cape Cod, like the Whaling Museum or Battleship Cove. (Worth a visit if you’re going to the Cape.)
The state keeps a website of all the different regions of Massachusetts and the tourist options available, including things to do, places to sleep and eat: http://www.massvacation.com/
We’re a lot more than just Boston and Cape Cod. We’re the Hub of the Freaking Universe.
Lex
I might be moving to Mass this year. But it’ll be to Worcester, so I’m not *too* excited…
Charles J. Mueller
Having lived in the foothills of the Berkshires (Brainard, NY), when I was just a tyke, we were only a few miles from the New York/Mass. State line and often drove into Pittsfield, MS to do our shopping.
In my younger motorcycling days, I used to enjoy camping at Mount Greylock in the Berkshires with my kid brother who was an ardent triker, my sister-in-law and my four nieces and nephews.
Although geologically part of the Taconic Mountains, Mount Greylock is commonly associated with the abutting Berkshire Hills to the east.
Many a pleasant weekend was also spent at Provincetown. I have not been there in years, so I have no idea what it’s like now. Perhaps this summer, while I am working on my place in Queens, I will take a drive up there one weekend just to check it out.
I also recall Rt. 7 being one of the prettiest highways I have ever driven on. I passed through some of the most scenic areas and was very impressed by all the beautiful homes I saw along it.
The fact that it is a Commonwealth may have a lot to do with the upbeat look all of the state seems to enjoy.
Shannon
I LOVE Massachusetts! I go to college in western Mass. Northampton is wonderful for lesbians / queer women 🙂 And anyone else queer, of course. My wife and I will be moving to my home state of CA for grad school soon, and I must admit, I’m having some hardcore mixed feelings about it for obvious reasons…
Walter Martin
Put differently, this lawsuit is not just about gay rights but about preserving the nation’s federal structure. It takes aim at a failure of the federal government to defer to state definitions of marriage. Where no difference in definition exists between state and federal law, the suit asks for no federal adjustment. For instance, if a couple travels to Massachusetts or Connecticut to get married and then returns to their home state where that marriage is not recognized, the suit does not, as a general matter, maintain they should acquire federal protections.
One can argue over whether it’s appropriate to keep the federal government out of marriage. But many of the justices on the court have already taken the position that family law is state law. If conservative jurists—on the Supreme Court or otherwise—care as much about states’ rights as they claim to, this should be an easy case for them.
brijo731
I was born, grew up, and went to college in Massachusetts. I moved to “progressive” California back in the 1980’s. I want to go back but our house is upside down. I miss it and someday will return. I am so proud to be from Massachusetts and I tell people all the time. All of you GLBT in MASS, whether you know it or not, you are the leaders for our community. I cannot wait to get out of California and back there, we used to vacation in Florida, but we decided to spend our $$$ in MA, CT and Canada. To Shannon, California is the south, I believe that our Domestic Partnerships will be put up for vote next, also gay adoption. Religion here is different than the religion I grew up with in New England.
Dick
We also have great theater both in the city and summer theater out in the Berkshires. For the last few years I have been seeing Randy Harrison give amazing performances at the Berkshire Theater Festival. This year he will be in Ibsen’s “Ghosts”.
Thank You Queerty
As I mentioned elsewhere, this is an excellent idea by Queerty to look at States for their gay quotient. It is especially pertinent for some of us who are living in hate-filled red states with bigotry anti-gay legislations and wanting to move out. I can’t wait to get out of the state I am living in. So in that regards, I am considering to move to either Massachusetts or Vermont (thats where I wrote my comments earlier). But I noticed taxes are pretty high in MA. Can anyone who lives/lived there tell me how it affects one’s take home income? Anyone? The writer of this article, perhaps?
acoolerclimate
I’ve lived in MA most of my life. I lived in Central and Western MA, and I’m currently on the line between Eastern and Central, about 45 minutes west of Boston. And I’m a single Gay Man, so I guess there a few of us single guys far out in the suburbs.
As for Taxes, MA is about mid-range from what I hear. ME, VT, NY, CT, NJ are all higher. From what research I’ve done, VT and ME have the highest taxes in the nation now.
I lived in Albany, NY for 7 years and the taxes were higher for payroll tax than MA. Plus the sales tax is higher in NY and it includes things such as clothing, that MA doesn’t tax.
The one tax that I absolutely HATE in MA is the excise tax on your car. The town sends you a bill every year, just because. And the newer your car the more you pay, which makes no sense. Newer cars take up the same amount of room as older cars and they tend to be safer on the roads. Just encourages people to keep their cars forever, rather than contribute to the economy and buy a new one. And you can’t pay it on time, you have the pay the full amount within 1 month or they yank your license. Although the rest of our taxes aren’t bad, I would love to get rid of excise tax, or at least change it to be more consumer friendly.
But MA is a terrific place to live. I’d visit all the places mentioned already in the comments, plus I’d add go out to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, check out Plymouth its a great town, Newburyport is gorgeous, Gloucester is a lot of fun for seafood and nightlife, the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge is a great thing to do on a cloudy day, and although Providence, RI is not in MA, it’s just over the line and has a great Gay scene!
marcsteel
Vandals strike Cranston greenhouse
Owner believes it is a hate crime
Updated: Tuesday, 19 Jan 2010, 7:57 AM EST
Published : Tuesday, 19 Jan 2010, 7:57 AM EST
Tim O’Coin
Reporting by Alex DiPrato
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – The owner of a Cranston Greenhouse is speaking out, after his family’s business was vandalized for the fifth time in the last four months.
David Macera, who runs Atwood Avenue Greenhouses with his brother, said the spree started in October. The most recent incident happened over the weekend.
Macera said the vandals smashed windows, broke outdoor lights, and sprayed hateful messages on the side of the building. His car windows were smashed, and letters with anti-homosexual slurs were left in his mailbox.
“We’ve been in business for 50 years, and we have never been the target of such hatred,” Marcera said.
Marcera said Monday he believed someone was targeting him for being gay.
“I live in fear,” Marcera said. “I don’t know if I’m being watched.”
Cranston police said they were investigating, and had increased patrols in the area.
Copyright WPRI
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/cranston-greenhouse-owner-speaks-out-about-vandalism-