BAY STATE STONEWALL DEMOCRATS ENDORESMENTS ANNOUNCEMENT: July 6, 2010

The following candidates have been endorsed in their primary elections: Ruth Balser, State Representative; Karen Payne, State Representative; Cynthia Creem, State Senate; Ron Patenaude, State Senate, Marilyn Pettito-Devaney, Governor’s Council and Mac D’Alessandro, US Congress, 9th District.

Each of these candidates has a proven record of support for LGBT issues and deserve the votes of all LGBT constituents in these races. For more information about the BSSD endorsement process, please use the links on the right side of this page.

Steve Iannaccone and Claire B. Naughton, Co-chairs

Endorsement Policy

For those candidates interested in requesting an endorsement from Bay State Stonewall Democrats for State Senator and State Representative offices, please press the button to the right of this page: “Endorsement Request Form”.  Further details of the BSSD endorsement policy are located there. Those candidates with primary challenges please be aware that the final date for submission for requests is June 28, 2010.

 BSSD Board Member Jeff Ross's Bay Windows Op-Ed on Charter Amendments Published

Here's a clip, but read the whole thing at Bay Windows. 

Media reports have heralded the long-awaited passage of three important charter amendments at the state Democratic convention this past weekend.

The passage of the amendments to the state Democratic party’s charter not only embody years of advocacy by the Baystate Stonewall Democrats, a leading civil rights advocacy group for LGBT equality in public accommodations, but also serve as a harbinger of a new era of inclusiveness within the Democratic party.

The passage of the Amendments will not only reshape the democratic party, but launch the Commonwealth itself on a new trajectory where the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons will no longer be an afterthought among policymakers, but an issue of great importance that will take its place at center stage in our collective discussion of key policy issues.

BSSD Successful In Charter Change

The Bay State Stonewall Democrats, who initiated the charter amendments changes voted on at the State Convention in Worcester last Saturday, June 5, 2010, are pleased to announce the successful passage of those amendments. The amendments change the language of the Massachusetts State Democratic Party Charter so that it includes transgender and bisexual people where it didn't before, and creates four seats for them on the Democratic State Committee.

By changing this language and adding these seats to the Democratic State Committee, the BSSD feels that the Democratic Party is saying to transgender and bisexual people that their presence is welcomed to unsure that their voice is included in decisions made from within the party.

Bay State Stonewall Democrats Announces Deadline for Request for Endorsements

As the political campaign season begins in earnest, the Bay State Stonewall Democrats will continue its long-standing policy of endorsing candidates for the upcoming 2010 primary and general elections. We endorse candidates so that LGBT Democrats and independents who are members or supporters of the LGBT community can be informed as to which candidates deserve their vote.

At this time we are asking those who seek our endorsement in the primary campaign for State-wide and Massachusetts House and Senate races to please fill out a short "Request for Endorsement Form" which is located on the BSSD website: www.baystatestonewalldems.org. The link to the form is on the right side of our home page, The deadline to make your request for primary endorsements is May 22, 2010. We urge candidates to be sure to indicate your positions on issues that are of concern to the LGBT community as well as past efforts on the behalf ofour community. For your convenience, you can fill out the form electronically, so there's no need to download it and mail it back.

For those who are seeking an endorsement only in the general election and not the primary, there will be an opportunity in September to make those requests. Candidates should understand that our policy generally is not to endorse candidates in the primary who do not have a primary opponent.

Steve Iannaccone, Co-chair Bay State Stonewall Democrats

Globe Prints BSSD response to Article Critical of Our Push for Democratic State Committee Seats for Bi-sexual and Transgender Democrats

Here is a link to the letter to the editor printed in The Boston Globe Monday 5/3/10. Bay State Stonewall Democrats will continue to aggressively work for this charter change in the Democratic Party as well as for the Transgender Right's Bill still in the Joint Judiciary Committee. Pleas join in calling Mass. House Speaker Tom DeLeo to ask him to have this bill come to the floor before the May 7, 2010 deadline for Bills to emerge from committee and be voted on in 2010. Transgender people have waited long enough for this affirmation of their civil and human rights.

BSSD Saint Patrick's Day Event A Great Success

(From left to right) State Rep. candidate Karen Payne, State Rep. Carl Sciortino, State Rep. Elizabeth Malia, Bay State Stonewall Democrats co-chair Claire Naughton, attorney and main event organizer Jeff Ross, At-Large Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo, At-Large Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, former national chair of the DNC and current candidate for State Treasurer Steve Grossman, and State Rep. Lida Harkins candidate for the Norfolk/ Bristol/ Middlesex Senate seat gathered at 28 Degrees on Sunday to promote LGBT equality.

We had a great Saint Patrick's Day Party on Sunday, March 14th. Thanks so much to all of you who attended, brought or sent friends. The unofficial count was about 40 to 45 members, friends, relatives, elected officials and candidates for office. Claire Naughton and Jeff Ross acted as MC's for our program which included as speakers Representatives Carl Sciortino and Liz Malia, and City Councilor Felix Arroyo. Other elected officials and candidates for office who attended were:

Steve Grossman - former Democratic National Committee Chair and now candidate for State Treasurer
Representative Byron Rushing
Representative Lida Harkins - Candidate in the Special Election for the Senate seat vacated by Scott Brown
Boston City Councilor Ayanna Presley
Michael Albano-Candidate in the Special Election for the Senate seat vacated by Anthony Galluccio
Karen Payne -Candidate for the 6th Suffolk seat vacated by Willie May Allen
Senator Sonia Chang Diaz and candidate for State Auditor Suzanne Bump sent representatives from their campaign due to previous commitments.

The celebration was scheduled to last from 5 to 7 p.m., but due to great conversation and conviviality many people didn't leave until after 9. When you consider we planned this in 4 days, it was a success beyond what we imagined and will be an event looked forward to in the coming years.

The South End News covered the event here.

(From left to right) Jeff Ross, Pink and Green Party organizer and Former national Chair of the Democratic National Committee and Candidate for State Treasurer, Steve Grossman.