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A Message from Commissioner Dorantes….We are in the last day of PRIDE month where we experienced open expressions of support, acceptance and strength for and with the LGBTQ+ community. We all know that hasn't always been the case. Cultural humility is one construct for understanding and developing a process-oriented approach to competency. Hook, Davis, Owen, Worthington and Utsey (2013) conceptualize cultural humility as the “ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented (or open to the other) in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the [person]” (p. 2). Three factors guide a sojourner toward cultural humility. The first aspect is a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique (Tervalon & Murray-Garcia, 1998). Underlying this piece is the knowledge that we are never finished — we never arrive at a point where we are done learning. Therefore, we must be humble and flexible, bold enough to look at ourselves critically and desire to learn more. When we do not know something, are we able to say that we do not know? Willingness to act on the acknowledgement that we have not and will not arrive at a finish line is integral to this aspect of cultural humility as well. Understanding is only as powerful as the action that follows.
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WHO I AMWritten by Kris Robles, RRG Staff in Waterbury "Pride" has different meanings for different people, of course. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. As a Puerto Rican transgender parent, social worker and person in recovery, this month provides an opportunity to reflect not only on my life, but also the many others who came before me.
At 17 years young, I was trying to find my place in the world and living on my own. I was an adolescent battling a system that didn’t understand who I was or what I was feeling. Just like so many of our youth today in the LGBT community, I struggled to find my place in the world. I had many adults cross my path and help guide me in making better decisions in my life. It was at the age of 21 years old when I met my first transgender man who was telling his story. He was a man in recovery and a person who spoke about never feeling right in his body. When I saw that he was living his true authentic self, I recognized what I needed to do to live my true self. However, as we all know, things are not that easy. Living in a world that did not recognize individuals as equals and not having access to pay for services made things feel impossible. Insurance did not recognize this as a medical necessity in 1998. So, I was stuck with conforming to what society thought was acceptable so that I could work and survive.
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Governor Lamont Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Decision That Federal Civil Rights Laws Include LGBTQ Employees in the Workplace(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today is applauding a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in which the court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. While state law in Connecticut already prohibits job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, today’s ruling means that federal law now provides similar protection for LGBTQ employees in the rest of the country.
The ruling is a loss for the Trump administration, which urged the court to rule that LGBTQ workers do not have civil rights protections in the workplace. “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a long overdue win for LGBTQ Americans and a signal that despite the best efforts of the current administration, the United States continues to stand for equality and justice for all,” Governor Lamont said. “Nobody should be fired because of who they love or the gender in which they identify. I am proud to live in a state that explicitly extended these civil rights protections to LGBTQ workers many years ago, and now we can celebrate that federal law prohibits this type of discrimination in every state throughout the country |
The Stonewall Uprising - Inspiring ChangeIn the 1960s, hostility towards those who did not conform to broadly-accepted norms was rampant. This was evident in the treatment to those who lived openly as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) person. Perhaps surprising today, these sentiments were especially harsh in New York City. Laws provided you could be arrested for wearing less than three articles of clothing that -- according to convention - matched your sex. It was illegal to serve alcoholic beverages to homosexuals. Married men and women needed to live their homosexual lives in secret. Blackmail was not uncommon. |
BRIAN and WILBrian and Wil, who were married in a same sex union, always dreamed of being parents. Together, they hoped to raise children in a healthy, same sex home, focusing on love and family values. Brian and Wil both grew up in big families and wanted to start their own family, modeling for their children what love should be. Sexual preference bore no influence on their hopes and desires to be a parent. They knew that their supportive connection from extended family along with their strong morals and values, would create a loving environment for any child.
Once Brian and Wil decided it was time to become parents, they explored many different resources from adoption agencies, invitro/surrogate procedures and adoption options oversees. The cost for any of these options were extremely expensive and some had no guarantees of adoption. It was frustrating for them to say the least. They were telling one of their good friends, who at one point worked for DCF, about their journey exploring options along with their overwhelming feelings of defeat. She asked why they hadn’t considered DCF. Brian candidly explained “we never considered DCF and did not see much information about the agency during our research online. We were very hesitant to explore this option, thinking that DCF is not going to let a gay couple, raise a child, but decided to see if we were going to be rejected. We had our own perception of being rejected or denied because of our sexual orientation but, we were wrong!” |
CT's Unique Alliance With LGBTQ+ Support Organization, True Colors, Inc.Since 1999, the year True Colors incorporated as a nonprofit, the advocacy, education and support organization for LGBTQ+ youth has been a vitally important partner for the Department of Children and Families The Department's involvement with LGBTQ+ issues, however, goes back even before True Colors was established by its executive director, Robin McHaelen. In 1994, the Department was one of the first co-sponsors of an annual conference to support LGBTQ+ youth that continued each year right through 2019. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the streak of in-person conferences this year. But True Colors - despite the lack of any notice -- quickly pivoted and is now offering a six-week series of "mini-cons" every Friday from 2 to 4 pm ending June 26. YouTube videos and a Facebook Live event are made available that can be accessed -- along with many other educational and support resources – at True Colors Premier Channel.
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U.S. Supreme Court Protects Employees From Getting Fired For Being LGBTQ. Connecticut Celebrates The Nation Catching Up To Our Existing ProtectionsA U.S. Supreme Court decision last week ruled that LGBTQ workers are covered by Title VII, the Federal employment non-discrimination law that protects individuals from being fired on the basis of sex.
Governor Ned Lamont hailed the decision, which surprised many because of the court's overall conservative bent. "Today's decision by the Supreme Court is a long overdue win for LGBTQ Americans and a signal that despite the best efforts of the current administration, the United States continues to stand for equality and justice for all,” Governor Lamont said. “Nobody should be fired because of who they love or the gender in which they identify. I am proud to live in a state that explicitly extended these civil rights protections to LGBTQ workers many years ago, and now we can celebrate that federal law prohibits this type of discrimination in every state throughout the country.” The Governor's office noted that the LGBTQ pride flag is currently flying on the dome of the Connecticut State Capitol and also at the Governor’s Residence in Hartford in recognition of LGBTQ Pride month, which is celebrated in June annually. Robin McHaelen, executive director for True Colors, a nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ youth and has worked with the Department for 27 years, said this is the first time that federal protection from firing has been extended to LGBTQ individuals. "There has never been federal protection based on gender identification, sexual orientation and expression," she said. "Connecticut has these protections, but, until Monday, there were 29 states where you can be fired for your sexual orientation and 33 where you could be fired because of your gender identity. This decision will now protect people in all 50 states."
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