RU12? Community Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Vermont

Join us on April 8th for LGBTQ Visibility Day in Montpelier

Come OUT! Be Visible at the State House on April 8, 2008!

Tuesday, April 8^th is the Annual LGBTQ Visibility Day at the State House in Montpelier.

Join us to meet fellow LGBTQ Vermonters, connect with LGBTQ organizations, and to connect with your legislators about important issues facing our community today!

Over the past several years, we worked to pass the Gender Identity bill not once, but twice! And together – we won! 

But, we still have work to do! Although civil unions were a good first step and provide valuable protections for same-sex couples and their families, we still face discrimination in Vermont’s marriage laws. 

We collectively recognize that many in our community would choose to get married if provided that right, while others who would not choose to enter in a civil marriage.  However, we are united in our belief that by denying us marriage equality, the state denies us the dignity and choice to fully participate in a legal institution that is a prerequisite to many critical legal protections that still are out of reach for many LGBTQ Vermonters. 

There are also other issues important to our community that legislators must hear about directly from their constituents.  We need your participation to ensure that our presence and the issues that are important to us are VISIBLE!

Visibility Day 2008 Schedule
8:00am Organizational Displays in the Card Room
9:00am Legislative Update and Advocacy Training (Room 10)
10:00am Introductions on the House Floor
11am  Community Meeting with the Governor (Ceremonial Office, 2^nd floor)
Noon Legislator Conversations over lunch (Cafeteria)
1:00pm  Organizational Updates/ “Mini Queer Summit" (Cafeteria)
2:20pm Debrief and Wrap-Up
2:30pm Close

Questions or to RSVP contact Kara@ru12.org or call 802.860.7812.

Hosted by: Outright VT, RU12?, the Samara Foundation of Vermont, Vermont Freedom to Marry, Vermont CARES and VT TransAction

Schoolhouse: A Queer Friendly School!

To all the queer and allied families out there with elementary school age children:

My daughter started school at the Schoolhouse this year and she loves it; it is an amazing place for her, a girl with 2 moms who was very shy, and who now is completely sure of her self. There are many LGBTQ families at the Schoolhouse, and lots of our allies too; that's just one of the many things we love about it. Maybe it will be right for you or your family too. Please help spread the word about this upcoming Open House on March 25th. Thanks, Kara

Date:  March 25, 2008
Place: 8 Catkin Drive (Dorset Farms), South Burlington, VT
Time: 6:00-7:30pm

Join us for an evening gathering to learn more about how The Schoolhouse can foster your child's natural love of learning.

The Schoolhouse is a parent-teacher cooperative enrolling children in grades K- 6. Founded in 1970, it has been approved by the State of Vermont as an independent elementary school since 1973.  The Schoolhouse nurtures each child’s natural love of learning and helps each to assume responsibility for learning and proceed at his/her own pace. The Schoolhouse fosters academic excellence in a nurturing community, with the goal of leading children to discover the rewards found in active inquiry and respectful, cooperative work with others.

Our four talented classroom teachers have over 80 years of combined teaching experience and several have been with the school for most of their careers. All are dedicated to upholding the school's educational philosophy, which is founded upon the five core concepts of trust, sharing, responsibility, respect, and belonging. The academic curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in language arts, mathematics, science, Spanish, political geography, cultural history, art, music and physical education.

Limited openings available in grades K-6 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Please join us on March 25 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. to learn more about the exciting educational opportunities that await your child at The Schoolhouse! Also, visit us on the web at The Schoolhouse or call 658-4164 for more information.

Samuel Lurie At The Center!!

SafeSpace is excited to announce that Samuel Lurie of Transgender Training and Advocacy will be joining us here at the Center on Tuesday, March 18^th at 6pm. Samuel is a seasoned, engaging presenter committed to training both providers and community activists on the needs of transgender people.  He has delivered trainings to more than 16,000 people around the country over the past nine years. In addition to work in HIV/AIDS, Samuel also consults with colleges and universities to train administrators and student affairs staff on this emerging issue.

All community members are invited to be a part of this incredible training. Please RSVP  (802-860-7812 (p) or email thecenter@ru12.org.) so that we can make sure there is enough space from everyone.

Four Killed In One Month. Speak Out Against Hate.

Adolphus Simmons, 18, South Carolina, Jan. 21,2008
Sanesha Stewart, 25, New York, Feb. 10, 2008
Lawrence King, 15, California, Feb. 12, 2008
Simmie Williams Jr., 17, Florida, Feb. 22, 2008

All of these victims were young, all were trans women or gender variant in some way, and all were people of color. These murders send a message of hate and fear to the larger community. Mainstream society leaves LGBTQQ and allied people few spaces to fully respond to that message- to mourn these deaths, to be angry, to experience solidarity.

Join us in condemning this violence and the systems of homophobia, transphobia and racism that produce it, as we celebrate the strength and vibrancy of the LGBTQQ community that persists against all odds. All are welcome.

Candlelight Vigil — Speak-out — Community Discussion— Warm Conversation and Warm Beverages

• Friday, March 7th, 5:30pm at RU12?
• 34 Elmwood Ave / 860-7812 /

Sponsored by Samara Foundation of VT, VT CARES, VT Freedom to Marry Task Force, UVM Free To Be, VT TransAction, Outright VT, RU12? and the SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program

Please Help Spread The Word: Download vigil_flyer_3.pdf

New Queer Family Group

New queer parenting group at Bebop Baby Shop!

 This Sunday, March 9, 2:00 PM

RSVP so we can guess the right number of bagels…but it’s ok if you drop in last minute

Call 288.1002 or email bebop@bebopbabyshop.com

Join us for this informal parenting/playgroup at Bebop’s community space!  Meet other queer parents & their kiddos, eat a bagel, have a cup of tea. Most people involved are parents of children under age 4 or so, but all queer-identified parents are welcome.  This will be the first meeting, and we will decide how and when to continue the group at this meeting.  Ideas include a monthly social gathering with kiddos, guest speakers or films, parent book group…we’ll see what happens!  If you’re interested in staying in the loop about this group but can’t make the first meeting, let Bebop Baby Shop know.

We’re at

167 Pearl Street

(Route 15) in Essex Junction.