Communications's blog

Edie Windsor, who shared her life with her late spouse for 44 years, filed a lawsuit against the federal government for refusing to recognize their marriage because of DOMA.

Opinion has implications for broader GPS surveillance, not just that of passengers in vehicles.

Springfield kicks off its Pride celebration with a flag-raising ceremony and documentary premiere. A drag competition, open mic night and movie screening round out the week of activities. Thursday, May 30 to Tuesday, June 4. -RR

Harvard Book Store offers 15% off in-store fiction purchases during Fiction Fridays. -RR

See the freedom of expression in action at the Cambridge River Festival this weekend. The daylong festival brings music, dance, poetry and theatre to the riverside, with appearances by Actors' Shakespeare Project, American Repertory Theater, Abbie Barrett & the Last Date, Cambridge Open Studios' artists, ImprovBoston, New Repertory Theatre and OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center. Saturday, June 1. 12-6pm. Free. -RR

#MassOps marks International Privacy Day with a protest outside the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, whose officers collect and keep information about constitutionally protected speech and political activity. Join other privacy advocates at 1 Schroeder Plaza in Roxbury on Saturday, June 1 at 2.30pm. There will also be a pub crawl at 6:30pm after the protest. RSVP to massops@tormail.org. -RR

Raised in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury as the only child of her bisexual, activist father Alysia Abbott reflects on the history she lived through, the subject of her nonfiction debut, "Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father." Abbott joins author and lecturer Michael Bronski in conversation at Harvard Book Store. Tuesday, June 4. 7pm. Free.

CO = Christopher Ott, ACLUm Communications Director
RR = Raquel Ronzone, ACLUm Communications Content Specialist

Freedom is more fun!

What creative, provocative, controversial forms of First Amendment expression--and other fun uses of freedom--are we missing? Tell us now.

Government admits activist was on DHS "lookout" list, will turn over investigation documents and destroy copied data

Minnesota, Rhode Island and Delaware bring us to a dozen states (plus D.C.) that now ensure lesbian and gay couples the freedom to marry, and Friday, May 17, is the ninth anniversary of the day it all began, here in Massachusetts. Lee Swislow, executive director of GLAD, which brought the landmark Goodridge case, shares her thoughts in Marking the Progress of Marriage Equality. -CO

Next day, celebrate Boston Youth Pride, on Saturday, May 18, 11am-4pm at the Boston Common Bandstand. -CO

Youth can also speak out about the LGBTQ-friendliness of their schools in the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's 2013 National School Climate Survey. The survey is open to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning; who attended high school or middle school in the 2012-2013 school year; and who are at least 13 years old. -RR

"The Bear Sessions: Portraiture" explores and expands on what constitutes modern masculinity through the photographs of 80 participants from across the country. Visit the opening reception at the Boston Center for Adult Education on Friday, May 17. 6-8pm. $20. Exhibit runs through June. -RR

Frustrated that girls are given animated characters (who are often princesses) as their only role models, Jaime Moore photographed her five-year-old daughter Emma as five strong, accomplished and real women: Massachusetts-born Susan B. Anthony, Coco Chanel, Amelia Earhart, Helen Keller and Jane Goodall.

So much for the freedom of the open road! Law enforcement agencies are quietly accumulating incredibly detailed records about ordinary people's movements through automatic license plate readers. Kade Crockford, director of our Technology for Liberty project, takes this on in the pages of the Boston Herald, through her op-ed Keep Big Brother at Bay. -CO

The ACLU of Massachusetts Bill of Rights Dinner is Monday, May 20! Among the attractions are activist and actress Kathleen Turner, who will perform a piece from her one-woman play about journalist Molly Ivins, Red Hot Patriot. Before you go, listen to this interview with Kathleen Turner by our own Bill Newman, on the history and future of civil liberties. $180. -CO

CO = Christopher Ott, ACLUm Communications Director
RR = Raquel Ronzone, ACLUm Communications Content Specialist

Freedom is more fun!

What creative, provocative, controversial forms of First Amendment expression--and other fun uses of freedom--are we missing? Tell us now.