The
Sunshine
Club 

Return to the Home Page 

Who We Are 

Transgender Resources 

Club's Calendar 

Transgender Symbol

Neighbors title


The Sunshine Club is proud to cooperate with its neighbors in an effort to provide resources to the many transgendered individuals living in Massachusetts and its surrounding states.


East Coast Female-to-Male Group (ECFTMG) • P.O. Box 60585 • Florence Station • Northampton, Massachusetts 01062 • (413) 584-7616. ECFTMG is a free peer support group since 1992 for all female-to-male transgendered, crossdressers, transsexuals, our partners and significant others. Meetings are held the 2nd Sunday of every month from 3-6pm at Bet Power's house. For directions to the meetings or for more information, call Bet and the above number. 

UniTy of the Pioneer Valley • The UniTy group is open to people who identify as transgendered, as well as their allies, friends, significant others and family members. We are an inclusive group, and very much welcome supportive people from the larger GLBT community. This group meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. The meetings provide support to transgendered persons, their allies and all GLBTs. The confidentiality of the meeting provides a safe environment in which to address issues related to transition, such as relationships, family, spirituality, workplace and fashion. Social hour begins at 6:30 pm and the meeting runs from 7:30 to 9:00 pm.  

Innvestments • Support group on Cape Cod that welcomes all members of the transgendered community. We meet the first Monday of each month in Hyannis. Write to us at P.O. Box 1577, Sagamore Beach, MA 02562 

South Shore TransGender Network • UNFORTUNATELY IS CLOSED ! 

The Twenty Club • The XX Club is the transsexual support group of the Gender Identity Clinic of New England, Inc. Regular meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 1:45 until 4:45pm. Meetings are held at Christ Church Cathedral (Parish House) • 45 Church Street • Hartford, CT 06013 (Across from the Hartford Stage Company and HTFD Civic Center) • (860) 646-8651. 

Tiffany Club of New England, Inc. (TCNE) • PO Box 71 • Waltham, MA 02454-0071. Attendees must be interviewed by a member of the Screening Committee, or have a letter of introduction from a qualified person. • (781) 891-9325 (Answered live Tuesdays - 7-10pm EST) 

Connecticut Outreach Society • P.O. Box 163 • Farmington, CT 06034 • (860) 604-6343. Promotes a positive self-image for cross-gendered individuals in the community and in the media. Three meetings each month. Membership/recommendation required. Email: info@ctoutreach.org

ConnecticuTView • P.O. Box 2281 • Devon, CT 06460. A "Renaissance" affiliated organization with members from Connecticut and surrounding states. They are an open social and support group for the straight, gay, lesbian, bi, transgendered, their SOs, wives and friends. Essentially "Everyone" is welcome!  For further information, write to the above address or Email: MASOND@aol.com 


Mass Equality Logo

MassEquality   •   398 Columbus Avenue # 198   •   Boston, MA 02116   •   (617) 507-3470   •   Fax: (617) 507-1268.     MassEquality.org is an unprecedented coalition of twenty local and national groups dedicated to ensuring that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision on marriage equality is upheld, and that any anti-gay amendment or legislation is defeated. For further information, write to Marty Rouse, Campaign Coordinator at the above address or for general inquiries, please contact by Email: Info@MassEquality.org 

Different in more than just name, civil unions
establish second-class citizenship for same-sex couples

In the wake of November 2003's historic Supreme Judicial Court ruling on same-sex marriage, several legislators and pundits have proposed that Vermont-style civil unions may remedy the discrimination against same-sex couples found by the Court. This controversy over same-sex marriage is about substance - not symbols. The human stakes are enormous and the debate over the controversy should be about ending governmental discrimination against gay and lesbian families with respect to civil marriage and its legal protections and responsibilities - not about any religious rite of marriage. Every faith is and will remain free to set its own rules about who can marry and on what terms. Marriage means many things to many people, but it is also a legal institution in which governmental discrimination has no place. Marriage is a unique legal status conferred by and recognized by governments the world over. It brings with it a host of reciprocal obligations, rights, and protections yet it is more than the sum of its legal parts; it is also a cultural institution. The word itself is a fundamental protection, conveying clearly that you and your life partner love each other, are united and belong by each other's side. It represents the ultimate expression of love and commitment between two people and everyone understands that. No other word has that power, and no other word can provide that protection. A civil union on the other hand is a legal status created by the state of Vermont in 2000. It provides legal protection to couples at the state law level, but omits federal protections as well as the dignity, clarity, security and power of the word 'marriage.' While Vermont-style civil unions provide very real benefits to same-sex couples, they offer couples no access to federal benefits such as social security survivor benefits, joint income tax filing, and the ability to make tax-free gifts and property transfers to spouses. In addition, civil unions do not provide same-sex couples with any assurance that their relationship will be recognized in other states, leading to potentially devastating emergency room situations. In short, marriages are recognized universally and provide 1,400 state and federal benefits and protections, while civil unions provide only 350 state benefits and may not be recognized outside the state that issued them. Even if there were no substantive differences in the way the law treated marriages and civil unions, the fact that a civil union remains a separate status just for gay people represents real and powerful inequality. We've been down this road before (i.e. - 'Whites Only!', 'Irish need not apply!', etc.) in this country and we should not kid ourselves that a separate institution just for gay people is a just solution here either. Our constitution requires legal equality for all and the act of including gay and lesbian couples within existing marriage laws is the fairest and simplest thing to do. How real are these differences between marriage and civil unions, given that a federal law and some state laws discriminate against all marriages of same-sex couples? Would any of this change immediately with marriage of same-sex couples? Probably not, because married same-sex couples will still face other layers of discrimination against their marriages. Right now, a federal law denies recognition of same-sex unions conferred by any state for purposes of all federal programs and requirements and over 30 state laws do the same. Ending discrimination in marriage does not mean the end of all discrimination, but using the term 'marriage' rather than 'civil union' is an essential first step to opening the door and addressing whether continued governmental discrimination against civil marriages of gay and lesbian people makes sense.

NOTE: Excerpted from Mass Equality's website.

© 2003 by The Sunshine Club. All rights reserved.