Celebrating Pride

This June the Maine Psychological Association (MePA) shares our Pride by showing our support and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community across the state of Maine!

The Pride celebration tradition originated as a way to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal moment that catalyzed the modern gay liberation movement in the United States. The events at the Stonewall Inn ignited a series of protests and demonstrations that brought attention to the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and equality. Pride celebrations now also honor the work of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, trans women of color who created safe havens for trans youth and fought for the inclusion of trans people in the gay liberation movement. Maine’s first Pride parade was in 1987; and June has been the official Pride month in the United States since 1999.

In the past several years, we have seen unprecedented attacks on people who identify as LGBTQIA+, particularly on transgender and gender diverse youth. Psychologists’ allyship and commitment to affirming care for all is more important than ever before, as research continues to show that when LGBTQIA+ youth feel recognized, supported and valued by their communities their mental health improves and suicide risk decreases.

This year the American Psychological Association (APA) and MePA have enacted research-based policies and position statements supporting the LGBTQIA+ community (mepa.org/mission-leadership). In February 2024, APA joined other major medical organizations by affirming psychologists’ support for access to quality health care for all regardless of their gender identity.

As an organization, MePA is proud to stand with the LGBTQIA+ community, during Pride month and throughout the year. Throughout the state, psychologists will be participating in Pride-related events, showing our support for our communities and our commitment to LGBTQIA+-affirming care. We hope you will join us!

To learn more about MePA or to find a psychologist near you, please visit mepa.org.

Jeff Matranga,
Maine Psychological Association board president

Coastal contamination

For lunch on Saturday, I ate a dozen succulent oysters from Mere Point Oyster Co. This was a splurge, and I’m grateful that these precious oysters are available, given that Brunswick recently suffered a massive die-off of shellfish.

What can we do to stop shellfish die-offs and the abrupt decline of other aquatic creatures ranging from herons to turtles? A key place to start is to replace the use of landscaping pesticides and fertilizers with proven methods of low-impact landscaping. This starting point is established through a new law sponsored by Maine Sen. Mattie Daughtry. It stipulates that homeowner and condo associations cannot require Mainers to maintain grass turf lawns that require fertilizers and pesticides.

However, the new law (LD 649) has not been tested or settled. And while the nuances are being worked out, some associations are taking a wait and see attitude rather than being proactive. For example, in my association we are still using at least 6 products that are toxic to aquatic life. There is little need for these products. Even Maine’s Department of Transportation has discovered that hardy low-cost native grass and wildflowers need no pesticides and little water. There are many groundcovers that are less expensive than turf grass and require far fewer pesticides.

Forward-looking condo associations in Brunswick have transitioned to low-impact landscaping to save costs and meet residents’ requests. Let’s hear from them about their experiences. And let’s hear from associations which have resisted change, despite the environmental costs. What is their rationale for continuing to pollute our watersheds?

If you live in an association that’s reluctant to change, question their practices, ask if you can opt out of pesticide applications, and educate yourself about the benefits of switching to low-impact landscaping. If you are moving to a COA or HOA, buyer beware! Ask the realtor about the association’s landscaping regulations. Is the land around the unit you’d like to buy protected by LD 649 and by the association?

Let’s make sure that Brunswick’s COAs and HOAs are working to protect the health of aquatic and terrestrial creatures, including humans.

Jan Mokros,
Brunswick