BOSTON — The Boston Public Library has canceled its June 17 booking of the “Trans Period Pride” event partially funded by Mayor Michelle Wu's nearly $1 million-a-year Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement, Mass Daily News has learned.
The BPL's event listing for the Copley Branch now carries the notice “This event is canceled,” with no reason given. The library has not said publicly whether the call was its own or made at the organizers' request.
The Boston Public Library's event listing for the Trans Period Pride program, now marked “This event is canceled.” Screenshot: bpl.bibliocommons.com.
The Boston Public Library's McKim Building at Copley Square — the venue that was to host the Trans Period Pride event on June 17.
Mass NOW, the lead sponsor, has not formally canceled. The event is still listed on the organization's own website for June 17, 6 to 7 p.m. — but the location field is now blank, and no new venue has been announced.
The week that forced the call
MASSDAILYNEWS
STAY UPDATED
Get Mass Daily News delivered to your inbox
ADVERTISEMENT · Interested in advertising?
ADVERTISEMENT · Interested in advertising?
Mass Daily News reported on the event May 27. The flyer pitched a “consciousness-raising discussion” on “trans menstruators,” with a free catered dinner and free period underwear for attendees. Wu's Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement was named as a partial funder.
The Trans Period Pride flyer for the June 17 event. Flyer: Mass NOW.
The story went viral. Fox News picked it up. The Daily Mail, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and Libs of TikTok amplified it across X. Comments on Mass NOW's Instagram promoting the event were switched off shortly after.
On Friday, Sasha Goodfriend, executive director of Mass NOW, broke her silence — not to local press, but to Them, a Condé Nast LGBT magazine. Her message: critics were “extremist voices” trying to “shame, erase, and isolate transgender people.”
Sasha Goodfriend, executive director of Mass NOW. Photo: Amber Leilani Photography / Mass NOW.
ADVERTISEMENT · Interested in advertising?
ADVERTISEMENT · Interested in advertising?
The BPL listing was set to canceled after that.
The $920,702 office
Mayor Michelle Wu, whose $920,702-a-year Office of LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement was credited as a co-funder of the canceled event.
The same office, as Mass Daily News reported in April, partnered with the nonprofit OUTNewcomers to offer “LGBTQ+ migrants” up to $500 in “wellness” vouchers for yoga, massage, and gym memberships. That program was withdrawn after our reporting went national; Wu's office called it “inappropriate.”
Mass Daily News has reached out to Mass NOW, the BPL, and Mayor Wu's office for comment. None had responded at publish time.
This is a developing story.
Loading Comments