Letters to the Editor

Thank You for Being Incusive

We are writing to acknowledge the Winthrop Town Council, Council President, Philip Boncore, Council Vice-President, Peter Christoper, Councilor-at-Large, Tracey Honan, Interim Winthrop Town Manager, Terence Delehanty and those members of the community who advocated for the very first LGBTQ Pride flag to be raised and flown at Winthrop Town Hall. This is a very proud moment in our town’s history.  We would also like to extend our gratitude to Senator Joseph Boncore for his very poignant remarks at the June 15th event. His presence and that of the town council, and interim town manager resonates strongly to those of us who are part of Winthrop’s LGBTQ community, and to our many allies that live here. And there are many of us. People outside of Winthrop should know and understand this. It truly matters.

Systemic change is never easy and the road is long, tedious and exhausting. But here in Winthrop, we just took a huge leap towards making significant progress and shifting the culture. Diversity does exist here in Winthrop and part of that includes LGBTQ people. We are your neighbors and your friends. We are woven into the fabric of society and very much an integral part of the communities in which we reside. Winthrop as a community is evolving. The “Rainbow of Diversity’’ includes our ethnicity, color, race, religion, gender, disability, age; each of these are part of a larger cultural shift that has been going on forever. Each of us is part of the rainbow and that should serve to unify us as human beings, not divide us and create a larger chasm than what already exists.

My husband and I have lived in Winthrop now for seven and a half years. We have been together as a couple for almost 20 years. Standing together last Tuesday and watching the Pride flag being raised at town hall was a huge milestone in our relationship as a couple. We have chosen to make Winthrop our home and seeing the Pride flag, listening to Town Council President Boncore and Senator Boncore’s remarks made us feel valued, validated and respected by our town government as members of the community.

Our sincere appreciation to everyone in Winthrop past and present who paved the way in making this happen.

Happy Pride 2021

Scott Mahoney-Wright

Fred Wright