And so it begins—welcome!

Greetings, my fellow Dracuteers, neighbors, & allies! A hearty & warm welcome to Rainbow Dracuteers (RD), a newly founded grassroots organization dedicated to serving and supporting the LGBTQIA2S+ community of Dracut, Massachusetts. This website hosts posts on topics of queer rights, local Merrimack Valley events, Dracut town politics, and townie interviews. As of now, the sole writer (& RD founder) is me, Kaye Crawford.

I'm a non-binary, third-generation Dracuteer (DHS Class of 2010) who grew up by Long Pond and has prodigally returned after living in Ithaca, NY for a decade during my pursuit of higher education. Like many Americans, the nightmarish housing market and rampant inflation has made home ownership nigh impossible. So, my wonderful parents kindly accepted myself, my spouse, Pat, and our two cats (Niko & Dinah) as housemates so that we can attempt to save money in hopes of, eventually, having our own humble abode.

On August 1st, 2024, I had the absolute pleasure to start working at the Parker Memorial Library right here in my hometown. As an Assistant Reference Librarian, I have the honor of helping patrons navigate printing, technology, and books. (I also help support the circulation desk sometimes, too!) I adore working for the library. It is easily the most rewarding job I have ever had, and its one I aim to follow headlong into a career.

In the fall of 2024, I decided to give the Dracut High School a visit as an alum. Specifically, I was able to visit a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) meeting to chat with current DHS students. The only way to know what being a contemporary teen is like is to actually talk to present-day youth, after all! I myself was out as bisexual in high school, but understanding my gender identity didn't come until later. I wondered what current, LGBTQIA+ DHS students' lives were like and sought out their stories & opinions.

What I heard clawed a sunken pit into my stomach.

Despite my best efforts to stay educated and informed, I found that I had fallen into the fallacious thinking that social progress is linear. I had assumed that, after nearly fifteen years, life for present day queer kids in Dracut was better than when I attended high school. After all, gay marriage was federally legalized in 2015, right? But, then again, the state of Massachusetts had legalized same-sex marriages all the way back in 2004—and that certainly didn't prevent students, teachers, or administrators from being openly homophobic or transphobic. (And I had heard folks from each of those aforementioned categories say or do some pretty cruel or ignorant things during my time as a Dracut public school student.)

Since meeting with those incredible GSA members, I couldn't stop thinking about them—about queer Dracuteer youth, and the town's LGBTQIA+ members overall. Where was Pride, back in June, I wondered? The library had a lovely little display, but that was about it. My conscience refused to let me continue on as I was in my obliviousness. Any semblance of doubt about the dire situation in town was drowned out after the results of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.

Dracut voted decidedly with the Republican ticket—one of only four Middlesex County towns to do so. Where 68% of Middlesex County voters submitted ballots in favor of Harris, only 45.4% of Dracuteer voters supported the Democrat nominees. A majority 52.8% of voting Dracut residents went with the GOP nominees. After the national ballot counting concluded, a second Trump term was confirmed.

A cornerstone of the 2024 Trump campaign was built on a foundation of transphobia. From the campaign trail to the Oval Office, the Republican agenda of today is one deeply hostile to the queer community—and most especially to transgender people, drag performers, and nonbinary folks. From scrubbing queer and trans identities being even mentioned on federal websites, to gutting healthcare for gender diverse people, to banning transgender servicemembers from serving in the military, this administration routinely dehumanizes & villainizes gender diverse people while tearing away countless legal protections and civil rights for anyone beyond the "LGB" (although it would be a farce to think the GOP is any friend to the gay community).

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is, of course, a state of these United States of America. Federal politics permeate everyday life and inevitably affect state and local level governance. While Dracut has always had a somewhat frosty relationship with visibly queer people & our communities, the advent of "Trumpism" has exacerbated these issues considerably.

LGBTQIA2S+ folks like myself are living in a state of perpetual anxiety. For our queer youth, the fear & stress is palpably disempowering. Non-straight, gender diverse teens are witnessing a disintegration of their very rights and respected personhoods today. Even in Massachusetts, the situation is tense and overwhelming.

So, despite my anxiety—or, perhaps, one could argue because of it—Rainbow Dracuteers was born.

LGBTQIA2S+ youth deserve to feel welcome in their own hometown. They deserve to feel safe, to feel wanted, to feel valued. Dracuteer teens shouldn't have to travel to a neighboring city like Lowell to find acceptance and community. (Thank you, Lowell.) Dracut's queer residents shouldn't have to feel like they need to hide or mask themselves; they shouldn't feel afraid of their own neighbors because of what an old campaign sign propped up in a yard might signify.

To present day queer kids of Dracut, from a Millennial queer who was formerly a Dracut kid: you are beautiful and resilient and worthy. You deserve all the love & kindness in this world, and I promise you, there are many other Dracuteers out here like myself that are working hard to make this community truly live up to its supposed reputation as a warm & welcoming town. It is difficult being a kid or teen; being LGBTQIA+ adds further, unique challenges made all the more difficult by politics, misinformation, and lack of healthcare. Sometimes, it's okay to just focus on survival. Focus on keeping yourself safe & sane out in the wild out here. As you age, your support networks can evolve and grow to a place where you no longer feel afraid to accept yourself and be who you are, without shame, in a safe environment.

To present day queer adults & elders of Dracut, from a fellow hometown enby: you deserve to feel safe, valid, & accepted in this community. You are a vital part of the fabric of this weird little Massachusetts suburb. Our LGBTQIA2S+ youth need us. For those of us that are safe to be visibly out, it's time to be seen; to be heard; to be known. All of us need to work together to make Dracut a home to all who live here. And for our elders specifically—thank you. Thank you for everything you have done, and for everything you continue to do by sharing your experiences & wisdom. May we continue to be inspired by your deeds, both past and present.

Last, but certainly not least, to my present day Dracuteer allies & neighbors: we need you. We need your support—especially for our trans & non-binary siblings of color. We need you to raise your voice with us as we fight for our right to receive proper healthcare. We need you to work with us as we fight historic erasure of our contiguous existence. Quietly endorsing our right to safely live our lives authentically is not enough. Thousands upon thousands of lives are at stake, and protecting those lives starts by molding your own community into a place of love, acceptance, & celebration for all.

Welcome to Rainbow Dracuteers.

Let's get started.