Overturning Roe v Wade and protecting reproductive health

The historic Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade after 50 years is tragic. BGOC and all it’s affiliated lodges support those who wish to have autonomy over their own bodies, full stop. This decision endangers anyone able to become pregnant.

Due to tax codes and other legal reasons we are primarily able to extend mutual aid resources to members only, however please note membership is open to anyone in the U.S. and in some circumstances financial aid is available. If any member is in need of help finding lodging near an existing BGOC lodge and/or transportation to medical appointments, please let us know.

Fac fortuna tua et temet nosce

Roughly translated, “make your own luck and know one’s self”. Our credo means a bit more this year as we collectively suffer through economic, physical and societal hardships in 2020. Still, we persevere. We’ve moved our meetings online; we collect food, socks and other items for those in need, and distribute them together, yet separately. We focus on mutual aid and self-care. Collectively we look out for each other, all while looking out for ourselves. We take the bad from 2020 and turn it into good for all, and in the process we discover the kind of people we really are.

RocPride: Stonewall at 50

The Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 is shrouded in myth. While we may never know who threw the first brick at the Stonewall Inn, the story has been retold thousands of times: the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement began when patrons began using force against their oppressors. While this story is satisfying in many ways, we also know it didn’t end the way we wanted it to. Continue Reading

Who We Are

Between 1890 and 1930, roughly one third of American men were members of a “fraternal order”. These organizations, often secretive with their rites and rituals, offered camaraderie and, more importantly, a social safety net for men and their families before Roosevelt’s New Deal became a reality. Since then, membership in these organizations has waned, shedding an average of 60% of their members since 1970. As families accumulated wealth and the internet provided a convenient method to connect with family and friends, the thought of in-person mutual benefit networks seemed all but obsolete. Continue Reading