👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨 Boston’s sex positive approach

😋 You might want to take a trip to Rhode Island. Chef Sherry Pocknett, of Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown, R.I., was crowned the Best Chef in the Northeast at the James Beard Awards this week. She’s the first Indigenous woman to win in this category, so it’s an extra big deal.

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first...

Health is one of the central themes of the city’s Pride celebrations this year. So Boston Pride for the People and the Boston Public Health Commission have partnered up to raise awareness about several resources available to Boston’s LGBTQ community. Their approach? Be more sex positive.

Here’s what to know:

🩺 To recap: Health inequities in the LGBTQ community continue to persist. They’re “at a higher risk for certain health conditions and certainly experience worse health outcomes than other individuals,” according to Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, executive director of the BPHC. That includes everything from infectious diseases like HIV and Mpox to depression and anxiety. LGBTQ individuals are also less likely to have health insurance, making it more likely for them to experience delays in care or affording it entirely.

😓 And those disparities have a lot to do with stigma. Which in the doctor’s office can just look like not asking enough questions. “The most important thing is getting to know the patient,” Dr. Ojikutu said. “And so that person may not feel comfortable sharing information because they may have a doctor … who is, either overtly making comments, or not asking about sexual behavior, or not offering the right screening.”

👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨 So they’re raising awareness for community resources with a sex positive approach. They’ve launched a series of ads on dating apps focusing on prevention, care, and treatment of STIs and MPox. “And it’s on the apps that are used most popularly… like Grindr, Adam4Adam, Manhunt … We’re really being sex positive here. And that does not happen across the country,” Dr. Ojikutu said.

📝 They also just launched a new website listing HIV and STI testing sites and Mpox vaccination sites. They plan to hand out pocket-sized resource cards during the Pride parade directing folks to STI prevention and treatment and will be distributing 10,000 condoms during Pride month events.

🧠 And while it’s not directly related to sex, there are also some long-term mental health investments in the pipeline. BPHC is partnering with other orgs to develop training programs to increase the number of mental health providers. “I do think it's really important that we are building a stronger behavioral health workforce that will be more diverse … not just in race or ethnicity, but also in gender identity and sexual orientation,” Dr. Ojikutu said.

🏳️‍🌈 “Health is the fundamental reason why we fight for rights for Queer people,” said Gary Daffin, co-chair of the parade committee for Boston Pride for the People. It’s the “foundation of people’s happiness and why it is that we fight for equity.”

🏢 There’s a new local podcast in Boston: The Common is a new daily podcast from WBUR covering your need-to-know news and culture from Greater Boston. Every weekday, join host Darryl C. Murphy and a guest for fresh perspectives and in-depth conversations on the issues currently shaping our region. And did we mention, episodes are always under 15 minutes? So, kick it with The Common, wherever you get podcasts.

🚗 Mayor Wu was in a scary car crash, but no one was seriously injured. ICYMI, Mayor Michelle Wu was riding in the passenger seat of a Boston police car Tuesday when another car T-boned it. Her car was trying to make a left at the intersection of Hyde Park Avenue and Blakemore Street when it happened, and according to surveillance video, they didn’t have a green light. The car had its police lights on during the crash, but it’s not clear why. The BPD will be investigating the incident.

🚉 The Commuter Rail is … better than the T? Comparatively speaking, of course. Last month, Commuter Rail ridership peaked at 80% of its pre-pandemic levels — a huge improvement from bottoming out at 2% in 2020 — and 94% of trains arrived on time. It can partially thank its moment in the sun to the T sucking pretty hard right now, as slow zones and reduced weekend service have made people realize the Commuter Rail is currently a faster, more reliable option. The T has even promoted it as an alternative for some routes while slow zones are in place.

🐟 Fish boxes open for business today. Conveniently, on World Ocean Day. The Boxes at the Fish Pier are a new container installation on Northern Avenue hosting weekly seafood markets with local vendors, a rare front door to South Boston’s working waterfront. And when the seafood market isn’t active, The Boxes are designed to host other programming with a focus on Boston Harbor, the seafood industry, sustainability, climate change, and more. So in addition to getting fresh fish, you’ll also have the chance to learn more about the local fishing industry.

🍹 Charlestown is getting a new cocktail bar. Seth Freidus, the longtime Boston-area bartender with stints at Eastern Standard, Alden & Harlow, and Waypoint, will debut his first solo project, Good Company, in Charlestown this fall. And there’s a solid chance it’s going to be a great spot given his track record. He led the team at Alden & Harlow to be named “Best Bar Program” by Boston magazine, and his craft cocktails landed Waypoint the “Best Cocktail Program” in the magazine’s annual “Best of Boston” awards. Opening date to come!

Good news! We’re giving away two tickets to Broadway Supper Club at The Broadway in Southie on June 13. To be eligible, refer a friend below and have them accept your invite between June 8 and Jun 11. If you’ve already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

Tatte is great. But sometimes, we gotta switch it up.

And that’s exactly what Boston creator and Tatte lover Ayanna Moise did in a TikTok video this week. She rounded up five of her favorite cafes in the Boston area to try this summer that aren’t Tatte, and I even learned about a few new spots.

Moise loves George Howell Coffee’s free coffee-tasting events every week. The tall windows and light at Cafe Iterum in Eastie make it a great study or work from home spot. And then there’s Diesel Cafe in Somerville, which has a great range of sweet and savory food.

You can watch the whole video here. If you’re in the market for a new WFH spot, you’re welcome.

☕ Thanks for reading! My problem with working from a coffee shop is that I somehow always end up spending $30 and only send one email.

🍔 The results are in: 55% of readers agree that free food is the best kind of free thing out there. There’s nothing a free sample at Trader Joe’s can’t cure.

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