The fact that Greene “loved the concert” left Ingram feeling that Ipswitch might be a place to work where his “differentness” — as a gay man — would be accepted and affirmed, “where who I was wasn’t just something that was different, it was something to be celebrated and acknowledged . . . I’m out at work, I feel I can be myself at work. I’m better because I am myself.”
Holiday concert
The value of BGMC’s school outreach was affirmed too, one day earlier this year, when Ingram received a note from an administrator at Newton High School, where the chorus had put on an educational program. “He got mail from one of his students, commenting about how important it was for us to be there and how, even though he couldn’t tell his name, it made a huge difference for him to know his whole lifestyle is supported and even though he’s dating another man — another boy — in another high school and can’t talk about it, that they feel really good about the fact that we are visiting their school.”
His work as an officer of BGMC has been a huge time commitment outside the office. Ingram’s philosophy of community service is simple — it’s not all fun, but that’s not the point. “It is not always going to be something that is fun, but it is not work, and it is going to be good, it’s going to mean something to you, like helping kids cope,” says Ingram. “And there’s also a little selfishness in it for me — singing makes me feel good!”
Ingram lives in Boston’s South End, a section which has been a mini-enclave of gay life. That’s changing, slowly. With attitudes toward gay marriage and lifestyles evolving, homosexuals are more and more assimilated into general society. “The gay areas are dispersing,” says Ingram. “I think that is what we asked for. There is a sense of loss. But you don’t need to be together as much anymore.”
In the two-minute video below, Ingram reflects on why attendance by Ipswitch colleagues at BGMC concerts makes him feel supported, the uniqueness and inclusiveness of each concert, and why everyone — audience and performers — benefits from the experience.
Sharing viewpoints: Ipswitch and the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus from Ipswitch Video on Vimeo.
Through the years, Ingram has learned that some colleagues at Ipswitch may not have ever had a gay acquaintance. Without intending to, he serves as an example. “We’re different, but when somebody comes to our concerts, we not only make them aware that there are issues we need support for, like we want to get married, but I think we are successful when someone who comes to our concerts connects to the story and thinks, oh, I never thought of it that way, that could actually happen to me, or, ‘I’m different, gay is different, but I’m different for another reason.’ Suddenly the connection is made and everybody’s learning, everybody is winning because they’re hearing, they’re seeing our stories.”
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