Professional Documents
Culture Documents
As I sit down enough to walk around in a pink shirt As we look forward to the future of
to write this I am was good enough to be a part of Pride. Reading Pride Celebration we have
taken back to The founders included Steward Willman come to the realization that our re-
December 2006. ( President), John Durkin ( Vice Presi- sponsibility is not just in celebrating
We were at a dent), David Ramos (Treasurer & Sec- Pride every third Sunday in July but
Christmas party retary), Mary Gomez and Brian Rundle. also in being a voice for the GLBT
thrown by friends. community. We have begun reaching
Many o f us had I soon learned that Pride was the out to the religious, Latino and African
been involved in child of this group of friends who felt it American communities. It is through
a survey regarding LGBT concerns in was time and that maybe Reading was understanding we dispel fear, hatred
Reading and Berks County. As a re- ready. It was amazing how we all came and ignorance. We welcome the op-
sult we started to receive copies of together and worked not knowing what portunity to share our stories with oth-
The Lehigh Valley Gay Press and in the outcome would be. On Sunday July ers, to erase stereotypes and through
the December issue there was a small 15, 2007 we found out. It understanding build friend-
article about the creation of a Pride was as if the seas parted ―It is through ships.
Event in Reading. It was a topic of and in you came, 1,500 of understanding
conversation at the party and a few of you. Yes, Reading was And as I close there are
us decide we were going to attend the definitely ready! We were
we dispel fear,
the dreams of Reading Pride
next meeting to see what it was all told by some of the 56 ven- hatred and Celebration, that new and
about. And that is how my partner Ben dors there that this was the ignorance.‖ younger members will be-
and I became involved in Reading best first Pride Event they come involved and carry on
Pride Celebration. had ever been a part of. the works and joys that have been
And choruses of thank you for doing this started. The dream that someday
We walked in and I knew I was at resounded from those attending. there will be a place where young and
home when one of the founders Geri old can go to create memories, learn
Farley told me anybody who is brave We have had our ups and downs their history and share their stories
over the last four years. We shared our free from fear, hatred and ignorance .
sorrow in the loss of four of our mem- —Rich Spangler President, Reading Pride
The Gayzette: bers. Mary Gomez one of our founders, Celebration
a GLBT and Allies Publication Contact: rb1502@aol.com
Robert Dry our 2008 Entertainment
Newsletter Committee Chair chair, Mr. Bill Rebstock and Mr. Dennis
Brenna J. C orbit Bogush aka Denise Du Jour, committee
EDITORIAL STAFF CONTRIBUTORS members. We rejoiced when after an 18
Brenna J. C orbit Deb Coggin month battle with The IRS we were
Joe DiCindio Joe DeCindio
Jolene M. Flamm Lisa DeLong awarded our 501( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit The winner of the newsletter
Kimberly Kalbach Jennifer Glass status, thanks to combined efforts of Mr.
Ben R enkas Kimberly Kalbach naming contest goes to
Richard Spangler Donald Maher Brian Pinto and Mr. Donald Maher. And
Richard Wagner Henry Prus ki we've carried on through everything Robert Schmoyer.
LAYOUT, DESIGN and
COPY EDITOR
David Ramos
Ben R enkus because we know how important it has The winner receives
Brenna J. C orbit Valerie Sc haeffer become to give our community this joy a $30 gift card from
PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Spangler
Charles Corbit Richard Wagner and this voice. Izzie’s Restaurant
Kimberly Kalbach
Richard Todd Wagner
in Boyertown.
In 2008 we had a crowd of 1,800 and 85
The Gayzette: a GLBT and Allies Publication is a vendors. In 2009 the addition of a head- The winning name ―The
quarterly publication of the Reading Pride Cel ebrati on.
liner Ms. Maxine Nightingale proved to Gayzette‖ was actually a ―tie‖
be a winner with a crowd of 2,100 and
DISCLAIMER with Kimmie Kalbach’s
The views express ed i n these articles are thos e of the 70 vendors, which was remarkable
authors and do not necess arily reflect the views of The
given the state of the economy. And as ―The Gayzette: a GLB T and
Reading Pride Celebration.
we approach this year's festival, it is Allies Publication,‖ with Kimmie
Our Mission is to C elebrate U nity and Di versity In the
Lesbi an, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community of with great anticipation and excitement handing the prize over to Robert.
Reading and Ber ks C ounty. that we, the current officers, President
Contributions are enc ouraged and must be s ubmitted Rich Spangler, Vice President Richard Congratulations to both
via email, CD or fl ash drive. Articles are s ubjec ted to Wagner, Secretary Bethany Bower and Robert and Kimmie!
editing and may be rejected; article l ength approximatel y
250 words or less. Treasurer Henry Pruski along with all
the committee and volunteer members,
Deadline for Fall s ubmissions is September 11, 2010
Contact: readingpridenews@gmail.com look forward to celebrating with this
RPC HIGHLIGHTS 3
Check
us
Out
online
for addi-
tional
Lisa’s legal view— be a criminal act! Not until 1991 did freedom to marry. Government has no
the number of people who opposed business imposing some people's reli-
Public Opinion: why it interracial marriage drop to a minority. gious beliefs over others. Especially if it
does not matter in the If the Supreme Court relied on a ma- denies people's civil rights." The major-
jority vote, interracial marriage would ity has no right to impose some peo-
fight for same-sex have been illegal until ple’s religious beliefs over
marriage 1991. Instead, the ―Marriage is a others either. Marriage is a
Court determined that fundamental right fundamental right and holding
by Li sa M. there is a fundamental and holding out for out for a majority vote is not
right for people to
De Long, E sq.
marry the partners of
a majority vote Is an option. LGBTI people have
rights guaranteed by the Con-
their choosing. Courts not an option.‖ stitution and those rights are
Last week I had today should expand not optional at the majority’s
a debate about that decision to include same-sex request.
same-sex marriage marriage.
with my friend who Statistics and quotes from Mrs.
believes that our In 2007 Mrs. Loving said: "My gen- L o v i n g a r e from h ttp ://
country should ―put eration was bitterly divided over some- w w w . r e l i g i o u s t o l e r a n c e . o r g /
it to a vote because thing that should have been so clear hom_mar14.htm
we live in a democracy where the ma- and right. The majority believed what
jority rules.‖ I could not disagree more. the judge said, that it was God's plan
In fact, public opinion should have to keep people apart, and that govern- ——Lisa DeLong is a graduate of Florida
nothing to do with the rights of LGBTI ment should discriminate against peo- Coastal School of Law and is currently prac-
people. A quick history lesson illus- ple in love.‖ Sound familiar? Oppo- ticing law focusing on LGBTQI issues and
trates my point. nents of same-sex marriage are using rights. She has had the honor of arguing for
the same bitter, narrow-minded argu- the end of the military policy of "Don't ask
In 1967, 72% of Americans dis- ments today. don't tell" in front of State Supreme Court
agreed with interracial marriage, yet Justices at the Williams Institute and has
the Supreme Court decided Loving v. argued First Amendment Rights in front of
Mrs. Loving believed that ―all
Virginia that year and made interracial the Florida Supreme Court. Currently, she
Americans, no matter their race, no lives in Sinking Spring with her partner and
marriage legal in every state. A stun- matter their sex, no matter their sexual 13yr old son.
ning 48% of Americans in 1967 orientation, should have that same Contact: Lisa@LMDeLongEsq.com
thought that interracial relations should
ENTERTAINMENT 9
First of all, I would like to speak Judy’s on Cherry is located on 332 Cherry
about Judy Henry’s background and Street, Reading PA 19602; 610-374-8511;
her years of experience. She has www. judysoncherry.com
been in the food business for 30-plus
years. She a ttended the famous Peter Judy’s on Cherry
and Plein Air – Outdoor Garden Café
Kump’s Cooking School located in the
heart of New York City. Also, she was Lunch: Tues. – Fri.: 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
fortunate enough to have been affili- Lunch: Wed. – Fri.: 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
ated with master chefs Julia Child and
Simone-Beck who are from the Pro- Dinner: Tues. – Sat. 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
vencal region of France. Judy also A chef at Judy’s on Cherry prepares mouth- Dinner: Wed. – Sat.: 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
studied for a period of time with them watering creations at Judy’s. photo: Ki mberly Closed: Sunday and Monday Live Music:
Kalbac h Friday evenings.
ENTERTAINMENT 11
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Phot os:
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