Gay History: June 30, 1979

Thanks to the Dean of Cincinnati from the Cincinnati Beacon for the heads up on Facebook on this, the original wording coming from the Examiner, though I can't find other sources to confirm. On June 30, 1979:

A group of 40 people in Cincinnati Ohio who had reserved a city park pool for a gay pride party were outnumbered and attacked by local residents who threw rocks and bottles at them. Police arrived, watched for a while and then drove away. One man had to be rescued by a television news crew. Police refused to return, even after several calls reporting a riot.

I have a feeling at least one of my readers will be able to confirm this, or know someone who can confirm this so we can get an interview and learn more about the incident???

Mother?

Indianapolis Pride!

Check out Out-With-It-Already's post (and pictures!) on Indianapolis's gay pride, which also happened this weekend! It looks like it was a fabulous event! And, more Cincinnati Pride Pictures are available on resident queer photog's, Rene Micheo's, Facebook and on JereKeys.com.

Just another Pride celebration?

Look very closely at where the schedule is coming from. :-)

Congratulations, Shanghai, for hosting the first every LGBTQ Pride in mainland China!!!! Daring, too, this close to the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square. Everything's private, no parade... just a lot of great LGBTQ events.

Check out the great article on the BBC about it; thanks to the Shanghaiist for the image above.

Barack Obama on Pride Month

And the mountain moves. 

Barack Obama today released the following statement celebrating June as Pride Month in the US. Aside from the push for the Matthew Shepard Act, this is the first statement since he became President on LGBT anything:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.

LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.

Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration — in both the White House and the Federal agencies — openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.

The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.

My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.

These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA

Two things:

1) I cannot find the original source, but have found it one a few blogs, including Queerty. I'll update as soon as I find the source.

2) It comes from a blogger I didn't even know about -- Kevin Lynch at the Examiner. Fabulous. I'll see if the site is blogroll-able.

Still, welcome back Mr. President. See, we just need a word every now and again :-).

H. Clinton Recognizes Pride Month

From Hillary Clinton, in recognition of Lesbian and Gay Pride Month 2009:

Forty years ago this month, the gay rights movement began with the Stonewall riots in New York City, as gays and lesbians demanded an end to the persecution they had long endured. Now, after decades of hard work, the fight has grown into a global movement to achieve a world in which all people live free from violence and fear, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and on behalf of the State Department, I extend our appreciation to the global LGBT community for its courage and determination during the past 40 years, and I offer our support for the significant work that still lies ahead.

At the State Department and throughout the Administration, we are grateful for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in Washington and around the world. They and their families make many sacrifices to serve our nation. Their contributions are vital to our efforts to establish stability, prosperity and peace worldwide.

Human rights are at the heart of those efforts. Gays and lesbians in many parts of the world live under constant threat of arrest, violence, even torture. The persecution of gays and lesbians is a violation of human rights and an affront to human decency, and it must end. As Secretary of State, I will advance a comprehensive human rights agenda that includes the elimination of violence and discrimination against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Though the road to full equality for LGBT Americans is long, the example set by those fighting for equal rights in the United States gives hope to men and women around the world who yearn for a better future for themselves and their loved ones.

This June, let us recommit ourselves to achieving a world in which all people can live in safety and freedom, no matter who they are or whom they love.

I know after the last time I gave Clinton the win on LGBT rights while Obama still is kinda wading through the morass, and, I know, it is likely that all of this passes across his desk first...

...but her name is being attached to all this. His is not. I'm sorry, I'm still giving it a Clinton win, who is, perhaps unexpectedly, becoming a hero for LGBT individuals. And don't forget, the former Pres. Clinton is "evolving" on LGBT rights, too (and, apparently, it's time to end DADT -- thanks, BC, bout damn time) -- whether this would translate into any action if Clinton were President, I don't know, but it sure does start setting her up nicely, don't it?

I said it before, I think we'll see Bill in the next few years come out in support of same-sex marriage... and likely Hill as well.

WANTED: Pride Contributors!!!!!!

Pride month is almost upon us, with over 100 different cities holding Pride celebrations this year!

Obviously, the unpaid, volunteer-only writers of QueerCincinnati.com cannot attend all of them (though we'll do our damnedest to cover Cincinnati's Pride as best as we can). That's why WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

Are you going to a Pride outside of Cincinnati this year, even as close as Dayton or Columbus? We want your pictures, your thoughts, your stories... in short, we're asking you to guest blog next month on what it was like at Prides across the Midwest and across the country! I know at least one person going to New York City's Pride this summer -- which should be huge, considering it's the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. Or, do you live in another part of the country/world and want to report back on how awesome your new hometown pride is? We want to hear that too!!!!

If you are going elsewhere, shoot us an email (queercincinnati@gmail.com) or leave a comment with your email address... we'd love for you to help us out!

(Anti-)Gay Moscow

The (I suppose) world-famous Eurovision contest was held in Moscow this week. Who cares? I know I don't, but the queer blogosphere was enamored with it. The back story is far more interesting.

Moscow has denied LGBT folks the right to Pride, again, this year. Activists believed that bringing Eurovision to the city would "open it up" a bit and bring international focus on the treatment of LGBT folks in the Russian capital. And boy did the Russian government fuck this one up. A small cadre of activists demonstrated outside the musical Olympics, shouting and chanting for equality and equal treatment. Rather than allow the peaceable demonstration to go on, they were broken up and arrested. Europe is noticing and the international attention that was supposed to spin Russia positively has been tarnished, instead; and Mayor Yuri Luzhkov looks like a real winner, calling the demonstration "Satanic" and homosexuals as "weapons of mass destruction."

Thus giving the queer blogosphere more to talk about -- especially the wording on the back of the police's uniform ("OMOH"). I would say so.

NKY Pride 2010

And so it's (a little more) official...

NKY Pride 2010 has announced their first fundraiser happening this Saturday, May 2 beginning at 8pm at Yadda Club. They even have a theme...

Unbridled
Anyone care to comment?

My one comment, at this point is this -- what's with all the animal references? :-) Oh, and we're hearing a lot out of Yadda Club, these days. I wonder how they're doing? Must be worth a good check out here soon, yea?

Oxford Gay Pride Parade!

And enter the latest (and, in my very biased opinion, greatest) addition to the Gay Pride calendar: Oxford, OH, town of 8,000 residents... 24,000 when Miami University is in session. Unless I miss my guess, this is the first gay pride event ever held in Butler County.

I got a text this evening from one of the lead organizers, Brian McQueen of Miami's graduate queer group (HAVEN), who tells me that there were maybe 250 people total participants in the parade itself, which wound itself from the corner of Uptown at the Phi-Delt gates to McMillan Hall across the street from the Student Union (the Shriver Center). This is from Brian:

Today was the most beautiful day I have experienced in life, thus far. This Pride Parade was for Miami, the queer community at Miami, the queer community at large, and the entire world. People from all walks of life came together for one cause. There were queer couples with children, straight couples with children, old, young, ably different, faculty, staff, students, dogs, etc.

I am so full with joy right now and I would most probably be exceedingly more articulate if we were talking(it could be the alcohol). However, please let everyone know that this was about pride and self-acceptance. I want our community to understand that we need not look for acceptance outwardly, but only within ourselves and share that with our community. Our job is to love ourselves and extend that to everyone. Full and total acceptance is what we need and must have for ourselves. Hopefully this will be the catalyst for more "radical" and peaceful demonstrations that inspire change as well as unity. Networks were broadened and a safe space was created. PLEASE note that there was NOT one protester in sight. In fact, many people cheered us on and some joined in. Professor Stefanie Dunning brought her class--James Baldwin is the focus--to join us and the crowd grew bigger and bigger. I could almost sense the shift in consciousness on campus.Today was truly a gorgeous and gay day!

Thanks to Rhonda Jackson, Marty Petrone, Jenise Baldwin, Erin Douglas, Madelyn Detloff, Mark Rysdon, Jon Groppe, Tommy Marzella, Captain Willis of the Miami Univ. Police Department and his guys, Janine Todd, Eloiza Domingo-Snyder, Mother Paula of Church of Our Saviour, and so many more.

Congratulations, ladies/gentlemen/etc. I said it before: I couldn't be prouder if I'd planned it myself. When is the date for next year? Let's get it on our calendars!

The pride parade is a part of Miami's Awareness Week, celebrating LGBTQI culture, history, and politics.

I want to be her.

One of the lead organizers, Brian McQueen, on the left.

From the Phi-Delt gates into campus.

The beginning of the parade, at the Phi-Delt gates.

Update: I wanted to add this picture in because it totally exemplifies my darling friend Brian McQueen. I don't think I could have asked for a more appropriate picture had I told him to pose for it:

Kisses to all, and welcome too all the new visitors to this site!

Gay Pride News!

I am so thrilled and excited and pumped to announce this...

Oxford Gay Pride Parade

This Parade is for all members of the LGBTQ community and others who support not only our rights, but the civil rights of all human beings--better known as "Allies". This is an opportunity for us to display our Pride through a loving and peaceful march across campus.

Bring your fiercest pumps, beat your mugs (wear make-up), snatch your wigs, bring signs/posters, and get ready stomp like Naomi down the runway!

That's right, folks, Oxford is having their first ever gay pride parade!!! I couldn't be happier if I had planned it myself. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7th between 4:30pm to 5:30pm. The parade will go through the Phi Delta gates at the corner of High and Campus, continue down the slant walk, and end at MacMillan Hall. It's a short route, but I have no doubt they have lots of stuff planned.

It's being organized by Spectrum and the gay grad group -- HAVEN. Check out the Facebook event page.

In other gay pride news, I might point this little bit out: I am officially killing the NKY Pride 2010 rumors until further notice. I just don't think it's happening, kids. This is how I imagine it went:

Person 1 at a meeting (P1): You know, we should do this in NKY.

Person 2 at a meeting (P2): Yea, that'd be great!

P1: But not this year.

P2: Nah... but we could start planning for 2010.

P1: YEA! What do you think about... (random details)

Later, at a bar:

P1 (or 2): Guess what we're doing?

Person three, a friend or acquaintance or potential trick
(P3): What?

P1/2: We're planning gay pride for NKY in 2010.

P3: OMG! What a great idea! I should tell people about this!

And so it goes. Usually my snoops have been able to dig up some dirt here and there, but nothing has come up, not even the most minor biscuit of information.

I am, thus, killing this as nothing unless you can prove otherwise.

Oh, and the new GLCC website launched. It's a lot easier to remember, this time around, rather than the five word address they used to have.

2009 Cincy Pride Logo

Thanks to JereKeys...

Thoughts? Reactions?

Denver's Pride Theme

And I thought Cincinnati's was bad :-).

MileHighGayGuy announces Denver's: "Worldwide Pride -- Connecting the Dots"

You know, Squealing with Pride is starting to grow on me. At least it doesn't wreak of gray-ness.

They have an official pride blogger? Interesting. It's an idea.

Oh, and don't forget about the Pride Committee Meeting this evening at the MCC. I may actually be in attendance, though I'll be bringing homework.

NKY Pride 2010

One of my favorite sources for gossip in the city commented on this post about the possibility of an NKY Pride planning committee formed for 2010.

Anybody have any information?

(Wolfie, I'm looking at you.)

Cincy Pride Planning Falling Apart

I got a phone call the other night while I was still in my PJ's from a certain MH who is on the Pride Planning Committee.

Apparently, he was at the meeting and no one else came. His comment: "Surely not everyone could have forgotten about it?"

My guess: 1) it's really close to the holidays, and 2) no email was sent out.

I hope it doesn't fall apart... the momentum was good.

Well, except I'm not viewed as a media source.

And I never actually heard about the logo design contest...

...and the only emails I got were from MXC about updates to the listserv...

...hrm...

...no more comments, because now I'm just being a bitch.

(My previous post on the subject.)

GAY STUFF: Hadaka Matsuri

Hrm.

Thousands of half naked men reaching out to try to touch a single naked man. Personal fantasy or religious ritual?



Meet the Hadaka Matsuri...

Yea. I would like to submit this as a proposal for Cincinnati's gay pride week.

GAY STUFF: South Carolina is SO gay

Thanks to my dad for the email on this one!!!

Follow up to one of the bits from this blog about the "South Carolina is SO gay" ad that was pulled by the state tourism board... (Original story here at MSNBC)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A gay pride organization said Thursday it plans to raise $5,000 to pay for an advertising campaign that proclaimed "South Carolina is so gay" after the state refused to pick up the tab.

SC Pride Movement president Ryan Wilson said his group wants to restore the state's good name after the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department refused to pay. The state was one of a half-dozen highlighted in the London-based ad campaign aimed at gay travelers.

Joel Sawyer, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, said tax dollars should not be used for ads "that promote any group with a particular social or political agenda."

From the media release from SC Pride, and their official statement:

"Someone needs to rise above and do the right thing, and the GLBT community of
South Carolina should be the ones to do it, and the SC Pride Movement is going
to take the lead." Wilson continues, "South Carolina may not be "so gay"
currently but we are going to show the world that we can be and we WILL BE so
gay, and gay friendly some day!"

Make sure you donate to them to support the money they are putting out to have this ad published!!!!

(What's really funny is that you'll notice that the City of Columbia -- the capital of SC -- is a sponsor of SCPride 2008)

CINCY GAY SCENE: Preacher Gets Arrested

This is fun, from the 2007 Gay Pride, where a preacher using a bullhorn got arrested at Cincinnati Pride. I've never seen it before.

Embedding has been disabled, so you'll have to trust me and follow the link.

GAY STUFF: Lexington Gay Pride

Saw these awesome people who will be celebrating gay pride in Lexington for the first time ever. GO GIRLS! It's June 28th, 11a-9p!

CINCY GAY SCENE: Gay Pride Day 1

Pics of day one. I kinda looked like I had gotten myself a booth for no reason other than to just sit. And, yes, nothing to do but wander around and chat with people.

CINCY GAY SCENE: Dayton Gay Pride and other jazz

Bagel was up this weekend -- LOVE YOU MUCH BABY -- although she told me that she doesn't really read and thinks I'm funny for blogging. We had a GREAT time:

1) First time eating at Universal Grill since it became Universal Grille. We had a great bartender/server (I think his name was Sam), who is a recent transplant from SC. He was charming and on top of our needs. Food was not much different than we got used to at HM... so, not much new to report there. It was my first burger in a while, and that was far more exciting than the food that we were being served. It is, as usual, up-scale bar food. There is a sign saying they are opening for lunch these days, but it doesn't appear that they have yet.



Universal Grille -- from my camera phone.









2) Went out to see Vivica LaCroix, one of my dear friend performers from Oxford, perform this weekend at Shooter's. She made an OK first performance in Cincinnati, but it was nice to be surrounded by hot men that night (Edro, Chris, QCS, Matt, etc etc etc) although I somehow managed to get a lot drunker than I meant to. Gr. Oh well. We went to the Dock afterwards. You know how THAT goes.


Vivica LaCroix and Truly Scrumptious.








3) Dayton gay pride. I guess it's a lesson in appreciation for what we do have here in Cincinnati. Lame, lame, lame. The parade was short (less than 20 minutes!) and there was simply nothing to do. In fairness, it was raining, so I'm sure a lot of people didn't come, but that doesn't excuse.

This is the first pride I've been to, really, that I haven't been intimately acquainted with in someway. I just wanted to go to go. And there wasn't a damned thing to do. Like Cincinnati's, you watch the parade, you walk around the park, listen to a couple things on stage, and go to a bar. It was a nice venue, overall, but I think there should be carnival games.

Writing that, I guess I kinda made a small realization: local gay prides, like Cincy or Toledo or Dayton or SC or anything like that, are about the local community. They know they don't attract a lot of out of towners, so the focus is exclusively on the city itself. That's wonderful and great, but there needs to be something for us non-locals to appreciate rather than the ongoing glorification of self and city.

IE: Use the opportunity to show off your gay scene, what's special about it. So my day in pictures...





























In order:

a) Beginning of the Parade on the corner of St. Clair and Third.

b) A little hometown activism.

c) Cincinnati representing! It was comforting to hear that they seemed to share a lot of the same feelings about the situation that I did... that we appreciate what we do have here in town. This was the first, time, btw, that the Cincy LGBT Center "marched" in this parade.

d) Cincinnati's Queen City Rainbow Band!!! Yea! Bagel's comment: You have a gay marching band? Ha! Yes! They aren't the best band in the world, but they are fun and I love that they exist.

e) Club Masque and their Super-Limo

f) A LOT of gayness.

g) Hell, yea old lesbians!!!!

h) "Do drag queens melt in the rain?" The answer is no, but they dance to bad music (Mariah Carey, I still hold, has lost her damned mind)

i) Judge Wiseman -- the first openly gay elected official in Ohio, and the first openly gay appointed official in Ohio. She's up for re-election as the Montgomery County Judge. We got to meet her and she is amazing. I asked her opinion on gay marriage, her response: "Well, I'm gay and I'm married. Does that answer your question?" No, actually, it doesn't, but it's close enough that all I could feel was: I wish I could vote for this woman. She is amazing, folks. Vote for her.

j) gohi!!! The Gay Ohio History Initiative! Look, it does exist! They report that they are getting things off to a start and their first display -- LGBT historical figures in Ohio -- is going up soon and their newsletter will begin soon!

k) Duh. Half naked boy. Funny story: his underwear was stuffed. I'm convinced of that.

l) The line for the beer tickets. For people who have never done this: you have to show your ID, get a wristband, and buy tickets to walk to the next booth and get your beer (1 ticket-1 beer-$3). It's really annoying if you're a participant, but, from an organizational standpoint, it's ideal. As few people as possible with their hands on the money makes for an honest day.

m) Courthouse square where the festival was. And yes, there were boys in the fountain at one point.

n & o) MJ's! The bar we went to after words. The bartender was AWESOME! And we had a really good time there, but we were hungover, tired, and couldn't stick around for their free BBQ that afternoon :-(.

4) After a nap Saturday afternoon, Bagel and I went, at Queen City Survey's suggestion, to see Sound of Music at Fountain Square. I got to see cutie-patootie Dan again :-), and I also briefly saw Bruce, former editor of the local gay rag.

However, about five minutes into the movie, I realized I had never seen the whole movie straight through, and I really enjoyed it! It was a beautiful night with Graeter's Ice Cream, a couple beers, and it was BUSY. I just sat there and watched hundreds of people wandering downtown. It's true... downtown is getting busy again, and it's wonderful. Thanks for the invitation out, QCS.





Sun setting behind the Great American Life Insurance Building -- via my camera phone.









It was a good gay weekend. I'm now debating whether or not to go to the Drag Races. I'm sure I'll end up down there, but we'll see.