20 Years of EGN

by Michael Mahler

This issue marks the 20th anniversary of Erie Gay News.

It has been our proud duty to report on our local LGBT community and preserve our history since 1993.

PDFs of every issue since the first issue is on our web site, and copies of every print issue are stored in 6 different LGBT archives across the nation, as well as Toronto and Amsterdam. Our web site also has photo galleries going back to 1995.

Originally, this publication was called Erie Gay Community Newsletter, and was put out by an organization called Bridges for the first few years of its existence. Bridges disbanded around 1995/1996.

In 1995, the City of Erie marked its Bicentennial, and a copy of the December 1995 issue was included in the time capsule that the city placed in the tower at Dobbins Landing, which is due to be opened again in 2095.

Erie Gay News existed in an online-only format after December 1999 and resumed publishing in print as of the December 2002 issue.

Thanks for supporting us for the past 20 years, and here's looking forward to many more years to come!

About the Author

Michael Mahler Michael Kenton Mahler (He/Him) has been the editor of Erie Gay News since it was founded in December 1992. He is also a founding member of NWPA Pride Alliance. He serves on the Governor's Commission for LGBTQ Affairs and is active with Aging with Pride and the Erie County HIV Task Force. He became the first LGBTQ person to be fully out in May 1992 when appearing on local TV coverage. Michael currently works as a software developer for Erie Custom Computer Applications.

Photos

Also view photos here.