At the forefront of societal change:  The political activity of the LGBTQ+ Community in Erie

By Kyle Hannon and Michael Mahler

This was one of the documents written for an exhibit of local LGBT history called A Look Back: LGBTQ+ Community in Erie for the month of June, 2019 at 419 Artifacts, 419 State St, Erie, PA. that had an opening reception on June 1. This was a project of Erie LGBTQIA+ History Project.

The LGBTQ+ community in Erie have long been at the forefront of fighting for equal rights and fair treatment for all citizens. Even when they could not be open about their own fight for equal treatment, Erie's community participated in Civil Rights rallies, protests against the Vietnam War, and supported passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. After Stonewall in 1969, and once State Supreme Court decisions in 1972 and 1980 struck down anti-sodomy laws, the nationwide community began to confront discrimination against them more forcefully.

In the 1980s the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic and subsequent fearmongering by anti-gay opponents created additional hardships for the community to overcome in the struggle for equal rights. Even with the increased understanding of the virus that exists today, the legacy of this fight still persists in continued existence of regulations that prohibit sexually active gay men from giving blood at blood banks, and the refusal to induct or deploy overseas HIV positive individuals into the US Armed Forces.

In September 1991 the Erie Chapter of the League of Gay and Lesbian Voters, a Non-partisan voters group, published a Voters Guide for elections. Pennsylvania 1st District Assembly Republican candidate Jerry Knight's campaign focused on attacking Democratic candidate Linda Bebko-Jones for her pro-gay responses in the Voters Guide. Knight lost the election. LGLV existed in other areas until 2004, but the Erie chapter faded out in the late 90's.

About May 1991 Walter Kramer became the first person in Erie County to publicly state in mass media that he was openly HIV positive. Although he moved out of the area not long after, his willingness to put a public face on the epidemic was an important moment in showing the personal effects the virus had on many people's friends and neighbors.

On April 25, 1993 at least 200 people from the Erie area went to Washington, DC for the 1993 March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. The effort in this area was spearheaded by an ad hoc committee. The Erie Gay Community News (EGCN) provided a lot of the publicity for the march. In fact, publicizing the March was one of the main reasons EGCN expanded. The committee worked through the Edinboro Gay Organization(now known as Identity as of 2019) in organizing and chartering a 48-passenger bus from Erie. The national march was the second to occur in Washington (the first having been held in 1987) and came about in the wake of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" compromise and during the height of the AIDs epidemic. 

In 1994 the first same-sex 2nd partner adoption was completed when an Erie County woman legally adopted her partner's biological child. Both partners now had legal parental rights. This was one of the first such adoptions in western Pennsylvania, and was probably one of the first in the state.  As such, it was another milestone in the efforts to achieve parity in domestic laws for LGBTQ+ families.

On December 1, 1994 DonPaul Lucas, who was infected with the virus by blood products he uses because he has hemophilia, announced on television on World AIDS Day that he had HIV. He remained in Erie and was a tireless HIV/AIDS educator and the first openly HIV-positive "AIDS activist" in this community. He stepped down from being active in the late 90's. DonPaul died on December 1, 2004, also World AIDS Day

In the spring of 1995 Kristine Holt, a transgendered woman who had been fighting for the job she said she lost because of her gender change, ran for Venango County Commissioner. Although she lost the election in the primary she was about in the middle of the field in terms of votes. She won national attention.

On Jun 18, 2000 Erie County Judge Shad Connelly denied Jeff Grego a second parent adoption. His partner Joey Grego had already adopted the couple's 2 children. Jeff and Joe appealed to the PA Supreme Court with another couple and on August 21, 2002, the PA Supreme Court ruled in their favor by announcing that the unmarried partner of a legal parent could adopt the partner's children. This was another significant victory for LGBTQ+ families across Pennsylvania.  Jeff and Joey had been a couple for 20 years and had been raising their children from their infancy. Jeff passed away in a plane crash at Corry municipal airport in 2005.

Across 2001-2002 there were various votes about passing a Erie County Human Relations Commission ordinance. It was finally passed in a 6-1 (3 Ds and 3Rs voting in favor) bipartisan vote on Feb 26, 2002 and signed by Republican County Executive Rick Schenker on Mar 8 2002.  This was, and is, a significant milestone for our area.  Erie County became one of the few areas of the state to designate LGBTQ+ citizens as a protected class in hiring, firing, and workplace situations.  It was, and is, something for which the citizens and elected officials of this area should be very proud.   

The Erie County Democratic Party reached out to a number of different constituencies, including the LGBTQ+ community. About 4-5 community members met with then Chairman Ron DiNicola to discuss issues.  This is believed to be the first time that a local party chairman held an issue discussion with members of the community.

On September 12, 2003 Erie Mayor Richard (Rick) Filippi became the first Erie Mayor to speak at a Pride Rally.  Mayor Filippi started a tradition whereby many public officials throughout the following years have spoken at Erie Pride celebrations.  PA State Representative Linda Bebko-Jones also spoke at the 2003 Pride Rally.  

On September 28, 2003 Millcreek School District became the first known district in the county to pass a LGBTQ+ inclusive anti-discrimination policy.

On Oct 18, 2003 Erie native Bernie Bright legally married his life partner Rick in Toronto. The province of Ontario had equalized marriage rights in June of that year.

On October 29, 2004 Erie Lesbian couple Violet DeFonsey and Nohealani Jones went to the Erie County Courthouse to apply for a marriage license and were denied because Pennsylvania did not recognize same sex marriage at that time.

On October 11, 2011 Ebony Davis, of Erie PA was confirmed for a four-year position on the Erie County Human Relations Commission. Erie County Executive Barry Grossman had contacted leaders in the local LGBTQ+ community in an effort to fill the position with an openly-LGBTQ+ citizen. Ebony is a mother of three and at the time of her appointment was a Volunteer Cultural Orientation Trainer at the International Institute and a student at Mercyhurst University, where she was working towards a BA in Sociology.

On December 12, 2012 the Right Reverend Sean Rowe, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania announced his approval to allow priests in the diocese to conduct blessings of same-sex couples. The move was approved by the church's general convention in July, and took effect Dec. 2. Priests and congregations who do not favor the measure will not be forced to offer blessings.

On June 26, 2013 the US Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in a 5-4 decision, which prohibited same-sex couples legally married in their own state from receiving federal benefits. Also, Prop 8 in California was dismissed for lack of standing, effectively setting the stage for marriage equality to return to California. The Supreme Court did not rule on the substance of whether same-sex couples could be singled out by state law. These two landmark victories were celebrated by about 30-35 people, who assembled in Perry Square in Erie that evening. Both local news crews and also a photographer from the Erie Times News stopped by to cover the event.

On November 24, 2013 Erie Sisters, TransFamily of Erie Support Group, and PersadCenter held Erie's first official Transgender Day of Remembrance candle light vigil at the gazebo in Perry Square in Erie PA. Special thanks to Ted Hoover at Persad Center for getting the ball rolling! The event had 11 people brave the cold and snow to commemorate the 238+ transgender people who lost their lives over that past year in brutal attacks all over the world. In that year the community was saddened to learn that for the first time an alarming number of deaths occurred in those 20 years and younger. In the first 10 months of the year, there were 22 kids ranging in age from 13 to 20 who were viciously murdered for being transgender. The actual number may have been higher as this statistic only deals with reported murders.

Decision Day in Erie, May 20, 2014 saw, with less than 24 hours' notice, almost 200 people turned out in Perry Square that Tuesdayto celebrate Judge John E Jones III striking down Pennsylvania's so-called Defense of Marriage Act. Marriage equality is now the rule of the land in Pennsylvania, and Governor Corbett has said that Pennsylvania will NOT appeal the federal ruling. Speakers included Mike Mahler of Erie Gay News and NW PA Pride Alliance; Atty. Richard Ruth, legal director for ACLU NW PA; Kathy and Christina Czarnecki-Smith, who married in New York state; Rich McCarty, senior pastor at Community United Church and president of Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and who also read a supportive statement from State Sen. Sean Wiley; Rev. Steve Aschmann of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie; David Moore, founder and president of Marriage Equality for Pennsylvania; Doris Cipolla, who had lost her partner Char to cancer 9 years and 1 month before and who was glad that other PA couples will not have to have similar experiences; Susan Woodland, President of NW PA NOW, and Joshua Szczesny, secretary and co-founder of Marriage Equality for PA. Also in attendance were Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, proud mother of a gay son and also Erie County Councilmember Jay Breneman. Erie Sisters Transgender Support Group also turned out in support. Kathy Dahlkemper announced that a same sex couple had already applied for a marriage license that day. The couple was Michael Tkach, board member of Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and Bill Lechner, who have been together for 29 years. Also in the crowd were attorneys Jason Owen and Alison Scarpitti. Alison is legal counsel for Greater Erie Alliance for Equality.

In January 2015 Erie was included in The Advocate's list of Queerest Cities in America National magazine The Advocate included Erie PA in a list of the Queerest Cities in America, and mentioned not only ErieGayNews.com, but also the recent Lake Erie Gala by the Erie Sisters, The Zone Dance Club and Lone Shark Seafood

On November 7, 2017 Tyler Titus won his race for the Erie City School Board, becoming the first out trans person ever elected in the state of Pennsylvania. Victory Fund President & CEO Aisha C. Moodie-Mills released the following statement about his win: "Tyler Titus shattered a lavender ceiling in Pennsylvania today - and his victory will resonate well-beyond state boundaries. Trans people remain severely underrepresented in our politics and government, and now more than ever we need trans voices like Tyler's in the halls of power. This is a historic night for trans candidates across the country - and Tyler is part of a vanguard of leaders who are determined to be part of the conversation on issues that affect their lives."

On May 29, 2018 Erie County Council voted 7-0 to amend the Erie County Human Relations Commission ordinance to include gender identity, as well as criminal background and source of income. Sexual orientation has been included since March 8, 2002, but the wording had been confusing as to whether gender identity was explicitly protected. The new policy went into effect immediately. This covered discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations.

On July 17, 2018 Erie Mayor Joe Schember's LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, the first ever such group, started quarterly meetings in City Hall. This Council was formed to help raise Erie's score on the Municipal Equality Index maintained by the Human Rights Campaign, but more importantly, to help the City of Erie foster a welcoming, accepting culture in an Erie that values diversity. Founding members of the Council were Pam Anthony, Marshall Blount, Tania Bogatova, Natalie Braddock, Kim Conti, Season Crannell, Emily Crofoot, Kathy Czarnecki-Smith, Michael Grasso, Marcy Hall, Caitlin Handerhan, Kyle Hannon, Melina Harden, Tammie Johnson, Paul Lukach, Michael Mahler, Leah Manino, Reverend Richard McCarty, Leroy Oglesby, Lucy Reyes, Alison Scarpitti, Kevin Seeker, Gary Snyder, Alex Sphon, Caitlyn Strohmeyer, Rose Marie Surma, Jackson Surma, Linda Thomas, Jewels Frantz, Tyler Titus, Erin Wincek

On Aug 6, 2018 Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order creating the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, the only one in the nation. Among the founding members of the commission were Erie City School Director Tyler Titus, serving as co-Vice-Chair, and Erie Gay News co-editor Michael Mahler.

On November 12, 2018 Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper issued a proclamation for Transgender Awarness Week. It read in part: "NOW THEREFORE, I, Kathy Dahlkemper, Erie County Executive, do hereby proclaim November 12 - 19 as Transgender Awareness Week and call upon our citizens to educate themselves regarding the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that transgender people face and encourage our community to be allies…."

The LGBTQ+ community in Erie continue to be active politically by continuing the fight to achieve equal rights for all of us and our families.