June, 2020 News (29 Articles with 40,173 total views)
On the cover of the print edition for June, 2020 PA Commission on LGBTQ Affairs spring meeting on May 15, 2020 Screen cap by Rafael Alvarez Febo.
This began publication in December 2002 after a hiatus
Category for this issueCalendar & Upcoming Events
Calendar of Local GLBT Events |
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Local and Regional News
Prides around the country adapt to COVID-19
In these uncertain times, communities across the country are looking to find ways to connect and celebrate virtually. The shift towards online festivities will help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, while still providing a safe way to celebrate the culture and heritage of the LGBTQ community. This was the focus of a conference call on May 2, hosted by the United States Association of Prides.
Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs meeting on May 16
The Pennsyvlania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs held their spring meeting on May 15, 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held virtually on Zoom. New commissioners included DaVona Pacley, Naiymah Sanchez, Celena Morrison, and Xavier Garcia-Molina.
Erie Police Department Seeks Diverse Applicants
The Erie Police Department is currently accepting applications to "Join The Force" until June 30, 2020. Apply online at https://epd.erie.pa.us/recruitment/
Special Pride Issue for Next Month
The upcoming issue of Erie Gay News will have coverage about Pride for the month of June. EGN is seeking ads for this special issue-a great way for businesses and organizations to reach out to the LGBTQIA+ community. The next issue has a deadline of June 15 and comes out the night of June 21. Contact Michael Mahler at (814) 456-9833 or info@eriegaynews.com
Jamestown Pride 2020 Canceled
The Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County and the Jamestown Pride Steering Committee have announced that Jamestown Pride, scheduled for June 13, 2020, has been canceled. An event for June 2021 will continue to be planned.
2020 Virtual Pridefest on June 27
Due to COVID-19 a large gathering will not be permitted in NWPA this June. We have partnered with the Erie Playhouse to bring you a Virtual PrideFest on Saturday, June 27 from 2-5 PM. Info on how to join and participate to come soon.
LGBTQ Community Club Weekly Zoom Meeting
LGBTQ Community Club, which formed in early 2020, had been meeting at Simak Welcome Center of the Kingsville Ohio Public Library. They are now meeting online via Zoom Wednesdays at 4pm. The meeting ID is 987 4925 5994 and the password is 010643. For more info about the group, contact Bill Daywalt at (440) 749-3900 or bdaywalt1@icloud.com
GEAE Updates - GSA Zoom meetup and scholarships
The GSA Zoom meet-up will continue for May. The next meeting is May 28th at 6 pm. Interested teens should contact geaeinfo@gmail.com or margolwolfe@gmail.com for the meeting link. GEAE is once again offering three $1,000.00 scholarships for students 17-25 years of age. Online application is at http://greatereriealliance.com/2020/04/24/2020-geae-pride-scholarship/. Deadline for applications is June 30th.
Transgender Coalition of Pennsylvania Formed
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgency of coming together in an unprecedented time, Transgender Coalition of Pennsylvania has been formed and we are looking for trans and nonbinary Pennsylvanians to come together and join a space of healing, convening, and planning. During this COVID-19 pandemic, it has become very clear that we need spaces we can have conversations that center our lives, experiences, and journey's toward equality and demarginalization in Pennsylvania.
Memorial Service for John Daly King on May 21
On Thursday, May 21, there will be a memorial service for John Daly King at Burton Funeral Home, 602 W 10th St, Erie PA. The viewing will be from 5 to 7 pm, with a memorial service to follow at 7 PM. John Daly King, 82, passed away Saturday, March 14 at Pleasant Ridge Manor and was cremated.
LGBTQ Recommendations Submitted to PA Department of Aging
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) is working on their four-year strategic plan for the Commonwealth. This contains broad strategic goals for the department and includes recommendations for not only the general aging population, but also targeted marginalized populations. For the first time, the LGBTQIA+ community is one of those targeted populations. The Aging Committee for the PA Commission on LGBTQ Affairs has submitted recommendations gathered from an input survey to be included in the strategic plan. There will be virtual listening meetings (most likely via Zoom) conducted by the PDA later in the summer, and one of these meetings is expected to be specifically for LGBTQ seniors. We will hopefully have a date for that meeting very soon, and we need everyone to engage their network to have as diverse and strong participation as possible in the online meeting. Look for more details soon and be prepared to spread the word.
Recognizing the Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship
Let's face it. Relationships are complicated. Even the best relationships hit bumps in the road. However, if your complicated relationship turns unhealthy and then escalates into abuse, there are three things you need to know: it is not your fault, you are not alone, and there is help.
Deadline for June 2020 print edition (issue # 295) of Erie Gay News is Monday, May 11 - Plan to Restart Print Edition
For the next edition of Erie Gay News (issue # 295, cover dated for June 2020), please send in online events, news items, and other info for late May 2020 and beyond by Monday, May 11. We expect that the next edition will come out on Tuesday, May 19. PLEASE NOTE! We are planning on resuming having a print edition, but we need to hear from distributors to confirm that they will be open as of May 19. Distributors should have received an email already, but if you are a distributor anndhaven't gotten an email, please contact Michael at info@eriegaynews.com by Friday, May 15.
Voters Guide
Candidates for US Congress PA-16, PA State Senate, and PA State House were asked about their positions on GLBT issues. Their responses appear below. Please note that Pennsylvania's Primary Election was resrescheduled for Tuesday, June 2. For the first time, ALL voters can request an absentee ballot, which can be applied for online. Applications for absentee ballots are due by May 26, and all completed ballots must be received by the County's Board Of Elections by no later than June 2 at 8 PM. We strongly encourage everyone to apply for and vote via absentee ballot!
Entertainment and Travel
VH1 ru-veals queens competing in new season of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" premiering Friday, June 5th at 8PM ET/PT
NEW YORK - May 8, 2020 - VH1 today "ru-vealed" the queens sashaying back to the runway to compete in the fifth season of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars." Viewers will get a chance to see their favorites act, sing, dance, sew, and lip sync for their legacy. The last queen standing will waltz away with the "All Stars"crown, a spot in the "Drag Race Hall of Fame" and a cash prize of $100,000. "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" will premiere Friday, June 5th at 8PM ET/PT on VH1.
Political, Activism and Legal
Lambda Legal Mourns Passing of Pioneer HIV Activist and Icon Larry Kramer
(NEW YORK - NY -- May 27, 2020) -- Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings, today issued this statement following the passing of pioneering HIV activist and LGBT civil rights icon Larry Kramer
25 Leading Businesses Urge Action To Address Racial Disparities Exacerbated By The COVID-19 Global Pandemic
OAKLAND, CA, MAY 7, 2020-Twenty-five businesses from companies across the country have committed to addressing racial disparities by signing on to a letter from Open to All urging the business community to examine and work to combat the disparities and discrimination that have caused the COVID-19 global crisis to disproportionately impact Black, Latinx/Hispanic, and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. The letter is in response to data that show COVID-19 is resulting in a sharp rise of anti-Asian racism and is killing far greater numbers of Black, Latinx/Hispanic people, as well as Pacific Islanders.
Health
Gov. Wolf Announces Inclusion of Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation or Expression in COVID-19 Data Collection
Harrisburg, PA - May 13, 2020 - Governor Tom Wolf today took another step in his commitment to fair treatment and inclusion of LGBTQ Pennsylvanians by announcing ways the community will be counted in COVID-19 data.
The New Normal
In a pandemic, our old ideas about how life works no longer apply. We don't know when or how this time of quarantining will end. Hell, we can't even predict what will happen next week, so much is changing so fast.
Letters, Columnists and Opinion
Ace erasure is unacceptable
It's the 2020s, a new decade of activism, visibility, and pride. With those three things comes the increased education and awareness of the Ace community around the world. Unfortunantely though, what also increases is the harrassment and hatred towards us and our spaces off or on the internet. You may ask why? I'll give you my opinion bluntly: This world is not set up for us to thrive in. We break the norms set up by people who see us as broken and not a valid community and they think we need to be fixed. There are also people out there who just don't know about us and need to be connected with the right information. That is why it's key to be loud about who we are as a community. Awareness and visibility is important to create further progress. I just hope by 2030, we won't be having the same conversation. We deserve to be respected and accepted. We deserve so much more. Our humanity matters too. Ace erasure must go!
Contests
Enter to win The Edith Wharton Murders by Lev Raphael!
Win an ebook copy of The Edith Wharton Murders by Lev Raphael. The second book in the critically acclaimed Nick Hoffman series is rereleased with a new introduction by the author and a new foreword by Gregory Ashe. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, June 19 and Friday, July 11.
Enter to win Trans New York!
Enter to win Trans New York! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, June 16 and Tuesday, July 7.
Enter to win Freeda the Frog and the Two Mommas Next Door!
Enter to win Freeda the Frog and the Two Mommas Next Door! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, June 12 and Friday, July 3.
Enter to win People of the Pride Parade!
Enter to win People of the Pride Parade! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 30.
Enter to win The Accompanist!
Enter to win The Accompanist! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, June 5 and Friday, June 26.
Enter to win From Zero To I Love You from Ariztical Entertainment!
Enter to win From Zero To I Love You from Ariztical Entertainment. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, June 2 and Tuesday, June 23.
Enter to win Rainbow Revolutions: Power, Pride, and Protest in the Fight for Queer Rights!
Enter to win Rainbow Revolutions: Power, Pride, and Protest in the Fight for Queer Rights! Please like Interlink Publishing on Facebook and Instagram. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, May 29 and Friday, June 19
Enter to win a free download of ALMA's new album Have U Seen Her?
Enter now for your chance to win a free download of Have U Seen Her?, the new album from Finnish pop punk supremo ALMA! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, May 8, and Friday, May 29.
Miscellaneous
3 Ways to Reach LGBTQ Consumers in the New Normal
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has turned consumer behavior upside down, but in recent days we have seen states begin to devise and, in some cases, implement their strategies for slowly reopening. Although this will surely be a long and tedious process, it is important that your company develop a marketing strategy to get ahead of the curve, for lack of a better phrase.
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