May, 2026 News (35 Articles with 35,757 total views)
On the cover of the print edition for May, 2026 Celebrating Trans joy in Erie City Council Chambers on March 31. Photo by Michael Mahler
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
Voters Guide
Candidates for PA Governor, US Congress (PA-16), and PA State House for areas that included Erie County were asked about their positions on LGBTQIA+ issues. Please note that Pennsylvania's 2026 primary election is May 19. The last day to register to vote for the primary is May 4, and the last day to request a mail-in ballot is May 12.
Joy and a Call to Action at Erie's Transgender Day of Visibility
Members of Erie's transgender community and their allies gathered in the Erie City Council chambers to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility, observed annually on March 31.
Aging With Pride and Erie Gay News Panel at Penn State Behrend
On Thursday, April 16, members of Aging With Pride and Erie Gay News spoke on a panel at Penn State Behrend for an LGBTQ Studies course called Sexuality Through the Lifespan. The panelists provided backgrounds and experiences as a retired federal employee, a volunteer during the AIDS crisis in the 80s, a mental health professional, and a local activist. The students asked insightful questions. Aging With Pride and Erie Gay News are grateful for having had the opportunity to dialogue with youth, many of whom were training for helping professions.
Queer Youth Prom in Erie Aims to Create Safe, Inclusive Space for Teens
"Knight to Remember: Queer Youth Prom" will take place on Saturday, May 30, in Erie, offering a free, inclusive celebration for queer, trans youth and allies.
Don't Forget: Erie Queer Community Food Drive May 9
The Erie Queer Community will come together once again to support local families through a community food drive on Saturday, May 9 at Central Outreach Wellness Center, located at 3104 State St, Erie, PA.
National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day
Each year, May 16 has been designated National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day. It is a day to honor the activism and bravery of the more seasoned members of the LGBTQ+ Community. Locally, Aging with Pride (AWP) is a group that provides a variety of activities for the LGBTQ+ individuals living in NW PA. Activities include dinners, book club, game nights, movie nights, coffee hours, educational programs, and more! The AWP Legacy Project documents interviews with many of the elders in our community, often including the early days of activism for the LGBTQ+ Community. Please join us for a Sharing Session at 2:30 PM on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Werner Books in the Liberty Plaza. Open to all ages! What have some of the elders done or been through? Are there individuals who inspired you? Please join us even if only to listen!! If the weather is nice, we will be outside in the courtyard! For questions about the Sharing Session, please contact Pete at 814.384.9785.
Bears Do Dinner #138 at Samurai Kitchen and Sushi
Bears Do Dinner held its 138th meet-up for dinner on April 7 at Samurai Kitchen and Sushi, 2767 W 12th St, Erie, PA. The next Bears Do Dinner will be on Tuesday, May 12th, at McGarrey's Oakwood Cafe, 1624 W 38th St, Erie, PA.
2nd Annual Great Cupcake Showdown! Fundraiser Brings Sweet Competition to Support Mental Health Awareness
Erie, PA - [April 14, 2026]- Journey: Healing Together is excited to announce our 2nd annual Cupcake Showdown, a deliciously fun fundraiser happening this May in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. This friendly cupcake competition will bring together local bakers, businesses, and community members to raise awareness and funds for mental health initiatives. 2nd Annual Cupcake Showdown will be on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, from 12:30 to 3 PM, at 201 West 11th Street, Erie, PA 16501. The attendance expected is 125 attendees. The Voting Entry Fee is $10 advance (group discounts available in advance), $15 at the door
NWPA Pride Alliance Announces 2026 "Make Waves" Season and Summer Event Lineup
ERIE, PA - April 13, 2026 - The NWPA Pride Alliance is officially announcing "Make Waves" as the theme for the 2026 Pride season. This summer, we are calling on the local LGBTQIA+ community to be visible and loud. Just taking up space creates a wave of change across Northwest Pennsylvania. And we want everyone to join us.
Aging With Pride Coffee Hour Third Thursday of the Month
Aging with Pride (AWP) has recently started a monthly coffee hour. AWP has a needs assessment link, and one common thread was the need for a conversation group. The AWP Coffee Hour is at 1 PM on the third Thursday of each month at Werner Books at Liberty Plaza, 3608 Liberty St, Erie, PA. There is no set topic; it is open to the individuals who attend! Please feel free to join us! Our Needs Assessment Survey is on our website: www.agingwithprideerie.org. You are most welcome to fill it out by clicking on Survey.
Aging With Pride Dinner at Donato's with Erie Mayor Devlin and County Executive Vogel
Aging with Pride hosts a monthly dinner social at various local restaurants. We had the pleasure of welcoming Erie County Executive Christina Vogel and Erie Mayor Daria Devlin to our March 26 dinner at Donato's. Each of them spoke about their plans for their time in office and answered questions from our group of 30 attendees. They each stressed the need for city and county governments to work together to build a better community. Both elected officials applaud the work of Aging with Pride and look forward to attending other events of our group. Why not join us at a future dinner? Contact Pete at 814.384.9785.
March Meadville Happy Hour
NW PA Pride Alliance held its Meadville Happy Hour on March 25, 2026, at Julian's Bar & Grill, 299 Chestnut Street. Meadville Happy Hours will continue to be held on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Julian's. Erie Queer Happy Hour is held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 PM at The Zone Dance Club, 133 W 18th Street, Erie, PA.NW PA Pride Alliance held its Meadville Happy Hour on February 25, 2026, at Julian's Bar & Grill, 299 Chestnut Street. Meadville Happy Hours will continue to be held on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Julian's. Erie Queer Happy Hour is held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 PM at The Zone Dance Club, 133 W 18th Street, Erie, PA.
Blane Dessy was much more than a great librarian
Blane Dessy, 74, well-read and well-loved, entered into the great archive of the universe on March 14. Born in Pittsburgh, Blane received his Bachelor's in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master's in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh. He built libraries and the communities surrounding them at the local, state, and federal levels across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Washington, D.C.
The deadline for the May 2026 print edition (issue #366) of Erie Gay News is Monday, April 13, and it will be available on Tuesday, April 21
For the next Erie Gay News (issue # 366, cover-dated for May 2026), please send in-person and online events, news items, and other info for late April 2026 and beyond by Monday, April 13. We expect the next edition to come out on Tuesday, April 21. This issue will include our Voters Guide for the May 19 Pennsylvania primary election.
Location Changed to Erie City Hall for Transgender Day of Visibility
Please note that TransFamily of NW PA's Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31 at 6 PM has been moved to Erie City Hall, 626 State St, Erie, PA due to anticipated weather. Hope to see you there!
Entertainment and Travel
LGBTQ+ Oklahoma City Travel Guide: Gay Bars, Inclusive Neighborhoods & Queer-Friendly Dining in OKC
Oklahoma City isn't a place that announces itself loudly. It doesn't rely on spectacle or reputation to draw you in. Instead, it unfolds slowly, revealing its character in moments-over a cocktail at a neighborhood bar, in the glow of a gallery opening, or in a late-night conversation with someone who proudly calls this city home. For LGBTQ+ travelers, that sense of discovery is part of the appeal. What you'll find here isn't just a scene-it's a community.
Your Columbus Experience
Columbus, Ohio is an amazing, surprising city with much to like for the LGBTQ traveler. Two great neighborhoods with tons of gay bars, great restaurants, fun hotels, and incredible attractions.
Local Faces and Photos
April G2H2 at The BrewErie at Union Station
G2H2 held its monthly get-together on April 3 at The BrewErie at Union Station, 123 W 14th St, Erie, PA The group usually gathers on the first Friday of each month. The next G2H2 will be on May 1 at El Amigo Mexican Grill, 333 State St, Erie, PA.
Political, Activism and Legal
Lambda Legal Condemns Trump Administration's Latest Attack on the Civil Rights Community
"Make no mistake. This is not an isolated attack on one civil rights organization; rather it is the opening salvo in the broad onslaught yet to come. But we will not be cowed." (New York, NY - April 22, 2026) - Following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Justice has indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center, Lambda Legal CEO Kevin Jennings issued the following statement: "This week, we received news that the Trump administration's Department of Justice has targeted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), one of the country's oldest and most effective civil rights organizations, for unjustified and unprecedented harassment and intimidation. Make no mistake, however. This is not an isolated attack on one civil rights organization; rather, it is the opening salvo in the broad onslaught yet to come. But we will not be cowed.
Montana Supreme Court Blocks Policy Barring Transgender People from Updating Identity Documents
HELENA - April 14, 2026 - Earlier today, the Montana Supreme Court upheld a District Court order temporarily preventing the State of Montana from enforcing policies that bar transgender people from obtaining accurate sex designations on their birth certificates and driver's licenses. This means that transgender Montanans will continue to have access to accurate and usable identity documents while the case proceeds.
NWLC: Ed Dept has "Absolutely No Basis" for Terminating Civil Agreements Protecting Trans Students
Washington D.C. - March 6, 2026 - The Department of Education announced today it would rescind Title IX resolution agreements that protect students from harassment, discrimination, and hostile school environments. This action specifically targets trans, intersex, and nonbinary students.
Lambda Legal Urges Appeals Court to Affirm Ruling Compelling Puerto Rico To Issue Accurate Birth Certificates to Nonbinary Puerto Ricans
(BOSTON, MA - Thursday, April 9, 2026) Lambda Legal and co-counsel Johanna Emmanuelli Huertas today urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to affirm a lower court ruling finding that Puerto Rico's denial of birth certificates to nonbinary people congruent with their nonbinary identities violated the U.S. Constitution. Lambda Legal represents six nonbinary plaintiffs born in Puerto Rico in the appeal of their district court victory in their case challenging the denial of gender markers other than Male or Female on their Puerto Rican birth certificates.
Lambda Legal Condemns Supreme Court Ruling Greenlighting Ineffective and Harmful "Conversion Therapy" Practices
(Atlanta, GA, March 31, 2026) - The U.S. Supreme Court today struck down Colorado's ban on licensed mental health professionals' use of conversion therapy on minors. This discredited and harmful practice purports to "change" the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ+ people, but it is a well-documented source of long-lasting pain and trauma, especially for LGBTQ+ youth. Carl Charles, the Elayne Cassidy Nicholas Memorial Counsel for Trans and Nonbinary Rights, Lambda Legal, issued the following statement: "I know firsthand the long-lasting harms of conversion therapy, having been subjected to it when I was 15 years old. This practice did not change my sexual orientation or gender identity. Instead, it destroyed important relationships and created shame and fear that took time and effort to undo. For many survivors, it is a reverberating life-long harm.
Health
Mon May 18th HIV Awareness Walk
The Erie County HIV Task Force invites everyone to participate in the 9th Annual HIV Awareness Walk on Monday, May 18th. We will meet behind the stage in West Perry Square, 575 State Street, Erie PA at 5 PM. We will walk around North and South Park Row circling Perry Square, and everyone is encouraged to wear red to help raise HIV awareness. All ages are welcome and the event is child and pet friendly. (Please be prepared to clean up after your own pets.) People participating as organizations are welcome to represent their group/organization. If you don't wish to walk the entire route, you are welcome to join us at any point along the sidewalk around Perry Square.
Erie Mayor Daria Devlin proclaims April 6 Central Outreach Erie Day
In recognition of National Public Health Week, Erie Mayor Daria Devlin presented Dalen Hooks, office manager of the Central Outreach Wellness Center, with an official proclamation declaring "Central Outreach Erie Day" in the city on April 6, 2026.
My Son Killed Himself
from Michael Dale Kimmel of Life Beyond Therapy: Dear Michael: I am a 42-year-old bisexual woman whose 17-year-old son just killed himself. My husband, my girlfriend and I are all in shock; we didn't see it coming.
NAMI Family-to-Family Starts April 13
NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 9-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of individuals with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidenced-based program. This means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition.
City of Erie Proclaims "Central Outreach Erie Day"
In recognition of Public Health Week, Mayor Daria Devlin will present Dalen Hooks and the Central Outreach Wellness Center of Erie with an official proclamation declaring "Central Outreach Erie Day" in Erie, PennsylvaniaThe presentation will take place on April 6th at 2:00 PM. 3104 State Street.
Training Your Inner Puppy
from Michael Dale Kimmel of Life Beyond Therapy: Are you feeling lonely, scared or worried lately? Is the chaotic state of the world exacerbating those feelings?
Spirituality and Religion
Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul receives LGBT Fund Grant
A $3,000 grant was recently awarded by The LGBT Fund of the Erie Community Foundation to St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral to support its LGBTQ+ ministries. For many members of the LGBTQ+ community, finding acceptance and support within their faith can mean everything. The leaders of the LGBTQ Fund said that through this grant, the church can continue to welcome those from all backgrounds and create a safe space for them.
Contests
Enter to win Still, We Are Sacred!
Enter to win Still, We Are Sacred! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, April 28, and Tuesday, May 19. Entrants are limited to US residents only and must be at least 18 years old.
Enter to win Until You Find Your Way!
Enter to win Until You Find Your Way!. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Friday, April 24, and Friday, May 15. Entrants are limited to US residents only and must be at least 18 years old.
Enter to win The Witch and the Huntress!
Enter to win The Witch and the Huntress! To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, April 21, and Tuesday, May 12. Entrants are limited to US residents only and must be at least 18 years old.
Enter to win a digital download of Cherri!
Enter to win a digital download of Cherri!. To enter the contest, fill out the form below between Friday, April, 17, and Friday, May 8. Entrants are limited to US residents only and must be at least 18 years old.
Enter to win Orbital Bebop!
Enter to win Orbital Bebop!. To enter the contest, fill out the form here between Tuesday, April 14, and Tuesday, May 5. Entrants are limited to US residents only and must be at least 18 years old
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