You missed the best parts

You missed the best parts

EDITOR:

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of taking part in the First Gay Pride Festival of Youngstown. Sunday I had the displeasure of reading about it in The Vindicator (Gay Pride in Youngstown: Group sponsors its first event).

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown, the Federated Church of North Jackson, and All Saints Community Church of Cortland were represented at the festival, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, Northeast Ohio Legal Services, the Stonewall Democrats of the Mahoning Valley, the Mahoning Valley Pride Center, PACT (People of All Colors Together) and All Families Matter. Each of these organizations had a table at the festival, providing needed information and fostering political support for the LGBT Community, yet no place in the article is anything noted about these groups.

Your article stated that Anita Davis said, “The event was meant to counter negative stereotypes about gays and to make people aware of the gay community ...” yet, the majority of your article emphasizes drag queens and their entertainment value at the festival. Though the drag queens are a very important aspect of the community, they are not the only aspect. Members of the LGBT community have families, children, parents, and deal with situations that we all encounter daily, as well as prejudice, discrimination, and hatred.

If you had highlighted the three churches that were open and affirming of the LGBT community, if you had stressed the many cards the participants at the festival signed in support of the Equal Housing and Employment Act or noted the petition to get rid of the Armed Services “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, if you had noticed the gay parents who were looking for churches and family functions to attend with their children then I might say that your article did justice to the festival. All the article did was present one factor of our community — the kitsch-factor.

DIANA SHAHEEN, chair

Welcoming Congregation Committee

First Unitarian Universalist Church

Youngstown

Youngstown