PRIDE GUIDE 1997 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE B-29

The last Sunday in June is now the LesBiGay Holiday

by Cathy Lopienski Columbus-For the past 15 years, Stonewall Columbus has sponsored the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Pride festivities in the Central Ohio area. Every year, the Pride Committee selects a new theme for the annual June celebration. This year, the committee de-

Nancy Norton

cided to do something radically different and designate the last Sunday in June as "LesBiGay Holiday."

Like the holidays celebrated each year in this country by many cultural communities, lesbigay people deserve a similar annual day of revelry, affirmation, and recognition that specifically acknowledges the contributions and successes of the lesbigay community.

"This year, we thought, instead of choosing a theme like we do every year, why don't we just basically recognize Pride as our community's holiday?" said event co-chair Phill Pishitelli. "What we're trying to do is just have a day in which we can be celebratory, in which we can recognize with pride all the achievements we have accomplished. There's often so much pain, and bigotry and intolerance associated with our community, it's important that we take time for ourselves."

Hence, Stonewall Columbus invites everyone in the state to participate in the 1997 Stonewall Columbus LesBiGay Holiday on Sunday, June 29. With several thousand people participating, this will be the largest, most visible lesbian, gay and bisexual event in Ohio.

The day begins with the Holiday Pride March, which will form at 10 am on Park Street (between Buttles and Russell) outside of Goodale Park in the Short North. The March steps off at 1 pm. The Holiday Pride March will parade through downtown Columbus to Bicentennial Park for a celebratory rally and Gayfest.

Float contest this year

New to the March this year, Stonewall Columbus will be sponsoring a float contest. Judges for this contest will assess and award floats in four categories: Creativity, LesBiGay Holiday Theme, Contingent Support, and High Camp.

At last year's GayFest following the Pride March, over 100 organizations and businesses distributed information and sold goods to the thousands of attendees.

The 1997 LesBiGay Holiday entertainment lineup will showcase national and local talent as diverse as the gay community itself.

This year's emcee will be a former nurse turned successful lesbian comedian, Nancy Norton. Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, Norton has performed in comedy clubs and theatres throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia over the past seven years. She performed on A&E's An Evening at the Improv and in her one woman multi-media show The Yellowish-Green Girl. Norton hosted last

Mike Uryga

year's Denver Pride Festival-which drew eighty thousand people—and has also performed at the Philadelphia Pride Festival. Norton's fast-paced, upbeat and improvisa-

tional style is refreshing, not to mention hilarious. Don't be surprised if you see her career take off big time. Watch out, Ellen!

John Waters to speak

Gay film director John Waters will be the keynote speaker. His visit coincides with the 25th anniversary re-release of Pink Flamingos, starring Divine.

Ohio's own comedian Mike Uryga comes home to perform. Uryga was born and raised in Akron, but has been living in San Francisco for the past ten years. He was a finalist in the prestigious San Francisco International Comedy Competition. He was the first openly gay comic to make the finals in the contest's 21 year history. Uryga's highly energetic, but personal style has pushed even the most conservative, mainstream audiences into hysterics. Don't miss him.

The Columbus Women's Chorus will celebrate the Pride festivities once again with their wonderful and uplifting voices. The Chorus has actively supported our community, and Stonewall Columbus is proud to have them back. They will also be performing at the candlelight vigil on Friday, June 27.

John Waters

Shirley Ann Brooks began female impersonation years ago performing Donna Summer hits. Brooks is currently the show director at Garrett's Saloon, providing an atmosphere of fun, musical comedy entertainment. She has performed at Club 20, Rainbow Bay, and the Pyramid Nightclub, and has won numerous awards in the tri-state

area.

The 'Hostess with the Mostess'

The "Hostess With the Mostess" Maxine Fisher will provide non-stop music and comedy. You may have seen Fisher perform her female impersonations at Out On Main and other Columbus venues. Although she has been performing for only a short time, she is quickly becoming a popular entertainer. After the rally, Fisher will sing the national anthem at the annual Bat-n-Rouge softball game.

Rock fans certainly remember Columbus

rock legend Mimi Rousseau from her Spittin' Image days. After an 11-year stay in Los Angeles, Rosseau is back performing her unique style of music with a new band, an upcoming CD and a new attitude. Wildly popular in both gay and straight clubs, Mimi is very excited about supporting and performing at the Pride rally.

Alternative music fans will love the music of Jet Jaguar 5, featuring the talented lead singer/guitarist Hope Vitellas (word has it she also kick-boxes). Hope and the group create a high-powered, guitar-based, visually appealing live performance. It is no wonder there is a buzz about this band in the music community.

Join us in Columbus on June 29 to celebrate LesBiGay Holiday. Help us make this the strongest showing ever of Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Pride!

Cathy Lopienski is a co-chair of the Columbus Pride committee.

Art exhibit is Ohio's first to explore lesbian and gay identity

by Tom Rappa Columbus-Opening June 7 in conjunction with Stonewall Columbus' Gay Pride, the Columbus Art League and Union Station Video Cafe are hosting a ground-breaking art exhibition entitled Out From Within— An Exploration of Identity.

This exhibition is the first in Ohio to explore issues of identity, acceptance and understanding within and outside the lesbian and gay community. The exhibition features the work of six lesbian and gay Ohio artists.

The Columbus Art League, located at 765 Summit Avenue, will feature the work of three Columbus artists: Jim Bowling, mixedmedia sculptor, Alyssa Jones, portrait photographer, and E. Bella Malone, expressionist painter.

Each artist expresses a unique and individual perspective relating to their own experiences. Bowling explains that his work addresses the concomitant needs of the spiritual and the physical.

"I don't believe one should be valued over the other, or even that one operates on a higher plane," said Bowling. "This reflects my personal struggle to live as an out gay man. I enjoy recreating the male form as a means of addressing my own sexuality. Recognizing that two people of the same sex could be in a loving, nurturing relationship was also pivotal in my self discovery. I came

out later in life, and I feel my art allows me to express feelings of self-discovery as well as explore and examine the world around me."

Alyssa Jones feels that the advertising world is misrepresenting the reality of her surroundings and strives to shatter the new advertising stereotype.

"Vacant waifs touching each other are not recognizably a consistent part of my community," Jones said. “This form of marketing implies we are now granted existence because we are a marketing demographic. It is my goal to continue shooting portraits that reveal the essence of the sitter and the reality of a lesbian or bisexual woman's life and being. These photographs are my gift and attempt to provide a more honest reflection," said Jones.

E. Bella Malone concludes, "If we as gay society are to be judged by our sexual orientation; as a gay artist, I feel it necessary to express myself artistically, through my sexual orientation."

Dayton narrative photographer Charles Derry maintains, "Coming out remains the single biggest step for any gay artist."

The intimate black and white couple portraits of Robert Colgan and large color photographs by Lori Nix will be exhibited in Union Station Video Cafe, located at 630 North High Street in the heart of the Short North. On June 28 there will be two closing receptions in celebration of "Gay Gallery

CHARLES DERRY

Charles Derry, "I Was Working Late" photograph and ink on paper, 1996.

Hop" at both venues. Artists, curators and supporters of this project will be present at Union Station Video Cafe from 4 to 6 pm and at Columbus Art League from 6:30 to 8:30. This inaugural exhibition will lay the foundation for future efforts by the lesbian and gay community to celebrate their rich cul-

tural and artistic diversity. The dialogue this exhibition encourages is one necessary for a community as progressive and culturally prosperous as Columbus.

For more information contact curators Melissa Donovan, 614-728-4447 or Christine Dunn, 614-292-1807.