JANUARY 9, 1998 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE
11
COMMUNITY GROUPS
A gay and lesbian community to be proud of
The past year saw many new groups form
by Stuart Tart
Toledo "I wish our community offered something to do other than the bars." Most of us have made or heard this complaint numerous times, no matter where we have lived. All of the action in our community has seemed to go on in other places-in San Francisco, in Los Angeles, in New York, in Miami. When I went to college in Illinois, the only gay thing that seemed to exist within a 50-mile radius was a dance club in ChampaignUrbana. When I lived in southeast Texas, the bars again were the only connection I had to a gay community.
But Toledo is so different. Have you noticed? The change has been slow, and most of it has occurred during the past year or so.
For example, in November, I attended a fantastic concert put on by Sing Out Toledo, our city's mixed gay and lesbian chorus. These people didn't just sing, they put on a show, complete with dancing, skits, and some insights on love and relationships. This was an organization that didn't even exist two years ago.
And it began as just an idea in Keith Pilkington's mind. Keith wasn't the only one in our community with a dream. Thanks to a handful of Toledoans who saw a needincluding Nick Korn, Jeff Miller, Jim Zemke, and Chuck Jeko, gay, lesbian, bisexual and questioning youth now have a way to connect with other teens like them. Rainbow Area Youth now has a web page on the Internet where teens can talk to each other. Soon, they will also have a safe regular meeting space.
People of color in our community have also been active. David Smith and a group of representatives from Men of Color visited GLU's November meeting, and described their efforts to do AIDS prevention work in Toledo's African American, Hispanic and Asian GLBT communities. This organization, which first formed last spring, already has safe sex literature in several businesses within these communities. In addition, sevcral prominent local politicians have joined or agreed to join Men of Color's governing board.
Currently on the agenda for Gays and Lesbians United is gathering representatives from any gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered organization in the city, as well as any interested individual, to serve on a GLU committee to propose and work for passage of a non-discrimination ordinance in Toledo.
In October, nineteen candidates for political office, including a majority of the members of the newly elected city council, told an audience at GLU's political forum that they support the idea of discrimination protections for gays and lesbians. In addition, Louis
Escobar, Toledo's first openly gay city council member, was seated on January 2 for a four-year term. Members of this new committee will pursue a variety of strategies for winning the ordinance. These may include lobbying individual council members, enlisting the support of the city's business leaders, and drafting the language for the law based on models elsewhere in the nation. GLU plans to officially form the committee at its general membership meeting on February 11 at 7 pm at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 2272 Collingwood Blvd.
Ever heard the cliché about one voice having the potential to change the world? Events in Toledo are causing me to believe. Don't forget that we helped to elect the city's first openly gay city council member. Also, nineteen local politicians—including city council, school board, and judicial candidates paid enough attention to our community to participate in GLU's first political forum in October.
We all deserve to take a moment to pat ourselves on the back for the varied and important work our community has accomplished during the past year. Then, each of us should consider rolling up our own sleeves and seeing just where we can make our own difference. One person really can change the world. Believe!
♡ Stuart Tart is co-chair of Gays and Lesbians United of Toledo.
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Toledo is poised for many good things to come
by Karen Redrup
I have seen a great deal happen in the past couple of years in my personal life as well as in the local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) community.
I think we often tend to speak in terms of what is wrong with Toledo. But stop for å minute to reflect on what is right.
We have seen a political candidate from our own community, Louis Escobar, seek and be elected to our city council. We celebrated another wonderful summer night on the Willis B. Boyer with the rainbow flag flying high. We held many events during pride month such as our Pride March. We have two churches with gay and lesbian congregations and many others supporting GLBT ministries. We saw a candidate forum for our recent election in which a majority of candidates said they would support a human rights ordinance that includes gay men and lesbians.
I often speak with women in other communities, with a great deal of pride-maybe I even brag a little bit-that we have not only a feminist bookstore but a feminist gift shop as well. It may not seem like all that much, but there are cities with bigger women's communities than Toledo that have lost their People Called Women and Tallulah's. We have tremendous support and resources here, and we need to appreciate them and take
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advantage of all that is offered. Take a look at the Toledo listings in the Resource Directory to see how many organizations and groups this GLBT community has. It's amazing!
I believe we are--not me-not Gays and Lesbians United—you are—in a position to see things happen here in Toledo like never before. GLU is here for any of you that wants to join us. We have a political vision--that is our primary mission. But we will be the first to tell you that there is strength in numbers, and as a group we have found strength and security, and yes, friendship.
At this time of year it is very important for me to recognize the people I hold most dear and I would be remiss if I neglected to mention how very much I am indebted to our GLU board. They have been the most encouraging group of people I have ever worked with. As a group we are there for each other and for our community. I respect and admire each of them beyond measure.
If you are prone to new year's resolutions, please think about supporting our efforts. Financial support is always welcome, but it is your presence, your experience and your ideas that we would most welcome. Remember, we always close the Boyer event with the song "United We Stand." Let us make 1998 the year we stand together.
Karen Redrup is co-chair of Gays and Lesbians United of Toledo.
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