GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

June 22, 2001

letters tothe editor

Focus lacking at Pride

To the Editors:

I attended Cleveland's gay pride festival with some friends of mine on Saturday, June 16. We had a good time, enjoyed the beautiful day, and got lots of great information from the various booths around the festival. I commend the organizers for creating a positive event that showed the city of Cleveland what gay pride really is.

However, I found something to be lacking throughout the day. On the way home, in the car, one of my friends also commented on the fact that she felt something was lacking. This something, we later realized, was a focus for the day. Yes, gay pride is an important message to send to the public at large, but what was the message that we were sending to members of our own community?

I missed the rally before the parade, but I assume that there were speakers who drove the crowd into a frenzy with impassioned cries of equal rights and gay marriage and whatnot, but the people at this rally were only a small portion of the total number who attended the festival. What really would have left an impression, besides Judy Tenuta's rather risqué humor and rather stinging remarks about heterosexuals, are impassioned speakers who worked to organize, unite, and build up the gay community in Cleveland and also to welcome our straight allies into the fold. Booing at the idea of heterosexuals being in attendance at this rally was not only insulting, but damaging to the overall goals we as a community hope to achieve.

We have lost focus on what our goals are. A lot of this is due to the fact that we are all working for different things. Some of us believe in gay marriage, some of us don't. Some of us believe in gay people having children, some of us don't. This lack of focus is what causes the gay movement to lose both steam and credibility.

There is a time and a place for parties and fun. Saturday was that time and place, but the whole day didn't need to be devoted to entertainment. We had a huge gathering of gay people from northeast Ohio and the surrounding areas, this opportunity to spread a message to thousands of people should not have been wasted. I'm not purporting to have all the answers, but we need to start some place, and Saturday could have been the start of something great, instead of just another excuse to party.

Shallow and lazy

To the Editors:

Jen Taylor Wooster, Ohio

I am writing to vent my frustrations regarding the alleged “gay community” here in Cleveland. First of all, let me say that I am from here originally, though I have lived and

traveled elsewhere for the past 30 years.

Three years ago I returned for a visit to see my family, the first time since 1984. It was during this trip that I was impressed with the cleanliness and charm of Cleveland and that the people I met casually seemed friendly. I experienced a variety of activities both gay and straight and had a terrific time, so much so that I planned another visit.

In all, I made three trips to Cleveland in a year. It was during the third that I decided that it would be a nice place to live and started planning my move before I had even crossed the county line on my way home. Well, as the saying goes, "if I knew then what I know now," things would be different.

Never in my life or in my travels have I ever experienced a sub-society so shallow and lazy as the GLBT community in Cleveland. With a few, very few, exceptions the people I have met are so absorbed in their own virtual reality of fabulousness that they cannot see beyond the ends of their perky upturned noses.

Before I go too far, I will admit to having run with the in crowds of New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and the circuits in between and abroad. It was fun and in the end I made friends with many sincere, caring and honest people. However, if it were not for those friendships and my long-distance calling plan, I would be at wit's end for companionship here.

Do not think that I have not tried. I have had parties and invited numbers of people I have met since living here for the past two years. I have consumed enough espresso to finance the drug wars in Colombia. I have nursed many more cocktails than Florence Nightingale did soldiers.

All this for what? Calling people four times in two weeks and getting no response. Inviting people to play tennis or rollerblade or bike through Amish country. Planning thrift and antique shopping excursions. I have ended up doing most of these things alone and have never been so thankful for all those years in therapy learning to enjoy my own company. And yet these same people, when I do run across them, have the nerve to ask why I haven't called them. How many times must I beat a dead horse? And they even have the balls to bitch to me that there is nothing to do here and no one to do things with.

I admit that I am to blame to a certain degree. Having had bad experiences in the past with things like gay softball and volleyball, I have been hesitant to look into these here. With regard to those, I would be hardpressed to believe that homo jocks here would be any less obnoxious and clique-oriented than anywhere else. I guess my biggest gripe would be with all the hoopla surrounding Pride week.

If I wasn't in the parades, I certainly was on the sidelines yelling and laughing and lending my whole-hearted support. Three

years ago I attended my first Pride here and felt saddened by the obvious lack of community support. GLBT Clevelanders have the perfect setup. A lovely city willing to work with them, generally great weather, and the organizers of the Pride events seem to have it together.

I just do not understand why it is that there are more people in the parade than observing it. This is a sad observation given that the parade is so short in length and time. However, at the festival there seems to be an abundance of participants. Do they come out of the woodwork for the beer and boy/girl watching? If sex, drugs and alcohol were permitted in the parade, would they be more enthusiastic with their support?

I am certain that if this sees the light of print I will be blasted by some queen that sees something of himself in what I have had to say. To that I will respond in advance by saying, good. If I can inspire only one of these vapid, sanctimonious, too-glam-forany-man bitchy fags to get off his lazy ass and make a stand for something other than when he will next get laid, then I will have done a good thing.

Ross Caperton Cleveland

Rockers recognize certain groups

This was sent to Ed Markey, vice president of communications for the Cleveland Rockers of the Women's National Basketball Association.

Dear Mr. Markey,

We were pleased to see the section on theme nights in the latest Lyrics [Rockers publication]. How wonderful to have special recognition to such groups as the Catholic Youth Organization, health care workers, and women in business.

However, we were puzzled that the public relations department did not seem to get your message that "Our marketing is exclusive to women of all kinds. We don't pare it down to fine points such as that [marketing to lesbians, bisexuals and gay men.]" (Gay People's Chronicle, May 18).

As four-year season ticket holders and a lesbian couple, we are angered that the Cleveland Rockers have chosen to so blatantly exclude such a large part of its audience from its marketing efforts. We wonder what the stands would look like if all of the lesbian, bisexual and gay fans and their families did not show up?

We suspect that the Cleveland Rockers are afraid to openly market to the LGBT community for fear of criticism from antigay activists. Your homophobia and heterosexism are showing. Shame on you.

Martha Webb Debra Dunkle Cleveland Heights, Ohio

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GAY PEOPLE'S

Chronicle

Volume 16, Issue 51

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Publisher: Martha J. Pontoni Managing Editor: Patti Harris Associate Editor: Brian DeWitt Editorial Board: Brian DeWitt, Christine Hahn, Patti Harris, Martha Pontoni

1070-177X

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