Nelson, Cathy

Founded in 1994, the Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “brings together a diverse group of women, united by the joy of singing, to celebrate and empower women and to affirm a positive image of lesbians and feminists.”

This event program is from the Central PA Womyn's Chorus' fall 2002 concert "Wintersong" at the Unity Center for Spiritual Growth in Enola. This concert performance was dedicated to chorus founder Donna Gomboc.

Founded in 1994, the Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “brings together a diverse group of women, united by the joy of singing, to celebrate and empower women and to affirm a positive image of lesbians and feminists.”

This event program is from the Central PA Womyn's Chorus' fall 2001 concert "Wild Women...Just Get Better!" at the Harrisburg Unitarian Church. A portion of the concert's proceeds supported the Revolutionary Association of the Women in Afghanistan (RAWA), an organization which advocates for the human rights of women in Afghanistan.

Founded in 1994, the Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “brings together a diverse group of women, united by the joy of singing, to celebrate and empower women and to affirm a positive image of lesbians and feminists.”

This event program is from the Central PA Womyn's Chorus' June 2001 concert "This Land is Our Land!" at the Harrisburg Unitarian Church. This performance was the group's first full length concert in over a year and a half, and featured special guests the Harrisburg Men's Chorus.

Founded in 1994, the Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “brings together a diverse group of women, united by the joy of singing, to celebrate and empower women and to affirm a positive image of lesbians and feminists.”

This is a program from the Central PA Womyn Chorus' fall 1999 concert "How Can I Keep from Singing?" at the Harrisburg Unitarian Church. The Harrisburg Men's Chorus hosted a reception after the concert.

Founded in 1994, the Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “brings together a diverse group of women, united by the joy of singing, to celebrate and empower women and to affirm a positive image of lesbians and feminists.”

This is a program from the Harrisburg Men's Chorus' spring 1998 performance "Boys and Girls with Stories" featuring special guests the Central PA Womyn's Chorus.

Cathy Nelson was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Staten Island, New York, at the age of two with her strict Italian-Swedish family. As a child, Cathy loved music and did well in school. She also participated in Catholic youth group retreats, where she first encountered anti-gay sentiment. Although she knew she was attracted to girls from an early age, Cathy did not act on these feelings until age 22, when she entered her first long-term relationship. Cathy worked as a teacher in Carlisle, PA, but stopped teaching after suffering a head injury that affected her speech. Currently, she does secretarial work for a friend and ally at Goldcrafter’s Corner. Cathy was involved with the Pride planning committee and sang with the Central Pennsylvania Women’s Chorus. In this interview, Cathy discusses the process of coming out to herself, her family, and her friends. She also describes the Harrisburg-area lesbian community in the early 1990s and the problems and successes of the Women’s Chorus throughout her years of involvement. Cathy also discusses the general acceptance of lesbians in mainstream culture, but condemns the exclusion of transgender issues from the LGBT community and the transphobia that she sees as a major issue of the day.