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LGBT Oral History
September 21, 2016
Anthony Silvestre was born in 1946 in the Bronx in New York. He grew up in a working-class, Italian neighborhood and is familiar with stigma. He began identifying as gay in the sixth grade, but went through school still in the closet. After high...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: Homophiles of Penn State (HOPS), PA Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities, PA Rural Gay Caucus, Eromin Center (Philadelphia)
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 107: Anthony Silvestre
October 9, 2016
Nikki Knerr was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1945 and attended York College and Pennsylvania State University where she studied mass communications. In 1967, Nikki opened her first graphic design business which ran for 25 years in Camp...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 058: Nikki Knerr
October 27, 2016
Hannah-Smith Brubaker was born in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, and spent most of her childhood in Port Allegany, McKean County. She began to identify as a lesbian at the start of college, and she entered the political sphere for the first time...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 109: Hannah Smith-Brubaker
November 18, 2016
Joanne Carroll was born in Alberta, Canada in 1940 as John Carroll. She spent the first 60 years of her life as a man, marrying twice and having two children. She worked a number of jobs throughout the country, primarily in the Air Force but also...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Transgender Experiences, Coming Out
Organizations: TransCentral PA
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 014: Joanne Carroll
January 19, 2017
This is an interview with Steven Leshner of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He conveys his struggles of coming out in the 1970s and being a gay man in central PA through a series of anecdotes. Steven also talks extensively about his work at Dignity and...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations: Dignity/Central PA
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 063B: Steven Leshner
January 30, 2017
Gary Hufford (born 1952) and George Centini (born March 11, 1937) are a married couple living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In this interview, George and Gary recount their time in the gay bar and restaurant business. Both grew up in the restaurant...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 015: George Centini and Gary Hufford
February 6, 2017
Dr. Rachel Levine was born in Wakefield, Massachusetts on October 28th, 1957. With a great sense of humor Dr. Levine discusses her interesting life. She attended Belmont Hill School, where she excelled and engaged in athletic and creative...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Transgender Experiences
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 064: Rachel Levine
February 16, 2017
Colin Kreitzer was born in 1947 in Enola, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania with his parents and his younger sister. He attended West Chester College and moved to Harrisburg in 1977, where he began getting involved in the...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations: Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg (GSH), Dignity/Central PA, MCC Harrisburg
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 060: Colin Kreitzer
March 5, 2017
Patricia ''Pat'' Mastandrea Sanders was a hair stylist in Boston before moving up to advertising and marketing for 300 salons across the country. One fateful day she slipped on an ice cube and hit her head. Her life changed forever. Unable to...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: Lancaster AIDS Project, The Betty Finney House
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 100: Patricia ''Pat'' Saunders
March 8, 2017
This is a story circle with Barry Loveland, Richard Hause, and Steven Leshner discussing the life and work of Jerry Brennan. They begin with the discussion of Jerry’s childhood religion and his attendance of St. Bernard’s...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations: Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg (GSH), Dignity/Central PA
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 011: Jerry Brennan
March 12, 2017
Frederick (Rick) Schulze was born in Delaware in the 60s and spent his childhood and adolescence in the 70s in the Harrisburg area. He first talks about his complicated relationship with his family and his gay identity, mentioning his mother’s...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: The Mansfield Gay Alliance, South Central Aids Assistance Network (SCAAN), Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 101: Rick Schulze
March 19, 2017
Deb Fulham-Winston was born in 1952 in Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in an Irish-Catholic family with eight siblings, and spent the first half of her schooling in Catholic school. Early on, she had a strong conviction for feminism and social...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: South Central Aids Assistance Network (SCAAN)
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 040: Debra Fulham-Winston
March 26, 2017
James Tompkins was born and grew up in Southern Pennsylvania, where he lived on a farm with his one brother, three half siblings, and parents. In this interview, James discusses his experiences coming out to his family, his art, and various bars...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: Act UP
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 113: James Tompkins
April 20, 2017
Tammy del Sol was born in 1963. In this oral history, she discusses her college experience at several institutions, playing racquetball, her father’s (now her own) dental practice, her close-knit family, her artistic side, her...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Family Unit
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 026: Tammy del Sol
April 25, 2017
Mary Margaret Hart and Lynn Daniels are a married lesbian couple living in Central Pennsylvania. Lynn was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1931, while Mary was born in 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio. Throughout the interview, Mary and...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Family Unit
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 018: Mary Margaret Hart and Lynn Daniels
April 25, 2017
Kerry Wiessman was born on October 26, 1954 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. She grew up in Wayne, New Jersey in a lake community. Kerry discusses her upbringing in a large family and her relationship with her mother. Kerry also discusses her career in...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations: Gay Affirming Interfaith Network
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 125: Kerry Wiessman
May 15, 2017
Melinda Eash, child psychologist and LBGT rights ally, discusses her upbringing near the New York Metropolitan Area and the influence of the church. As a young adult she attended Susquehanna University, where she made friends with a gay student...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: LGBT Youth
Organizations: Bi, Gay, Lesbian Youth Association of Harrisburg (Bi-GLYAH), Common Roads
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 032: Melinda Eash
June 1, 2017
David Leas was born in 1955 in Columbia, Pennsylvania. He comes from a working class family and described the sense of independence he got from his first job as busboy for the Accomac Inn. This job lead to a foray into the restaurant business,...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations: Gays United Lancaster (GUL), PA Rural Gay Caucus, Gay Era
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 062: David Leas
June 9, 2017
Marty Tornblom was born in Utah and was raised in the greater Salt Lake City area, as a member of the Mormon Church. She decided to get a degree in education which lead her to teaching. Following her marriage, she converted to Presbyterianism and...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: South Central Aids Assistance Network (SCAAN)
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 114: Marty Tornblom
July 27, 2017
Cassidy Frazee was born in 1957 in Cedar Lake, Indiana. Cassidy grew up in Cedar Lake with her younger sister, father and mother. They had a Catholic upbringing, but Cassidy explains she was no longer interested in religious affairs by the time...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Transgender Experiences
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 038: Cassidy Frazee
July 28, 2017
Sophie Kandler was born in Spring City, Pennsylvania in 1966. After being bullied at home and at school, Sophie finally graduated from high school. After graduating and applying to colleges, Sophie decided to attend Drexel University. After...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Transgender Experiences
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 053: Sophie Kandler
July 29, 2017
Robert Sevensky was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1948. Despite having an unpleasant experience in early education and having financial issues, Robert persevered and ended up pursuing an academic career in college. After two years at the...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 105: Robert Sevensky
August 6, 2017
Harry Long was born in Lebanon, Pennsylvania in 1951 and attended Lebanon High School. After attending Millersville State College, now Millersville University, and becoming involved with an underground newspaper, Harry began his career of working...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 069: Harry Long
August 8, 2017
Joe Christ was born in 1927 with Klinefelter syndrome and assigned male at birth. The seventh of eight children, Christ was placed into an orphanage during the Great Depression where they stayed until age 18. Two weeks later, Christ was drafted...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Intersex
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 017: Joe Christ
August 16, 2017
Amanda Porter [now known as Amanda Hecker] was born in 1950 in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Amanda is a trans woman and transgender rights educator and activist. In this interview, Amanda repeats her goal of wanting to make transgender people visible...
Collection: LGBT Oral History
Topics: Transgender Experiences
Organizations:
View Item: Transcription of LGBT Oral History 093: Amanda Porter [now known as Amanda Hecker]