PA Rural Gay Caucus

Minutes from the entirity of Pride'78, a statewide gay rights conference. 

Due to inclement wheather, Pride '78, a statewide gay rights conference, was rescheduled from January 20 - 22 to April 7 - 9. This document contains the updated Brochure and Regsitration info.

Founded in December of 1974, the Gay Coordinating Society of Berks County, Reading, PA (GCS Berks) was a LGBTQ+ activist organization in the Berks County area and a fundamental part of the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus. The newsletter was a way to inform members and community members about LGBTQ+ issues.

Notable information in this issue includes:

• New York City and Philadelphia Pride Parades
• Local committees formed by the Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities
• Purpose and structure of the PA Rural Gay Caucus
• Local participation in Equal Rights Amendment Rally
• The opening of an alternative bookstore in Reading, PA
• The GCS Berks Speakers Bureau

Founded in December of 1974, the Gay Coordinating Society of Berks County, Reading, PA (GCS Berks) was a LGBTQ+ activist organization in the Berks County area and a fundamental part of the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus. The newsletter was a way to inform members and community members about LGBTQ+ issues.

Noteworthy in this issue:

• GCS Berks Art Alliance establishes National Gay Art Alliance and plans National Gay Art Show (p. 7)

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events. 

In this issue, HOW disscusses the possibility of working with the local NOW Chapter for upcoming events and fundraisers. 

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.

In this issue, Dan Maneval includes a letter sharing how HOW has impacted his life for the better.

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.

Mary Nancarrow grew up in a suburb of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the 1950s and 1960s with divorced parents and two siblings. After graduating from Shippensburg University, she became prominent in the women’s movement and the LGBT movement in Central Pennsylvania, serving on the Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorities and the Rural Gay Caucus. Mary was also heavily involved in the National Organization for Women [NOW] and was elected NOW Pennsylvania President, working to pass marital rape legislation, funding and campaigning for political races, and fundraising money for the NOW PAC. After her presidency, she helped to plan the National March for LGBT Rights in Washington D.C. and volunteered for the Harrisburg Gay and Lesbian Switchboard. Today, Mary lives in Harrisburg and sings in the Women’s Chorus. In this interview, Mary discusses her childhood and early relationship to religion as well as her involvement with the anti-Vietnam War movement throughout high school and college. She also describes her contributions to Shippensburg Gays United, feminism within the gay rights movement, and the experience of coming out to her parents and friends. Mary concludes the interview by acknowledging the incredible extent to which the LGBT community has changed over her lifetime and expresses her hope to see ongoing growth in civil rights in the future.

Daniel Maneval was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on October 3, 1947. In this interview, Daniel speaks frankly about his experiences growing up as an only child, about the homophobic violence he has experienced, and the gay organizations he has lead and participated in throughout his life. He specifically speaks on his experiences with his parent’s death and the independence he was forced to cultivate as a result. He first became involved with Susquehanna Valley Gays United and was a founding member of Homophiles of Williamsport. He also was a critical component to leading a protest against Anita Bryant, and participated in several Rural Gay Caucuses. He was forced to move out of his family home after homophobic gang-related attacks on his property, and experienced gay-bashing outside a bar in Williamsport. Daniel reflects on the differences he sees in the Williamsport LGBT community today. This interview provides an in-depth history of gay life in Williamsport from the 1950s to today.

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, starting with opening the Railroad House in Marietta with his partner Marlon. David then went on to be an evening manager at Isaac’s and then transitioned into a higher up management job within the restaurant. Due to his pull at Isaac’s, he was able to convince the restaurant and other local restaurants to raise funds and collaborate with the Lancaster AIDS Project and SCAAN. David was also one of the original members of Gays United Lancaster and The Rural Gay Caucus, an organization formed in reaction to the urban focus of the Council of Sexual Minorities, formed by Governor Shapp. He also was one of the main driving forces behind the newsletter, Gay Era, often spearheading the publication of it. He remarks on how many of his friends, such as Bari Weaver, had to move due to the extreme harassment they faced for being openly gay. He then touches on the evolution of gay bars in the area and how he met his partner, Ben, who he has been living with in Elizabethtown for around twenty years.

Samuel Deetz was born in Quakertown (Pennsylvania), in 1951, on April 21 and was one of eight children. Sam’s father became a minister, which allowed his family to move from place to place over Sam’s young life. Sam’s family wanted him to continue into the Christian faith, but as Sam continued through Christian schools, he realized he was different. He became a strong advocate in the Susquehanna Valley Gays United (SVGU), worked along Harrisburg Pennsylvania Council members, Senators, and Representatives to form other gay and lesbian groups. He was also instrumental in organizing and arranging meetings in order for other gay and lesbians groups to blossom within their own communities. Sam was influential in creating a social media site and continues to keep blogs current and updated for well-known gay and lesbian advocates to share their experience, strength, and hope. He met the love of his life Jim, thirty-seven years ago, and because of the passing of the Marriage Equality Bill in Delaware was able to marry his best friend and confidante.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This Statistic Report gives statistics of the LGBT population in Pennsylvania as a way to show why fighting for LGBT rights was important.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This paper gives reasons as to why the Sodomy Statute should be repealed from the PA Crimes Code.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This report updates members on PA Senate Bill 743 and the Sodomy Repeal Bill, or “Hill’s Bill.”

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This report gives suggestions to the Caucus about purpose and structure of the organization. The liaisons were representatives from activist groups in rural Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This Legislative Committee report focused on the status of both US HR 5452 and US HR 166, which were anti-discrimination bills.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This is the original brochure for Pride 1978, that was later rescheduled to April 1978.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This memo encourages the Legislative Committee of the PA Rural Gay Caucus to establish a strategy to handle legislative issues in an organized fashion, starting with education of legislators.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This a draft of the position paper that the Caucus wrote up in support of Sodomy Status Repeal Bill. It lays out the philosophical premise, strategy, and organization that was needed to show support of the repeal bill.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This meeting notice gives the location of the next Caucus meeting, as well as the location of the “Governor’s Race Committee” meeting.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This Legislative Committee meeting notice gives the location and date of the next meeting, and the topics that were discussed.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

This meeting notice gives the location of the next Rural Gay Caucus meeting, along with directions to the meeting location.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

In these minutes, the caucus discusses the rescheduling of PA Pride Conference 1978.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

In these minutes, the caucus discusses the reports of various committees and provides an evaluation of Human Rights Day. They also brainstorm ideas for the next Rural Conference and nominations for the secretary position.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” 

In these minutes, the Rural Gay Caucus announces two upcoming events, the appearance of Dr. Frank Kameny, a gay activist, and a hay-ride coordinated by GCS Berks. The minutes also announce the location of the next meeting for both the general caucus and the communication committee.