Kohn, Barry

The Pennsylvania Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorites was an officially appointed advisory committee created by Governor Milton J. Shapp in 1976. Governor Shapp, by executive order, declared that all executive branch offices and services were to end discriminatory practices and policies against all LGBTQ+ employees, clients, and program of state services. The proposed council was his instrument guaranteeing the implementation of his decree throughout the Executive Branch of state government.

This bulletin was created by Tony Silvestre to update Council and Committee members every few weeks on Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities actions.

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 general information is shared, as well as discussion of Senate Bill 83, the sodomy repeal bill, and an update on the Lebanon High School issue.

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 outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ+ community. In this report, the Caucus mentions the location of the February meeting and provides the meeting minites from the previous January meeting.

Meeting minutes of note are: 

• Deputy State Attorney General addressed the Caucus and discussed the "Sodomy Repeal Bill," as well as the concern about PA Senate Bill 83, which would bar gay or lesbian individuals from certain employment positions
• Report on the Lebanon High School student who committed sucide and how the Caucus Education Committee was to proceed with outreach and support
• Report on the Telephone Tree that was established 
• Discussion of the status of other organizations that are part of the Rural Gay Caucus

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Notable news in this issues:

• Sodomy Repeal Lacks Support in Pennsylvania (p.4)
• Council Files Report of First Year Progress (p.4)
• Gay Activists Beaten (p.5)
• MCC Community Center (p.5)
• PA Rural Gay Resource List (p.11)
• The Flordia Follies Finale (p.12)
• Gains Made on State College Campuses (p.22)

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Noteworthy news in this issues:

• "What is Obscenity?" (p. 3)
• "Gay Rights Ordinance Attempted in Allentown ("p. 5)
• "Lobbyist Kohn Denies Charges "(p. 6)
• "PA Rural Gay Resource List" (p. 12)
• We Are Not the Criminals: Support Human Rights Day (p. 13)
• "Dyke Cooper" (p. 15)
• "Gay Awareness at MSC" (p. 19)

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Noteworthy news in this issues:

• "PA Rural Gay Resource List" (p. 6)
• "Altland's Ranch: Mardi Gras" (p. 9)
• "News Commentary" (p. 11)
• "Barry Kohn Speaking in Harrisburg, 'I'm Bisexual and Proud of My Gayness" (p. 11)

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA.

This issue was labeled incorrectly, and should be April 1976. Noteworthy news in this issue: 

• "Supreme Court Says 'Nay' on Gay" (p. 1)
• "Rural Caucus Report" (p. 5)
• "Governor's Council on Sexual Minorities" (p. 8)
• "Gay Education Day" (p. 12)