Central PA Womyn's Chorus "Down by the Riverside" Flyer - June 3 & 4, 2017
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 flyer promotes the Central PA Womyn's Chorus' spring 2017 concert "Down by the Riverside," performed on June 3rd at Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church in Mechanicsburg and on June 4th at Colonial Park United Church of Christ in Harrisburg.
Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “Keep on Moving Forward” Program - November 18 & 19, 2017
Central PA Womyn’s Chorus “Down by the Riverside” Program - June 3 & 4, 2017
Pride Festival of Central PA Official Pride Guide, 2017 - July 29, 2017
The Pride Festival of Central PA is an annual event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in the Central Pennsylvania region. Founded in 1992, the festival takes place every year on the last Saturday of July in the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Each July, approximately 5,000 individuals travel to downtown Harrisburg and attend the Pride Festival. It is the largest Pride celebration between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
The Pride Guide was the official guide of all activities and events of Central PA Pride Festival (PrideFest) held at South RiverFront Park in Harrisburg, PA on July 29, 2017.
LGBT Oral History 079: Melita McCully
Melita McCully was born on December 11, 1952 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. After the death of her father, Melita moved to Florida with her family and became both the breadwinner and the caretaker of her six brothers and sisters, mother and grandmother. As a teenager, Melita volunteered when she was not in school in exchange for her brothers’ tuition at their Catholic school. Unable to go away for college, Melita attended St. Petersburg Junior College and the University of South Florida. While in college, Melita held 2 jobs to support her family and herself. After graduating with a 3.7 GPA and 23 extra credits, Melita enlisted in the United States Women’s Army Corp at the age of 21, not retiring until 29 years later. Melita gives a well-detailed overview on her experience in the U.S. Army as a lesbian woman starting off in a gender-segregated military. Furthermore, up until 2011, after the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, LGBT people were not welcomed into the military and risked dishonorable discharge. This impacted Melita’s experience and relationships greatly, but this did not stop her from achieving several ranks and overseeing hundreds of soldiers.
LGBT Oral History 053: Sophie Kandler
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 attending Drexel for two years, Sophie transferred to Penn State and graduated from there in 1989 with a degree in secondary education, English, and History. Nevertheless, Sophie’s attempt to receive a job in any of these fields has been a struggle. In this interview, Sophie discusses the privileges and oppression of growing up as a man while identifying as a woman. Growing up in a family that idealized hegemonic masculinity, Sophie learned to not outwardly express that she is transgender. She discusses the challenges she faced as a result of transphobia in the workplace and common public spaces, in addition to the challenges she witnessed her friends face due to trans discrimination. Sophie elaborates upon the importance of community and empathy in her life and other trans folks, and gives various spiritual and political meanings to how trans people are regarded in American society. In this interview, Sophie also touches on her experiences in parenting during and after transitioning.
LGBT Oral History 065: LGBT Center History Group Interview
The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Center of Central PA (Harrisburg) began to form in the late 90s. To receive fundraising though the National Lesbian and Gay Community Funding Partnership of New York, the founding group was led approximately 600 need-based assessment surveys around Central Pennsylvania. The study covered the eight-county region of Central Pennsylvania. In 1999, the group received a matching grant from the foundation – one out of the two states in the country to get that funding. From this funding, the LGBT group in Harrisburg was able to gain a community center. In this interview, Louie Marven, Ben Dunlap, Marlene Kanuck and Elizabeth Mullaugh speak on their experiences as board members of the LGBT Center in Harrisburg and each describe the functions and communal efforts made by the group, including starting Gay-Straight Alliances in Pennsylvania high schools.
LGBT Oral History 056: Mara Kiesling
Mara Kiesling was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1959. Mara is a transgender woman, who is a transgender rights activist and founding executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality based in Washington D.C. In this interview, Mara discusses her upbringing in a political household as her father had political books and always watched the news, which influenced her interest in politics and activism. Also, she elaborates on her various jobs and the relationships she established and maintained at those places. Mara explains her transitioning stage and how she frequently traveled to different states to be a part of groups where she felt most comfortable in the journey to finding herself. She also explains her reactions to transgender people when she occupied certain spaces, prior to transitioning. Furthermore, Mara compares her experiences as a transgender women in cities versus small towns. She constantly acknowledges how lucky she is to have one of the best support systems in comparison to other transgender people. Ultimately, she expresses the strategic way she came out to her family, and their reactions.
LGBT Oral History 099: Jeanine Ruhsam
For more than a decade, Jeanine Ruhsam was an advocate in Central Pennsylvania’s transgender community. With the primary goal of providing support and resources for transgender people and their loved ones, she spearheaded the Trans Central Pennsylvania organization and the Keystone Conferences. Her projects have also included organizing initiatives like the Transgender Day of Remembrance, as well as political lobbying and legislation. Today she continues her career as a Women and Gender Studies Professor in New Hampshire. This interview discusses her personal experience as a trans women, her thoughts on the Central Pennsylvania LGBT community, and her insight into the future of trans people in the United States.
LGBT Oral History 093: Amanda Porter [now know as Amanda Hecker]
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 everywhere. She discusses her time in the Air Force and in college, during which she thought of herself as “cross-dressing.” She then later explains how she begin to learn the word “transgender” and ultimately identified as such. Amanda also explains her relationship with her wife, children, and friends before her coming out to them, but also elaborates on her time hiding her true identity. Furthermore, she touches on her current life being retired and owning a business. Finally, Amanda expands on how being a part of a transgender support group gave her the courage to be comfortable with herself as a woman, in addition to how it eventually led to her presenting on public speaking platforms and wanting to support others who struggle with the implications of being transgender in society.
LGBT Oral History 069: Harry Long
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 for newspapers; in addition to doing freelance artwork. In the early 1980s, Harry came out publicly as gay. In this interview, he discusses the struggles and joys of his experience affected by his sexuality, throughout his careers. Growing up in a fairly traditional family, it was a “long time coming” to be open about his sexuality to his parents. He discusses the challenges he faced in building up several successful newspapers and the relationships he made being a part of several gay rights organizations. Harry elaborates upon the importance of close friends and navigating through different jobs to find how one can be most accommodating in society. In this interview, Harry also touches on his experiences of being involved in politics and the changes (and similarities) that he has witnessed in Lebanon, Pennsylvania over the years.
LGBT Oral History 105: Robert Sevensky
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 University of Scranton, he studied English abroad. He then eventually received his doctorate in philosophy. In this interview Robert discusses the struggles and joys of sexuality and religion from childhood to retirement. Growing up in a heteronormative society, he was mostly quiet about understanding and exploring his sexuality. He also discusses becoming involved with the church and the Holy Cross Monastery. The monastery is a significant part of Robert’s life as he and many other brothers there are openly gay. Furthermore, the monastery has become a safe space for LGBT-identifying folks to converse and participate in different programs. Robert elaborates on joining various LGBT rights organizations and other spaces that have become inclusive to LGBT folks. Though these spaces are inclusive, Robert explains the negative effects of how the HIV/AIDS epidemic was treated in medical facilities for a period of time. In this interview, Robert also touches on his current beliefs about how society has recently began to shift towards political correctness and what that means to him, specifically regarding queer theory and thus, queer people.
LGBT Oral History 114: Marty Tornblom
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 moved all over the country, including Utah, California, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. Family is integral to her story, as she is happily married and has four children. She moved with her family to Harrisburg in 1980 and that began her involvement in the local community and work around HIV/AIDS. She worked for SCAAN (South Central AIDS Assistance Network) as a buddy for people with AIDS and the Prevention Educator for the organization. Marty discusses her personal relationship with many of her buddies and other people associated with the organization, her efforts to involve the greater local community, her work providing STI testing services for local people, her involvement in AIDS activism, and her hope for the continued progress within the LGBTQ community, reflecting back on all she’s seen in her life.
LGBT Oral History 125: Kerry Wiessman
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 education and in helping children. With her long-term partner, Beth, Kerry adopted two daughters (Hana and Gabrielle) from China. They were one of the last lesbian couples to adopt out of China. Kerry founded or helped found several LGBT organizations, including the Center LGBTQA Support Network and the Gay Affirming Interfaith Network. Kerry also organizes “Drag Bingo” fundraiser event for the State College High School and her identification as a Quaker. Kerry speaks to her experience in a litigation regarding homosexual couples where the ACLU picked up their case and won the suit, eventually changing numerous policies regarding unmarried couples and insurance. Finally, Kerry discusses her fears regarding the current political climate as well as the Trump presidency.
LGBT Oral History 113: James Tompkins
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 and gay organizations in York and nearby areas. He also discusses his experiences having a partner with AIDS and working through ACT UP and other well-known organizations to protest in the 70s, 80s, and 90s on the local, state, and national level.
LGBT Oral History 040: Debra Fulham-Winston
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 justice which drew her away from the Catholic Church and inspired her to attend Bates College for two years and then transfer to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, where she was one of the first 13 women to graduate. She has spent all of her career working with non-profits in the development sector, including agencies such as Planned Parenthood, various college fundraising organizations, and a variety of others. During this interview, she primarily discusses her experience at SCAAN [South-Central Aids Assistance Network], and her experiences with the social connotations of working with an AIDS foundation, the struggles that individuals with AIDS went through, the functions and day-to-day activities of SCAAN, and the annual AIDS Walk in Harrisburg, which she organized.
LGBT Oral History 101: Rick Schulze
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 support and positivity, his dad’s indifference, and other members’ repulsion. He then goes onto to discuss his first interactions with gay related material and media and his escapades cruising on State Street in Harrisburg. After high school, Rick went onto Mansfield University and was instrumental in forming The Mansfield Gay Alliance, first gay organization there. He describes the many abuses and acts of discrimination both he and his classmates faced. He goes on to detail the AIDS related volunteer work he did in the area, discussing the impact of the AIDS crisis on Central Pennsylvania. Rick worked closely with the organizations SCAAN, South Central AIDS Assistance Network, and AIDS Resource and then went on to work with the Department of Health in HIV/AIDS Counseling during the 90’s. During this time, his mother and Hope Nancarrow, the mother of Mary Nancarrow, worked closely with PFLAG, Parents and Friends of Gays and Lesbians, and he talks about the speaking circuits she went on at different churches and community spaces and touches on the threats that have been posed to the both of them. He also talks about various activists and their interactions with anti-gay leaders such as Anita Bryant in the area. After his public service, Rick went on to a career in academia, eventually settling in as a professor in Health Ed and Public Health at Lock Haven University. Outside of the classroom, he works closely with students on an LGBTQ related focus group and has been instrumental in instating gender name change policies and gender neutral bathrooms at the school. Rick’s story is a reminder to us all about the importance of public service and the impact just one person can have on a community and geographical region.
LGBT Oral History 100: Patricia ''Pat'' Saunders
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 work due to memory loss, Pat decided to give her time to various AIDS/HIV advocacy groups in the Lancaster County area. Pat worked with the Lancaster AIDS Project, Betty Finney House, and American Red Cross Foundation’s yearly Oscar Party. She hand wrote hundreds of letters each year to celebrities requesting donated materials and the response she got was incredible. Pat also discusses LGBTQ in the Age of the Trump/Pence presidency.
LGBT Oral History 015: George Centini and Gary Hufford
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 business and became business partners together. As successful restauranteurs, they provide insight in the running of their business, the Tally-Ho and the Loft, as well as other local gay bars. They also speak about employing family and friends as workers and employing both gay and straight workers. They also speak about how both of their families were supportive of their relationship and are both part of the other’s family. They liken Lancaster to a “bubble” where many outside problems did not affect them strongly. Even so, they speak about the impact of the AIDS crisis on the young people who often visited their bars and the loss of many in the gay community in Lancaster. Additionally, they talk about their annual trips to Key West in order to live the “gay lifestyle.” Finally, they speak about their choice to finally marry after many years together.
LGBT Oral History 063B: Steven Leshner
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 his relationship with Jerry Brennan. While Steven was not active in S.C.A.A.N. (South Central Aids Assistance Network), he was involved in a group that later became S.C.A.A.N. Also of note, Steven talks about his first time with a man, life as a male nurse in the 1970s and 80s, growing up Jewish, Jerry Brennan’s death, attending Pride festivals in NYC, and being a single gay man in Harrisburg.
LGBT Oral History 097: Alex Reber
Barry Loveland interviews Alex Reber, now 32, who relates fascinating stories of what it was like growing up as an only child of an Evangelical Christian family raised on a farm in Bethel, a rural town between Harrisburg and Allentown and becoming an important political LGBT activist in Central PA. His accounts at camp and high school reveal the difficulty of being gay and the interesting paths towards his independence. In Lebanon Valley College he was outed and blackballed at church, being called evil and having parents refuse to help him pay tuition. A gay couple started a foundation to help gay students complete college and Alex, a gifted child who received a scholarship, graduated a semester early. His tales about finding and working with a thriving gay community in Harrisburg are enthralling. He got an internship and became friends with Dan Miller, a leader in the gay community, in Dan’s accounting firm, Miller, Dixon, Drake. He tells in detail his work over ten years with Planned Parenthood, beginning with his own experience of being treated and shamed by a physician. He discusses his romance and marriage to his husband during the exciting time when marriage became legal in Pennsylvania. It was a momentous time. He explains what it was like attending the Equality March, primaries for Obama and Clinton, and his experience at the 2016 Democratic Convention. He recounts the inside stories of the contradictions and fun of local state politics— and stories about running candidates for state office and working on committees for the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania. He is very involved at the Center, FAB, and getting LGBT people to run for office.
LGBT Oral History 087: Heidi Notario
Heidi Notario was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1973, where she was attending college for biology before moving to the United States in 1995. Heidi discusses her disillusion with the ideals of communism as a factor contributing to her desire to go live with her aunt in the U.S. After arrival, she learned English while working at a daycare center before returning to college, eventually completing a Bachelors in Sociology at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, and a graduate degree in Sociology from Lehigh University. Heidi discusses her relationship with her fifteen year old son, and what she has observed raising him as a lesbian and a single mother in Central Pennsylvania. She details her involvement as the vice-president at the LGBTQ Center of Central Pennsylvania, as well as her work on gender-based violence and Latinos at the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Heidi touches on intimate partner violence against LGBTQ, and especially trans-identifying, people, as well as the differences in LGBTQ communities in Harrisburg, Allentown, and other larger cities.
LGBT Oral History 064: Rachel Levine
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 activities. She graduated from Harvard College. She then earned her medical degree from the Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana. She trained from 1983-1988: three years of pediatrics, a year as chief resident, and a year doing an adolescent medicine fellowship, specializing in eating disorders and the medical care of young people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. She was working at Mount Sinai and Lenox Hill while in practice for five more years, from 1988 to 1993. She moved from Manhattan to Central Pennsylvania in 1993, joining Penn State College of Medicine faculty at Hershey Medical Center where she was Director of Pediatrics and Adolescent medicine. She was married before getting her medical license and had a son and daughter in Hershey. She transitioned in her forties, while at Hershey, and she is grateful for their support throughout. Dr. Levine is currently the Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine.
LGBT Oral History 062: David Leas
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.