News Briefing: June 22-28, 2018

Equality exhibit at Liberty Bell Center

The William Way LGBT Community Center is bringing back a popular exhibit series on equality at the Liberty Bell Center through Labor Day.

The “Speaking Out For Equality” was designed as a scaled-down traveling exhibit. Its focus is the connection between the Liberty Bell at Independence Hall and the Annual Reminder demonstrations held at the site by gay and lesbian activists every July 4 between 1965 and 1969. After Labor Day, the exhibit will be available for travel to other venues around the country. A supplemental online exhibit called “Speaking Out For Equality: Gay Rights and Courts” includes defining social issues and court cases that have affected the pursuit of LGBTQ rights in the Unites States.

John Anderies, director of William Way’s John J. Wilcox, Jr. archives, said that these are important additions to American history.

“William Way has been collecting LGBT history for years and having them on display at the Liberty Bell cements our history within in this country.”

Third annual Phillies Pride night

The Phillies celebrate Pride with the third annual Pride Night celebration at Citizens Bank Park June 28 at exactly 7:05 p.m. as the Phillies host the Washington Nationals.

The event is open to all members of the LGBT community, as well as family, friends and organizations. Rue Landau, executive director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations and the Fair Housing Commission, will throw the ceremonial first pitch. Billy Bean, Major League Baseball’s first ambassador for inclusion, said in a statement that the sport is leading the way in being more inclusive for all.

“We have such a great buy-in with the message of inclusion and acceptance around the league,” Bean said. “I couldn’t be prouder of baseball — we’re really leading the way.”

The Phillies are one of 22 baseball teams hosting Pride-themed games this month.

Screening of rare gay silent film

qFLIX Philadelphia will screen the silent film “Different From the Others” June 30, 4:00p.m. at Greek Hall in Macy’s Center City.

“Different From the Others” is a short film made in 1919 in Germany and is considered one of the first gay-themed films in the history of cinema. The screening will also feature curated LGBTQ selections from the International Youth Silent Film Festival.  Admission is $10.

In 1919, director Richard Oswald and gay activist psychologist Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld created the film to expose Paragraph 175 of Germany’s penal code sentencing thousands of accused German homosexual men to jail terms for “unnatural vice between men.” Paragraph 175 was enacted in 1871.

Morgan Norris, a frequent fan of qFlix Philadelphia screenings, said that this will be the first time she’s seen an LGBT film.

“I had no idea there were gay silent films. We get to witness a piece of LGBT history that not many people know about while seeing how cinema has changed in the last century.” 

— compiled by Adriana Fraser

Newsletter Sign-up