This is my birthday column, as well as the 48th anniversary of this column in PGN. But it’s also the beginning of my 55th year as an activist, which all started on that infamous night at Stonewall in June 1969. I’m writing this as a reminder and promise to myself, my husband and our staff. My husband, Jason, and our friends often tell me, “It’s time for you to slow down.” As I hit my 73rd birthday, I look back on this past year as the busiest and most exhausting yet. However, it has also brought many accomplishments for myself and the community that I never thought I’d see back in 1969. As the line goes, we’ve come a long way. Let me express my PRIDE. And yes, it deserves an all caps.
LGBTQ+ History
Let me tell you what I’ve been working on and will continue to work on this coming year. LGBTQ+ history is my biggest passion and starting in 2015 — when I wrote my memoir — I began to step out of the closet of my own history. It amazed me at that time how distorted our history had become. I spent the last year reaching out to those who — like me — appreciate our history. I worked with many of them either by speaking at an event of theirs, setting up Zoom calls, or taping segments. I’ll continue to strengthen and find ways we can work together and reach out to others. I’ve appreciated the willingness to set our history straight. In that process, some of us from Gay Liberation Front in New York 1969-70 have created a foundation. We are the spirit of Stonewall and the creators of Gay Pride. We organized or participated in that first magical year of activism after Stonewall. Along with speaking to students and nonprofits, I’m working with some corporate partners in this effort and I am proud to be doing so. We should be embracing corporations, not alienating them. We fought to have our history recognized by all individuals and industries.
Mainstream Media
Our biggest tool for equality is our fight for visibility. Over the last 55 years, I’ve been a major force in that area and take great pride in my work. I started off by interrupting live television broadcasts and now, I work in the boardrooms of major media companies. That represents change. We initially had zero on-air LGBTQ+ people and now we have Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper and many more representing our community. And it’s not only on camera. There are many LGBTQ+ people behind the camera in production and executive positions. Thank you all for taking up that mantle of visibility!
LGBTQ+ Journalism
I have many labels or titles. One that I’ve seemed to have picked up along the way is “Dean of American LGBT Journalism.” It’s a label I’m proud to embrace. This column you are reading is 48 years old and has been syndicated to numerous publications. As a publisher of 48 years, I am the longest continuous member of LGBTQ+ journalism. I’ve headed some of our national media associations and PGN is the most awarded LGBTQ+ media company in America by local, state and national journalism organizations. And I can humbly say that this column has earned me titles too long to list here.
Politics
Over the last 55 years, I’ve witnessed and have been part of a community that went from zero federal, state or local rights to a community that can now join the military; get funding for community centers, health clinics, youth centers, or senior affordable housing centers; and live their lives happily in thousands of cities and some states with non-discrimination protections. Much of that work began in my state of Pennsylvania under Gov. Milton Shapp. He and I changed America with the first official statewide government commission to look into the issues affecting our community. We created the first LGBTQ+ liaison position in government departments, and when a department like our state police wouldn’t accept LGBTQ+ employees, the governor had me sign up to become a state trooper to put pressure on them. The state police commissioner James D. Barger soon changed his policy. Yes, activism can be fun.
Under a Republican governor, Pennsylvania was one of the first states to have marriage equality, more than a year before the Supreme Court ruling. Then, there was the White House Champion of Change project where we — along with the Obama administration — created and built the nation’s first LGBTQ-friendly affordable apartment complex for seniors, the John C. Anderson Apartments. We went from zero openly LGBTQ+ people in the government to having out governors, mayors, and officials in state governments, courts, Congress, Senate and other segments of the government across the nation. When you think of President Joe Biden having LGBTQ+ commissions and liaisons, remember it first began with Gov. Shapp.
Family and Friends
This brings me back to that opening paragraph. While I get much of the credit (I’m often called pushy) to get those projects done, I’ve always had partners. No project gets done by one person! It takes all the partners I’ve worked with on all these projects to make them happen. Many of them are still with me today and still guide me. At home, is my most important advisor and rock — and the love of my life — Jason. Thanks to friends who encouraged us to slow down, we now make time in our home almost every night to just be a family with our puppy, Zola, and chill. It’s the best part of my day.
To my community: All of us have one thing in common. We felt unsure, and maybe frightened, when we came out to our family. When I did so in 1969, my father stated “Yeah, I know. Speak to your mother.” When I told her, she paused and said, “I love you but I’m afraid how it will be for you when you’re old and alone.” If my mom was here today, I’d be able to say to her, “Mom, a lot has changed since I was that 18-year-old boy outside Stonewall. Mom, I’m happy. Mom, I’m married, legally married. And Mom, the President of The United States invited Jason and me to dance at a White House reception. Mom, I’m really happy and that is thanks to you, Dad and Grandma….. and Jason! And it’s also thanks to some great friends who always stood fast to get the job done.”