File #51817: "SVGLA.Newsletter.March.2013.FINAL.pdf"
Text
A+ Pet Siting
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Website:
www.svgla.org
THE FAMILY
CONNECTSHEN
T HE FAMILY CONNECT SHEN
Mail:
P.O. Box 1023
Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Email:
SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
CALL FOR PRIDE PARTNERS
Mission Statement:
The purpose of the Shenandoah Valley Gay and
Lesbian Association is to
create a safe, affirming, and
fun environment where
members are empowered
to reach their full human
potential.
———————–
Valley Events (pgs. 8-9)
• PFLAG Meetings
• SOMETHING
• Equality Virginia Commonwealth Dinner
———————–
EMPOWER YOUR
COMMUNITY!
Join SVGLA
(Membership Form pg. 7)
With your annual dues of
$15.00 (Level One membership), you will receive and di to
SVGLA events.
Send form and payment to the
mailing address above.
Level Two membership is
FREE.
You will receive the newsletter
and announcements about
SVGLA events by email.
SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
———————–
After six successful Valley Prides, the SVGLA Board has decided that starting this year the opportunity to coordinate future
Pride events should be offered to other area groups and individuals interested in continuing this important community event.
The Board is convinced that relying more broadly on the efforts
of the whole LGBT and Ally community will in the long run expand support for future Pride events in the valley, permit more
focused and effective event planning, and develop a wider sense
of event ownership by stakeholders and community leaders
alike.
Possible partners in developing future pride events might well
include individual SVGLA members, business and faith community allies, past Valley Pride sponsoring organizations, as well as
organizers of other area Pride events. Please know that SVGLA
will continue to work with these individuals and groups as they
devise new ways to plan and organize for Pride events, but in
doing so SVGLA will take a supporting role only, not an organizing or coordinating role.
Individuals and groups interested in joining forces to share ideas
and to explore possible action steps (both for the near term and
for later on) should contact SVGLA Board Member Mike
Drumheller (bbymis58@gmail.com).
The SVGLA “Family Connectshen” is published quarterly
(in March, June, September, and December).
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance Meeting
The Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance is proud to announce that we will be holding
our first ever youth meeting on Thursday, March 7, 2013 from 6:30-8:00 pm. The
meeting will be held in the Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence
(www.jmu.edu/gandhicenter/) on the campus of James Madison University.
Young people aged 14-20 from the Harrisonburg and surrounding communities who
identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning are welcome to
attend. We aim to provide a safe and confidential space for youth to talk, listen,
laugh, share, and reflect on what it's like to be an LGBTQ teen in the Shenandoah
Valley.
We're
teaming
up
with
PFLAG
Blue
Ridge
(www.pflagblueridge.org/harrisonburg.html) to offer our YES! meeting on the same
night and in the same building as the monthly Harrisonburg PFLAG meeting.
Have you seen the Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance's Facebook page yet?
(www.facebook.com/SVYesAlliance) Please like us and share with your friends!
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance e-mail address: svyesalliance@gmail.com
YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE!
$15/issue or $50/year (4 issues): Business Card
$25 per issue or $80/year: Quarter Page
$50/issue or $175/year: Half Page
$100 for a Full Page ad per issue
Contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Deadline for March newsletter is February15
YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE!
$15/issue or $50/year (4 issues): Business Card
$25 per issue or $80/year: Quarter Page
$50/issue or $175/year: Half Page
$100 for a Full Page ad per issue
Contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Deadline for next newsletter is May 15
We’ve Adopted a Highway!
SVGLA has adopted a section of highway near Harrisonburg through
the Virginia Department of Transportation.
It’s
good
cise,
great for our planet.
fun, it’s
exerand it’s
Help us be good neighbors in our community.
Our next outing is Saturday, March 23
(March 30 is the makeup date).
Meet us for breakfast at 8am, then we’ll tidy up the highway.
Sign up at SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Community Organizations
Coalition for Transgender Rights in Virginia
groups.yahoo.com/group/TransRightsVA/
Equality Virginia
www.equalityvirginia.org
JMU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Ally Education
Program
http://www.jmu.edu/lgbta/
Log Cabin Republican Club of Virginia
www.virginialogcabin.org/
Madison Equality JMU
PFLAG Blue Ridge
https://www.facebook.com/madisonequality
www.pflagblueridge.org and pflagbr@gmail.com
Network Virginia: Building LGBTQQ Coalitions on Campus
https://www.facebook.com/networkvirginia
Safe Zone JMU
www.jmu.edu/safezone/
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance
Soulforce
SVGLA
www.svyesalliance.org
www.soulforce.org
www.svgla.org and SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Valley AIDS Network
www.valleyaidsnetwork.org
Virginia Organizing
www.virginia-organizing.org
Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club
www.vapartisans.org/
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Page 5
We are a lay-led, religious community offering a unique spiritual and
moral witness in the Shenandoah
Valley.
We invite all who search for truth
and meaning with open hearts and
open minds to join us in worship, in
mutual support, and in shared ministry to each other and to the world.
HARRISONBURG
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
For more information, contact us at:
http://huuweb.org and (540) 8670073
One Journey, Many Paths
HUU is a UUA-Certified Welcoming Congregation. We declare our intention to be inclusive and expressive of the concerns of bisexual, gay,
lesbian, and transgender persons at every level of congregational life and
to support the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people.
First Friday Community Potluck
Every month (usually the first Friday) we host a potluck in
a community member’s home on a rotating basis. Bring a
dish to share if you can and/or sign up to host the potluck.
See upcoming potlucks on pages 8 and 9.
Would you like to host First Friday in 2013?
Email us at SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Education Program
works toward promoting James Madison University's commitment to diversity through education, support, advocacy and the fostering of equity
for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Lavender Graduation
is a commencement ceremony honoring JMU graduates who identify as LGBT
and also recognizes individuals and groups who have helped the LGBT & Ally
Education Program during the year. To be held on May 3rd, 2013 at the Festival Highlands Room at JMU from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. The reception will
start at 10:00 am, followed by the formal program at 10:30.
Nominate someone for an award
There are two awards given during Lavender Graduation. Awards recipients can be
faculty, staff, students, or community members.
•
The Chris L. Gatesman Service Award is given in recognition of outstanding
dedication and support of James Madison University's LGBT & Ally Education
Program.
•
The LGBT & Ally Education Program Award is presented to an individual in
recognition of their outstanding contributions to the LGBT community during the
past year. Their actions contributed to the creation or improvement of an inclusive,
respectful and safe climate for the LGBT community.
Nomination Forms:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wiQr3mL6vfTIHkLcM_3-IwE9BF1i24NqJGD_St69ci0/viewform
Award Nominations are due by: April 10th, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Contact the LGBTA Program Office for more information at jmulgbta@gmail.com
COMMUNITY EVENTS SCHEDULE
❑ Thursday, March 7:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Thursday, March 7:
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance Meeting, 6:30-8:00 PM. See page 3 for location and
Full pagecontact
adinformation.
for Truth Wins Out/Uganda Story
❑ Wednesday, March 13: PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Thursday, March 21
Conversation & Cuisine near Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, At Hank’s Smokehouse
Southern Grillery, 49 Bloomer Springs Road, McGaheysville, VA. Reconnect with friends
and family in the Valley. For more information, contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
❑ Saturday, March 23:
SVGLA Adopt-A-Highway Service Project, 8:00 AM SVGLA has adopted a section of
highway near Harrisonburg through the VDOT Adopt-A-Highway program. We gather at
the Little Grill for breakfast at 8am and then head out for 45 minutes of clean-up work.
(March 30 is the makeup date if there is inclement weather on the 23rd)
❑ Saturday, March 23:
Miss Harrisonburg Newcomer & Miss Harrisonburg at Large Pageant. 8:00PM.
Admission $3. The Artful Dodger at 47 Court Square, Harrisonburg. Contact Rob at
rjfierce1@gmail.com for more information.
❑ Friday, March 29:
Miss Gay United States Femme Fatale Pageant (Lesbian-only Beauty Pageant),
7:00PM. Admission: $12. The Holiday Inn Presidential Ballroom at 1400 East Market
Street, Harrisonburg. Go to www.gayuspsystem.com for more information.
❑ Saturday, March 30:
Mister Gay United States Male Illusionist Contest (Male Impersonators), 7:00PM.
Admission $12. The Holiday Inn Presidential Ballroom at 1400 East Market Street, Harrisonburg. Go to www.gayuspsystem.com for more information.
❑ Thursday, April 4:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Friday, April 5:
First Friday Potluck, 6:30-9:00 PM, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Harrisonburg,
Staunton, and Waynesboro (for location and directions, join SVGLA as a Level II member)
❑ Saturday, April 6
Equality Virginia’s Commonwealth Dinner (See equalityvirginia.org/dinner for details )
❑ Wednesday, April 10:
PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Saturday, April 13:
Miss Rhinestone Pride Pageant, 8:00PM. Admission $10. The Holiday Inn Presidential
Ballroom at1400 East Market Street, Harrisonburg. For more information, go to
www.rhinestonemafiaproductions.com
Submit items for the monthly events schedule by the 25th of each month to lanedj@jmu.edu
Submit advertisements, milestones, and newsletter items for the June issue by
May 15 to SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Page 8
COMMUNITY EVENTS SCHEDULE
❑ Saturday, April 13:
INDIGO: A Dance Party for Women. 8pm. Upstairs, Mill Street Grill in Staunton, VA
DJ Jackie Gay will play the hottest dance tunes. $15.00 cover, cash bar. Must be at least 18
years old. 3rd annual event hosted by Shenandoah Valley women who want to dance and
have a great time. Contact Teri Beasley at alaskabeas@yahoo.com or 540-908-1708
Full page ad for Truth Wins Out/Uganda Story
❑ Thursday, April 18:
Conversation & Cuisine in Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED at Corgan’s Publick House, 865 Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg, VA.. Reconnect with friends and family in the Valley. See the April SVGLA email announcements list
for an update on location for the April 18 C &C or contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
❑ Thursday, May 2:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Friday, May 3:
Lavender Graduation at JMU. See page 7 for details. Contact the LGBTA Education
Program office at jmulgbta@gmail.com for more information.
❑ Friday, May 3:
First Friday Potluck, 6:30-9:00 PM, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Harrisonburg,
Staunton, and Waynesboro (for info, join SVGLA as a Level II member at www.svgla.org)
❑ Wednesday, May 8:
PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Wednesday, May 15:
DEADLINE, SVGLA newsletter submissions for June issue. Send items to
SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
❑ Saturday May 18:
SVGLA Adopt-A-Highway Service Project, 8:00 AM We gather at the Little Grill for
breakfast at 8am and then head out for 45 minutes of clean-up work. Make-up date in
case of inclement weather is Sat.urday, May 25
❑ Saturday, May 18:
SVGLA Board Meeting, 2pm. For information, contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
❑ Thursday, May 23:
Conversation & Cuisine near Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, At Hank’s Smokehouse
Southern Grillery, 49 Bloomer Springs Road, McGaheysville, VA. Reconnect with friends
and family in the Valley. For more information, contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
❑ Thursday, June 6:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Friday, June 7:
First Friday Potluck, 6:30-9:00 PM, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Harrisonburg,
Staunton, and Waynesboro (for info, join SVGLA as a Level II member at www.svgla.org)
❑ Wednesday, June 12:
PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Thursday, June 20
Conversation & Cuisine in Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED at Black Forest German Restaurant, 787 East Market St. in Harrisonburg, VA.. Re
connect with friends and family in the Valley. See the April SVGLA email for an update or
confirmation on this location for June 20 or contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
Submit items for the SVGLA community events schedule to lanedj@jmu.edu
Submit advertisements, milestones, and newsletter items to SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Page 9
EMPOWER YOUR
COMMUNITY!
We need your support to continue as a viable and evolving community
presence working on your behalf. The goals of SVGLA are:
•
To gather and communicate important community information.
•
To collaborate with allies and inclusive community organizations.
•
To organize events within the greater Valley area for social and educational
networking with LGBT people.
Level 1 Support—$15 per person
Level 1 support helps SVGLA with mailing and administrative costs throughout the
year. A level 1 commitment of support gets you the following:
•
•
•
•
Your choice—a hard copy of the newsletter mailed to your address, an e-mailed version of the newsletter, or both.
A vote for members of the SVLGA Board of Directors (membership renewals due by
December 1 to vote for the 2013 Board).
Advance information about SVGLA events
Level I membership is from July—July
Level 2 Support—No Cost
Level 2 support keeps you in the loop. A level 2 commitment of support gets you an emailed version of the newsletter and advanced information about all SVGLA events.
Check one of the following levels of support and complete the form below:
Level 1 Support (please include a check for $15 for each person)
Mailed hard copy of the newsletter
E-mailed version of the newsletter
Both
Level 2 Support (Free)
Name #1
Name #2
Address #1:
Address #2:
E-mail #1:
E-mail #2:
I/we verify that I am/we are at least 18 years of age.
Please send this form to: SVGLA, P.O. Box 1023, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Local Leaders Supporting Non-Discrimination
These elected officials have signed Equality Virginia’s statement supporting legislation to protect LGBT public employees
from employment discrimination: “I support legislation codifying the basic human right of all public employees to be free
from discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.”
Albemarle
Stephen Koleszar, School Board Member
Diantha McKeel, School Board Member
Alexandria
Ronnie Campbell, School Board Member
Kerry Donley, Vice Mayor
William D. Euille, Mayor
Dana Lawhorne, Sheriff
Helen Morris, School Board Vice Chair
Arlington
Sally M. Baird, School Board Vice Chair
Jay Fisette, County Board Member
Mary Hughes Hynes, County Board Chairman
Chris Zimmerman, County Board Member
Ashland
Dr. George Spagna, Vice Mayor
Blacksburg
Susan Anderson, Town Council Member
John Bush, Town Council Member
Leslie Hager-Smith, Town Council Vice Chair
Cecile Newcomb, Town Council Member
Ron Rordam, Mayor
Michael Sutphin, Blacksburg Town Council
Charlottesville
Colette Blount, School Board Member
James E. Brown, III, Sheriff
Edmund Michie, School Board Chair
Dave Norris, City Council Member
Kristin Szakos, Vice Mayor
Fairfax City
Daniel Drummond, City Council Member
David L. Meyer, City Council Member
Fairfax County
Sharon Bulova, County Board of Supervisors Chair
John Foust, County Board of Supervisors
Penelope Gross, County Board of Supervisors
Jeff McKay, County Board of Supervisors
Linda Smyth, County Board of Supervisors
Daniel Storck, School Board Member
Ilryong Moon, School Board Member
Falls Church
Lois Berlin, School Board Superintendent
Patrick Riccards, School Board Chair
Harrisonburg
Richard Baugh, City Council Member
Ted Byrd, Mayor
Charles Chenault, Vice Mayor
Kai Degner, City Council Member
Abe Shearer, City Council Member
Herndon
Lisa Merkel, Mayor
Lexington
Mimi Elrod, Mayor
Montgomery County
Phyllis Albritton, School Board Member
Mary W. Biggs, County Board of Supervisors
William H. Brown, County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair
Matthew Gabriele, County Board of Supervisors
Norfolk
Thomas Smigiel, City Council Member
Theresa Whibley, City Council Member
Portsmouth
Dr. Elizabeth Daniels, School Board Vice Chair
Richmond
Kimberly Gray, School Board Member
Chris Hilbert, City Council Member
Charles Samuels, City Council Member
Parker C. Agelasto, City Council Member
C.T. Woody, Sheriff
Is YOUR
local representative
on this list?
Contact tdavis@equalityvirginia.org
if you want to help by adding your
local leader.
IN THE NEWS…
Virginia Senate Passes Non-Discrimination Bill
A bill banning employment discrimination against state employees based on sexual orientation
and gender identity was passed in the Senate of Virginia with a bipartisan vote of 24-16. A
House of Delegates Subcommittee tabled the bill (effectively killing it for the 2013 legislative
session. This is the third year in a row that this bill has passed in the Virginia Senate and tabled in the House Subcommittee.
Lesbian Activist Honored with Presidential Citizens Medal
Janice Langbehn, who helped secure hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples across the
country received the nation’s second-highest civilian honor from President Barack Obama -the Presidential
Walmart Adds “Gender Identity” to Nondiscrimination Policy
Mega-retailer Wal-Mart has quietly added language to its employee nondiscrimination policy
Quotable:
"I GREAT Quote in here
.”
—Curly Girl
Milestone
PFLAG Founder Dies, Receives Posthumous Recognition from
President Obama
Dr. Frank Kameny (May 21, 1925-October 11, 2011)
Dr. Frank Kennedy was one of the most significant figures in the modern LGBT rights movement in the
United States. In 1957, he was terminated from his position in the federal government because of his sexual
orientation, which led him to a lifetime of activism for LGBT rights. In 1961, he argued his case before the
US Supreme Court, and founded the Mattachine Society of Washington, one of the earliest LGBT organizations in the U.S.
Kameny and Barbara Gittings co-organized demonstrations for gay and lesbian rights at Independence Hall
and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia each July 4th from 1965 to 1969, where an Historic Marker recognizes the
site. They also protested the annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Association in the early 1970s. The
APA voted in 1973 to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. In 2006, the Library of Congress acquired Kameny’s papers, documenting his biography and lifetime of civil rights work.
Milestones
The “Family ConnectShen” is pleased to publish notices of significant events and other milestones
(free of charge) for SVGLA members. The newsletter is published quarterly (in March, June, September, and December). To submit a milestone (anniversary, birthday, engagement, birth, death, other)
for the January 2012 issue of the newsletter, send the following to SVGLAssociation@gmail.com:
Full name and phone number (including area code, for verification purposes), type of milestone, and
a brief description in 75 words or less. SVGLA reserves the right to publish or deny submissions.
Incomplete or unverifiable submissions will not be considered.
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Website:
www.svgla.org
THE FAMILY
CONNECTSHEN
T HE FAMILY CONNECT SHEN
Mail:
P.O. Box 1023
Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Email:
SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
CALL FOR PRIDE PARTNERS
Mission Statement:
The purpose of the Shenandoah Valley Gay and
Lesbian Association is to
create a safe, affirming, and
fun environment where
members are empowered
to reach their full human
potential.
———————–
Valley Events (pgs. 8-9)
• PFLAG Meetings
• SOMETHING
• Equality Virginia Commonwealth Dinner
———————–
EMPOWER YOUR
COMMUNITY!
Join SVGLA
(Membership Form pg. 7)
With your annual dues of
$15.00 (Level One membership), you will receive and di to
SVGLA events.
Send form and payment to the
mailing address above.
Level Two membership is
FREE.
You will receive the newsletter
and announcements about
SVGLA events by email.
SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
———————–
After six successful Valley Prides, the SVGLA Board has decided that starting this year the opportunity to coordinate future
Pride events should be offered to other area groups and individuals interested in continuing this important community event.
The Board is convinced that relying more broadly on the efforts
of the whole LGBT and Ally community will in the long run expand support for future Pride events in the valley, permit more
focused and effective event planning, and develop a wider sense
of event ownership by stakeholders and community leaders
alike.
Possible partners in developing future pride events might well
include individual SVGLA members, business and faith community allies, past Valley Pride sponsoring organizations, as well as
organizers of other area Pride events. Please know that SVGLA
will continue to work with these individuals and groups as they
devise new ways to plan and organize for Pride events, but in
doing so SVGLA will take a supporting role only, not an organizing or coordinating role.
Individuals and groups interested in joining forces to share ideas
and to explore possible action steps (both for the near term and
for later on) should contact SVGLA Board Member Mike
Drumheller (bbymis58@gmail.com).
The SVGLA “Family Connectshen” is published quarterly
(in March, June, September, and December).
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance Meeting
The Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance is proud to announce that we will be holding
our first ever youth meeting on Thursday, March 7, 2013 from 6:30-8:00 pm. The
meeting will be held in the Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence
(www.jmu.edu/gandhicenter/) on the campus of James Madison University.
Young people aged 14-20 from the Harrisonburg and surrounding communities who
identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning are welcome to
attend. We aim to provide a safe and confidential space for youth to talk, listen,
laugh, share, and reflect on what it's like to be an LGBTQ teen in the Shenandoah
Valley.
We're
teaming
up
with
PFLAG
Blue
Ridge
(www.pflagblueridge.org/harrisonburg.html) to offer our YES! meeting on the same
night and in the same building as the monthly Harrisonburg PFLAG meeting.
Have you seen the Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance's Facebook page yet?
(www.facebook.com/SVYesAlliance) Please like us and share with your friends!
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance e-mail address: svyesalliance@gmail.com
YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE!
$15/issue or $50/year (4 issues): Business Card
$25 per issue or $80/year: Quarter Page
$50/issue or $175/year: Half Page
$100 for a Full Page ad per issue
Contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Deadline for March newsletter is February15
YOUR ADVERTISEMENT HERE!
$15/issue or $50/year (4 issues): Business Card
$25 per issue or $80/year: Quarter Page
$50/issue or $175/year: Half Page
$100 for a Full Page ad per issue
Contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Deadline for next newsletter is May 15
We’ve Adopted a Highway!
SVGLA has adopted a section of highway near Harrisonburg through
the Virginia Department of Transportation.
It’s
good
cise,
great for our planet.
fun, it’s
exerand it’s
Help us be good neighbors in our community.
Our next outing is Saturday, March 23
(March 30 is the makeup date).
Meet us for breakfast at 8am, then we’ll tidy up the highway.
Sign up at SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Community Organizations
Coalition for Transgender Rights in Virginia
groups.yahoo.com/group/TransRightsVA/
Equality Virginia
www.equalityvirginia.org
JMU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Ally Education
Program
http://www.jmu.edu/lgbta/
Log Cabin Republican Club of Virginia
www.virginialogcabin.org/
Madison Equality JMU
PFLAG Blue Ridge
https://www.facebook.com/madisonequality
www.pflagblueridge.org and pflagbr@gmail.com
Network Virginia: Building LGBTQQ Coalitions on Campus
https://www.facebook.com/networkvirginia
Safe Zone JMU
www.jmu.edu/safezone/
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance
Soulforce
SVGLA
www.svyesalliance.org
www.soulforce.org
www.svgla.org and SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Valley AIDS Network
www.valleyaidsnetwork.org
Virginia Organizing
www.virginia-organizing.org
Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club
www.vapartisans.org/
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Page 5
We are a lay-led, religious community offering a unique spiritual and
moral witness in the Shenandoah
Valley.
We invite all who search for truth
and meaning with open hearts and
open minds to join us in worship, in
mutual support, and in shared ministry to each other and to the world.
HARRISONBURG
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
For more information, contact us at:
http://huuweb.org and (540) 8670073
One Journey, Many Paths
HUU is a UUA-Certified Welcoming Congregation. We declare our intention to be inclusive and expressive of the concerns of bisexual, gay,
lesbian, and transgender persons at every level of congregational life and
to support the rights of bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender people.
First Friday Community Potluck
Every month (usually the first Friday) we host a potluck in
a community member’s home on a rotating basis. Bring a
dish to share if you can and/or sign up to host the potluck.
See upcoming potlucks on pages 8 and 9.
Would you like to host First Friday in 2013?
Email us at SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Education Program
works toward promoting James Madison University's commitment to diversity through education, support, advocacy and the fostering of equity
for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Lavender Graduation
is a commencement ceremony honoring JMU graduates who identify as LGBT
and also recognizes individuals and groups who have helped the LGBT & Ally
Education Program during the year. To be held on May 3rd, 2013 at the Festival Highlands Room at JMU from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. The reception will
start at 10:00 am, followed by the formal program at 10:30.
Nominate someone for an award
There are two awards given during Lavender Graduation. Awards recipients can be
faculty, staff, students, or community members.
•
The Chris L. Gatesman Service Award is given in recognition of outstanding
dedication and support of James Madison University's LGBT & Ally Education
Program.
•
The LGBT & Ally Education Program Award is presented to an individual in
recognition of their outstanding contributions to the LGBT community during the
past year. Their actions contributed to the creation or improvement of an inclusive,
respectful and safe climate for the LGBT community.
Nomination Forms:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wiQr3mL6vfTIHkLcM_3-IwE9BF1i24NqJGD_St69ci0/viewform
Award Nominations are due by: April 10th, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Contact the LGBTA Program Office for more information at jmulgbta@gmail.com
COMMUNITY EVENTS SCHEDULE
❑ Thursday, March 7:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Thursday, March 7:
Shenandoah Valley YES! Alliance Meeting, 6:30-8:00 PM. See page 3 for location and
Full pagecontact
adinformation.
for Truth Wins Out/Uganda Story
❑ Wednesday, March 13: PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Thursday, March 21
Conversation & Cuisine near Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, At Hank’s Smokehouse
Southern Grillery, 49 Bloomer Springs Road, McGaheysville, VA. Reconnect with friends
and family in the Valley. For more information, contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
❑ Saturday, March 23:
SVGLA Adopt-A-Highway Service Project, 8:00 AM SVGLA has adopted a section of
highway near Harrisonburg through the VDOT Adopt-A-Highway program. We gather at
the Little Grill for breakfast at 8am and then head out for 45 minutes of clean-up work.
(March 30 is the makeup date if there is inclement weather on the 23rd)
❑ Saturday, March 23:
Miss Harrisonburg Newcomer & Miss Harrisonburg at Large Pageant. 8:00PM.
Admission $3. The Artful Dodger at 47 Court Square, Harrisonburg. Contact Rob at
rjfierce1@gmail.com for more information.
❑ Friday, March 29:
Miss Gay United States Femme Fatale Pageant (Lesbian-only Beauty Pageant),
7:00PM. Admission: $12. The Holiday Inn Presidential Ballroom at 1400 East Market
Street, Harrisonburg. Go to www.gayuspsystem.com for more information.
❑ Saturday, March 30:
Mister Gay United States Male Illusionist Contest (Male Impersonators), 7:00PM.
Admission $12. The Holiday Inn Presidential Ballroom at 1400 East Market Street, Harrisonburg. Go to www.gayuspsystem.com for more information.
❑ Thursday, April 4:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Friday, April 5:
First Friday Potluck, 6:30-9:00 PM, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Harrisonburg,
Staunton, and Waynesboro (for location and directions, join SVGLA as a Level II member)
❑ Saturday, April 6
Equality Virginia’s Commonwealth Dinner (See equalityvirginia.org/dinner for details )
❑ Wednesday, April 10:
PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Saturday, April 13:
Miss Rhinestone Pride Pageant, 8:00PM. Admission $10. The Holiday Inn Presidential
Ballroom at1400 East Market Street, Harrisonburg. For more information, go to
www.rhinestonemafiaproductions.com
Submit items for the monthly events schedule by the 25th of each month to lanedj@jmu.edu
Submit advertisements, milestones, and newsletter items for the June issue by
May 15 to SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Page 8
COMMUNITY EVENTS SCHEDULE
❑ Saturday, April 13:
INDIGO: A Dance Party for Women. 8pm. Upstairs, Mill Street Grill in Staunton, VA
DJ Jackie Gay will play the hottest dance tunes. $15.00 cover, cash bar. Must be at least 18
years old. 3rd annual event hosted by Shenandoah Valley women who want to dance and
have a great time. Contact Teri Beasley at alaskabeas@yahoo.com or 540-908-1708
Full page ad for Truth Wins Out/Uganda Story
❑ Thursday, April 18:
Conversation & Cuisine in Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED at Corgan’s Publick House, 865 Port Republic Road in Harrisonburg, VA.. Reconnect with friends and family in the Valley. See the April SVGLA email announcements list
for an update on location for the April 18 C &C or contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
❑ Thursday, May 2:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Friday, May 3:
Lavender Graduation at JMU. See page 7 for details. Contact the LGBTA Education
Program office at jmulgbta@gmail.com for more information.
❑ Friday, May 3:
First Friday Potluck, 6:30-9:00 PM, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Harrisonburg,
Staunton, and Waynesboro (for info, join SVGLA as a Level II member at www.svgla.org)
❑ Wednesday, May 8:
PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Wednesday, May 15:
DEADLINE, SVGLA newsletter submissions for June issue. Send items to
SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
❑ Saturday May 18:
SVGLA Adopt-A-Highway Service Project, 8:00 AM We gather at the Little Grill for
breakfast at 8am and then head out for 45 minutes of clean-up work. Make-up date in
case of inclement weather is Sat.urday, May 25
❑ Saturday, May 18:
SVGLA Board Meeting, 2pm. For information, contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
❑ Thursday, May 23:
Conversation & Cuisine near Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, At Hank’s Smokehouse
Southern Grillery, 49 Bloomer Springs Road, McGaheysville, VA. Reconnect with friends
and family in the Valley. For more information, contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
❑ Thursday, June 6:
PFLAG Harrisonburg Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Friday, June 7:
First Friday Potluck, 6:30-9:00 PM, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Harrisonburg,
Staunton, and Waynesboro (for info, join SVGLA as a Level II member at www.svgla.org)
❑ Wednesday, June 12:
PFLAG Staunton Meeting, 6:30-8pm. See page 2 for location and contact info.
❑ Thursday, June 20
Conversation & Cuisine in Harrisonburg, 6:30-8:30 PM, TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED at Black Forest German Restaurant, 787 East Market St. in Harrisonburg, VA.. Re
connect with friends and family in the Valley. See the April SVGLA email for an update or
confirmation on this location for June 20 or contact SVGLAssociation@gmail.com.
Submit items for the SVGLA community events schedule to lanedj@jmu.edu
Submit advertisements, milestones, and newsletter items to SVGLAssociation@gmail.com
Volume 16, Issue 1 March 2013
Page 9
EMPOWER YOUR
COMMUNITY!
We need your support to continue as a viable and evolving community
presence working on your behalf. The goals of SVGLA are:
•
To gather and communicate important community information.
•
To collaborate with allies and inclusive community organizations.
•
To organize events within the greater Valley area for social and educational
networking with LGBT people.
Level 1 Support—$15 per person
Level 1 support helps SVGLA with mailing and administrative costs throughout the
year. A level 1 commitment of support gets you the following:
•
•
•
•
Your choice—a hard copy of the newsletter mailed to your address, an e-mailed version of the newsletter, or both.
A vote for members of the SVLGA Board of Directors (membership renewals due by
December 1 to vote for the 2013 Board).
Advance information about SVGLA events
Level I membership is from July—July
Level 2 Support—No Cost
Level 2 support keeps you in the loop. A level 2 commitment of support gets you an emailed version of the newsletter and advanced information about all SVGLA events.
Check one of the following levels of support and complete the form below:
Level 1 Support (please include a check for $15 for each person)
Mailed hard copy of the newsletter
E-mailed version of the newsletter
Both
Level 2 Support (Free)
Name #1
Name #2
Address #1:
Address #2:
E-mail #1:
E-mail #2:
I/we verify that I am/we are at least 18 years of age.
Please send this form to: SVGLA, P.O. Box 1023, Harrisonburg, VA 22803
Local Leaders Supporting Non-Discrimination
These elected officials have signed Equality Virginia’s statement supporting legislation to protect LGBT public employees
from employment discrimination: “I support legislation codifying the basic human right of all public employees to be free
from discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.”
Albemarle
Stephen Koleszar, School Board Member
Diantha McKeel, School Board Member
Alexandria
Ronnie Campbell, School Board Member
Kerry Donley, Vice Mayor
William D. Euille, Mayor
Dana Lawhorne, Sheriff
Helen Morris, School Board Vice Chair
Arlington
Sally M. Baird, School Board Vice Chair
Jay Fisette, County Board Member
Mary Hughes Hynes, County Board Chairman
Chris Zimmerman, County Board Member
Ashland
Dr. George Spagna, Vice Mayor
Blacksburg
Susan Anderson, Town Council Member
John Bush, Town Council Member
Leslie Hager-Smith, Town Council Vice Chair
Cecile Newcomb, Town Council Member
Ron Rordam, Mayor
Michael Sutphin, Blacksburg Town Council
Charlottesville
Colette Blount, School Board Member
James E. Brown, III, Sheriff
Edmund Michie, School Board Chair
Dave Norris, City Council Member
Kristin Szakos, Vice Mayor
Fairfax City
Daniel Drummond, City Council Member
David L. Meyer, City Council Member
Fairfax County
Sharon Bulova, County Board of Supervisors Chair
John Foust, County Board of Supervisors
Penelope Gross, County Board of Supervisors
Jeff McKay, County Board of Supervisors
Linda Smyth, County Board of Supervisors
Daniel Storck, School Board Member
Ilryong Moon, School Board Member
Falls Church
Lois Berlin, School Board Superintendent
Patrick Riccards, School Board Chair
Harrisonburg
Richard Baugh, City Council Member
Ted Byrd, Mayor
Charles Chenault, Vice Mayor
Kai Degner, City Council Member
Abe Shearer, City Council Member
Herndon
Lisa Merkel, Mayor
Lexington
Mimi Elrod, Mayor
Montgomery County
Phyllis Albritton, School Board Member
Mary W. Biggs, County Board of Supervisors
William H. Brown, County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair
Matthew Gabriele, County Board of Supervisors
Norfolk
Thomas Smigiel, City Council Member
Theresa Whibley, City Council Member
Portsmouth
Dr. Elizabeth Daniels, School Board Vice Chair
Richmond
Kimberly Gray, School Board Member
Chris Hilbert, City Council Member
Charles Samuels, City Council Member
Parker C. Agelasto, City Council Member
C.T. Woody, Sheriff
Is YOUR
local representative
on this list?
Contact tdavis@equalityvirginia.org
if you want to help by adding your
local leader.
IN THE NEWS…
Virginia Senate Passes Non-Discrimination Bill
A bill banning employment discrimination against state employees based on sexual orientation
and gender identity was passed in the Senate of Virginia with a bipartisan vote of 24-16. A
House of Delegates Subcommittee tabled the bill (effectively killing it for the 2013 legislative
session. This is the third year in a row that this bill has passed in the Virginia Senate and tabled in the House Subcommittee.
Lesbian Activist Honored with Presidential Citizens Medal
Janice Langbehn, who helped secure hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples across the
country received the nation’s second-highest civilian honor from President Barack Obama -the Presidential
Walmart Adds “Gender Identity” to Nondiscrimination Policy
Mega-retailer Wal-Mart has quietly added language to its employee nondiscrimination policy
Quotable:
"I GREAT Quote in here
.”
—Curly Girl
Milestone
PFLAG Founder Dies, Receives Posthumous Recognition from
President Obama
Dr. Frank Kameny (May 21, 1925-October 11, 2011)
Dr. Frank Kennedy was one of the most significant figures in the modern LGBT rights movement in the
United States. In 1957, he was terminated from his position in the federal government because of his sexual
orientation, which led him to a lifetime of activism for LGBT rights. In 1961, he argued his case before the
US Supreme Court, and founded the Mattachine Society of Washington, one of the earliest LGBT organizations in the U.S.
Kameny and Barbara Gittings co-organized demonstrations for gay and lesbian rights at Independence Hall
and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia each July 4th from 1965 to 1969, where an Historic Marker recognizes the
site. They also protested the annual meetings of the American Psychiatric Association in the early 1970s. The
APA voted in 1973 to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. In 2006, the Library of Congress acquired Kameny’s papers, documenting his biography and lifetime of civil rights work.
Milestones
The “Family ConnectShen” is pleased to publish notices of significant events and other milestones
(free of charge) for SVGLA members. The newsletter is published quarterly (in March, June, September, and December). To submit a milestone (anniversary, birthday, engagement, birth, death, other)
for the January 2012 issue of the newsletter, send the following to SVGLAssociation@gmail.com:
Full name and phone number (including area code, for verification purposes), type of milestone, and
a brief description in 75 words or less. SVGLA reserves the right to publish or deny submissions.
Incomplete or unverifiable submissions will not be considered.