Reading Pride

This blog has moved

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:21:00 +0000

This blog is now located at http://readingpridecelebration.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://readingpridecelebration.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.

TAKE ME OUT Special Performance – READING PRIDE NIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:12:00 +0000

Please join Reading Community Players along with Reading Pride Celebration Saturday March 6 at 7 pm for Take Me Out. 2003 Tony Award Winner for Best Play. Written by Richard Greenberg Directed By Santo D. Marabella.

Wine & Cheese Reception at 7:00 PM
Show at 8:00 PM and Panel Discussion After the Show

Tickets $25.00.

Audience advisory:Mature themes,nudity and strong language. Check out www.rcptheate.org
Address 403 N. 11 th Street, Reading

Reading Pride Celebration Newsletter!

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:18:00 +0000

Reading Pride Night - "Take Me Out"

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:21:00 +0000

March 06, 2010 7:00 PM
Reading Community Players
403 N. 11th Street
Reading, PA 19604 [map it!]

Price $25.00

Info Line 610-375-9106
http://www.readingcommunityplayers.com/

Take Me Out, Richard Greenberg's Broadway hit and Tony Award Winner. Wine & Cheese reception prior to show. Panel discussion afterward.

The play explores with wit and compassion what might happen if a player on a major league baseball team were to announce that he is gay. Greenberg brings out many attitudes toward homosexuality by drawing his main character as a very specific, unique individual. Darren Lemming is the star player who has led his team to win two Worlds Series in a row. He comes from a middle-class, biracial family but has never faced any sort of racial prejudice. He is the ideal ballplayer on the ideal team, until the day he decides to announce his sexual orientation to his team: then his relationships change with his coach; his teammates; his new business manager, who is gay; his best friend, who is devoutly religious; and especially with the homophobic pitcher recently up from the minors, who refers to Lemming by using an offensive slur during an interview. The play is full of insights about baseball, masculinity, and identity in the twenty-first century.

AUDIENCE ADVISORY: MATURE THEMES, NUDITY & STRONG LANGUAGE

Annual GSA Leadership Summit

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:48:00 +0000

Common Roads and Dickinson College are pleased to present the 3rd Annual Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Leadership Summit: an opportunity for students and professionals to meet, network and participate in workshops designed to help everyone better understand and advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allied students in central Pennsylvania and beyond.

GSAs registered for the Summit by February 20th will receive a copy of the documentary Out in the Silence (www.outinthesilence.com) along with a discussion guide and an event-planning toolkit. This opportunity is provided by The Philadelphia Foundation.

Click here for the Registration Packet for this year’s event.

Reading Pride Celebration Newsletter!

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Calling for your help!!!

Reading Pride Celebration is working to start a newsletter on our web site.

We are having a contest to name the newsletter. If your entry is chosen, you will receive a $20.00 gift card to Iezzi's Bar and Restaurant in Boyertown.

Submit your ideas to readingpridenews@gmail.com. Please include your name and phone number so we can contact you if you win!

Deadline for the contest is March 13th.

Mardi Gras at the Red Star!

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:21:00 +0000

Vision of Hope MCC - Upcomming events

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 02:41:00 +0000

Bible and Homosexuality Workshop
Thursday, January 21 – Part 1 from 7pm to 9pm
Thursday, January 28 – Part 2 from 7pm to 9pm

SOCIAL EVENT – Queer Karaoke with other fun activities and food!
Sunday, January 31 at 6pm.

Meeting At: The Quaker Meeting House
108 N. 6th Street
Reading, PA 19601
www.visionofhopemcc.org

Holidays on the Rocks!

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:21:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Friday, December 18th
Christmas Dance
8-11pm
$5 admission

CHISTMAS EVE SERVICES
7pm and 10pm

New Year's Eve Party
9:30pm-12:30am
alcohol free

Stephanie Schaffer
20’s /30’s Ministry Leader

MCC of the Lehigh Valley
930 North 4th Street, First Floor
Allentown, PA 18102
610-709-8800
mcclv.org

FUNdraiser—Fri, December 4th— to benefit Planned Parenthood!

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:42:00 +0000

VIVA tapas lounge, located in Greater Reading, is sponsoring a new program for nonprofits. Friday night is DANCE night at VIVA featuring live bands. Planned Parenthood will benefit from a night of high-energy dance music by the spectacular BUNCHAFUNK!!! Your "cover charge" is donated to Planned Parenthood of Northeast and Mid-Penn!!

Join us on Friday, December 4th, 10:00 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. !

Tickets can be purchased at VIVA now and the night of the event or

Tickets to the event can be secured by contacting:
Planned Parenthood/Andrea Dolak
(610) 481-0481 ext. 26
adolak@planitpa.org

Credit cards are accepted.

Don’t forget to email all your friends and family, too!

Lets dance the night away to benefit all the women, men and teens who are served by Planned Parenthood!

VIVA is located at 901 Hill Avenue (one block off North Park Road) Wyomissing, 19610

BUNCHAFUNK is an 8 piece band including three horns and a full rhythm section, featuring dance, R&B, the sounds of Earth, Wind, & Fire, Rick James, Tower of Power, and Temptations.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Kutztown University’s GLBTQ Resource Center will be hosting a Human Rights Day Panel Discussion, “Looking Back, Looking Forward”, on Thursday, December 10, 11 AM, in the McFarland Student Union Building, Room 218.

The panelists include: Jacqueline Conforti Barnett, Special Assistant to the PASSHE Chancellor, Stephen A. Glassman, Chairperson of the PA Human Relations Commission, and Barbara M. Taliaferro, KU Associate Vice President for Diversity & Inclusion.

The panelists will discuss human rights past, present and future from National, State, and Kutztown University perspectives. This will be an opportunity to hear about the strides that have been made and the work yet to be done. All are invited to this free event.

Reception at Canal Street Pub

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:42:00 +0000

HIV/AIDS and Cancer benefit

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Click here for larger image

PFLAG Meeting Tuesday October 20th

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:31:00 +0000

This is a reminder that the Reading PFLAG meeting will be on Tuesday, October 20th. Begin arriving at 6:30PM; to start the meeting by 6:45PM.

This month Deb Sieger will be leading on our discussion on the potential effects of health care reform on the LBGT Community, their families, and friends.

Please be aware that, after learning their survey results last month, they are still contemplating the future of Reading PFLAG and exactly what form it will take. The October and November meetings are the last ones officially scheduled following our regular format.

Please join them to participate in a lively discussion on a current topic and to help them move forward with our future.

Location:

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berks County
416 Franklin Street
Reading
610-372-0928
You can find directions to the UU Church on their website www.uuberks.org under "About Our Church" - "Driving Directions" or at www.uuberks.org/directions.htm

PFLAG - Eastern PA Chapter
Helplines: 610-967-5219, 570-620-1234
website: www.eastern-pa-pflag.org e-mail: info@eastern-pa-pflag.org
berks@eastern-pa-pflag.org

LGBT Estate Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:09:00 +0000

The Berks County Community Foundation is hosting a two part seminar on November 18th focused on LGBT Estate Planning.

3-5 pm is for professional advisors (CPA’s, Attorneys, Financial Advisors)

5-6:30 Community Mixer (food and drink)

6:30-8:30 LGBT Community Seminar

They will be featuring an reading attorney (Mike Mixell), a CPA (Franki Aiken), trust officer (Tom Moore) and sinancial Advisorde (Amy Smart) signed around highlighting the needs and related solutions.

Call the Berks County Community Foundation to RSVP: 610.685.2223
http://www.bccf.org/

October is GLBT History Month

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Breaking News!

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:29:00 +0000

We just found out that the changes to Reading's non discrimination policy to make the LGBT community inclusive will be on the agenda for voting at City Council's Meeting on Monday September 28, 2009. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM at City Hall 8th & Washington Streets.

Please bring your friends and let's pack the Council Chambers to show our support.

RAINBOW PLAYERS THEATER CO. Screening of OUT IN THE SILENCE - An Evening of GLBTQIA Solidarity

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:15:00 +0000

A Screening of an Upcoming PBS Documentary
OUT IN THE SILENCE
A Documentary Film by Joe Wilson & Dean Hamer
AN EVENING OF GLBTQIA SOLIDARITY

Rainbow Players Theater Co. will be hosting a screening of the upcoming PBS documentary, OUT IN THE SILENCE, on Friday, October 2 at 8 pm at the Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley, 930 North 4th Street, Allentown, PA 18102. OUT IN THE SILENCE is an uplifting documentary about courageous local residents confronting homophobia in their conservative small town in the hills of western Pennsylvania. Admission cost is $15 and $8 for students & senior citizens. Proceeds will benefit the Rainbow Players Theater Co., MCCLV’s Freedom to Marry Initiative, and PA Diversity Network. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A panel with filmmakers Joe Wilson & Dean Hamer, PA Senator Daylin Leach (author of the Bill Providing For Full, Equal Marriage Rights to Pennsylvania's Same-Sex Couples), Chairman of the PA Human Relations Commission Stephen A. Glassman, Jake Kaskey of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, & PA Diversity Network's Liz Bradbury and Adrian Shanker.

OUT IN THE SILENCE is a documentary film and social action campaign aimed at promoting increased visibility and fairness and equality for GLBTQ people in rural and small town America. Filmmaker Joe Wilson travels back to his roots in this autobiographical documentary. Growing up in the small town of Oil City, Pa., Wilson remained closeted, but after college, Peace Corps and settling in Washington, D.C., he came out and wed Dean Hamer (the film's co-director). After publishing his marriage announcement in Oil City's newspaper, Joe received a torrent of negative, bigoted letters — and one he didn't expect. Kathy Springer wrote that her 16-year-old son, CJ, had recently come out and was being tortured daily by his classmates. Seeing a community in need, Wilson and Hamer, with camera in hands, headed north to see what they could do. Between interviewing ministers, rebuilding cars, restoring old theaters and battling both the school board and the antagonistic American Family Association (all while making a documentary about it), the newfound friends bring about the change that Oil City needed so badly. A poignant, personal and engrossing story.

This is an opportunity for the GLBTQIA community and community-at-large to publicly stand together in a show of solidarity, and hear about the strides we are making towards GLBTQIA rights, as well as the steps that we can continue to make together.

For more information, contact Dean Hiatt, Artistic Director, at rainbow.players@mcclv.org, or 718-664-3713. You can also find out more about the documentary at http://outinthesilence.com.

SPECTRUM volunteers needed

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:30:00 +0000

The SPECTRUM is a safe haven for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning youth (LGBTQ) in the Reading area. Teens participate in recreational activities, socialize and receive educational information related to health, sexuality, life skills and leadership. They are given an opportunity to celebrate their lives and uniqueness in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

The SPECTRUM helps LGBTQ youth combat the problems of discrimination and increased risk for drugs, alcohol, failing in school and other difficulties by providing support, camaraderie and education in the company of their peers.

We are currently looking for guest speakers to visit with us during the 2009-2010 school year. A recent survey of the SPECTRUM youth revealed their interest in the following topics:

·Massage
·Pottery
·Salsa dancing
·Popular dancing (they’d like to learn some new moves)
·Yoga/tai chi
·Knitting/crocheting (they’d like to create a SPECTRUM blanket)
·Ghost stories
·Face Painting/Henna
·Jewelry making/hemp jewelry
·Sculpture
·Makeovers (regular or drag)
·Improvisation/theater games
·Tie Dye clothing
·Field trips to local places (within walking distance)
·Quick and healthy meals
·Anything else you want to share (a personal passion, a hobby, a cause) that is interesting, fun or

Thanks!
Amber Brown
Senior Community Educator
Planned Parenthood of Northeast & Mid-Penn
48 South 4th Street
Reading, PA 19602
Tel: 610.376.0137
email: abrown@PlanItPA.org
http://www.PlanItPA.org

Reading Pride bus trip to D.C. march

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:09:00 +0000

On Sunday October 11, 2009 history will repeat itself. Thirty years ago on this date the First National March on Washington was held.

If tomorrow by some stroke of luck or magic all 50 states would recognize our rights, we would still be denied the nearly 1,100 federal rights granted to straight couples.

We were promised our rights in the last election.
It is now time for us to demand them.

Reading Pride Celebration feels strongly that this is an opportunity for all of us
to stand up and be heard. To that end we are working with our fellow Pride Organizations to have as much representation as we can at The National Equality March.

Please register and let us know you would be willing to march.

Loading...

Reading Pride Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:30:00 +0000

We've just uploaded some really lovely shots from Reading Pride Celebration 2009. Photographic credit goes to Randy Myers Graphics,610-678-6917.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Upcoming free events from Kutztown University GLBTQ Resource Center

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:12:00 +0000

The Kutztown University GLBTQ Resource Center is hosting the following events:

-- Celebrating GLBT History Month with Liz Bradbury, Executive
Director of the Pennsylvania Diversity Network.
Tuesday, October 6, 6
PM, McFarland Student Union Center room 250. This event is free and
open to the public. Please join Kutztown University as they kick-off
their the month-long GLBT History celebration with Liz Bradbury's
presentation that highlights important moments in GLBT history, from
ancient times to the present. Pictures from the award-winning "The PA
Diversity Network Photo Project - 300 Same-sex Couples: Facing
Inequality" will also be featured in this presentation.

-- Romaine Patterson, national radio personality, activist, author,
and public speaker will be speaking at Kutztown University on Tuesday,
October 13, at 11 AM, in the McFadden Student Union Building
multipurpose room (room 218). Patterson's presentation, "Growing Up
Gay" discusses her journey as a Wyoming native, founder of Angel
Action, consultant for The Laramie Project, spokesperson for
tolerance, acceptance, and nonviolence around the globe, co-host of
the successful Sirius Satellite Radio Show Derek & Romaine, to her
most recent role as mom. Please join us for this free event which is
open to the public. Patterson will be available for a booksigning
after the event, and her book the Whole World was Watching: Living in
the Light of Matthew Shepard will be available for purchase.

-- Dr. E. Patrick Johnson will be performing his one-man show,
"Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales" at
Kutztown University on Monday, November 9, 7 PM, in Alumni Auditorium.
A scholar/artist, Johnson has performed nationally and
internationally and has published widely in the area of race, gender,
sexuality, and performance. This performance is based on the oral
histories collected in his book Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South
-- An Oral History, collected between 2004 and 2006 from black gay men
who were born, raised, and continue to live in the South. The men hail
from fifteen different states and range from 19 to 93 years of age.
Free tickets are available to the public by contacting the KU GLBTQ
Resource Center at (484)646-4111. Johnson will be available for a
booksigning after the event, and copies of his book will be available
for purchase.

Vision of Hope Metropolitan Community Church

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Vision of Hope Metropolitan Community Church – a multi-racial, intergenerational GLBTQ community and those who walk the journey with us - is a church where all people are welcome. We are “Led by Christ, empowered to Rock the World!”

Vision of Hope MCC - Reading
Meeting At: Best Western Hotel
2299 Lancaster Pike
Shillington, PA 19607
Meeting Time: 7:00pm on the following Tuesdays

Click here for details

National Equality March

noreply@blogger.com (Reading Pride) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:11:00 +0000

This October there will be a march on Washington in support of many issues, including;

* Repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) so that every marriage in every state has the same federal rights.
* Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell so that LGBT persons may serve in the military openly and with the same rights as their straight counterparts.
* An end to workplace discrimination for everyone with an Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that protects everyone.
* The right to adopt children and raise families like any other parents.
* Hate Crimes legislation that includes LGBT people and protects us like any other targeted group.
* Immigration reform that recognizes same-sex couples and ends the needless separation of families.
* A comprehensive anti-bullying policy in our schools via the Safe Schools Improvement Act.

For more information, visit: http://equalityacrossamerica.org