Author Archives: Jason Landau Goodman

About Jason Landau Goodman

Jason Landau Goodman is a law student at the University of Pittsburgh, and the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress. A recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Jason is a fifth generation Pennsylvanian from Lower Merion, PA.

OITS Controversy in Dallastown

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‘Out in the Silence’ Screening Sparks Controversy in Dallastown

YORK, PA -The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition (PSEC) continues to monitor an unfolding controversy in Dallastown, Pa. involving a contested screening of Emmy-award winning documentary film “Out in the Silence.”

The screening, which was hosted by Dallastown Area High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) on Jan. 25, struck a chord with former Dallastown school board member Carroll Tignall, who has expressed fears of a “covert” agenda on the part of local LGBTQ activists, according to the York Dispatch. Before the screening, the York Dispatch ran an article highlighting hateful comments and actions generated by Tignall and others in Dallastown.

“They aren’t supposed to be interfering with parental authority,” Tignall said.

The next day, the York Dispatch published a groundbreaking editorial in support of the GSA. Most recently, a homophobic letter to the editor was published in the York Dispatch by a local parent who attended the screening.

PSEC stands behind the Dallastown High School GSA and its brave efforts to combat intolerance in its community. Bullying of any kind is considered unacceptable, and PSEC rejects accusations that the club or the school’s administration officials have crossed any boundaries. Administration officials are commended for supporting the GSA’s efforts to address the all too common conflicts in rural communities over acceptance of LGBTQ youth.

“In this ordeal, Dallastown has shown it is on the front lines of creating safer communities for LGBTQ youth in Pennsylvania – a meaningful film screening took place and good prevailed,” PSEC Executive Director Jason Landau Goodman said. “With every positive conversation this screening of ‘Out in the Silence’ has sparked in the Central PA region, another step is taken toward inclusion and respect of all people.”

One such conversation includes courageous comments by an editor of the York Dispatch, who highlighted the fragile state of LGBTQ youth and declared to critics that they should “leave the gay-straight club alone.”

And despite reports from attendees of being turned away following the event, a PSEC high school student leader from a neighboring community in York County noted the event’s uplifting nature and emphasis on positivity. PSEC will continue to support Dallastown’s GSA as tensions continue to rise.

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PA Youth at Nationals!

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PSEC Leaders attend NGLTF’s Creating Change Conference

Baltimore, MD: Last week from January 25-29, 2012, 22 PSEC youth leaders from across the state were in Baltimore for the 24th National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change Conference. Over 2,700 organizers and community leaders attended the primer national conference on LGBTQ equality – including 60+ Pennsylvania youth from nearly a dozen colleges and universities. PSEC sent the largest delegation from Pennsylvania – with each student representing PSEC hailing from a different county. Every PSEC delegate was selected for extraordinary leadership in their communities. The group included a high school GSA President who supported a screening of Out in the Silence last week near York, Nina Santiago of Indiana University of PA – who made national news last fall when her professor made homophobic comments in class, and youth members of organizations including GLSEN Pittsburgh and the Attic Youth Center in Philadelphia.

On Saturday, PSEC joined GLSEN and other statewide LGBTQ safe schools advocates (from MassEquality, Empire State Pride Agenda, Fairness West Virginia, and GLSEN CT) for a panel on safe schools legislation. Later in the afternoon, PSEC held its own session on building a youth-led movement. Over 60 youth and adult allies attended for an engaging session on historical and practical frameworks for youth-led work in the LGBTQ equality movement. While the LGBTQ equality movement is seen as currently dominated by adult leadership – the session focused on youth driven work from the suffrage and civil rights movements – and how the LGBTQ equality movement should embrace authentic youth leadership. PSEC presented the only session of this kind at the conference on youth-led organizing – as PSEC is only of only a few youth-led LGBTQ organizations in the nation at this time. PSEC also hosted a Pennsylvania Youth Caucus as a safe space for youth from Pennsylvania to meet and network on Saturday.

Creating Change is a highly enriching and educational experience for leaders in the LGBTQ equality movement and communities. Jason Landau Goodman, PSEC Executive Director, said that sending the PSEC delegation to Creating Change was “a highly important investment in Pennsylvania LGBTQ youth leadership.” Creating Change has not taken place in the northeast United States in over a decade. Next year, the conference will take place in Atlanta, Georgia.

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PSEC Winter Convening

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Jan 15, 2012 – From PSEC:

PENNSYLVANIA LGBTQ YOUTH LEADERS MEET AT PENN STATE; REFORM STATEWIDE LGBTQ YOUTH ORGANIZATION

State College, PA— From January 13-15, 2012, Pennsylvania LGBTQ youth leaders as the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition (PSEC) held their second winter convening at Penn State University – University Park. This statewide organization of LGBTQ youth leaders met over three days to evaluate the structure and roles of individuals within the organization.

PSEC was founded last spring by Pennsylvania youth as the first and only youth-led statewide LGBTQ organization in the nation. Over the past year, PSEC has been advocating across Pennsylvania for the welfare of LGBTQ youth. The 2011 winter convening at Penn State was where over 30 youth leaders from Erie to Lancaster met to unanimously vote for the formation of PSEC.

The convening met Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning at Penn State to discuss, review, and develop the roles and relationships within the PSEC Coordinating Committee. One resolution of great importance was the disbanding of the State Committee, an elected committee of one representative from each of the eight PSEC regions, in order to establish new regional staff positions. These PSEC staff members would be responsible for the former roles of the State Committee as well as regional fundraising and office hours to outreach to local youth, community organizations, and government officials. With these new roles, as leaders discussed, comes more accountability and responsibility within PSEC.

Also, this weekend PSEC adopted three new affiliates: West Chester University’s LGBTQA, Villanova Local #2, and Wilkes University’s GSA. The coalition looks forward to working with these affiliates in the future.

The youth leaders also voted to create a new PSEC region: Appalachia. This region breaks the former PSEC Pittsburgh-West region into two parts: Pittsburgh City and the Southwestern PA counties. This will allow for a stronger voice of rural Appalachia youth within the statewide LGBTQ youth movement.

During the Day of Silence this year, PSEC affiliates voted to unite across Pennsylvania to break the silence in “Night of Noise” observances. These events will vary from concerts to (bio-degradable) balloon releases. Interpretations may vary, but in solidarity we will overcome injustices in our communities. The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition Coordinating Committee will convene again in Philadelphia the weekend of Equality Forum, May 4-6, in Philadelphia, PA.

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