STATEMENT FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH CONGRESS ON PITTSBURGH PRIDE
First Statewide Organization to Call for Accountability with Pittsburgh Pride

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Youth Congress affirms our solidarity with Roots Pride Pittsburgh, and the many local organizations and civic leaders, in denouncing the decision of the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh to present Iggy Azalea as the headline performer for Pittsburgh Pride 2015. As a social justice organization representing thousands of young LGBTQ Pennsylvanians, including many from Pittsburgh, we work tirelessly to ensure LGBTQ people of all identities have power within their organized community. We find that this year’s selected headline performer demonstrates a significant lack of respect for the LGBTQ people and people of color who have been harmed by Iggy Azalea’s actions.

For the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, prides are not only celebrations, but are annual reminders of the political tools we have to build a beloved community. In this statement, we insist that any pride which is built on the oppression of marginalized LGBTQ people is no pride at all.

A successful pride should be a family reunion that is planned and executed by the self-determination of the community. While there may be disagreements from time to time, there must be an underlying trust between local leaders. That trust has been stripped away over the years in Pittsburgh, leaving a raw desperation where people of color, transgender people, and youth leaders feel voiceless in their own city. Decisions have been made that have emaciated parts of the Pittsburgh LGBTQ community with a lack of resources, overshadowed and drowned out by the behemoth of one organization.

The Pennsylvania Youth Congress applauds the leadership of Roots Pride Pittsburgh for their work to identify strategies to raise-up LGBTQ people from marginalized backgrounds. We commend the broader Pittsburgh LGBTQ community in standing up for their own dignity.

We know it is rare for this thread of social justice to be spun so precisely as to cause numerous groups to withdraw. We commend the courage of many organizations and individuals, including Garden of Peace Project, GLSEN Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh City Council President Bruce Kraus, who have spoken up in in the spirit of building a better Pittsburgh.

The significance of Roots Pride Pittsburgh is tremendous, because it has already sent a clear message across the nation that the grassroots LGBTQ community, when organized, is able to unite and be heard.

We are distraught over the distressing position we are put in for Pittsburgh Pride 2015. The Pennsylvania Youth Congress believes we will be best able to share our vision for inspiring actualized social justice in the region through providing our resources at PrideFest. Further, we are met with the financial reality of our organization. As by far the most expensive pride in Pennsylvania for vendors, we have already invested hundreds of dollars in the fees that the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh requires. It took us four years to afford our own table at Pittsburgh Pride. At a $450 regular registration rate for non-profit organizations, Pittsburgh Pride is more expensive to participate in than all of the other nine prides in Pennsylvania combined. We believe it is outrageous that emerging community organizations have only one option if they wish to partake in their own community’s pride – to pay top dollar.

The Pennsylvania Youth Congress is accountable to our funders to engage with youth at every pride in Pennsylvania. There will be young people in Pittsburgh on June 14th, some of whom may not know about how the platform of Pittsburgh Pride 2015 was built, but they will be there. The PrideFest event still will be a significant opportunity to connect with students in order for us to support them throughout the year. We will use our presence at pride to express our displeasure with the decisions made by the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh.

We will not plan to participate in future Pittsburgh Prides unless conditions dramatically improve with accountability and transparency within the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh, or whichever organization hosts a large-scale pride festival in the city.

The organized LGBTQ community should not resemble the oppressive structures which divide our society. We must build arenas to come together in authentically affirming ourselves in pride, and we commend Roots Pride Pittsburgh for doing just that. We are proud of the leaders who will not stop here in taking actions for justice throughout Pennsylvania, and in our world.

This statement has been approved by the Pennsylvania Youth Congress Board of Directors.

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The Pennsylvania Youth Congress advances freedom and justice for young LGBTQ Pennsylvanians through advocating for responsible public policy. As a youth-led organization, PYC represents citizens working toward safer schools and thriving communities across the commonwealth.
payouthcongress.org

Andre Nathaniel Gray, 34, had been missing since October 23, 2014. In a press conference yesterday evening, the Pittsburgh Police disclosed that his body was found in the Ohio River in West Virgina with a gunshot wound. The police have ruled his death a homicide, and early this morning, charged a suspect in his death. Andre was an out gay man from the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. He was involved in Project Silk, a program for young men and transgender women of color in the Pittsburgh area.

The press conference was extremely somber, with many of Andre’s family members present. His mother, grandmother, and brother expressed their devastation with this news, but also that they had accepted his passing and forgave those who ended his life. His mother, Victoria Gray Tillman said “I’m thankful to God for bringing my son home, so now I can begin my closure process. It’s been a long time coming.” Andre was reported missing on October 25, 2014, with his apartment ransacked and blood on his bed sheets – along with bleach. His car was later found partially burned in the North Side of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Police Commander RaShall Brackney and the Gray Family (March 26, 2015)

On March 20, 2015, Brooks County Sheriff and Follansbee Police Department in West Virigina discovered his body along the Market Street bridge, which stretches from Stubenville, Ohio to Follansbee, West Viriginia. He was positively identifed as Andre by the Coroner of Charleston, West Virginia. The Pittsburgh Police were notified on March 25, 2015 of his body being found. They ruled his death a homicide with their disclosure of his gunshot wound.

This morning, the Pittsburgh Police revealed they have charged Hubert Wingate, 30, in Andre’s murder. Wingate was already in an Allegheny County jail when he was charged. He was arrested on an open warrant for assault from Colorado, in Pittsburgh, where he had a concealed semi-automatic weapon on his person.

No substantive evidence or leads had been established as of yesterday evening. Pittsburgh Police Commander RaShall Brackney confirmed they did not yet have any suspect in custody or warrants for persons of interest in the case. Brackney firmly stated that “Our goal is to bring justice to Andre Gray.”

Victoria Gray Tillman said that “I’ve given God all the glory. I have forgiven them a while ago. That’s what I need. I need for them to confess what they have done. We are a forgiving family, a loving family. That’s what they need to do, turn yourself in.” Andre’s brother, Javon Hutcherson, echoed this plea to the murderer to “Turn yourself in. We love our brother…We forgive him, please turn yourself in.”

The Pittsburgh Police have been leading a search effort for Andre since last fall. LGBTQ community advocates had established a fund for donations to the family. The Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents have been pressing hard through regular posts for the continued investigation.

Andre’s mother, Victoria Gray Tillman, and brother, Javon Hutcherson (March 26, 2015)

As the press conference was concluding, Victoria Gray Tillman additional shared how there has been “Lots of pain. Lots of suffering. Lots of prayers. I’ve said a prayers all day, everyday. Some days have been better than others. But, I knew all along that God had my son. I always felt that. Now that he has been found I can begin my process. It’s a mother’s worst nightmare of their child being out there – and it’s the not knowing. I thank God for all the people, the prayers, the friends, the family, who have come through, who have held me up, and let me know, but I thank God, for being God.”

Anyone with information on Andre’s murder is asked to please call the Pittsburgh Police homicide detectives 412-323-7161.

Pittsburgh City Council President Bruce Kraus introduced an ordinance this morning to include ‘gender identity or expression’ as an outright protected class in the city’s non-discrimination policy. Ordinance 2014-0644 will amend the current city law to place gender identity protection among the other protected classes rather than keep it buried within the existing definition of sex. In recognizing that gender identity is a distinct protected class, transgender and gender non-conforming Pittsburghers will finally be fully included in non-discrimination protections.

Of the 33 municipalities across Pennsylvania which have adopted an LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance, 28 explicitly state gender identity as a protected class. All 28 ordinances passed after Erie County’s law in early 2002 specifically have ‘gender identity’ listed amongst the other protected classes – including Allegheny County’s policy in 2009. Pittsburgh first passed a non-discrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation in 1990, and later amended it to include transgender individuals in 1997 by sneaking in a broader definition of gender under the definition of “sex.”

Five of the six ordinances passed before Allentown’s in 2002 buried gender identity protections in either the definition of ‘Sex’ or ‘Sexual Orientation’ [Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, York, Lancaster, Erie County]. Many of these definitions are problematic and archaic. Philadelphia, which was the first in the state to adopt a non-discrimination law inclusive of sexual orientation in 1982, only provided gender identity protections starting in May 2002.

It is critical for gender identity be outright recognized as the protected class it is in these municipalities in order to rightly inform workers, businesses, and residents.

Not many people may intimately read the Pittsburgh City Code to understand that transgender people are shielded from discrimination. However, those who work and live in the city are regularly exposed to Pittsburgh’s equal opportunity statement on official documents and job postings. Today, the City’s operating policy on Equal Employment Opportunity does not even mention gender identity.

In advancing this ordinance, City Council will affirm that there is absolutely nothing to be shameful about in being transgender or gender non-conforming in Pittsburgh. It’s a minor clerical change, but inspires a new chapter of visibility for transgender Pittsburghers in policy.

The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition joins with the larger Pittsburgh LGBT community in calling for this important update. PSEC applauds the Pittsburgh City Council for being the first of the five municipalities with the omission in policy to address this issue.

PSEC leaders had a very productive meeting with Council President Kraus last week about this concern, among others. He is the first openly gay member of Pittsburgh City Council – and was elected the council president for the first time in January 2014.

South Williamsport Cancels 2015 Production of Spamalot;
Principal Claims Homosexuality Does Not Exist in Their Town*

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*UPDATE – July 3, 2014

WNEP has redacted part of their story in which Principal Smith cited “homosexuality” as the main reason for his decision, and that he referenced that no LGBTQ people exist in South Williamsport. These were apparently NOT part of the email. The district administration has remained silent as of now in speaking out in support of LGBTQ students going forward, or apologizing for the miscommunication.

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South Williamsport Junior/Senior High School in central Lycoming County announced on Tuesday that they would cancel an upcoming production of Spamalot, a popular musical comedy which continues its run on Broadway and recently finished a two year revival at London’s West End. While the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition understands that this show contains many adult themes which may be too lewd for a high school audience, the coalition is outraged by the process by which the show was cancelled.

The South Williamsport Area High School principal, Jesse Smith, wrote in an email that they cancelled the show explicitly due to the “homosexual themes.” According to Dawn Burch, the Director of the School’s Drama Department, the email from Principal Smith explained that homosexuality isn’t something that happens in conservative South Williamsport.

The drama department was planning on editing the musical’s adult content to be appropriate for a wider age range. Burch is now being forced to select another show for their spring 2015 performance. The Superintendent claimed the decision was made to avoid controversy.

While canceling the musical due to the sexual content may be an appropriate decision, stating that there is not an LGBT presence in the community is unacceptable and simply not true. The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition’s Assistant Convener, Dan Warner, is a 2011 graduate of South Williamsport Area High School. “As a South Williamsport alumnus who is gay, I am sincerely disappointed by the administration’s recent decision. South Williamsport High School was an important place for me to develop academically and personally. During my time with the theater department, I came to accept I was gay. All students should be provided with a safe and inclusive environment to be themselves. I fear this decision will greatly harm such spaces.”

Dan Warner has sent a letter to the South Williamsport Area School District Board of Directors and their superintendent asking them to censure the principal for his remarks and make a pledge to support LGBT students in the district.

Last Thursday evening, a transgender woman was brutally murdered in Philadelphia. Charles Sargent, 43, is in custody for allegedly murdering Diamond Williams. Initial reports have stated that Sargent had a sexual encounter with Diamond before her death, and following the murder, dismembered her body in Strawberry Mansion.

Tonight there will be a vigil for Diamond Williams in Love Park from 5:30-6:30pm. Please join community leaders in remembering Diamond, and calling for justice against the violence that took her life. Scheduled speakers include:

Aamina Morrison – TIP Co-Director
Samantha Jo Dato – Trans* Wellness Project
Christian Axavier Lovehall – Philly Trans* March
Sade Ali – Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, Morris Home Founder
Gloria Casarez – Director of LGBT Affairs, Office of the Mayor

NBC 10 was the first major media outlet to report the story on Friday evening. Their headline was “Man Accused of Murdering Transgender Lover.” The story misgendered Diamond, used her birth name, and posted a mug shot from a prior and unrelated offense.

GLAAD has rightfully called out this sensationalism and misrepresentation and posted a detailed statement calling on NBC 10 to do better.

There are several unsolved murders of trans women in Philadelphia. Last year, the murder of Kyra Cordova resulted in marches and vigils in the streets of the city – and there are still no leads on her case. Other unsolved murders in Philadelphia include Nizah Morris, who was killed 10 years ago, and Stacey Blahnik, who was murdered almost three years ago.

Photo: Vigil for Kyra Cordova (Justice for Kyra)