OUTspoken, Summer 2000 issue
Gay Pride 2000 Proves Real Winner
"I think that's the best one (Amarillo pride picnic) so far," one attendee said as he carried
blankets, chairs and cooler back to the parking lot.
The comment was overheard at the end of the Gay Pride 2000 Picnic at Thompson Park on
Saturday, June 24. That passing comment gave heart to exhausted event organizers as they
dismantled tents and loaded equipment.
Amarillo's Gay Pride 2000 Picnic drew an estimated 300 attendees and included the largest
number of organizations and venders to participate in an Amarillo gay pride picnic. Organizations
and businesses included at the picnic were:
Soul Journers, Metropolitan Community Church, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Eagle
Spirit, Cyndie Cole, Panhandle Triangle Association, The Funny Paper, Practicalservice.com,
Texas AIDS Ride, OUTstanding Amarillo, PASO, PFLAG, and Planned Parenthood.
The first ever volleyball tournament saw Club 212's team take first place honors with Soul
Journers awarded the second place trophy. Other activities included live music by Arin Palmer
and speeches by representatives of key organizations serving Amarillo's gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered (glbt) population.
The Gay Pride Movie Festival also drew the largest audiences yet, with the Stage Right
auditorium nearly filled all three nights.
Community Calendar
Anyone wanting to include listings in the calendar can call 383-0165.
Thursday, July 27, 6:30 p.m. -- Panhandle Triangle Association, watch the Funny Paper for
location.
Friday, July 21 -- Gay Night at Stage Right, "Waiting for Godot. Reservations encouraged. Call
Stage Right at 353-7888.
Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30 -- Brian Deneke Unity through Diversity Festival, located at
the Peace Farm east of Amarillo. For directions and additional information check
www.briandeneke.org or call OUTstanding Amarillo at 383-0165.
Friday, Aug. 11 -- Gay Night at Stage Right on the road. Shakespeare in the Park with Stage
Right's production of "Hamlet" in Sam Houston Park on Western Street. Watch the Globe-News
for start time.
Friday, Oct. 6 -- Fundraiser for OUTstanding Amarillo at Club 212. Co-sponsored by Club 212
and Soul Journers.
Ongoing:
PFLAG -- Second Thursday of every month, 7 p.m., call 358-4810 for information
OUTstanding Board Meeting -- First Thursday of every month. Call 383-0165 for information.
PTA -- Community meeting every 4th Thursday.
Soul Journers -- Worship services every Sunday with business meeting with all welcome every
3rd Sunday after regular services.
Tentative plans for Gay Movie Night at Stage Right at 8 p.m. every third Friday starting in
September.
When Pigs Fly
(an Editorial by Kay C. Peck)
When I'm a little old lady (not as far away as I might wish), I'm not so sure I WANT a Boy
Scout helping me across the street. Will his kindness be conditional on my complying with what a
little old lady "should" be?
Truth is, this cantankerous little old lady plans on being able to cross her own streets right up
until the day she's waiting for the big stoplight in the sky to change to green.
I've read lots about the July 5 Supreme Court ruling narrowly approving the Boy Scout's
right to exclude gays from leadership. I've read lots and felt more.
As important as a court ruling can be, in individual lives, they hold no more weight than the
living room and scout hall rulings. It's the face-to-face stuff that scars the child who's not yet told
anyone his doubts about his sexuality and looks for love and support from the people he trusts ...
maybe even his Boy Scout leader.
Even after 1.7 millenniums of persecution, the Christian Church has not been able to stamp
out homosexuality. Do the Boys Scouts really think they can get the job done? Have they
thought through what that means for the gay kids they're supposed to serve. I doubt it.
It may just be that the Scouts have already done their job too well. I enjoyed most the email
I from a 14 year old Scout wanting information about religions that approve of homosexuality. He
intends to remind his troop leaders of their policy of acceptance of all.
The Scouts may be too late. They've been teaching about personal courage for a long time.
Somebody's been listening.
Pride 2000 Sponsors
Support from the following donors made possible the 2000 Gay Pride Picnic and the Gay Pride
Film Festival:
Planned Parenthood
Southpark Pharmacy
Open Mind Club
Bubba's
Casual Gourmet
Martindale Eyecare Center
PracticalServices.com
Whiskers
Club 212
Neon Sun Tanning Salon
French and Company Realtors
Mail Boxes, Etc.
Stage Right
Sassy's
The Funny Paper (with OUTspoken's sincere apology for omitting them from the list in the
June issue)
Fundraiser benefits OUTstanding Amarillo
A fund raiser benefiting OUTstanding Amarillo will be held at Club 212 on Friday, Oct. 6.
The show, cosponsored by Club 212 and Soul Journers, will feature local talent competing for a
grand prize with the winner to be selected according to audience response.
OUTstanding Amarillo's primary mission of serving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
(glbt) youth has drawn the attention of other local organizations serving the glbt population.
"This is our way of helping another organization help the kids," Dyanne Kuster, one of the
founders and treasurer of Soul Journers.
Although OUTstanding Amarillo continues to offer programs serving the general glbt
community (e.g., organization of Gay Pride events), its primary focus from the time it was founded
has been young men and women just going through the "coming out" process.
"When we first started meeting over three years ago, we were appalled by the suicide rate
for young males in Amarillo," one OUTstanding board member recalls. The organization offers
youth programs, such as youth socials, but strives primarily to meet needs one person at a time.
This has included intervention for young people being harassed at school and assisting families in
dealing with having a gay, lesbian or bisexual teenager.
In addition to an evening of entertainment, the Oct. 6 fund raiser will also offer door prizes
for those attending.
Quarterly Publication Begins This Issue
Beginning with this issue, OUTspoken will begin testing of a quarterly publication schedule
with one issue every three months. When OUTspoken first began publishing three and a half
years ago, no community publication served Amarillo's glbt community.
"Now that the Funny Paper offers the regular commercial publication we've needed for so
very long, OUTstanding can focus more energy on the many projects ongoing or planned by the
organization," said OUTspoken editor Kay C. Peck.
Over the next few months Peck hopes to invest additional time in organizing preliminary
plans and seeking support for the proposed "None of the Above Community Center." The
dream for this center includes a meeting place and centralized services not just for the glbt
population but also for many groups that feel "they just don't belong." The expanded vision is
largely due to the need for creative solutions for all kinds of "disenfranchised" people that became
painfully apparent with the death of Brian Deneke. Brian died on Dec. 12, 1997 during a fight
between "punks" and "white hats" in the parking lot of Western Plaza.