This is from the latest issue of The Advocate. I'm trying to find out what the Pride Theater Festival is. I googled and found some events in past years, but nothing current. If anyone has a lead, let me know. Perhaps they meant PrideFest?
Pittsburgh got the following score:
Pittsburgh ranks very well in some local quality of life issues (LGBTQ friendly faith based communities) and “gay” businesses (the 21). That's good news for those of us who live here, especially given how prominantly a role Pittsburgh's faith communities have played in the anti-LGBT sentiment (think Episcopal).
For the lesbians, the news is less good. No lesbian bars and the only other indicator is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the number of Tegan and Sara concerts (insert sigh).
The most interesting indicator and perhaps the most powerful, aside from faith based, is the number of elected officials who are openly gay. This is particularly unique timing as Pgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus has announced his bid for a second term. Bruce has been a leader on quality of life issues on the Southside which has raised some hopes for the future of the residential and business portion of the community, but also raised ire from those who like the status quo (count me among the former). If Bruce is not successful, it will do more than protect the drunken brawls, it will send a message rippling across the nation about Pittsburgh's progressive views.
Thankfully, we can do something to preserve this.
BTW, who is the second official? Are they looking historically to include Wilkinsburg's councilor James McGill from the early part of last decade? I'll be asking or else I am completely blanking.
UPDATE: I doublechecked The Advocate website and found this guide to points for the Elected Officials category. 1 point for state elected officials, 2 points for members of Congress and 3 points for mayors and governors. I was also told I'll be getting a call from The Advocate tomorrow to explain it all. So, we'll see …
UPDATED UPDATE: Apparently the tongue in cheek approach sort of slid by me. I mean I read those words, but I don't really get how Pride Theater Festival is a tongue in cheek reference. It did exist, it doesn't now. Oh, maybe that's the point? Oh, wow, this is just literally hitting me now. The Andy Warhol Museum is the gayest thing about Pittsburgh and we have ONLY one elected official and a lot of religious turmoil over gays … oh, this might be more slick than I originally thought. Well played, Advocate.
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The “Pride Theater Festival” they're referring to is the 10 days of pride events produced by the Delta Foundation between the first two weekends in June. It starts on the first Friday in June with the Pride Rally on the steps of city hall and ends on the second Sunday with PrideFest, with Splash, the Pub Crawl, Pride in the Street and the Pride March inbetween.
That's possible, but it a strange mistype. I have contacts looking into it as well as the 2nd elected official. Hopefully, we'll get it cleared up, but we definitely should enjoy the positive attention.
Any update from your contacts?
Nothing yet. Silence is telling.