Overview of Publications in the Lehigh Valley LGBT Community Archive
From 1969 to present, the Lehigh Valley has been home to numerous LGBT publications that reached readers in and outside of our region. These publications show a rich history of journalism in the Valley that informed local LGBT communities about national politics, showcased regional political battles, celebrated local nightlife, and featured coverage of area artists. Because late twentieth century mainstream news media tended to ignore or denigrate LGBT populations, LGBT publications served an important function: to create forums to discuss political issues that mattered to our communities, to provide affirmative representative of our communities, and to offer details about cultural and social events as well as businesses that supported LGBT people. Further, regional LGBT publications allowed readers in the Valley to understand local political battles within the context of larger national movements for equality and liberation. In short, regional LGBT publications were the lifeblood of our community, circulating information about national struggles, regional politics, social events, and culture. Our archive primarily contains regional LGBT publications that circulated from the 1990s into the present, including Above Ground (1994 – 1998), Valley Gay Press (1998 – 2016), Gaydar (2004 – 2008), and Panzee Press (2008 – 2009).
Archival Materials from 1969 through the 1970s
The earliest material in the archive is from 1969, just months before the Stonewall Riot, when an organization called the Lehigh Homophile Organization, also known as “Le-Hi-Ho,” emerged on the scene. The members of Le-Hi-Ho were keyed into the national and regional movements; one of the founders of Le-Hi-Ho (Joseph Burns) attended the Stonewall march in 1970 and consistently reported about national happenings in the organization’s newsletter. While Burns reported on national news that impacted LGBT people, he and others also participated in working for anti-discrimination policies in the Valley. While many histories of the LGBT movements focus on large urban centers like New York City and San Francisco, Le-Hi-Ho’s newsletter shows that smaller regions are equally important to building a larger national movement as they inform communities about major activity across the nation and connect such activism to import political work in our own communities.
Exploring the Collection: Publications from the 1990s
In the 90s, other publications, including but not limited to Above Ground and Valley Gay Press, formerly known as Valley Free Press, came to the forefront. Above Ground was published by M. Hemphill and the publication truly captured the ins and outs of what was happening in the Lehigh Valley as it pertained to LGBT people and their families. The publication was in press from 1994 to 1998. The writers of Above Ground were committed to providing information on political issues that were impacting LGBT people and their families, including marriage equality, anti-discrimination laws, addiction, acceptance within the military, HIV/AIDs, and intimate partner violence, to name a few. Local artisans were celebrated as “Features” of Above Ground, including Andrew Fiscus, a sculptor from Franklin, Pennsylvania; Sarah Baptist, a set designer and scenic artist from Clarion, Pennsylvania; and Nedine Hake Buch, a folk painter from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Although many of the artisans were not native to the Valley, the Valley became their studio for creating and sharing their masterpieces.
Later in the decade, Valley Gay Press emerged on the scene in 1998; published by RubyZebu Productions, editors Liz Bradbury and Patricia Sullivan used their extensive experience in LGBT organizations to create a dynamite monthly account of political action, social events, arts, and culture relevant for Lehigh Valley readers. In particular, Valley Gay Press provided timely information about the fight for anti-discrimination laws and marriage equality. The publication also showcased activist efforts in our region with vibrant news coverage. For example, in 2007, Valley Gay Press published an issue with photographs of LGBTQ couples from our area who legally could not marry After publication, the photographs traveled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for exhibition before lawmakers as they debated marriage equality. While Valley Gay Press provided expert commentary on political activism in our region, editors work moved far beyond our region to engage with state-wide policy debates. Because Valley Gay Press continued to be published until 2016, it offers a strong account of LGBTQ life in our region from the 1990s through the 21st century.
Into the 21st Century: Regional LGBTQ Publications in a New Era
In the 2000s, Stephen Libby published Gaydar. Gaydar was a quarterly-produced, full size, color, glossy infotainment publication for LGBT people and their allies of the Lehigh Valley. On the front cover of each issue of Gaydar, there are photographs of men, mostly topless, who are seducing you to explore the contents of the issue. As you peruse through the issues, you will find articles about different celebrities, Olivia Newton John, Dar Williams, Alanis Morissette, Carson Kressley, Chloe Sevigny and Joan Jett, to name a few; and different events at bars and nightclubs for gays and lesbians in the Valley.
In 2008, brothers Bolton and Mike Winpenny published their magazine, Panzee Press from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This magazine was edited by Cathy Nelson. The Panzee Press, often referred to as a “bar rag,” served as a platform to share information about regional, state and national politics as well as local events.