Washington Gay Straight Alliance Announces Pride Festival
Kathy Cameron, with Washington County Gay Straight Alliance Inc., held a ceremony Wednesday to announce that the first Washington pride festival will be held June 27, 2020.
Lt. Governor John Fetterman speaks Wednesday during the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance Inc. announcement ceremony.
In 2005, Kathy McCully Cameron started a Gay Straight Alliance to provide services and support for gay, lesbian and transgender youth in Washington County.
The organization continued to grow, and in 2012 the nonprofit incorporated and began operating as the Washington County Gay Straight Alliance Inc.
The Gay Straight Alliance, Cameron said, is ready for the next steps in visibility and acceptance in Washington County.
On Wednesday, Cameron stood on the steps of the Washington County Courthouse, surrounded by members and allies of the gay, lesbian and transgender community, to celebrate the announcement of the city of Washington’s first Pride Festival.
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman – who in 2013, as mayor of Braddock, officiated the first same-sex wedding conducted in Allegheny County, in defiance of Pennsylvania law – declared the festival date: Saturday, June 27, 2020.
The festival will be held at the Community Pavilion on South Main Street in Washington.
“How awful and foreign a concept is it now to think that it wasn’t that long ago in Pennsylvania that you weren’t allowed to marry who you love?” asked Fetterman, who went on to conduct 24 more same-sex marriage ceremonies.
During the announcement, Fetterman vowed to work, along with Gov. Tom Wolf, to ensure members of the LGBTQ community cannot be denied rights, including employment and rent.
“To me, it’s always been equal protection under the law, nothing less, nothing more. You can’t be fired or denied employment or services based on who you love or how you identify. That’s just wrong.”
As Madonna and Cher songs played over the speakers, a crowd of about 100 – some wearing buttons identifying them as allies and others donning T-shirts bearing the LGBTQ rainbow colors – gathered for the festival announcement.
Also participating in the announcement ceremony were several local officials, including Washington Mayor Scott Putnam, who presented Fetterman with a proclamation thanking him for his commitment to fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ community.
Said Washington County Commissioner Harlan Shober, “If you look around at what’s happening in our nation, there’s little respect and dignity going on in many places, and I think we need to understand that love overcomes hate. Here in Washington County, it’s a start. We’re going to have love in Washington County and no hate.”
Washington County Court of Common Pleas Judge John DiSalle told the crowd it is people’s differences and diversity that make the United States a great nation.
“We’re experiencing trying times lately. Hate-mongering seems to be en vogue. The disparagement and disrespect and discrimination of races and religions and identity and gender is rampant and seems to be coming from the highest levels,” DiSalle said. “But we are much more alike than we are different, and it’s our differences that define us and make us one people.”