Community
If you're still here (or just moved here) Get the hell out of this shit hole!
Area Served
The Rural Rainbow desired to serve the rural gay communities of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. The area covered by this website included the following counties:
In Pennsylvania:
Mercer, Lawrence, Butler, Clarion, Venango, Armstrong, Warren, Crawford, Forest, Elk and Jefferson
IN Ohio:
Mahoning, Trumbell, Columbiana
Pass Events:
Candlelight AIDS Vigil, May 1, 2003
The Northwest Rural AIDS Alliance sponsered a Candlelight Vigil to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS. The Vigil will start at 6pm at Justus Park in downtown Oil City in Venango County on May 1st, 2003 Thursday. There will be free refreshments, music and giveaways. I hope to see some of you there!
June 7, 2003 Saturday: AIDS Walk in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh. http://www.patf.org"
June 14, 2003 Saturday: Erie Gay Pride Picnic, beach #11 starting at 2pm, Be there or be square! "http://www.eriegaynews.com/pride/2003picnic.html"
June 21st, Pride Pittsburgh More infor.
June 28th, Pride Columbus Ohio More infor.
July 3, Erie, PA:
A celebration of the Supreme Court victory of Lawrence v.
Texas as well as a Protest against Senator Rick Santorums anti-gay statements, from 11 AM to 11:45 AM outside the
office
of Sen. Rick Santorum's Erie Office, 1705 W 26th St, Erie PA. For more
info,
contact Larry Sawdy at (814) 833-7031 or larisaad@velocity.net
July 4th, Youngstown, Ohio
The Rainbow Family Social Club (not affilated with the Rural
Rainbow) is presenting a Grand
GayLa 4th of July Celebration at THE RAINBOW ROOM, 10 E. LaClede
Youngstown, Ohio 44510 ON JULY 4TH 2003. All are welcome to attend.
We will have MALE Dancers,and Drag QUEEN performers. Also a live Dj
until 4:30 Am. Come OUT AND SHOW YOUR PRIDE!!! DON'T MISS THE SHOW
OF THE YEAR!!! ANY QUESTIONS OR IF U NEED DIRECTIONS PLEASE CALL 330-
788-8796
July 26th, Harrisburgh PA Pride Fest More infor.
Sept. 13,14, 2003 Erie Gay Pride Festival. Information can be obtained at www.eriegaynews.com and www.eriepride.com
October 4th, 2003: Clarion Autumn Leaf Festival. A local rural festival celebrating our areas autumn beauty. Runs Sept. 27-Oct.5th. On the 4th is the HUGE parade and we hope to have all the areas gay folks out watching the parade. Carnival rides and game booths will be there all week including a cheap and easy game where you can win shirts with hot chicks and hot dudes on them! Feel free to wear pride items and pride colors! Hope to see you there! Festival website
Oct. 11th, National Coming Out Day! http://www.hrc.org/ncop/ncod/index.asp
Nov. 1, 2003 Saturday Night Youngstown Pride Center Sponsers "Halloween Party/Dance" 8pm-Midnight Including Best Costume Contest. 1105 Elm St. Youngstown OH at Illinois Ave. 1st Unitarian Church. Suggested donation of $5.00
Nov. 9th, One Year Anniversary of the Rural Rainbow website
Dec.1, Worlds AIDS Day, there was an event in Warren, OH but it was not well publicized so I have no details.
UpComing Area Events:
None at this time
Nothing of course!
Take ACTION:
1. The Rural Rainbow encourages a boycott of Cedar Point Amusement Park because of their strict right-wing dress code. Male customers cannot go shirtless, wear make-up, wigs or dresses. This means the park does not welcome transexuals, transvestites or even just barechested males whether gay or straight. There is a small local gay group that has a "Gay Day" there each Fathers Day but the park does NOT recognize the day. I propose and support a complete boycott of the park.
More information about their dress code can be found at: "https://www.angelfire.com/zine2/mrtogs/business.html" & "http://pub82.ezboard.com/fbutchdykeboy5326frm7.showMessage?topicID=148.topic"
Nearby Six Flags Amusement Park is MUCH larger, about the same price and does not post any known rules about male shirtlessness, wigs, make-up or dresses.
2. Special Notice: Get involved, Send an email to Congress about Senator Rick Santorum's anti-gay statements Click Here
Editorial
We live in a beautiful region of the world. Our proximy to Lake Erie, Cook Forest, Clarion River, Leveigh Valley, the Shenango Valley, the Clarion Plateu, Oil Creek State Park, the Alleghany foothills and the Great Alleghany River makes for some beautiful and adventuous living. However, rural living has its drawbacks. The oppression by the local churches and town folks can sometimes make you feel like staying in the closet forever. But why should any person hide from themselves? And why would you care what someone else thinks about you when they are worst than yourself? At least you are a kind, gentle, creative and loving person. Just be yourself and enjoy your surroundings. God has put you in the Garden of Eden. So, take off your shirts and run and play, my friends. When you stop worrying about what others think, they will no longer care about what you are thinking. As a person that comes from the redneck mountains of Tennessee, I can honestly say that the rednecks here are no worst then the rednecks there. But yet in Tennessee, the gay people have a strong close-fit and proud community. They gather at their local spots every night of the week. They go to each others houses. They go out to eat with each other. They do things together. And they're not afraid of being bashed or ridiculed. They are just themselves.
I believe that we can have the same thing here in our community of northwestern PA and eastern OH. We just need to collect our local resources and unite together as a family and not be afraid to be ourselves. Winter is upon us. So is depression and dispair. But there is an array of hope! Yes, there is! Hopefully, this website will act as an avenue for the local gay community to meet each other and become a family.
YAHOO UPDATE: 9-1-03
What happened to the Yahoo Group and Yahoo Chat?
Due to lack of participation and other reasons, we no longer have the yahoo group. But this website will still be kept updated. We also still have our own chat room in the "Chat" section. We now also have a store (use link on bottom of page).
Planning
In order to plan actitivies for our community, please feel free to email me with ideals and offers. If you would like to be a volunteer to help in the planning and arranging of these activities, please do so, I could really use some help getting some activities going. My email is ruralrainbow@hotmail.com
I would like to arrange for the springs and summers: bowling, get togethers, dinners, movie outings, swimming, camping, Cook Forrest trip, Lake Erie trip, July 4th trip, Six Flags Ohio trip and a gay pride gathering. For 2003 winter: bowling, get togethers, dinners, movie outings and any other possibilities.
I AM LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL PERSON TO TAKE OVER THIS WEBSITE starting in June 2004. It must be on a volunter basis and committed basis. Must know how to make websites and keep this one free and updated, and be openly gay and proud. Contact Me.
June 2004 Update
In 3 years of living in PA, I invited several people for visits, gatherings, etc. and put tons of effort into this website. Not once did anyone accept any of my invitations or offered to help or did anything. I have moved out of this god forsaken hell hole and if you're still in western PA, get the hell out like everyone else is doing! You know you can't stand the weather, people's closeted and scared to death attitude and the way they won't lift a figure to improve on the things they always bitch about. I'm back in TN and thank God! I'm in a town where I have never been before and in one months time, I have been invited and visited with several gay people. This is the place to be! Anywheres but western PA!
NEWSLETTER: If you would like to receive email notifications of updates to this website and area events, join our local "Rural Rainbow Newsletter" by emailing me at ruralrainbow@hotmail.com and just put the word "subscribe" in the subject line. You will receive a confirmation after I add your email address.
Advertise your Party for free! If you plan on having a gay friendly dinner, bon fire or party and would like to invite other "Rural Rainbow" readers, just send your party information/details to ruralrainbow@hotmail.com Let me know if you want it posted to only the website or the Newsletter or both. You should post at least 2-6 weeks ahead of time if possible to receive the most visitors.
Say "Happy Birthday" to someone special Say Happy Birthday, I Love You or other special words to that special someone by Posting it on this website! Email ruralrainbow@hotmail.com with your details.
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame is located in Sharon PA in Mercer County! Visit their website!
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