40 Years of Pride – Part 12

The parade associated with the 1992 Pride Celebration was billed as the only Pride Parade in the country to span two states.  Granted, it started on a state line and was only about a mile-and-a-half, but still.  Gathering in Westwood, Kansas, near 48th and State Line, the parade marched north to 47th and then east through the Country Club Plaza, ending at Southmoreland Park.

1992 Pride Parade route

1992 Pride Parade route

 

 

 

 

 

 

1992 Pride logo

1992 Pride logo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GALA entry in the Parade

GALA entry in the Parade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pride Week events

Pride Week events

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1992 Pride Guide

1992 Pride Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protests greeted parade marchers, primarily from members and supporters of FIRED-UP, the local anti-gay organization founded by local right-wing Christians.  In addition, a lawsuit was filed against the mayor of Westwood for proclaiming Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, and his response was to subsequently issue a tongue-in-cheek proclamation announcing “Heterosexual and Moral Living Month”.  This anti-gay sentiment was in part responsible for record crowds at both the Parade and the Picnic that year.

40 Years of Pride – Part 11

The 1991 Pride Celebration was almost no celebration at all.  The event was engulfed with political controversy and community rancor.

It the year between the 1990 and 1991 Celebrations, there was much civic and political energy and complementary media attention around attempts to pass a city ordinance that would ban discrimination in housing and employment against gays, lesbians, and those afflicted with HIV/AIDS.  Heated City Council and committee debates had occurred all year, and a watered-down version of the full ordinance passed the Council in November of 1990.  It extended full protection only to those with HIV/AIDS, and even then only to comply with the recently passed federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Kansas City Star, April 26, 1990

Kansas City Star, April 26, 1990

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kansas City Star, May 11, 1990

Kansas City Star, May 11, 1990

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kansas City Star, November 11, 1990

Kansas City Star, November 11, 1990

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emmanuel Cleaver was elected mayor the following spring, after actively seeking the gay and lesbian community’s support in light of the impressive performance in the primary election by activist Jon Barnett, who ran for city council as an out gay man and garnered over 7,000 votes.  Despite his courting of the community, Cleaver decided against proclaiming June 15-23 Gay and Lesbian Pride Week.  Out of town when the decision was announced, a mayoral spokesman stated “It is his feeling that the issuance of such a proclamation would serve as a divisive force in our community and work against creating an inclusive and harmonious city”.  The discord referred to was evident in the flood of calls to City Hall against the proclamation, the Pride Celebration, and gays and lesbians in general, spearheaded by one Connie Cierpiot, host of a local Christian radio show and leader of the anti-gay group FIRED-UP (Freedom Involves Responsibility Exposing Decadence and Upholding Principle).

To make matters worse, Cleaver later announced he was cancelling his original plans to attend the Pride picnic and parade out of concern for his safety.  The feelings of betrayal this act engendered were made worse by Cleaver’s decision to attend the annual Jewel Ball on the Friday night before Pride.  Normally it wouldn’t have mattered, but the organizers of the all-white debutante ball had neglected to send the Mayor an invitation and hand-delivered it just three days before the event.  Cleaver and his wife would have been the first African-Americans attend in the event’s thirty-seven year history.  These actions were seen by many in the gay and lesbian community as examples of long-standing Kansas City segregation and racism, and they were infuriated that the Mayor would kowtow to it.

So the day of the parade and picnic arrived, and Cleaver backtracked once again and wisely attended the picnic.  He was cheered when he took the stage at Southmoreland Park and gave a rousing and dramatic speech.

Picnic crowd awaits Mayor Cleaver

Picnic crowd awaits Mayor Cleaver

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayor Cleaver approaches the stage with community activist Keith Spare to his right.

Mayor Cleaver approaches the stage with community activist Keith Spare to his right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Himself an ordained, practicing minister, Cleaver stated that “every single living being in this community must be respected…Over the past three weeks I have listened to people who call themselves Christian.  And in the same sentence, they have the theological audacity to speak of other children of God as if they were trash.  The God I serve ‘don’t make no trash'”.

Cleaver onstage.

Cleaver onstage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His words were met with resounding cheers.

The crowd responds.

The crowd responds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even Mrs. Cleaver was caught up in the moment, taking the stage with a smile and nodding toward the Nelson-Atkins Museum across the street, site of the previous evening’s Jewel Ball:  “After attending the Jewel Ball last night, I had to come to the high point of my weekend here today”.

The Cleavers’ appearance at the Pride Celebration not only healed wounds in the community, it had tangible results as well.  During his speech, Cleaver announced the formation of an official commission to investigate the status of gays and lesbians in Kansas City and charged it with reporting back to him in sixty days.  The commission’s work would greatly influence the passage of the non-discrimination ordinance in 1993.

40 Years of Pride – Part 8

After the impressive array of Pride Week activities, the 1989 Gay Pride Picnic proved to be the perfect way to celebrate GALA’s achievements and bring the community together.  Once again held in Southmoreland Park, the Picnic mirrored that of the year before, in that it was grassroots in feeling and offered attendees casual forms of entertainment like volleyball and other games.  Expansion of the event was evident in the roster of talent that performed, including

  • The Blues Broads
  • Linda Corbin
  • Heartland Men’s Chorus
  • Scott Hegenbart, making a repeat appearance
  • Kansas City Women’s Chorus
  • Peaches
  • Rosalind Smith
  • Excerpts from The Ten Percent Revue
  • Two Turned On

As in previous years, performers were coordinated by Willow Productions.

Over 1,000 people attended the Picnic, a testament to the organizational and promotional abilities of members of GALA.

Pride logo, created by Marc Hein

Pride logo, created by Marc Hein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volleyball action

Volleyball action

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a warm day

It was a warm day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Pierce, of Gay Services Network

Steve Pierce, of Gay Services Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strolling Picnic attendees

Strolling Picnic attendees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stationery Picnic attendees

Stationary Picnic attendees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pink Triangle Political Coalition table

 

Saturday night, after the Picnic, organizers hosted a dance they called “The Great Coming Out Party”.  It was held at the VFW Hall at 31st and Walnut, and included a drag show featuring entertainers such as Myrna Vonn, Sandy Kaye, Renee Scott, and Lilly White.

Flyer for The Great Coming Out Party

One of the reasons the 1989 Pride Celebration in Kansas City was so extensive was because it marked the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City, seen by many as the inauguration of the gay rights movement.  It was the first commemoration of Stonewall in 1970 that led to the evolution of annual Pride celebrations across the country, and during this special anniversary year Kansas City held its own in appropriately celebrating the historic event.

 

40 Years of Pride – Part 6

The Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights that took place in October of 1987 drew 500,000 participants, including a contingent from Kansas City. The energy from that event resonated with attendees long after it was over, leading to a resurgence in political activism and awareness-building across the country. Locally, the March led to the formation of the Pink Triangle Political Coalition in early 1988, and within that organization a committee called Gay and Lesbian Awareness (GALA) was created that would be directly responsible for organizing local Pride events.

PTPC Brochure

Pink Triangle Political Coalition Brochure

When the decision was made to host a Pride event, GALA had only two months of planning time. One of the fundraisers they held was a “Button Nite”, at which Pride buttons were given to people who donated at least $1. Participating bars included The Windjammer, Kon Tiki, Frisco, Jamie’s, The Other Side, Changes, and Twylite Zone.

The Gay and Lesbian Awareness Picnic was held in June of 1988 in Southmoreland Park, just west of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Approximately 150-200 people from Kansas City, Columbia, and St. Louis were in attendance.

Picnic people

Picnic people

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More picnic people

More Picnic people

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were entertained by pianist Scott Hegenbart and the musical group Rosie’s Bar and Grill. Local activist and future City Council member Carol Coe gave a powerful speech on the influence of gay people in politics.

Scott

Scott Hegenbart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott performing

Scott performing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community play was encouraged by the presence of volleyball and a water balloon toss.

Volleyball

Volleyball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More volleyball

More volleyball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balloon toss

Balloon toss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't let it break!

Don’t let it break!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though small by today’s standards, the 1988 Gay and Lesbian Awareness Picnic reinvigorated the local community and set the stage for much larger community-based celebrations over the next few years.