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GCCR and GayRVA.com Partner to Create Richmond Business Alliance |
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 The Gay Community Center of Richmond and GayRVA have partnered to create the city’s first online network of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered-friendly businesses. The Richmond Business Alliance (RBA) is a comprehensive directory of LGBT-friendly businesses and professionals in Central Virginia. GCCR and GayRVA created the new website, RichmondBusinessAlliance.com, to host free and premium directory listings across multiple online channels.
“This program will showcase Richmond as an inclusive community while building support for local businesses,” said GCCR President Jay Squires. “With the rough economic times that we’ve seen over the past few years, it makes good business sense to be open for all.” Listings will also be available through GayRichmond.com, GayRVA.com and VisitRichmondVa.com/rainbow beginning this week. With all listings, businesses receive an “Easy to Love” rainbow sticker to publicly designate their establishment as LGBT-friendly. “This is an exciting opportunity to carryout the mission of both of our organizations,” said Kevin Clay, editor and founder of GayRVA. “By partnering on this project, we are creating a network that will have a dynamic impact on the Richmond Region, its diversity, and economic vitality. It’s long overdue.” A special networking event to celebrate the program’s launch will be hosted on September 9 as part of Virginia Pride Month. One of Richmond’s newest restaurants, The Empress, plays host to the cocktail hour where business owners will be able to register and receive their “Easy To Love” sticker at the event. Everyone who adds their business, service or organization to the RBA website will be invited to the event. See the website and include your business, service or organization here. |
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"Rainbow Over Richmond" to Promote Richmond in DC Area |
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 The Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitor's Bureau (RMCVB) has announced “Rainbow Over Richmond,” an effort to promote Richmond LGBT events and tourism in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia area. With more than 30 events in 60 days, LGBTQ travelers will have a chance to participate in a variety of activities, from movie premieres to art exhibits to VA PrideFest.
“We’ve seen the Richmond community grow for the past 30 years,” said LaDifference owner and Rainbow Over Richmond supporter Andy Thornton. “It’s a great, friendly and inviting place for LGBTQ travelers to explore and visit.” Rainbow Over Richmond kicks off on August 29 when the Richmond Triangle Players present Gen Silent, a documentary focusing on how many LGBTQ seniors, with the threat of discrimination from the healthcare industry, consider going back into the closet. Events throughout September will be promoted, including Pride-themed events, and PrideFest on September 25th from 6-10 p.m. at Kanawha Plaza. Ongoing events will take place during Rainbow Over Richmond including the Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945 exhibit at the Gay Community Center of Richmond and a handful of new and unique showings at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Art fans also can checkout The Linden Row Inn, a TAG-certified boutique hotel centrally located in Richmond that will showcase the Ironisense Art Exhibition beginning Sept. 3. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will feature several events including the Rose Fest, informal tours with performances by the Virginia Opera and tango lessons on Sunday. Travelers can choose from a variety of TAG Approved hotels including Maury Place, The Linden Row Inn and the Crowne Plaza Downtown. Visit Rainbow Over Richmond here.
Become a fan on Facebook here. |
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An Evening With Marc Adams |
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 Growing up the son of a fundamentalist Baptist minister is tough enough. Growing up gay in an environment where your parents, teachers and peers deem evangelical Christians as left wing liberals is an entirely different experience. In an effort to save his own life, Marc Adams rebelled against his parents and attended Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University to change his behavior from homosexual to heterosexual. His experience there jump started his journey to self acceptance and personal freedom.
Marc Adams is the author of nine books including The Preacher‘s Son and Do’s & Don‘ts of Dealing with the Religious Right. His newest book is titled, It's Not About You: Understanding Coming Out & Self Acceptance. A Unitarian Universalist for over a decade, his ground breaking work includes HeartStrong a nonprfit social justice organization providing hope and help to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students persecuted in religious educational institutions. Marc Adams’ presentation covers an often dark side of life. He bridges the serious discussion with humor and all-encompassing human compassion. People from all walks of life who have heard Marc Adams speak find themselves enlightened, uplifted and inspired. HOPE NEEDS ONLY HANDS & HEARTS -- an evening with Marc Adams
September 14, 2010 - 6:30pm
GCCR Event Hall Sponsored by PFLAG Richmond For more information about Marc Adams, visit www.meetmarcadams.com For more information about PFLAG, visit www.pflagofrichmond.org. |
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Gender Identities and Our Faith Community |
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 Please join People of Faith for Equality in Virginia for an exciting workshop that will empower people of faith with the knowledge and skills necessary to transform their communities and congregations into welcoming environments committed to transgender justice and equality. This will be an opportunity to explore the intersections of gender identity, gender expression and our religious beliefs. This educational workshop will help you demystify transgender experiences and invoke the compassion for diversity we are called to show everyone. Presented by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
With special guest Angel Collie, Co-Lead of the Metropolitan Community Churches' Transgender Ministries Program. Angel will serve as facilitator to lead us through this workshop. Saturday, Sept. 11 12:30 - 4:00 p.m.
GCCR Event Hall Read the program curriculum here. |
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GCCR to host exhibit on the Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933 – 1945 |
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  GCCR is proud to announce that the exhibit Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933 – 1945, on loan from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, will be on display in our Gallery beginning September 19th, 2010. The story of what happened to homosexuals in Nazi Germany is the subject of the exhibition, which was more than two years in development and is the first major exhibition on the subject for English-speaking audiences. Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933 – 1945 draws on materials from more than 40 archives and other repositories in eight countries.
Nazi policy asserted that homosexual men carried a “degeneracy” that threatened the “disciplined masculinity” of Germany. Under Paragraph 175 of the German criminal code, male homosexuality was illegal in Nazi Germany. Ted Phillips, the exhibit's curator in Washington, said Paragraph 175 had grown from an 18th century Prussian law. "When Germany unified those states in 1871, it became the law of the German Reich," he said. The law was named Paragraph 175 in 1935 when the Nazis revised it. The original law, Phillips said, was interpreted narrowly by the courts, and specified "unnatural relations between men." The Nazis rewrote the law in "such a way that Nazi courts interpreted the law extremely broadly," Phillips said. "Any kind of act between men could become criminal. The original law was difficult to prosecute. The new law was very easy." By 1938, even looks or touching between men could be criminalized. Phillips said punishment under the original law was up to two years in prison. Punishment under the Nazis ranged from sentences of three or four months to longer sentences, which usually meant hard labor. But some homosexuals were sent to concentration camps without judicial proceedings.  The law did not mention homosexuality between women. Thompson said that was because gay women can still procreate. Lesbians were also seen as less of a threat because women did not have much political power. The Nazis arrested an estimated 100,000 homosexual men, 50,000 of whom were imprisoned. Between 5,000 and 15,000 gay men were interned in concentration camps in Nazi Germany. These prisoners were marked by pink triangle badges and were among the most abused groups in the camps.
“The exhibition explores why homosexual behavior was identified as a danger to Nazi society and how the Nazi regime attempted to eliminate it,” says exhibition curator Edward Phillips. “The Nazis believed it was possible to ‘cure’ homosexual behavior through labor and ‘re-education.’” Gay men were subject to castration, institutionalization, and deportation to concentration camps. (Click "read more" below to learn more about the exhibit.) |
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Slash Coleman's "Chaidentity" at GCCR |
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 Acclaimed storyteller Slash Coleman brings his unique show to GCCR. The follow-up to his award-winning PBS special, tis profound storytelling experience reaches to the core of Jewish identity and Jewish life as told by the son of a Holocaust survivor.
Chai = Life in Hebrew.Chaidentity speaks of what it means to ride on the cultural coattails of a history steeped in duality, while addressing what it means to continue to find faith in a world amidst suffering and survival, skepticism and faith and beauty and calamity. Chaidentity is a profound storytelling experience that reaches to the core of Jewish identity and Jewish life as told by the son of a Holocaust survivor. The 60 minute production , which stars award-winning storyteller Slash Coleman reveals the life of a Jewish artist raised by Jewish artists and how he has come to terms in finding, claiming and keeping his identity. The production is both entertaining and heart-wrenching. As Coleman shares stories, poetry, and song, he also takes the time to talk about his struggle in a world where God often seems more absent than present. "Coleman is Good Offbeat Company," The Washington Post.
Audiences everywhere deserve to see him," NPR. Slash Coleman’s Chaidentity at GCCR
Saturday, October 23
7:30 pm – 9 pm (doors open at 6:30)
Tickets: $10 at the door. Also available online beginning September 1. |
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We need volunteers! |
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 | Would you like a way to support the work we do at the Gay Community Center of Richmond but can’t afford to make a donation? Volunteering at Diversity Bingo is a terrific way to contribute! Our Community Center is funded in part by our Bingo games, which are staffed entirely by committed volunteers like you. Our facility is used by dozens of groups each year for meetings, classes, performances and special events. Our own programming includes a popular art gallery and a growing list of educational programs serving our diverse interests and needs. We are critically short of committed volunteers who are willing to give us only five hours per month to help us run this vital program! Our Bingo games help support: | | - The Gay Community Center of Richmond Gallery - Richmond’s first successful gallery dedicated to featuring LGBT artists.
- GayRichmond.com, which allows the twenty members of the Central Virginia Rainbow Partnership, including ROSMY, Equality Virginia, PFLAG, GLSEN and many more to publicize their great work
- Providing a venue for Gay Pride Virginia which attracts over 4000 participants.
- Providing a venue for performances such as The Richmond Triangle Players’ “Pulp” and “Bite Me.”
- Meeting space for support groups, networking groups and educational programs.
Just one Tuesday morning, Tuesday evening or Thursday evening a month is all we’re asking for. Please help us by making this small, but vital commitment. Together we can continue to build an organization that accomplishes so much more. To volunteer e-mail GCCR at info@gayrichmond.com. You - and our community - will be glad you did. |  |
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