Gays, lesbians, bisexuals host third annual event

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Gays, lesbians, bisexuals host third annual event

by Marcus Ngbea | Staff Writer

E-mail this article \ Print this article

Approximately 70 Greenbelt residents and members united for the third annual GreeBeLT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) Pride meeting on June 16.

‘‘The objective of this organization is not political,” said GBLT member Andy Carruthers, 42. ‘‘The objective of this group is to make people feel welcome, have fun and remind everybody we are here and aren’t going anywhere.”

The meeting was held at the Roosevelt Center.

GBLT President Kris White said GBLT was created to assist gays and lesbians with information on how to be an active participant of their community.

White said the organization distributes educational brochures⁄pamphlets, networks with area businesses, participates in the Labor Day Festival Parade and shares personal testimonies at National Coming Out Day on Oct. 10 at the Roosevelt Center.

GBLT has a total membership of approximately 120 people with members also hailing from surrounding communities including Bowie, Riverdale, Laurel and Hyattsville. Four new members joined the GBLT pride.

White said living in Greenbelt for more than 20 years has been a great experience and she has never felt unwelcome or unsafe because of her sexual orientation.

‘‘Greenbelt pride’s itself on being an inclusive community and from day one we have had nothing but support from the city,” White said.

Carruthers said that Greenbelt’s liberal attitude and affordable housing makes it attractive to the gay community in contrast to other neighborhoods, many of which remain less welcoming.

‘‘I don’t face many challenges because I’m bisexual... but in society there is no shortage of backward thinking people when it comes to the subject of sex,” Carruthers said.

Couple Lori Libes, 28, and Sarah Hirschman, 30, said Greenbelt’s diversity was one of the reasons why they choose to live here.

‘‘It’s definitely easier to live in a place that shares the same political beliefs and open views of things,” Libes said. ‘‘I think society would be better if other places were more like Greenbelt.”

Hirschman said one difficulty they continue to face is that their marriage is not legally recognized by the state of Maryland so they get no insurance benefits — filing taxes is done separately instead of together like heterosexual marriages.

As the couple looks to raise a child, Libes said more paperwork has to go into them becoming parents.

The group meets two Fridays’ of month at the New Deal Café.

For more information on GBLT Pride, contact White at 301-474-4285 or visit www.greenbeltpride.org.