PrideFest has MTV, Ghandi's grandson

Think Hopkins' very own Spring Fair is the hottest affair in town? Many would argue that Philadelphia's PrideFest America rivals our Spring Fair as the center of wild and crazy fun to be had in the upcoming week.

PrideFest America, which is held from April 29 to May 5, 2002, is a week long extravaganza celebrating the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community. The festivities kick off with an invitation-only party in Philadelphia's City Hall, hosted by NBC television, in honor of Detective Francis Coppola and Officer Carol Paukner of the New York Police Department. This tribute to Coppola and Paukner's work during the Sept. 11 attack on New York City will serve as a prelude to a somber discussion on how members of the GLBT community who serve in our nation's armed forces have been affected in the past several months.

Paula M. Neira, a veteran of both the Afghan and Gulf Wars, will share her views during the lecture, entitled "Gay Life During War Times: The Impact of the Afghan Conflict on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

Many informative lectures and panels are aimed at educating both the GLBT and straight communities about issues faced by gays in today's world. Arun Gandhi, grandson of India's famous peaceful leader, will moderate the National Religious Colloquy, which seeks to examine various aspects of homophobia, especially the manner in which various religions affect the way their followers view homosexuality.

Following in the vein of informing the public, PrideFest will also host discussions on family values (including gay adoption rights and artificial insemination), race relations within the GLBT community and a dramatic presentation by the Thesbians and Drama Queens, who will perform a sketch aimed at addressing common stereotypes held by and about the GLBT community.

In hopes of educating America's youth, PrideFest will host the "Jim Wheeler National Youth Panel" during which prominent young members of the GLBT community will speak about their concerns and achievements. Guiding the Youth Panel will be Benjie Nycum and Mike Glatze, two of the founders of Young Gay America, an organization aimed at traveling around the United States to interview young members of the GLBT and reinforce to them their place in society.

Lest anyone contemplating going to PrideFest think for a split second that the week-long extravaganza is merely a congregation of panelists and leading authorities on GLBT life who gather to lecture in drone voices, revelers should rest assured that they will find a plethora of parties to attend, more music to rock to than their eardrums can handle and a dynamic group of people whose positive energy will emanate until the very last second of May 5.

Ultra-hip MTV will host a dance party on May 3, featuring New York DJ Susan Morabito. The following night, fellow New York DJ Billy Carroll will draw the crowd into Club Transit to celebrate gay liberation. As the festival draws to a close on Sunday, May 5, an OUT Men's Party at Bump and an OUT Women's Party at The 2-4 Club both promise fun for all in the "gayborhood." PrideFest will host a block party on May 5, at 12th and Locust Streets, with "Live entertainment, vendors, crafts, food, drinks." Marking the official end of PrideFest 2002, Club Circa will host Baltimore's DJ Blake Rodgers. Each festivity, except for the block party, has a cover charge of $5 to $15.

PrideFest also offers those in attendance to the chance to leisurely enjoy the week. A free barbecue at Kahn Park on Saturday, May 4, from 4 to 8 p.m., promises the chance to enjoy food while gawking at over two dozen antique cars from Lambda Antique Cars International and chatting with actor Dan Pintauro. Organizers promise that once again, the hottest ticket in town will be the National Body building Championship, on May 4, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Kimmel Center, citing that "If you build it, they will come!"

However, University of Pennsylvania student Julie Sylvestre notes that even though Pri deFest is taking place in Philadelphia, not many students know about the event. She states that "Penn students aren't very conscious of gay issues."

PrideFest America 2002 offers the GLBT community a chance to come together to share stories about the tribulations of being "different" in today's world. The festival provides plenty of opportunities for members of the straight community to join in, either to perhaps discover something that they didn't know about the GLBT community, or just to have a good time with their fellow Philadelphians, providing that at the end of the day, we are all members of the human community.