El Paso, Texas GLBTQ Center opens amidst violence

El Paso, Texas - Thursday night marked the opening of a new GLBTQ community center in downtown El Paso.

Last Monday night the director of the Center, Charles Sloane, was assaulted (kicked and hit in the head) in the lobby of the Center. He said "That's one of the things we're here to combat. We're going to continue to go to the community and bring this up."

[gemelk]

Good for El Paso and how sad that people feel that violence is justified!

Eric

[dante2810]

Well... I live here in El Paso and let me say that I had NO CLUE this center was opening.
Granted I do not go out to bars very often, but there was no reports of this.
Our local media did not report on this assault. The local paper did not have an article about the Center (but seems like we read about every new restaurant in this city), and to be honest, I had no clue when the Pride Festival was until the paper posted a picture of some (sorry, no other way to describe) hideous draq queen talking about the festival. No mention in the paper about the "record crowds" nor did it show gay families or groups, just the most outrageous image they could have taken.

Sorry folks. Just way too much left to do here in our little bubble of a city. But if we keep quiet and only let "family" know about what is going on, then how can we expect everyone else to know we are part of the community too.

BTW, this is also a city of extremes. 40% are in the closet, 40% are screaming queens and the rest of us just try and be ourselves. <<<sigh>>>

[dante2810]

UPDATE:

I did find on a local TV station the report about the opening of this Center and the assault. So it was reported at least one time.

But to my dismay, both the reporter and the police spokesman they interviewed (about the assault) both put an emphasis on the term "alternative lifestyle".
Sorry, I just don't like that term as it encompasses any group that is considered outside the norm.
Google the phrase and you get sites swingers, fetish groups and the like....

[gemelk]

dante2810 wrote:

UPDATE:
I did find on a local TV station the report about the opening of this Center and the assault. So it was reported at least one time.
But to my dismay, both the reporter and the police spokesman they interviewed (about the assault) both put an emphasis on the term "alternative lifestyle".
Sorry, I just don't like that term as it encompasses any group that is considered outside the norm.
Google the phrase and you get sites swingers, fetish groups and the like....

Perhaps then you have a mission - to write the paper and you local TV and Radio stations, and advise them that biased coverage of Gays and Lesbians, or worse, NO COVERAGE is not acceptable.

Just a suggestion to you because things won't get better, until someone says "Excuse me ... "

Eric

[dante2810]

gemelk wrote:

<quoted text>
Perhaps then you have a mission - to write the paper and you local TV and Radio stations, and advise them that biased coverage of Gays and Lesbians, or worse, NO COVERAGE is not acceptable.
Just a suggestion to you because things won't get better, until someone says "Excuse me ... "
Eric

Way ahead of ya...... already sent this and got a response that they would forward it to the newsroom editor:

>>As a gay man, I was happy to see your report on
the new GLBTQ Center opening up downtown. Of course, the assault on the
director was very upsetting as we like to think of El Paso as a welcoming
town.
The problem I have is that both your reporter and the EPPD spokesperson
used a phrase that I take exception too.
During the report and interview, both of them referred to El Pasoans that
engage in this "alternative lifestyle" while describing our gay and
lesbian community. This term does carry a negative connotation to it.
Just Google it and you will find many site that referrer to Swingers and
Fetish groups. Many see the term as synonymous with CHOOSING to be
different when we know that no one chooses to be gay, we just are.
In the future, it would be better to just referrer to us as El Paso's Gay
Community for short, or Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans gender community
for official titles.

Remember, by using terms that makes us Different or Not Normal, you may as
well be fostering the same kind of resentment that lead to this vicious
assault. We are no different than any other El Paso resident, other than
who we love.<<

[gemelk]

dante2810 wrote:

<quoted text>
Way ahead of ya...... already sent this and got a response that they would forward it to the newsroom editor:
>>As a gay man, I was happy to see your report on
the new GLBTQ Center opening up downtown. Of course, the assault on the
director was very upsetting as we like to think of El Paso as a welcoming
town.
The problem I have is that both your reporter and the EPPD spokesperson
used a phrase that I take exception too.
During the report and interview, both of them referred to El Pasoans that
engage in this "alternative lifestyle" while describing our gay and
lesbian community. This term does carry a negative connotation to it.
Just Google it and you will find many site that referrer to Swingers and
Fetish groups. Many see the term as synonymous with CHOOSING to be
different when we know that no one chooses to be gay, we just are.
In the future, it would be better to just referrer to us as El Paso's Gay
Community for short, or Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans gender community
for official titles.
Remember, by using terms that makes us Different or Not Normal, you may as
well be fostering the same kind of resentment that lead to this vicious
assault. We are no different than any other El Paso resident, other than
who we love.<<

Good job!!

[Charles sloane]

Hello everyone My Name is Charles Sloane, I am the director for the GLBTQ Center. First I would like to say congrats to our community for bring the center and making what needed to happen happen. if you have any questions, you can go to WWW.Elpasocenter.org and we can be e-mail through there!

[Dasein9]

Good work, Dante!

[Gryph]

dante2810 wrote:

<quoted text>
Way ahead of ya...... already sent this and got a response that they would forward it to the newsroom editor:
>>As a gay man, I was happy to see your report on
the new GLBTQ Center opening up downtown. Of course, the assault on the
director was very upsetting as we like to think of El Paso as a welcoming
town.
The problem I have is that both your reporter and the EPPD spokesperson
used a phrase that I take exception too.
During the report and interview, both of them referred to El Pasoans that
engage in this "alternative lifestyle" while describing our gay and
lesbian community. This term does carry a negative connotation to it.
Just Google it and you will find many site that referrer to Swingers and
Fetish groups. Many see the term as synonymous with CHOOSING to be
different when we know that no one chooses to be gay, we just are.
In the future, it would be better to just referrer to us as El Paso's Gay
Community for short, or Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans gender community
for official titles.
Remember, by using terms that makes us Different or Not Normal, you may as
well be fostering the same kind of resentment that lead to this vicious
assault. We are no different than any other El Paso resident, other than
who we love.<<

Wonderful letter. Maybe the straight folks could get a dose of being called a life style?
Some of them might even think about it.

[StevenFL]

gemelk wrote:

<quoted text>
Perhaps then you have a mission - to write the paper and you local TV and Radio stations, and advise them that biased coverage of Gays and Lesbians, or worse, NO COVERAGE is not acceptable.
Just a suggestion to you because things won't get better, until someone says "Excuse me ... "
Eric

People can say whatever they want to aboput the media in these parts, but one thing is for certain, The Orlando Sentinel, The Tampa Tribune, The St Petersburg Times, and The Miami Herald is all over the news of gay rights and if crap happens in the community. Gay people are not the only ones that are vocal. There are a ton of straight people too. I am happy with the community I live in. It is not always perfect, but we have a gay supportive mayor, a governor that is understanding towards some of our needs, and a place that is relaxing. That is all I need.

[Boony68]

gemelk wrote:

Good for El Paso and how sad that people feel that violence is justified!
Eric

Yep.

[Boony68]

Charles sloane wrote:

Hello everyone My Name is Charles Sloane, I am the director for the GLBTQ Center. First I would like to say congrats to our community for bring the center and making what needed to happen happen. if you have any questions, you can go to WWW.Elpasocenter.org and we can be e-mail through there!

Merry meet charles.
How are you doing ?

[gemelk]

StevenFL wrote:

<quoted text>
People can say whatever they want to aboput the media in these parts, but one thing is for certain, The Orlando Sentinel, The Tampa Tribune, The St Petersburg Times, and The Miami Herald is all over the news of gay rights and if crap happens in the community. Gay people are not the only ones that are vocal. There are a ton of straight people too. I am happy with the community I live in. It is not always perfect, but we have a gay supportive mayor, a governor that is understanding towards some of our needs, and a place that is relaxing. That is all I need.

I am the first to remind people - gay or straight or bi or trans - that we LGBT people could NOT have gotten as far as we have in so little time as 39 years, without the express help and hard work of caring heterosexuals. We're to small a group to have affected change without their help and for that I say a very heartfelt "THANK YOU!"

Eric

[Boony68]

gemelk wrote:

<quoted text>
I am the first to remind people - gay or straight or bi or trans - that we LGBT people could NOT have gotten as far as we have in so little time as 39 years, without the express help and hard work of caring heterosexuals. We're to small a group to have affected change without their help and for that I say a very heartfelt "THANK YOU!"
Eric

Your very welcome.

[allie topeka]

dante2810 wrote:

<quoted text>
Way ahead of ya...... already sent this and got a response that they would forward it to the newsroom editor:
>>As a gay man, I was happy to see your report on
the new GLBTQ Center opening up downtown. Of course, the assault on the
director was very upsetting as we like to think of El Paso as a welcoming
town.
The problem I have is that both your reporter and the EPPD spokesperson
used a phrase that I take exception too.
During the report and interview, both of them referred to El Pasoans that
engage in this "alternative lifestyle" while describing our gay and
lesbian community. This term does carry a negative connotation to it.
Just Google it and you will find many site that referrer to Swingers and
Fetish groups. Many see the term as synonymous with CHOOSING to be
different when we know that no one chooses to be gay, we just are.
In the future, it would be better to just referrer to us as El Paso's Gay
Community for short, or Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans gender community
for official titles.
Remember, by using terms that makes us Different or Not Normal, you may as
well be fostering the same kind of resentment that lead to this vicious
assault. We are no different than any other El Paso resident, other than
who we love.<<

Beautiful!

[Boony68]

allie topeka wrote:

<quoted text>
Beautiful!

Merry meet Allie.:)

[Steve33uk]

So there is a real Boony68, the one from Dallas is a fake, Another of R1's fantasy aliases.
How many more?

[elise nolasco]

hi im eli im a vollenteer here at glbtq i am straight my mom has her shop here DV8 please please come by we dont want to close down were open monday-saturday!!! come and have fun at the center!!!

[elise nolasco]

WERE @ 311 e. MILLS ACROSS FROM THE WELLS FARGO AND NEXT TO LUIGIS AND LA CATRINA!!! COME JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

[dante2810]

elise nolasco wrote:

hi im eli im a vollenteer here at glbtq i am straight my mom has her shop here DV8 please please come by we dont want to close down were open monday-saturday!!! come and have fun at the center!!!

What are your hours?