3 to Know: Legacies of the Gay Games

Panel from left to right: David C. Barnett, ideastream senior reporter and producer; John Grafton, board member, Gay Community Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation; Phyllis Harris, Thomas Nobbe and Michelle Tomallo

As snow swirled outside and below zero temperatures enveloped the town, the City Club of Cleveland bell rang once again. Just more than six months after the closing ceremonies of Gay Games 9, a panel met Feb. 19 to discuss the lessons and legacies of the Gay Games. For our August 2014 cover story, we did the same, examining the impact and difficulties of the LGBT community on Cleveland, centered around the games. Economically, the Gay Games were estimated to have had a $52.1 million impact. Nearly 75 percent of games attendees came from outside of Cleveland.

Safety was a top priority, said Phyllis Harris, executive director of the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland. Her organization conducted 40 trainings at the Cleveland Police Department academy over 40 weeks before the games. Harris led some of the classes herself, teaching 40-50 police officers at a time. "It was scary and it was life changing," she said. "In a way I think it set the tone for much of the training that continued to happen throughout the year."

The community center is in the process of purchasing a new headquarters building with an anonymous $1.8 million donation, announced during the games. The center has been located in a Gordon Square storefront since 1999. The network established during the games was instrumental to their move, said Harris. "People listen if I call now," she said. "They want to collaborate now, they had a good experience."

Here's three things you need to know from the discussion:

1) The 2014 Gay Games were the most profitable in the history of the organization, finishing with a surplus of $150,000. "From the outset of planning the games, our board and staff were really determined to see that these games finished in the black," said 2014 Gay Games executive director Thomas Nobbe.

2) The $150,000 surplus will be donated, with 80 percent going to form a new Gay Games legacy fund at the Cleveland Foundation, and 20 percent to the Gay Community Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation.

3) Though the Gay Games were certainly a symbol of progress, both the panel and attendees were quick to emphasize that Ohio does not provide legal protections for same-sex couples. "We had all this grand success and there was all this celebration. It literally was palpable, all the energy, vibrancy and love," said Michelle Tomallo, president of the board of directors of Plexus, the LGBT chamber of commerce. "All of that happened in the context of a state where we don't have any protections for the exact people that we're celebrating."

Cleveland's LGBT Community Has Momentum

Luz Pellot, Co-Chair of Gay Games 9 Party and Social Events Committees, poses in front of "Hands Across the Community," a mural sponsored by Graffiti Heart and composed of handprints of those who participated in the Games.

When 8,000 Gay Games participants came from all over the world to Cleveland in August, more than 1,300 participants from Northeast Ohio joined them. The city welcomed them with open arms and pride flags waving.

For Cleveland's LGBT community, 2014 has been a year of growth and change. This year, the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland has helped more than 530 people per month, nearly double its average from 2013.

To keep this momentum going, the LGBT Center hosted an event in the Gordon Square Arcade last night to showcase its programs and advocate for change.

With Gay Games memorabilia lining the halls of the arcade and DJ Zoe Lapin keeping the party going in the atrium, visitors mingled upstairs, Below, in the Center's space, people recorded and archived stories about how Cleveland has changed for them in the wake of the Games.

"The energy was palpable after the Gay Games," said the Center's communications coordinator, Ryan Zymler. "The queer community in Cleveland saw what it was like to have a queer-friendly city during the Gay Games. That energy is translating into wanting to make that a permanent place, as opposed to the seven days of queer paradise that we had."

During the event, activists gathered signatures to send to Cleveland City Council in support of new LGBT civil-rights measures. The activists are calling for legislation that would offer more thorough protections for gender identity and expression in the workplace, eliminate the cost difference between same-sex and opposite-sex couples in city employees' benefits, and extend non-discrimination protections to include the trans community's right to use restrooms.

Seven Strikes: Cleveland's Women's Softball Team and Silver Medal Winners: Lindsay Kimora, Kristin Kozel, Kristi Andrasik, Phyllis 'Seven' Harris, Lisa Hopps, Deidre McPherson, Jessica Lancaster, Ali Brawner, and Carey Gibbons. Photo Credit: Rachel Kalayjian

Michael and Colleen Sliwinski, Alana Jochum, Deanna Bouchahine, Nick Komives, Maggie Stark, Michelle Tomallo and Mary Zaller. Photo Credit: Rachel Kalayjian

Gail Adoseofg captures Nicole Thomas of Equality Ohio on camera for the One Word Forward photo-installation to show how Cleveland got better post-GG9.

How Gay Are We: Out in the Open

The Global Rainbow at Aha! Festival of Lights.

The sign read “gender-neutral bathroom.” It was posted at the Cleveland Museum of Art during the pre-Gay Games party, Night Before 9, and for me, it was not just a cardboard cutout – it was a step toward inclusion for Cleveland. Our city hasn’t always been kind to the transgender community — just last year there were a series of attacks that led to the deaths of three women and discrimination from local news sources. To see such an important institution be accepting of gender expression and welcome the transgender community —which has for a long time remained invisible and often overlooked — it was as if the city itself had opened its arms.

As a member of the LGBT community, I was speechless during the opening ceremonies at the Quicken Loans Arena when participants from San Francisco carried a massive rainbow flag as spectators stood and cheered them on. And when the Russian Federation entered the arena, greeted by a standing ovation after having suffered from so much persecution at the hands of their own government over the last year, I cried. I was not only overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of love and grace that was being lifted up, but also from being a single gay man united with thousands of individuals who applauded the perseverance of those who have suffered, celebrating pride in self-expression and honoring all of those who felt they didn’t have a voice. I never thought I would ever see something like it in my lifetime — a place in which everyone was united in their individuality regardless of race, class, sexual orientation or gender. By the end, I was convinced that Cleveland was proud that the Gay Games had arrived in our city.

I returned to Akron telling all my friends how incredible it was that there was so much freedom of expression in Cleveland. Having lived in several small towns in Northeast Ohio where being gay was never openly discussed nor expressed, I couldn’t help but boast how amazed I was that Cleveland was changing the game. My friends saw it for themselves, too — having grown used to suppressing public displays of affection — they were shocked by how many same-sex couples were holding hands and embracing one another in Public Square. They couldn’t stop talking about how great it was that City Hall was flying the LGBT flag, and only after checking with one another whether it would be OK, did they reach for the others’ hand.

Toward the end of the week, I was stopped by a visitor from San Francisco who asked, "Are the people of Cleveland always this nice?" I thought about it as we walked side by side down a dark street toward the rainbow-lit Terminal Tower and away from GG9 Festival Village where hundreds of strangers were dancing with each other under neon-colored lights. When we reached the corner, I stopped and said, "No, Cleveland hasn't always been this open, but it's been getting better over the last five years." He nodded his head, congratulated me on how polite we all were, and then asked if Cleveland had always been this gay. I couldn't help but smile, considering the cover of this month's issue of Cleveland Magazine, but when I finally turned to give him an answer all I could say was, "We've always been here. We've just been waiting for the right time."

There have been more advances in LGBT activism in our country in the last 10 years than there have been in the last 100. With 19 states now supporting same-sex marriages and 21 states offering nondiscrimination laws to protect LGBT individuals, Ohio isn’t that far behind. We’ve created domestic partner registries, we’ve started begin to recognizing same-sex marriages from other states, and we have openly-gay officials in office such as state Rep. Nickie Antonio, who is actively fighting for nondiscrimination laws to protect the LGBT community at home and in the workplace.

As GG9 came to an end, I kept thinking about where we might go from here and what needs to happen next. And while there’s certainly a lot of work left to be done at the state level, I returned to those nights out on Mall C where everyone danced, to those quiet dinners where gay couples reached across the table to hold hands and to those moments when gay athletes were cheered on.

Whether the pride flags come down or they remain flying, Cleveland should hold on to the hope that this has been and can be a city where we all live without judgment, able to love freely and be who we really are 100 percent of the time.

How Gay Are We:GG9 Ends with Hot 7 Deadly Sins After-party

The Gay Games closed its weeklong event with a rather steamy, sinful bash at the House of Blues Saturday night. With dimmed lights, candle-lined bars and local go-go boys personifying the seven deadly sins, the official after-party was underway. Celebrity transgender model, Amanda Lepore invited Murray Swanby, Pablo Hernandez and Cory Zwierzynski from Andrew Christian, a popular men's underwear line, onto the stage after Real Housewives of New York City star Carole Radziwill hand-selected 10 hunks from the crowd to dress down and dance alongside them. Famous for their music videos and known for targeting the gay community with their brand, the Andrew Christian models threw free underwear into the crowd before joining the party. As the night went on, models danced on elevated platforms while several members of the crowd stripped down, and when the lights came on at 2 a.m., it was clear that no one really wanted to leave it all behind.

Murray Swanby, Pablo Hernandez, Cory Zwierzynski and Amanda Lepore

Carole Radziwill and Amanda Lepore looking fabulous in the Foundation Room

The Andrew Christian boys take the stage.

Pride in the Moment: Day Six



Pride means making a statement. Photographer Billy Delfs snapped this image of a sailor competing in the Gay Games at Edgewater Yacht Club Friday. This week, Delfs and three other area photographers captured participants, visitors and crowd members for Summit Artspace's Pride in the Moment online exhibit. See all of their photos, from a vibrant feature shot of a spectator dangling a disco ball on the sidelines to an exuberant female couple ready to take the dance floor, for a year at prideinthemomentgg9cle.com and prideinthemomentgg9cle.org.

Sailing, Edgewater Yacht Club, Aug. 15
Photo Credit: Billy Delfs

How Gay Are We: Dad Competes in GG9 to Support Teen Daughter's Coming Out

What is it like having a child come out? Mark Swaim-Fox, the director of the Cleveland chapter of Facing History and Ourselves, a nonprofit that teaches students about social justice issues, stood by his 15-year-old daughter's side as she came out as a lesbian last year. This week, Swaim-Fox joined two of his best friends and his son to compete in the Gay Games in support of his daughter.

    I think my daughter is one of the most remarkable people I know. I would do anything in the world for her. She knew she was gay in the seventh grade, but she came out to us toward the end of her eighth-grade year. We were sitting down together and she said, ‘I’m gay, but I’ve told you already.’ She was dropping these hints that she was noticing girls, and we weren’t picking up on it.

    I cried, not because she was gay, but because I missed it; because this is so important and it’s part of her identity, and because we love her and we’re so close. It was a really tender, sensitive moment. My first instinct was a parental one. I said, ‘I don’t want you to be hurt. I know there’s still homophobia out there.’ Not wanting my daughter to be a target is really serious for me, and my wife and I both struggle with those things. My next instinct was, ‘Oh my gosh, what can I do to support you?’

    We’re really being conscious about our language and really asking about her love interests like we would with our son. Nothing is really different. We’re just making sure on a day-to-day basis she knows that we love her.

     I feel I’m not a father of a lesbian; I’m a father of my daughter. I think she’s got such grace and maturity, and we’ll support her when she’s in trouble and we’ll share her joy when she’s excited — no matter what.

     The PFLAG meetings we went to helped a lot. There is something communal about other parents sharing stories together that help. It’s not a gay-straight sexuality thing. It’s just about paying attention to our children and what they need and making sure they can be whoever they are. — as told to James Bigley II

How Gay Are We: Oven Productions Has Been Celebrating Female Pride for Nearly 40 Years

Debra Hirshberg doing sound production for Oven Productions in the '80s.

Debra Hirshberg was a Case Western Reserve University senior in 1975 when she read a front-page article in the women’s newspaper, What She Wants, about the opening of a female-only production company. As a technical theater minor yearning to use her lighting skills, she called Oven Productions and has been involved with the nearly-40-year-old lesbian-feminist nonprofit ever since. The group hosts Hot Time in Cleveland, a women-only dance party, featuring disc jockey Zoe Renee Lapin at the Trinity Cathedral 8 p.m. tonight. 

         In 1974, the first National Women's Music Festival was held at the University of Champaign-Urbana. A woman in Cleveland came back from that and said, 'We have to start a production company.' It was the beginning of what was known as women’s music — music that stoked feminist and lesbian ideas. No one was producing them. So, we wanted to create a community of production companies to help get their music out. From '76 to maybe '82, we did probably 10 or so productions a year.

   It was a time where you didn't really see much feminist or lesbian stuff reflected in popular culture. We weren't on TV. ... There weren't many out performers.
     
      We started a lot of organizations, because they weren't there. There was no rape crisis center. There was no battered women's shelter. There was no coalition for women. In 1975, the UN had its International Women's Year Convention in Cleveland. They brought many women together, both lesbian and straight, and ideas came from that.

    We used to be the only place to go to for [lesbian-feminist productions]. We did concerts, music, dance, theater. We did a variety show every year to raise money; initially to buy sound equipment and then to just fund our concert series. In 2015, it’s going to be the 40th anniversary of the variety show, and some of us have been doing it all those years!

      Last year, we said, 'We've got to throw a party for the Gay Games.' It's a big celebration of Cleveland and the lesbian-feminist community. We wanted to welcome the women from out of town — come party with us.

     Bringing the Gay Games to Cleveland — it’s because people in Cleveland say, Why not? I think in Cleveland — we dare to dream, and we do it. We don't let things get in our way. — as told to Frances Killea

Pride in the Moment: Day Five

Pride is not holding back. Local photographer Shane Wynn snapped this vibrant shot at the daylong Flair Fest, held at Akron's Lock 3 Thursday, that encouraged crowd members to accentuate their unique qualities while they took in music from the Indigo Girls and local and regional acts. Wynn and three other photographers continue to capture the games for Summit Artspace's online exhibit Pride in the Moment where new images can be seen daily at prideinthemomentgg9cle.com, prideinthemomentgg9cle.org, akronareaarts.org and gg9cle.com. Check back tomorrow for another picture from the exhibit.

Flair Fest, Lock 3, Aug. 14
Photo Credit: Shane Wynn

How Gay Are We: Exhibit Showcases History of Northeast Ohio LGBT Community

From its spot hanging in the Western Reserve Historical Society, an art deco mural from the former Cadillac Lounge, Cleveland's first LGBT bar, resonates a sense of freedom that was limited when the '40s nightclub was in operation at East Ninth Street and Euclid Avenue. See more items chronicling the fight for equality — including pride posters, sports costumes, vintage rainbow flags and issues of High Gear, Cleveland's first LGBT newspaper — in The Victory of Self: The LGBT Community in Northeast Ohio exhibit, open through Dec. 31. We chat with John Grabowski, WRHS senior vice president, about inspiration for the exhibit and what's a must-see.

Cleveland Magazine: Where did the title come from?

John Grabowski: We wanted to do something that related to the Gay Games — victory, winning in the games. What I see happening as a historian … is the struggle to be one’s self — to live the way one was born. It is a victory of self, or toward a victory of self, because for many, it is still not realized.

CM: The exhibit is created from the LGBT Archives of WRHS. What aspect of the archives does it focus on?

JG: It focuses on the diversity of the LGBT community. We have things that show the racial diversity, the religious and ethnic diversity. For people that are not members of the LGBT community, it is the realization that this is not a monolithic community. These are people that have different viewpoints, different ethnicities. That fits very well in Cleveland, because Cleveland is very a diverse place.

CM: What part of the exhibit should we look out for?

JG: We wanted some depth in the gallery. We thought that video of some of the activities was a good way to do that. [Videographer] Chris Rogers put together a stupendous 11 1/2-minute rapid-fire video that looks at Cleveland and also looks at some of our archive. It deals with issues, people, the diversity, the community – there are shots of the pride parade, various award ceremonies. We’ve had some people in tears after watching it.

How Gay Are We: Choir Teacher Runs to Raise Funds to Support Youth

Mario Clopton admits he is lucky. When he came out at 21 years old, he had a strong support network. "Whether I came out at 13 or 21, I knew my family was going to be there for me," he says. But he Shaker Heights choir teacher is aware that not every kid is as lucky. So he decided to run in the Gay Games half marathon this Saturday and raise $40 a mile to donate to youth programs at the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland. So far, he's raised $600. “I look at some of these kids and their families are abandoning them, but they are steadfast," he says. "They still have their goals, and I felt that I have to support them in some way. Listening to their stories and how strong they are just inspires me.”

Common Ground: He has been pleased to find people from all walks of life at the games, even those outside the LGBT community. “I was waiting in line for a drink, and the guy in front of me turned around," Clopton says. "It was one of my teacher friends, and he was there with his girlfriend. I mean everyone feels welcome here.”

Chief Moment: Clopton took a year off from college to campaign for then-Sen. Barack Obama. So he was ecstatic when the president expressed his support for the games via a video shown at the opening ceremony. “Sometimes it just kind of seems, as a gay man, that the stars and stripes doesn’t include you," he says. "But when I saw that I was like, ‘The gay community is represented in that flag.’”

Sidewalk Therapy: As a choir teacher, Clopton says there is constantly noise in his head. “Running allows me to just clear that space and just have time with myself,” Clopton says. Struggling with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a child, Clopton found that running was a great combatant. “I didn’t want to take medication, because it made me not feel like myself so my doctor said, ‘Well, you should try running to get rid of some of that energy.’ I was going into seventh grade, and I signed up for cross-country. I loved it, and the rest is history.”

Pride in the Moment: Day Two

As thousands of LGBT and straight athletes compete daily, the Gay Games stirs up emotion for all involved. Akron-area photographer Shane Wynn caught this poignant image at the International Gay Rodeo Association's rodeo Monday as a part of Summit Artspace's Pride in the Moment online exhibit that documents people involved in the games. See more from Wynn and three other photographers at prideinthemomentgg9cle.com, prideinthemomentgg9cle.org, akronareaarts.org and gg9cle.com. Check our blog each day this week for an exclusive photo from the exhibit.

IGRA Rodeo, Summit County Fairgrounds, Aug. 11
Photo Credit: Shane Wynn

How Gay Are We: The Cleveland Fury Debuts as a LGBT-Friendly Soccer Team

It had been 10 years since Ted Rosati had laced up his cleats for anything close to a formal competitive soccer game, but that never meant he stopped loving the sport. With the Gay Games coming to Cleveland, Rosati realized his hometown didn't have a LGBT-friendly soccer team. So he created the Cleveland Fury to compete in the games. After months of practices at Cleveland's Michael J. Zone Recreation Center, the Cleveland Fury debuted in two matches today at the Copley Road Soccer Fields in Akron. "I am looking forward to the games," says Rosati. "I've got a lot of pent up soccer in me."

Young Start: "I grew up playing it, since I was 5 years old," says Rosati. "My dad played for CSU and ingrained it in my and my sisters."Rosati played soccer competitively through high school, but stopped in college, hitting the field only recreationally.

Masking His Identity: "Not many people came out in high school," Rosati says. "I wasn't even out at the time." It was common in the sports culture at his high school to act a certain way: tough, aggressive, competitive. "If they're [a player of] the more sensitive type, they're labeled very negatively," he says. "Those are things I've heard and definitely pushed me deeper into the closet."

 Field Work: Starting a new job at MetroHealth helped Rosati reconnect with soccer through pickup games — and get involved with Cleveland's LGBT community. "I never really embraced gay culture, to be honest," says Rosati. "I joined the gay-straight alliance at work, and two months later the people leading it asked me to be the chairperson." It was through that role that Rosati learned about the Gay Games. "They [MetroHealth] gave $25,000 to the Gay Games for scholarships," he says, referring to awards that would help selected athletes pay for expenses such as entry fees.

Team Effort: "Even though there's a lot to handle, it's been great," says Rosati, on creating Cleveland's first LGBT-friendly soccer team for the game."We're being ambassadors to the sport." Over half of his team's  18 players are LGBT, so for once, he's in the majority. "Being with these guys ... they embrace the culture," he says. "It's the first time I feel like I could be myself. I don't have to hold back anything."

Update 8/13: So far, the Cleveland Fury has went 4-0 in the Gay Games soccer competition. The team kicks off its next game at 10 a.m. Thursday against the San Francisco Spikes.

Pride in the Moment documents GG9: Day One

What does pride look like here? Summit Artspace explores that question through Pride in the Moment, an online photo exhibit updated daily at prideinthemomentgg9cle.com and prideinthemomentgg9cle.org and akronareaarts.org and gg9cle.com that's funded by the Gay Community Endowment of the Akron Community Foundation. This week, four local photographers  — Shane Wynn, Peter Larson, Billy Delfs and David Allan Foster — are snapping pictures to show the joy and beauty of athletes, allies and visitors coming to Cleveland and Akron for the Gay Games. Check back on our blog each day this week for an exclusive photo from the exhibit. 

Powerlifting, Old School Iron Gym, Brook Park, Aug. 9  
Photo Credit: Peter Larson

How Gay Are We: GG9 Opening Ceremony Excites, Offers Surprises

Participants from Ohio enter the Quicken Loans Arena for the Gay Games 9 Opening Ceremony.

The Gay Games 9 Opening Ceremony was nothing short of astounding as participants from more than 50 countries and 48 states were welcomed Saturday night at the Quicken Loans Arena. The procession of participants was led by San Francisco, host of the first Gay Games in 1982, and countries that sent one representative received the loudest applause, among them Bulgaria, Chile, Iceland and Liberia. But the level of noise was incomparable when the Russian Federation arrived and they were greeted with hugs from Gay Games staff and volunteers and received a standing ovation from thousands of spectators. Akron joined the celebration with three drag stars as they performed Tina Turner's “Proud Mary” while dancers used giant tires as props in homage to the city's reputation for being the Rubber Capital of the World. The ceremony featured appearances by Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis and performances by Lance Bass and Bella Blue, Andrea McArdle, the Pointer Sisters and a breathtaking number by Glee star Alex Newell singing “I Know Where I've Been.” Plus, there were plenty of surprises, including a personal message from President Barack Obama and an address from Sen. Sherrod Brown and his wife Connie Schultz. “Welcome to the state of Ohio where we are moving ever closer, with one court ruling at a time, to marriage equality,” Schultz said. “In Northeast Ohio, we celebrate love in all its forms. We celebrate families in every configuration.” Michelle Tomallo, board president of Plexus, was among six local LGBT activists tasked with passing on the torch to New Zealand's Olympic speed skater, Blake Skjellerup. Check out our photos below, and stay tuned as we continue with daily coverage of the games.

Mexico's soccer team Didesex arrives at the opening ceremony. Photo Credit: Christopher Hawks

Photo Credit: Christopher Hawks

Lance Bass and Bella Blue perform their single, “Walking On Air.”

Dancers clad as superheroes perform to Bonnie Tyler's “I Need a Hero.”

Alex Newell and Andrea McArdle kick up the sass and perform Broadway hit “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic welcome Gay Games participants.

The Pointer Sisters kick off their set list with “I'm So Excited.”

Gay Games participants, city officials and Federation of Gay Games members celebrate the closing of the opening ceremony as the Pointer Sisters perform.

How Gay Are We: Gay Minister Preaches at Old Stone Church Sunday

If you've been told going to church and being gay don't mix, the Rev. Ray Bagnuolo will tell you otherwise. He's openly gay and he's a minister. He's also the chaplain and minister director for That All May Freely Serve, a Rochester, New York-based group that serves LGBT churchgoers and their families and advocates for them within the Presbyterian Church (USA). This Sunday, he'll lead the 10 a.m. mass at Old Stone Church. Bagnuolo hopes to inform members about the recent changes in the church and advocate acceptance. “I’m looking forward to having the ability to join folks in worship at the Old Stone Church,” he says.

Religious Roots: Bagnuolo grew up Roman Catholic. Once he realized he was gay, he struggled with Catholic doctrine and personally experienced some Catholics' lack of acceptance of the LGBT community. “This church that I grew up loving had these things they were saying to me that I didn’t quite understand,” Bagnuolo remembers. “I realized that I didn’t need to be in an abusive relationship with the church to be in a relationship with God.”

Positive Changes: In June, the Presbyterian Church voted to allow its pastors to perform same-gender marriages. “I’ve done a couple of marriages since,” Bagnuolo says, “and I’ve been able to say, ‘By the authority of the Presbyterian Church (USA).’” The church amended its constitution, defining marriage as between two people instead of between a man and a woman.

Hurdles that Remain: Although society has come a long way, Bagnuolo says, changing hearts and minds is often difficult. “A young man in college was outed,” he says. “His parents asked him if it was true, and he decided to say yes. Two days later they met him at his door with a shoebox. In the shoebox was his license, his insurance policy for the car and some other papers. They told him, ‘You’re no longer our son, you no longer live here, and you need to go now.’ That still happens and worse.”

Good Company: “Loneliness is the worst of all conditions, especially when you’re struggling,” Bagnuolo says. That All May Freely Serve has developed a grassroots network of supporters nationwide who are ready to help anyone who might be in need of a lending hand or a shoulder to cry on. “We say, ‘Find out what they need, make sure they know they’re not alone, and let them know that they are loved by God, whatever name God might be know to them.”

How Gay Are We: Night Before 9: Out For Art

Hundreds of Gay Games participants and art fanatics showed up in their best-dressed to the Cleveland Museum of Art last night for a fabulous pre-Gay Games celebration Friday night. Against a backdrop of rainbow-colored lights, Escort, a 15-piece electronic disco orchestra, performed with all of its members for the third time in eight years outside of New York City, bringing down the house while guests danced and kicked back in a nearby club-inspired lounge area in the recently renovated atrium. A few familiar faces from Cleveland Magazine's "Out Loud" cover package were in attendance, including Jacob Nash and his wife Erin and George Vassos and his husband, Henry Hawley. Also in attendance was Phyllis Harris, executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland — and she had a lot to celebrate. Just two days ago, the center received a $1.8 million dollar donation from an anonymous source and a $500,000 matching grant from the Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation, allowing possible relocation and expansion of its facilities and programs. There's much more to celebrate now that the Gay Games are here in Cleveland, and the Night Before 9 was the perfect event to kick off a prideful week.

Jacob and Erin Nash

Phelan Spence, Mindy Roth and Brittany Lynne

George Vassos