Gay Rights Rulings Celebrated at Payrow Plaza

LGBT Activist Adrian Shanker , with Mike Rechiutti in background

Led by LGBT activist Adrian Shanker, a boisterous crowd of over 100 people was cheering at Bethlehem's Payrow Plaza on June 26. They weren't there for the Zoning Hearing Board. Nor were they delirious from the heat. Instead, they were celebrating a pair of recent Supreme Court decisions decided earlier that day, advancing the cause of same sex marriages. Giving this cause even more credibility was the added weight of local leaders. Allentown City Council Prez Julio Guridy was joined by Bethlehem Council members Karen Dolan, Willie Reynolds and Mike Rechiutti.

Mayor John Callahan was there, too, and was getting a little rowdy until someone told him a wrestling ref was on his way.

The Express Time' Lynn Olanoff has more details. I was there for what turned out to be a four-hour ZHB meeting. So I missed some of the luminaries she reported.

Whenever I write about gay rights, I tend to get in trouble. For example, I think the human relations commission that Adrian worked so hard for is utter nonsense that could actually result in discrimination. But I am glad for these rulings, which make much more sense to me.

I thought the applause was for me.