Photo credit: Benson Kua
2018 was an emotional year for members of the LGBTQ community. The political pall hanging over the nation had many of us emotionally vacillating between anger, fear and frustration. We endured 10 numbing months of regime assaults on the LGBTQ community, especially against transgender rights.
Hate crimes surged for the third year in a row; this year by 17%. Nazis promoted “Angry Goys II,” a video game in which players shoot up a gay bar and kill Jews. The U.S. ranked third-highest for trans persons murdered. A Honduran asylum seeker, beaten in ICE custody, died of neglect. A trans Milwaukeean, Sasha Garden, was killed in Florida. Murders of gay children included Anthony Avalos, 10, tortured to death by his mother’s boyfriend. Jamel Myles, 9, committed suicide following bullying because he was gay. 2018 also marked the 40th anniversary of Harvey Milk’s assassination and the 20th of Matthew Shepard’s murder. It was the 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day.
We read many obituaries in 2018, including those of AIDS research activist Mathilde Krim, actor/heartthrob Tab Hunter and Dykes on Bikes founder Soni Wolf. Locally, we lost author Tim Clausen, as well as BestD co-founder Chuck Poulson (aka Charlotte Lorraine), among others. Mercifully, the bad news was tempered by hope and optimism.
In the Human Rights Campaign Municipality Equality Index survey of 506 U.S. cities, Milwaukee earned a perfect score of 100. After a year’s litigation, the ACLU won its case against the State of Wisconsin on behalf of two transgender state employees. In Milwaukee, the Common Council banned so-called “conversion therapy” for minors. In collaboration with LGBTQ advocacy groups, the Fire and Police Commission announced improved operating procedures vis-à-vis the trans community.
2018 marked the golden anniversary of gay bar This Is It!, the 40th of GAMMA, the HIT Bowling Tournament and SSBL’s Dairyland Classic Softball Tournament. It was Challenge Party’s 30th anniversary, the 25th jubilees of Outwords Books and QUEST magazine. Veterans for Diversity celebrated its 10th year, and the Milwaukee Gay Volleyball Association opened its 10th season.
The Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce announced the launch of its Business Leadership Academy and expanded its membership to nearly 600 businesses, corporations and organizations. Meanwhile, two new social groups formed, Pride Ride Wisconsin and Bi+. PrideFest expanded to four days and boasted a record attendance of 45,400. More units marched in the Pride Parade than ever before, including, for the first time, a Milwaukee Police Department contingent. ARCW’s AIDS Walk raised more than $400,000, and Cream City Foundation awarded tens of thousands of scholarships to LGBTQ students and allies. The Milwaukee Beer Barons entered into the international gay rugby organization.
There were ownership changes in the bar scene with the old La Cage becoming LVL under original owner George Prentice and, as of New Year’s Day, Alan Ke takes over Woody’s Sports Bar. Both continue as LGBTQ destinations; LVL with a complete renovation, and Woody’s remaining essentially the same.
Finally, November 2018’s “Blue Wave” election saw voters embrace diversity. A man married to a man became governor of Colorado, a bisexual woman became the nation’s second LGBTQ U.S. Senator (the first is our own Tammy Baldwin) and elsewhere, numerous LGBTQs won seats in state and federal legislatures.
So, Happy New Year 2019 to all with hopes of positive things to come!
