Diane Gramley's Activism in Central Penna. Embarrasses Venango County Yet Again

Following is a letter-to-the-editor in Harrisburg's Patriot-News:


Transgender Issue Story Is Muddied By Comments

by BLAISE LIFFICK, Elizabethtown:

It was wonderful to see Ivey DeJesus' article about the Butterfly Ball ("A place where you can be yourself," March 13).

A generally positive portrayal of transgender issues in a central Pennsylvania newspaper is still surprising, and I'm sure greatly appreciated by the trans community.


However, there was simply no need to muddy the waters by including any comments by Diane Gramley.

Calling what she and her organization advocates "Judeo-Christian values" is a complete misrepresentation of what either Jews or Christians might or might not believe.

This article was an inappropriate place to give her an opportunity to push her anti-gay agenda.

The article was about a group of people being themselves in a safe environment, not coverage of a debate on a hot-button social issue.

Gramley's complete lack of understanding about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and their activities is abundantly clear from her absurd statements.

This sort of inclusion nearly ruined the article, and contributes to why members of the LGBT community do not feel safe being themselves.