by Sadie Janes
When it comes to states with a reputation for being accommodating to the LGBTQ community, West Virginia is almost certainly near the bottom of the list. However, many in Morgantown are working to change that reputation so that those who identify as LGBTQ can feel more at home in our home among the hills.
While many states have adopted laws in recent years to both protect and include the LGTBQ community, West Virginia seems to be slow to join them. The state government, like I’ve pointed out in previous posts, is often the main hurdle to progress. During the 2018 session, 9 LGBTQ protection bills died in the Legislature. More recently, WV Delegate Eric Porterfield compared the LGTBQ community to the Ku Klux Klan and used a homophobic slur during a committee meeting. Unfortunately, Delegate Porterfield had even more to say on the subject, and when you Google search “WV delegate,” his hateful comments are among the first results.
Despite what’s going on in Charleston, people in Morgantown continue to push for LGBTQ inclusion. On Saturday, Morgantown hosted its first ever Pride block party. According to WDTV, hundreds were in attendance and the event spanned several blocks. Local businesses set up booths to sell their refreshments and other items, while organizations like WV Free and Fairness West Virginia promoted their respective causes at the event. While some in attendance had attended Pride celebrations in bigger cities in the past, having a more local event focus on LGBTQ acceptance and inclusion was probably refreshing to native West Virginians.
Along with the success of the Pride block party, Morgantown also recently established its first ever chapter of PFLAG, an organization that focuses on uniting members of the LGBTQ community with their family and allies. The Morgantown chapter had its first meeting on April 9. Two state delegates from Monongalia county — Del. Barbara Fleischauer and Del. Danielle Walker — were in attendance at the PFLAG meeting, standing in sharp contrast with their homophobic colleague Delegate Porterfield.
Those who identify as LGBTQ have always faced discrimination in the United States, and it’s possible that discrimination is on rise for the first time in years. A new GLAAD poll showed Americans were more uncomfortable with the LGBTQ community in 2018 than they were the year before. Though we might be tempted to think time is always on the side of progress, it’s important to not take the change that’s come in recent years for granted, and to continue to fight for marginalized groups — especially in largely homogenous states like West Virginia. The city of Morgantown seems to be leading the way in that regard.
My Reputation 