Is Lewisburg PA Gay-Friendly?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by maf763

SWB, I empathize with your situation and agree with much of what you say. In another generation, I think things will be different, but it's difficult for you in the present. But, you can't really believe that NEPA natives are responsible for your parents' choices? And while this may be a bitter pill for you, the possibility may exist that your partner will be more hurt by the fact that you have chosen not to spend the holiday with him, rather than by the rednecks of NEPA. Again, sorry that you find yourself in this position - good luck.

I don't think he's hurt by this at all. I'm not going to honestly cut off ties with my family to be there for him at this point in my life when I'm not earning enough while going to school full-time to be out on my own. When we eventually move in together in several years and have our own place in Scranton things will be different; my parents will have to be cordial then if they ever expect to visit or see the adopted grandchildren they'll someday have. I hope things are different by Christmas; I really do.

[erichsh]

I joined this forum because I was interested in finding out more about this area. But SWB's tirades here deserve a rebuttal. So far he has maligned Christians ("bible-thumpers"), Republicans, people over 40 ("ignorant"), blue-collar type ("uneducated") and rural residents ("rednecks"). Then he goes on to imply that only enlightened liberals drive fuel-efficient cars. Finally, after implying that much of the rest of the country are racists, he plaintively pleads "Why can't people just get along?" Well, SWB, after criticizing about 90% of the population of this country, and preaching about intolerance etc., you might want to take a good look at yourself for some answers.

[ashley19]

Paul,
Sorry to hear about your situation but you are never going to change peoples minds. I too was big against gays/lesbians because I thought it to be unnatural and disgusting. Unfortunately, I still feel that way but do not "avoid" these people any longer. As I grew, my views didn't, but now accept it. For the last few years, I sit with a lesbian at work everyday at lunch and break. I even went on a white water rafting trip 2 years ago with her and about 30 other of her friends. I had a great time but most of them thought I was "one of the" and when they found out I wasn't they kind of shyed away. I have a lesbian SIL and a gay BIL. She is great but not too keen on her girlfriend. My friend at work is great but makes me feel uncomfortable at times. Like one time she said, "If I saw you in a bar, I would be hitting on you". I have many hit on me at bars but I must say that the women are so forward that I would constitute it as sexual harassment. One even tried to pull my shirt down and take a pic of my breasts. I guess that would make anyone feel differently toward them as a whole if that everytime they are in a bar, they act this way. I know it shouldn't apply to all but it makes me try to ignore many of them now. Does this make sense? On the other hand, I love gay men. I find them to be so funny! I guess what I am trying to say is that although I do not think it is right, I accept it, as long as they do not bother me in that way. I don't think it is because people are younger that they accept it more but I think many go by the experiences that they have had. One thing that does irritate me though is that many do get special treatment. My SIL's girlfriend works in my office and they catch her sleeping, she calls off constantly and nothing is ever done because they are afraid that she will claim discrimination because she's a lesbian. My MIL did not like the fact that her daughter was a lesbian but they were always welcome in her home. Don't give up hope on your parents. They may feel that it is not right but will eventually come around. I did, LOL, so there is always hope.

[Dawne]

I'm a Lutheran and Martin Luther said it best: Love the sinner but hate the sin.

Now, I realize many don't consider homosexuality to be a sin. But the Bible says it is and who's gonna say God's wrong? Of course, the Bible also says divorce is a sin and probably 60% of people have been divorced at least once. The Bible also says gluttony is a sin and I eat too much and am very fat as a result.

The point is we're all sinners in one way or another. But God is a forgiving God and we need to be forgiving people, which is what God wants. So Paul's "Why can't we all just get along?" actually is what God would want of us. After all, Jesus ate with sinners such as prostitutes, tax collectors (who were despised as greedy SOBs at the time), the sick and lame (who were thought to be that way because of something they'd done).

So whether we agree with someone's lifestyle or actions, we need to remember that God created us all (unless you're an atheist, in which case we'll be praying for you) and we're all brothers and sisters and should love each other no matter what. We're not to judge. God will sort it all out in the end, and I'll bet a lot of the "bible-thumpers" will be surprised and maybe even shocked at just how forgiving our loving God actually is.

Okay, I'll get down out of the pulpit now!

[R.J. MacReady]

Just throwing this out in general since there's been some nods to this discussion throughout the thread. I'm religious but the bible has many things that are considered sins/really bad things that we accept as normal or isn't followed. A few of those examples include:

-some passages being pro slavery
-death to your children if they talk back to you
-not working on Sunday
-not eating shellfish
-not wearing clothing with two different threads
-not planting two different crops in the same field
-not handling the skin of a dead pig (football anybody?)

Death is called upon for some of these sins if I'm not mistaken. Plus the passages in the bible about homosexuality can be interpreted in different ways. Also how do we know that man didn't change the bible along the way in the early stages for personal agendas (people have been evil before and wouldn't put it past somebody doing this back then). Don't want to turn this into a religious argument but the bible calls for alot of things that are questionable and calls for death for many things we all do in our everyday lives. I don't understand how the religious die hards can ignore those passages but attack so hard on the homosexuality issues.

Plus science is very close to proving that people are born gay. God made us the way we are. Why would we chose a lifestyle that brings us so much hatred, pain, harrassment, and discrimination? I'm glad the times are changing and hopefully these sexuality issues will be a thing of the past in about ten years. There was a time when race and gender were discriminated against and it was wrong. Same goes for a person's sexuality. I don't know how it can be a sin as we were born this way (once again science is very close to proving this).

[tom kameen]

the pizza in elegante is ????

[AmeriKenArtist]

The "world was flat" when those letters were written and eventually were collected and made into a book or Bible. I recall reading: "dash their (little) heads against the rocks." R J, do you recall where that passage is located in the good book?

I see no sin in anyone who is not purposely causing harm to another. I am from Danville. I went to art school in a city. That was a true revelation! I met kids with many different lifestyles. Many are good friends of mine to this day. No gay or lesbian has ever hurt me. I know many locals where I am now. All they do is cause havoc with others. They are heterosexual and it doesn't give them any kind of edge, believe me!

[lewisburgdude]

Lewisburg is as gay friendly as any small town in Pennsylvania is likely to be at this point in time. There are quite a few open gays at Bucknell, as well as in the community. One of the cafes now has a gay get together night as well. A lot of people move into Lewisburg from urban areas, and an awful lot of the people who have lived there forever are travelled and educated; these folks on average have been exposed to plenty of gay relationships and whatever their private beliefs or their own sexuality tend to be accepting of other lifestyles. It's not Castro Street or Boystown in Chicago, but generally speaking I don't think openly gay couples of either gender would find plenty of people that have no problem with it.

On the flip side, it's the northern Bible belt, and there are local pastors who think Christianity is mostly about bashing gays. There also is a redneckish element to the population that hasn't gotten the memo that it's not 1954 anymore.

Bottom line - it's not going to be hard to find a range of straight and gay friends who are accepting and encouraging. With a bit of work, you could dig up some old school bigots. On balance, though, I think it would pretty easy to live your life without undue concern about being principally defined by your sexual preference.

[goodwill67]

I am conservative and I also happen to live in Lewisburg. I find this idea of a person's liberal or conservative leanings begin determined based on choice of car difficult to process. As a conservative I am certainly planning to buy a Prius or some other hybrid next year simply because of the better gas mileage. This will not change my conservative tendencies in the slightest. As for Lewisburg itself, in spite of some liberal tendencies I have always found the resident population to lean toward the conservative. This is why I stayed after moving here. It is also a beautiful town and I think there is a tendency to want to preserve it as such.