by Evelyn Bailey
On February 16, I began a road trip south to interview members of the LGBT community who have moved away from Rochester.
Bill Pritchard’s involvement with Rochester LGBT community began in the late ‘80’s with the Political Caucus of the GAGV. Bill joined the Board of the Gay Alliance in 1992, and became Board President in 1994. In 2003 Bill was appointed to fill a vacancy on Rochester City Council, and in 2007 was named Vice President of City Council. In 1994 Bill was awarded the Vinnie cup. Bill, an openly gay government official for over 18 years, courageously fought to bring equality and full civil rights to the Rochester LGBT community. Now Bill is the Executive Director of the Foundation at Union Hospital of Cecil County, MD. He and his partner Michael live happily in Newark, Delaware with their 3 dogs.
Bob Dardano, currently working at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC as Senior Acquisitions Specialist, was a gay activist in Rochester in 1984. Bob was involved in fighting for passage of a County anti-discrimination proposal. In June, 1984 Bob was awarded the Vinnie Cup. For many years Bob was a staff member of the Empty Closet and in charge of subscriptions. He also was a member of the U. of R. Gay and lesbian Association, the Rochester Gay Political Caucus, the NYS Lesbian and Gay Lobby, and represented the GAGV on the Rochester Regional Advisory Council of the NYS Division of Human Rights. Bob lives in Washington, DC and enjoys simply walking to work every day.
The next leg of my journey focused on the early history of Dignity/Integrity Rochester. Dignity-Integrity/Rochester (D-I/R) was chartered in 1975 as the first combined chapter of the national organizations of Dignity/USA (Roman Catholic) and Integrity, Inc. (Episcopal). As lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersexed persons of faith, members of D/I form a small faith community with regional and national connections in the struggle for justice in church and society.
In 1973, a group of gay Catholics, under the leadership of Kevin Scahill and Margaret Mary Lau began Dignity, gay Catholic group. Fr. John Robbins, a Basilian priest, was Chaplain. On Sunday they worshipped at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church behind Kodak offices. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, a Hispanic Mission Church, was the only church in the Rochester Roman Catholic Diocese that welcomed them. Mass had to be said in Spanish. There were 13 present at the 1st Mass.
Early in 1975, Rev. Bruce Hanson, Rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, and Fr. Walt Szymanski, a curate at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, met to discuss bringing a group of gay men to St. Lukes from St. Thomas to meet on Sunday afternoons. Fr. John Robbins was in contact with Rev. Bruce and Fr. Walt. Kodak was expanding behind its offices and St. Patrick’s was scheduled to be demolished. Rev. Bruce gained permission to use the worship space and the parish hall for social gatherings. In the late Spring of 1975 the Episcopal group of gay men and the Catholic group of gay men and women came together for worship and socialization. Thus the beginning of Dignity/Integrity of Rochester!
Cindy Birch, Margaret Mary’s partner described the experience of coming to D/I in this way:
“With fear men and women entered the church – not knowing what to expect. They were greeted with open arms and warm hugs. After a few minutes they relaxed and said, “I am HOME!”
These brief snippets of my travels among some broad tall shoulders – Bill Pritchard, Bob Dardano, Bruce Hanson, Margaret Mary Lau and Cindy Birch – will be expanded upon in future articles, the documentary, our archives, our blog and our written history. These men and women continue to contribute their openness, passion, warmth, pride and spirit to the community’s they now live in. Shoulders To Stand On is proud to know them and proud of the many contributions they have made to the greater Rochester LGBT community.