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Going public with love and lifestyle

By Josh Sykes

PSU College of Communications

A first of its kind event in the central region of Pennsylvania took place March 29, 2008 - a commitment ceremony for same-sex couples. The event drew a crowd of more than 700 family, friends, and students to Alumni Hall in the Hub-Robeson Center at Penn State University. It was the kick-off to the university's gay pride week.

Four couples participated, including Paul Datti and Frank Vasquez.  Datti is a Penn State doctoral student and a counselor in the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance (LGBTA) center.  Vasquez is a sales manager for a realtor.  They have been a couple for more than 10 years.  They said that the ceremony isn't only about renewing their love and commitment, but about being good role models for those in the LGBT community who don't have it as good as they do.

Tom Koerber, Penn State student and organizer for the same-sex commitment ceremony, said it was originally created to help educate the public about LGBT couples.  Soon after the announcement of the event, State College Mayor Bill Welch was asked to preside.  Mayor Welch said he tries to do as many things for the community as he can and that he'd be more than willing to do a commitment ceremony. Under current Pennsylvania law he couldn't perform same-sex marriages.

Even though the mayor was more than willing, others were opposed to having a same-sex commitment ceremony in their community. At the head of the opposition was Pastor Gary Dull of the Faith Baptist Church in Altoona.  Pastor Dull and his congregation collected more than 6,100 signatures from churchgoers and community members around Central Pennsylvania in an effort to put an end to the ceremony.

The petition was presented to Mayor Welch, but that didn't stop him from presiding over the event.

"Biblical literalists need to look past the Old Testament and see that Jesus was all about love.  Jesus and I are both pro-love," Mayor Welch, said.

During the ceremony, Pastor Dull led a Pro-Families Rally on the Old Main steps to promote biblical family ideals.  During the rally, members of the LGBT community silently protested nearby.

Datti and Vasquez hold the same sentiments as Mayor Welch; they said they are all about love.  They had a "marriage" ceremony previously and said that throughout their lives together, neither has really been discriminated against, getting nothing but love and support from family and friends.

Datti and Vasquez said they were prepared for strong opposition to the ceremony.  But they said they didn't think any protest would change their commitment.

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