March 8, 1999
a queer social network for cultural change.
...to work for ourselves, and for our reality,
to change hearts and perceptions with visibility,
to address violence, energize our community, and
have fun with the simplicity and creativeness
of our message.
A new group has formed to begin an effort to promote gay visibility within the broader Cincinnati community, through a billboard campaign. This campaign, though not tied to any specific political intention, will consist of ads that make people think, and get them used to thinking of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons as familiar faces in the common experience.
The group, Pink Paradigm, is identified as, "a queer social network for cultural change." Although not organized as either a tax-exempt organization or charity, Pink Paradigm will utilize the social network as a connecting point for the best creative minds to come together and devise ways of promoting queer visibility and influence. The Billboard Campaign is the first goal.
The process of producing these billboards is already underway, and will utilize the wealth of skills and talents available in the greater Cincinnati queer community to produce the greatest impact possible. Pink Paradigm is recruiting the skills and contributions of photographers, models, designers, printers, and knowledgeable professionals for this first project. "We believe the most effective way to influence perceptions is to put a face on our community and touch our audience personally," points out Michael Blankenship, facilitator for the group. Some of the dominant themes of this billboard campaign will be family, fairness, work, and privacy, among others.
The first Pink Paradigm event is a fundraiser show on Friday, April 16 at 10pm at the Pipeline, 241 West Court St. For additional information contact Michael Blankenship at 513-396-6738 or Pink Pyramid Bookstore at 513-621-7465. Also visit Rainbow Cincinnati at www.GayCincinnati.com.
