Pink Paradigm showed up at Yeatman's Cove for an educational leafleting campaign at the Cincinnati2012 kickoff for the city's Olympic Bid. Here Are a few Pix of the Magnificent Eight attempting to enlighten the masses. Sadly, there were more of us educators than there were pupils. Combined inclement weather with the $65 dollar entry fee and predictably, a good many people found other outlets for their passion that Saturday night. But, our pink tee shirts were a smashing success.
Leafletting Group
Top news story on Channel 19 that evening
Jenn & Elaine
Kelly & Jeff
Pink Paradigm
Sponsors Queen City Pride Rally & Olympics 2012 Leafletting
June 1, 1999
by Paradigm News Service
Cincinnati's new group for gay visibility and education, Pink Paradigm, has been up to more than raising money for billboards. Since their early meetings in February, the new "queer social network for cultural change" has raised about $2,500 towards the first installment of their Billboard Campaign to promote gay visibility in the Queen City. The group's educational bent has also directed it's members to address such things as the city's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, which they tackled with the leafletting of an Olympics fundraiser on May 22, and with direct exchanges between Olympics Organizer Nick Vehr and Pink Paradigm spokesman Michael Blankenship at the University of Cincinnati on April 15, and on radio station WNKU the following week. Urging organizers to "Save the Olympics!", Pink Paradigm wants Vehr to "speak out against discrimination and stand up for fairness. It's more than fun and games." (The text of the leaflet can be found below.)
And when it became apparent that no rally was being planned as part of Cincinnati's Pride events for 1999, Pink Paradigm stepped forward to sponsor this year's Pride Rally, in a demonstration of community involvement. "It seemed logical that if we (the Paradigm) are about visibility and education, we should sponsor the Pride Rally, otherwise it wasn't being scheduled.", said Blankenship. They have since been scrambling to pull together speakers and entertainers for the event, scheduled for Sunday, June 6, at 2:00pm in front of Cincinnati City Hall.
Cincinnati's Pride Committee picked "Unity in Our Community" as the theme for this year's Pride events, and Pink Paradigm members hope this rally can serve as a community forum, with all points of view within the GLBT community expressed. "Unity has to be built upon a foundation of communication and cooperation," said Blankenship. "We all have something to say, and we all need to listen as well."
Pink Paradigm hopes to do most of its talking through its Billboard Campaign. The group will have mockups of some of their best billboard designs on display at the Pride Rally. The billboards are not tied to any specific political intention, but designed to get the public used to thinking of gay people as familiar faces in the common experience. Instead of making statements, the billboards ask simple questions. The ads are built around themes of love, family, fairness, privacy, and economy. The group hopes to "put a face on our community," and thinks the best way to do that is to relate to the public personally, and let them answer the questions posed. Pink Paradigm needs to raise at least $6,000 for each different design in the planned series of ads.
More information about the group and it's future activities can be found at the Rainbow Cincinnati website, www.GayCincinnati.com.
Text of leaflet:
SAVE THE OLYMPICS!
It's more than fun and games.
THE OLYMPICS ARE IN DANGER!
The IOC is committed to the practice of sport without discrimination
of any kind. Olympic events in Cobb County Georgia were withdrawn
during the Atlanta games and the Olympic Torch rerouted around
the county due to the county's resolution condemning the "gay
lifestyle."
COULD IT HAPPEN HERE?
Cincinnati has a similar offending law which could eliminate
our city from the list of candidate cities for the 2012 Games.
The Olympic champion, Magic Johnson, when asked about Cincinnati's
chances for hosting the Olympic Games in light of the 1993 passage
of Issue 3, commented, "I don't think that would happen,
too many people would hold it against you." We believe that
Cincinnati deserves the Olympics and could only benefit from
the enriching experience of cultural diversity in the 21st Century.
We want our city to have its best shot.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
We expect the Cincinnati 2012 organizing committee to directly
address issues of discrimination and stand up for fairness in
our city. Cincinnati 2012 should do its part to remove this disqualifying
bias and work for fairness.
CONTACT NICK VEHR:
(513) 421-8200
Tell him it's more than fun and games!
Sponsor: Pink Paradigm Visibility Projects
www.gaycincinnati.com
