More Transgendered News Online
__________________________________________________________
                             PECO Not Happy About  Gay Sign
                                              By David Schepp

The debate over gay rights scaled regal heights in Philadelphia as officials at PECO Energy and local gay-rights activists continued to joust over whether the word "gay" will be displayed brightly atop the PECO Energy Co. building in Center City- the heart of gay Philadelphia- via the company's electronic message board.  The decision by PECO to exclude the word from a promotional message for the city's annual Pridefest event angered event organizers and gay activists and sparked a debate in the local gay community as to how far corporate America will go in honoring diversity in the events it sponsors as well as in its corporate policies.  PECO's decision to exclude the words "gay" and coming out" from the message board asserts the belief many gays share about straight America:  It is accepting of gay lifestyles as long as they aren't flaunted, said Andrew Park, executive director of the Center for lesbian and Gay Civil Rights.  "They don't want to use words that raise debate," Park said.  A debate Park feels needs to take place if gays are ever to gain wide acceptance in American culture.  Park said that as word of the controversy has spread through the Philadelphia gay community, call to PECO have flowed in at a rate of 3-to-1 in favor of using the offending language in the luminescent message.  "Because of the agenda, they actually fit into the category where we would reject anything they submit...but we've loosened it, " PECO spokesman David Hackney said in an interview with GFN.  "A technical reading of PECO's policy could exclude these organizations."  The "crown lights" as they are known have been a fixture of Center City Philadelphia since 1976 when PECO installed red, white and blue bulbs in the shape of the American flag high on its headquarters building in honor of the American Bicentennial celebration.  The lights were later upgraded to an electronic message board and have since become a local landmark, splashing messages for visiting dignitaries and local events, recently including the Boy Scouts of America annual dinner.  Because of the building's location the Philadelphia geography-mostly flat the messages can be seen for miles at night.  The lights aren't strong enough to display messages during the day. 

Continued next month

7

Next Page