It’s Pride Month. Here’s how a Kansas City LGBTQ great pushed back at scare tactics

As Pride Month arrives, I’ve been reflecting about lessons I learned from my former colleague John Long. He was co-founder and publisher of Camp magazine, which served Kansas City’s LGBTQ and allied communities.

Our paths crossed in 2007, when I was looking for freelance work after 20 years as a newspaper editor. To advertise, I tacked up fliers on bulletin boards. John saw one and called me.

He told me about the magazine: It covered entertainment, politics, health and more. Readers could pick up free issues at restaurants, bars, libraries and stores in the Kansas City area.

I was an ally to the community, but looking back, I was not especially knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues. John apparently believed I could learn — he hired me as Camp’s editor. Our working relationship lasted until 2020, when he sold the publication.

Our writers were volunteers who worked around the demands of their day jobs. Some, such as Brad Osborn, contributed articles for years. Designer Terry Newell created the magazine’s signature look, including its imaginative, sometimes fanciful covers. The team showed me patience and gave me grace.

This March 9, John died suddenly at age 68. He was a man of integrity, loyalty and compassion, and I am fortunate to have worked with him. He enjoyed helping people make connections with each other — it was his superpower, really. One way he did this was through Camp, and the magazine was his legacy.

Over the years, John shared stories about growing up in Chicago with his five siblings. One favorite memory was of his father lovingly restoring a red bicycle for him and presenting it as a Christmas surprise. Sadly, when John was 11, his father died of a heart attack at age 45. He cherished that bike for decades.

In Kansas City, John and his then-partner Jim Gabel founded Camp in 2004. Later, John took sole ownership. He embraced the city and supported many causes, including PrideFest. John always encouraged organizers to include a parade.

Along the way, John gave me guidance: We shouldn’t include closeted people in our coverage because they might face negative repercussions. In time, I learned that Kansas and Missouri’s nondiscrimination laws do not protect people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. That means landlords can deny people a lease just because of their sexual orientation.

John told me that alcohol and tobacco companies often sponsored LGBTQ events, probably because substance use is higher among community members. I learned that in general, the LGBTQ community faces worse health outcomes than straight and cisgender people, with higher rates of anxiety and depression. Their added stress leads to higher cortisol levels, affecting metabolism, immune function and cardiovascular health.

John told me about donating items to Passages, a group for LGBTQ teens. Youths need extra support, he explained, because they often face family rejection. I learned that the top reason for homelessness among young LGBTQ people was being forced out of the home or running away because of family rejecting them over their orientation or identity.

Most of all, I learned that it’s vital for allies to be loud and clear about our support for the LGBTQ community. Our voices — and our votes — matter.

Acceptance of the LGBTQ community has progressed remarkably in recent years. In Gallup polling, the share of respondents approving of same-sex marriages grew from 27% in 1996 to 70% in 2022.

Republican extremists want to reverse this trend by demonizing LGBTQ people. It’s not surprising, because the GOP’s strategy depends on manufacturing fear and dividing us. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas wanted to add warnings to TV shows that mention gender identity. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri wants to punish Disney because it opposed Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which forbids teachers from mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity in early grades.

Their scare tactics won’t work. People like John and Brad and Terry are just trying to live their best lives. Talking about sexual orientation and gender identity is safe and healthy for all of us.

This year, Kansas City PrideFest will include a parade on June 11 at 11 a.m., and I plan to be there.

John would have loved to see that parade.

This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.