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Their documentary looks at why, how and when
local gays and straights together managed to forge a cohesive
community (as opposed to merely gay-tolerant) in an area that is
otherwise traditional or conservative with respect to, for example,
its religious heritage, partisan representation and small-town
values. Audience participation is welcomed to enliven the discussion
with comments and questions.
This two-year project has been part of a
Historical Society effort to showcase gay history in the area by
providing historical context. Historical Society Museum Chair Jim
Schmiechen, who has worked on the sidelines with the project, calls
it a "major breakthrough in identifying and documenting the evolving
relationship between 'gay' and 'straight' in this community during
the past half century or more."
This Tuesday Talk is sponsored by
Saugatuck Brewing
Company, Douglas, where some of the documentary's scenes
were filmed, and its founder/president/brewmaster Barry Johnson,
Mayor of Saugatuck.
Tuesday Talks with varying topics and sponsors
will continue throughout the summer, concluding August 31, in the
west exhibit room at The Old School House. Free but limited parking
is available in the Old School House driveway, with more along
Center Street and nearby side streets.
For a full schedule of Tuesday Talks, and more
information about the Historical Society, its Museum and its Old
School House Discovery Center, visit
www.sdhistoricalsociety.org.
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