Posted on: Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Gay-rights group wins holiday display permit
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
Honolulu's annual holiday civic center program will add a new element to the festivities, with a display this year by Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
The organization yesterday won one of the permits for five display areas provided by the city each year to nonprofit organizations. A lottery has been used since 1997 to determine which groups can set up displays after Mitchell Kahle, the then Hawai'i state director of the American Atheists, challenged the practice of allowing privately funded religious displays.
Customer Services Director Carol Costa said that 11 groups applied this year for the five display areas. The city posts a sign with a disclaimer indicating that the city does not choose the content of the displays in those areas.
The displays are permitted on city grounds during the popular city-sponsored Honolulu City Lights program, which includes holiday lights, decorated statues, Christmas tree displays and entertainment.
Costa said the five nonprofit groups who won the lottery yesterday were: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); the National Spiritual assembly of Baha'is, Hawaiian Islands; Goodwill Industries of Hawai'i; Chabad Lubavitch of Hawai'i, a Jewish organization; and Kama'aina Care, which does business as Kama'aina Kids childcare.
Carolyn Golojuch, O'ahu president of the gay and lesbian group, was happy to hear the news that the organization could participate. "This is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful news for us," she said.
Costa said the city is reviewing the nonprofit status of all of the organizations selected in the lottery.
Golojuch, whose son Michael is gay, said the organization plans to use the display to support, educate and advocate for social justice for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender family members and friends.
She said the holidays can be a particularly difficult time for families when gay members are estranged from them. "They know in their hearts that there's a member of the family missing at the Christmas tree, at the Hanukkah bush, at the table," Golojuch said.
Golojuch expects the display will stress family values that include all family members. "It's going to be very family oriented," she said and might include family photos of families with gay members. "I don't want anyone excluded."
She hopes the display might help spread a positive message during the holiday season.
"We'll be able to — maybe — soften some hearts and open their minds to the true meaning of Christmas."
