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Playing in Peoria

Advocate, The, April 12, 2005 by Douglas Drenckpohl

I would like to make some clarifications regarding your article "Not on Gay Road" [The Nation, March 15], which unjustly portrayed Peoria, Ill., as intolerant toward gays.

The article stated, "Apparently gay doesn't play in Peoria," then discussed how residents from Marquette Heights, Ill., successfully campaigned to have a local street name changed from Gay Road to Hennepin Road. The reason for this unnecessary change was that residents were being harassed because of the negative connotation the word gay has in their community

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First of all, Marquette Heights is a small community in Tazewell County, which is on the other side of the Illinois River from Peoria. Second, it was the Marquette Heights city council that decided to succumb to ignorance and change the name of the street, not Peoria's city council.

The fact of the matter is, being gay does play in Peoria. In April 2003 the Peoria city council voted 8-3 to change the local nondiscrimination ordinance to include sexual orientation. This progressive legislation was enacted almost two years before the state of Illinois modified its nondiscrimination laws to include sexual orientation.

Douglas Drenckpohl, Peoria, Ill.

Playing in Peoria

Advocate, The, April 12, 2005 by Douglas Drenckpohl

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