Posted on Nov 11, 2023
New Hampshire town considers banning all public art over LGBTQ+ murals
197
7
1
4
4
0
A small town in New Hampshire may ban all public art after a local official objected to a “diversity mural” sponsored by an LGBTQ+ group.
In late August, state Sen. Carrie Gendreau (R), a member of Littleton, New Hampshire’s three-person Select Board, took issue with a mural consisting of three paintings by artist Meg Reinhold, according to the CBC. Commissioned by the NOCO Mural Project in collaboration with local LGBTQ+ group North Country Pride with funding from a United Way grant, the paintings went up late this summer on a brick wall outside local restaurant Jing Fong.
In late August, state Sen. Carrie Gendreau (R), a member of Littleton, New Hampshire’s three-person Select Board, took issue with a mural consisting of three paintings by artist Meg Reinhold, according to the CBC. Commissioned by the NOCO Mural Project in collaboration with local LGBTQ+ group North Country Pride with funding from a United Way grant, the paintings went up late this summer on a brick wall outside local restaurant Jing Fong.
New Hampshire town considers banning all public art over LGBTQ+ murals
Posted from lgbtqnation.com
Littleton
Art
LGBTQ+
Posted 7 mo ago
Responses: 1
3
3
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."“Under the current environment that we’re going through,” Gleason told the Globe, “I think it would be very difficult to get two of the three board members to be supportive of any kind of long-term agreement with the group.”
“We have a town government that is actively hostile to LGBTQ people, even if they’re pillars of the community, even if they’re helping with tourism, and helping with the vibrancy of our local arts and culture scene, and even if they’re bringing a lot of money,” said Jordan Applewhite, a local bar and restaurant owner who identifies as queer. “That doesn’t feel like responsible government.”
“This may be a moment where people start to realize that you can’t ignore town government,” Applewhite said. “You actually do have to show up for town elections in March and do a little research about who the candidates are and maybe even consider running yourself.”
At an October 23 Select Board meeting, Gendreau faced calls for her resignation, according to a statement from North Country Pride. Fellow board member Linda MacNeil spoke out against censorship of art, while Gleason recounted a heartbreaking incident in which a Littleton resident came to his office and told him that she hoped his son, who was gay and died of cancer, was “happy in hell with the devil, where he belongs.”
“I’ve had to come into work today and wonder: How do I go forward? How do I focus on my job, which is supposed to be potholes, sidewalks, police, and fire, when I’ve got people in this community telling me my son is in hell — because he was gay? He didn’t choose to be anything. He was born gay, and I loved him,” Gleason said to thunderous applause."...
..."“Under the current environment that we’re going through,” Gleason told the Globe, “I think it would be very difficult to get two of the three board members to be supportive of any kind of long-term agreement with the group.”
“We have a town government that is actively hostile to LGBTQ people, even if they’re pillars of the community, even if they’re helping with tourism, and helping with the vibrancy of our local arts and culture scene, and even if they’re bringing a lot of money,” said Jordan Applewhite, a local bar and restaurant owner who identifies as queer. “That doesn’t feel like responsible government.”
“This may be a moment where people start to realize that you can’t ignore town government,” Applewhite said. “You actually do have to show up for town elections in March and do a little research about who the candidates are and maybe even consider running yourself.”
At an October 23 Select Board meeting, Gendreau faced calls for her resignation, according to a statement from North Country Pride. Fellow board member Linda MacNeil spoke out against censorship of art, while Gleason recounted a heartbreaking incident in which a Littleton resident came to his office and told him that she hoped his son, who was gay and died of cancer, was “happy in hell with the devil, where he belongs.”
“I’ve had to come into work today and wonder: How do I go forward? How do I focus on my job, which is supposed to be potholes, sidewalks, police, and fire, when I’ve got people in this community telling me my son is in hell — because he was gay? He didn’t choose to be anything. He was born gay, and I loved him,” Gleason said to thunderous applause."...
(3)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google