š³ļøāš āThere arenāt just LGBTQ+ people in citiesā | Morning Newsletter
And, when legal weed could come to Pa.
The Morning Newsletter
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Happy Monday. The high temperature is expected to reach 67 with the sky sunny and clear.
In case you didnāt know, tomorrow is National Coming Out Day. Itās a day to celebrate people ācoming out of the closet.ā
If youāre comfortable, email us and share your coming out story š§. It could end up in tomorrowās newsletter.
I came out (for the first time) in high school. I distinctly remember making my own Netflix account just so I could watch The L Word in secret and hoping no one noticed that I liked one of my friends a little too much. More than a decade and a few self-discoveries later, I wouldnāt change an ounce of my journey.
Our lead story focuses on how LGBTQ events have expanded into suburban towns and are not as limited to big cities.
If you see this š in todayās newsletter, that means weāre highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.
We have a packed day so letās get into it.
ā Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
An increasing number of LGBTQ events ā including Pride festivals in June and celebrations for National Coming Out Day in October ā have been held in the regionās suburban and even exurban communities.
And every year, organizers say, attendance grows.
Organizers credit this momentum to increasing support of LGBTQ rights across all age groups, but particularly among millennials ā some of whom are now parents raising kids in the suburbs ā and younger generations.
West Chester OutFest last week drew 500 people.
Thousands packed a minor-league baseball stadium for Lancaster Pride in June.
The first York County Pride drew 1,500 supporters.
Lititz ā a small town of less than 10,000 people ā drew 1,000 for its second Pride Festival.
Despite promising strides, there are still some threats. West Chester officials received hateful emails during the planning of their OutFest.
About a dozen protesters showed up, but supporters far outnumbered them.
Reporter Erin McCarthy details how organizers are seeking to push more visibility and greater acceptance in the broader community.
What you should know today
After a double mastectomy, a Frankford High baseball coach wants to raise awareness that men can get breast cancer, too.
Lower Merion School District nixed Halloween parties at its six elementary schools.
Cherry Hill voters approved a $363 million school bond referendum, which is New Jerseyās largest in at least a decade.
Philly Music Fest expanded to seven days with Mt. Joy, Low Cut Connie, and more.
Local coronavirus numbers: Hereās your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
Governments and big institutions are spilling acres of words to publicly acknowledge they sit on land that rightfully belonged ā or belongs ā to others.
But the rise of these āland acknowledgmentsā is fueling a debate: whether they constitute meaningful affirmation or serve to salve largely white sensibilities.
Critics say the declarations posted on the websites of dozens of corporations, colleges, and museums too often mark the start and end of concern for issues that harm Native Americans.
It is Indigenous Peopleās Day and the governments of Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, and Portland, Ore., or their agencies, have made acknowledgments or have them in the works.
Continue reading this work from reporter Jeff Gammage, who spoke to several Indigenous leaders and activists about what would be more meaningful actions.
Itās a crime to possess, consume, grow, or sell marijuana in Pennsylvania. Only medical marijuana patients can legally buy and consume cannabis from state-approved dispensaries.
At least four states around Pennsylvania have legalized or will vote to legalize weed soon.
Pennsylvania stands out for having no level of legislation, decriminalization or regulation.
Two takeaways on marijuana legislation efforts in the state:
Some marijuana law experts could see legalization happening next year but the major holdup is needing bipartisan support.
Thereās an opportunity to infuse restorative justice and address the War on Drugs. Marijuana is both illegal and heavily criminalized here. Black residents are five times more likely to be arrested for possession than white residents. Policymakers can bring legacy operators ā the people who have sold cannabis for decades before it was legal ā to the table when it comes to discussing legalization efforts.
Keep reading as reporter Henry Savage explains the other three takeaways.
What weāre...
š³ļø Reading: Why undecided voters in Pa. are still unconvinced.
š Hoping: Youāll share some pictures if you captured the full moon last night.
š§ Listening: To Sudan Archivesā new album, Natural Brown Prom Queen.
š§© Unscramble the Anagram š§©
Hint: Arctic Splash
CONFIDES THW AITE
Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. Weāll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Todayās shout-out goes to Lounh Phoeuk, who correctly guessed Mischief Night as Sundayās answer.
Photo of the Day
And thatās your start to the week. Make it count. Iāll see you back here tomorrow.