Rolling Toward the Right Thing

To the Editor:

In 1983, I opened a gay bar in Fargo, The My Place Lounge.

In 1984 I started Pride in Fargo with a proclamation from Fargo Mayor Jon Lindgren. That proclamation created so much upset in the community that it was one of the most attended Commission meetings in Fargo’s history along side with the abortion issue. The commission meeting was held in the Fargo Civic Center. The Commission overturned Mayor Lindgren’s Proclamation.

In 1984 I asked Fargo Mayor Lindgren to do it again. He said YES, “It’s the right thing to do!” and it was overturned by the commission again. In 1985 I asked him to sign the proclamation again and it stood the test of time in 1986.

I remember my partner and me going to a movie in the 1980s. We walked in and we sat down. Me, being high profile in the community since I ran for City Commission.  We heard the words faggots and queers. 

Recently on facebook I started, 10,000 FM for gay marriage but now I’ve changed it to 10,000 ND for gay marriage. It’s not a local issue but a state issue.

Since the 1980s, life has changed. It’s not a big deal to be gay around young people.

This past winter I was hit with lots of snow at the end of my driveway. My neighbors helped dig us out with their snowblowers and shovels. They snowblowed our driveway, they shoveled our sidewalk and the steps to our house.

It was a Sally Fields moment.  Afterwards, I went inside with tears in my eyes. They like us, they really do like us as neighbors!

-Lenny Tweeden
Fargo