This is the Bloomsburg Fair Facebook post that showed a man impersonating Dr. Rachel Levine in a dunk tank. The post, made on Monday, was quickly removed, but not before touching off a firestorm on social media.

This is the Bloomsburg Fair Facebook post that showed a man impersonating Dr. Rachel Levine in a dunk tank. The post, made on Monday, was quickly removed, but not before touching off a firestorm on social media.

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A statewide coalition of LGBTQ organizations is demanding the Bloomsburg Fair make a written apology to Pennsylania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine as well as taking other steps to demonstrate a commitment to non-discrimination.

The move follows Saturday’s controversial dunk-tank appearance at the fairgrounds by a man dressed like Dr. Levine, who is transgender. Despite claims that the man was imitating actress Marilyn Monroe, both he and the fair’s Facebook page made it clear he was pretending to be Levine.

A post on that page was quickly removed on Monday, and fair officials apologized in a letter released at a press conference on Tuesday.

But the LGBTQ groups, which include the NEPA Rainbow Alliance and Queer NEPA, questioned whether those gestures were sufficient.

A letter sent to Fair Board President Randy Karschner by the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, and signed by more than 50 LGBTQ groups, seeks a written apology posted publicly and mailed to Levine’s office, “not an excuse, an actual apology which recognizes the hurt and the harm done.”

The full letter can be read below. It was released the same day as Gov. Tom Wolf also blasted the fair.

Efforts to reach fair representatives were not immediately successful.

The letter

Mr. Karschner:

As organizations that work every day to support LGBTQ Pennsylvanians, we were shocked, disgusted, and outraged by the vile public display of transphobic bigotry at the Bloomsburg Fair’s Fireman’s Relief Carnival.

Our organizations know how harmful this action was because we understand the effects of transphobia on the people we serve. We recognize how transphobia leads to higher rates of violence and suicide. We witness how transgender people are denied housing and public services. We feel the effects of pervasive anti-transgender bullying and harassment in schools. The public display of bigotry at your event perpetuates this violence.

We are also outraged by the disregard for the sound scientific leadership of our Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. A study from Drexel University demonstrated that her COVID-19 actions have already saved more than 7,000 lives. Dr. Levine deserves our respect. She does not deserve the barrage of anti-transgender attacks she has experienced, including from your organization.

Transphobia is not a good image for community events including the Bloomsburg Fair, and many businesses throughout Pennsylvania understand that. Our organizations represent tens of thousands of LGBTQ Pennsylvanians and we are demanding that the Bloomsburg Fair take decisive corrective action in apologizing for your significant anti-transgender events this past week. Anti-transgender actions are not a Pennsylvania value.

WE DEMAND:

  • A written apology to Dr. Rachel Levine, posted publicly and mailed to her office. Not an excuse, an actual apology which recognizes the hurt and the harm done.
  • A donation of an equal amount of funds as raised in the dunk tank to offset this transphobic act to support community education programs on transgender inclusion in Columbia County. We ask that the donation be directed to the Columbia Montour Pride Working Group of the Coalition for Social Equity which offers education, support, and advocacy for LGBTQ people in Columbia and Montour Counties.
  • The posting of an LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination policy on the Bloomsburg Fair’s website, which all fair vendors must affirm each year.
  • Explicitly support statewide LGBTQ non-discrimination protections in Pennsylvania.
  • Commit the entire Board and staff of the Bloomsburg Fair to receive training on LGBTQ cultural awareness and equity facilitated by transgender individual(s) who are compensated for their time and expertise.
  • Provide a complimentary vendor space at the next two Bloomsburg Fairs to be used as an LGBTQ welcome and resource center which would be staffed by the Coalition for Social Equity and other community inclusion organizations in north central and northeast Pennsylvania.