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    • What is the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus? >
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The Hell We’ve Been Through
Stories of LGBTQ+ Discrimination in Central Pennsylvania

High School Experiences

Jeanine Ruhsam, founder of TransCentral PA, describes what it was like growing up as a boy in high school: “I was accused of being, you know, queer. And suspected of being what we would call a ‘gay boy’ now. You know, the funny thing was, I didn’t have those sorts of feelings. I was very attracted to girls, but in a very funny way, because it was like I wanted to be a girl as much as I wanted to be with girls.” Jeanine suffered constant harassment and physical attacks in school. “You know I started hitch hiking (to get to school), because even though I sat behind the bus driver, I’d still get attacked from behind.” Jeanine went on to transgender advocacy and education later in life, including helping to change the law involving indication of gender identity on PA driver licenses.  – Jeanine Ruhsam oral history
 
Joanne Carroll, former president of TransCentral PA, also had a difficult childhood growing up as a boy named John. As John, he was the victim of bullying in school  “…the girls didn’t pick on me because I made friends with them, but most of the boys did, in fact the kid across the street used to beat me up every day after school, every day. I think he was studying for the Olympics, because he needed a punching bag and his parents couldn’t afford one. I accepted Christ when I was ten, baptized at twelve, and Daddy molested me at thirteen. That didn’t make me think anything differently about myself, but it made me mad at God. Because having been brought up in a very religious experience, and always being told that God loves you and all the sudden the person who leads you to faith, and then God saying He is the God of Love - that didn’t work out for me. And so, basically I yelled at God for fifty years. I’ve looked at suicide four times. That’s the level of desperation I think that comes in.” Joanne continued to struggle until she finally was able to live her true gender identity later in life. In addition to becoming president of TransCentral PA, Joanne has become one of the most involved and visible transgender activists in the state with membership on numerous boards including the Governor's Commission on LGBTQ Affairs. – Joanne Carroll oral history
Picture
Jeanine Ruhsam speaking at a FAB fundraiser. photo by Dennis Martin, courtesy of Posh Studio.
Picture
Joanne Carroll (right) staffing information table for TransCentral PA.
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P.O. Box 5629
Harrisburg, PA 17110

(717) 409-5781
info@centralpalgbtcenter.org

© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • The Long Road
    • Beginning >
      • Early Experiences
    • Philadelphia >
      • Philadelphia Part 2
    • Harrisburg >
      • Harrisburg Experiences
    • Lancaster >
      • Lancaster Experiences
    • York >
      • York Experiences
    • Allentown
    • Montgomery >
      • Montgomery Experiences
      • Montgomery Part 2
    • Work Continues >
      • Current Challenges
    • Acknowledgments
  • With Open Hearts & Open Arms
    • Gay LIfe in Pre-Castro Cuba/Homophobia/What's In a Name? Part 1
    • What's in a Name? Part 1 Continued/UMAP/Mattachine Society
    • Leftist Gays in the US/The Mariel Boatlift
    • The Mariel Boatlift Part 2/Resettlement Camps
    • Resettlement Continued/Press Coverage
    • Immigration/What's In a Name? Part 2
    • LGBTQ+ Organizing
    • The Mariel Generation/Life in PA
    • The Eromin Center/Impact of AIDS
    • AIDS in Cuba/LGBTQ+ Rights in Cuba
    • Acknowledgements
  • Stories of Discrimination
    • Hate Crimes >
      • Anita Bryant
      • Escalating Violence
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Bookstore Bombings
    • Employment Discrimination >
      • Blacklisted
      • "Moral Turpitude"
      • Elected
      • Traumatized and penalized
      • Other Stories of Employment Discrimination
    • Transgender Discrimination >
      • High School Experiences
      • Other Stories of Transgender Discrimination
    • Housing and Property Discrimination >
      • Vision of Hope MCC
    • Conclusion
  • We Believe?
    • Early Expereriences
    • Coming Out
    • LGBTQ+ Groups >
      • Religious Life
      • Social Life
      • Political Life
    • Faith and Identity
    • LGBTQ+ Clergy
    • Responses: Backlash
    • Responses: Acceptance
    • Looking Forward
  • Duty, Honor, Pride
    • Vietnam War Era >
      • Investigations
    • Post-Vietnam Experiences
    • "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy >
      • Personal Experiences
      • Criticisms
      • Repeal
    • Closing >
      • Citations
  • History of LGBTQ+ Bars
    • Bars of the 1950s & 1960s
    • Bars of the 1970s
    • Bars of the 1980s
    • Bars of the 1990s & 2000s
    • Harrisburg, PA
    • Lancaster, PA
    • York, PA
    • Bar Spotlights >
      • 400 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg: Pre-Raids
      • Johnny Kobler's
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Friendly Bars of the 1960s
      • The Neptune Lounge
      • The Strawberry Inn
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1970’s
      • Silhouette/D-Gem
      • Shadows
      • The Archives
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1980’s
      • Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1990/2000’s
      • Village Tavern Night Club
      • Tally-Ho Tavern/ The Loft
      • Railroad House Bar
      • The Fiddler
      • Sundown Lounge
      • Altland’s Ranch
      • Town Tavern
      • 14 Karat Room
  • Gender Identity and Gender Expression
    • Terminology
    • Early Years: Impersonation
    • Entertaining for a Cause
    • Gender During Gay LIberation
    • Medical Classification
    • Rise of Publications and Organizations
    • The 1990s
    • Advocacy and Visibility
    • Expansion of Organizations and Activities >
      • Oral Histories and Photos
    • Where We Are Now
  • LGBTQ+ Art and Artists
    • Jude Sharp
    • Paul Foltz
    • Inspired
    • Aries and the Gay Era
  • The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus
    • What is the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus? >
      • PA Rural Gay Caucus Education Committee
    • Where were these groups located?
    • Gay Lobby Day
    • Important People
    • Pushback Against Opposition
    • What Happened to the Caucus?
  • Early LGBTQ+ Activism
    • Life Before Stonewall
    • Who's Who?
    • Richard Schlegel
    • Social Organizations
    • Effects of Stonewall on Central PA
    • Political Organizing
    • Rifts in the Movement
    • Read All About It!
  • Coming Out
    • Emily Newberry
    • Joanne Carrol
    • Amanda Hecker
    • Mara Kiesling
    • Maria Warren
    • Shaka Hudson
    • Lindsay Snowden
    • David Payne
    • Dr. Eric Selvy
    • Heidi Notario
    • Tammy de Sol
    • Cindy Lou Mitzel
    • LGBTQ+ Support Groups
  • Out on Campus
    • Acknowledgments
    • Bryn Mawr
    • HBCUs
    • Lafayette College
    • BCCC
    • Penn State
    • UPenn
    • Pitt
    • Lehigh University
    • Shippensburg University
    • HACC
  • Other Resources