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Philadelphia’s Hidden Gem: The nation’s oldest Diverse lending library in the Gayborhood
In Philadelphia's Gayborhood, there is a concealed gem of American history and the country's oldest Homosexual lending library.
"The center opened in 1976 here in Philadelphia, and one of its first programs was to hold a library," said John Anderies, director of John J. Wilcox Jr. Library at the William Way Community Center.
The John J. Wilcox, Jr. Library at the William Way LGBT Community Center emphasizes its unique role as the nation's oldest LGBTQ lending library. Established in 1976, the library offers more than 14,000 books and DVDs, focusing on the diverse lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals.
The library's hours are Monday-Thursday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. except for holidays, and it's staffed by volunteers.
"Recently, I had someone come in looking for a DVD because they do a monthly movie night with their friends, so they wanted a movie," said volunteer Scott Edwards.
The center also has an archive dedicated to preserving Philadelphia's Gay legacy.
"There's things favor newspapers and periodicals, ephemera, individuals, personal papers, if they're, say, a wr
William Way LGBT People Center starts ‘soft reopening’ amidst pause in construction project
The William Way LGBT Community Center abruptly closed in October after mold was found during an environmental assessment associated with the center’s much-anticipated renovation project. Now, they’re getting ready to welcome people back into the building — but the proposal is on hold.
Over 100 community groups — including LGBTQ+ sports, arts and culture, and recovery groups who otherwise cannot provide their own space — use William Way’s facilities. Some of the recovery meetings that typically grab place at William Way have regained use of the lobby, and at the close of 2024, the center was taking steps toward offering local LGBTQ+ choir Philadelphia Voices of Pride access to the ballroom for rehearsals. Over the next month, more community groups that have historically utilized the center will be allowed to use it again.
“You might say we’re doing a soft reopening,” said Dave Huting, co-chair of the center’s board.
Huting told PGN that William Way’s leaders decided to adjacent the building only as a precautionary measure — not because it was mandated by an official or required bas
TransWay leaders launch new group amid dispute as William Way prepares drop reboot
TransWay, a longtime peer-led support collective for trans and gender-diverse people, is undergoing major changes after a sudden shift in direction on July 3 that prompted its former facilitators to launch a modern space for society connection.
“It becomes sort of a chosen family when you’ve been going to these meetings just about every week for 12 years,” said Shane Rubin about the collective he’s developed through TransWay — a local support and discussion group for people of transgender, nonbinary, gender-expansive and gender-questioning experiences.
“You giggle together, you scream together, you discuss about the implications of a news story,” he said, adding that it’s also a cosmos to find more mundane resources — such as trans-affirming clothing stores or a dentist who isn’t going to ask inappropriate questions about gender rather than focus on teeth.
Until the pandemic, TransWay met in-person on a weekly basis at the William Way LGBT Community Center. COVID forced the collective online, but Zoom meetings expanded its reach — welcoming a national and international presence and anywhere between 10 and
The mission of the William Way LGBT Community Center is to encourage, help, and advocate for the well-being and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities through human service, recreational, educational, & cultural programs. William Way accomplishes this operate through three major areas: 1. Arts & Culture: Providing opportunities for LGBTQ artists and their allies to display their creativity and engage with other artists. The Center accomplishes this through its nationally known archives and library, its art gallery, and its live arts performances. 2. Empowerment: The Center works with LGBTQ youth, adults and elders to create a multigenerational people of support. Currently, the Center focuses on the following issue areas: 1) LGBTQ senior support 2) Transgender support 3) 3. Community Connection: The Center is open 365 days a year and provides over 25,000 square feet of meeting space for community groups, health programs, twelve step meetings, and many other programs
With over 50,000 visits a year, the William Way LGBT Community Center is the heart of Philadelphia’s queer woman , gay, bisexual, and gender non-conforming community!
The William Way LGBT Community Center
Way Gay on Display: Art Exhibition Features Staff Picks and New Acquisitions
The current art exhibition at William Way LBGT Community Center is a veritable period capsule. Here you will find not just compelling drawings, paintings, and prints, but a visual history of Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ collective. William Way at 1315 Spruce Street is housed in a Colonial Revival building that dates support to 1890s and previously served as the Engineer’s Club. The organization has been actively collecting artworks since at 2005. WayGay on Display: Staff Picks and New Acquisitions from the Permanent Art Collection was selected from the almost 700 works in William Way’s permanent art collection.
Alchemy, Ada Bello, 2005, by artist Deborah Caiola. | Image courtesy of William Way LBGT Community Center
While some of the art in this exhibition bounce off the wall in their audacity and sophistication, others require a closer look. A smiling portrait of Ada Bello could easily be mistaken for that of any other woman of a certain age unless you perceive her story. Bello was a Cuban-American who co-founded the Philadelphia chapter of Daughters of Bilitis in 1967. The natio