A Call For Activists to Rally Around Storme Delarverie

Kudos to all of the people who are spreading the word about Storme's remarkable life via blogs, twitter and email.  Currently, the NY Times story is #15 on the most e-mailed article list.  Keep spreading the word.

UPDATED BELOW -- In the midst of this week-end's gay pride festivities, we should not forget those who have fought to make these freedoms possible.  As pointed out by Manny Fernandez in his NY Times article, for the first time since its inception, Stonewall activist Storme Delarverie was unable to attend Sunday's Gay Pride Parade.  Storme's longtime friend, Lisa Cannistraci, owner of the lesbian bar Henrietta Hudson, says:

“I feel like the gay community could have really rallied, but they didn’t."

“The young gays and lesbians today have never heard of her, and most of our activists are young. They’re in their 20s and early 30s. The community that’s familiar with her is dwindling.”

While Storme suffers from some dementia, she is physically strong, and, as we've mentioned previously on this blog, we would like to see her return to live out her days among her friends at the Chelsea Hotel.  In the meantime, it's important for people to continue to keep visiting Storme and to continue to watch out for her well-being. A JASA official, Leah Ferster, is quoted in the article as saying that Storme is allowed to be taken outside of the nursing home for walks and such.  There's a park less than a block away from the Oxford Nursing Home, and even the opportunity to go for an hour's walk there would no doubt mean a lot to Storme.  (Photo of Storme at Gay Pride in 2005 via SVA)

UPDATE: In a statement on their website The Stonewall Veterans Association challenges JASA's assertion that they were unaware that members of the community wanted to take Storme out of the nursing home for special events. Here's the SVA statement: "Storme likes the happening that a story exposing his sudden plight as of the past few months, came out on Gay Pride weekend; however, does not like the underlying reality that he was deprived of partaking in his organization's "41st Annual Conference & Stonewall Veterans Reunion". That was held on Saturday, June 26th at the New York Gay Center. The SVA had all arrangements necessary but no one was given the 'ultimate permission' from JASA though they were well aware (unlike the denial in the story). This is the first time that Storme missed the meaningful SVA event and a reunion with other Stonewall vets!"