The First Baptist Church of Granville and the Departments of Art and Education at Denison University are partnering with the Equality Ohio Education Fund to bring "Love Makes a Family: Portraits of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and Their Families" to the First Baptist Church of Granville, 115 W. Broadway. The exhibit will be on public display Thursday and Friday (July 12-13), 5-9 p.m., and Saturday (July 14) 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

The touring photo-text display, created by the award-winning Family Diversity Projects of Amherst, Mass., invites viewers to come face-to-face with LGBT people and their loving, caring families.

A recent survey of laws and policies regarding the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens ranks Ohio last among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Organizers of the "Love Makes a Family" exhibit hope that the photos will help cut through all the political arguments right to the heart of the issue by showing the love, caring, and connection that are so basic to all families.

The Granville exhibit will feature an opening reception on Thursday (July 12) from 7 to 9 p.m. On Friday (July 13) the exhibit will include the film, "It's Elementary: Talking about Gay Issues in School" at 7 p.m. with discussion to follow.

The display in Granville is one of seven stops on the Ohio tour of the exhibit sponsored by Equality Ohio Education Fund including Youngstown (June 4-8), Wooster (June 13-17), Hudson and Twinsburg (June 18-25), Otterbein College in Westerville (June 26-29), Chillicothe (July 1-7), and Granville (July 12-14).

"There are LGBT people and families in every Ohio county, not just in our big cities," said Andrea Wood, Manager of New Media and Engagement at Equality Ohio. "We hope the exhibit will encourage discussion about what life is like for them."

Photographs by Gigi Kaeser depict a variety of LGBT people and their families of all races in familiar family settings. The photos are accompanied by text edited by Peggy Gillespie from in-depth interviews she conducted with each family member.

Family Diversity Projects of Amherst, Mass., a non-profit educational organization, created "Love Makes a Family." Since it began touring in 1996, the exhibit has traveled to over 1,000 communities. Equality Ohio Education Fund envisions an Ohio where everyone feels at home. They can be found on the web at www.equalityohio.org.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575