DES MOINES - Dean A. Genth of Mason City, co-founder of Parents,Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)-North Iowa andstate chairman of the Council of Iowa PFLAG chapters, will be theGrand Marshal of the Capital City Pride Parade in Des Moines onSunday, June 12.
The parade is part of Pridefest 2011, June 10-13. The paradewill be held from 1 to 5 p.m., beginning on Capitol Avenue.
Genth, along with his husband, Dr. Gary Swenson, founded theNorth Iowa PFLAG in 2004. The group offers education, advocacy andsupport; hosts speakers; and has mentored area gay-straightalliance chapters.
In 2007, Genth served as Director of Logistics for the 2007Equality Ride, founded by Soulforce, Inc. The ride toured thecountry and 22 universities and colleges with exclusionary policiestoward LGBT students.
Despite threats of violence - many of the riders were handcuffedand jailed - several of the institutions subsequently openeddialogues about allowing admission of openly gay students, orallowed formation of gay-straight alliance groups.
In 2008, Genth was elected chairman of the Iowa StonewallDemocrats and became a Central Committee member for the IowaDemocratic Party and has been an advocate for the LGBTcommunity.
Genth serves on the Mason City Human Rights Commission and inApril was presented the Courageous Six Award by One Iowa. The awardis given to a person who has publicly shared their lives for thebetterment of all.
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