LGBTQ+ History in Kern County

Join guest speaker Whitney Weddell and guests for a presentation that encompasses 60 years of LGBTQ+ history in Bakersfield. The program begins pre-1970s, with a brief look at Bakersfield’s Queer community prior to Stonewall, and moves through local history to the 2020s, re-introducing local leaders and events that built the foundation for continuing the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.
Learn about the history and work of Bakersfield chapter of PFLAG, the nation's largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people, and those who support them. This program provides a great opportunity to connect, celebrate, and embrace our Kern County LGBTQ+ community. All are welcome!
ABOUT OUR GUEST SPEAKER
Whitney Weddell is a long time LGBTQIA2S+ advocate in the Bakersfield area. Her activist days began when she was 17, protesting injustices and helping to organize meetings, seminars, rallies, and other events. She spent 15 years as the Kern County Chapter Leader for Marriage Equality USA, and also the Chair of Bakersfield LGBTQ. In those roles, she and her team organized an annual Pride Festival and made sure couples could marry when the law changed in 2008, 2013, and 2105. Now a retired teacher, she lives with her wife and puppy in San Luis Obispo where she remains actively involved in local LGBTQIA2S+ issues today.

You may also like the following events from KCL - Beale Memorial Library:

• This Wednesday, 11th June, 10:30 am, KCSOS Interactive STEM Exhibit in Bakersfield
• This Wednesday, 11th June, 04:00 pm, Crafting Literacy Club in Bakersfield
• This Wednesday, 11th June, 06:00 pm, Family Feud: Library Edition in Bakersfield

Also check out other Festivals in Bakersfield, Workshops in Bakersfield.