Williamsport, Pa. — For 15 years, a gay couple has owned and operated The Planet — the last-standing gay bar in Williamsport — a place that now serves as both a haven for the LGBTQ community and a gathering place for all. Carolyn Cohick-Harman, 59, and Kathy Harman, 61, have been on the front lines of LGBTQ culture before and after starting the bar.
Born and raised in Lycoming County, both Carolyn and Kathy know what it’s like for their identity to be challenged by their own community. The co-owners knew they were gay at a young age, but didn’t come out until years later. Kathy, who came out at 17 years old, left home and her family behind to find a more accepting community in the Williamsport area.
“It was my friends who got me through,” she said. Carolyn came out later, at 27 years old. Both ultimately embraced their identities when they found a gay community, they shared.
With this emphasis on community, they created The Planet. “She had a vision ,” Carolyn said of Kathy, who noticed the empty, worn-down bar one day, walked inside, and saw its potential. “I would go to bars to socialize, but it never felt comfortable,” Kathy said.
So she created the space she envisioned: a relaxed, casual space which openly welcomes queer identities, but doesn’t force a particular message on its customers. “We really like the diversity we have. No matter who’s in here, no matter what, they have a heck of a good time in here.
We’re proud of that,” she said. W.
