Art is in the gaze of the beholder
Philadelphia LGBTs fondly remember two friends
Family Portrait: Denise Brown
PAGE 19
PAGE 29
PAGES 7, 8
Feb. 1-7, 2013
Vol. 37 No. 5
Scouts mum on antigay employment policy By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
SIGHTS ON SUMMER: Philadelphia FIGHT education director Juliet Fink (at microphone) welcomed the nearly 175 guests at the agency’s Jan. 29 largest-ever kickoff planning meeting for this summer’s AIDS Education Month. Held at the William Way LGBT Community Center, the meeting included the announcement that this year’s AEM co-chairs are William Way executive director Chris Bartlett and Mary Harper, coordinator of faith and spiritual affairs in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services. Leaders from across the HIV/AIDS community organized into breakout groups to brainstorm for the 19th annual AEM, which will be held in June. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The national Boy Scouts of America announced this week that it may stop requiring local councils and units to ban gay members, but the announcement doesn’t address BSA’s antigay employment policy. The employment issue is particularly relevant in Philadelphia, where city officials are trying to evict a local BSA council from a city-owned building due to its exclusionary membership and employment policies. According to court records, the BSA Cradle of Liberty Council uses an employment-application form that expressly forbids the hiring of atheists and “avowed homosexuals.” A copy of the form was entered into evidence in the eviction case, which remains pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Under the national BSA’s proposed policy change, local councils and units would
Two men allege hate crime in Center City
Sick-leave bill back in Council By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com An LGBT-inclusive bill to mandate paid sick-leave time for Philadelphia workers made it back to City Council last week. Councilman-at-Large Bill Greenlee introduced the measure Jan. 24. Council passed the legislation last session but Mayor Nutter ultimately vetoed it. Greenlee, who led the effort last session with Council President Darrell Clarke, said he initially was apprehensive about the measure but ultimately saw its value. “When it first came up, I thought it put too much pressure on businesses, but the more I talked to people, I realized it was a public-health issue,” he said. The measure would allow employees at Philadelphia companies with 12 or more employees to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 PAGE 15
be permitted to accept gay members and select gay leaders, if they so choose. But the statement doesn’t mention the BSA’s ban on hiring atheists and “avowed homosexuals” in certain managerial roles. Deron Smith, a national BSA spokesperson, couldn’t be reached for comment. The policy change could be enacted as early as next week, at the BSA’s regularly scheduled board meeting in Texas. If enacted, it would be a sharp reversal for the BSA, which reaffirmed its national ban on gays six months ago. Cradle spokesperson Kera Armstrong had no comment on whether the local council would stop using the antigay employmentapplication form — regardless of whether the national BSA eases its employment restrictions. Additionally, it remains unclear whether Cradle would extend full membership and employment rights to other groups protected by local antibias rules — including women, transgenders PAGE 17
By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com
WINTER HEAT: It may have been snowing outside, but Voyeur was on fire Jan. 25 for Stimulus’ third annual Winter Wonderland Ball. The party included performers such as fire artists from Cirque Manikk, as well as burlesque and go-go dancers. The event was a fundraiser for the William Way LGBT Community Center. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Two men were attacked last week at a Center City parking garage and believe the incident may have been motivated by their perceived sexual orientation. Timmay Barlow and Scott McCrea say a group of 10 attacked them at about 2:15 a.m. Jan. 24 in the E-Z Park parking garage at 16th and South streets. According to McCrea, the two were coming from Bob & Barbara’s, 1509 South St., where Barlow, who also goes by the stage name “Gio Michaels,” had performed drag that night and still had makeup on. “There was one girl who told us, ‘You are in the wrong neighborhood, I am the only girl here,’”
McCrea said. “She also asked, ‘Where did this freak come from?’ She was making comments on Tim’s makeup.” About 10 people then jumped out of three different vehicles, McCrea said, and attacked the two. McCrea was dragged away from Barlow to a different part of the lot, where his coat was forced over his head and he was beaten. “They kicked me and took my car keys,” McCrea said, noting he suffered two black eyes. Barlow’s wallet was stolen and he sustained injuries to his face, for which he will need surgery. McCrea said the female who made the initial comment was African-American, but he and Barlow did not get a good look at the other attackers. According to PAGE 15