pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 43 No. 2
Jan. 11-17, 2019
COLOURS is making a comeback
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Music to listen out for in 2019 PAGE 15
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With Metcalfe out, does nondiscrimination have a chance?
New Year’s plans for LGBTQ orgs By Adriana Fraser adriana@epgn.com As 2019 begins, local LGBTQ-serving nonprofit organizations have big plans for the upcoming year including celebrating milestones, bolstering community-based programs and services, and changing some leadership roles. A pearl anniversary celebration is on tap for GALAEI this year. The organization will celebrate its 30 years by hosting several community events and fundraising initiatives, said Francisco Cortes, executive director of the LGBTQ Latinx social-justice organization. In February, GALAEI plans to begin its “Loving the Legacy” dinner series, a “fundraising effort where community members host a dinner at their homes with friends and families to learn more about GALAEI and how to support the organization,” Cortes said. “Comradery and families are an essential part of building relationships and at GALAEI. We’re excited to utilize this format to bring community together.” Cortes said the North Philadelphia-based organization also plans to expand its board of directors as well as bringing back its David Acosta Revolutionary Leadership Award gala. The awards ceremony, which will be celebrating its ninth year and will be held in the fall, recognizes influential LGBTQ community leaders. Meanwhile, Philadelphia Family Pride, a volunteer-run, nonprofit group for LGBTQ parents and prospective parents, began the New Year with the introduction of three new board members, said Stephanie Haynes, the organization’s executive director. “Our other plans include hosting another Family Pride Picnic in June, our 10th annual Family Matters Conference in October and restarting the Maybe Baby groups for prospective LGBTQ parents,” she added. The Independence Business Alliance — the LGBTQ chamber of commerce of Greater Philadelphia — has plans to expand its educational and business-development programming for its estimated 200 members. “We’ll continue to do even more in 2019 to collaborate with other regional businesses and LGBTQ PAGE 8
LGBTQ history exhibition opening in Bucks County
By Lenny Cohen PGN Contributor
FAMILY FUN: Philadelphia Family Pride held its annual holiday potluck and membership drive Jan. 5 at Children’s Community School of West Philadelphia. The party is held after the major holidays so it doesn’t conflict with other holiday happenings. In addition to food and drink, there was a craft table for the kids and a silent auction to raise money for the organization. More than 40 families attended; about of them were new. More PFP events can be found on Facebook under Philadelphia Family Pride. Photo: Scott A. Drake
HIV-testing van rolls through Philly By Adriana Fraser adriana@epgn.com A new mobile-testing van is letting Philadelphians take advantage of free HIV testing. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is making testing and treatment options more accessible with a specially equipped van that makes weekly stops around the city. Gone are the days of secretly slipping into a Planned Parenthood, health clinic or doctor’s office for an HIV test. Since 2012, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has provided more than one million rapid HIV tests through its mobile-testing van in cities such as San Francisco, New York, and now, Philadelphia. “The van allows us to go to parts of the city that don’t easily offer these services,” said Quincy Greene, a testing counselor at AHF’s Philadelphia location. “We’re doing all we can to make HIV testing and conversations about HIV prevention available to people who don’t live in Center City or don’t often travel downtown.”
AHF, the largest global AIDS organization that services more than 950,000 patients in 41 countries, opened its new healthcare center and pharmacy in Center City in May. Since August, Greene and his mobile-testing-team have issued more than 1,000 free one-minute HIV tests in locations including Woody’s bar in the Gayborhood, Walnut Street, the Frankford Transportation Center, Broad Street, and Snyder and Allegheny avenues. With different sites come different demographics, said PAGE 7
A leadership change in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives could mean LGBTQ people in the Keystone State will have a renewed chance for protections against discrimination at work, in housing and in business services. The change has Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-12th Dist.) out as chairman of the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee after eight years. As chairman, Metcalfe was able to prevent pro-LGBTQ bills from getting voted on in his committee and to keep such bills from making their way to the House floor. Metcalfe was re-assigned to a new committee by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-28th Dist.) on Jan. 2. T h e n ew c h a i r m a n o f t h e S t a t e Government Committee, Rep. Garth Everett (R-84th Dist.), told PGN, “We reassign chairmanships at the start of each term. A number of senior chairpersons retired, so Chairman Metcalfe requested to move to Environment and Energy, and I requested State Government.” One of the most important bills Metcalfe had stopped from moving forward for a vote was the Pennsylvania Fairness Act, which would add sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to the state’s nondiscrimination law, originally written in 1955. The law as it exists covers race, religion, ancestry, age, sex, national origin and disability. Pennsylvania is the only state in the Northeast without such a law protecting the LGBTQ community. Everett, the government committee’s new chairman, said he was just getting organized in his new role and hopes to look into the issue of the Fairness Act in February. Until that happens, Pennsylvania will continue to have a patchwork of legal protections for LGBTQ people rather than a uniform anti-discrimination law. PGN reported in July that at least 50 PAGE 8