pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 41 No. 2
Jan. 13-19, 2017
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Welcome to Philadelphia, Creating Change attendees!
Trans women targeted in robberies Police are looking into a possible link between two robberies of trans women. In one, the victim’s friend was fatally shot. By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com
HEALTHY IN HARRISBURG: Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine kicked off Pennsylvania Teen Health Week Monday at the State Capitol in Harrisburg. Levine, the highest-ranking out transgender official in Pennsylvania, met with teens in The College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s internship program, which is geared town youth interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The College will wrap up the week with a closing celebration from 4-6 p.m. Jan. 13 at Mütter Museum. Teens are admitted for free, and adults get free admission if they wear lime green, the color of Teen Health Week. Photo: Courtesy of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Transgender women were attacked earlier this week in two separate incidents. While Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson Lt. John Stanford said it is unclear whether the same suspect carried out both attacks, the description for the suspect in both incidents was similar. The individual was described as a black man in his 20s with a medium build. He carried a handgun in both incidents, with the weapon being described as a black semi-automatic handgun in the first. The earlier incident occurred Jan. 8 after the robber allegedly responded to a woman’s personal ad on classifieds-advertising website Backpage. According to Stanford, the suspect knocked on the door of a home in the Kingsessing area and asked to speak with the woman. He then stole $500 in cash from one woman and a cell phone from another woman in the residence. A third woman was also in the residence but did not have anything stolen. All three women were transgender, Stanford said. The suspect began to flee on foot and fired a shot
once after one of the victims attempted to follow him, Stanford said. A separate incident occurred the following night, with 19th District officers responding to a shooting on the 5400 block of Girard Avenue. Stanford said in that case, a transgender woman placed an ad on Backpage and later allowed a man to enter her home. He attempted to rob the woman, at which time her friend, identified by Philly.com as 32-year-old Barry Jones, intervened and was shot. After shooting Jones, the suspect allegedly robbed the woman of cash and her cell phone. Jones was pronounced dead at 10:46 p.m. at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on Monday. Philadelphia Director of LGBT Affairs Nellie Fitzpatrick said the public needs to “work to increase employment, health care, housing and other opportunities for trans-identified people.” “This culminates all of the discrimination, all of the hate — all of the bias culminates to place these women in places of heightened vulnerability and danger,” she said. “Right now, we see it happening in their own homes.” Anyone with information about these incidents are encouraged to call 215-686-TIPS. n
Day after inauguration, Trump to be ‘on everyone’s mind’ at Creating Change nary speaker, the Rev. Dr. William Barber, dedicated to 21 day-long “institutes,” givBy Jen Colletta women and allies to whose Thursday-night address is titled “The ing attendees the chance to delve deeply jen@epgn.com Prophetic Post-Election Call to Action.” into issues. march in Philly The looming presidential inauguration Barber, who delivered a fiery speech at Wednesday features the Racial Justice By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com When Mariel Martin heard the presidential election results, she said the first thing she thought was, Are you f***ing kidding me? “I felt like our democracy failed us,” Martin said. The 31-year-old bisexual said it seemed like all of her identities were under fire after she heard Donald Trump would become the nation’s next president Jan. 20. “Being a Jewish minority and being a part of the LGBTQ community, I just felt like so much of what I am, who I am and how I identify [was being attacked],” Martin said. “It’s almost as if it PAGE 22 doesn’t matter that I’m
is expected to play a significant role at the largest annual gathering of LGBT-rights activists. More than 3,500 people are anticipated to participate in National LGBTQ Task Force’s 29th Creating Change Conference Jan. 18-22 at Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Hundreds of workshops, panel discussions and comprehensive, interactive sessions will address the ongoing evolution of LGBT rights. Donald Trump will be inaugurated as president in the midst of the conference, a development that conference director Sue Hyde said will factor heavily into the discussion. “I expect a lot of the conversations, especially the strategy conversations, will be focused on the new context that we are entering into,” Hyde said. “I think it will come up in almost every session, one way or another.” That theme will kick off with opening-ple-
the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this past summer, is a minster in North Carolina, whose anti-LGBT-rights ordinance he vigorously campaigned against. Friday’s plenary features a conversation with entertainer Todrick Hall, Black AIDS Institute CEO Phill Wilson, George Washington University’s Dr. Richard Elion and blogger Ken Williams on the impact of HIV/AIDS on communities of color. A concurrent plenary features remarks by Task Force staff on the state of the LGBT movement. Instead of a sit-down plenary Saturday, organizers are encouraging participants to join the official Creating Change contingent at the Women’s March on Philadelphia to “fight back against Trumpism.” The closing plenary will include brunch with “Glee” star Alex Newell and the presentation of a series of awards. The first half of the conference will be
Institute, with group discussion followed by separate sessions for new and return people of color and white participants. Hyde expects up to 900 to participate. Thursday’s institutes feature conversations on student resources, Asian-American and Pacific-Islander and Latinx activism, faith communities, HIV/AIDS, aging and more. Attendees can choose from hundreds of workshop sessions the rest of the conference. Hyde said the conference programming closely matches the themes Task Force aims to address in its work. “When we sent out our requests for proposals, we intentionally and specifically used our own policy priorities as a kind of template for the topic areas we wanted to highlight: criminal justice, disability justice, economic justice, gender justice inclusive of transgender people, immigration justice, faith organizing, racial PAGE 24
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New Jersey trans man sues Catholic hospital By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A New Jersey trans man filed suit this week in federal court in Newark, claiming a Catholic hospital denied him access to a medically necessary hysterectomy due to anti-trans bias. Jionni Conforti, 33, suffers from gender dysphoria. In 2015, he tried to schedule a hysterectomy at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., operated by St. Joseph’s Healthcare System. A hospital staffer initially told Conforti the hysterectomy could be scheduled. However, Conforti subsequently was informed by the hospital’s director of mission services, the Rev. Martin D. Rooney, that the surgery couldn’t be scheduled, according to the suit.
“This is to inform you that as a Catholic hospital, we would not be able to allow your surgeon to schedule this surgery here at St. Josephs,” Rooney told Conforti in a June 2015 email cited in the suit. Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, an attorney for Conforti, said the denial of access caused much emotional distress to his client. “Jionni then had to undergo a new search for a surgeon that could perform the surgery and had to wait a matter of months for the surgery at a different hospital,” said Gonzalez-Pagan. The named defendants are Rooney, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Healthcare System. According to the suit, Conforti obtained two referral letters from medical professionals recommending a total hysterectomy as medically necessary for him, and
Harrisburg LGBT center fights back against vandalism By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
center because of who we represent or who we are,” Marven said. “Regardless of the intent, this was something that affected More than 100 people turned out last people who use the center. The building is weekend to support an LGBT community a safe, welcoming place for the community center in Harrisburg that was the victim of to use, so regardless of the intent of the person who did this, it’s still a violation of this vandalism. On Jan. 6, someone smashed the glass important community space.” on the front door of the LGBT Center of To promote that idea, the center quickly Central Pennsylvania, entered the build- organized an open house the day following and stole a donation bin that contained ing the incident, titling the event “Throw about $25. According to center executive Parties, Not Bricks.” director Louie Marven, police were able Marven said the party brought together a to obtain surveillance video from a nearby good mix of familiar and new faces. business that showed the vandal, but the “There was just a positive vibe,” he center has not yet been made aware of an said. “There were people expressing that they care about the space and some who arrest in the case. The glass was replaced within a few hours said they had just heard about the center. Everybody brought snacks to share and it and cost the center about $250. Marven said it is not known if the suspect was just a nice, laidback community event.” The outpouring illustrated the impact targeted the center. “We’re not assuming that this is some- LGBT centers can have on local communione who specifically wanted to hurt the ties. “Everyone, not only locally but even beyond, has been really supportive,” he said. “It’s been great to have folks reaching out and that underscores the important role LGBT community centers play in the community. Folks want to make sure our community centers are able to do what we need to do, SUPPORTERS OF THE LGBT CENTER OF CENTRAL PA AT THE and that’s a great “THROW PARTIES, NOT BRICKS” EVENT JAN. 7 Photo: Heidi Notario-Smull thing.” n
Conforti’s insurance carrier confirmed that it would cover the procedure. “Jionni also had concerns about possible risk of cancer, and that influenced his decision to undergo a hysterectomy,” GonzalezPagan added. The suit contends that defendants violated state and federal antibias laws, including New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination and the U.S. Affordable Care Act. The suit requests a permanent injunction to stop St. Joseph’s Healthcare System from discriminating on the basis of gender identity and/or transgender status. Additionally, the suit seeks an unspecified amount in compensatory and punitive damages, along with reimbursement for Conforti’s legal costs. “We’re hopeful of success,” GonzalezPagan said. “And we’re hopeful to be able
to send a message that discrimination on the basis of gender identity in any setting, including health care, is both wrong and unlawful.” Conforti is represented by Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, based in New York, along with the Quinn Emanuel law firm, also based in New York. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares. A jury trial has been requested. St. Joseph’s Healthcare System issued this statement: “St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center is a leading Catholic health-care institution serving one of the most diverse and underserved populations in New Jersey. The medical center follows the ethical and religious directives for Catholic health-care services in making decisions about care and treatment.” n
Trans man shot, killed by police in western PA The third killing of a transgender person in the nation this year occurred in Pennsylvania last weekend. Sean Ryan Hake, 23, died after a police-involved shooting at his home in Sharon, a small town in Mercer County north of Pittsburgh. Hake’s mother reportedly called police to report a domestic-violence-related stabbing. A police spokesperson told reporters that the situation “escalated” once police responded, resulting in an officer shooting Hake. It is unclear what events led Hake’s mother to contact police. The officer involved has been put on paid leave during the investigation. According to Hake’s Facebook profile, he worked in the bakery at WalMart. Hake wrote on his page that he was engaged and had recently gotten sober. He also had been tracing his tran-
sition on social media. “Being transgender will always be the best and worst thing to ever happen to me and I am at peace with that,” Hake wrote. “I’m handsome and I am falling in love with the man I always was and meant to be. I made me. And the results are getting better and better everyday.” On Jan. 4, Mississippi woman Mesha Caldwell became the first transgender person killed this year. The 41-year-old beautician was shot multiple times; no motive or arrest has been announced. Two days later, the body of Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, a 28-year-old trans woman, was found in her Sioux Falls, S.D., apartment. She had been stabbed multiple times. Police later arrested a 25-year-old man for her homicide. n — Jen Colletta
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7, 9 — Obituary 8 — Engagement 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Op-Ed Transmissions Street Talk 13 — News Briefing
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“For marginalized communities, Obama served not only as the leader needed to effect change, but as a symbolic figure demonstrating that prejudice can be fought.” ~ EDITORIAL, page 10
Arts & Culture 25 27 29 30 32 34
COFFEE AND COCKTAILS: The literary-themed Writer’s Block Rehab is officially opened for business. The Gayborhood’s new café and bar, at 1342 Cypress St., had a soft opening earlier this month and is in the midst of planning for a grand-opening celebration. The spot, situated in a rehabbed century-old carriage house, promises to offer a unique social space for the neighborhood, and features craft beer and cocktails, wine, coffee and tea. Photo: Scott A. Drake
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Obituary: The life of the oldest female state inmate, psychiatrist Lois Farquharson
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C r e e p o f t h e We e k : S a m u e l Rodriguez, who thinks that you should vote for Jesus if you don’t like the candidate.
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Oral arguments slated in Farnese corruption case By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
GETTING TOASTY: Patrons at Toasted Walnut escaped from the snow Saturday to try their hands at the club’s party-pong table. The new LGBT venue, which opened its doors New Year’s weekend, is spearheaded by Denise Cohen, the longtime manager of shuttered lesbian club Sisters. The new venture, at 1316 Walnut St., spans several floors and features three bars, a dance floor and a kitchen, which will begin serving brunch this spring. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The long-awaited jury trial for state Sen. Lawrence M. Farnese Jr. is scheduled to begin later this month. But first, oral arguments will be held Jan. 18 to determine whether some or all of the charges against him should be dismissed. Farnese stands accused of buying the vote of Ellen Chapman in 2011 to help secure his election as Democratic leader of the Eighth Ward. The Eighth Ward is a political subdivision, largely in Center City west of Broad. It serves as a conduit to party leadership, and it’s a source of information during campaigns and elections. In the spring of 2011, Farnese allegedly diverted $6,000 from his campaign fund to help pay the college tuition of Chapman’s daughter. In return, Chapman allegedly agreed to vote for Farnese as Democratic leader of the Eighth Ward. At the time of the alleged incident, Chapman served as an Eighth Ward committee person. In November, Farnese handily won re-election as a state senator. He has a strong record of support for LGBT causes, including a statewide LGBT civil-rights law and a new probe of the Nizah Morris case.
But federal prosecutors say he broke several state and federal laws involving bribery, fraud and conspiracy. Farnese and Chapman deny violating any laws. In court papers, they accuse the federal government of inappropriately intruding into local party politics. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice requested that certain statements allegedly made by Chapman that incriminate Farnese be admitted into evidence during a trial. Farnese’s attorneys want the statements excluded, partly on the basis that they’re hearsay. But if the statements are permitted, Farnese’s attorneys requested a separate trial for him. Currently, a joint trial for Farnese and Chapman is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Jan. 23 in Courtroom 12A of the U.S. Court House, 601 Market St, with U.S. District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe presiding. According to a DOJ filing, there’s no excuse for the unlawful activities of Farnese and Chapman, and they should face a criminal trial. Oral arguments to determine if a trial is necessary are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 18 in Courtroom 12A of the U.S. Courthouse, 601 Market St., with Rufe presiding. Chapman and Farnese are expected to appear. The public is permitted to attend. n
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Community to honor Martin Luther King Jr., Bayard Rustin By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com Community members and organizations will collaborate to honor the work of two civil-rights leaders next week. The TeamBayard MLK Day of Service planning committee is organizing a Jan. 16 event featuring performances, guest speakers, food and volunteer opportunities at the William Way LGBT Community Center. Volunteers at the MLK Day of Service will honor the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Bayard Rustin, a black gay activist who organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The event is registered with Global Citizen’s MLK365, a national organization dedicated to promoting “sustainable civic engagement and volunteer opportunities yearround,” according to Global Citizen’s website. “The overall mission is to bring nonprofit organizations and community members together to help serve the community in honor of King, Rustin and the movement toward civil rights and equality,”
said Sharron Cooks, a chairperson for TeamBayard. The event will be split up into three sections, with volunteer activities beginning at noon, performances and guest speakers beginning at 3:15 p.m. and dinner accompanied by more performances immediately afterward. Volunteer opportunities will include a clothing donation drive with Philly AIDS Thrift; diaper banking with the Center for Leadership, Development and Advocacy; assembling a safe-sex kit with The Colours Organization; HIV testing, counseling and resources with Philadelphia FIGHT; and a Gayborhood street clean-up. “When a person walks into the William Way LGBT Community Center for the Martin Luther King Day of Service and sees activity going on, it gives a sense of unity and service,” Cooks said. “Everyone’s donating their energy and their labor to assembling something that’s going to benefit Philadelphia and the community. When you see so many different people from so many different backgrounds and ethnicities working hand in hand, you see that we’re
all just the same and we all have the same needs. It is possible for people to be different but still work together for the greater good of the community.” Guest speakers will include Meagan Mcleod, a youth pastor of Tabernacle
“Right now, in the climate that we’re in politically, it is very important for us to remember the values of equality and civil rights.” United Church; Malcolm Kenyatta, a Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce member; and Ernest Owens, editor of G Philly. Sister Cities Girlchoir and Terrell Green will perform songs and a one-man show, respectively. Bubbas Kitchen N Good Eats will cater the dinner. Cooks mentioned TeamBayard’s tagline, “Taking Pride in the Work We Do Together.”
She said sponsorship from William Way and Woody’s helped them produce the event in the fashion they would like. “Everyone has really done their part in coming together,” Cooks said. “[The event is] uniting all different races and all different backgrounds. We are all doing this in respect to equality and civil rights.” Additionally, Cooks mentioned the current political climate and how the event can help the community remember the messages of King and Rustin. “Right now, in the climate that we’re in politically, it is very important for us to remember the values of equality and civil rights,” Cooks said. She added the program will give others “hope” and “feel a sense of unity and oneness.” “It’s one of those things that you have to experience. You can’t necessarily describe it.” The MLK Day of Service will begin at noon Jan. 16 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Interested volunteers can email TeamBayardPhilly@gmail.com. n
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Obituary Lois Farquharson, 91, oldest female state inmate By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Lois J. Farquharson, who at 91 was the oldest female inmate in Pennsylvania, died Jan. 4 at a state prison in Cambridge Springs. “I can confirm that she died yesterday,” said Susan McNaughton, a state Department of Corrections spokesperson, on Jan. 5. McNaughton said a trained inmate hospice worker, along with a member of the prison’s chaplaincy staff, were with Farquharson when she died. Farquharson was sentenced to life without parole in the 1971 shooting death of Leon Weingrad, a Philadelphia physician, with whom she worked and had disagreements. Farquharson was a psychiatrist at the time, and prosecutors contend that she induced her lesbian lover and former patient, Gloria Burnette, to shoot Weingrad. The August 1971 shooting took place in the parking lot of Society Hill Towers, where all three lived. Farquharson didn’t fire any bullets, and consistently denied plotting Weingrad’s murder. Burnette spent about four years in prison before being released, according to court records.
Over the years, the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons repeatedly declined to recommend clemency for Farquharson. The board’s sixth denial occurred in 2014. Farquharson spent most of her incarceration at the state prison for women in Muncy, located in north-central Pennsylvania. But in February, Farquharson was transferred to a female prison in Cambridge Springs, near Erie. Farquharson’s advocates expressed concern that the move took a physical toll on her. They also noted that
Farquharson cultivated many long-term friendships at Muncy, which were severed due to the move. At Muncy, Farquharson worked in the prison’s law library, played the organ, directed the choir for the inmates’ Catholic and Protestant church services, volunteered as a literacy tutor and participated in numerous charitable events. Despite her lengthy incarceration, Farquharson maintained a positive attitude and was named “Inmate of the Year” several years ago, advocates said. Jane Keller, a close friend, issued this statement: “Lois was a woman with an indomitable spirit who never allowed her sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole rob her of her compassion, her generosity, her quest for knowledge, her sense of humor and her zest for living. She was a gifted artist, musician, actress and psychiatrist who shared those gifts with the people she knew in prison. She was beloved by inmates and [corrections] officers alike. “It was a privilege to know her, to be considered her friend, to listen to the stories of her vibrant life before prison, and to share her long and challenging journey behind the prison walls. As she once said to me, ‘Visit me any time. I’m always home.’ Now she really is home.” n
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Angela Giampolo and Kristina Furia By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com “All great Philadelphia love stories involve stoops,” laughed Angela Giampolo. Even though she and fiancée Kristina Furia met through a chance encounter on a Philly stoop, their engagement had a much more picturesque backdrop. Giampolo proposed to Furia while they vacationed in Tanzania, Africa, last month. They met in 2010 through mutual friends and had their first date at R2L, where what was supposed to be one cocktail turned into the two talking for close to seven hours. “She was so funny and so willing to have valuable conversation right away. It was simultaneously really refreshing and totally unusual,” Furia, a Philadelphia native, said. “She also happened to have shown up on a scooter wearing this ridiculously perfect pants suit and a pair of high heels.” The couple dated for six months, parted ways for about three years and reconnected in 2013. Giampolo, who was born in Massachusetts and grew up in Canada, said both appreciate the importance of evolving individually and as a couple, and rely on one another for input and advice during that process. “Every day we make approximately 35,000 decisions. Those decisions impact the direction of your life and if you aren’t constantly talking and checking in with your partner, it’s so easy to grow apart,” she said. “I can’t imagine us growing apart; if anything [we’ve gotten] more and more in sync with one another while maintaining our individuality and personal growth.” Giampolo works as an attorney at her firm Giampolo Law Group, and Furia is a psychotherapist and founding executive director of Emerge Wellness. Both also contribute monthly columns to PGN. Despite their busy careers, both said they prioritize time with each other. “We spend more time in a day together as a couple than most people because we control our schedules and we spend the majority of that time laughing — and laughing mainly at each other!” Giampolo said. She added that Furia’s “goofiness” is one of her favorite qualities. Furia also commended Giampolo’s sense of humor. “She’s funny as all hell pretty much all of the time,” Furia said, adding she values Giampolo’s generosity and individuality. “She doesn’t exist in the world like anyone else I’ve ever known; she’s absolutely unusual in the best way.” For her part, Giampolo is impressed by Furia’s compassion and empathy, and strives to emulate her openness. “She’s confident yet is able to admit when she doesn’t know something and reaches out for help. I have a hard time asking people for help so that’s something I’m constantly learning about from her,” she said. “She’s emotionally open and hon-
est and more than willing to expression her feelings, which is also something I am trying to learn from her.” That openness had led the couple to discuss marrying, but Furia was “totally caught off guard” by the actual proposal. Giampolo began brainstorming how to propose about eight months ago. When the couple booked the trip to Tanzania, where Giampolo lived for several years, she said she knew that would be the place. “It’s literally my happy place and Kristina’s happy place is anywhere near water,” she said. When they arrived at their hotel, Kendwa Rocks, Giampolo covertly contacted the hotel owner, who happened to be gay. He looped other staff in, who helped her plan a Dec. 28 dinner on a private island. “The guys who helped me made it magical,” she said. They cut branches off trees with machetes to spell “Will you marry me?” in the sand and built a canopy of palm trees strung with seashells. As their boat approached the island, Giampolo said Furia started squinting to read the message. “I told her to read me what the sticks said and then she smirked, then smiled and then laughed out loud and just said, ‘No! Really?!’” Giampolo recalled. “I took the box with the ring in it out of my bag and just handed her the box; I forgot to take it out and actually put it on her finger! She took the box and got out of the boat. I realized as I got out of the boat she hadn’t said yes yet so I called out, ‘Is that a yes?’” It was, and the couple settled down to a dinner of freshly caught Kingfish. They watched the sun set on the island but had to hurry back as the tide ebbed quickly; they were able to catch several constellations and shooting stars on the boat ride back. “I had this unexpected wave of peacefulness and a feeling that everything was right in the world,” Furia said about the evening. “We were standing on this little island on the other side of the world, in a country where being gay is illegal yet Angela had collaborated with five Tanzanians to help make the proposal happen in the most beautiful way on the most beautiful beach I could imagine. Everything felt really connected and like it made sense.” The couple is planning a destination wedding in Belize. n
LOCAL PGN
Obituary Christopher Collins, LGBT activist, 37 By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com
naturally engaging with anyone he met,” Bartlett said. “He had equal consideration for a struggling community member or Christopher Collins, an activist for HIV/ an executive director. He cared about the AIDS and the LGBT community, died breadth of our community. He extended his Jan. 3 at 37. Through his life, Collins was warmth and care and love to everyone that involved with The Colours Organization, he met.” Mazzoni Center, The Attic Youth Center Louie A. Ortiz-Fonseca, a friend of and other organizations dedicated to Collins, referred to his laugh as “infectious.” improving the lives of LGBT people. Friends of Collins took to social media “He always went out of his way to make to express their thoughts on his death and people feel welcome and feel like they shared favorite memories, as well as cre- belonged,” Ortiz-Fonseca said. “He was ated a GoFundMe page to raise money for just a beautiful spirit.” Ortiz-Fonseca recalled a time when his funeral costs. Donors surpassed the $9,000 family didn’t show up to his graduation ceremony when he received his GED. However, Collins attended and helped organize a surprise party for Ortiz-Fonseca. “When we needed each other, we were there,” Ortiz-Fonseca said. Ortiz-Fonseca noted Collins did not do any work for recognition. Collins’ longtime friend Francesca “Fatima” Williams echoed that statement. She referred to Collins as her MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE CAME TO SING, second father, since her biological SHARE AND REMEMBER CHRISTOPHER father was frequently absent from COLLINS AT HIS MEMORIAL. Photo: Scott A. Drake her life. She remembered specific moments Collins was by her side, goal in less than 24 hours. As of presstime, such as when she had her first child and when her biological father committed suithe page has raised more than $11,000. Jose DeMarco, an ACT UP Philadelphia cide. member, said he did not know Collins per- Additionally, she recalled an instance sonally but watched him from a distance when her former boyfriend abused her. “grow up from a young man to an active “Christopher was there within minutes member and leader in the queer commu- of me calling him,” Williams said. “He showed up in the car. Christopher didn’t nity.” “He was always a friendly wonderful guy even have a driver’s license. He took his that would light up a room,” DeMarco said friend’s car, who he was with, and they in an email. “I am devastated that he died. came and got me. He made sure I was OK.” You never think about young people in our Williams said Collins “lived for his community passing and when it does hap- mom” and made sure she was taken care pen, it has a profound impact on all of us in of. She also knew him as someone who would open up his home if a friend became the community.” Alison Gerig, the former health-center homeless. director at Mazzoni Center, hired Collins “This is why people loved him,” Williams as an HIV-prevention counselor. In that said. “It wasn’t just about a dollar or the position, Collins advised others on safe- acknowledgement. This is what he wanted sex practices. Gerig said he had an ability for people. He wanted to see the betterment to work with the community “across race, for people in our community. He was a solclass and gender identity.” She referred to dier in this fight.” Collins is predeceased by his father, Collins’ personality as “open-hearted.” “He brought a tremendous amount of David Collins, and is survived by his hope, light and positivity to his work,” mother, Veronica Collins; his sister, Dawn Gerig said. “He really believed in helping Collins; his niece, Taylor Love Foman; his queer people of color and he really reached nephew, Henry Martin III; his uncle, John communities that were hard to reach at Gallagher; and his aunts, Susan and Jane times. I would even say he saved a lot of Gallagher. A viewing was held Jan. 10 at St. Francis people’s lives through the work he did.” Chris Bartlett, executive director of DeSales Roman Catholic Church, with William Way LGBT Community Center, interment at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. A was a participant with Collins in the Gay community memorial service, organized by GALAEI and Colours with support from Men’s Health Leadership Academy. “He had a smile that could light up the other community organizations, followed at universe and he had a warmth that was William Way LGBT Community Center. n
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
EDITORIAL PGN EDITORIAL
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Samuel Rodriguez
Editorial
Yes we can
At this time next week, the nation will have a new president. As much as we want to wallow in that reality, the president-elect has gotten way too much of our print space in the last year. The person who really deserves it is President Barack Obama. In November 2008, PGN was covering the watch party for a local LGBT political hopeful when news came down that Obama had won the presidential election. We watched with awe and tears in our own eyes as a group of elderly black women, clad in Obama T-shirts, cried, hugged and danced. As we readied our tape recorders, snapped photos and mentally crafted the ledes to our stories, we knew it was a moment that was bigger than any of us. The election of our first black president was a remarkable moment in American history. And the eight years that followed proved just why Obama won the opportunity to be the leader of the free world. From the get-go, he had expansive and systemic issues to confront, such as a crippling recession and a health-care system that was failing Americans. Despite constant Republican resistance, Obama created and implemented mechanisms to fix institutional issues that for years had been propping up corporations and the nation’s richest on the backs of hard-working Americans. For marginalized communities, Obama served not only as the leader needed to effect change, but as a symbolic figure demonstrating that prejudice can be fought. His road to being the most LGBT-friendly president in history wasn’t always smooth; Obama took intense heat for not backing marriage equality and moving to repeal the military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers early enough. That criticism comes up hollow compared to the LGBT record Obama built. Under his administration, sexual orientation and gender identity were added to the federal hate-crimes law; the military lifted its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and later permitted open service by transgender individuals; anti-LGBT discrimination in federal contracting was prohibited; the rights of transgender students have been codified. Obama’s administration took unprecedented steps to invite the LGBT community into government: LGBT-inclusive summits on bullying were held at the White House; LGBT people participated in pioneering national studies on issues such as housing discrimination; the president and a sea of administration members delivered “It Gets Better” messages to LGBT youth; and hundreds of LGBT people joined with the First Family each year at the White House for a Pride celebration. This small snapshot of Obama’s LGBT accomplishments, in the context of the looming doom of the incoming presidential administration, are enough to instill despair in any peace- and progress-loving American. But as Obama emphasized in his farewell address this week, now more than ever we need hope. The type of hope that Obama embraced for eight years is not an intangible idea, but rather a concept rooted in action. To keep the spirit of his leadership alive, we need to be knocking on doors, contacting lawmakers, supporting progressive organizations and forcefully resisting restrictiveness and every type of -ism that exists. Obama showed us what hope can achieve. Now it’s our turn. n
The Trump transition team doesn’t want this to get out, but I got my hands on the questionnaire given to the clergy wanting to pray at his inauguration. It consists of three questions: • Are LGBTQ people children of God? • Does God hate the poors because they are too dumb/lazy to be rich? • Who’s your daddy? The only acceptable answers are: • Firm NO. • Firm YES. • Firm Trump. It turns out that a lot of people passed this test! Because, according to Christianity Today, the Trump prayer lineup is bigger than any president’s since Reagan! As in Ronald, Patron Saint of the GOP. CT also calls it an “unusually broad and diverse clergy lineup” because they are not all Christian (there’s a rabbi!), they are not all men (there’s a woman!) and they’re not all white (there’s a black man and a Hispanic man!). Good work, everyone! Discrimination is OVER after Jan. 20, thank God! Not included in this “broad and diverse” line up are all the Muslims praying that they don’t get hatecrimed by Trump’s supporters. One of Trump’s chosen is Samuel Rodriguez, head of the National Christian Hispanic Leadership Conference. Like many of the other Trump preachers, Rodriguez preaches the Gospel of Prosperity, which literally means that rich people get rich because God loves them and that poor people are, like, gross and godless and poor. Super-convenient if you want to get people who are losing their jobs to vote for a self-proclaimed billionaire who runs on a platform of taking away their health insurance. It’s what God wants! Now you may recall that the first thing Trump did to begin his campaign was to call Mexicans rapists and threaten to deport a whole bunch of brown people, not to mention building that stupid wall. Surprise, surprise, Rodriguez did not like that very much! He called Trump out in the Wall Street Journal, and good for him! But that was SO long ago (July 2015)
and Trump has totally changed since then — in that he’s gotten worse and is increasingly more comfortable with the fact that he will never face any sort of consequences for being a racist. So obviously Rodriguez is all, “Trump is my man” now. Why? Because the Supreme Court. Rodriguez believes that getting some right-minded folks on the court to overturn Roe v. Wade and marriage equality is more important than fighting to keep Hispanic families from getting torn apart by racist-driven immigration policy. Which sure does seem like yet another example of how evangelicals are all pro-life until you’re born, then you’re on your own! In a September 2016 Q&A with Christian voters, Rodriguez pointed out that only Christians can save the country from terrible things like marriage equality by voting for Trump, obviously. “Elections have consequences,” he said. “Because 25 million Christians did not vote in 2012, the institution of marriage suffered a radical transformation via the conduit of judicial and executive fiat.” He said during that same Q&A that, “If you can’t vote for a candidate, vote for the platform, vote for the party platforms, and the party platform that best will protect your right to be a Christian and reach others with the loving, grace-filled message of Jesus Christ.” In other words, if you can’t vote for Trump, vote for Jesus. Because the only way to Jesus is through Trump. If claiming that Jesus is working through Donald “Grab ’Em By the Pussy” Trump doesn’t prove that right-wing evangelicals are full of shit, then nothing will.
“Because 25 million Christians did not vote in 2012, the institution of marriage suffered a radical transformation via the conduit of judicial and executive fiat.”
n
D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comedian living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBT politics for over a decade. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.
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OP-ED PGN
Op-Ed
The Rev. Jeffrey H. Jordan
A letter to the LGBTQIA community in response to Kim Burrell Recently, gospel recording artist Kim Burrell was filmed giving a “homophobic” sermon at the Love and Liberty Fellowship Church in Houston. In this sermon, Burrell refers to “the perverted homosexual spirit.” Shirley Caesar, another well-known gospel singer and evangelist, recently defended Burrell by saying, “Kim should’ve spoken out against homosexuality four years ago, before the president made that stuff alright.” Religious abuse is abuse administered under the guise of religion, including harassment or humiliation, which may result in psychological trauma. Religious abuse may also include misuse of religion for selfish, secular or ideological ends such as the abuse of a clerical position. The words of Burrell are very abusive. And I am sure that Caesar is not the only minister who supports Burrell’s abusive rant. Unfortunately, there are those who ignorantly use poor exegesis to demonize others. Unfortunately, these same people often see defending their flawed, archaic interpretation of the Bible as more important than actually saving lives. Seemingly, they are not aware that the evil rhetoric that they have spewed has caused many to leave the church and denounce the Christian God. Even worse, others have actually committed suicide because they have been told that they are an “abomination.” The good news is, this rhetoric is not of God. The loving God who created humanity in his/her own image does not hate nor
Transmissions
condemn individuals because of their sexuality. In 1993, I was a victim of spiritual abuse. I was publicly “outed” as being gay and my credentials as an ordained minister were taken away. At that point, I left the church and found refuge in working with inner-city youth. On a day off, by accident, I discovered my very first Pride parade. In this parade was a contingent representing Metropolitan Community Church. This church marched proclaiming a message of God’s love for whosoever. It is this same church that I pastor today. Over the years, many victims of spiritual abuse have sought refuge at MCC. The very same message that revived me in 1994 has been preached time and time again at MCC — “God’s love is for whosoever” — and that message is the “Good News of Christ.” I encourage all LGBTQ individuals (especially youth) who belong to a faith group that does not totally accept you because of your sexual orientation or gender expression to emancipate yourself. Your spirit deserves it. When I first came to Philadelphia, MCC was one of the only churches that was radically inclusive. Today there are many. You do not have to give your time, talents and treasure to a faith group that abuses you. You do not have to tolerate violence. There are many faith groups in Philadelphia that will fully accept, love and PAGE 17 nurture you, and appre-
Gwendolyn Ann Smith
The year we fight back By now, the crowds have dispersed from Times Square, leaving behind heaps of confetti, deflated balloons and the odd, broken pair of “2017” sunglasses. College Bowl games and tie-in parades are now a memory. Even my neighbor, who seems intent on having his own backyard fireworks extravaganza, has, mercifully, run out of M-80s. We have — at long last — shambled into the New Year. By most metrics, 2016 was difficult. Scores of celebrity deaths dominated entertainment news as we saw the passage of gender-transgressive musicians like David Bowie, Prince, Pete Burns and even George Michael, among other adored celebrities. We saw the United Kingdom leave the European Union in an embarrassingly close vote, only to see a similar development in the United States, which elected reality-show star and ethically challenged businessman Donald J. Trump
to lead our country for the next four years. I assure you that was about the nicest description I could manage for a man who has brought sexism, racism and all forms of phobias to the highest office in the land. I can’t help but mention that, yes, 2016 was also the year my father passed away. To paraphrase the movie tag line, “This time it was personal.” If 2015 was the year when transgender people found themselves deluged with one bathroom bill after another, 2016 will be recalled as the year when just one single such bill caused months of strife. It was March 22 that the North Carolina legislature, in a special session, passed House Bill 2. The bill, predominately recalled as an anti-trans bathroom bill, went far beyond simply defining who could use a bathroom. It changed laws related to employment and contracting involving all sorts of discrimination, disallowed localities within the
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Street Talk What should Michelle Obama do after the White House? “I’d like her to run for president, but she won’t do that. So I’d like her to host a Marie Brooks maintenance TV show. engineer She’s South Philadelphia a very classy lady, and a great role model for everyone. I’d watch her all day long.”
“Michelle Obama is very well-spoken and caring. She should Aly Castle continue visitor-services advocating assistant Queen Village for basic human rights. They’re so important, in light of the incoming [Trump] administration.”
“Help define the new directions of the Democratic Party. I think Thomas Gartner student Michelle Bella Vista Obama has a lot to offer. She has the ability to galvanize support for future Democratic candidates.”
“Stick with her nutritional program. I think it’s a wonderful program. She’s rais- Mia Waters ing aware- secretary ness about Overbrook child obesity. That should continue because it creates a healthy country.”
state to enact minimum-wage standards and other employment protections such as child welfare and family leave policies, and generally made North Carolina persona-non-gratia for any number of business, sports and performance artists. HB2 also helped cause the downfall of North Carolina’s former governor, Pat McCrory, who continues to champion the bill. In December, insult was added to injury, as North Carolina Republicans brokered a deal with the city of Charlotte, getting it to rescind its LGBT-protection ordinance in trade for the repeal of House Bill 2. Once Charlotte had done so, the legislature found itself unable and unwilling to complete the repeal, and HB2 remains on the books. North Carolina was not alone, with other states, most notably Texas, pushing for similar bills. In the Lone Star State’s version, the law only prevents male-to-female individuals from using women’s rooms;
female-to-male trans folks will be welcome to use the men’s room. Texas also has taken a stab at the Affordable Care Act, fighting against abortion access and transgender inclusion, on “religious freedom” grounds. I hasten to add that such “Religious Freedom Restoration Acts” are a popular way to chip away at LGBT and other rights in a post-marriage-equality era. We can be all but assured that we shall see a lot more of this in 2017 and beyond. RFRA bills, coupled with the expected undermining of Obama-era transgender protections — particularly in light of the incoming administration’s anti-LGBT cabinet choices and the similarly anti-LGBT vice-president elect — are leading to more than a little trepidation in the transgender community as we turn our calendars to the New Year. What we see, as we go into the New Year, is a future where PAGE 17
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTORY
PGN FINANCES
Your piece of the American Dream: Buying a first home Q: My partner and I were recently married and are beginning to discuss buying our first home in the coming year. What information do we need to know to make this a thoughtful and hopefully enjoyable experience?
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A: First, congratulations on your recent marriage and for preparing to take this next exciting step. For many people, buying their first home represents the biggest financial commitment they’ll ever make. Before making such an important decision, you should consider a variety of factors, starting with whether home ownership is right for you. When considering this question, it may help to view the ownership decision as a lifestyle choice first, and a financial decision second. While over time buying a home can potentially be a good way to build equity, history has shown that, like many other investments, real-estate prices can fluctuate considerably. If you aren’t ready to settle down in one spot for a few years, you may want to defer buying a home until you are. But if you are ready to take the plunge, you’ll need to determine how much you can afford to spend.
inspection, loan origination fees, up-front “points” (prepaid interest), application fees, an appraisal fee, title search and title insurance, homeowner’s insurance, recording fees and attorneys’ fees. Operating costs In addition to mortgage payments, there are other costs associated with home ownership. Home-association fees, utilities, heat, property taxes, repairs, insurance, services such as trash or snow removal, landscaping and replacement of appliances are some of the more common costs incurred. Check the actual expenses of the previous owners and make sure you know how much you are willing and able to spend on such items. Once you’ve determined a price range and location, you’re ready to look at individual homes. Remember that much of a home’s value is derived from the values of Jeremy those surrounding it. In addition to “comparables,” consider the neighborhood, Gussick schools and other qualities that may be attractive to future buyers as well as those attractive to you. The more research you do today, the better your decision will look in the years to come. n
Out Money
How much house can you afford? Most people, especially first-time buyers, must take out a mortgage to buy a home. To qualify for a mortgage, the borrower generally needs to meet two industry-standard ratio requirements: the housing-expense ratio and the total-debt ratio. • The housing-expense ratio compares basic monthly housing costs to the buyer’s gross monthly income (before taxes and other deductions). Basic costs include mortgage payments, insurance and property taxes. Income includes any steady cash flow, including salary, child support or alimony payments. For a conventional loan, your monthly housing cost generally should not exceed 28 percent of your monthly gross income. • The total-debt ratio is the percentage of income required to service all of your monthly debt payments. Monthly payments on student loans, installment loans and credit-card balances, for instance, are added to basic housing costs and then divided by gross income. Your total monthly debt payments, including basic housing costs, generally should not exceed 36 percent. In addition to qualifying for a mortgage, you will likely need a down payment. Down-payment requirements generally vary from a minimum of 3-20 percent or more, depending on individual factors. Down payments greater than 20 percent generally exempt you from buying private mortgage insurance and may help you secure a lower interest rate. Mortgages available to some military veterans and active duty military personnel through the Veterans Administration (VA) may require no down payment. Closing costs Closing costs vary considerably, but typically add between 2-7 percent to your purchase price. Such costs can include — but are not limited to — a home
Jeremy R. Gussick is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional affiliated with LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer.* Jeremy specializes in the financial planning and retirement income needs of the LGBT community and was recently named a 2016 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager as mentioned in Philadelphia Magazine.** He is active with several LGBT organizations in the Philadelphia region, including Delaware Valley Legacy Fund and the Independence Business Alliance, the Philadelphia region’s LGBT chamber of commerce. OutMoney appears monthly. If you have a question for Jeremy, you can contact him via email at jeremy.gussick@lpl.com. This article was prepared with the assistance of DST Systems Inc. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor. Please consult me if you have any questions. LPL Financial Representatives offer access to Trust Services through The Private Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of LPL Financial. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by DST Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall DST Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscribers’ or others’ use of the content. To the extent you are receiving investment advice from a separately registered independent investment advisor, please note that LPL Financial LLC is not an affiliate of and makes no representation with respect to such entity. Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. *As reported by Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2016, based on total revenues. **Award based on 10 objective criteria associated with providing quality services to clients such as credentials, experience, and assets under management among other factors. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of 2016 Five Star Wealth Managers
LOCAL PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
Gayborhood Crime Watch
Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.
News Briefing
The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Dec. 19, 2016-Jan. 1, 2017. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Crime Analyst Officer Robert Savino. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice. com or call 215-686-TIPS.
and wearing a gray hoodie with a black winter coat.
INCIDENTS
— There were two thefts of bicycles Representatives of the William Way reported Dec. 19-Jan. 1: in the 200 block LGBT Community Center will update the of S. 12th Street and 200 S. Broad Street. public on the center’s work at the organiza— There was one theft of an automobile tion’s annual meeting. Additionally, center reported Dec. 19-Jan. 1: in the 800 block of members can meet and vote for the candidates for board of directors, who will make Chestnut Street. brief statements and answer questions. The candidates are Deja Lynn Alvarez, ARRESTS Maryellen Madden, Meg Rider and Lauri — At 12:05 a.m. Dec. 21, police issued Kavulich. The meeting will be held 12:45-2 a summary citation to a 38-year-old man p.m. Jan. 14 at the William Way LGBT for failure to pay his restaurant tab at “The Bar,” 1309 Sansom St.
— At 4 a.m. Dec. 18, a man was slashed with a knife multiple times during an altercation with a bouncer from Voyeur Nightclub on the corner of 13th and Locust streets. Central Detectives is investigating. — At 6 p.m. Dec. 20, someone gained access to an unlock office in the unit block of South 12th Street and stole a laptop. Central Detectives is investigating. — At 5:57 p.m. Dec. 21, a man was struck in the face with a bag in the 300 block of South 13th Street after an argument with a 63-year-old woman known to him. Central Detectives is investigating. — At 2 p.m. Dec. 22, an apartment-building manager and tenants observed two men force their way into the building in the 1200 block of Sansom Street. The men were in the process of stripping the building of brass-plumbing pipe when a maintenance worker stopped them and held them for police. The 29- and 31-year-olds were charged with burglary, theft and related offenses. — At 3 p.m. Dec. 24, a man reported another resident of his building stole money from his unlocked apartment in the 1200 block of Ludlow Street. — Between 9 a.m. Dec. 23 and 4 p.m. Dec. 26, someone gained access to an apartment in the 300 block of S. 11th Street and stole a resident’s laptop. — At 10:20 a.m. Dec. 27, someone gained access to the Eat A Pita Restaurant at 128 S. 12th St. through an unlocked door and stole a laptop from a rear office. — At 1 a.m. Dec. 29, a man reported he was physically assaulted by a man with whom he had a verbal argument outside Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. The suspect was described as white, in her early 20s, 5-foot10, with a medium build and wearing a black shirt, jeans and gray hat. — At 3 p.m. Dec. 30, a man asked to see a ring inside the Max Weiner Jewelry Store, 805 Sansom St. When staff handed him the ring, he attempted to flee with it. When an employee attempted to stop him, he acted like he was holding a gun in his coat pocket, though it was not seen, and the suspect fled with the ring. He is described as black, 6 feet, 200 pounds, with a beard
— There were three thefts from parked vehicles reported Dec. 19-Jan. 1: in the 300 block of South Juniper Street, 100 block of South 12th Street and 200 block of South Ninth Street.
— At 11:18 p.m. Dec. 21, SEPTA officers arrested a 51-year-old man who allegedly assaulted an officer attempting to escort him out of Jefferson Station, 1100 Market St. The officer sustained minor injuries. — At 12:40 a.m. Dec. 22, police issued a summary citation to a 36-year-old man for drinking from an open container of alcohol in the 1300 block of Locust Street.
William Way to host annual meeting
— At 8:55 a.m. Dec. 28, police issued a summary citation to a 32-year-old man for drinking from an open container of alcohol in the 200 block of South 12th Street. — At 9:17 a.m. Dec. 28, police issued a summary citation to a 53-year-old man for drinking from an open container of alcohol in the 200 block of South 12th Street.
Bar to host fundraiser for LGBT homeless shelter
— At 8:15 p.m. Dec. 28, police arrested a 45-year-old man in the 200 block of South 13th Street for a probation violation. — At 10:15 a.m. Dec. 29, police issued a summary citation to a 53-year-old man for drinking from an open container of alcohol in the 1300 block of Latimer Street. — At 9:20 a.m. Dec. 30, police issued a summary citation to a 58-year-old man for drinking from an open container of alcohol in the 1100 block of Chestnut Street. — At 9:04 p.m. Dec. 31, police arrested a 23-year-old man outside 1310 Drury St. for disorderly conduct. — At 1:50 a.m. Jan. 1, police arrested a 24-year-old man for disorderly conduct in the 200 block of South 13th Street. n
Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association serves up January Social Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association members and nonmembers can take a break from the court to discuss all things tennis with other players. The organization’s January Social is part of the group’s efforts to coordinate ways for players to meet up. This month, tennis enthusiasts can join to talk about the 2017 Winter Doubles League and how to get involved in the spring and summer seasons. All are welcome to attend. The Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association’s January Social will take place 7-10 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Legacy Tennis Center, 4842 Ridge Ave. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at www. philadelphialibertytennis.org/events. — Jeremy Rodriguez
Inauguration blues? Give back to the LGBT community Drag Brunch to support Art auction benefits national group Mazzoni, other orgs. With a $5 donation, locals can support a national nonprofit organization while enjoying brunch with drag queens. Drag performer Brittany Lynn and Buff Faye, a drag queen from Charlotte, N.C., will host Campus Pride Drag Brunch Jan. 22 at Tabu to raise funds for the LGBT student organization. Campus Pride is dedicated to providing programs, resources and support to make college campuses across the country more LGBT-friendly and inclusive. Doors for the event open at 11 a.m. at 200 S. 12th St.
— At 7:27 p.m. Dec. 22, police issued a summary citation to a 57-year-old man in the 1300 block of Chestnut Street for a parole violation in New Jersey.
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Center City bar Dirty Frank’s will host a fundraiser next weekend for LGBTQ Home for Hope. The Home for Hope is Pennsylvania’s only homeless shelter specifically for LGBT people and receives no public funding. The event will include a silent auction, cake raffle and a donation drive to collect household supplies for residents. Additionally, PECO will match all proceeds from the fundraiser up to $5,000. “Your attendance and participation will not only contribute to a noble cause but will add to the fun we will all have by joining forces to create great change,” the event’s Facebook page says. The fundraiser will take place noon-4 p.m. Jan. 22 at Dirty Frank’s, 347 S. 13th St. — Jeremy Rodriguez
Local and national social-justice organizations will benefit from a silent art auction this weekend. More than 100 local artists will donate pieces for sale at Collective Action, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 14 at 990 Spring Garden St. Admission is free. Organizers aim to raise at least $20,000, which will be split evenly among 10 nonprofits that have pledged to fight restrictive actions by the incoming presidential administration. LGBT health facility Mazzoni Center is among the beneficiaries, as well as Planned Parenthood and Juntos. For more information, visit https://www. facebook.com/events/1886900214877714/.
Comedy show supports ACLU An “America’s Got Talent” finalist is among the comedians joining forces to fundraise for the American Civil Liberties Union. “What a Joke” will be held at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at Good Good Comedy Theater, 215 N. 11th St. Tickets are $10 and proceeds benefit the Pennsylvania chapter of ACLU. Organizers are staging comedy shows around the country to raise funds for ACLU, in light of the inauguration of Donald Trump as president. Local performers include “AGT” alum Doogie Horner, as well as Dina Hashem, Carolyn Busa, Alex Grubard and Cassandra Dee. ComedySportz member Darryl Charles will host. For more information or tickets, visit https:// goodgood.yapsody.com/event/index/56829/ what-a-joke-fest-an-aclu-benefit. n — Jen Colletta
LOCAL PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
Ursinus class project unveils rich history of GSA By Matty Bennett PGN Contributor Founded in 1991, the Ursinus College Gay and Lesbian Alliance experienced a tumultuous beginning at the hand of a few — but vocal — students and faculty who strongly opposed the inception of the organization. Current Ursinus seniors Jordan Ostrum, an English, Women & Gender Studies major, and Lauren Geiger, an English major, sought to examine the history and conflicts of the first decade years of GALA. The students undertook the project for their class “Bears Make History: Digital Entrepreneurship in the Archive and Online.” Controversy surrounded the formation of the GALA, known today at Ursinus as the GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance). An act of vandalism occurred on National Coming Out Day in 1991 when someone scribbled “FAGS GO HOME!” on a GALA flier that was posted on campus. The founding GALA president at the time, Michael Cyr, fired back by writing in the Ursinus College newspaper, The Grizzly, on Oct. 22, 1991, “This is our home. And we are not going anywhere.”
More controversy erupted when a deeply homophobic opinion letter was published in The Grizzly a few weeks later. A physics professor named John Ronning wrote that GALA should not be tolerated on campus because “living with one disease after another and dying young … masturbating through a hole in the wall with thousands of anonymous partners and … exchanging feces to eat … are regular features of gay culture.” Ostrum and Geiger created a website that explores how the Ursinus GSA handled those
has been a part of gay-straight alliances for many years. “I’ve been involved in GSA since my freshman year of high school,” Ostrum said. “I was really interested in how the group got started because I was rather impressed with the date of origin of the group. I tried to rally as many people as I could to focus on the GSA because it’s a really important topic of how a marginalized group of people got together to declare a space for themselves to make sure they had a home.” Over the years, the organization has seen many name
Over the years, the organization has seen many name changes, from the original Gay and Lesbian Alliance to Gay-Straight Alliance to the current Gender Sexuality Alliance. conflicts and more throughout the first 10 years of its existence. The website highlights their thorough research into the Ursinus archives, including old newspapers and yearbooks, in order to make this specific history more accessible to a broader audience. This project was especially important to Ostrum because he
TRANSMISSIONS from page 11
out rights are likely to be rolled back. Protections that were expected to continue through another Democratic administration are now assumed to be lost as soon as day one of the Trump presidency. Congress is also in Republican control, the Supreme Court is set to do the same and the Democratic Party seems more willing to point fingers at transgender people — among others — for its defeat. This is not the recipe for transgender rights. So 2016 was bad, and 2017 will likely be a lot worse. It makes one want to despair. Let me tell you one key thing: That’s exactly what they’d want. While opponents will certainly try, the only thing they cannot stop is each of us. It becomes all the more important that we stand and fight back. If you are transgender, take what little time is left and get your papers in order. Seek out resources like translawhelp.com and get your United States passport and Social Security paperwork in order while you can. If you are in a position where you can support transgender organizations, please do so. You may wish to also support larger groups like Planned Parenthood,
changes, from the original Gay and Lesbian Alliance to GayStraight Alliance to the current Gender Sexuality Alliance. Ostrum said these changes speak to the organization’s push for inclusivity and illustrate how the organization has changed over the years. “I think the organization became more established over
the first 10 years. As time went on, I think it was perhaps left alone more and became a part of the background,” Ostrum said. “The name GSA, Gender Sexuality Alliance, was intentionally changed to include all genders and sexualities, and what I’ve seen from the early ’90s to now is that this is a more inclusive group; the board now consists of more diversity in terms of genders and race.” Ostrum and Geiger felt that exposing this unique history to a wider audience was especially important and relevant after Donald Trump’s election. Ostrum was particularly thankful for this class assignment because he felt that it was different than the average college project. “As a senior in college, I am used to an assignment where you and 20 other classmates have the same paper to write, but this was incredibly different. This was us being asked to share a unique piece of history with the world. I care deeply about sharing the stories of people whose voices often go unheard.” n To learn more about the history of the Ursinus College GSA and to view Ostrum and Geiger’s project, go to http://omeka.ursinus.edu/exhibits/show/ bearsmakegsahistory.
which is now starting to offer trans-related services, or the ACLU, which is gearing up to fight in Texas over their Affordable Care Act ruling as well as anything done to harm people from the incoming administration. If you can provide support of any type to your transgender siblings and others who will be marginalized further under the incoming administration, now is the time to lend your hand. Provide support of all kinds, and stand with each of us who are and will be in need in 2017 and beyond. There’s one more important thing to do: Stay alive. There are many on the right who would like to see us go away, and that includes seeing us dead. To that end, they’re doing all they can to make our lives a struggle. It is up to each of us to resist, and even just continuing to be our wonderful selves fights against their desires. Last year was hard, and much was lost. In 2017, we are threatened with more losses. Yet, I beg of you, let’s make 2017 the year we fight back. n
OP-ED from page 11
Gwen Smith will stand with you if you’ll stand with her. You can find her at www.gwensmith. com.
The Rev. Jeffrey H. Jordan is senior pastor at Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church, 3637 Chestnut St. He can be reached at RevJJordan@ aol.com or 215-873-5719.
ciate all that you have to offer. “Now more than ever,” it is time to let go of this kind of abusive and violent religious language so that we can build beloved communities that seek the common good for all. Several months ago, approximately 19 LGBTQIA faith leaders came together to form a coalition to proclaim a sacred voice of defiance against injustice, inequality and spiritual abuse. This group has held two meetings and soon will introduce itself to the general public. Until then, I invite anyone who is a victim of religious abuse and/or is seeking a safe, inclusive faith community to contact me. In turn, I will direct you to a faith leader who will help you discover a safe place to call home. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature [including Kim Burrell and Shirley Caesar] shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:38 and 39 Peace. n
Out Law
Angela Giampolo
What special challenges does the LGBT community face when it comes to the law? Whether it’s adoption, co-habitation agreements or a will, Angela Giampolo shares legal advice for our community each month.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
CREATING PGNCHANGE
Find community, culture in Philly’s Gayborhood By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com For those of you in town for the Creating Change Conference, welcome to Philly! (Oh, and apologies in advance about the traffic and high cost of soft drinks.) If you find yourself with some free time between events, you are in luck, as Philadelphia has a wealth of LGBTthemed and -friendly sites and attractions you can check out while visiting. The William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., has been a nerve center and meeting place for the community for more than 40 years. It is known far and wide for hosting LGBT meetings, performances and art exhibitions, as well as being home to the city’s biggest LGBT
library and archive — a stroll through either can have you lost in LGBT literature and history for hours! For more information, visit www.waygay.org. Speaking of LGBT history, Philadelphia is home to the nation’s oldest LGBT bookstore, Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. A few years back, the shop’s future was preserved by Philly AIDS Thrift — which donates its profits to HIV/AIDS causes — resulting in Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room. The boutique thrift store still offers a wide range of LGBT titles, as well as clothing, gifts, games and much more. For more information, visit phillyaidsthriftatgiovannisroom. com/. If the weather permits, take a brisk and leisurely winter stroll through the Gayborhood (the blocks between 11th
and Broad streets, Pine and Chestnut streets), where you can find a lot of the city’s most-talked-about restaurants, nightclubs and shops. Make sure you head past 12th Street Gym, 204 S. 12th St., to take in the large mural depicting and dedicated to the late LGBT-rights leader Gloria Casarez, Philadelphia’s first director of LGBT Affairs. For more information, visit www.muralarts.org/. Another LGBT pioneer who called Philadelphia home is Barbara Gittings, who is considered the mother of the LGBT-rights movement. Gittings edited the nation’s first lesbian magazine, led the charge to promote positive LGBT literature in public libraries and to change the American Psychiatric Association’s classification of homosexuality as a mental illness. A Pennsylvania
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Historical & Museum Commission marker, installed last summer during the Democratic National Convention, honors the home she shared with her photojournalist partner Kay Lahusen, and a sign at 13th and Locust streets declares the thoroughfare Barbara Gittings Way. Gayborhood nightlife can be quite diverse and varied, but unless you are looking for something really specific, the safe money leans more to longstanding Gayborhood icon Woody’s (www. woodysbar.com), diverse sports bar/ lounge Tabu (www.tabuphilly.com) or, for after-hours fun, the massive dance club Voyeur (www.voyeurnightclub. com). If you find yourself in the neighborhood late at night and you’re a bit puckish after a night on the dance floor, Pizzeria Cappelli’s, 209 S. 13th St. — given the monikers “Gay Pizza” and “Homo Hut” by locals — is the place to refuel when the area clubs start emptying out for the night. Just after 2 a.m., expect the line to stretch out of the shop and down the street — giving you ample opportunity to socialize with both tourists and locals alike as you wait for your slice. For more information, visit http://www.pizzeriacappelli.com/. Have fun and fight the power! n
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CREATING PGNCHANGE
Day in the Life of ... By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com While the public will enjoy the Creating Change Conference for five days next week in Philadelphia, four individuals have been working for almost a year to make sure the event takes off. The Creating Change Host Committee gathered Jan. 10 to discuss last-minute details for the conference. Aneesah Smith spoke to more than 25 members in the Grand Ballroom at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott. “As a host committee, we did it,” Smith said. “Give yourself a round of applause.” The National LGBTQ Task Force, which spearheads the annual traveling LGBTequality conference, relies on a local host committee to organize efforts within the host city. This year’s Creating Change Host Committee co-chairs consist of Smith, Samantha Giusti, Naiymah Sanchez and Le Thomas. Each co-chair helped coordinate smaller subcommittees for the event with missions ranging from fundraising and volunteering to programming and marketing. As the president of Philadelphia Black Pride, Thomas said he applied for a co-chair position because he was looking for a new opportunity to get involved in the community. “I wanted to try something different other than what I was normally doing, which was planning Pride,” Thomas said. “I wanted to contribute in a different way.” Each co-chair has attended Creating Change in the past but this is their first year involved on the organizing side. Sanchez said they gained a stronger understanding of what it takes to put together the conference, which draws up to 4,000 people. “You grow to gain appreciation for the actual conference from being on the organizing part of it,” Sanchez said. “Being a conference-goer, you travel to the state and you go to the workshops. Being on the opposite side, you get a sense of what it takes to put a conference together. You grow to respect the community and you grow to respect the conference as well.” All four co-chairs also hold LGBTcentric positions outside of Creating Change, with Giusti as the executive director of DVLF, an LGBT philanthropy organization; Sanchez as a coordinator for GALAEI’s Trans*Health Information Project, a resource program for transgender individuals; Smith as the assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs for LGBTQA Services and Special Projects at West Chester University; and Thomas as president of Philadelphia Black Pride, an organization dedicated to changing the lives of LGBT people of color. The co-chairs said while it has been challenging to juggle other jobs with their Host Committee responsibilities, there was also some overlap. Giusti said her organization has been understanding of her work on the
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Creating Change 2017 Host Committee co-chairs committee. “DVLF has really been amazing and has given me the time away from the office to dedicate to this because we want to make sure that the LGBTQ community is strong here in Philadelphia, and this is just an extension of that mission,” Giusti said. The work hasn’t come without its challenges. Smith said one she faced was getting volunteers involved. She said the Host Committee still has “great people involved” but recognized that some early volunteers later dropped off. “It’s a long process,” Smith said. “We have been doing this since May, which has been super-awesome, but I feel like we lost some people along the way with the holidays.” Despite logistical obstacles, Sanchez stayed optimistic about the Host Committee’s efforts. “All of these challenges that we’ve seen, now that we’re a week away, we overcame those challenges and we’re still struggling,” Sanchez said. “Any work that you do, you struggle to do it. And we’re continuing to do it a week out.” Each co-chair also has personal achievements they are proud of. Thomas said he is looking forward to seeing the programming, which he helped coordinate. “Programming is important because it sets the tone of what the conference is going to look like,” Thomas said. “It was our recommendation to make sure that we got the programming that was inclusive of the culture here in the Philadelphia region.” Meanwhile, Smith was satisfied with how the housing committee, which organized members of the community to open their homes to conference attendees, turned out. “I can say today at this hour that anyone who needed housing got housing for Creating Change and will be here next week,” Smith said. “We had enough hosts and they were willing to welcome more people [into their homes]. We just made it work and didn’t turn anyone away.” Sanchez said she was “proud of all of the ambition” the co-chairs put into the event. Smith noted that the variety of perspectives all four brought to the job was important. “I think [the National LGBTQ Task Force] did a good job of picking four different folks from different walks of life and we made it happen,” Smith said. “So it’s been great. And we will stay in touch — and it’s on the record.” That comment elicited laughs from the other co-chairs before Sanchez interjected: “This is on the record: Aneesah made the banging-est [sic] cupcakes,” she said, referring to the desserts Smith would bring to committee meetings. “I think Aneesah’s cupcakes were the highlight,” Giusti added. Thomas said he has worked with Sanchez for the last three years but didn’t really know Giusti or Smith prior to joining the
Host Committee. “It’s good to interact and have a relationship with the group collectively and a relationship with them individually,” Thomas said. In addition to forming friendships with their fellow co-chairs, the four leaders are looking forward to enjoying the actual conference. Thomas attended last year’s Creating Change Conference in Chicago. Now as an organizer, he plans to deliver feedback to the Task Force so the organization can in turn present the information to next year’s Host Committee. “I like instant feedback so I’ll be keeping my ears open to things and help if SAMANTHA GIUSTI (FROM LEFT), ANEESAH SMITH, there’s something we NAIYMAH SANCHEZ AND LE THOMAS AT TUESDAY’S can adjust while the FINAL HOST COMMITTEE MEETING Photo: Jeremy Rodriguez conference is going conference and I used the conference as on,” Thomas said. Meanwhile, Giusti is eager to see first- another set of eyes to give me some more insight on what Philadelphia Black Pride time conference attendees. “I’m really looking forward to sitting can do in the future.” back and watching the faces of people Sanchez, who is transitioning into a new whose first time it is because I remember so position with the American Civil Liberties fondly what it was like for my first time,” Union of Pennsylvania, said the conferGiusti said. “I can only imagine there’s a lot ence will help her interact with others on of young people who are really looking to post-election issues for transgender people. get involved and channel their energy, their “With this election and the movement fears, their frustrations and their hopes. I that we’re going to have to go into, this is remember what it meant to me and I can going to be a chance for me as the ACLU only imagine it will mean something simi- transgender-advocacy coordinator to netlar, if not more impactful. I’m going to be work with transgender individuals across looking for their faces and hoping to relive the United States and also internationally,” that moment with them as their first time.” Sanchez said. While the conference will conclude Giusti encouraged Philadelphia residents Jan. 22, the co-chairs’ work will continue with all levels of community involvement beyond Creating Change and will filter into to explore the benefits of Creating Change. “Even if you’re a seasoned LGBTQ their other jobs. “Through Creating Change, I hope to activist, if you’re someone that’s never connect with people nationwide, maybe been before, if you’re someone that just internationally,” Smith said. “The sky is not feels kind of compelled with what you see in the news to get involved, you don’t want even the limit.” Giusti said attending the conference with to miss this,” Giusti said. “There’s noththousands of others allows her to refocus ing like being in a space with 4,000 other LGBTQ people who are ready to be themher efforts as executive director of DVLF. “When I go to Creating Change year selves, to be accepted and to create change. after year, it really allows me to take a step The energy is electric and you need to be back,” Giusti said. “I realize that nation- here and be yourself and be with us.” n ally, there’s a huge movement for LGBTQ equality and there’s great work across the The 29th-annual Creating Change Conference will take place Jan. 18-22 at the Philadelphia Marriott board. It energizes me.” Downtown, 1201 Market St. Visit www.creatingchange. Thomas echoed that statement. org for more information, to register and to volunteer. “It helps put a focus on a viewpoint Volunteers signing up for four-hour shifts will receive that I may have missed,” Thomas said. free admission to the conference for the remainder of “I’ve learned some new things through the the day they volunteer.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
CREATING CHANGE PGN
Five to be honored at Creating Change Conference By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com A group of individuals and organizations from throughout the region will be recognized at the largest annual LGBT conference, held next weekend in Philadelphia. This year, the National LGBTQ Task Force will give out five awards at the annual Creating Change Conference, a five-day conference filled with workshops dedicated to promoting LGBT equality. The awards will be presented with collaboration from the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund and Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) on Jan. 22 at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott. The honorees include Hazel Edwards for the Youth Leadership Award; Glenn D. Magpantay for the Haas Jr. Award for Outstanding LGBTQ Leadership for Immigrant Rights; Dr. Luke Jensen for the Distinguished Achievement in the Profession Award; John C. Andersen Apartments for the SAGE Advocacy Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging; and Philadelphia Gay News for the LGBTQ Media Award for Elevating Voices of LGBTQ People. Task Force Deputy Executive Director Russell Roybal said the organization’s awards program aims to honor the work being done by individuals in the region where the conference is being held. “How many times do people say ‘Thank you’ or give a pat on the back to someone who is doing so much work on behalf of their community?” Roybal said. “It’s an
MARCH from page 1
an American citizen. Equality isn’t in my cards and for 24 hours, I went through all of the stages of grief. And then afterwards, I got angry. Quite frankly, I’ve been angry ever since.” Martin will channel that anger into the Women’s March on Philadelphia, which will be held concurrently with the Women’s March on Washington. Philadelphia is one of 97 cities where marches will take place Jan. 21. “For those who can’t make it to Washington, D.C., this march in Philly is an opportunity to show positive support and unity for not only women, but all those feeling they do not have a voice due to the rhetoric of this election cycle: immigrants, people of color, individuals with disabilities, the LGBTQ community and those of diverse faiths,” Emily Morse, organizer of the Women’s March on Philadelphia, said in a statement. “While women are the focus of the march, our male allies are welcome and encouraged to attend to show their support, as universal equality stands to
honor to be able to do that and to recognize folks in the community that we have Creating Change in.” Transgender teen Edwards helped co-author the Philadelphia School District’s Policy 252 to establish protections for transgender and gender-nonconforming students. Additionally, she serves as a member on the Mayor’s Youth Commission, as an intern at The Attic Youth Center’s Justice League program and has spoken at several
are honored to be able to recognize his work.” The Consortium will highlight Jensen’s work in providing resources to LGBT students as an administrator at the University of Maryland, College Park. “He has represented the Consortium in different ways through different professional associations,” Roybal said. “His advocacy for LGBTQ people and for LGBTQ students had meant that those
“Oftentimes, as LGBTQ people age, they sometimes have to go back into the closet in order to receive care. If you lived your life out and proud for 50 years and suddenly you need to go into an environment where you need care, there are not many options to live independently.” engagements and workshops. “I think Hazel is a good example of what it means to turn the passion of your life and who you are into helping others,” Roybal said. On Magpantay, Roybal mentioned his “passion and his dedication to making life better for API [Asian Pacific Islander] folks and immigrants.” Magpantay is the executive director of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, where he does campaign work for immigrant rights and educates others about the struggles of LGBT API individuals. “Glenn is one of the most hardworking people in the LGBTQ movement,” Roybal said. “He’s a passionate advocate and we
issues were considered and included in student affairs and higher education.” Organizations will also be spotlighted at Creating Change. SAGE will recognize those who pioneered John C. Andersen Apartments, Philadelphia’s LGBT-friendly facility that provides 56 housing units to low-income people over the age of 62. Roybal said this apartment project “helps us live out and proud for the rest of our lives.” “Not only do we need to take care of young people in our movement but we need to take care of people as they age. Oftentimes, as LGBTQ people age, they sometimes have to go back into the closet in order to receive care,” Roybal said. “If
benefit all Americans.” The Philly Women’s Rally, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for women’s rights and political involvement in Philadelphia, will spearhead the event, which began on Facebook and grew in popularity from there. As of presstime, the Facebook event had more than 8,000 confirmed attendees and more than 20,000 designated as “interested.” With Morse, Martin is one of eight organizers for the Philadelphia march. “I very much believe in our U.S. Constitution,” Martin said. “I felt like all of these things were under attack, and in turn, I’m under attack. The fact that I have a voice and a platform to do something, I feel like I have taken that responsibility very seriously.” Martin said her 5-month-old daughter’s future is the “motivator” for her to participate in this march. She also recognizes her bisexual identity and said that, while she married a man, she knows her rights would have been different if she fell in love with and married a woman. Martin said her family has always been
accepting of others. “[My family] always said, ‘It doesn’t really matter what your sexual orientation is,’” Martin said. “‘What matters is how you treat other people.’ But not everybody has that [support].” Martin said she hopes the LGBT acceptance that will be on display at the march has a lasting impact. “At the end of the day, if I can make one gay kid OK with their identity and who they are, then this is very much worth it,” Martin said. “This is not just a march and rally. It will become a movement.” A rally will take place immediately after the march in Eakins Oval. Scheduled speakers include Director of LGBT Affairs Nellie Fitzpatrick, out state Rep. Brian Sims, out attorney Sherrie Cohen and Mayor Jim Kenney. Joining them will be: • Doyle Steinberg, Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania • Carol Tracy, Philadelphia Philadelphia Commission for Women • Jovida Hill, Philadelphia Commission
you lived your life out and proud for 50 years and suddenly you need to go into an environment where you need care, there are not many options to live independently.” Another organization being honored is PGN, which will receive the Media Award for providing a voice to the LGBT community for 40 years. This is the first time the Task Force staff has given out the award in the 29 years Creating Change has been active. “[PGN] is one of the oldest LGBT weeklies in the country and for all of those years has not only reported the news about the LGBTQ community but has advocated for LGBTQ people,” Roybal said. Roybal mentioned the Task Force has wanted to coordinate the conference in Philadelphia for a long time. He said he was looking forward to Creating Change showcasing the work being done in the city. “It’s important for us that we recognize the tremendous organizing work that is happening on the ground in Philadelphia from folks like Mark [Segal, PGN publisher] and Jen [Colletta, PGN editor], who have been doing work for a long time, all the way to Hazel, who is a young person who has been doing work the last few years,” Roybal said. “I think it represents a continuum of activism and organizing that the Task Force wants to recognize in a city like Philadelphia.” n Creating Change will take place Jan. 18-22 at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott, 1201 Market St. To learn more about Creating Change and to register for the conference, visit www.creatingchange.org.
for Women • State Sen. Judy Schwank • State Rep. Donna Bullock • Tiffany Wilson, Office of State Sen. Vincent Hughes • Lindy Li, former Democratic Congressional candidate for Pennsylvania’s Sixth District • Brittany Behar, M.D., Milton S. Hershey Medical Center • Karen Feridum, Pennsylvanians Against Fracking • Heidi Harvie, M.D., MBA, MSCE Urogynecology & Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery The march will set off at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 from Logan Square, 200 N. 19th St., proceed down Benjamin Franklin Parkway and conclude with the rally at Eakins Oval, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. Interested participants can register for free at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ womens-march-on-philadelphia-tickets-30073313089 to give the organization an accurate count of attendance. n
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Philly’s must-sees for Creating Change Creating Change Conference attendees, welcome to Philadelphia! We know something about creating change in this town as Philadelphia; the United States’ birthplace played a prominent role in the founding and advancement of the LGBT civil-rights movement. Philly’s LGBT tourism campaign is “Philadelphia. Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay,” so here are the best tips for doing both. You have to visit to the Historic Philadelphia District, the original city, which played a vital role in the birth of the United States’ LGBT-rights movement. Independence National Historic Park, home of the Liberty Bell, is located at Sixth and Chestnut streets. Be sure to get your photo at the bell and in front of Independence Hall where our country began. Everything is free! You don’t need tickets for the Liberty Bell but you will need to get a free, timed ticket for a visit to Independence Hall. You can get your free ticket at the Independence Visitor Center located at Sixth and Market streets, just six short blocks from your convention hotel. Don’t miss the Reminder Day Marker at Independence Hall, the site of the United States’ first major LGBT-rights demonstration on July 4, 1965. A state historical marker commemorates this peaceful protest — and the four that followed each July 4 through 1969 — known collectively as the Annual Reminders. The marker is located at Sixth and Chestnut streets, adjacent to Independence Hall and across the street from the Liberty Bell. Grab a coffee at the lesbian-owned Menagerie located at 18 S. Third St., near Market Street, just a few blocks away. Not far from the Liberty Bell at Third and Arch streets is the Arch Street Meeting House. It is the historic home of a 300-yearold Quaker “Friends” congregation that hosted 300 LGBT activists in February 1979 to plan the Philadelphia Conference, the first national demonstration of lesbian and gay rights in Washington, D.C. That October, that march would attract 100,000 demonstra-
tors and would define a national civil-rights movement. Grab a photo at the historic marker outside the meetinghouse. The center of Philadelphia’s gay residential life and culture, the Gayborhood, is located just blocks from the host hotel, the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. The Gayborhood spans 11th and Broad streets, and Pine and Chestnut streets. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the neighborhood’s rainbow street signs (72 in all). The center of the Gayborhood is located at 13th and Locust streets, designated by rainbow crosswalks. Looking for a great restaurant in the ’Hood? Check out lesbian-owned Lolita, Jamonera, Bud & Marilyn’s and Barbuzzo. Other great choices are Double Knot; modern Asian Sampan; upscale taqueria El Vez; fancy wine bar and ristorante Tredici Enoteca; or stylish pizzeria Zavino. Be sure to make your reservation early. Bar-hopping is popular in Philly and most of the LGBT bars are within the Gayborhood. Sing along at Tavern on Camac, dance at Voyeur, grab a beer at Boxers or U Bar and the granddaddy of them all, mega club, bar and lounge Woody’s, a Gayborhood staple for decades. If you need specific visitor information, visit William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Check out the block-long western exterior wall of the building for the mural “Pride & Progress,” which depicts portraits of LGBT Philadelphians through the years. At 12:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Visit Philly is hosting an LGBT bus tour of Center City. Led by William Way archivist Bob Skiba, the tour highlights the city’s role in mainstream and LGBT American history. To sign up, email arturo@visitphilly.com. You can’t leave Philly without a cheesesteak. Visit legendary, gay-owned Geno’s in South Philly. It is worth the Uber ride. Pick any cheese (our local favorite is whiz) and be sure to say “wit” (with grilled onions) or “wit-out” (without grilled onions). n
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potential protest to utilize a “moving” format “so that they’re proceeding in walking formation so that we avoid violations of firecode regulations, which was a big issue in Chicago and caused hotel security to summon the police because they were concerned about fire codes being violated.” Overall, Hyde said she’s looking forward to a productive and engaging conference, which she said the Philadelphia Host Committee played a large part in fostering. “We’ve had a great relationship with the Host Committee in Philadelphia and I want to give a shout to all the work they’ve done, organizing community housing, recruiting volunteers, getting the word out around Philadelphia,” Hyde said. “They’ve done a great job.” For more information, visit www.creatingchange.org. n
justice, religious-exemption law and reproductive justice,” Hyde said. Last year’s event was marred by controversy over an American-Israeli reception; after pressure, organizers cancelled and then restored the event, which was the target of a protest to which the Chicago Police Department responded. Hyde said organizers published a “Protest Policy” in this year’s program book. “What we’re asking people to do if they are planning some kind of protest is that they let us know,” she said. “Part of the issues that arose last year was that, although we knew it was happening, we didn’t really quite know who the lead contact was. So we’re asking folks to designate a contact person for any protest.” Hyde said organizers are also asking any
Jeff Guaracino is the author of the “Handbook for LGBT Tourism and Hospitality” and “Gay and Lesbian Tourism: the Essential Guide for Marketing.”
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exploration Local photographers seek out forgotten sites for new exhibition By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Jason Giordano and Tracy Buchholz spent last winter trekking through Pennsylvania and New Jersey taking photos of decaying resorts, schools, factories and more for “Hidden History Exposed,” an exhibition highlighting their friendship and their love for photography. It will be on display from Jan. 13-Feb. 24 at William Way LGBT Community Center. Buchholz and Giordano talked to PGN about their adventures exploring long-forgotten locations and the pictures they inspired. PGN: What made you want to seek out decaying buildings, and did you know that you were going to make an exhibition when you set out to take these photos? TB: No idea that it would turn into an exhibition at first! For me, exploring over two winters came at a time when I needed a break from the Philly LGBTQ scene. I was a bit heartbroken, so I funneled those feelings into a creative work. For years I used to throw parties in the community. But this project is definitely the most personal work I’ve done and shared publicly. I think it shows through when you see the pictures. Unintentionally, I think, a lot of my photos have a quality of sadness to them or a feeling of solitude. So for me, putting them up on a wall to be viewed, and judged, is not the easiest thing to do, but it felt like good closure for that time in my life. Maybe I’ll send that person an invite. JG: I was always an avid photographer growing up. My parents used to yell at me for wasting so much film. As I grew older, I
grew out of photography but I would always say, “Now, that would make a great photo.” One day I was driving to an appointment and there was this old abandoned graveyard. I mean, actual headstones sticking out of the forest. I knew Tracy had expressed an interest in this type of photography and I asked her if she would like to come up with me one day and do a shoot. The rest was history! PGN: Would you say that the two of you have similar styles in photography? JG: I would say similar yet unique at the same time. We come home and compare photographs and I’m always like, “Where the hell did you see that?” TB: There are 70-plus photos in this exhibit. I would say our style is pretty different. I think you’ll notice that throughout the exhibition. What was funny is that when we would get home from these visiting these abandoned places, we barely had any of the same photos. We would wander off and do our own thing for part of the trip. Technically speaking, we use different lenses and other equipment and have a different approach to taking pictures. PGN: What about New Jersey and Pennsylvania was ideal for this kind of subject matter? TB: For starters, there are so many incredible buildings that are abandoned in Philadelphia. They’re architecturally stunning and so rich in history, the same in New Jersey. Jason and I are both well-traveled in and out of the United States, but there was something about these places being literally in front of you … places you would walk by and mar-
vel at but never get to experience. We were curious about what the buildings were and how they became abandoned. Also, once we started venturing out to places and posting the pics, folks would send us places to visit that we had never even heard of. It was wild, the types of places sitting right in your own backyard that you didn’t even know existed! JG: I think what makes New Jersey and Pennsylvania ideal is the age of the nation. It is the birthplace of the nation, hence we have some of the oldest and most abandoned structures in the area. Everywhere you look, when you open your eyes is a structure that was once in its heyday. PGN: Did you research the places you were going to visit beforehand or did you stumble upon these locations by chance? TB: We definitely researched the places we went before going. It’s part of the fun going to these places, to have an understanding of the history and contribution to the community that they are located in. Not only that, but some of these places aren’t even on maps anymore. We would hear about places, or see pictures on Instagram, and immediately start doing research at the beginning of the week, and by the end of the week we had picked where we would visit, and had all kinds of print-outs of the history, facts, etc. For Jason and I, half the fun was the process of researching and finding places we wanted to go, and then the other part was being able to go and photograph them! JG: A little bit of both. At first, we would stumble into some of these places, but as our work became more known, there is a whole network of people who do the same thing
that are very secretive; they started trading tips on how to get in. We would also do as much research online before going. I’m a little bit of a history buff, so I wanted to know everything: who worked there, what they did, then I would imagine the hustle and bustle and how the closures impacted entire families, entire regions even. PGN: Were there ever any safety concerns during your travels? JG: Yes. Safety was always our highest concern, which is why Tracy made me go first. Just kidding. Some of the buildings were filled with asbestos, so masks were essential. We carried tactical bags with us, which included multiple items in case of emergencies. And proceeding with caution was usually our first concern until I asked Tracy to hurry up and she fell through a second-story window, totally my fault. I think she got over it now. TB: For me, it was less about safety concerns. I rappelled down 29 stories this year for a fundraiser. Part of having a photography partner like Jason is that I’ve known him for over 10 years, so there was already a certain level of trust, and as these excursions went on, that trust grew. I may have fallen through a window, but on all of our explorations, that was one of the least scary things that could have happened. I had to climb ropes, ladders, scurry across planks. It was more like a challenge: challenging your mind to overcome these things you never saw yourself doing before and then just doing them. However, I [would] always tell my mom where I was going the night before ... just in case! PAGE 26
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FEATURE PGN
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HIDDEN HISTORY from page 25 are out doing this kind of stuff, why can’t PGN: Were there any places in particular that we?” We had many people ask us how to get into it or even how to get into a hobby they stand out in the exhibition? liked. And the answer was always, “Just jump JG: Oh wow, that is a tough question. There in. Safely of course.” were some factories I would just sit down and listen for 15 or so minutes and imagine PGN: Do you think you will be taking more the foreman yelling at the workers to get back to work. I’d imagine the worker coming home and being treated by a hug from his wife and dinner. There were churches where I would sit in a broken pew and flip through the songbooks left there and imagine the choir. There were schools where me and Tracy would sit on the swing sets, and I could still hear the laughter from children at recess. They were all so incredible in their own way. TB: There’s an abandoned resort that I’ll never forget. You walk TRACY BUCHHOLZ AND JASON GIORDANO through the woods and suddenly enter a time warp. Everything was exactly as it was when it closed for good photographic excursions like this in the in 1989. Everything was frozen in time, from future, and if so, will the subject matter be the same? the infirmary to the gift shop to the hair TB: I still have friends that text me to go salon and old-school theater. And I do mean exploring. If it sounds interesting, I would frozen: Everything in the resort was frozen probably be convinced, but I view this as a to the floor; it was wild, we could ice skate through the main lobby. It was incredible. It’s finished project. Also, the climate of urban exploring has definitely changed since we also amazing and sad that when these places started. I have many graffiti and artist friends, close, people just up and leave these buildbut I’ll never understand why these beautiful ings. They’re just left to decay. abandoned places get defaced. JG: We will be taking more photographic PGN: What is it about this exhibition that excursions in the near future. It will be will appeal to LGBT audiences? entirely different than this one. The next one TB: I think since we both are LGBTQwill specifically focus on individuals: indiidentified, I would hope that would appeal viduals in their workplace, individuals in to people. Also, this exhibit is not just about the home life, individuals with their friends exploring abandoned places, but also about and family. After all, when we talk about the a real and long-standing friendship, which I think is important and sometimes hard to find LGBT community, we are everywhere. n in our community. Plus, this is an event outThere will be an opening-night reception side the bars, as well as this exhibition took for “Hidden History Exposed” at 6 p.m. place outside of the bars. Jan. 13 at William Way LGBT Community JG: When I started to post some of my Center, 1315 Spruce St. For more inforwork on Facebook, I received a really great mation, visit https://www.facebook.com/ response. I think it was more about, “Wow. TLBTBProductions/. Jason is gay and Tracy is a lesbian and they
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PROFILE PGN
Family Portrait
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Suzi Nash
Diana Sabater: Toasting to the Gayborhood’s newest addition When I worked at Sisters, I’d hear the usual grousing people do in this city and I’d always warn, “Philadelphia is one of the few cities with a lesbian bar open seven days a week with a bar and dance floor. Some day this might not be here and then you’ll wish you’d been more supportive!” Well, since the day Sisters folded I’ve had people coming up to me lamenting the lack of spaces for women in Philadelphia and expressing their distress at the closing. It wouldn’t be very adult of me to say, “I told you so,” so I just shrug my shoulders and say, “What did I tell you?” Much better. But shortly after Sisters shuttered, there were rumors of a new bar opening. A Facebook page popped up and we began to wait … and wait … and wait. Sadly the wheels of the powers that be in this city grind slowly for businesses and it took a little longer than anticipated, but finally the new bar, Toasted Walnut Bar & Kitchen, had its grand opening New Year’s weekend and people showed up in droves. Boasting split levels, the 3,800-square-foot club has three full-service bars, plenty of TVs for catching sporting events and an ever-expanding menu. Happy hour starts at 4 p.m. and I stopped in for a ginger ale (I was working, after all) and a taste of the happy-hour food put together by this week’s Portrait, chef Diana Sabater. Many of you may have seen Sabater on your own tellies, as she beat the competition to become the winner on the popular Food Network show “Chopped.” PGN: How did you get into cooking? DS: When I was a kid, I would always watch the cooking shows with my mom. I especially looked forward to Saturday mornings and “The French Chef” with Julia Child. We’d take notes of whatever she made and afterwards we’d go to the supermarket, buy all the ingredients and come home and recreate the dish. Me, my mom and my two siblings lived in a one-bedroom apartment in the West Kensington part of North Philly. My mom was on a fixed income so she used food as a way to entertain us. My brother and sister preferred watching TV while she cooked but I loved being in the kitchen with her. Cooking was a creative outlet for me. Because of my mother’s love of cooking, I developed a diverse palate at a young age. We learned French cuisine, then Italian and Greek, all sorts of varieties of foods. PGN: Do you remember the first major meal you cooked? DS: Yes! It was beef bourguignon. It was one of the dishes that we watched Julia Child prepare. We were so excited, my mom went crazy getting all the ingredients together for me. It became a favorite Sunday meal.
PGN: I read your bio and you are quite the renaissance woman! You started cooking for enjoyment and then went to school for … DS: [Laughs] I’ve been to school for everything under the sun! PGN: I see that! DS: I started off with my undergraduate in Latin American Studies at Temple. After that, I went to Manor College in Abington and got a post-baccalaureate paralegal certification in civil litigation. After that I went to the University of Phoenix to get my master’s degree in psychology. And in between I went to bartending school! PGN: You didn’t know what you wanted be when you grew up! DS: You know what, it was like I wanted to do everything. I’d have an interest in one thing and I’d do that, then I’d switch up and I’d want to try something else. But I’ve been able to use it all along the way. So it paid off. [Laughs] I got my money’s worth!
PGN: What made you decide to get your degree in Latin American Studies? DS: I had a need to understand my culture better and the idea was to come back to the Hispanic community and give back. I didn’t grow up speaking Spanish so I designed my major so that most of my classes were in Spanish to help me learn it thoroughly. Understanding my background helped me to become more grounded. I loved it. It’s funny, before I even thought about becoming a chef, any time I had to do a paper or presentation in school, I always seemed to do it on food. I’d talk about a specific culture, do a PowerPoint show and then bring in a dish to complete the presentation. I guess I’ve always gravitated to food no matter what I was doing. I’m always in the kitchen and I never get tired of it. PGN: What was something surprising that you learned? DS: A lot of my studies covered African religion in the Caribbean. I studied Voodoo and Santeria and Candomblé and it was
PGN: I’m sure. And you didn’t even mention your time in blue. DS: Ah yes, I was also a police officer for 10 years. The psychology definitely came in handy there. PGN: So let’s back up. What were you like in high school? DS: Oh, I was always off in another world. Always thinking bigger, always dreaming, There’s got to be something more than what’s at this high school. My friends, the people close to me will tell you, “Diana would sit on the swings at the park and say, ‘Look at the sky, there’s got to be something better out there.’” I always wanted to find something bigger so I was always thinking, OK, what can I learn? What can I explore? And I’m still like that. I love learning and finding new things. PGN: What was your first big excursion out of Kensington? DS: I’d say it was the first time I went to Puerto Rico. It was a last-minute, spontaneous trip. As in, I woke up on a Friday morning and said to my mom, “I’ve never been to Puerto Rico, let’s go.” I had an uncle there who’d invited us to come. My mom said, “Definitely, let’s plan something soon,” and I said, “No, I mean today. Grab your stuff, we’re going!” My mom thought I was crazy but by six o’clock that night I was on a plane and it was the best weekend ever. We traveled the whole island, anywhere and everywhere, and ate our way through from coast to coast. And drank, and ate — real food from little stands on the road where they made chicharrón and empanadas and small restaurants for the best seafood ever. We barely slept!
very interesting, learning about how the African slaves ended up in the Caribbean, which is why we have such a variety of people — dark-skinned, light-skinned, my complexion. It all intrigued me and I began to study my family history. I found out that on my grandmom’s side, they’re from Spain. She’s fair with green eyes and on my grandfather’s side, his parents were African. It was such a good feeling to learn where you come from. On my dad’s side, it turns out there are a couple of chefs too, so
maybe it’s genetics that brought me to the kitchen. My father’s an amazing musician; he plays and composes and works with a lot of other musicians and bands. PGN: How did you end up in the police force? DS: After Temple I wanted to become a special agent for the FBI. I thought maybe I could get a job traveling to Latin American countries. I didn’t pass the test so someone suggested I join the police department to get some law-enforcement experience and then I could reapply. PGN: What were the best and worse parts of being a cop? DS: The best part was helping people. I remember times when trying to get help was like “Mission Impossible,” so as a cop, I would go out of my way to help others. You run into different situations but it doesn’t take much to be kind to someone. The challenging part was not being appreciated for what I was bringing to the department: the fact that I’m bilingual, the fact that I had a college degree, those things are important in doing a job effectively. But being a minority female in the police department, you don’t get respect and that was hard to rise above. I got to a point where I finally said, “OK, I think my time is done here.” Trust me, it taught me a lot of lessons. I had to learn to value myself when others didn’t. And to take chances; don’t let the conventional things like a steady paycheck and pension benefits keep you from going for your dreams. At the end of the day, they don’t matter if you’re not happy. Doing what I’m doing now, working here as a chef with people who value and appreciate me, is amazing. Having a boss who says, “I see so much in you and I’m going to give you a chance to run my kitchen” lets me know I made the right decision.
Photo: Suzi Nash
PGN: And now you’re a straight mom who works in a lesbian bar. DS: Yes! It’s great. I may not be a “member” of the LGBT community, but I am a supporter and grateful to be accepted as an ally. This is a community of strong women who are forward-thinking. That means that I can grow in this environment and I’m able to be my true authentic self, which is a free-spirited creative individual. [Laughs] I’m a member of a PAGE 34
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
Gay filmmaker’s ‘Julieta’ features toned-down drama By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor
A large swath of the film unfolds in a flashback. One key episode has the young Julieta (Ugarte, sporting a punk-like “Julieta,” opening Jan. 13 at Ritz ’80s-style blonde hairdo) meeting an older Theatres, has the often-outrageous gay man on a train. She initially shuns him, but filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar working in a their encounter has extreme repercussions more restrained mode. This drama, based for Julieta. Most significantly, it prompts on three short stories by Alice Munro her to meet Xoan (Daniel Grao), a fish— “Chance,” “Soon” and “Silence” — erman with whom she becomes romantifeatures the title character played by two cally attached. Julieta turns up at Xoan’s different women: Adriana Ugarte is the house several months after their initial young Julieta and Emma Suárez is the encounter, just after his comatose wife has older Julieta. The conceit works well as passed. She also discovers Xoan has been this story crosses time and plays with seeing Ava (Inma Cuesta), which makes issues of identity. However, some of the her jealous. However, the women soon connections Almodóvar wants to make become fast friends. While there is a hint that Beatriz and Antía have a romantic require viewers to fill in the blanks. The film opens strongly with Julieta relationship, this possibility goes largely (Suárez) preparing to go to Portugal with unexplored. her lover, Lorenzo (Darío Grandinetti). Almodóvar keeps spinning out these Yet when she has a chance encounter characters’ complex lives, but every time with Beatriz (Michelle Jenner), who was the film seems to be getting interestbest friends with Julieta’s daughter Antía ing, it hits a roadblock. Julieta’s search for her daughter becomes as frustrating for the audience as it is for her character. As Julieta responds to the various men and women she meets — even her exchanges with Xoan’s housekeeper, Marian (Almodóvar regular Rossy de Palma), are freighted with meaning — viewers will not necessarily feel Julieta’s emotions as deeply as she does. Ugarte and Suárez are admirable, giving distinctive perforADRIANA UGARTE AS JULIETA mances at the title character. They make the heroine both (Blanca Parés), Julieta is so taken aback sexy and full of despair, respectively, but that she calls off the trip and moves back ultimately, the character of Julieta is more into the apartment building where she had enigmatic than sympathetic. lived with Antía. Julieta, it is revealed, has The film’s larger problem is that not seen Antía in over a decade. As a flood Almodóvar, who can be accused of havof memories comes back to haunt her, she ing tried too hard in the past, is trying too writes about her relationship with Antía, little in “Julieta.” He may guide the viewer through a complex plot with temporal and and how their estrangement occurred. The plot certainly yields to Almodóvar’s identity shifts, but he makes the audience signature approach, with flashbacks and work far too hard for too little payoff. The time shifts that reveal secrets and desires central relationship between mother and of his heroines. “Julieta” is very much in daughter has more power for the characters the vein of the director’s previous mother/ than viewers. child films, from “High Heels” to “All It is as if the director wanted to keep About My Mother” that also focused on things ambiguous to build tension, or is women trying to overcome some trauma being true to Munro’s texts, but his plan from the past. But despite the synergy backfired. Various subplots involving with the material, “Julieta” seems to lack Julieta’s parents, or Lorenzo following some of the Spanish bad boy’s typical Julieta to understand her strange behavior, verve. Yes, there are the director’s signa- produce more fizzle than fireworks. ture reds, from a dress the title character This is not to say “Julieta” does not have wears to the painted walls of Julieta’s its pleasures. The romantic scenes between apartment, but mostly this film feels stiff, Julieta and Xoan generate some passion, with the characters’ rigid behavior creat- and the cinematography, as one has come ing drama but not tension. It is fine that to expect from an Almodóvar film, is gloAlmodóvar is not infusing this material rious. “Julieta” even ends on a graceful with his cheeky sense of humor, but there note that is somewhat satisfying; it is just a is just not enough juice in what he does shame that much of what transpired before the final scene is so wearisome. n present.
at The Punchline Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215-606-6555.
Theater & Arts Brandon T. Jackson The comedian and actor performs Jan. 19-21 at The Punchline Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215-606-6555. Cirque Eloize: Saloon Broadway Philadelphia presents the latest Cirque adventure, inspired by the rich legacy of the Wild Wild West, Jan. 13-14 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999. Constellations The Wilma Theater turned the boy-meets-girl story on its head as playwright Nick Payne launches it into the quantum multiverse through Feb. 5, 265 S. Broad St.; 215546-7824. Hidden History Exposed Photography enthusiasts Tracy Buchholz and Jason Giordano present an exhibit highlighting friendship, photography and one very cold winter Jan. 13Feb. 24 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; 215732-2220. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Part Two Hedgerow Theatre presents the second installation of Douglas Adams’ original radio play, Jan. 13-29, 64 Rose Valley Road, Media; www. hedgerowtheatre. org.
Sarah Silverman The comedian performs 8 p.m. Jan. 15-16 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-5727650.
POTTY MOUTH: Emmy Awardwinning comedian and actor Sarah Silverman brings her irreverent brand of humor to town 8 p.m. Jan. 15-16 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside. For more information or tickets, call 215-572-7650.
Jitish Kallat: Covering Letter Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an immersive installation and video projection by Mumbai-based artist Kallat, presenting a historical letter by Mahatma Gandhi to Adolf Hitler written just weeks before the start of World War II, through March 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. John Arden Theatre Company presents a new play by Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright Annie Baker about spirituality, relationships and other scary stories through Feb. 26, 40 N. Second St.; 215922-1122. Judy Gold The out comedian performs 8 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Rrazz Room at the Prince, 1412 Chestnut St.; 267239-2941.
Korea Now: Contemporary Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of contemporary Korean art across all media through Feb. 23, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Laughter on the 23rd Floor Walnut Street Theatre presents the Neil Simon play that gives the audience a peek into the writer’s room of a hit 1950s television show, Jan. 17-March 5, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Maureen McGovern The Grammynominated Broadway vocalist and actor performs 8 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Rrazz Room at the Prince, 1412 Chestnut St.; 267239-2941. Michael Yo The comedian seen on “Chelsea Lately” performs Jan. 13-14
This Year Tongue & Groove presents a show of hilarious scenes and monologues focusing on the future, 8 p.m. Jan. 13 at The PlayGround at the Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom St.; tongue-groove.com. Vlisco: African Fashion on a Global Stage Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring how Dutch company Vlisco became one of the most influential textile brands in West and Central African fashion through Jan. 22, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.
Music Bruce in the USA The Bruce Springsteen tribute band performs 8 p.m. Jan. 13-14 at Sellersville Theater 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-257-5808. Raise Your Glass High A David Bowie tribute show in film and video, 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. Datsik The international DJ performs 8:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at The
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Artists to explore shifts in queer identity By Gary L. Day PGN Contributor
REVERSE COWBOY: The Wild West comes alive with “Cirque Eloize: Saloon,” the newest Cirque show featuring non-stop live folk music combined with original acrobatic choreography, Jan. 13-14 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St. Acrobat and cast member Jérémy Saint-Jean Picard said that “Saloon” hearkens back to earlier Cirque shows. “They came back to their old sources and their past where they had live music and a smaller troupe,” he said. “Other Cirque shows are bigger productions but that doesn’t make this a smaller show. We can perform this show on a smaller stage. That’s what makes it different.” He added that the Western theme makes the show more accessible to American audiences. “People will be able to relate to what they hear and what they see,” he said. “There’s not just one main story. It’s super-musical and there’s a lot happening at the same time. Acrobatically, it’s strong. It shows different disciplines in the circus world. There’s this main love story that everything gets built around. You get to fall in love through the story.” For more information or tickets, call 215-893-1999.
Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; 800-745-3000. Reel Big Fish & Anti-Flag The punk rock bands perform 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St.; 215-6253681. Decades Rewind The theatrical concert features more than 60 classic songs, from Aretha to Zeppelin, blended into unique medleys with more than 100 costume changes, 8 p.m. Jan. 19 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. The Smithereens The rock band performs 8 p.m. Jan. 20 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215222-1400.
Nightlife Something of a Different Color: MLK Weekend Kickoff! The all-inclusive gala centers on performers of color, from pianists to drag performers to visual artists, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 13 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220. Lake Homo High One of New York City’s most popular serial comedies, a teen drama in which everyone has a secret, comes to town 8:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at Good Good Comedy Theater, 215 N. 11th St.; 215-339-1279. BUCKS JUNK Bradley’s Bucks will team up with Brian Sanders’
JUNK for a preview of upcoming shows 9 p.m.-midnight Jan. 15 at Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215735-0735. Get Hype! Honeytree Evil Eye hosts an evening of drag with performances by Robin Graves, MasoKiss, Brett Robinson, Asha Rabbit, Little Miss Rollerhoops and Dalyla Mizani Cristal 9 p.m.midnight Jan. 18 at Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215-735-0735.
Outta Town Sebastian Maniscalco The comedian performs 8 p.m. Jan. 13-15 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000. Phantom Boy The animated noir film is screened 2 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. n
Notices Send notices at least one week in advance to: Out & About Listings, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 fax: 215-925-6437; or e-mail: listings@epgn.com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.
Self-image plays an outsized role in the development of LGBT identities. Gay people have traditionally been at a disadvantage at developing a strong sense of self because, until recently, we haven’t had societally approved roles against which we could measure ourselves. As such, we’ve had to invent ourselves as we go along, keenly conscious of both how the world perceives us and how we perceive ourselves. Even today, as society fitfully adjusts itself to the increasingly visible presence of gays, the role of image and perception remains a constant factor in our development of our sense of self and our place in society. This quest for image and its role in gay identity is the major theme of a new exhibit that will open at the Da Vinci Art Alliance later this month. Entitled “How Do I Look? Shifting Representations of Queer Identities,” the show is being curated by Craig Bruns, who is also the chief curator of exhibits at the Independence Seaport Museum and an artist in his own right. “The title ‘How Do I Look?’ works in both directions,” said Bruns, discussing how the show came about. “It refers to the way we look at ourselves and the image we present to the world, and it refers to how we look at the images presented by the world to us. It’s about how we relate to others in the world, and how we are perceived by the world.” The original idea for the show came from David Acosta, artistic director of Casa De Duende, which is working in partnership with the Da Vinci Art Alliance to present the show. “David approached me to curate this show,” Bruns said. “A lot of my job at the Independence Seaport Museum, aside from being responsible for the standing collections, is developing exhibits for the museum. And, a lot of my focus as an artist has been on men, on male imagery. This show raises questions I have long explored about being a man in today’s society, specifically about being a gay man.” “How Do I Look?” will be a juried exhibition, with a general call for submissions from the local artist community and Bruns in charge of the selection process. The door was open to artists of all identities to submit, with the only criterion that the work address the basic theme
of “important questions at the center of contemporary queer life, examining 117 years of LGBTQ public representation to illuminate a community’s commitment to liberation, resistance and to the struggle for normalcy and acceptability, asking central questions about where we have been, where are we now and where we are headed.” At the time PGN spoke to Bruns, submissions were still coming in. While Bruns was happy with the response, he didn’t want to delve into the selection pro-
“DECISIONS DECISIONS (2016)” BY STIOFAN O’CEALLAIGH
cess until after the deadline so he could look at the options as a whole group. However, an early survey of the work seemed to indicate that the artists were taking one of two main approaches: one an abstract intellectual approach, and the other a very emotional, expressionistic approach, which is not an uncommon dichotomy in juried shows featuring numerous artists. One of the prime functions of art is to give us insight into how to perceive the world, and how the world perceives us. Hopefully the artists of “How Do I Look?” will not only be able to give us that insight, but help us see where our sense of self has been and where it is going. n The opening reception for “How Do I Look? Shifting Representations of Queer Identities” will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 18 at Da Vinci Art Alliance, 704 Catharine St. The exhibit will run through Jan. 29. For more information, visit davinciartalliance.org.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
PORTRAIT from page 29
team, which is part of the LGBT community, so I’m a member by extension. PGN: That’s what we call an honorary lesbian. Are you ready to get hit on? I already had a friend mention that the new chef was hot. DS: [Laughs] I can handle it! I used to bartend at a Colombian nightclub and I’d always get hit on by women there. At first I was like, “Oh wow. That’s happening, OK then.” It’s no big deal. I’m so excited to be in this positive environment. In my previous career, I was not allowed to grow and evolve despite what was on my résumé. But Denise looked at my résumé and all my work and education experience and decided that I would fit right in here. It’s nice to work for someone who sees you as an asset instead of a number. PGN: Will you be doing a Sunday brunch? DS: Oh yes, we’re working on it now. PGN: How did you end up on “Chopped?” DS: One day when I was struggling with the decision to leave the police force, I saw that “Chopped” was casting for a themed episode and they were looking for creative moms. “Chopped” is my favorite show — I watched it religiously — and jokingly I said that I was going to apply for it. But then I decided to do it for real. They brought me in for an audition and I got picked out of 1,000 applicants. It was exciting until the day that we began to film. I was so scared and stressed, I couldn’t believe that I was actually on the show. And then I found out that two of my competitors had both gone to culinary school! I thought, I’m done! You really don’t know what you’re making until they start that clock and you open up the basket. I just became inspired to Latinize every dish. I figured I’d stick to what I knew best. I wanted to tell a story to the judges through my food and they liked it. PGN: Nice. DS: Yeah, so after that I decided to leave the police department and started working as a private chef. PGN: What can we look forward to seeing on the Toasted menu? DS: There will be a variety of things. Latin food is my specialty but I like studying other cuisines. We currently have everything from Vietnamese hoagies to beef sliders to empanadas. I’ve become known for them and even cooked them for Jennifer Lopez. PGN: What?! DS: Yes, I got the job through Scott Conant, who was one of the judges. He’s a great person who loves to see people do well. One day he called me and said, “I have a major celebrity who is looking for a chef to cook dinner for a night.” He didn’t tell me who but I got a call and they told me that Scott told them my story, that I was a cop and specialized in Latin food and could I come to New York and have
PGN
dinner ready by 7 p.m. for J-Lo. I was like, “What? Jenifer Lopez? I can’t cook for her! Me? Are you sure?” They assured me that she was going to love it so I flew out of there and went shopping and zoomed up to New York and did my thing. She loved it and her twins were hanging out with their little kitchen tools helping me make dessert. The dinner was at Loren Ridinger’s apartment, which was absolutely beautiful. She’s the jewelry and fashion maven who you see palling around with Kim Kardashian, etc. PGN: Biggest catering disaster? DS: It was probably that night. I’d parked my car as instructed in front of the building. When I came down it was gone and I was standing there going, “Oh my God! Where is my car?” I guess the doorman who was on duty when I came in forgot to tell the next guy and they towed my car. Thank God Loren was so sweet. She said to her assistant, “Give her whatever it costs to get the car out and have my driver take her to the impound lot. Don’t let him leave until she’s inside her car and safely on her way home.” That was really cool of her, but it made for a long night. PGN: Tell me about your kids. DS: There’s Danielle, who’s 23 and just got licensed for cosmetology; she loves doing hair and makeup. And my son Gerardo, who’s 21. He’s an artist, a graphic-design major at the Art Institute in New York. He wants to be a tattoo artist. They are both amazing artists in their chosen crafts. I’m proud that they’ve both pursued something that they’re passionate about. I always believed find something that you love and the money will follow. PGN: Other interests? DS: Well, I’m acting in a web series called “The Book of Nimrod,” which is exciting. My sister plays my mother in the series and my nephew has a role too. He plays the main character in flashbacks. It has a story arc with members of the LGBT community. PGN: Who would you contact at a séance? DS: Prince. I’m so sad he’s gone. PGN: What actress would you do a love scene with? DS: Salma Hayek. PGN: [Laughs] You’d have to fight me first! Writer’s note: OK folks, we have a new LGBT club in the ’Hood. Let’s get out there and support it. Go to events there, have events there, stop in for a bite during happy hour, bring your friends. I don’t want to have to not say “I told you so” again. n For more information about Toasted Walnut, visit https://www.facebook.com/toastedwalnutphiladelphia/. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
Q Puzzle Now, or Preferably Sooner Across
1. Cathedral of Hope area 5. Patron of Wilde’s homeland, briefly 10. Sound like Harvey Fierstein 14. Draw a cross over 15. Your place, or mine 16. Request from one’s knees 17. Nastase of the net 18. Socrates’ market 19. Bearing 20. “Village Voice” columnist Hentoff 21. Start of a quip 23. Ball in the skull 24. Allman ex of Cher 26. Of the kidneys 28. Lorca’s pink 31. American follower? 33. More of the quip 38. Verlaine or Rimbaud 39. More of the quip 40. Coal porter’s vehicle? 42. Emulated Zachary Quinto 44. Dreaded ink color 45. Lake, of “Hairspray”
46. With 48-Across, source of the quote (1956-2016) 48. See 46-Across 49. 1990 Kathy Bates film 51. Like Elton John’s glasses 52. Unbar, to Byron 53. End of the quip 55. Cone starter 57. Where a queen bee rules 59. Former New York state senator Tom 60. One way to cook fruit 61. “___ ideal world... “ 62. Artist Hernandez 63. Highland dialect 64. Gaze at gays, e.g. 65. Like a nocturnal emission? 66. Word after “Hail Mary”
Down
1. Cutting with a heavy tool 2. Kind of bear 3. “Plaza ___” (1968 Broadway hit) 4. Summer for Colette 5. Hayes of “Will & Grace” reruns 6. Puts out, like Billy Bean 7. Bapt. or Meth. 8. Gillette brand 9. “Better ___ Chocolate”
10. Tachometer’s meas. 11. Mork, for one 12. “So long!” 13. Segment for Roberta Gregory 21. “___ Rhythm” 22. Rita Mae’s horses may do this 25. Cheese shredders 27. Flake of the upper crust 29. Pose for Bruce Weber 30. Out and then some 31. Treated a swollen member 32. Article of Fassbinder’s 33. Participate in an outing, in scouting 34. Hunting dog’s job 35. Dick’s running mate
36. Group that played with Bernstein 37. Maximum tattoo exposure 38. D.C. lobby group 41. To me, to Hirschfeld 43. Chubby chaser’s bane 45. Gay wedding item 47. Eats away at 48. Clothing worn to the Oscars 50. Pronoun in Aaron Copland’s borough 51. Like a muscle Mary’s abs 52. John Goodman’s “Normal, ___” 54. A little behind 56. Is in the hole 58. Uey from WSW 60. Autumn mo
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New Center City restaurant is in rare form By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Late last year, chef, TV personality and Philadelphia native Anthony Marini opened his newest restaurant, rarest, within luxury-apartment complex AKA Washington Square — the perfect place for the modern upscale American menu Marini has put together. With an ample bar, appropriately dim lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows facing Chestnut Street, it’s no surprise that the vibe of rarest lends
itself equally to the businessperson happy hour and first-date crowds. The menu is a focused and efficient affair, with a handful of items in each section: charcuterie, raw, pasta and entrées. Definitely pay some attention to the raw-menu section. The tuna poke ($13) is a raw Hawaiianstyle salad that is almost sushi-like in flavor, texture and presentation. But its Hawaiian influences definitely represent, as this dish has some nice nutty and spicy overtones that round it out. The rice chips
that accompany the plate are a nice touch too. The hangar steak tartare ($13) is impressive as well — a hearty and classic dish with solid flavors and a picturesque presentation. The pasta dishes at rarest come in the prefect size and really deliver some classic modern Italian and Mediterranean influences. The garagnelli pasta ($18) was bold, with tender red wine-braised octopus and lamb sausage bringing the heat. The red-wine risotto ($22) had more rustic and earthy flavors with nicesize prawns rounding out
the dish. This restaurant is a welcome addition to the Center City culinary scene, so if you need a place to hold court, personally or professionally, with upscale food and drink, take a stroll over to rarest. n
If you go rarest
834 Chestnut St. 215-305-8752 www.rarestphilly.com Mon.-Thu.: 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.: 5-11 p.m. Bar open late every night
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The Center City IHOP located at 1320 Walnut St. is now open 24 Hrs on FRIDAY and SATURDAY
THANKS FOR MAKING IT A IHOP DAY
Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
37
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38
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
ADONIS CINEMA
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PGN
Religion/Spirituality Arch Street United Methodist Church Services 8:30 and 11 a.m. at 55 N. Broad St.; youth/adult Sunday school at 9:30 a.m.; 5:30 p.m. prayer service; 215-568-6250. Calvary United Methodist Church Reconciling, welcoming and affirming church holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 801 S. 48th St.; 215-7241702. Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church Services 11 a.m. and Spirit at Play, an arts-based Sunday school for children, 9:30 a.m. at 8812 Germantown Ave.; 215-242-9321. Church of the Crucifixion Inclusive Episcopal community holds services 10 a.m. Sundays and 6 p.m. Fridays at 620 S. Eighth St.; 215922-1128. Church of the Holy Trinity Inclusive church holds services 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays at 1904 Walnut St.; 215-567-1267. Congregation Rodeph Shalom Shabbat services every Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at 615 N. Broad St. ; 215-627-6747. Dignity Philadelphia Holds Mass 7 p.m. Sundays at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-5462093, dignityphila@aol.com. Evangelicals Concerned Lesbian and gay Christian counseling; 215-860-7445. First Baptist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds prayer services 10:30 a.m. Sundays and community worship 11:30 a.m. at 123 S. 17th St.; 215-563-3853. First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia A liberal, welcoming and diverse congregation that affirms the dignity of all. Sunday services at 10 a.m., 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-563-3980, www.firstuu-philly. org. The First United Methodist Church of Germantown A sexual-minority-affirming congregation holds services at 10 a.m., summer services 11 a.m., Sundays, with lunch to follow, at 6001 Germantown Ave.; 215-438-3077, www.fumcog.org. Grace Epiphany Church A welcoming and diverse Episcopal congregation in Mt. Airy with services 9:30 a.m. Sundays at 224 E. Gowen Ave.; 215-248-2950, www.grace-epi.org. Holy Communion Lutheran Church ELCA Reconciling in Christ congregation worships 9 a.m. Sundays at 2111 Sansom St. and 11 a.m. at 2110 Chestnut St. in the main sanctuary; 215-567-3668, www. lc-hc.org. Living Water United Church of Christ An open and affirming congregation that meets for worship 11 a.m. on Sundays at 6250 Loretto Ave.; 267388-6081, www.lwucc.org. Kol Tzedek Reconstructionist synagogue committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community meets at Calvary Center, 801 S. 48th St.; 215-764-6364, www.kol-tzedek. org.
Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia Services 11 a.m. Sundays at the University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, 3637 Chestnut St.; 215-2942020, www.mccphiladelphia.com. Old First Reformed Church
Open and affirming United Church worships at 11 a.m., summer services at 10 a.m, at 151 N. Fourth St.; 215922-4566, www.oldfirstucc.org. Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral Progressive and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays with Holy Eucharist at 3723 Chestnut St.; 215-386-0234, www.philadelphiacathedral.org.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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Community Bulletin Board Community centers
■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044, center@dolphin. upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. MondayThursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
■ Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Activities held 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.
■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Rainbow Buddhist Meditation Group Meets 5 p.m. Sundays at William Way. Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting worships 11 a.m., summer services 10 a.m, Sundays at 1515 Cherry St.; 215-241-7000, cpmm@afsc.org. St. Luke and The Epiphany Church Open and welcoming church holds fall liturgy 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays, summer sevices 10 a.m., at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-732-1918, stlukeandtheepiphany.org.
■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088
■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org
■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221
■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378
■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851
St. Mary’s Church Diverse and inclusive Episcopal church celebrates the Eucharist 11 a.m. Sundays at 3916 Locust Walk; 215386-3916; www.stmarysatpenn.org.
■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Welcoming and diverse congregation with numerous outreach and fellowship groups holds services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday at Third and Pine streets; 215-9255968; www.stpetersphila.org.
■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633
Tabernacle United Church Open and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 3700 Chestnut St.; 215-386-4100, tabunited. org. Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church Sunday worship with nursery care, 10:30 a.m. and fourth Thursday of the month contemporary worship with Communion at 7 p.m. at 2212 Spruce St.; 215-732-2515, trinityphiladelphia.org. Unitarian Society of Germantown Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 6511 Lincoln Drive; 215-844-1157, www. usguu.org. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration Welcoming congregation holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 6900 Stenton Ave.; 215-247-2561, www.uurestoration. us. Unity Fellowship Church of Philadelphia Diverse, affirming LGBT congregation holds services 2 p.m. Sundays at 55 N. Broad St.; 215-240-6106. University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 3637 Chestnut St. preceded by “Adult Forum: Sundays” at 9:30 a.m.; 215-387-2885, www.uniphila. org.
Key numbers
■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377
■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080
n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330
■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Office of LGBT Affairs — Director Nellie Fitzpatrick: 215-6860330; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov
■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670
Health
Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 215-763-8870. ActionAIDS Provides a range of programs for people affected by HIV/ AIDS, including case management, prevention, testing and education services at 1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088, www. actionaids.org. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871, www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite
■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090, www.galloplaw.org. ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly busi-
108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652, www. mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Philadelphia FIGHT Comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines; 1233 Locust St.; 215985-4448; www.fight.org. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, rapid HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.
Professional groups nesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.org/ philly; philly@nlgja.org.
■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus Regional organization dedicated to promoting LGBT tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region, meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; 215-8402039, www.philadelphiagaytourism.com.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 13-19, 2017
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