A Wilde night at the opera, museums PAGE 21
Legal Issue: PA laws and lawyers PAGES 12-15
Family Portrait: Farming and fame with the Beekman Boys PAGE 23
Transgender woman challenges the ADA exclusion of genderidentity disorder PAGE 5 Jan. 23-29, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 4
Trans woman nominated to top PA post
SCOTUS to take up marriageequality cases By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The Supreme Court of the United States last week announced it would take up several marriage-equality cases this session — a move that will ideally settle the fight to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Essentially, the justices will determine if the U.S. Constitution allows states to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. Cases will be heard from Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee, which all fall under the jurisdiction of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. In November, the Sixth Circuit became the only appellate court to overturn a lower district court’s ruling striking down the states’ marriage bans. The plaintiffs in these cases decided to appeal to the Supreme Court. “Our lawyers stand ready to make our case before the Supreme Court to end discriminatory marriage laws once and for all,” said Kevin Cathcart, executive director for Lambda Legal, which is part of the team representing the plaintiffs in the Ohio case. “Every day that one of these bans remains on the books anywhere in the country is another day of harm and pain for thousands of families.” Equality Pennsylvania executive director Ted Martin cited timing as a key element. “I think the Supreme Court has waited just long enough to get the right cases in front of them, and they waited until there were a good number of cases already settled in favor of marriage equality,” he said. “The timing is good.” Martin is optimistic of the outcome, but said an unfavorable decision would be a big step backwards. “The justices are not insulated from the rest of the world; they have a good sense of things,” Martin said. “A decision to uphold the bans would only strengthen the crazy patchwork quilt of protections from state to state and be counterintuitive to their previous ruling.” To date, four federal circuit courts and dozens of federal district courts have ruled such bans unconstitutional. Oral arguments will be held in April, with a decision expected by the end of June. n
By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
SERVICE IN ACTION: Organizers and supporters of the Team Bayard initiative took a break from volunteering for a photo at William Way LGBT Community Center Jan. 20. The initiative, to mark the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and pay tribute to out King advisor Bayard Rustin, drew more than 100 volunteers, who participated in an array of service projects throughout the Gayborhood. Supporters included Anna Aagenes, Paul Farber, Anthony Fluellen, Paul Steinke, SharRon Cooks, state Rep. Brian Sims, Bernard Williams, City Council’s Veterans Advisory Commission director Scott Brown, City Councilman Mark Squilla and city director of LGBT affairs Nellie Fitzpatrick. For more photos, see page 8. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Just a few days before his inauguration, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the nomination of a transgender woman to his top level of administrators. If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Rachel Levine will serve as the state’s new physician general, and is the first out transgender person ever to be named to a high-ranking Pennsylvania government post. Wolf has not yet announced if the physician general post will be part of his cabinet; if so, Levine would become one of the top-ranking transgender government officials in the nation. PAGE 17 The confirmation pro-
No arrest in N. Philly murder By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
The man who shot and killed a North Philadelphia lesbian in broad daylight last week remains on the loose. Kim Jones, 56, was shot in the head while waiting for a SEPTA bus at 12th and Jefferson streets, near Temple University, Jan. 13 at 9:30 a.m. “There are no updates on this case,” said police spokesperson Officer Jillian Russell. Russell added that “no motive has been ruled out yet” in regard to the possibility that Jones was targeted for being a lesbian. Investigators last Friday released video surveillance of the gunman, who they say waited for Jones near the bus stop for about an hour. After the shooting, he walked to the Broad Street Subway.
He is described as a 6-foot black man with a stocky build, wearing a black twotone jacket with a dark hood, black pants, a dark bomber/ aviator-style hat with flaps and light-colored fur lining, dark gloves, black sneakers with a white stripe around the sole, white or silver “Beats”type headphones and a dark, two-tone duffle/gym bag. Jones married her partner a few weeks prior to her death. She had been divorced from her ex-husband for over 25 years and had two adult sons. Jones was waiting for the bus to her Center City job at Turning Points for Children, a social-service program where she had worked as a program director for seven years. The city is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. n
WESTWARD ACTION: The ribbon was cut Tuesday on the new Annex West, a collaboration of ActionAIDS and The Family Practice & Counseling Network. Housed at ActionAIDS’ West Philadelphia office, 3901 Market St., the venture is the first time health-care services are being provided onsite at an ActionAIDS office. On hand in the primary examination room to mark the new venture were FPCN behavioral-health consultant Rosemary Crisfulla (from left), ActionAIDS assistant director of client services Catherine Corson, Health Annex center director Patrick Oleskey, ActionAIDS executive director Kevin Burns, FPCN director of primary care Gail Partridge and FPCN chief operating officer Emily Nichols. The clinic is designed to meet the health-care needs of ActionAIDS’ uninsured or under-insured clients. Photo: Scott A. Drake