Family Portrait: Pandora Scooter speaks out for youth PAGE 29
School district called out for hosting Scout recruitment rallies PAGE 5
Kaki King to light up World Cafe Live
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Winter 2015 Youth Supplement PAGES 17-24
Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 5
Locals launch push for nondiscrimination
Advocacy groups support trans litigant By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Six LGBT-advocacy groups have submitted an amicus brief in support of trans woman Kate L. Blatt’s attempt to assert workplace anti-bias claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The groups are Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Mazzoni Center, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force and Transgender Law Center. Blatt is suing for job discrimination in federal court. Part of her lawsuit contends that Congress acted unconstitutionally in 1989 when it excluded gender-identity disorder from ADA coverage. The ADA protects disabled individuals from discrimination in private employment, public accommodations and governmental services. Blatt worked as a seasonal stocker at Cabela’s Retail Inc. from September 2006 to March 2007. Cabela’s banned her from a female restroom, thus discriminating against her on the basis of her disability, Blatt alleges. PAGE 16 But Cabela’s contends
By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
SAMPLING THE SELECTIONS: Birchtree Catering, LLC, staffer Jamie Inman (left) and co-owner Rasa Stirbys Benefico share samples of their products with guests at the Marriage Equality Wedding Expo Jan. 25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Hundreds turned out for the event, which featured more than 50 wedding-related vendors, including photographers, venues, hotels, bakeries, florists, DJs, officiants and more. Two lucky couples were selected for a seven-night honeymoon package prize. This was the first same-sex wedding event ever held at the Convention Center. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Lesbian couple alleges assault at University City bar By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com A local lesbian couple alleges they were assaulted by a security guard at a bar in University City earlier this month. Amber Walker and Khadijah Brown, both 21, were having drinks at the Landmark Americana bar and restaurant at 33rd and Market streets in the early-morning hours of Jan. 16. The couple was in the ladies’ restroom when they say a male security guard came in and told them they had to leave. “We thought the club was closing,” said Walker. “It was towards the end of the night.” But when Walker and Brown walked out of the restroom, it was clear that the bar was still open. “Everyone was still there,” Walker said. The couple says they were followed very closely by the security guard as he escorted them to the front door. “He would not even let us put our jackets on,” said Walker. “It was freezing out.” That’s when, Walker said, the security PAGE 15
MORNING MOBILIZATION: Equality Pennsylvania executive director Ted Martin (standing, center) speaks with Gov. Tom Wolf about the need for LGBT nondiscrimination legislation at a business networking breakfast Wednesday morning in Harrisburg. Wolf said at the meeting that he is eager to sign such a bill. The event was part of the organization’s Campaign for Fairness, a push to pass the long-stalled LGBT nondiscrimination bill, and part of the national effort #DiscriminationExists, to raise awareness about the need for such measures. Photo: Equality PA
In an effort to combat the reality that in Pennsylvania and many other states, LGBT people are not protected from discrimination, Equality Pennsylvania, along with LGBT groups from around the country, has launched a week-long education campaign to highlight these glaring legal loopholes. Nationally, the campaign will be known as #DiscriminationExists and center around the fact that, despite recent victories in marriage equality, many states still need to update their laws to protect LGBT people from discrimination. Locally, Equality PA launched the Campaign for Fairness Tuesday to raise awareness that Pennsylvania’s nondiscrimination law does not include protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. A press conference to announce the effort at the National Constitution Center was cancelled because of this week’s threat of snow. Campaign organizers hosted a press event Tuesday afternoon in Scranton focusing on the efforts small business owners planned to undertake this year to get a nondiscrimination bill passed and a business networking breakfast in Harrisburg on Wednesday. Gov. Tom Wolf attended the breakfast, calling for lawmakers to bring the legislation up for a vote and pledging to sign it if it reached his desk. A prayer breakfast for nondiscrimination is scheduled for Monday in Pittsburgh. “Really and truly the campaign for fairness has been going on for a while,” said Equality PA executive director Ted Martin. “We have been working hard to educate the public and elected officials on where Pennsylvania stands. This week marks the renewal of our efforts in 2015.” Martin noted that his organization had signed up 400 small businesses and 700 clergy to demonstrate their support for including LGBT people in the state’s nondiscrimination law. “We are making sure the public is aware of the issue,” said Martin. “The problem is many people think it is PAGE 15
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PGN LOCAL
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Jan. 12-18. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686TIPS. INCIDENTS — At 6:30 a.m. Jan. 12, a man left his iPhone on the counter inside the Dunkin’ Donuts at 3 N. Juniper St., and security video showed it was stolen by a black male, 5-foot-5, with a salt-and-pepper mustache and goatee, wearing a red baseball cap and blue jacket. — At 4:50 p.m. Jan. 12, two men stole four varsity coats from Mitchell & Ness, 1201 Chestnut St. They were described as black, the first in his 30s, 6-foot-1, 280 pounds, wearing a black coat and hat; and the second 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, wearing a black coat and white shoes. — Between 8 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Jan. 12, someone entered an apartment in the 100 block of South 11th Street without force and stole a video-game system, games, a coat and a camera. Sixth District Officer Romanczuk attempted to lift fingerprints.
— At 2:45 a.m. Jan. 15, a person was accosted outside 234 S. 12th St. by a man brandishing a handgun. He stole the victim’s cash and credit cards and fled north on 12th Street. The culprit was described as a black male in his 30s, 5-foot-7, thin with a long, graying goatee and a medium complexion, wearing a hoodie under a black leather coat and glasses. — At 2 p.m. Jan. 15, a male attempting to steal candy was confronted by an employee inside the 7-11 at 1201 Chestnut St. The male threw the candy down, waved a knife in the air and fled the store. He was described as black male between 45-55, 5-foot-11, 150 pounds, wearing a gray knit cap, black coat with a hoodie and white sneakers, carrying a white bag with a red design. — At 5:50 a.m. Jan. 16, a woman left her 2003 Honda unattended with the engine running outside the Wawa at 912 Walnut St., and a white male in a red hoodie stole it. — At 3:50 p.m. Jan. 18, a man held up the Dunkin’ Donuts at 808 Chestnut St. with a handgun, stealing cash and fleeing east on Chestnut Street. The culprit was described as a black male in his 40s, 5-foot-11, with a heavy build and light complexion, wearing a brown jacket and black hat with a Band-Aid on his right cheek. — There were two thefts from parked vehicles reported Jan. 12-18: outside 800 Market St. and 111 S. 10th St.
— There was one theft of a bicycle reported Jan. 12-18: outside 914 Pine St. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 9:15 p.m. Jan. 13, Sixth District Officers Ferrero and Grant arrested a male outside 1300 Drury St. who was wanted on a warrant for probation violations. The 39-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address was charged with escape. — At 2:20 a.m. Jan. 14, Sixth District Officers Macchione and Cifelli arrested a male outside 101 S. 11th St. who was wanted on a warrant for probation violations. The 57-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address was charged with escape. — At 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15, Sixth District Officers Haas and Teetz observed a male with a shopping cart filled with sand bags outside the construction site at 1112 Chestnut St. An investigation reveled the bags contained scaffold clamps, valued at $1,700, stolen from the work site. The site manager was contacted, the items were returned and the 26-year-old homeless suspect was charged with burglary and related offenses. — At 8:35 p.m. Jan. 15, Sixth District Officers Grant and Calhoun arrested a male outside 1200 Chestnut St. who was wanted on a warrant for probation violations. The 51-year-old suspect with a Tioga address was charged with escape.
— At 9:35 p.m. Jan. 17, Sixth District Officers Ferrero and Grant arrested a male outside 208 S. Juniper St. who was wanted on a warrant for probation violations. The 38-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address was charged with escape. SUMMARY ARRESTS — On Jan. 13, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 2:15 a.m. outside 207 S. 13th St., 8:30 p.m. outside 1201 Chestnut St., 8:55 p.m. outside 200 S. 12th St., 9:10 p.m. outside 1314 Walnut St. and 9:25 p.m. outside 1300 Drury St. — On Jan. 14, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense at 12:35 a.m. outside 254 S. 12th St., 12:30 p.m. outside 1300 Drury St., 6:20 p.m. outside 1201 Sansom St., 9:30 p.m. outside Broad and Chestnut streets and 9:45 p.m. outside 1 S. 12th St. — On Jan. 17, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 11:30 a.m. outside 1317 Walnut St., 8:50 p.m. outside 1218 Chestnut St. and 9:35 p.m. outside 208 S. Juniper St. — On Jan. 18, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense at 1:40 a.m. outside 1200 Chancellor St. and 2:50 p.m. outside 261 S. 13th St. Center City District officers issued a citation at 4:20 p.m. outside 1001 Market St. n
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2nd & Chestnut sts. • 2nd & Market sts. • 2nd & Walnut sts. • 2nd & South sts. • 2nd & Wildey sts. • 3rd & Arch sts. • 3rd & Market sts. • 3rd & Race sts. • 3rd & Spruce sts. • 4th & Bainbridge sts. • 4th & Chestnut sts. • 4th St. bet. Arch & Market sts., by Holiday Inn • 5th & Chestnut sts. • 5th & Spring Garden sts. • 5th & Spruce sts. • 6th & Chestnut sts. • 6th & South sts. • 6th St. & Washington Square West • 7th & Pine sts. • 8th & Market sts. • 8th & South sts. • 8th & Walnut sts. • 9th & Market sts. • 9th & Pine sts. • 10th & Pine sts. • 10th & South sts. • 10th & Spruce sts.• 10th & Reed sts. • 11th & Arch sts. • 11th & Locust sts. • 11th & Pine sts. • 11th & Walnut sts. • 12th & Filbert sts. • 12th & Locust sts. • 12th & Manning sts. •12th & Spruce sts. • 12th & Walnut sts. • 13th & Arch sts. • 13th & Chestnut sts. • 13th & Locust sts. • 13th & Pine sts. • 13th & Sansom sts. • 13th & Spruce sts. • 13th & Walnut sts. •15th & Spruce sts. • 16th St. & JFK Boulevard • 16th & Market sts. • 17th & Lombard sts. • 17th & Pine sts. • 17th & Spruce sts. • 18th St. & JFK Boulevard • 18th & Locust sts. • 18th & Market sts. • 19th & South sts. • 20th & Fitzwater sts. • 20th & Locust sts. • 20th & Pine sts. • 20th & Sansom sts. • 20th & Vine sts. • 21st & Walnut sts. • 22nd & Chestnut sts. • 22nd & Market sts. • 22nd & South sts. • 22nd & Walnut sts. • 23rd St. & Fairmount Avenue • 27th & Poplar sts. • 28th & Girard sts.• 29th & Girard sts. • 30th & Market sts. • 34th & Spruce sts. • 34th & Walnut sts. • 36th & Walnut sts. • 37th & Spruce sts. • 38th & Chestnut sts. • 38th & Spruce sts. • 38th & Walnut sts. • 40th & Walnut sts. • 40th & Spruce sts. • 63rd St. & City Ave. • 69th St. SEPTA station • 505 S. Fourth St. • Broad & Chestnut sts. • Broad & Ellsworth sts. • Broad & Race sts. • Broad & Spruce sts. • Broad & Walnut sts. • Front & Girard sts. • Germantown & Girard sts. • Juniper & Market sts. • Main & Cotton sts. • Main & Levering sts. • Passyunk Ave & 10th & Reed sts. • Passyunk & Mifflin sts. • University City SEPTA Station • Walnut & Dock sts., by Ritz Movies • Welsh Road & Roosevelt Boulevard • Wyndmoor SEPTA Station •
All of these locations are now visible on a zoomable Google Map at
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
PGN
Weekly features
7
News&Opinion 2 — Crime Watch 8 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Street Talk Transmissions 15 — Media Trail
AC &
29 — Family Portrait 27 — Scene in Philly 30 — Out & About 32 — Q Puzzle 30-31 — Comic
C o l u m n s
28 — Get Out and Play: Winter boredom breakers
Three authors with Lambda Literary Award nominations will read at PAT @ Giovanni’s Room.
SNOW DANCE: Brian Sanders’ JUNK presented the fifth-annual “Snowball,” Jan. 24 at the Trocadero Theater. The nonprofit performance troupe performed live aerial dance, with music by Nicole Atkins and Multipass and DJ Matt Beierschmitt. For the fifth anniversary of the winter ball, which raises funds for JUNK, the show featured themes from cult classic “The Fifth Element.” JUNK is known for its incorporation of found objects and unique, edgy choreography. Photo: Scott A. Drake
This week in PGN 6 — Mazonni marks milestone 7 — Lambda nominees at PAT @ Giovanni’s Room 9 — Komen to recognize Mazonni
Councilman Jim Kenney resigned his Council seat — a fair signal he’s seriously considering entering the mayoral race.
17-24 — Youth Supplement
28
25 — Arts & Culture cover story: Kaki King singing art to the stage 32 — Erin McKeown is on the road again
Classifieds 36 — Real Estate 38 — Personals 39 — Bulletin Board
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“Our youth contributors have opened our eyes to the depth and breadth of what it means to be a young LGBTQ person today.”
“Mommy” comes to Philadelphia.
~ Editorial, page 10
Next week Before the Bells Out Law
Two weeks Dining Out Out Money Thinking Queerly
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COMMUNITY KICKOFF: Philadelphia FIGHT kicked off its annual AIDS Education Month Jan. 22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The planning meeting featured remarks by AEM co-chairs Bishop Dwayne Royster and Ann Ricksecker, honorary chair Cherri Gregg and FIGHT staffers like director of education Juliet Fink Yates (right) before roundtable discussions about AEM events. This year, the three AEM summits — on prisons, outreach and faith — will all be held June 8. To get involved in the planning committees, contact Jennifer Wright at jwright@fight.org or 215-985-4448 ext. 254. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Scouts recruitment assemblies blasted By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
The Center for Inquiry, a New Yorkbased nonprofit that promotes the separation of church and state, is urging a local school district to stop hosting Boy Scouts of America recruitment assemblies. “We’re one of the biggest secular organizations in the country, with more than 50,000 members,” said Nicholas J. Little, the center’s legal director. “It’s important for the school district to hear from us.” The Octorara Area School District, in Chester County, hosts BSA recruitment assemblies for elementary-school students, despite BSA’s policy of excluding LGBT adults and nontheist children and adults. In a Jan. 12 letter, Little urged district officials to stop hosting the assemblies, saying the district “sends a clear message to atheist and agnostic citizens, as well as members of the LGBT community, that they are not full members of society, and that organizations cannot only exclude them but that such exclusionary organizations are supported by the government.” Little said he hopes to resolve the dispute through dialogue with district officials. “The Octorara school district is going above and beyond what is required by law, and what is reasonable,” Little told PGN. “There’s a very big difference between letting the BSA use some space after school and giving them preferential treatment during school hours, and making it seem like it’s a school activity.” Even if the district doesn’t mandate attendance at the assembly, the issue still isn’t resolved, Little added. “Even if the assembly is made voluntary, there’s a question as to how voluntary it really is,” he said. “There’s a lot of peer pressure that needs to be considered. It’s
simply not appropriate to have this assembly during school hours and seemingly endorsed by the school.” Little said district superintendent Thomas L. Newcome hadn’t responded to the center’s letter. “We’re hoping to hear from Dr. Newcome, and we’ll be following up shortly if we don’t receive any reply,” Little said. Newcome had no comment for this story but in prior statements noted the BSA Chester County Council “has shown no discrimination in practice that anyone has brought forward.” “It has been our experience that the BSA troops in the Octorara community are open and welcoming to all children,” Newcome added. Little challenged Newcome’s description of local BSA troops. “It’s all well and good for the district to say local BSA troops are open and welcoming. But if BSA rules exclude all nontheists and all LGBT adults, that doesn’t sound open and welcoming to me.” Little expressed hope that the dispute can be resolved without litigation. “It would be best if this could be settled just by people talking. However, if the school board and Dr. Newcome aren’t willing to address the problem in good faith, then we will have to consider all available options.” Freethought Society president Margaret Downey also expressed hope that the situation can be resolved without litigation. Her group also opposes the BSA assemblies. “We do not want to sue the school, not now and hopefully never,” Downey told PGN. “School funds should be used to educate, not litigate. The goal is for Octorara to avoid any wrongdoing by being proactive in protecting students from any harm.”
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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sidies for families and individuals affected by HIV, support groups, outreach and education. The addition of legal services opened the doors to even better health-related outcomes in the medical-services DR. PETER MAZZONI department, as collaboration became the norm, Shein said. “We have added and expanded the legal-services department in the last five years, which really opened it up to collaboration within our departments. Many of our clients also face legal issues. By helping removing these threats, we are able to have better health outcomes.” Shein envisions the growth of Mazzoni’s research department. “Right now we are collaborating with a few institutions on some clinical trials, and institutions are coming to us wanting to collaborate,” she said. “Long-term, I would
This month marks the 35th anniversary of one of Philadelphia’s leading LGBT community organizations, Mazzoni Center. “It has been an incredible journey,” Mazzoni CEO Nurit Shein said. “At times heartbreaking, at times wonderful — but each new day presents an inspiring challenge as we work to ensure that the individuals who make up the extremely diverse LGBT communities in the Philadelphia region receive the respect, dignity and quality of health care that they deserve.” The center has its origins in the altruistic endeavors of a small group of volunteers who started meeting in 1979 — originally as a planning subcommittee of the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia — with the goal of improving the health of the LGBT community in the region. The organization was originally called Lavender Health Project, incorporated as Philadelphia Community Health Alternatives in 1981 and adopted the name Mazzoni Center in 2003 after longtime volunteer and board member Dr. Peter Mazzoni, who died in 1990. Responding to the AIDS epidemic in the early ’80s occupied the majority of the agency’s resources for about the next 15 years, with many milestones along the way: In 1985, the organization established the first HIV testing site in Pennsylvania; launched a housing subsidy program in 1986; and opened the first food bank for people with HIV/AIDS in 1989. After weathering the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the MAZZONI CEO NURIT SHEIN CUTS THE RIBBON ON agency broadened its misTHE AGENCY’S MEDICAL PRACTICE JAN. 28, 2008 sion to include a more holistic approach to LGBT health. Over time, like to be able to hire Ph.Ds to do in-house Mazzoni added mental-health counseling, research.” According to Shein, increased research LGBT legal services and a primary-care practice that sees approximately 15,000 capacity will enable Mazzoni to push for better-informed policy around LGBT patients a year. Shein attributes the most impact- health issues. “We are sitting on lots of policy and data ful changes over the past few decades to the transition from a primarily preven- that can inform policies, laws and health tion-based organization to one that provides outcomes,” she said. Even with the advent of an internal direct medical services. “Mazzoni started off as an LGBT health research division, Shein sees direct mediorganization that was only providing infor- cal services remaining a cornerstone of the mation and prevention services and, with organization’s efforts. “Even though there has been huge progthe inclusion of behavioral health and the opening of the medical center, began offer- ress in the development of LGBT inclusion ing direct medical and mental-health ser- within mainstream health care, I think there vices,” Shein said. “That has been an enor- will still be a need for an org that specifimous change and [led to] growth in the cally targets LGBT.” Shein said Mazzoni sees more than 2,000 organization.” Today, Mazzoni has 120 full-time transgender patients a year. “Proof,” she said, “that there is still a employees operating out of three locations in Center City. It provides a wide range of huge need out there. And we are meeting services: primary, mental and behavioral part of it.” For more information, visit www.mazzohealth care, LGBT legal services, HIV and STD testing, a food bank and housing sub- nicenter.org. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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PAT @ Giovanni’s Room to host Lambda Lit nominees By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Three authors nominated for Lambda Literary Awards — which celebrate LGBT work — will read from their works at Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3. David Pratt “Looking After Joey” Wilde City Press Ever wonder what would happen if the porn star you were watching suddenly stepped out of the TV and became yours to care for? Such is the dilemma that main characters Calvin and Peachy find themselves in after porn star Joey comes to life in author David Pratt’s third book, “Looking After Joey.” After Joey receives a proper schooling in how to be a gay man in New York City, the trio sets out to score invitations to a fabulous Labor Day party on Fire Island in this tale of love, laughter, family and fabulousness. Nathan Burgoine of Out in Print says, “Read ‘Looking After Joey’ with the expectation of laughing throughout, but there’s more to it than that. The social commentary is razor sharp, and the ultimate destination is surprisingly moving.” Pratt is also the author of Lambda Literary Awardwinning “Bob the Book” and has directed and performed his work in theaters across New York City. In the 1980s, Pratt was the first director of plays by the Canadian playwright John Mighton. He holds a master’s
in creative writing from the New School and is currently working on two more novels and a novella for young people. S. Chris Shirley “Playing by the Book” Riverdale Avenue Books When 17-yearold Southern boy Jake Powell gets the opportunity to leave Alabama and his fundamentalist Christian minister father behind for a summer to attend Columbia University’s prestigious summer journalism program in New York City, it is a dream come true. His newfound freedom allows him to explore his own identity, alongside his two friends and an outrageously flamboyant aunt. The Advocate magazine named “Playing by the Book” one of its top-10 great LGBT reads and said Shirley “offers up an optimistic but not overly romanticized look at youth, becoming oneself, and the discomfort and joy that comes from finding out who you want to be in the world, whether your parents like it or not.” Shirley is an award-winning writer and director and president of the board of Lambda Literary. He directed Roger Kuhn’s music video “What’s Your Name,” and wrote and directed “Plus,” an award-winning short film that played at international film festivals. Shirley, an Auburn University graduate, later received a graduate degree from Columbia University and studied filmmaking at New York University. He was born and raised in Greenville, Ala., and currently resides in Manhattan.
“Playing by the Book” is Shirley’s first novel. Rafe Haze “The Next” Wilde City Press In “The Next,” the unnamed narrator is disconnected and depressed about a breakup, and his only source of relief is the entertainment he gets from spying on his neighbors from across his New York City apartment courtyard. Of particular interest to him is the closeted lawyer, but nothing seems out of the ordinary. That is, until the narrator observes suspicious behavior that he takes to mean only one thing: His neighbor is a murderer. Can partnering with the hunky Detective Marzoli free the narrator from his tragic past? Or will he make him “the next?” “‘The Next’ by Rafe Haze is a stunning tour de force: ‘Rear Window’ without the filters, hyped on suspense and edge-of-your-seat observations of the human condition,” said Sand in My Shoes Reviews. “The portraits he paints of the souls around him were painful and brilliant and insightful and almost too honest to bear.” Haze, a Bay Area native, currently lives in New York City. He has worked in the legal compliance, fashion, music and art industries. In addition to prose, Haze loves writing classical music for orchestra and small ensemble, country music songs, musical theater, plays and screenplays. n For more information about the readings, visit queerbooks. com.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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The three people accused of attacking a gay couple in Center City this past fall are scheduled to be back in court next week. Kathryn Knott, William Philips and Kevin Harrigan are scheduled to appear for a pre-trial conference before Common Pleas Judge Frank Palumbo, 9 a.m. Feb. 5 in Room 905 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. The three have been free on bail since shortly after their Sept. 24 arrest. They are charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and criminal conspiracy stemming from the Sept. 11 attack on Zachary Hesse and Andrew Haught. The gay couple was walking at 16th and Chancellor streets when they say the trio, surrounded by a group of both men and women, got into a verbal and then physical altercation with them, repeatedly using antigay slurs and leaving Haught with multiple broken bones. They are not expected to be scheduled for trial until later this year. The pre-trial conference is open to the public.
Pulse fundraises for HRC Pulse Events will host a party this weekend to raise funds for national LGBT
agency Human Rights Campaign. The event will take place from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Jan. 31 at Smokin’ Betty’s, 116 S. 11th St. DJs KAsh and Trish will provide music, and drink specials include $5 well drinks and $3 select bottles from 10 p.m.-midnight. Cover charge is $5. All proceeds will be donated to HRC. For more information, visit https://www. facebook.com/events/599921686775301/. — Jen Colletta
Whitewood fee issue continues A settlement hasn’t been finalized in a fee-compensation dispute in the Whitewood case, according to court records. The Whitewood case established marriage equality in Pennsylvania last year. As the prevailing party, Whitewood plaintiffs requested more than $1 million in compensation from state and Bucks County officials for their legal fees and costs. But state officials said the plaintiffs requested an “exorbitant amount.” On Sept. 10, U.S. District Judge John E. Jones 3d referred the matter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson for mediation. But mediation was canceled because both sides indicated they could reach an agreement without court intervention. Earlier this month, a court spokesperson said she knew of no plans to resume mediation, despite the lack of a final settlement. Neither side had a comment for this story. n — Timothy Cwiek
Explore how Irving Berlin, Benny Goodman, the Ramones, Lou Reed, and other artists have shaped the sounds of the holiday season.
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Mayoral race likely gets new contender City Councilman Jim Kenney announced this week he is stepping down from Council — signaling a presumptive run for mayor. Kenney had not publicly confirmed his candidacy as of press time, but his resignation — after 23 years on Council — would suggest such. Kenney has been a longtime LGBT ally. He led the fight for the city’s domestic-partner bill, championed a landmark LGBT reform bill several years ago and, most recently, with Councilwoman Blondell
Reynolds-Brown, led the successful effort for an LGBT hate-crimes law in the city. He has had a strong presence at LGBT community functions, pressed Mayor Nutter to sever ties with Philadelphia’s sister city in Russia because of its antigay policies, and blasted Chick-fil-A leadership over their antigay donations and policies. The current Democratic candidates for mayor include former state Sen. Milton Street, former Nutter press secretary Doug Oliver, former city solicitor Nelson Diaz, former District Attorney Lynne Abraham and state Sen. Anthony Williams. February 17 is the first day for candidates to circulate nomination petitions. The primary election is May 19. n — Jen Colletta
Mazzoni honored by local cancer org. By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The Mazzoni Center is being recognized with an award for its commitment to supporting the breast-cancer movement by Susan G. Komen Philadelphia. Mazzoni will be one of 25 area organizations to receive Komen Philadelphia’s first-ever Women’s Champion award at this year’s Race for the Cure Kick-Off Party Feb. 6 at Vie, 600 N. Broad St. “I am really proud that Mazzoni will be receiving this award,” said Mazzoni CEO Nurit Shein. “We have a long-standing relationship with Komen, and I think that one of the reasons why we are being honored is our commitment that all women have access to quality and competent health care.” For Mazzoni, those include lesbian, bisexual and transgender women —who are often underserved by the mainstream health-care system. “We started off doing some training within local hospitals about trans women coming in for breast exams,” said Shein, “and the relationship grew from there, understanding the needs of all women.” “We couldn’t do what we do to save lives and lead the fight against breast cancer without these organizations pursuing their own missions with such dedication,” said Komen Philadelphia CEO Elaine Grobman in a statement. “Without each of these 25
Women’s Champion honorees strengthening women in other aspects of individual and communal living, our quest to save lives from breast cancer would be all the more difficult.” Mazzoni’s efforts to increase breast-cancer awareness and decrease barriers to breast-cancer screening among LGBT people were among its most notable accomplishments, according to Komen. The organization also highlighted Mazzoni’s special educational program in October hosted by Sisterly L.O.V.E., which aimed to educate transgender women on breast-health awareness and cancer risks. “Mazzoni still has to do more for women,” Shein said. Thus, the tapping of Mazzoni’s Dr. Vicky Borgia to actively promote women’s health. “Now that we have the staff to do this, we are going to do even more.” Komen Philadelphia created the award to honor well-respected individual organizations that exclusively or primarily serve women in the greater Philadelphia area. The group of awardees, according to Komen Philadelphia, provides a balance of services vital to women, serves a diverse population and focuses on meeting immediate needs, as well as building solid foundations for future success. For more information on services at Mazzoni, visit www.mazzonicenter.org. To learn more about Komen Philadelphia, visit www.komenphiladelphia.org. n
Feb. 6 — Love & Lust issue Will your Valentine’s Day be red hot or not?
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
EDITORIAL PGN
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
C.B. Embry Jr.
Editorial
Learning from our youth One year ago, PGN launched its inaugural LGBTQ Youth Supplement, and it returns this week for its fifth incarnation. We at PGN have been overwhelmed by how much we’ve learned from this project — and hope the same can be said of our readers and, most importantly, our youth contributors and readers. The mission of the supplement is to give a voice to our LGBTQ youth; while the issues affecting this community have gradually been coming to the forefront of community discussions in the past few years, we acknowledge that it is our youth themselves who best understand what they’re facing in our schools, on our streets and in their homes. We put out the call to high-school- and college-aged youth from around the region; no writing experience was required, just a passion for LGBTQ issues. And the passion from our youth writers has been impressive. Each quarter, PGN follows up with the contributors to brainstorm for individual story assignments, offering to suggest topics; but, we’ve found that most of the writers have already come up with their own story pitch, and enthusiastically detail the plan they’ve devised to tackle the topic. By employing a rather open-ended story-selection process, we’ve found the writers feel freer to explore their own experiences and interests and, thus, produce passionate and engaging pieces. While many of the writers cautioned us that they didn’t have formal journalism experience, we have been amazed by the quality of their writing. From opinion pieces to arts reviews to news coverage to works of creative writing, the submissions illustrate both writing mastery and a significant willingness to invest hard work in their writing. The youth have been eager to make their own edits and have often suggested revisions without prompting, demonstrating how much pride they take in their work. The diversity of the topics they’re eager to explore has also been enlightening. Often, the most talked-about issue when it comes to LGBTQ youth is bullying, but our youth writers have proposed topics that go far beyond school safety. They have addressed such topics as the effect of a religious upbringing on coming out, the factors that put LGBTQ youth at higher risk for prison, evolving labels regarding sexual identity and how a condition like Asperger’s Syndrome affects community involvement. Our youth contributors have opened our eyes to the depth and breadth of what it means to be a young LGBTQ person today. We at PGN are thrilled to have the platform to showcase the voices that deserve to be part of our community discourse. The Youth Supplement has showed us just how vital younger members of our community are to our future: They have passion, promise and potential — and we have a lot to learn from them. n
I don’t like public restrooms. There’s just something really, well, icky about sharing a space with strangers where everybody does their grossest business. I don’t want to hear the woman in the next stall evacuate her gaseous bowels or have random children poke their heads under the door while I’m trying to pee. And then there’s that space between the wall and the door where people can totally see in and you can totally see out and every so often you accidentally make eye contact with someone while you’re on the toilet and that moment gets burned into both of your retinas forever. On the other hand, I am so thankful that public restrooms exist. Granted, I prefer my own private home bathroom with its circa-1960s powder-blue toilet and a door I can shut and lock, but that’s only practical if I’m at home. And because I’m not a shut-in, I do occasionally leave the house. And I have a bladder like an infant, so without public restrooms, I would be doomed. I have, in my time, used a men’s room or two, either because the line to the women’s room was too long, or because the women’s room was closed for cleaning. If it’s a choice between peeing my pants or using the toilet designated for the opposite sex, well, I’m not going to pee my pants, damn it. And how lucky I am that this has never been a problem for me. The same cannot be said of trans men and women. And somehow whenever someone mentions The T Word, the subject of restrooms is never far behind. Just ask Kentucky Sen. C.B. Embry Jr., who is so incensed by the idea of trans students using the restroom appropriate for their gender identity that he thinks there oughta be a law against it. And dog gonnit, he done proposed one. He’s introduced what he calls the Kentucky Student Privacy Act, but what
might more aptly be called the Trans Students Can Pee In the Janitorial Closet for All I Care Act. He wants all students to be categorically identified by “biological sex” and make sure that the sexes (the only two he recognizes, anyway) stay separate. Because cooties. Under this act, schools cannot accommodate trans students in the bathroom department. They may answer the same call of nature that everybody else does, but there will be no place for them to go. Best of all, Embry would like to start a new fun game for high schoolers: Spot the tranny in the restroom. Students who “catch” one of these biological sex blasphemers could get a $2,500 cash prize! That doesn’t sound like incentivized bullying at all. Not that Embry is much worried about bullying. In 2013, to explain why he voted against a bullying bill that would protect LGBT students, he told the Lexington Herald-Leader, “We have a death penalty against rape and murder but they still happen.” Embry has a message for transgender students in Kentucky: “Let the games begin! And may the odds be ever in your favor.” n
Kentucky Sen. C.B. Embry Jr. is so incensed by the idea of trans students using the restroom appropriate for their gender identity that he thinks there oughta be a law against it. And dog gonnit, he done proposed one.
D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.
Correction In “Trans woman nominated to top PA post” in the Jan. 23-29 issue, PGN incorrectly stated that state Physician General appointee Dr. Rachel Levine has not yet been named a member of Gov. Tom Wolf’s cabinet. The physician general post is part of the governor’s cabinet; Levine will serve in an acting capacity until approved by the Senate.
Op-Ed PGN
History in flight Waiting for a flight at Philadelphia formist clothing.” Several stood their International Airport proved to be a lesson ground and said no. Days after, the Janus on how and why Philadelphia is a leader in Society, an early gay-rights organization in LGBT inclusion. Philadelphia, picketed and handed out leaf As I was walking to Terminal A, I dislets about the restaurant’s discriminatory covered the airport’s tribute to policies. the civil-rights movement over Philadelphia today is a city the last 50 years. Included in the deep in LGBT history to be exhibit is a very large collecproud of and a city that now tion of pictures from our march welcomes us into all aspects of towards LGBT equality. The city life. Philadelphia is a showpictures go back to even before case of what other cities around 1965, when the first-ever march the nation can achieve. for “homosexual equality” was It’s no wonder Human Rights held outside Independence Hall. Campaign has designated Another of the pictures is Philadelphia one of the most that of a demonstration held inclusive and LGBT-friendly years before even the infamous cities in America. Take pride, Stonewall Riots of 1969: the sitPhilly. n ins at Dewey’s lunch counter in Philadelphia. Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is Mark Segal the nation’s most-award-win This action was similar to Stonewall, but this time in a ning commentator in LGBT restaurant where the owners didn’t like the media. You can follow him on Facebook behavior or dress of the LGBT patrons. at www.facebook.com/MarkSegalPGN They reacted by asking them to leave and or Twitter at https://twitter.com/ pledged to not serve people in “non-conPhilaGayNews.
Mark My Words
Transmissions
Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Fix it Early in the morning of Dec. 28, a 17-year-old trans woman by the name of Leelah Alcorn was struck and killed by a semi-truck on Interstate 71 near Union Township, Ohio. At 5:30 p.m., hours after the accident, a note by Alcorn automatically posted to her Tumblr page. The note — on a light pink backdrop with a pixilated unicorn cat in the background — was titled, simply, Suicide Note. “I have decided I’ve had enough,” wrote Alcorn. “There’s no winning. There’s no way out. I’m sad enough already, I don’t need my life to get any worse. People say ‘it gets better’ but that isn’t true in my case. It gets worse. Each day I get worse. That’s the gist of it, that’s why I feel like killing myself. Sorry if that’s not a good enough reason for you ... It’s good enough for me.” She also discussed her life with her parents, a heartbreaking story of rejection. “When I was 14, I learned what transgender meant and cried of happiness,” wrote Alcorn. “After 10 years of confusion, I finally understood who I was. I immediately told my mom, and she reacted extremely negatively, telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn’t make mistakes, that I am wrong.” According to Alcorn, her parents isolated her, taking away her laptop and phone, removing her from public school and sending her to Christian-based conver-
sion therapists. “I only got more Christians telling me I was selfish and wrong and that I should look to God for help,” wrote Alcorn. Just before noon Dec. 28, Carla Alcorn, Leelah’s mother, posted on Facebook that her “son … went home to heaven.” She did not know that Leelah’s Tumblr — and another post by her on Reddit — would give a very different tale later that day. In the wake of Leelah’s death, her parents have been called onto CNN and elsewhere, speaking about the “son” they loved “no matter what,” but how they did not support her transition for religious reasons. These same parents have since gotten Leelah’s Tumblr account wiped clean, erasing her last wishes to “fix society.” “The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was,” wrote Alcorn. “They’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights. Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something.” Leelah’s passing has shaken the transgender community to its foundations. We’re upset, we’re grieving and we’re angry. This was a death we were powerless to prevent, and equally powerless to prevent her family from erasing her identity. “My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year,” wrote Alcorn. “I want someone to look at that number and say,
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Street Talk Should TLC have aired "My Husband's Not Gay"? "Yes. Put it out there and let people make their own choice. If they don't like it, they can turn the channel, or read a book. Kristina Battaglia I totally physical therapist understand Chadds Ford why people might be offended by the show, but I believe in freedom of choice."
"No. There's already too much negativity in the media. I don't even think people should be able to spout Arturo Castillon that kind of cook bigotry on South Philadelphia the street, let alone in the media. We have enough hatred in the world. We don't need more in the media."
"Yes. I don't believe in censorship. People should have the right to watch that show, no matter how unpleasant Rhea Gingrow it might dog walker be. It's not Center City something I would ever care to watch. It sounds ridiculous, and sort of sad. But if someone wants to watch it, let them."
"No. It just encourages homophobia and selfhatred. It promotes lying in intimate relationships, Jennifer Greer and that's sales clerk not good Bella Vista for either partner. So I don't think the program should have been aired on television."
‘That’s fucked up’ and fix it.” She’s right. It is fucked up. It needs to be fixed. I talk about anti-transgender murders quite a lot but stories like this highlight that suicide is just as much an epidemic for the trans community. A 2014 study from American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Williams Institute showed that 41 percent of transgender or gender-nonconforming people have attempted suicide — nine times the national average. The rate is even higher for those who face homelessness or been rejected from medical care for being transgender. The same study showed a decrease in risk for those with strong family ties. Leelah’s parents may well be a lost cause. They loved their “son” so much they were willing to lose their daughter. They’ve chosen to pretend this entire, vital part of their child’s life did not exist. I suppose that’s their right, even though I personally feel they were plenty culpable in her death.
There are a great many other parents out there, however, and a whole lot more young trans folk, who need support and help. It is up to all of us to reach our hand out and do so. Our community needs to look ahead. We need to look for ways to provide a nurturing, supportive environment for our youth. How can we reach out for the next Leelah Alcorn, give them hope and provide them with strength to carry on? We also need to do what we can to stand with our larger LGBT community and together see an end of conversion therapy that seeks to “pray away the gay.” These same therapists are preying on us as much as they prey on our lesbian, gay and bi youth. We need to fix it. Not just in Leelah Alcorn’s memory, but for every other young transgender person. n Gwen Smith wants more lives to celebrate, not mourn. You’ll find her at @gwenners on Twitter.
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Media Trail Va. Senate panel rejects unmarried gay adoption
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The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports a proposal to allow adoption by the partners of unmarried gay parents was rejected last Friday by a Virginia Senate committee. Thanks to a series of federal court decisions last year, same-sex couples can marry in Virginia. But some choose not to do so, and Sen. Janet Howell’s measure would have accommodated such couples by allowing someone other than the spouse of a parent to adopt a child. Howell said children in such circumstances deserve the security and protection of two legal parents. Adoption opens the door to additional health-care options and other financial benefits, she said, and ensures a child will still have a parent in the event of the biological parent’s death. Virginia doesn’t require opposite-sex parents to marry in order for
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
both to have legal rights to their children, but that’s not true for same-sex parents, Howell said. Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration supports Howell’s bill, but conservative groups oppose it, saying unmarried couples are unstable. The Republican-controlled Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee defeated the measure on a party-line 8-7 vote.
Hawaii trans group wants new birthcertificate rules Hawaii News Now reports a Hawaiian lawmaker wants to change a law that requires people to have surgery before they can switch the sex listed on their birth certificates. State Rep. Chris Lee will submit the bill sought by Equality Hawaii that would permit transgender people who can’t have gender-reassignment surgery for health or financial reasons to get a birth certificate that reflects their gender identity. Proponents say transgender people have a hard time getting jobs and don’t want to present an outdated birth certificate and be “outed.” Opponents say allowing people to more easily change birth certificates
LANDMARK from page 1
guard pushed them through the front door and out onto the sidewalk. Brown said the guard tripped her, sending her crashing into the side of a nearby car. He then allegedly proceeded to pin Walker down on top of Brown’s head, after which he said, “I’m tired of all you dykes trying to fight men.” “We were not fighting back at all,” Walker told PGN. “The managers saw what was happening and pulled him off of us.” When asked about the incident, Landmark general manager Kyle Veale said “an event such as the one you are describing has not happened at Landmark. Moreover, as a matter of courtesy and privacy, we would not disseminate information regarding customers.” Veale added that, “as a company, we take pride in the diversity of both our customers and employees. We have not and will not discriminate against anyone for any reason, let alone their sexuality, as had been erroneously reported to you.” Walker admitted that Brown became very upset after the security guard was pulled off of them. “She was yelling at the security guard and giving him the middle finger,” Walker said. “We had both been drinking that night, but I tried to stay calm.” Walker said police arrived — though she is unsure if they were called to the location or spotted the incident — and instructed Brown to calm down, threatening to arrest her, which prompted the couple to leave. They went to the hospital later that morning; Walker said she had cuts to her nose and lip and back pain, and Brown had neck pain. They each filed a police report later that day. Police spokesperson Tanya Little confirmed the reports were filed and said they were categorized under “simple assault.” Such cases, she noted, usually end up becoming private criminal complaints. n
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could cause problems.
Fired transgender officer sues city for discrimination According to the Connecticut Law Tribune, a transgender Connecticut police officer fired last June has filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation and wrongful termination. Francesca Quaranta filed suit against the city of Middletown, the mayor, the police chief and three police officers on Jan. 9 in Hartford Superior Court. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for lost wages, emotional distress and other reasons. Quaranta says her law-enforcement career went on a harsh decline in 2012 after she announced she was transgender. She says she was subjected to discrimination and harassment that ended with her firing. Mayor Daniel Drew says Quaranta’s firing wasn’t discriminatory. Drew says Quaranta failed a fitness-for-duty evaluation, refused to participate in a second evaluation and rejected the city’s repeated attempts to return her to work. n — compiled by Larry Nichols
EQUALITY PA from page 1
already taken care of.” And that assumption, Martin said, is a problem statewide. “It is really everywhere. Perhaps the people that live in areas that do have protections think that, of course, everyone is protected.” Gaps in state discrimination laws leave LGBT people vulnerable to being fired from a job, turned away from a business or evicted from a home — just for sexual orientation or gender identity. In Pennsylvania, that gap is exacerbated by the state’s lack of hate-crimes protection for LGBT individuals, anti-bullying laws and more. Pennsylvania ranked in HRC’s lowest category, “High priority to achieve basic equality,” which adds the Keystone State to the ranks of other behind-thecurve states that have laws that undermine LGBT equality, criminalize HIV and sodomy and sanction religious-based discrimination. “It is troubling,” Martin said about the rating, “but not unexpected. I don’t think it is something that I walk away from disgusted, rather I see it as an opportunity.” Martin joked that his goal is to work himself out of business. “People are understanding these issues more, and LGBT people are emerging in the public view in a much greater way,” he said. “But my job will not be over until there is real, complete and clear equality across the state.” For more information on the Campaign for Fairness, visit CampaignforFairnessPA. org. Learn more about the national effort at DiscriminationExists.org. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
PGN ADA from page 1
that, since the ADA excludes GID, Blatt couldn’t have been discriminated against because of a trans-related disability. In a 23-page amicus brief submitted Jan. 23, the six groups emphasize that Congress never excluded gender dysphoria from the ADA, which Blatt suffered from. Thus, she should be permitted to assert anti-bias claims under the ADA. “ADA protection is so important,” said Kevin M. Barry, an attorney who wrote the amicus brief on behalf of the six groups. “It allows Ms. Blatt to say she shouldn’t be fired because of who she is, and that she’s entitled to a reasonable accommodation for her disability.” Barry emphasized the groups aren’t suggesting that all trans people are disabled. “It’s very important for people to understand that we’re not in any way suggesting that every trans person has a disability. To the contrary, most do not. But trans people who do have a disability should be protected by the ADA, just like everyone else with a disability.” He said some legislators in 1989 mistakenly believed GID was a sexual-behavior disorder. “Gender-identity disorder was never a sexual-behavior disorder,” Barry said. “Congress got it wrong. Gender dysphoria isn’t a sexual-behavior disorder either. In fact, it’s not a disorder at all.” Barry noted that the American Psychiatric Association in 2013 removed gender-identity disorder — and added gender dysphoria — in its diagnostic manual. “Congress apparently believed the distress that some trans people feel was a sexual-behavior disorder,” Barry continued. “The new APA diagnosis makes it clear that gender dysphoria has nothing to do with sexual behavior. These changes bode well for Ms. Blatt.” Barry added: “The APA is now saying that incongruence between gender identity and anatomy is normal. We don’t need to treat the incongruence; we need to treat the distress that can result from the incongruity.” Barry also said recent studies view genetic and/or hormonal factors as contributing to gender dysphoria. Additionally, the amicus brief supports Blatt’s claim that ADA’s GID exclusion is unconstitutional. Declaring GID’s exclusion unconstitutional, or that the exclusion doesn’t encompass gender dysphoria, “would provide sorely needed, comprehensive anti-discirmination protections to transgender people. It would also eliminate a source of blatant, legally sanctioned prejudice against them,” the brief states. Neelima Vanguri, an attorney for Blatt, expressed appreciation for the amicus brief. “We’re very pleased these six groups have taken an interest,” Vanguri told PGN. “We want Kate Lynn [Blatt] to be permitted to assert ADA claims. The groups present an alternate argument for the court’s consideration. And we’re delighted they’ve done so.” As of press time, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl hadn’t ruled on whether he’ll accept the amicus brief for consideration. n
PGN LGBTQ Youth Supplement by our youth, for our youth, for our future
CHOP honored as a leader in LGBT health care by HRC By Matty Bennett Age: 23 The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was recently acknowledged by the Human Rights Campaign as a 2014 LgBT Healthcare equality Leader. according to the HRC, which selects the equality leaders via its Healthcare equality Index, CHOP earned top scores in nondiscrimination and training criteria that illustrate the hospital’s dedication to inclusive care for LgBT patients and their families. Nadia Dowshen, a pediatrician and adolescent-medicine specialist, has been working at CHOP in some fashion for almost 15 years. Dowshen is also the director of the adolescent HIV Clinic and
co-founder of the new gender and Sexuality Development Clinic. Dowshen described what she does on a daily basis to strive toward LgBT health-care equality. “a big part of what I do is educate various care providers and trainees at different levels — nurses, doctors, social workers, med students — about how to provide the best care for all adolescents,” Dowshen said. “a big part is understanding psychosocially what’s going on with them and the appropriate health care they need, and teaching folks to talk to all adolescents in a way that supports people of all genders, sexes, races and ethnicities.” another major player in the momentum of CHOP as an LgBT health-care leader is Linda
Hawkins, a family-services specialist who focuses on LgBT competency throughout the hospital, who has been working at CHOP for almost 17 years. “On the day-to-day, I look at where we’re doing well and where we’re not doing well,” Hawkins said. “I get feedback from families and patients on what their experiences were like and determine how things could be even better.” Hawkins and Dowshen strive for excellence in their daily work, and both women are committed to creating equitable, inclusive care for all LgBT adolescents. “I believe we need to move from a world of being LgBTfriendly to a world of being LgBT-competent,” Hawkins said. “Put up the rainbow only if you really know what you’re doing about it.” CHOP certainly knows what they’re doing for LgBT health care: In January 2014, CHOP opened the gender and Sexuality Development Clinic, which aims to help transgender, gender-variant and gender-nonconforming youth up to 21. Dowshen said the clinic has had a significant impact on CHOP as a whole. “I think there’s been an impact in that there’s more awareness that there is a team that will help
and treat these young people, whereas before people may have not known what to do,” she said. “We’re thankful for the Mazzoni Center for doing all that they do. It’s wonderful that we now have another option in addition to that in this sub-specialty medical environment.” The opening of the gender and Sexuality Development Clinic and the recognition from the HRC in the past year is exciting and important for CHOP, Hawkins said, noting it caps years of CHOP’s work for LgBT healthcare equality. “CHOP has been pretty continuously open and active in supporting LgBT patients and families, so the acknowledgment this year shouldn’t diminish previous decades of good work,” Hawkins said. “This is not completely new for CHOP.” Highlighting this sentiment is the fact that CHOP not only met the minimum standards that the HRC sets in its Healthcare equality Index, but well-exceeded them. “a couple of years ago, the anti-discrimination policy for employees was rightfully expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity and expression,” Hawkins said. “What followed more recently was our
PA youth conference spotlights rural communities By Tamara Hijazi Age: 19 and Victoria Martin Age: 21 The Pennsylvania Youth action Conference, or “YaC,” is an annual social-justice conference that is designed to strengthen and grow a coordinated LgBTQ youth movement in Pennsylvania. Hosted by the Pennsylvania Student equality Coalition (PSeC), the YaC is the only statewide LgBTQ conference by and for Pennsylvania students and youth. This year, the focus of the YaC will be on rural youth issues within Pennsylvania’s LgBTQ movement. The 2015 YaC marks PSeC’s 20th statewide convening and fourth large-scale conference. The 2015 YaC will be held at the Indiana University of
Pennsylvania in Indiana, Pa., a rural town about an hour east of Pittsburgh. The conference will begin with an opening session at 7 p.m. Feb. 26 and the rest of the weekend will be devoted to policy briefings, expert trainings, workshops, caucuses and committee work. The annual Keystone award Banquet will be held 7 p.m. Saturday evening, and the conference will conclude at noon Sunday following the closing plenary. each year, the conference facilitates a number of sessions that foster group dialogue to explore important issues currently facing LgBTQ youth. The goal of the YaC is to create a positive, educational and safe space for LgBTQ youth to gain the tools and resources they need in order to become empowered leaders. Victoria Martin, Conference
State Operations co-chair, grew up in rural Franklin County, with few LgBTQ role models. “My personal goal for this conference is to dispel the myth that, as an LgBTQ person, you can only thrive in a city,” Martin said. “Rural LgBTQ young people deserve positive representation in our culture.” The YaC keynote speaker will be Mike Fleck, a former state representative (R-81st Dist.) who came out as gay in December 2010. He is Pennsylvania’s first openly gay legislator in the general assembly and the second-known Republican state legislator in the nation to come out while in office. Fleck was also named as one of “12 State Legislators to Watch in 2014” by governing Magazine. alison Bechdel, author of “Dykes to Watch Out For” and
creator of the “Bechdel Test,” will be honored with the 2015 altoona award at the Keystone award Banquet for promoting the visibility and welfare of LgBTQ youth in the commonwealth. Bechdel is a native of rural Beech Creek, Pa. as a prominent author on lesbian and women’s issues, Bechdel has been honored with a 2015 Macarthur genius grant and a 2012 guggenheim Fellowship. Other featured guests of this year’s conference include: Candace gingrich, director of youth and campus engagement for the Human Rights Campaign and author of “The accidental activist”; Terry Mutchler, former executive director of the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records and the highest-ranking out public official in Pennsylvania; Dr. Karen Whitney, president of Clarion PAGE 8
DR. NADA DOWSHEN (LEFT) AND LINDA HAWKINS
patient bill of rights to rightfully include those policies as well, so I feel like we are safeguarding and advocating for LgBT patients and their families by having this modeled through our employment process and our family culture.” The most important impact from that work, Dowshen said, has been on LgBT youth. “I’ve dedicated my career to working with marginalized youth, many of whom are LgBT, and unfortunately they face many challenges to their health because of stigma in society and often not having the support of their family and communities,” she said. “We’re now in a place at CHOP where we’re able to start to address these issues. This is a really exciting time.” Hawkins echoed Dowshen’s sentiments. “I’ve been an advocate for LgBT youth probably my entire life, but defiPAGE 8
What’s inside — Q&A with hip-hop duo NORIQ: page 2 — School-to-prison pipeline, part II: page 3 — LGBT dance and other upcoming events: page 4 — Music and stage reviews: pages 5, 7 — Original play and poetry: pages 6-7
PGN LGBTQ Youth SUPPLEMENT
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I don’t want to be the next SuperHead! By Alice Wills Age: 22 Like many sappy, wine-loving, passion-exercising adults, I was once that over-imaginative kid who enjoyed the secret kink pleasure of reading racy romance novels behind my textbooks in math class … English teachers giving me that knowing look and silently consenting me to openly reading them because they’d read them just as much and understood … discovering the written worlds of artists painting their lovers, whom they soon conquered on lush garden beds and grand pianos. That flowery fog was always a nice way to tell a tale, but what most of us were really reading for were the steamy sex scenes only a wicked imagination could conjure up that the author so extensively and generously detailed; six pages of blissful intimacy to light a fire in your loins would always send me back to the library looking for the next juicy book to take me somewhere intense and show me something intimate. That consequently led me to pick up Kerrine Stephens’ book, “The Confessions of a Video Vixen.” The book cover — displaying a scantily clad, smoothskinned, honey-blond woman who exuded sex — had me expecting some raunchy rap fantasy to take me to the wild and extravagant movie-star lifestyle by page one. In turn, I realized by page two, I got anything but that; rather, it was a rude awakening into the cold, harsh world of being a used-up video girl. If you haven’t read it, here’s a quick catch-up: Young island girl, sexually and mentally abused, relocates and finds herself drowning in the gooey glamour of the world of hip-hop, Hollywood, sex and drugs. She survives to tell her story — and does just that, in explicit picture-book detail that tells all of her sexual “adventures” she had with big-name rappers, A-list actors and various athletes, and how she was deemed “SuperHead.” Similar to Stephens, I am an actress in this ever-changing, sexually charged industry, and got called in to be a video girl for Mt. Vernon-born hip-hop streetrock duo KIN4LIFE for their new video, “Never Meant to Hurt You.” Immediately I thought of rejecting the invitation not only
NOR AND IQ OF KIN4LIFE
because the call sheet instructed I wear lingerie and a low-cut shirt, but because I didn’t want to be the next SuperHead! My desire to be taken seriously as an actress and not use my body to break into the film world was paramount to me. What is a video girl, anyway, but a girl who stands around the artist, looking “f-able”? Evidently, to market yourself as a female in the entertainment industry today, you have to be “f-able” — cleavage and round bottoms shaking galore. From the moment you walk into a room, talk or breathe, you should be exuding sex — to be wanted, specifically by men — because, let’s face it, it sells; why else did I struggle through math so badly? I was sold. But what happens to the gender-bent artists who want their message heard and respected without fitting into society’s mold of what is sexually enticing? Where are the role models for young masculine women and effeminate men? One group immediately comes to mind: KIN4LIFE had a chance
in front of a name-recording artist and was shooed away because they didn’t look “f-able.” But, they continued manifesting and demonstrating that LGBTQ talent can be heard and is valuable. So on the evening of Nov. 30, I rolled my little red suitcase to the famous Milkboy Recording Studio, heart pounding. I honestly barely researched the group, afraid I’d lose my nerve and not show up because I didn’t want to be exploited. Greeted at the door by director Danielle Erwin, I was told to change, and not into the lingerie, but into simple clothing. Breathing a sigh of relief, I headed to the bathroom and met the notorious duo: Nor and IQ. Towering over me, these beautifully eccentric-looking women surprised me with warm smiles, sparkling eyes and normal handshakes. Even more surprising, they’d actually watched a show I was in (KIN4LIFE composed the theme song) and complimented me on it. Now I was embarrassed; all of my silly expectations of this group turning me into SuperHead
just vanished. These were chill, beautifully unapologetic women comfortable in their skin. They never once labeled themselves “lesbian” or “stud rappers” but just rappers, living and manifesting their art, just like me. Suddenly — I realized, wideeyed — these women could take me somewhere intense, and show me something intimate, and that many had to see, if I allowed myself to go. After a bit of research, I uncovered a gold mind. Being so afraid at times to openly discuss my sexuality on set, I loved that this group wore who they were so proudly and didn’t feel the need to explain, despite being told they weren’t f-able. Originally KIN, and renamed by fans as KIN4LIFE, the duo is a hiphop, street-rock pair comprised of two emcees/producers/writers/ engineers who have been passing their kinetic energy of positivity through the music industry for over a decade. Both artists hail from not only the home of Heavy D, Denzel Washington and P. Diddy, but the birthplace of hip-hop itself: The Big Apple. They’ve been featured in Curve Magazine, Elixher, Black Gay Gossip, Out and many more. They won the Out Music Award for Best Hip-Hop/Rap Song for “It’s Over Now” and the Honorary Atlanta Pride Hip Hop Award. They produce 98 percent of the music they put out and also record, mix and engineer 99 percent of the music, such as the album “Money Brings Trouble” and my favorite songs, “Type Girl, Right Girl” and “Make-Up Girl.” PGN: Hey guys, thanks so much for sitting down with me and letting me breathe the air on Planet Noriq for a moment! So your genre is hip-hop, street rock? Your sound is so new. How so? N: The best thing about hip hop is that it is influenced by other genres, so you will always get a nice mix of everything from us. We are always experimenting and aren’t afraid to sing on certain records too. PGN: What does it mean to be KIN4LIFE, and why did you choose each other? N: KIN4LIFE is just that, family for life. We’ve known each other long enough to call each other PAGE 8 sister so we
WINTER 2015
College GSAs Bucks County Community College — Gay/Straight Alliance: Provides a safe haven for LGBTQA campus community members and works to combat stigma on campus; fratrikc@bucks.edu or altemose@bucks.edu. Cabrini College — Sanctuary: Offers affinity groups, peer support and educational activities to promote a greater understanding of the LGBT community. Chestnut Hill College —
H.E.R.O.: Promotes awareness of and appreciation for the LGBTQQIA community and works to instill a sense of unity between the community and allies; kociszewskim@chc.edu.
Community College of Philadelphia — Gay/Straight
Alliance: Advocates for LGBT inclusion and acceptance on campus with programming and events, and offers resources for LGBT and ally campus communities; scooks1@ccp.edu.
Drexel University —
LGBTQA Student Center: Supports the development, growth and education of Drexel students with a safe and inclusive campus location for the community and allies on campus; Creese Student Center Room 48-C.
Holy Family University
— The Alliance for Student Equality: Works to recognize the respect and dignity of the whole person in support of promoting the development of personal identity and social equality on campus; drafter@ holyfamily.edu or mmbobholz@ holyfamily.edu.
La Salle University — The Alliance: Pledges to provide a safe place and support for the LGBT members of the community; http://studentaffairs.lasalle. edu/umas/service-opportunities/ advocacy-groups/the-alliance/; alliance.lasalle@gmail.com.
PGN LGBTQ Youth SUPPLEMENT
WINTER 2015
Philadelphia University
— Gay/Straight Alliance: Connects LGBT campus community with resources throughout the university and region; caulford4949@mail.philau.edu or horowitzh@philau.edu.
Saint Joseph’s University
— The Alliance: Fosters open and honest discussion about diversity and LGBT issues and works to affect an environment where homophobia and hatred are replaced by mutual understanding and respect; www. sju.edu/int/resources/alliance/ about.html; gsa@sju.edu.
Temple University — Queer
Student Union: Strives to provide a safe social space to LGBTQIA students while exploring issues relevant to the larger community; https://twitter.com/TempleQSU; nurodney. prad@temple.edu.
University of the Arts — OUT@UArts: Through discussion, cultural events and outreach through art, seeks to make a difference for LGBTQ individuals at UArts and beyond; www.uarts.edu/ students/outuarts; cfreeman@ uarts.edu. University of Pennsylvania — LGBT Center: More than 20 undergraduate and graduate LGBT student groups abound at Penn, with meetings and community events held at the Center, 3907 Spruce St.; www.vpul.upenn. edu/lgbtc/; center@dolphin. upenn.edu; 215-898-5044. University of the Sciences — Alliance: Increases awareness of LGBT issues on campus and provides support for LGBT students, faculty, administration and staff; http://orgs.usciences.edu/alliance/; alliance@mail.usciences.edu. West Chester University — LGBTQQA Services: Provides information, resources, support and programming for the campus community and is home to the LGBTQA Student Organization; LGBTQA@wcupa.edu; www. wcupa.edu/_services/stu.lgb/. N
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School-to-prison pipeline part II: A community forgotten By William E. Shelton II Age: 26 The school-to-prison pipeline has been a tool used to oppress minorities, including LGBT youth of color, for the last three decades. According to the GSA Network, nearly one-third of LGBT students who drop out of high school do so to escape harassment. For LGBT youth of color, this number is higher because of the additional racism and discrimination in school discipline that they face as youth of color. The systemic racism and homophobia that plague our society has influenced the support LGBT youth of color receive in school, which creates a gateway to the school-to-prison pipeline. “I think it’s not fair that we don’t have enough counselors. The counselor becomes a stranger,” said Keith Southerland, a senior at Charter High School for Architecture + Design. “You really don’t know if the counselor is a safe person or it is a safe space. A lot of LGBT youth are swept under the rug.” In most public and charter schools, there are a limited number of counselors and social workers who can handle the overabundance of LGBT students who need counseling and emotional support. The School District of Philadelphia pink-slipped thousands of staff over the last four years to fill budget deficits; this included hundreds of counselors. “I feel that LGBT youth are an easier target to be pushed out [of school] because of everything we have to deal with. It isn’t fair,” said
Naisha Soto, a youth leader at Youth United for Change and a junior at Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School. “At my school, students do a lot of verbal abuse to LGBT youth.” Having a counselor isn’t enough to sustain a student. Schools need to become safe spaces for all youth. At Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School, there are a limited number of counselors for the 1,212 students. “At my school all the students that want to go to the counselor must sign a list and it is visible for everyone to see,” Soto said. “Youth don’t want all that attention on them because everyone can see who goes to the counselor. So a lot youth hold [their pain] in so they won’t have all that attention on them.” There have been ideas and strategies to eliminate the schoolto-prison pipeline. Changing the discipline policies in schools and creating more emotional support for LGBT youth are the first lines of defense against the school-toprison pipeline. Challenging and effectively changing policies that harm LGBT youth are what Youth United for Change has been doing for the last two decades. YUC’s LGBT youth organizing started with a battle over the uniform policy that said students could be punished for wearing gender-nonconfirming uniforms. Saeda, alumni of YUC and current School-toPrison Pipeline organizer who attended Kensington Business High School, faced this as a student. “A lot of
According to the GSA Network, nearly one-third of LGBT students who drop out of high school do so to escape harassment. For LGBT youth of color, this number is higher because of the additional racism and discrimination that they face as youth of color.
PGN
[gender-nonconfirming] young people were pushed out because of the zero-tolerance policies,” said Saeda. “For example, I was told that if I didn’t wear a dress to the prom, I couldn’t run for prom queen. So I had to run for prom king. I won prom king and I was
“I was told that if I didn’t wear to a dress to the prom, I couldn’t run for prom queen. So I had to run for prom king. I won prom king and I was told I wasn’t crowned because I wasn’t a man.” told I wasn’t crowned because I wasn’t a man.” It is incidents like this that have a negative impact on LGBTQ students of color. If Saeda didn’t have the support and love from YUC, Saeda’s life could have gone in another direction. Saeda testified at the School Reform Commission about the uniform policy and the SRC ultimately changed it. Currently YUC is focusing on the implementation of the National Student Bill of Rights. The NSBR are 15 provisions youth from around the country created to end the school-to-prison pipeline. Some of these demands include: the right to public education, right to safe and secure housing and the right to freedom from unwarranted search and seizure or arrest. YUC plans on making the NSBR a reality through challenging the code of conduct in the public-school system and creating a citywide GSA. “Starting a GSA for everyone in the city is one of our goals. LGBTQ youth of color have been excluded from other organizations. They don’t feel they have been totally protected there,” said
Saeda. There are many programs that fight issues that LGBTQ youth of color encounter every day, but many of these have a limited number of people of color in executive positions and on their boards of directors. Without that visibility, youth often do not see themselves reflected in the leadership. Several of these programs also target a certain demographic within the LGBTQ youth-of-color spectrum because of funding and governmental requirements. These limitations create gaps in the services to the community, thus causing many other youth to fall through the cracks. These youth often roam the streets of the Gayborhood searching for friendship and love. The LGBTQ community in Philadelphia must recognize its part in contributing to the schoolto-prison pipeline. LGBTQ youth of color are not privy to the many amenities of the community. There are very few safe places where they can be after 8 p.m. Many of them do not want to go home and tolerate the feeling of being a second-class citizen, and this can lead to illegal activities or trouble with law enforcement. Even if nothing unethical happens while they are in the Gayborhood, youth usually stay out late and this can harm their academic work and school attendance. There is an opportunity for the entire LGBTQ community to defy the status quo and create supportive spaces for LGBTQ youth of color. This is key for ending the school-to-prison pipeline and creating a community of love and happiness. This will not happen overnight but the process can begin now. Imagine the mentor programs, academic and college support, evening and late-night safe activities and countless other approaches that our community can take to be a part of the solution. N William E. Shelton II graduated from St. Joseph’s University with a master of arts in writing studies.
Pick us up on the street or online.
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WINTER 2015
LGBT dance returns to high school By Sean Morris Age: 17 Last year, my school had the pleasure of hosting its first LGBT dance in celebration of Valentine’s Day. This year we are proud to continue what I personally hope will be a yearly tradition, and perhaps my parting legacy to my school, as it was my original idea. However, that said, I would never have been able to accomplish any of these dances without the combined help of all the students at the gay-straight alliance and the teachers who have helped plan, host, reserve or chaperone for this event, which highlights the strong sense of community at our school. Anyone who read my article about this dance last year knows I created it out of a want for an event for youth in the LGBT community, who might not feel as included in “typical” high-school dances. And I still think this is a strong sentiment. Despite the vast wave of achievements the community has made in the past decade
alone, there is still much stigma. There are still some states and even nations in the world without same-sex marriage, along with laws that allow employers to fire people for being gay, ignorance about the transgender community and even extreme homophobia in some places in the world. Having a dance like this, in some ways, can allow the worry from the outside world to fade away, if only temporarily, and allow us utter freedom to be our out, proud, “gay” selves. The dance will be held at Science Leadership Academy, 55 N. 22nd St., Feb. 6 (a Friday if you are wondering) from 7-10 p.m. The cost is $7 at the door or $5 in advance. You must be in high school and have an ID. For any further inquires, please contact me at smorris@scienceleadership. org and feel free to bring friends for a great time! N Sean Morris is a junior at Science Leadership Academy.
STARRING EMMY NOMINATED CHOREOGRAPHERS ©
TRAVIS WALL NICK LAZZARINI TEDDY FORANCE & KYLE ROBINSON from So You Think You Can Dance and All The Right Moves WWW.SHAPINGSOUNDCO.COM
Events
COMMERCIAL DANCE UNPLUGGED WITH TODAY’S HOTTEST DANCERS FEBRUARY 11 MERRIAM THEATER
/KIMMELCENTERPHILLY
@KIMMELCENTER
/KIMMELCENTER
PROUD SEASON SPONSOR
KIMMELCENTER.ORG
“Speaking OUT” talk and book-signing 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 11 Friends Select School, 1651 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Rachelle Lee Smith, author of “Speaking OUT,” a photo-essay book featuring LGBT youth, speaks about her experiences and signs copies of her book.
For more information, follow QSpot on Facebook.
QSpot Open Mic 6:30-9 p.m. Feb. 19 3535 Market St. The youth organization stages a fundraising night out with refreshments and SEPTA tokens provided.
This Is How We Do It: Y-HEP’s 20th Anniversary ’90s Jam 7-11 p.m. March 20 Moore College of Art & Design, 1916 Race St. Join Philadelphia FIGHT
Sweethearts & Red Hots 6 p.m. Feb. 20 William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The Attic Youth Center stages its fifth annual drag show. Tickets are $10 or $5 for youth. For more information, visit atticyouthcenter.org.
and Youth Health Empowerment Project to celebrate the 20th anniversary of and fundraise for the youth-service organization. Event includes food, drinks and music. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased at fight.org. QPenn Week March 22-29 The University of Pennsylvania invites LGBTs and allies to take part in socials, games, forums and other activities to celebrate diversity on campus.
PGN LGBTQ YouTh SuPPLEMENT
WINTeR 2015
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Me, myself and ‘i’ By: Lucky Fischer Age: 23 If proposed the question, “Do you love yourself?” what would you say? One night while covering my shift at work, I took a
lant tune, it was the lyrics that captured my attention and lured me during the four-minute track (well, almost four minutes,; it was only three minutes, 51 seconds, but that’s beside the point).
be quite honest, the message is not anything new to older generations, but for those coming up, rest assured your very design of who you want to be will be appreciated 10 times more than a replica of the next
break and had the opportunity to hear this song titled “i” for the first time. Partially unsure, I didn’t know if I’d just stumbled upon another timeless number like Pharrell’s “Happy” or an OK attempt to get the world singing in unison again from seasoned hip-hop phenom Kendrick Lamar. after about the third or fourth time, I thought to myself, Damn, this is good. People need to hear this! Initially expecting something similar to Lamar’s previous hits, such as “Swimming Pools” or even “Poetic Justice,” inspired by the ’90s film starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur, I was in for quite a surprise. What changed? I began to listen! Between what sounded like a banjo playing in the beginning and Lamar’s unique vocals over the up-tempo, jubi-
“I love myself” recites Kendrick as the hook rolls in following the first verse. Like in the video, by this time, it’d be only right to be up on your feet dancing away. In addition to advocating for self-love, Lama also notes in the song that “everybody lacks confidence.” However, that should not be a deal breaker and to “Lift up your head and keep moving.” Whether you’re at the awkward stage where obnoxious pimples the size of Mars are invading your face, or trips to the local drug store for “personals” have become more frequent, it can be somewhat challenging trying to figure out where to fit in. But that’s just it … you don’t have to! For some, it may take time to come to the realization that it’s OK to stand out. Be yourself. and to
woman/man. With 2015 in full effect, what better way to start than with a refreshing attitude toward everything and everyone else — more importantly, one’s self. For many young adults, both straight and those who identify as LgBTQ, acceptance is something sought from peers, family and society in general; ironically, the only one missing at times is “I.” To be accepted, remember it starts from within first; once ingrained, then it’s only fair for those around to welcome you with open arms. If proposed with the question, “Do you love yourself?” what would I say? Yes. N Lucky Fischer is a Philadelphia native and Temple University graduate, with a background in public relations.
The Youth Supplement is also available on the PGN website: epgn.com
EAST COAST PREMIERE
OSCAR
Out at the Opera F R I D AY, F E B R U A R Y 1 3 ACADEMY OF MUSIC PART OF THE KIMMEL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Legendarily flamboyant Oscar Wilde was the toast of the literar y world—until a scandalous love affair with Lord Alfred Douglas ruined his reputation. The new opera Oscar chronicles the acclaimed writer’s trial and imprisonment for “the love that dare not speak its name.” Celebrate the life and love of Oscar with Philadelphia’s LGBT community and enjoy special programming presented in partnership with William Way Community Center.
S AV E $ 2 0
ON TICKETS TO FEB. 13*
OPERAPHILA.ORG/PRIDE | 215.893.1018 T I C K E T S A L S O AVA I L A B L E F E B . 6 , 8 M , 1 1 , 1 5 M *Use promo code PRIDE when ordering to save $20 per ticket on Feb. 13. Not valid on previously purchased tickets; some restrictions may apply.
PGN LGBTQ Youth SUPPLEMENT
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GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meets at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J. Schedule at www.glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com; 908-300-1058. HAVEN For GLBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20; meets 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153. HiTOPS A safe-space support program for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J. Call Connie at 609-683-5155 (day); hitops. org. PRYSM Youth Center For youth ages 14-20. Meets 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610-357-9948. Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center For ages 14-21; meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 1323 meets 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays at 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215-496-0330. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Planned Parenthood of Chester County’s West Chester office, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267-687-6648. Young, Trans and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center. Youth Making a Difference For GLBTQ African-American and Latino youth ages 1424. Meets 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.
■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-5454331; 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. See the Youth section for more events.
■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215957-7981 ext. 9065; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. ■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay. org. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday through Friday Library hours: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Community centers
■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St.; 215-8985044; center@dolphin.upenn. edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 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.
WINTER 2015
Old Paradigms
ON REPEAT IN THE DARK
By Timothy Wayne Moore Age: 27
By Matty Bennett Age: 23
a dark hand had spread across the land based in power and oppression the collective actions of the minority, is the obsession of a cohort with the majority of influence directed at our advancement or rather the lack there of our chances are held up high from above as we crumble from not having enough those with ability sacrifice the possibilities of the many still rolling the dice to gain profit but at what price the very existence of our species is threatened by ineffective policies out dated mind frames and broken games, our society we pretend, functions healthily when so many are without not covered, erased from doubt the perfect image of the middle-class dream is to pretend that poverty is the enemy when in reality millions are started unfairly having to carry the bruises of being broken and used as if not human our history is of national abuse, drunk with power a baby holds the noose for so many who don’t fit from infancy into some preordained society are we to repeat history still acting as if the current beliefs are fair depictions of our individual stories we are taught to hate early
Drew lodged a deer rifle down my throat. It fires shots every time I try to speak, which isn’t often, and will make me a Midwestern man—the kind no one questions. The kind that sneaks out the door while the family is gathered around a newborn grandchild. The kind that won’t hold a hand unless it’s Thanksgiving grace. In the darkness of the deer stand before dawn, somewhere, you are field dressing your prize, pushing steaming guts into the frosted river. Somewhere, I am six years old hiding in Grandpa’s closet, smelling his clothes, hoping no one finds me. Drew, are you still awake? In the darkness of the basement bedroom, no windows— stories of ashtray women, I touch myself to the sound of your voice. Matty Bennett is a second-year MFA candidate in creative writing at Virginia Tech.
Searching for positivity By Timothy Wayne Moore Age: 27 The world is always falling everyday despite the sun rising we’re bombarded with a dark sway such dangerous days
have to unlearn what for some was natural begin to unravel a different way to travel through life, searching for truth and light to evolve into a being of faith and might
But what about the calm moments when nothing’s happening, when you are at peace does that cease to add to the happier side of things the possibility each day brings
can we move past superficial judgments to more authentically deeper moments honoring the freedom of life from the creator searching for purpose to something greater
You can fall 1,000 nights but you’re given that extra day to create a new way to change your thinking
Timothy Wayne Moore is pursuing a master’s of leadership from Rosemont College.
Instead of harboring on the doom of it all why not search ever so far for as much goodness as you can witness
PGN will run the LGBTQ Youth Supplement again in April, July and October. Email editor@epgn.com to get involved. No writing experience is necessary. Email your interest by Feb. 28 for the April issue.
WINTER 2015
Worth A Shot By: Rachel Levin Age: 16
Act I (Two girls sit in the back of a classroom during class. One, Maura — 17, beautiful, stylish, angel-faced, with a bad reputation — sits at a desk. The other, Mary — 16, quiet, soft-spoken, drab — sits at a desk) Maura: Hey, Mar. (Pauses) Do you have a pen I can borrow? Mary: Yes, Maur, but I’ve already given you four this week. Maura: (Pleadingly) Come on Mary, this will be my last one. I promise. Mary: You really need to buy your own pack. Maura: Yes, I know Mar, I promise I’ll go to the store right after school. Mary: (Sighs, hands her a pen) OK, but this is the last one for a while. Maura: (Smiles) Thanks, Mar, you’re the coolest. Mary: (Smiles back softly) You too, Maura. Maura: So we’re hanging out tonight, right? Mary: (Hesitantly) I’m not sure, Ellen invited me to her sleepover tonight. It’s her birthday … and … I kind of just … wouldn’t feel right about … skipping it. You know? Maura: (Laughing) Are you serious? Mary: Well, yeah. Besides, we’ve been spending so much time together lately anyway, I really didn’t … see it as a big deal? Maura: Not a big deal? Mar, come on, I scored this bottle of sangria just for us! Do you realize how difficult that was for me to do? Not to mention that I’ve been taking such a risk by hanging out with you so much lately anyway. Do you know what my friends would say if they found out I’ve been hanging around with Mary, Mother of Jesus for the past couple
PGN LGBTQ Youth SUPPLEMENT
of weeks? After all I’m doing for you, I can’t believe you’re going to skip out on our plans for a bunch of fricken’ losers! I mean I knew you were at least sort of lame, but come on Mar, that’s low. Mary: (Apologetically) Oh gosh, I’m sorry Maura, I didn’t realize how much tonight meant to you. I mean, I can tell Ellen I have a family thing or something. I’m sure it won’t be a big deal. Maura: (Pauses in frustration, then begins to smile) Thank you Mar, I knew you wouldn’t do that to me. I’m sorry I snapped at you. (Grabs her hand) I was trying so hard to tell all my other friends just how cool you were the other day, but they just wouldn’t believe me. It doesn’t matter though, I know you’re cool and that’s all that matters, girl. Mary: (Smiles, looks at her hand in Maura’s) Thank you Maura. So where do you want me to meet you again? (The bell rings) Maura: Down by the river at 10 o’clock! Don’t be late! Mary: Wouldn’t dream of it! Act II (Maura sits on the water’s edge where light from the houses across the way reflects on the surface, slightly out of sight with a bottle of wine. Mary slowly approaches, slightly confused on the exact location of where they are meeting) Maura: I’m over here, Mar! Mary: (Smiles, walks over and sits down next to Maura) Wow. (Surveying the location) This place is a lot nicer than I expected. Maura: What were you expecting? Mary: I don’t know. Not this. Maura: (Reassuringly) Mar, I always make sure my hangout spots are at least a little less trashy than I am. Mary: (Hesitantly) Oh hush, you’re not trashy.
Maura: You’d be surprised how many people think differently. Mary: Hm. Maura: So your dorky friends didn’t have a problem, right? Mary: No, they understood. (Smiles) Maura: Good, because if they didn’t, I think me and them would have a problem. (Mary giggles) Maura: So what do you say we pop this shit open? Mary: Sounds good to me. (Maura opens bottle and takes a swig, then passes it to Mary. They continue to pass it back and forth) Maura: Have you ever played “I’ve Never?” Mary: No, what’s that? Maura: OK, so you put your hands up, all 10 fingers showing. Then I would say, “I’ve never spoken to Maura Jones,” and if you have — which you have and in fact are doing right now — then you would put a finger down. If you haven’t, then your finger stays up. Got it? Mary: I think so. Maura: Good, fingers up. (Both girls put up their hands.) Maura: OK, I’ve never … gotten an A on a test. Mary: Wait, what? Maura: You heard me. Mary: Uh … is it possible to put all my fingers down? (Maura chuckles, Mary’s finger goes down) Mary: OK, I ... Uh … I’ve never been grounded. Maura: (Puts a finger down) Sike. (Puts it back up) My parents don’t really care enough about me to ground me. Mary: Oh. Maura: Yeah. Well, I’ve never been out of Pennsylvania. Mary: (Puts a finger down) Last summer my family went to Rome. Maura: Rome?
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Mary: Yeah, Italy? They had great pizza. Maura: I would imagine. Dude, the day I turn 18 (claps hands together), I’m taking the first flight to Timbuctoo. Mary: Timbuctoo? Maura: Timbuctoo, anywhere. I just want out girl, you know? (Drops hands) Mary: Why? Maura: I just hate it here. I’ve seen everything to see. I’ve done everything to do. The only thing worth staying for is, well, this. (Motions around) Mary: What is … this? Maura: You know, sitting out on the river bank on a Friday night with a bottle of sangria and someone who means the world to you. I just really feel like this is the only thing that really matters. That this is what it’s all about. Mary: What what’s all about? Maura: Just … living. Mary: Oh. Maura: Yeah. (Takes a swig from the bottle) Mary: (Puts hands on knees) You know, I’ve never kissed a girl before. Maura: Oh. (Maura leans in slowly, and kisses Mary. Mary’s face and speech express sudden realization as to “This is not who I truly am” and “How did I get myself into this situation?” She gets up to leave) Mary: (Stuttering) Actually Maura, I think I have to go. Maura: But … You’ve only been here for 15 minutes. Mary: I-I’m sorry Maura, I’ve just … really gotta go. (Runs off) (Maura takes the last sip of the bottle as tears start to well up in her eyes. She pauses briefly and looks at it, then she chucks the bottle into the river) Maura: It was worth a shot. N Rachel Levin, an openly pansexual female and aspiring writer, was born and raised in Philadelphia and now lives in Abington.
Positive messages, performances in ‘It Gets Better’ By Sean Morris Age: 17 In early November I had the pleasure of seeing the Los Angeles Gay Men’s Chorus (well, at least part of them) perform at the Kimmel Center for their “It Gets Better” show. Inspiring words were said by our excellent state Rep. Brian Sims before and after the show, which I believe helped to give the show more depth and importance. The stellar cast was well in tune, led by the talented (and cute) Tyler Houston, as they did covers of hit songs, noticeably “Crazy,” “I am Beautiful” and even an original song towards the end. The story centered on a closeted teenager, T.J., who magically receives visitors into his room — a gay couple, a hilarious drag queen, a homophobic-yet-closed senator and a
fiercely athletic gay man. Together, they are able to help T.J., along with discovering a few things about themselves and each other. Its storyline surprised me in its uniqueness and creativity, along with some won-
derful humor and a positive message. What I found particularly interesting was when the actors, at placed moments in the production, took a pause from their characters and told about their own experiences and how varied they were per person; some were positive while others had more struggles. I thought that was a nice touch that would allow the audience members, myself included, more opportunities to connect to the actors, and the characters by asso-
ciation. I was particularly touched when, towards the end, T.J., who had wondered if he would ever find friends who would accept him, encountered people from all walks of life — disabled, blind and many others — who sang to him. I was truly touched by it. I was bullied a bit for the assumption of being gay in middle school, and it makes me very happy to know that many young people, including ones my own age who are in less fortunate circumstances, are able to find messages of hope, like “it gets better,” in just a few clicks. If the tour should ever come to Philadelphia again, or to whomever is reading this in a different city, I would highly encourage them to see it. N Sean Morris is a junior at Science Leadership Academy.
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Page 8 SUPERHEAD from page 2
have an unbreakable bond. The music chose us. The universe put us together to experience this unfolding together. IQ: You can’t choose your family. PGN: Why is it important to be visible and current in the industry today? N: We create the balance. In a world of trappers and fake rappers, somebody has to supply the fresh air. It’s important to also have a woman’s perspective in hip-hop, women who actually have something relevant to say. PGN: Who has influenced you the most? N: Definitely my mom. She was a recording artist while she was raising me and actually helped me write my first rhyme. She would let me get on records with her and co-write and co-produce, so to me it doesn’t get any more influential than that. IQ: My grandmothers have influenced me most in life. They are strong, powerful, successful, no-nonsense women. They are my blueprint. PGN: What is the most embarrassing event/thing that has happened while performing? N: Luckily, I don’t get embarrassed but I would say the closest thing is when we performed at New York City Skate Key on a slippery picnic table back in like ’03. [Laughs] No one could hear the mics so they just turned around and kept skating. IQ: Same show [laughs], Skate Key. PGN: What was the craziest experience off the top of your head? IQ: We performed in an outdoor festival in the woods in Tennessee called Idapalooza. I went on stage in my pajamas; it was that type of crowd. We performed our single “Take Ya Clothes Off” and by the end of the first hook the first three rows of girls were topless. Best audience ever. PGN: What was the hardest/most difficult obstacle to overcome, and how did it change you into the musicians you are today? N: I learned that the only obstacle is me. At times not feeling good enough or doubting that people would give an openly gay group a shot was quite haunting. I had to learn to keep pushing with confidence. I’m dope; just
make good music with good intentions. IQ: My most difficult obstacle to overcome was allhiphop.com outing us in the article “Black Lesbians Rock,” but I credit it as a major turning point in my career that taught me the power of truth. PGN: If you could compare you journey to any fairytale or Disney movie/character, what would it be and why? N: “Sleeping Beauty” because people keep sleeping on us! [Laughs] It’s time to wake up! IQ: “Lion King” because I’m an obnoxious Leo and I love that movie. But Simba goes through trials and tribulations but at the end he wins.
WINTER 2015
Q Spot to host open casting call
LGBT youth-serving organization Q Spot is looking for local actors and other performers for a staged production this spring. Q Spot will produce “RAW: The Play,” based on the New York Times bestselling book by JL King that explores sexuality across several spectrums and
delves into living with HIV. A casting call will be held from 1-6 p.m. Feb. 7 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The show will take place at 8 p.m. April 25-26 at The Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square. Tickets are $30 for gen-
eral admission or $50 for VIP access. For more information about the casting call, email brickredcasting@gmail.com. For more information on the show, email quincygreene@gmail. com or visit gofundme.com/ QSpotPresentsRaw. N
PGN: Every artist has a message that causes them to create. What is your message? (This can be to young LGBTQ, allies or any widespread audience.) N: Our message is love, acceptance and understanding. We want people on Planet Noriq to feel they can be whoever they want to be and achieve their dreams in spite of what people say. PGN: Is there anyone you’d like to thank? KIN: I would like to thank our management, Artists First Inc., for always having foresight and believing in our movement. And all the whack rappers for making us look even better. PGN: Where are you guys touring, where can we look out to see you live? And where can your fans find everything on you? N: We are currently in the process of recording a couple new albums so we will be planning a summer 2015 tour. Keep checking back with us at Kin4Life. com; it’s the hub, everything is there! N
YEAR IN QUEER: Members, staff and supporters of The Attic Youth Center gathered at William Way LGBT Community Center Dec. 19 to mark the end of another year. The festivity included food and the presentation of The Attic’s 2014 Sterling Goode Youth Leadership Award to members Anayah and Marcus and the crowning of Hazel as 2014 Queen of The Attic. Also honored was Beth Pulcinella (pictured), a program specialist at The Attic. Photo: Scott A. Drake YAC from page 1
University of Pennsylvania; Erin Duran, director of LGBTQA advocacy and education at Gettysburg College; Joanne Caroll, president of TransCentral PA; Joe Burns, co-founder of the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus; and Dr. Alice Wills is a freelance actress Michele Angello, a renowned genwho enjoys writing, taking class- der and sexuality specialist. es at Koresh Dance Company Registration can be completand outreach. ed at youthactionconference.com. The conference fee must be paid to Looking for more positive confirm registration. Registration LGBTQIA events? Come out to is $35 through Jan. 31 or $40 the No Trace No Face Fashion from Feb. 1-15. Registration will Show hosted by Wills, Feb. 8: also be available in person at a silent protest and captivatthe conference with payment by ing fashion show held at the cash, check or credit card startCohesive Collection, 1215 Vine ing at 4 p.m. Feb. 26 at the YAC St. Doors open at 5 p.m. and Registration Center. The on-site show starts at 6. For tickets, visit registration fee is $40. Please note www.nofacenotrace.eventbrite. that the conference registration com. fee is non-refundable. Any ques-
tions regarding registration can be emailed to Mackenzie Godinez at yacregistration@pennsec.org. The Pennsylvania Youth Action Conference Committee will be working to place all youth ages 25 and under who request housing with student hosts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. However, capacity and hosting confirmation will be filled on a first-come, first-register basis. N Victoria Martin is a senior at West Chester University studying public-health promotion and is the development coordinator for PSEC. Tamara Hijazi is studying biology and women and gender studies at Bucknell University and is the manager of PSEC Keystone Student Voice.
CHOP from page 1
nitely since moving from Seattle to Philly, where I started to see first-person what disparity is when it comes to LGBT youth,” Hawkins said. “For me, being able to support doctors and nurses and administrators to have a space where all LGBT children, youth and parents can feel safe is really a dream come true. This is professional and personal for me because of the youth I’ve been able to serve, and in many ways I hope this increase in acknowledgment in CHOP’s good work will bring more youth through our doors to assure them health and wellness. It’s basically the best thing ever.” N Matty Bennett is a second-year MFA candidate in creative writing at Virginia Tech.
AC ul t ure rts
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Comics Family Portrait Get Out and Play Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly
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Kaki King sticks her ‘Neck’ out for new show and album By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Kaki King is conjuring up some mind-blowing sights to go with the amazing sounds she coaxes out of her instruments with her latest tour and upcoming album, “The Neck is the Bridge to the Body,” which comes to World Cafe Live Jan. 31. The out and highly acclaimed guitar virtuoso said she is bringing new lighting elements to the show in an effort to revamp the stage atmosphere. “I made a record called ‘Glow’ that was centered on just playing solo guitar and me re-upping my game,” King said. “For years I toured very under the microscope; there
was nothing else on stage except for me and a few guitars. As time went on I thought I needed to add something. I need to give the audience a little something more. I started this journey off figuring out what I could do for lighting and stage setting. I really fell into a rabbit hole. The result was I discovered what projection method was and how it was used. At some point I had this moment thinking what would it look like if I did it on guitar while I was playing it. Once I discovered that, everything just took off. This show became much more than just lighting that accompanied my alreadyplanned-out stage performance. I treated it like that and I wrote a script and made this piece.” King added that performing outside the
context of a band makes her a better guitar player. “The shows prior to ‘Glow’ were all big, loud rock shows,” she said. “They were very fun and they were very challenging in totally different ways. But nothing is going to make you the guitar player you are supposed to be more than going up on stage by yourself. It’s just a totally different experience for the audience and for me. In that context, I am the best guitar player I can be. Now, with a band I’m a better performer, singer, all those things. But straight-up guitar play with no frills and no effect, it’s like a discipline and it’s challenging. I like being the only one responsible for any mistake; I hold myself to a very high standard. That is where I feel my expression is the
most true.” We asked King, who married her wife in 2012, if married life has inspired any of her recent songwriting. The answer was a quick and decisive no. “I think she keeps wanting me to write a song about her but I’ve just been doing so much instrumental stuff lately,” she said. With the light show augmenting the music, King said her shows have an added visual narrative element to which the music acts as a soundtrack. “It’s totally abstract and hopefully by the time we get to Philly, we will have a digital playbill so that you’ll be able to understand a little more about what is happening,” she said. “But I think that even without knowing the storyline, the piece feels PAGE 26
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FEATURE PGN
KAKI from page 25
very much like there is a beginning, a middle and an end. Something happens and a journey is taken. So it’s not just random light and random songs. It’s set up in a way that you feel something has been accomplished by the end of it.” Even though the performances tell a story, King said the interactive nature of the light show means she can switch up the songs and change the show whenever the inspiration hits her. “Several of the pieces are sound responsive, meaning when I play, when I tap on the guitar, I’m actually triggering the visuals myself,” she said. “So I am in full control and I am using the guitar as a paintbrush. There are a couple of pieces where what is happening with the lighting is being performed by my visual performer, who is up in the booth. So she is listening to what I’m doing and I’m watching what she’s doing and we are playing off of each other. So there is improvisation built into a lot of what you see. I still have liberty to change the music to fit what I’m feeling that night.” Because the surface of her guitar is used in the light show, it has to remain stationary for the performance on a stand. King said performing with a guitar that doesn’t move along with her took some getting used to. “It’s different,” she said. “It’s tricky. I’m used to it now. The most important thing is getting my position correct because I always assume that I am more upright and kind of away from my guitar than I need to be. I do need to be wrapped around it so
we really haven’t nailed my position but we can’t change it once I’m up there. It’s funny because when you are playing the guitar, your left hand is supporting the weight of the guitar neck. So I removed this need to support the weight of the guitar that way and it’s strange because it’s actually a lot more difficult. I’m so used to having that necessity so it’s strange. It’s almost like if I let my hand go, I feel like I’m jumping out of a plane. I forget that I have a parachute and the guitar is not going anywhere. It’s so instinctual for me to want to support the guitar.” King’s “The Neck is the Bridge to the Body” is also the album’s name, which she anticipates releasing soon. “It’s done,” she said. “It’s been done for a long time. We don’t have a proper release date yet, but it’s definitely going to be out in the next few months.” King added that, while the record won’t have the light show to go along with it, the experience should be just as satisfying to listeners. “There’s plenty of really great songs on the record that pretty much stand alone. There is a larger story and things were composed together and inspired by each other. I would rather people experience the whole show, obviously, but I don’t think anyone is going to be disappointed in the soundtrack.” n
Kaki King performs “The Neck is the Bridge to the Body” 8 p.m. Jan. 31 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-222-1400 or visit www.kakiking.com.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
SPORTS PGN
Get Out and Play
Scott A. Drake
Frigid digits
“Mommy,” opening Jan. 31 at Ritz at the Bourse, is the latest film written and directed by openly gay 25-year-old Canadian Xavier Dolan. An intense drama about Diane (Anne Dorval) and her violent, ADHD teenage son, Steve (Antoine-Olivier Pilon), the film shared the Palme d’Or Prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Dolan deliberately shot his film in a square, 1:1 aspect ratio that makes the image on screen as wide as it is tall. This emphasizes the claustrophobic nature of the volatile characters and their codependent relationship. Mother and son do truly love one another, but they tend to shout and fight as a means of communicating. Diane is certainly frustrated with Steve’s acting out, which at times he seems to do on purpose. When a shy but kindly neighbor, Kyla (Suzanne Clément), befriends them, things look up for everyone. Of course, Dolan spikes every happy moment with increasingly more awkward and painful ones. Viewers who don’t get fed up will find their sympathies swinging back and forth between the characters as they cause each other psychological and sometimes physical damage. At 140 minutes, Dolan’s film is overlong, but he elicits fantastic performances from his three leads — especially Dorval. n —Gary M. Kramer
Cupid’s Undie Run returns Feb. 14 and XFINITY Live! is ground zero again this year. The doors open at noon and the party starts immediately, with the run scheduled for 2 p.m. The official closing is 4 p.m., but expect it to go on a while. If you raise $250 or more, you’re considered a VIP and you get open bar the entire four hours, so start passing the hat. There are lots of other perks and giveaways. Teams are the meat and potatoes of the run. It’s about having fun with friends and raising money for a good cause. This isn’t a race with prizes for the fastest; it’s really just a fun run. So get a team together, get yourself a bar, restaurant or other business to pledge some bucks and go run in your underwear. Not a runner but want to sneak a peek? The 1.5-mile route has legs on Pattison Avenue and Broad Street so those are fine places to go be a voyeur. You can’t get into the party unless you’re registered as an undie runner and collected at least $1. Going as a spectator or cheering on a friend is a way to play. The organizers also need a lot of volunteers. This is a nonprofit venture after, all: Money raised goes to the Children’s Tumor Foundation. To run, pledge or volunteer, go to cupids.org.
the LGBT sports scene. There are costs involved in every endeavor, and Stonewall is no exception. For the great job they’re doing, drop by and give some money. Think “Breakfast Club” and dress up as your favorite nerd, jock or princess. There are prizes for best costume and team awards. Expect a few pop-up performances during the night and probably some hot shorts, singlets and Clark Kents as well. There are a couple of blues busters at Boxers too. The Gryphons RFC is holding its first Saturday party there starting at 7 p.m. Feb. 7. Want to see how tough these guys are? Head out to Pepper Middle School, 2901 S. 84th St., around 11 a.m. that day and check out the Gryphons’ boot camp. The other Boxers party is the bachelor auction benefiting AIDS Law Project. It is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Feb. 12. Break out that gift card you haven’t used from Christmas and buy yourself a man. Prospective bachelors can be checked out on Facebook by doing a search of V15 Bachelor Auction. And then, of course, there’s the Super Bowl. Pick a bar, any bar.
Winter boredom breakers
• Sports and recreation info can be found inside the back page of the PGN every fourth Friday of the month or at any time at epgn.com. n
Tabu is hosting a Jocks & Nerds party 9 p.m. Jan. 31 to raise money for Stonewall Philadelphia. Stonewall has made a huge impact on recreational sports with kickball, dodgeball and volleyball all joining
Short Stops
Got something sporty to share? Email scott@epgn.com.
POOL POWER: Fins treasurer Heather Mohorn (inset) tied the team record of swimming 5,140 yards in 60 minutes during the annual Postal Swim Jan. 25 at Friends Select School. This year the fundraiser, which is still accepting donations that have yet to be tallied, will benefit the Fins and The Attic Youth Center. There is still time to donate at philadelphiafins.org. Photo: Scott A. Drake
PROFILE PGN
Family Portrait
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Suzi Nash
Pandora Scooter: Confronting youth challenges with compassion Every single day in the United States, two to five LGBTQ youth commit suicide. That’s around 1,000 youth per year. If you think that’s too much, so does this week’s Portrait, Pandora Scooter. Scooter is a nationally known performer whose talents include everything from stand-up comedy to hip-hop to folk poetry to performance art. The spoken-word rock star has toured all over the country and annually hosts and curates a show at New Jersey Performing Arts Center called “Out, Loud and Proud.” Hailed by nytheatre.com as a “masterful entertainer” and by Out in Jersey as “a force of nature,” Scooter uses her powers and words for good, spreading her message of peace and compassion with a sprinkle of whimsy and a cup of truth. PGN: OK, you know I have to start with the name. Explain. PS: It’s been my name my whole life. My parents were very creative. The story goes that they felt the name Pandora was very meaningful because it stands for “all gifted” and “all giver.” It also forced me to be a feminist because I had to take back all of the bad thoughts people have about Pandora for opening the box and destroying the world. PGN: Oh, that little thing, destroying the world. Some people just want to hold a grudge. PS: [Laughs] Yes, that little thing. And Scooter, I’m a triple air sign so I have all air in my charts and when I was little they always saw me scooting around from this place to that, so they thought that Scooter would be a good last name for me. They didn’t want to give down their names to me so Scooter just kind of happened. They wouldn’t admit it but they created a whole identity for me that was unique to me. PGN: They sound like an interesting pair. Tell me about them. PS: My father is a historian of contemporary astronomy and my mother was a manager at the Washington Post for a long while. He’s also a guitar player and she’s a violinist. Her other passion is playing with Legos. She’s very passionate about it and goes to the conventions and everything. She organizes a lot of the ones that happen in the D.C. area. PGN: You just mentioned that you were a feminist, but I read somewhere that you considered yourself more of a humanist than a feminist. PS: Yeah, in this time of my life I do think of myself more as a humanist, but as I was growing up in my 20s into my 30s I definitely felt like more of a feminist. I was the producer of an all-women’s playwriting series and was very active in different women’s-rights causes, defending the right
to choose, etc., and was very vocal about things like that. Now I think I’ve moved into a phase where I’m concerned with everybody’s equality and everybody’s place in our society and in and among each other. It’s more of a humanistic view than what I used to have. PGN: I heard you use the term “compassion literacy.” Is that where it comes in? PS: Yes, compassion literacy. I’m a huge proponent of emotional literacy in our culture, which is something I think we really lack in this capitalist culture. One of the real outcomes of that is that we lack compassion on a daily basis. We have compassion for people when we think it is acceptable; they have to be in need or weakened in some way, they have to have been wronged, certain aspects have to be in play in order for someone to deserve compassion. In my show “Outwardly Fabulous,” which is about stopping bullying and homophobia, I embrace not bullying but the bully: to see the bully and treat the bully with compassion, taking a cue from the civil-rights movement and the spirit of nonviolent demonstrations, where no matter what comes towards you, you don’t retaliate with cruelty or anger or violence; you combat an aggressive, hostile approach with compassion. It’s not something that comes naturally or easily; it takes a lot of work. A lot of the youth tell me, “You’re crazy, that’s not how it works in our school,” but it opens up conversation and I ask them, “What would happen if you sincerely told a bully, ‘I’m so sorry that you’re in so much pain that you have to take it out on me’?” Even if it’s not something they do, at least the awareness is opened to new tools that they can employ. My current show, “I AM ENOUGH,” has everything to do with having self-compassion, which is also something I find lacking, particularly among LGBTQ kids. I feel very strongly that they need to feel compassion from others on the outside but they also need to learn to be compassionate to themselves. PGN: Your mother is Japanese and your father is Jewish, and I believe I read Russian and Polish. Do you think being from different heritages helps you to be more open and compassionate? I think it helps me see things from different perspectives. I sometimes joke that it would be hard for me to be bigoted because I’m a mix of so many, I’d end up hating some part of me! PS: Right? I’m half-Asian, female, I’m a big person, I’m a single mom, I’m an artist, I’m a lesbian and I identify as a dyke. It’s like, what don’t I have? So yeah, it would be difficult to come down on any group of people when you yourself represent so many different types of people.
PGN: Tell me a little more about the work you do. PS: I’m a spoken-word artist, I write and perform poetry. I consider myself a performer first and a writer second. I’ve written about 12 solo shows that I often perform at high schools and universities that are comprehensive explorations of certain subjects. “HOMO-Sapienism” is a humorous piece that’s about what it is to live out, loud and proud. “OUTwordlyFabulous” is a solo show with 12 characters who are dealing with many aspects of bullying — from the bully’s point of view and the bullied’s point of view and the bystander/upstander’s point of view. And I’ve written individual spoken-word pieces that I’ve performed at various venues around the country. I’ve been writing since I was 6 and performing since I was 9. I got my master’s in theater from Mason Grove School of the Arts, which is part of Rutgers.
from BDSM to being a top or bottom and …. PGN: That’s the poem with the labia licking? PS: [Laughs] Yes, that’s the one. I do take that part out for high-school presentations. But there’s quite enough left to impart. I reference polyamory and a lot of things that most young people don’t usually get to hear, much less discuss. It definitely opens their minds in the way that they didn’t think about all of those labels with the understanding that people actually use them and identify as them. So that piece is pretty edgy. The advisors are aware of what I’m going to be discussing and they give me the green light if they think their kids can handle it. PGN: By the way, I know LGBT but explain the rest of the acronyms. PS: GLBTIQCPA? It includes queers, intersex, cis gender, pansexual and allies. The A can also be for asexual. [Laughs] It can go on and on. That’s why I feel we might as well just do the whole alphabet. As a humanist, I feel we need more unity and that we should all just have each other’s backs. PGN: I loved the piece where you spoke about gay people taking over everyday things. PS: Yeah, we’ve co-opted a lot of things. Rainbows are ours now, and the word “pride.” You can’t be proud anymore unless you’re gay.
PGN: As a spoken-word artist, you’re known for delving into any subject. Your regular stage banter may revolve around anything from sex in an airplane lavatory to “labia-licking” ladies. What’s the furthest you’ve pushed in a highschool presentation? PS: I have a poem called “Alphabet” and it’s about turning GLBTQAAIP into A-Z. We already have half the alphabet in there so I think we should just cover A-Z. In that poem I talk about everything
PGN: You must hear a lot of heartfelt stories from the kids. PS: Oh yeah. I was performing in South Jersey once and a student came up to me — she’d been struggling with her mother — and she asked me what should she do if she got kicked out of the house. She was 13. I was trying Photo: Suzi Nash to get her to invest in the guidance counselors who I thought were the best able to handle the situation but in the midst of our conversation, she revealed to me that she was contemplating killing herself. I immediately took her by the hand and told her that we were going to get her some help and that it was going to be OK. Eventually she was able to move in with a family member and last I heard she was feeling much PAGE 34
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
Theater & Arts Allora and Calzadilla: Intervals Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of new and recent projects by Puerto Rico-based artists Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla through April 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
STRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC: The Peek-a-Boo Revue takes over The Trocadero for its latest burlesque show, “Thigh Highs & Bow Ties,” 8 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-6888.
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If you are celebrating an anniversary, engagement, wedding, adoption or other life event, we would be happy to help you announce it to the community. Send your contact information and a brief description of the event to editor@epgn.com.
And the Word Is … The Gershman Y hosts an exhibition exploring religious text in contemporary art through May 14, 401 S. Broad St.; 215-5454400. The Art of the Female Form The Merritt Gallery presents an exhibi-
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN
tion on how femininity has been represented in contemporary art through Jan. 31, 385 W. Lancaster Ave., Haverford; www. merrittgallery.com. Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 The Philadelphia Orchestra performs Feb. 5-7 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847. Bob Marley The comedian performs through Jan. 31 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215496-9001. Classic Soul The Philly POPS perform timeless hits Feb. 6-8 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847. Chris Tucker The comedian performs 8 p.m. Feb. 6
at Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby; 610-3522887. The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane InterAct Theatre Company presents the story of a young South African soccer phenom who flees to England escaping persecution through Feb. 8 at the Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom St.; 215567-2848. Deborah Voigt The author of “Call Me Debbie: True Confessions of a Down to Earth Diva” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215567-4341. Doubt: A Parable Lantern Theatre Company presents the drama set at a Bronx Catholic
school through Feb. 15 at St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow St.; www. lanterntheatre.org. Drawn with Spirit: Pennsylvania German Fraktur from the Joan and Victor Johnson Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of decorated Germanic documents featuring brilliant colors Feb. 1-April 26, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. A Life in Theatre Walnut Street Theatre presents the Pulitzer Prizewinning David Mamet comedy through Feb. 1 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550.
The Miracle Worker Media Theatre presents the story of Helen Keller and her relationship with her governess through Feb. 15, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-8910100. Mommie Queerest The Bearded Ladies Cabaret takes on “Mommie Dearest” in its fundraiser 6:15 p.m. Feb. 2 at Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St.; 215546-7824. Mothers and Sons Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Tony Award-nominated play by Terrence McNally about a woman who leaves Texas after her son’s death and pays an unexpected visit to the New York apartment
of Cal, her late son’s partner who is now married to another man and has a young son, Feb. 6-March 18 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-9850420. The Natural, the Material and the Physical: Landscape Through the Photographic Eye The Gershman Y hosts an exhibition of landscape images by various regional photographers through March 29, 401 S. Broad St.; 215-545-4400. Private Lives Walnut Street Theatre presents Noël Coward’s comedy about a divorced couple who ends up honeymooning with their new spouses at the same French sea-
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
with the decision of whether to donate her kidney to her estranged father through March 15, 40 N. Second St.; 215-922-1122.
READY TO ROCK: Permanent Waves, a network and community of feminist artists and activists, presents an evening of music featuring The Shondes (pictured), a Brooklyn-based rock band with out members, alongside No Other, Haily Wojick and Dan Ex Machina, 8 p.m. at PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St. For more information, call 267-519-9651.
side resort through March 1, 825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550. Prodigal Son The Pennsylvania Ballet performs the classic story Feb. 5-8 at Merriam Theater, 250 S.
Broad St.; 215-7905800. Represent: 200 Years of African American Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition highlighting its collection of
African American art through April 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.
and Shostakovich through Jan. 31 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
St. Petersburg Festival 3 The Philadelphia Orchestra pairs the works of Beethoven
Under the Skin Arden Theatre Company presents the drama about a daughter struggling
Vitra-Design, Architecture, Communication: A European Project with American Roots Philadelphia Museum of Art presents some of the most innovative designs from the family-owned Swiss company through April 26, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
Music Sophie B. Hawkins The singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. Jan. 31 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.; 215-928-0978.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
The Shondes The rock band with out members performs 8 p.m. Jan. 31 at PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St.; 267519-9651.
Nightlife Marti Gould Cummings and Bob the Drag Queen The New York drag performers take over 9 p.m. Jan. 30 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Weird Beard Revue: One-Year Anniversary The drag performance troupe celebrates 7-10 p.m. Jan. 31 at L’Etage, 624 S. Bainbridge St.; 215-592-0626. Jocks vs. Nerds Ball A party to benefit the Stonewall Sports
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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.
League 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Jan. 31 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Into the Woods: An All-Drag Production Drag queens lipsync the popular musical 8-11 p.m. Feb. 1 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St.; 215-7355772.
Outta Town Jack Hannah’s “Into the Wild” Live The animal expert brings animals to
the stage 3 and 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-572-7650. Hannibal Buress The comedian performs 9 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. The O’Jays The R&B group performs 8 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
MUSIC PGN
Out folk artist Erin McKeown returns to Philly By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor Erin McKeown has been at the forefront of literate, eclectic, folk-based music ever since she released her first album, “Monday Morning Cold,” in 1999. Since that time, her work has blossomed daringly into full-blooded, haunting orchestrated music, while personally she has grown into her position as a queer artist — all while refusing to be pigeonholed. McKeown appears at Old City’s Tin Angel this weekend. PGN: I hear that you have a connection to Philly in an artist named Heart Harbor. What gives? How did you hook up with her? EM: I’m producing a record for her. We got together in such a great way. She came to a show of mine in Portland, Ore., came up to me afterwards and asked if I would listen to her music. When she got back to Philly, the stuff that she sent me was amazing — full produced and certainly experimental in a way. She was very clear about what she wanted. I’m helping her refine her vision, and we’ll record this spring. PGN: Is it fair to say that you’re a small, self-contained intelligent mobile unit since you release music under your own label, TVP, finance your own tours and invest in yourself in general? EM: I do it only because I have to. In the pre-Kickstarter world, that self-financing thing was necessary in a kind of radical, tear-down-the-structure independent way. The music biz has become so upended that everyone is freaked out and terrified. Now, everyone does business differently, and I would gladly work with a label. No one is going to hand me a terrible record deal because there’s no such thing as a deal anymore. Besides, I have an awesome back-up plan in place: Doing it myself. PGN: Did you ever have those quintessential mustache-twirling, cigar-chomping record-biz meetings? EM: Actually, I always got the earnest, well-meaning, very stiff Canadians. They were very nice, nothing nefarious. I’m betting that the folks you mention still exist but they’re just not interested in the kind of music I make. PGN: I beg to differ. So what, then, are the upsides and downsides of crowd-funding, which you used to make your last album? EM: The upsides are that I got to know people who like my music in totally different and thrilling ways: very intimate, often one-on-one relationships. There are listeners I recognize when I play. It’s a great opportunity to be creative in different ways, as you’re making your own videos, graphics, deciding what to give funders as rewards. The downside is cash flow. You don’t really have money to do things at a moment’s notice. Such is the plight of the independent musician, period. You use the United States Bank of Credit Cards to fund yourself. Plus, I raised enough money to get my music to the people who already know about it. That’s great and we have a special relationship, but I went in the hole trying to find new fans. PGN: Preaching to the converted doesn’t have a reach, which is weird, considering that, with each record, you’ve expanded your sound. You’ve maximized your arrangements and orchestrations since “Sing You Sinners,” a handsome progression that’s continued with “Hundreds of Lions” and, most recently, “Manifestra.” Do you feel as if there’s no going back to the stripped-down folk of your start?
EM: Did you call it a handsome progression? That’s awesome. I think that I would probably have a different career if I made the same record over and over. Creatively, I couldn’t do that, even when I wanted to. I hope that people come along for that ride. I don’t really intend to give up that handsome progression. PGN: As a songwriter, do you say to yourself that a set of songs in your head deserves this sort-of richer arrangement or do you hear that orchestration in your head — say, bossa nova or quiet swing, both of which you’ve done — and you pen a song suiting that? EM: I think I’ve had both of those experiences. Songwriting is still mysterious to me. That mystery is what I cultivate when I sit in my sandbox with all my instruments and a computer. When it comes to writing songs, it often feels as if I’m hearing it from the next room over, like when your neighbor plays music really loud. That’s not to say that I don’t have tricks, like I’m sure you do when you need to hammer out 4,000 words and get them out the door. PGN: The polemics of folk traditionalism, the socially minded stuff and the political rhetoric — it’s been within you since your ethno-music studies in college. Why did you wait until “Manifestra” to truly let loose? EM: I was afraid of failing, afraid of writing a bad song, a lousy message. There’s a long list of artists who songwrite well and without artifice. I wasn’t ready to reach that standard until then. Eventually it felt exhausting to hold back, to maintain that doubt, so I rolled over and those songs came out. As a consequence, I’ve lost fans, got others to tell me to shut up and sing, and won new fans. PGN: Did anything change in you to make you ready, or get you ready? EM: I’m not ever going to have kids, and I’m cool with that. The same impulse that makes people my age think they want to have children — in me, was about trying to stop talking about myself so much or even be part of that world. Plus, the world demands that right now. That’s not arrogance, as if I have a gospel that needs to come out to change the world, but you can’t ignore it either. People are agitated and want to talk. I want to talk. PGN: How do you make it a dialogue rather than a finger-pointing, indicting rant? EM: That’s my polite Southern upbringing coming out: diplomacy rather than blame. Plus, there’s also as much a need for negotiation as there is indictment.
PGN: It’s been a decade now since AfterEllen.com outed you, not as a “queer” artist as I know you identify, but as a lesbian — all before you were ready. Look, I don’t think it’s anybody business, that people state who they are when they’re ready, or don’t. Was it for the better or worse that it happened as it did? EM: Thank you for paying attention and knowing the timeline. The other day I was looking up something, and I was reminded of a comment I made about being a queer artist and its consequences. I stated clearly that there had been a noticeable change in my audiences ever since that happened, and with that got a wealth of comments, criticizing me for saying that, that I had been perpetuating homophobia. It was like six years later, after I got outed, that I made those comments. Coming out helped me get over my internalized homophobia, which is why I was reticent to talk about my sexuality — that’s my journey, not one I’m ashamed of either. Being outed was not pleasurable, as I was struggling with that. It’s neither good nor bad. It’s a different world now, and I’m grateful that I’m no longer exhausted by that battle within me. n Erin McKeown plays 8 p.m. Jan. 30 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St. For more information or tickets, call 215-9280978.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
Q Puzzle Touring with Alan Turing
Across 1. They may be exchanged for tits 5. Boat that’s often blown up 9. Stonewall 14. For most students 15. Scat queen 16. Bone below the waist 17. Sal Mineo played one in “Rebel Without a Cause” 18. Antiaircraft fire 19. Some tennis scores 20. Feed a line to a portrayer of
Alan Turing? 23. Steely Dan’s “___ Lied” 24. Gallup specialty 25. “With ___ toward none” (Abe phrase) 28. Bottom support 29. Straight line 32. John of “Gay Sex Quotes” 33. Platform at an HRC gala 34. Not a short story 35. Date a portrayer of Joan Clarke regularly? 38. Queen’s “subjects” 39. Competes 40. Up and about
41. Saint, in Rio 42. Lacking locks 43. Force from office 44. Bear hunter Boone, briefly 45. Shrewd 46. The puns of this puzzle, if you think they’re annoying? 52. Cut of meat 53. On-line ‘zine 54. Have itchy feet 56. Gertrude’s partner 57. Home of some bubbly 58. Amount of AZT, e.g. 59. Lord of La Mancha 60. The majority
PORTRAIT from page 29
more stable. That kind of story is much more frequent than I’d care to admit. Another kid came up to me after I’d done a piece called “Dyke” and said to me, “I want you to know that while you were reading that poem, I realized that I’m gay. Thank you so much, I never realized it about myself.” I congratulated her and told her that it was a big step and that she had good times and hard times ahead but to just always believe in herself. She ended up coming to a gig of mine years later and had tattooed part of that poem onto her arm. At her request, I recited it again that night. That was really lovely. PGN: The statistics are staggering. One might think in this day and age, where we have GSAs in most schools, a president who regularly references our community and openly gay role models like Ellen and Sam Smith and Michael Sam, that it wouldn’t be as hard for kids to be gay today, but it’s obviously still a big struggle for many. PS: Well, as far as the country has come, especially in media and awareness of the existence of LGBTQ people, we’ve made strides. But the primary people that many of these kids deal with — their peers and their parents and school officials — are straight and oftentimes ignorant. So often I talk to kids who will say, “My mom was really great,” and then when I ask about the dad they say that they’ve cut off communication. So contributing factors are often the immediate family. There’s also a lot of internal pressure to fit in, to be straight, especially for the kids who don’t “read” gay, who aren’t super-butch or super-twink and could pass as straight if they wanted. They just want to fit in but feel guilt too.
61. One way to cook fruit Down 1. Number of gay men under a centurian? 2. Obi-Wan player 3. Via, briefly 4. Robin and Jimmy Olsen 5. Prove wrong 6. “___ Children” 7. Jazzercise target 8. Be the recipient in S&M? 9. Where to find a stallion 10. Like some pools 11. Somewhat 12. “The Mod Squad” character 13. S&M unit 21. Secret
store 22. Portia de ___ 25. Flat tops 26. _ Spartacus_ venue 27. “Of course I ___ people ...” (Quentin Crisp) 28. Sounded off at a frat hazing 29. Dustin in _Midnight Cowboy 30. Gawks at 31. Batman’s alter ego Bruce 33. Group of dentists that penetrates your mouth? 34. Where to see cracks in boat bottoms 36. An ex of
the Donald 37. Allman ex of Cher 42. Athlete who swings his stick 43. “Doggone!” 44. Music of the the Village People 45. Librace’s minks, e.g. 46. Some nest eggs, for short 47. Hedwig, to Michael C. Hall 48. End of a dry spell 49. Britney Spears’ “___ Curious” 50. Kind of point 51. Make more bearable 55. Small pussy noise
And there’s still a ton of homophobia in schools in sports and around the subject of gender. The kids hear a crap load of antigay stuff on a daily basis. And of course there’s the influence of their religious upbringing, which has inculcated them into a kind of self-hatred. I know adults who still struggle with what is approved by God and how to reconcile that with being queer. There’s a swath of America that’s become more accepting and I think it’s awesome but there are so many kids still dealing with homophobic parents and religious intolerance and bias in the school that makes it hard to deal on a daily basis. PGN: Even though you talk about heavy stuff, your persona on stage seems to be very humorous and quirky. I especially enjoyed your outfits. What’s one of your favorite pieces of clothing? PS: There is a designer in New York, Tom Sohung of Sohung Designs, and he makes all these clothes out of zippers and ties. One of my favorite pieces is a hat that’s made out of zippers and zippers and zippers, all intertwined in this crazy concoction. I come out with this wild thing on my head and then I go, “Ugh, it’s really cold in here” and I take the hat and transform it into a jacket/vest thing. It’s so much fun, I love that thing! What’s funny is that I didn’t even realize the sexual connotation of his name until a friend pointed it out! PGN: Speaking of sexual connotations, I read you describe yourself as a tottom. PS: People often like to be identified as a top or a bottom but I’ve always been switchy; I’m good either way so I jokingly called myself a tottom. I’m a switchy human-mama-dyke-tottom-diva!
PGN: OK human mama, tell me about your child. PS: I have a daughter who’s about to be 16 and she’s an actor and a writer, a prolific writer. She sings and is very musical, definitely following in the creative track. She’s a blast to be around, I love hanging out with her. PGN: What’s a best mommy moment? PS: Last year, I was getting ready for a gig and she turned to me and gave me a big hug and kissed me on the cheek and said, “You’re the best, Mom.” I said, “Yeah? Really?” and she shrugged, “Well, you’re the best mom I have.” We laughed but then she said, “No, seriously, I listen to other kids and how they talk to their moms and you’re nothing like that. You’re a real person with me and I really love you.” It was very gratifying because I’ve spent her entire life giving as much respect, compassion and knowledge as I could in the hopes that she would be able to get through her teen years in a stable way and it seems to be working. PGN: Nice. Now for some random questions: What’s the hardest part of being gay, queer, etc.? PS: Having an ex-husband. PGN: Is it easier or harder to be a girl today than when you were young? PS: Not sure, I’m not a girl today. If I had to guess, I think it’s harder now to be female-bodied than in the ’70s. Sexism was out in full force then, not insidious like it is now. We tell young girls and women that they can be anything/ one they want and then society shackles them with Taylor Swift, size 00 jeans and Victoria’s Secret. Who can thrive in that kind of environment?
PGN: If you could do something dangerous just once with no risk, what would you do? PS: Go to Syria and save all the people from ISIS. PGN: Other than being a good mom, what else are you working on? PS: My one-woman show, “I AM ENOUGH,” which is about suicide prevention and self-confidence-building for LGBTQ youth. The show is inspired by the thousands of LGBTQ youth (ages 10-24) who kill themselves every year. I’ll be touring approximately 45 cities in 17 states with the aim of helping bring that number down to zero. We’re still looking for corporate sponsors and individual supporters for the tour and I hope the community will really get behind it. This epidemic has to stop. Donors can go to www. pandorascooter.com to donate to the cause. n To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
PGN
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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Keller Wil iams Main Line Real Estate Sales Rep Joel Brown
A Registered Investment Advisor Member FINRA/SIPC
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
Classifieds Real Estate Sale
NOTICE
Real Estate Sale
SPECIAL ELECTION NOTICE TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015
Between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. in the following election districts and divisions in the City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there will be ELECTED by the voters, a person to fill the following office, as certified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
(ONE)
REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 170TH DISTRICT Ward 58 [PART, Divisions 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44] Ward 66 [PART, Divisions 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 08, 09, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 31, 33, 34, 38, 39, 40 and 41]
Real Estate Sale
Services
VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________39-10 GAYFTLAUDERDALEREALESTATE.COM MARK EAGLE 954-203-2345 ________________________________________39-08
PERSONAL ASSISTANT Retired 20 year military man experienced as a personal helper. Daily chores, basic care, etc. Live in, P/T. 717-8667309. Serious calls only. ________________________________________39-05 MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES NEEDED! Train to become a Medical Office Assistant! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & PC/Internet needed! 1-888-424-9412 ________________________________________39-05 AIRLINE CAREERS begin here - Get FAA approved Aviation Technician training. Financial Aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 1-888-834-9715. ________________________________________39-05 Want an in-demand career as a HVAC Technician? We offer a 28 day “hands on” training program. Get EPA and OSHA Certified! Lifetime job placement making 18-22+ hourly! VA Benefits eligible! 877-963-9644. ________________________________________39-05
Real Estate Rent SPRING GARDEN AT 11TH ON BRANDYWINE 3 or 4 BR, 1 large 2 sink bath. Architectural redesign of 1840’s townhouse. Gourmet kitchen, W/D, G/D, A/C, newly painted, floors refinished. All amenities. Short walk to Reading Terminal/Chinatown. $1761/mo. Ongoing improvements if agreeable. Must see! Call 215-849-4049. _____________________________________________39-05 Condo-1BR, new kitchen, balcony, pkg, 2 pools, tennis ct. 20 minutes south of Center City on I95 in Glenolden DelCo. At Train St. $1,100.00/mo. James 215-783-2832. ________________________________________39-06 N WILM/BELLEFONTE Conv to Dart. St parking. $775 per mon, avail. now. 1 mo sec dep req w/lease & first mon rent. 2 Bed or 1 Bed & Den or Office. Kit gas stove, dish & refridg. Dining Room, Living Room w/working fireplace. Closet/storage space. New Windows/Hardwood flrs. 3rd Floor. Heat, hot water & trash inc. Call Mark, 302-383-1841. _____________________________________________39-05 QUEEN VILLAGE APARTMENT FOR RENT Beautiful 2 BR, 2 bath bi level apartment. LR, DR, kitchen, washer/dryer, dishwasher, new hardwood floors & wall to wall carpets, F/P, central air, gas hot air heat & all amenities. Avail. 2/1/2015. Call Karla at 215-989-3237 for appointment. _____________________________________________39-05
CASH TODAY We’ll Buy Any Car (Any Condition) + Free Same-Day PickUp. Best Cash Offer Guaranteed! Call for FREE Quote: 1-877-574-3205. ________________________________________39-05 TOP CASH PAID FOR OLD GUITARS! 1920’s thru 1980’s. Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. 1-800-401-0440. ________________________________________39-05
Vacation/Seasonal Rentals
For Sale
OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services. 1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________39-05
SAWMILLS From only $4,397.00 – MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill – Cut lumber any dimension. In Stock, ready to ship! FREE info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com ________________________________________39-05
All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any real-estate advertising that is in
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
Stephanie Singer City Commissioner Tim Dowling Acting Supervisor of Elections
www.Philadelphiavotes.com
AVISO
DE ELECCION ESPECIAL
Wanted to Buy
violation of any applicable law. PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.
Anthony Clark Chair, City Commissioners
MARTES, 24 DE MARZO DE 2015
Entre las 7:00 a. m. y 8:00 p. m. en los siguientes distritos y divisiones electorales en la ciudad y el condado de Filadelphia, Pensilvania, los votantes de la ciudad y del condado de Filadelphia ELEJIDOS uno persona para cubrir los siguientes cargo según lo certifica el Secretario de la Mancomunidad.
(UNO)
REPRESENTANTE EN LA ASSEMBLEA GENERAL DISTRICTO DE 170TH
Ward 58 [PARTE, Divisiones 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44] Ward 66 [PARTE, Divisiones 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, 08, 09, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 31, 33, 34, 38, 39, 40 and 41] CONSEJO ELECTORAL DEL CONDADO DE PHILADELPHIA
Anthony Clark Presidente, Comisionados Municipales
Stephanie Singer Comisionada Municipaler
Tim Dowling Supervisor Interino de Elecciones Municipale
www.Philadelphiavotes.com
PGN
APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008
Philadelphia Gay News CLASSIFIEDS
www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
Help Wanted TEACHER RECRUITMENT FAIR To fill 2015-16 vacancies in 18 Virginia school divisions. Fri, Jan 30, 2015 – 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sat, Jan 31, 2015 – 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon @ Salem Civic Center, 1001 Boulevard, Salem, VA 24153. www.wvpec.org – Job Fair. Sponsored by the Western Virginia Public Education Consortium. ________________________________________39-05 Drivers – No experience? Some or LOTS of experience? Let’s Talk! No matter what stage in your career, its time, call Central Refrigerated Home. 888-673-0801 www. CentralTruckDrivingJobs.com ________________________________________39-05 Drivers: Own Your Own Truck! Best Lease Purchase Deal in the Country! *You can earn over $150,000 per year *No Credit Check *Late-model Freightliner Columbia *Low Truck Payment. Call (866)217-9923 to talk to a recruiter. Apply Now Online @ www.joincrst.com ________________________________________39-05
ADONIS CINEMA
Friends Men
“THE ONLY ALL MALE ADULT THEATER IN THE CITY”
2026 Sansom St (located 3 doors up from Sansom St Gym)
215-557-9319 4 Small Theaters with Video & Dark Room Area
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HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday - Thursday
7am-6am
(closed an hour for cleaning)
Friday- Sunday:
Open 24hrs
1976 - 2 015
ADMISSION: $12.00
LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. ________________________________________39-10 Philly boy looking for mail correspondence with guys in Philly while I finish my incarceration. 6’3”, blond hair, hazel eyes. Lots to discuss. Will reply to every letter. Give this a try, I guarantee you’ll have fun. Kenneth Houck, #06743-015, Englewood FCE, 9595 W. Quincy Ave., Littleton CO 80123. ________________________________________39-10 BM with big tool wans to nail a bottom to the floor. BM has equipment to make a bottom wish he wants more. I’m 6 ft and 198 lbs. and have 8.5 inches and 1.25 girth and know how to use it. Call anytime 215-763-3391. All replies answered. ________________________________________39-10 BM just 70 with lots of toys for New Year, so on your tummy and be my playmate. 609-332-5808 text or phone. ________________________________________39-06 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________39-06 Nice white guy seeks well hung dude, gay or bi for possible fun relationship. 267-393-3655. ________________________________________39-07
Friends Bi JWM, 61, 210, NE Phila seeks bi women & men for socializing w/museums, lunch, movies, shopping. No drinking, drugs or gangsters. 215-332-5665 8-11 PM. ________________________________________39-04
Massage David, 65, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________39-09
THE BIGGER, BETTER & CLEANER CLUB IN THE CITY...
XOXO Saturday, Feb. 14th • Time: 11pm-3:30am WHAT TO EXPECT: • DJ Paulie Paul • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More
HOT SUGAR Saturday, Feb. 21st • Time: 11pm-3:30am WHAT TO EXPECT: • DJPaulie Paul • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More
- ROOMS GO QUICKLY SO CHECK IN EARLY -
WEEKLY SPECIALS: LATE NIGHT CREEP
Half Price Lockers (12 Midnight- 8am/ Monday- Thursday) MEMBERS: $9.00 & NON-MEMBERS: $19.00
SATURDAY AFTERNOON DELIGHT 4 Hour Lockers (8am - 4pm) Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00
SUNDAY RELIEF
Half Price Rooms (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50
MONDAY thru FRIDAY:
Business Mans Locker Special (8am to 4pm) Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00
TUESDAYS
Half Price Rooms (6am till 12 Midnight) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT CRUISE $12 Flat Rate for Locker Admission & Clothing Optional (4pm-12 Midnight)
Check out our website for our WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events....
Don’t forget to visit the Adonis Cinema right next door!! 2026 Sansom St/ PH: 215-557-9319
PGN
12-step programs and support groups Al-Anon
n
Pennsylvania Al-Anon Alateen Family Groups: Events, meeting times and locations at pa-al-anon.org.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
n Acceptance meets 7:30 p.m. Fridays and
Mondays at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church, 22nd and Spruce streets. n Community meets 8 p.m. Thursdays at Holy Communion Church, 2111 Sansom St. Gay and lesbian, but all are welcome. n GLBT Alcoholics Anonymous meets 7 p.m. Sundays and 8 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 100 W. Windsor St., Reading; 610-374-7914. n Living Sober meets 8:30 p.m. Saturdays at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220. n No Other Way Out meets 11 a.m. Sundays at William Way. n Night Owl meets 11:30 p.m. daily at the William Way. n Sober and Gay meets 8:30 p.m. SundayFriday at William Way. n Young People’s AA meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mark’s Church, 1625 Locust St.; 215-735-1416.
Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA)
n Meets 7 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Thursday at William Way.
Mental-Health Support
n Pink and Blues, a free peer-run mental-
health support group for LGBT people, meets 7 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Luke and The Epiphany Church, 330 S. 13th St.; 215627-0424. n Survivors of Suicide Inc. meets 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at 3535 Market St., Room 2037 and the second Wednesday at Paoli Memorial Hospital, 225 W. Lancaster Ave.; 215-545-2242, www. phillysos.tripod.com.
HIV/AIDS Mondays: n Positive Brothers, a self-help, support and empowerment group for sexual-minority men of color with HIV/AIDS meets 6-8 p.m. at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. Tuesdays: n A support group for HIV-positive men and women meets 1:30-3 p.m. at BEBASHI: Transition to Hope, 1217 Spring Garden St., first floor; 215-769-3561; bebashi.org. n Encuentros, a group for HIV-negative Latino men who have sex with men, meets 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of the month at 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-3382. n Feast Incarnate, a weekly ministry for people affected by HIV/AIDS, meets 5 p.m. at University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut St.; 215-387-2885. n A support group for people recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Mazzoni Center, 21 S. 12th St.; 215563-0652 ext. 235. Wednesdays:
n Project Teach, a peer-education and
empowerment program for people living with HIV/AIDS, meets 3-5 p.m. at
Philadelphia FIGHT, 1233 Locust St.; fight. org.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
39
Community Bulletin Board
Thursdays: n A support group for HIV-positive men and women meets 6-8 p.m. at BEBASHI: Transition to Hope; 215-769-3561. n Diversity, an HIV/AIDS support group for those infected or affected, meets from 7-9 p.m. at Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad St.; 215-848-4380, azaklad@craftech.com.
■ 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.
Saturdays: n AIDS Delaware’s You’re Not Alone youth support group meets during the school year at varying times and locations; 800-8106776.
■ 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.
Community centers
■ 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.
Debtors Anonymous
n Meets 7-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday at the
William Way Center.
Overeaters Anonymous (OA)
n Open meetings 6 p.m. Tuesdays and 7 p.m.
Fridays at Hahnemann University Hospital, 245 N. 15th St.; 215-514-3065, www.oa.org. n Meets 11 a.m.-noon at William Way.
■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088 ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221 ■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851
S.A.R.A.
n Substance Abuse – Risk Assessment, day
and evening hours; 215-563-0663 ext. 282.
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
n Meets 7:30 p.m.Thursdays at All Saints
Church, 18 Olive Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.; 302-542-3279.
Health
Alder Health Services provides LGBT health services on a sliding-fee scale; 100 N. Cameron St., Ste. 301 East, Harrisburg; 717233-7190 or 800-867-1550; www.alderhealth. org. AIDS Care Group/Sharon Hill Medical provides comprehensive HIV services in Delaware County, including primary and preventative medicine, dental care, STI and HIV screenings and treatments, women’s health care, drug and alcohol counseling and treatment and mental health counseling and treatment at 907 Chester Pike in Sharon Hill and 2304 Edgmont Ave. in Chester; 610-5831177 or 610-872-9101; aidscaregroup.org or sharonhillmedical.org. Congreso de Latinos Unidos provides anonymous, free HIV testing with Spanish/English counselors, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 3439 N. Hutchinson St.; 215-763-8870 ext. 6000. HIV treatment: Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents available 9 a.m.-noon Mondays and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1803. HIV health insurance help: Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing available at 13-19 MacDade Blvd., Suite 109, Collingdale, N.J., no appointment needed; 610-586-9077. Philadelphia FIGHT provides HIV primary care, on-site lab services, clinical trials, case management, mental-health services and support groups for people living with HIV regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, 1233 Locust St., fifth floor; 215-985-4448, www. fight.org.
■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330
Key numbers ■ District Attorney LGBT Liaison:Helen “Nellie” Fitzpatrick, 215-686-9980, helen.fitzpatrick@ phila.gov ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378 ■ 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 ■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833
■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670 ■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000 ■ 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)
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, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 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. 30 - Feb. 5, 2015
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