pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 41 No. 5
Family Portrait: Cory O’Niell Walker brings gospel style to drag PAGE 23
Philly hospital launches gendersurgery program
Feb. 3-9, 2017
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
U.S. Sens. Cory Booker, Bob Casey hold meeting PAGE 5 on LGBT issues
Complete coverage of the protests during Trump’s Philly visit
PAGE 16
LGBT equality among issues targeted in anti-Trump protests
By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com A local hospital recently became the first academic medical center in the Philadelphia region to launch a program dedicated to gender-affirmation surgeries. Hahnemann University Hospital’s Gender-Reassignment Surgical Program will provide a range of surgeries for transgender individuals. Under direction from Dr. Kathy L. Rumer, a board-certified plastic surgeon, services will include body contouring, facial feminization and masculinization, chest and breast surgeries, gender reassignment and other related procedures. “Part of [transgender patients’] whole medical concerns are their gender dysphoria,” Rumer said. “Because they’re dysphoric about their bodies, the surgeries help them immensely.” “We’re extremely proud to offer gender-confirming surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital,” hospital CEO Michael P. Halter added in a statement. “It is in line with our focus on providing all patients with leading-edge, high-quality care.” Interested patients must meet certain criteria defined by their insurance companies or the “World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH): Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming People.” Rumer said WPATH typically requires patients to be over 18 and on hormone therapy for a recommendation of one year. Rumer said insurance companies are increasingly covering surgeries for transgender patients, preventing them from paying large out-of-pocket costs. She also mentioned that many in the medical community are more aware of the needs of their transgender patients. “In the last couple of years, you’re starting to see the medical community embrace [transgender patients], which I think is a huge step in the right direction,” Rumer said. PAGE 9
Photo: Jeremy Rodriguez
By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com Chants of “we are the people,” “black lives matter” and “queer lives matter” could be heard from Thomas Paine Plaza last Thursday afternoon, as President Donald Trump visited the Republican Congressional Retreat blocks away to deliver a speech to the GOP about his political agenda. Thousands of protesters made their voices heard at “Resistance
in Philly: Fighting for our Lives.” One Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization, hosted the event, which featured speakers from several LGBT and LGBT-friendly organizations. Shani Akilah, creator and co-founder of the Black and Brown Workers Collective, was among the speakers at the demonstration. They said, “We cannot talk about HIV without talking about white supremacy.” “We need to listen to our intuition,” Akilah added. “This is the time for battle.” Akilah repeated the word “battle” three times as the crowd responded with cheers. Following Akilah’s speech, Jose DeMarco led the group with the chant ACT UP Philadelphia has been using for more than 20 years. “Act up. Fight back. Fight AIDS,” the crowd chanted with DeMarco. DeMarco interjected occasionally with, “Fight Trump” during the chants. Sefan Hoimes, 29, said since he is a minority, “Trump doesn’t care for people like me.” His sign read, “Proud disabled transgender immigrant American” written in different colors and all capital letters. “I am here because I am a transgender man and we have terror coming into our backyard,” Hoimes said. “[Trump] has already stated how he wants to take away healthcare when we all need it in the trans community.” Joanna Segal and Alyssa Shilliday, who both identify as pansexual, were decked out in rainbow scarfs during the demonstration. PAGE 16 Segal, 32, said she is worried for the future of
Farnese acquitted in bribery trial By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A federal jury this week acquitted state Sen. Lawrence M. Farnese Jr. of bribery and other related charges. After deliberating about four hours, the 12-member jury returned its not-guilty verdict Feb. 1. Ellen Chapman, an Eighth Ward committee person, also was cleared of all charges. Chapman’s attorney, Elizabeth L. Toplin, issued this statement: “On behalf of Ms. Chapman, we’d like to thank the jury for their service. We believe that justice was served.” Farnese couldn’t be reached for comment by presstime. Farnese and Chapman were accused of various crimes relating to bribery, fraud and conspiracy. Their federal trial took place
between Jan. 23-Feb. 1 in Center City. Numerous supporters of Farnese were in
attendance, including his mother. In his closing argument Jan. 30, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Heberle told jurors that Farnese wanted to “consolidate” his political power by becoming Democratic leader of the Eighth Ward. The Eighth Ward is a political subdivision, largely in Center City west of Broad Street. One of its main functions is to encourage local Democrats to vote in elections. Heberle said Farnese bribed Chapman by paying $6,000 toward the tuition of her daughter, Hannah Feldman. In return, Chapman allegedly agreed to vote for Farnese as ward leader. But defense attorneys scoffed at the prosecution’s version of events. They said Farnese had the December 2011 ward-leader election “sewn up,” and that Chapman didn’t even PAGE 17