PGN March 1 - 7, 2019

pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

Vol. 43 No. 9

Gender-free IDs to debut in Philadelphia PAGE 2

March 1-7, 2019

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Sandy Hook tragedy comes to Philadelphia stage

Family Portrait: Lori Schreiber has voters in her court PAGE 19

Newseum exhibition to display LGBTQ history

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Grand jury: Phila. detective ‘groomed’ young men and assaulted them

By Josh Middleton PGN Contributor

By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor

On March 8, the front pages of nearly a dozen national LGBTQ newspapers — including this one — will be lined up along the front of the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The presentation kicks off the opening weekend of a new exhibition at the newsand media-centric museum called “Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement,” which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and highlights how savvy activists around that the time utilized protest and their free-speech rights to fuel the crusade for LGBTQ equality.

“In the early days, you had activists publishing their own newspapers in order to get the word out about activism and to make change,” said Patty Rhule, vice president of content and exhibit development at the Newseum. “So we thought [the Stonewall anniversary] was a great opportunity to show how everyday Americans used the power of the press and free speech to make change and [gain] equality for LGBTQ Americans — and to show how vibrant the First Amendment was then and still is now.”

“Rise Up” spreads across multiple rooms on the sixth floor of Newseum. Viewers can reach it via dramatic glass elevators that open to a giant sculpture — almost like a tunnel — leading to a brick wall that emulates the iconic Stonewall Inn. “There we talk about the prelude to Stonewall — what life was like for a gay American during that time period, when showing affection could get you arrested, when you could lose your job if it was found out,” Rhule said.

Those ideas are made real on a wall plastered with disturbing headlines from the 1950s and ’60s that show how pervasive negative attitudes about homosexuality were then.

One from the Washington Post in 1950 blares, “Names of 200 Perverts Listed for Firing by U.S. Agencies,” while another, from the Coronet the same year, warns that homosexuality is the “New Moral Menace to Our Youth.”

The story takes a decidedly more victo-

Among the sordid details in former Philadelphia Police Detective Philip Nordo’s multiple-count indictment was that he routinely sought “homosexual inmates” who were being prepared for release.

A grand-jury report stated that Nordo “regularly volunteered to transport suspects or witnesses for other detectives.”

He would use the time alone with these men to allegedly ask personal questions that might allow him to cultivate relationships, which he would then use to his own ends, according to the report.

In one incident detailed by the grand jury, a victim reported in 2005 that Nordo began questioning him about the robbery for which he’d been arrested. Nordo told the man he “didn’t have anything to worry about.”

But in what would be revealed by the grand jury to be the detective’s pattern in these cases, he shifted the questions to sex.

The man said Nordo asked to see his BARBARA GITTINGS IN A SEGMENT OF THE LGBT EXHIBIT AT THE NEWSEUM Photo: Newseum

rious turn in the main exhibition hall, spotlighting the Stonewall riots that began in the wee hours June 28, 1969, and how the uprising turned the tide in the struggle for equal rights for queer Americans.

Interactive displays dot the gallery, introducing viewers to well-known and obscure LGBTQ activists from throughout the decades — folks you may not find in history books, such as Barbara Gittings, who initiated the nation’s first gay protests in Philadelphia; civil-rights pioneer Frank Kameny; and San Francisco politician Harvey Milk.

Rhule said curators scoured the country for artifacts to bring the story to life.

Guests will find “gay Betsy Ross,” Gilbert Baker’s original prototype of the gay flag and the sewing machine he used to stitch it together. There is a button from the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day in 1970, an armband worn

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City promotes safer sex with new PrEP campaign PAGE 6

penis. When the suspect did not respond, Nordo asked “if he was too scared — and then he walked over to the suspect and began groping him,” the grand jury wrote.

Nordo then allegedly told him to masturbate and watched as the suspect did.

The man said the detective kissed him during the incident. When the masturbation ended in ejaculation, Nordo gave the man a cigarette. He was sent back to jail after that.

The victim reported the incident to jail employees. He told police that the cigarette and a tissue with his semen on it could be found in the interrogation room.

These items were tested for DNA and found to be that of the victim.

The grand jury does not explain whether any disciplinary action was taken against Nordo at the time — a full dozen years before Nordo was fired. (The grand jury report noted the victim has since died in a homicide in 2015 and the case has not been solved.)

Nordo, 52, last week was arraigned and ordered held without bail over the objection of his attorney, Michael T. van der Veen, who said PAGE 16

Donald Carter, ‘Mayor of the Gayborhood,’ dies

By Lenny Cohen PGN Contributor Few people can simply be famous for being famous, by their wholeheartedness and friendliness. Donald Carter was one of those rare people.

He was found dead Feb. 25 in his West Philadelphia apartment. Early reports indicate he had suffered a massive heart attack. Carter was 69.

William Way Community Center (WWCC) executive director Chris Bartlett remembered Carter’s intelligence and appearance.

“I have a very warm spot in my heart for Donald, who always showed up at every community event in his suit, tie and scarf,” Bartlett said. “He also was a font of knowledge about community history, and shared with me his personal file of obituaries when I was creating the Gay History Wiki.”

DONALD CARTER IN THE 2012 PRIDE PARADE Photo: Scott A. Drake

How popular was Carter?

“Not only was Donald a cheerleader, but he was the pep rally,” said Philly Pride PAGE 7 Presents executive

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

Resource listings Legal resources • ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215-592-1513; aclupa.org • AIDS Law Project of PA: 215-587-9377; aidslawpa.org • AIDS Law Project of South Jersey: 856-784-8532; aidslawsnj.org/ • Equality PA: equalitypa. org; 215-731-1447

• Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations — Rue Landau: 215-686-4670 • Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-7603686; ppd.lgbt@gmail.com • SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-920-9537

• Office of LGBT Affairs — Amber Hikes: 215-686-0330; amber.hikes@phila.gov

Community centers • The Attic Youth Center; 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies.

• LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania; 3907 Spruce

St.; 215-898-5044, center@dolphin.upenn.edu.

• 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.

• William Way LGBT Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org.

Health and HIV testing • Action Wellness: 1216 Arch St.; 215981-0088, actionwellness.org • AIDS Healthcare Foundation: 1211 Chestnut St. #405 215971-2804; HIVcare.org • AIDS Library: 1233 Locust St.; aidslibrary.org/ • AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800-6626080 • Bebashi-Transition to Hope: 1235

Spring Garden St.; 215769-3561; bebashi.org • COLOURS: coloursorganization.org, 215832-0100 • Congreso de Latinos Unidos; 216 W. Somerset St.; 215-7638870 • GALAEI: 149 W. Susquehanna Ave.; 267-457-3912, galaei. org. Spanish/English • Health Center No. 2: 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1821

• Mazzoni Center: 1348 Bainbridge St.; 215-563-0652, mazzonicenter.org • Philadelphia FIGHT: 1233 Locust St.; 215-985-4448, fight.org • Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center: 1201 Locust St.; 215985-9206 • Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207

Other • Independence Branch Library Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection: 215-685-1633 • Independence Business Alliance; 215-557-0190, IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com

• LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK • PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 • Philly Pride Presents: 215-875-9288

Gender-free municipal ID cards are close to becoming reality in Philly

By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor After several years of wrangling and cajoling, the City of Philadelphia plans to make new municipal identification cards available to all residents this month.

The municipal IDs would help residents who have had trouble acquiring employment with standard government-issue cards. Among those who would benefit include the homeless, undocumented immigrants, transgender individuals and those who choose a genderless option.

Another plus is that the municipal ID cards will be less expensive than those issued by the state ($5-$10, instead of $30.50 for a Pennsylvania ID).

Amber Hikes, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs, said of the program, “For far too long, binary gender markers have made it impossible for nonbinary people to acquire identification that accurately reflects their identity. Our nonbinary and gender-nonconforming siblings deserve true representation in their legal documents and forms of identification at all levels of government.

“To that end,” Hikes added, “Philadelphia’s new municipal IDs will have a nonbinary option for gender as well as a fourth option to not disclose gender at all. At the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs, we are proud to take another step in affirming and advancing civil rights of LGBTQ Philadelphians, especially those who are nonbinary and/or gender nonconforming.”

The municipal ID will display the resident’s name, date of birth, address and signature, along with the issue date of the card and a photograph taken by the city.

For those who are transgender, the photograph, according to its regulations, “must reasonably resemble” the cardholder. When it comes to answering the question of “gender,” the options will include “F” for female, “M” for male, “NB” for non-binary — people not identifying with either gender — and “X” if the person chooses not to include gender.

Joanna Otero-Cruz, who is overseeing the municipal ID program from the Managing Director’s Office, said City Council has long

recognized the need for a municipal ID, even if the legislation took two years to pass.

“The bill was passed unanimously,” Otero-Cruz said. “City Council was aware that this ID would be important for day-today use, that every individual needs an ID, whether it is to access certain buildings or to take advantage of social services. Be it those who need medical assistance, have problems with opioid addiction, domestic-violence victims and lots of reasons.”

Council members started researching what the IDs should include in 2017 with help from The Sheller Center for Social Justice at Temple University Beasley School of Law. They examined what the best possible practices were for individuals regarding matters of confidentiality and safety.

“We wanted to make sure that the card had integrity among its users and [would be] widely accepted — not just for social services, but all government departments and financial institutions,” Otero-Cruz said.

To that end, the municipal ID can be used as a Free Library card, and soon, the Department of Prisons will offer the card to those who were once incarcerated but have been released. The city is not only asking cultural institutions to offer discounts through the card.

In addition, the City is asking local banks to accept the IDs as proof of identity.

Otero-Cruz said the City’s LGBTQ Commission and Hikes acted as advisers to help develop an ID in terms of gender fluidity and trans concerns such as photographic elements.

“That is extremely necessary as many vulnerable and marginalized populations could definitely benefit by having proper identification and having easy access to that,” said Otero-Cruz. “That’s the best practice for all of Philadelphia’s population.”

Every Philadelphian will be able to get municipal IDs when the program begins at March’s end (specific date, TBD) with registration occurring in Room 167 at City Hall, or at two mobile sites in the area. One such mobile site is planned in Northeast Philly at a venue as yet to be named, and one at the Broad Street Ministry across from the Kimmel Center in Center City. n

Out lesbian is one of two African-American women candidates for Chicago mayor One of America’s largest cities is about to elect its first African-American female mayor.

The question in Chicago is which one of the two remaining candidates? One of them could become the city’s first out lesbian mayor.

The Chicago Tribune reported a record field of 14 candidates competed in the election on Feb. 26.

No candidate got more than 50 percent of the vote. Voters will cast ballots on April 2 for one of the two candidates who received the most votes — former federal prosecutor Lori

Lightfoot, who is a lesbian, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

Lightfoot or Preckwinkle will become Chicago’s second female mayor. Jane Byrne served 1979-1983. The winner will also become Chicago’s second African-American mayor, since Harold Washington served from 1983 until he died in 1987.

Rahm Emanuel, who has been mayor since 2011 after serving as former President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, plans to retire. n — Lenny Cohen

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News Briefing

assist teachers of feminist, queer and trans theory in the areas of English, communications and politcal science. The meeting is 5:30-7 p.m. March 19 at the Penn LGBT Center, 3907 Spruce St. The workshop is open to everyone. Refreshments will be served.

Miss New Hope Celebrates Planning meeting scheduled Pageant adds a tribute for Philly Trans March Philly Trans March organizers have an open invitiation for anyone who wants to participate in the ninth annual Philly Trans March scheduled for Oct. 12, the day before OutFest. The committee welcomes everyone to join in the planning regardless of gender identity, expression or experience. This year, the direction will be ‘planning starts with U as part of the commUnity.’

The demonstration and march target inequities faced by trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals because of hate and social injustices.

Organizers frequently refer to the march as “not simply an annual march, but a revolutionary movement.”

The meeting gets under way 5:30-7 p.m. March 15 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., Philadelphia. Refreshments will be served.

Trans youth workshop at Penn Center The Trans Literacy Project and Penn LGBT Center will host a fourth and final trans youth workshop by bringing in researchers, youth activists and educators to discuss research and direction for K-12 school policies and community programming. This workshop will open with brief comments from each panelist followed by the heart of the gathering — discussion and questions.

Faculty and grad students will learn strategies for designing syllabi using texts from each of the three fields and determining best practices when discussing gender and sexuality across each discipline.

Topics may include how collaboration in the community can address barriers, foster youth leadership, and develop ways researchers and educators can increase support for trans and gender-nonconforming youth.

Trans Literacy Project is a program to

The Miss New Hope Celebrates Pageant this year will include a special tribute to Ricky Crosby. Crosby died in October of last year and was a widely known community friend and performer. He also helped bring increased talent and pageantry to the area. All future Miss New Hope Celebrates pageants will also include his name as part of the event.

The year’s pageant will again showcase some of the region’s top female impersonators in three competitions: evening gown, talent and question-and-answer. The winner will be crowned Miss New Hope Celebrates 2019. Special guests that evening include Miss New Hope Celebrates 2018 Ginger Alley and Miss New Hope Celebrates 2017 Cyannie Lopez.

Tickets for the event are $55 for general admission and $75 for VIP seating. Both include a catered dinner. The event runs 7-10 p.m. March 16 at Event Center by Cornerstone in New Hope and door open at 6 p.m.

New Hope Celebrates is a non-profit organization working to highlight the LGBT history and culture of New Hope.

For more information, visit www.newhopecelebrates.com.

Out and proud for International Women’s Day Anna Crusis Women’s Choir will sing out proudly on International Women’s Day with a special concert at the Free Library of Philadelphia. The entire month of March is considered Women’s History Month.

The concert will be a rousing, joyful celebration of well- and lesser-known women in history. The choir itself made history in 1975 as the first feminist choir in the United States.

The free performance is 3-5 p.m. March 10 in the Parkway Central Library’s rotunda. All are welcome. n — Compiled by Scott A. Drake

pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

News & Opinion “Every year, we see bills that restrict, remove and limit the rights of LGBT Kansans, but never have we seen this level of extremist vitriol laid out in legislative language.

These bills combined are 18 pages of insults and name-calling.”

8 — International News Media Trail 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Op-Ed Street Talk

Columns

12 — Critical Convos: LGBT elders should wake up

Arts & Culture ~ CREEP of the Week, page 10

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LOCAL PGN

Out author preaches relationship between Christianity and love

JEFF CHU (CENTER) DURING THE AFTER-SERVICE READING, BOOK SIGNING AND Q&A. Photo: Scott A. Drake

By Lenny Cohen PGN Contributor Religion and queerness haven’t really been best of friends. Heck, they don’t even get along most of the time.

But on Feb. 24, author Jeff Chu told the congregation at Broad Street Ministry, 315 S. Broad St., he wrote the book “Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America” after he traveled across the country on a spiritual journey and met members of other denominations.

“My hope is especially for LGBTQ readers that as they read it, they would find something of their own stories in there, that they would find some message of hope and some sense there is a place for them,” Chu, as guest preacher, said.

“They don’t have to be excluded, and they are loved.”

Chu was raised as a Southern Baptist.

His grandfather was a Baptist preacher, among numerous other religious leaders in his family. Now, he’s a seminarian at Princeton Theological Seminary.

The idea for the book came when he was thinking about how Christianity started with the belief Jesus Christ is the Son of God and savior of all people, but how many practices have changed since then.

Chu’s route took many turns. He was born and raised outside San Francisco and went o high school near Miami. He went to college at Princeton and grad school at the London School of Economics, then wrote for Time magazine for seven years, first in London and then New York.

He came out in his mid-20s, between London and New York, and now has a husband named Tristan.

At BSM, Chu’s presentation was introduced with a pastor quoting Jesus to his

disciples in Luke 6:20: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” “They needed healing, hope,” Chu said of the disciples, comparing them to those who today are distressed by the government and inequality, adding it’s the reason people go to church.

Chu interpreted it to mean though the poor may be happy they’ll be in charge and the wealthy will finally suffer, Jesus said, “Bless them, pray for them and love them.”

Therefore, Chu told congregants, you’re “unquestionably loved by the only one who matters” and Broad Street is a community that reminds you you’re loved.

“I’m often my own worst enemy and I focus on loving this enemy,” Chu admitted.

One turning point for Chu was visiting the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. – a congregation notorious for protesting military funerals and carrying signs declaring “God hates fags.” He wanted to visit to find out who these people were.

Chu got permission to tag along as Westboro protesters stood outside another church. He said he realized that shouting back at the protesters would only play into their hands. In that moment, he realized that showing love by, say, handing a sweaty protester a bottle of water, engaging with love rather than hostility, put them in what he called “productive discomfort.”

One protester said his group stands by its convictions and that since so much of the world will be going to Hell, and definitely LGBTQ people, they have no choice but to try to save people.

Chu said that Americans want to love, but don’t know how and that members of the clergy don’t always PAGE 13

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LOCAL PGN

City unveils new PrEP promotion campaign

By Gary L. Day PGN Contributor Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health last week unveiled a new marketing campaign to promote PrEP usage to a population at risk for exposure to HIV. PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a drug regimen that, if taken regularly, has been shown to prevent HIV infection.

While not a cure for AIDS, PrEP is 99 percent effective as a preventative against developing the disease, especially when used in conjunction with other safer-sex practices.

DPH’s new program, dubbed “Philly Keep On Loving,” is a two-pronged campaign.

The first aspect is information dissemination. Since its introduction in 2012, PrEP therapy has been started by only a small fraction of the population that would benefit from it. Community healthcare providers attribute this to a lack of information and education. Most people—and a large number of health care providers—simply don’t know enough to adequately promote its use.

“Philly Keep On Loving” is an attempt to address this shortfall of education.

The marketing aspect of the campaign will consist of ads that will appear in local newspapers and on buses, bus shelters and in corner stores throughout the city. There will also be a push within social media in both English and Spanish. These ads will refer people to the campaign’s website, which provides information about PrEP, helps people assess if they are at risk and might benefit from the therapy, and provides a location-based referral to various healthcare providers who can provide further counseling and prescriptions.

According to Caitlin Cunningham, HIV

prevention services coordinator at the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office, the criteria for being on the referral list is simple.

“They have to be able to provide clinical services. They have to be able to provide prescriptions, or dispense the drug itself.”

However, a cursory look at the website’s referral map shows an absence of many of Philadelphia’s community-based organizations that provide PrEP services that would seem to qualify, such as Bebashi and Planned Parenthood. Representatives of these organizations do not seem upset at their absence from the referral list, attributing it to oversight rather than deliberate exclusion.

“We’re currently working with DPH to address the issue,” said Brenda Alexander, communications specialist for Bebashi.

“We’re confidant that this oversight will soon be corrected.”

A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood declined to comment on the record, but said Planned Parenthood doesn’t view this as a deliberate exclusion on the part of DPH, merely an oversight.

Cunningham made clear that, initially, “Keep On Loving” is intended as a shortterm project, scheduled to run until early summer.

“It may be expanded in the future,” she said. “We’ll have to assess if the campaign is effective in its stated goals.”

The campaign is currently budgeted at $385,000 — funds provided, in part, by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and, in part, by the Centers for Disease Control.

The ad campaign will be unveiled across the city over the next several weeks.

The website is currently up and running (phillykeeponloving.com), and there is a helpline (215-985-2437) to call for more information. n

event and travel photography

scottdrakephotos@gmail.com

NEWSEUM from page 1

by Gittings in a Philadelphia Pride parade in 1972, and an autographed script from the locally shot 1993 film “Philadelphia.”

Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal shows up in a display about the Gay Raiders, a small group that orchestrated a series of more-militant protests called zaps, in which rabble rousers stormed the sets of several popular TV programs such as “CBS Evening News” with Walter Cronkite to shout a message about not being appreciative of the way networks were covering — or not covering — the gay community.

Segal also appears in one of three films produced especially for the exhibition, “Into the Streets,” in which he and other activists like Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Stonewall veteran. Martin Boyce and transgender advocate Bianca Rey discuss the change that the Stonewall riots inspired.

The exhibition also includes more modern elements that not only illustrate how far the community has come since 1969, but also the contemporary struggles that kept activists in the streets, like the AIDS crisis and the government’s hesitation to put proper funding toward a cure, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the rise of violence FLAG: LOAN, MARK SEGAL, LGBT PIONEER, against transgender youth.

PUBLISHER PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS; Rhule said the curatorial team SEWING MACHINE: LOAN, GLBT HISTORICAL interviewed dozens of historians, SOCIETY, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. journalists and activists to weave Photo: Newseum together all these elements in a way that would resonate with visitors effort — this is a now moment,” she said. and demonstrate how Stonewall continues to “Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ inspire and embolden new crops of LGBTQ Rights Movement” will be on view March freedom fighters.

8-Dec. 31. The newspaper front pages will “Young people may not be able to relate be on view during the opening weekend of to images from 50 years ago, but when they March 8-10. The front pages also can be see young activists depicted in the exhibit, viewed on the Newseum’s “Today’s Front they’ll know that this isn’t just a historical Pages” app. n

LOCAL PGN CARTER from page 1

director Franny Price. She added that he had the loudest laugh and the biggest smile.

Mark Segal, Philadelphia Gay News publisher, said he last saw Carter at the opening of the Cuban exhibit at WWCC just a few weeks ago, “and as always he greeted me with a hug. I will miss his hugs and warm, cheerful spirit, and this leaves me so very sad. He was a major supporter of the John C. Anderson Senior Apartments and one who would always bring a smile to your face when he entered a room. RIP, my dear friend.”

Segal, who was instrumental in establishing the JCAA, credited Carter with being a model spokesperson for the complex.

“While we were building the JCAA, he was one of our spokespersons and told from his personal experiences the issues facing LGBT elders. We could not have a better spokesperson!”

Scott Drake, staff photographer and design director for PGN, ran into Carter frequently.

“For years going to photograph fundraising events, Donald would almost always be there. When out shooting bar photos, art-show openings or bar-hopping with my partner Micheal, we would often run into him and swap jokes. I will never forget his laugh,” Drake recalled.

“His moniker was the ‘Mayor of the Gayborhood’ and he enjoyed life to its fullest when ‘most poor slobs were starving to death,’ as he would say. He was easily the nicest guy Micheal and I have ever met, and we will miss him dearly.”

Philadelphia FIGHT executive director Jane Shull has fond recollections of Carter.

“Donald was a valued, longtime member of our board. He brought an important community perspective to our deliberations and he was always available to help out at events and programs, and we will miss him a lot.”

Carter was also the inspiration for Suzi Nash’s long-running PGN column, Family Portrait. While marking the column’s 10th

anniversary in 2015, Nash wrote: “If you don’t know him by name, you’ve probably seen him about town. Donald is a dashing man with salt-and-pepper hair who is at just about every function in the city.

He’s a black Republican, which he says is because someone has to do it. He’s so much fun and so reasonable that I don’t hold it against him.”

At a 2005 LGBTQ event, Nash recounted she was embarrassed since she knew Carter for about 12 years but wasn’t able to answer the simple question, “What does he do?”

So, in her 2005 profile, she wrote: “Donald is a Philadelphian through and through. He is the proud product of the Philadelphia school system. He went to Masterman during its first year of accelerated programs, then to Central and then onto Temple. He got his master’s in ancient Roman history at the University of Cincinnati, where he taught for several years. As an activist in Cincinnati, he lectured in small towns at small schools – rather impressive in 1970s Ohio.”

Carter told Nash, “I’ve been honored by the Log Cabin Republicans, but I think being a citizen panelist on Bill Maher’s ‘Politically Incorrect’ would be considered my biggest reward. It gave me a national platform to say I’m gay and to represent Philadelphia.”

(He was also once a “Jeopardy!” contestant.)

When asked what he did for a living, Carter answered, “The generic answer would be community activist, which means I’m active in the community. I’ve been a 15-year volunteer with Action AIDS [now Action Wellness] and am on the board of the Jonathan Lax Clinic [part of Philadelphia FIGHT]. I’m also the founder and a board member of the Log Cabin Republicans in Philadelphia.”

But he told her his best job description was “Be there. Do that.”

Bartlett and Price are planning a tribute and memorial at WWCC on Saturday, March 16 at 1 p.m. n

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NOTICE To whom it may concern: Notice is hereby given that the City Commissioners, sitting as the County Board of Elections, will begin their weekly meetings concerning BOTH the 2019 Special Election for the 190th Legislative District which will be held on Tuesday March 12, 2019, and the 2019 Municipal Primary and Special Election which will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 will begin on March 6, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. in City Hall Room 387. Meetings will continue every Wednesday thereafter until further notice.

AVISO

A quien corresponda: Se avisa que Los Comisionados de la Ciudad en sus funciones como la Junta Electoral del Condado, comenzaran sus reuniones semanales con respecto a la Elección Especial para el Distrito Legislativo 190° de marzo 12 del 2019 y las Elecciones Municipales Primaria y Especial de mayo 21 del 2019 empezando el 6 de marzo 2019 a las 11:00 am en sala 387 en el Ayuntamiento. Reuniones continuaran cada miércoles a las 11:00 A.M. adelantes hasta nuevo aviso.

Judge Giovanni Campbell

Chairperson, City Commissioners

Presidente, Comisionados Municipales

Judge Vincent Furlong

Vice Chair, City Commissioners

Vicepresidente, Comisionados Municipales

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PGN

are working to change our booking platform to reflect this.”

Air New Zealand said this week it was “exploring how we can introduce non-binary gender options across our various digital environments.”

International

hoping for the best, looking forward for LGBT being legalized.”

Activists argue that the colonial-era law which criminalizes same consensual sex-relations between adults is in breach of the constitution because it denies basic rights.

Kenya court postpones Taiwan unveils Asia’s first British Airways joins wave ruling on anti-gay laws draft law on same-sex of airlines introducing “non-binary” gender options A Kenyan court Feb. 22 postponed a rul- marriage British Airways is the latest international airline to announce it will offer a non-binary gender option when booking tickets for passengers who identify outside of male or female.

The British carrier’s announcement follows similar moves from major U.S. airlines, as well as Air New Zealand, which recently said it was looking to introduce more gender options.

The change has been welcomed by LGBTQ groups, who say it will help make travel less stressful for trans, intersex and non-binary passengers, as well as those who don’t wish to disclose their gender.

A spokesperson for British Airways said, “We know how important it is for all of our customers to feel comfortable and welcomed no matter how they self-identify. We

ing on whether to decriminalize same sex relationships, disappointing many in the country’s LGBT community.

The ruling will not be made until May 24 because some judges had been busy, Justice Chaacha Mwita of the High Court said.

Several activists who went to the court for the landmark ruling expressed their dismay.

“To say we are disappointed would be an understatement,” the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, which is among the petitioners in the case, said in a tweet.

A case so important should have been should have been given the time it deserves, said activist Grace Mbijiwa outside the courtroom.

“However we are looking forward because we have a date in May 2019,” said Mbijiwa. “We are looking forward and boys’ bathrooms.

The community appeared starkly divided at this week’s forum. Some people spoke in favor of ending the ban, but many support it.

Media Trail Virginia school board delays ending transgender bathroom ban A school board in Virginia will not take any immediate action to overturn its transgender bathroom ban after some community members spoke in favor of keeping it, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

The board’s announcement Feb. 21 came two days after it met some resistance at a public forum over changing the policy. A policy was proposed to allow transgender high school students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

The Gloucester County School Board has considered ending the ban as a federal trial over the policy looms. Former student Gavin Grimm has been suing the district for discrimination since 2015 because the transgender teen was banned from using

GOP lawmakers push to ban LGBT conversion therapy in Utah The Longview News-Journal reported that two Republican lawmakers are pushing to ban gay conversion therapy for minors in conservative Utah with a proposal that’s being hailed as a milestone by advocates and won’t be opposed by the influential Mormon Church.

Republican Rep. Dan McCay acknowledged Feb. 21 he wasn’t a typical sponsor for such a measure, but he said he wants to help support LGBT youth in a state that’s seen a recent spike in youth suicide.

The plan would prohibit any treatment aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity, ranging from practices like electric shock to talk therapy.

Shannon Minter with the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which is helping lead a national campaign to ban the practice, said there’s a history of the practice in Utah and the new proposal is a landmark step.

Taiwan has proposed Asia’s first law to allow same-sex marriage. The legislation, however, was criticized by rights activists and conservative groups alike as a heated debate continues over marriage equality in the country.

Voters opposed marriage equality in a series of referendums late last year, defining marriage as between a man and a woman and calling for a special law to be enacted for same-sex unions.

The draft law unveiled by cabinet on Feb. 21 would give same-sex couples similar legal protections for marriage as heterosexuals, but marriage in civil law would remain defined as between a man and woman.

Premier Su Tseng-chang said the bill respected the referendum results, although

activists had said a separate law for gay marriage was discriminatory.

“Controversies are expected about the proposal, but I really hope our homosexual friends can wait a bit longer,” Su said in a statement. “This might fall short of expectations, but after all, it’s a start,” he said.

Jennifer Lu, coordinator of Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan, said the draft did not give complete legal protections to same-sex couples. She acknowledged the pressure on the government from all sides, but said activists will continue to fight for equal rights.

Taiwan’s parliament is expected to vote on the draft bill by late May, a deadline for legislation set by the constitutional court in May 2017 when it ruled that same-sex couples had the right to legally marry.

The divisive issue has been a challenge for President Tsai Ing-wen, whose party suffered a major defeat in local elections in November amid criticism over her reform agenda, including marriage equality.

Conservative groups that opposed samesex marriage during the referendum said they will fight the draft bill too. The Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation on Feb. 21 called the draft “unacceptable.” n — compiled by Larry Nichols

SD high court rules against Transgender deputy: Sex woman in same-sex benefits surgery not covered by case health plan South Dakota’s Supreme Court has ruled against a retired police official seeking state retirement system survivor benefits after her wife, a former police captain, died of cancer, according to “The Rapid City Journal.”

The high court said in a Feb. 20 opinion that retired Rapid City Officer Debra Anderson isn’t entitled to the benefits because she and former Capt. Deb Cady weren’t married before Cady retired in 2012 with breast cancer.

Anderson and Cady were a long-committed couple then, but weren’t married because it wasn’t legal at the time. They married in 2015 when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide.

Cady died two years later.

Anderson argued the couple would have been married much earlier if not for the state’s prohibition against gay marriage.

Attorney James Leach says he’s “very disappointed.”

The state argued Anderson was asking the court to create a marriage in 2012 when one didn’t exist.

A transgender sheriff’s sergeant in Houston County, Georgia, said the county is discriminating against her by not electing to have gender dysphoria treatment covered by its insurance, according to “The Telegraph.”

Sgt. Anna Lange asked commissioners on Feb. 19 to allow the coverage of sex reassignment surgery, but was denied. The 12-year department veteran said she’s already spent her own money on types of gender dysphoria treatment, including hormone therapy and breast augmentation.

Houston County offers a self-funded health insurance plan through Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which allows employers to choose whether to include coverage for sex reassignment surgery.

County attorney Tom Hall said the county won’t consider adding that coverage to its plan this year. Lange’s attorney, Noah Lewis, said Lange can’t wait another year for treatment. n

PGN’s Wedding Issue is March 3rd.

— compiled by Larry Nichols

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

EDITORIAL PGN EDITORIAL

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Randy Garber

Editorial

It’s everyone’s job to educate our youth on LGBTQ struggles and history A group of teens and 20-somethings were recently asked what they knew about Stonewall. The answers ranged from it having been a battle in either the Revolutionary War or the Civil War to it being a band from the ‘70s.

One person guessed that it had something to do with gay rights.

Sadly, even an adult who was asked seemed a little murky on the true significance of the Stonewall Riots.

On June 28, 1969, the police in New York City raided a gay bar in Greenwich Village called the Stonewall Inn. The police roughed up bar patrons and the gay people had had enough harassment. The raid was the catalyst for riots that ensued in the neighborhood, spurring protests and violence between members of our community and the police for nearly a week. The riots are considered one of the major events that founded Gay Liberation Front which began a more activist gay rights movement.

In an acknowledgement of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall later this year, an exhibition opening next week at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., is designed to help educate the public about the events from 1969 and many of the pioneers who helped bring about change for the LGBTQ community.

It is a tremendous step. But it’s simply one step.

Other positive steps include legislative measures such as the recently passed law in New Jersey that requires all public middle- and high-school teachers and boards of education to update curriculum to “accurately reflect the political, economic and social contributions” of gay, lesbian and transgender citizens. California is the only other state with such a law.

However, the most important step we can all take is to think of it as the responsibility of everyone — not just the teachers being mandated to do so or parents or museum curators — to pass along this painful history. It cannot just be those people who were there at the Stonewall Inn that day in1969. It also has to be all of the people who followed, and the many people still fighting for LGBTQ equality today. We all need to start educating our youth.

Those who have been witness to how far our community has come need to take every opportunity — and even seek out opportunities — to educate and share with this new generation what happened, and to insist it cannot happen again.

How can we move forward and improve things in the present when the next generation doesn’t have a full understanding of how we got here?

As we all know, while we’ve made much progress, there is still much to be done.

Hate crimes are on the rise, as is intolerance in general. While kids today seem more open to the differences in others and more accepting overall, one way to help is to ensure our young people are completely educated about the suffering LGBTQ people went through to get us — and them — to a better place.

Talk about it. Every chance you get. n

Oh, hey! Did you hear that in Kansas lawmakers are trying to establish the LGBTQ community as a religion? Or, more specifically, they’re trying to argue that LGBTQ people are actually secular humanists so that Kansas doesn’t have to recognize marriage equality anymore.

Also, they’re contending that gay people aren’t black, I think.

I mean, the legislation includes the claims that, “There are no ex-blacks, but there are thousands of ex-gays” and “skin tone is genetic and sexual orientation is faith-based.”

The bill also proclaims that all marriages of same-sex couples are “parody marriages,” that sexual orientation is “a mythology,” that “a person can come out of an invisible closet and be baptized gay,” and that LGBTQ people have “a daily code by which members may guide their daily lives” and that they worship the rainbow flag.

It’s truly some of the most bizarre legislation that I have ever read. It would almost be funny if, you know, LGBTQ people weren’t actual humans. Clearly, Kansas Rep. Randy Garber, the legislation’s lead sponsor, doesn’t think LGBTQ people are human at all. But don’t worry, he loves you.

“I don’t believe myself to be a bigot,” Garber told The Wichita Eagle. “I’m Christian and I love people. I believe you should love everybody, but I believe you should also take a stand on what you believe, lovingly.”

Ah, yes. The bill is so very loving.

I especially feel loved by the part that claims marriage equality is “the greatest sham since the inception of American jurisprudence.” Oh, and the part where LGBTQ people are lumped into the same category as Beastiality is also nice.

Why does Garber oppose marriage equality so hard?

“Their marriage probably doesn’t affect me — their union or whatever you want to call it. But in my opinion, they’re trying to force their beliefs on society,” Garber said.

Says the man who has put his name on a bill that essentially forces all LGBTQ people to be part of a specific religion. But nice of him to point out that two women or two men marrying has nothing to do with him and thus that there is no reason to try to enshrine this anti-LGBTQ lunacy into law.

What’s interesting is that Kansas has Laura Kelly, a Democrat, as governor right now, and also has Rep. Susan Ruiz, the first openly lesbian politician elected in Kansas. The previous governor, Sam Brownback, was a Republican who really hated gays. He also tried to grind the state into dust through austerity economics. So, it seems likely that this unhinged bill is in direct response to some more progressive

winds a-blowin’ across the Kansas plains.

“I am very disappointed,” Rep. Ruiz told The Wichita Eagle.

“I see who the co-sponsors are, and I sit with a couple of them in committee. I’m certainly going to talk to them about that and say, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you know about it or not, but I’m not a myth ... Am I a unicorn?’”

As she should. I would very much like to see how those conversations go. I strongly suspect that she’s not a unicorn nor are other LGBTQ Kansans. Equality Kansas Director Tom Witt called the legislation the “most vile, hateful and disrespectful” he’s ever seen.

“Every year, we see bills that restrict, remove and limit the rights of LGBT Kansans, but never have we seen this level of extremist vitriol laid out in legislative language. These bills combined are 18 pages of insults and name-calling,” Witt told The Wichita Eagle.

Witt also said, “Fred Phelps would be proud.” Phelps, of course, was the leader of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church. He and his followers picketed funerals of gay men with signs that read “God hates fags,” among other similar acts. The church continues the cherished Phelps family tradition of protesting the “fag lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth.”

I’m old enough to remember when antiLGBT Christians cared to differentiate themselves from the Westboro folks. Sure, they wanted to amend the Constitution to hurt LGBTQ people, but out of love, not out of hate. They’d never picket a funeral, for goodness’ sake. Though they would deny survivor benefits to the long-term partner of the deceased. They would never celebrate the death of an American soldier as just punishment for a “Fag Nation.”

But they also wouldn’t want gays in their military. They would never put a GIF of Matthew Shepard surrounded by flames on their websites, though they’d always wonder — sometimes quietly, sometimes not — if Shepard didn’t bring it all on himself.

In actuality, the only difference between Westboro and non-Westboro anti-LGBTQ folks was that the latter used nicer language. Garber’s legislation helps expose that distinction as meaningless. n D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comedian living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBT politics for over a decade. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

OP-ED PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

Trump’s ‘don’t kill the gays’ policy Last week, a strange announcement rolled back the limited rights we had came from the Trump administration. A gained since 1969, when this community global campaign, to be led by out U.S. became proactive and Gay Liberation Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, fronts were born from the ashes of was about to begin, and would Stonewall. take on countries that criminalSo let’s take just this single ize homosexuality. issue and take a deeper dive.

In the first media accounts First, our community as well (NBC News broke the story), it as the general public should was reported that the campaign understand the dire situation was instituted primarily to that exists in many parts of the address the killing last year in world for LGBT people. It’s Iran of a man who was hanged not just Iran. It’s also many for being gay. of our allies in that part of the Immediately after the world including Saudi Arabia announcement, members of the and the other Gulf states, where LGBT community expressed it’s illegal to be gay. The same skepticism and many political holds true for many countries in pundits pointed out that the Africa. administration was singling The administration made out Iran, with whom it had clear that it was only dealMark Segal canceled an agreement and has ing with the decriminalization been at odds. of “homosexuality,” not any Further clouding the issue is the adminLGBT-rights issues. istration’s own policies toward the LGBT OK. Considering how bleak it is for community. These are polices that have LGBT people in some countries, that

Mark My Words

Op-Ed

would be a good first step. So let’s lay down some basic guidelines. It must be a policy that equally treats all countries where LGBT people experience violence against them or are put to death. Not just Iran. Let countries that kill, imprison or flog LGBT people — simply for who they are — lose U.S. financial aid and military equipment. By the way, flogging is a favorite for the Saudis.

And, most importantly, bring in LGBT people from the region who have escaped this oppression to give first-hand direction.

You might be surprised at the number of people who have escaped death, including the son of the leader of Hamas.

For many in the LGBT community, there is skepticism. Ending this horrific scourge would be noble. But, if this is a genuine effort, it must not be seen as a political chess move. n Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s mostaward-winning commentator in LGBT media. You can follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter.com/ PhilaGayNews.

Victoria A. Brownworth

The Most Diverse Oscars Ever It started with Billy Porter rocking a tux to the waist and voluminous black skirt below.

The Tony-winning star of “Pose” was interviewing stars on the red carpet. When he and actress Glenn Close, attired in a beaded gold gown, looked each other up and down, it was a moment made for an internet gif — which it soon became.

Porter’s irrepressible gender-bending gayness opened the door to the best Oscar celebration in years. The awards were host-less due to the reveal of Kevin Hart’s long history of homophobia. The comedian had been scheduled to host, but withdrew from the event during the controversy.

The 91st Academy Awards began with a performance by Queen and openly gay singer Adam Lambert. The gorgeous Lambert had the audience on its feet singing along to “We Are the Champions.” The film “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a biopic of Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury, was a Best Picture nominee.

The Queen performance set the tone of the evening. Everyone was in the mood to party and to love each other. The atmosphere was palpably positive.

The lack of a host seemed to free the awards from the forced comedic patter that usually goes on. The presenters were sometimes funny, sometimes serious and always gorgeous.

The Oscars have long been accused of being too white. The 2019 ceremony may have finally turned a page on that discriminatory history, if not on the equally long history of failing to recognize women as directors and producers.

Nearly every pairing of presenters was a white person and a person of color. As noted while live tweeting the event, it was almost as if Hollywood was filled with black, Latino and Asian actors and other celebrities all along, but the door to the auditorium was posted “whites only.” Even Civil Rights icon Rep. John Lewis, was onstage to introduce the film that later won Best Picture, “Green Book.”

The awards saw quite a few firsts for black actors and other film people. Regina King won for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “If Beale Street Could Talk.” The firsttime nominee gave a stirring speech in which she praised black gay author James Baldwin, author of the book on which the film was based.

Ruth Carter became the first black woman to win in Costume Design for “Black Panther.” Hannah Beachler made history as the first black person ever to win Best Production Design (for “Black Panther”).

The speeches of those three black women left us crying what Oprah calls “the ugly cry,” they were so poignant.

Spike Lee, long shut out of the Oscars despite his brilliant 30-year career as a director, won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his film “Black Klansman,” also nominated for Best Picture. The slightly built Lee, attired in a purple tux, hat and glasses, jumped into the arms of actor Samuel L. Jackson, who presented the award, while the crowd cheered him on with a standing ovation.

Lee’s speech was electric as he called for Americans to choose love over hate in

the 2020 election. He struck a nerve with President Trump, who tweeted his rage at Lee the morning after the Oscars.

Alfonso Cuarón gave a moving speech as he won for Best Director for his film “Roma.” He thanked the Academy for recognizing “a film about an Indigenous woman, the kind of character usually cast in the background.” Cuarón also won for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography.

He lauded the film’s star, Yalitza Aparacio, who was nominated as Best Actress, but who had never acted before “Roma.”

Lady Gaga was the heavy favorite to win for her song “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born.” The openly bisexual performer was also nominated for Best Actress. Her stirring performance of “Shallow” with co-star Bradley Cooper was one of the big moments of the night. In her speech, she told viewers to stay true to themselves and never stop pursuing their dreams.

Rami Malek won PAGE 13

Correction In the Feb. 22-Feb. 28 print editions, a story about openly gay presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg erroneously reported that he is the first openly gay presidential candidate. Buttigieg is the first openly gay presidential candidate running as a Democrat. Fred S. Karger ran as a Republican in 2012; David McReynolds ran as a Socialist Party candidate in 1980 and 2000.

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Street Talk Should Empire star Jussie Smollett serve time in prison if he’s convicted of a hate-crime hoax?

“Yes. I believe that if he is convicted, he should go to jail for a hatecrime hoax because it's not right for Terra Dent people who Student actually North Philadelphia go through it, and he's just doing it for clout.”

“I think with this type of crime, it’s more about the mental state of the person than putting them in incarceration. I think Matt Herold a careful Accountant considerWashington ation should Square West be given to whether this person would be better off going through a rehabilitation program versus spending years staring at a wall.”

“Yes, he should. I don’t think he should be on the street, and I hope everybody else agrees with me. I think Jacqueline Young he’s racist.

Unemployed They should Gayborhood really lock him up and throw away the key on him.”

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

COLUMNS PGN

News analysis

The case against Jussie Smollett

By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor On Feb. 25, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson made his third TV appearance in 12 hours, talking to CNN host Don Lemon about the Jussie Smollett case. Superintendent Johnson has been on a media tour since he announced Smollett’s arrest on Feb. 21, talking about details of the case and presuming Smollett’s guilt.

Smollett co-stars on “Empire,” a hit TV series by Philadelphian Lee Daniels.

Smollett and Daniels are out gay black men. Smollett plays a gay man in the series.

Smollett has been charged with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report. In January, Smollett told the police that he had been assaulted by two men who put a noose around his neck, poured a liquid on him while they yelled homophobic and racist slurs at him.

The charges against Smollett could end in a jail sentence and fine. The maximum sentence for filing a false report is three years.

Two men were arrested in the alleged attack, brothers Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo. The brothers have claimed that Smollett paid them to stage the attack and were released without charge.

The Smollett story has been a national headline. Politicians like presidential can-

didates Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have had to walk back their support for Smollett.

Yet the actor insists the assault occurred and has never altered his story.

After his attorneys posted his bail, Smollett went back to the “Empire” set to tearfully declare his innocence. It was reported that Smollett told cast and crew, “I’m sorry I’ve put you all through this and not answered any calls. I wanted to say I’m sorry and, you know me, I would never do this to any of you, you are my family. I swear to God, I did not do this.”

We don’t know if the attack was staged or not. What we do know is that it is dangerous to be black and LGBTQ in America. I have written extensively for PGN and other national publications about violence against LGBTQ people. There is a virtual epidemic of violence against trans women of color, with nearly every such murder a black victim.

According to the most recent FBI report on hate crimes in 2017, race is the primary source at 59.6 percent and sexual orientation is 15.8 percent. HRC reports that black LGBTQ people are more at risk from both hate crimes and violence from police.

A 2018 report by California State University at San Bernardino asserted, “since federal record keeping began, race was the most common category, constituting 57 percent of all hate crimes, with

African Americans being the single most targeted group at 28.4 percent” and “the next most frequent targets involved sexual orientation at 17.6 percent.”

How many black queers are there in America? The instances of violent hate crimes far outnumber the demographics.

What’s more, the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino details that of 21,000 hate crimes reported in the past two years, fewer than 50 were false reports.

That’s .002 percent.

Certainly if Smollett did perpetrate a hoax, it raises questions about why. But with the only blemish on his record a DUI arrest 12 years ago when he was in college, it’s difficult to envision the why of such a hoax.

What’s not hard to imagine is why Smollett is being treated like a hardened criminal: he’s black and he’s gay. In 2016, Olympian Ryan Lochte received far different treatment for a similar false report during the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Lochte, the second most medaled male swimmer in Olympic history, claimed that he and fellow swimmers were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by Latino men.

Prosecutors asserted Lochte invented the story to cover up the swimmers’ vandalism of a gas station and an ensuing confrontation with security guards, all of which was captured by surveillance cameras.

Lochte later admitted he had been drunk

and he was the instigator of the fight.

Lochte was never charged with any crime. Within nine days of his arrest, Lochte was contracted for “Dancing with the Stars.” In January, Lochte was again on TV, this time on “Celebrity Big Brother.”

Smollett’s bail was set at $100,000 — the standard amount for voluntary manslaughter. Lochte’s was $1,000. Lochte created an international racist incident at the Olympics. It can be argued that the person most hurt in the Smollett incident, if it is indeed a hoax, is the actor himself.

On Feb. 22, Smollett was suspended from “Empire.” Daniels and other producers on the show issued a statement, which reads in part, “We care about [Jussie] deeply. While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system. ... To avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of ‘Jamal’ from the final two episodes of the season.”

Hate crimes must be taken seriously.

False reports give others — particularly law enforcement — permission to dismiss attacks on vulnerable communities.

If Smollett is guilty, he deserves the same treatment as his straight white counterparts — contracts with “Dancing with the Stars” and “Celebrity Big Brother,” and an opportunity to remind those who would try him in the court of public opinion that if there wasn’t so much bias in America, none of this might ever have happened. n

Um, yeah … Stonewall gays are very proud of us test-style Pride event. Fuck that.

The reason individuals were fully clothed during Pride in the ’70s was because it was a fucking protest. It was a march for their lives. But don’t think for a second that individuals who participated in Pride those years ago wouldn’t A gay man posted a meme be or are not anything but that depicted two pictures. The absolutely thrilled to see Pride upper photo included activin all its post-’70s sexual ists marching at Pride in the glory. It’s a sexual celebration 1970s. They’re fully clothed, containing all the most coland holding signs that talk orful and sexy people of all about equality. The quote says, shapes, sizes and colors. And “This is gay pride.” The botthe freedom we feel, if only tom photo shows half-naked for a day, is wonderful, excitmen grinding on each other. ing and totally reasonable.

The quote says, “This is bullTell me why you’ll sit there shit. Spot the difference.” I and watch hours of violent then posted a caddy meme to television programs without depict my irritation. An argublinking, and then randomly ment broke out.

Johnathan feel the need to publicly display I see this quite often. Now your discontent with gay PDA? Gilmore You’re not offended by Civil that some in the community have attained some level of War reenactments that literally equality, we somehow feel the need to depict people getting shot to death? You say censor our sexual selves, slut shame, and nothing about the mass amount of violent attempt to demonize any sort of deviant content openly displayed on GameStop’s windows? OK. But seeing two half-naked men behavior in favor of a heternormative proRecently I got into a Facebook argument, which we all know is totally productive and include rational and well-thought out discourses (kidding). But the argument was about something I’ve previously written about. Here’s how it went:

Critical Conversations

grinding on each other is really what grinds your gears? Give me a break.

Many times, the individuals who are against Pride being a sexually exciting and messy event claim that the Stonewall rioters would just be appalled by this. They may believe that we’ve forgotten all the hard work they put in to get this freedom.

Well, that’s false.

I served during “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT). My identity, I, was illegal. If caught, I would have lost my job in the Marines and I would have lost my education benefits. When I was deployed, DADT was repealed, and I came out of the closet.

Now, newly enlisted Marines rarely face the kind of discrimination I was faced with. They can serve totally open, and some are in disbelief when I tell them how we were treated before the repeal.

I see them dancing half-naked at Pride, shaking their asses on floats, and I love it.

I love that they don’t feel the pain I felt.

I love that they can feel so free and live totally open! So, you’ll have to excuse me, but I just don’t think gay men from the Stonewall era would be anything other than totally fucking pumped that we feel so sexually liberated.

Look, I understand that not everyone is going to enjoy this. I understand that not everyone feels totally comfortable openly displaying sexual acts. But you keyboard warriors need to chill out with your greater-than-thou anti-sexual, anti-liberated, unadulterated heteronormative crap. The only thing our predecessors might be upset about is LGBTQ people shaming other LGBTQ people for being freaks, which we all fucking are!

So, the next time you want to call out two totally innocent (albeit naughty) men grinding half-naked on each other, I better see you post three things about all the normalized violence we see in today’s media.

You better be the first person on the picket line for school shootings, and you better be at Pride with an information booth. If you’re not doing any of that, sorry honey, but you might as well be signing anti-gay legislation because the judgment you cast is just as harmful. You’re giving straights permission to hate us. Get up or shut up. n Johnathan Gilmore is formerly enlisted combat Marine deployed to Afghanistan who writes about masculinity, veteran awareness and LGBT issues. Gilmore graduated from Cornell University with a degree in communications. Read more on his blog: https://jtg237.wixsite.com/johnathan.

PGN OP-ED from page 11

CHU from page 5

Best Actor for his bravura performance as Freddie Mercury, the British immigrant who died of AIDS in 1991. Malek, himself the son of Egyptian immigrants, said the film was for anyone “struggling with identity. … We made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life unapologetically himself. [“Bohemian Rhapsody”] is proof we’re longing for stories like this.”

There was no more enjoyable speech than that by the delightful Olivia Colman who won Best Actress in a stunning upset for her tour-de-force performance as the lusty lesbian Queen Anne. Funny, moving and deeply heartfelt, Colman thanked everyone, told a story about working at a cleaners and practicing her dream Oscars’ speech, apologized to Glenn Close who was favored to win, blew a kiss to Lady Gaga who blew one back, and left the crowd on its feet and utterly charmed.

For the most part (still no women directors nominated, nor films by women), the Oscars finally looked like America. Three of the top awards for acting were won by non-white actors, and the top two acting awards were for portrayals of unflinchingly gay characters, while other nominees had also starred in gay or bisexual roles. Half of the films nominated for Best Picture had queer content. This was an outand-proud Oscar ceremony that seemed, for the first time, to celebrate not just cinema, but the breadth and wealth of stories that can be told about this most diverse nation on Earth.

It was a near-perfect night. And the beginning, one hopes, of many like it hereafter. n

help. He looked into several denominations and decided to join the Reformed Church of America.

“I can’t claim to be fully informed,” he said. “I’ve changed for the better and know how much I have to learn.”

He said the book, published in 2013 and available in bookstores and on Amazon, is not one that specifically mentions all members of the LGBTQ community. Just a few years ago, he didn’t mention transgender people, there’s a little about bisexuals, and he didn’t know about the queer community.

Che Simmons, a member of BSM’s LGBTQ Fellowship, said he got a lot out of the lecture.

“I really enjoyed the message about loving folks who are hated, who you may want to hate. You know finding a way to love the people who you want to hate for whatever reason, and I feel like that’s something I’m going to try to take on as a challenge for myself,” Simmons said.

“I think a lot of us who grew up somewhere on the on the queer spectrum have a lot of questions about spirituality,” said Chu, also a jour-

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

nalist. “We don’t fit into the church as we were brought up in it, or the synagogue or mosque or whatever your place of worship may be and so we have to take a little extra detour in trying to figure out who we are and who we are trying to be.”

The service started with directions to the bathrooms and instructions to use the one you find more comfortable. Staff members at Broad Street Ministry wear tags with their names but also pronouns.

Broad Street’s head pastor Rev. Laura Colee, who also attended Princeton Theological Seminary, told PGN, “We’re a block from the Gayborhood and this has always been a community that has been both welcoming but also wanted to celebrate the fullness of people.

We want to make sure this is space where everyone feels welcome, but we also recognize there are people in the LGBT community who are made to be leaders, as some of our interns are, as some of our pastors have been, so that’s a big part of who we are.” n Broad Street Ministry, https://www.broadstreetministry.org/, holds services every Sunday at 4.

13

United Methodist Church division over LGBTQ clergy, marriage could cause break-up The United Methodist Church is not so united over the issues of gay marriage and noncelibate LGBTQ clergy, and could split up because of those issues.

In a vote at the denomination’s General Conference in St. Louis on Feb. 26, more members voted to keep a “traditional” plan rather than support a new “one-church plan,” which would have given permission to some local churches to perform samesex weddings and hire openly LGBTQ clergy. The vote was 438-384.

Now, churches and clergy could be forced out of the denomination if they don’t affirm the stance by 2021.

Some church leaders say the vote will probably lead more liberal members to leave on their own.

The United Methodist Church is the denomination is the second largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., and has more than 12.6 million members around the world. n — Lenny Cohen

14

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

PGN

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

NORDO from page 1

charging guidelines called for bail of $10,000. Nordo entered a plea of not guilty.

In a 38-page report, the grand jury found that Nordo used threats and intimidation to groom, coerce and silence male witnesses during criminal investigations in a pattern of gross misconduct extending throughout years.

While the names of victims of the alleged assaults were redacted to protect their identities, some pages were unsealed. These pages detailed multiple accusations of rape, intimidation, sexual miscon-

duct and theft of city funds.

Nordo used a combination of “threats and flattery to make the targets of his advances more susceptible to his sexually assaultive and/or coercive behavior,” the grand jury alleged.

Nordo was fired in 2017 after allegations were made that he had “put money in a witness’ commissary account” and that he had “fraternized with people who were connected to criminal investigations,” according to the report.

At the time he was fired, Nordo was working in the PPD’s elite Special Investigations Unit in the

Homicide Division, where he had been considered a star investigator.

Nordo was by all accounts friendly, a trait he utilized in grooming his victims.

According to the grand jury presentment, Nordo became a police officer on June 23, 1997, and a detective on Dec. 23, 2002.

He joined the Homicide Unit on Nov. 10, 2009.

Nordo’s tactics included threatening to arrest or jail suspects without probable cause, fraudulently directing reward money to witnesses and suspects and “pro-

jecting his dominance–sometimes by displaying his firearm, other times by targeting handcuffed prisoners,” the court document said. Nordo allegedly told these men that no one would believe them if they reported the alleged incidents.

The report details a dozen years of similar instances, which also included rape and other sexual assault accusations. The report details how Nordo would touch suspects and witnesses, comment on their penises and/or touch their penises, arrange for meetings outside the PPD under threat and

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coercion and engage in sexual assaults in the interrogation rooms and official visiting rooms at prisons as well as outside the PPD. Nordo is alleged to have forced men to sign witness statements that weren’t true. If a witness or tipster cooperated with him, it is alleged, Nordo would submit false information to the City of Philadelphia to get crime-reward money, according to the document. He fraudulently diverted about $20,000 from the mayor’s reward fund to give to his victims and it is the money that triggered the firing.

In addition to the charges he was arraigned on, Nordo faces potential charges of theft-by-deception because the authorities said Nordo filed false claims for reward money and other incentives worth a total of about $20,000 for some of the victims.

The PPD gave PGN a brief statement in the case, as well as citing statements given by Philadelphia Police Superintendent Richard Ross.

The brief statement confirmed that Nordo had been arrested on Feb. 19 and that he has been charged with rape, indecent deviate sexual assault, attempted indecent deviate sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, theft by deception, stalking, indecent assault, securing execution and official oppression.”

Ross said that the details of Nordo’s arrest were “Disturbing, troubling, and quite frankly, a lot of it’s sickening.”

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 will not be representing Nordo after reviewing the charges, the FOP confirmed in a statement.

Questions are now raised about the status of cases in which Nordo, referred to as a “prolific” detective, was the investigating officer. n

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

17

entertainment A community’s grief takes center stage

By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

Eric Ulloa didn’t set out to stage the aftermath of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults.

“All I knew was I was growing tired of complacency and frustrated by what was happening in the world and in our country,” the out playwright said. “I felt like my hands were tied in helping. I can’t donate a great amount of money to the people that are lobbying. I’m not a politician so I can’t enact change that way. How can I do more than the letter-writing I was doing and rallying? I decided I was going to use my voice.”

So Ulloa visited the Sandy Hook community.

“I started listening to the people that wanted to talk to me because I was wondering what a town goes through six months after all this, when there are no more news stories or camera crews. Everyone just left.

Now this town is trying to come together. I just went there to listen.”

Halfway through his first week there, Ulloa started to envision a stage for the community’s reactions. He ultimately

teamed up with out directing partners Scott R. Grumling and T. Patrick Ryan to create “26 Pebbles,” which debuted two years ago at the Human Race Theatre in Dayton, Ohio, and is beginning a two-week run at Allens Lane Art Center in Mount Airy.

The production is presented in the style of “The Laramie Project,” a play about the aftermath of the 1998 murder of openly gay college student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. The performances included actual dialogue from a series of recorded interviews with people of the town throughout a couple of years.

Ulloa reached out to “The Laramie Project” writer Moisés Kaufman for guidance on how to tackle such a heavy subject.

“I fully expected to not be written back to, but he wrote me back immediately, and we sat and talked for an hour about how he went about it and things he would have done differently now,” Ulloa said. “I have tools in possession now that they didn’t have back then. So, to be honest, ‘Laramie’ got me going on my journey.”

Much of the dialogue in “26 Pebbles” is from interviews with people from the towns of Newtown and Sandy Hook.

Six actors portray 19 characters from the community.

“Eric has done a great job to keep the political elements at bay,” Grumling said of the playwright.

“He is honestly telling the story of the people he interviewed and how this event affected them both physically and e m o t i o n a l l y.

By simply telling the story of the residents of Newtown without a lot of the politics involved, the audience is very open to listening and participating in their story.”

The writer and directors said they knew Grumling noted that both “The that taking on one of the most polarizing Laramie Project” and “26 Pebbles” docand tragic events of the last decade for a ument, through interviews, how their stage production would draw strong opin- respective communities responded to an ions — and that they were prepared for the act of violence. criticism.

“I think it is important that we have “I received a lot of pushback from vari- artists dramatize these stories so we can ous angles; from people that said the story go beyond the media coverage and hear shouldn’t be on stage or from gun-rights the authentic voices of the community advocates thinking this will be and how it affected them,” the an anti-gun piece,” said Ulloa. co-director said. “Violence, “One person made some comin any form, is an unfortument about ‘another left-wing nate reality in today’s world. liberal anti-gun piece.’ My I think audiences who see ‘26 response was if you want to Pebbles’ will connect the dots come see it, your ticket is on between these stories as well me. The piece is not about as the mass shootings at Pulse that at all. Any effect or pushNightclub, the Las Vegas conback or bit of fear I may have cert and the Parkland, Florida, had about how it would land high school and realize no one ERIC ULLOA is immune from experiencing quickly evaporated.”

The play doesn’t send a tragedy on any scale. Hearing political message, the creators said. these stories can encourage us to learn “[It] doesn’t even try to politicize the more, talk more and, most importantly, issues of gun control,” Ryan said. “We even listen more.” had an actor that didn’t audition for the Ulloa said he had a personal connecshow because it wasn’t political enough. tion to the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shootThe issues of whether folks are pro-gun ing, which added another layer of resoor anti-gun are briefly mentioned, as is the nance to “26 Pebbles.”

“I went to college in Orlando. I was at topic of mental illness that the shooter was diagnosed with. But it is presented within Pulse’s opening night. A lot of my friends the entire framework of the show and not were bar staff there,” the writer said.

“So, when that happened, for 24 hours pulled front and center to be an issue.”

Ulloa said it surprised him that the I was wondering if I was going to see effect on the Sandy Hook community a name I knew on that list of victims. I received little press coverage. But what actually did not, fortunately. But it struck struck him most was that the townspeo- home extremely hard because I felt like ple didn’t entirely seem to blame shooter somebody had come in and personally attacked my memories and my past.”

Adam Lanza.

“An evening out at a concert, at a “There was a great sense of community responsibility, which I found to be movie, at a nightclub, is a game of a very-enlightened reaction for just six chance,” added Ryan. “The gay commumonths after something so horrible hap- nity was hit hard with that realization pened in their town. They immediately with Pulse Nightclub.”

And while Pulse is not mentioned went into the mode of: How did this happen here? What are we doing wrong? How can in “26 Pebbles,” the co-director said, “the shadow of all mass shootings we do better? What about the other kids?

“That was very powerful to me, because hangs in the memories of the audience. we tend to find a scapegoat and find a Columbine is the only other reference, monster to point our finger at. We absolve and that is because as the numbers [of ourselves from thinking about it anymore victims] increased, the realization was because we find someone to blame. They that Sandy Hook passed Columbine.” n seemed to say, ‘No, we’re taking the blame and we’re going to figure out how this hap- Allens Lane Art Center presents “26 Pebbles” March pened.’ That was really ahead of its time for 1-17, 601 W. Allens Lane. For more information or tickets, call 215-248-0546 or visit www.allenslane.org. where they were in the grieving process.”

Photo: Scott Grumling

Comics Family Portrait Out & About

Page 20 Page 19 Page 24

Q Puzzle Scene in Philly

Page 22 Page 21

Calling all divas PAGE 18

18

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

PGN

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When it comes to musical theater with a huge vocal presence, if you’re calling in Michael LaFleur, you must mean business.

The out, live-show theater specialist behind razzle-dazzling large-scale showcases for Disney and Universal theme parks, as well as individual shows for Celine Dion and Sarah Brightman, knows how to transform something intimate into something with wide-scale appeal.

He also understands the intricacies of dealing with divas.

So, when Franke Previte (Oscarand Golden Globe-winning songwriter behind “Dirty Dancing”), Dennis D’Amico (producer for superstars such as Paul McCartney) and musical director Henry Aronson (“On Your Feet,” “Rock of Ages”) contacted LaFleur for “Calling All Divas” — an original concert musical that’s debuting locally this weekend — all the puzzle’s pieces fit.

“Dennis called me out of the blue, after several years of them working the project and getting to the point where they needed a theatrical director,” LaFleur said during a brief break from rehearsals. “They needed someone to finesse and fine-tune, take what was Franke’s great ideas about a man looking for the next superstar, and make it into a script.”

LaFleur was intrigued by the process, as work on “Calling All Divas” asked for a hybrid treatment — something that wasn’t a Broadway-style musical, but more like a concert that Previte and the other producers wanted to inject with tales of the female singers’ lives.

“And we had one week to do all this,” LaFleur said about the workshop/ rehearsal process that usually takes years of wood-shedding, trimming and honing to perfection. “I glued myself to a computer day and night for that one MICHAEL LAFLEUR week, hashing out ideas.”

Sure, he worried about the lack of time, but LaFleur — a consummate pro who grew up on the stage — is always prepared.

“I couldn’t pay for the experience I got just being there, and of the theater, since I was a kid.”

As a result, LaFleur said, little daunts him.

“You learn a whole lot of gimmicks and short cuts along the way, and sometimes you just shake them together in a martini glass and

pour them all out. The good news is, with ‘Calling All Divas,’ it’s working really well.”

The new show — often with its performers faced toward the audience in autobiographical directness — allows its stars to highlight some of their own stories. Broadway performer and Radio City Rockette Lisa Sherman, R&B background vocalist Carol Riddick (featured on records with Jill Scott and Will Downing), Nashville chanteuse

Photo: Coucou Photography

Trenna Barnes (vocalist for “Cowboy Crush” and the Broadway musical “Ring of Fire”) and 19-year-old newcomer Brittneyann Accetta (a busking subway singer) reached into their own souls and pasts.

“We had so little time, so I had to think of ingenious ways into the script,” LeFleur said. “One day, I heard someone talking about how Lisa always makes and brings food for the entire cast. Suddenly, I thought that would make a great scene. Same with Brittneyann, who busks for her supper.

These little parts of their personality, for me, made for great dialogue, great background as to who the characters were — because it is who they are in real life.”

Conversely, with Dion and Brightman, LaFleur framed and pulled together disparate elements of their personal characteristics and visions.

“Like when Brightman sang those numbers from ‘Harem,’ I came up with video images of undulating torsos and moving hands behind her,” he said. “For Disney parks, they have given me a theme, shown me a large tract of land or an area, and tell me to come up with something. I sit down and write, and we do it.

I’m doing much the same things with ‘Calling All Divas,’ but with a much smaller, tighter time frame. But that’s showbiz.

“We’re following this one young man meeting each of these women as they compete to be ‘the next big thing,’” LaFleur added. “What we find out ultimately is that they are stronger together. That’s a great and universal concept, whether you’ve work-shopped it for three years or come up with it within a week.” n “Calling All Divas” premieres Saturday, March 2, at the Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside. For information or tickets, call 215-572-7650 or visit https:// www.keswicktheatre.com/.

PGN PROFILE

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

19

Suzi Nash

Lori Schreiber: Courting success Lori Schreiber was the first openly gay elected official in Montgomery County.

Currently running for Clerk of Courts, if she wins this year, she will be the first gay “Row Officer” in Pennsylvania.

PGN: Your sister has a beautiful post online about your annual Mother’s Day outings. Tell me a little about the family.

LS: My mom is 96, though she’d say “96 and a half.” My father died 20 years ago.

I have three siblings — an older sister and brother, then there is a 14-year gap between me and my younger sister. She’s the one whose blog you read.

PGN: What did the folks do?

LS: My father had an antique company on Pine Street in Philadelphia. In the ’60s, Dallas was the place to be for antiques so we moved there for a while. I spent my formative years there before moving back here. When we came back, my father went back to school and earned a bachelor’s, a master’s and a doctorate degree, then became a college professor.

PGN: Wow! LS: My mother worked as his business manager. She had a business certificate, I think. Back in those days, women didn’t get educated in the same way. She also owned various small businesses over the years, gift shops, etc. But she would probably describe herself as a painter. Both of my parents loved art. I actually still have some things from their shop. They still have the price tags on the bottoms, otherwise I wouldn’t know what half of them were. Fun fact: My mother was on “Antiques Roadshow” once. They came to the house and interviewed her about a chair, but it turned out to be a replica.

PGN: Awww. So, what were you like as a youngster? Academic? Sporty?

LS: Not sporty. I have no eye-hand coordination. But I was in ballet for many, many years.

PGN: That takes coordination.

LS: It’s more flexibility and there’s no ball coming at you!

PGN: True. What did you study in college?

LS: I majored in social welfare and then switched over to sociology. [Laughing] Two liberal-arts majors that don’t lead to any kind of jobs. Then I got my master’s degree in social relations. I come from a family that’s always been politically involved, but also really invested in helping people.

PGN: How did you wind up in Abington?

LS: I moved around a lot. I lived in Germantown. I lived in the Poconos for a while. But I’ve been in Montgomery

County since the 1990s. I came back for a job. I’ve been in the same home for 20 years. It’s the longest I’ve been in one place.

PGN: Tell me about some of your civic engagement there.

LS: Oh gosh. I’ve been a commissioner since 2006. I’ve done a ton of things that concern government issues — fighting for more transparency by televising our meetings, helping to develop a revitalization plan, a lot of administrative work that’s important — but probably not exciting to read about. I guess what I’m best known for is an animal-rescue fair that I started.

Animals are really important to me. I have two rescue cats, Tasker and Reed, named after streets in Philadelphia. I also started the Roslyn Film Festival, because the arts are important as well. Both events are benefits and help build a sense of community.

I also battled for a nondiscrimination ordinance in Abington in 2012. (It passed.) Last year, I did some investigating and realized that kids who counted on getting breakfast and lunch at school were going hungry during the summer, so I helped get a summer lunch program launched in our area.

PGN: What made you decide to run for office back in 2005?

LS: My family was always involved in various causes. We’ve supported political candidates. I’ve worked at a women’s center. I’ve been a teacher. I’ve worked with people with mental-health and substance-abuse issues. I helped create the POWER Program (a career-counseling program for people with mental illness) at Montgomery County Community College. I volunteered to work for (now Attorney General) Josh Shapiro, the first time he ran for office. I went with him knocking on doors and gained a lot of experience. At the time, the Democratic Party was looking for someone to run for Township Commissioner. At first, I said no when they approached me. And then I thought, Why not me? The position had been held by a Republican for years. I think they thought I’d be just a spacefiller, but I’m a hard worker and that’s not in my DNA. So, I went out and started knocking on doors and meeting people.

I went around so many times that people were like, “OK! We’ve met you three times already. We’re voting for you, so there’s no need to come back!” I ended up beating the incumbent, who’d been in office for 24 years.

PGN: That’s inspiring. And now you’re running for office again.

LS: Yes. I’m running for the position of Clerk of Courts. In Montgomery County there is a County Commissioner and then what are called “Row Officers,” who head

different departments like Clerk of Courts, Treasurer, District Attorney, etc. Clerk of Courts handles people coming through the criminal-justice system. When I worked with the POWER Program, we dealt with a lot of people who, because of their mental-health or substance-abuse problems, found themselves in the criminal-justice system. I believe that everybody needs to be treated with dignity and respect. And I think that though the people who work in those offices are lovely people, they often didn’t get the proper training to deal with some of the things they may face that aren’t on the administrative side. I think I can help there. I’ve also worked with the District Attorney on our opioid task force.

I’ve worked with victims of crime and probation officers and police officers, all people who work with the Clerk of Courts.

So, it seems like a good fit. Plus, I just received the Democratic Party nomination, so I am officially the endorsed candidate.

PGN: As an out politician, have you received any pushback?

LS: Not as much as I thought I might.

When I first ran in 2005, I didn’t make a big deal out of it. I kind of kept it low-key.

I did do an interview and spoke about me and my partner buying a house. I didn’t want anyone to try to act like they were outing me. I wanted to put it out there first, but it wasn’t part of my campaign. Though apparently my opponent would tell people I didn’t have “family values.”

PGN: How did you meet your wife, Linda?

LS: We met in 1991. We were sitting next to each other at a dinner event with friends.

We decided to share an appetizer, started talking and hit it off. She asked for my number and then I didn’t hear from her for days. Turned out she lost the slip of paper and spent a week trying to track me down.

We dated that summer, but then I broke it off. I’d just come out of a relationship and wasn’t looking for anything serious. She said, “OK, but you know what? You’re going to marry me someday.” In true lesbian fashion, we remained friends. In 1996, we reconnected and have been together ever since. When gay marriage became legal, we got married.

PGN: Ever been harassed for being open?

LS: Not really. The most was when I was in a bar with Linda and my niece and her nephew. There was a band playing, so Linda and I started dancing. Some men started making comments and things escalated to the point that there was almost a bar brawl.

Now, 20 years later, the place has changed hands and we had our first event for the Montgomery County Gay Caucus there.

Things have changed, though we still don’t have statewide protection and with the current administration we’re in danger of rolling back. And when we were fighting for the antidiscrimination ordinance, we had protesters at the meetings. I had to have a police escort from my car.

And during one of the big events, one of the officers stood behind me the whole time to ensure my safety.

Fortunately, nothing happened and we got [the ordinance] passed.

PGN: Let’s do some random questions. Your biggest fashion faux pas or statement?

Photo: Karl Sauer LS: [Laughing] Well, I’m known for my hair! And I think about fashion all the time because, as a female candidate, we’re scrutinized all the time about our appearance. The men can wear the same gray suit over and over, but I wear the same red blazer twice and people comment. You saw that with Hillary on the campaign trail.

There’s another woman on my ballot and we have to talk about what we’re wearing if we go to the same event. It’s a challenge.

I didn’t have a big wardrobe before, but I’m forced to buy new clothes just to run for office.

PAGE 25

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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1 Type of balls that you play with 5 Switch positions 9 Hands of a manhandler 14 Skater’s feat 15 Gay Bob, for example 16 Old square 17 Judith Light feature film at Sundance 20 James of “Only When I Laugh” 21 AK, once 22 Frozen dessert 23 Enjoy a breast or two 25 Jolly Roger fliers 28 Old-time actor Erwin 29 Phantom of the Opera name 32 Unc, to Pop 33 Sophie B. Hawkins’ “The Cream Will ___” 35 ___ awkward position 37 Grace 40 Toni Collette feature film at Sundance 43 Morales of` “Jericho” 44 Site of valuable stones 45 NASA chimp 47 Gomer’s Sgt. Carter, for one

49 Hairy one in the den 51 Coins w. Abe images 52 Short end of the stick 56 Go nuts 58 Summer for Colette 59 It’s sometimes a drag 62 Lanford Wilson’s “__ in Gilead” 63 Hari Sama feature film at Sundance 68 Paul Monette’s partner Horwitz 69 Quote authoritatively 70 Rowlands of film 71 Actor Milo of “Oz” 72 Star quality 73 Like a nervous Nellie

Down

1 Snatch 2 Apple’s Tim Cook, for one 3 Adjusts, like Mapplethorpe 4 Congregation 5 It may be Sapphic 6 Auto racer A. J. 7 Ice chunk near a polar bear 8 Sucking sound 9 Chess queen, ironically 10 “Where did ___ wrong?”

11 Namely 12 Amount of time for premature ejacu-

lation 13 Satisfies fully 18 Tevye, to Harvey 19 “Charlie’s Angels” role 23 Outdated atlas abbr.

24 Iroquoian tongue 26 Movie about a gay hotel, with “The” 27 Bring down 30 Part of ILGA (abbr.)

31 Meat that gets stuck 34 Serengeti sight 36 Michelangelo’s David, e.g.

38 No longer on the air 39 Like Ennis to his wife, in “Brokeback Mountain” 41 What homophobe Pence is president

of?

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PGN

New recordings nod to politics, poetry and possibility

By Ray Simon PGN Contributor Pet Shop Boys “Agenda” x2 Recordings Ltd. www.petshopboys.co.uk On this four-song EP, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, longtime purveyors of an alluringly aloof disco, lampoon boorish politicians, skewer social media and excoriate oligarchs. The duo’s synthesizer-driven dance music and literate lyrics combine to make protest songs that are satirical rather than sincere, which is good.

“Give Stupidity A Chance,” an overthe-top poke at contemporary politics, begins with tinkling keyboard. “Let’s talk man to man./Chicks are always up for it./You gotta grab whatever you can,” sings Tennant, whose bright tenor and crisp diction belie the boys-will-beboys attitude.

“On Social Media,” with its insistent beat and electronic handclaps, critiques the narcissism routinely found on Facebook and Twitter. “It’s so nice when people like you,” Tennant sings with faux earnestness. “You’re feeling #blessed.”

“What Are We Going to Do About the Rich?” gleefully upbraids the super-rich while simultaneously having a catchy, sing-along chorus. That’s remarkable, given that it also refers to zero-hour contracts and Hansard (which publishes the British parliament’s proceedings).

The final song, “The Forgotten Child,” is different. Over a piano and a gentle Latin beat, Tennant sings a plaintive song about children caught up in governments’ political machinations. Apparently, these ironists also have hearts.

Girlpool “What Chaos Is Imaginary” Antiwww.girlpoolmusic.com The third release from Cleo Tucker (guitar, vocals) and Harmony Tividad (bass, vocals) is an enigmatic record that rewards repeated listens.

The pair nail indie-rock songs like “Hire,” where Tucker’s guitar has a satisfying crunch and drummer Ross Wallace Chait adds some rhythmic snap. It’s a pleasant surprise, then, to occasion-

ally hear elements typically associated with dance music. On the title song, for example, programmed drum beats and strings nudge the tune in the direction of pop music.

The album’s 14 tracks are oblique and dreamy. It’s as if listeners are overhearing someone else’s reverie. On “Where You Sink,” Tividad’s ethereal voice is swathed in woozy guitar. “I wanna try to be a ribbon in a puzzle mind,” she sings.

That matches the record’s overall tone, which is loose and undefined, a fluidity reinforced by recurrent water imagery like lakes, puddles and rain. In “Lucky Joke,” a crisp rock number, Tividad sings, “Down by the water/I watched you try to fit inside of something else.”

There’s also the duo’s embrace of chaos. On “Roses,” the album’s closer, Tucker makes it explicit: “Create the vague you need and get married in the seams.”

Perhaps that’s their real subject: possibility.

Roy Garrett “Hot Rod to Hell” Dark Entries www.darkentriesrecords. com This album is an artifact from a bygone era: Garrett, who appeared in gay-porn films like Joe Gage’s “Heatstroke,” originally issued it as a self-released cassette in 1982.

Comprised of 48 brief vignettes about Manhattan’s gay scene in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, the record contains more speaking than singing. Garrett’s matterof-fact delivery is sometimes accompanied by synthesizer sound effects and even some disco, courtesy of producer Man Parrish.

Listeners expecting a celebration of post-Stonewall hedonism will be disappointed. Despite frequent references to gay cruising grounds like the Piers and the Mineshaft, Garrett’s poems address the emotional toll of sex work and promiscuity. “I never thought this hustling trip would fuck up my head,” he says at one point. He’s also blunt about the risks: Gay-bashing and murder are constant concerns.

Dark Entries, a San Francisco label dedicated to underground electronic music, released this on Valentine’s Day. It’s a unique document of a time when porn and performance art mixed. The LP version comes with a 44-page booklet featuring nudes of Garrett along with his poetry.

All proceeds will go to Housing Works, a New York City charity focused on AIDS and homelessness. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Jonathan Van Ness is all over the place

By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor To most audiences, LGBTQ or otherwise, long-haired Jonathan Van Ness is an out, style/social-consciousness icon whose talents as a hairdresser and tonsorial-grooming expert on the Netflix series “Queer Eye” — the surprisingly poignant reboot of the Bravo network’s “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” — are only surpassed by his instincts regarding magnanimity and public spirit.

Perhaps it is that very same intuition that makes him a dynamic podcaster (à la “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness”) and universally loved stand-up comedian who came for his first comedy gig in Philadelphia at Upper Darby’s Tower Theatre this week. PGN caught up to the constantly in motion Van Ness fresh from a stay in Japan, where he and the “Queer Eye” crew were filming special episodes.

PGN: As a stand-up comedian, are you as excited to twist the language in comical spurts as zealously as you do on “Queer Eye” or your podcast?

JV: I always want to be aware of the impact that my comedy makes. I always try to use my best judgment. To me, comedy is to bring people joy and to make them laugh. It’s not to shock people. I just want to bring joy and laughter and knowledge in fun ways.

PGN: I ask because you seem truly and honestly very emotional on “Queer Eye,” and dedicated to those you come in contact with. Are there episodes of the program that you can point to that are the most touching?

JV: I’ve been behind a chair doing hair for 13 years, so connecting with people I work with comes naturally to me.

Picking someone as my favorite is hard, but Mamma Tammye [Tammye Hicks, the show’s first female client and a devoutly religious woman who stole the show when the “Queer Eye” crew rehabbed her church and her home] is definitely so special. But there are also moments coming up in season three that are equally touching in new ways.

PGN: I have interviewed a lot of podcast people — some who do comedy (Greg Proops comes to mind) who keep their stand-up work and podcast work separate.

Does one influence the other?

JV: They are very different to me. In “Getting Curious,” I’m interviewing a new person every week about things I’m

curious about, so I’m not really doing standup. I’m asking questions in earnest and having a fun conversation. I might be funny sometimes, but that’s not what inspires the podcast.

PGN: Self-assurance is the one thing that seemingly carries through everything you do. Where did that come from in your past?

JV: From running away from pitchforks my whole childhood.

PGN: Were you a big fan of the original “Queer Eye,” and was there someone on that show that you felt most attracted to as an influencer/guide/teacher?

JV: I was most attracted in general to Kyan [Douglas] — he was totally my first crush. But I look up to all of the Fab Five in different ways, and they are all people whose opinions and friendships I appreciate.

PGN: The “Gay of Thrones” show (a “Funny or Die” online short program) is illuminating and hilarious. Were you much of a “Game of Thrones” fan before doing “Gay of Thrones” on your podcast?

JV: At first my temperature was like 99.1, but now it’s like 106-degree fever.

PGN: I have interviewed several “Game of Thrones” actors who think “Gay of Thrones” is fantastic. Do you have much interaction with the cast? And how do you think “Game of Thrones” will end?

JV: I got to work with them for a season premiere in 2014, and they were all really nice. And I have no clue as to how “Thrones” will end. I really don’t have a clue, but I can’t wait to see what happens.

PGN: This standup show … from what I am hearing, your fan base is as much of a female crowd as an LGBTQ crowd. Is it teens? And how do you speak separately and equally to both?

JV: Actually, my fan base is not teen girls; it’s actually more women in their 20s and 30s and above. I have fans of all ages from different walks of life. I give observations on my experiences and try to be an ally, period. That’s how I speak equally.

PGN: What is your biggest responsibility on that standup stage? Is it solely to you?

Is it to an LGBTQ community?

JV: The biggest responsibility is to the people who bought tickets to my show.

I want to give them an hour and some break from this crazy world we’re in and bring them some joy and levity. n

OUT-LOUD LAUGHS: Comedians Frank Liotti, Jess Soloman and Eman El-Husseini converge upon the suburbs for the Out of the Closet Comedy Show, 7:30-9 p.m.

March 7 at The Comedy Works located in Georgine’s Restaurant, 1320 Newport Road, Bristol. For more information or tickets, call 215-741-1661.

Theater & Arts Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The Kimmel Center presents the worldrenowned AfricanAmerican cultural experience and American modern dance tradition, March 1-2 at Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.

Arte Povera: Homage to Amalfi ’68 Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition recreating one artist’s reactionary exhibition against minimalism and pop art, through July, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Bob: A Life in Five Acts Azuka Theatre presents the story chronicling the highly unusual life of Bob and his lifelong quest to become a “Great Man,” through March 17 at Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St.; 215-563-1100.

The Bridges of Madison County Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Tony Awardwinning play based on the bestselling novel, through March 3 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-985-0420.

Dieter Rams: Principled Design Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition surveying the designer’s prolific body of work — from radios, clocks and cameras to kitchen appliances and furniture, through April 14, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Equality — Pride in Our History Exhibition This exhibit takes visitors on a journey through the decades of gay Pride, showcasing a collection of stories, photos and memorabilia contributed by LGBTQ individuals and their allies, through March 23 at Visit Bucks County, 3207 Street Road,

Bensalem; www. newhopecelebrateshistory.org.

Giselle The Pennsylvania Ballet performs the premiere of Angel Corella’s restaging of the story of a young woman whose love triumphs over vengeance and lasts even beyond death, March 3-17 at The Kimmel Center’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.

Hayden and Beethoven The Philadelphia Orchestra performs through March 2 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.

Kate The Unexamined Life Walnut Street Theatre presents a production examining the life of Hollywood legend

Katharine Hepburn, March 5-April 7 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.

Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors Walnut Street Theatre presents the comedy set in 1930s Paris, just hours away from “The Concert of the Century,” through March 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.

Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the influence of Miss Fanchon, the ultimate toy for privileged girls in the 1860s-’70s, through March 3, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Long Light Philadelphia Museum

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.

PGN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS

Music Within Temptation The hard-rock band performs 7 p.m.

March 1 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St.; 215625-3681.

HARLEM RENAISSANCE: Dance Affiliates brings the iconic Dance Theatre of Harlem back to town for the world premiere of a new work

by Philadelphia native and resident choreographer Robert Garland, March 1-2 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-898-3900.

of Art presents an exhibition featuring the photography of David Lebe, through May 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Mendelssohn and Schubert The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with piano prodigy Jan Lisiecki, March 7-10 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215893-1999.

Michelle Wolf The comedian performs March 7-9 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215-606-6555.

Mimi Imfurst Presents Drag Diva Brunch Mimi Imfurst and special guests perform 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 2 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215-606-6555.

New Chinese Galleries Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring 4,000 years of

Chinese art, through 2021, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Rent Broadway Philadelphia presents the blockbuster rock musical about struggling artists in Manhattan, March 5-10 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215893-1999.

Shen Yun The classical Chinese dance troupe performs through March 3 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.

Vessels Dance Affiliates presents the allfemale dance group March 7-9 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.

Brittany’s Birthday Brunch Brittany Lynn hosts a drag brunch to celebrate her birthday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. March 3 at Tabu, 254 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675.

Ronnie Spector & The Ronettes The pop/soul singer performs 8 p.m.

March 1 at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215222-1400.

Big Head Todd and The Monsters The alternative-rock band performs 7:30 p.m. March 3 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.

Cypress Hill and Hollywood Undead The rap/rockers perform 7:30 p.m.

March 3 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St.; 215625-3681.

Nothing More The hard-rock band performs 6:30 p.m. March 8 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St.; 215625-3681.

Nightlife Cabaret Sauvignon A one-woman live cabaret show, 7-10 p.m. March 1 at Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215-735-0735.

Twisted Circus A magic/burlesque/ cabaret side show, 8:30 p.m. March 6 at Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215-735-0735.

Drag Wars: Totally Awesome ’80s Night Drag queens take

on a “Garbage Pail Kids” theme to compete for glory, 8-11 p.m. March 8 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 Saint James St.; 215-735-5772.

Outta Town The Monkees The remaining two members of the iconic four-member TV band of thelate 1960s will perform 8 p.m. March 6 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215-572-7650.

(Peter Tork died on Feb. 21.)

Se7en The crime-noir thriller is screened 9:45 p.m. March 1 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.

Kiki’s Delivery Service The acclaimed anime film is screened 1:30 p.m.

March 2 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228.

Y&T The hard-rock band performs 8 p.m. March 6 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808.

Satisfaction The Rolling Stones tribute band performs 8 p.m. March 7 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808.

Crimes of Passion The Van Halen tribute band performs 8 p.m.

March 8 at The Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 202-730-3331. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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Groundbreaking lesbian show poised to make comeback

By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor It has been a decade — International Women’s Day 2009, to be exact — since the final episode of “The L Word” aired on Showtime. Throughout six seasons, the groundbreaking series was the first to ever center lesbian and bisexual women.

And after 10 long, lesbian-less years, “The L Word” is coming back.

Show creator Ilene Chaiken, now an executive producer on Fox’s “Empire” and a producer on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” changed the TV landscape with her drama about a group of West Hollywood women leading ordinary lives like, well, lesbians.

There’s never been a series like it before or since — which says something about where lesbians stand in the LGBTQ alphabet and the TV landscape. There have been quite a few series with lesbian characters in the decade post-”The L Word,” but there’s been an epidemic of lesbians killed off just as they find love. Literally dozens since “The L Word” ceased production.

The one long-term lesbian presence was the doctor duo of Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw), a fixture on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” But when the couple broke up after nine years, Capshaw’s character had a fling, but both actresses eventually left the series. (Ramirez currently plays a butch-presenting non-binary character on CBS’ “Madam Secretary.”)

Showtime, which aired the original series, has announced “The L Word” is coming back, thanks to Chaiken shoving that envelope again. Call it a revival, a reboot, a sequel ... All you need to know is Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Shane (Katherine Moennig) and Alice (Leisha Hailey) will reprise their roles and there will be more lesbians, bisexuals and trans folks this time. The three principals and Chaiken will also executive-produce.

Creators expect the show to return by year’s end, possibly as early as summer.

Chaiken said it was time to bring the series PORTRAIT from page 19

PGN: First crush?

LS: There was this older ballet student in the class after me. I didn’t know her, but I remember watching her put her hair up in a bun thinking she was pretty.

PGN: What era would you go back to?

LS: I’m a little obsessed with English history, Queen Elizabeth I and the Tudor time period. I’d love to hang out with her. Though I’m not thrilled with the idea of wearing long skirts.

Mine would be dirty all the time. And I don’t know if I could handle being around people who only bathe twice a year.

back because, in Trump-land, we need lesbian images more than ever.

Showtime knew Chaiken couldn’t do it herself — she has an exclusive contract with Fox for “Empire” — but Chaiken said tha getting a younger showrunner who was still out in the dating world and living the lesbian/ queer life would put a fresh stamp on the beloved series.

Marja Lewis Ryan, a lesbian actress, director, playwright and producer, was tapped as showrunner for the new “The L Word.”

“Ilene [Chaiken] and the original ‘L Word’ made me believe that my voice mattered,” Ryan said in a published report. “I am beyond excited for the opportunity to usher in the next generation of diverse queer people. I couldn’t imagine a better time to make this show.”

Both Ryan and Chaiken intend to address critiques of the original series head-on: that “The L Word” was somewhat tone deaf on race and class issues, had some bi-phobic aspects and — like most series until very recently — did not cast trans actors in trans roles.

Ryan, who is married and whose wife is about to have the couple’s first child, said she’s deeply invested in bringing “The L Word” to another generation of lesbians and queer women. She has pledged to make the series even more inclusive and diverse than the original.

Ryan said she “loved the original” and wants “The L Word” to be “something you love to watch” and that there’s “something compulsively watchable inside each episode.”

Ryan, now 33, said, “I was in my late teens when ‘The L Word’ came out — and it changed my life. I wouldn’t have been a writer if I didn’t know who Ilene Chaiken was. Knowing that I could write stories about lesbians made me become a writer.”

Just remember, before there was Stella from “Orange Is the New Black,” there was Shane from “The L Word.” And she’s coming back. n PGN: This last election saw more women getting involved and elected than ever before. Is it exciting to be a part of that?

LS: Yes. It’s nice that there are so many role models in office for girls to look up to. We didn’t really have that.

Years ago, I met Nancy Pelosi and got a picture with her. At that time, not many people knew who she was. So, now it’s exciting to have that photo!

It’s great to see so many women gaining prominence — Stacey Abrams, Kamala Harris, Alexandria OcasioCortez … so many amazing women changing politics.

PGN: And after the elections in May, we’ll add your name … again! n

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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Legal Notices Change of Name Noticei n the Court of Common Pleas of Phila. County, PA, February Term, 2019, No. 783 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on February 11, 2019 the Petition of Judy Erle Smith, also known as Judy Erle Fitzgerald was filed, praying for a Decree to change Petitioner’s name to Judy Erle Smith.

The Court has fixed April 5, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 691, City Hall, Broad & Market Sts., Philadelphia, PA as the time and place for the hearing of said Petition, when and where all persons interested may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., Atty. for Petitioner Jerner & Palmer, P.C. 5401 Wissahickon Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144. 215-843-6000. ________________________________________43-09 Change of Name Notice In the Court of Common Pleas of Phila. County, PA January Term, 2019, No. 3101 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 31, 2019 the Petition of Jennifer Rose Higgins was filed, praying for a Decree to change Petitioner’s name to Jennifer Higgins Fin. The Court has fixed April 5, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 691, City Hall, Broad & Market Sts., Philadelphia, PA as the time and place for the hearing of said Petition, when and where all persons interested may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted.

Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., Atty. for Petitioner Jerner & Palmer, P.C. 5401 Wissahickon Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-843-6000. ________________________________________43-09 Change of Name Notice In the Court of Common Pleas January Term, 2019, No. 3111 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 31, 2019 the Petition of Aletheia Maia Miranda Henry was filed, praying for a Decree to change Petitioner’s name to Aletheia Maia Miranda Henry Fin. The Court has fixed April 5, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 691, City Hall, Broad & Market Sts., Philadelphia, PA as the time and place for the hearing of said Petition, when and where all persons interested may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., Atty. for Petitioner Jerner & Palmer, P.C. ________________________________________43-09

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 1-7, 2019

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