PGN March 2-8, 2012 edition by The Philadelphia Gay News

Womynsfest celebrates 12 years

Family Portrait: Eric Schellack

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The Marriage Issue: The latest on the legalities and help planning yours

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STARTING ON PAGE 7

March 2-8, 2012

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Vol. 36 No. 9

City: Scouts don’t merit legal fees By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com

RELATIONSHIP ADVICE: Stephen Williams (from left), Ricardo Bostic, D. Elijah Vanlue Jr. and Kim Kendrick prepared for their panel presentation, “We Love 2: The Black LGBT Experience,” Feb. 25 at Temple University. About 50 people attended the discussion, which was part of the daylong “Black Love Experience,” a relationship conference organized by The Philadelphia Sunday Sun and the NAACP. Photo: Scott A. Drake

After artist dustup, ’Nova calls for LGBT inclusion By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com About 200 members of the Villanova University community gathered Tuesday night to hear from the school’s president about his decision to cancel the performance series of an openly gay artist. According to members of the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition, who were in attendance at this week’s meeting, the Rev. Peter Donohue apologized “to members of the community who felt offended. That was not our intent.” Donohue did not direct a specific apology to artist Tim Miller, who had been slated to facilitate a performance-art workshop series at the school in April. Miller is known for his edgy, envelopepushing techniques, but his series had been approved through PAGE 17

Attorneys for the city have asked a federal judge to reject the Boy Scouts’ latest request for more than $1 million in legal fees related to the dispute over their occupancy of a city-owned building. The Scouts want a total of $1,038,664.07 from the city for winning one of their claims in a federal civil-rights lawsuit to avoid eviction. Federal law allows the prevailing party in a civil-rights lawsuit to bill the other party for legal fees. But a Feb. 10 motion filed by the city suggests that the Scouts’ successful claim will ultimately prove to be meritless. Thus, the Scouts wouldn’t be entitled to any legal fees from the city. And if the claim isn’t tossed out on appeal, the Scouts would only be entitled to $302,327 from the city, according to the city’s motion. Between July 2010 and February 2012,

the Scouts claim they incurred $75,089 in legal fees — mostly while trying to reach a settlement with the city. However, the city’s Feb. 10 motion disputes that figure as well. According to the motion, the Scouts only incurred $33,744 in legal fees during that time period, if anything. In the beginning Since 2008, the city has been trying to evict the BSA Cradle of Liberty Council from 231-251 N. 22nd St., because the council won’t accept gays nor pay any rent. In response to the eviction notice, the Scouts sued the city in federal court. In 2010, a jury ruled that the city acted unconstitutionally when conditioning the Scouts’ rent-free occupancy of the property on compliance with antibias rules. The Scouts’ request for legal fees is based on winning that unconstitutionalcondition claim. The jury rejected two other Scouts’

claims against the city: viewpoint discrimination and equal-protection violations. The city disputes the amount of work done by the Scouts’ attorneys to bring about the winning claim. The city also contends the Scouts are trying to bill the city for legal work done on claims the Scouts lost. “Taxpayers are required to reimburse prevailing parties only for those fees and expenses actually needed to achieve the favorable result,” the city’s Feb. 10 motion states. “The [civil-rights] laws weren’t intended to provide a windfall for lawyers at the taxpayers’ expense.” But the Scouts say there’s overlap between the legal work done on the successful and unsuccessful claims. Thus, they’re entitled to bill the city for some work done on the unsuccessful claims if that work also contributed to the successful claim. The city’s Feb. 10 motion also faults the Scouts for allegedly trying to bill for too many attorneys doing PAGE 2

Health, community leaders talk strategy By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Several-dozen LGBT and HIV/AIDS community leaders came together with city officials last week to discuss the local strategy to fight the epidemic. The Feb. 22 meeting, organized by several community activists, was precipitated by community concerns following funding cuts in a recent Centers for Disease Control award administered by the city. Among the topics discussed, representatives from the Health Department and the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office detailed the funding-award selection process for the recent High Impact HIV-Prevention Services awards, in particular the Resource Allocation Advisory Committee. Created in 1993, the 12-member group assists in setting city HIV funding priorities and reviews funding applications, making recommendations to the health commissioner for his final approval. The members, who are appointed by the commissioner, currently function in anonymity, which some attendees at the meetPAGE 23 ing took umbrage with,

TAKING TOUGH QUESTIONS: Donald Schwarz, Philadelphia’s out health commissioner and deputy mayor for health and opportunity, spoke with leaders in the LGBT and HIV/AIDS community Feb. 22 about the city’s plan to fight the epidemic. The meeting was organized by community activists to shed light on the processes behind the city’s HIV/AIDS strategy, following a funding announcement that left several agencies dissatisfied. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Who are the movers and shakers in Philadelphia’s LGBT community?

Next week, meet PGN’s Power List — professionals who are at the top of their ﬁelds, trailblazers representing the LGBT community and serving as ambassadors in business, academia and government.

PGN’s Power List

March 9

PGN LOCAL SCOUTS from page 1

the same work. “[The Scouts] seek fees for time spent on duplicated tasks and vague or non-existent time entries that render it impossible to determine if the time spent on the task is reasonable,” the motion states. Some of the Scouts’ fee entries have been redacted in exhibits submitted to the court, the city’s motion notes. “[The city] cannot determine the propriety of the billable time if there is no suggestion whatsoever as to what services the attorneys performed during that time [due to the redactions],” the city’s motion states. Kera Armstrong, a spokesperson for the Scouts, had no comment on the redaction issue, nor any other aspect of the litigation. If the Scouts are awarded any legal fees, the money presumably would go to their pro-bono attorneys at the law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. In an earlier motion, the city asked U.S. District Judge Ronald L. Buckwalter to defer ruling on the Scouts’ request for legal fees until the appellate process is completed — because the Scouts’ successful claim might be thrown out on appeal. But in Jan. 31 ruling, Buckwalter said he didn’t want to postpone the fee-determination process. “The court sees no principled reason in this case to withhold a determination of the fees and costs, especially here where the court indulged the parties’ request to withhold a decision on essentially all pending motions for well over a year upon representation that the case could be reasonably resolved by agreement of the parties,” Buckwalter stated. Judicial request In a related matter, Buckwalter recently asked both sides to file supplemental briefs on the city’s post-trial motion for dismissal of the unconstitutional-conditional claim — or alternatively, for a new trial. That post-trial motion has been held in abeyance for about 20 months, as both sides pursued a private settlement. The city’s basic position is that a 2010 Supreme Court decision reaffirms the right of governments to condition subsidies on

compliance with antibias rules. However, the Scouts say that Supreme Court decision doesn’t apply, partly because the Scouts built and maintained the building in question with their own funds, and have occupied it for more than 80 years. The city’s supplemental brief was expected to be filed by Feb. 28. Then, the Scouts will have an opportunity to reply to that brief. There is no deadline for Buckwalter to issue a ruling on the post-trial motions, nor the fee determination. Settlement silence In June 2010, immediately after the jury verdict, Buckwalter encouraged both sides to settle the case out of court. Before jurors were dismissed, Buckwalter posed: “Why can’t these reasonable, honorable institutions get together now and reach some kind of amicable agreement as to how this issue should be ultimately disposed? Do you agree with me?” There was no audible response from the jurors. The only publicly known settlement attempt centered around a deal for the Scouts to purchase the property for $500,000 — far less than the appraised value. But critics said the deal would set a bad precedent by selling city property at a reduced rate to an organization that discriminates. And Philadelphia City Council declined to approve the plan. Gay businessman Mel Heifetz offered up to $2 million to purchase the building and donate it to a nonprofit that doesn’t discriminate. This week, Heifetz’s attorney, William H. Ewing, expressed confidence that the city ultimately won’t be responsible for any of the Scouts’ legal fees. “I think the jury verdict will be thrown out because of the 2010 Supreme Court decision,” Ewing said. “Therefore, the Scouts won’t be entitled to any fees as a result of what’s happened so far. If the city decides to dispose of this property because it’s surplus — which they’ve admitted by saying they’re willing to sell it to the Scouts — they ought to sell it. Let the Boy Scouts bid on it like everyone else. And let the court case run its course.” ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

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RED ’RAISER: More than 130 people donned red and headed to the inaugural party of Equality Pennsylvania’s Rising Equality Donors program Feb. 25 at Woody’s. RED was created to mobilize young progressives around LGBT-rights issues and grow fundraising efforts among this population. The social raised about $1,600, which will support Equality PA’s political fund. Photo: Scott A. Drake NEWS

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

AIDS Fund marks lucky 13th BINGO soiree By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com LGBTs and allies will be looking for some Saint Patrick’s Day luck this month when they uncap their bingo dabbers at an annual HIV/AIDS fundraiser. AIDS Fund’s 13th-annual Black-Tie Gay BINGO will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 17 at the Crystal Tea Room, 100 Penn Square East, ninth floor. The formal version of the organization’s monthly bingo event will raise money for a number of HIV/AIDS causes that AIDS Fund supports. Organizers are hoping the event will net $30,000-$35,000. AIDS Fund executive director Robb Reichard said planning for the event began in the fall and, this year, the organization was able to secure the Crystal Tea Room for a Saturday night — as opposed to the usual Friday affair — which he expects will prompt more supporters to attend. Reichard said last year’s corporate sponsors, including presenting sponsor PECO, all returned, and this year AIDS Fund was also able to secure sponsorship from Schnader, Harrison, Segal & Lewis. The evening will feature dinner, drinks, dancing, a silent auction and six rousing games of bingo led by the crowd favorite Bingo Verifying Divas. AIDS Fund will also present its annual

awards to individuals and organizations who have supported its mission. Its Founders’ Award this year will go to the William Way LGBT Community Center. “The goal of the Founders’ Award is to recognize people or a group of people who come together and fight HIV/AIDS in a unique way,” Reichard said. “William Way is a perfect example of that. HIV/AIDS is not their primary mission but they provide space in their building for groups that work on HIV/AIDS issues, and they provide space for testing. That synergy of the partnerships between all of these nonprofits is critical in today’s world.” AIDS Fund is one of the many local nonprofits whose offices are headquartered at the center. Last year — to mark AIDS Fund’s 25th anniversary and the 30th year of the epidemic — AIDS Fund created an archival display at William Way, which Reichard said the center was integral in helping to organize. “William Way was the prime sponsor of the display, and the staff, particularly Candice [Thompson, director of center services], was incredibly helpful in advising us and opening up the archives at the center for us to consult,” he said. “So we wanted to recognize all the support they’ve given us and the community.”

Chris Bartlett, executive director of the center, said the board, staff and volunteers of the agency are “greatly honored” to receive the award. “From the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, the community center and AIDS Fund have been partners in the effort to promote the health and well-being of people living with HIV, their family and friends,” he said. “We deeply appreciate the acknowledgement of our multi-decade partnership.” The “Favorite Straight Person of the Year” award will be presented to Lorraine Ballard Morrill, news and community affairs director for Clear Channel Radio’s six local stations. Ballard Morrill produced a pioneering series on HIV/AIDS on Power 99 in the early ’80s and has been a strong ally of the community and AIDS Fund since. Garry Stover and Steve Terrill will receive the Ferrara Family Volunteer awards. Stover began walking in the organization’s AIDS Walk Philly in 1993 on behalf of his friend, Albert Radzavies, who was battling the disease. Radzavies, who once worked at AIDS Fund, died in 1995 and Stover, as a registered nurse who also has his commercial driver’s license, went on to volunteer each year to rent, load, unload and drive the trucks that help with the production of the

event. “I promised Albert I would help with AIDS Walk Philly until HIV/AIDS was over,” he said. “It is important to me to continue this fight in his memory.” Terrill, a paramedic student, began volunteering in 1997, when he was in seventh grade, and has missed only one walk since. He has pitched in on everything from the food tent to setting up stations along the route. “AIDS Walk Philly is the major volunteer effort I make time for in my life, and I like that my experience has allowed me to meet people from all walks of life I would otherwise never encounter,” Terrill said. “AIDS Fund is the only charity I support, and being involved is a good way to help the community.” Reichard said the evening’s array of activities make for an exciting and rewarding night out. “It’s a really great opportunity to go out with friends and have a good time while helping to raise money,” he said. “With it being on St. Patrick’s Day this year, we’ll be doing some different things with that, and the BVDs just make the evening really unique and special.” Tickets to Black-Tie Gay BINGO are $150 and can be purchased at www.aidsfundphilly.org or by calling 215-731-9255. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

LOCAL PGN

HUNTING HISTORY: Philadelphia AIDS Thrift opened its doors last Saturday to crew from PBS’ “History Detectives,” including Gwen Wright (left) and Edward Lewis, who were looking into a piece of Frank Zappa ephemera for an upcoming episode. An airdate for the piece has not yet been set. Photo: PBS/Fran Laks

LGBT foster youth group begins By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com While LGBT youth are thought to be largely overrepresented in the child-welfare system, there are few programs tailored to address their unique needs — a challenge that a new support group is confronting. The group, operated by Pennsylvania MENTOR, will hold its first meeting at 6 p.m. March 7 at 125 S. Ninth St., launching what is thought to be the city’s first support group for LGBTQ foster-care youth. The MENTOR Network is a national social-services agency offering comprehensive programs for children and adults, and MENTOR authorization specialist Tim Chambers will serve as group leader. Chambers, 27, who is pursuing his master’s of social work at Temple University, presented the idea for the group to his supervisors as a means of providing a muchneeded service to the city’s youth. “In addition to all of the challenges LGBTQ teens face every day, these youth in foster care really need to come out multiple times — to family and friends and, if they’re moving from home to home, to different caregivers at different schools,” he said. “They deal with bullying, and many are already predisposed to suicidal ideations. There are so many issues unique to this population that aren’t understood.” Open discussion is a primary goal of the group, which will meet twice a month. Chambers noted the program is designed to encourage the exchange of ideas, but not to function as “group therapy.” “I don’t want to pathologize kids’ experience because there’s nothing wrong with them. They all have different and unique

experiences and I don’t want to put them through more therapy,” he said. “This is strictly support-focused, where they can get together, share stories and see that they’re not alone, that they’re not the only ones going through what they’re going through.” Education will also be part of the group. Chambers has created a unique curriculum that will acquaint the group members with LGBT history and culture through reading and viewing materials, and a number of guest speakers. “I want to introduce them to positive gay role models,” he said. “A lot of these kids don’t have access to this information or the resources to find it, and it’s good for them to understand that they’re a part of a larger community that is proud and has a very proud history.” Chambers has reached out to a number of agencies and programs that work with youth in the child-welfare system, including Arise Academy Charter School, an institution specifically for foster-care youth, and the Achieving Independence Center, a program for youth on the way to independent living. There is no age requirement for the group, as the program is “open to anyone and everyone” interested, Chambers said. Chambers is openly gay and said he hopes his leadership will communicate to the youth the possibilities that await them. “We want to incorporate the ‘It Gets Better’ message from the Dan Savage campaign, and them being able to see an older openly gay male who’s happy and welladjusted can help communicate that message,” he said. For more information, visit www.lgbtqsupport.org or www.facebook.com/lgbtqyouth or email tim@lgbtqsupport.org. ■

REGIONAL PGN

Judge: Federal claim can be included in NJ marriage suit By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A New Jersey judge last week reinstated a federal claim in a suit seeking marriage equality in the Garden State. Super Court Assignment Judge Linda Feinberg ruled Feb. 21 that the plaintiff couples in a suit against the state of New Jersey can argue that the lack of a marriageequality law violates their 14th Amendment rights. Feinberg previously dismissed the federal equal-protection violation but was petitioned by plaintiffs to reconsider it. The state’s Attorney General’s office has not yet decided if it will appeal. Feinberg’s ruling came just days after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a marriage-equality bill passed for the first time by both chambers of the legislature. Advocates will have until January 2014 to muster enough votes for an override, or success could also come from the courts. Lambda Legal filed the suit last summer on behalf of seven same-sex couples and Garden State Equality, arguing four counts of rights violations under both the state and federal constitutions. In November, however, Feinberg dismissed all but one count — the state equalprotections claim. Jon Davidson, legal director at Lambda Legal, said the reinstatement of the federal claim was a boon for the plaintiffs.

“Having both a state and federal equalprotection claim will only make our case stronger,” he said. “We look forward to presenting a complete record of the discrimination that New Jersey’s same-sex couples and their children face because of their relegation to civil unions rather than marriage.” Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, said the ruling continues the momentum marriage equality has found in recent weeks in New Jersey. “The majority of voters are in favor of marriage equality, the legislature is in favor of marriage equality and now we intend to show that both the state and federal constitutions bar the second-class treatment New Jersey is now providing,” he said. In her opinion, Feinberg said evolving court precedents on the issue of same-sex marriage helped support her reversal. She cited the recent Proposition 8 case in California, in which last month an appeals court panel upheld a lower court’s decision that the voter ban on same-sex marriage violated gays’ and lesbians’ federal equalprotection rights. Feinberg wrote that, unlike Prop. 8, New Jersey’s civil-union law “was intended to confer more benefits on same-sex couples, rather than take them away,” but that, the New Jersey law is “arguably similar because it singles out a certain class of citizens, namely gays and lesbians, for allegedly disfavored treatment.” A trial in the case is expected in 2013. ■

First week of Clementi trial underway By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Testimony continued this week in the trial of Dharun Ravi, the former Rutgers University student accused of cyberbullying roommate Tyler Clementi days before the latter took his own life. A national spotlight was on the Middlesex County Courthouse in New Jersey as classmates of the accused took the stand to detail their version of the September 2010 incident. Ravi is accused of spying on Clementi in an embrace with another man and sharing those images with other students. A few days later, Clementi committed suicide. Molly Wei, who was originally arrested alongside Ravi, testified for the prosecution early this week that Ravi remotely turned on his webcam from her computer after Clementi asked to have the room to himself for a few hours. Wei said she and Ravi were “shocked” by the images of Clementi kissing another man and watched the video for about two seconds before shutting it off. Wei said she and Ravi chatted with other friends online about what they’d seen and, within minutes, several other students stopped by and they turned the feed back on, finding both men were shirtless.

Ravi allegedly sent out a Twitter message later that week to invite classmates to again view the feed when Clementi asked for the room, which Wei said on the stand she did not learn about until after Clementi was reported missing. Wei contacted police to report Ravi’s tweet, which he had attempted to delete, and she was then arrested. “I thought if there’s something significant that could help the search for Tyler or anything, it would be wrong of me to not tell them I had found this out,” she said. “I personally felt like I had done something wrong but I didn’t really understand the law.” Wei’s testimony was part of an agreement that included 300 community-service hours. Also this week, a university official testified that Clementi filed a request for a room change less than two days after the webcam incident but it was not processed until after his suicide. Last Friday, two Rutgers students who also knew Ravi testified, Pooja Kolluri and Scott Xu. Ravi faces 15 counts, including invasionof-privacy and bias charges. The trial is expected to last three to four weeks. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

PGN

Out authors, partners explore Philly retail history By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Tom Keels and Larry Arrigaile will celebrate their 20th anniversary later this year — and last week marked another milestone that took their partnership from personal to professional. “Philadelphia’s Golden Age of Retail” hit bookshelves Feb. 27, marking the first time the duo has collaborated as authors. Ke e l s n ow h a s s i x b o o k s a b o u t Philadelphia history under his belt, several of which were published by Arcadia, which approached him with the idea for this latest venture. Serendipitously, Arrigaile was wellversed in the city’s history as a retail hub, which Keels said provided the ideal opportunity for the two to join as co-authors. Arrigaile, an antiques appraiser and the former general manager of Antiques Market of Chestnut Hill, began in the mid-1990s collecting “Victorian trade cards,” chromolithograph color cards that stores used as advertising and which children often collected as a hobby. “The first card I ever bought was from a dealer who brought it into the store, and it was a Wanamaker and Brown card,” Arrigaile said. “And from that card, we started going to antiques and paper shows looking for more, but I realized we can’t collect cards from all over the country so we said, ‘Let’s specialize in Philadelphia stores.’” In his personal research, Arrigaile amassed vast amounts of information and ephemera from the city’s early department stores, which came in handy when the book idea was proposed. Keels said he didn’t have any apprehensions about working side-by-side with his partner on writing the book. He has written with co-authors on two of his other books, and Arrigaile has helped edit and serve as photographer and “in-house tech expert” on several of his works. Once the chapters were delineated, each author took charge of one and swapped their finished product for the other to edit and critique. Keels said he was surprised to find that their writing styles were fairly similar and lends continuity to the book, which, as part of the “Images in America” series, utilizes photographic support to help tell the story. “Philadelphia’s Golden Age of Retail” traces the period between the Civil War through the second-half of the 20th century, when the city saw the creation of a retail mecca on Market Street. “Everyone talks about how New York had Macy’s and Gimbels next to each other in Herald Square, but here in Philadelphia imagine that there was Macy’s next to Gimbels next to Bloomingdale’s next to Lord & Taylor next to Bergdorf Goodman,”

LARRY ARRIGAILE (LEFT) AND TOM KEELS Photo: John Faggotti

Keels said. “They were all competing with one another and were doing whatever they could to bring customers through their doors.” Finding success amid so much competition required some unique marketing techniques, which the stores delivered on, Keels said. In 1909, Gimbels sponsored airplane races between New York and Philadelphia. In the ’20s, several of the city’s earliest commercially viable radio stations operated out of the department stores, and in the 1940s, some of the venues began bringing in televisions for in-house advertising. One of the most successful efforts, however, was the city’s — and the nation’s — first Thanksgiving Day Parade, begun in 1920 by a small group of Gimbels employees. While Market Street’s retail landscape now looks much different from its heyday, Keels said today’s venues could learn a thing or two from their predecessors. “They saw their stores as something more than just a place to sell sweatshirts and jeans, and really thought about what they could do to get people excited and show them a good time,” Keels said, noting that the current Macy’s in Center City seems to have held on to that ideal, with its annual Christmas light show, its restoration of the Wanamaker organ and the 2010 flash mob it sponsored, which brought 650 singers to the store for a rendition of “Hallelujah Chorus.” Keels and Arrigaile have several presentations on “Philadelphia’s Golden Age of Retail” scheduled, with the kickoff at 3 p.m. March 9 at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 S. Sixth St. Tickets are free for members or $10 for non-members and can be purchased by calling 215-925-2688 or visiting www.philaathenaeum.org. ■

NATIONAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Judge rules against DOMA, �� House leaders appeal �� By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

Attorneys representing a panel of Republican Congressional leaders last week filed an appeal to a court decision that found a section of the federal ban on samesex marriage to be unconstitutional. The House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group Feb. 24 appealed the ruling by District Court Judge Jeffrey White in the case of a federal court employee denied health coverage for her partner. White found that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman, violated plaintiff Karen Golinski’s federal right to equal protection under the law. Golinski married partner Amy Cunninghis in 2008 during the brief period when samesex marriage was legal in California. An attorney in the 9th Court of Appeals, Golinski attempted in 2008 to add her wife to her health-insurance plan but was denied, setting off the suit, which was spearheaded by Lambda Legal. White’s opinion is the first federal ruling on the constitutionality of DOMA since Attorney General Eric Holder announced last February that the federal government would no longer back the law in court. The Department of Justice was originally defending DOMA in Golinski’s case, but the head of DOJ’s civil division has since joined Golinski’s team of attorneys. White, appointed to the San Francisco bench by former President George W. Bush, is the second federal judge to find this section of DOMA violates the equal-protection

clause. The BLAG is appealing a similar 2010 ruling in Massachusetts. Tara Borelli, staff attorney in Lambda Legal’s Western Regional Office, said White’s finding “spells doom for DOMA.” White asserted that the law does not advance a strong government interest, which means it would fail the heightened scrutiny test for constitutionality, and said it would not live up to the rational-basis test, a less stringent evaluation of constitutionality. “The imposition of subjective moral beliefs of a majority upon a minority cannot provide a justification for the legislation,” he wrote, adding that other seeming arguments for DOMA do not pass muster either. “Tradition alone cannot form an adequate justification for a law. The ‘ancient lineage’ of classification does not render it legitimate. Instead, the government must have an interest separate and apart from the fact of tradition itself.” White also criticized the common argument that same-sex marriage could be harmful to children, stating that denying same-sex couples the right to marry constitutes a danger to children in those families. Borelli said White’s ruling reflects “that a law that denies one class of individuals the rights and benefits available to all others because of their sexual orientation violates the constitutional guarantee of equality.” White additionally issued an injunction barring the government from denying Golinski benefits for her wife. Last week, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a memo to House Speaker John Boehner calling BLAG’s intervention “a waste of taxpayer resources.” ■

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Bayard Rustin

Opening February 2, 2012

Md. guv to sign marriage bill The Maryland Senate approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage last Thursday, sending the measure to the desk of Gov. Martin O’Malley, an ardent marriage-equality supporter who is expected to sign it this week. The Maryland House of Delegates narrowly approved the bill last week, marking the first time the lower chamber had passed the measure; it stalled in the House last session following Senate passage. While marriage equality has achieved legislative approval, it likely will now also have to garner public approval, as opponents have vowed to put the issue to public referendum this fall. Recent polling numbers have indicated that a slim majority of Marylanders support marriage equality. Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, acknowledged that there “remains a lot of work to do between now and November to make marriage equality a reality in Maryland.” “Along with coalition partners, we look

forward to educating and engaging voters about what this bill does: It strengthens all Maryland families and protects religious liberty,” he said. Activists will have until June 30 to collect 55,736 voter signatures in order for the marriage-equality question to be placed on the November ballot. If successful, the law will be halted from going into effect pending the outcome of the referendum, and would join another ballot measure that challenges a legislature-approved bill that allows state universities to charge illegal immigrants in-state tuition. Despite the uncertain future of the measure, James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT Project, noted that Maryland is the third state in February — after New Jersey and Washington — to approve marriage equality, which he said represents “a significant sign that America has turned a corner in ensuring fairness and dignity for all families.” ■ — Jen Colletta

An exhibit at the Chester County Historical Society to commemorate the Civil Rights leader on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Generously supported by the Philadelphia Foundation, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Heritage Philadelphia Program and PGN.

From the Estate of Bayard Rustin

The Chester County Historical Society is located at 225 North High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 610-692-4800 ChesterCoHistorical.org facebook.com/ChestHist

Open Wednesday through Saturday, 9:30am to 4:30pm

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Yes, Rick Santorum again!

Editorial

Republican showdown This past Tuesday, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won Arizona and Michigan in the latest Republican primaries. While Michigan delegate totals weren’t posted by press time, Romney picked up 29 from Arizona, a winner-take-all state. By all accounts, it would have been a setback if Romney lost Michigan: He was born and raised there, and his father was governor from 1963-69. But he didn’t win big in Michigan, taking 41 percent of the vote to former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s 37.9 percent, Ron Paul’s 11.6 percent and Newt Gingrich’s 6.5. He did better in Arizona, where he took 47 percent of the vote and Santorum received 26.6, Gingrich took 16.2 percent and Paul took 8.4. Certainly, Santorum’s statements about women the past few weeks didn’t help his position: In Michigan, he lost every category of women polled after Tuesday’s vote — single, married and working — by a combined margin of 6 percent. It’s no surprise that women didn’t vote for him. Behold some of Santorum’s recent pronouncements: states should be allowed to ban contraception; abortion shouldn’t be allowed even in cases of rape; working women had been convinced by “radical feminists” that working outside the home is the only route to happiness; and President Obama is a “snob” for encouraging high-school students to pursue college or postgraduate training; and other statements that likely have alienated college-educated working women and those who consider themselves feminists. The next date to watch is March 6,

Super Tuesday, on which 10 states hold their primaries, including Georgia, Ohio, Virginia and Massachusetts. As PGN is featuring marriage in this issue, here’s a summary of where each of the four major candidates stand on same-sex marriage, compiled by The Associated Press. Fred Karger, the openly gay Republican candidate, supports full marriage equality. Gingrich: If the Defense of Marriage Act fails, “you have no choice except a constitutional amendment” to ban gay marriage. Under the act, the federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage and no state is forced to recognize a same-sex marriage validated by another state. Paul: Says decisions on legalizing or prohibiting should be left to states. Supports federal law allowing one state to refuse to recognize the same-sex marriages of another state. Romney: Favors constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage; says policy should be set federally, not by states. “Marriage is not an activity that goes on within the walls of a state.” Santorum: Supports constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, not leaving decision to states. “We can’t have 50 marriage laws ... Abraham Lincoln said the states do not have the right to do wrong. I respect the 10th Amendment, but we are a nation that has values. We are a nation that was built on a moral enterprise, and states don’t have the right to tramp over those because of the 10th Amendment.” ■

America loves a circus. Doesn’t even matter if it’s ethical. Tigers locked in cages all day? Elephants viciously whipped? We don’t care. We want to see big cats jump through hoops of fire and the world’s largest mammal stand on her hind legs before taking a bow. All while we shove cotton candy and funnel cakes into our face. This mindset is, as far as I can tell, the reason why Rick Santorum is a viable contender this far into the Republican scramble for the party’s nomination for president. He’s a spectacle and the American public doesn’t see something like this every day. Can it be that voters have become so used to the traditional prattle of politicians that Santorum’s propensity to say exactly what he means is actually a welcome change? Even if the things he says are elephant-shit crazy? This is a man who said on CNN that women who get pregnant as the result of being raped should just “make the best of a bad situation” and “accept what God has given to you.” This is man who has said, “I’m not a believer in birth control” and “I don’t think it works. I think it’s harmful to women. I think it’s harmful to our society.” This is a man who has equated marriage equality with man-on-dog sex. This is a man who said, into a microphone in front of lots of people, that the Crusades were actually a good thing. This is a man who said, about welfare, “I don’t want to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.” This is a man who wants to see all states follow the same antigay marriage law. As for same-sex couples who are already legally married? “Well their marriage would be invalid,” he said. “If the constitution says ‘marriage is this,’ then people whose marriages are not consistent with the constitution ... ” And then he shrugged. This is a man who said the separation of church and state “makes me want to throw up.” Granted, you may look at all of these positions and come to the conclusion that this is a man obsessed with social issues

who wants to impose his own ideological will on America should he become president. But you would be so wrong. That’s totally a lie perpetuated by the lamestream media, Santorum told NBC’s David Gregory recently. “Yeah, they are deeply held views, but they’re not what I dominantly talk about, David,” Santorum responded. “You’re taking things that, over a course of a 20year career, and pulling out quotes from different speeches on issues that are fairly tangential, not what people care about mostly in America, and saying, ‘Oh, he wants to impose those values.’ Look at my record. I never wanted to impose any of the things that you just talked about.” Then, just in case anyone missed the point, he added, “There is no evidence at all that I want to impose those values on anybody else.” It kind of makes you wonder just how Santorum is defining “no evidence” here. Perhaps he’s being misquoted and the “no” is actually “no.” — short for “number” — and in this case a very large number of so much undeniable evidence. Or maybe he misspoke and meant to say, “There is not no evidence at all.” It’s hard to say. Words are a tricky balancing act. And he’s working without a net. I’d make a “Send in the Clowns” reference now, but that would be an insult to Judy Collins. ■

This is a man who said, into a microphone in front of lots of people, that the Crusades were actually a good thing.

D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock ’n’ roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.

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OP-ED PGN

Fighting crime in the community Last week, we at PGN were honored with the police department. Our latest with the Community Engagement and way to highlight this issue is our regular Enrichment Award at the Center City feature, Gayborhood Crime Watch, which Crime Victim Services annual event. PGN came from a suggestion from Fran Price was represented well by our director of and the Philadelphia LGBT police liaison committee. advertising and marketing, Dan Calhoun. We are at times victims We at PGN are honored and appreciate the notice of our and we must learn to proefforts over the years to safetect ourselves, and PGN has guard our community with been a leader in this field, from the 13th Street Business information and advocacy. This is a crucial issue for our comAssociation in the 1970s until munity. Our community suftoday, as we still are in pursuit fers disproportionately on the of the truth about what hapissue of crime — hate crimes, pened to Nizah Morris on that random attacks and even murfateful night in 2002. ders, along with so many other The fact that Center City crime-related issues. Crime Victim Services recogFrom day one, this paper nized the work of the PGN staff through the years is truly an has worked in many fields to help ease or at least inform the honor. We thank them and are grateful for it — and we promcommunity, from helping to Mark Segal ise to continue to live up to that organize the local businesses in honor. ■ the midtown area for the first 13th Street Business Association to the Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the Washington Square Town Watch, which nation’s most-award-winning commentagot its start running out of our offices. We tor in LGBT media. He can be reached at worked with numerous district attorneys mark@epgn.com. and, at times, took D.A.s to court. Same

Mark My Words

Tell us what you think Send letters and opinion column submissions to: pgn@epgn.com; PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; fax: (215) 925-6437.

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Letters and Feedback In response to “Women get jail time in Breakfast Club death,” Feb. 24-March 1: That’s it? That’s all the jail time they got for killing someone?! — JBK! Unbelievable. A woman was murdered on the street and her killers get a slap on the wrist. — Phillymatt In response to “Mark My Words: When an out candidate challenges an LGBT ally,” Feb. 24-March 1: This is a net loss for the community. You stand by your friends. I guess that standard now only applies to Republicans in N.Y. If they supported a gay issue once — they must be protected! But decades of support count for naught. And, really, so hard to move a few blocks and challenge someone else?

Except you moved a few blocks so you could challenge our greatest supporter in the House. That speaks more to someone’s personal ambitions than their representing a community. Would have loved to support you — but not this way. — Poit I honestly think that Brian Sims challenging Josephs will divide the community. She has been pro-LGBTIQ when it still was uncool to be that way, and she may be able to control a powerful committee if the Dems take back the house. Not to mention, she is one of the less-than 20 percent of people who are female in both Houses. Expect Brian Sims to only get the gay male vote, while lesbians and trans/gender-variant people, as well as straight cis people, vote for Babette. I am a transsexual lesbian, and I stand by Mrs. Josephs. — JordanGwendolynDavis

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Street Talk

How would you react if your child came out at age 7? “I’d try to talk to the child about it, to see whether it’s a crush or something bigger. If he or she continues to Sean Brennan feel that way, cook I’d give my Fishtown blessing. And I’d make a referral to a gay youth group so the child can meet others going through the same thing. My main concern would be the child’s happiness.”

“I would be supportive, but I’d keep in mind that sexuality isn’t [fully] formulated at that age. I’d keep an eye on it. I’d Keith Mikus server revisit the Fishtown issue around 10 or 11. If the child continues saying their gay, I’d just let it be. And I’d help them adjust to the reality of their situation.”

“That’s a little young. I didn’t know my sexual orientation until the age of 12. I’d counsel the child to keep his or her Abigail Mott options open, poet because I feel Lancaster sexuality is fluid. If the kid is adamant about it, I would be supportive. I wouldn’t give reminders about things maybe changing."

“I wouldn’t be upset. And I wouldn’t try to dissuade the child. I’d try to assist him or her into becoming a well-adjusted Brian O’Neill sales associate adult — Fishtown whether that means being gay or straight. I’d want the child to be comfortable in their own skin.”

OK? Your point? Do you have one? I’m sorry, but this column fails to ask a question in a fully coherent manner in part due to using poor style in the writing and by reducing the campaigns of both candidates to a single issue. The reduction of both campaigns to their support of LGBTQ equality minimizes both. What are their stands on taxes? What methods will they use to ensure continued funding of the arts and HIV research and prevention? How will they ensure that the state adequately and fairly funds school districts? I am a gay man, but I am also an artist, a brother, a son, a nephew, a cousin and a friend. I know Josephs and Sims will both fight to protect my civil rights. What will they do to ensure that my family has every opportunity to succeed, and that my livelihood and the livelihoods of others can continue to flourish and shine? — JGLX

Two years ago, we both agreed that standing by our old and proven ally was a test of our community’s loyalty back to Babette for her steadfast loyalty to us, Mark. Gregg Kravitz wasn’t happy with my endorsement of Josephs on that basis on my blog, The Pennsylvania Progressive, but he understood my reasoning and accepted my decision. This year I believe the choice is more difficult because of Sims’ stature, record and financing. Add to that the fact Babette killed a bill that would have mandated a citizens’ commission for reapportionment and there’s an argument to support Brian. At this point I’m undecided. — John Morgan Babette has been the ally we’ve needed in the past, but it’s time not only for LGBT representation but new leadership. Brian has stepped up to the plate both here in PAGE 12 Philly and statewide, and

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

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Civil Union Taniya Rose and Swiggz Williams By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Two women who met at a Delaware club last year — but who unwittingly had known each other for years — are returning to that club later this month to celebrate their relationship. Swiggz Williams, 45, and partner Taniya Rose, 30, will be joined in a civil union March 16 at Crimson Moon Tavern in Wilmington. The pair met Feb. 19, 2011, at the club but later realized that they actually were connected through a local chatline years earlier. However, Williams said last year’s meeting came at the perfect time. “We talked when we were younger but I don’t think we would have been ready for each other at that time in our lives,” she said. “We needed the things that have since happened in our lives to make us ready for this in our lives.” Upon seeing Rose at the club, Williams said she “fell in love instantly.” Rose initiated the conversation, which Williams said gave her insight into her personality. “My first impression was that she was very confident,” Williams said. “She came toward me and asked me out, so I could see already that she was confident.” While they already had established a connection in their youth, FEEDBACK from page 11

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unfortunately Babette’s leadership in Harrisburg has been waning. I also worry because, since Brian announced his candidacy, Babette has been pushing LGBT rights bills to votes as amendments without working with advocacy groups or to whip up votes amongst her colleagues. They are failing miserably, and doing this is setting back the movement. Her service has been appreciated, but it’s time for a change. — Butterfly749 Jordan, how about you live in this community for 30 seconds before you start speaking on behalf of all of us! I’m a proud native Philly lesbian who’ll be voting for Brian and I think you owe a bunch of my gay friends in this city an apology. What, you think they’ll

keeping their relationship strong in the past year has been contingent upon being truthful with one another, Williams said. “Honesty,” she said about the key to their success. “No matter what our goals are, we tell each other everything honestly, to the T.” Williams, a restaurant assistant manager, and Rose, a security guard, decided that their relationship was ready for the next level — and chose to take that step in the place where they first laid eyes on one another. “That’s where the beginning was, so that’s where we wanted to start our lives,” Williams said. Family, friends and Crimson Moon regulars will gather for both the ceremony and reception. “They are a good match for each other, and we are grateful to be a part of their special moment,” said Crimson Moon manager Jeff Watson. ■

vote for him because he’s good looking? Yeah, that’s not calling them shallow. How about they vote for him because he’s a smart lawyer? Or because he saved Equality Advocates? Or because he’s worked 10 times harder than you have to protect your rights! Babette Josephs has been rewarded 13 times with reelection for anything she may have done in the past, but now choosing to “reward” her simply for being there is choosing to “punish” the rest of us. I was proud to vote for her in the past, but the past is the only time she’s been effective. The future is equal rights, the future is marriage equality, the future is working hard together. Babette is not the future and now someone is trying to step up and be that for all of us. For me, that deserves a fighting chance. ■ — PrissyPhilly

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Obituary

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Kathryn Furano, 47 By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

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Kathryn Furano, a former cochair of the Philadelphia LGBT Task Force, died this week of ovarian cancer. She was 47. Most recently a California resident, Furano headed the LGBTrights organization throughout the 1990s. Among her contributions to the Task Force, Furano assisted in the campaign to remove the antigay “Dr. Laura” show from local CBS stations and to open up communication between the LGBT community and public-broadcast channel WHYY. Furano grew up in Milford, Conn., and moved to Philadelphia to earn her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She later received her master’s degree from Columbia University in public administration with a concentration in social-welfare policy and then worked in the nonprofit world. She worked at West Philadelphia Improvement Corps, which provided services for disadvantaged youth, before joining Public/ Private Ventures, a national nonprofit that works to enhance social-services programs, particularly those geared toward youth. Furano started with the organization as an administrative assistant, worked her way up to director of policy and program development and helped launch the agency’s College and Career Connections Fund. She moved to the West Coast about 10 years ago to help get the agency’s California office off the ground. After moving to Oakland, Furano also worked for California social-services agencies Stupski Foundation and the James Irvine Foundation and consulted for an array of nonprofits. Her passion for youth and her nonprofit work fused in her book, “Big Brothers/Big Sisters: A Study of Program Practices,” published in 1993. In addition to her activist and lobbying work with the Task Force, Furano also volunteered as an AIDS Buddy with Action AIDS from 1992-95. According to friend and former basketball coach Maureen Hannigan, Furano helped her “buddies” with everything from cooking to cleaning to taking them to doctor’s appointments.

“She was the most compassionate, caring and generous person,” Hannigan said. Hannigan said Furano’s LGBTrights work, as well as her career aims, were the culmination of a long history of fearlessness. “She was the president of her high-school class, and her mom said that even then she wasn’t afraid to speak out, wasn’t afraid of public speaking,” Hannigan said. “She was always speaking out on behalf of anything she saw as unfair and wanted to fight to make things better for people.” That bold attitude was also revealed in her athletic prowess. A former basketball player, Furano learned to row at age 30 and went on to become a champion Masters rower.

BARBARA GITTINGS AND KATHRYN FURANO DURING FURANO’S TENURE AS HEAD OF THE PHILADELPHIA LGBT TASK FORCE

Last summer, even after three years of battling cancer, she won two gold medals and one silver. “She had such an intensity,” Hannigan said. “She died young, but she lived every day just fullspeed ahead. She lived fully all the time.” Furano is survived by her partner, Stacy Daraio, mother Leatrice Furano, sister Lauryn Carbone and her husband Ralph, and sister Allisyn Foster and her husband Jackson, along with several nieces and nephews. A memorial will be held from 10 a.m.-noon March 10 in Oakland, Calif. Memorial gifts can be sent to The John Chan, M.D. Fund for Ovarian Cancer Innovative Research, P.O. Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145 or Women’s Cancer Resource Center at www. wcrc.org. ■

THE WEDDING PGN ISSUE

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

THE WEDDING PGN ISSUE

Marriage: Benefits or limbo? Marriage equality is happening at a ment, so it’S still possible for those who painstakingly slow pace and, because of got married and don’t live in the state to that, same-sex couples have flocked to dissolve their relationship. Delaware has states when they approve marriage-equality also included provisions to make residency laws. In doing so, they are running toward requirements less of an issue. The District legal complexities that not many are aware of Columbia may pass the Civil Marriage of but that have serious consequences. Dissolution Equality Amendment Act of Owing to the Defense of Marriage Act 2011,which would allow same-sex couples enacted under President Clinton, samewho married in the district but have moved sex Pennsylvania couples who marry in away to divorce without having to return another state, for example Massachusetts, to fulfill a six-month residency requireare not legally recognized as married under ment. Lastly, as Maryland looks to begin marriage equality next year, Pennsylvania law. This is a it’s likely it will do away with sad but binding reality because under DOMA, marriage is a residency requirement altodefined federally. This definigether. Once one state does tion gives states the sovereignty so, other states will follow to disregard state-held definiand, hopefully, states that have tions of marriage and states, in already passed marriage equal“any ruling, regulation or interity will follow California and pretation of the various adminDelaware’s lead. istrative bureaus and agencies If you and your partner are looking to marry outside the of the United States, the word state in which you live, be ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one thorough in your research and woman as husband and wife, decision process, as same-sex Angela couples face many additional and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite Things to consider: Giampolo challenges. sex who is a husband or a wife.” — Whether the state you are getting married in has a This definition also leaves residency requirement in order to file for same-sex couples with some 1,138 fewer federal rights, protections and benefits than divorce or dissolution. At least one spouse must have lived in the state for one year their heterosexual married counterparts. The residency requirement is often over- before commencing a proceeding to end the marriage. looked by same-sex couples when they choose to marry out of state. Enthusiastic — Understand that if your home state couples who tie the knot in states that does not recognize marriage, the benefits granted will not apply in your home state. allow it rarely consider that, because of — Understand the consequences regardDOMA, “out of state” divorce is not an ing how your jurisdiction treats same-sex option for them. That is, if the marriage marriage if you are looking to adopt a child doesn’t work, the couple is unable to disthat does not permit placement with samesolve the legal relationship because all states recognizing marriage equality have a sex couples. — If you are already registered as residency requirement to file for divorce. domestic partners, seek legal counsel If there is a residency requirement for to help you understand the legal consedivorce, a person may only file for divorce or dissolution in the state of their marquences of marrying in another state. riage, and only if they meet that state’s Before deciding to marry outside of residency requirements at the time the petiyour state, consider these obstacles. Most tion or complaint is filed. In most cases, importantly, set legal outlines to curb the the residency requirement is 12 months, or difficulties posed by the potential disin some cases six months. As such, marsolution of your relationship. Meeting ried same-sex couples filing for divorce with an attorney to develop a cohabitation are learning after much legal frustration that their home states will not grant them agreement is a good start; while you may a divorce unless one or both of them move regard your partner as family, the law in to the state that granted them the marriage our Commonwealth does not. The samelicense: Even though they work and pay sex divorce dilemma is a frustrating reality of the inequality that exists because taxes in Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth does not actually recognize their union as of DOMA and, until it is repealed, the marriage. The reality is that the state that residency requirement is a huge burden on granted them a marriage licensed lacks the same-sex couples and their families. ■ power to grant them a divorce on account Angela D. Giampolo, principal of of the residency requirement and DOMA. Giampolo Law Group, maintains offices in There is hope, however. In California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey and specializes couples who had wed and later sought in LGBT law, business law, real-estate law to separate could only divorce initially and civil rights. Her website is www.giamif they met the state’s residency requirepololaw.com and she maintains two blogs, ment. While the right to gay marriage in www.phillygaylawyer.com and www.lifeinCalifornia was later revoked, the laws were house.com. Send Angela your legal questions changed to remove the residency requireat angela@giampololaw.com.

Out Law

NEWS PGN

News Briefing PAC sets deadline for Morris evidence The city’s Police Advisory Commission has issued a public appeal for any additional evidence related to the Nizah Morris incident before it wraps up investigation of the matter. The deadline for submitting any additional evidence is April 1. Morris was a transgender woman found with a fatal head wound in December 2002, shortly after receiving a courtesy ride from Philadelphia police. She died two days later, on Dec. 24, 2002. The homicide remains unsolved, and the PAC is investigating possible police misconduct. The members who will write the PAC’s final Morris report include Ronda B. Goldfein, Chuck Volz and James C. Crumlish 3rd. After the meeting, Crumlish expressed hope that the report, and accompanying recommendations, will help bring closure for those interested in justice for Morris. Submissions of evidence may be sent to the PAC office at 990 Spring Garden St., Seventh Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19123, or emailed to volzcf@aol.com. — Timothy Cwiek

Mazzoni ‘opens’ up with new legal director Mazzoni Center Legal Services will host its annual “Open Bar” from 5:30-7 p.m. March 6 at Opa, 1311 Sansom St. The fundraising event will allow guests to mix and mingle with legal director David Rosenblum, who took the helm of the department last year. Rosenblum will give a brief presentation detailing the department’s key victories and highlights in the last year.

ARTIST from page 1

all the proper channels. However, Donohue told Villanova students, faculty and staff this week that he received a “flood” of messages from alumni and parents upset with the planned series and also was pressured by Catholic watchdog group Cardinal Newman Society. He emphasized, however, that the cancellation was not related to Miller’s sexual orientation, but rather the content of his shows. “We are not a homophobia institution,”

“As we are growing in visibility within the LGBT and the legal communities, we are also building our capacity and expanding our vision of what the department can provide for the community,” Rosenblum said. The organization will also present City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown with the Mazzoni Center Justice in Action Award for her work on behalf of the LGBT community. Reynolds Brown was the first elected official in the city to create an “It Gets Better” video and last year spearheaded the successful measure to require some city contractors to extend benefits to the same-sex partners of employees. “Her work has advanced the cause of civil rights and nondiscrimination in the city of Philadelphia and sent an important message about fairness and equity under the law,” said Mazzoni Center executive director Nurit Shein. Tickets to the event are $50, $25 for professionals under 30 and “pay what you can” for law students. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at www.mazzonicenter.org.

Soulforce sets off from Philly The 2012 Soulforce Equality Ride will head out of Philadelphia March 4, and the night before the community is invited to celebrate the sendoff from 7-10:30 p.m. at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The event will feature DJs, food, drinks and a silent auction, as well as presentations honoring the history and mission of the ride. Now in its fifth year, the Equality Ride visits colleges across the nation that have anti-LGBT policies to raise awareness about the community. This year’s ride has a particular Philadelphia connection: Of the 17 riders, both co-directors, J. Mason and Jason Conner, are Philadelphians, as are four other riders — Crystal Cheatham, Ovid Amorson, Ibrahim Vicks and Christian Parks. The suggested admission fee is $40, and space is limited. Tickets can be purchased at www.equalityride.eventbrite.com. ■ — Jen Colletta

PSEC quoted the president as saying. “I am not homophobic. It is not something we should stand for.” Donohue went on to say that instances of homophobia on campus should be reported “and we’ll address it.” “My first priority is supporting the community, all of the community. The nature of the Gospel calls us to do that,” Donohue said. “If any of us are being singled out or discriminated against — first and foremost, and strongly, we will deal with it.” Bryn Mawr College has since scheduled a workshop on its campus with Miller. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

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Changes seen in Maine on gay marriage since vote By Clarke Canfield The Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine — Gay-marriage advocates say much has changed since 2009 when Mainers overturned a law legalizing same-sex marriage. Opponents agree. But the two sides disagree on what those changes are and what they mean for this year’s gay-marriage initiative, which is expected to be a statewide referendum in November’s election. Gay-marriage activists say many people who opposed gay marriage in 2009 have shifted their stance. They base that view on poll numbers, one-on-one discussions with 40,000 residents and strong response they had in collecting more than 100,000 signatures to get the matter on the ballot. “Mainers have changed their minds on this issue,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine, which is spearheading the campaign. “They want the chance to right a wrong.” Opponents agree things have changed — but not in the way gay-marriage supporters are suggesting. Maine’s population appears to be more conservative than three years ago, as evidenced by the Republican-controlled Legislature and the Republican governor elected in 2010, said Bob Emrich, a pastor and an opponent of gay marriage. He said gay-marriage opponents also feel more comfortable voicing their opposition after rejecting same-sex marriage in 2009. Some legislators were voted out of office in 2010 because they supported gay marriage when the Legislature legalized it in 2009, said Emrich, pastor of Emmanuel Bible Baptist Church in Plymouth. “That tells you not only has the Legislature changed, but the people who sent them there said we don’t want any more of this, we don’t want this to be voted on any more, this is settled,” Emrich said. “I think there’s been a change, but by any indicator it’s that Maine is becoming more conservative, not the other way around.” After the Legislature legalized gay marriage three years ago, critics forced the question before voters, who overturned the law 53 percent to 47 percent. Gay-rights activists last month delivered petitions signed by more than 105,000 voters to the secretary of state’s office to get the issue on the November ballot. State officials last week said they had verified more than 85,000 of the signatures, far more than the 57,277 that were required. The question now goes to the Legislature and will be placed on the ballot if lawmakers, as expected, don’t approve the proposal themselves. The governor has not taken a public stand on the initiative, but has previously said he supports the “traditional definition” of marriage being between a man and a woman. Same-sex marriage is legal in New

York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and the District of Columbia, but those laws came about through legislative action or court orders, not by popular vote. Marriage-equality legislation was recently approved in New Jersey and Maryland — and faces a governor veto in the former and governor support in the latter — though both states will likely send the issue to referendum. Gay-marriage activists think Maine could become the first state to legalize gay marriage in a statewide vote. Supporters say 54 percent of respondents in a December survey of 800 likely voters favored legalizing gay marriage. They say they’ve also gotten a positive response from the more than 40,000 people they’ve talked to in person and by phone on the issue, many of them in places that opposed samesex marriage in the 2009 election. They plan to talk to another 100,000 Mainers one-onone before Election Day to convince them that gay marriage should be legalized. The one-on-one conversations are having the desired effect, said Matt McTighe, who’s working on the issue for the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders. “We’re seeing this work. People really are thinking about this differently,” he said. McTighe and Smith shrug off the argument that Maine people are more conservative — and therefore less likely to vote in favor of legalizing gay marriage — than three years ago. Back then, Democrats controlled the Legislature and Democratic Gov. John Baldacci supported gay marriage. Sixty-one percent of voters in the 2010 governor’s election supported candidates who support gay marriage, Smith said. Gov. Paul LePage won the election with 39 percent of the vote, with other candidates combining for 61 percent. “This is a nonpartisan issue. This issue crosses the aisle,” said Smith. “There’s no way to make a prediction about who’s going to turn out to vote for marriage based on whether you think more Democrats or Republicans are going to turn out to vote in 2012.” Opponents aren’t so sure Mainers have had a change of heart since the last time around. Polling data are often wrong because people don’t feel comfortable answering questions about personal issues such as gay marriage, said Carroll Conley, director of the Christian Civic League of Maine. Conley also thinks more young people are opposed to gay marriage than in the past. “It’s surprised me how many people are involved in this process,” he said. “We always have this picture that it’s a bunch of old white guys telling everybody what to do. But there seems to be, especially in the faith community, an energized, well-informed part of the younger population that is with us on this.” ■

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although health commissioner Donald Schwarz said that decision was made from past experience. “When the RAAC was created, its membership was known and people heavily lobbied, so decision-making was not thought to have integrity by the community,” Schwarz said. “The RAAC reviews applications and ranks them, so it’s easy to see why that process should be unbiased. The decision was made that there would be confidentiality for RAAC members to maintain the integrity of the process.” Schwarz, who spoke at the meeting, said that it is a “no-win situation” if the community feels that neither approach works, but the Health Department believes “the current process is working from the point of view of creating less bias in the process.” This latest award cycle was redesigned to keep with the new national strategy on HIV/AIDS, which focuses more on identifying and connecting those who are HIV-positive to care, rather than concentrating on testing negatives — a departure from previous funding applications that some agencies asserted they weren’t prepared for. Some attendees called for transparency in the applications the organizations submit for funding consideration, which contain numbers on their testing outcomes that are used to track the agencies’ progress. Schwarz said not all AIDS services organizations agree about the release of these numbers, but the department is open to making them public. “There’s a lot of dispute about the numbers,” he said. “While the Health Department would stand by the numbers, we’re always open to the idea that there could be issues with reporting. My understanding is that the provider community has felt strongly that the numbers could misrepresent them and, therefore, [have] not wanted that information to be public. But, if the community now wants that information to go to the public, the Health Department would certainly be willing to do that.” While there were myriad issues that arose during the meeting, Terri Clark, Action AIDS prevention coordinator who helped facilitate the meeting along with organizers Kevin Trimmel Jones and Lee Carson, said the event was meant to serve as a building block for communication. “It was an opportunity for the

community to have its voice heard in terms of how they’re being affected by the epidemic, their ideas for prevention and for linking people to care, and for the Health Department to see how they can work more closely with the community,” she said. Trimmel Jones said the event was a “great way for the community to come together with the Health Department to work on the common goal of ending HIV. It was a successful meeting in the sense that community members and the health commissioner were able to be in dialogue. It’s exciting to have the Health Department’s ear and attention to these matters, and we look forward to a working relationship with them.” Trimmel Jones said there are still some “unanswered questions,” such as further specificity about the city’s strategy to end HIV and the role ASOs can play in that plan, as well as efforts to address cultural competency regarding black men who have sex with men with both HIV/ AIDS organizations and broader health agencies. Clark said there was a consensus among attendees that the community needs to hear directly from youth and from those in the mental-health and addiction-services circles. She said forums geared toward those two communities are in the works, and city officials will again be invited to attend. The epidemic’s effect on youth was addressed by numerous attendees, who noted that the recent upheaval in the School District of Philadelphia has stymied prevention efforts among students: A number of condom dispensers have been ordered and are currently sitting in a warehouse, awaiting district action to get the OK for them to be installed in city schools. Schwarz said he is particularly interested in continuing conversations with young AfricanAmerican MSM, a population the epidemic is most disproportionately affecting. “There’s a need for ongoing dialogue between AfricanAmerican MSM and the Health Department and service organizations,” he said. “That’s a really important issue right now. We welcome ideas on how best to engage this community, in particular young men of color. That’s something we’ve been trying to figure out how to best accomplish, and it’s a priority for the department.” ■

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capacity as senator. “ We a r e o n l y strengthening the existing law. Some media are reporting that I said anyone found guilty of involvement in samesex [acts] should face the death penalty,” she said. “I did not say so. I am calling for a law that will make it a first-degree felony.” A representative for HowardTaylor confirmed that the firstdegree felony would attract punishment of one year to life imprisonment and the death penalty on the judge’s discretion in “extreme cases.” The bill’s proposed amendment reads: “No two persons of the same sex shall have sexual relations. A violation of this prohibition will be considered a firstdegree felony.” According to a 2008 ILGA report, gay sex acts are currently classified as first-degree misdemeanors in Liberia, punishable by up to one year in prison.

International Mugabe attacks gays in birthday rant Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe used a speech at his 88th birthday party to attack the West and its promotion of equal rights for gays. He appeared to add that his dog would be offended were it to be compared with British Prime Minister David Cameron following his support for gay marriage. Mugabe was described by state media as “his usual energetic self” when he delivered the homophobic speech at Sakubva Stadium in Mutare on Feb. 25. He told the reported 20,000 attendees: “We reject [gay marriage] outright and say to hell with you. You, David Cameron, are you suggesting that you don’t know that or is it some kind of insanity or part of the culture of Europeans. In their newspapers, that’s one of my sins. That I called [gays] worse than pigs and dogs because pigs know there are males and females. I won’t even call him a dog because my own dog will complain and say, but what have I done? It’s even in the Bible that you procreate through the system of marrying. That’s how we were born, so we reject that outright and say, to hell with you. You are free as a man to marry a woman and that is what we follow. That’s what produced you and me. This kind of insanity is now part of the culture.”

Liberia considers antigay bill The Liberian senate is reported to be considering a bill that would increase the penalties against gay people in the West African state. Even if it were approved, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf would not sign the bill, which would make gay sexual relations a first-degree felony. There are conflicting reports of what sanctions the “offense” would attract. Jewel Howard-Taylor, exwife of former president Charles Taylor, tabled the bill in her new

Antigay Australian PM hosts gays Prime Minister Julia Gillard, an opponent of same sex-marriage, hosted a dinner for two lesbian couples and a pair of gay men Feb. 21 after an Australian activist group won a charity auction. The couples used the threecourse meal at Gillard’s official residence in the national capital of Canberra to lobby the prime minister to allow gay marriage. Twelve-year-old Matthew Miller presented Gillard with flowers and two letters explaining why he and his brother Dylan, 9, would like their biological mother Sandy Miller to marry their other mother, Louise Bucke. “Since they’re not allowed to get married, they’re basically being called not normal and we’re not known as a proper family,” Matthew said at Parliament House before the dinner, which the boys did not attend. Along with Miller and Bucke, other guests were Brisbane academic Sharon Dane, 54, who married Elaine Crump, 53, in Canada in a ceremony that is not recognized in Australia. Steve Russell, 51, and John Dini, 29, decided against marrying overseas because it would carry no weight in Australia. While they could have a civil union recognized under state law in their hometown of Melbourne, they don’t regard that as equal to

marriage. The activist group GetUp! paid $33,270 for the dinner when they won a bidding war against a Christian lobby group at the Press Gallery of Australia annual charity ball in June last year. Gillard’s Labor Party lifted its long-standing opposition to gay marriage in December, and three bills have been introduced to Parliament to change the Australian law that states that only a man and woman can marry. But Gillard personally remains opposed to gay marriage, and it is unclear whether any bill would attract enough support to make same-sex marriages legal. No date for votes in Parliament have been set

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

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Indian ministers rebuked for conflicting gay views Supreme Court judges hearing the case for reintroducing a ban on gay sex in India have warned the government about making contradictory statements about homosexuality. Judges told ministers not to “make a mockery of the system” after officials appearing in the court seemed at odds over whether gay sex should be illegal. Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain appeared for the Indian government’s Health Ministry Feb. 28 and told the court they were in favor of decriminalization. Recently, Additional Solicitor General PP Malhotra appeared for the Home Ministry and told the court gay sex was unnatural. In an apparently inaccurate statement of the government’s position, he said: “Gay sex is highly immoral and against social order and there is high chance of spreading of diseases through such acts. Our Constitution is different and our moral and social values are also different from other countries, so we cannot follow them.” The Home Ministry almost immediately distanced itself from Malhotra’s comments, saying it had not taken a stance on homosexuality and was not intending to back criminalization of gay acts. India’s courts struck down the dormant antigay law in 2009. Opponents have pursued the case to the Supreme Court, whom they hope will reintroduce the law. ■ — compiled by Larry Nichols

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Bulletin Board Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly Worth Watching

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Autobahn de Fe (clockwise from top left), Liberty City Kings Drag and Burlesque, author Edie Weinstein (aka Bliss Mistress) and singer-songwriter Mia Johnson

Womynsfest celebrates 12 years By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

With a dozen events in its history, Womynsfest has earned the distinction of being one of the longest-running free women’s festivals in Philadelphia. The brainchild of contractor, community activist and occasional artist Vitamin D (aka Denice Witkowski), Womynsfest is a yearly celebration of music, art and performance. The event currently calls The Rotunda home, but Witkowski remembers where it started — and the state of the arts scene that sparked a need for it. “The first show I did was at the Tin Angel in 1999 and I did some shows at other venues,” she said. “The reason I started it

was because I had a roommate that played drums, and a lot of bands that she played in were male-dominated. It felt like women took a backseat. “Today, there are a lot of changes even though we started in 1999. More women are playing up front. When I started it, it was because my roommate was complaining. I wanted to find venue with a community of sorts. I had heard about this new venue, The Rotunda, which was hosting jazz bands. So I asked about hosting an allwomen’s fest and a world-peace fest. So that’s basically how it started.” This year’s roster of artists is as eclectic as previous years, as it is being headlined by Liberty City Kings Drag and Burlesque, Philadelphia’s award-winning

and only queer drag and burlesque troupe. The show will also feature performances by local and locally known singers and songwriters Rosa Diaz, Mia Johnson, Alia and Lady Shiv, the latter of whom is a classically trained opera singer and one half of the circus-cabaret-pop band Autobahn da Fe. Outside the musical spectrum, the festival will be rounded out by journalist, minister and author Edie Weinstein (aka Bliss Mistress), who writes a regular column for Wisdom Magazine called The Bliss Mistress Guide and a daily blog for the interfaith website Beliefnet called the Bliss Blog. Weinstein will regale the Womynsfest guests with a reading from her new book, “The Bliss Mistress Guide

to Transforming the Ordinary into the Extraordinary.” Comedy will come to Womynsfest in the form of ApocaLIPS, a Philadelphia-based all-female improv group specializing in stand-up, storytelling and everything in between. Also, filmmaker Bonnie MacAllister will be on hand to screen a few of her thought-provoking short films. Dance and Philly Fringe regular Mira Treatman will perform a piece of physical theater. Local vendors like Deadfish Media Group and Earthen Life Style will also participate in this year’s festival, providing original artwork for display and merchandise booths offering graphic apparel, jewelry, CDs, hats, ties and more.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

The festival’s reputation has grown beyond the Philadelphia area, as performers from outside the immediate region have become common on the show. But Witkowski said the main focus is on local performers. “I try to keep it in Philadelphia as much as possible but some of the performers from Brooklyn, Delaware or New Jersey get in touch with me about the festival,” she said. “A lot of times I go see groups and what I do is email all the groups and express an interest in having them at the festival. The first eight to 10 performers that get back to me are the ones that become part of the festival. It’s a bunch of women that over the years have heard about it.” The festival is also open to performers of different genders, including trans and men who like to dress as women, as long as they are in keeping with the spirit of the festival. Witkowski said, while the show draws a considerable LGBT audience and this year’s event includes the very-out Liberty City Kings as headliners, she’s not sure where the other performers fall in the LGBT spectrum. “A lot of times I don’t ask people and I’m not really certain about some of the performers because that’s never been my main focus,” she said about LGBT performers in Womynsfest. “As far as trans, Steph[an] Hayes used to be my biggest performer and I lost him last year [he relocated to China]. He’s no longer a participant in Womynsfest, which is an interesting point. But I don’t

FEATURE PGN

MIA JOHNSON Photo: A. Kaldrovicks

ask. Usually they make it known. I never think about asking them unless they tell me. I don’t think of performers as gay or lesbian. I think of them as musicians.” Witkowski added, “I consider myself ‘try-sexual,’ not bisexual or gay. I’ll try anything.” When asked which performers she’s most excited to see this year, Witkowski praised them all but singled out a few who she expects to really deliver the goods. “Every year it’s tough because I love Mia

Johnson,” she said. “She always surprises me with new songs. I’ve known her for years. She’s been in the festival the longest, besides Steph Hayes. She always brings something new to the table. I’m excited about seeing Alia. She’s one of the most fabulous, hardcore and energetic people. Edie Weinstein is a great writer. It’s hard not to plug her.” Womynsfest is billed as an all-ages show and, for most part, it is. But Witkowski said that at some point the content becomes not

exactly adult, but geared to a more grownup audience. And it’s probably a good thing that the Liberty City Kings are closing out the show. “We usually warn the audience that after 9 o’clock on Sunday night the performances become more open,” she said. “The acts performing that are on earlier were told that the content should not be child inappropriate. At 9, most of my friends who come out with children usually go home because it’s a school night. I usually make an announcement at that point that the show is going to get a little more verbal. I usually find that the age group for the show is 18 and up. If they are under 18, they are usually accompanied by an adult. I haven’t had any problems with adult content.” When asked about the future of Womynsfest, Witkowski said she plans to keep the festival eclectic, at the same time and at the same place every year. “I don’t plan on going anywhere and if I ever got to the point where I didn’t want to do it, I would turn it over to some students that are coming out in the lesbian community, because a lot of the kids that have volunteered early on were really cool,” she said. “I would like to turn it over to them at some point but I’m going to be around for a while I hope.” Vitamin D Productions presents the 12th annual Womynsfest, 7 p.m. March 4 at The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St. For more information, visit www.therotunda.org. ■

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NIGHTLIFE PGN

Dancing to the Rite of Spring It’s hard to bitch about the weather this winter, since every few weeks it has warmed up to the 50s or 60s, but still I cannot wait for the official start of spring. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of excuses over the next couple of weeks to get out of the house and get a jump on your spring fever. Sweethearts & Redhots Drag Extravaganza Don’t miss the second-annual drag show fundraiser produced and performed by the kids of The Attic Youth Center, 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 2 at the Broad Street Ministry, 315 S. Broad St. Proceeds support the center’s trip to the annual True Colors LGBT Youth Conference later this month in Connecticut. General admission is $12, or $200 for a reserved table for eight. For $50, you can sponsor a youth and help her/him attend the conference. For more information and tickets, visit www. atticyouthcenter.org/dragshow.

awareness about legal services for lowincome LGBT folks in Pennsylvania. This year’s event runs from 5:30-7 p.m. March 6 at Opa, 1311 Sansom St. Councilwoman At-Large Blondell Reynolds Brown will receive Mazzoni’s 2012 Justice in Action Award in recognition of her dedication and commitment to Philly’s LGBT community. A cover charge of $50 ($25 for professionals under 30 or pay-what-you-can for law students) includes drinks and appetizers. For tickets and more information, see www.mazzonicenter.org/OpenBar3.

Stimulus Presents: Miss Representation It’s movie night from 6-9 p.m. March 8 at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Join Stimulus Philly and community partners Elements Organization, GALAEI, Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, The Attic Youth Center and the William Way as they co-host a special screening of the documentary “Miss Jim Kiley- Representation,” about misogSpring revs up at The Bike Stop and sexism in the media. Zufelt ynyAdmission Don’t miss the Liberty Bears is a $5-10 sliding St. Patty’s Day Warm Up from 6-9 p.m. scale, and stick around for a Q&A after. March 3 at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince For information, see www.genderreel.com. St. More info at www.libertybears.net. Arouse turns two That same night, you can catch the men Stimulus Philly has a surprise in store of Excelsior MC from 8-midnight at The for you at the second anniversary of Bike Stop. They’re down from New York City for the Philadelphia International Arouse — get ready for a Latin twist! Join them from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. March 10 at Flower Show and will host a beer bash at Landmark Americana, 3333 Market St. the bar celebrating “Apocalypse My Ass,” In addition to top 40, hip-hop, house and in honor of the world being scheduled to old school from DJs Kash and Jovi Baby, end in late 2012. More info at www.excelsiormc.org. check out the Latin flavor of DJ NiiLo. Cover charge is $7 before midnight, $10 Our Night Out after, with free Latin dance classes from 11 p.m.-midnight. Our Night Out welcomes the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus from 6-8 Ladies 2000 ShamROCK Party p.m. March 5 at R2L, 37th floor of Two Get those Irish eyes a-smiling from 3-9 Liberty Place, 50 S. 16th St. The chorus p.m. March 11 at Top Dog, 2310 Marlton will provide entertainment and promote its upcoming concert, “Changes: In Good Pike in Cherry Hill, N.J. The women of Time,” from its 30th-anniversary season. Ladies 2000 are back with their famous $1 Power Hour from 3-4 p.m. and with DJ LGBT Night Out at the Flower Show Steve Singer’s music and light show. Cover There will be a VIP reception for the charge of $10 includes an authentic Irish LGBT community from 6-8:30 p.m. March buffet. For more information, see www. ladies2000.com. 5 at the Convention Center, 1101 Arch St. Join out Pennsylvania Horticultural Bedtime Stories and Ballads Society president Drew Becher for a special meet-and-greet with QVC’s Phillip Join Mrs. P. and Jonathan Hernandez for Watson, author of the new book “Pleasure naughty bedtime stories and sexy lullabies Gardens,” while enjoying Hawaiian cockfrom 7-8:30 p.m. March 15 at Giovanni’s tails and tropical treats. Room, 345 S. 12th St. The $45 cover charge includes admisThere will also be experts on hand from sion to the flower show. For more inforUniversity of Pennsylvania’s Division of mation and advance tickets, see www. HIV Prevention Research with information theflowershow.com/Attractions. about their work and how to volunteer. For more details, see www.phillyvax.org. ■ Open Bar III Open Bar is an annual event sponsored Questions, comments or remedies for spring fever? Contact Jim at barcrawlr@gmail.com. by Mazzoni Center to raise funds and

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Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Suzi Nash

Eric Schellack: Flowers, food and ‘Star Wars’ “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” — Robin Williams If that’s the case, then get ready for the “Flowers Gone Wild” spring fling known as the Philadelphia International Flower Show. The world’s largest indoor exhibition, the flower show is always a favorite way to jump-start the spring. For 182 years, the Philadelphia International Flower Show has been wowing locals and visitors from around the world with stunning displays, and this year’s Hawaiian theme, “Islands of Aloha,” promises to be one of the most colorful and lush presentations ever. In addition, we can look forward to over 180 shops at the Show Marketplace, cooking demonstrations and a special LGBT night on March 5. Our profile this week is Eric Schellack, an awardwinning designer with Robertson’s Flowers, whose creations will be featured in this year’s show. PGN: So, what was little Eric Schellack like? ES: I was the little kid who was always off in the woods. From the minute the sun came up in the summertime, I would disappear into the woods and not show back up until the sun started to fade. PGN: Where did you live? ES: Cherry Hill! PGN: We were lucky: We were probably the last generation that was allowed to roam free like that. ES: Yeah, I think kids these days are missing out on something. I got to expand my imagination out there. I would build forts and build bridges over the creeks. I’d make bows and arrows from the branches. [Laughs.] All the things that boys do when they’re not being supervised! PGN: Do you have siblings? ES: Yes, a brother and sister, both older than me. My brother is married with three kids and my sister is also gay. She’s still in Cherry Hill and lives there with her partner. PGN: What did the parents do? ES: My father is an engineer and my mother was a homemaker but she had a degree in education. PGN: So do you think all of those days playing in the woods led you to your career? ES: Oh yes, that and the fact that both of my parents were nature lovers. The family vacations in the summertime consisted not of going to some fancy resort but all of us hopping in the car with our camping gear and driving to Colorado for three weeks. It taught me a big appreciation for nature and all living things.

PGN: How did you first know you were gay? ES: Probably my first inclination that something was different about me was probably around first or second grade. I didn’t really know what the difference was until sixth or seventh grade. PGN: [Laughs.] Did you figure it out because you liked flowers or boys? ES: Ha! Boys! PGN: But you went to school to study science. ES: Yeah, I was a biotech major at Cook College at Rutgers University. A lot of lab work, studying biological systems. I got my degree but never really used it or pursued it as a career. PGN: And how did you get started in the floral world? ES: Well, I took a summer job working at a small flower shop on South Street right after I graduated, back in ’94 I think. I graduated and didn’t have any concrete plans and my friend’s uncle needed help at his shop. I thought I’d just work there briefly and then go into some kind of science-based career, but I ended up staying and becoming manager of the shop three years later. PGN: I’m guessing he didn’t originally hire you for your floral-arranging skills. ES: No, in all honesty it was a “bunch” shop. We’d just get flowers in from the vendor in boxes, re-sleeve them and stick the bunches into buckets and resell them. PGN: How did you get into floral design? ES: After working at that first shop, I went to work at Michael Bruce Florist in Collingswood and there I did nothing but design work. He would speak to the clients and then I would come up with ideas based on what they were looking for. PGN: What do you do now? ES: My main job is doing sales for weddings and events. Because of my background in design, oftentimes I have an idea internally of a design plan I want for the client. Sometimes I’ll even do the mockup of the centerpiece concept or something myself to show the client. If they like it, then I photograph it and send it to the team and they’ll make a series of them. PGN: What’s the craziest idea you’ve come up with? ES: Oh boy, I think one of my favorites was a few years ago at the Flower Show. The entire floral exhibit was suspended from above, over people’s heads as they walked through. There was absolutely nothing on the ground. I also did a wedding for a goth couple once and they wanted every-

thing dark — stones strewn all over and they even wanted me to add extra thorns to the roses! PGN: Did you have to go back to study to learn what plants and flowers need what care? ES: I just love anything having to do with horticulture so I’ve studied on my own. My background in science helps and I have a pretty good grasp of botanical things. A lot of well-known horticulturalists at the flower show enjoying having conversations with me especially because I wasn’t trained in a school setting. I bring a different perspective to horticultural subjects and I have a fairly encyclopedic knowledge of the subject. [Laughs.] I don’t mean to toot my own horn! PGN: Well, you have multiple award-winning exhibits to back you up. Not only winning here at the flower show, but you also won at the Singapore International Flower Show and have been involved in producing the décor for some of

PGN: Jumping back ... Early signs you were gay? ES: I guess just that I was always very sensitive ... if that’s a characteristic. I was always sensitive to other people’s moods and how they felt. I was always concerned about everyone else and wanted to be sure they were OK. PGN: Were you the peacekeeper? ES: Definitely! At school and at home. PGN: I guess your flowers must come in handy for that. ES: Oh yes, they represent happiness and joy, comfort. They go a long way in smoothing any situation. PGN: Valentine’s Day just passed: What’s a favorite romantic gesture? ES: Well, I don’t really get to enjoy Valentine’s Day much. We’re so busy I never get to spend Valentine’s Day with my valentine. My partner Al is involved in the theater and, this year, he was busy directing a high-school show, so I had very low expectations for this Valentine’s Day. Somehow I managed to make it home for 10 minutes with a single rose, some ice cream and strawberries and we managed to have just those few minutes to celebrate each other. It was short and sweet and we both really needed that little time to stop and enjoy each other.

PGN: How did you meet? ES: A friend of mine who owned a flower shop in Collingswood set us up. Al was a regular customer at her shop and whenever he would come in she’d ask him to watch the shop for her and she would run to the phone to call me. I worked at a flower shop a mile away and she’d whisper, “He’s here right now, you have to come down and meet this guy!” It took two months, but I finally managed to get there when he was still in Photo: Suzi Nash Philadelphia’s top social events, and the shop. We went on a date some pretty big weddings and events all and 11 years later we’re still over the country. together. In a full-circle moment, my friend ES: Well thanks, I’m proud to say the with the shop moved to Atlanta and married ceiling exhibit won “Best in Show.” But I her girlfriend and I did all the flowers for can’t take full credit for it: There’s always her ceremony. Al, who does a number of a team that helps put everything together. things, is also an officiant, so he performed Another favorite that also won “Best in the ceremony. Show” at the flower show was an exhibit called “Fire & Ice.” It was a winter scene PGN: What was your worst date ever? with fiery-hot red and orange flowers ES: It was actually with Al! I think it was springing forth out of the snow. our second date. He PAGE 36

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

PORTRAIT from page 35

and I went out for Thai food. As I mentioned, he’s into theater and over dinner he was talking about how much he loved musicals. I looked him straight in the eye and informed him that I hated musicals — even went so far as to say that the musical was the downfall of American art. I can’t believe I was so stupid. He just stared at me and it’s amazing that we still got together after that. I think I even ate off of his plate to top things off. It was bad, really bad. Fortunately, instead of walking out, Al decided to make it his mission to get me to like musicals. He took me to shows like “Sweeney Todd” and some others that I ended up loving. PGN: Any hobbies? ES: Horticulture. [Laughs.] It’s a problem! I collect small rare plants that tend to be expensive. The kind that are only attractive to people who have an obsession for that sort of thing. PGN: The plants only a mother could love? ES: Yes! They’re probably not very attractive to the casual observer but to me they’re fascinating. Right now I’m into a group of plants called Haworthia, named after Haworth. PGN: [Laughs.] Rita Hayworth? ES: No, no! Adrian Hardy Haworth. He was an English botanist. The plants come from the deserts of South Africa and what I love about them is that they have variations on a theme that just goes on and on. They’re really interesting.

PROFILE PGN

PGN: I never even thought about plants being collectibles, other than orchids. ES: Oh yeah, there’s a whole world of plant collectors out there. One of the good things is that many of the plants collected are extremely rare. There are some plants in my collection that, because of habitat loss, may soon be extinct in the wild. It’s a terrible thing, but I feel good knowing that at least we still have some of them in cultivation so that, because of me and other collectors, they won’t be gone forever. PGN: Kind of like what the zoo does with endangered animals. ES: Yes, it’s sad because we’d much prefer to have them be in the wild, but glad that they’re safe somewhere. PGN: What book would I find on your nightstand? ES: I recently read “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, who also wrote “No Country For Old Men.” I’ve always enjoyed his books. PGN: Where do you get inspiration for your exhibits? ES: I get it everywhere — other designers, nature and ... “Star Wars” movies! They’ve always been a big inspiration. I love all types of films from documentaries to British art films to science fiction. They’ve been a contributor to a lot of my creativity. I go to movies quite often and a lot of times they will influence or inspire ideas. Recently I saw the movie “Tron: Legacy” and you may see some of

the sleek modern visuals that were in the movie reflected in this year’s exhibit at the flower show.

somewhat irreverent sense of humor. If I didn’t say something shocking, they’d be surprised.

PGN: Cool, a sneak peak at what we can look forward to! Top three films? ES: “The Color Purple” is an all-time favorite. I recently watched a Werner Herzog documentary called “Cave of Forgotten Dreams.” It was filmed in 3D and was spectacular. And my third film would have to be “Star Wars.”

PGN: My hidden talent is ... ES: I used to be an excellent trumpet player.

PGN: What’s an idea that didn’t work? ES: I once tried to façade an entire exhibit in sheets of Plexiglas without realizing that it expands and contracts quite a bit with the temperature. Definitely at a different rate than the wood I’d attached it to! The whole thing buckled as the space heated up! Not fun.

PGN: What’s the farthest you’ve traveled? ES: Singapore. I was there about five years ago for the garden festival. We did a big Christmas-themed display with a 25-foot tall, forced-shape, constructed Christmas tree made from cut greens and orchids. It was wild.

PGN: I need a time out when I ... ES: Have too many ideas all at once! PGN: Three scents you love ... and make two of them outside of plant life! ES: Not fair! OK, the first would be the smell in the air when springtime starts to happen. The two non-botanical ones would be the smell of a new car, even though that’s supposed to be toxic, and it may sound crazy, but I love the smell of gasoline. PGN: You’d be surprised how many people like that one ... gasoline and the smell in a dry-cleaner’s. ES: Oooh, dry-cleaner’s. Can I pick four? PGN: Are you good in a crisis? ES: Yes. [Laughs.] I’m good at controlling what I show. I can be freaking out internally but externally I can appear very calm. It allows me to figure out and fix the problem before anyone gets upset. PGN: People mistake me for ... ES: Recently no one, but about 10 years ago I used to get Jeremy Irons. PGN: My friends would be surprised that I ... ES: Oh, there’s not much that they would be surprised at. I’m known for having a

PGN: Other than horticulture (or sex), what’s something that you constantly think about? ES: Food! Definitely. I love to eat.

PGN: On the global front, I keep hearing about climate change and the collapse of bee colonies and all sorts of agricultural threats. What’s your take? ES: Be afraid, be very afraid! In high school and college I was very involved with environmental causes and the whole thing is very terrifying and disheartening. It’s hard to tell what’s going to happen, but one of the scariest things is that it seems no one is really paying attention. In my mind, we should all be panicking about now and trying to figure out what we’re going to do, but people are more concerned about everything else but. PGN: Have you noticed a difference in the plants you work with? ES: Oh yeah, the winters are so inconsistent. I’ve noticed big changes. For instance, we don’t usually have as many things blooming as we do right now. If you look in the garden, we have snowdrops and crocuses and witch hazels in bloom already. It’s a little bit unusual for February. PGN: But probably good for the flower show! I can’t wait! ES: Yes, there will be lots of surprises. ■ To suggest a community member for “Family Portrait,” write to portraits05@aol.com.

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BOOKS PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Best-sellers

$16.95 pb). The 14 essays and speeches collected in this work, several of them published for the first time, span almost a decade of this black lesbian feminist’s work. Lorde is unflinching in her observations and is lucid and clarifying in her coverage of a range of essential topics. 5. “Gravity,” by Leanne Lieberman (Orca, $12.95 pb). An Orthodox Jewish teenager comes to terms with her sexuality and her faith. 6. “Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica” edited by Tristan Taormino (Cleis, $14.95 pb). The power of seeing and being seen is a central theme in the anthology. 7. “Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation” by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bernstein (Seal, $16.95 pb). Part coming-of-age story, part mind-altering manifesto on gender and sexuality.

Information is courtesy of Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960; www.queerbooks.com. Ten-percent off most hardcover in-store sales. Books Men’s 1. “Jack Holmes and His Friend” by Edmund White (Bloomsbury, $26 hb, less 10 percent in the store). Jack Holmes and Will Wright arrive in New York City in the calm before the storm of the 1960s. Their friendship is complicated: Jack is in love with Will. 2. “Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Authors Who Changed the World” by Christopher Bram (Twelve, $27.99 hb, less 10 percent in the store). Beginning with the first wave of major gay literary figures — Williams, Vidal, Capote, Ginsberg and Baldwin — Bram shows how these pioneers set the stage for a new generation: Maupin, White, Kushner and Albee among them. 3. “Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars” by Scotty Bowers (Grove, $25 hb, less 10 percent in the store). Newly discharged from the Marines after World War II, Scotty Bowers arrived in Hollywood in 1946. Young, charismatic and strikingly handsome, he quickly caught the eye of many of the town’s stars and starlets. He began sleeping with some himself and connecting others with his coterie of young, attractive and sexually free-spirited friends. His own alleged lovers included Edith Piaf, Spencer Tracy, Vivien Leigh, Cary Grant and the abdicated King of England Edward VIII. 4. “Sacred Monsters” by Edmund White (Magnus, $24.95 hb, less 10 percent in the store). White’s most recent writings on artists and authors, including John Cheever, Patti Smith, Henry James, Mary Cassatt, Paul Bowles, Andy Warhol, John Singer Sargent, Vladimir Nabokov, Auguste Rodin, Edith Wharton, Christopher Isherwood, Martin Amis, Allen Ginsberg, Marguerite Duras, John Rechy and Marcel Proust, among others. 5. “Why Are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots? Flaming Challenges to Masculinity, Objectification and the Desire to Conform” edited by Matilda Bernstein Sycamore (AK Press, $17.95 pb). Challenges not just the violence of straight homophobia but the hypocrisy of mainstream gay norms that say the only way to stay safe is to act straight: get married, join the military, adopt kids! This anthology rekindles the anger, flamboyance and subversion once thriving in gay subcultures in order to create something dangerous and lovely: an exploration of the perils of assimilation; a call for accountability; a vision for change. 6. “We the Animals” by Justin Torres (Mariner, $18 hb, less 10 percent in the store). A debut novel that is a brilliant exploration of a close, complicated family and the struggle between brotherhood and becoming an individual.

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!: Two-dozen Edmund White fans showed up for the famed author’s most recent reading on Feb. 23 at Giovanni’s Room. White read excerpts from “Jack Holmes and His Friend,” which was the store’s number-one seller in February. Photo: Scott A. Drake

7. “Best Gay Erotica 2012” edited by Richard LaBonte (Cleis, $14.95 pb). Gathers the hottest, freshest and most literary fiction for the year. 8. “Chulito” by Charles Rice-Gonzalez (Magnus, $14.95 pb). Chulito is a comingof-age, coming-out love story of a sexy, tough, hip-hop-loving, young Latino man in the Bronx. 9. “Other Poems” by Paul Legault (Fence, $15.95 pb). Winner of the Fence Modern Poets series, this is a collection of “talky sonnets” in the vein of John Berryman and Ted Berrigan, written on the poet’s lunch hour in the spirit of Frank O’Hara. Legault’s first book, “The Madeline Poems,” was published in 2010. Raised in Tennessee, Paul lives with his husband in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he works at the Academy of American Poets. 10. “Unnatural: Archangel Academy Novel 1” by Michael Griffo (Kensington, $9.95 pb). At an all-boys school in Eden, a rural town in northwestern England, two boys are outcasts and decried as unnatural: Michael because he’s gay and Ronan because he’s a hybrid vampire. Women’s/Trans 1. “Wax” by Therese Ambrosi Smith (Blue Star, $13.95 pb). Inspired by the lives of actual “Rosies,” this novel follows three young women as they take industry jobs during WWII and as they break their mothers’ molds when the war is over. 2. “High Impact” by Kim Baldwin (Bold Strokes, $16.95 pb). Emery Lawson reinvents herself after another near-death experience prompts a thorough reevaluation of her priorities. Empowered to live a life of no regrets, she casts aside all that is familiar to face her fears and chase her dreams. But as she heads for the wilds of Alaska — convinced she’s incapable of falling in love — romance is definitely not on her agenda. 3. “Ethical Slut” revised edition, by

Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy (Celestial Arts, $16.99 pb). For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this groundbreaking guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. 4. “Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches” by Audre Lorde (Crossing,

Spirituality & Religion 1. “God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality” by Jay Michaelson (Beacon, $25.95 hb, less 10 percent in the store). Michaelson shows that not only does the Bible not prohibit same-sex intimacy, but the vast majority of its teachings support the full equality and dignity of gay and lesbian people, from the first flaw it finds in creation (“It is not good for a person to be alone”) to the way religious communities grow through reflection and conscience. In short, Michaelson observes, religious people should support equality for gays and PAGE 38 DELAWARE’S BROADWAY EXPERIENCE

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Q Puzzle Hold That Thought Across

1. Chain with fruit syrups 5. Guy who cheats on his boyfriend, e.g. 8. Billy Budd, for one 14. Loose cannon 16. Cause of chaotic weather 17. Oz city shades 18. Some housewarming gifts 19. Start of a line from a Whitney Houston song 21. Bears org. 22. Worship service, for Malcolm Boyd 23. Says a word to

Mary 27. Lover that you can’t get over 29. Have fun with the Kneelers 32. Out, at the library 34. Title for French ladies 38. More of the line 40. Tolerate homophobe Robertson? 41. Gracefully slender 42. Little bit 43. Copies of a feminist mag. 45. That is, to Cicero 46. Site of a Lara Croft raid 49. Was out in front 51. End of the line 57. Stew slowly 58. Service later in the day

60. Bore that isn’t penetrating 61. Corsage favorite 62. Be too singleminded 63. It’s over your head 64. Hoarse sound

Down

1. Land of writer E. Donoghue 2. Prefix with sphere 3. R.E.M.’s “The __ _ Love” 4. Roz portrayer on “Frasier” 5. Ariz. neighbor 6. Crackhead, e.g. 7. Ball lover 8. Old photo color 9. Fashion designer Perry 10. Lover of Henry and June 11. Skimpy skirt

12. “No” voter 13. “I have a headache” and “Not tonight, honey” 15. Challenged 20. Philip Johnson contemporary 23 Get up 24. Antigay crusader Bryant 25. Story of Greeks that busted some Trojans 26. Pork purchase 28. Doesn’t use 29. Word from Tom Bianchi, perhaps 30. Salmon that has spawned 31. Place to stop when cruising 33. Tuck’s partner 35. Liza, to Lorna 36. Stockholder’s bonus 37. Blown away 39. Shakespeare’s feet

44. Eastern European language 46. Wrap it around your package 47. Sites for dates 48. Powers portrayer 50. Sondheim’s “___ Day a Little Death” 51. Mubarak, for one 52. Actor Jude and family 53. Staying power, in “Variety” 54. Belgian river 55. Sometime Capote associate Chaplin 56. United, to Vivien 57. “Liquor not provided” letters 59. Noticeable opening, with The PAGE 41

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BEST-SELLERS from page 37

lesbians — not despite their religion, but because of it. 2. “Radical Love: An Introduction to Queer Theology” by Patrick S. Cheng (Seabury, $20 pb). The real enterprise for queer theology is challenging binary distinctions and erasing boundaries. This erasure is made possible — indeed demanded — by the radical love espoused by Christianity. Through this love, all boundaries (gay/straight, male/ female, life/death, divine/human) are dissolved. DVDs Men’s 1. “Harvest” directed by Benjamin Cantu (2011, 88 min., $19.99). Breathtaking in its subtle beauty, this is an achingly romantic tale of an innocent but ever-increasingly passionate affair. 2. “I Want to Get Married” directed by Billy Clift (2011, 115 min., $24.99). Sweet and geeky Paul attends a wedding and decides he wants to get married to the man of his dreams. 3. “Hold Your Peace” directed by Wade McDonald (2011, 97 min., $24.99). A gay romantic comedy that examines how we decide who we want to spend the rest of our lives with.

4. “Eating Out 4: Drama Camp” directed by Q. Allan Brocka (2011, 90 min., $24.95). An over-the-top raunchy comedy with the innocence of summer. 5. “The Love Patient” directed by Michael Simon (2011, 95 min., $24.99). How far would you go to win back the love of your life? 6. “Longhorns” directed by David Lewis (2011, 90 min., $24.99). The story of a “straight” Texas fratboy. 7. “Beginners” directed by Mike Mills (2010, 105 min., $29.95). When his father, Hal, comes out at 75, Oliver realizes just how much of a beginner he is when it comes to long-lasting romantic love. Christopher Plummer won an Oscar for his portrayal of Hal. 8. “From Beginning to End” directed by Aluizio Abranches (2009, 96 min., $19.99). A strikingly evocative romance of two men fighting against societal conventions. (Portuguese with English subtitles) Women’s 1. “Circumstance” directed by Maryam Keshavarz (2011, 107 min., $24.95). Two teenage girls navigating the wild Iranian underground scene. 2. “The Lovers & Friends Show, Season 4” directed by Charmain Johnson

(2011, 167 min., $19.95). Six minority lesbians navigate their way through life’s challenges with attitude and a fabulous sense of style! 3. “Big Lesbian Love Collector Set: The Four-Faced Liar, My Normal, And Then Came Lola, and Itty Bitty Titty Committee” various directors (321 minutes, $34.95). Four romances for the price of two! 4. “Bloomington” directed by Fernanda Cardoso (2010, 83 min., $24.95). Jackie is instantly attracted to Catherine, a young professor with a reputation. 5. “A Marine Story” directed by Ned Farr (93 min., $24.95). No-nonsense Alex is the authority figure Saffron needs, and inspires the young woman’s transition from slacker to boot-campready Marine recruit. 6. “Elena Undone” directed by Nicole Conn (111 min., $24.95). A devoted wife and mother from India falls for a lesbian writer. 7. “Chloe” directed by Atom Egoyan (209, 99 min., $27.95). Catherine pays the mysterious Chloe, an escort, to seduce her husband. 8. “Hannah Free” directed by Wendy Jo Carlton (2009, 86 min., $14.95). The lifelong love affair between an independent spirit and the woman she calls home. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Worth Watching SHOW STOPPER: Broadway, film and television star Idina Menzel, best known for her work in the Broadway musical and film adaption of “Rent” and her Tony Award-winning performance as Elphaba, the greenfaced Wicked Witch of the West in “Wicked,” is featured in the special “Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony” film from Menzel’s concert tour stop in Toronto and airing 8 p.m. March 6 on PBS.

‘LO’ & BEHOLD!: Out actress and trouble magnet Lindsay Lohan will be back under the right kind of spotlight when she hosts “Saturday Night Live” 11:30 p.m. March 3 with musical guest Jack White.

EX FACTOR: The recently divorced Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony (left) join Jamie King in hosting an international search for the next big Latin entertainers on the new reality series “¡Q’Viva! The Chosen,” 8 p.m. March 3 on Fox.

HAPPY FEAT: Penny and out character Max (Casey Wilson and Adam Pally) are determined to finally beat an annoyingly perfect couple in the annual Rosalita’s Run and Scavenger Hunt on a new episode of “Happy Endings,” 9:30 p.m. March 7 on ABC. Photo: ABC/ Michael Ansell

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

OUT & ABOUT The week ahead Fri. 03/02 Sweethearts and Redhots Drag Extravaganza The Attic Youth Center’s second annual show fundraiser, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Broad Street Ministry, 315 S. Broad St.; http:// atticyouthcenter. org/dragshow. Hot Tuna The rock band performs 8 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215572-7650. Max Raabe and Palast Orchester The singer and bandleader performs 8 p.m. at Merriam Theater,

250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds The soul group performs 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.

Bootleg: A Queer Affair A monthly benefit dance party, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Elena’s Soul, 4912 Baltimore Ave.; http://www.facebook.com/bootleg.

Sun. 03/04

Sat. 03/03

Rainbow Wedding Network Bucks County, PA Gay & Lesbian Wedding Expo The event features free samples, music, keynote speakers and giveaways, 12:30-3:30 p.m. at Homewood Suites by Hilton, 110 Pheasant Run, Newtown; 828251-1564.

Chevelle The rock band performs 8 p.m. at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3434000.

The Ipcress File The 1965 spy thriller is screened 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Night of the Creeps The horror comedy is screened 9:45 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles The documentary film about the mysterious tiles embedded in the asphalt of some two-dozen U.S. cities, including Philadelphia, is screened 4:30 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223. 12th Annual Woymnsfest Vitamin D Productions presents an evening showcasing performances by women of all ages, gender, trans and men who like to dress as women, 7 p.m. at The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St.; 215-5733234.

Mon. 03/05 Groove Night Local musicians join forces to bring the R&B, soul, jazz and funk, 7

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‘MINDLESS’ ENTERTAINMENT: Rock band Mindless Self Indulgence are set to raise electro-punk hell when it takes over the stage 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-6888.

p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Monty Python & The Holy Grail The classic comedy is screened 7:30 p.m. at Sellersville Theater 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-257-5808. BET Music Matters welcomes Estelle “All of Me” Tour The R&B singer performs 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-2221400. An Acoustic Evening with Jon Anderson (The Voice of Yes) The rock singer performs 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Immortals The fantasy film is screened 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888.

Van Halen The rock band performs 8 p.m. at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-336-3600.

Tue. 03/06 Unlabeled: The Acoustic/ Electric Open Mic for Up and Comers Sign up and play, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. TuesGAY Nights Lyrics Lounge and DJ June Rodrigues hosts a weekly night of music and performers for the LGBT community, 8 p.m., 6527 Roosevelt Blvd.; 215-533-5888.

Wed. 03/07 4W5 Blues Jam Local musicians get down 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400.

Diaspora The reading group discusses “Other Voices, Other Rooms” by Truman Capote, 7 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215923-2960.

Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show The outrageousness begins 11 p.m. at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South St.; 215545-4511.

PGMC Invitational rehearsals and auditions Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus hosts auditions 7-10 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St.; auditions@pgmc. org.

Fri. 03/09

Mindless Self Indulgence The electro-rock band performs 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888. CAConrad and Lonely

Thu. 03/08 Christopher The two authors host a reading 5:30 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215923-2960.

TEENS IN TROUBLE: Authors Diane DeKelb-Rittenhouse and J.D. Shaw explore the horrors, both real and fantastic, that face gay teens. DeKelb-Rittenhouse is the author of “Immortal Longings: A Vampire Novel.” Shaw is the author of “Leave No Footprints.” Both will be on hand for a reading hosted by Victoria Brownworth of Tiny Satchel Press 5:30 p.m. March 2 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. For more information, call 215-923-2960.

The Cowboy Junkies The blues/folk band performs 8 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215572-7650. Dropkick Murphys The rock band performs 8 p.m. at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3434000. Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains The Grammywinning Irish band performs 9 p.m. at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215790-5800.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

Opening All Beethoven The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia performs March 4-5 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Messiah The Pennsylvania Ballet performs an epic ballet that translates Handel’s worldfamous libretto March 8-17 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215790-5800. The Peking Acrobats The celebrated show dazzles March 3-7 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215-572-7650. Rhapsody in Blue The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with conductor James Gaffigan March 8-10 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Sound All Around Horn The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with Shelley Showers March 3-5 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215790-5800.

Continuing Collab: Four Decades of Giving Modern and Contemporary Design Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition that includes some of the finest examples of European, American and

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Japanese design, through fall 2012, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001.

Doing Time | Depth of Surface Philagrafika hosts an exhibition exploring the architecture and stories of Philadelphia’s historic Holmesburg Prison, through March 17 at The Galleries at Moore, 20th and the Parkway; 215-9654027, thegalleriesatmoore.org.

How to Succeed in Business School Without Really Trying The Annenberg Center and the Wharton Follies present the original musical comedy parodying the MBA experience that is entirely written, produced and performed by students, through Feb. 25 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.

Ethel! Walnut Street Theatre presents the story of blues and jazz vocalist Ethel Waters, through March 11 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen The National Constitution Center presents an exhibition giving a comprehensive look at The Boss’ entire career with numerous items never before seen by the public, through Sept. 3, 525 Arch St., Independence Mall; 215-409-6895. Van Gogh Up Close Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of works by Vincent van Gogh, through May 6, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Zaha Hadid: Form in Motion Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of product designs by architect Hadid, who in 2004 became the first female recipient of the renowned Pritzker Architecture Prize, through March 25, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Zoe Strauss: Ten Years Philadelphia Museum of Art presents a mid-career retrospective of the acclaimed out photographer’s work and the first critical assessment of her 10-year project to exhibit her photographs annually beneath a section of Interstate-95 in South Philadelphia, through April 22, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

The Mousetrap Walnut Street Theatre presents the Agatha Christie murder mystery about a group of people trapped in a mansion during a snowstorm only to find out that one of them is a murderer, through March 4, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Spanish Dances The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with Pepe Romero on guitar through March 3 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. ■

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.

UP TO BAT: The Peking Acrobats show off their impressive highﬂying physical feats when they perform March 3-7 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside. For more information or tickets, call 215-572-7650.

“The Best of Ireland & Ashford Castle”

Closing Adam Ferrara The comedian seen on “Top Gear” and “Rescue Me” performs through March 3 at Q PUZZLE from page 38

‘MISS’ UNDERSTOOD: Stimulus and The William Way LGBT Community Center host a screening of the documentary “Miss Representation,” exposing how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls’ value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality, 6-9 p.m. at the center, 1315 Spruce St. For more information, call 215-732-2220 or visit www.missrepresentation.org.

June 23rd - July 1st, 2012 8 Days Dublin/Dublin Modern Dublin to the historic Rock of Cashel, the infamous Blarney Stone, the Ring of Kerry and more. Cruise on Killary Fjord and sip afternoon tea at a real working farm. The highlight is a stay at grand Ashford Castle!

Includes:

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Land Price (p/p twin rate) $2375 For more information, call: 888.577.9AAA

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

Community Bulletin Board Community centers

■ The Attic Youth Center: For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-8 p.m. MondayFriday; case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. See the Youth section for more events. 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331 ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St.; 215-898-5044; center@dolphin.upenn.edu, Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday

and Allies Youth Center: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Doylestown Planned Parenthood, The Atrium, Suite 2E, 301 S. Main St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org

■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center: 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay.org. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday through Friday Library hours: 12-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 12-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; 126 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning

■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377

Key numbers

■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221

■ Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK

■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851

■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555

■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 1800-662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 ■ The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 112 N. Broad St., third floor; 215-496-0330 ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378

■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; www.mazzonicenter.org. Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBTLAW; legalservices@mazzonicenter. org ■ Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

Health

AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 340 N. 12th St., Suite 205; 215-629-2300. www.asiac.org Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; 12-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St. 215851-1822 or 866-222-3871. www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1803. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing

■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, self-employed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city, invites speakers on various topics, partners with other nonprofits and maintains a Web site where everyone is invited to sign up for e-mail notices for activities and events.; www.gppn.org.

■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Stephen Johnson: 215-683-2840 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 267-216-6606; ppd. lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670

Anonymous, free, conﬁdential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 3439 N. Hutchinson St..; 215-763-8870 ext. 6000.

■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia GALLOP holds board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; GALLOP also provides a free referral service; (215) 6279090; www.galloplaw.org.

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 215-772-2000

available by appointment at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Ofﬁce Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-5869077.

Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth ﬂoor; 215-563-0652. www.mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday except for 12-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly businesses and professionals. Visit www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com for information about events, programs and membership; 215-557-0190; 1717 Arch St., Suite 3370. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association The Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals

and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgjaphiladephia.org. ■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus A regional organization dedicated to promoting gay and lesbian tourism to the Greater Philadelphia Region, holds meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; P.O. Box 58143, Philadelphia, PA 19102; www.philadelphiagaytourism.com. ■ Philly OutGoing Professionals Social group for gay, lesbian and bisexual professionals meets for social and cultural activities; 856857-9283; popnews19@yahoo. com.

Men

Trans

Gay Married Men’s Association Meets 8 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays at the William Way Center; www.gammaphilly.com.

Evolutions A drop-in support group for anyone on the transgender spectrum meets 6-7 p.m. Thursdays at 21 S. 12th St, eighth ﬂoor; 215-563-0652 ext. 235.

Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at the William Way Center; 610-2776595; www.MACTPhila.org. Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey; njwarrior@aol.com. Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets 6-8 p.m. every Wednesday at 112 N. Broad St., 11th ﬂoor; 215-496-0330. Men of Standard Provides a place for gay men of color 21 and older to share issues of concern. Meets 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-963-2432. Philly Dads An association of gay and bisexual fathers supporting each other meets 7:30 p.m. the fourth Friday of the month at the William Way Center; 215-668-5239.

Parents/Families Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Bucks County Meets 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Penns Park United Methodist Church, 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park; 215-5988005. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484354-2448. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/ Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at the Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609-202-4622; pflagcollingswood@yahoo.com. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/ Philadelphia Meets 2-5 p.m. the third Sunday of the month at the LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 3907 Spruce St.; 215-572-1833. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/ Princeton, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the George Thomas Room at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer St.; 609- 683-5155. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/ Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St.; 302-654-2995. Philadelphia Family Pride Advocacy, support and social network for LGBT families offers play groups, monthly kids and teen talk groups, activities and outings. Planning meetings held monthly; 215-600-2864; www. phillyfamilypride.org.

Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary healthcare and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, nonjudgemental environment, 809 Locust St.; 215563-0658. T-MAN People of color support group for transmen, FTMs, butches, studs, aggressives, bois, genderqueer and all female-born individuals with gender questions meets 7:309:30 p.m. Mondays, second ﬂoor, 1201 Locust St.; 215-834-9063; tmanphilly.com.

open discusson and monthly movie/ discussions, 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 112 N. Broad St. third ﬂoor; 215496-0330. Women Coming Out Support Group Women who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the comingout process are welcome. Ages 18 and over. Meets third Thursday of every month, 7:30-9 p.m. at the Pride Center of NJ.

Youth 40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 112 N. Broad St., 11th ﬂoor; 215496-0330.

Transhealth Programming Committee Meets 5 p.m.the second and last Sundays of the month at the William Way Center.

You’re Not Alone A group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth that meets during the school year; sponsored by AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington. Call 800-810-6776 for more details.

Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayThursday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at 21 S. 12th St., 10th ﬂoor; 215-568-2221.

HAVEN For GLBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20; meets 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153.

Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization; 215-732-1207; www. critpath.org/thac.

HiTOPS A safe-space support program for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. on the ﬁrst and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; 609-683-5155; hitops.org.

WeXist FTM support group meets 6-8 p.m. second Friday of the month at the William Way Center; ﬁrst hour is open, second hour is for people assigned female at birth who have gender issues; 267-250-1548. Young, Trans, and Uniﬁed! Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 1323 meets from 7-8:30 p.m. every Thursday at The Attic Youth Center; 215-545-4331.

Women Hanging Out With Lesbians A group based in central Pennsylvania that organizes activities such as concerts, camping, golf, picnics, hikes, plays, game nights in nonsmoking environments; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ howlofpa. Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group holds monthly meetings and activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; P.O. Box 962, Phoenixville; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/LCDV/; marichikogirl@yahoo.com. Lesbian Couples Dining Group of Montgomery County Meets monthly; 215-542-2899. Mt. Airy Lesbian Social Club For lesbians in the Philadelphia area ages 35-plus; www.meetup.com/ mtairylesbiansocial/. Queer Connections Social group for women in their 20s meets weekly; queerconnect@yahoo.com. Sistah 2 Sistah A social/support group for lesbian youth of color, ages 13-24. The group offers weekly social events,

Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610688-1861; info@myaonline.org. Mountain Meadow For youth with GLBTQ parents. Monthly programs for ages 8-16, family programs and parent coffee groups. Residential program offered in August, 1315 Spruce St.; 215772-1107. Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center For ages 14-21; meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 13-23 meets 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215-496-0330. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Planned Parenthood of Chester County’s West Chester office, 8 S. Wayne St.; 610-692-1770. Young, Trans, and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 12-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center. Youth Making a Difference For GLBTQ African-American and Latino youth ages 14-24. Meets 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-9632432.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

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NEWS All PHILADELPHIA real-estate advertisingGAY is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of �� 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits � in the sale, rental and ﬁnancing of discrimination dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any real-estate advertising �� that is in violation of any applicable law.

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�� REAL ESTATE �� LARGE WEST MT. AIRY HOUSE FOR �� SALE �� 300 block W. Hortter St.: Modern. 3Brms, 2.5 �� baths. Fireplace. Front & back yards. Off-street �� parking, Skylight. Near regional rail. Central �� air/heating. Whole-house water softener. �� $250,000. Call 215-848-4000. �� _______________________________36-15 �� REAL ESTATE

SALE

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REAL ESTATE

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Perfect location in the heart of COLLINGSWOOD! Just one block from restaurants and shops of charming Haddon Ave. This bright and beautiful townhome has it all. A newly renovated enclosed porch greets you. Step into a cozy living and dining room with RESTORED ORIGINAL HARDWOOD ﬂoors and crown molding. Both kitchen and bath have been updated. GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, GLASS MOSIAC BACKSPLASH, customized SOLID OAK cabinets and more. CUSTOM CERAMIC TILE throughout bath room plus NEW ﬁxtures. There are 3 bright and spacious bedrooms with newer carpets. CENTRAL AIR, thermopane windows throughout, CUSTOM WOOD BLINDS and so much more. Just 10 minutes from Center City and close to all major highways. Close to parks and patco speedline too! Koi pond in backyard. Bring ALL reasonable offers...Come see what this beautiful townhome has to offer! Owner is a licensed NJ real estate associate. New Price $173,900

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RENTAL OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-638-2102 Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com _______________________________36-09

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Conrad Kuhn

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Havertown, PA

Broker/Sales Rep. Since 1987 NJAR Circle of Excellence Sales Award 1991- 2011 Weichert President’s & Ambassador’s Clubs

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PGN WILL NOT PUBLISH RACIAL DISTINCTIONS IN ROOMMATE ADS. SUCH NOTATIONS WILL BE EDITED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. ___________________________________ GREATER NE PHILA. Have your own bedroom in a beautiful split �� level home with 2 gay men. House is 4 BR, 2 full baths, W/D, upper and lower decks, use of ness Flats. Large 2 bed, 1 bath. kitchen. Property is by Welsh & thelast Boulevard, 1 min. to 58 Close bus. We ask that you beCity at least sirable building. to only all Center reasonably neat and employed. Rent is $600 + taxes ................................�� 1/3 utils. Contact Dave at 215-698-0215. _______________________________36-10 George T.Owner SalehasCondo” Unique Garden 1 BR avail. furn. $600 + 1/3 utils. private entrance.. Low fees & Tax 19th ﬂ Independence Pl. 267-519-0091. e 1 bd. in_______________________________36-14 area ........................��.

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ADOPTION ADOPTION Loving Couple wishes to give love, happiness and security to your newborn. Let’s help each other. Can help with expenses. Donna & Al 877-492-8546. _______________________________36-09

Ofﬁce: 856.227.1950 ext. 124 Cell: 609.221.1196 www.conradkuhn.com Realtor856@aol.com Washington Township Ofﬁce 5070 Route 42 Turnersville, NJ 08012

Open House Sunday March 4, 2012 Noon-2:30PM 540 Cypress St - 1BR/1.5BA House Quaint, completely upgraded 2BR/1.5BA home on cobblestone street in the heart of Society Hill. $374,900 250 S 13th St 2G - Efﬁciency Condo Large efﬁciency condo in the Lenox. Own for less than rent! $175,000 1542 Christian St A - 2BR/2.5BA Townhouse-style condo New Construction! $325,000 705 Carpenter Lane (W. Mt. Airy) - 4BR/1.5 BA House Charming Dutch stone cottage. REDUCED! $325,000 Noon-1:00PM 1318 Addison St - 2BR/1BA house Fully renovated trinity on quiet street. $289,900 Search all Philadelphia area listings @ www.thephillyrealtors.com Dan Tobey

The Curtis Center 1401 Walnut St. 8th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102

215.546.2700 Business • 267.238.1061 Direct 215.432.7151 Cell • 215.546.7728 Fax dtobey@cbpref.com • www.cbpref.com

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

FRIENDS

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SERVICES

Man for Man Massage

Handsome Certified Therapist

FRIENDS

nite. GWM couple ISO GWMs 18-40 yrs. for 1 on 1 and group sex. Stockings, pantyhose, etc. Starts 9 PM Sat. Call Sat. 7-8 PM 856910-8303, ask for Mark. _______________________________33-24 GWM, Italian, top or bottom, 7” cut. Also into assplay, toys & water sports. Bi, straight, out of towners welcome. Day or night. Call Jeff at 215-850-7900. _______________________________33-18

FRIENDS

MEN

G12

I am just off of I-95, not far from Center City, Lower Bucks, and South Jersey. I specialize in Outcalls to Phila area Hotels.

B-7

215-313-1010

FRIENDS

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GayMEN is our middle name.

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BARRONS URBAN WAREHOUSE PARTY

FREAKE FRIDAY Friday, March 2nd, 2012 • TIME:11pm-6am

A NEW Alternative Urban Party that will be sure to bring in the Sexy Black & Latin Men For The NightMUST BE ON GUEST LIST TO GAIN ENTRANCE TO PARTY (PRIVATE EVENT: For More Information & to be put onto guest list email: badboi215@gmail.com)

MARCH MADNESS Saturday, March 10th, 2012 • TIME: 11pm-3:30am

WHAT TO EXPECT: * DJ Dutch * Food Catered by 13th St Pizza * OPEN BAR * Men of Magnum Erotic Dancers (private lap dances upon request) * Special Pole Dancing Performance * A Full House of Guys To Choose From & Soo Much More...

Saturday, March 17th, 2012 • TIME:11pm-6am

- Always bringing in the Sexy Black & Latin Men For The NightMUST BE ON GUEST LIST TO GAIN ENTRANCE TO PARTY (PRIVATE EVENT: For More Information & to be put onto guest list email: badboi215@gmail.com)

WEEKLY SPECIALS BUSINESS MANS 4HR LOCKER SPECIAL Monday thru Friday (8am-4pm) Members: $5.00 & Non-Members: $15.00

$12 LOCKER WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY 4PM-12 MIDNIGHT

Check out our website for our HOT NEW WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events...

Don’t forget to visit the Adonis Cinema right next door!! 2026 Sansom St/ PH: 215-557-9319

And if you are in A.C., please check out:

10 South Mt. Vernon Avenue •Atlantic City, NJ 08401

OPEN DAILY! Sunday- Thursday 4pm to 4am Friday & Saturday 4pm to 6am www.brassrailac.com

PGN

Support the advertisers who support our community.

PGN

PGN’S

COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

HELP WANTED

Drivers - CDL-A. DRIVE WITH PRIDE. Up to $3,000 Sign-On Bonus for Qualiﬁed Drivers! CDL & 6mo. OTR exp. REQ’D. USA TRUCK 877-521-5775 www.usatruck.jobs _______________________________36-09 Owner/Operator’s $5,000 Sign-On Bonus! Relocate for tons of warm South TX runs! Frac Sand Hauling. Must have tractor, pneumatic trailers, blower. 1-800-397-2672. _______________________________36-09

Driver - Up to $.42/mile plus $.02/mile safety bonus. Daily Pay. Weekly Hometime. Van and Refrigerated. CDL-A, 3 months recent experience required 800-414-9569 www. driveknight.com _______________________________36-09 Exp. Reefer Drivers: GREAT PAY /Freight lanes from Presque Isle, ME, Boston-Lehigh, PA. 800-277-0212 or primeinc.com _______________________________36-09

LANDSCAPE HELP Horticultural co. seeks hardworking, creative people to design/mantain landscape beds, perennial gardens and container garden displays. Hort. exp. pref. but will teach. Main Line area. Garden Gallery Designs, 610-789-2130. _______________________________36-10 $$ LCL Bulk Transport $$ OTR CDL-A Drivers *$2,000 SIGN ON BONUS *Avg $800-$1,000/ week *Good Home Time *Medical & Dental *2 years experience 877-955-6955 www. LCLBULK.com _______________________________36-09 Drivers: Sign On Bonus $2,000 - $7,500. Solo & Teams. 1 year OTR. High Pay & Beneﬁts. 877-628-3748 www.driveNCTrans.com _______________________________36-09

ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE WANTED

FOR SALE SAWMILLS From only $3997-MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1-800-578-1363 Ext.300N. _______________________________36-09 PAIN STOP NOW! Joint, muscle, back and other. We can help! MOST DOCTOR and INSURANCE APPROVED. NON narcotic relief. FREE telephone consultation. 888-306-9411 Ext 1A. _______________________________36-09

PGN currently has an advertising sales position available for an energetic, self-motivated individual with outstanding communication skills. Our ideal candidate must have polished sales skills with experience in lead generation and cold calling, combined with a track record of closing the sale. QUALIFICATIONS:

Listings for everything you need. Click on the resource button on the home page to start shopping today! only on epgn.com

• Two years of successful sales experience, preferably in print and/or online sales • Strong verbal and writing skills • Excellent at relationship building • Ability to work independently and part of a team • Knowledge of local media market and/or LGBT community a plus • Computer literacy a must

SERVICES EARN COLLEGE DEGREE ONLINE *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV Certified. Call 888-220-3984. www.CenturaOnline.com _______________________________36-09 AIRLINES ARE HIRING Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified - Housing available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888)834-9715. _______________________________36-09 “Can You Dig It?” Heavy Equipment School. 3wk training program. Backhoes, Bulldozers, Trackhoes. Local job placement asst. Start digging dirt Now! 866-362-6497. _______________________________36-09

Salary/Benefits: Salary plus commission. Our benefits package includes medical and dental insurance, paid holidays, vacation and a casual work environment. Qualified individuals interested in applying are encouraged to send their resume to dan@epgn.com.

LEGAL NOTICE

TRENTON Take notice that in accordance with N.J.S.A. 39:10 A-8 Et. Seq. Application has been made to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, Trenton, NJ to receive title papers authorizing the sale of: 2001 Honda Odyssey 2HKRL18691H605393

1977 Ford Pick-Up F14SNAG4032

1997 Chevrolet Tahoe 4TAVN73K8SZ047445

1995 Toyota Tacoma 4TAVN73K85Z047445

Objections, if any, should be made immediately in writing to Special Title Section/Abandoned Vehicle Unit, P.O. Box 071, Trenton, NJ 08666-0017

19762012

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 2-8, 2012

PGN