pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 41 No. 9
Family Portrait: J. Nathan Bazzel has a gender-bending style PAGE 19
March 3-9, 2017
Philly’s black trans community explores history PAGE 5
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Morris recordings aren’t agency records, says DA
“Schlep”ping through Purim with the sisters
PAGE 2
PAGE 17
Witnesses positively ID suspect in trans robberies, murder By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com Witnesses positively identified a suspect at a rescheduled court hearing Wednesday in a case involving robberies of transgender women. Miayanna Brooks, Aly Damian and Saleem Singleton identified Matthew White as the suspect who allegedly robbed them on Jan. 8, while Vivian Royster testified about White allegedly robbing her and murdering her boyfriend, Barry Jones, the following night. The three roommates FEELING LUCKY: Action Wellness and Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar headed south for the winter at the Feb. 23 Glamsino Royale. The Carnaval-themed festivity drew a sold-out crowd of 250 people, who tried their hands at table games, bid on a range of silent-auction items and enjoyed Brazilian-style foods. The annual celebration raised $15,000 for Action Wellness, which provides life-saving services to people with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. “We are incredibly thankful to all that attended this successful event,” said Action Wellness executive director Kevin Burns, who tipped his hat to partners Kimpton Hotels, Square 1682, Yards Brewery, Philadelphia Distilling, Storypoint Wines, Shutterbooth, the Bingo Verifying Divas and DJ Sharyn Stone.”Photo: Scott A. Drake
Twelve LGBT groups file brief in trans antibias case By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A coalition of 12 LGBT-advocacy groups wants to be heard in a federal case that will determine whether trans people born in New Jersey can change the gender on their birth certificates without undergoing gender-confirmation surgery. The groups hope a federal judge will accept their amicus brief in a case filed by “Jane Doe,” a New Jersey trans woman. Doe has gender dysphoria and seeks to change the gender designation on her birth certificate without undergoing surgery. New Jersey currently requires proof of gender-confirmation surgery prior to issuing a trans person a birth certificate with a revised gender. Doe’s lawsuit, filed in November, remains pending before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert, based in Camden.
New Jersey officials recently filed court papers urging dismissal of Doe’s suit. Members of the coalition are Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Gender Justice, Intersex & Genderqueer Recognition Project, LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBT Bar Association, National LGBTQ Task Force, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, Trans United and Whitman-Walker Clinic. The agencies say in their brief that requiring Doe to submit proof of gender-confirmation surgery in order to obtain an accurate birth certificate violates her rights under the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act. But New Jersey officials insist Doe already has an accuPAGE 14
According to matching testimonies from Brooks, Damian and Singleton, the three roommates were in their home on the 1300 block of North 52nd Street watching a movie in Damian’s room. Singleton left the room and closed the door. “Guys that mess with transsexuals usually want their privacy,” Brooks said in court, noting that Singleton, a sex worker, was expecting a client. Singleton testified that White was outside of the kitchen window screaming for Damian, from whom he previously requested
sex acts in exchange for money. She said White then entered the home with a gun pointed at her head demanding money. After White learned that Singleton did not have money in her own room, he allegedly gestured her toward Damian’s room, where the other two roommates were still located. “Don’t you f*cking yell,” Singleton testified White had told her. All three women corroborated that Singleton cracked open the door, with White’s gun to her head, and asked her MATTHEW WHITE two roommates for money. Damian noticed the gun pointing at Singleton’s head before White entered the room. “You don’t want this to be a crime scene,” White said, according to Brooks. “Give me the money.” The three witnesses said White stole cash and cellphones from them. White then left the premises and Brooks followed to ensure the suspect would not return. Brooks said she called the defendant a “pussy” as he ran PAGE 15 away. White then fired
Teens from PA get court win after Trump revokes trans guidance By Jeremy Rodriguez and Jen Colletta jeremy@epgn.com, jen@epgn.com Community members and local school districts showed support after President Donald Trump rescinded protections for transgender students last week. The Trump administration, in conjunction with the departments of Justice and Education, lifted the guidance former President Barack Obama issued in May that enabled students to use facilities in accordance with their gender identity, under Title IX. Days later, a federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled that several transgender students who are suing the federal government can use the facilities that match their gender identity as
their case goes forward. Pine-Richland suit U.S. District Judge Mark Hornak on Monday granted a preliminary injunction in a case filed by three trans teens from Pine-Richland High School in Western Pennsylvania. Juliet Evancho — the sister of singer Jackie Evancho, who performed at Trump’s inauguration — and Elissa Ridenour, both 18, and a 17-year-old trans male student filed suit last year after their district approved a policy dictating that students had to use facilities according to their biological sex. In his opinion, Hornak wrote that the plaintiffs have a “reasonable likelikhood of success” on their claim PAGE 15