GALAEI taps board prez as interim ED PAGE 2
Love in Bloom: Spring Wedding Issue PAGES 12-13, 31
Day in the Life of: PA Horticultural Society president Matt Rader, at the Philadelphia Flower Show PAGE 21 Mar. 4-10, 2016
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PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 40 No. 10
One arrest, more expected in Maya Young murder By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com
ANNIVERSARY EVE: LGBTs and friends gathered at Plenty Feb. 22 for the monthly South Philly social Queers on the Ave, which featured deeply discounted food and drinks. The group will hold its seventh anniversary bash March 10 at Paradiso Restaurant, which offers an outdoor seating area — sure to come in handy, as temperatures that day are forecast near 70. Photo: Scott A. Drake
No other details were available Wednesday evening regarding the identity of the 24-yearold woman police arrested March 1 in last month’s fatal stabbing of Maya Young, a transgender woman of color. Philadelphia police said the name of the person in custody is not releasable at this time, but she is charged with murder and conspiracy. Additional arrests are expected, police said. Officer Christine O’Brien, police spokesperson, told PGN she couldn’t release further information because it’s an active investigation. Asked if authorities think Young was targeted because she was transgender, O’Brien said police could not speculate on a motive. She said all the evidence police have gath-
Judge to consider resentencing Knott
Judge denies name change for trans youth By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
A Montgomery County judge has denied a name-change petition filed on behalf of a trans boy, even though both of the boy’s parents support the name change. The youth, identified by his mother as “Aidan,” was 16 in September when Common Pleas Judge Bernard A. Moore denied the name-change petition. Moore couldn’t be reached for comment. Due to a state Supreme Court ruling about
20 years ago, Pennsylvania judges cannot deny a name-change petition filed by a trans adult simply on the basis that the judge is anti-transgender. However, when Pennsylvania judges consider whether to approve a name-change petition filed on behalf of a trans youth under 18, they have more discretion in determining what’s in the “best interest” of the youth. In a one-sentence ruling issued in September, Moore denied Aidan’s namechange petition without PAGE 24
Killer of gay man to be released from death row By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Frank R. Chester, convicted of the grisly slaying of gay artist Anthony Milano, is scheduled to be released from death row later this month. Chester has been on death row for 28 years, making him one of the longest-serving death-row inmates in the state. In a deal announced Feb 29, Chester will plead guilty to first-degree murder for his
role in Milano’s death in exchange for a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Chester and Richard R. Laird were sentenced to death in July 1988, after kidnapping Milano to a wooded area in Bucks County and hacking out his throat. But federal judges overturned their first-degree murder convictions, citing faulty jury instructions by the trial judge on accomplice liability. Rather than attempting to reinstate Chester’s first-degree PAGE 24
ered is turned over to the District Attorney’s office. “All information on investigations goes to the District Attorney’s office,” O’Brien said. “The District Attorney’s office determines if something will get hate-crime charges.” A spokesperson for the District Attorney declined to comment. According to authorities, police responded to the report of a “stabbing on the highway” near 4900 Griscom St. around 11:50 p.m. Feb. 20. When officers arrived, they found Young suffering from several stab wounds to the neck and chest. They transported her to Aria Health Frankford, where officials pronounced her dead at 12:21 a.m. Feb. 21. Friends of Young, 25, said she moved to Frankford with a roommate in 2011. She was originally from Vineland, N.J., according to a Facebook page apparently belonging to her. n
By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
THE MAN BEHIND MARRIAGE: Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case that brought marriage equality nationwide, mixed and mingled with locals, including director of LGBT Affairs Nellie Fitzpatrick, at last Saturday’s HRC Philadelphia Gala. Held at the Marriott Hotel, the event drew about 500 guests to support the work of the national LGBT-rights organization. In addition to Obergefell, guests heard remarks from HRC president Chad Griffin and other staffers and board members, as well as “The L Word” star and Philadelphia native Katherine Moennig. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The Court of Common Pleas judge who last month sentenced Kathryn Knott to prison time has agreed to hear arguments from her attorney on why she should lighten the sentence. Judge Roxanne Covington on Tuesday agreed to a resentencing hearing in Knott’s case, set for 9 a.m. March 8. Knott’s new defense attorney, Bill Brennan, filed the resentencing request 10 days after Knott received a prison sentence of five to 10 months. She is currently incarcerated at Riverside Correctional Facility. The hearing does not mean that Covington will necessarily lighten Knott’s sentence; rather, it will be an opportunity for Brennan to extrapolate on the arguments he made in his resentencing motion and for prosecutors, who had asked Covington to deny the PAGE 22
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GALAEI board member to serve as interim director Hearing delayed again for Gonzales helmed GALAEI for six “I am stepping into some big shoes,” By Paige Cooperstein years. She previously worked at The Andrade said. “I’m very passionate and defendant in murder of paige@epgn.com Attic Youth Center and Mazzoni Center. incredibly proud of the work GALAEI The vice president of the board for Community members expressed grat- has done. The main thing is to uphold trans woman GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social itude for Gonzales’ leadership on social the mission and make sure all the pro-
Justice Organization will take over as interim executive director, the organization announced Feb. 29. Miguel Andrade begins immediately, having temporarily stepped down from the board to lead the organization. Andrade replaces Elicia Gonzales, whom GALAEI announced was leaving Feb. 26. A permanent executive director will be hired soon. The interview process will be conducted within the next three weeks, the organization said. GALAEI said Gonzales was leaving to pursue other career opportunities. Gonzales did not respond to requests for comment. Rafael Alvarez, president of the board, said the board and Gonzales came to the decision together to seek new leadership. “Basically, it was a mutual decision on behalf of both parties,” Alvarez said. “Both parties are going to be OK, and Elicia is going to continue to do great work no matter where she goes.”
News Briefing LGBT-focused career fair returns The third-annual SAGEWorks Career Fair, designed for LGBTs and allies 40 and over, will return to the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., noon-3 p.m. March 10. The career fair will include about 20 representatives of LGBT-friendly employers, who will offer information on job openings and offer participants job-search tips and assistance with online applications. The event will also include three workshops: on using LinkedIn for a job search, meditation techniques to assist in interview preparation and a talk with Comcast leadership about tips to get your job application noticed. The event is free, but registration is required. Participants can register at ow.ly/ YW90G. — Jen Colletta
Supreme Court declines to review sex offender’s case The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to review the case of Kenneth
media. Alvarez said GALAEI has been making moves to become more connected to Philadelphia Latinas and Latinos. “We’re an LGBT organization, but also we’re very unapologetically Latino,” he said, adding, “We feel new leadership will lead us in that area.” “The biggest change is our engagement with our community,” Alvarez said. “We really want to look at their sexual health not just as personal empowerment, but political empowerment.” Over the last year, GALAEI and Juntos, a Latino human-rights organization in South Philadelphia, have developed a partnership to promote fair treatment of undocumented immigrants. The two groups have participated in several protests together to shut down the Berks County Residential Center, an immigrant detention center in Bern Township. Andrade said he’s honored to serve GALAEI as it undergoes a leadership transition.
grams and services continue to happen. I want to make sure the community’s needs and voices are at the forefront.” Andrade said he expects his interim leadership to last a few months. He does not plan to apply to be considered as the permanent executive director. Andrade has been involved with GALAEI for several years and became a board member in May. He also works with Juntos and co-founded a Latin@immigrant youth leadership program that trained staff in the mayor’s office and School District of Philadelphia on how to support the Latin@ immigrant population. Alvarez said Andrade will resume his role as vice president of GALAEI’s board once a permanent director is hired. “The board does not want to lose Miguel,” Alvarez said. “Miguel is very integral. He’s excessively thoughtful. He likes to weigh things out and he’s willing to play devil’s advocate to get to the best decision.” n
Schneider, a convicted sex offender who claims the government missed a deadline to file charges against him. Schneider, a Philadelphia-area attorney who traveled with a 15-year-old boy to Russia with the intention of sexually abusing him, wanted the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction. But on Feb. 29, the high court declined to review his case, without explanation. A federal jury convicted Schneider in 2010, and his conviction was upheld by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals last year. Schneider claims he was charged outside the five-year statute of limitations, because he was charged in 2010, but his alleged crime occurred in 2001. Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice, declined to comment for this update. Howard J. Bashman, an attorney for Schneider, also declined to comment.
Settlement conference set in bullying case Another settlement conference has been scheduled in the anti-bullying case filed by Thomas Vandergrift. Vandergrift claims his autistic nephew suffered extensive anti-LGBT bullying while a student at a Pennsauken, N.J., public school. Vandergrift also contends school officials wrongfully accused him of child molestation after he advocated for a proper education for his nephew. Vandergrift filed suit in 2012, seeking an unspecified amount in damages and policy
It’s been more than four months since Pedro Redding was arrested in connection with last year’s murder of Keisha Jenkins, a transgender woman of color, in Logan, and he’s still awaiting a preliminary hearing. His March 2 hearing was continued to March 30. It will take place at 9 a.m. in Room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Redding, 24, of the 4500 block of North 13th Street, was arrested in connection with the Oct. 6 fatal shooting of Keisha Jenkins at 13th and Wingohocking streets. Jenkins, 22, was assaulted by several men around 2:30 a.m. and shot twice in the back. Court staff told PGN Redding’s hearing was delayed because authorities are still investigating for other individuals they believe were involved in the incident. Police said the motive was robbery and Jenkins was not targeted for being transgender. Police do not believe Redding was the shooter. No further arrests have been made. Redding was denied bail and is being held at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility until further court action. n
changes within the Pennsauken school district. Mediation in the case has been unavailing. But U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider recently ordered a settlement conference to be attended by Vandergrift and his attorneys. The session will be held noon March 4 at the U.S. Court House in Camden. Pennsauken school-district officials and their attorneys won’t attend the session, according to Schneider’s order. In a related matter, Schneider denied a request by Vandergrift’s attorneys to withdraw from the case. The attorneys, Amelia Carolla and Catherine M. Reisman, couldn’t be reached for comment.
Judge refuses to dismiss same-sex harassment case A federal judge has denied a request by Haddon Township officials to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Jason DeMent, a former township police officer who alleges pervasive sexual harassment from township Police Chief Mark Cavallo. In a one-page order filed Feb. 29, U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler said the case should move forward. But Kugler also left open the option for township officials to file a similar dismissal request in response to revised allegations recently filed by DeMent. Attorneys for the township and Cavallo couldn’t be reached for comment. It remains unclear if they’ll continue to seek dismissal of the case or respond to DeMent’s allegations in a formal answer. DeMent claims the township refused to make reasonable accommodations for his
— Paige Cooperstein vision impairment, known as Stargardt’s disease, because he “blew the whistle” on Cavallo’s alleged sexual harassment. Instead, the township allegedly retaliated against DeMent by dismissing him in October. The township has 14 days to respond in some manner to DeMent’s revised allegations. — Timothy Cwiek
Out journalist Jim Donovan to helm early morning broadcast CBS3 plans to launch a revamped version of its early-morning newscast with out journalist Jim Donovan in the anchor chair, the television network announced Feb 29. “Eyewitness News This Morning” will air 4:30-7 a.m. weekdays starting in early April. Donovan will continue producing and appearing in his popular “On Your Side” consumer segments. “Jim is one of the most versatile broadcasters in the market,” Margaret Cronan, vice president and news director, said in an announcement on CBS3’s website. “We believe that a new morning-show format will give him and the team the ideal runway to provide viewers with a morningnewscast that is both smart and entertaining to watch.” Donovan joined CBS3 in 2004. He takes over the morning broadcast after Ukee Washington, who formerly helmed the timeslot, moved to the evening newscasts over the summer. PAGE 15
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Weekly features
News&Opinion 2 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Street Talk Transmissions 24 — International News 26 — 40 years ago 27 — Crime Watch
Three engagements and a wedding.
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Family Portrait Scene in Philly Out & About Comic Q Puzzle
14 — Out Law: What happens in South Dakota ... 23 — Queer Faith: The myth of homo-fascism 36 — Get Out and Play: Rugby coach in it to win it
Classifieds 45 — Real Estate 46 — Personals 47 — Bulletin Board
EMCEE-TURNED-AUTHOR: Famed actor, singer and dancer Joel Grey now adds the title “author” to his repertoire. Grey, who portrayed the Master of Ceremonies in the stage and film versions of “Cabaret,” signed copies of his new book, “Master of Ceremonies: A Memoir,” Feb. 25 at Free Library of Philadelphia. The out artist also took part in a conversation with Warren Hoffman of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Photo: Scott A. Drake
This week in PGN 6 — Youth Valley House hosts casino night 7 — Woody’s seeks venue change for lawsuit 8 — Mazzoni honors two at luncheon
“Pop” goes the exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Wedding Issue: — Engagements and Weddings, page 12 — The celebrity wedding planner, page 13 — Wedding Expo in Bucks County, page 31
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Stars come out for equality at HRC Philly Gala By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Katherine Moennig, who rose to fame on “The L Word,” listed all the reasons she was proud to return home to Philadelphia Feb. 27 to receive the Equality Award at the 20th annual HRC Greater Philadelphia Gala. She covered everything from water ice to Wawa and joked, “Then you mention the word ‘jawn’ and there goes your whole night.” On a more serious note, Moennig told the hundreds gathered at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown: “The fact that Philadelphia stands up for its LGBTQ community and gives a voice to people like Maya Young, who no longer has one, only adds to that pride. I hope that this voice gets louder and stronger in this town as time goes on.” It’s likely that will be the case. Moennig was one of several people throughout the gala to memorialize Young, the young transgender woman of color who was stabbed to death last month in Frankford. Mayor Jim Kenney opened the evening and similarly remembered Young. “I want to mention Maya Young, who lost her life because of who she is, who she was,” Kenney said. “We need to work every day to stop that from happening in our city streets and in our nation.”
Kenney quoted Moennig split the statistic that 23 her 10-minute transgender people speech between were killed last year, Philadelphia pride a record high. and LGBT pride. He said, when She said she earned he was elected to her street cred in the Philadelphia City community through Council in 1991, he her six years on “wound up replacing “The L Word.” probably the most “I know that was homophobic city way back in the council member in dark ages of 2002,” city history.” said Moennig, who now has a role on “That happened because the LGBT the Showtime series community decided “Ray Donovan,” they were going “but I remember we to take a leap of HRC PRESIDENT CHAD GRIFFIN all felt like the stars faith on this IrishAT THE FEB. 27 HRC GREATER must have been perCatholic kid from PHILADELPHIA GALA Photo: Scott A. Drake fectly aligned when South Philadelphia,” the show was comKenney said. “My career is based primarily ing together. in the LGBT community. I have your back. “I got to portray this utterly unapologetic woman,” she continued. “That message I’ll always have your back.” Gala speakers also included Jim was so unwavering and put out there withObergefell, the plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme out the fear of judgment. Court case that created marriage equality “It’s a huge compliment when someone nationwide, and Chad Griffin, president of comes up to me and tells me that the show the Human Rights Campaign. Thea Austin, has changed their life or it has helped them from the group Snap!, closed the evening to accept themselves for who they are.” with a performance of “The Power” that Obergefell also hit on themes of using his story to help others. got attendees dancing.
“We have to come out and tell our stories because that’s how we change hearts and minds,” he said. After being in a relationship with John Arthur for more than 20 years, Obergefell said they flew to the Baltimore Washington International Airport and married on the tarmac because they could not legally do so in their home state of Ohio. Arthur had recently received a terminal ALS diagnosis and the couple wanted to wed and share the rest of their time together as husband and husband. When Arthur died in 2013, in his last official record with Ohio, the state listed him as single. Obergefell was not listed as the surviving spouse on his husband’s death certificate. That’s what caused him to sue the state of Ohio and his case ultimately worked its way up to the Supreme Court. “I could’ve stopped fighting, gone back to my quiet life and tried to move on without him,” Obergefell said. “But I couldn’t. I promised John to love, honor and protect him, and I had to do everything in my power to live up to those commitments. I had to keep fighting and I had to keep telling our story.” He reminded gala guests that the need to keep fighting is evident in state legislatures across the country that have proposed antiLGBT bills in the wake of marriage equality. n
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Rapist of lesbian files rebuttal brief By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Jeffrey J. Marsalis filed a rebuttal brief last month, hoping to persuade a three-judge panel to grant him a new trial for sex crimes he allegedly committed in Philadelphia, prior to raping a lesbian in Idaho. In 2007, Marsalis was convicted of sexually assaulting three local women. Prior to his convictions, while out on bail, he traveled to Idaho and raped a lesbian. Marsalis allegedly drugged his victims before assaulting them, but he maintains his innocence. Marsalis’ request for a new trial is pending before state Superior Court judges John T. Bender, Judith F. Olson and William H. Platt. In December, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office filed a lengthy brief urging the judges to keep Marsalis behind bars. In his Feb. 19 rebuttal brief, Marsalis called for the D.A.’s Office to be “censured,” due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct. Marsalis said the D.A.’s Office continues to accuse him of drugging women prior to raping them, even though he was acquitted of illegally administering drugs. “This court is not a forum for the [D.A.’s Office] to retry its case against [Marsalis] for charges for which he was acquitted,” Marsalis’ brief states.
Marsalis also blasts the D.A.’s Office for allegedly introducing inflammatory and irrelevant evidence to tarnish his reputation. “The [D.A’s Office] makes repeated adverse references to [Marsalis’] financial status, academic performance and testimony as introduced during the course of trial, which in the [D.A.’s] apparent view, suggests [Marsalis’] guilt in relation to charges in which [Marsalis] was acquitted — specifically those relating to the allegations that [Marsalis] drugged the complainants prior to engaging in sexual intercourse — which [Marsalis] maintained, and the jury largely found, to be consensual.” Marsalis said the D.A.’s reliance on irrelevant and inflammatory evidence is unethical. “These references have nothing to do with the factual and legal issues in question in the instant appeal,” the brief asserted. Marsalis also faulted the D.A.’s Office for arguing he isn’t entitled to an evidentiary hearing to help demonstrate his innocence. Marsalis said he can prove he was in Idaho on Jan. 2, 2004, when he was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in Philadelphia. He said the D.A.’s Office is trying to prevent the truth from coming out by arguing against an evidentiary hearing. Marsalis also claimed the D.A.’s Office was wrong to fault him for not submitting sworn
affidavits from witnesses willing to testify on his behalf at an evidentiary hearing. Marsalis said there’s no legal requirement to provide such affidavits. If the jury had been permitted to consider Marsalis’ alibi evidence, the outcome of his 2007 trial would have different, Marsalis contended “[T]he jury was deprived of evidence showing that on the date A.A. claimed [Marsalis] raped and sexually assaulted her, [Marsalis] was in Park City, Utah, with his father, celebrating the New Year’s holiday,” Marsalis brief states. Marsalis also renewed his request for the D.A.’s Office to be disqualified from the case, citing his wrongful prosecution for allegedly raping a local assistant district attorney. “The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office should be disqualified from participating in future proceedings in a prosecutorial capacity,” Marsalis’ brief states. But in court papers, the D.A.’s Office denied any wrongdoing in the matter and declined to disqualify itself. Marsalis, 42, remains incarcerated at a state prison in Marienville. He’s eligible to apply for parole next year. If released, he’s expected to serve a 14-year prison sentence in Idaho for raping a lesbian in that state, according to court records. n
Valley Youth House honors three at annual fundraiser By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Things did not go as planned for Lady Torres when she moved to the United States to live with her father when she was 10. By the time she was 16, Torres had entered the foster-care system in Philadelphia. It was at the Achieving Independence Center at Valley Youth House in North Philadelphia that Torres was able to open up to someone about struggling with depression. Now 19, Torres is a student at Temple University. She plans to earn her master’s degree and become a teacher. Torres will receive a Youth Achiever award at the sixth-annual Always Bet on Youth Casino Night event to benefit Valley Youth House, an Allentownbased organization with offices in Philadelphia to help young people with housing and life skills. The group includes a Pride program aimed at LGBT homeless youth. The other honorees include Liberty Property Trust, a real-estate investment firm in Philadelphia, as the Corporate Achiever; and Mark Aitken, co-founder of Horizon Services, a Delaware-based plumbing, heat-
ing and air-conditioning company, as the Individual Achiever. Casino Night takes place from 6-10 p.m. March 11 at the Crystal Tea Room, 100 Penn Square East. The honorees will be presented with their awards from 7-7:30 p.m. It costs $120 for a ticket or $220 for a pair. In the fundraiser’s first five years, Valley Youth House raised $285,000 to support its programs. This year’s theme is carnival masquerade. Valerie Johnson, development officer with Valley Youth House, said the theme fits nicely on the tail of Mardi Gras and looking ahead to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Guests are encouraged to come in costume. The event will include a performance by Philly Bloco, a Brazilian dance group. People can also play small games of chance and enjoy hors d’oeuvres. “It’s very cool to see people start to recognize us and the work we do in the community,” Johnson said, adding the Valley Youth House fundraiser represents a great platform for young people to share their experiences. “Our youth get a chance to speak to a crowd of people they normally wouldn’t get the chance to.” n
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Woody’s Bar seeks venue change in accident case By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Attorneys for Woody’s Bar want a change of venue for a lawsuit seeking more than $100,000 in damages from the bar because it allegedly contributed to a traffic accident by serving a patron too much alcohol. Daniel A. Callaway claims that an inebriated patron at Woody’s later drove a car while under the influence, causing him to be injured in a traffic accident. On Dec. 7, 2014, Callaway, a certified EMT and firefighter, suffered extensive injuries while tending to a disabled vehicle on I-95 in Tinicum Township, Delaware County. A vehicle driven by Corrin R. Collier sideswiped the disabled vehicle, pushing it into Callaway. The driver of the disabled vehicle, Jamar D. Palmer, had been drinking at Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St., prior to the accident, according to a lawsuit filed in November by Callaway. The suit was filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court. was Palmer charged with DUI and related offenses, and placed in a diversionary program as an alternative to jail time. His blood-alcohol level was 0.16, which exceeded the legal limit. Palmer’s driver’s license was suspended for two months. Additionally, Palmer was ordered to perform 64 hours of community service, attend alcohol-safety classes and pay about $2,000 in fines. Collier wasn’t charged with any criminal wrongdoing. Callaway’s injuries include: a fractured and dislocated pelvis; a fractured right femur, tibula and fibula with insertion of plates and screws; two holes in his bladder; a fractured right knee; a fractured right ankle with insertion of screws; removal of a small piece of colon and resulting colostomy bag; and permanent facial scarring and disfigurement. Callaway alleges that Woody’s staff served Palmer when he was visibly intoxicated and failed to take reasonable measures to prevent him from leaving the establishment and driving a vehicle, prior to the accident.
In a Feb. 24 filing, attorneys for Woody’s asked that the case be transferred to Delaware County Common Pleas Court, where Callaway is suing Palmer and Collier. The filing notes that the accident occurred in Delaware County, Callaway doesn’t live in Philadelphia and most of the witnesses are located in Delaware County. “[Woody’s] requests this case be transferred to Delaware County for consolidation with the Delaware County case that was filed prior to this Philadelphia action so that the liability and damages of all the parties can be determined in a single litigation, to avoid multiple concurrently proceeding litigations, duplication of time, costs and expenses and the avoidance of inconsistent and/or contrary verdicts,” the filing states. The filing acknowledges that Woody’s Bar conducts business in Philadelphia. But it emphasizes that having one trial in Philadelphia and another in Delaware County would be “oppressive and vexatious.” “The investigating police officers, as well as the accident reconstruction officers, all are stationed outside of Philadelphia — in fact in Media, Delaware County,” the filing adds. “Most, if not all, of [Callaway’s] medical providers, including the Crozer Medical Center, are outside of Philadelphia and, in fact, the Crozer Medical Center and the physicians who treated [Callaway] in the trauma unit are all in Delaware County. Finally, [Callaway] chose the jurisdiction of Delaware County to file another lawsuit relating to and resulting from the same accident. But for some unknown reason he did not include [Woody’s Bar] in that prior lawsuit.” Neither side had a comment for this story. Legal research shows that large urban centers tend to adjudicate higher-damage awards for plaintiffs, as opposed to smaller, conservative areas such as Delaware County. As of presstime, Woody’s request for a change of venue remained pending before Common Pleas Judge John M. Younge. n
Callaway’s injuries include: a fractured and dislocated pelvis; a fractured right femur, tibula and fibula with insertion of plates and screws; two holes in his bladder; a fractured right knee; a fractured right ankle with insertion of screws; removal of a small piece of colon and resulting colostomy bag; and permanent facial scarring and disfigurement.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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First EEOC LGBT suit has Philly connection By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission this week filed its first-ever lawsuits regarding sexual orientation-discrimination, one of which is being handled by the agency’s Philadelphia office. The EEOC filed suit Tuesday against a Pittsburgh-based medical clinic and a Maryland pallet-distribution company, charging antigay workplace discrimination at both. The challenges were made possible last year, after the EEOC determined that discrimination based on sexual orientation is protected under a federal statute that prohibits sexbased discrimination. In the Pennsylvania case, the EEOC’s Philadelphia District Office is suing Scott Medical Health Center in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on behalf of former Scott Medical employee Dale Baxley. Baxley contends his former supervisor called him antigay epithets and made other offensive
comments about his sexuality in the workplace. The employee quit after the company refused to discipline the manager. Similarly, the Maryland case contends a former lesbian employee at IFCO Systems was harassed by her supervisor, who made comments such as, “I want to turn you back into a woman.” She was fired just days after filing a grievance about the situation. “With the filing of these two suits, EEOC is continuing to solidify its commitment to ensuring that individuals are not discriminated against in workplaces because of their sexual orientation,” EEOC general counsel David Lopez said in a press release. “While some federal courts have begun to recognize this right under Title VII, it is critical that all courts do so.” EEOC noted that both suits were filed after pre-litigation settlement talks failed. Pennsylvania is one of several-dozen states that lacks an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination law. Efforts to explicitly ban LGBT workplace discrimination at the federal level have long stalled in Congress. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
Mazzoni Center honoree remembers fight for marriage By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Never had advocacy efforts moved as quickly as they did in the last year and a half around marriage equality, said Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal. “More than 20 years of work by so many people and so many organizations had coalesced very suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly,” Cathcart said Feb. 26 after receiving the Justice in Action Award from the Mazzoni Center. He addressed a crowd of about 100 lawyers and LGBT advocates at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Notable guests included out Philadelphia judges Abbe Fletman, Ann Butchart and Dan Anders. Michael Williams, a Philadelphia lawyer who helped draft the 2002 bill that added protections for gender identity to the city’s antidiscrimination laws, also earned a Justice in Action Award. Williams’ son and daughter-in-law attended the ceremony. Williams thanked his family, including his husband, Tony Rodriguez, for supporting him in his work. Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs, gave a short speech about Mazzoni Center’s addition of legal services to its medical repertoire.
“The Mazzoni “The court was Center legal-serpacked with privices department marily lesbian really raises the and gay attorneys bar,” she said. “It’s from Washington, the only program D.C.,” he said. in Pennsylvania “The court does that specifically not spend much provides free or time on social low-cost services niceties. They to low-income come in, they LGBT people.” WILLIAMS (LEFT) AND CATHCART bang the gavel, Ticket sales Photos: Paige Cooperstein they sit down from guests at and say, ‘And the ceremony supported Mazzoni Center’s now giving the opinion in Obergefell.’ legal work. The center raised more than Suddenly, it was beyond quiet. Everyone $40,000, doubling last year’s amount. was excited, but terrified. The decision “Having the ability to provide free legal was announced and all of a sudden, people support is something we’ve been extremely started to breathe all over the courtroom. passionate about,” Nurit Shein, CEO of Many other people like me started sobMazzoni Center, told PGN. “The fact that bing.” we’ve reached our fundraising goal means The audience at the Loews Philadelphia people agree with us that this is something Hotel applauded and laughed as Cathcart that needs to happen.” joked, “Sobbing in public is really not my “The two heroes we’re celebrating today usual M.O.” have given of themselves selflessly for Cathcart also shared his connection to many years to support and uphold the com- Philadelphia and admiration for Mazzoni munity,” she added. Center. He will celebrate 24 years at the Cathcart recalled being in the U.S. helm of Lambda Legal this month, but Supreme Court in June when the decision Cathcart grew up in Pomona, N.J., and was announced in Obergefell v. Hodges, said he looked to Philadelphia as a lifeline which created marriage equality nation- for gay culture and a feeling of community wide. when he came out in the 1970s.
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“The city was a lifeline for me and a lot of people that I knew as we were figuring out our lives and stumbling toward consciousness,” he said, noting he spent a lot of time at Giovanni’s Room. Cathcart praised the Mazzoni Center for becoming a “real and thriving civil-rights institution.” “I know in some corners the word ‘institution’ is not always seen as a compliment,” he said. “I think building institutions is really the best thing we can do for the future.” He said the organizational support at Lambda Legal allows it to have a docket of over 113 cases, fighting a broad range of issues facing LGBT people and those affected by HIV/AIDS. Lambda Legal and others have had success recently arguing that existing laws already protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity as an extension of protections from discrimination based on sex. Cathcart also reminded people that the work for full LGBT equality does not end just because the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality. He advised people to pay attention to their state legislatures and fight against religious-freedom bills that could offer a license to discriminate, an anti-trans bills like the one proposed in South Dakota, among others. n
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
EDITORIAL PGN
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Log Cabin Republicans
Editorial
Breaking-news balance We here at PGN think of breaking news as a fickle friend; some weeks it trickles in at a molasses-like pace, and other weeks it pounds on the door with the fury of a hurricane. This week was the latter — which got us thinking about the evolution of media, and LGBT media in particular. As we prep for our 40th-anniversary issue next month, the PGN staff has been scouring every issue from the past four decades and coming up with some interesting finds. Among the major differences between our earliest issues and today’s PGN is the pace of the news cycle: The publication was a monthly for its first two years and a biweekly for four years after that. At that time, though, the news wouldn’t get stale in the lag between editions because few other outlets were covering LGBT issues. Even if a story developed 10 days previously, it would still be fresh and new to audiences of the 1970s and ’80s, who had little access to LGBT coverage — and certainly fair or accurate coverage — in the mainstream media. Fast-forward to this week: Among the breaking-news stories we encountered as we readied for production were an arrest in the murder of a trans woman, a court development in the case of a woman arrested in a gay bashing and the filing of the first EEOC lawsuit regarding sexual-orientation discrimination. It’s been a busy week for local LGBT news — but we weren’t the only ones working on these stories; all of them were also covered by mainstream organizations. In PGN’s early days, these developments may not even have gotten a mention in mainstream news or, if they did, the reporting likely would have been tainted with homophobia or transphobia. Now, however, LGBT news is no longer on the fringe and, thanks to the immediacy of the Internet, is unfettered in its reach. That shift has made us at PGN recommitted to our mission, which remains the same as it was in 1976: providing high-quality journalism about the issues impacting the local LGBT community. Even though the ways we have covered the news have changed over the last four decades — we’ve learned to balance breaking news with our roots as a print publication — our unique vantage point of reporting community news from inside that community has not changed. n
We want to know! If you are celebrating an anniversary, engagement, wedding, adoption or other life event, we would be happy to help you announce it to the community. Send your contact information and a brief description of the event to editor@epgn.com.
As a kid, I loved Log Cabin pancake syrup. Not only that, but I thought real maple syrup was gross. Then I grew up. And I no longer believed the dumb things I believed when I was young and stupid — like corn syrup with brown dye being superior to the real thing. Hey, you live and you learn, right? Unless, of course, you’re a Log Cabin Republican. Then all you want is the fake stuff. And by fake stuff, I mean the delusion that if you keep supporting Republicans, then Republicans will one day support you back. All evidence points to the contrary. And yet LCR just can’t quit the GOP. The reason? Log Cabin Republicans don’t really care about LGBT rights. Their concerns really aren’t much different from Republicans who live in more modern housing: amassing money and power and to hell with anyone who doesn’t have it. You don’t have to look any further than the current slate of Republicans vying to get the party’s nomination for president. All of them are vocally anti-LGBT. And yet Log Cabin Republicans would rather see someone like Trump or Cruz get elected than see a Democrat win. Case in point: LCR recently released a rather bizarre anti-Clinton ad that took her to task for her slow roll when it came to LGBT rights. The ad begins with ominous music and the words, “Was Hillary Clinton a gayrights advocate when it counted?” over a black screen. Then it cuts to a 2004 interview where Clinton says, “I do not support gay marriage.” The ad seems to be suggesting that 2004 was “when it counted” and that, for some reason, now it doesn’t count at all. What was so special about 2004? Was it because President George W. Bush, a candidate that they supported in 2000, was voicing support for an antigay-marriage amendment to the Constitution? LCR got
their feelings so hurt that they chose not to endorse GWB in 2004. And, yeah, it does really suck that Clinton didn’t support LGBT people years ago. She absolutely should have. But Log Cabin Republicans seem to be the only people who find it unforgivable. Everybody else is like, “Fucking finally, Hillz.” And let’s not forget that even though Clinton smugly told Chris Matthews in 2002, “No,” when he asked if New York should recognize gay marriage (a clip LCR uses in the ad, though it comes after two clips from the magical year of 2004), she’s light years ahead of all of the Republican candidates on issues of equality. So is Bernie Sanders, who is also featured in the ad in a 2015 clip from “The Rachel Maddow Show.” “It’s great that people evolve and change their minds,” he says, “but it’s important to stand up when the going is tough.” So is LCR endorsing Sanders? No. They’re just using him to illustrate how much they hate Clinton who was, according to their ad, “Wrong on gay rights when it mattered.” Because it doesn’t matter now I guess. We might as well elect Ted Cruz, amirite? LCR’s YouTube description for the ad, by the way, reads, “On LGBT rights, Hillary Clinton has led from behind.” Which more aptly describes LCR. And not just because of the obvious gay joke. As LCR touts, “Gay and lesbian Republicans have chosen to transform the GOP from the inside.” Which is true. And let us never forget the sad fact that being Republican is a choice. Pray for them. n
And, yeah, it does really suck that Clinton didn’t support LGBT people years ago. She absolutely should have. But Log Cabin Republicans seem to be the only people who find it unforgivable. Everybody else is like, “Fucking finally, Hillz.”
D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.
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.
Please include a daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, style and space considerations.
OP-ED PGN
Bracing for the Republican ride Nate Silver of The New York Times’ ened of? The answer is simple, or maybe “FiveThirtyEight” website, and the most not so simple: the federal government, accurate of political pundits, attempted Islamic terrorists, the economy, illegal this week to bring sanity to the presidential immigrants, the 1 percent of Americans race after this past Super Tuesday’s presiwho are getting rich, like banks and investdential primaries, with Donald Trump win- ment and mortgage companies — just to ning big on the Republican side name a few. and Hillary Clinton taking the As much as Republicans may Democratic side. be angry about those issues, While the Democrats took maybe they should take a better the primaries with spirit, the look at where they’re directing Republicans took it as a war — their anger. a civil war in the Republican Let’s meet the real Donald party. I sincerely do not know if Trump. While he speaks that is in any of our best interout about illegal aliens, he’s ests or that of our country’s. employed them. While he The war is centered on one speaks out about jobs being factor: denying Donald Trump exported to Mexico and China, products with his name are the Republican nomination. made in China and Mexico. This column has continually By his own admission (Mr. expressed its fright over him and his campaign of racism, 10-Billion Dollars), he’s the 1 sexism and downright lies. Mark Segal percent. And then there’s Trump But back to Silver, who made Mortgage company … Haven’t one very important point. After Tuesday, heard about that one yet? Here’s the fun we discovered that Trump had a total supfact: Trump is the number-one candidate of port in the Republican party of 36 percent. Wall Street. Who do you think gave him all That’s right, among Republicans, he saw the financing for his businesses? Banks and only 36 percent of the vote. As for Clinton, investment firms. Then there are his taxes, Trump her average among Democrats was 60 University and all of his bankruptcies … percent. While Republicans are at war, Hold onto your hat, or hair. This is going to Democrats are civilly discussing issues. be some ride. n As of the writing of this column on March 2, there is total chaos in the Republican party. No one in his or her right Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the mind would dare to make a suggestion of nation’s most-award-winning commenwhere this race is heading. All we know tator in LGBT media. You can follow from the exit polls of Republican voters is him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ that they are angry. MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter. Gee, what are they angry at? Or frightcom/PhilaGayNews.
Mark My Words
Transmissions
Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
Street Talk Should President Obama have attended Justice Scalia's funeral? "Well, he did go to the viewing. I give him credit for that. And he's got a million things to do in his day. But he Amanda Brandt should have student gone to both. Chester The fuss he's getting isn't worth the point he made. But I think the Scalia family was a poor sport for not greeting the Obamas at the viewing."
"Politically, he had every responsibility to go. However, personally, I can understand why he wouldn't Karlia Hershorin want to dance instructor be there. Villanova I wouldn't have gone either, if I were president. I seriously disagree with Justice Scalia's views."
"Yes, he should have gone. It's a respect thing. He's the president of the United States. Scalia was a member of Leroy Pfarner the Supreme firefighter Court. Obama Upland needs to pay respect. As president, he shouldn't just blow things off like that. It's disrespectful. I think less of Obama because of this."
"No, he shouldn't have attended. He didn't feel the need to. Funerals are such personal things. It's the Maliq Scott president's hairstylist prerogative Northeast as to whether Philadelphia he should attend a funeral. That would include Scalia's funeral. Funerals aren't a place to make a political statement. It's a more private matter."
ing the cross-dressing antics of comedians such as Milton Berle. Transgender representation took a step back in the next couple decades, focusing on cross-dressed serial killers and “wacky” films and television shows liberally ripping off the plotline of “Some Like It Hot.” Yet, if we look beyond Cox, we still see a world where transgender stories remain poorly told, a land of stereotypes and poorly developed characters. Consider “Transparent,” featuring Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman, a trans woman dealing with the coming-out process. I personally have loved Tambor in many other projects, most notably as George Bluth Sr. in “Arrested Development.” Still, I find myself wondering why a transgender woman could not have played this role. Is it because, as many have surmised, that Hollywood prefers their trans
women appear mannish and “unconvincing,” providing some sort of safe distance for non-transgender audiences to feel comfortable? Indeed, I would contend that they choose actors who fit what they think a trans person should be — not what we actually are. We who are trans are not the caricature they picture when they think of transgender people. Beyond this, your pickings become very slim indeed. There are always reality programs such as “I Am Jazz” and “I Am Cait,” or independent selections like the excellent “Her Story.” And yes, I’ll discount the recent horrible example of trans representation on the rebooted “The X-Files.” This transgender tipping seems a lot more limited than Time might have let on in 2014. Movies have fared worse than television too. Aside PAGE 27
Tip farther, Hollywood In May 2014, “Orange is the New Black” star Laverne Cox adorned the cover of Time magazine. Next to her was the phrase “The Transgender Tipping Point.” The cover itself is likely the most important media representation of a transgender person since the New York Daily News pushed coverage of the H-bomb off their cover to present Christine Jorgensen’s 1952 transition story under the headline “Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty.” The choice of Cox for this cover, too, was important: Cox’s role as Sophia Burset on “Orange is the New Black” is a groundbreaking one. It marks the first time an out transgender person has acted as a transgender person on the small screen. After a turn on “I Want to Work for Diddy” and as a handful of characters in other films and television shows, Cox hosted on the show “TRANSform Me” before taking her place on “Orange is the
New Black.” While still a recurring character, she is also taking on other roles, including that of Dr. Frank-N-Further in a made-for-television reboot of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” And through her turn on OITNB, she has won a Screen Actors Guild Award and been nominated for an Emmy. If anything, she is indeed emblematic of huge change in media. Trans stories have long been fodder for both the big and small screen. In 1975, actor Robert Reed played a trans woman on “Medical Center,” while Archie Bunker gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a female impersonator. Two years later, the short-lived show “All That Glitters” took to the air with Linda Gray as a transsexual — the first recurring transgender character on television — while Billy Crystal played Jodie Dallas, a transsexual, then gay, then straight character on “Soap.” This, of course, is discount-
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
WEDDING PGNISSUE
Engagements April Powell and Marquita Gonzales By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Even though the proposal may not have been exactly what April Powell had planned, the result was still the same: a yes. Powell and Marquita Gonzales got engaged Jan. 2 during a trip to Williamsburg, Va. Powell intended to propose to Gonzales the night before at the Christmas Town display in Busch Gardens, amid the holiday lights, but the couple was delayed and got to the park too close to
closing time. Powell readjusted her plan and popped the question while touring the Governor’s Palace garden in historic Colonial Williamsburg. “We were walking around and there’s this part where the trees all criss-cross and we’re taking pictures and next thing I know, I turn around and she’s like, ‘I love you. It took me a long time to get to this point but I appreciate every step we’ve taken and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,’” Gonzales said. “And she got
down on one knee and I just burst out crying.” Gonzales said the moment was so intense, Powell had to double-check Gonzales’ answer. “Even after it was said and done and I had the ring on my finger, she looked at me and was like, ‘I just drew a blank: Did you actually say yes?’” Gonzales laughed. The women met online in December 2013 and connected in person later that month on a double date. Gonzales said they waited about three months to begin a formal relationship. “She’s honest about this, she wasn’t relationship material at
first,” Gonzales said. “She didn’t know how to deal with the stress of arguments or things like that. But she gradually started building me into her future and we knew it was time for a relationship; when she was planning vacations, she’d plan me into them, or if she was planning a group activity with her friends, she knew she wanted me included,” Gonzales said. “After a while, she fell in love and felt like she belonged, and it was the same for me.” Gonzales, 28, works in hospice care for Main Line Health, and Powell, 26, is a registered nurse at both Main Line Health and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
The Philadelphia residents plan to get married in June 2018 — and Powell already has her dress. Powell saw a dress she loved and Gonzales, unbeknownst to her fiancée, bought it and had it shipped to their home. “We went on a trip for our anniversary and when we got home, I was on the phone arguing with UPS and the truck had just pulled away so I ran out the door and two blocks down in a rainstorm to get her wedding dress,” Gonzales laughed. “I came back, sat it down and said, ‘This is your engagement gift.’ I recorded it when she opened it. She gasped so loud you can hear it a mile away.” n
with children with special needs. Higginbotham said she was trying to plan a perfect proposal, but the moment arose organically when they were at home one night. “I couldn’t figure out the right time. The day after she had worked a 10-hour shift and her son was there, she was cooking and running around, making sure I had something to eat,” she said. “It just made me see how selfless and giving she is, and seemed like the perfect time. So I ran upstairs and was like, ‘There’s something
I need to tell you but you might get mad at me’ to try to throw her off. And then I proposed.” “I was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s the bad news?’ Honestly, that was the last thing I expected to hear,” Stephens laughed. “I turned around and she had the ring, and I was like, ‘Oh, OK.’” Stephens said she looks forward to marrying Higginbotham to set a positive example for her 7-year-old son. “I love the idea of love, and I want to set an example for my son so he can see what a household
should be,” she said. “I think when you find somebody you can see yourself being with, time shouldn’t be a limiting factor,” Higginbotham added. “Marriage is a way to express your love to someone and to commit to them. I want her around for forever and we want to do the proper thing to make sure that happens. That’s what the proposal and the eventual wedding are about: There are a lot of other people out there but, in spite of our flaws, we’ve chosen each other.” n
Shanee Stephens and Crystal Higginbotham By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com In hindsight, Shanee Stephens and Crystal Higginbotham are glad that the food served at a party last year wasn’t too tasty. “We were at a mutual friend’s birthday party and started small talk about the food that was being served; it wasn’t too good,” Stephens laughed.
The couple had an instant connection that night. “There was just a natural chemistry,” Higginbotham said. “And then it’s just been like a high this whole past year; we haven’t had any bumps.” Higginbotham, 31, works in the chemical-engineering field. Stephens, 27, is studying early childhood education at Community College of Philadelphia, and currently works
Carla Gamble and Teneshia Washington By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A chance meeting on South Street is to thank for Teneshia Washington and Carla Gamble’s romance — and now engagement. Washington, 31, ran into Gamble, 26, outside XO Lounge, as Gamble and her friends were hailing a cab in December 2013. “She was coming out with a friend and I said, ‘Do you ladies need a cab?’ She was beautiful and she just seemed different, like she didn’t fit into the mold of anyone else,” Washington said. “She didn’t seem that interested at first, but her best friend was like, ‘She’s nice, give her a call.’ And she did.” “Boy oh boy, is she consistent,” Gamble laughed, recalling her
first impressions of Washington. “She saw what she wanted, and she went after it. The way she talked to me from the beginning was so genuine and kind, so not like I was ever used to. She didn’t come with negativity, just so much grace and patience.” The women, both originally from Overbrook Park, made their relationship official in the spring of 2014. Gamble, 26, is a HeadStart preschool teacher in Ardmore, and Washington, 31, is the assistant executive director of a national nonprofit based in Center City. Gamble said their mutual support has been key. “So many people in relationships just seem to take, take, take from each other, where there is no balance, but with us it’s about keeping PAGE 14
Wedding April Chatman-Royce and Mary Beth Gallagher By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A 2014 cross-country trip to California proved to be a life-changer for April ChatmanRoyce and Mary Beth Gallagher. “We spent three weeks driving across the country, to San Francisco and back,” Gallagher said. “April proposed several times on that trip, and we decided that, if we can spend three weeks in a car together and survive, we might as well go ahead and get married.” The couple met online in September 2013 and had their first in-person meeting for a movie date at Gallagher’s house. “We watched a movie called ‘Momma,’ which was a terrible horrible film,” Chatman-Royce laughed. When she arrived at the door, Gallagher joked that she was struck by Chatman-Royce’s short stature. “I’m 5-foot-2 on a good day and for the first time I felt huge,” she laughed. “My first impression was that she was very
cute but I wanted to let her make the first move,” Chatman-Royce added. “That ultimately backfired, and I ended up making the first move.” The couple took things slowly in the beginning. They had both gotten out of bad relationships and Chatman-Royce said they tried — but ultimately failed — to resist their feelings for one another. “We wanted to have fun and have things be easy,” she said. “It started out casually and we tried to fight the feelings but again it was just so easy and fun that I just fell in love pretty naturally.” “It was three weeks into our dating when we realized that we were falling in love,” Gallagher said. “We fought it tooth and nail. We just couldn’t believe it could be love; it was crazy, but so easy, so different than our past relationships. And that was that.” Gallagher said they met one another’s families, adopted a dog together and introduced the cats to one another. “Insert standard lesbian joke here,” she said. Chatman-Royce said commuPAGE 15
WEDDING PGN ISSUE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Celeb wedding planner hopes same-sex couples set new wedding traditions By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com When Montré Burton married his husband in the fall on the WE tv reality show “David Tutera’s CELEBrations,” he turned to Tutera, his friend and boss, to help him with the big day. “Consistently, two words were used: journey and village,” Tutera, a celebrity wedding planner, told PGN. “When I heard journey and village, I realized that, because it was a strong component of them as a couple, I wanted the guests to feel like they were on a journey.” Tutera created an experience that started with cocktails at a vineyard, followed by dinner and then the actual marriage ceremony. A party capped the evening. “At the end, we surrounded them with their village [of friends and family] by candlelight,” Tutera said. “It’s really unique for any couple.” Tutera was in Philadelphia Feb. 28 for Your Wedding Experience, a live wedding event he hosts around the country. The event was last in Philadelphia in September and will return to the Pennsylvania Convention Center Aug. 28. Set new traditions
lar in dresses while tuxedos feature more details and accessories. “I think that’s the one thing where we do break all the rules,” Tutera said. “Do two women wear two dresses? Does one woman wear something of a sexy tuxedo? Do two guys wear the exact same tuxedo or different suits that have a little bit of each person’s personality in the other? “It could be a statement that goes from same-sex couples and then becomes trend forward to heterosexual couples,” he added. Whatever choices a couple makes, Tutera said, they should capture something specific about the relationship. He also advised couples to listen closely to each other and not to make decisions under pressure. When it comes to vendors like cake bakers, photographers and designers, Tutera said trust is as important as the quality of the product. “I always say, you’ve picked your significant other to walk down the aisle with,” he said. “Your vendors have to be somewhat like your relationship for a short period of time.” On the show floor On the show floor, about 100 vendors from the Main Line to Miami catered to over 2,000 people from engaged couples and their families to wedding planners. Netesha Herbert from Desserts by Dana, with stores in Philadelphia and Delaware, said the shop creates custom fondant cakes and boasts 47 flavors. Many same-sex couples request “statement cakes” that have an unusual design or color scheme, she said. Herbert added Desserts by Dana has baked a number of cakes that, when sliced, reveal layers in the colors of the rainbow. Rustic and romantic floral arrangements are popular at OffShoots, a floral design
He sat down with PGN before the show floor opened, covering everything from fashion to vendor choices. Local wedding professionals at the event also shared tips for same-sex couples planning their ceremonies. “Whatever I tell a straight couple or a gay couple, it’s going to be the same information,” Tutera said. “You still need the same pieces. It’s just a matter of figuring out how you feel comfortable with the formalities.” Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality last year, Tutera said he hasn’t seen an influx of same-sex couples seeking out wedding-planning services. But he thinks that’s By Larry Nichols due to the fact that many samelarry@epgn.com sex couples are still figuring out what they want out of a wed “Most people really don’t ding and what marriage means to know how to buy booze for their them. wedding,” Aaron Gordon, owner “They don’t really have any and ‘spirit guide’ of 13th Street guidelines,” Tutera said. “They’re Cocktails, said. unsure if they should be follow That’s probably why a lot of ing the traditions of what’s been weddings and other events retain done. I’m hoping they set new the services of the company, traditions. It’s a great moment for which brings its stylized mobile people to create trends and create cocktail bar on wheels to weduniqueness.” dings and other events. Tutera said the wedding ward “Our company does a lot of robe is a great way for sameweddings and we’re pretty much sex couples to make a statement, booked every weekend,” Gordon adding that soft lavenders and rose pinks are becoming popu-
company in Manayunk, said Alnardo Albino. He said that often entails pale pinks and lavenders with wheat or lanterns to offset the flowers. Krystyne Levey recently started working at L&H Bridal in Philadelphia. She comes armed with experience from New York, where she had worked with some samesex couples. She remembered two men from Ireland who wore tuxes and tails with sashes that highlighted each of the regions they were from. She also worked with two women who shopped for their dresses together and helped each other choose. “It’s best to keep an open mind, try things on that are going to complement each other and listen to your partner,” Levey said, adding the main thing for her is to listen to what the couple wants.
Another L&H location will open in Doylestown in mid-March, Levey said. Hilary Lanzer, managing partner from Ask Me Destination Weddings in Miami, said her company can advise same-sex couples about the local laws and attitudes surrounding marriage equality in different countries before they book their wedding or honeymoon. Ask Me specializes in trips to Mexico and the Caribbean. “There might be countries that consider it still illegal, but specific resorts will say, ‘Yes, come on down, we’re LGBTfriendly,’” Lanzer said. She said same-sex couples can get married without restriction in the Riviera Maya area on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Symbolic ceremonies can take place in the Dominican Republic and in many northern resorts on St. Lucia, but couples should make sure to get legally married at home first. Tutera said he hoped people know what to buy,” he said. would use the show to learn “It’s about understanding what more about what they want for your guests will drink. You can their weddings. have a specialty cocktail at a “This is a high-end show,” he wedding and serve 150 peotold industry insiders at the start ple where everything is fully of the event, “but with affordbatched in a punchbowl service, able vendors and experiences which has been a really cool that allow the consumers to leave trend. Another thing that we going, ‘This was a day deserved do is cocktails on draft, which to be here with my family, with services everybody really quick my bridal party, with my mom you can make drinks in three or dad,’ where they walk away seconds.” n learning, enjoying and experiencing.” n For more information on 13th Street Cocktails, visit For more information and future www.13thstreetcocktails.com. exhibition dates, visit www.yourwed-
13th Street Cocktails causing a stir at weddings said. “We do fancy cocktail bars and restaurant-quality service. We’ve seen everything. When people are stocking bars for their weddings, they almost get into wanting to be a restaurant and have every option. No, have a cocktail list and a few other mixers for the odd cocktail.” Gordon said his wedding philosophy is that you should have a few unique and exciting cocktails on tap and ready to go instead of bringing out an arsenal of different liquors. “A lot of people that are getting married don’t even
dingexperience.com.
14
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
PGN
Amid wave of pushback, success in South Dakota Cooler heads prevailed on Tuesday, cation groups — including the American when South Dakota’s governor vetoed a Academy of Pediatrics, the American bill that would have made it the first state Counseling Association, the American in the country to approve a law requiring School Counselor Association, the Child transgender students to use bathrooms and Welfare League of America, the National locker rooms that match their sex at birth. Association of School Psychologists, the Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who National Association of Social Workers initially reacted positively to the proposal, and the National Education Association retracted and instead said he needed to — called on Daugaard to reject it. Major research the issue further. He ultimately corporations also weighed in in opposirejected the bill after the tion, including Citibank, Wells American Civil Liberties Union Fargo, Sanford Health and First and Human Rights Campaign Premier Bank. insisted it was discriminatory. As I mentioned above, South In his veto message, Daugaard Dakota isn’t alone. Just two said the bill “does not address weeks ago, the Georgia Senate any pressing issue” and such approved a controversial “relidecisions were best left to local gious-freedom” bill that would school officials. allow faith-based organizations This is one situation in the to discriminate against LGBTQ last nine months where the people. The measure was LGBTQ community has come approved 38-14 after only three out on the winning end — but hours of debate. Throughout our margin is shortening with the debate, the lead sponsor of Angela the bill, Sen. Greg Kirk (R), each win. In the last six months of 2015, more than 200 antiGiampolo defended his First Amendment LGBTQ bills were passed, and Defense Act from critics who so far, we’ve counted 70 in 2016. Even were concerned it would gut LGBTQthough the significantly harmful South inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances Dakota legislation did not become law, it and policies of companies and cities all is crucial to recognize that this is the first over Georgia. During the debate, oppotime that an anti-trans state bill has made nents worried that the legislation would it all the way through any state legislature spark an economic boycott of the state, and onto a governor’s desk. More than a similar to what happened in Indiana and dozen states have considered anti-LGBTQ Arizona — and it did just that! This week, Salesforce CEO Marc bills this legislative session, but none has Benioff declared his opposition to the moved as far as South Dakota’s. so-called “religious freedom” bill, as This bill, which was part of a package of anti-LGBTQ bills before the South did Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dakota legislature, would have forced the computer giant Dell, and Richard schools to choose between violating state Branson of Virgin. LGBTQ and progresand federal law, which requires them to sive activists, along with some faith leadtreat all students according to their geners, denounced the bill as state-sponsored der identity and provide them with equal discrimination, especially as it would access to restrooms and other facilities. even allow faith-based organizations If passed, it would have opened schools that receive public funds to discriminate up to costly and time-consuming lawsuits against LGBTQ people. and put them at risk of losing their federal The bill prohibits state and local governments from taking “discriminatory funding. Laws like these also impose an imposaction” against people or faith-based sible burden on schools by requiring them groups acting on “a sincerely held relito police restroom use based on people’s gious belief or moral conviction” that chromosomes and is so reckless that seven marriage is between one man and one national child welfare, medical and eduwoman, and that sex is reserved to hetero-
Out Law
ENGAGEMENT from page 13
that balance and being able to give, give, give,” she said. “We focus a lot on supporting each other in every way possible; if Teneshia decides to start her own business or I decide to further my music career, we both know we have each other’s support in any decision we make. Teneshia is also my best friend; we laugh so much together my stomach hurts. We can lay in bed all day and just talk to each other about whatever.”
Washington said their shared value system has also helped them thrive; they’re both very family-oriented, and their faith is important to them. “We have a really strong foundation and a huge support system,” she said. “Carla was afraid in the beginning her family would reject her, even though she had been openly gay, but when they met me and they realized I also go to church, I practice my religion just as well as they do, I’m just a lesbian, I think that
sexual marriages. So basically, instead of upholding anti-discrimination bills protecting LGBTQ individuals, this bill would eviscerate those and replace them with anti-discrimination protections for heterosexual people and their “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The bill defines “discriminatory actions” as impacting the tax-exempt status of a faith-based organization; denying or withholding grants, contracts and licenses; denying public benefits; and withholding education facilities. Shockingly, the bill allows impacted heterosexuals to file claims for damages and attorneys’ fees. That’s right — a gay person could be sued for taking discriminatory action against someone’s sincerely held religious beliefs! Kirk said the measure simply is a “live and let live bill.” Like most anti-LGBT bills, the legislation isn’t just bad for LGBTQ people. In short, it allows any individual or “faithbased” business and nonprofit entity to ignore any law that conflicts with its religious beliefs about marriage. This bill violates the free-speech and establishment clauses of the First Amendment and the equal-protection clause of the 14th Amendment on its face. As it stands, exempt entities could refuse anyone else rights, services and benefits because they are part of an interracial couple; are part of an interfaith couple; are single mothers; are part of a same-sex couple; are divorced; are remarried; live or have lived with a partner without being married; or have had sex outside of marriage at any time in their life. This bill has made its way to the governor’s desk, and we will await its final outcome. And then there’s my favorite state — Kentucky. Thanks to the pioneering work of Kim Davis, the state Senate approved legislation that creates different marriage
was important.” Gamble’s family was actively involved in her proposal to Washington on Dec. 19. During a family dinner at Maggiano’s in Center City, Gamble took Washington outside for a few minutes and, when they returned, each of Gamble’s family members handed her a rose that included a note about why Gamble wanted to marry her. “I didn’t know anything about it; it was a huge surprise. The people at Maggiano’s helped
license forms for gay and straight couples, with one Republican senator saying any form that does not include the words “bride and groom” is disrespectful to traditional families. The primary purpose of the legislation was to remove the names of county clerks from marriage licenses to show their support for “traditional” marriage after former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear replaced “bride and groom” with “first party” and “second party” following the legalization of samesex marriage. This anti-LGBTQ backlash is not new. In my opinion, it is just finally coming to a head. In 2015, the LGBTQ community was dazed and confused with loss after loss at the polls and in state legislatures immediately post-marriage equality. Scores of antigay bills were filed in 29 state legislatures. This tells me that complacency is and will be our enemy, especially for those LGBTQ individuals who live in cities like Philadelphia, who are largely unaffected by happenings in South Dakota, Kentucky or Georgia. What’s more, I’m concerned that the new generation of LGBTQ young people and their allies won’t have their guard up and won’t be as incensed as previous generations to keep fighting for our rights. The LGBTQ community must remain vigilant and fight inequality in our hometowns, and if you happen to live in a Gayborhood, then fight for your LGBTQ brothers and sisters who aren’t so lucky and yearn for safety. n
That’s right — a gay person could be sued for taking discriminatory action against someone’s sincerely held religious beliefs! Kirk said the measure simply is a “live and let live bill.”
Angela D. Giampolo, principal of Giampolo Law Group, maintains offices in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and specializes in LGBT law, family law, business law, real-estate law and civil rights. Her website is www.giampololaw.com, and she maintains a blog at www. phillygaylawyer.com. Reach out to Angela with your legal questions at 215-645-2415 or angela@giampololaw.com.
her set the whole thing up and were so kind and supportive,” Washington said, noting she had been thinking of proposing herself. “But she beat me to it! We were just on the same mindset; our spirits are connected enough to know that this is what is supposed to be. For us, it’s not just, OK, we can get married now so let’s get married; it’s about knowing that this is the person we see our future with, the rest of our life, not just the honeymoon period of the relationship. We
take it very seriously; marriage is a covenant.” “I proposed to Teneshia and decided I wanted to marry her because she became all I knew and simply all I wanted to know for my entire life, and then beyond,” Gamble added. “When you are with someone for a long time, there will be disagreements and arguments, some misunderstandings, but love is forever. And it always wins.” The couple plans to marry in the spring of 2017. n
PGN NEWS BRIEFING from page 2
Lawyer who defeated DOMA returns to Philly Roberta Kaplan, who successfully argued the U.S. Supreme Court case that found unconstitutional the Defense of Marriage Act, will speak in Philadelphia next week. She last visited the city in October to promote her new book, “Then Comes Marriage: United States V. Windsor and the Defeat of DOMA.” Kaplan’s latest talk takes place from 7-9:30 p.m. March 9 at Temple Beth Zion Beth Israel, 300 S. 18th St. Tickets cost $10 for temple members or $15 for general admission. Chris Bartlett, executive director of the William Way LGBT Community Center, will moderate the discussion with Kaplan about her book. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bzbi.org/event/sicha-roberta-kaplan.
Health fair for women affected by HIV/AIDS Philadelphia FIGHT, a comprehensive AIDS service organization, plans to acknowledge National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day with a free community health fair from noon-3 p.m. March 5. The event takes place at Gathers Recreation Center, 2501-19 W. Diamond St. WEDDING from page 13
nication and honesty have been integral to the success of their relationship. “There’s nothing we don’t talk about,” she said. “We really came into the relationship being 100-percent ourselves so we weren’t hiding anything off the bat.” The two share a love of hiking, play in a Stonewall dodgeball league and on a City of Brotherly Love Softball League team. Chatman-Royce, 32, is a native of West Chester who earned a bachelor’s degree from Tyler School of Art and went on to study make-up artistry in Canada. She is now a film and television make-up artist who has worked on 20 feature films, most recently as head of the make-up department for “Brotherly Love.” Gallagher, 37, is an English professor at La Salle and Rowan universities. The South Jersey native earned her Ph.D. from Morgan State University. Gallagher joked that Chatman-Royce gave her a proposition that motivated
It will provide women, girls and families with resources to help prevent the spread of HIV. There will be free rapid HIV testing and blood-pressure screenings. Pharmacists will also be available to talk with attendees. People can also enjoy music, free food and healthy activities.
New operating officer for FIGHT’s Community Health Centers Barbara L. Bungy will join Philadelphia FIGHT as its new chief operating officer for its Community Health Centers, FIGHT announced Feb. 24. Bungy will start March 7, leading clinical and administrative operations at the AIDS service organization. She has master’s degrees in public health and business administration. Before FIGHT, Bungy worked in Drexel University’s College of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. She directed her efforts toward the Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric and Adolescent HIV, a primary-care provider for HIV-exposed newborns and HIV-positive infants, children and adolescents. Bungy had served on the FIGHT board of directors since 2012, most recently as secretary. n
her to complete her doctorate degree. “I was still working on my Ph.D. and April said she wouldn’t marry me unless I was a doctor, so after 10 years, I wrote my dissertation and finished it in one year,” she said. “I would have married her even if she hadn’t finished,” Chatman-Royce added. The couple, who lives in Gloucester, N.J., married Aug. 8 at Riverwinds Community Center in West Deptford. Gallagher said they wanted to host a wedding event that they themselves would want to attend as guests. “We primarily wanted to have a really big party,” she said. “We have lot of friends and I have a huge family and we’re all extroverts so we knew if we got everyone in a room with some games, alcohol and good music, it would kind of take care of itself.” Photography was provided by Brandi Fitzgerald, flowers and a custom LOVE
— Paige Cooperstein sign by Adrienne Billet, cake by Darren DiPietro at The Cake Studio and dresses were custom-designed and handmade by Melissa D’Agostino. The couple incorporated a lot of DIY elements in the event; in lieu of a shower, they invited family and friends for a craft party, where they made the centerpieces and other decorations. The ceremony was held at the center’s outdoor amphitheater with a reception at its banquet hall across the street that was held both indoor and outdoor, complete with lawn games like cornhole and ladder golf. The planning was already nearly complete when the U.S. Supreme Court last summer legalized marriage equality nationwide. “We had our officiant make it a point to say, ‘And now by the power vested in me by the state of New Jersey and the United States of America,’ because that was important,” ChatmanRoyce said. “It’s great that it worked out like that.” n
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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15
PERSONALITIES PGN
Day in the Life of ...
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
21
PA Horticultural Society president, Matt Rader
By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Matt Rader bounded into the main exhibition area for the Philadelphia Flower Show the Monday before it opened. He marveled at the Big Timber Lodge, with animals designed by volunteers from Valley Forge Flowers, and couldn’t wait to peek into the room where the show’s first railway garden, designed by the South Eastern Pennsylvania Garden Railway Society, would stand. The theme of the 187th Flower Show is “Explore America.” It starts March 5 and runs through March 13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, called PHS, hosts the show and partnered this year with the National Park Service to help the organization celebrate its centennial. The 50th-annual opening reception takes place from 7-11 p.m. March 4. Tickets cost $300-$650, depending on level of donation. Flower Show tickets cost $15-$34, depending on time of purchase. Rader has attended the flower show, an annual competition and fundraiser for PHS, but never before as its president. An out gay man, Rader took the reins in January. He replaced Drew Becher, who left in June to join his partner in San Francisco. “I keep saying I’m like a Yelp reviewer,” Rader told PGN on a tour of the Flower Show during its set-up. “Everything I discover about PHS, I want to go out and tell the world, ‘This is so cool, you have to know about this.’” Rader was especially excited about the participation of students from W.B. Saul High School in Roxborough, one of only a few agricultural high schools in the country. The juniors and seniors were constructing a replica of Valley Green Inn from Wissahickon. Their exhibition space stood next to a creation by students from Williamson College of the Trades in Delaware County. “It’s amazing to me that this show and this organization can give those students at Saul a really meaningful and memorable part of their high-school experience that will help catapult them into a career,” Rader said. “If you think of the show as something that does everything from entertaining somebody who just wants to spend a nice day in spring all the way to inspiring a kid to get really excited and passionate about horticulture, it’s amazing.” Because Rader is new to PHS, he considers himself “much more of an observer and a champion” of this year’s Flower Show. “I say I’m Sam’s apprentice,” he said, referring to Sam Lemheney, chief of shows and events at PHS. Lemheney called Rader a quick study. “He’s not unfamiliar with the show,” he said. “But working on this side of it is a lot different than just attending. His analytical mind will really help us.” Lemheney said he and Rader both enjoy
the energy of the set-up and having the exhibitors on the floor of the Convention Center. He added that the diversity of the plant material is a major selling point for this year’s show. “We’re not recreating national parks, but we’re using them as inspiration,” he said, noting people will be able to see everything from orchids reminiscent of Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii to sea grasses in homage to Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts. NPS rangers will be on hand to answer questions and share pieces from their educational programs. Attendees will also be able to videoconference with rangers from West Coast parks and see scenes from places like Yosemite National Park. “The Flower Show is like an 18-month design cycle,” Rader said. “Next year, I will really understand the design and have specific things I want to watch and be a part of some of it unfolding.” In the meantime, Rader has a genuine curiosity to meet everyone who interacts with PHS. Most days this week, he will arrive at the Convention Center at 6 a.m. and won’t leave until midnight. His schedule is full of meetings and tours of the show with various interest groups. “He’s entertaining and keeping everybody happy throughout the week,” said Alan Jaffe, communications director for PHS. Rader said he feels inspired by the longevity of the members, some of whom have been participating for more than 40 years. “I’m a historian by original background,” Rader said. “PHS is first and foremost a community of people passionate about horticulture. We’ve got 4,000 people as part of the Flower Show. We’ve got probably another 20,000 who are involved in community gardening or as tree tenders. For me, as the president of the organization, I want to know these people. These are the
RADER DESCRIBES THE CONCEPT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE LODGE, THE ENTRY AND FOCAL POINT OF THIS YEAR’S SHOW.
people who go out and do the wonderful things that we do and who we’re supporting every day. I can’t serve them well if I don’t know who they are.” At one point in the morning, Rader stopped to talk with Michael Petrie from Michael Petrie’s Handmade Gardens in Swarthmore and Jack Blandy from Stoney Bank Nurseries in Concord Township. Petrie has exhibited at the Flower Show for the past 36 years and Blandy has for 37. Rader asked them questions about what they were working on and how things were going. “He’s in a haze,” Petrie joked, after laying out a bunch of information. “I’m completely excited,” Rader said. “To actually see the thing come together and understand the number of people and the amount
of creativity and the amount of energy that goes into it is incredibly exciting.” “People are using math and geometry, people are using artistic skills, all to create the Flower Show. This is a huge learning experience and we get to be a part of this event that’s kind of central to the story of Philadelphia.” As Rader left the exhibition area, he pointed to a banner that said, “Start gardening today.” “There’s a good message,” he said. n For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.theflowershow.com.
RADER TALKS WITH SAUL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (LEFT) AND AT THE GIANT REDWOOD. Photos: Scott A. Drake
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
KNOTT from page 1
motion without a hearing, to respond. Brennan told PGN Tuesday that he was eager to outline his ideas for possible penalties other than jail time. “We’re anxious to have the opportunity to present alternatives to the sentence,” Brennan said. It is unclear if Knott will be present at the hearing. Knott was convicted in December of simple assault, conspiracy to commit simple assault and two counts of reckless endangerment in connection with the September 2014 attack on gay couple Andrew Haught and Zachary Hesse. Her co-defendants, Philip Williams and Kevin Harrigan, pleaded guilty last year,
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but she rejected a plea deal and took her case to trial. Williams and Harrigan are both serving probation and are required to perform community service. The parity among their sentences serves as part of the basis for the request for reconsideration, Brennan told PGN last month. Brennan’s resentencing request also asks for a sentence that is more focused on rehabilitation, as opposed to punishment, including such elements as community service or Knott’s participation in a public-service campaign against anti-LGBT violence. In a separate matter, Knott has until next week to file a full appeal of her sentence, which would take the case to a higher court. n
FAITH PGN
Peter LaBarbera and the myth of homo-facism It is a particular kind of evil when that forbids them to work with, promote LGBT Christians who gather in a prayer or interpret scripture in favor of LGBT circle are heckled by a crowd of more people. The doctrine is harmful and conservative Christians saying, “They’re swings dangerously from ethics based on not really praying,” and to a queer transrhetoric so old and so righteous, that the gender person, “You’re an abomination.” theology doesn’t even apply to modern On Feb. 24, a group of LGBT activists society anymore. The antiquated read of attended a public worship service hosted theology made prominent by old-timey by the National Religious Broadcasters. preachers like Pat Robertson and antiEvery year, NRB hosts a conference at a choice organizations like Focus on The Marriott, this year in Nashville. Family is proof of a system that The service was opened by would rather build walls than famed Christian singer-songhave brethren. writer Michael W. Smith, who For those of us on the outunified the congregation. The skirts of that monolithic thesing-songy voices of people ology, where are we to go? As praising side by side reverqueer people of faith, we are berated around the massive constantly cast as the orphan ballroom. When the music Oliver, looking in through the was over, a prayer preceded frosty window at the good ol’ headliner Rick Warren, who wholesome family drinking sauntered onto the stage with a hot cocoa together around the practiced stealthy cool. Warren fire. That scenario leaves us is most known for his best-sellin the cold with holes in our ing book “The Purpose Driven Crystal shoes. My friend Broderick Life” and as pastor of Southern Greer gave a defining talk Jan. Cheatham 7 at the Gay Christian Network Baptist megachurch Saddleback in Southern California. In Conference held in Houston. addition to his open position “to never He said, “Not all Christians do theology give up and never give in” to LGBTQI from the perches of power. Some of us do equality, he is also believed to be one of theology as a means of survival.” There the ministers, along with Scott Lively, are actually people who are trying to who founded ideas in Uganda that led change the way that we live and perceive to the “Kill the Gays” bill. The idea that religion in America. I’m talking about he was chosen to headline the worship those good actors who are cast across the service was too much for the queer activstage of fundamentalism as fornicators, ists who attended. They came from all as fools, as predators, damned sinners, over Nashville and included community thieves and the bluntly unforgivable. Christian supremacy demands there be organizers, clergy from several Christian one route to God where only the rightdenominations, students and alums from Vanderbilt University Divinity School and wing conservatives hold the map. But thankfully, more and more of us American Baptist College and representaare finding our way back to faith, in spite tives from Soulforce and the “Know Your of Christian supremacy, and are claiming Neighbors” project. our birthright as precious children of God. In an organized fashion, the two-dozen Maybe this is why queer stories matter. activists stood up and began singing This is surely why my friend Broderick Christian songs from their youth. “I’m in avows that he will live theology instead the Lord’s Army” was one that got rightof studying it only to put it back on the wing pundit Peter LaBarbera to call them shelf for another time. We may be Oliver homo-fascists. As the activists marched Twist but because we are “powerless,” into the foyer, they gathered in a circle Broderick says, we must do theology “on and bowed their heads in prayer. Those the go.” I believe him when he points out attending the conference were invited to that “theology [formed] from the text of pray with them and ignited a shock when some of them started to chant slurs, claim- our lives is how we make sense of God.” If there was a text formed from the night ing that the prayers of the LGBT people the activists were kicked out of the NRB weren’t even reaching God’s ears. The theology of fundamentalist worship service, I wonder who would play Christians is poised as an “us vs. them” the part of the Pharisees and who would scenario that reminds me of the chilbe the downtrodden looking for a savior. dren’s book “Butter Battle” by Dr. Seuss. My guess is as good as yours. n The imaginary city is divided by citizens Crystal Cheatham is a writer and activist in called Yooks and Zoosks who either eat Philadelphia. She chairs the Spirituality & bread with their butter on the top of the Religion steering committee for the Human toast and those who eat it with the butter Rights Campaign and volunteers with Equality on the bottom. Silly, right? As a child, it Pennsylvania and William Way LGBT Community sure did make me laugh out loud. Center’s Out & Faithful Committee and has writ NRB has 1,400-plus members who are ten for the Huffington Post. You can find out more each resigned to abide by a code of ethics about her at CrystalCheatham.com.
Queer Faith
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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locations in Philadelphia CENTER CITY — AROUND THE GAYBORHOOD
12th Street Gym, 204 S. 12th St. • 13th Street Gourmet Pizza, 209 S. 13th St. • AACO, 1101 Market St., 9th floor • Action AIDS, 1216 Arch St. • Apt. & Townhouse Rentals, 304 S. 12th St. • The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. • Bioscript Pharmacy, 1227 Locust St. • Boxers PHL, 1330 Walnut St. • Cafe Twelve, 212 S. 12th St. • Charlie Salon, 203 S. 12th St. • Charlie was a Sinner, 131 S. 13th St. • City Hall NE Entrance • Club Body Center, 1220 Chancellor St. • Com-Har Living Room, 101 S. Broad St., 14th floor • Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. • Cut Salon, 204 S. 13th St. • Danny’s Bookstore 133 S. 13th St. • Dignity/St. Lukes, 330 S. 13th St. • Dirty Frank’s Bar, 13th & Pine sts. • The Foodery, 10th & Pine sts. • GALAEI, 1207 Chestnut St. • ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. • Independent Hotel, 13th & Locust sts. • John C. Anderson Apts., 249 S. 13th St. • Mazzoni Clinic, 809 Locust St. • Midtown II, 122 S. 11th St. • More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St. • Nationality Service Center, 1216 Arch St. • Optimal Gym, 1315 Walnut St. • Paolo Pizzeria, 1336 Pine St. • PAT@Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. • Phila. FIGHT/ Aids Library, 1233 Locust St., 2nd floor • Planned Parenthood, 1144 Locust St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Salon K, 1216 Locust St. • Scorpio Books, 205 S. Juniper St. • Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St. • Square One, 249 S. 13th St. • Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. • Toast, 12th & Spruce sts. • Triangle Medicine, 253 S. 10th St., 1st floor • U Bar, 1220 Locust St. • Valanni, 1229 Spruce St. • Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St. • William Way LGBT Community Center, 1325 Spruce St. • Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. •
CENTER CITY OTHER — EAST OF BROAD
Bean Café, 615 South St. • Best Western Independence Park Hotel lobby, 215 Chestnut St. • Bodhi Coffee, 410 S. 2nd St. • Bridgeview Place, 315 New St. • Cedrone’s Flowers, 800 Lombard St. • Class Act Auto Repair, 2042 S. Bancroft St. • Copabanana, 342 South St. • Dane Décor, 315 Arch St. • Filter Coffee Co., 331 Race St. • Hopkinson House, 604 S. Washington Sq. • Hyatt Regency Hotel lobby, 201 S. Columbus Blvd. • Independence Place Condos, 241 S. Sixth St., lobby in both towers • Independence Visitors Center, 6th & Market sts. • Modish Hair Salon, 640B South St. • PGN offices, 505 S. Fourth St. • Philadelphia Java Co., 518 S. Fourth St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Strands Salon, 25 N. Third St. • Two Independence Place, 233 S. 6th St. •Ultimo Coffee, 1900 S. 15th St. • Wireworks, 301 Race St. •
CENTER CITY OTHER — WEST OF BROAD
Adonis Cinema, 2026 Sansom St. • Art Institute, 1622 Chestnut St. • Art Institute, 2300 Market St. • The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St. • Bob & Barbara’s, 1509 South St. • Dan Tobey R/E, 1401 Walnut St., 8th floor • Dr. Wakefield’s Office, 255 S. 17th St., Suite 2306 • Drucker & Scaccetti, 1600 Market St., Suite 3300 • Drexel Partnership, 1427 Vine St., 3rd floor • Latimer Deli, 255 S. 15th St. • MANNA, 12 S. 23rd St. • Marine Club Condos lobby, Broad St. & Washington Ave. • Metropolitan, 115 N. 15th St. • PA Law Project, 2122 Chestnut St., Suite 1600 • Phila. Daily News, 801 Market St. • Safeguards Lobby, 1700 Market St., 18th floor • Sansom St. Gym, 2020 Sansom St. • South Square Market, 2221 South St. • Stir, 1705 Chancellor St. • U Do It Laundry, 15th & Spruce sts. • Westminster Arch Apts., Vine St., 3rd floor •
PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS — OTHER
Almost Paradise, 742 Frankford Ave. • Awbry Aboretum, 1 Awbry Rd. • Caribbean Pharmacy, 3825 N. 5th St. •Elfant Wissahickon Realty, 8962 Ridge Ave. • Fantasy Island Books, 7363 State Road • Harry’s Natural Foods, 1805 Cottman Ave. • Infinity Jewelers, 3528 Cottman+ Ave. • Infusion Salon, 7133 Germantown Ave. • Morris House, 5537 Woodland Ave. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Philadelphia University KANBAR Center, 4201 Henry Ave. • Philly Pharmacy, 9475 Roosevelt Blvd. • WCAU TV lobby, City Line Ave. & Monument Road • Weaver’s Way, 559 Carpenter Lane • Welker Real Estate, 2311 Fairmount Ave. • WPVI TV lobby, City Line Ave. & Monument Road •
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
International Italy Senate to OK civil unions Italy’s Senate is poised to grant legal recognition to civil unions, as the last holdout in Western Europe takes a step to give some rights to gay couples after a bitter, yearslong battle. Premier Matteo Renzi described the expected passage of the legislation on Feb. 25 as “historic.” But gay and lesbian groups denounced the watered-down legislation as a betrayal and lost opportunity since Renzi’s Democratic Party sacrificed a provision allowing gay adoption in order to NAME from page 1
explanation. Earlier that month, Aidan and his mother, who asked to be identified as “Melissa,” appeared before Moore during a brief hearing. “I told the judge my child has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and we are here so that his name can match his authentic self,” she told PGN. She said the judge’s denial arrived in the mail. “When I opened the [denial] letter, I was literally sick to my stomach. I have to now tell my kid that one judge who doesn’t know him from Adam can deny him his civil right to change his name? When he’s got the support of so many people? That was a hard pill to swallow.” She said her son was very disappointed. “Aidan was more sad than angry. I think he did not feel validated,” she said. Melissa spent about $150 to file the petition, and an additional $200 to advertise the proposed name-change in two newspapers. DEATH ROW from page 1
murder conviction by retrying him, prosecutors agreed to have him released from Graterford Prison’s death row to the general prison population. In return, Chester will plead guilty to first-degree murder for his role in Milano’s death, and he’ll remain incarcerated for the remainder of his natural life. Currently, Chester is confined to a small cell for up to 23 hours daily, with limited human contact or interaction. But to a large extent, those constraints will be lifted when Chester enters the general prison population. The Milano case became a cause celebre in the local LGBT community because Milano was believed to be targeted due to his sexual orientation. Stephen B. Harris, chief of appeals for the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, said avoiding another trial for Chester was
PGN
ensure passage. The legislation, spurred on after the European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy for discriminating against gays, is nevertheless significant for an overwhelmingly Roman-Catholic country where the Vatican holds sway.
Australian school criticized for dress code An Australian high school has created a national furor by allowing students to wear boy or girl uniforms regardless of gender. An education department statement said Feb. 24 that the Newtown High School of Performing Arts in Sydney has changed its uniform policy to allow all students to “wear any part of the available uniform options.” Several parents and students have hailed the change as a boon for transgender students who previously needed a psychologist’s report to get permission to cross-
dress. But the change was condemned as radical by the Australian Christian Lobby, an influential conservative advocacy group. A number of federal government lawmakers this week backed the ACL’s call to remove federal funding from a national program aimed at preventing bullying in schools that support the dress-code decision.
Effeminate men banned from Indonesian TV KPI, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, has banned male actors from behaving and dressing as women on television. According to a memo circulated recently, male actors and hosts must follow strict gender guidelines: They may not wear drag or makeup, speak like a woman or use feminine hand gestures, call another man by a woman’s name or use nicknames com-
monly associated with women. They may also not walk or sit in an “overtly female” manner. Programmers were reminded of the regulations after receiving complaints that transvestite and transgender characters were influencing younger viewers. KPI, which ensures all broadcasts conform with “religious and cultural norms,” has cracked down before. Indonesian comedian Kabul Basuki, who performs as drag star Tessy, was banned from the airwaves in 2009. A wave of rabid homophobia has been sweeping through the once-moderate Muslim country. Last year, Indonesia’s top Islamic council called for the death penalty for homosexuals. In the past few weeks alone, Defense Minister Ryamizad Ryacudu has accused gays of trying to destroy the Indonesian people, and government officials banned LGBT emojis on Facebook. n — compiled by Larry Nichols
“It was $350 I had to spend to attempt to get my son’s name changed and it still hasn’t happened yet.” She also said Aidan was required to be fingerprinted, though there was no cost for that process. Aidan, now 17 but several months away from his 18th birthday, hopes that a refiled name-change petition will bring about a favorable result. “We understand some people aren’t going to understand our journey or accept it,” Melissa said. “But if they exist, thankfully they’ve mostly kept those comments to themselves. We don’t need to be poisoned by that. We are confident and secure with this journey that we feel God has given us, for a reason.” Melissa said she feels blessed to have Aidan as a son. “God has blessed me with this transgender child to help pave the way for future transgender children.” This week, attorneys for Melissa and Aidan filed a new name-change petition on
behalf of Aidan, though it’s unclear whether Tack-Hooper said attorneys are doing the matter will go before Moore again. everything they can to ensure Aidan’s pri The new petition is fortified by a mem- vacy. orandum of law, an affidavit from Aidan’s “Aidan’s out as trans and is a role model therapist explaining a name-change is in his in his community, but that doesn’t mean best interest and an affidavit of consent from every detail of his life should be in the pubhis father. lic record,” she added. “There’s a big differ Molly Tack-Hooper, a staff attorney at ence between being willing to talk about the the ACLU of Pennsylvania, serves as lead struggles you face as a trans teen and being counsel for Melissa and willing to publicize your “God has blessed me birth name that you don’t Aidan. “The message sent to with this transgender identify with, your therAidan was: ‘Trans kids apist’s name, your home in Montgomery County child to help pave the address and intimate don’t get to change their way for future transdetails about what mednames,’” Tack-Hooper ical treatment you’re getsaid. “Whether or not gender children.” ting.” that’s the message the Ta c k - H o o p e r judge intended to send, that’s how the com- said the ACLU of Pennsylvania is very conmunity interpreted his order.” cerned about the situation. She said Aidan’s wishes should be “We’re not direct-services providers. respected. We’re a law-reform organization. Generally, “Aidan is clearly old enough to under- we get involved when there’s some reason stand what this means and old enough to to believe the system isn’t working right,” make his own choices about this,” she noted. Tack-Hooper explained. n
the best option, considering the circumstances of the case. “We thought it was the proper outcome,” Harris told PGN. “We talked to the remaining family members. We talked to the police officers involved. We would not have done this had we not spoken to everybody.” The feedback convinced prosecutors to resolve the matter without another trial for Chester, he said. “The consensus was that, at this point, accepting a plea to first-degree murder in exchange for a sentence of life imprisonment without a chance for parole was the proper way to bring this matter to a final conclusion,” Harris added. This way, he said, surviving relatives of Milano will be spared the trauma of another trial. “They won’t have to relive this. But we looked at the entire situation, the expense [of another trial], the ultimate result. We just
concluded — and those involved agreed — that this was the appropriate disposition.” Harris said another trial for Chester wouldn’t necessarily have reinstated his first-degree murder conviction. “I have tried lots of cases,” he said. “You never know what the outcome will be. The outcome isn’t certain in any case. But we also felt very strongly that Chester was guilty of first-degree murder. We believe he’s prepared to admit his guilt.” In the past, Chester blamed Milano’s murder on Laird, who’s also seeking to be released from death row. Chester is scheduled to formally enter his plea before Common Pleas Judge Rea B. Boylan at 9:30 a.m. March 14 in Courtroom 450 of the Bucks County Court House in Doylestown. Attorneys for Chester couldn’t be reached for comment. Laird’s request to be released from death
row remains pending with U.S. District Judge Jan E. DuBois. Laird admits stabbing Milano to death. But he claims extreme sexual abuse at the hands of his father, along with other mental-health challenges, prevented him from forming a specific intent to kill Milano. Chester, 47, tried to get his other convictions in the Milano case overturned, including second-degree murder and kidnapping. But those efforts were rejected last year by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In February 2015, Gov. Wolf imposed a moratorium on capital punishment in Pennsylvania, which remains in effect indefinitely. The last person to be executed in Pennsylvania was Gary M. Heidnik, who received a lethal injection in July 1999, after torturing and murdering two women in Philadelphia. n
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
40 years ago in PGN Dyketactics protest stops movie showing Adapted from reporting by Denise Keiller, Mark Segal, Keith Clark and Bill Haught After a two-day protest outside the Regency Theatre at 16th and Chestnut streets, Dyketactics successfully stopped what was meant to be a three-week run of a South American film that activists said glorified the abuse of women. “Snuff” reached the United States in January 1976 with advertisements that called it “the film that could only be made in South America, where life is cheap,” and “the bloodiest thing that ever happened in front of a camera.” The film followed an unwitting woman being sexually abused, and then stabbed to death and dismembered. Dyketactics, a group of lesbian activists, started protesting the Philadelphia screening on the morning of Feb. 4, an hour before the first showing, and stopped before midnight Feb. 5. Bob Levine, Regency manager, said the decision to pull the film was the result of the protest. Fewer than 10 people saw the film in Philadelphia. Officials from Budco Theaters, which owned Regency, said they would relocate “Snuff” to the 61st Street Drive-In in Southwest Philadelphia. The officials received threatening calls about the relocation, but Dyketactics said that was not the work of its members. It’s unclear if the drive-in showing took place as planned.
Court dismisses suit to reverse antidiscrimination order Adapted from reporting by PGN staff Commonwealth Court dismissed a suit brought by a Pittsburgh businessman seeking to nullify Gov. Milton Shapp’s executive order barring state agencies from discriminating against gay people in employment. The court unanimously rejected the suit but appeared sympathetic to the plaintiff’s antigay stance. In his four-page opinion, Judge Roy Wilkinson Jr. drew a distinction between having a “sexual preference” and performing “deviate sexual intercourse.” Only the latter was illegal under state law in 1976, he said, noting the language in Shapp’s order prohibited discrimination only on the basis of one’s preference. Wilkinson wrote that if sexual preference led to deviate intercourse, that individual “continues to be subject to the penalties of the law.” Attorney Michael Hahalyak, representing the businessman Richard Robinson, indicated he would appeal the decision. “Shapp is trying to foist his views upon the people,” Hahalyak said, “and his views are inconsistent with our beliefs and traditions.” n — compiled by Paige Cooperstein
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Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Feb. 15-21. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS.
St. and 1300 Locust St.
INCIDENTS
SUMMARY ARRESTS
— Between 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15 and 8 a.m. Feb. 16, someone stole a 2000 Honda that was parked in the 800 block of Pine Street.
— On Feb. 16, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 8:35 p.m. outside 1100 Walnut St., 9 p.m. outside 910 Walnut St., 9:30 p.m. outside 1300 Locust St., 9:35 p.m. outside 1300 Walnut St., 9:55 p.m. outside 1200 Chestnut St. and 10:40 p.m. outside 100 S. 12th St.
— At 4:47 a.m. Feb. 18, police responded to an alarm at Century 21, 821 Market St., and found two display windows smashed and clothing missing. Central Detectives processed the scene for evidence. — At 7:55 p.m. Feb. 19, a man entered the food market at 35 S. 13th St. with his hand under a blanket and demanded money. The employee refused and the man left. He was described as black, with a scarf over his face, wearing a dark jacket and black pants carrying a multi-colored blanket. — There were two thefts from parked vehicles reported Feb. 15-21: outside 236 S. 13th St. and 400 S. 11th St. — There were two thefts of bicycles reported Feb. 15-21: outside 1100 Walnut TRANSMISSIONS from page 11
from the whitewashed portrayal of transgender involvement in the eponymous “Stonewall,” directed by Roland Emmerich, you end with the recently released “The Danish Girl” featuring Eddie Redmayne as Lili Elbe. The movie, veering from the actual story of Elbe’s life in the 1933 book “Man Into Woman,” tries to paint her as a character who becomes feminized due to the actions of her wife and a fetish for her feminine self. Once again, we see a male actor playing a trans woman in “The Danish Girl.” Redmayne’s public comments about the role have, to an extent, echoed those of Jared Leto about his portrayal of a trans woman named Rayon in “Dallas Buyer’s Club.” Leto received an Academy Award for the role, and many suggested Redmayne had a strong chance for an Oscar this year, though he lost to Leonardo DiCaprio. I can’t help but remember calls about the Oscars favoring non-disabled actors in disabled roles in the past, and treating them as “brave” for pretending to be so on the screen. The roles of Rayon and Elbe could potentially have been played by trans women, and that I would consider far braver than anything Leto or Redmayne could muster.
NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 10:30 a.m. Feb. 15, workers inside a construction project at 412 S. 13th St. found a man on the fourth floor stealing tools. The 56-year-old suspect with a North Philadelphia address was detained for police and charged with burglary and related offenses.
— At 6:25 a.m. Feb. 17, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 300 S. Juniper St. — At 9:45 a.m. Feb. 19, Center City District officers issued a citation for a summary offense inside 1113 Market St. — At 3 a.m. Feb. 20, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 1221 St. James St. — On Feb. 21, Sixth District officers issued citations at 8:40 a.m. outside 200 S. 12th St. and 4:35 p.m. outside 1300 Chestnut St. n I should also mention that “Tangerine,” a movie that also featured a transgender character — two in fact — was anticipated to be in the Oscar running this year. Unlike “The Danish Girl,” it featured transgender actresses Mya Taylor and Kitiana Kiki Rodriguez. That the film was not in the running year is also another example of the 2015 Academy Awards passing over films that speak to the black experience. By the way, Cox lobbied on behalf of the film, urging Academy members to consider Rodriguez or Taylor for an Oscar. So here we are, two years past that tipping point that Time magazine proclaimed, and not much seems to have changed in Hollywood. Transgender roles are still largely going to non-transgender actors — typically white males. And while there are still strong, independent productions like “Her Story” and “Tangerine,” they’re not getting near the recognition or backing of others. I’d like to see Hollywood take us at face value. Laverne Cox is brilliant, but she is not the only transgender person who can act. Many others are able and willing to take roles. Let’s make this tipping point a real and lasting thing, Hollywood. n Gwen Smith always tries to tip generously. You can find her at www.gwensmith.com.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
PGN
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
Family Portrait Get Out and Play Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly
Page Page Page Page Page
PAGE 38
Ready, Set, Expo!
Bucks County Wedding Expo returns By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com The “Same Love, Same Rights” LGBT Wedding Expo is returning to the region March 6 at the Sheraton Bucks County Hotel. The annual event by the Rainbow Wedding Network brings together more than 30 LGBT-friendly wedding professionals and vendors to help couples plan their big days. Rainbow Wedding Network co-founder Cindy Sproul said the organization has hosted numerous wedding expos nationally for the last 16 years. The group produces about 30 shows per year nationwide. “We have produced these events all over the country. We’ve produced over 150 events in 30 different states. This will be our ninth-annual Bucks
County show,” Sproul said, noting her organization was staging the expos long before marriage equality hit the mainstream. “We were doing this well before it was trendy. We have seen an increase in the number of couples that are attending the show as well as the amount of bu s i n e s s e s that
want to participate in shows.” Over the years, the expos have helped LGBT-friendly wedding professionals connect with couples face to face, instead of having to rely on the Internet or word of mouth. “The businesses that tend to participate in expos are usually local DJs, photographers, caterers, banquet
facilities, hotels, country clubs and other businesses,” she said. “That hasn’t changed so much. In the earlier years, we would talk to businesses and they would tell us, ‘Oh, I’ve been providing my services for LGBT couples forever. We just kind of kept it quiet and my name would spread around the community.’ So I think it was quieter in the earlier days. Now companies don’t feel like they have to keep that quiet anymore. They can say on their websites and marketing material that they welcome all couples. Most of our exhibitors in Bucks County have been with us all nine years. They find that our events are productive for them.” Sproul said PAGE 32
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FEATURE PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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that whenever same-sex marriage became legal in a state, the number of vendors and couples at that state’s expos would increase. “When a new state would offer marriage equality, we would see a bump,” she said. “We would see that regionally. But when the Supreme Court ruled for marriage equality, we saw a big bump in the later part of 2015.” Sproul added that besides vendors and wedding-planning professionals, the expos also offer the opportunity for legal advice. At the Bucks County event, local attorney Angela Giampolo will walk couples through the legal ins and outs of marriage. “Not only is she there as an exhibitor, but Angela, since we’ve done the show, has talked to the couples. It’s been so great with the evolution because, at first, it was, ‘OK, we can’t get married anywhere. But here’s how you need to protect yourself as a couple. You need to do a will and you need to do power of attorney.’ She would go through these steps on why it was important. Then it got to the point when New Jersey allowed civil unions. So we’ve had this whole evolution with Angela. Last March, when we were there, we talked a lot about, ‘OK, now you’re married in Pennsylvania, but if you drive through Georgia and you get hit by a bus, you’re not married.’ Now we’re going to be able to say, ‘We’re married everywhere.’ She will address the crowd and talk about different issues that are now going on. The couples love her and they really enjoy that part of the expo because
they get some form of advice.” With marriage equality nationwide, more businesses are coming to the gay wedding table, but the Rainbow Wedding Network has always made efforts to filter out the businesses that are looking to be opportunistic from those that truly support LGBT rights. “Early on, we would ask them things like, ‘Have you ever provided your services for
an LGBT couple?’” she said. “And if they say, ‘No, but I’ve always wanted to get into this business.’ Well, why do you want to get into this business? Is it because money is green? We would turn away some businesses because they might say, ‘Well, I’m willing to work with a lesbian couple but I’m not comfortable with two men.’ We’d say I’m sorry but that’s not good enough. Also very important for us is who was going to be attending the event on behalf of the company. Will it be the owner or an employee of the company? How do your employees feel about working with an LGBT c o u p l e ? We’ve been online for 16 years and we were the first LGBT wedding resource available online. Since our launch until now, we’ve only had a handful of complaints from couples that have hired businesses online. We’ve never had a complaint from a couple that has hired a business from our expos.” n The Rainbow Wedding Network presents the Bucks County Wedding Expo 12:303:30 p.m. March 6 at the Sheraton Bucks County Hotel, 400 N. Oxford Valley Road, Langhorne. For more information, visit www.rainbowweddingnetwork.com.
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
Guess who’s turning 40?
Join us in celebrating 40 years of PGN with our special anniversary issue
April 8.
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Family Portrait
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Suzi Nash
Phuong Nguyen: Diversifying Philly’s film-festival scene March is Women’s History Month, so what better way to celebrate than with a film festival supporting and encouraging women in front of and behind the camera? The Women’s Film Festival is celebrating its second year of providing films from all over the world that celebrate the power of female expression. The festival runs from March 11-13 so get your tickets now! We had a chance to speak to one of the festival’s founding mothers, Phuong Nguyen. PGN: So how did the festival get started? PN: I met Layne Marie Williams in a bathroom at The Landmark; I’d overheard her talking about films so I introduced myself and told her that I ran the Asian Arts Film Festival and we exchanged cards. She messaged me the following Monday and we made arrangements to have lunch. She had a three-women production company — very grassroots — and they were getting ready to shoot a psychological thriller she’d written called “Trigger Happy Dagger” about a woman trying to get over a painful heartbreak and her mental state. We were trying to figure out where she’d be able to showcase the film when it was complete. She didn’t fit into the Asian American Film Festival or BlackStar, and the Philadelphia Film Fest is hard to get into unless you’re like, a Sundance-caliber film. I said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a women’s film festival in Philadelphia?” and we both had the lightbulb switch on. So we started it. We made good co-founders because I’m more of the business side of things and she’s more familiar with the creative side. The first year was successful; we partnered with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Mike Lemon Casting, Philadelphia Independent Film & Video Associate, Philadelphia Women in Film and Television and other community partners. PGN: Wow, that’s great. PN: Yeah, we accomplished a lot in a small amount of time. We got the idea in October and put the festival on last March. We’ve grown already this year. We’ve received submissions from all over the world — Norway, Australia, the UK, you name it. It’s allowed us to have even more diverse programming this year. We have returning sponsors and have added new community partners as well. We have nine full-length features, two panels and 25 short films. Our hope is that we grow a little more each year! PGN: Where are the films being screened? PN: We’re going to be in the Caplan Theater at the University of the Arts. PGN: That’s a great little theater. We screened qFLIX films there and it was really nice.
PN: Yeah, it’s in a good area, with nicely cushioned seats, good sound and projection. PGN: So let’s talk about you. Are you from Philly? PN: I’m originally from Lancaster, Pa., so I’m a little bit of a country girl. PGN: How rural was the part you were in? PN: Well, Lancaster is interesting. It has its farming areas and it has the city. I was part of the school district of Lancaster but we lived sort of in the suburbs, near a bunch of farms. PGN: What did your folks do? PN: My parents emigrated from Vietnam in 1975 with little education. Neither of them had a high-school diploma so they both did factory work. My mom used to be a seamstress and was very good at it until companies in the United States started outsourcing everything. PGN: So did your mom teach you to sew so you can sew costumes for any productions you work on? PN: She did teach me and I was good when I was younger but I haven’t tried since I was a teenager. But she has about six or seven industrial machines at home in the garage. PGN: Any siblings? PN: I have an older sister and two older brothers. I’m the baby of the family, and the only one without kids. My path has always been more school- and career-focused. PGN: [Laughs] But which career? You have enough degrees to go for several! PN: Ha. Well, I originally went to college for biochem, thinking that I was going to be a doctor, but ever since I was a kid, I always admired people in the arts. I just never had the guts to try performing until my last year in high school, when I was in some one-act plays and the school musical. I’d always run spotlight and been on the stage crew but I finally tried out for a show and did really well. But when I went to college, there was a lot of pressure, especially in the Asian culture, to make money, so I took biology and then psychology and graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in theater from Temple, and then got a master’s degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Organizational Development and Leadership. But theater was a big part of me. I just didn’t have the courage to major in it. Psychology was my fallback plan! PGN: What was a favorite class? PN: As an undergrad, I took a cre-
ative-writing class. I didn’t think I was going to like it but I found the exercises got me to open my imagination. I’d go to the park and just sit and observe details to see if I could make a story. To my surprise, my teacher told me I should consider a minor in writing! She said that my stories started out normal but always had an interesting twist at the end! Someday I’ll go back to it. PGN: What was a favorite role you played? PN: Well, there weren’t many roles for Asian-Americans at my school so it was mostly just scene work in class. I’d say Lillian from “The Children’s Hour.” The other was Blanche from “A Streetcar Named Desire.” What I really enjoyed were the acting exercises. Have you ever done one called Three Entrances? You come in doing the exact same thing each time but with a different emotion or back story. It’s silent, no talking, the idea being that every story is continuous; in any role there’s always a past and a future, so what
a big three-way mirror like in the department-store dressing rooms and I’d play in front of that thing for hours. PN: When I was a kid, I wanted to be Batman … or Batwoman, just not a girly Batwoman. I wanted to be one that was tough, with a utility belt. PGN: What was a favorite thing to do with the family? PN: We would drive across the country to Wichita, Ks., to visit my aunt and other family there. What a random place for Asian people to be. I always loved the car ride there and back. Just being outside of Pennsylvania was exciting. PGN: [Laughs] More random than Asians in Amish country? PN: There’s actually a big Asian community in Lancaster and in Harrisburg! PGN: What was your favorite toy as a kid? PN: I liked to take things apart and I had a small car that I’d pull apart and then I’d use the motor to try to make other inventions with it.
PGN: So back to now. What are you doing currently? PN: I’m currently the manager of development and communications at the Asian Arts Initiative and the development director of the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. I also do a lot of work with films and film-production companies, but right now I’m focusing on the Women’s Film Festival, making sure we put on a good event and, most importantly, making sure we’re supporting women filmmakers and their projects … encouraging women to make films locally now that they’ll have a place where they can showcase their work. There will be chances to network and connect with fellow filmmakers. We have two interesting panels, one called Photo: Betty Nguyen Funny Women and another kind of energy are you bringing into a scene? It’s not my primary goal one that Philadelphia but I wouldn’t mind doing some acting Women in Film and Television is running again, just for fun. But something with on how to help women in film and teledepth, something psychological where I vision get hired. They’re going to have a could try to figure the character out. I think number of industry experts participating my acting skills consist of being alone in on the panel. Topics will include what are my room staring in the mirror and going some of the barriers and how do you get to another place with the character. That around them. sounds weird. PGN: For those who don’t know, tell me a PGN: Not at all. When I was a kid, we had little about the Asian PAGE 42
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
Scott A. Drake
The
Countdown to Nashville
PGN Guide to the Gayborhood
The Philadelphia Gayborhood is roughly centered at 12th and Camac streets. Look for the rainbow street signs at intersections and remember to be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. Boxers
❍
Tabu
Woody’s
1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Cozy, panelled bar with dj and high-end cocktails
200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com Sports bar / drag shows and bar food
202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com American-style bar food and large dance floor
❍ ❍
The Bike Stop
Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; secondfloor pool table and big-screen sports action
Walnut St. Chancellor St.
❍
❍
St. James St.
❍ Locust St.
❍ ❍ Manning St.
❍
11th St.
<—
Latimer St.
Quince St.
He started playing for the Gryphons last year but, starting in 1997, he played through college in Maryland and, after that, in the Marines. He enlisted right after Sept. 11. “It was only two weeks after 9/11,” O’Connor said. “I just knew I had to do it. A lot of people did. I’m glad I did it.” While in the Marines, one of the benefits was playing rugby while on tour. According to O’Connor, it was a unique opportunity to play well-practiced teams in Guam, Australia and other locations. But even while stationed in San Diego, he never got a chance to play against the San Francisco Fog. “To be honest, I didn’t know anything about the San Francisco Fog and the Bingham Cup and Flight 93 connections until last year,” O’Connor said. “But I, we’re, looking forward to Nashville this year. It should be a great time.” O’Connor said it’s too far out to know for sure, but he doesn’t rule out the possibility of team members stopping by Shanksville, Pa., to visit the Flight 93 Monument on the way to the tournament. The team likely won’t all be travelling together because of schedules, but it would be no surprise if some team members did make the pilgrimage. The Gryphons RFC welcomes players of all skill levels and supporters of all range as well. If you would like to try the boot camp or donate to help the team go to the Bingham Cup and hopefully return with another UNDIE FUNDIE: Members of the Boxers Stonewall Hoagland Cup, go to philadelKickball team participated in this year’s Cupid’s phiagryphons.org. In the meanUndie Run Feb. 20 in and around XFINITY Live! The time, get out and play! n group’s original goal of raising $4,000 was topped away early so they upped their goal, surpassing You know what’s missing from that as well, and ended up raising $5,735 for the sports? Then let me know at scott@epgn.com. Children’s Tumor Foundation. Photo: Scott A. Drake
❍
<—
Rosewood
13th St.
KICKS IN THE HALL: Perry Monastero (center) stands amid cheers at the Falcons’ awards banquet Feb. 26 at William Way LGBT Community Center. The organization presented Monastero with its Longtime Supporter Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations who actively support the soccer league. Photo: Scott A. Drake
1330 Walnut St. facebook.com/ boxersphl Sports bar with multiple plasma tvs, pool table, brick oven, djs
Juniper St.
Just less than three months of practice and play remain before members of the Philadelphia Gryphons Rugby Football Club head to Nashville, Tenn., for the biannual Bingham Cup. The international gay rugby league tournament honors and celebrates the life of Mark Bingham, motivator behind the passenger takeover of Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. Two years ago, the Gryphons were in for a major undertaking: raising the funds to compete in Sydney, Australia. A good thing they did, too, because they came home with the Hoagland Cup, named for Bingham’s mother Alice Hoagland. It was the inaugural year for the Hoagland Cup, awarded to the winner of a new alternate competitive level created specifically because the Sydney Convicts have dominated the Bingham Cup a record four times. This year, going to the cup competition will not cost nearly as much as the Australia trip so, while the Falcons are still fundraising, the focus is mostly where they want it: on the field. One rugger recently said his goal is to keep the Hoagland Cup by winning it again in Nashville. The Gryphons are holding a Rugby 101 class 11 a.m. March 5 at Pepper Middle School for anyone interested in learning the basics. As in years past, there will be drills on passing, running, hitting and kicking and instructing the newest interested members on what the different positions require in size, strength, agility and dexterity. Different this year is the new coach, former player Tim O’Connor. O’Connor said the team “decided to go in a different direction” when they chose him to helm the group this year. Team members felt that the organization has grown past the point of skill sets and now is looking for more strategy-based playing instruction. O’Connor believes he’s up to the task.
Since 1976
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SPORTS PGN
Camac St.
36
❒ ❒ Spruce St.
William Way LGBT Community Center
1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org
A resource for all things LGBT
Voyeur
1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub.com After-hours private club; membership required
U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660
Relaxing corner bar, easy-going crowd, popular for happy hour and window watching
Tavern on Camac West of Broad Street Stir Lounge
1705 Chancellor St. 215.732.2700 stirphilly.com Fun two-bar lounge, DJ in the back, regular poker games and specials
255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Piano lounge with upstairs dance floor; Tavern restaurant in the basement.
Knock 225 S. 12th St. 215.925.1166 knockphilly.com Fine -dining restaurant and bar with outdoor seating (weather permitting)
ICandy
254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com Three floors with a total of six bars; dance floor, lounge and rootop deck.
The Attic Youth Center
255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org Safe space and programs for LGBTs age 16-23 weekday afternoons and evenings
Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
Gunnar Montana ‘Exposes’ himself at William Way By Gary L. Day PGN Contributor Gunnar Montana blames his mother for getting him started in show business. “I grew up in the sticks of Montana,” the performer explained, “and she didn’t allow anything in the house that sedated the imagination. No Comcast, no cell phones, no excessive video game-playing. As a kid, I was creating fun games, playing in the sandbox with my hands and dancing around for entertainment. Flash forward 20-some years and you have the makings of an artist.” And when Montana talks about being an “artist,” he means it in the most comprehensive way possible. Over the past several years, he has been building an increasingly impressive reputation for the dramatically inventive performance-art pieces he presents at each year’s FringeArts Festival. For these pieces, he serves as dancer, designer, choreographer and overall conceptual auteur. (He’s also known as quite the local gay sex symbol — but let’s not embarrass
MONTANA IN “BASEMENT” Photo: Ted Lieverman
him in print.) For those who have missed out on past Montana spectacles, or for fans who wish to relive those spectacles, Montana has devised his next extravaganza, “Exposed.” Hosted by the creator himself, “Exposed” is, according to Montana, “an assortment of works that highlight how my work has grown over the past five years and the direction in which it looks to be heading. ‘Exposed’ showcases my last six productions in chronological order from strippers (‘Rub’) to priests (‘Purgatory’).” “I’ve revamped some of my favorite pieces of choreography,” he continued, “as well as some of the performances that proved to be crowd favorites over the years. I’m excited to talk and tell stories about my work. I’ve chosen performances that people have told me they were touched or inspired by.” When one wears as many creative hats as Montana does, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to pigeonhole him with an easy-to-categorize label. He will label himself with a
comprehensive overall description of “visually physical artist.” Unsurprisingly, Montana does not draw inspiration from a single source, with each individual show drawing influence from a different cultural meme. “Depends on what I’m creating,” he explained. “Usually, I find some type of theme I want to tackle and go from there. With my first show, ‘Rub,’ it was ‘Flashdance’ and ‘Crazy Horse.’ With ‘Resurrection Room,’ it was Sigourney Weaver in ‘Aliens,’ and ‘Purgatory’ was created after visiting multiple Sunday receptions in Catholic churches around Philadelphia.” While sexuality often plays a big role in his work, Montana maintained that his personal sexuality does not have a big influence on his creations. “It’s not a big [influence] at all. I’m not a ‘gay artist.’ I’m an artist who happens to be gay. There are a lot of universal themes in my work and I find that my mind is open enough to reflect on all the options that these themes have to offer. The work itself isn’t geared toward any one sexuality. It’s universally open-ended. Anything goes.” Montana has welcomed the chance to reassess his past work from a more mature and experienced perspective. “I’ve matured a lot,” he acknowledged. “In the beginning, it was all about making a splash. I’ll admit that five years ago I was trying to be as outlandishly sexy and shocking as possible. It’s been really fun to find those moments, to look back on them and laugh. But at some point [in my development], I woke up thinking, If I die tomorrow, what will my work have said?” One of the treats that “Exposed” audiences will have is a sneak peak at Montana’s next Fringe show. “I am more than excited for what’s next. I will be announcing the name of the show and sharing some of what the experience will be like.” Montana is also excited about working with his current venue, the William Way LGBT Community Center, which “Exposed” will support with a donation of $5 of each ticket sold. “I’ve found that life as an artist can be an extremely narcissistic way of living. You’re constantly thinking about yourself and for yourself and how to keep your brand above water. Now that I feel more settled in my career, I wanted to reach out and do something for the community that has helped me get to where I am today. I still have a long way to go, but I find it important to take a moment every once in a while, look back and say thank you.” n Gunnar Montana’s “Exposed” plays 8 p.m. March 17-19 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Tickets are available at waygay.org and gunnarmontana.com.
Theater & Arts Art of the Zo: Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition looking at beautiful woven textiles of the Zo people of Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, through March 20, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Creed The next-generation Rocky film is screened 8 p.m. March 7 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888. Dana Gould The comedian and writer from “The Simpsons” performs through March 5 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215496-9001. Dance Theater of Harlem Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts present the iconic dance company performing ballet masterpieces through March 5 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.
St.; 215-496-9001. Drawn from Courtly India: The Conley Harris and Howard Truelove Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of masterful drawings from the royal courts of northern India through March 27, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Funnyman Arden Theatre Company presents the story of an aging comic who is forced to adapt to the changing tastes and times in post-war America through March 6, 40 N. Second St.; 215-922-1122. Harvey Walnut Street Theatre presents the classic Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy about a man with an unwavering friendship with a 6-foot-tall invisible white rabbit through March 6, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.
Don Quixote The Pennsylvania Ballet performs the classic Spanishflavored dance comedy through March 13 at the Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.
Holly Trostle Brigham: Sisters and Goddesses The Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition of works by Philadelphiabased artist Holly Trostle Brigham featuring seven self-portraits in which she takes the guise of artists of the past through May 26, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800.
Donnell Rawlings The comedian seen on “The Chappelle Show” performs March 10-13 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom
International Pop Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition chronicling pop art’s emergence as a global movement,
PULLING OUR (GUITAR) STRINGS: Out urban folk singer-songwriter Patty Larkin returns to the area performing with Jonatha Brooke 8 p.m. March 11 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville. For more information or tickets, call 215257-5808.
migrating from the United Kingdom and the United States to western and eastern Europe, Latin America and Japan, through May 16, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. Local Girls Azuka Theatre presents the world premiere by Philadelphia playwright Emma Goidel, about a high-school burnout who need to find a new singer for her heavy-metal band, through March 13 at The Drake, 1512 Spruce St.; 215563-1100. Look Closer: The Work of Michael Newman and Stuart Alter The William Way LGBT Community Center presents a special exhibition of abstract paintings March 11-April 29, 1315 Spuce St.; 215-732-2220. Mahler Eight The Philadelphia
Orchestra performs March 10-14 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847. Paul Lisicky The author of “The Narrow Door” hosts a reading 6 p.m. at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Lane; 215-8441870. Picture This: Contemporary Photography and India Philadelphia Museum of Art presents the work of four contemporary photographers for whom India is an important subject or setting through April 3, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Plays of/for a Respirateur Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an installation by Joseph Kosuth, which includes a selection of his work along with a group of
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Local out author explores love, loss By Ray Simon PGN Contributor
IF YOU CAN’T LICK ’EM, POP ’EM: Philadelphia Museum of Art presents “International Pop,” an exhibition exploring pop art as a global movement, migrating from the United Kingdom and the United States to western and eastern Europe, Latin America and Japan, through May 16, 26th Street and the Parkway. For more information or tickets, call 215-763-8100.
seminal works by Marcel Duchamp, through fall, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Work on What You Love: Bruce Mau Rethinking Design Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of designs by the acclaimed commercial artist through April 3, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Yannick and Hélène Welcome Spring The Philadelphia Orchestra performs classical music through March 5 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.
Music The Music of Billy Joel The Philly POPS perform the music of Billy Joel March 4-6 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215790-5847.
Wolfmother The rock band performs 8 p.m. March 4 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888. Coyote Joe Stevens The singer-songwriter performs 7:30 p.m. March 5 at Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road, Media; 610-566-4853. Ra Ra Riot The indie-rock band performs 7:30 p.m. March 5 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St.; 215-2322100. Rachelle Ferrell The R&B/soul singer performs 8 p.m. March 6 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-5727650. Crash Test Dummies The alt-rock band performs
8 p.m. March 9 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808. Patty Larkin The out singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. March 11 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-
Nightlife 257-5808. See You In Hell The irreverent and offensive drag show featuring Mimi Imfurst, Sutton Fearce, Aurora Whorealis and more, 8 p.m. March 5 at ICandy, 254 S. 12th St.; 267-3243500.
You Better Brunch Bitch! Ariel Versace hosts an all Britneythemed drag show 11 a.m.-3 p.m. March 6 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.;
Outta Town 215-964-9675. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen The cult classic is screened 2 p.m. March 5 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228.
Local gay author Paul Lisicky is very busy these days. When he’s not teaching in the MFA program at Rutgers UniversityCamden, he’s on the road promoting his new memoir, “The Narrow Door.” Lisicky’s fifth book is a deeply personal and sometimes painful account of his friendship with Denise Gess, a fellow writer who succumbed to cancer in 2009. Graywolf Press published “The Narrow Door” in January. Ever since, Lisicky has kept up a grueling schedule. No sooner have classes finished on Wednesday afternoon than he’s off to another reading. When we spoke by phone on a recent afternoon, Lisicky was in Portland for a reading at Powell’s Books, but he wasn’t stressed out about juggling teaching with a book tour. “I actually feel much more optimistic about managing it than I did before it all started,” he joked. Fortunately for local book lovers, Lisicky will read at Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Lane, at 6 p.m. March 5. The event is free and includes
Witchfinder General The Vincent Price film is screened 9:45 p.m. March 11 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. n
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.
another Graywolf author, Sara Majka. Lisicky began jotting down impressions and memories about his relationship with Gess just six weeks after her death. “Primarily, I was just writing to keep
her in the world for myself,” he said. “I just wanted to record her thoughts and gestures; I wanted to see her face and hear how she laughed.” The two met in the early 1980s as graduate students at Rutgers. Lisicky, a firstyear teaching assistant, was an inexperienced writer trying to find his voice. Gess,
a few years older, charmed her students and impressed her professors. Gess was charismatic outside the classroom too. Attractive, intelligent and ambitious, she had plenty of male admirers. Lisicky, however, was deeply closeted. Still, the unlikely pair became fast friends. When they weren’t together on campus, they were chatting for hours on late-night phone calls. As Lisicky acknowledges in a passage regarding those days, “Listening to Denise is my real education.” “The Narrow Door” isn’t a straightforward account of a friendship or a gossipy tell-all book, though. It’s a thoughtful examination of love, loss and friendship that refuses to simplify difficult subjects. Lisicky keeps readers on their toes by declining to identify lovers and spouses, often accomplished authors themselves. This strategy, which Lisicky called “playful,” prevents these writers from overshadowing the book’s true focus: the 26-year friendship of Lisicky and Gess. He also eschews a linear narrative. “The Narrow Door” is composed of a series of brief impressions and reflections, which jump back and forth in time and space. No sooner has Lisicky recalled some memory of Gess, than his thoughts drift or his reverie is interrupted by external events like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The technique, disorienting at first, actually mirrors Lisicky’s experience in the year following Gess’ death. “The structure of the book really wants to mimic or follow the experience of grief,” he explained. “Because grief does not move in 4/4 time: It’s not linear, it stops and starts, there are tangents.”
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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MArcH 12 & 13 “loVE iS good” An Evening With
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
PORTRAIT from page 35
Arts Initiative. PN: It’s an exhibition/educational center for the arts. We teach visual arts mostly to youth, mostly from the Asian and AsianAmerican community, and we also do community development. We’re right on Callowhill and we do work with the homeless population in the shelter a block away and other community organizations in the area. PGN: What are some of the things people can look forward to at the festival? PN: A very diverse and interesting program, and the workshops I mentioned. We’ll also have a small reception before the opening-night film, “Manislam,” a documentary that depicts Islam and masculinity. It features four men of the Muslim faith — one’s from Turkey, another India, Kuwait and I think Bangladesh — who are on the front lines trying to fight for women’s equality. A great film, I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. A centerpiece film is called “Gender Journeys: More than a Pronoun.” It’s the first part of a documentary series focused on the #TransLivesMatter movement and delves into all the trials and triumphs and questions in the trans movement. The producer, Christina May, will be there. The closing-night film is the critically acclaimed film “I Believe in Unicorns.” The director, Leah Meyerhoff, will be doing a Q&A from California. It’s a free screening with a light reception afterwards. PGN: What are some of the LGBT films you’re going to be screening? PN: We have quite a few. Of course, there’s “Gender Journeys” and “A Queer Country,” which is about the extraordinary contradiction in Israel, a country synonymous with war and conflict which has also become a gay mecca with a thriving gay scene and the world’s largest Pride parade. We have an LGBT shorts program with several films like “Truthful Innards” — an experimental animation about the layers a body builds when it has been harmed — and “Carefree,” about a high-strung girl in her 20s who visits her hometown for the first time since leaving at 17, to crash her highschool sweetheart’s wedding. There are actually five shorts in the program. PGN: What was your coming-out like? PN: It was difficult. I thought the world was going to end. I was raised Catholic so it wasn’t easy to come out. I did it when I was around 22 and it was sheer hell beforehand. Feeling alone and like no one cared about my happiness, I was stuck in my own head because of what I’d been taught. I told some of my friends through a private Myspace blog, then I told my sister; she was only two years older than me and we were the closest. Then I came out to the only gay person that I knew in Philadelphia, Quynh Nguyen. We went to high school together and I’d kept in touch with her. She came out in high school and I admired her for her bravery. It’s a lot dif-
PGN
ferent dating women. I consider myself bisexual but more leaning towards women. There was a lot of self-discovery. PGN: I’ve profiled Quynh, she’s the best! So are there any specific challenges you face as an Asian queer person? PN: I definitely don’t talk about it as freely and openly as I could or should, especially if I’m dealing with other Asian-Americans. My close friends know and most of them are gay or lesbian. PGN: Are you ready to be featured in the PGN? That’ll out you to everyone at once. PN: Yeah, it’s fine. I think I need to take that step. There are times when I’m networking and stuff and I keep it … I don’t … I just wish sometimes I was more open. So I guess this should help! PGN: True! Do you have a partner? PN: I’ve been with someone for a little over a year, it’s nice. [Laughs] I don’t have the best track record but this one seems pretty stable.
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PGN: Any hobbies outside of films? PN: I used to play a little guitar and piano and I want to get back to them, and take voice lessons so I can accompany myself. PGN: Three scents that stimulate the senses? PN: Coffee, I like the smell of men’s cologne and citrus.
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PGN: Biggest extravagance? PN: When I was in college, I went to L.A. with my sister and her boyfriend. I was a poor college student but I really wanted to experience L.A. so I went. PGN: Farthest visit and a cool memory? PN: When I was 13, I went to Vietnam. We have a lot of aunts and uncles there. I got to ride an elephant and hold a 6-foot python. PGN: Who’s a hero for you? PN: My American grandmother. She and my grandfather sponsored our family over here and, regardless that they were American and we were Vietnamese, they always treated us like family. They had us call them Grammy and Grampy. She introduced me to puzzles and “Green Gables” and American Girl dolls, cooking and baking. Every week, she’d volunteer for Meals on Wheels. They were both giving and forgiving, with very big hearts. PGN: Are they where the Catholicism came in? PN: No, they were actually Protestant. It came more from the family in Vietnam, a result of colonization I guess. n For more information on The Women’s Film Festival, visit thewomensfilmfestival. org and follow the organization on social media @thewomensfilmfestival. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Lisicky is also disarmingly candid about Gess. She was a complex, contradictory figure. Despite her love and support, she was insecure and needed constant affirmation. At times, he writes, “it seemed to be that she was confusing volatility with authenticity.” Lisicky is equally frank about himself. When he first meets Gess, for example, he is less an autonomous individual than a good boy who does what others expect of him. Recalling the mid-1980s, he writes, “I wanted to become myself, but there wasn’t even a self to work with.” That changes in the due course of time. Lisicky comes out, gets published and marries Mark Doty, a well-respected gay author. Gess, however, seems stymied. Her first novel, “Good Deeds,” was well-received, but her editor was unhappy with the manuscript of her second novel and demanded changes. Tenure eluded her. Always competitive, Gess began to feel like she’d been shunted aside. The nadir of their friendship comes when Gess visits Lisicky and his husband in North Carolina, where they are living temporarily during a teaching gig. When Lisicky mildly criticizes another writer’s work, Gess explodes. Her reaction is so extreme, so frightening, that both men wonder about her sanity. “She’s a hurricane of woundedness,” he writes. Bitterness, he concludes, had changed her irrevocably. This challenge to their friendship, and Gess’ cancer, are not the only painful issues Lisicky addresses. As he’s engulfed by sadness at her death, his marriage begins to unravel. It would be wrong, however, for readers to think that disappointment, frustration and death are the predominant themes. Lisicky’s real subject is love. After Gess’ blowup, the two don’t speak for a few months. Eventually, they reconnect, tentatively at first, but it seems as if they become closer than ever. Lisicky recalls visiting Gess after she’d been diagnosed with cancer. Sitting on the couch, she asks if she can rest her feet on his lap. “Funny that it took us 26 years and cancer to get here,” he remarks. “Ease with each other’s body. It doesn’t matter anymore that she’s straight and I’m not. See how we’ve been a little bit in love all this time, and not able to say it?” n To learn more, visit www.paullisicky.net.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
Classifieds All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any real-estate advertising that is in violation of any applicable law. PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.
Real Estate Sale VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________40-10
Vacation / Seasonal Rentals
Q Puzzle The Peace of Zion Across
1. Tennis stadium in Queens 5. Out and then some 9. Vaulted church area 13. She played gay in “Silkwood” 14. Signorile’s column, with “The” 15. Tallulah Bankhead’s home, for short 16. ___ Square (Zion Square’s new name in honor of Shira Banki) 18. “Like ___ not” 19. Get behind 20. Spread it and lick it 21. Leather band 22. Like the Seven Dwarfs 24. It makes watching porn harder 26. First person in Berlin 27. Practice for a boxing
match 28. Flynn role opposite Davis 29. Comedienne Margaret 30. Highly competent 32. Painter Freud 34. Event at which Banki was murdered 38. Flees to become wife and wife 39. Trust (with “on”) 40. PreEpstein Beatle Sutcliffe 41. Out in front 43. Throw rocks at 47. It comes before Jack 48 .Cameron and Mitchell, to Lily 49. You can use it to go down 50. First indications of orientation 52. Eats without one’s dentures 54. Horny African animal 55. San ___
of the Italian Riviera 56. Location of 16-Across 58. Richard of “A Summer Place” 59. Deity on “Xena” 60. Rowlands of film 61. Roos and others 62. “Hey, over here!” 63. The A in GLARP (abbr.)
Down
1. Rupert Everett and Simon Callow 2. Make an appearance 3. “All’s Well That Ends Well” heroine 4. Before, once 5. It gets a gel hard 6. Handled tactfully 7. Foppish neckwear 8. No. 6 to P-town 9. Some 10. “The Price of Salt” author Highsmith 11. Pleasured
orally 12. Stick it in an orifice 17. Siegfried’s partner 21. Like some relations 23. “The Sound of Music” name 25. Cried like a bitch 28. Inventor Otis 31. Coats with crumbs 33. Where one may be laid in the grave 34. Flipped off, perhaps 35. Bruce Wayne, for Batman 36. Chicken hawk’s target 37. Evidence
of rubber usage 42. They can cut leaves of grass 44. Two under scores for Sheehan 45. They come out of the closet when beds are made 46. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” author Capote 49. Sound a snake makes 51. Many, many moons 53. Can’t help but 56. Tokyo’s nation (abbr.) 57. Khan’s title
NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ Southern Comfort Apartments located on 18th Ave. 1 blk. from the beach. Large 2 & 3 BR apts. Pet friendly. Web site:southerncomfortapartments.net. Call Cheryl Crowe at 609-846-1254 for more information. ________________________________________40-14 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services. 1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________40-10
Roommates NE PHILA. BUSTLETON & TOMLINSON AREA Man desires to share his 2 BR duplex apt. $500/mo. incudes utilities. Call 215-760-5300. _____________________________________________40-12
Adoption A childless, financially secure couple seeks to adopt. Will provide safe, creative, happy, loving home. FT/AT-Home Parent. Expenses paid. Courtney & Ela. ce.adopt@gmail. com or 1-855-883-0433. ________________________________________40-10
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Services AIRLINE CAREERS begin here. Get hands on training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial Aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-834-9715. ________________________________________40-10 PA DRIVERS Auto-Insurance-Help-Line. Helping you find a Car Insurance Payment You can afford. Toll Free 1-800-231-3603 www. Auto-Insurance-Helpline.ORG ________________________________________40-10 A GOOD PAINTER IS HARD TO FIND Get a jump on Spring! Spruce up now. Call Ken at 267-750-9208 or visit www.LibertyBrushWorks.com ____________________________________________40-13
Friends Men LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. ________________________________________40-19 WOULD Like to meet men from Puero Rican and Dominican Repub. for friendship fun and more. Men of color also welcome. 609-332-6183. _____________________________________________40-15 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________40-12
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
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Men Delco Dudes A men’s social and support group meets 7-9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road in Media; delco.dudes@ uucdc.org. Gay Married Men’s Association Meets 7-9 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; www. meetup.com/GAMMA-GayMarried-Mens-Support-Group-inPhiladelphia-PA. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at William Way; 610-277-6595, 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. Wednesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330.
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, and hird Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Warminster UCC, 785 Street Road; 215-348-9976. PFLAG/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484-354-2448. PFLAG/Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609-202-4622, pflagcollingswood@yahoo.com. PFLAG/Media Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Unitarian Universal Church, 145 Rose Tree Rd.; 610-368-2021. PFLAG/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. PFLAG/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.; 609-6835155. PFLAG/Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. the 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, info@ phillyfamilypride.org, www. phillyfamilypride.org.
Trans Evolutions A drop-in support group for anyone on the transgender spectrum meets 6 p.m. Thursdays at 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652 ext. 235. Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary health care and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, nonjudgmental 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, 1201 Locust St., second floor; 215-632-3028, tmanphilly.com. Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; 215-8511822. Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization, 1201 Locust St., fourth floor; 215-732-1207. Young, Trans and Unified Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, www. atticyouthcenter.org.
Women Hanging Out With Lesbians A group in Central Pennsylvania that organizes concerts, camping, golf, picnics, hikes, plays and game nights in nonsmoking environments; http://groups.yahoo. com/group/howlofpa/. Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group meets monthly for activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/LCDV/. 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; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/ queerconnections/. Sisters United A social/support group for transwomen of color ages 13-24, with weekly social events, open discusson and monthly movie/ discussions meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330. Women Coming-Out Support Group Women, ages 18 and over, who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the coming-out process are welcome to meet 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of New Jersey; www. pridecenter.org.
Youth 40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meet at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J.; schedule at www. glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com, 908-300-1058. HAVEN LGBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20 meet 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153. HiTOPS A safe-space support program for LGBT and questioning youth meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; 609-683-5155, hitops.org. Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-1861, info@myaonline. org. Project Keeping it Safe LGBT youth drop-in center offers meetings, HIV and STD prevention and testing, counseling and other services on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856963-2432, camden-ahec.org/. PRYSM Youth Center Youth ages 14-20 meet 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at the center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610357-9948. Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Youth 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 p.m. Tuesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at Planned Parenthood of Chester County, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267-6876648. Young, Trans and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center; 215-545-4331, www.atticyouthcenter.org. You’re Not Alone Sponsored by AIDS Delaware, the group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth meets during the school year at 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington, Del; 800-810-6776. Youth Making a Difference A group for LGBTQ AfricanAmerican and Latino youth ages 14-24 meets 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
47
Community Bulletin Board Community centers
■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044, center@dolphin. upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. MondayThursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088
■ Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Activities held 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.
■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Key numbers
■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377
■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org
■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221
■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378
■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851 ■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330
■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Office of LGBT Affairs — Director Nellie Fitzpatrick: 215-6860330; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov
■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670
Health
Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 215-763-8870. ActionAIDS Provides a range of programs for people affected by HIV/ AIDS, including case management, prevention, testing and education services at 1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088, www. actionaids.org. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871, www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite
■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090, www.galloplaw.org. ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly busi-
108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652, www. mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Philadelphia FIGHT Comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines; 1233 Locust St.; 215985-4448; www.fight.org. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, rapid HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.
Professional groups nesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.org/ philly; philly@nlgja.org.
■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus Regional organization dedicated to promoting LGBT tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region, meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; 215-8402039, www.philadelphiagaytourism.com.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 4-10, 2016
PGN