PGN March 7 - 13, 2014 by The Philadelphia Gay News

Allegheny County partner-bens case heads to court PAGE 6

Family Portrait: Dan Sherbo: One for the books

A Bible-belt/beltsoff story that would make a Baptist blush

Study finds local LGBT seniors face housing discrimination PAGE 5

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March 7-13, 2014

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Vol. 38 No. 10

Shots fired outside of Woody’s

Gunpoint robbery at Spruce Street Video By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

A Gayborhood staple recently was robbed at gunpoint. A man held up Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St., at about 3:30 p.m. Feb. 27. Store owner Franny Price said the offender got away with approximately $200 in cash. Price and one other employee were present at the store during the incident, and neither of them was injured. Five minutes before the robbery occurred, the alleged thief came into the store, looked around and asked the cashier at the register how much cigarettes cost. The suspect asked when the store closed and, when he was told 11 p.m., he made a comment about coming back to the store later for a video before he left. A few minutes later he returned in the same clothing, only this time wearing a ski mask, and approached the employee without saying anything. He then pointed a gun at the employee, who ran into the back bathroom. PAGE 30 The culprit broke the gate

Shots were fired outside of Woody’s last weekend, and the gunman remains at large. Police say the incident took place about 1:30 a.m. March 1. According to the police report, an altercation that began inside Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St., moved outside, at which point someone fired up to two shots. No one was hit, and police said the shots may have been fired into the air. Woody’s co-owner Michael Weiss told PGN two customers got into an argument inside and were escorted outside, at which time one seemingly retrieved a handgun from his vehicle. “From what I understand, two customers were arguing over something and security escorted them out, as we do for everyone’s safety. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of altercations, whether they be verbal or physi-

Edie Windsor to return to Philly, Temple By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com This spring, Temple University alum Edie Windsor — whose Supreme Court case had a cascading effect on the marriage-equality movement — will return to her alma mater for the first time since she graduated. The Leonard Mellman Visiting Scholar Lecture Series will present “Edie Windsor: Love Conquers the Law — One Wo m a n ’s Vo i c e Silences DOMA” at 2 p.m. April 26. The Philly native sued the federal government after being charged an exorbitant inheritance-tax bill following the death of her wife. Windsor’s suit EDIE WINDSOR AT THE U.S. SUPREME c o n t e n d e d t h a t COURT IN 2013

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cal,” Weiss said, noting that the weapon was not inside Woody’s at any time. “We have a witness who said that after the guys were escorted out, the one guy said to his friend, ‘Let’s go to my car and get the gun and come back.’ And at that point, we called the police.” The report was filed by two men, 24 and 25, who were involved in the initial altercation, said police spokesperson Officer Christine O’Brien. “They both stated they were involved in the altercation in and outside of Woody’s,” O’Brien said. “Outside of the bar, an unknown person fired one or two shots from a handgun. There was this disturbance, so they didn’t see who fired the gun.” O’Brien said the two men who reported the altercation said it involved a 25-year-old Hispanic male, who was about 5-foot-6, with a thin build and wearing a gray tank top. But, since no one saw the shots being fired, police do not know if PAGE 30

LUCKY 007: Rich Lampkins (right) celebrated a win at Glamsino Royale Feb. 27 at Hotel Palomar. The event drew a crowd of more than 150 and raised more than $10,000 for ActionAIDS’ work on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS. “The event exceeded expectations,” said ActionAIDS development director Michael Byrne. “ActionAIDS is thrilled to be partnering with our friends at Kimpton for their Red Ribbon Campaign.” The campaign, now in its ninth year, stages HIV/AIDS fundraisers at Kimpton properties across the country. Guests were able to try their hands at an array of casino games to win raffle tickets for a wealth of prizes, including vacations at Kimpton hotels in San Francisco, New York City, Miami and San Diego. Photo: Scott A. Drake

PGN Wedding Issue ° Meet the couples taking on PA’s marriage ban ° SCOTUS ruling the icing on the wedding cake ° Getting tips at the LGBT wedding expo ° “Before the Bells” wedding-planning column ° “Out Law” — Marriage-battle redux PAGES 12-23

EMPLOYING EQUALITY: EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum (second from left) accepted the 2014 Justice in Action Award March 4 from Mazzoni Center, joined by Mazzoni executive director Nurit Shein (from left), Mayor Michael Nutter and Mazzoni legal director David Rosenblum. The Justice in Action luncheon was held at Loews Philadelphia Hotel to raise funds and awareness for Mazzoni Center’s Legal Services. Feldblum is the first out LGBT EEOC commissioner. Photo: Tara Beth Photography, courtesy of Mazzoni Center

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

News Briefing Youth group supports Morris probe The Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition, a social-justice organization representing thousands of LGBTQ youth, has endorsed a state probe of the Nizah Morris case. Morris was a transgender woman who became a homicide victim in 2002, shortly after entering a Philadelphia police vehicle. The case remains unsolved, and advocates want Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane to intervene. On March 3, PennSEC’s board issued this statement: “Nizah’s memory is dishonored each day her murder goes unsolved and insulted with every unanswered call for action. The past 11 years have sent a stinging message to minority groups that murders can take place in Pennsylvania against them without the urgency or professionalism of full due process. The young LGBTQ Pennsylvanians we represent will not stand for the murder of a cherished community

REGIONAL PGN

leader to be perpetually neglected.” Other groups calling for a state probe include the city’s Police Advisory Commission, GALAEI, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, the National Center for Transgender Equality, Equality Pennsylvania, Keystone Progress, the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Organization for Women, Project SAFE, Jewish Social Policy Action Network and the American Civil Liberties Union of Greater Philadelphia. In related news, the Justice for Nizah committee will meet 6 p.m. March 10 at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The public is invited to attend.

Inmate settles case David H. Chapman, a state inmate who was sexually assaulted by a prison guard, has settled his federal lawsuit against the state Department of Corrections. Marlin Freeman, 55, repeatedly orally raped Chapman inside the chapel of a state prison between 2010-12, according to court papers. In June, Centre County Common Pleas Judge Pamela A. Ruest sentenced Freeman to 11-and-a-half to 23-and-a-half months in the Centre County Correctional Facility. Freeman’s employment with the state Department of Corrections ended July 2, 2013, said Susan McNaughton, a DOC spokesperson.

McNaughton had no comment on the settlement of Chapman’s lawsuit. PGN has requested a copy of the settlement, citing the state Right-to-Know Law. At presstime, the request was pending with the DOC’s open-records office. Chapman, 29, remains incarcerated at a state prison in Frackville. Barry H. Dyller, an attorney for Chapman, declined to comment.

Vacancies on Montco advisory panel The state Human Relations Commission has appointed seven new members to its 14-member Montgomery County Advisory Council. But the panel has four additional vacancies, and applications to serve are being solicited. One of six advisory councils statewide, the Montco panel advises the state HRC on bias issues and barriers to equal opportunity in Montgomery County. The panel also works with the state HRC to raise public awareness about civil-rights issues. Its members serve on a volunteer basis and have three-year terms. Past actions of the panel include holding forums on public education and bias against Muslims. None of its 14 members is publicly

known to be an advocate for the LGBT community. “We welcome and encourage diverse representation on our advisory councils, regardless of the current state of Pennsylvania’s antibias law, which unfortunately doesn’t protect the LGBT community,” said Shannon Powers, a spokesperson for the state HRC. Powers added: “There are four vacancies on the Montgomery County Advisory Council. If someone wants to serve, they should submit a resume to our executive director, JoAnn Edwards.” Resumes can be sent to Edwards at 333 Market St., eighth floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126 or emailed to joanedward@pa.gov. — Timothy Cwiek

PGMC celebrates Philadelphia The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus is gearing up for “When I Knew,” a celebration of diversity through song and story. The show will run from March 14-15 at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. PGMC will take the audience through several decades of the LGBT community, with tunes such as Lady GaGa’s “Born This Way” to Stephen Schwartz’s “Testimony” to selected pieces from “Kinky Boots.” Tickets are $30-$55. For more information, visit www.pgmc.org. PAGE 24

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Weekly features

News

Opinion

2 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Letters/Feeback Mark My Words Street Talk 26 — Crime Watch

These LGBT marriage-equality stateof-the-union graphics tell where we were and how long the road still is.

39 41 46 47 48

— — — — —

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

— Out Law: C 23 Same-sex marriage o battle is simply history repeating l itself u — Get Out and m 40 A tip of the n Play: hat to all the forms s of football

STUDENT SOLIDARITY: Supporters of the first Collegiate Meet and Greet talked shop Feb. 28 at William Way LGBT Community Center. More than 50 people turned out for the inaugural event, which brought together LGBT and ally students from across the region. Organized by Out@UArts, the event sought to enhance collaboration among collegiate LGBT student organizations. Photo: Scott A. Drake

This week in PGN

Minnesota joined the short list of marriage equality states last year. We take you to Minneapolis for a spectacular visit with a cherry on top.

12-23 — The Wedding Issue: Couples’ profiles, local lawsuits, LGBT expo ideas, wedding directories and advice 37 38 42 44

— — — —

The Calamari Sisters hear wedding bells Broadway meets the big screen with Elaine Stritch Best-selling books and DVDs Cecil Taylor celebrates a jazzy life

Classifieds 52 — Real Estate 54 — Personals 55 — Bulletin Board

“He even says that he is half-girl, half-boy or that he should have been born a girl. He is feeling that he is different and we try to let him know it is OK.” ~ Mia Rincon about her 8-year-old son, page 7

Next week Barcrawlr Dining Out Out Money

March 28 Summer Travel Issue

PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506 Phone: 215-625-8501 Fax: 215-925-6437 E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Web: www.epgn.com

Publisher Mark Segal (ext. 204) mark@epgn.com Executive Assistant/ Billing Manager Carol Giunta (ext. 202) carol@epgn.com

Editor

Advertising Manager Greg Dennis (ext. 201) greg@epgn.com

Staff Writers Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com

Advertising Sales Representatives Prab Sandhu (ext. 212) prab@epgn.com

Jen Colletta (ext. 206) jen@epgn.com

Angela Thomas (ext. 215) angela@epgn.com Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208) timothy@epgn.com

National Advertising Rivendell Media: 212-2426863 Office Manager/ Classifieds Don Pignolet (ext. 200) don@epgn.com

Sting joins Paul Simon at 8 p.m. March 7 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.

Art Director/ Photographer Scott A. Drake (ext. 210) scott@epgn.com

Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Suburban Newspapers of America

Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com

The views of PGN are expressed only in the unsigned “Editorial” col umn. Opinions expressed in bylined columns, stories and letters to the editor are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PGN. The appearance of names or pictorial representations in PGN does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that named or pictured person or persons.

LOCAL PGN

Report: PA, NJ elders facing housing discrimination By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

was not required of the heterosexual. Ted Martin, executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, which assisted in recruiting Days after the ribbon cutting for testers, said the study points to the need for Philadelphia’s LGBT-friendly senior resi- HB 300, legislation that would add sexual dences, a study was published that revealed orientation and gender identity to the list LGB older adults across the country, includ- of classes protected from discrimination in ing in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are housing, employment and public accommodations. facing discrimination in housing. “This is evidence that discrimination The Equal Rights Center, along with Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders, exists in Pennsylvania, and this is why it is late last month released “Opening Doors: An critical that we pass the nondiscrimination Investigation of Barriers to Senior Housing act that includes housing,” Martin said. In New Jersey, 40 percent of testers also for Same-Sex Couples,” a study that examined housing discrimination within the experienced at least one form of adverse treatment, while 15 percent saw more than LGBT older-adult community. The Gill Foundation and the Retirement one instance. Garden State Equality assisted in promotResearch Foundation funded the study. ing the study to LGB Researchers underolder adults. took the study in light �� “We have known of the widening income anecdotally that seniors gap and decreasing are facing this type of resources for LGB �� barrier to find approelders — and chief priate housing now among the study’s find- �� that they are making ings was that 40 perthese kinds of choices cent of LGB seniors �� and heard that from in a controlled study a couple sources in experienced negative �� New Jersey,” said GSE treatment from seniorinterim executive direcliving facilities in both �� tor John Mikytuck. Pennsylvania and New �� New Jersey was one Jersey. The study involved INSTANCES OF ADVERSE of three states included 200 “tests,” in which TREATMENT EXPERIENCED BY in the study that does both a heterosexual and LGB TESTERS have statewide protections against housing LGB couple contacted discrimination based independent-living, continued-care and assisted-living facilities on sexual orientation. “It is very subtle discrimination,” to inquire about residency, and researchers measured if there were differences in how Mikytuck said. “We have to ensure our laws the couples were treated. Facilities were in New Jersey are being enforced so there questioned about their rental prices, depos- can be no subtly and obvious discriminaits and fees, amenities and specials and the tion. Discrimination is discrimination.” Although the Fair Housing Act prohibits application process. The 10 states included in the study, which discrimination based on race, color, reliran from April-November, were Arizona, gion, national origin, sex, disability and Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, familial status, federal law does not prohibit Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania housing discrimination against LGBT citizens in the private-housing market. and Washington. The study included a number of recomIn 48 percent of the tests the same-sex couple was treated differently, in a negative mendations to remedy the discrimination it found, such as the passage of LGBTway. In Pennsylvania, 40 percent of testers, or inclusive nondiscrimination laws, stricter eight of 20, experienced at least one form of enforcement of already-existing laws, adopadverse treatment; 10 percent experienced tion of nondiscrimination policies at senior more than one. In two instances, the LGB providers, enhanced awareness among tester was offered fewer units than the het- seniors about their rights and resources and erosexual counterpart, while in another the further research on the topic. Mikytuck said GSE will do its part to heterosexual tester was given information about additional units at an adjoining prop- keep attention on the issue. “If there are solutions that involve raiserty. One tester was given a rental range in which the lowest rate was $100 higher than ing awareness, we plan our educational role the lowest rate given to the heterosexual tes- in that,” he said. “There are a lot of ways to address issues in this but doing nothing ters. In three tests, the facility told the LGB is not the answer: Educating people will be individuals about a deposit or fee — includ- what we do today.” For more information on the study, visit ing one instance of a security deposit and application fee that totaled $4,500 — that www.equalrightscenter.org. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

LOCAL PGN

REPORTING ON REFORM: The local chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association hosted a panel discussion Feb. 27 at WHYY on the LGBT impact of the Affordable Care Act and how the issue is, or is not, being explored in the media. More than 50 people turned out for the discussion, led by moderator and WHYY reporter Maiken Scott (from left) and panelists Columbia Journalism Review’s Trudy Lieberman, Mazzoni Center medical director Dr. Robert Winn and Out2Enroll steering committeemember Katie Kieth. Photo: Tara Lessard

Oral arguments held in partnerbens dispute By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com

Oral arguments were held last month in the case of a Pittsburgh man who’s seeking to extend his workplace benefits to his same-sex partner. Bradley A. Ankney, 48 , is a math teacher at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit in Homestead. For the past two years, he’s been trying to enroll his domestic partner in AIU’s healthbenefits plan, but AIU has refused to do so. In August, Ankney filed suit, claiming AIU is violating Allegheny County’s antibias law, which forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. He’s seeking access to all AIU benefits offered to his heterosexual coworkers, along with compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.

But AIU insists it’s not violating the law, because it allocates benefits on the basis of marital status, which is legal. AIU has requested that Ankney’s case be dismissed as meritless. On Feb. 14, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Robert J. Colville presided over oral arguments in the dispute. Colville must decide whether to let the case move go to a jury trial. After the hearing, Sara J. Rose, an attorney for Ankney, expressed optimism about the case. “We’re optimistic that we’ll be able to move forward with this case,” she told PGN. Colville indicated that he’ll review a transcript of the proceedings prior to rendering a decision, she added. In court papers, Ankney’s attorneys emphasize the discrimiPAGE 21

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Site teaches support, acceptance for nonconforming kids By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com One local small-business owner is working to create a community for families with gender-nonconforming children. Mia Rincon of Phoenixville recently launched Pink Boy Nation, a group she hopes will connect and provide support and resources to families with children whose presentation and interests may not align with gender stereotypes. Rincon, who owns and runs Pennsylvania Tree Service with her husband, said her 8-year-old son, Rincon Woods Clark Kent Thompson, started exhibiting indications of gender-nonconformity at age 3. “I could tell he was perfectly fine but he was different. The things he would play with, was interested in and the way he was, was different,” she said. “I remember saying to myself, ‘He is going to be gay.’” Rincon has four other children: three daughters and another son. She said her other son enjoys

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playing with stereotypical male toys, while her 8-year-old gravitated toward Barbies and dollhouses and loves wearing fairy wings and playing with stereotypical “girl” toys. She said her children are all accepting of each other and she never puts pressure on them to

behave a certain way, although Rincon has already experienced alienation in school because of his nonconformity. “He knows he is different and struggles with that even at 8 years of age,” his mother said. “He even says that he is halfgirl, half-boy or that he should

have been born a girl. He is feeling that he is different and we try to let him know it is OK.” Rincon spent three years garnering information and language to put together a website for families like hers. “I reached out to the Internet to see if there were organizations or resources but I found very little, so I decided to start my own website,” she said. “I found a great website designer and really carefully crafted the language on the site to reach out to other parents like us who have great kids but they feel they are the only kid in the world like this.” The website is geared toward families with boys, age 4-17, who do not conform to gender stereotypes. Rincon is eager for it to create a space for parents or guardians to get advice, expand their understanding about gender identity and make friends with other families — all while maintaining a positive and affirming environment for their children. “We want children and parents to know that it gets better and it

could get worse too, but wouldn’t it be great to have a place where people can exchange information and share experiences?” she said. “I think we could do a lot of good for other kids who are feeling isolated if their parents aren’t as progressive as we are.” Rincon said that, while the website focuses on her family’s experience, she hopes other parents of gender-nonconforming children can learn the value of fostering their children’s interests, regardless of gender stereotypes. “I want other parents to look through my website and the words I have chosen and see in us inspiration for maybe how to love and accept their children,” she said. “This is not about encouraging our kids to be gay. I am just breaking down gender stereotypes and allowing these boys to be themselves where, if they do become gay, then they will be ready to come out without any angst or shame. It is about love and acceptance.” For more information, visit www.pinkboynation.com. ■

locations in Pa. outside of Philadelphia

Allentown • Allentown Brew Works, 812 Hamilton St. • Candida, 247 N. 12th St. • MCCLV, 930 N. Fourth St. • Stonewall, 28-30 N. 10th St. • Annville • Lebanon Valley College, Sheridan Ave. • Ardmore • Ardmore Station, Anderson Ave. near Coulter Ave. • Bethel • Adult World, 341 Midway Road • Bethlehem • LGBTQ Services Lehigh U, 25 Trembley Dr. • Bloomsberg • Bloomsberg University LGBTA Center, 400 E. Second St. • Bristol • Bristol News World, 576B Bristol Pike • Bryn Mawr • Bryn Mawr College, Canaday Library • Bryn Mawr Station, Morris Ave. near Bryn Mawr Ave. • Fox & Roach Realty, 763 Lancaster Ave. • TLA Video, 761 Lancaster Ave. • Chester • Harrah’s Chester Casino, 777 Harrah’s Blvd. • Widener University, 1 University Place • Collegeville • Adult World, 3975 Ridge Pike • Devon • Devon Station, Devon State Road & Lancaster Pike • Doylestown • Doylestown Bookshop, 16 S. Main St. • Siren Records, 25 E. State St. • East Stroudsburg • Rainbow Mountain Resort, 210 Mt. Nebo Road • Easton • La Pazza, 1251 Ferry St. • Gibson • Hillside Campground, 1 Creek Road • Glen Mills • Imago Dei MCC, 1223 Middletown Road • Glenside • Keswick Cycle, 408 N. Easton Road • Harrisburg • 704 Strawberry Café, 704 N. Third St. • AIDS Community Alliance, 100 N. Cameron St. • Brownstone Lounge, 412 Forster St. • Liquid 891, 891 Eisenhower Blvd. • Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. 3rd St. • MCC of the Spirit, 2973 Jefferson St. • Stallions, 706 N. Third St. • Haverford • Haverford Station, Haverford Station Road near Lancaster Ave. • Kutztown • Kutztown University, 15200 Main St. • Lancaster • Downtown Books, 227 N. Prince St. • Sundown Lounge, 429 N. Mulberry St. • Tally Ho Tavern, 201 W. Orange St. • Lansdale • Gwynedd Vet Hospital, 1615 W. Pointe Pike • Lehighton • Woods Campground, 845 Vaughn Acres Road • Levittown • Levitt Books, 7406 Bristol Pike • Malvern • Malvern Station, King St. & Warren Ave. • Media • Unitarian Universalist Church, 145 W. Rose Tree Road • The Media Theater, 104 E. State St. • LGBT Alliance Group, Delaware Co. Campus, Penn State Univ., 901 Media Line Road • Moosic • 12 Penny Saloon, 3501 Birney Ave. • Narberth • Narberth Station, Haverford & Narberth avenues • New Hope • Café Europa, 11 Market Place • Cornerstone Gym, 419 York Road • Eagle Diner, 6522 York Road • Havana, 105 S. Main St. • John & Peters, 96 S. Main St. • Karla’s Restaurant, 5 W. Mechanic St. • La Chateau Exotique, 31A W. Mechanic St. • Havana Bar & Grill, 105 S. Main St. • The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St. • Sandbar, 90 S. Main St. • Triumph Brewing Co., 400 Union Square Drive • Wildﬂowers, 8 W. Mechanic St. • New Milford • Oneida Campground, 2580 E. Lake Road • Newtown • Bucks Co. Community College, 275 Swamp Road • North Wales • Adult World, 608 Upper State Road • Paoli • Paoli Station, North Valley Road & Lincoln Highway • Plains Township • Twist Bar, Fox Ridge Plaza, Rte. 315 • Quakertown • Adult World, 880 S. West End Blvd. • Reading • Berls Aid Network, 429 Walnut St. • Reading Adult Center, 316 Penn St. • Rosemont • Rosemont Station, Airdale Road & Montrose Ave. • Spring Grove • Atland’s Ranch, RR6, Box 6543 • Swarthmore • Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Parrish Hall • Temple • Naughty But Nice, 4502 N. Fifth St. • Upper Darby • Honor Box, 69th Street Station • Villanova • Villanova Station, Spring Mill Road near County Line Road • Warminster • Darkanyu, Bux Mont Unitarian Church, Street Road at Rt. 611 • Planned Parenthood of Bucks Co., 610 Louis Dr. • Wayne • Central Baptist Church, 106 W. Lancaster Ave. • Stafford Station, Old Eagle School & Crestline roads • Wayne Station, N. Wayne & West Ave. • West Chester • Chester County Books, 975 Paoli Pike • Williamsport • Peachies, 144 E. Fourth St. • Willow Grove • Barnes & Noble, 102 Park Ave. • Wynnwood • Wynnwood Station, Wynnewood & Penn roads •

All of these locations are now visible on a zoomable Google Map at

http://www.epgn.com/pages/where_to_find WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION ON THIS LIST? Contact Don at don@epgn.com or 215-625-8501 ext. 200 to arrange for delivery of complimentary copies.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

LOCAL PGN

QDF @QCKDRR NE XNTQ @AH KH SX SN O@X

DANCING QUEENS: Chris Stevens belted out a show tune Feb. 27 at Tabu. Stevens, an out New Jersey native, plays Sky in the national tour of “Mamma Mia,” which recently made a Philly stop at the Academy of Music. Members of the cast stopped by Tabu for Cabaret for a Cause, raising more than $1,200 for the Trevor Project, which works to combat suicide among LGBT youth. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Gear up for softball season with Skills Day By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The weather outside may be telling a different story, but spring really is almost upon us. And with spring comes the return of softball season. Softballers looking to join City of Brotherly Love Softball League will amass next weekend to show off their skills in advance of the league opener, just six weeks away. Skills Day will be held March 15 at Palumbo Recreation Center, 700 S. Ninth St. Players interested in the Co-ed Division are asked to arrive by 10 a.m., and Women’s Division players at noon. Players will participate in hitting, throwing and fielding drills and are asked to bring their own gloves. All new players must complete an application (http://cblsl.leagueapps.com/ events/23390-new-players) and are required to attend Skills Day to secure a spot on one of CBLSL’s 31 teams. CBLSL commissioner Steve Mast said the league expects up to 80 new players to join this year. Mast cautioned that Skills Day is not a

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tryout, but rather a chance for league officials to match players with teams in different divisions, depending on their skill levels. “Sometimes people do mistake it to be a tryout, but everyone will get placed on a team,” Mast said. “People should feel completely comfortable coming out that day because there are people of all skill levels throughout the league; we’re open to everyone and don’t turn anyone away. We encourage people to come out regardless of if they haven’t played in a while or have never played.” And when the drills wrap up, new and returning players and supporters are invited to the third-annual CBLSL bar crawl. “This is the third year for the crawl, and it’s really to get the season kicked off,” Mast said. “It’s a great way for new players to meet current members, and it’s a good social event for people to meet one another.” The route for the crawl will be announced closer to the event but, to secure the drink specials, participants must purchase a CBLSL crawl shirt. To purchase shirts for the crawl, or to register as a new player, visit www.cblsl.org. ■

We love to get picked up.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Coalition for Family Values

Editorial

D.C. dynamics PGN participated in the annual LGBT Media Convening last weekend in the nation’s capital, a gathering of more than 70 journalists, editors and bloggers working in LGBT media. While the participants hailed from all corners of the country and cover different issues and communities, in varying mediums, one common theme emerged from the meeting: LGBT media remains stronger than ever. As LGBT acceptance becomes more and more mainstream, there have been questions about whether certain LGBT-centric staples still remain relevant — Pride events, same-sex wedding expos and even LGBT media. While remarkable strides have been made for the community, these institutions have been far from worked out of business by societal evolution on LGBT issues. Community-driven initiatives, like LGBT media, remain vital tools in not just securing and protecting rights, but in ensuring our community retains an active and valued voice in all sectors of society. The LGBT media world is rife with writers and editors who straddle the fine line between journalist and activist — and, as was clear last weekend, that fusion of passion and talent has the capacity to move myriad issues forward. Whether it’s getting an LGBT-centric topic into mainstream focus or encouraging discussion about and investment in a certain issue within our own community, LGBT media professionals have a unique platform to engender continued evolution. One of the primary themes of the Convening was that the LGBT media field needs to continue to tell stories of marginalized communities — including of those who are marginalized within our own LGBT community. In one panel focused on the reasons why some media outlets elect not to touch touchy subjects, participants had a fruitful and spirited conversation about the necessity of exploring under-represented issues. The consensus of the conversation was that, while each writer brings his or her own frame of reference to a particular topic, it’s vital to look outside that frame in order to fully represent the interests and needs of our community. To that end, community participation is key. Hearing from all sectors of the community about the issues important to them helps LGBT media outlets shape their own coverage. And opening up our pages for readers to include their own voices is a tool PGN is increasingly employing so that all community members can be active participants in their community news. While the media environment is ever-changing, the LGBT media field continues to be built upon a decades-long foundation of commitment to social-justice advocacy — a building block that will allow this industry, and our community, to flourish into the future. ■

What do you do when you’re losing your ideological battle at the national level? Why, you go global! Which is why a group of A-list antigay folks have gone and formed the Coalition for Family Values, a group that hopes to teach the world to sing. Except in this case, “sing” means enact punishing antigay legislation. Joining forces are, according to the Washington Blade, “more than 70 antigay activists and religious leaders from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil.” And what a roster of Creep luminaries and Creep contenders! Peter LaBarbera, who has advocated enacting Russian-style antigay laws in America; Sally Kern (R-Okla.), who believes gays are a bigger threat than terrorists; Matt “There Is Nothing Conservative About Sodomy” Barber; Brian “Gays Are Too Psychologically Damaged To Be Athletes” Camenker and members of the American Family Association. And what do these folks all have in common? Let’s see how Scott Lively explains it. “We share a Biblical world view and speak the plain truth of the LGBT agenda and its destructive influence on society,” Lively said at a recent D.C. press conference. Got it. So the formation of this group is basically a reactionary response to the fact that LGBT rights are advancing and these folks are very a-scared. Lively continued: “Our goal is to promote and protect the natural family as the essential foundation of civilization, and family values as the sources and guide to mainstream culture in every society, while advocating reasonable tolerance to those who choose to live discreetly outside the mainstream.” In other words, Lively and his minions have joined forces to “protect” heterosexual married couples from the homos, lest we destroy all of civilization and every society, blah blah blah. Yeah, we’ve heard

that all before. What’s worth noting is Lively’s goal to advocate “reasonable tolerance to those who choose to live discreetly outside the mainstream.” In other words, back in the closet, homos! And it truly boggles the mind what is considered “reasonable tolerance” to Lively, a guy who has links to Uganda’s “Kill the gays” bill and who has personally thanked Vladimir Putin for the antigay laws in Russia that have led to untold numbers of gay people being discriminated against, beaten and jailed. “We want to praise the Russian Federation for providing much-needed leadership in restoring family values in public policy,” Lively said at the press conference. “We believe that God will bless the Russian people for their faith and courage.” During the Coalition for Family Values press conference, Lively was interrupted by Spectrum Human Rights Alliance’s Ellen Sturtz and Slava Revin, and got pretty pissed. Revin was speaking in Russian and Sturtz was translating. As Lively talked over Sturtz and Revin and as they talked over him, Lively said, “This is what we call homo-fascism.” Which is ironic, since homosexuals are basically living under a fascist set of laws in Russia — laws that Lively is very excited about. “I would like to ask you to remove these two people from the press conference,” Lively told security. On her way out, Sturtz shouted, “We would like to stop the killing that is going on in your name in Uganda and in Russia.” Oooh. Burn. Or it would be if the horrible climate in Uganda and Russia wasn’t exactly what the Coalition for Family Values was created to help perpetuate. ■

“We want to praise the Russian Federation for providing muchneeded leadership in restoring family values in public policy.”

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

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

Evolution of LGBT press There’s a question that pops up in any tions and advertising to LGBT media. Lots interview I give. It goes something like this: of companies want to be on the right side of “What is the state of the LGBT press?” Or, history. And if you wonder where this comes “Is the LGBT press going through the same from, take a look at the Latino or Africanissues that mainstream media is dealing American media. There you will find Ford, with?” GM, McDonald’s and Taco Bell advertising, There are several ways to answer that among other mainstream companies. In some question, but let’s take the question apart and sense, seeing those ads in LGBT media, deal with each of the many issues when they come, will make a it raises. statement of how far we have come. First, how does the mainstream As to the difference between situation differ from LGBT print (traditional) and new media media? From my vantage point, (websites and blogs), print is still on several journalist or media boards, it became apparent that light years ahead. In almost every many mainstream news organizamajor city, there’s a local LGBT tions were spending barrels of newspaper with numerous fullmoney on their new web ventures time staffers. And they, like ours, without an understanding of are excelling at fusing print and where the web was headed or web. There are few, if any, local how to monatize their extreme blogs/websites with any full-time spending on it. Many mortgaged employees. Nationally, it’s a different story. Out Magazine and the house, so to speak. Thus far, for most mainstream or tradithe Advocate are both traditional Mark Segal and new media. And they are the tional media, they haven’t seen a payday and, worse, they’ve had top, as far as hits and clicks go, to cut back on their print versions, which has but their print editions are hurting. Querty had a detrimental effect in the newsroom, as and Towleroad also have become popular seasoned journalists have been put out to pas- and have full-time staff. Aside from those, ture. Not a good business move. you might have a few out there with one The web is still evolving, but a web presor two staffers. Here’s the big problem ence is at least part of the future. You can for websites and blogs: It takes very little only make that jump if you have good jourcapital to start one. Therefore, each week nalists, and have something that people want scores of new websites and blogs pop up, all to see (or read in this case). competing for that same audience and sponFor LGBT publications, this should be a sor/advertising dollar. Print is an expensive start-up. good time. Since we never saw much mainTraditional media must adapt to new stream advertising (hey, when’s the last time media, and new media must appreciate the you saw a Taco Bell, McDonald’s, GM or value of journalism, since good reporting Ford ad in your local LGBT publication?), of facts will serve you and our community we have had to count on our local advertiswell. ■ ing. And since, as the president has stated, ours is the civil-rights struggle of this generation, that should bring interest to our fight for Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT equality, as well as to our community. That media. He can be reached at mark@epgn.com. should bring funding to LGBT organiza-

Mark My Words

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Street Talk Should vendors be required to provide services celebrating same-sex relationships? “Yes. This is 2014, equality should be across the board. No exceptions. If the business owner has religious Mark Miklosovich qualms, business owner they need to Queen Village keep their personal religious beliefs out of their business.”

“Yes. Human rights are very important. Religious freedoms shouldn’t trump human rights. Brandon Roddy We’ve had waiter trouble in the South Philadelphia past when religious fanatics took away human rights. Just look at the Holocaust. We need to rein in religious beliefs when they infringe on human rights.”

“Morally, they should provide the service. But they shouldn’t be forced to by law. They should be able to make James Valadka their own window washer choice. They South Philadelphia shouldn’t have to go against their personal beliefs. But I would hope they would provide the service out of [their] good character.”

“Yes. I’m a strong believer in the separation of church and state. A business shouldn’t Elizabeth Walker be able to clothing designer discriminate, Fishtown period. Any goods and services that are advertised should be available to the entire public. I don’t understand why anyone would want to discriminate. Money is money.”

Letters and Feedback In response to “Pride in being pushy,” Feb. 28-March 6 Editor: I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting of the John C. Anderson Apartments recently and soon thereafter was able to read Mark My Words in the Feb. 28 issue of PGN. For those who know me, and question whether I actually have a heart, I must say it was a little heartwarming to read Mark Segal’s comments. While my comments might be construed as those of a first-class ass-kisser, I assure you that Mark will never accuse me of such a brazen endeavor. However, I found everything I heard from Gov. Rendell, Mayor Nutter and the myriad of state and local politicians to mirror my thoughts exactly and I have to say, I would want it no other way.

Mark Segal, accepting his position as the greatest pain in the ass to politicians in this state, is nothing more than a badge of honor in my book. Eight years ago while I was commissioner of the City of Brotherly Love Softball League, and was being stonewalled (no pun intended) by a department of city government that would have meant the cessation of the largest LGBT sports group in Philadelphia, I called the one person I knew could help. The help I received from Mark Segal was like nothing I have ever encountered. Rather than a surgical strike against the offending department, Mark forwarded my email to every significant member of the mayor’s staff in City Hall with a simple request: HELP. Over the next four hours, I received emails, phone calls and even a fax from departments I never even knew existed asking me how they could help. By

2 p.m. that day, the offending department resolved its internal issues and we were ready to start our season. The best part of the day was receiving a call from the head of the department asking me to send an email out to everyone that the problem was resolved since the first email made “such a fucking mess” of his day. Move forward four years and Mark Segal attends a meeting of the board of directors of the William Way LGBT Community Center to sell his “pie in the sky” LGBT senior housing above the WWCC building. All one needed to do was attend our townhall meeting with the community to know there were a few naysayers and opponents of the WWCC being involved, as well as the typical voices who questioned Mark’s ability to make this happen. To Mark’s credit, he entrusted me with moderating the debate and kept his word on my one

request of him. My request was a hard one too, but Mark was up to the task. The task was to not respond to the craziness that was swirling and to trust the board of the William Way to handle this issue professionally. For almost a year, the board of the WWCC assessed plans, developed ideas, debated issues and, most importantly, listened to the community. At the end of the day, we resolved that this was a fundamentally necessary and important project and needed to be built, but the best way for it to get done was for it to be completed apart from the WWCC. Would we have loved a new building? Absolutely. But the logistics and funds just did not appear to be present. When I delivered the news over lunch at Famous Deli (the only place a true lunch meeting is allowed to take place) PAGE 23 to Mark and Micah

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

LGBT WEDDING PGN ISSUE

Meet the couples taking on Pennsylvania’s marriage ban By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com On June 9, the trial will open in the first legal challenge to Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage. While the case will ultimately be fraught with legal terms and constitutional arguments, the issue of marriage inequality in Pennsylvania is ultimately a story about the lives and loves of same-sex couples and their families. The American Civil Liberties Union’s Whitewood v. Wolf case has assembled 25 plaintiffs — 11 same-sex couples, two of their children and one widow — to represent our state’s LGBT community. Plaintiffs come from all corners of the state and myriad backgrounds, and all have taken unique paths to arrive at a common truth: Pennsylvania’s ban on marriage equality is an all-encompassing impediment that prevents certain Pennsylvanians from living as free and respected citizens. Here are the stories of two of the plaintiff couples taking on our state’s inequality. Sandy Ferlanie and Christine Donato Swarthmore Together 18 years

The 5-year-old was conceived through invitro, with Ferlanie carrying him. Once he was born, both women had to legally adopt him as part of second-parent adoption, to ensure they would both be legally considered his parents — another byproduct of the state’s ban on marriage equality. “I had to go through the whole process of adopting my child, even though he was my biological child,” Ferlanie said. “We had to have home visits by social workers, write essays, get fingerprinted, get recommendations, medical exams. It was a lot.” The process took more than 10 months to complete and, during that time, Donato was technically a legal stranger to her son. “For 10-and-a-half months I just prayed to God that nothing happened to Sandy,” Donato said. “Because if it did, I would have had no rights to my son.” The couple said they worried about how to explain the procreation issue to Henry but said that conversation was much easier than they’re finding the marriage-equality talk to be. “Kids understand things in simple ways. He says to himself — not in these words — but, ‘Parents who have children and who

When Sandy Ferlanie was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, her prognosis wasn’t the only thing on her mind. Ferlanie has been with her partner, Christine Donato, for nearly 18 years but, because the couple is not legally married in their home state, Ferlanie worried that they would encounter complications as they traversed SANDY FERLANIE AND CHRISTINE DONATO her diagnosis together. “It was really scary,” Ferlanie said. “It was a time in my life when I needed have families love each other and make a Christine the most and I had to worry about, commitment and get married. My family What if I ran into somebody — a physician, has two loving parents raising me, why can’t a nurse, somebody at the admissions desk they get married?’” Donato said. “His questions made me feel so guilty, like I didn’t — who wouldn’t let her up to see me?” Fortunately, the couple said the staff at have a good-enough answer for him. Finally, Pennsylvania Hospital, where Ferlanie I just said, ‘We’re not allowed to.’ ‘Allowed’ spent more than eight hours in surgery, were is something kids understand. And I felt so powerless. ‘We’re not allowed to.’” accommodating and accepting. While some same-sex Pennsylvania cou“We were very lucky to be in a great city and a great hospital,” Donato said. “During ples have tied the knot in other states, when a time like that, you have so much anxiety they return to the Keystone State, their marand then you walk into the hospital and have riage is not recognized by our government. to be thinking, OK, do I have all the forms That, coupled with all of their family and with me that say I have rights to see her and friends living in this area and with each havto make decisions on her behalf? We were ing an ailing parent, and Ferlanie and Donato treated very well, but the anxiety of not decided to wait to wed until marriage equalknowing if we were going to be treated well ity becomes a reality in Pennsylvania. While that time isn’t here yet, they have was terrifying.” Ferlanie fully recovered from surgery, started imagining what their wedding day completed chemotherapy last summer and would be like. “We have a big soccer and baseball field her hair has grown back. “Things are pretty ordinary right now,” at the end of our street and we’ve joked that we’ll just use the field for a day, have food she said. “Ordinary is good.” Ordinary entails Ferlanie’s work as a catered and a dance floor and DJ and throw nurse in the drug-safety field and Donato’s a petting zoo in for the kids,” Ferlanie said, as a pharmaceutical consultant — and most noting that the couple likely would hold a importantly, their roles as parents to their wedding ceremony in their local Episcopal church, of which they are active members. son, Henry.

“It’s exciting to start thinking about it.” For so long, Donato said, it was a thought that didn’t seem possible. “For so many years, [getting married] was just scratched off the list of things that were likely to happen. So you didn’t even let yourself think about planning, about where you would go, what you would wear, those fun things,” she said. “But I’m an optimist. I do think it’s going to happen in Pennsylvania, I do see myself marrying Sandy. And I see it happening soon.” Angela Gillem and Gail Lloyd Philadelphia Together 18 years In the fall, Angela Gillem and Gail Lloyd spent a weekend in Washington, D.C., tourism museums, biking and dining — and finished their getaway by tying the knot. The couple married in a small ceremony Nov. 15, surrounded by Lloyd’s mother and brother and Gillem’s brother. Their path to marriage began nearly two decades ago at the party of a mutual friend — although their relationship took some time to develop. “We were introduced and I was just totally taken by Gail,” Gillem said. “It was like I’d been introduced to a movie star, I was so impressed. She was so gorgeous and I was just awed by her. The way she just moved around the party, it was like she’d taken over the stage and was working the room; I just thought she was so cool. So it was like love at first sight.” Lloyd remembers the interaction a bit differently. “I was definitely not a movie star. I’m afraid I might have disappointed my beloved because I’m not the cool chick she thought I was,” she joked. Lloyd said she was under the impression that one of her friends was interested in Gillem, so she kept her distance that night. The pair ran into each other two years later at a book signing at Giovanni’s Room and began seeing one another a few months later. They celebrated their 18th anniversary last month. While the couple connected in Philadelphia, they learned they come from the same area; Lloyd is from D.C. and Gillem grew up in Arlington, Va. Lloyd moved to Philly in 1979 to attend art school, and Gillem in 1986 for a previous relationship. The couple now lives together in Chestnut Hill, in a house they bought and rehabbed more than 15 years ago. Gillem, 61, teaches counseling psychology in a graduate program at Arcadia University and operates a private practice in Chestnut Hill, while Lloyd, 55, who has worked in the film/video industry for nearly two decades, is now refocusing her attention on the art field, with a concentration on

ceramics. The couple registered as domestic partners with the city in 2002, in part as a means of demonstrating their relationship to Gillem’s employer. “We had domestic-partner benefits at the university since the early ’90s, but unfortunately some of the benefits were not being offered to us because the health-insurance company didn’t offer domestic-partner benefits,” she said. “So when they finally started that, they wanted some proof that we were domestic partners, so at that point we formalized it with the city.” They began talking seriously about marrying after last summer’s overturning of the federal ban on same-sex marriage. “Especially as we get older, we’re going to be taking care of each other, so it became

ANGELA GILLEM AND GAIL LLOYD

even more important,” Gillem said. “Last summer, we planned to update our wills and powers of attorneys to make sure everything was in order, and our personal attorney strongly recommended we go ahead and get married now that we could get federal benefits and that level of recognition.” They spent the weekend touring D.C. and had a Monday ceremony with their family, followed by dinner before driving to Philadelphia that evening. The couple said they intend to have a larger ceremony and reception in Pennsylvania when marriage equality is sanctioned here — “We’re gonna party like it’s 1999,” Lloyd joked. “We decided that until Pennsylvania recognizes our marriage, we didn’t want to have a big ceremony. It would feel like something was missing,” Gillem said. “But there is a piece now that feels sad; the fact that it was a small ceremony with just three people there to witness our marriage does feel a bit sad.” Despite the bittersweet nature of the wedding, the couple said that having a legal marriage certificate did draw them closer, which they found surprising. “It really does make a difference in ways that are hard to articulate,” Lloyd said. “I completely adore Angela but after we got married, I somehow felt even closer to her. I don’t know how to describe it; I always thought our relationship was solid, but it somehow felt even more solid. It deepened my commitment to her. I now wake up, look at her and it’s like, ‘Wow, we’re married.’” ■

LGBT WEDDING ISSUE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

LGBT WEDDING PGN ISSUE

Keystone State outlook FEDERAL COURT Whitewood v. Wolf: A suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of 11 same-sex couples, two children and a widow claiming due-process and equalprotection violations. Attorney General Kathleen Kane and Gov. Tom Corbett have been removed as defendants; Health Secretary Michael Wolf is the primary defendant. The case will come to trial before U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III on June 9.

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Register of Wills Hanes to compel him to stop issuing marriage licenses to samesex couples. Hanes appealed to the state Supreme Court. Ballen v. Wolf: Several-dozen same-sex couples who received licenses from Hanes sued for recognition of their marriages. Kane and Corbett were removed as defendants, with Wolf serving as primary defendant.

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Palladino v. Corbett: Philadelphia residents Cara Palladino and Isabelle Barker, legally married in Massachusetts, are requesting the state recognize legal samesex marriages performed out of state. STATE COURT

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Cucinotta v. Pennsylvania: Paoli residents Nicole and Tamara Cucinotta sued the state for recognition of their Montgomery County marriage license. COUNTY COURT

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Baus v. Gibbs: Bethlehem resident Barbara Baus sued after being hit with an inheritance-tax bill after the passing of her wife.

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LGBT WEDDING ISSUE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

SCOTUS ruling caps a momentous marriage year By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The past 12 months have seen a sea change in the marriageequality landscape: The number of marriage-equality states has nearly doubled, the nation’s top court dealt a tremendous blow to the federal ban on same-sex marriage, and rulings continue to pour in taking aim at state marriageequality bans. So what do the next 12 months bring? At this time in 2013, marriage equality was sanctioned in nine states and Washington, D.C. One year later, same-sex couples can now wed in 16 states and D.C., and that number will reach 17 this summer when Illinois’ law goes into effect. How quickly that number continues to grow could be traced to last summer’s Supreme Court ruling dismantling the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Following the historic finding in June, four states (New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois and New Mexico) mandated marriage equality, either through court rulings that took the Windsor case

into account or through legislative actions many pundits contend were bolstered by the SCOTUS decision. This year, federal judges overturned marriage-equality bans in Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Texas, and two others ruled that bans in Kentucky and Ohio do not prevent the states from recognizing same-sex marriages performed legally out of state. Appeals are pending in those cases. The Windsor decision played a role in all of those cases as well, said Mazzoni Center legal director David Rosenblum. “When the Windsor decision came out, we thought the federal government was getting out of it and saying it’s up to the states, but what’s coming out of these cases in federal court is they’re saying that Windsor goes beyond that,” Rosenblum said. “They’re saying that there is a higher federal law that says we have to treat people equally, the equal-protection clause. The same sort of thing happened with interracial marriage. What these cases are say-

ing is seemingly that states can do whatever they want as long as they’re not violating federal law, which says sex discrimination is a bad thing, so the gender of a person shouldn’t affect marriage. So I think the reason we’re seeing so many of these out of federal courts is that they’re directly applying Windsor to say, ‘The federal

these eventually, and some of them are moving surprisingly fast. The Supreme Court doesn’t have to take the cases but I think they’re going to have to, once we start seeing however many states saying it’s unconstitutional, others saying it is constitutional and others staying silent. They’ll need to clarify soon enough,” Rosenblum said.

“I think the reason we’re seeing so many of these out of federal courts is that they’re directly applying Windsor to say, ‘The federal government gave the states the chance to do the right thing, but what you’re doing violates federal law.’” government gave the states the chance to do the right thing, but what you’re doing violates federal law.’” But, the Supreme Court will ultimately have to weigh in with a definitive voice on the constitutionality of state marriage bans, Rosenblum said. “They’re going to have to face

“But so far, we haven’t even gotten a split in the cases: Each case has said this is unconstitutional and there’s no rational basis, other than pure animus. And that’s not how we make laws.” And Pennsylvania will soon get its own day in court, as the federal trial in the case brought by the American Civil Liberties

Union opens June 9 in Harrisburg. Similar to the strategy employed in California, this case will head to a trial, so that the arguments, on both sides of the issue, can be aired publicly and on record. “The ACLU has cleverly decided to have a trial on this, to really get into all those articulated reasons, to say, ‘Give us your proof that this is about child-rearing or protecting kids’ or whatever they’ll put forth as a defense. There’s some real power in having that discussion, and not just filing motions. They’ll really be getting into the question of what the defense is based on. Once you get into those nooks and crannies, you see it’s a house of cards. So I’m expecting a good ruling.” Even with a favorable ruling, the case will certainly be appealed and likely stayed as the case wends its way through the federal courts and potentially to the Supreme Court. Rosenblum cautioned couples heading to other states to wed to make sure they consult with a legal professional first to consider all of the legal outcomes. ■

www.bgproonline.com • cathie.bgproductions@gmail.com • 215-435-1418

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Wedding Craig Bierman and Fred Kogan By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

than the Big Apple when they stumbled upon Philadelphia, ultimately moving here in 2001. “A good friend of ours was already livFor two South Philadelphia residents, Valentine’s Day offered more than flowers ing in Philly and when we visited her, we instantly fell in love with and candy. the city,” he said. “We are Craig Bierman, 54, and so happy living here with Fred Kogan, 50, of East all the city has to offer.” Passyunk, got married Feb. Despite the Keystone 14 in Delaware. State lacking marriage Bierman, originally from equality, as the movement Elizabeth, N.J., and Kogan, took on speed in the region, who hails from Cleveland, Bierman decided to pop are both teachers at the question, and did so Friends Select School in Philadelphia. The pair met KOGAN (LEFT) AND casually while the couple in 1992 in New York City’s BIERMAN lounged around the house. Kogan said that, after 21 West Village and have been years, they already felt like together for 21 years. The couple said they met by chance when they were married. “I feel like people are coming up to us Kogan, who was working at Saks Fifth Avenue, attended a happy hour at a now- now saying, ‘What it is like being a newlywed?’ and we’ve been together so long, defunct bar called Uncle Charlie’s. “I was the first one to walk up to him and it has been great all the way through,” he start a conversation and we had a long con- said. “Going back to 21 years ago, the comversation there and that night we talked for ing-out process was intense then and it is so three hours,” he said. “I thought he was just different now. Everyone is excited and I am a nice, regular, normal guy — no drama and glad to see a change in the United States.” With marriage equality not an option in seemed a lot like me.” Kogan said that, over the years, he and Pennsylvania, the couple decided to get Bierman learned that respect was an impor- married in New Castle County, Del., which tant component of a successful relation- began allowing same-sex marriage last year. ship. “We thought it was interesting to get mar“I think being honest, caring for each other, listening to what the other has to say ried in America’s first state and in the first and not controlling the other person — that county. Also, Delaware has tax-free shopping,” Kogan joked. seems like the major elements,” he said. The couple drove down with two friends During their more-than two decades together, the pair talked about marriage, but as witnesses and were married by a justice ended up moving to Pennsylvania before of the peace on Valentine’s Day, exchanging rings and vows in a simple ceremony before New York adopted marriage equality. “Our original plans were we would get hosting a cocktail reception later for friends married whenever we were living some- and family. Now that they are legally married, Kogan where that legalized same-sex marriage. When we lived in New York, they didn’t said there is a sense of security to the title. “We are both protected now in a lot of legalize it. Then we moved to Philly and New York does it and every state around us ways. If we have our health, we will have a lifelong relationship. We are soulmates and started legalizing it.” Kogan said they had been looking for a it gets better year to year. I think it is amaz“more manageable and affordable city” ing to be able to say he is my husband.” ■

Bendi 

Get tips of the trade at local LGBT wedding expo By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Marriage equality remains elusive in the Keystone State — but that hasn’t impacted the wealth of local LGBT-friendly wedding vendors eager to lend their skills to samesex couples planning to take the plunge. Dozens of such vendors will be on hand for the seventh annual Bucks County LGBT Wedding Expo, 12:30-3:30 p.m. March 30 at Sheraton Bucks County Hotel, 400 N. Oxford Valley Road in Langhorne. The event is staged by Rainbow Wedding Network, which has produced more than 100 expos in 25 states since its 2003 inception. The North Carolina-based group began with just one event per year and now hosts about two dozen annually. Co-founder Marianne Puechl said the event has been evolving with the rapidly changing marriage-equality landscape. She noted that events in states that recently sanctioned marriage equality often see big boosts in attendance, but that states without marriage equality have also been boasting high attendance rates. “We generally have even stronger attendance in states where marriage rights haven’t yet been granted, like in Texas, Florida and an event we had here in Raleigh,” she said. “In these areas, couples may feel that much less secure in reaching out to wedding professionals, so having this resource available takes that awkwardness out of the picture.” A show held in January in Jersey City had a great turnout, Puechl said, which could be partially due to the Garden State’s recent addition to the marriage-equality list. Bucks County’s close proximity to New Jersey may also fuel attendance at the local event, she added. The expos on average bring in about 450 guests, she said.

About 30 exhibitors will be on hand for the Bucks County event — including photographers, ceremony and reception venues, DJs, officiants, jewelers and transportation companies. Lawyers, Realtors and fertility clinics will also be represented. Most couples who turn out are in the throes of wedding planning and benefit from the personalized attention the vendors are able to provide, compared to some of the other big-box wedding expos. “These couples are usually very seriously in the planning stages and love the personal time with each exhibitor,” Puechl said. “This is set up in a boutique-style, so rather than running through and grabbing free stuff, couples are invited to stick around and mingle.” Most couples do spend the full three hours at the venue, she said, largely owing to the environment it fosters. Despite the growing acceptance for marriage equality, Puechl said, it’s difficult to find a similar atmosphere at mainstream trade shows. “Way back in the day, we said we hoped we’d eventually work ourselves out of business but, as far as marriage equality has come in the past decade — and it’s amazing how far it’s come — I think there’s still a need for shows like ours in the longer term,” she said. “Our couples come in and feel totally comfortable, totally accepted. A lot of them may be in a place where they can’t still tell their family comfortably or be out at work safely, so to be able to walk into a ballroom like this, where you don’t have to translate yourselves or answer questions like, ‘Which one of you is the bride?’ or ‘Are you brothers?’ is exciting. We see couples come in and they just breathe a sigh of relief.” The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.samelovesamerights.com. ■

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Before the Bells

Jen Colletta

The proposal Before the Bells is a new monthly column chronicling the wedding-planning process for a same-sex couple, drawing on the writer’s ongoing experiences to offer practical advice on everything from selecting LGBT-friendly vendors and venues to making sure your celebration, no matter how large or small, stays true to the love you share with your partner. This column won’t presume to serve as a how-to guide for all couples —as marriage means something different to each couple that heads down that path — but rather as an exploration of how this one couple’s journey unfolded, and the do’s and don’ts they’re learning along the way. While the “I do” on your wedding day may be the culmination of months, or even years, of planning, another word is almost equally important: “Yes.” When you or your partner decides to pop the question, and the other accepts, as much as it sets a new future in motion, it also affirms your past, and so that moment should embody who you are as a couple — a mantra that needs to be remembered throughout the wedding-planning process. Some couples get casually engaged, deciding to take the plunge after hearing about the latest state to sanction marriage equality. Others may be the subjects of the growing number of viral, over-the-top proposal videos. Regardless of your method — large or small, formal or informal — what matters the most is the joint commitment contained in the word “yes.” But getting to that point may be a bit different for same-sex couples. While the onus for popping the question is usually on the male in heterosexual couplings (although we cheer those ladies who take the reigns!), same-sex couples don’t have to follow such norms. Couples can approach the topic jointly if the “surprise” factor isn’t important to them (which may be especially true for couples who’ve had decades-long relationships before the marriage-equality movement starting gaining speed) or one partner can take the lead. In my case, my partner, Ashlee, was the one who took the lead on most steps of our relationship — initiating a conversation, formally asking me out, saying the first “I love you” — and we had jokingly talked about how she’d likely have to be the one to propose. So, after nearly six years together, I planned to counter her expectations by planning my own proposal. I’d picked when and how I was going to do it and had just begun saving for a ring but, unbeknownst to me, she had made that

same decision months before and popped the question on our six-year anniversary last April. While she said she had considered going whole-hog with a flash-dance proposal, she opted instead for a simple proposal that involved just us: After hiking in Wissahickon Park, we had lunch atop a hill overlooking the park, and she asked if I thought I’d want to marry her. I replied “of course,” and she followed up with “How about today?” holding out the ring. While my proposal thunder was stolen, all that mattered was that the question was asked, and answered. While we’d long talked about getting engaged, I don’t think either of us was prepared for the immediate change it had on our relationship. After six years, we were quite accustomed to being a couple, but suddenly being an engaged couple made things different. We weren’t just “girlfriends” any longer; saying “yes” quickly illuminated our future, an intimidating, yet exciting, transition. While we were unsure how to follow up the energy of the engagement, our first thought was to tell family and friends. Some we called, some we visited. And after ensuring all of our immediate family members and close friends were in the know, we told everyone else through Facebook. While that sounds trite, the function of social media in today’s digital age shouldn’t be underestimated. Platforms like Facebook can be useful tools in the coming-out process; posting pictures or chronicling your relationship with your partner on social media is an informal, casual way of sharing your life with loved ones without the pressure of a sit-down, coming-out speech. Likewise, sharing your next step in this way gets the news out without pressure, especially for those who may have folks in their lives who aren’t supportive. But, what we saw was an overwhelming level of support — and we were particularly impressed by the number of people, from childhood friends to former teachers, who offered their congrats. Just as many of us may have been pleasantly surprised to see red equal signs on some of our Facebook friends’ pages throughout last year’s U.S. Supreme Court case, the social-media response to our engagement was heartening. But, ultimately, what was most important was the confidence we both had in our decision. Getting engaged can be an overwhelming experience that brings one’s life into sharper focus — but, as we saw, believing in ourselves and our relationship makes every step of the journey easier. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Minneapolis isn’t always in a polar vortex By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com Two things usually come to mind when Minneapolis is mentioned: cold and the Mall of America. And that’s if you remember the mall. There is a third item that comes to mind for some of us, but we’ll get to her later. If cold weather is an issue for you, don’t go in the winter. It’s that simple. Getting around downtown when it’s a blustery -20 degrees isn’t impossible once you get downtown; there are about 8 miles of elevated walkways connecting just about everything across about 70 square blocks. But for spring, summer and fall, this is an under-appreciated Northern city. The locals hype MoA and its array of stores and indoor amusement park and all that, but it’s not an essential stop. The only thing you really need to know about the mall is Tuesday is kids’ day. So if you want to go shopping (or need to go shopping, like one member in our wedding party who conveniently forgot shoes and just had to go buy some), hit the downtown Nicollet Mall, a blocks-long stretch of shops and eateries that segues nicely into the theater district. We were fortunate to get an excellent rate at the centrally located Hotel Ivy (201 S. 11th St.; thehotelivy.com), so we were able to walk and cab to many of our destinations. Minneapolis has a pretty

A SMALL SEGMENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS SKYLINE (LEFT) AND A MISSISSIPPI RIVER VIEW OF THE STONE ARCH BRIDGE, THE GUTHRIE CENTER AND THE MILL MUSEUM Photos: Scott A. Drake

good metro transit system of buses and light rail too, which is an excellent thing because, quite honestly, whenever we got in our rental car we got lost. This isn’t a Penn-planned city and it almost makes the District of Columbia’s layout make sense. Advice: ALWAYS ask for directions before you go. So what’s gay in Minneapolis? Well, marriage, for one. Hundreds of LGBT couples have been married in Minnesota since it passed its marriageequality law. A number of those marriages are people who crossed the line, as it were, from Wisconsin and Illinois — the latter of which has recently joined the fray. In fact, Minneapolis former Mayor Raymond Rybak made a bit hit with local gays as the law was being debated by offering to marry any couple at midnight when the law was signed. (See sidebar.) Additionally, in 2011, The Advocate hailed Minneapolis as the gayest city in the United States. Minneapolis is like some temporal anomaly on the Mississippi River where a lot of the city’s past is still

“SPOONBRIDGE AND CHERRY” BY CLAES OLDENBURG (LEFT) AND AS GENERALLY PHOTOGRAPHED BY SCULPTURE GARDEN VISITORS

prominently present and the rest of the city also on the skirts of the district, only one is looking squarely into the future. Today, block from the Mill Museum, and we were the downtown has some of the most striklucky enough to catch a world-premier theingly beautiful new architecture around. atrical rock concert — “Moon Show 143” But Minneapolis was once the largest mill — while there. This was just one event of city in America and that alone brought several happening that night at the Guthrie. thousands of workers to grist mills and Note, there are many diverse places in the many thousands more across the state for area for pre- or post-show dining also. construction of the vast rail We enjoyed an early supper system needed to transport across the street from the Guthrie at Spoonriver (750 grains and products countryS. Second St.; spoonriver. wide. com), where they use locally All that makes the Mill City Museum (704 S. grown produce in season and, Second St.; millcitymuif you’re cooking while on seum.org) a must-see. vacation, they have a farmer’s market on their site seasonOverlooking the mighty Mississippi, the museum tells ally every Saturday. the history and connectivity Guthrie is a multi-floor A MEMORIAL STONE of the grain, the mills, the complex encompassing two IN THE SCULPTURE city and the river. Interactive GARDEN theaters and a studio, a resdisplays are fun and there are taurant, several bars, a lounge plenty of photographs and artifacts to keep and an impressive view of Stone Arch you more interested in flour than you ever Bridge (stonearchbridge.com) over the thought you would be. There is an optional Mississippi River. It’s a former railroad tour and if you time your visit right, the bridge with 23 arches, popular with bikon-site baking lab will be in full swing ers, runners and river walkers. You can and you can learn more about the annual also tour the entire mill area, river, walkPillsbury Bake-off. ways, etc., via Segway Magical History Tours (magicalhistorytour.com) and in just a couple of hours cover 12,000 years Endless art and nature of Minnesota and Mississippi River hisA most pleasant surprise for us was tory and learn about how and why this the vast array of theater, music and dance city came to be the largest mill town in options for a county of just under 400,000. America — and have fun doing it. Hennepin Avenue is the hub of the theater district, with grandly renovated showpieces like the 1921 Historic Orpheum Theatre and the Pantages Theatre, to name a couple. While the district is generally around Hennepin, it doesn’t have finite boundaries as evidenced by the two orchestras that perform on the opposite end of Nicolett Mall. Guthrie Theater (guthrietheater.org) is ONE OF THE INTERACTIVE MINIATURE GOLF HOLES

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The art-museum scene is also thriving, dynamic and diverse. Case in point: One afternoon we played seven holes at one of two interactive miniature-golf courses adjacent to the Walker Art Center (1750 Hennipin Ave.) and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (walkerart.org/garden). KEN KIEFER (SECOND FROM LEFT) MARRIES KEN ZALEWSKI Let’s back up a ON A PADDLE BOAT ON THE ST. CROIX RIVER AT STILLWATER. second. Yes, interAt the very least, plan to spend part of a active miniature day exploring the river area and parks. As golf. This means you get to use swingmighty as the Mississippi River is, it is also ing objects, your feet and foosball soccer quite captivating this far north. A point of paddles to help or hinder your opponents. interest to check out is a statue of the city’s Uncontrollable laughter is apparently one namesake Minnehaha in Minnehaha Park of those obstacles also. near Minnehaha Falls. It’s a lovely spot to The Walker Art Center is a vast space stop for a packed lunch or just to relax. that offers many different areas to explore.

“I want to marry you in Minneapolis” By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak crisscrossed the Upper Midwest to cities like Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee in mid-2013. Why? It is relatively easy for LGBTs to hop over the border and legally tie the knot, that’s why. The slogan “I want to marry you in Minneapolis” is at the top of the adcampaign blitz that so far stretches into Detroit and Denver, but Rybak says that going to Texas and “stealing the gay-wedding business from Rick Perry“ is in the near future. His point was that if a samesex couple wants to start a business and enjoy the rights of everyone else, which state would they prefer? During the Minnesota marriage-equality bill-writing process, Rybak told us he shouted out at a rally, “If this thing passes, come down to City Hall and I will marry you” without thinking. He said a close staff member’s eyes got huge and said, “I’d better call the office and prepare them.” True to his word, when the first day to legally marry in Minnesota rolled around, Rybak performed a wedding ceremony in the City Hall Rotunda, with the first “I do” being uttered at midnight. Then, he did 45 more. He performed 46 weddings in fewer than eight hours — walking down, back up and standing on the top of the steps of the Capitol Rotunda every time.

“Before we started, we realized just doing the math that we would have to find a way to streamline each service and make it personal so it wasn’t like a conveyer belt of love,” Rybak said. Staff interviewed each couple, gathered unique aspects for each and created a briefing book with each couples’ details — who had a combined 746 years together. There was one couple that Rybak said was the most remarkable. Two women, both actors, one deaf, met when the second was hired to do the voice for the first woman. Rybak’s personalization was about “giving voice to love.” “As I read the vows and told them to repeat after me, they signed it to each other. And in the entire atrium, you could feel it, feel them all freeze, as these extremely expressive actors motioned their love in a way that you could only think of the phrase ‘You complete me’ in this powerful way,” Rybak said. “That was one of the most powerful moments I can ever remember because it just physically said what everyone was thinking at that time.” Shortly after that marathon, Rybak then married the police chief and her partner, and believes he was the first mayor in America to do so. When asked if there were any plans for a one-year anniversary event in the city, Rybak laughed. “We hadn’t thought about that, but I’m sure, before I blurt it out again in public I better talk it over first.” ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

It has a free First Saturday program also, and locally headquartered Target sponsors Target Free Thursday nights from 5-9 p.m. Check it out and while you are there hit the café, bar or restaurant on site and enjoy the terrace or if the weather is off, one of the indoor lounges. The sculpture garden is one of the nation’s largest and it’s a must-see. From the city’s iconic sculpture, Claes Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry,” to Cowles Conservatory, there are more than 40 sculptures in this 11-acre park. If you like the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s “Iroquois” by Mark di Suvero, then make sure you check out his “Molecule” and also Brower Hatcher’s “Prophesy of the Ancients,” a cousin to our own “Ancient Garden 1990” at Ninth and Walnut streets. If it sounds like you could spend the better part of a day just in this part of town, you’re right. But there is also The Museum of Russian Art (tmora.org), billed as our country’s largest collection of Russian artifacts, photographs and memorabilia. Not as impressive as we had hoped, but we still found a stunning glass ornament for our Christmas tree in the gift shop. Check out their special exhibitions for subject matter that may suit your tastes. Another museum recommended by the locals is the Minneapolis Museum of Arts (2400 3rd Ave. S.; artsmia.org) with its fine photograph collection including Margaret Burke-White, Dorothea Lange and Richard Avedon, and a prints and drawings collection with the likes of Francisco de Goya, Piet Mondrian, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein to name but a few.

you can still go online and order their Holy Trinity Gift Box with Sublime Hot Cocoa with house-made marshmallows, their secret Rib Rub (aka amazing Bloody Mary Rim), plus a big 1-pound jar of Legendary Peanut Butter, which holds a special status in hell. Best of all, many of the best recipes are published in the “Hell’s Kitchen Cookbook,” which someone thoughtfully purchased for my birthday. Think brunch should always have unlimited mimosa? Lush. No, seriously. Lush (990 Central Ave. NE; lushfoodbar.com) is the hot spot for weekend brunch and not just for those

Eat, drink, repeat Dining spans the spectrum in Minneapolis and spills over into much of the surrounding area. This is not a town to start a diet in while on vacation. But then what city is? Biscuits and gravy? Check. Pan-seared trout? Check. Fried pickles? Check. Sushi, pizza, salmon tartar, pasta bar — you name it, they eat it. Ask any local where an LGBT-owned or -friendly restaurant is and you’ll get a few different answers, but I guarantee you’ll hear about two. Hell’s Kitchen (80 S. Ninth St.; hellskitcheninc.com) is likely to be the first one mentioned because it’s open almost 24 hours a day. (I say almost because they close for about two hours in the wee-early hours to regroup.) The brunch menu alone has more than 50 items, many vegan, however I can personally recommend the maple-glazed bison sausage and the shrimp and crab cake with poached egg. Lunches and dinners can be the evening experience without a film or show. Don’t be surprised if the house special of the day is kangaroo or alligator. These guys don’t break for anything. Besides the fabulous in-house creations, like a four-cheese mac and cheese that leaves every other recipe in the dust, they also make their own mustard, peanut butter and ketchup. And when you get home,

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mimosas. The food is crazy-good and, depending on the season and the weather, they open the 20-foot-high garage doors and you can enjoy the beauty of the day from inside or out. Yes, garage doors. Lush is an unassuming converted gas stationslash-garage bar and not only does brunch, but also weekday lunches. At night, it’s a bar as gay as it gets with the usual DJs, dancing, karaoke some nights and drink-special options. Mostly a younger crowd, but everyone feels welcomed. And if your dabber is getting itchy, there’s a room to play Bingo in every Saturday night. A great happy-hour spot we found is The Saloon (830 Hennepin Ave.; saloon.com), where there is quite an interesting crowd on the weekends, to be PAGE 20

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

MINNEAPOLIS from page 19

sure. The place is packed to the walls on Sunday nights for the shower contest. Use your imagination. And then push it up a notch. This is one hot event. A block away is The Gay 90s (gay90s.com) and gay it is. This six-bar complex includes the Happy Hour Bar (which opens at 8 a.m.), 90s Bar, Dance Annex, Men’s Room, Retro Bar and La Femme. We spent the better part of a Saturday night there drinking, playing darts, eating, watching a drag show and generally just having a blast. Make these two stops for sure. Oh, Mary! Remember that third thing Minneapolis is famous for? Yes, everyone’s favorite “Oh Lou!” girl, Mary Tyler Moore, did

LGBT WEDDING PGN ISSUE

more for Minneapolis in the 1970s than the Twins and Vikings have since. In tribute, there is a bronze MTM statue on Nicollet Mall. She’s not hard to find, but you can ask any local where to go. While you’re in that area, stop into Brit’s Pub (britspub.com). Weather permitting, you can play bocce on the roof. Yep. The roof is almost completely covered with grass and several games can be played at once. Reservations are recommended for this. While you wait, down a pint or two at a nearby table and check out the skyline. If it’s winter or rainy, you can pop inside for afternoon tea or a scotch by the fireplace. A gem of a place and we went twice. Minneapolis is a lot more than we expected. I expect on our next visit, THE AUTHOR WITH THE MARY TYLER we’ll learn even more. And probably MOORE STATUE Photo: Micheal Ward gain another pound or two as well. ■

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natory effect of AIU’s benefits policy, because it’s conditioned on a law that excludes gays and lesbians. Their brief notes that Allegheny County’s antibias ordinance bars such discriminatory effects on protected groups, including LGBTs. But AIU argues that the local antibias law doesn’t bar discriminatory effects and that, even if it did, AIU’s policy doesn’t have such an effect. AIU notes that it treats all unmarried couples equally, whether they’re in same-sex or opposite-sex relationships. Thus, there’s no discriminatory effect, it contends. But Ankney’s attorneys say AIU is making the wrong comparison. “The appropriate comparison when determining whether classifications based on marriage discriminate based on sexual orientation is between gay men and lesbians and all heterosexuals, not just unmarried ones,” Ankney’s brief states. AIU also argues that the state’s anti-LGBT marriage law supports its position that Ankney’s case should be tossed out. “It is the strong and longstanding public policy of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that marriage shall be between one man and one woman,” states AIU’s brief. “Simply put, this is neither the case nor the forum to challenge Pennsylvania’s marriage statue [sic] as such is for the legislature and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to resolve.” But Ankney’s attorneys counter that the state’s marriage law doesn’t justify AIU’s allegedly discriminatory benefits policy. “[T]he fact that a statute prevents same-sex couples from marrying does not automatically allow employers to treat them differently in other ways,” Ankney’s brief states, adding it would be just as wrong if AIU conditioned benefits on proof of draft registration. “Such a policy would have the effect of denying benefits to all female employees, who are ineligible to register for the draft, in violation of employment-discrimination laws,” the attorneys stated. Ankney also maintains AIU is violating the equal-rights amendment of Pennsylvania’s constitution, because if he were a woman, his partner would receive the benefits. But AIU claims there’s no violation of the equal-rights amendment, because male and female same-sex couples are treated alike. Ankney’s attorneys counter: “The fact that AIU’s sex-based benefits policy harms men and women alike does not render it constitutional.” Colville is expected to issue a decision within the next few months. Anthony G. Sanchez, an attorney for AIU, had no comment. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Same-sex marriage battle is simply history repeating itself Regardless of the year, June 26 is a date effect in the fight for same-sex marriage that LGBT Americans will never forget. equality, stating that its state constituOn that day in 2003, the Supreme Court of tion “forbids the creation of second-class citizens” when its top court determined the United States found Texas’ anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional in Lawrence in November 2003 that same-sex couples v. Texas and, 10 years later, the top court had the right to marry. The Supreme Court gave us another huge victory when it ruled could have jumped on the marriage-equalthat Section 3 of the Defense ity train at any point in the of Marriage Act was unconstidecade that followed but chose tutional because it violated our not to hear cases that touched Fifth-Amendment rights. on the controversial subject. It was a palpable moment Similarly, the Supreme Court had its chance to stand where our government validated and deemed equal the on the right side of history in love shared between two people 1955 when Naim v. Naim was in the LGBT community. But appealed, but it chose not to the tears of joy have long since hear the case, as it would force dried, the rainbow flags have them to make a decision on the been folded and put away and controversial subject of interracial marriage. Han Naim and here we are in Pennsylvania Naim were an Asian man still waiting for our state to Angela Ruby and white woman from Virginia acknowledge us. I don’t know about you, but as state after Giampolo who were wed in North Carolina, where the anti-miscestate (TEXAS?!) begins to stand genation laws only prevented Caucasians on the right side of history, my patience from marrying African-Americans, as for Pennsylvania is wearing thin. Yet, as we look back 50 years ago to the not-tooopposed to Virginia, which prevented all distant past, the timeline for same-sex interracial marriage. A year later, when marriage is shockingly on par with that of they went to divorce in Virginia, the state the anti-miscegenation laws overturned to didn’t recognize their marriage in the first fully legalize interracial marriage. place and they were wedlocked — stuck in It was once illegal for someone to a marriage because their home state didn’t marry a person of another race in almost recognize it in the first place. Sound familiar? every state in the country. Anti-miscegenation laws had their roots in colonial The same occurs today in Pennsylvania America, and by the early 20th century, and many other states that don’t recognize they were the norm throughout the South same-sex marriage. I have clients that were and Midwest and on the West Coast. An married in Canada when they first legalized marriage equality and didn’t research 1883 ruling by the Supreme Court in Pace the residency requirements for divorce, v. Alabama put an African-American man and a white woman in jail for two years for only to find themselves in the same situation — wedlocked until Pennsylvania rechaving a sexual relationship, and this continued to be the legal precedent for decades ognizes their union, or having to move to to come. But, responding to rising oppowhere they got married for six months to a sition to the racial inequalities caused by year to meet the residency requirement and World War II, California in 1948 became then get divorced. Neither were particularly helpful options 50 years ago, and they the first state since the 19th century to certainly still aren’t today. overturn its anti-miscegenation statute. As more states legalized interracial marSlowly, over the next decade, many states with similar bans outside of the South riage, the Supreme Court finally dipped overturned their anti-miscegenation laws its collective toes in the waters of change on the grounds that they violated the equal- in 1964, when it unanimously ruled in McLaughlin v. Florida that two unmarprotection clause of the 14th Amendment. Massachusetts similarly started the domino ried people of opposite sexes were allowed

Out Law

LETTERS from page 11

[Mahjoubian], I was somewhat astounded by the response. Micah, whom I expected to be the calm voice of understanding and reason, was a bit agitated and Mark turned to me and said, “I understand, but the WWCC still needs to be involved.” I was grateful for the positive response and understanding. I will say that, as to myself (not speaking for any member of the board), I never doubted the ability of Mark to make this happen from the first day I heard about it. My tour of the building proves those abilities to me, as it should to everyone else. What does this tell us? What is the point

of my little exercise in composition? Very simple: We can call Mark a pain in the ass, a pushy Jewish faggot (his words, not mine), a grandstander, the devil, etc. You can call him anything you want, but this community, young and old, needs to take notice that this city would not be the number-one rated city in the country for LGBT Americans if not for the many years of work by Mark Segal. Was he alone? No. But Mark is still standing and still fighting, and I personally am profoundly grateful to have this pushy pain in the ass on my side. ■

— Jeff Sotland Philadelphia

to live together if one was Caucasian and the other African-American. Similar to Windsor, which took down DOMA, the ruling was the tipping point that states needed to remove their anti-miscegenation laws from the books. Since the fall of DOMA, four states (New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois and New Mexico) have legalized same-sex marriage, while four others (Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia and Texas) have stayed rulings to allow same-sex marriage, pending appeal. These appeals that conservative lawmakers think are going to prevent marriage equality from “invading” their states are merely delaying the inevitable, and it’s these appeals that will ultimately bring the matter before the Supreme Court for a final decision, just as Loving v. Virginia did for interracial marriage in 1967. The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Loving, where an AfricanAmerican woman and Caucasian man were sentenced to a year in prison for marrying one another. The Supreme Court unanimously found Virginia’s and all other states’ anti-miscegenation statutes unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. The ban on interracial marriage was overturned. Just as McLaughlin marked the beginning of the end for institutionalized racism via anti-miscegenation laws, the

Supreme Court’s finding that the federal DOMA was unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment in Windsor in June was simply history repeating itself. In the nine months that have followed, federal courts in state after state have found state-level same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional. As of this publication, 33 states ban samesex marriage (with Michigan presently being heard in court), but within three years of Windsor, I believe the Supreme Court will have decided the matter at the national level, just as it took three years to get to Loving. You’d think with 50 years of inflation it would only take one year’s time, but again, this is simply history repeating itself. There are multiple marriage-equality lawsuits currently making their way forward in Pennsylvania, the first of which will most likely be Whitewood v. Wolf, scheduled for trial June 9 in Harrisburg. I know it’s only three months away, but hopefully this will be worth the wait. ■ Angela D. Giampolo, principal of Giampolo Law Group, maintains offices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and specializes in LGBT law, business law, real-estate law and civil rights. Her website is www.giampololaw.com and she maintains two blogs, www.phillygaylawyer.com and www.lifeinhouse.com. Send Angela your legal questions at angela@giampololaw.com.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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NEWS BRIEFING from page 2

Annual IBA contest launched The Independence Business Alliance and PNC Bank, along with the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, recently announced their annual PNC Bank LGBT Business Alliance Award. One LGBT-owned business will have the chance to earn $5,000 towards their business. The owner must be an IBA member and have a sustainable and innovative business plan. The application process will end April 11 and the winner will be announced May 12 at the IBA’s Annual Business Leaders Luncheon from 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m. at Hotel Sofitel Philadelphia, 120 S. 17th St. For more information, visit http://independencebusinessalliance.com/pncaward2014. — Angela Thomas

Planning meeting for travel group A new group focused on gay men’s travel is organizing and looking for input from the community. Join the group for dinner at 7 p.m. March 10 at Rotten Ralph’s Pub, Second and Chestnut streets, to learn about upcoming trips and contribute your ideas. Dinner is at your own expense. RSVP by 3 p.m. March 10 to bruce@mlv.com or call 215-8774087. ■ — Jen Colletta

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LGBT WEDDING NEWS PGN ISSUE

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Local stars in new marriage campaign By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com A new marriage-equality initiative was launched on Valentine’s Day and features among its cast an actor with Philly ties. She4Me was launched through Marriage Equality USA as a public-service announcement to advance education about marriage equality nationally. She4Me features the song “She,” which was written and performed by Jen Foster. The video focuses on two women who are a soon-to-be-married couple, aiming to use music as a way to “wrap minds around issues of conscience.” She4Me, which was directed by Nicole Conn, features former Philly resident Jessica Graham as a member of the bridal party, along with Gabrielle Christian, of lesbian teen drama “South of Nowhere,” and Nicole Pacent, from LGBT mini-series “Anyone But Me,” as the couple. Graham moved to Philadelphia when she was 18 and lived in Center City before settling down in Fishtown. She moved to Los Angeles at 24 but continued to work on Philadelphia-focused films, including “2 Minutes Later,” directed by Robert Gaston, and “Tremble and Spark,” directed by Kelly Burkhardt. Graham identifies as bisexual and said her own coming-out process was relatively smooth. “My dad had a hard time with it, but he got over it really fast,” she said. “I remember the day I knew he had become comfortable with me having a girlfriend. He gave me a framed painting of two women playing a harp in a somewhat sensual way. The card said that he loved me no matter what. He actually had a hard time when, eight years later, I started seeing a man.” Graham said playing the lead role in “Antigone” helped build her confidence and ability to pursue further performances. Graham got involved in the Philly theater scene in 1998. “I started acting when I was fairly young and that always kept my head above water,” she said. “Three years ago, I decided it was time to get some real training. I am now about to graduate from a three-year Meisner technique program. It has been life-changing and my creative toolbox has a lot more variety now.” Graham volunteered for Theater Catalyst and co-founded The Eternal Spiral Project while in Philadelphia. She said she hopes to be cast in a big production in Philadelphia so she can spend some time doing theater back in the area. Graham was approached to be a part of She4Me a few days before filming and said she had always admired Conn’s work ever since she saw her “Claire of the Moon” as a teenager. For Christian, whose family has Philly roots, She4Me helped channel a sort of closure for her “South of Nowhere” work, as her character had just graduated from high school as the series ended, and in this role she was able to play an out adult. “I just felt that it was a cool thing to explore as an actor because the show was about [Spencer’s] coming-out process and we never saw her evolve as an adult and that was a cool closure to explore,” she said. Christian said being able to reach millions of LGBT young adults through her work on “South of Nowhere” has been one of her most rewarding acting experiences.

“My character was a role model to a lot of young girls and boys who found comfort in the way she grew and came out,” she said. “She was authentic and honest and I think people could relate to that vulnerability and innocence.” Graham said working with LGBT supporters like Christian and the rest of the cast made for a positive working environment. “We were all there because we believe in marriage equality. It’s an amazing feeling to come together for something so important,” she said, noting that she believes the initiative has the power to help people evolve on the issue of LGBT equality. “It’s fun and sexy, which I love, but there is also this beautiful story that you can’t help but be moved by. I think these are the kind of initiatives that can really change the minds of some of the people who are against marriage equality.” Christian added that the media can be an important tool in the LGBT-rights movement. “Media has so much power and Hollywood reaches people all over the world,” she said. “We have so much

CHRISTIAN (LEFT) AND GRAHAM

influence and importance and the ability to create awareness. Music and media can make people want to pay attention. Music is a universal language everybody can understand and there is something powerful in that.” For more information on Graham, visit jessicagraham. com or follow her on Twitter @deconstructjg. For more information on She4Me, visit www.she4me. org. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

NEWS PGN

Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the 6th Police District between Feb. 17-23. Information is courtesy of 6th 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 215-686TIPS (8477). Follow the 6th District on Twitter @PPDBrianKorn. INCIDENTS — At 2:25 p.m. Feb. 18, a woman was inside IHOP, 1320 Walnut St., with a woman she just met who stole the victim’s tablet and cell phone and fled. The robber was described as a white female, 20-22, with short hair, wearing a black jacket and jeans. — Between 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 21, someone forced open the doors, which were not deadbolted, to two apartments in the 1200 block of Sansom Street and stole a laptop, jewelry and a watch. Sixth District Officer Maiorano attempted to lift fingerprints. — At 9:25 p.m. Feb. 21, someone was walking in the 200 block of South Camac Street when a male approached from behind, stuck a sharp WINDSOR from page 1

Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional, prompting a June ruling by the Supreme Court striking that clause. The decision was one of the milestones in the modern LGBT-rights movement and granted hundreds of federal benefits to married same-sex couples, as well as paved the way for the possible overturning of several state bans on marriage equality. The Temple University College of Liberal Arts will sponsor the event with support from Temple’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer/Questioning Alumni Society. The alumni society was formed more than five years ago but was revamped two years ago, with new board members joining and enhanced support from the alumni office, said board member Michael Beachem, a 2012 Temple grad. The board also includes Bradley Hemler, Jeffrey Jenne, Matthew Laskowski and Lauren Zumpano, all of whom graduated from 1988-2011. The group hosted a marriage-equality panel last year, and Zumpano, board communications director, said they’re working to raise awareness about the organization. “Events are primarily focused on getting the word out and bringing locally based LGBTQ alumni together to network,” she said “In the future, we have plans to get more involved with the undergraduate groups at Temple, like the Queer Student Union, as providing guidance and support to current Temple LGBTQ students is an important goal of ours moving forward.” And they’re next turning their attention

object to the victim’s neck and stole money from a pocket. The culprit was described as a 6-foot-2 black male with a stocky build, wearing a dark jacket and smelling of cologne. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 1:10 a.m. Feb. 19 inside Tabu, 200 S. 12th St., a male went to the third floor of the bar, which was not open to the public, and stole cash from a counter and ran down the stairs. Bar security apprehended a suspect outside and held him for police. The cash was recovered. The 64-year-old suspect with a West Philadelphia address was charged with burglary and related offenses. — At 5:20 p.m. Feb. 21, 6th District Officers McQue and Cella arrested a 31-year-old Camden woman outside 1218 Chestnut St. and charged her with being a fugitive from another jurisdiction. — Between 9:15-10:50 p.m. Feb. 22, members of the Citywide Vice Unit made three arrests for prostitution: two at 300 S. 12th St. and one at 400 S. 12th St. — At 1:10 p.m. Feb. 23, 6th District Officers Cash and Witherspoon arrested a male outside 231 S. 13th St. who was wanted for failure to appear for court. The 36-year-old suspect with a North Philadelphia address was charged with contempt of court. ■ to the Windsor visit. The event is open to the public, but only a select few will have the chance to gain VIP access to a private reception with Windsor. Beachem said the alumni society is hosting a happy hour at 5 p.m. March 27 at Pennsylvania 6, 114 S. 12th St. Temple grads who attend the event and “like” the group’s Facebook page will be entered into a contest for tickets to the VIP event. Windsor will introduce “Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement,” a documentary about her fight against DOMA, followed by a screening of the film. She will then host a question-and answer session. Beachem said Windsor’s story helps prove that anyone can make a difference. “I really would like to see our alumni realize that Temple alums are everywhere and not only everywhere, but able to make great change in our community and in the world,” he said. “Windsor is a testament of that. I want people to walk away with the ability to see their potential to make change.” Zumpano added that Windsor is “an extraordinary woman, a courageous woman, a woman who paved the way for equality. Part of the mission of the LGBTQ Alumni Society is to promote the values fostered at Temple — pride, acceptance and equality — and I don’t think there is a single person who embodies those qualities day in and day out more than Edie Windsor.” Tickets are $12 for general admission and can be purchased at http://templeperformingartscenter.org. For more information on the Temple University LGBTQ Alumni Society and the happy hour, visit www. facebook.com/TULGBTQ. ■

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NEWS PGN WOODY’S from page 1

this individual is the gunman, she said. “They heard the shots but didn’t see them,” she said. “They don’t know if he did it or if someone else did because the disturbance was causing a crowd. We don’t know if the shots were fired into someone’s direction or shot straight into the air to disperse the crowd. That hasn’t been determined.” Weiss said the venue does have video surveillance outside. “It is an ongoing investigation and we are working closely with police,” Weiss said. Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel, the department’s LGBT liaison, said bar-related incidents are not uncommon, although gun violence in the Gayborhood is. “We very rarely get that kind of activity down there,” Bethel said. “We’ve seen problems across the city when you mix alcohol and negative behavior; you run the risk of encountering somebody who brings more to a fight than fists. It’s not an uncommon occurrence, but very rarely do we get a shooting or gunshots in that area. I have no particular concerns at this time [about related incidents], but we’ll make sure we’re out in the area with all our resources to keep an eye on everything.” Weiss said Woody’s, which pays for its own police detail, takes the safety of its patrons seriously. He said the incident points to the need for stricter gun laws. “While I understand people have constitutional rights to carry arms, a lot of our elected officials in the city, including our district attorney, are trying to get the laws changed for people having guns in the city, making the penalties more severe and trying to eliminate the right to carry inside the city. We 100-percent support all politicians trying to do that,” he said. “We do everything we can as a business to protect our customers. We can’t control what people do once they leave our building, and we can’t control what the existing laws are.” ■ VIDEO from page 1

that separates the store from the counter, and the register. He also damaged the register, as he repeatedly bashed it to break it open. Price chased the suspect but was unable to locate him. He was a light-skinned black male under 6 feet with a thick build, wearing brown sweatpants and a gray coat. Police spokesperson Officer Jillian Russell said “there are no arrests, and this incident is still under investigation.” Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn said Central Detective Division’s Special Investigation Unit continues to look into the incident. “Unfortunately, no video of the incident has surfaced yet, but we are looking along the escape route to see if there may be cameras,” Korn said. The store has a camera in front of the register but it was not operating that day. Price is ordering more surveillance equipment. Spruce Street Video was robbed two other times in its 30 years: in 1996 and 2012. Price said she does not believe the incident was motivated by any anti-LGBT animus. “I’m just glad nobody got hurt,” she said. ■

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PAGE 37

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SOUTHERN SEXUALITY: SCENES FROM “SOUTHERN BAPTIST SISSIES,” WHICH WILL BE SCREENED MARCH 13 IN PHILADELPHIA Photo: Albert Jasso

Del Shores’ ‘Southern Baptist Sissies’ makes Philly film debut By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com “Southern Baptist Sissies,” the acclaimed stage play written by award-winning out writer and director Del Shores (“Sordid Lives,” “Queer As Folk”), is hitting the big screen in selected cities, including Philadelphia, where it will get a March 13 screening. Funded through a crowd-sourcing campaign with Indiegogo, “Southern Baptist Sissies” is a hybrid of a live-stage experi-

ence on film telling the sometimes-comedic and other times heart-wrenching story of four boys growing up gay in the Southern Baptist Church and their individual struggles to reconcile their sexuality with the church’s antigay teachings. Shores said he didn’t originally plan for the film to be a recreation of the live-stage experience but he is happy with how it came out. “Originally, the story was always what I wanted to continue to tell,” he said. “The original conception was to be able to adapt

into a film. The finances just fell apart. It was just one of those projects that eluded me. It continued to be the one that I would get letters from people who had seen the play. Those letters touched me the deepest and I was consumed with how to get the movie made. The goal was not to preserve the theatrical experience but I’m so glad I did. It turned out so nice and so wonderful. The story is still compelling. I utilized all three mediums that I work in successfully. We were able to stage this as a play and film it with these amazing actors. The first time I

saw a rough cut of it I thought, This is going to work. The one goal I had was to honor the theater but I wanted the audience to sometimes forget that they were watching a play. I felt like the actors’ performances, especially in the intimate scenes, were able to accomplish that.” The film stars original play cast members including Emmy winner and out actor Leslie Jordan (“Will & Grace” and “American Horror Story: Coven”) as Peanut. Shores said that Jordan, a longtime friend and collaborator, was inspirational to PAGE 36

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

NOTICE OF PRIMARY GENERAL ELECTION

TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014

Between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. in all election districts and divisions in the City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania there will be NOMINATED by the voters of the City and County of Philadelphia persons to fill the following offices, as certified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the Philadelphia County Board of Elections.

GOVERNOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR U.S. CONGRESS STATE SENATOR (EVEN DISTRICTS) STATE REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLICAN STATE COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE REPUBLICAN WARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DEMOCRATIC WARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PHILADELPHIA COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS Anthony Clark Chair, City Commissioners

Al Schmidt Vice Chair City Commissioners

Stephanie Singer City Commissioner

Tim Dowling Acting Supervisor of Elections

AVISO DE

ELECCIONES PRIMARIA GENERALES

MARTES, 20 DE MAYO DE 2014

Entre las 7:00 a. m. y 8:00 p. m. en todos los distritos y las divisiones electorales en la ciudad y el condado de Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, los votantes de la ciudad y del condado de Philadelphia NOMINARIAN personas para cubrir los siguientes cargos según lo certiﬁca el Secretario de la Mancomunidad y el Consejo electoral del condado de Philadelphia.

GOBERNADOR TENIENTE GOBERNADOR REPRESENTANTE EN LA CONGRESSO SENADOR DEL ESTADO (EVEN DISTRICTS) REPRESENTANTE EN LA ASSEMBLEA GENERAL MEMBRO REPUBLICANO COMITE DEL ESTADO MEMBRO DEMOCRATA COMITE DEL ESTADO REPUBLICANO BARIO EJECTIVO COMITE DEMOCRATA BARIO EJECTIVO COMITE CONSEJO ELECTORAL DEL CONDADO DE PHILADELPHIA Anthony Clark Presidente, Comisionados Municipales

Al Schmidt Vicepresidente, Commisionados Municipales

Stephanie Singer Comisionada Municipale

Tim Dowling Supervisor Interino de Elecciones Municipales

FEATURE PGN SOUTHERN from page 35

the character of Peanut. “We’ve known each other since the 1980s,” Shores said. “We’ve been working together since 1985. We adore each other. We tell each other our secrets. When I wrote the role of Peanut, Leslie read it and said, ‘Well thanks for betraying every single story that I told you.’ And I asked him if he would do it and it he was OK with EMERSON COLLINS AND LUKE STRATTE-MCCLURE it. He said, ‘Of course I’ll do it. magic of accomplishing that is in the writing Who else can do it?’ And there have been and I’ve worked hard to tell the truth in my many actors who have stepped into those writing, but I always cast the right actors. trendy shoes and several of them have This cast in ‘Southern Baptist Sissies’ is been wonderful in that role. Jim J. Bullock just stellar. We had to shoot this film in 10 replaced Leslie for a while. But Leslie’s days. We shot it before an audience for four story about his time in that hustler bar, all shows in two days. Then we filmed it like a of those stories he told me ... so he was very film so that we had it in the can without the influential.” audience. We used a lot of the live shows. Shores said that given the global stage You walk that line. My biggest complaint of LGBT rights and discrimination in the when I see other productions of my plays is United States, as well as in places like that they go over the top. I always said that Russia and Africa, the issues at the core of I try to approach the brim but I try not to “Southern Baptist Sissies” are almost more spill over. I never just want to paint blackrelevant and urgent today than they were 14 and-white pictures. I want colors to be in it. years ago. I want flaws to be in it. I want truth to be “The crazy thing of this is I wrote this in in it. My dad was a Baptist minister and he L.A. in 2000 and I always hoped that this was a wonderful man and good dad to me. would be a period piece,” he said. “I daresay Unfortunately, he did preach like the pasthat it is more timely now than it was when tor in ‘Sissies’ did. He was a good pastor. it came out. It may have been a little ahead He cared about his people and we portrayed of its time. I wrote about my experience and that in the movie. This pastor thinks he is my pain in the church. I didn’t realize how doing right but the damage is monumental many people shared that. I thought I was to these boys.” writing my story. Leslie Jordan said it well Now that “Sissies” has been brought to when he said that with the march toward the big screen, Shores said his next project marriage equality, we’re shining a light on is to work on the next chapters of “Sordid all equality, not just nationwide but worldLives,” which stalled as a TV series on wide. And, with the religious right, someLogo amid legal wrangling and issues over times they got a little quiet. The sermons finances. were there but they were preaching at lit“Unfortunately, I don’t own the series tle more subtle. Now there is just out-andand Logo doesn’t own the series so I can’t out hatred. Compared to my preacher in do a series,” Shores explained. “The great ‘Sissies,’ it’s horrifying some of the things news is the film title has been returned to that are being said. These kids are taught to my company so I can do more films. I’m hate themselves. So many of my fans write actively writing the next project we’re me and talk about how they are damaged going to do, which is film two ‘Sordid by the church and continue to be damaged Lives’ films to release over the next couple like that. So I think it is more timely than it of years. We have ‘A Very Sordid Wedding’ was.” and ‘A Very Sordid Christmas’ and I’m “Sissies”seeks to portray Southern charhoping to get most of the cast back. I would acters without resorting to stereotypical love to return to some kind of TV if the archetypes. right project came along and I’ve got some Shores said he tries to walk the line things spiraling ahead but no more series between writing believable characters and for ‘Sordid Lives.’ That is just history.” ■ capturing the eccentricities of the South. “With the ‘Sordid’ characters, they were “Southern Baptist Sissies” is screened 8 broader than the ‘Sissies’ characters but I p.m. March 13 at Philadelphia Museum of always try to convince people to play them Contemporary Ar,. 531 N. 12th St. For more as real people and not cartoons. I think the information call 267-519-9651.

PGN STAGE

Hit musical returns to Philly for a wedding

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A DRAWING FOR BALLOT POSITIONS FOR THE MAY 20, 2014 PRIMARY GENERAL ELECTION FOR WARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014, 11:00 A.M. IN THE CITY COMMISSIONERS, 6TH FLOOR HEARING ROOM, RIVERVIEW PLACE, DELAWARE AVE & SPRING GARDEN STS.

CON ESTE QUEDA AVISADO DE QUE HABRA UN SORTEO PARA LA POSICION EN LA BALOTA PARA ELECCIÓN GENERAL PRIMARIA DEL 20 DE MAYO DE 2014 PARA MIEMBRO DE COMITE EJECUTIVO DE PRECINCTO SE CELEBRARÁ EL MIERCOLES 19 DE MARZO DE 2014 A LAS 11:00 A.M. EN 6’ PISO SALON DE AUDIENCIAS, RIVERVIEW PLACE, DELAWARE & SPRING GARDEN. JAY FALZONE (LEFT) AS DELPHINE AND STEPHEN SMITH AS CARMELA IN “THE CALAMARI SISTERS’ BIG FAT ITALIAN WEDDING” By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Philadelphia is hearing wedding bells for “The Calamari Sisters” and everyone is invited. Created by married partners Jay Falzone and Stephen Smith, along with Dan Lavender, the Sisters’ first show, “Cooking with the Calamari Sisters,” introduced theatergoers to the singing and dancing extravaganza in a “live broadcast” of the famous cooking show featuring Delphine and Carmela (played by Falzone and Smith). It quickly became a regional sensation that ran for nine months at Society Hill Playhouse. Lavender said the unexpected runaway success of the show inspired its creators to expand upon the world of the Sisters. “We did this for fun,” he said. “We got a case of wine and went to Fire Island for the week and just created these crazy women. We had no idea that people would fall in love with them. We were so worried about it being unpopular because it’s a crazy idea. A lot of people in the gay community can go see stuff like this in nightclubs but to see a legit musical when they are singing and dancing and cooking, these people are real and alive to our audience. We created this and we were so worried about it being unsuccessful and the funny thing is, it has changed our lives and we have stopped doing anything else. I was directing shows around the country and we saw what we had with ‘Cooking with the Calamari Sisters’ and once we saw that audiences really loved it, we wanted to create the rest of the world and the rest of the story for these girls.”

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Lavender said this brand-new show, “The Calamari Sisters’ Big Fat Italian Wedding,” is one of several new chapters in the Sisters’ story. “Delphine is getting married,” he said. “It’s an arranged Italian wedding. They are catering their own wedding. It’s a very sly nod to the open acceptance of marriage equality. The show is not political. These characters are very lovable and they have an open philosophy of the world and there are a lot of sly nods at the current political climate. Everybody falls in love and there’s a happy ending. But how we get there storywise definitely has an open and accepting philosophy for the girls and us as the creators.” The success of the Calamari Sisters exposed the show’s creators, who hail from New York, to the City of Brotherly Love. And as a result, Lavender said he and his partner have become part-time residents of the city. “My partner and I took an apartment in Society Hill when we started at the Society Hill Playhouse and we haven’t given it up,” he said. “We love it down here. We love the scene. We love the neighborhood. We love the boys. It’s really great. As much as Philadelphia has welcomed the Calamari Sisters, we have fallen in love with Philly.” If you would like to throw some rice on Delphine and Carmela, catch “The Calamari Sisters’ Big Fat Italian Wedding” through March 23 at Penn’s Landing Playhouse, 211 S. Columbus Blvd. For more information or tickets, call 855-4487469 or visit www.thecalamarisisters. com. ■

We love to get picked up.

FILM PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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1. 12th Street Gym 204 S. 12th St. 215.985.4092 12thstreetgym.com 2. Adonis Cinema 2026 Sansom St. 215.557.9319 3. Alexander Inn 301 S. 12th St. 215.923.3535 alexanderinn.com 4. Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org 5. The Bike Stop 206 S. Quince St. 215.627.1662 thebikestop.com 6. Club Philly 1220 Chancellor St. 215.735.7671 7. Danny’s Adam & Eve 133 S. 13th St. 215.925.5041

8. Giovanni’s Room 1145 Pine St. 215.923.2960 giovannisroom.com Oldest LGBT bookstore in the country 9. ICandy 254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com

15. Sansom Street Gym 2020 Sansom St. 267.330.0151

16. Scorpio Books 205 S. Juniper St. 10. Independent Hotel 215.525.2181 1234 Locust St. 17. Spruce Street 215.923.3535 Video theindependenthotel. 252 S. 12th St. com 215.546.6843 11. Knock 18. Stir Lounge 225 S. 12th St. 1705 Chancellor St. 215.925.1166 215.732.2700 knockphilly.com stirphilly.com

12. Optimal Sport 1315 Walnut St. (entr. on Juniper St.) 215.735.1114 optimalsporthealthclubs.com 13. Pleasure Chest 2039 Walnut St. 215.561.7480

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14. Sansom Street Cinema 120 S. 13th St. 215.545.9254

19. Tabu 200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com 20. Tavern on Camac 243 S. Camac St. 215.545.0900 tavernoncamac.com

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21. U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660 22. Unite Fitness 105 S. 12th St. 215.733.0633 uniteﬁtnessstudios. com 23. Venture Inn 255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 24. Voyeur 1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub. com 25. Westbury 261 S. 13th St. 215.546.5170 thewestburybar.net 26. William Way LGBT CC 1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org 27. Woody’s 202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com

By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor The incomparable Broadway legend Elaine Stritch is a spitfire — perhaps even moreso at age 86. In the entertaining documentary “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me,” opening March 7 at Ritz Theatres, the larger-thanlife performer is almost always seen in rare form. Stritch makes an indelible and ingratiating impression, and her candor about her drinking, diabetes and relationships is endearing. “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” features excellent footage and photos of Stritch throughout her career. A clip of her performing “The Ladies Who Lunch” for Sondheim from “Company,” in particular, is a highlight. But the film also has moments of poignancy as the singer worries about forgetting lyrics and health issues and contemplates leaving New York. On the phone from her home in Michigan, Stritch began talking before the first question was asked. Someone had arrived at the door just as she got on the line. ES: You came in with a great explosion of great joy! It was my present from the liquor store! Turned out to be not a sleazy glass of wine, but Grey Goose! I almost called Sondheim to say I got my fix! PGN: Like you discuss in the film, I enjoy a glass of Fernet Branca. I get a cocktail at my local bar called a Hanky Panky, which is made with gin, vermouth and Fernet Branca. ES: How divine! You must send me the recipe! PGN: Let’s talk about the film. Why did you agree to make this documentary, and how did you come to trust Chiemi Karasawa to do justice to your portrait? ES: I didn’t agree to make it. I love Chiemi. She’s the best! I wanted to work with her. She was so sweet and warm and such a brand-new friend to have at my age! PGN: What impresses me most is how you interpret a song and a lyric. In the film, George C. Wolfe eloquently describes your skill as “a pursuit that gets at the thing underneath the thing that illuminates a moment.” You even ask, rhetorically, “How does Sondheim know?” regarding his finding the emotional truth in a lyric. Can you discuss that aspect of your craft? ES: I don’t know. When people ask me, “How did you do...” I say, “Wait until the moment!” I tell you that honestly. I don’t know where it comes from. One night on

the stage, I said, “God knows at least I was there.” [Elaine bursts into song] “And I’m heeere!” When I got to that point in the song, I jumped up and down like a child. My emotion was almost heartbreaking. It was like, “Fuck you, and fuck life and fuck everything! But I’m here!” You know what I mean? PGN: You come on stage at the Café Carlyle and say, “I’m right where I should be,” and it clicks. Your career has encompassed theater and cabaret, films [“September”] and TV [“30 Rock”]. What were the moments you most appreciated?

ES: Because I’m not the best-looking broad in town, that’s why! I have done most all things! I think when I jumped up and down singing “I’m Still Here,” that was the best. PGN: How much were you involved in the selection of clips and photographs and even interviews that were used in the film? ES: I had no control. I take it like it is. I didn’t provide them. They came to my suite at the Carlyle and took ’em. When I give myself over, it’s, “Take me, I’m yours.” It’s a thrill to have anybody interested in me. It’s magic. PGN: You talk in the film about dating JFK, loving Ben Gazzara and befriending James Gandolfini and Alec Baldwin. What can you say about your relationships with men? ES: I love Alec and would stand up in court for him. When my husband died, the world fucking stopped. I just absolutely loved my guy. I loved him. And after 10 years, after not even knowing the time goes by — it passed and all of a sudden — he was gone. I said, “My God, where did he go?” This person who kept me quiet and calm was gone! But that’s life, isn’t it? It goes by so fast. It’s the best [thing] that we had what we had. PGN: You speak openly about your drinking and your diabetes. What prompts your candor? ES: My sense of honesty. I think it’s a great quality. Don’t you? Don’t you? Who is going to turn their nose up at honesty? ■

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Get Out and Play

SPORTS PGN

Scott A. Drake

Football takes front and center First of all, let me add my praise, kudos and admiration to Michael Sam. Of course I didn’t expect a pro footballer to bring the NFL into the light second after the NBA’s Jason Collins came out last year, but then neither did a lot of other people, like retired MLB player Joe Valentine or Wade Davis, author of “My Two Moms.” (Get Out and Play, June 1-7, 2012.) I must admit I agreed with both of their reasoning and thought football would make a distant last and hockey would have been the first pro sport to celebrate an openly gay player. But that’s the beautiful thing about Sam and Collins: They are not the norm. These are two exceptional players who, with their whole lives and careers ahead of them, are comfortable enough in their own skin and own their own pride to the extent that they understand the powerful benefit of being real, so that other LGBT sports players and youth who admire them have fantastic role models. I now firmly expect baseball to embrace its first openly gay player even more strongly when he comes out this year. And I expect that it will happen this year. It’s not just a matter of time, but also a matter of pride and principle. On another football front, our own

Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League is foraging gaily forward with another Gay Bowl fundraiser. On April 11 they will host a flip cup tournament at The Field House with the MS Society Philadelphia Chapter. It’s $30 to pre-register and $35 at the door. Winning team of five takes home $500 and everyone gets a free hangover. Complimentary game beer play and snacks thoughtfully provided by Origlio and Philly Soft Pretzel Company. Kudos again, this time to the Philadelphia Revolution for placing second in B Division at Sunshine Cup 2014! Rock! And the other football, soccer, is getting close to moving outdoors, assuming winter doesn’t last past May this year. These guys and gals are so geared up about competing in the Gay Games 9 in Cleveland this summer that they are already registered and talking to the oddsmakers. If you haven’t registered yet, or even if you have, here’s some incentive to check out gg9cle.org — there is limited dormitory housing available Aug. 9-16 for between $44-$59 per night. There are negotiated rates with about 30 hotels in the Cleveland/Akron area and the sooner you lock yours in, the better your selection and proximity. Check it out now before you

forget. Last, and certainly not least, is another coup in the LGBT sports arena with the Philadelphia Soul announcing the firstever pro-football LGBT event to be entertained on May 10. Keep your eyes on this column for more details and surrounding special activities! Guerrilla basketball

FOOTBALL FOOTWORK: Philadelphia Gryphons RFC held their spring boot camp Feb. 21 on their home field (slash mud pit) at Pepper Middle School. About 40 guys got down and dirty with their mates, honing their skills for their season opener March 22. Join them March 15 at Westbury for the annual Shamrocks and Jocks party. You might find a rugger at the end of that rainbow. Leprechauns not included. Photo:

The Welcoming Committee, the multicity group whose slogan is “turning places gay, Scott A. Drake one night at a time” and which takes over a nongay establishment every first Friday of the month, is stepping up its game this month. A basketball game, that is. TWC members from Boston are hitting town for the March 7 event and staying over to take over a section at the Sixers game. If you’re interested in this month’s site, they email the info about 24 hours before, so be sure to register at thewelcomingcommittee.com.

Short stops • Softball has its spring skills day starting 11 a.m. March 15 at Palumbo Field. Bring your glove and get out and play! ■ Countdown to Gay Games 9: 154 days. If winter ever ends, tell me about your organization’s plans for the upcoming weeks and months, but remember that the sooner I know, the better the coverage! Email scott@epgn.com.

PROFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Suzi Nash

Dan Sherbo: Turning the pages of Giovanni’s Room history “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.” — Barbara Tuchman For a lot of people in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, Giovanni’s Room was a place that was instrumental in their coming-out process. It was a place where you could find people who were like you, when you might not have known a single gay person in the world. But when you walked in that door, unlike anywhere else, you knew that the person behind the counter would be sympathetic It was a place to get information on myriad topics or to find novels to help you get away from it all. Before the Internet, Giovanni’s Room was my personal “Philly Gay Calendar.” I’d call up and ask whoever was at the desk to read the fliers on the bulletin board and tell me what was happening that weekend. I could call trying to find out how to get in contact with a particular organization and the person at the desk would usually be able to supply me with a name and phone number. It was a meeting place and a space where you could meet all sorts of authors and poets and people making change in the community. And happily, as it gears up to celebrate its 40th anniversary, Giovanni’s Room is still all those things. Founded in 1973, Giovanni’s Room Bookstore is named after James Baldwin’s novel of the same name. This week, we took a moment to speak to Dan Sherbo, one of the three original owners. An accomplished illustrator, Sherbo now resides in Maryland with his husband and two cats. PGN: How long did you live in Philadelphia? DS: I lived in Philadelphia for 11 years. PGN: Where are you originally from? DS: From a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania, Athens. It’s up at the New York state border. There’s a lot of fracking going on up there now, which has changed the whole nature of the place. It was just a small town in a valley between the mountain ridges on the Susquehanna River when I was growing up. It was a farming community mostly, population 2,000. I think there were about 120 in my graduating class. Everybody knew each other. PGN: What were you voted most likely to do? DS: I was expected to go into theater. I actually went to Temple University intending to go into theater but my life skewed off in a different direction. PGN: What prompted the transition? DS: It was 1969 and I joined the cultural revolution. What can I say, drugs had a big

effect, and I dropped out of school. From that point on, I was living life and coming out and I got involved in the nascent gayliberation movement. Eventually I did go back to school and got a degree at Tyler School of Fine Arts and became legitimate. PGN: How long was the gap? DS: I was out of school for six years. During a large part of that time was when I was acting as coordinator for the Gay Alternative Magazine, which is how I got involved with the Gay Activist Alliance, which incidentally is where I met Mark Segal. He must’ve been about 19 or 20 at the time. At the time, the Gay Alternative Magazine was a celebrated literary magazine of which there were only a few at the time. The magazine was a very modest scale but attracted a lot of top-notch contributors such as Martin Duberman and others who have gone on to make names for themselves as historians or writers. That’s when one of the staff members, Bernie Boyle, and I got the idea that Philadelphia needed a gay bookstore. We got Tom Wilson Weinberg involved and the three of us opened Giovanni’s Room. The bookstore became the headquarters for the magazine and a place for meetings; pretty much anything that needed to happen for the community happened there. PGN: You were on South Street back then, correct? DS: Yes, I think it was 232 South, right next to Knave of Hearts. PGN: What were some of the early fears? I remember reading stories about bookstores having trouble getting books through customs back in the day. DS: You know, we were fearless back then. But we weren’t even at that level of sophistication to worry about international customs. We were just flying by the seat of our pants. As far as I can remember, we acquired all our books from a warehouse in the village in New York. We would just go in and pull books from the shelves as if we were shopping for cereal and put them in a big cart. Craig Rodwell from Oscar Wilde bookstore told us about it. He helped us a lot and gave us advice about what kind of books to get, what kind of publications, etc. PGN: Since we’re on the topic of books, tell me about your work as an illustrator. DS: That was a result of the six years I took to work as an activist. It was great but left me really, really poor! I never had any money at all and as I looked around, a lot of my friends had careers and cars and nice apartments and were thinking about making a future for themselves. I decided I needed to get something of my own. I wanted to find a job that would be lucrative but that I would also have a passion for. I

got an opportunity to go back to school so I jumped at it and spent four years at Tyler School of Art. PGN: What was your first paying job? DS: I did a weekly illustration for the now-defunct Washington Star newspaper. I moved to Washington the day of my last class. There was a guy who worked in Congress I had met while visiting D.C., so I moved down there for love. I got a regular gig doing a column in the Sunday magazine of the Washington Star, which was the rival to the Washington Post. That paper folded within a couple of years but by that time I was working for the Washington Post as an illustrator. [Laughs.] When I first began, they tried to get me to do things like weather maps. In those days they would actually cut out little pieces of paper and paste them on with wax to make a weather map and I was terrible at it! I was trained at Tyler to do intricate illustrations and come up with ideas and concepts but when it came to doing that technical stuff, I was just

DS: I designed doormats. I still have a couple of them! [Laughs.] A guy that I met at a party owned a rug company. He asked me if I would be interested in designing rugs and doormats for him. He said it could be very lucrative if I took a percentage. I never made any money off of it but I got a few good doormats. When you’re an illustrator, unless and until you start getting really big clients who will pay you a ton of money, you take all sorts of jobs, anything that comes along, and you can get some funny work along the way. The mattress thing was for the National Bedding Institute. When you’re an illustrator, in Washington particularly, you get calls from all these crazy groups; every profession you can imagine has a lobbying group representing them in Washington and they all have publications. I will say there are a couple I flat-out refused to do: rightwing organizations like the Heritage Foundation who wanted to hire me to do illustrations for their magazine. I told them absolutely not. PGN: That’s crazy. But did I read you designed a headstone? DS: Yes, a friend’s brother died of AIDS and she asked me to design a graphic for his headstone. PGN: Interesting. And what would you like on your headstone? DS: Oh, I wouldn’t want a gravestone. I would want to be cremated and cast to the winds or something like that.

PGN: OK. As a tea lover, I have to ask which tea company you designed for. DS: How do you know all this? It was Tatra Tea Company. They were located right outside of Philadelphia. I was still in art school and I designed Photo: Suzi Nash a basket case. They learned that pretty a box for them that they quickly and began giving me the job of were going to use for their laying out pages and doing the majority of line of teas. I don’t know that I got paid illustrations. This was during the hey days anything for it, but it was a pretty prestiat the Washington Post, after the Woodward gious thing to have in my portfolio right and Bernstein Watergate exposé, and it was out of school. a very exciting place to be. PGN: Who was your favorite illustrator PGN: Since that time, you’ve worked as an and book as a kid? illustrator and designed for everyone from DS: Favorite illustrator was probably watch companies to mattress companies. Norman Rockwell and my favorite book What’s the oddest job you’ve had? was “Alice in Wonderland.” PAGE 46

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

BOOKS PGN & DVDS

Best-sellers Information is courtesy of Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960; www.queerbooks. com. Ten-percent off most hardcover in-store sales. Men’s Books

1. “The Days of Anna Madrigal”

by Armistead Maupin (Harper, $26.99 hb, less 10 percent in the store, $14.99 ebook). The ninth and final novel in Armistead Maupin’s classic “Tales of the City” series, “The Days of Anna Madrigal” is the triumphant resolution to a saga of urban family life that has enchanted and enlightened readers around the world since 1976.

2. “Inside a Pearl: My Years in Paris” by Edmund White (Bloomsbury, $26 hb, less 10 percent in the store, $12.99 ebook). “Inside a Pearl” recalls those fertile years for White. It’s a memoir

that gossips and ruminates, and offers a brilliant examination of a city and a culture eternally imbued with an aura of enchantment. 3. “Foolish Hearts: New Gay Fiction,” edited by Timothy Lambert and R.D. Cochrane (Cleis, $15.95 pb). Lambert and Cochrane are back with a followup to their critically acclaimed “Fool for Love” with a collection of gay romance that incites love (and lust) in readers everywhere. 4. “Pee-Shy” by Frank Spinelli (Kensington, $15 pb, $9.39 ebook). For two years, Frank’s life had two realities — one lived in full view of his family, and the other a secret he shared with his Scoutmaster that he couldn’t confess to anyone. 5. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Simon & Schuster, $17.99 hb, less 10 percent in the store, $12.45 ebook). A lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Sáenz. 6. “A Warning in Blood” by Joseph R.G. DeMarco (Lethe, $18 pb, $6.99 ebook). Dru is not a commonplace vampire: He’s an

Inquisitor, chosen by the elders of a most sanguine and secret society. His role is to investigate sedition and punish treason among the undead, of whom there are clans, factions and territories. 7. “Best Gay Erotica 2014,” edited by Larry Duplechan (Cleis, $15.95 pb, $10.69 ebook). Sometimes rough and always ready, “Best Gay Erotica 2014” is filled with stories of rough riders, silver-fox studs and hustlers, as well as coming-out and comingof-age youth. 8. “In Bed with Gore Vidal” by Tim Teeman (Magnus, $19.99 pb, $9.99 ebook). Vidal claimed there was no such thing as “gay,” only gay sexual acts. But what was the truth about his sex life and sexuality — and how did it affect and influence his writing and public life. Men’s DVDs 1. “Four,” directed by Joshua Sanchez (2012, 75 min., $24.95). With raw intimacy and

emotion, these four characters explore the limits and possibilities of human connection. 2. “Solo,” directed by Marcelo Briem Stamm (2013, 76 min., $24.95). Two young men in Buenos Aires meet and begin an erotic, intimate relationship but secrets from their past are revealed. 3. “The Perfect Wedding,” directed by Scott Gabriel (2012, 82 min, $24.95). Two young gay men meet and fall in love over a holiday weekend where family and friends are planning the wedding of Paul’s sister. The problem is, Gavin is posing as the boyfriend of Paul’s ex and the two find themselves in a classic comic quandary as they try to ignore their feelings. 4. “Behind the Candelabra,” directed by Steven Soderbergh (2013, 118 min., $19.98). Oscar winners Michael Douglas and Matt Damon star as the legendary Liberace and his young lover. 5. “Bad Boy Street,” directed by Todd Verow (2012, 80 min., $19.95). Two men embark on an unconventional romance in Verow’s sexy Parisian-set drama.

6. “Bridegroom,” directed by Linda Bloodsworth Thomason (2013, 82 min., $19.95). On May 7, 2011 a young man named Shane Bitney Crone tragically lost the love of his life, Tom, to an accident. Because they weren’t married or prepared for the unexpected, Shane lost all legal claim to Tom after he died. Tom’s family banned Shane from the funeral and he was unable to say goodbye. 7. “Out in the Dark,” directed by Michael Mayer (2013, 96 min., $24.95). Nimer, an ambitious Palestinian student in the West Bank, dreams of a better life abroad. One fateful night in Tel Aviv, he meets Roy, an Israeli lawyer, and the two fall in love. As their relationship deepens, they are both confronted with the harsh realities of a Palestinian society that refuses to accept Nimer for his sexual identity, and an Israeli society that rejects him for his nationality. 8. “I Do,” directed by Glenn Gaylord (2012, 91 min., $24.95). A gay Brit living in New York marries his lesbian

BOOKS PGN & DVDS

best friend to remain in the country and stay with his family, but things get complicated when he meets the love of his life and is forced to make an impossible choice. Women’s and Trans Books 1. “Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love, & So Much More” by Janet Mock (Atria, $24.95 hb, less 10 percent in the store, $12.99 ebook). Mock offers a bold and inspiring perspective on being young, multicultural, economically challenged and transgender in America. 2. “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” by Alison Bechdel (Mariner, $14.95 pb, $10.09 ebook). A fresh and brilliantly told memoir from a cult favorite comic artist, marked by gothic twists, a family funeral home, sexual angst and great books. 3. “Love Alters: Lesbian Love Stories,” edited by Emma Donoghue (Skyhorse, $14.95 pb). Featuring both internation-

ally renowned authors as well as newer authors from all across the English-speaking world. 4. “Best Lesbian Erotica 2013,” edited by Kathleen Warnock and Jewelle Gomez (Cleis, $15.95 pb, $10.69 ebook). “Powerful, memorable, and potent” — Curve. 5. “The Summer We Got Free” by Mia McKenzie (Black Girl Dangerous Press, $14 pb). At one time a wild young girl and a brilliant artist, Ava Delaney changes dramatically after a violent event that rocks her entire family. Once loved and respected in their community and in their church, the Delaneys are ostracized by their neighbors, led by their church leader, and a 17-year feud ensues. 6. “The Other Side of Paradise: A Memoir” by Staceyann Chin (Scribner, $16 pb, $11.66 ebook). Told with grace, humor and courage, Chin plumbs tender and unsettling memories as she writes about drifting from one home to the next, coming out as a lesbian, finding the man she believes to be her father and, ultimately, discovering her voice. 7. “Are You My Mother?” by Alison Bechdel (Mariner,

$15.95 pb). From the best-selling author of “Fun Home,” Time magazine’s No. 1 Book of the Year, a poignant and hilarious graphic memoir of Bechdel becoming the artist her gifted mother always wanted to be. 8. “Blue Is the Warmest Color” by Julie Maroh (Arsenal Pulp, $19.95 pb, $19.95 DVD). The original graphic novel adapted into the film of the same name, winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Women’s and Trans DVDs 1. “Breaking the Girls,” directed by Jamie Babbit (2013, 87 min., $24.95). “A lipstick-lesbian riff on ‘Strangers on a Train.’” —Variety 2. “Jack and Diane,” directed by Bradley Rust Gray (2012, 105 min., $26.95). Young love is a monster. Can Jack and Diane survive? 3. “Romeos,” directed by Sabine Bernardi (2011, 94 min., $24.95). As a pre-op transgen-

The Bazemore Gallery is excited to share our space and love of art with the community. Our gallery design is based on our intuitive perception of the ﬁve elements of feng shui. The art on our walls is food for the soul. We aim to sell our paintings to new and seasoned collectors, interior designers purchasing for their clientele and buyers for corporate collections. The Bazemeore Gallery is a boutique art gallery. We are proud to be located in the historic section of Manayunk, Philadelphia.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

der person, Lukas is constantly finding himself trapped in uncomfortable, compromising positions. 4. “Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love,” directed by Maria Maggenti (1995, 94 min., $7.95). A terrific teen lesbian story about the love between poor white tomboy Randy and her affluent African-American classmate Evie. 5. “Mr. Angel: A Documentary,” directed by Chris Hunt (2013, $24.99). Shot over six years, “Mr. Angel” chronicles the extraordinary life of transgender advocate, educator and porn pioneer Buck Angel. Buck has survived addiction, homelessness, suicide and relentless opposition to his gender expression. Still, he lives his truth without compromise or apology. 6. “Lovers and Friends Show, Season 5, the Final Season,” directed by Charmain Johnson (2012, 196 min., $19.95). The ever-popular lesbians-of-color series wraps up its fifth and final season with a bang as your favorite characters grapple with sex and love and friendships — and the usual wildly entertaining drama of lesbian life in

Miami! 7. “Elvis and Madonna,” directed by Marcelo Lafite (2010, 105 min., $24.95). In Copacabana, lesbian photographer Elvis (Simone Spoladore) meets transvestite hairdresser Madonna (Igor Cotrim) while delivering pizzas. The two quickly fall in love and move in together — but Madonna’s exlover, drug-dealer Joao, tries to come between them and promises revenge against Elvis. 8. “Kiss Me,” directed by Alexandra-Therese Keining (2011, 105 min., $24.95). Two women meet at an engagement party in the country — Frida’s mother is about to marry Mia’s father — and discover an instant attraction that immediately calls into question Mia’s engagement to her longtime boyfriend Tim. Notable for its sumptuous and sensual love scenes. ■

��

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

MUSIC PGN

Out jazz great celebrated at local festival By Ray Simon PGN Contributor On March 8, a quintet of world-class jazz musicians will mark the 85th birthday of pianist and composer Cecil Taylor by playing a concert in his honor at the Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St. The performance, dubbed “Celebrating Cecil,” is also the first event in a mini-festival called “Still the New Thing,” a threeconcert series showcasing the challenging music that Taylor and his fellow visionaries, Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra, first introduced to audiences in the late 1950s. Local saxophonist Bobby Zankel is curating the festival, which he organized with the help of the Ars Nova Workshop, the Philadelphia Jazz Project and his group, Warriors of the Wonderful Sound. Taylor may not be a household name, but his accomplishments are formidable. After studying at the New England Conservatory, he began performing music referencing Ellington and Stravinsky. Early on, club owners were wary of booking him, but he eventually played for President Carter on the White House lawn. And although many critics initially dismissed his work, Taylor eventually received both a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur “Genius” Award. That he did all of this as an openly gay African-American man only makes it all the more remarkable. All of this is no surprise to Zankel, who describes Taylor as “probably one of the greatest musicians of the 20th, and now the 21st, centuries.” Zankel was a 20-year-old music student at the University of Wisconsin when Taylor arrived on campus as an artist-in-residence. It was a life-changing encounter, he said. For the next few years, he studied with Taylor, played his music and absorbed his overall philosophy. “In a very old-fashioned, ancient way, he was really a mentor, more than just someone who taught me how to play notes or how to write notes or a bandleader who I worked for,” Zankel said. That relationship continues to this day. According to Zankel, Taylor isn’t just a musician; he’s a thinker, someone for whom ideas are important. He notes that audiences that see Taylor perform are just as likely to hear him recite his poetry or to see him dance as they are to hear a virtuosic solo recital. He has a serious interest in architecture and is also a passionate fan of female vocalists like Lena Horne. Still, Taylor is known for his music, and his major contribution may just be how he opened things up for improvisers. “He came up with the concept of playing jazz, playing black, African-American, traditional music, in a way where there’s no meter,” Zankel said. “It’s not an odd-meter,

it’s not a mixed-meter, it’s non-metrical. So the drums and the different instruments could improvise or play the written material — because he has a lot of written material — they could play without a ‘one,’ so to speak.” Taylor’s recorded output is vast and encompasses everything from solo recitals to big bands, and from studio experiments to live concerts. There is even an 11CD boxed set on the German label FMP CECIL TAYLOR documenting his performances with European luminaries. For listeners curious to hear Taylor, Zankel recommends some of his early recordings. “The most accessible, just because of the label that they’re on and the way you can get them in the stores, are the two records that he made for the Blue Note label in the mid-’60s called ‘Unit Structures’ and ‘Conquistador.’” The concert itself should also provide a good introduction to Taylor’s music, thanks to the musicians Zankel has assembled. Each player has long been associated with the piano virtuoso. Andrew Cyrille drummed with him for a decade, and Henry Grimes played bass on his key early recordings. Bassist William Parker was with Taylor when he connected with major figures in the European free-improvisation scene. Pianist Dave Burrell may have the most daunting task of all, but Zankel views him as an ideal musician to help summon the spirit of Taylor’s music. “Dave has been playing with the greatest musicians in the world at the highest level for five decades, and his personality, his self-awareness informs him,” Zankel said. “He’s totally prepared to do what he has to and do it magnificently.” Together, the five men should make a joyful noise, by turns cerebral, earthy, challenging and playful. Zankel also hopes to impart to the audience the crucial lesson he learned from Taylor, what he calls the endless possibilities of living. “That’s the thing that I got from Cecil,” he said. “That I felt like I could do anything, that I had unlimited potential to express myself, that I had unlimited ability to feel empathy with other people, that I had unlimited ability to find joy in living, even in as hard times as we live in. And I would like to be able to share that feeling of limitless possibility.” For more information, visit www.paintedbride.org. ■

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Food and Drink Directory

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Try Food and Drink Directories in PGN. CONTACT YOUR PGN AD REP AT (215) 625-8501

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

PORTRAIT from page 41

PGN: I went to the Norman Rockwell Museum and had the most unintentionally funny tour guide. DS: Ha. We took a tour of the Margaret Merriweather Post mansion here in Washington. She was the heiress to the Post cereal fortune and her husband was the ambassador to Russia. During the time of the revolution, she looted Russia and brought back all these treasures. There was a closet full of square-dancing outfits that we were fascinated by. I guess we were lingering too long and the tour guide kept saying, “Hurry up! Every one a treasure! Every one a treasure!” PGN: Speaking of treasures [laughs], how did you start tap dancing? DS: Well, it was one of those things. I have always loved Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and Ginger Rogers of course. Back in the day, a friend of mine and I used to go to independent theaters like TLA and watch the old Busby Berkeley musicals because they were so much fun and so campy. So when I turned 30, I thought, It’s now or never, and signed up for tap-dancing classes. Within a couple of years, I was performing and teaching. I seemed to have a natural feel for it. My jazz tap group did well and even got reviewed by the dance critic in the Washington Post. We got to the point where we had to decide if we were going to make it a career or disband. It was too much time and stress not to go one way or the other. We disbanded. But it was pretty darn nice while it lasted. PGN: What’s your go-to karaoke song? DS: Oh gosh, the only thing I can think of is “Everything’s Coming up Roses.” That’s a gay answer, isn’t it? PGN: Who are Janet and Jackie? DS: They are and were our cats. Janet died at the ripe old age of 19 in 2009 and Jackie is still with us. Janet was one of two cats that my husband and I got when they were eight weeks old. They were two little black-andwhite kittens and we thought, Wouldn’t it be funny to stand outside and call “Janet, come here Janet”? They turned out to be both males but we called one Janet anyway and his brother was Bob. We thought it was kind of silly but it turned out to be a very interesting thing. It was a real learning experience for us and for our family and friends. It took a while to get used to using the pronoun “he” with the name Janet. Some people never got used to it, even after 19 years, but most of our family got very comfortable with thinking of Janet as a he. It taught us a lot about the association of words and names and gender. Janet was Janet and we loved him. PGN: A learning lesson. DS: Yes, which makes me think of something. Back in the early days of gay lib, when we opened up Giovanni’s Room and started the Gay Alternative Magazine, we had women in the group and they taught us so much. In those early years, we, as young gay men, were still men with the very sexist

FUN PGN & GAMES

attitudes towards women that were prevalent in the early ’70s. It was the women who were part of the organization and who came into the bookstore who challenged us and our way of thinking and talking, and perceiving women. They really made feminists out of us, or at least gave a jolt to our consciousness. It was a great learning experience for us and helped us grow a lot faster in that realm. PGN: Now that you’re all grown up, what are some of your hobbies currently? DS: I run and I am an avid step-class fanatic. And I love reading. PGN: Since this is our wedding issue, tell me a little bit about how you tied the knot. DS: I married my husband, Tom Wilson, last year. We had a 29-year engagement. We have been living together and owning houses since 1987. In 2012, Maryland became the first state to extend marriage rights to samesex couples by popular vote. So last year we got married legally in June and then we had a huge wedding at our house in the suburbs in August. We invited friends and family from around the country and it was really, really a meaningful thing for us, even after all these years. PGN: I’ve heard a lot of couples speak about how surprised they were that it did seem to make a difference even after they’ve been together for a long time. DS: You know something, we felt that too. We felt very much changed. Even as I’m talking to you looking down at the ring on my finger, I feel it. I mean we’ve been together long enough that we felt pretty secure in our relationship, but it really gives you much more of a bond and a commitment. Having a wedding ceremony in front of family and friends really cements it, makes it even more meaningful. I remember five or six years ago when people were first starting to talk about gay marriage I thought, You know we really don’t care about gay marriage, we just want the same rights and benefits. I don’t care about a ceremony or any of that stuff. But as marriage rights gained momentum around the country, I changed my tune and I’m glad I did. The experience really made a difference. It makes us equal. It doesn’t matter where we are or who is around us, I have that ring on my finger and it’s official. It’s a good thing. And I’m looking forward to the day when it’s recognized in all states. It’s really, really an exciting time to be in. Things are moving so fast! Back in 1973 when we opened Giovanni’s Room, we would never have even been able to dream that in such a relatively short amount of time, things could have changed so much. I think it’s incredible. ■ Join Giovanni’s Room at its 40th-anniversary celebration at 7:30 p.m. March 11 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.

Q Puzzle Putin hugs a gay skater Across

1. Lincoln’s head covering 7. Condition after getting cold-cocked 13. Shirley’s “Terms of Endearment” role, and others 15. Limerick’s river 16. Jon of “The Daily Show” 17. Star t of Jon’s comment on Putin hugging skater Ireen Wust 1 8 . D a n S av a g e memoir, with “The” 19. Big bang cause, briefly 21. One of Sappho’s pair 22. River of Gay Paree 25. “Love Stor y” composer 26. Says a “Hail Mary,” e.g. 28. More of the comment 31. Gutsy Greek 33. Prayer of Harvey Fierstein’s faith

36. Alpo alternative 37. More of the comment 39. Sondheim’s “___ the Woods” 40. Press the flesh with 4 2 . F r a t l e t t e r, briefly 43. It can cut leaves of grass 44. Barnyard layer 45. Journalist Tim 48. “___ Miz” 49. Attacks 51. What King Edward II used to sock it to Piers Gaveston? 53. End of the comment 57. Ill will 60. Dorian Gray creator Wilde 6 1 . R o d d y McDowall’s “Planet of the ___” 65. Bard’s river 66. Andean pack animal 67. Tide type 68. Put out 69. Tether 70. Reid of “Josie and the Pussycats”

Down

1. Blow job and and other jobs 2 . M a u v e h a n ky delight 3. Fix 4. “In what way?” 5. Constellation over Sydney or Rio 6. Mountain pool 7. Logical start for Rev. Jane Spahr? 8. Like hard-core porn 9. Latina writer Castillo 10. Without mercy 11. Bacon said it’s “a good servant and a bad master” 12. Starts the pot 14. Calm 15. Winter problem for guys 20. Figure skater Babilonia 23. Tend with tenderness 24. Summer D.C. setting 26. Third degree, often 27. Took advantage of a decorator? 29. Morse’s long

one 30. Fluid acquired by pumping 3 1 . L ov e - m a k i n g sounds 32. 1929 Cole Porter tune 34. “___ Magnolias” 35. Mount 38. Ill. neighbor 41. Long pants, for short 43. “To be” to Henri 46. Spread open 47. Gung-ho 50. Rita Mae Brown’s “Cat on the ___” 52. Randolph Scott’s companion Cary 54. Lesbos, for one 55. Final Four letters 56. Groups of Moby Dick’s species 57. “Heather ___ Two Mommies” 58. Liberty, in “QAF” 59. Big load 62. Shooter “bullet” 63. Organ pleasured by Bernstein 64. Site for three men in a tub PAGE 49

TELEVISION PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Worth Watching

‘GIRLS’ NIGHT: HBO’s “Girls” star Lena Dunham hosts a new episode of “Saturday Night Live,” 11:30 p.m. March 8 on NBC.

HARD CHOICES: Out character Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) has a bad day, which escalates when she advises one of Callie’s patients on a potential double amputation on a new episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” 9 p.m. March 13 on ABC. Photo: ABC/

FLOWER POWER: While the guys bond, Gloria goes with Claire and Lily to shop for Lily’s flower-girl dress in a new episode of “Modern Family,” 9 p.m. March 12 on ABC. Photo: ABC/Peter “Hopper” Stone

Ron Tom

C.E.OH, MY GOD!: On a research trip, Lisa discovers that longtime nemesis and psychopath Sideshow Bob (guest voice Kelsey Grammar) is now the chief scientist at a massive chemical-engineering company in a new episode of “The Simpsons,” 8 p.m. March 9 on Fox. Photo: Fox

AC ul t ure rts

Because Life Is More Than Just Gay News

Film Reviews, Theater Reviews, Food Reviews, Book Reviews, Music Reviews, Nightlife, Sports and Travel

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

Getting married?

OUT & ABOUT The week ahead Fri. 02/07 Imagine Dragons The rock band performs 7 p.m. at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856-365-1300. Amy Schumer The comedian performs 8 and 10:30 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. Jamie Foxx The actor, comedian and singer performs 8 p.m. at Revel’s Ovation Hall, 500 Boardwalk; 855348-0500. Paul Simon and Sting The hit singers perform 8 p.m. at

Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543. Jeffrey Ross The comedian performs 9 p.m. at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Manhunter The 1986 thriller is screened 9:45 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Sat. 02/08 Matilda The kids’ film is screened 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Come see what’s new at your local, non-corporate, gluten-free historic queer bookshop! Browse, chat, and support the oldest continuously operating LGBT book store in the USA!

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.

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TEAR THE ROOF OFF THE MOTHERSHIP: Funk pioneers George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic land the mothership 8 p.m. March 8 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave. For more information or tickets, call 215572-7650.

Joan Rivers The comedian performs at 6 and 9 p.m. at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic The funk band performs 8 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-572-7650. Lorde The electro-pop singers perform 8 p.m. at Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby; 610-3522887.

Sun. 02/09 Suddenly Last Summer The 1959 film starring Elizabeth Taylor is screened 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-0223.

Mon. 02/10 Free Quizzo & Board Game Night Roll the dice, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire The action film is screened 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888. First Person Story Slams The spoken-word event starts 8:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215222-1400. Lipstick Mondays A weekly drag show featuring a changing roster of queens takes the stage 9 p.m. at The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 215862-2081.

Thu. 02/13 9 to 5 Burlesque and Variety Show A benefit show for Women’s Medical Fund hosted by Goddess Candace Ryan, 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-9226888. The Burlesque Show The new event kicks off 9 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way,

Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show The outrageousness begins 11 p.m. at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South St.; 215-545-4511.

Fri. 02/14 PGMC: When I Knew Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus performs 8 p.m. at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.; www. pgmc.org.

Tue. 02/11 Stephen Jimenez The author of “The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths about the Murder of Matthew Shepard” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.

Wed. 02/12 4W5 Blues Jam Local musicians get down, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-9941400.

GOOD LORDE: After dazzling the world with her performance at the Grammys, electro-pop sensation Lorde brings her tour to town 8 p.m. March 8 at Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby. For more information or tickets, call 610-352-2887.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

Opening The Amazing Kreskin The comedian performs March 8-9 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888596-1027. Arsenic and Old Lace Walnut Street Theatre presents the classic dark comedy March 11-April 27, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Cirque Eloize Cirkopolis The circus-dance theater show runs March 11-16 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Coppélia The Pennsylvania Ballet performs ballet’s greatest comedy March 8-16 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 250 S. Broad St.; 215790-5800. Fauré’s Requiem The Philadelphia Orchestra performs March 13-15 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Sin Cities: A Tribute to Notorious Metropolises of Vice Lil’ Steph hosts an evening of burlesque and musical performances March 8-9 at Ruba Ballroom, 416 Green St.; 215-6279831.

Continuing Be Alarmed: The Black Americana Epic The Leeway Foundation presents an exhibition of short films and mixedmedia work by out artist Tiona McClodden through March 15 at Esther Klein Gallery at the Science Center in University City, 3600 Market St.; www. leeway.org.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

JOANIE LOVES JOKING: Comedy icon Joan Rivers returns to Atlantic City 6 and 9 p.m. March 8 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609317-1000.

Carmina Burana The Pennsylvania Ballet performs through March 15 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-7905800. Live Cinema/Fiona Tan: Inventory Philadelphia Museum of Art presents a multiprojection installation inviting viewers to consider museum collections, as well as the human compulsion to capture the transience of time and lived experience, through March 23, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Marc Newson: At Home Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of furnishings by the influential designer through April 20, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Michael Snow: Photo-Centric Philadelphia Museum of Art presents CLASSIC ROCK: Rock legends Paul Simon and Sting (pictured) join forces for a tour that stops in Philadelphia 8 p.m. March 7 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-389-9543.

That’s So Gay: Outing Early America The Library Company of Philadelphia presents the exhibition exploring gay culture, through Oct. 17, 1314 Locust St.; 215-546-3181. Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910 Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition devoted to art of the celebrated Joseon Dynasty through May 26, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Why Do Fools Fall in Love? Media Theatre presents the a bachelorette party where four ladies reveal the details of their love lives, through March 30, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-891-0100.

Closing The Philly Pops: Marvin Hamlisch, A Musical Tribute The Philly Pops perform March 14-16 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.

dreaming about a summer get away?

an exhibition of works from the experimental filmmaker through April 27, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Doug Elkins, Choreography, Etc. The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the contemporary-dance company through March 8 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.

Paul Evans: Crossing Boundaries and Crafting Modernism The James A. Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition of works from the designer and craftsman through June 1, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215-340-9800.

Hedda Lettuce: The Carpets Match the Drapes The drag performer comes to New Hope through March 8 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-596-1027.

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.

Rosie O’Donnell The out comedian performs through March 9 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. The Suit Prince Music Theater hosts the Tony Award-winning Peter Brook play about love, revenge and redemption set in South Africa through March 8; 215-893-1999. ■

SUMMER TRAVEL ISSUE

March 28 DEADLINE TO ADVERTISE March21 215-625-8501 ext. 201 or email greg@epgn.com

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

PGN

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Thinking it’s about time for some professional help with the home repairs? PGN’s Services and Home Improvement Directory is a great place to get started when looking for contractors that know and proudly serve our community.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 7 - Mar. 13, 2014

PGN

Classifieds

Placing Classiﬁeds Liner Ads In Person: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, By Phone or on the Web: 24 Hours, 7 Days

Deadline for Line Advertising is Friday at 3 p.m. for the following Friday’s issue. You may place your ad via our secure voicemail system, fax or e-mail at any time, or on our Web site. Please have the following information ready to place your ad:

YOUR AD COPY • YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER • CREDIT CARD INFORMATION PHONE: 215-625-8501 ext. 200 OR 215-451-6182 (DIRECT) • FAX: 215-925-6437 • E-MAIL: don@epgn.com

Real Estate Sale

VENTNOR, NJ Huge one of a kind solid brick Beauty! Open floor plan offering 4 BR, 2.5 BA, ceramic porch w/awning, maintenance free rock/perennial landscaping, outside shower, wide Hickory floors, 2 zoned CA, 10’x20’ tiled laundry room, 32’ x 34’ carpeted basement w/ wet bar. New roof, 2-car tiled heated garage, big kitchen w/ granite, stainless, Viking cooktop peninsula and walk in pantry. LOTS OF HOUSE and 2 blocks from the ocean. Offered at $375,000.

Call for details Marketplace Realty 609-823-8500

GENERAL INFORMATION

All classified advertising must be in our office by 3 p.m. Friday for the next Friday’s paper. Ads arriving after that time will be held for the next available issue. PGN reserves the right to edit or rewrite ads as needed, to refuse any ad for any reason and to determine the final classification. Ads determined to be in bad taste, directed to or from persons under the legal age of consent or containing racially or sexually discriminatory language will be refused. We need your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number on the insertion order form for you ad. This information is confidential and will not appear in the paper. Any ads received without full information will be destroyed. Sexually explicit language will be edited or refused at the discretion of the management.

PAYMENT AND PLACEMENT

Classified ads may be placed online or by mail, fax, e-mail or in person at the PGN offices at 505 S. Fourth St., Phila. Phone, fax and e-mail orders are accepted with credit/debit cards only. A $10 minimum applies to all charges. If you are paying in person with cash, please have the exact change as we cannot make change at the office. All ads must be prepaid for their entire run. NO EXCEPTIONS! DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL; IT’S NOT SAFE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED.

TERM DISCOUNTS - BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ISSUES PREPAID 4 weeks, 5% • 8 weeks, 10% • 16 weeks, 15% • 26 weeks, 20%

CANCELLATION POLICY

All PGN Classified ads are cancelable and refundable except for “FRIENDS” ads. Deadline for cancellation is 3 p.m. Friday. The balance will be credited to your credit/debit card. Checks take two weeks to process. The date of the first issue the ad appeared in, along with the classification, your name, address and daytime phone number is required to cancel your ad.

Real Estate Sale

SECLUDED HISTORICAL DISTRICT OF LUMBERTON Beaut. rest. 1870’s home, 3 BR, 1.5 BA, 30 mins to Phila. 3 ﬂoors, all new HVAC, screened porch, 3/4 acre, mod. kit & baths, beaut. details. $285,000. 609-784-8324. _____________________________________________38-10 VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________38-15 NEW YORK STATE LAND SALE 5 Acres w/ Utilities: $12,900. 6 Acres w/ Trout Stream: $25,900. 6.6 Acres, Adirondack Cabin: $19,900. Best Quality Land in Years! Call: 800-229-7843. ________________________________________38-10

Roommates Roommates! Newly renovated University City House - diverse group of women, men welcome. Email greathouseUC@gmail.com ________________________________________38-11

Real Estate Rent SOUTH PHILADELPHIA 22XX S. 11th ST. 2 Bedroom Apartment (2nd Floor). Newly renovated Everything is brand new. Hardwood ﬂooring throughout, C/A, W/D., tile bath. $1000 a month. Call 215-450-2780. Available April. ________________________________________38-11

Travel & Resorts OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________38-10

For Sale SAWMILLS from only $4897.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills. com 1-800-578-1363 Ext.300N ________________________________________38-10 DISH TV Retailer. Starting $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) Broadband Internet starting $14.95/month (where available.) Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL Now! 1-800-712-1734. ________________________________________38-10 Liberation by American Standard Walk-In Bath - Stay in your home longer, safely, independently. Best Lifetime Warranty. Installation Included! $1,000 Off - Call Toll-Free 1-866-605-7416. ________________________________________38-10

Services EXP RELIABLE HOUSECLEANER Let me free up your valuable time by cleaning your house or apt. Weekly biweekly monthly. I have 10+ years exp. FREE estimates. Call Wayne 215-422-2654. Ref’s upon request. ________________________________________38-09 AIRLINE CAREERS begin here - Get FAA approved Aviation Technician training. Financial Aid for qualiﬁed students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 1888-834-9715. ________________________________________38-10 MEDICAL OFFICE TRIANEES NEEDED! Train to become a Medical Ofﬁce Assistant. NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training at SC gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & PC/Internet needed! 1-888778-0463. ________________________________________38-10

Adoption PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? All About Love Adoptions is here to help with questions, counseling and resources. All of our families are screened/ approved. 866-495-0229; AALadoptionagency.com ________________________________________38-10

PGN

Real Estate Sale

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Friends Men

Needed-Local People to work from Home-Online. 33 yr. Int’l Co. BBB A+ rating. PT/FT-Will Train. Call Jonesy @ 800-308-1088. ________________________________________38-11 Heating And Air Conditioning Technician Jobs Available! Fast Track, Hands On, Certiﬁcation Training Provided. GI Bill Eligible! 1-877-994-9904. ________________________________________38-10 Can You Dig It? Bulldozers, Backhoes, and Excavators. 3 Weeks Hands On Training Provided. Become Nationally Certiﬁed. Lifetime Job Placement Assistance. GI Bill Eligible! 1-866-362-6497. ________________________________________38-10 Owner Operator DEDICATED HOME WEEKLY! Solos up to $175,000/year, $2500 Sign-on Bonus! Teams up to $350,000/year, $5000 Sign-on Bonus! Forward Air 888-652-5611. ________________________________________38-10 Exp. Reefer Drivers: GREAT PAY /Freight lanes from Presque Isle, ME, Boston-Lehigh, PA. 800-277-0212 or driveforprime.com ________________________________________38-10 Daily Express needs Contractors for regional and OTR Stepdeck and Lowboy hauls! Daily Expedited, Heavy Haul and Specialized Divisions available. FREE Trailers! www. dailyrecruiting.com or 1-800-669-6414. ________________________________________38-10 DEDICATED CDL-A TRUCK DRIVERS $2,000 Sign on Bonus! HOGAN OFFERS: $0.50 CPM! Home Weekly! Newer Equipment Available. Vacation and Holiday Pay. Call Today: 866-519-2843. ________________________________________38-10 EARN $500.A-DAY Insurance Agents Needed; Leads, No Cold Calls; Commissions Paid Daily; Complete Training; Advancement Opportunities; Health & Dental Insurance; Guidance in Obtaining License. Call: 1-888-713-6020. ________________________________________38-10

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. ________________________________________38-16 BM with 8.5 tool wants bottom for pleasure. Must be uncut and Arabian or from India or Latino with big tool also. Must squirt more times than the law allows! Call me 12 Noon to 4 PM daily. 215-763-3391. No games, just sex. ________________________________________38-14 Philly boy looking for mail correspondence with guys in Philly while I ﬁnish my incarceration. 6’3”, blond hair, hazel eyes. Lots to discuss. Will reply to every letter. Give this a try, I guarantee you’ll have fun. Kenneth Houck, #06743-015, Englewood FCE, 9595 W. Quincy Ave., Littleton CO 80123. ________________________________________38-12 YOUNGER ASIAN Wanted to be a companion to an older Caucasian man. 215-677-5610. ________________________________________38-16 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________38-10 BM, late 60’s seeks to physically and orally pleasure uncut Hispanics and Caucasians over 25 with fat tits at your house, not mine. 609-332-5808 text or call. ________________________________________38-12

Massage David, 64, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________38-12

GM needs employment as ﬁle clerk or receptionsit Monday thru Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM. Hour rate of $30.00 per hour. Extra Sundays 12 Noon to 6 PM. Leave msg. on viicemail, 215-763-3391. ________________________________________38-13

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PGN’S COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

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

www.epgn.com 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.

Help Wanted

Jobs Wanted

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 7 - Mar. 13, 2014

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.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 7 - Mar. 13, 2014

ADONIS CINEMA “THE ONLY ALL MALE ADULT THEATER IN THE CITY”

2026 Sansom St (located 3 doors up from Sansom St Gym)

215-557-9319 4 Small Theaters with Video & Dark Room Area

HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday - Thursday

7am-6am

(closed an hour for cleaning)

Friday- Sunday:

Open 24hrs

ADMISSION: $12.00

THE BIGGER, BETTER & CLEANER CLUB IN THE CITY...

GREEN LANTERN

Saturday,March 8th • Time: 11pm-3:30am WHAT TO EXPECT: • DJ David Dutch • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More

LUCKY CHARMING Saturday,March 15th • Time: 11pm-3:30am WHAT TO EXPECT: • DJ David Dutch • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More. ROOMS: Members: $25.00 & Non-Members: $35.00 LOCKERS: Members: $18.00 & Non-Members: $28.00 - ROOMS GO QUICKLY!!! CHECK IN EARLY -

BUSY TIMES FOR US:

These our are most popular days when people come-

SATURDAY AFTERNOON DELIGHT 4 Hour Lockers (8am - 4pm) Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00

SUNDAY RELIEF

Half Price Rooms (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50

MONDAY thru FRIDAY:

Business Mans Locker Special (8am to 4pm) Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00

TUESDAYS

Half Price Rooms (6am till 12 Midnight) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT CRUISE

$12 Flat Rate for Locker Admission & Clothing Optional (4pm-12 Midnight) Check out our website for our WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events....

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

PGN

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. gammaphilly.com. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at William Way; 610-2776595, www.MACTPhila.org. Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey; njwarrior@aol.com. Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third ﬂoor; 215-4960330. Men of Standard A place for gay men of color 21 and older to share issues of concern meets 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-963-2432.

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, 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 1324, 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. PRYSM Youth Center Youth ages 14-20 meet 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at the center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610-357-9948. 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; 215-8511975. 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; 215-5454331, 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; 800810-6776. 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. 7 - Mar. 13, 2014

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 ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221 ■ 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 ■ The COLOURS Organization, Inc.: 215-496-0330 ■ District Attorney LGBT Liaison: Helen “Nellie” Fitzpatrick, 215-6869980, helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215-

■ 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: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library hours: noon-9 p.m. MondayThursday; noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

Key numbers 731-1447; www.equalitypa.org

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

■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000

■ GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization: 215-8511822

■ Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-686-3318

■ LGBT Elder Initiative: 267-5463448; info@LGBTEI.org

■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com

■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-5630652;Legal Services: 215-5630657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

■ Philly Pride Presents: 215-8759288 ■ 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)

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.; 215763-8870. 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.

■ 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 businesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.Independence-

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 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. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups BusinessAlliance.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.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Mar. 7 - Mar. 13, 2014

PGN