pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 43 No. 11 March 15-21, 2019
Dems add two Pa. House seats in special election PAGE 2
Black-Tie GayBINGO! calls 20
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Family Forward: It’s teething time! PAGE 5
PAGE 15
Family Portrait:
Javier Mojica sets the stage for qFLIX PAGE 21
The Attic board responds to abuse allegations By Lenny Cohen PGN Contributor
FLOWER POWER: Adjunct Professor Michael LoFurno sits on a tree stump in the exhibit, “Hip Haven: Hangin’ Loose at a Home Refuge,” March 8 at the Philadelphia Flower Show. The entry, produced by junior-year students in Temple University’s landscape architecture program, contrasted a modern, harsh machine-like landscape with a more free-flowing, relaxed one using a variety of environmentally responsible plants and materials. The exhibit won awards for best use of PHS gold-medal plants, sustainability, special achievement, and special exhibit in the field of botany, horticulture or conservation. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Local LGBT allies among cosponsors reintroducing Equality Act in Congress By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor The Equality Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 13 by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Jeff Merkely (D-OR). Cicilline, who has served in the House since 2011, was the first openly gay mayor of a state capital and is a co-chair of the Equality Caucus. On March 11, LGBTQ rights groups, including HRC, ACLU LGBT and HIV Project, National Center for Transgender Equality, Women’s Law Project and Center for American Progress, held a press conference to push for passage of the legislation. The Congressional LGBT Caucus issued a press release the same day announcing its membership list for the 116th Congress.
“With eight openly LGBT co-chairs, 18 vice chairs, and 155 total members, this is the largest LGBT Equality Caucus in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives,” it stated. More than 230 representatives and 46 senators are expected to cosponsor the Equality Act. One of them is Congressman Dwight Evans, a longtime ally of the Philadelphia LGBTQ community. Evans had served in the Pennsylvania state legislature from 1981 to 2016, when he was elected to the House. “I’m proud to cosponsor the Equality Act and I look forward to its passage by the new Democratic majority in the House,” Evans told PGN. “It’s outrageous that LGBT people who can rightfully get married on Sunday can be fired on Monday, just because of who they are. I have a long record of support for PAGE 17 the LGBT community
Accusations came out last week against The Attic Youth Center, Philadelphia’s independent LGBTQ youth bastion, claiming an alleged sexual assault against a minor occurred on its premises and that racism was rampant among its staff. The allegations were first posted March 4 on the Facebook page of the Black & Brown Workers Co-op. The next day, Attic Board of Directors Vice President Jasper Liem sent a memo to staff members of the center. “The Board is deeply disturbed by these allegations. We are launching an investigation … Effective immediately, [Executive Director] Carrie Jacobs and [Director of Programs and Operations] Christina Santos have been relieved of their duties, pending the conclusion of the investigation,” the board wrote. According to the memo, the board planned to hire anindependent group to investigate the claims while the center continues its core mission to serve youth. “This is a critical and difficult time for The Attic,” the memo stated. “Our goal is to make sure we are supporting you as you
continue to serve our youth and we work together in the coming weeks. We are committed to a fair and transparent process and will keep you updated throughout coming weeks.” This is the first allegation of racism against The Attic Youth Center, PAGE 16
ATTIC YOUTH CENTER
Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs making strides in fraught times By Josh Middleton PGN Contributor Once upon a time, the Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs was a force to be reckoned with. Those who remember its earliest years will likely recall images of then-director and firebrand activist Gloria Casarez standing under a rainbow flag, fist and voice raised high, revving up crowds in the name of LGBTQ equality. She was an energetic, leading presence at local events and marches, and she helped spearhead some of the most important LGBTQ-centric legislation in Philadelphia — namely the 2014 LGBT Equality Bill, which extended unprecedented protections to lesbian, gay and especially transgender
citizens. Marriage equality passed in Pennsylvania in 2014, which, while it may not have been a direct contribution from her office, lent an undeniable air of victory and accomplishment to the time that she served. The office hasn’t maintained that kind of momentum since Casarez’s untimely passing in 2014. Since then, at least to the casual spectator, the director’s role seems to be more characterized by strategic photo ops and carefully crafted keynotes than on-the-frontlines rabble-rousing – but that may be more a sign of the times than an indication that the office isn’t performing up to speed. “Once you [pass legislation like the LGBT PAGE 18 Equality Bill], there’s not