pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 43 No. 12 March 22-28, 2019
Family Portrait: Lyndon K. Gill pens about heritage PAGE 23
N.J. professor receives LGBT+ educator award PAGE 2
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
When life is a drag ... PAGE 21
New transgender military restrictions nearing implementation PAGE 5
As Philly gears up for primaries, LGBTQ candidates get prime ballot positions By Lenny Cohen PGN Contributor Philadelphia’s primary election will be held in two months — but much of the groundwork was completed this week. And for two of the three LGBTQ candidates running for at-Large City Council seats, it was especially fruitful: They received prime ballot spots — a factor that, while randomly drawn, is considered the most important determinant of success in a crowded race. An LGBTQ judicial candidate, however, has had his petition challenged. March 19 was the last day to file objections to nomination petitions, and there were dozens. One was that of LGBTQ candidate Henry Sias, who is running for judge for the Court of Common Pleas. U n o ffi c i a l l y, t h e O ffi c e o f t h e
Philadelphia City Commissioners, acting as the County Board of Elections, reported 93 people are running for mayor, City Council, sheriff, register of wills and city commissioner — assuming they survive any challenges. The number of signatures needed on each petition depends on the office. In citywide races — for mayor, City Council at-Large, city commissioner, sheriff and register of wills — the number is 1,000. For Council districts, the number is 750. The signatures must be from registered voters of the political party, living in the location the eventual winner of the election will be serving. Candidates who have a change of heart — usually due to challengers with more signatures and campaign money — have until March 27 to withdraw their names PAGE 17 from the ballot.
Equality Forum to close Philly office By Josh Middleton PGN Contributor Equality Forum has decided to give up its office space in Philadelphia. The LGBTQ civil-rights organization, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1993, is selling the condo on the third floor of the Academy House that has served as its homebase since 2004. The closure is a sign that the organization is moving away from hosting its signature Philadelphia-based events — which it hasn’t done since 2016 — to commit more fully to online-based endeavors like its LGBT History Month campaign and website. But Executive Director Malcolm Lazin said it’s really more about practicality than anything. “We use the office very little, so we just decided it was not worth it to have an office when there wasn’t a need for it,” he said from his winter home in Sarasota, Fla. “I’m in Philadelphia probably about two months out of the year, and really it remains empty for 10 months of the year. So it really doesn’t make sense for us to have that office unoccupied.” Lazin said most of Equality Forum’s work these days is completed virtually and out-
sourced to people all over the country — from Jenkintown to Stanford University to Austin, Texas. “We’ve been doing it that way for the last several years.” Lazin said. “From a cost perspective, it’s a far more efficient way to be doing business and it produces a better product.” The office, in suite 3a at 1420 Locust St., is essentially a converted condominium that Lazin said was given to Equality Forum in 2004 from an anonymous donor. It’s currently listed with an asking price of $425,000. He said the 1,452-square-foot unit offers space for four full-time employees and a small conference room. “It’s an excellent space for a smaller nonprofit,” he said. “We hope that, potentially, someone in the community, particularly a nonprofit, would end up purchasing the office. It’s a block and a half from the Gayborhood.” Lazin said the money from the sale will help Equality Forum “leverage what we already have,” namely to make “strategic investments in LGBT History Month,” which is predominantly an educational website populated with bios and videos of 403 LGBTQ icons like Gilbert Baker, Lance Bass and Roberta Kaplan. PAGE 15
WELCOME HOME: Emma Rittman pauses and takes a breath as she enters her new home March 20 at the Gloria Casarez Residences. Rittman was one of seven young people to move in that day, bringing the total number of residents to 21. Youth moving in are greeted with “Welcome home” from staff members and Project HOME representatives. An official grand-opening housewarming party is being planned for some time in mid-May. More photos on page 6. Photo: Scott A. Drake
ACLU files suit against city’s bail system By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor The way bail is set, cash bail and exorbitant bail have become part of the presidential primary conversation, thanks largely to Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA). Harris’ highlighting of the issue as she campaigns holds particular resonance right now in Philadelphia, as the ACLU has filed a class-action complaint over bail. Cash and punitive bail that disproportionately impact communities of color and marginal communities like LGBTQ people has become one of Harris’ signature issues. She has written about it in a new book and has pending legislation in the Senate. The former prosecutor and attorney general of California spoke passionately during a television appearance March 19 about how damaging arbitrary bail requirements
can be in delaying and denying justice. In Philadelphia, court administrators have been accused by the ACLU of unconstitutional actions with regard to how bail is set. The ACLU revealed March 12 that it had filed a class-action complaint with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The complaint pleads with the court to force the city to comply with the court’s own rules on bail. The ACLU previously sent a warning letter to Philadelphia court administrators, asserting that bail is being set contrary to court guidelines, without regard for a defendant’s ability to pay. The ACLU stated that this is unconstitutional. “The system of bail in Philadelphia is clearly quite broken,” said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of PAGE 16 Pennsylvania. Shuford