In the beginning ... was the Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye
Family Portrait: Elicia Gonzales
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March 23-29, 2012
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Vol. 36 No. 12
City must pay $877K for Scouts’ legal fees By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
BANISH THE BAN: About 75 ACT-UP supporters rallied at Love Park Wednesday in support of funding for needle-exchange programs. The action was a response to a recent reinstitution of a ban on federal funding of exchange programs — initiatives activists say are effective in cutting down the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. Supporters marched to the offices of Sen. Pat Toomey, who supported the ban, to call for his support in reversing the decision. Photo: Scott A. Drake
A federal judge this week denied the city’s request for a new trial in its ongoing dispute with the local Boy Scouts of America over the agency’s antigay policy — and ordered the city to pay the chapter nearly $900,000. Judge Ronald Buckwalter on Tuesday rejected the city’s attempt to overturn one part of a 2010 mixed-verdict federal jury ruling in favor of the Boy Scouts Cradle of Liberty Council and said the city is not entitled to a new trial in the case. Additionally, Buckwalter ordered the city to pay $877,122.07 to the Scouts for legal fees the agency incurred in its suit against the city. The city had argued that the verdict was conflicted and that, even if the count was upheld, it shouldn’t pay more than $300,000.
The city has been trying to evict the Cradle of Liberty Council from the building it occupies at 231-251 N. 22nd St. since 2008 because the council won’t accept gays and refuses to pay rent. City Solicitor Shelley Smith told PGN Wednesday that the city is weighing its next course of action. “We just got the opinion a few hours ago so we are still reviewing it to determine our options,” she said. The city will have 30 days to appeal the ruling to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Any appeal would be handled by the law firm of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP on a pro-bono basis. Smith said the city disagreed with Buckwalter’s finding. “We’re disappointed in the ruling,” she said. “We certainly of course thought we made PAGE 2 good arguments in post-trial
Out late-night personality to host HRC Philly gala
Ravi convicted in Clementi case By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com
said. “Then when I met the people working inside the HRC behind the scenes, they make a difference The Human Rights Campaign, and I thought this is really worthAmerica’s largest civil-rights while. So when they ask for anyorganization working to achieve thing from me, I happily oblige.” Since then, Mathews has lent his LGBT equality, is hosting the 16th Annual HRC Philadelphia Region talents to a number of HRC galas Gala Dinner 6 p.m. March 24 at the — 10 if he remembers correctly Ritz Carlton, Philadelphia. This — and said each one is unique. “It’s a bunch of like-minded year’s gala dinner and fundraiser will include appearances by out people coming together in the late-night talk-show personality name of equality,” he said about t h e eve n t s . “ T h e Ross Mathews and vibe of it is really actor Maria Bello. fun. People want to Mathews, a longhave a good night time supporter of and raise money for HRC, said he wanted a really important to work with the cause. What makes organization after them all different is attending one of their the different flavor functions. each city brings to “I went to one them. I’ve never done event and I thought Philadelphia before to myself, These but I know it’s going people are doing PAGE 16 really good work,” he ROSS MATHEWS
The case that sparked a national debate on LGBT youth bullying came to a close last Friday morning with the defendant being found guilty on most counts. A New Jersey jury found Dharun Ravi guilty of invading former PAGE 2 Rutgers University
LOVING SAVAGE: Out writer and activist Dan Savage helped kick off QPenn 2012 at University of Pennsylvania this week with a discussion of his “It Gets Better” campaign March 19 at the Zellerbach Theatre, drawing a crowd of 800. The weeklong LGBT Pride event runs through Sunday, with this weekend’s offerings including a charity drag show from 8-10 p.m. March 23 at Harrison Sky Lounge. Saturday will feature keynote speaker Alan Cumming from 6-7:30 p.m. at Meyerson Hall, followed by QProm from 9-midnight at the Penn LGBT Center. The week will wrap up with the Penn Athletes & Allies Tackling Homophobia Pride Games from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Penn Park. Photo: Scott A Drake
Resolution calls for end to SEPTA gender markers By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com City Council is considering a resolution to urge the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority to cease its gender-marker system, which critics say is discriminatory against transgender PAGE 18