PGN March 30 - April 5, 2018 by The Philadelphia Gay News

pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

Vol. 42 No. 13 March 30 - April 5, 2018

Family Portrait: Phil Cochetti: rugby, his bear party and coming out in high school PAGE 29

Stories from our LGBTQ youth PAGE 17

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Grindr app security flaw ids users location PAGE 5

CDs for spring cleaning PAGE 28

Incoming Mazzoni Center CEO: ‘I want Will Gov. Wolf nominate trans to hear what the staff has to say’ attorney to fill judicial vacancy? By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com

Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino is making history this month as the first straight ally to lead Mazzoni Center. “I feel honored about that,” Gonzalez Sciarrino told PGN in her first public comments since her hiring. “I look forward to this opportunity to be a greater advocate for the LGBT community.” Gonzalez Sciarrino said she was “ecstatic and thrilled” after receiving a phone call earlier this month notifying her she was selected to be Mazzoni Center’s new CEO. A five-month, national search took place prior to her selection. “It was a very extensive vetting process,” she said. “I feel honored.” Gonzalez Sciarrino, 50, cited her career in nonprofit work as one of the reasons she applied for the CEO position. “I’ve always been for the marginalized — for the individual that other people don’t give a chance.” The incoming CEO has worked for six nonprofits over the course of her career. “I get enjoyment and self-fulfillment from working for non-profits. The mission of an organization is very important to me.” Gonzalez Sciarrino’s last position was as CEO of Whole Family Health Center in Ft. Hood, Fla., where she said she helped stabilize and expand the agency. “I put a structure in place and formalized policies and procedures. I also established a chain of command.” Mazzoni Center, which turns 40 next year, is a comprehensive LGBT-focused health center based in South Philadelphia. The center counts 35,000 clients and an annual budget of $16.5 million, $6 million of which is comprised of federal grants. The balance comes from revenue generated through the health center and private-development funding. An estimated 20-25 percent of the clientele is non-LGBT, said PAGE 8

By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com

FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY: Thousands of students, educators and supporters march past Independence Hall March 24 to protest a lack of gun control nationwide. As a satellite march to the primary one in Washington, D.C., it was one of more than 800 demonstrations nationwide. Whosoever MCC pastor Rev. Jeffery Jordan organized an LGBTQ contingency to march in unity with the demonstrators and carried peace and rainbow flags. The march ended at Lombard Circle on South Columbus Boulevard, where a couple-dozen speakers addressed a crowd of thousands. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Margaret Cho to headline 30th-anniversary Philadelphia Pride By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com It took 20 years, says Philly Pride Presents executive director Franny Price, but Margaret Cho is finally taking the stage during the 30th annual Philly Pride parade and festival. Cho started performing around the time Philly Pride was finding its feet, but for a variety of reasons through the years, booking her just kept missing the mark. How happy is Price about Margaret Cho and 30 years of Pride? “I’m excited about Margaret! She won’t tell us who her opening act is yet and that person has to introduce her, but I’m really looking forward to Margaret being here.” PAGE 2 Cho has never performed at the

Attorney Henry M. Sias wants to serve as a Common Pleas Court judge in Philadelphia. If Gov. Tom Wolf gives him the nod, and the Pennsylvania Senate confirms the nomination, Sias would be the nation’s first transgender male judge. Sias’s application to fill a judicial vacancy has been pending with the governor’s office for about two months. The five vacancies on Philadelphia PAGE 16 Common Pleas Court are

Sims in uncontested race as Democrat challenger drops out Kristen Demilio and BethAnne Boyle The only Democratic challenger to State Rep. Brian Sims has dropped out, leaving the incumbent in an uncontested primary race. Louis D. Lanni Jr., a former Philadelphia police officer, had filed the paperwork to be a primary challenger to incumbent Sims to represent the 182nd District, which encompasses much of Center City and the Gayborhood. Earlier this month, according to Pennsylvania’s Voter Services website, Lanni cited simply “candidate withdrew” in the filing. Lanni did not reply to repeated requests for comment. Emails bounced back and his GoFundMe page is closed. His social media accounts have been defunct since 2014. Sims continues to fundraise, sending out an email request March PAGE 16

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Resource listings Legal resources • ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215-592-1513; aclupa.org • AIDS Law Project of PA: 215-587-9377; aidslawpa.org • AIDS Law Project of South Jersey: 856-784-8532; aidslawsnj.org/ • Equality PA: equalitypa. org; 215-731-1447

• Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations — Rue Landau: 215-686-4670 • Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-7603686; ppd.lgbt@gmail.com • SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-920-9537

• Office of LGBT Affairs — Amber Hikes: 215-686-0330; amber.hikes@phila.gov

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. • LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania; 3907 Spruce

St.; 215-898-5044, center@dolphin.upenn.edu.

• 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.

• William Way LGBT Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org.

Health and HIV testing • Action Wellness: 1216 Arch St.; 215981-0088, actionwellness.org

• AIDS Library:

1233 Locust St.; aidslibrary.org/

• AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800-6626080

• Bebashi-Transition to Hope: 1235 Spring Garden St.; 215769-3561; bebashi.org

• COLOURS: coloursorganization.org, 215832-0100 • Congreso de Latinos Unidos;

216 W. Somerset St.; 215-763-8870

• GALAEI: 149 W. Susquehanna Ave.; 267-457-3912, galaei.org. Spanish/ English

• Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad

St.; 215-685-1821

• Mazzoni Center:

1348 Bainbridge St.; 215-563-0652, mazzonicenter.org

• Philadelphia FIGHT: 1233 Locust St.; 215-985-4448, fight.org

• Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center:

Philadelphia Pride, but has appeared at a variety of local venues over the years, most recently at The Fillmore Philadelphia in 2017. As for the three decades years of Pride events, Price told PGN that she is looking at retirement. “It’s not fun anymore,” she said. “You used to worry about the rain. Oh please don’t rain, don’t mess up today. Then the protestors showed up and you gotta worry about that. Then they sue you, too, and that takes money and time. They sued me individually, and [Pride advisor] Chuck [Volz] individually and the [Philadelphia] police.” That single lawsuit was filed by Michael A. Marcavage, director of the anti-LGBT Christian organization Repent America, which is based in Philadelphia, following the Pride organization’s OutFest in October 2004. All defendants considered it a nuisance lawsuit that nevertheless dragged on for more than four years. The outcome was the city paying a settlement of $4,000 to Repent America in 2009. Asked who might take the reins whenever she leaves, Price said she hasn’t decided exactly when retirement will start; perhaps after OutFest this year or maybe the day after Pride in 2019. “Next year is the 50th anniversary of Stonewall,” she said. “No matter who does it, it’s going to be special.” Price said one of the unique things about Philly’s Pride is that it’s less of a merchandise-selling event and more of a networking day. Nonprofits regularly take up more than half of the vendor spaces at Penn’s Landing. Incremental changes through the years have expanded and varied the experience. Throughout the history of Philly Pride, the organization has also followed the tradition of Philadelphia as a city of “firsts.” Nationally, Philly Pride had the first Youth Grand Marshal and first Friend of Pride ally, the first free HIV testing at the festival and the first televised commercial on cable television, among others. This year’s grand marshals have not yet been announced.

rts

• Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207

• Independence Branch Library Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection: 215-685-1633 • Independence Business Alliance; 215-557-0190, IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com

• LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK • PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

In addition to Cho, Chris Weaver from “The Voice” and independent musicians Jason Walker and Sophia Ramos are scheduled for the Penn’s Landing stage. Announcement of the winning parade groups and the singing of the unofficial gay national anthem “I Am What I Am,” drag performances, dancers and Henri David as host and emcee will continue as usual. This year, the Gayborhood bars are changing the way they participate in Pride and OutFest. Tabu co-owner Jeffrey Sotland shared a new plan for the bars and their participation in both events. The venues were traditionally been saddled with Pride’s agreed-upon sponsor, whether the bar served that product or not. The bars included in the agreement are The Bike Stop, Boxers, Knock, Tabu, Tavern on Camac, Toasted Walnut and U Bar. “Historically, when it’s come to the distributor sponsorships, it’s been a case of the tail wagging the dog,” said Sotland. “Now we’re going to coordinate that piece.” For the Friday-night block party and OutFest, each business will have an external bar and the usual beer and pink lemonade stands scattered throughout. The bars will still provide their sponsorship fees to Philly Pride Presents. “The distributors are thrilled to work this out with the bar owners,” said Sotland. “And there can now also be a uniform price for everything. If you pay $6 for a drink at one bar on the street, you’ll pay six dollars for the same drink outside one of the other bars.” The bar owners will also contribute a percentage of the revenue to a nonprofit organization, as yet undetermined. Currently, the beer, wine and alcohol list includes Absolut, Barefoot Wine, Corona, Angry Orchard, Ballast Point and MillerCoors, which offers Blue Moon. The crowning of the 30th-anniversary Miss Philly LGBT Pride recipients Les Harrison, Finesse A. Ross, Sandy Beach and Marcello Brening Barrera will be held at 10:15 p.m. April 5 at Bob and Barbara’s. Other announcements for Pride weekend are forthcoming. For more Pride information, go to phillygaypride.org. n

AC ul t ure

1201 Locust St.; 215985-9206

Other

• Philly Pride Presents: 215-875-9288

PRIDE from page 1

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

For every hopeful parent, the path to building a family is different. We understand. Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey and Philadelphia offers a comprehensive approach and proven path to having a family in the shortest time necessary. As a recognized leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, we take great pride in our nearly 20 years of successfully helping Moms and Moms or Dads and Dads be parents.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

News & Opinion

10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Op-Ed Street Talk

“We can’t change the past. But we can and we should be judged on how we shape the future.”

Youth contributions

17 — Being trans — Keeping the blue wave from crashing — Five floors down

Arts & Culture CUMMING TO A CLOSE: Alan Cumming (middle) greeted the closing-night crowd after receiving the Achievment in Acting Award by producers James Duggan (left) and Thom Cardwell March 25 at the Kimmel Center. The gay actor touted the importance for LGBTQ film festivals in this chaotic political climate. The closing-night film “After Louie” starring Cumming was shown after the juried and audience awards presentations. Photo: Scott A. Drake

25 27 29 30 33

~ Sen. Toni Atkins, the first woman and first LGBT person to lead the California Senate, page 15

— Feature: The stars are out in New Hope — Scene in Philly — Family Portrait — Out & About — Q Puzzle

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ThePhiladelphia views of PGN expressed only in the unsigned “Editorial” column. Opinions expressed in bylined columns, stories and letters to the GayareNews 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.

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FOSTERING FAMILIES: Director of LGBT Affairs Amber Hikes (left) spoke briefly to a crowd of about 50 on March 22 at the William Way LGBT Community Center. The event included a panel on aspects of being a foster parent and an audience Q&A. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Security flaws in gay dating app Grindr expose users’ location data By Brian Latimer NBC Out

opted out if they connected their Grindr profiles through his third-party website. “One could, without too much difficulty Grindr, a gay-dating app, suffers from or even a huge amount of technological two security issues that can expose the skill, easily pinpoint a user’s exact locainformation of more than 3 million daily tion,” Faden explained. Two independent users, including the location data of people cybersecurity researchers, neither affilwho have opted out of sharing such infor- iated with Faden nor Grindr, backed up mation, according to cybersecurity experts. Faden’s claims. Faden also discovered a separate secuThe security flaws were identified by Trever Faden, CEO of the property man- rity flaw related to location data that did agement startup Atlas Lane, after he cre- not require users to log in to any thirdated a website called C*ckblocked (the party apps or websites with their Grindr credentials. Grindr asterisk is part of users to the name of the serFaden found that he could requires send location data vice). His website to its servers in allowed users to see find the location of users order for the app to who blocked them work. Some of that on Grindr after they who had opted out if they information is not entered their Grindr connected their Grindr encoded, meaning username and passthat passive observword. Once they did profiles through his ers of Internet trafso, Faden was able third-party website. fic — for instance, to gain access to a on a public wifi nettrove of user data that is not publicly available on user pro- work watched over by a country’s govfiles, including unread messages, email ernment — can identify the location of addresses, deleted photos and the location anyone who opens the app. In a statement issued to NBC News, data of users, some of whom have opted to Grindr said it was aware of the vulnerabilinot share their locations publicly. Faden’s website exploited a similar ties that Faden had found and had changed security loophole to the one that leaked its system to prevent access to data regardthe information of 50 million Facebook ing blocked accounts. The company did users through a quiz connected to the not change access to any of the other data social network, highlighting the risk that or how its app sends location data openly people face in using existing social-media over the Internet. After Grindr changed its policy on access to data on which users accounts to log in to other services. Grindr makes public the location of had blocked other users, Faden shut down many of its users, but allows for users to his website. Read the full exclusive on nbcnews. opt out of this feature. Faden found that he could find the location of users who had com. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

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Party Pics? scottdrakephotos@gmail.com

BLACK TIE : AIDS Fund executive director Robb Reichard (left) and Carlota Ttendant strike a pose with panels of the AIDS quilt during Black-Tie GayBINGO! March 24 at Loews Hotel. The next bingo fundraiser, on April 14, will have the theme ”Studio 54 GayBINGO! “ Photo: Scott A. Drake

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Man shot in Gayborhood over the weekend By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A 46-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound in his thigh last weekend after an altercation with another man in the Gayborhood, said Philadelphia police. The incident took place on the 1300 block of Walnut Street at 10:43 p.m. March 24, according to a police-incident report. The victim called police and was taken to Jefferson University Hospital, and was listed in stable condition, police said. The sus-

pect remained at large at presstime. The victim, age 46, was walking out of a store on the nearby 100 bock of South 13th Street when an unknown man confronted him, police said. The two men got into a verbal dispute about the male obstructing the store’s doorway. The shooter was described as an African-American male with dreadlocks and wearing a dark jacket with a hood. Officer Eric McLaurin, a police spokesperson, said Central Detective Division is investigating the incident. “We don’t have any updates,” McClarin said on March 26. n

NJ judge orders bar owner to pay legal fees for gay couple By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A New Jersey judge has ordered the owner of a bar to pay more than $9,000 in legal fees for a gay couple who filed suit after being assaulted inside the establishment. The legal fees and costs are in addition to $31,000 in damages awarded to David Monaco and Florin Nikollaj by Superior Court Judge Michael J. Kassel. Superior Court Judge Donald J. Stein ordered King Street Pub on March 16 to pay the legal fees and costs of Monaco

and Nikollaj, totaling $9,390.02. The money will go to the law firm of Costello & Mains, based in Mt. Laurel, N.J., which has represented the couple in protracted litigation. In May 2015, the couple was subjected to an anti-LGBT assault inside the bar, which is located in Gloucester City, N.J., according to a civil suit filed by the couple in July 2016. Two bar patrons repeatedly hurled anti-LGBT slurs at the couple, grabbed food from Monaco’s plate and punched Monaco in the face, according to the suit. One of the assailants told the bar man-

ager he was “going to fuck with those fags,” according to the suit. “The bar manager, rather than taking any action to prevent that conduct, did absolutely nothing,” the suit states. The couple requested financial compensation from bar owner Stanley J. Bond but Bond refused to pay, according to court records. Neither side had a comment for this story. In a prior interview with PGN, Bond said he wouldn’t give any money to the couple. “I’d throw it in the river first before I gave them a nickel,” he said. n

pgn Philadelphia Gay News

LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Join us for Holy Week and Easter Holy Week Schedule of Services

Palm Sunday:

Holy Thursday:

Easter Sunday:

March 29, 7 p.m. Sat. Mar. 24, 4 p.m. April 1 Mass & Foot Washing Sun. Mar. 25, 8:45 a.m. 6 a.m. Sunrise Mass 10:45 a.m. Sunday Good Friday: 9 a.m. Easter Mass 30, Mass & Procession March 12 Noon - Adoration of the Cross 11 a.m. Easter Mass 12:30 p.m. - Living Stations of the Cross 1:30 p.m. - Seven Last Words 3:00 p.m. - Good Friday Service

Holy Saturday:

March 31, 7:00 p.m. - Easter Vigil; Full extended

liturgy with Baptisms and Conﬁrmations

St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Germantown welcomes you and your family year-round, but especially at this holy season! 109 E. Price Street Philadelphia 215-438-2925

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

CEO from page 1

Larry Benjamin, Mazzoni Center’s director of communications. Last year, Mazzoni Center was plagued by published reports of systemic racism, mismanagement and dysfunction. In April 2017, Robert Winn resigned as medical director amid charges of sexual misconduct. CEO Nurit Shein was asked by the board of directors to resign later that month, following accusations of delayed action on Winn’s alleged misconduct. Mazzoni Center “has had a tough year,” Gonzalez Sciarrino said. “But the organization has exceptional employees. In the midst of everything that’s happened, they’re still there.” Shein, an out lesbian, led the organization for 22 years. Her annual salary and compensation at the time of her departure in April 2017 was roughly $183,000, according to published reports. Gonzalez Sciarrino said her annual salary will eventually be released to the press. “We’re still in the process of finalizing the details of my employment, which will begin on April 2,” she said. The new leader said she has no plans to reach out to Shein for advice, but she’s

LOCAL PGN

been in contact with interim CEO Stephen Glassman to facilitate the transition. Glassman “will be a resource for me. Also, there are many leaders within the organization that I will consult.” She’s also the first Latinx individual to lead Mazzoni. “Every experience I’ve had will help me in this new position,” she

She said she hasn’t yet visited Mazzoni Center’s new $13.5 million building on Bainbridge Street, but said she will tour the facility on her first day, April 2. Gonzalez Sciarrino was asked her vision for Mazzoni Center’s future. “I have my own thoughts, but I want to hear what the staff has to say. I view them as individuals

said. “I want everyone to feel welcome and included at Mazzoni.” Last September, center employees voted 51-34 to unionize, organizing under the Service Employees International Union (the SEIU). “I will work with union reps; that’s not an issue at all. Union negotiations don’t have to be acrimonious. We’re all working to make positive changes in the organization,” Gonzalez Sciarrino said.

who know better what their clients need, want and wish for.” She also expressed excitement about leading Mazzoni Center when it celebrates its 40th birthday in June 2019. “I will not let the organization down,” she said. Gonzalez Sciarrino grew up in Puerto Rico but moved to Erie at age 20, where she attended Gannon University. She received a degree in finance from the university in 1989.

Two years later, Gonzalez Sciarrino earned a master’s degree in finance and accounting from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Her last day at Whole Family was Feb. 2 and she recently moved to Philadelphia, where her husband, Anthony Sciarrino, was already living. Anthony Sciarrino is a local attorney who specializes in the insurance field. The couple has been married for 24 years. “He’s a beautiful human being and a consummate professional,” she said. They don’t have any children. Gonzalez Sciarrino and her husband are currently renting an apartment in the Art Museum area, but hope to eventually purchase property in the city, she said. With her professional background and education, Gonzalez Sciarrino said she preers to continue in the nonprofit field rather than working in the corporate world. Mazzoni Center aligns with her core values, she said, one of which is to improve the lives of others. “It’s a good fit for me,” she said. “I view myself as someone who’s made a decision to go against the current, on a lot of issues.” n

Travel Destinations Off the Beaten Path Spring Travel Preview Coming April 20

DEADLINE TO ADVERTISE: APRIL 13 Please call 215-625-8501 to be included in this issue.

LOCAL PGN

Online and in print every first Friday.

Out Law

Angela Giampolo

Online and in print every second Friday.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Online and in print every third Friday.

Thinking Gettin’ On Queerly

Online and in print every fourth Friday.

Mombian Dana Rudolph

Kristina Furia

What special challenges does the LGBT community face when it comes to the law? Whether it’s adoption, co-habitation agreements or a will, Angela Giampolo shares legal advice for our community each month.

Thinking Queerly explores the psychological and social experiences of being LGBT in America and sheds light on the importance of LGBT community members prioritizing their mental health.

Only in

We’re all getting older. For LGBT seniors, being out in the golden years can pose a whole new set of challenges. Each month, Gettin’ On brings you insights on aging, from legal issues to sexual health.

Only in

An estimated one-third of LGBTs in Philadelphia have children. Every month, Dana Rudolph dissects parenting from our perspective, from watching your children grow up to teaching them how to deal with bullies, to interviews with authors and filmmakers.

Only in

pgn Ph LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

EDITORIAL PGN EDITORIAL

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Donald Trump yet again

Editorial

Give Mazzoni Center’s new CEO a chance This week, Mazzoni Center announced Lydia Gonzalez Sciarrino as its new CEO. With Mazzoni Center’s annual budget of $16.5 million and a presence deeply rooted in the LGBT community in Philadelphia and beyond, the impact of this new leader will be felt far and wide. The appointment comes almost a year after a series of scandals rocked the health center, which offers a variety of services tailored to LGBT clients. Last April, then-CEO Nurit Shein was asked by the board of directors to resign along with board president Jimmy Ruiz. Now, Mazzoni Center, after a five-month search, is finally turning the page on the past. Gonzalez Sciarrino’s career includes leadership of a range of nonprofit organizations, most recently as CEO of the Whole Family Health Center in Florida, described by its website as “offering comprehensive primary care services to the community regardless of patient’s socio-economic status and ability to pay.” Gonzalez Sciarrino previously served as CFO of the Sarah A. Reed Retirement Center in Erie. “Every experience I’ve had will help me in this new position,” Gonzalez Sciarrino told PGN in her first public comments since being hired as CEO. “I want everyone to feel welcome and included at Mazzoni Center.” Gonzalez Sciarrino is Mazzoni Center’s first non-LGBT CEO in nearly 40 years. Does it matter? Gonzalez Sciarrino appears to be a highly competent leader with a financial background and a demonstrated commitment to compassionate care for society’s most vulnerable members. Frankly, she could have her pick of corporate jobs. Let’s give her a chance. n

Hundreds of thousands of people, young time of this writing and old, took to the streets on March 24 the Defense secreto protest the despicable fact that the U.S. tary, but by the time allows its children to be gunned down at this goes to press it school on the regular. could just as likely Emma Gonzales, the Parkland senior be Dr. Strangelove), dismissed by Republican Leslie Gibson trans troops “underas a “skinhead lesbian,” gave a powermine readiness, ful speech at the March for Our Lives disrupt unit cohein Washington, D.C., which included sion and impose an a prolonged moment of silence. Paul unreasonable burMcCartney marched in New York, telling a den on the military.” CNN reporter, “One of my best friends was Which is some bullshit. killed in gun violence right around here. Trump has whined in the past about the So it’s important to me.” “tremendous medical costs” associated Donald Trump heard them loud and with trans troops. I wonder whether he’s clear. He did what any true leader would considered the tremendous medical costs do during this time of national crisis. He that will be associated with the troops he responded to this clarion call with (drumand John Bolton want to send into war roll, please) ... a ban on transgender troops! with North Korea and Iran. Probably not. What, did you Trump, who think he was going to doesn’t think very Trump, who doesn’t think deeply about things ban guns? Yes, our coward because — let’s very deeply about things in chief, a man who face it — he can’t, because — let’s face it — doesn’t see transhas never served in the military (though he can’t, doesn’t see transgender people as, he called himself “a well, people. He sees gender people as, well, great and very brave them as an episode solider” for dodging of some kind of surpeople. He sees them as STDs in the ‘90s: gical reality show on an episode of some kind “It is my personal TLC where the focus Vietnam,” he really on medical care of surgical reality show on isandallnot said), has once again so much on told trans troops to TLC where the focus is all humanity. GTFO. Service members You might remem- on medical care and not offer to give the ultiber that Trump tried mate sacrifice: their so much on humanity. doing this already lives. And while we and was sued. So, talk the big talk of while that first attempt is still being fought taking care of our troops, we don’t actually in court, the Trump administration decided do a great job of it. If you’d like a shining that a good ol’ trans troop ban was needed example, do a Google search for “homeless to distract from the nation’s schoolchildren veterans.” refusing to be used for target practice, and So if someone is willing to serve in the Anderson Cooper’s interview with porn military, especially under this completely actress Stormy Daniels about her sexy time unqualified and dangerous commander with the so-called president. in chief, the least we can give them is the The new ban is basically a blanket ban healthcare they need. on trans troops. If you’ve ever been diagCall your elected representatives and tell nosed with gender dysphoria, you’re out. them that you stand with trans troops. And If you’ve gone through any kind of gender then call the White House and ask Trump transition, you’re out. The good news is, how his bone spurs are doing. n if you’re trans but you stay in the closet D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comedian about it, you’re allowed to serve as your living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been biological sex dictates. writing about LGBT politics for over a decade. Follow According to James Mattis (who is at the her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.

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OP-ED PGN

‘Mike Pence is about to change my position’ former Alabama Attorney General Troy Is Vice President Mike Pence a closKing, former Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, a eted, deep-in-self-hate raging homo? Is gaggle of congressmen such as Mark Foley that self-hate so intolerable for him that … and that would only be the beginning. he’s become the commander in chief at We know the homophobic push in the the White House in pushing the most White House is driven by Pence since homophobic agenda since McCarthy’s we’ve heard it in the president’s own un-American hearings in the 1950s and words. Pence was the one who brought in the George W. Bush anti gay-marriage some of the most homophobic people in reelection bid? the administration. Trump has no ideology, When they witness a rabid homophobe, so he gave Pence the crumbs he many people in our commuwants for being his lap dog, and nity believe that they’re acting Trump also gets brownie points out due to their own sexuality with his right-wing base. issues. I’ve never subscribed Someone I’ve worked with to that point of view, but Mike worked for a while in the Trump Pence is about to change my White House, so I asked him position. Like you, I’ve heard about my theory. All he would the rumors that he went through do was roll his eyes. conversion therapy, and that’s There was a “Saturday Night why his wife is almost attached Live” joke that went like this: to him at the dinner table, but Donald Trump looking around I’m still not completely won after everyone in a room talks over to this view as yet. But about all his misdeeds, and hey, I’m getting there. they suggest that he might be In my years of activism, I’ve impeached. Trump responds, dealt with almost every kind of why I picked Mike political being and their posiMark Segal “That’s Pence as my vice president; he’s tion, both pro and con, but never my insurance policy.” have I seen a man so full of Jokes aside, insurance doesn’t mathate trying to push an anti-LGBT agenda ter. Either way, the LGBT community is in almost every department in the federal screwed. n government — as though it were personal. Guess I could prove the point by listing all the anti-gay Republican elected officials Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s mostaward-winning commentator in LGBT media. You who work against our community, but that can follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ list is longer than my column allows. But MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter.com/ maybe a few to refresh your memory: The PhilaGayNews.

Mark My Words

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Street Talk Would you vote for a candidate that accepted money from the NRA? "No. Gun violence is very prevalent in society. The NRA isn't helping to prevent deaths from gun violence. Imtiaz Alam Therefore, I'd teacher never vote Gayborhood for anyone who has anything to do with the NRA. The NRA has a lot of power. I'd like to see the NRA use their power for good."

“No, never. I want the elimination of guns in society. NRA leaders are nothing but manipulative fear-mongers. They’re James Mooney power bartender hungry. And Media we need to stop them. Any candidate that takes their money wouldn’t get my vote.”

"No. I don't like the NRA. I can't vote for a candidate that takes NRA money because I'm against what the Maya Pirulli NRA stands student for. I just South Philadelphia wish we had appropriate gun-control laws in America."

"No. I'm a firm opponent of people having access to automatic weapons and militarygrade weapons. The NRA supports Francis Young access store manager to those South Philadelphia weapons. So I couldn't vote for a candidate that received money from the NRA."

Op-Ed ‘We need you to be counted’: Why data collection matters By Adrian Shanker and Chris Bartlett There is a funder who frequently says, “Without the data, the chatta don’t matta.” And you know what, they’re right. That’s why in 2015 and 2016, LGBT community centers across Pennsylvania joined the Pennsylvania Department of Health to measure LGBT health disparities. We didn’t have the local data in Philadelphia, in Erie, in Allentown — data that would demonstrate how an LGBT community in a rural county, or in an urban core, or in our suburban col-

lar counties, fares when it comes to the health of our community. Three years ago we learned staggering information: LGBT communities experience health disparities in almost every health area. For example, we learned that LGBT people in the Philadelphia area consume illegal drugs at nearly three times the rate of the majority population, consume tobacco at more than double the rate of the majority population and are receiving cancer screenings less frequently than non-LGBT people. The data also told us that LGBT communities are resilient in our desire to lead healthy lives, even in the face of structural

We want to know!

barriers to care. LGBT Philadelphians said they wanted information about healthy eating, active living and tobacco cessation. The data that was collected in 2015 and 2016 has informed health programs at LGBT centers throughout Pennsylvania. Data matters because it tells us what to prioritize. This year, LGBT community organizations across Pennsylvania are again working together to measure LGBT health. We’re doing this for one reason: Our community deserves data. There’s a saying that when we’re not counted, we don’t count, and that’s why this is so important. Together, LGBT centers

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.

are collaborating to collect data on the health of our community, and we will use the data to inform our programs and to know where more work is needed. But we need your help. We need you to be counted. Here is how: Participate in the 2018 Pennsylvania LGBT Health Needs Assessment at bit.ly/pana0318 in order to move toward health equity. n Adrian Shanker is the executive director of the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. Chris Bartlett is the executive director of the William Way LGBT Community Center.

PGN

International

one of at least eight countries that have used forced anal exams since 2010. Six are in Africa. In the current case, two Kenyan men in 2016 were charged with engaging in homosexuality. Police asked the high court to order the men to undergo anal examinations.

Swedish transgender people Kenyan court blocks anal awarded compensation for probe as test for homosexuality forced sterilizations A Kenyan appeals court has blocked authorities from using an anal examination to test whether two men had gay sex, which is criminalized in the East African nation. Appellate Court Judge Alnashir Visram on March 22 said the high-court decision was unconstitutional and violated human rights. Eric Gitari, chairman of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission in Kenya, calls the ruling a “tremendous” step in upholding the dignity of homosexuals. Activists have called the tests torture. Human Rights Watch has said Kenya is

Sweden has become the first country in the world to compensate transgender people who were forced to undergo sterilization to change their sex. About 700 Swedes who were sterilized between 1972 and 2013 will be eligible for compensation. Sweden’s largest organization for gay and transgender rights, RFSL, welcomed what representatives called a “historic decision.” “We have strived for this since 2013 when the requirement of sterilization to change one’s legal gender was abolished,” RFSL spokesperson Emelie Mire Åsell said

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

in a statement. “Money can’t undo the harm of unwillingly losing your reproductive abilities, but the monetary compensation is an important step for the state to make amends to all those subjected to this treatment.” The organization is also seeking a public apology from the Swedish government. In the early 1970s, Sweden became the first country in the world to allow transgender people to change their sex legally. However, until 2013, transgender people had to be infertile before their sex change was recognized officially, on the grounds that such people were considered mentally ill and unfit to care for a child. The Swedish government has already offered payouts to victims of a nationwide eugenics policy that saw thousands of people forcibly sterilized between 1972 and 1999. Transgender people can apply for up to $35,000 each from May 1. Many European countries, such as Finland, Switzerland and Greece, still require transgender people who want to legally change their gender to undergo sterilization, according to Transgender Europe.

Thousands of Croatian far-right supporters march in Zagreb Thousands of Croatia’s far-right supporters marched March 24 in downtown Zagreb to protest an international convention they say indirectly legalizes gay marriages and gives rights to transgender people. The protesters sang patriotic songs and chanted slogans against Croatia’s center-right government for approving the so-called Istanbul Convention that was adopted by the European Council in 2011 but still hasn’t been ratified by Croatia’s parliament. Croatia’s conservative opposition and the Catholic Church, the organizers of Saturday’s protest, say they are for combating violence against women and domestic violence, which is the main point of the convention, but are against its alleged introduction of “a third gender” into society. Since joining the European Union in 2013, Croatia has been drifting toward the conservative far-right. n — compiled by Larry Nichols

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.

Media Trail First woman, LGBT leader of California Senate sworn in The San Francisco Chronicle reports Sen. Toni Atkins became the first woman and first LGBT person to lead the California Senate on March 21, pledging to work toward changing the Capitol culture amid a reckoning over sexual misconduct. A rainbow flag representing gay pride hung next to the California and U.S. flags in the Capitol rotunda as the San Diego Democrat was formally elected Senate pro tem and took the oath of office, administered by Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye. “It’s the first time. And it’s about time,” Atkins said. “I came to the Senate to make progress, not history.” Atkins takes over as the legislature faces ongoing scrutiny over its handling of sexual misconduct, upcoming budget negotiations and the 2018 elections. Democrats lost supermajorities in the Senate and Assembly when three lawmakers resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Some lobbyists and female legislative staffers have fiercely criticized the legislature for fostering a culture where

women don’t feel comfortable coming forward to report sexual harassment or abuse. “To some extent, we bear the burden of past sins too often swept under the rug,” Atkins said. “We can’t change the past. But we can and we should be judged on how we shape the future.” Her election as president pro tem is a return to legislative leadership for the 55-year-old Atkins, who was Assembly speaker from 2014-16. She ran a women’s health clinic in San Diego before turning full-time to local and state politics. She replaces Los Angeles Democrat Kevin de Leon, who is leaving because of term limits and is running for U.S. Senate. “She knows what it’s like to struggle; how it feels to have the deck stacked against you from the very beginning,” de Leon said, comparing her upbringing in poverty in Appalachian Virginia to his own in San Diego. Atkins took a subtle swipe at President Donald Trump and his pledge to “make America great again.” “There will always be people in this line of work who cling to a gauzy version of a simpler past,” she said. “These are the good old days.”

Louisiana high court rejects LGBT rights order WDSU.com reports by a vote of 4-3, Louisiana’s Supreme Court has rejected Gov. John Bel Edwards’ attempt to revive his executive order protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

Please include a daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, style and space considerations.

people in state government. The court on March 24 refused to hear arguments on Edwards’ April 2016 order banning discrimination in state government and state contracts based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry had challenged the Democratic governor’s order. A state district judge and appellate court agreed that it constituted an unconstitutional attempt to expand state law. Justices Greg Guidry, Scott Crichton, James Genovese and Marcus Clark rejected the case without comment. Chief Justice Bernette Johnson dissented, calling the order a “rational policy choice.” She was joined by Justices Jefferson Hughes and John Weimer.

Iowa library to separate books after complaints about LGBTQ Sioux City Journal reports a northwest Iowa library is shifting how it categorizes books after some residents pressed for segregating materials containing LGBTQ themes. The Orange City Public Library’s board decided March 20 to experiment with grouping books by subject and subcategory rather than alphabetical order by an author’s name. The library’s board president, Jared Weber, said the changes may start with a trial run on a few subjects over the sum-

mer and expand to the rest of the library if patrons like the new system. The move comes a month after some community members circulated a petition calling on the library to label and separate materials involving LGBTQ issues. The petition, which received more than 340 signatures, also asked the library to seek public input before acquiring new materials on LGBTQ topics. The library board will vote next month on revising the library’s policy to require an additional check on acquisitions. The board unanimously voted Tuesday to keep the children’s book “Morris Mickelwhite and the Tangerine Dress” by Christine Baldacchino, which features a boy whose peers don’t understand why he enjoys wearing a dress. Resident Kurt Korver brought forward the book to the library board, saying it advances a transgender agenda. He said Orange City residents aren’t “racists, bigots or homophobes” but rather “generous, caring people who generally pity those who have gender dysphoria.” Korver accused the materials of trying to “indoctrinate” local youth. Board member Mabel Mantel said banning the book is counterproductive, and that it’s parents’ responsibility to monitor their children’s reading. “You have to set the parameters and you have to make the decisions and you have to enforce them,” she said. “Not us. Not the library board that meets one hour a month.” n — compiled by Larry Nichols

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

PGN SIAS from page 1

MAKING GREAT THINGS HAPPEN IN THE 175TH. LOOK AROUND!

due to one judge retiring, one judge leaving the bench as a result of misconduct and three judges being elected to higher judicial posts. The Philadelphia Municipal Court also has a vacancy due to the removal of out lesbian Dawn A. Segal for misconduct. J.J. Abbott, a spokesperson for Wolf, declined to specifically address Sias’ pending application. “The [nomination] process is ongoing,” Abbott said in a March 23 email. “At this point, applications are still being reviewed, but Gov. Wolf values diversity on the bench.” Sias, 41, was unsuccessful in his bid for a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judgeship in the May 2017 primary election but made a strong showing. Sias is a 2015 graduate of Yale Law School who served as a law clerk for several well-known judges, including Pennsylvania Supreme Court Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan. Between 2007-08, he was employed at the Center City law firm Blank Rome, specializing in the fields of white-collar criminal law, general commercial litigation, mass torts, and political asylum. In August 2011, Sias cofounded Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, a nonprofit legal-aid organization informally known as the Expungement Project. The project has performed thousands of free criminal expungements for low-in-

Out Money

Jeremy Gussick

come Philadelphians, including within the LGBT community. In April 2017, after an extensive vetting process, Sias received a “recommended” rating from the Philadelphia Bar Association to serve as a Common Pleas or Municipal judge. “The Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention thoroughly investigates candidates for judicial office and promotes judicial candidates whom the Commission has recommended based on its investigations,” said Colin J. Beisel, co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Committee, in a March 26 email. “The Commission recognizes the importance of including diverse candidates, including LGBT candidates, among those whom the Commission recommends for judicial office. And the list of the Commission’s recommended candidates will be shared with Gov. Wolf.” Sias currently works as a solo practitioner based in South Philadelphia. If Sias is nominated and confirmed, he would serve on an interim basis through 2019. If he wishes to continue serving, he’d have to run in the May 2019 Democratic primary election in Pennsylvania. If victorious in the primary and general elections, his term as a judge would be 10 years. Sias declined to comment for this story, other than to confirm that he applied to the governor’s office to be nominated as a Common Pleas judge. n SIMS from page 1

28 reading in part: “We’ve got just three days left to meet our grassroots fundraising goal of $8,000 for March.” It was not immediately clear how much Sims has raised of that $8,000 goal this month. Lanni, who is openly gay and a Philadelphia native, ran against Sims for state representative in 2016 and in 2011 as a Republican in the First District. Last year, Gov. Wolf pardoned Lanni’s previous conviction for fraud, which forced him to leave the race in 2011. Lanni said his key issues include passing hate-crime legislation, improving public safety and ending gridlock in Harrisburg. Lanni told the Philadelphia Gay News in 2016, “We are very poorly led in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. And we can do a whole lot better.” n

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STATE REP MIKE O’BRIEN

RepMikeObrien.com Paid for by Citizens to Elect Mike O’Brien

Only in Online and in print every second Friday.

YOUTH CONTRIBUTIONS PGN

The next step: ‘Being trans is a happy thing’ By Alex Khan It’s not a feeling I’d let myself get used to — that sense of relief and belonging. I want to savor it, so I can’t use it all at once. There’s something sour about the words “positive trans experience,” almost as though having good experiences with trans people is something meant to be scarce. It’s not, or it’s not supposed to be, but sometimes those brief moments when you’re in a solely, or mostly, trans space, it feels happy. There’s nothing inherently wrong with other spaces, like those with family, it’s just ... different. A different kind of happy. Recently, I began treatment at the Mazzoni Center for hormone therapy. I’d spent too long dwelling on life and wondering if I’d ever make it to being the picture of myself I wanted to see. No more “I’ll never get there” without even trying. I had the money, so I figured now was a good time to start making an effort towards it. Making my own appointments was the first step. I’ve been out as trans for nearly five years now, and with finally having a steady job, I thought it was time I take those extra steps and start really caring for myself better. I’d made my appointment a month in advance; the Mazzoni Center’s schedules are always packed. When the end of February came, I found myself

taking a bus to a part of the city I’d never been. I thought I’d get lost. (I didn’t.) I was kind of scared, really nervous, and a bit hesitant to let myself be comfortable in a strange environment. I’d been worried for weeks that they’d find something that would prevent me from starting T [testosterone]. (They haven’t.) The health center is on the second floor … talk to someone at the check in, and check in. There was a woman at the front desk when I went in, her name and pronouns on a little placard next to her desk. It was like that for everyone. I don’t think I’d ever talked directly to an adult trans person before in my life. Sure, I’d met fellow trans teenagers, but never had I met someone in a professional field that was happily trans. I can’t really explain the feeling; it’s something that can only be felt when you’re there; when the time is absolutely right and this is where you’re meant to be. It was happy. The kind of happy that catches your voice in your throat, and makes you feel like crying but for a good reason. I start on T in about a month, and I look forward to every appointment after that. I don’t want to get used to this feeling yet. It’s still fresh in my mind, and I want it to stay that way. I want the happy feeling to be present when I need it most. It’s a happy place. Being trans is a happy thing. I’m happy. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

The ‘Blue Wave’ will be undone on April 23 unless you act now By Sean Morris PGN Contributor In December 2017, despite the online backlash and urging against it, the FCC, under the leadership of Ajit Pai (himself a former lawyer for Verizon,) voted to disband the net neutrality rules. Some readers might be under the impression that since then, we’ve been fine without net neutrality. In fact, net neutrality does not fully start to come apart until April 23, and with it, the protections that net neutrality provides. Without net neutrality, “Internet providers can speed up or slow down certain websites, or even outright not allow you to access them at all,” Anthony Copsey, an organizer of a recent pro-net-neutrality protest in Philadelphia, told me in an online interview. “Obviously, this is a form of censorship in every sense of the word, because what if an Internet provider doesn’t like a specific political view? Well, they can simply prevent you from seeing it.” Here’s how the repeal of net neutrality can affect the LGBT community and other activist groups: “If you don’t have the funds to pay for certain websites, then you just won’t get [access to] them,” said Copsey. “If you are struggling financially, then you can’t access the Internet the same way others can. This can prevent many

people from seeing what’s happening and knowing about these movements.” That means activism and other movements will lose visibility without net neutrality, he added. The fight is not completely over. Battleforthenet.com has a guide of politicians who are for, neutral on and against net neutrality. A bill to overturn the FCC’s rules is now gaining traction in D.C. It’s urgent that you, your friends and your family get in touch with every representative and senator who is either voting no or has not committed either way. And not just in your state; contact every senator you can. Battleforthenet.com has pre-written tweets you can send out in seconds. News reports indicate that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is considering passing an executive order protecting net neutrality, similar to orders in New York and Washington. We must push for this pro-net neutrality governor to pass this legislation as soon as possible, regardless of what happens nationally. Please, I encourage — no, beg — everyone who reads this article or even this headline to take action now against this terror attack on our free speech. Make no mistake: Our freedoms are under attack, and only if we never relent will we be victorious; not just for yourself but for future generations, who deserve and need to have free access to the Internet. n

“I was too doped up on morphine to explain why I jumped” By James Pagano PGN Contributor Suicide attempt, I presume they assumed. The fifth-floor drop resulted in two fractured shoulders, a shattered pelvis, several broken bones in the spine, and a nasty footlong gash running along the left bicep. The appeal to stop my screaming was stronger than the appeal to determine the motivation behind the action. Hence, the narcotic sedation that rendered me mostly silent. Major depressive, they concluded ... if not, bipolar. Schizophrenic. Without more than a few mumbled words, I was quickly shipped off to heal for the next few months on the psych floor. Apparently, the law requires a binding analysis by two psychiatrists in order to commit someone. I just got the one blurry analysis, though. Honestly, I don’t blame them. I wasn’t exactly in the right frame of mind to explain that the substance use fueled psychotic reaction. I get it. What stable-minded individual jumps

through a window that high? At first, psych didn’t seem that bad. Well, I wasn’t allowed a phone, a television, or any relatively sharp objects, but I did have a rare privilege in the hospital: a room to myself. The uncommonness of this type of privacy made the honor truly delectable. And, having spent the past few days on medical floors, rooming with a groaning stab-wound victim and an amputee with a broken “I-need-a-nurse” button, I understood the misfortune of the alternative. So, when they presented me with the option to leave the floor after they officially deemed me psychologically stable, I chose to stay. The next three months of healing on the psych floor were the hardest days of my life. I didn’t know if I wanted my sexuality to be known there. It was the psych floor. I don’t think it was ignorant or impolite to have expected reactions that weren’t exactly typical. Still ...

“I’m actually gay,” I heard myself blurt out after my nurse technician asked if I had a girlfriend. He was one of my regular aides, tasked with watching me 24 hours aday. I figured he wouldn’t mind. He

The only inkling of my sexuality was the dozens of drawings of muscular torsos that I kept hidden in my journal. Most of the staff had no clue why I was constantly reading Men’s Health magazines. didn’t. He spent the next six hours explaining to me in detail all of his sexual preferences. After a chat with my disgruntled father, the nurse was banned from my room. I didn’t want him fired. But I also didn’t want to hear an account of the length and

girth of all of his past suitors. I kept my gayness mostly to myself from then on out. It wasn’t hard. The only inkling of my sexuality was the dozens of drawings of muscular torsos that I kept hidden in my journal. Most of the staff had no clue why I was constantly reading Men’s Health magazines. It was like I went back inside the closet. Not because of shame this time, but because of safety. Comfort. I did tell one patient. Her name was Shineigh. My stable but schizophrenic neighbor. It’s tough to think of myself as appealing during that time. I lost 20 pounds as my muscles atrophied. My hair was thick and poofy with no barber available. I wore glasses as my contacts were deemed contraband. My facial hair grew in patchy and uneven. Razors were contraband too. “Yeah, actually I like men,” I told Shineigh as we played Go Fish one day. She rolled her eyes. ”Oh honey, I’m so sorry.” We laughed. n

The next issue for youth submissions will be Aug. 31. Email editor@epgn.com for more information on being included.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

PGN

Every late-night fever. Every good-morning hug. We’re with you every step. As one of the nation’s leading children’s health systems, Nemours has made a promise to bring you the care you need — where and when you need it. So whether you need a trusted primary care pediatrician, a renowned pediatric specialist, even surgical or therapy services close to home, Nemours is here for you.

See the ways we’re with you at Nemours.org. Nemours.org.

YYour our child. Our promise.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

When It Comes To Your Money… Experience Counts Serving our LGBT Community for over a decade. • Retirement Income Planning • Investment Management • Estate Planning • Insurance and Annuities

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Psst, want a good deal on advertising? PGN directory ads are terriﬁc way to get your message out. Email prab@epgn.com or call 215-625-8501 ext. 212 for more info.

Spring is almost here!

Take a bite out of it.

Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month

- and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com.

PGN

Art Museum / Fairmount

Jack’s Firehouse La Calaca Feliz London Grill Rose Tattoo Cafe Center City East

Dine at a participating restaurant on April 19 and 33% of your food bill will benefit local services in the fight against AIDS.

PRESENTED BY ACTION WELLNESS E V E N T B E N E F I T S H I V / A I D S P R O G R A M S AT :

Action Wellness • AIDS Delaware Camden Area Health Education Center Planned Parenthood Southeastern PA

Makers Market Local artisans that supply our Dining Out restaurants will be at the Food Truck Pop Up

, and some will be offering up

one of a kind flavors and brews throughout the month of April, with proceeds going to Action Wellness. John and Kira’s

ReAnimator Coffee

Machine Shop Boulangerie

Weckerly’s

Manatawny Still Works

Yards Brewing Company

Amis Trattoria Barbuzzo Bocconcini Bud & Marilyn’s Caribou Café Cheu Noodle Bar Craftsman Row Saloon El Vez Franky Bradley’s Giorgio On Pine IndeBlue Jamonera Jones Knock Little Nonna’s Lolita Mercato More Than Just Ice Cream Morimoto Nomad Roman Opa Porta Ristorante Aroma Sampan Tabu Talula’s Daily Talula’s Garden The Tavern Time Tria Cafe Wash West Valanni Varga Bar Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro Writer’s Block Rehab ZINC Center City West

a.kitchen Alma de Cuba Audrey Claire Barclay Prime Bellini Grill Butcher and Singer Continental Midtown COOK The Dandelion Day by Day El Rey Good Dog Bar Harp & Crown Restaurant The Love Metropolitan Cafe Mission Taqueria

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

My Thai Nineteen Oyster House Parc The Prime Rib Seafood Unlimited SliCE Rittenhouse Square Square 1682 Tria Cafe Rittenhouse Tria Taproom Wafﬂes & Wedges

Le Virtu Noord P’unk Burger SliCE Italian Market Stargazy Taproom on 19th Villa Di Roma University City

CO/OP Restaurant and Lounge Pod

Chestnut Hill / Mount Airy

Schmear It

Bacio Paris Bistro

Bucks County

Manayunk

Adobe Cafe Manayunk The Spicy Belly Northern Liberties Fishtown / Kensington

Bourbon and Branch Fette Sau Frankford Hall Heritage Loco Pez Mad Rex Restaurant Martha North 3rd Restaurant Original 13 Ciderworks Silk City SliCE Fishtown Old City

Buddakan Continental Restaurant DiNardo’s Famous Seafood Fork High Street on Market Lucha Cartel National Mechanics Panorama Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti Race Street Cafe Spasso Italian Grill Society Hill / South Street

Beau Monde Bistro Romano Bistrot La Minette Nomad Pizza Pizzeria Stella Serpico South Philadelphia / East Passyunk Ave.

Adobe Cafe Bing Bing Dim Sum Brigantessa Fond

Poco’s The Raven

southern new jersey

Barnsboro Inn Carlucci’s Waterfront CousCous Moroccan Cuisine El Sitio Grill & Cafe Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar (Moorestown) Keg & Kitchen Kitchen 519 L’Oceano Ristorante Norma’s Restaurant Nunzio Ristorante Rustico Oasis Mexican Grill Pop Shop Collingswood Robin’s Nest Restaurant Sabrina’s Cafe Collingswood

Chester County

Sapori Trattoria

Avalon Restaurant Cedar Hollow Inn Restaurant and Bar Éclat Chocolate High Street Caffe and Vudu Lounge

Steak 38 Café Tre Famiglia Ristorante Villa Barone Westmont Bagel Westmont Diner

Red Star Craft House Delaware County

Broadway Bar and Grill Diego’s Cantina and Tequila Bar Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar (Glen Mills) La Belle Epoque Wine Bistro Lotus Farm to Table The Original Clam Tavern Pinocchio’s Restaurant. Spasso Italian Grill Sterling Pig Brewery Tap 24 Montgomery County

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar (North Wales) Spring Mill Cafe Trax Restaurant and Cafe Viggiano’s BYOB White Elephant Restaurant Delaware

Food Truck Pop Up Saturday, April 14, 2018 11am TO 3pm 1300 block of Locust Street

Chef Johnny Bravo’s Surf n Turf Chewy’s The Cow and The Curd Cupcake Carnivale El Tlaloc Farm Truck Philly

BBC Tavern and Grill Bellefonte Cafe Christa-Bell’s Caribbean Cuisine Cromwell’s American Tavern and Taqueria Eden Restaurant Ernest & Scott Taproom Jam Bistro By Eden Mariachi Restaurant Timothy’s of Newark Tutto Fresco

Foolish Wafﬂes

Walter’s Steakhouse

Wafﬂes & Wedges

Gigi’s and Big R Mama’s Meatballs Mom-Mom’s Polish Food Cart Nomad Pizza Truck Oink and Moo BBQ Surf and Turf Truck The Tot Cart

Make an additional donation of $25 or more to receive a 20% Off Tuesday card which entitles you to 20% off of your table’s food bill on Tuesday evenings throughout the year at these restaurants! TThese restaurants are donating 33% of all food and beverage sales on April 19.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

PGN

PHILLY PR IDE ! The 30th anniversary Philadelphia Pride Parade and Festival is June 10

PGN’s Pride Issue will be June 8 — Interested advertisers should reserve space by June 1. Call 215-625-8501 for details.

How How will will you you show show your your Pride? Pride?

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Getting married?

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTORY rev. dr. Nadine

Rosechild Sullivan, ph.d.

Spiritual Counseling drsullivan@rosechild.org

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FEATURE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly

Page Page Page Page

29 30 33 27

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LIVE FROM

NEW HOPE Television icons take the stage in Bucks County productions By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Stars from classic and beloved television shows and film will star in a pair of theatrical shows at the Bucks County Playhouse. The first up is Emmy-winning actor and television icon Ed Asner, starring in “A Man and His Prostate,” a one-man show written by Philadelphia native and ninetime Emmy winner Ed Weinberger. Based on a real experience, the stage comedy is an unflinching and heartwarming examination of Weinberger’s encounter with pain, relief and the retrieval of his manhood when his vacation in Italy takes an unexpected turn after he is rushed to a hospital for pros-

tate-cancer surgery. Faced with an operation he doesn’t want, in a medical system he doesn’t understand, he decides he won’t take any of life’s injustices sitting down. “It’s wonderfully funny,” Asner told PGN about the show, running March 30-April 1. “It’s written beautifully enough and we keep them entertained the whole time. Women are the hardest laughers of all.” Asner said that while the show overflows with humor, it also touches on some lessthan-pleasant facts about prostate cancer. “The salient point is, a man dies of prostate cancer in this country every 16 minutes.” Asner has portrayed a wide range of characters, both comedic and dramatic,

throughout his long and storied career, ranging from kind-hearted souls to irrepressible scoundrels. Asner said he’s never shied away from taking roles that are the opposite of his personality. “I’m quite willing to take as big a stretch as possible,” he said. “When I was cast as Axel Jordache in ‘Rich Man, Poor Man,’ I loved the book and I love the character. But I didn’t think I was right for it. Yet it’s one of the characters I’m best known for. I’ve scored better in comedy than I have in drama, so I guess I should keep doing what I’ve learned to do well. It’s worked out well for me playing both sides of the street. I have fans from both areas and I would hate to limit myself.”

Two actors from the classic series “Family Ties” are reuniting on the Bucks County Playhouse stage from April 4-8. Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross are starring in “Love Letters,” the story of two friends, Andrew and Melissa, who sustain a romantic friendship through written correspondence over the course of 30 years. Baxter and Gross spent a number of seasons portraying loving former hippie parents, Steven and Elyse Keaton on “Family Ties.” Out actress Baxter said that she knows the expectations that audiences will bring to “Love Letters,” even though the characters have little in common with the Keatons. “I love to be working with Michael,” Baxter said of her former PAGE 26

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

these characters, they will go where we go. castmate. “When people see names linked Just know that it is a very worthy trip that they that they are familiar with, they might often take with us.” come with those expectations. And some- Since classic sitcom revivals are all the rage times you come to see those characters, but these days, we thought we’d ask Baxter about my expectation is that they will stay to see the possibility of maybe … But she cut us off with a decisive answer the play.” Baxter said she hopes the play also draws before we even got the question out. audiences who have never seen or probably “Nope! Nope! Not at all.” even heard of “Family Ties,” which she All right then. Moving on. We also asked her if coming out, which she would view as a good thing. “ I think people bring more to the table did in 2009, had any noticeable effect on her when they aren’t coming with a predis- career. posed idea of what they want to see or “It’s hard to say,” she replied. “There’s so whatever it is they’re looking for, and come much ageism in the industry that it’s hard to see this play. So you’ll recognize the per- know why they’re saying no. My career kind former but you will stay and see [something of slowed down anyway, which is not unusual for women. So I don’t know whether I would different].” “Love Letters” has been performed chalk it up to ageism or the fact that I was a lesnationally by a who’s who of notable actors. Baxter said the story is what keeps talented performers signing up to play these characters. “The writing is so rich,” she said. “The characterizations are wonderful, moving and MEREDITH BAXTER AND MICHAEL GROSS hilariously funny.” Baxter added that she feels a kinship with bian. They don’t usually tell you these things. It just gets a little cooler for whatever reason.” the character of Melissa. “We have a shared childhood in some way; Bucks County Playhouse presents “A a certain kind of unhappiness that you recog- Man and His Prostate” starring Ed Asner nize and you feel like kindred spirits in a way,” March 30-April 1, and “Love Letters” starring she said. “Michael and I have performed this Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter April 4-8, many times together and what is so satisfying 70 S. Main St., New Hope. For more inforis that the audience will take this journey with mation or tickets, call 215-862-2121 or visit us. I believe that if they stay and care about www.bcptheater.org. n NEW HOPE from page 25

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Five new CDs by female artists bring disparate styles By Ray Simon PGN Contributor Brandi Carlile “By the Way, I Forgive You” Low Country Sound / Elektra www.brandicarlile. com Carlile’s latest album is a moody affair populated with doomed addicts and exasperated lovers. As she sings on “Harder to Forgive,” “I don’t always choose to stay on the sunny side.” But that song ends with a rousing crescendo, hinting at a glimmer of hope found in these 10 songs. Even “Sugartooth,” the record’s darkest track, expresses genuine empathy for a troubled soul. In contrast, “The Joke,” which is the lead single, offers plainspoken encouragement to kids who are different. “I saw your eyes behind your hair, and you’re looking tired, but you don’t look scared,” Carlile sings. Her country-tinged voice fits well with the music’s Americana vibe, and when she lets loose like she does on the chorus of “Hold Out Your Hand,” the result is rousing. The record includes two thoughtful ruminations on parenthood, “Most of All” and “The Mother.” On the latter, Carlile notes of her daughter, “The first things that she took from me were selfishness and sleep.” Her point being: It was worth it. Lucy Dacus “Historian” Matador Records www.lucydacus.com Unexpected turns of phrase and touches of dark humor elevate this variation on indie rock. “Night Shift,” the opening track, begins with the startling lines: “The first time I tasted somebody else’s spit, I had a coughing fit.” It’s a breakup song, and as the guitars get louder and louder, Dacus repeats, “You’ve got a nine-to-five, so I’ll take the night shift, and I’ll never see you again, if I can help it.” Soft/loud dynamics are a familiar indie technique that Dacus skillfully employs, but some songs are embellished with strings or horns. She’s also unafraid to ven-

ture beyond the genre. “Yours & Mine,” with its bluesy tone, brings out the soulful side of her contralto. “Me and mine, (me and mine), we’ve got a long way to go, before we get home,” she sings. Dacus also blithely ignores consistency. “Nonbeliever” is about losing one’s faith, among other things, but “Pillar of Truth,” a poignant song about a loved one’s impending death, unapologetically invokes the Lord. Mary Gauthier “Rifles & Rosary Beads” In the Black Records www.marygauthier. com Every song on this moving record was cowritten with wounded veterans or their family members. Together, they offer a candid glimpse of military service and its aftermath. The music is generally spare: acoustic guitar, mandolin or fiddle. And Gauthier’s conversational singing voice lets the lyrics convey the emotions. The songs cover topics ranging from the stress of combat to survivor’s guilt. “Soldiering On,” the opener, sets the tone. A veteran accustomed to shutting down his emotions in combat struggles to readjust to civilian life. “But what saves you in the battle, can kill you at home,” Gauthier sings. “The War After the War” is about military wives whose husbands return home utterly broken. “I get no basic training, I get no Purple Heart,” the singer ruefully notes. Unfortunately, women in uniform fight battles on multiple fronts. The chorus of “Iraq,” about an army mechanic who’s sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers, somberly concludes, “And it was so hard to see, until it attacked, but my enemy, wasn’t Iraq.” Fanny Walked the Earth “Fanny Walked the Earth” Blue Élan Records www.facebook.com/ FannyWalkedTheEarth A classic rock vibe suffuses this record, which is fitting. After all, Fanny was one of the first all-female rock

bands, issuing a handful of albums in the early 1970s. This release, the band’s first in decades, reunites core members Brie Darling (drums), June Millington (guitar), and Jean Millington Adamian (bass). These 60-somethings sure do rock. The opener, “Lured Away,” puts listeners on notice: “It’s fuckin’ scary. I kinda like this!” Darling sings. “When We Need Her,” an invocation of female spirit, has great harmonies and features guest vocals from Cherie Currie of the Runaways and Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles. Female empowerment is a common theme, whether it’s the lighthearted party song “Girls on the Road,” about starting a band when you’re just 17, or “Cool Girl,” with its handclaps and funky middle section. As Darling sings, “You know anyone can say they’re gonna be somebody. You already are.” Throughout, Darling and Adamian lock into a tight groove, and Millington’s tasty guitar solos propel the songs forward. Tune-Yards “I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life” 4AD Records www.tune-yards.com On Tune-Yards’ fourth release, Merrill Garbus continues her exploration of rhythm. As the handclaps and programmed drums signal, this is dance music — but as the snappy single “ABC 123” demonstrates, her approach is cerebral and slightly off-kilter. Most of the album’s 12 songs are political, either obliquely or directly. On the opener, “Heart Attack,” Garbus unleashes her powerful contralto two-thirds of the way in: “Oh, it’s giving me a heart attack-ack-ack. Don’t let me lose my soul!” And on “Coast to Coast,” she mentions right and left before singing, “See you in the middle, when the walls come tumbling down to the sea.” “Colonizer” is especially interesting. Garbus is wellknown for incorporating black musical genres like Afrobeat and Haitian drumming into her music. When she sings, “I use my white woman’s voice to tell stories of travels with African men,” she’s acknowledging her white privilege and pushing herself. Nate Brenner’s bass playing is excellent, adding a woozy dub feel to songs like “Home” and distorted fuzz on “Free.” n

Travel Destinations Off the Beaten Path Spring Travel Preview Coming April 20 DEADLINE TO ADVERTISE: APRIL 13 Please call 215-625-8501 to be included in this issue.

PGN PROFILE

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Suzi Nash

Happy Bear Phil Cochetti on rugby, leather and coming out in high school What’s it like growing from a little cub to a big bear? Which celebrity would he put in leather? This week’s Portrait, Phil Cochetti, runs the Happy Bear events at Tabu Lounge and tells all. PGN: What is Happy Bear? PC: It’s a weekly bear happy hour event, every Friday from 5-9 p.m., upstairs at Tabu Lounge. The goal is to promote a social atmosphere where folks can mingle and talk easily, grab a bite and kick back after the work week. We welcome all who appreciate a cold drink, warm atmosphere, and Philly’s hot bear, cub, salmon and otter communities. PGN: How did it get started? PC: Paul Grossman from the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus is a friend of mine and, in 2014, he approached me with a few ideas including Happy Bear. I wasn’t able to participate at the time, so he got it started with Josh Schonewolf. But then he had to pull away because of some of his other commitments, so I stepped in. PGN: For those who don’t know, give me Bear 101. PC: Bears are what they sound like: usually hairier guys, often big guys and lots of other woodland creatures that spin off that original theme. We have otters, who tend to be hairy but skinnier; cubs, who are younger guys, and I’ve been promoting a new category, salmon, for smooth guys who are into bears. It’s a low-key event. We welcome anyone who wants to come and hang out, as long as you appreciate and respect the community. We have guys from their 70s to their 20s; it’s a great social hour. We do special events, a lot of charity work, we have an event coming up on the 30th, “Say Something Hat Day,” which will be a lot of fun and “Rock Out, Flags Out” on April 6. And on the 27th we’re partnering with Geek Out from NY, which is a comic book, manga, anime group. PGN: Why “Say Something Hat Day?” PC: It’s a quote from “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.” At one point someone is having a rough day and Patrick Swayze snaps his head around and says, “I think tomorrow is going to be a ‘Say Something’ hat day. And they all come out in these giant hats. We’re partnering with Stonewall Sports for this event, so we wanted something that would be fun but not intimidating like stripping down to a jock strap or union suit. Oh, forgot to tell you I’ve been with the Philadelphians for years; it’s a leather club and I’ve gotten to do a lot of traveling with them too.

PGN: What’s the biggest misconception that you’ve heard about the leather community? PC: I’ve had people who think that we’re all about sex and make people go through these crazy initiation rites, which is absolutely untrue. There is a sexual tone to it, but no initiations. You’re more likely to find us talking about our cats and what we cooked last weekend. PGN: What’s the difference between the bear and the leather community? PC: I was originally attracted to bears when I was in college, but I found it to be very, um, grabby, which put me off for a while. I gravitated more to the leather community because of their focus on consent and respect for each other’s bodies. PGN: So you have your own #MeToo moments. PC: Yes, so I try to make Happy Bear more of a social event, rather than a sexually charged event. I’d love to see that improved in the bear community. I’ve had things happen to me that were uncomfortable. People need to realize that it’s as inappropriate to grab a bartender’s body parts as it is to grope a server.

PGN: I looked at your bio and you are involved in all sorts of disparate things. I guess that’s where you get it from? PC: I went to college to study sociology and math. I wanted a career in math but it didn’t work out, so I switched and I majored in sociology and minored in math. During that time I was also working at The Attic Youth Center and at the William Way LGBT Community Center. PGN: So back to high school: when was that and what were the challenges of being an openly gay student? PC: I’m 34, so I graduated high school in 2002. I have to say that the school did a pretty amazing job of making me feel comfortable. I came out in 1998, right before Matthew Shepard was murdered. I’d disclosed to a small group of friends, telling them that I was bisexual. Within a week the entire school knew. The following week I was getting so many questions about it, I

PGN: Tell me about yourself. PC: I was raised in the suburbs, both in South Jersey and on the Main Line. I came out when I was 14 and helped found the Gay/Straight Alliance with a number of friends. I was one of the only openly gay kids at my school at the time. My mom was super supportive, so before we had a GSA at Conestoga, she would drive me to the next school in the township that did. I would go to Lower Merion to participate in their GSA. PGN: [Laughing] Lower Merion? Boo, hiss! I thought it was bad enough when you said you went to Conestoga, but LM, they’re our biggest rivals. I went to Radnor. PC: We are rivals! PGN: True. But I’ve mellowed a bit with age, so I won’t try to cause you any physical damage. What did your parents do? PC: My mom, Anne Todd, is a graphic designer. She was an art teacher for a number of years. She was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa back in the 1960s. She’s a fascinating woman. When the Nizah Morris murder happened, we were both working with [PGN reporter] Tim Cwiek, attending hearings and things when it was still being actively investigated. My father is Phillip Michael Todd — we have different middle names — and he was a Philadelphia cop. He also had a polygraph school for a while and then worked in the cable industry for about 20 years.

thought, This is ridiculous, I just need to come clean and say that I’m gay. That was fall of 1998. By springtime, it was pretty well known by everyone that I was gay. One day that spring, one of the kids came up to me on the bus while I was sitting next to a friend and told me that he was going to bring a gun to school the next day and “pop you dead.’”

PGN: Whoa … PC: My mom called the police, who went to his house and checked with his parents, but there was no gun that they knew of that was accessible. The next day, I got called down to the vice principal’s office and asked about it. I told them my story and they asked if anyone else was there to verify it. I told them that so-and-so was sitting next to me so they called her down to question her about it. I was in the next room and because the walls weren’t well insulated, I could hear everything she said and she corroborated my story. He was suspended for one day, and then he was back the following day. But fortunately nothing happened. The guidance office was great to work with; they handled any gay issues and made sure I was safe. I had other issues going on as well and they were very empathetic and helpful. PGN: What were the other issues you were tackling? PC: Well, I was a little out there in high school — I guess I still am — but especially when I was younger, I just liked to mess with the system. I’d wear dresses to school sometimes and I was on a panel discussing the dress code with members of the school board, parents, teachers, etc. Their main concern at the time was not wanting girls to wear spaghetti-strap tops with straps less than 1 inch in width, along with the lengths of their skirts. After a while I said, “Wait a minute. I wear a kilt and it’s above my knees, so are the regulations for girls only? I wear spaghetti strap tops, am I allowed to only because I’m male?” The gender biases are ridiculous. If there is a rule for certain clothing, it should be implemented for all, not just directed at girls. A good friend of mine from my church was there with me and between the two of us, we tried to pave Photo: Suzi Nash the way with that and a few other things. So that when another friend of mine came out as trans in her senior year, we had policies in place. She ended up at Temple and we’ve stayed friends over the years. She went on to pave the way at Temple playing women’s rugby. PGN: What a story. PC: Yeah, that was high school. We were pretty radical. When I was a freshman, I went to the homePAGE 33

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

French drama ‘The Workshop’ explores the complex chemistry of attraction By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor The fantastic French drama “The Workshop,” opening April 6 at the Ritz at the Bourse, is cowritten by out gay writer Robin Campillo, a longtime collaborator of director/cowriter Laurent Cantet. Their film depicts the intense relationship that develops between mystery writer Olivia Déjazet (Marina Foïs) and Antoine (Matthieu Lucci), a student in her summer workshop. Antoine’s radical ideas — as well as his candid remarks and actions — cause friction in and outside the workshop. But this mysterious young man is also quite alluring to Olivia. Campillo, who made the staggering ACT-UP drama “BPM” last year, chatted via WhatsApp with the Philadelphia Gay News about his new film. PGN: “The Workshop” is about teenagers and writing. What were you like as a student? RC: In 1983, I was 21 and went to the Institut de hautes éstudes cinématographiques (IDHEC). This cinema school saved me. It was like a refuge. I was so afraid of what was going on [with AIDS]. It was at that time I decided not to have sex anymore. I met Laurent because we were in the same group in the IDHEC. We connected with each other. We are still working together 35 years later. PGN: This is your fifth film together. Can you describe how you collaborate with Laurent on the scripts and/or scenarios? RC: I don’t know what the difference is between a gay and straight man, but we are like brothers in a sentimental relationship. We’ve been through arguments and there is a lot of electricity between us. He works with me, because I try to go further, and push him a little bit. Sometimes he won’t cross the line, but I think it’s because we are so different. I’m more baroque than he is. I think he’s more grounded than I am. It’s an interesting relationship. We’re a little co-dependent. PGN: “The Workshop” is not a queer film, nor are any of the films you’ve cowritten with Laurent. Can you talk about making queer films as a director but “straight” movies as a cowriter? RC: My first film, “They Came Back,” was not a gay film, but I think all my films are queer in a general way. I once tried to propose a project for Laurent that was a bit close to my film “Eastern Boys.” Laurent told me that he was not able to do this film because he didn’t know how to manage the characters, and that I should do the film myself. Our film “Foxfire” (2012) is the most gender-bending film — there is a kiss

between two girls. PGN: What decisions did you make about Antoine’s character? RC: Antoine is right wing, but you feel he could be a lot of different things. I like that the character is not totally fixed. He’s drifting. A lot of young people in France are like this — they have radical thoughts but don’t know what to do. They are also trying to protect themselves from all the patronizing thoughts and people trying to lecture them on what they should be. We wanted

MELLOW/DRAMATIC: New Zealand’s award-winning international electropop singing star, Lorde, comes to town as part of her Melodrama World Tour, 7:30 p.m. April 2 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-389-9543.

Theater & Arts to [present] someone who could be seduced by radicalism but doesn’t know who he is. There’s also a homoeroticism in that this young straight guy has this self-discipline where he tries to be fit and take care of himself — which was what gay men were doing 25 years ago. We wanted to show him taking care of his body because he doesn’t have the money to be in the gym. It’s connected to gay [culture] but in reality, it’s a way to survive a boring life. PGN: What observation do you have about the casting of newcomer Matthieu Lucci, who makes his screen debut here? He’s very appealing. RC: Laurent is very straight, but he’s very good at finding sexy guys for his films. I think there has always been a homoeroticism in his films. He is very good at taking the time in casting the right guy. Matthieu is this kind of grounded character, very handsome and weird. You are attracted to him as a spectator. PGN: The film has some interesting tension in that you don’t know what might happen at any moment. Can you talk about the suspense in “The Workshop”? RC: The edgy thing we try to introduce is that Antoine is a sexy right-wing guy. Olivia is almost jealous of him; he represents something, and it is threatening and attractive to her — which is a big part of the suspense. He puts her in a kind of danger. It’s like my film “Eastern Boys”; you open your door to someone attractive, but there is danger. We wanted the spectator to have the feeling that they are discovering things themselves. We tried to make the audience unprepared for what they will see. n

Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends: New Worlds The acclaimed comedic actor and the worldrenowned cellist collaborate on a live show, 7:30 p.m. April 4 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999. Connor O’Malley and Carmen Christopher The comedians, seen on Comedy Central, perform 10 p.m. March 30 at Good Good Comedy Theatre, 215 N. 11th St.; 215-399-1279. Design in Revolution: A 1960s Odyssey Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of pop art and psychedelia from the civilrights and antiwar movements, through Sept. 9, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100.

Greg Proops The comedian seen on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “Just Shoot Me” performs through March 31 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. If/Then Media Theater presents the Tony Award-winning musical through April 1, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-891-0100. Jean Shin: Collections Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition by contemporary artist Jean Shin (American, born in South Korea in 1971) where she transforms everyday objects into dynamic works about connection and belonging, through July 15, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Kevin Smith at Home Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition spanning

five decades of the Rochester-based artist’s mixedmedia photographs, prints and books, through July 8, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Kyle Kinane The comedian, seen on Comedy Central, performs April 5-7 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Magical & Real: Henriette Wyeth and Peter Hurd, A Retrospective The Michener Art Museum presents an exhibition of works by Hurd (1904-84) and Henriette Wyeth (190797), important contributors to the arts of both the Philadelphia region and the

Southwest, through May 6, 138 S. Pine St.; 215-340- 9800. Noises Off Walnut Street Theatre presents the hit Broadway comedy about an ill-prepared theater cast trying to pull things together for opening night, through April 29, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Philadelphia Voices The Philadelphia Orchestra performs April 5-7 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999. School of Rock Broadway Philadelphia presents the comedic musical about a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute

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.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Cradle of Filth The controversial gothic metal band from the United Kingdom performs 7:30 p.m. April 4 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011. Daymé Arocena The Afro-Cuban soul singer performs 7 and 9:30 p.m. April 6 at Harold Prince Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215898-3900. SINGING SENSATIONALLY: Patti LaBelle can act and cook up a storm, but this week she does what she is most famous for: singing R&B hits from her legendary 50 years in the business, 8 p.m. April 5 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-893-1999.

teacher, through April 1 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215893-1999. Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye Arden Theatre Company presents the powerful adaptation exploring the destructive power of racism and the strength of a community attempting to embrace an era of change, through April 1, 40 N. Second St.; 215922-1122. Varujan Boghosian: Master Manipulator Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition featuring works by the artist and collector who scours antique shops and flea markets for materials to use in his imaginative

sculptures and collages, through April 18, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. Virtually Rudy: New Dimensions Museum presents an exhibition of sculptures and their digital representations by Charles Rudy, through April 8, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340- 9800.

Nightlife Dead Flowers CircusSideshow KickOff Party Sailor Sunshine, Babyface Reid, Miss Mary Wanna and more entertain with a classic sideshow featuring super-human feats of strength and inhuman acts of flexibility, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. March 30 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. QPoC Queer Performances of Color returns with an all-new cast, 7 p.m. March 31 at William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; 215732-2220.

The Pretenders The classic rock band performs 8 p.m. March 31 at Tower Theater, 69th and Ludlow streets, Upper Darby; 610352-2887.

Mimi Imfurst Presents Drag Diva Brunch Mimi Imfurst, Bev, Vinchelle, Sutton Fearce and special guests perform 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 31 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215606-6555.

Lorde The acclaimed pop/electro singer performs 7:30 p.m. April 2 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215389-9543.

Suicide Girls: Blackheart Burlesque The alternative models entertain and perform 9 p.m. April 3 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011.

Music

Cabaret Sauvignon Lili St. Queer’s new solo cabaret show makes its debut 7-10 p.m. April 6 at Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215-735-0735.

Outta Town A Man and His Prostate Ed Asner stars in the comedic oneman show about a man who has to undergo prostate surgery while on vacation in Italy, March 30-April 1 at Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St., New Hope; 215-8622121. E.T.: The ExtraTerrestrial The classic sci-fi film is screened 1:30 p.m. March 31 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

Coming to Glenside: The Billy Stritch Stretch By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor Billy Stritch is so many things that it’s difficult to figure where to start in conversation. Along with composing platinum-plated accidental hits for Reba McEntire and Patti LaBelle (the same song, “Does He Love You?”) and other sophisticated tunes that could belong in the Great American Songbook, Stritch has famously played piano and arranged material for Liza Minnelli. Mainly though, he’s an inventive singing, piano-banging interpretive artist whose reputation places him high atop the cabaret mountain. Before he hits Dino’s Backstage & the Celebrity Room in Glenside (March 30-31) along with cabaret avatar Marilyn Maye, Stritch called PGN from San Francisco to discuss his new show, a career composing for famous women and what makes a good collaborator. PGN: You and Maye all but opened Dino’s in Glenside as its backto-back headliners two years ago. What’s your vibe on the place? BS: Those guys are fantastically devoted to furthering the art of cabaret. And the place is so elegant; great that it’s so close to Philly.

Love Letters Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross from “Family Ties” star in this romantic drama, April 4-8 at Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St., New Hope; 215862-2121.

PGN: You’re touring with Maye, played with Minnelli and recorded with Christine Ebersol and Klea Blackhurst. You love the ladies. What do you dig in a collaborator? BS: Someone who comes in with good ideas, has little on the ego side and is easy and fun to travel with. That’s not a joke. It’s a pleasure to share a stage and a studio with someone you can laugh with. If they’re low on ego, it’s best for me to bring in my ideas.

The Isley Brothers The legendary funk/R&B band performs 6 p.m. April 6 at Xcite Center, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem; 888588-7279.

PGN: Your writing career — your entire career, really — is all over the map; mostly the Tin Pan Alley stuff. Other than coming from Sugar Land, Texas, how did your first smash come courtesy of Reba McEntire? BS: That’s interesting, as it wasn’t written to be a country song, per se. It was written as a duet for two women. For the whole of the 1980s, I was working in a singing group with two women. We performed in cabarets throughout Texas and NYC. My writing partner moved to Nashville, which is how that song got through the back door of the country world. We were thrilled. It is not your typical country song — it has more than three chords — and has been done by more than a few non-country singers.

The Evil Dead The classic horror film is screened 9:45 p.m. April 6 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. n

PGN: One of them was Patti LaBelle. Since we’re in Philly, I must hear what you thought of her version. BS: I do love it, but it’s funny: She took a song that was a duet and turned it into a solo, and in that, they changed some of the lyrics without asking permission of the

songwriters. At first we were like, HOW COULD THEY DO THAT? Rather than protest it, we allowed it to stay on Flame. It was a cut on a Patti LaBelle ... I’m not complaining. PGN: As a writer whose music follows the sophistication of the standards, how do you maintain the writing’s contemporary feel as well? You’re bound to tradition as well as something mod. BS: I just have to be true to my own style: melodic and harmony-driven. With that, then, I have to find a good and apt lyricist. PGN: As a performer/interpreter, what are you looking for from other writers in terms of song structure and lyric? You’ve recorded everyone from Hoagy Carmichael and Mel Torme to Dori Cayme and Jobim. BS: I want songs that suit my range and my acting capabilities. As I get older, I get more discerning. A song does have to have lyrics that have depth, emotion and a real sense of storytelling. Then, I must be able to put my melodic stamp on it — harmonizing without going too far from the songwriters’ original intention. I love Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh. They never get old. I’ll do some rare Torme and Carmichael, and obscure Jerome Kern songs at Dino’s, as well as some of the Brazilian-inspired songs I write for [my album] “Waters of March.” The older I get, the more meanings some of these songs take on, especially the love songs. I believe it is truly hard to sing a love song at age 20. You have to get to at least 40 or 50 to have lived them and do them justice. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

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PGN PORTRAIT from page 29

coming dance with a guy, a senior, and it was pretty audacious for the time. It was Saturday, Oct. 9 in 1998, and I remember the date because Matthew Shepard was beaten up at the bar that Friday and found the next morning. My mom was freaking out because she was concerned about what might happen to us. She actually called the local cops and made sure that they were aware of what had just happened in Wyoming and to let them know that there was going to be a same sex couple at the homecoming dance. A lot of our friends were really supportive and we enjoyed ourselves. Any time we chose to dance together, there was a circle around us. The next day, Matthew Shepard died, so it was an intense time. Someone took a picture of us and passed it around the school the following week. My date didn’t handle it as well, and it led to our breakup shortly after. Then in college I shifted my focus. I was working with the Bryson Institute. I interned there as a senior in high school and was one of the first speakers to go out into the suburbs and talk with the churches and synagogues. I also worked for Safeguards for about a year while in college and then worked at William Way for about a year and a half with ‘[former director] Dolph Ward Goldenburg. PGN: And what do you do now? PC: It’s funny because it goes right back to the center. I’d been tracking our mailings to see how successful they were and Dolph said to me, “This isn’t a research institution, I don’t know how much data you can get from this.” But I enjoyed it, so when I went to look for my next job, I looked for anything that had “research” in the title. I ended up doing clinical research at the [University of Pennsylvania], working in the hospital. I didn’t realize that I was working in a research department where I would have to draw blood and take EKGs, actually working with live patients. But I stayed there for five years and it was a really great experience. It launched my career. Now I’m back at the hospital working on an FDA project. PGN: So you came out at 14: Do you remember the first time you went to an LGBT bar?

AC ul t ure rts

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

PC: It was probably the Westbury. I was about 19 and joined the Gryphons rugby team, and played with them for 13 years. We would go into the bar after practice or after matches. I was underaged, but we’d get there before there was a bouncer on, or we’d go in covered in mud. I think they knew, but as long as we didn’t act stupid they let us slide. I got to go all over with that team: Nashville, Australia, Dublin. I was the president for three years, which was pretty fantastic. It can be rough for a young person in the bear community, nothing against The Attic or Main Line Youth Alliance, etc. It’s just hard dealing with a sub-group of a sub-group. So at the time we developed a group for the 18-25 set to hang out and do non-drinking activities like bowling or movie nights. It was a predecessor of Happy Bear. PGN: Random question: Which one of Snow White’s dwarves would you be? Doc, Happy, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy or Dopey? PC: I’d be Campy, Happy’s gay cousin. PGN: If you could put any celebrity in leather, whom would you choose? PC: Mike Pence, I’d have him in one of those “Exit to Eden” outfits. Rosie O’Donnell would have him on a leash and harness, à la Chevy Chase in the ‘90s movie. PGN: A favorite travel adventure? PC: I’d say when I went to West Africa and traveled to the small village that my mom had visited when she was in the Peace Corps. It was really transformative. PGN: What’s an award that you’ve won that makes you proud? PC: I’m really, really proud of the Lax Scholarship I won in 2002 and 2003. It really facilitated me being able to go to school. And in 2008 I won “Most Valuable Player” on the rugby team, which made me cry. But one of my favorites is not something I won. For years my dad came to every single rugby match, so when we had our 10-year anniversary, the team gave him an award for “Biggest Fan.” Gloria Casarez was there and it was very touching. n To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.

Nightlife, Concerts, Art Exhibits, Readings, Cabaret, Films, Theater, Food, Books, Music, Sports and Travel

Because Life Is More Than Just Gay News

Q Puzzle Dear Simon Across

1. “___ because you think I look like a guy?” (with 7-Across) 7. See 1-Across 13. Establishes sexual preference? 15. Classical guitar great 16. Put it to your mouth at a gay rodeo 17. Like the most in-vogue porn stars 18. Heal, like a bone 19. Earhart’s domain 21. They may be liberal 22. “___ because you donít look like a guy” (with 49- and 66-Across) 27. H.S. math course 29. How fag hags find gays 30. Suffix with hero 33. Was an angel on Broadway 35. Frank once of the House 37. Hairstylist, maybe 39. Pain in an orifice 40. Male enhancement exaggeration? 41. Home o’ the brave

43. XXX, to Greeks 44. Suddenly and completely 49. See 22-Across 51. Goldberg of _ The Color Purple_ 53. Opera tenor Caruso 56. Sauce brand 57. Above the horizon 61. Opposite of loads 62. Wilde country 63. Bodybuilder Charles 64. _ ___ fan tutte_ 65. Pine for 66. See 22-Across 67. You may go down on one

Down

1. Get into a slip 2. Pakistan neighbor 3. Eatery on the Orient Express 4. “The best is ___ come!” 5. _A Chorus Line_ song 6. Versatile vehicle 7. To God, to Caesar 8. Guy under J. Edgar? 9. The whole shebang 10. “Ay, ___ a king” (Shakespeare) 11. Type of personal lubricant 12. Goes down on 14. Quick bite 15. Small bush

20. It changes a seÒor’s gender 23. _Glen or Glenda: ___ Two Lives _ 24. Baldwin staffer 25. _Dark Angel_ star 26. _Maude_ producer 27. Name on a column 28. Byron poem 31. Old fruit drink 32. Bette Davis feature of song 34. Tease 36. Where Dover moved his “bloomin’ arse” 38. Trojan Horse, e.g. 39. Lawman Wyatt 42. “Fifth Beatle”

Sutcliffe 45. Lover with a penetrating glance? 46. _The Seven Samurai_ director Kurosawa 47. Buck of C&W 48. Family 49. _The African Queen_ co-star, informally 50. Make a pass at 51. Small songbird 52. Bugs Bunny’s Broadway musical? 54. Lambda Legal Defense suit, e.g. 55. Garfield’s pal 58. Sexual ending 59. Pitch preceder 60. Colette made a splash in it

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com March 30-April 5, 2018

PGN

Classifieds All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any realestate advertising that is in violation of any applicable law.

PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.

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Change of Name Notice In the Court of Common Pleas of Phila. County, PA March Term, 2018, No. 0288 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 6, 2018, the Petition of Amy Lyn Masciantonio was filed, praying for a Decree to change Petitioner’s name to Avery Mas. The Court has fixed April 2, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 691, City Hall, Broad & Market Sts., Philadelphia, PA as the time and place for the hearing of said Petition, when and where all persons interested may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Benjamin L. Jerner, Esq., Atty. for Petitioner Jerner & Palmer, P.C. 5401 Wissahickon Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-843-6000. ________________________________________42-13 Change of Name Notice In the Court of Common Pleas of Phila. County, PA Term, 2018, No. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on April 13, 2018, the Petition of was filed, praying for a Decree to change Petitioner’s name to Dane Elliot Menkin . The Court has fixed April 13 , 2018 at 10 :00 .m. in Room 691, City Hall, Broad & Market Sts., Philadelphia, PA as the time and place for the hearing of said Petition, when and where all persons interested may appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted. Petitioner ________________________________________42-13

APT. FOR RENT RITTENHOUSE SQUARE AREA 50% OFF APRIL Great 1 BR, hi ceiling, good light, hdwd ﬂrs. Quiet calm building. No pets. $895/mo. Studio w/deck, $795/mo. Take a look! Call 215-732-8458. _____________________________________________42-15

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Notices Pursuant to §128.85 of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Title 7 regulations, GROWMARK FS, LLC. hereby gives notice of ground application of “Restricted Use Pesticides” for the protection of agricultural crops in municipalities in Pennsylvania during the next 45 days. Residents of contiguous property to our application sites should contact your local GROWMARK FS, LLC. facility for additional information. Concerned Citizens should contact: Michael Layton, MGR. Safety & Environment, mlayton@ growmarkfs.com GROWMARK FS, LLC. 308 N.E. Front Street, Milford, DE 19963. Call 302-422-3002. ________________________________________42-1

Legal Notices

Friends Men WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________42-15 Senior WM ISO same that would like to receive oral relief or if you would just to talk for a while. Call Walt at 856-625-9195. _____________________________________________42-13 Former inmate looking to get back into society seeking a frend or companion to help guide me through this. Write to Paul M at 2100 W. Venango St., Philadelphia PA 19140. Paul Major315@gmail.com or 267-270-8825. _____________________________________________42-15 WOULD Like to meet men from Puerto Rico and/or of Puerto Rican heritage for friendship and more. 856-547-4163. _____________________________________________42-16

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