A fresh batch of diva disks for spring
Professional Portrait: Mary Catona
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Millennial Poz: A new monthly column on HIV in the new PAGE 23 generation April 8-14, 2011
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Vol. 35 No. 14
Transwoman arrested for murdering boyfriend Police say Alonzo Simmons stabbed her boyfriend to death in their home last weekend after an argument. The victim died at the hospital, and Simmons faces an April 20 arraignment on murder charges. By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Police this week charged a transgender woman with the murder of her boyfriend in South Philadelphia last weekend. Police arrested 29-year-old Alonzo Simmons, who reportedly lives as a woman, April 3 in connection with the stabbing death of Angel Brown, 27. Simmons allegedly stabbed Brown once in the chest during an argument in their home on the 2000 block of Oakford Street early Sunday. The altercation took place around 2:45 a.m., and Simmons contacted police and led them to the victim, who was in a bedroom. Brown was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead at 3:27 a.m. Simmons was brought in for questioning on Sunday and arrested that day, charged with murder and possession of an instrument of crime. Police spokesperson Lt. Ray Evers said he was unsure what type of knife was used in the stabbing. He said there are no details available about what led up to the argument, other than it was “domestic” in nature. Court records indicate that Simmons was arrested six times since 2003 for such crimes as drug possession, disorderly conduct and loitering and obstruction of highway — offenses typically associated with prostitution. SIMMONS Simmons was arrested Dec. 4, 2009, for obstruction of highway in a case that was conjoined with codefendant Herman Burton, also arrested at that time for the same crime. Burton is a transgender sex worker arrested late last year for the murder of an alleged client inside the Omni Hotel. Evers said police do not believe Simmons is connected in any way to the Omni case. ■
Gay couple attacked at Swarthmore By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
FORWARD THINKERS: Smokin’ Betty’s played host to a bachelor/bachelorette auction April 2 to raise funds for the William Way LGBT Community Center. “Gay It Forward” drew some 230 people and raised $2,230 for the center. Chris Bartlett (third from right), executive director of the William Way and one of the 13 who were auctioned off, brought in $250. The showcase was organized by Nicholas “Rocco” DiFinis, who called the event a “really great success.” Photo: Scott A. Drake
Report: 9 million LGBTs in the country By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com An LGBT think tank at the University of California this week released a study that estimated the total number of LGBT Americans to be about 9 million.
The Williams Institute’s report, released April 6, examined both national and statelevel population surveys to formulate that figure. The researchers estimate that approximately 8 million, or 3.5 percent of the American population, is PAGE 17
Study urges more LGBT health research By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A highly anticipated national LGBT health study released last week found research on LGBT health issues to be severely lacking. “The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People,” handed down March 31 by the Institute of Medicine, urged the National Institutes of Health to adopt a specific LGBT health-research agenda that takes into account the unique pressures faced by the sexual- and gender-minority popula-
tion and recommended LGBT inclusion in federal data-collection tools. The report was the result of an investigation by a 17-member committee created at the urging of NIH, which looked at the state of LGBT health and identified research disparities to allow NIH to enhance its future research efforts. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, said the report provides the “first comprehensive overview of health-related research” on the LGBT population PAGE 17
An attack on two college students on a suburban campus this week is being investigated as a possible gay-bashing. Swarthmore College officials said two students, one of whom attends the University of Pennsylvania, were walking on a field on the campus of the Delaware County college early Sunday morning when they were attacked by at least six teens. The five boys and one girl kicked and punched the two students, knocking them to the ground and stomping on their heads and necks. The teens fled and both males, after seeking treatment at the student health center, were transported to a local hospital, where they underwent X-rays and CT scans and received treatment for cuts and abrasions, according to The Daily Gazette, the college’s newspaper. Dean of Students Elizabeth Braun issued a letter to the campus community earlier this week detailing the incident and mentioning that it may have stemmed from homophobia. Braun said in the memo that the student and his friend ”were being affectionate with one another when they were approached by the high-school-aged students. While it still isn’t clear what prompted the assault on our student and his friend, it does appear that homophobia could have been a factor in the attack.” The Daily Gazette carried an anonymous interview with the victimized student, who said he and his friend were walking back from a party when the teens approached them and asked them for alcohol. The student told the paper he asked the teens if they were underage and refused their request, at which time the confrontation became violent. In a conversation with PAGE 13