PGN April 24-30, 2009 by The Philadelphia Gay News

Philadelphia Gay News April 24 - 30, 2009

Honesty Integrity Professionalism

Vol. 33 No. 17

PA above national avg. in LGBT school bullying By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer

HERE’S TO YOU, GUV: Thomas Ude (left), senior staff attorney for Lambda Legal, presents Gov. Rendell with a certificate of appreciation during a luncheon at Ralph’s Café, atop the Comcast Center, April 19. About 90 people attended the event, which David Alexander, Lambda Legal major gifts officer, said was meant to pay tribute to Rendell’s “30-year commitment to the LGBT community in Pennsylvania.” Photo: Scott A. Drake

Liberty City Dems endorse Williams, Butkovitz By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer The Liberty City Democratic Club, which seeks to promote political candidates that are allies to the LGBT community, decided last week upon its list of endorsements for next month’s Municipal Primary. Liberty City members voted April 16 to endorse: Seth Williams for district attorney; Alan Butkovitz for city controller; Anne Lazarus, John Younge and Robert Colville for Superior Court judges; Stephen Pollack and Linda Judson for Commonwealth Court judges; openly gay Dan Anders, Angeles Roca, Joyce Eubanks, Donna Woelpper, Diane Thompson, Sharon Williams-Losier and Jonathan Irvine for Court of Common Pleas judges; and openly gay Dawn Segal, Joe Waters, Charles Hayden and Christine Adair for Municipal Court judges. Ray Murphy, Liberty City co-chair, said the organization’s endorsement committee made recommendations to the voting members — who had to have attended at least two Liberty City events in the past year and been up to date with their dues — who then voted to either approve or reject those candidates. Each candidate eligible for endorsement must have completed a Liberty City

questionnaire, which Murphy said the organization expanded this year to include more questions about the transgender community and other civil-rights issues. Murphy noted that the district attorney and city controller races generated the most debate among those in attendance at last week’s meeting. “Those were the more contentious ones where we did see some differing opinions,” he said. “There really wasn’t a huge amount of actual debate on the judicial candidates, although we did have a long discussion about the process because it’s hard for people to wrap their heads around the fact that we have to endorse as many as seven candidates for one race.” About 40 members voted on the endorsements, which Murphy said is about 30 fewer than took part in last spring’s endorsement process, which included the presidential endorsement. He added the last local race, which took place in spring 2005, drew only an 11-percent turnout from Philadelphia voters, compared to the 67 percent of voters who went to the polls in the presidential election. He urged LGBT and ally Philadelphians to pay special attention to next month’s race. See ENDORSEMENTS, Page 19

According to a study released last week by a national LGBT student-advocacy group, anti-LGBT bullying is a pervasive and ill-addressed problem in Pennsylvania public schools. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network published a research brief April 16 — the day before students from 22 public and private schools across the state participated in the national Day of Silence to protest LGBT harassment in the classroom — that revealed homophobia is alive and well in Pennsylvania’s education system. The data was based on GLSEN’s 2007 National School Climate Survey, which was released in October 2008. The organization has recently begun releasing state-by-state statistics, publishing reports on trends in Arizona, California, Michigan and New York. “Inside Pennsylvania Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students” drew from the survey responses of 242 Pennsylvania students.

About 98 percent of the respondents regularly heard the word “gay” used in a negative connotation, and 83 percent reported regularly hearing homophobic remarks, such as “faggot” or “dyke,” in the classroom. Approximately 88 percent of the students said they’d been verbally harassed — either through name-calling or threats — for their sexual orientation and 63 percent reported verbal attacks stemming from their gender identity or expression. About 52 percent said they were physically harassed — pushed or shoved — and 27 percent were physically assaulted — punched, kicked or injured with a weapon — because of their sexual orientation, while 36 percent were physically harassed and 18 percent assaulted on account of their gender identity. Fifty-four percent of students who’d experienced either verbal or physical harassment didn’t report such incidents to school staff and, of those who did, only 32 percent said their admissions resulted in effective intervention. See BULLYING, Page 19

HERE HE IS ... : Last year’s Mr. Gay Philadelphia John Caputo (far right) and contestants from this year’s competition — Matthew (from right) from 12th St. Gym; Timmy from 101; Nicholas from Stir; and Victor (far left) from Sapphire Fund — gather with winner Charlie Biggs (second from left) following the April 18 competition at Pure. Biggs represented Travel Matters in the event — which featured a formalwear and swimwear competition, as well as a question-andanswer session — and will go on to represent Philadelphia in the national contest. Contestants Timmy and Nicholas won the Mr. Fitness and Mr. Congeniality honors, respectively. About 265 people attended the event, which was judged by openly gay Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Dan Anders, “Paper” columnist Mickey Boardman, writer Michael Musto, comedian Frank DeCaro, actor Will Wikle and here! Network executive Josh Rosenzweig. Photo: Scott A. Drake

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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PHILADELPHIA NEWS PHILADELPHIA GAY GAY NEWS

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News Editorial 10 International News 18 Letters/Feedback 11 11 Mark My Words 7 Media Trail 5 News Briefing 7 National News 10 Other Views 5 Regional News 11 Street Talk

PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506 Phone: (215) 625-8501 Fax: (215) 925-6437 E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Web: www.epgn.com

New York vies for the number-ﬁve spot

Obituary: Mort Wernik, 73

Gov. Paterson proposes gay-marriage equality for residents of the state of New York.

The longtime community supporter and business owner passed away Monday after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

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Publisher

Mark Segal (ext. 204)

Detour Comics Dining Guide Diversions Meeting Place Portraits Q Puzzle Scene In Philly Worth Watching

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Art Director Christopher Potter design@epgn.com

Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208) Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com

Joan Rivers does the talking about her new book and “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Family Portraits:

Native Philadelphia author Nathaniel Frank asks and tells about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in his new book.

Andrew Van Sant Page 27

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Columns

Classifieds Directories

Editor Sarah Blazucki (ext. 206) sarah@epgn.com

Staff Writers Jen Colletta (ext. 215) jen@epgn.com

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Food Reviews Offline On Being Well Out Online Work It Out

mark@epgn.com

Photographer/Graphic Artist Scott A. Drake (ext. 216) scott@epgn.com Advertising Manager Nick Forte (ext. 209) nick@epgn.com Assistant Advertising Manager Greg Dennis (ext. 201) greg@epgn.com Advertising Sales Representatives Morgan Levine (ext. 212) morgan@epgn.com

35 28 14 29 15

44 50

Kelly Root (ext. 207) kelly@epgn.com

On Being Well

Work It Out

Offline

Out Online

E. Patrick Johnson

Let’s give a hand to Masturbation Month

Fish is more than brain food

Black Gay Pride and Equality Forum

Living legally on the ’Net

“Sweet Tea” author at Giovanni’s Room

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Poll results from our online survey as of April 22:

Where are you most likely to purchase LGBT literature?

Coming Out: 15 Artists, 15 Years of Page 30 Common Roads

National Advertising Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Office Manager/Classifieds Don Pignolet (ext. 200) don@epgn.com Executive Assistant Credit/Billing Manager Carol Giunta (ext. 202) carol@epgn.com Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press National Gay Newspaper Guild Pennsylvania Newspaper Association

46% An LGBT bookstore 31% Online 16% Mainstream bookstore 8% I wait for the movie

Go to www.philagaynews.com to weigh in on this week’s question:

Which organization perturbs you the most?

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

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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News Briefing

Regional

Fundraiser for HIV/ AIDS housing group Calcutta House, which provides housing and services for the local HIV/AIDS community, will host a fundraising event tonight at 7 at the Merion Tribute House, 626 Hazelhurst Ave. in Merion Station. “Night Train to Calcutta” will feature dinner, dancing, a silent auction and a rafﬂe, with music provided by local band Chico’s Vibe. Proceeds from the event will assist Calcutta House in its daily programming as well as its expansion efforts. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.calcuttahouse.org or call (215) 684-0480 ext. 122.

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY: Members of the LGBT community gathered in front of the penguin exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo during Gay Community Day at the Zoo on April 18. Deb Francesco (from left), board member at the William Way LGBT Community Center; Kevin Burns, executive director of ActionAIDS; Emilie Carr, William Way board co-chair; Mazzoni Center executive director Nurit Shein; William Way executive director ’Dolph Ward Goldenburg; PGN publisher Mark Segal; and Philadelphia FIGHT development director Mark Seaman were among the more than 500 LGBT and ally individuals who participated in the inaugural event, which organizers are hoping to continue next year. Photo: Scott A. Drake

HIV/AIDS fundraising is main course By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer

Whether you’re in the mood for Italian, Thai, French or even some good ol’ American grub, as long as you’ve got an appetite for charity, you’ll find a restaurant to suit your tastes April 30. The annual Dining Out For Life encourages area residents to visit one of a long list of local eateries that will donate a portion of that night’s proceeds to ActionAIDS and other local HIV/AIDSservice organizations. The event, which ActionAIDS launched in 1990, has now become an international effort, with restaurants throughout the United States and Canada opening their doors and their cash registers for HIV/AIDS causes. In addition to benefiting ActionAIDS, proceeds will also be contributed to the AIDS Coalition of Southern New Jersey, the AIDS Activity Office at the Lehigh Valley Hospital, AIDS Delaware, Family and Community Service of Delaware County, Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks County and Planned Parenthood of Chester County. This year, more than 200 establishments in the Delaware and Lehigh valleys will participate in Dining Out For Life. The restaurants, which serve a variety of cuisines and represent all price ranges, will

contribute one-third of their profits to the beneficiaries. Kevin Burns, executive director of ActionAIDS, said this year’s list of restaurants is slightly longer than last year’s, which he said is impressive in light of the current economic conditions. “We’ve been really lucky and we’re very grateful that the restaurant community stepped up to the plate this year,” he said. “It’s been such a tough year for everyone, including restaurants, and we’re really fortunate to have so many places willing to participate.” The third annual “20-percent Tuesday” special also returns this year. During the event, diners will have the chance to enter a raffle to win a four-night vacation for two to Playa del Carmen in Mexico through Apple Vacations, and those who contribute $25 or more along with their raffle entries will receive a coupon for 20-percent off their bill on any Tuesday evening throughout the year at more than 50 participating restaurants. Burns said ActionAIDS received approximately $200,000 from last year’s Dining Out For Life. He noted that about 82 cents of every dollar that comes into the organization is turned directly back over to the community through the group’s client services. He said that this year the organization is particularly eager for Philadelphians to head to area restaurants for the event,

as ActionAIDS contends with rising community need that has not been matched by an increase in government funding. “In Philadelphia, every eight hours a new person is infected with HIV. Our caseload is growing and there’s a greater need for our services, but so many of our programs are government-funded and, like many places, we’ve received level funding this year,” Burns said. “The caseload continues to grow and we have to provide the same level of services, but with fewer government resources.” To help educate restaurant patrons who may not be aware of the mission of Dining Out For Life, ActionAIDS is dispersing hundreds of staff and volunteers to each of the participating restaurants. The ambassadors will assist restaurant staff, as well as explain the purpose of the fundraiser to diners and thank them for their contributions. One individual who needs no introduction to the event is local restaurateur Stephen Starr, one of this year’s recipients of ActionAIDS’ annual Friend for Life Award. Burns said Starr, who owns a dozen local restaurants, all of which are participating in this year’s Dining Out For Life, has been a tireless advocate both for the event and for ActionAIDS. See DINING OUT, Page 19

U.S. Senate considers LGBT health initiative The National Coalition for LGBT Health is asking all LGBT and ally individuals to contact their lawmakers and request that they sign on to support additional funding for the inclusion of an LGBT question to the National Health Interview Survey, which assists the federal government in prioritizing funding for health programs. The addition of the question would cost the National Center for Health Statistics about $2 million to implement, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is spearheading the effort to have Congress allocate this money to the NCHS.

To contact Sen. Bob Casey, call (202) 224-6324; to contact Sen. Arlen Specter, call (202) 224-4254, or visit senate.gov.

HRC to offer LGBT scholarships The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the advocacy branch of the national LGBT organization, announced a new scholarship program that will provide tuition assistance to LGBT and ally students. The HRC Foundation will award three Generation Equality Scholarships at $2,000 each to students who’ve applied for or are already enrolled in an institution of higher education; are in good academic standing; can exhibit ﬁnancial need; and “demonstrate a commitment or contribution to the LGBT community.” Applications must be submitted by June 1, and the winners will be announced in July. For more information or to access the scholarship application, visit www.hrc. org/geneqscholarship. ■ — Jen Colletta

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PAC to view Morris records By Timothy Cwiek PGN Writer-at-Large

PGN

The city’s Police Advisory Commission has reached an agreement with the District Attorney’s ofﬁce and is preparing to review additional records in the Nizah Morris case, PAC members said last week. To review the records — which is set to take place early next month — PAC members were required to pledge adherence to a non-disclosure agreement limiting their ability to publicly discuss the records, they said. “This agreement is a very workable compromise,” said PAC executive director William M. Johnson. “We won’t know the extent of its value until we go in and actually look at the records.” Morris, 47, was a transgender woman found with a head wound shortly after receiving a courtesy ride from Philadelphia police during the early-morning hours of Dec. 22, 2002. She died two days later from complications due to a fractured

skull. PAC’s agreement with the DA’s office doesn’t specify what records will be shown, though Johnson said it’s expected members will be shown information related to cellphone conversations among three officers who responded to Morris that morning. “There are things we need to see, and we expect them to be there, including the cell-phone records,” Johnson said. Johnson said an earlier nondisclosure agreement offered by the DA’s office was rejected because it could have been construed to prohibit the PAC from discussing anything about the case. “We needed to adjust the language because we didn’t want a total gag order,” he said. Johnson also noted that the revised non-disclosure agreement reserves the right of PAC members to obtain additional Morris records from the DA’s office through future litigation. In August, the PAC subpoenaed additional Morris records from

the DA’s office, but the office declined to honor the subpoena. Instead, the DA’s office offered a visual review of some additional documents, with no photocopies allowed. “We’re not relinquishing any of our rights to pursue our subpoena in Common Pleas Court, if that becomes necessary,” Johnson added. Cathie Abookire, a spokesperson for DA Lynne Abraham, had no comment for this story. Officers Elizabeth DiDonato, Thomas Berry and Kenneth Novak responded to Morris on the morning of her head injury. They haven’t been charged with any criminal wrongdoing by the DA’s office. But PAC members are exploring whether the officers engaged in police misconduct. They’ve noted several irregularities in the case, which wouldn’t necessarily rise to the level of criminality, they said. For instance, the officers didn’t tell dispatchers that civilian calls See MORRIS, Page 19

Tourism group continues growth By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer

The local organization that seeks to boost the city’s appeal as a gay-friendly tourist destination recently announced several boosts to its own infrastructure. During its Annual Event April 16 at Tavern on Camac, the Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus revealed numerous organizational and ﬁnancial initiatives that will assist the city in capturing a portion of the still-strong gay dollar. Greg DeShields, senior director of corporate relations at Temple University School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, unveiled the PGTC’s new brochure that details the organization’s gaysensitivity training program. Temple and PGTC ﬁrst launched the training initiative in late 2007 at local hotels to ensure that employees know how to provide LGBT travelers with the same welcome and level of service as other visitors, and since then have conducted the program in businesses throughout the area. The training includes skits that detail the challenges LGBT

travelers could encounter at businesses that are not attuned to their needs, and encourages discussion among employees about how they can best reach out and welcome all guests. Bruce Yelk, PGTC events chair, said the brochure, which explains the need for and beneﬁts of the sensitivity training, will be available to all current and new members. Yelk noted that all member organizations receive one free training session, and that PGTC is “happy to provide the gay sensitivity training to any company that wants it.” The organization further disclosed that it had just received $25,000 in funding from the state government, which it will contribute toward the sensitivity training and research on the LGBT travel industry. PGTC also announced during the meeting, which drew about 90 people, that the Center City District has again signed on to sponsor the organization’s Merchant Initiative brochure, which provides an easy-to-read compilation of all the gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses in the area for visiting LGBT individuals.

The organization’s efforts to attract LGBT travelers are not for naught. Tom Roth, president of the San Francisco-based LGBT marketing ﬁrm Community Marketing Inc. and the event’s keynote speaker, explained that LGBT travel is still a valuable sector, despite the recession. “He talked about how the gay market did take a dip, along with the mainstream market, but it has started to level off now. That’s a really good sign for the gay market,” Yelk said. “But he also said that a lot of destinations can be doing a better job of pinpointing their advertising toward this community. For a lot of destinations and a lot of businesses, if you hone in on what you’re marketing to, you could increase your business. The gay market is still traveling more than the mainstream market.” Yelk said local businesses took note of this idea and PGTC drew about $1,000 in membership registration fees during the event. For more information about the PGTC or to join, visit www. phillygaytourism.com. ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

National

Media Trail

NY guv introduces bill to allow gay marriage By Marcus Franklin The Associated Press Gov. David Paterson introduced a bill last Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, comparing the effort to the fight for the abolition of slavery. Paterson, whose job-approval rating has plunged below 30 percent, is making a political gamble that he can ride the momentum of other states that have recently allowed the practice, and it’s unclear how the legislation will play in New York. The proposal is the same bill the Democratic-controlled state Assembly passed in 2007 before it died in the Senate, where the Republican majority kept it from going to a vote. Democrats now control the Senate, but opponents are vowing to make sure this one fails as well. Some Democrats in the Senate have indicated they won’t support a same-sex-marriage bill. Gay marriage is a crucial issue of equal rights in America that cannot be ignored, Paterson said. He was joined by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, other elected officials, gay-rights advocates and his wife, Michelle Paterson. “For too long, gay and lesbian New Yorkers — we have pretended they have the same rights as their neighbors and friends,” he said. “That is not the case. All have been the victims of what is a legal system that has systematically discriminated against them.” Paterson, the state’s first black governor, framed the issue in sweeping terms, invoking Frederick Douglass and Harriet Beecher Stowe and drawing a parallel between the fight to eliminate slavery in the 1800s and the current effort to allow gay marriage. “Rights should not be stifled by fear,” Paterson said. “What we should understand is that silence should not be a response to injustice. And that if we take no action, we will surely lose.” Gay and lesbian couples are denied as many as 1,324 civil protections — such as healthcare and pension rights

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Pa. group protests gay marriage bill The Burlington Free Press reports nine men who said they were with a Pennsylvania-based group recently protested in Bangor against a gay-marriage bill in the Maine Legislature. The men stood at an intersection near the Bangor Mall on April 18 carrying signs supporting “traditional” family values. The men told the Bangor Daily newspaper they belonged to the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. The group travels to states where same-sex-marriage legislation is being considered. During its two hours in Bangor, the group got both honks from supporters and hoots from opponents.

‘Not a gay bar’ sign draws protest

“WE WANT MARRIAGE EQUALITY”: New York Gov. David Paterson (center) is joined by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn during an April 16 news conference. Paterson announced plans to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of New York, making a political gamble that he can ride the momentum of other states that have recently approved marriage equality. AP Photo: Mary Altaffer

— because they cannot marry, Paterson said. Quinn, who is openly lesbian, dared anyone to “tell me I deserve less” than the right to marry her partner. “Look me in the eye and tell me that Kim and I aren’t a family, that we don’t struggle every day, that we don’t pay taxes, that we don’t work every day in this city,” she said. “No one can look me or her in the eye and tell us that, because it is not true.” At the same time Paterson was announcing his proposal, Sen. Ruben Diaz, also a Democrat but an opponent of same-sex marriage, met with religious leaders to discuss how to block the bill. Diaz, an evangelical pastor from the Bronx, said his meeting was to inform Hispanics, Catholics, evangelicals and others opposed to same-sex marriage of their options to prevent the bill’s passage. Diaz said it was disrespectful of Paterson to introduce the legislation in the same week

that Catholics celebrated the installation of New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who has voiced opposition to same-sex marriage. “I think it’s a laugh in the face of the new archbishop,” Diaz said before the start of his meeting in the Bronx. “The Jews just finished their holy week. The Catholics just received the new archbishop. The evangelical Christians just celebrated Good Friday and resurrection. He comes out to do this at this time? It’s a challenge the governor is sending to every religious person in New York, and the time has come for us to accept the challenge.” Paterson, who attended Dolan’s ceremony last Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, defended the timing of his announcement and brushed off suggestions that he was deflecting attention from the state’s financial troubles, saying he has supported samesex marriage publicly since 1994. “I haven’t in any way changed

my point of view,” he said. “We stand to tell the world we want marriage equality in New York state.” Paterson noted he was introducing the proposal with “the winds at our back,” referring to the recent approval of same-sex marriage in Iowa and Vermont. New York Democrats gained a 32-30 Senate majority in November’s elections. Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, who did not attend the announcement, supports the measure but has said he doesn’t believe there are enough votes to pass it. A Quinnipiac University poll this month showed that 41 percent of New York voters backed legalized same-sex marriage; that 33 percent favored civil unions; and that 19 percent wanted no legal recognition for such couples. In March, a Marist College poll showed Paterson’s jobapproval rating was 26 percent, down from 46 percent in January and 57 percent in October. ■

The Chicago Tribune reports dozens of gay-rights supporters recently lined up to express their outrage after a karaoke bar in Peoria, Ill., posted a sign that read: “WE ARE NOT A GAY BAR!!” “The sign was basically a sign of intolerance, and we’re not going to stand for it anymore,” said Stephanie Worlow, 27, one of the organizers of the protest. For decades, the bar, now the Elbo Room, had been called the Quench Room and was known as a gay bar. In the 1990s, ownership changed hands. Although gay patrons continued to frequent the spot, tensions between them and the bar owner have risen over public displays of affection. The bar owner, Greg Quast, issued a statement apologizing for the sign.

Lawsuit spurs GSA 365gay.com reports New York’s Indian River Central School District has agreed to allow Ashley Petranchuk to form a gaystraight alliance just days after a federal lawsuit was ﬁled. The suit claimed that Charlie Pratt endured years of antigay harassment during his time at Indian River High School, and his sister Ashley suffered the same bias years after her brother left. “Indian River is taking an important ﬁrst step toward righting its wrongs,” said Lambda Legal attorney Michael Kavey. “Respecting students’ freedom to stand up for themselves and each other is a key part of creating a safe learning environment for LGBT youth and their allies.” ■ — Larry Nichols

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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Glaxo institutes LGBT training program By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer The local branch of a pharmaceutical conglomerate recently launched an initiative that seeks to foster a sense of workplace acceptance and welcome for the LGBT community. The Philadelphia headquarters of GlaxoSmithKline conducted three different training sessions last month for nearly 70 employees, educating them on LGBT issues as one component of a “Safe Zone” program meant to provide resources and guidance for LGBT employees. Chris Liang, senior support analyst at the local branch of GSK, said he ﬁrst encountered an LGBT Safe Zone program during his time at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, in which the university trained students, staff and faculty on issues faced by the LGBT community. Those volunteers were then given an insignia to place near their dorms or ofﬁces to notify LGBT and ally individuals that they could feel comfortable in those spaces. UNC, as well as other

corporations such as Disney and Levi Strauss, based their programs on one of the ﬁrst such initiatives employed by AT&T in the 1980s, which Liang said he and other GSK employees also utilized to create their own Safe Zone proposal. Liang noted that he began considering spearheading the program last spring and that GSK management was very supportive of the idea. Beverly Morgan, GSK vice president of human relations for information technology, said the Safe Zone program is well-aligned with the corporation’s ideas about workplace success. “One of the core values of our organization is making sure we create an inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work so they can do the best work,” she said. “Any type of additional training that supports diversity helps us to be an employer of choice. We want to have the external reputation that we are a good place for everyone to work.” Morgan noted that this is not just an organizational goal but —

based on the level of involvement from GSK employees — a reality. “When Chris approached me about the program, I thought it was very exciting and we were rather surprised by the overwhelming response we received from people who really wanted to be trained advocates, many of whom were heterosexual,” she said. “This tells us that we have a workplace where our employees want all people to feel good about themselves and accepted.” GSK hired a consultant from the University of Pennsylvania to help design and lead the training, and Liang worked with GSK employees Margaret Wooddell, Shawn Kline and Sheila Callaham to generate interest in the effort and organize the program. Each training session was a halfday and included an introduction period in which participants were asked to provide information about their work for GSK, as well as personal statements such as when they came out if they identiﬁed as LGBT. The employees then took part in several interactive games, such as one that looked

at the varied interpretations of such terms as “heterosexual” and “gender,” and discussed workplace challenges that could arise for the LGBT community and developed strategies on how to address those concerns. “We wanted to educate these volunteers who want to proactively create a more-inclusive culture for the workplace,” Liang said. “So if employees need to speak to someone if they’re dealing with issues of coming out or questions about things like beneﬁts, they know there are people here that they can come to.” Each employee who underwent the training received a magnet that he or she can display to signify his or her cubicle or ofﬁce as a “Safe Zone.” GSK also launched a page on its intranet explaining the Safe Zone program, which provides resources for LGBT employees. Volunteers who participated in the training can also submit their names, work information and photos to the site to further assist LGBT employees in identifying colleagues to whom they can speak. Although the Safe Zone

program signals an important step toward building an accepting and diverse workforce, it is certainly not GSK’s ﬁrst foray into LGBT inclusion. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT organization, awarded GSK a perfect 100 score on its 2008 Corporate Equality Index. HRC noted that GSK includes both sexual orientation and gender identity in its nondiscrimination policy, provides extensive beneﬁts for same-sex partners, offers a Gay and Lesbian Support Network for its employees and has advocated for the passage of such laws as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Morgan noted that the Safe Zone program will heighten the organization’s appeal to potential LGBT employees and strengthen the company’s level of support for its current workers. “I’m very glad that we decided to go forward with the program,” she said. “It’s turned out to be very positive for us.” ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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Editorial Miss California’s missteps This week, Miss North Carolina Kristen Dalton snagged the Miss USA title in Las Vegas, edging out first runner-up Miss California Carrie Prejean after the West Coaster gave a less-than-polished answer to a question on same-sex marriage — which may or may not have cost her the crown. The question, posed by openly gay blogger and contest judge Perez Hilton, asked if same-sex marriage should be allowed in all states. She gave a convoluted answer, stating: “We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. “And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.” It garnered cheers and boos, sparked a screaming match in the lobby and a firestorm online. Hilton responded with a negative post on his blog and some name-calling. Since then, both Hilton and Prejean have appeared on talk shows defending their actions. Relevance of the pageant aside, that Prejean’s answer touched such a nerve is indicative of how much further gay-rights activists still have to go on the issue of marriage equality. As her response demonstrates, the first hurdle is education. America is not a land where you can “choose” same- or opposite-sex marriage. If couples live in a state or “choose” to move to a state that has marriage equality, then yes, gays and lesbians can choose to marry. But if you live in the other 46 states, you don’t have a “choice.” Prejean’s answer also demonstrates that she might be somewhat tone deaf on the issue of gay rights, even if she gave, in her words, the “biblically correct” answer: The question was posed by a gay man, several judges are gay or have gay siblings and her state pageant director is reportedly openly gay (and offended). Regardless of the possibility of offending anyone, her answer was neither diplomatic nor polished — requirements for beauty queens — nor did it represent all Californians, who are awaiting a decision from the state’s Supreme Court on a public referendum that may determine the status of gay marriage in the state. But her answer — and the heated response — sure was more interesting than hearing about world peace and starving children. ■

Corrections In “Two gay plays take the stage at Shubin,” April 10-16, one of the actors in the photo for “Show/Tell” was incorrectly identiﬁed. The actors are Nicole Mesiano, Peter Danzig and Matthew J. McDonough. In “TV host talks about his decade in ‘Bed,’” April 39, the photo was not given attribution. The photo was taken by Natalie Hope McDonald.

Other Views

Glenn Lash (glennlash@yahoo.com)

Les Robinson

Moving state ahead Iowa is the ﬁrst state in the American heartland to legalize same-sex marriage. Vermont is the ﬁrst to allow same-sex marriage through legislative action rather than a court ruling. I’m giddy. Mostly due to these fabulous events, and partly due to a pollen allergy. I cheer. I sneeze. It’s been a memorable April. Such a run of good marriage news makes me wonder where it will happen next. Which states will join Iowa, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts? I have a few guesses on whither the struggle. California — Oh, the pain gays and lesbians around the country felt when California voters passed Proposition 8. Legal experts tell us the California Supreme Court will probably let Prop. 8 stand. So it doesn’t appear California will be the next state to grant same-sex marriage. Which means California’s coolness level will plummet to the level of Mississippi. New Hampshire — In March, the House of Representatives approved a marriage bill; the Senate is expected to vote soon. Some think the fact that New Hampshire’s neighbor voted for gay marriage will help persuade Granite Staters to do the same. As a former New Hampshirite, I think the opposite. The legislature will probably delay

action on the marriage bill and instead pass a resolution criticizing Vermont for general smugness. Maine — What I’m sure of is that if same-sex marriage passes here, there will be an immediate movement to undo it. This tendency to battle over and over and over on gay rights suggests that Mainers either like a good ﬁght or are obsessive-compulsive. Rhode Island — Three of the six New England states have granted gay marriage. Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri and his wife Sue hope to avoid the same result in Little Rhody. They’ve both just joined the state chapter of the National Organization for Marriage, a group ﬁghting same-sex marriage around the country. I suppose the governor could take an extreme step and have Rhode Island secede — but I’m not sure the rest of the country would notice. New York — There will be more dithering, posturing, confusion and drama, but gay marriage will happen in New York. And when it does, New Yorkers will brag like they invented it. New Jersey — This is certainly a state on a trajectory to do the right thing. In 2007, civil unions went into effect. About four months ago, a state commission found that civil unions hadn’t provided equal

treatment, and recommended the state legalize same-sex marriage. New Jersey has been generally disparaged for so long, and I’m tempted to say something will go wrong. But no. I believe the Garden State will come through. And those wishing to marry can heed New Jersey’s mildly paranoid state slogan, “Come See For Yourself.” Michigan — Nobody’s working. They have lots of time to fight for same-sex marriage. Washington — In 2007, Washington established domestic partnerships. In 2008, legislation expanded the rights of domestic partnerships. Now in 2009, the state Senate has passed the so-called “everything but marriage” bill, which adds all the other state-level benefits of marriage to domestic partnerships. The House will likely pass it, and the governor will sign it. But it’s no secret in the Evergreen State that politicians have pursued this route so LGBT families will be protected until marriage is acquired. When will that happen? I can say definitively it will happen in Washington before Sasquatch teaches a forestry class. ■ Leslie Robinson looks forward to marriage battles in states like Utah and Alabama. E-mail her at LesRobinsn@aol.com.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Mark My Words

Street Talk

Mark Segal

Shut up, Pope You read that correctly, and let me reiterate: Pope Benedict shut up. Why use such harsh language? Well, this is not the first newspaper to use that phrase. Keep reading and you might be surprised. The Associated Press reported last week Pope Benedict XVI said last month that condoms weren’t the answer to Africa’s AIDS epidemic and could make the problem worse, drawing criticism from many sides. “France, Germany, the U.N. AIDS-fighting agency and the British medical journal The Lancet criticized the comments as irresponsible and dangerous. The Belgian parliament passed a resolution calling them ‘unacceptable’ and demanding that the government officially protest.” Belgium’s ambassador to the Holy See lodged the formal protest April 15, prompting a strongly worded Vatican statement April 17. Criticizing the Belgian vote, the Vatican said it deplored “the fact that a parliamentary assembly should have thought it appropriate to criticize the Holy Father on the basis of an isolated extract from an interview, separated from its context.” The Vatican statement said the remarks had been “used by some groups with a clear intent to intimidate, as if to dissuade the Pope from

PAGE 11

expressing himself on certain themes of obvious moral relevance and from teaching the Church’s doctrine.” This is the same pope who as a youth was a Nazi, the same pope who along with his predecessor tried to conceal the extent of child molestation by it’s clergy and has, in his short tenure, infuriated Arabs, Jews, women, gays and now medical professionals. With this statement, he insults the world’s collective intelligence with his shrill stupidity on a major health issue of life-and-death importance in Africa, not to mention the entire planet. As numerous health professionals have said, his words harmed the efforts to educate people about HIV/ AIDS. And as all intelligent people know, education is the only safeguard regarding HIV/AIDS. Now to the title of this column: It goes back to 1975 when, after testifying for Philadelphia’s gayrights bill, homophobic City Council President George Schwartz asked me as many insulting questions as possible. He ﬁnished with, “By gay, do you mean you do it with parakeets?” Yes folks, that’s what it was like ﬁghting for gay rights in the 1970s. His stupidity was addressed by an editorial in the Daily News titled “Shut Up, George.” So, in the spirit of and as a tribute to my good friends at the Daily News, I’m proud to point out stupidity, ignorance and intolerance and say, “Shut up, Pope.” ■ Mark Segal is PGN publisher. He can be reached at mark@epgn.com.

Would you be comfortable having a roommate of a different sexual orientation?

Jenice Armstrong newspaper columnist Burlington, N.J.

Neil Benziger software developer New York City

“I think I could deal with it. I have friends who are lesbians. It doesn’t mean they want to come onto me. I’m not afraid of lesbians. I like them. And the same with gay men. I’m open to it. You can’t prejudge people.”

“Yes. Having a lesbian or gay man as a roommate would be fine. That wouldn’t bother me. It might even give me a different perspective on things. It really depends on the person. I’d be more interested in someone’s personality, not their sexual orientation.”

Robert O’Brien student Washington Square West

Emily Rosenthal medical student Washington Square West

“Yes, but I’d have to set some ground rules, just like with any roommate. I’ve never done it before, so it would be a new experience. It would stretch my viewpoint and enrich my life. I like to interact with all kinds of people, so I think it would be fine.”

“Yes. If my roommate could do my hair, offer great fashion tips and get the apartment looking good — that would be fabulous! But any gay man or lesbian who doesn’t fall into that category also would be fine.”

Letters and Feedback In response to “Judge OKs extension for Scouts case,” April 17-23 Very nice how you left out who built the building and gave it to the city in return for a $1per-year rent. Oh, that would be the Boy Scouts. Nice to see how honest you are ... — Scout Support Editor’s note: Under the 1928 ordinance, the Commissioners of Fairmount Park authorized “The Philadelphia Council of the Boys Scouts of America to have the privilege of erecting at

its own expense on the lot ... a suitable building to become at once the property of the City and to be used exclusively by the Boy Scouts for their own activities, such building and lot to be kept in good order by said Boy Scouts during their occupancy and to be surrendered within one year after notice given them by the Commissioners of Fairmount Park, with the approval of the Mayor and City Council ... ” The Scouts have never paid rent for the building. Regardless of one’s position on this, Glassman is a moron.

His boss — the governor and former mayor — is a well-known Scout supporter throughout the commonwealth. Don’t think for a second the governor doesn’t speak at Scout fundraising dinners from Scranton to Pittsburgh, but somehow has a revelation that Scouts are bad when he arrives in Center City. — Vince123 This is a great way for gays to get mainstream America on their side: attacking the Boy Scouts of America. — DrSamLoomis

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

PAGE 12

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Adoption Corner

Scott A. Drake

Name: Twinkie Breed: Pit-bull mix Age: Approximately 18 months old Sex: Female (spayed) Health: Good, but slightly underweight Other information:

Twinkie will get a microchip as part of the adoption agreement so shelters and veterinarians with microchip-reading equipment or the SPCA can identify her.

History: Twinkie was a stray and rescued from euthanasia on Feb. 14. She currently weighs about 40 pounds and is expected to reach 4550 pounds as she gets stronger. Twinkie is very friendly toward everyone and shows her happiness by exuberantly wiggling around when she senses attention is on the way. She struggles to not jump because of her enthusiasm, but is getting better. Twinkie understands the command “sit,” is quickly learning “paw” and has learned not to bark when her citronella collar is on. She is submissive around people and would do well mainly with male dogs. She also has a tendency to chase cats, but she does not harm them. Twinkie absolutely loves having her belly rubbed. Upcoming Events: May 2, 1-4 p.m.: The Festival for the Animals will be co-hosted by PAWS and the Humane League of Philadelphia at The Ethical Society of Philadelphia, 1906 Rittenhouse Square. May 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Visit PAWS at the Old Pine Flea Market and Neighborhood Festival. Find a treasure and help save a life by learning about fostering, adopting, volunteering, donating and much more, on Fourth Street between Lombard and Pine.

Need a hand with maintenance projects? Check out the Home Improvement Directory.

May 16, noon-4 p.m.: Dog-wash fundraiser and adoption event at Whole Foods Market, 1575 The Fairway, Jenkintown.

May 17, noon-3 p.m.: The Best Friends Fashion Show with proceeds beneﬁting PAWS. Come meet some adorable and adoptable PAWS dogs and cats at the Curtis Center Atrium, 601 Walnut St. Update: Charlie was featured in the March 6 Adoption Corner and ﬁnally found himself a home on April 15 after spending more than two months at PAWS.

CHARLIE

Update: Koko, featured April 3, was adopted the following weekend. The PAWS organization has expressed enormous gratitude to all PGN readers for opening their homes to these and many other homeless animals. ■ The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society is dedicated to promoting public welfare and to saving the lives of Philadelphia’s homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals and has a no-kill policy. PAWS 100 N. Second St. (215) 238-9901 Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. www.phillypaws.org

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 13

Obituary Mort Wernik, owner of Uncles bar, 73 By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer

as a home base. Price said that Wernik, the former president of a nowdefunct Philadelphia LGBT business alliance, also opened up the establishment for a dragshow series she was involved with in the early ’90s and, more recently, hosted a large birthday party for local drag queen Les Harrison, for which Wernik did a lot of the cooking. “Whenever there was anything going on in the community, he always called someone to ﬁnd out what he could do,” Price said. “He cared so much about the community and was always there, but he didn’t have to be getting all the glory.” Wernik, an avid traveler who frequented the theater and enjoyed vacations at his beach house in Atlantic City, provided volunteer and monetary contributions to numerous local organizations, such as the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance. Jeff Sotland, commissioner of the City of Brotherly Love Softball League, said Uncles was a longtime sponsor of the league and Wernik’s support of CBLSL exempliﬁed his extensive community involvement. “Mort was a great friend to the softball league and the community in general,” Sotland said. “We will miss him and his personality that has been a

Mort Wernik, longtime owner of local LGBT bar Uncles, died April 21. He was 73. Wernik had been battling pancreatic cancer for the past several months. Wernik opened Uncles, 1220 Locust St., 25 years ago and, earlier this month, took part in the bar’s anniversary celebration. A native of Metuchen, N.J., Wernik was a graduate of the college of pharmacy at the University of Pennsylvania and Photo courtesy of Tony Lantz moved to Philadelphia in the late doing, he left you alone, and he ’70s. Although he was a licensed was very blunt — either he liked pharmacist, Wernik was drawn you or he didn’t like you,” Lantz to the city’s LGBT nightlife and said. “But he was an extremely opened Season’s Bar on Drury kind and compassionate person. Lane and Back Street Baths on He was a wonderful man and a great person to work for, a great Chancellor Street. Joe Brazill, manager of Uncles boss.” Franny Price, president of who worked at the bar for the Philly Pride Presents, noted that past 21 years, said that while neither of Wernik’s initial LGBT Wernik was highly active in the endeavors survived, his “next LGBT community but often adventure,” Uncles, obviously chose not to step into the spotlight and take credit for his work. had staying power. “Mort was one of those people Brazill said he’s unsure what will happen to Uncles but that that I don’t think people realized Wernik’s family will be involved all the things he’s done for the in the decision-making process. community. He was a behind-theHe believes they may leave the scenes type of guy,” Price said. She added that before Wernik establishment as it is. converted the upstairs level of Brazill said that when Uncles Uncles into an inn, he let the opened in 1984, it also housed a restaurant, which closed after local town watch use the rooms about 10 years, while the rest of the bar continued to evolve into the neighborhood hangout it is today. Brazill noted that Wernik’s dedication to the LGBT community was evident through his treatment of his staff and the bar’s patrons. “He was a good and caring person and a good person to work for,” Brazill said. “He did a lot for the entire gay community.” Tony Lantz, a bartender at Uncles for the past ﬁve years, said Wernik had a straightforward attitude that made him a pleasure to work for. “At work, if you WERNIK (SECOND FROM RIGHT) AT UNCLES DURING PRIDE 2006 knew what you were PGN file photo: Rob Reed

constant in the City of Brotherly Love for decades. It is with his passing that a friend will be missed, but not forgotten.” Wernik’s funeral was yesterday at the Temple Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., with burial at Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge, N.J. Wernik is survived by brothers David, Malcolm and Rabbi Joseph, sister Charlotte Sheratsky and many nieces and nephews. The family will observe Shiva

and receive guests beginning at noon April 26 through 10 a.m. April 29 at Wernik’s home, the Residence at Liberty II, suite 4002, 50 S. 16th St. Memorial contributions in Wernik’s name can be made to MANNA, P.O. Box 30181, Philadelphia, PA 19103 or to the Jerusalem Open House, P.O. Box 2652, Jerusalem, Israel, 91026. ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com. A Loving Family of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Catholics & our allies invites you to celebrate

Sunday Mass, 7:00 PM Social immediately following Mass

Please Join Us! - Services are held at St. Luke & the Epiphany 330 S. 13th Street, between Spruce and Pine streets, Philadelphia, PA Communion in the form of Consecrated bread, wine and grape juice. Gluten-free communion available upon request. Information: 215-546-2093 www.dignityphila.org www.dignityusa.org

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Friday, May 1: Equality Forum Shabbat Service, 8:00 PM. Guest speaker: Malcolm Lazin. Sunday, May 16 : BA Theatre Party, 8:00PM: “A Man of No Importance,” Bristol Riverside Theatre, Bristol, PA. Carpooling is available. Dinner prior to the show at a nearby diner. Tickets: $41/person (we’re trying to get a group rate). If interested in attending, please contact BA at 215-923-2003 with your name, phone number, e-mail address, and the number of tickets you’re interested in reserving. *NEW DATE* Sunday, June 14: The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene presents, “Mama’s Lokshn Kugel,” a traveling Yiddish revue featuring classic songs and sketches, 3:00 PM; $10/person, payable at the door, Teller Auditorium at Rodeph Shalom. Supertitles will be projected during the performance--no knowledge of Yiddish required. Please reserve by calling BA at 215-923-2003 and leaving your name and phone number on our voicemail. Beth Ahavah and Rodeph Shalom are afﬁliated in spirit and share a sacred home.. In July 2007 Beth Ahavah afﬁliated with Rodeph Shalom. Beth Ahavah retains its congregational status within the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and proudly offers its congregation dual membership at both synagogues.

Visit www.bethahavah.org for additional information, programming and directions

615 North Broad Street, Phila., PA 19123-2495 Phone: 215.923.2003 E-mail: BethAhavah@rodephshalom.org

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 14

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Mark your calendars: May is National Masturbation Month. The idea for this observance originated in 1995 when a San Franciscobased adult sex-toy store wanted to protest the firing of then-U.S. Surgeon Gen. Dr. Joycelyn Elders. Elders, the first African American to hold that position, had come under fire from conservatives for espousing a number of controversial views, including the distribution of condoms in schools. But the final straw came at a speech she delivered at the United Nations on HIV and AIDS. In response to a question posed to her following the speech, Elders suggested that masturbation “might perhaps be taught in public schools” as one way to combat the spread of the disease. Her opponents seized upon the off-the-cuff statement, and, one week after her statement on World AIDS Day, President Clinton fired his appointee. Masturbation as sin? So why the uproar over masturbation? The taboo surrounding masturbation dates as far back as Biblical times and persists to the present day (at least in Western society). It wasn’t always so. In certain cultures throughout history, masturbation was regarded not only as normal but was highly praised. More often, however, it has been equated with immorality and mental illness. An Old Testament passage tells of God striking down Onan for “spilling his seed on the ground” rather than father a child by his brother’s widow. Ancient Hebrews thus condemned masturbation as a sin against God. To this day, many religious teachings

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continue to perpetuate the idea of masturbation as a sin. Masturbation causes insanity? In the mid- to late 1700s, during the Age of Enlightenment, clergy and medical professionals alike carried a very dim (one might say “unenlightened”) view of masturbation, asserting the practice led to insanity. They believed that since sexual arousal involved stimulation of the nervous system, the “chronic” nervous excitation accompanying this “unnatural” act could eventually produce brain damage. Masturbation was sometimes even “treated” in women by the removal of the clitoris. Now that is crazy! Children of this era did not escape the ramifications of this morally based “science.” A common practice by some parents was to have their children wear binding clothing or other paraphernalia aimed at physically preventing masturbation. Diet has also been used as a method of attempting to curb sexual arousal; so-called “stimulating” foods, such as chocolate, sugary foods and meat, were to be strictly avoided. In the mid-19th century, Dr. J.H. Kellogg (of the same family that brought us the cornflakes) considered masturbation to be downright deadly, claiming its victims could “quite literally, die by their own hand.” (Interesting turn of a phrase, don’t you think?) He recommended such draconian measures as circumcision among young males (without anesthesia, ouch!) and pouring pure carbolic acid on the clitorises of young girls. Masturbation is healthy! Fortunately, today most physicians support the premise that masturbation is a normal and healthy sexual activity. Alfred Kinsey’s studies showed 92 percent of men and 62 percent of women have masturbated during their lifetime. It frequently begins well before puberty and some even report masturbatory behavior in utero. Among the numerous benefits ascribed to masturbation is that it is 100-

percent safe: Nobody ever got an STD (or pregnant!) from masturbating. It can also be a means for self-discovery and intimacy. In order to learn how to please others sexually, it helps to know how best to please ourselves. Masturbation can help relieve stress as well as sexual tension, and can often help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with women’s menstrual cycles. Research shows sexual arousal and climax can actually alleviate pain, likely owing to the body’s release of endorphins during orgasm, which induce feelings of mental and physical well-being. For decades, sex therapists have advocated the use of masturbation to help individuals and couples improve their sexual responsiveness, particularly with women who have difficulty achieving orgasm, or men who may achieve it too quickly (i.e. premature ejaculation). It can also be a means to enhance sexual pleasure for couples who engage in the practice mutually. Of course, one of the real luxuries of masturbation is that it can be done purely on your own terms. After all, when is the last time you told yourself, “Not tonight, I have a headache!” Masturbation can help you fall asleep and can even be good cardiovascular exercise (get busy, bikini season is fast approaching!). Perhaps the most pertinent benefit, however, is that it just plain feels good! And while we have learned, painfully at times, that the old maxim dating back to the Free Love Generation does not apply universally, when it comes to masturbation, “if it feels good, do it!” ■ For more information about events taking place in Philadelphia in recognition of National Masturbation Month, contact Mazzoni Center Collective manager Elicia Gonzales at egonzales@mazzonicenter.org or call (215) 563-0652 ext. 243. Mazzoni Center is Philadelphia’s only LGBT-specific health center.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Work It Out

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 15

Jared Carter

What about fish? I have been answering a lot of nutrition questions lately and one topic seems to keep coming up. Everyone wants to know about fish. We all know that it is healthy for you, but what about mercury levels? Are fatty fish OK to eat? These are a few of the questions I have been answering in the last few weeks. Hopefully, these topics will make a little more sense after reading this column. Let’s begin with the assumption that fish is healthy for you. Fish is very high in protein, has very little fat and tastes great. So far, fish looks like a great choice. The case gets even stronger when we look at the type of fat that fish contains. Fish is particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help moderate cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation and decrease body fat. Fish still looks good so far. Meanwhile, a lot of people are concerned about fatty fish. What is a fatty fish? Fatty fish live in cold water and need the extra Together Wewarm. Can, Some a discussion fat to help stay fish group for people dealing that have been labeled as fatty with emotional, mental and addictive include haddock, halibut, salmon, problems, will meet at 7 p.m. at The tuna, herring and mackerel. While these fish do haveInformation higher The Trans-Health levels of fat than other fish, Project will hold a drop-inthe center amount of fatpersons is still very for all trans from low 7-11 p.m. when compared to beef. In my oor; opinion, any fish is a great source of protein, even ifSociety, it is a fatty fish. The Humboldt a gay and So if fish is a wonder lesbian naturalist club,food, will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the about William Way why do people worry it? The simple answer is high Ties levels. That Bind Us, isa a12-step mercury Mercury toxic metal that is released into the atmosphere through industrial pollution. Many companies are taking steps to reduce this, but levels are still high. The mercury finds its way into the water and

contaminates the food chain. As big fish eat smaller fish, their mercury levels increase. As fish get larger and larger, they are unable to reduce the mercury levels in their systems. This means that some of the fish we like to eat for their health benefits, such as tuna, have high levels of mercury. Mercury has been shown to affect the nervous system. In high levels it affects fertility and blood pressure and can lead to memory loss. It is particularly dangerous for children and fetuses. Since children develop their brain and nervous system throughout the first few years of their lives, even low-level exposure can cause lasting problems. This can cause poor mental development, cerebral palsy, deafness or blindness. Other side effects include delayed walking and talking, shortened attention spans and learning disabilities. While the effects of mercury can be frightening, it is important to remember that mercury levels in fish are low, and there are some that have virtually no mercury. The trick is knowing how often to eat fish so that mercury does not begin to accumulate in your body. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that pregnant women and children

Jared Carter, CSCS, is the owner of Move Forward Fitness Personal Training Studio, 1616 Walnut St. Visit www. moveforwardﬁtness.com to sign up for his free newsletter, or reach him at (215) 399-3541 or jared@moveforwardﬁtness.com.

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do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish, as they are very high in mercury. The FDA also recommends that everyone limit their consumption of other species to two meals per week. This includes such fish as canned tuna, salmon, shrimp, etc. It is also important to recognize that farm-raised fish have virtually no mercury but may contain antibiotics. Personally, I am not very scared of mercury in fish. People would be healthier if they incorporated more fish into their diet rather than less. Fatty fish are particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids and are a great source of protein. These benefits far outweigh any potential risk from mercury, as long as you limit your intake to two meals per week. The average American does not eat fish even close to twice a week, so the risk is essentially eliminated. It all comes down to that old axiom: everything in moderation. ■

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 17

30 years ago in PGN Suburban trans teacher reinstated A judge reinstated a transgender art teacher from Media, Delaware County, who had been fired after undergoing a sex-change operation. U.S. District Judge Donald Van Artsdalen restored Jenell Ashlie, 27, to her position May 9 as a teacher in the Chester-Upland school district, but on a suspended status. Van Artsdalen ordered the district to pay Ashlie $10,000 in back pay and schedule an employment hearing for within 30 days of the ruling. The district fired Ashlie, who had been teaching at Pulaski Middle School under her given name Keith Komarnicki, the previous August after she announced that she was transitioning. The district said the decision was made because of Ashlie’s “incompetence, immorality and other improper conduct, all of which are potentially psychologically damaging to students.” Ashlie filed suit because the district did not conduct a full

hearing on the issue, as was its typical policy. The judge said he did not order Ashlie to be fully reinstated to her position because he believed the district to have jurisdiction over such matters. Ashlie, who told PGN she believed the district would again decide to dismiss her, chose to forego a hearing and on June 14 agreed to resign in exchange for a $35,000 cash settlement.

everything they could walk off with.” No money was stolen and no patient records appeared to have been out of place. “Everything that was locked stayed locked. Our ﬁles were not touched,” Cochran said. The center was scheduled to receive a $6,000 grant from the Philadelphia Foundation May 4, which Cochran said would assist in the restocking of the ofﬁce.

Cabaret catches fire LGBT counseling center burglarized Bramwell’s, formerly a gay The Eromin Center, a nowdefunct LGBT counseling facility at 1735 Naudain St. in the Graduate Hospital area, was the target of a burglary, losing about $2,000 worth of equipment. Burglars broke into the ofﬁce sometime between 4 p.m. April 28 and 9 a.m. April 30, when all employees were out of the ofﬁce for the weekend. The assailants got away with radios, electric typewriters, a stereo, an answering machine, clocks and a coffee maker. “It was a real shocker,” said Mary Cochran, clinical director of the center. “They took about

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cabaret and restaurant at 200 S. Camac St., suffered about $175,000 worth of damage after the property caught fire May 7. The three-alarm fire appeared to have been started by a faulty compressor in a basement freezer. The blaze, which was first reported around 4:15 p.m. that day, spread quickly through a dumbwaiter in the basement, entirely skipping the first floor and traveling to the second-floor cabaret, which was completely gutted. The fire occurred on a Monday, and Jack Friel, Bramwell’s owner, said the establishment fortunately was not open on Mondays, so no

one was inside at the time of the blaze. Friel said his insurance would cover approximately $120,000 worth of the repairs. The building’s owner, Meridian Club, pledged to assist with the repairs and estimated the establishment, which opened just ﬁve months

prior to the fire, would be able to reopen by September. Three other adjacent townhomes were also damaged in the fire. The same three homes also caught fire May 12, resulting in more damage. ■ — Jen Colletta

Youth in Transition, a support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 12-23, will meet from 7:30-9 p.m. at The Attic PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS Youth Center.

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PAGE 18

International News

Larry Nichols

Irish demand full marriage rights

areas such as pensions, inheritances and taxes. But they would not be allowed to become joint parents and would also be denied dozens of Nearly 1,000 people recently other benefits and responsibilities demonstrated in central Dublin, of marriage. The bill also would criticizing the government for specify that civil partnerships are refusing to give gay people equal not marriages as defined by the Located Near Rittenhouse Square Irish Constitution. marriage rights. & Aesthetic Dentistry The demonstration was Irish gays are accusing General the Now Accepting New Patients Gay Bisexual government of being slow to organized by Lesbian Early Morning Appointments Available Transgender Noise, which called legalize same-sex marriage and 248 South 21st St.,bill Phila, PA measure.” 19103 the proposed “a half calling a bill that would grant civil “We don’t want crumbs from the partnerships “insufficient.” 215.732.3350 master’s table, we want the whole In January, the government www.yourphillydentist.com announced legislation to allow cake. We want the wedding cake,” same-sex couples to form civil said LGBT Noise spokesperson partnerships and said it would be Eloise McInerney. Anthony Petchalonis, D.M.D One Hour Teeth Whitening Rory O’Neill, another Irish gay presented to Irish lawmakers inFeaturing leader, also blasted the government April, but the bill has not yet been plan. filed. “Either our relationships are The legislation would allow lesbian and gay couples to register equal to heterosexual relationships with the state and be recognized in or they are not,” he told

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Wednesday, Jan. 9 A support group for HIV-positive women will meet from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Arch Street demonstrators. “Our stateUnited asks Methodist Church, Broad and Arch of us all the responsibilities of streets; (215) 387-6055. citizenship. In return, I expect the � The Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS commensurate rights.” Education Initiative will offer free, The government dismissed on-site walk-in HIVhas testing from calls from LGBT groups to equalize 3-6 p.m. at 1233 Locust St.; (215) marriage, saying it was prevented 985-3382. from byreading the constitution. � The doing libraryso and room will A clause in the constitution says be open from 3-9 p.m. at the William the government must protect the Way Community Center. institution of marriage, but it does � Project Teach, a peer-education not deﬁne who comprises a married and empowerment program for couple.living with HIV/AIDS, will people meet from 3-5 p.m. at the William Recent public-opinion polls Way Center. of people showCommunity that 84 percent � support inA smoking-cessation Ireland are in favor of group some for sexual minorities, conducted by recognition of same-sex couples the Center, at withMazzoni 53 percent sayingwill theymeet would 5:30 p.m. at the Washington West allow gay couples to marry. Project, 1201 Locust St.; (215) 5630663 ext. 242. � AIDS Services in Asian Communities’ weekly volunteer work group will meet from 6-8 p.m. at 1201 Chestnut St., Suite 501; The563-2424 Federal ext. Court (215) 10. of Canada has orderedOut, a new refugeegroup hearing � Coming a support for for abisexual Nigerianorgay man who men, says gay, questioning he fears his6-7:30 life if he is returned will meetfor from p.m. at AIDS Delaware, Suite 315, 100 W. 10th home. St.,Norbert Wilmington; Okoli(800) ﬂed292-0429. to Canada � gay-friendly will inA 2005 using Scrabble a fake Club passport. meet 6-11immigration p.m. in the board P.I.C. At afrom 2006 Building, and that Locust streets; hearing, 42nd he said once his (215) 382-0789. homosexuality was discovered in � The LGBT Discussion Group will his home country, he was beaten, meet from with 6-8 p.m. the on United threatened deathatand, one Church of forced Christ,to300 E. sex Main St.,a occasion, have with Newark, Del.; (800) 292-0429. female prostitute in a futile attempt � A meeting/activity night will to “turn him” straight. be held for gay, lesbian, bisexual, The board that youth Okoli transgender and ruled questioning should be returned to Nigeria and and their friends from 6-8 p.m. that he would be safe there as long at the Rainbow Room of Planned as he kept his a secret. Parenthood in sexuality Doylestown; (215) Okoli, who has been residing in 348-0558 ext. 65. Toronto, the decision to � A men’sappealed support group for those the federal court. will meet from with HIV/AIDS In a p.m. ruling, 6-7:30 at Justice Mercer Leonard County Mandamin board Area Early criticized InterventiontheServices decision, it had failedcall to in Trenton,saying N.J. For location, �

Canada hears gay refugee claim

take into consideration scars from beatings inﬂicted on Okoli. Mandamin ordered that the case be returned to the immigration board with a different panel to hear Okoli’s plea for asylum. Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria, punishable by a prison term of up to 14 years with hard labor. The government currently is also considering legislation that would make it a criminal offense to attend a gay event, gathering or wedding anywhere in the world. Under the proposed new law, a same-sex couple married anywhere and returning to Nigeria, or anyone who is married to a same-sex partner who travels to Nigeria, would be jailed for up to three years. Under the legislation, anyone who attends

oor; (215) 496-0330. Sistah2Sistah, a discussion/ support group for sexual-minority women of color ages 16-24, will meet from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1201 Chestnut St., 15th oor; (215) 4960330. � You’re Not Alone, a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, will from could 6:30-7:30 p.m. for at a gaymeet wedding be jailed Rehoboth Library, 226 Rehoboth up to ﬁve years. Ave., Rehoboth,police Del.; would (800) have 810In addition, 6776. the right to raid public or private � Pink and of Blues, free depression gatherings any agroup of people and bipolar of support for sexual suspected beinggroup lesbian, gay, minorities, meet at 7 p.m. at St. bisexual orwill transgender. Luke and The International Epiphany Church, Amnesty has 330 S. 13th St.; (215) 627-0424. expressed concerns about human� Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus rights abuses in Nigeria against will rehearse at 7 p.m. at the William individuals on the basis of Way Community Center; (215) 731their actual or perceived sexual 9230. orientation. � The Temple University Lambda Alliance will meet from 7-8 p.m. at The Village the Lambda Gay menoutside face ofce, SAC 205, 1755 N. 13th St.; (215) 204-6954. protection unequal � The Trenton Gay and Lesbian A Spanish judgecard hasand declared Civic Association’s games night held be from 7-10 with p.m. that a will manbe cannot charged at 986 S. Broad St., Trenton, domestic violence against N.J.; his (609) 638-7264. husband because a law covering � The abuse Women’s of spousal does notCenter cover gay Montgomery County’s lesbian male victims. support group will meet from 7Same-sex marriage became legal 9in p.m. Washington Lane, Spainatin101 2005. Prime Minister Jenkintown; 885-8440. Jose Luis (215) Rodriguez Zapatero � A men’s coming-out group will has called it one of his greatest meet at 7:30 p.m. The Pride achievements. But aat number of Center of New Jersey. other laws affecting families � Survivors of Suicide Inc. Chester have not supported gay marriage, County, a support group, will meet including at 7:30 p.m. atdomestic-violence Paoli Memorial legislation. Willistown Hospital, Room, The inadequacy of Lancaster the law Medical Ofce Building, recently came to light after a Web man Pike, Paoli; (215) 545-2242; killedphillysostripod.com. his ex-husband in the town site: ofUnder Adra, the in the southern region of � Rainbow, a discussion Andalucia. The for former husband and social group 18-25-year-old was stabbed to death theatkiller gays and lesbians, willand meet 7:30 then took his Pride own life. p.m. at The Center of New Jersey. The president of the Almería � The Gay Men’s Provincial Court,Married Benito Galvez, Association support had group will said if the perpetrator survived meet at 8 be p.m. at the William Way he could charged with murder, Community Center; (610) but an additional charge 626of 2577. domestic violence could not be � The steering committee of Team brought. Philadelphia, a gaythe sports league, Galvez said domesticwill meet atlaw, 8 p.m.written at the William violence before Way Community Center. same-sex marriage became legal, �

identiﬁes a victim as only being female. It could only be called a gay domestic-violence incident if it had happened between two lesbians, he said, adding that the law needs to be reviewed. In the case of the murder-suicide, Adra ofﬁcials said they intend to regard it as domestic violence and will hold a vigil for the victim.

PGN

Senegal overturns ‘gay’ convictions Nine men in Senegal who were sentenced to eight years in prison for “indecent conduct and unnatural acts” have had their convictions overturned.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings will be held at 5:30, 8:30 and 11:30 p.m. at the William Way Community Center. APRIL 30, 2009 � Breaking the Chain,24a - smokingcessation group, will meet at 6 p.m. at The Attic Youth Center. � Gay Coffee Hours will be held from 6-9 p.m. at Joe Coffee, 1100 Walnut St.; (215) 592-7384. � Dakar’s Peer counseling services will court of appeal ordered be from against 6-9 p.m.theatmen the the available arrest warrants William Way Center; to be lifted andCommunity ruled they must be (215) 732-8255. released immediately. � The A support group for formerly men, most of whom belong incarcerated sexual minorities to a group set up to combat HIV/ will meet from 6-8 p.m. at Blacks AIDS, were arrested in December Educating Blacksof About at the apartment Diadji Sexual Diouf, Health Issues, 1217 Spring a prolific LGBT leader,Garden and St.; (215) 769-3561. sentenced in January. � 40 Acres of Change, a discussion Counsel for the men argued group for youth of color, will meet that there was no material proof from 6:30-9 p.m. at 1201 Chestnut for the no specific St., 15th accusations, oor; (215) 496-0330. complainant had filed charges � Twenty Times, a group for men against the of men and that20-29, the time and women color ages will of their arrestp.m. wasatillegal. meet at 6:30 1201 Chestnut not contest St.,The 15thprosecution oor; (215)did 496-0330. theDiversity, defense plea. � an HIV/AIDS support Gay-rights groups believe the group for all infected or affected, eight-year sentence originally meets from 7-9 p.m. at Arch Street given toMethodist the men is the harshest United Church, Broad and streets; call to Zak,anyone (215) ever Arch handed down 848-4380, Paul, (215) 307-0347. accused oforgay crimes. � Homosexual The Men’s Peer Group acts Support are punishable will meet for topical discussionone at by imprisonment of between 7and p.m. The Pride Center of New fiveatyears in Senegal. Jersey. Last year, the African Assembly � Adult Children of for Rainbow the Defense of Human Rights Alcoholics and overAlcoholics expressed concern the rise Anonymous will and hold hatred a 12-step of homophobia of meeting at 7 p.m. at Limestone homosexuals in Senegal. Presbyterian Church, 3201 Limestone Road, Wilmington, Del.; (302) 456-9129. � The Humboldt Society, a gay and lesbian naturalist club, will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the William Way Community Center. The Vatican has launched a � Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, doctrinal investigation into the aleadership 12-step program, willsisters meet atin7:30 of Catholic the p.m. at All Saints Church, 18 Olive United States, reportedly because Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.; (302) they have not sufficiently promoted 542-3279. the Vatican line on homosexuality � The Women’s and other issues.Peer Support Group will meet at 7:30 p.m. at The Pride The Leadership Conference of Center of New Jersey. Women Religious, an association � that The gathersBisexual/Gay/Lesbian the leaders of Alliance at Rutgers University will most of the country’s women’s meet at 9:30 p.m. in Murray Hall, congregations, said it was informed Room 211, 13 George St., New of the “doctrinal assessment” � Brunswick, N.J.; (732) 932-1306. in �

Vatican says U.S. nuns soft on gays

a letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s orthodoxy watchdog. In a statement, the Leadership Conference said the new doctrinal study would look into its activities and initiatives, but it provided no details. The National Catholic Reporter, an independent newspaper, said the Vatican ordered up the probe because the sisters had not addressed problems raised by the Vatican in 2001 about their promotion of church teaching on homosexuality, salvation and the priesthood, which the Vatican says is reserved for men. ■ Larry Nichols can be reached at larry@epgn.com.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

BULLYING From Page 1 Carrie Jacobs, executive director of The Attic Youth Center, noted that while some local schools are guided by principals and staff who are conscious of LGBT issues, many do not make the needs of these students a priority. “The majority of our schools, particularly the middle schools, seem insensitive and unaware of the experiences of LGBTQ youth in their school,” she said. “There is a lot of talk about bullying and harassment but no one seems to make a particular issue about antigay abuse and language. My opinion is that schools need to be more intentional about addressing the hurtful and destructive antigay messages, and provide ongoing

MORRIS From Page 6 for help about Morris made from three different locations — Juniper and Chancellor streets, 16th and Walnut and Jefferson Hospital — all referred to the same person. According to departmental guidelines, dispatchers are supposed to be informed when multiple calls from different locations refer to the same person. Also, the ofﬁcers’ paperwork depicted Morris simply as a drunk person who fell and “cut” her head, though medical personnel

DINING OUT From Page 5 The organization will also give a Friend for Life Award to Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and chief marketing ofﬁcer at Subaru, the international sponsor of the event. Both awards will be presented at Starr’s Parc restaurant in Rittenhouse Square, the host establishment for the fundraiser. Mayor Nutter is expected to

ENDORSEMENTS From Page 1 “The people who we select in the local races have a much greater personal impact on the lives of all Philadelphians. And for LGBT Philadelphians, they could be deciding things such as secondparent adoptions or working to improve safety as we walk around on the streets,” he said. “The district attorney and judges have a huge impact on our community

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 19

and consistent training and support for school staff.” The report also found that the harassment had a negative impact on the students’ attendance. About 39 percent of the students had skipped class in the month prior to the survey because they felt unsafe, and 44 percent missed at least one day. Students who were more frequently harassed in the classroom were more than twice as likely to miss school than those who experienced harassment less frequently. In comparison to the national averages released in last fall’s report, Pennsylvania ranked higher in every single category of verbal and physical harassment. For instance, 44 percent of LGBT students across the nation experienced physical harassment

because of their sexual orientation and 30 percent for their gender identity, and 22 percent reported physical assault because of their sexual orientation and 14 percent because of their gender identity. Likewise, about 32 percent of national LGBT students who were harassed missed one class the month before the survey, and 33 percent missed an entire day. GLSEN spokesperson Darryl Presgraves said the discrepancies could be a result of Pennsylvania’s lack of legislation to ban antiLGBT bullying in schools. “Our hope in doing this research is that we can raise awareness of the problem of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in Pennsylvania schools,” he said. “Pennsylvania is one of 43 states that doesn’t protect students from bullying and

harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, so we hope that this can bring some attention to this issue.” Jacobs suggested that the Philadelphia School District could enact an anti-LGBT bullying policy, which could serve as a model for the rest of the state. “There is still so much work that needs to be done in our schools to keep our youth safe,” she said. “Until we become speciﬁc and focused on protecting LGBTQ youth, they will remain unsafe.”

at Jefferson Hospital suspected that she was an assault victim. The officers’ paperwork failed to mention that Morris suffered massive cerebral bleeding, and that Morris was brain dead when the officers visited her at the hospital. Perhaps most importantly, PAC members have questioned why the officers didn’t document the medic cancellation and subsequent ride given to Morris, and why they didn’t summon a supervisor to the post-injury scenes to help assess the situation. After Morris was pronounced dead on the evening of Dec. 24, 2002, the city’s medical

examiner’s ofﬁce promptly ruled the case a homicide, noting that her injuries couldn’t have been caused by a simple fall. Abraham is scheduled to retire in January, and some advocates for Morris are urging the candidates who are vying to replace her to open the Morris ﬁles. Johnson said the PAC is sympathetic to those efforts. “We wouldn’t have a problem with any future DA releasing the Morris records to members of the public,” he said. “We understand the desire for transparency. But in this case, we can’t be transparent if we want to get our hands on the additional documents. Then, at

least we can see them and know what we’re fighting for if, in fact, a legal fight has to be continued.” Kathleen R. Padilla, a local LGBT activist, attended an April 15 PAC meeting about the Morris case and expressed mixed feelings. “I hope these additional records that the PAC accesses will allow it to fulfill its mission in this case,” Padilla said. “I also hope that the people who are running for office to replace DA Abraham will be committed to having transparency for these records.” ■

attend the event and proclaim April 30 Dining Out For Life Day in the city. Burns expressed gratitude to those who’ve signed on to participate in the event at Parc — such as representatives from AIDS Law Project, Philadelphia FIGHT, the William Way LGBT Community Center, AIDS Fund, Calcutta House, Circle of Care, the AIDS Activities Coordinating Ofﬁce, Subaru and Pennsylvania Sen. Vincent Hughes’ (D-7th

Dist.) ofﬁce — and said he’s hopeful the local community will be just as responsive. “I’m the eternal optimist, so I’m hoping that the city of Philadelphia will step up and come out and have dinner. You have to eat anyway, and this is a fun, easy fundraiser.” For the complete list of participating restaurants or to make a donation, visit w w w. d i n i n g o u t f o r l i f e . c o m / philadelphia. ■

and the city controller is someone who’s monitoring city funding; if budget cuts could affect places like The Attic [Youth Center] or the Mazzoni Center, it’s important to have someone in that ofﬁce who’s a watchdog.” Murphy’s organization posted questionnaires for the candidates who completed them — both those Liberty City endorsed and those it didn’t endorse — on its Web site. “All of us have a responsibility to help the entire community

decide who to vote for, and I think we’ve come up with a good group of people. But everyone can still deﬁnitely check out all of the questionnaires and make up their own minds,” he said. “I’m pretty happy with this slate of candidates and I’m even happier with the democratic process that we have that allows us to make these decisions.” To read the candidates’ questionnaires, visit www. libertycity.org. ■

To contact the local GLSEN chapter, located in Pittsburgh, call (412) 361-6996 or e-mail Pittsburgh@chapters.glsen.org. ■

Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.

Timothy Cwiek can be reached at (215) 625-8501 ext. 208.

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

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APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PAGE 21

A departure from the ordinary

Detour

Can we talk?

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 22

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Joan Rivers: ready to work in Philly By Larry Nichols PGN Staff Writer Joan Rivers may not have done it all, but she’s done a hell of a lot more than most. How many other entertainers can claim the titles of comedian, best-selling author, Tony-nominated actor, playwright, screenwriter, talk-show host, jewelry designer, fashion critic and businesswoman? But Rivers isn’t one to take such praise, let alone allow PGN to bow at her feet or consider her a living legend. “Oh, please, drop it,” she said. “You should only be thought of like that after you’re dead.” But, at 75, she’s still running circles around performers half her age — and, according to her, there’s a good reason for that.

“I’ve never stopped or had the time to stop,” she said. “I’m not being cute. I’m so busy always slugging it out and always working on my act that I never think in those terms. Never, never, never, never. I won’t let them put me in that category. They’re always saying, ‘We want to honor you.’ Oh, go to hell. You’ll honor me when I’m dead. I’m not ﬁnished yet. I don’t think I’ve peaked and that’s really true.” Rivers also doesn’t look 75 for a number of reasons, all of them plastic surgery. Unlike the majority of entertainers, she has never been shy about telling people what she has had done. She went further in 2008 when she wrote “Men Are Stupid ... And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman’s Guide to Beauty Through Plastic

Surgery.” In Rivers’ world, getting something lifted, tightened or adjusted is as essential as wearing makeup. In “Men Are Stupid,” she delivers personal anecdotes about life under the knife, making a passionate argument for a woman’s right to do whatever it takes to be beautiful, feel better about herself and be happy. But Rivers said the subject of plastic surgery is still extremely taboo in Hollywood. “People will tell you their sex lives,” she said. “People will tell you how much money Bernie Madoff took from them. But they will look at you and tell you they’ve done nothing. Meanwhile, they’re talking to the part in their hair. That goes back to ‘I was born beautiful and you weren’t.’” More recently, Rivers took

her first stab at writing fiction with “Murder at the Academy Awards: A Red Carpet Murder Mystery,” a novel that she admits has more than a fair share of real-life dirt she witnessed firsthand. “There are so many stories that you want to tell about what goes on backstage at these awards shows,” she said. “You couldn’t in a non-fiction book and walk around the city. As fiction, I put in all Photo: Michael Lamont

the stories I’ve heard and all the things I’ve seen. I love bringing [readers] to the Vanity Fair party and I love bringing them to the gifting rooms. I’m showing them how tough it is out there on the red carpet. I love doing it as fiction because I can really tell it. Nobody can get mad at me. It’s fiction.” Some things we didn’t need to know. We were sure that Rivers’ red-carpet connection meant she was getting hooked up with all sorts of free fashions and accessories, but she burst that bubble. “You get nothing free,” she said. “I get nothing free. I’ve never been in that group. Dresses will be lent to you but they want them back, which I always find fascinating, as they have been altered. So they have to look for a short Jewish person.” If you are under a certain age, you might only know Rivers as the woman who dishes on celebrity fashion at high-profile awards shows, or from TV commercials or shows like “Celebrity Apprentice.” But a generation knows her as a pioneering entertainer in the worlds of stand-up comedy and television, who started acting in the late 1950s. Rivers said one of her early inspirations to get into comedy was none other than the legendary Lenny Bruce. “I was lucky enough to be taken to see him on a date when I was a senior in high school,” she said. “You just knew that this is something amazing.”

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Rivers’ star continued to rise through what many consider the golden age of stand-up comedy, when she commanded as much attention as many of the comic greats of the time. “Richard Pryor was a genius,” she said. “No one was like him. You couldn’t touch him. Life magazine picked me in 1975 as comedian of the decade. And I was so stupid that I told them, ‘No, you should see Richard Pryor.’ So I took them down to see him in Greenwich Village and they were in shock because he was so ahead of his time. He was absolutely amazing. [And] Johnny Carson, one of the meanest ever born — but he was brilliant. Nobody has ever replaced him in what he does. I’m glad Leno is going on at 10 o’clock because he can put us to sleep one hour sooner.” Ouch! “Oh, come on!” she said. “When was the last time you quoted a joke that Leno did? I don’t even watch him. He’s so not anything. Carson was brilliant at what he did. [George] Carlin got less funny as he got older. His material was brilliant. He honed it and honed it. I liked him when he was looser and younger. I think he lost a little bit of his edge when he got older.” But Rivers still has her edge, and is still commanding stages with her signature brand of rapidfire neurotic comedy that paved the way for many a generation of female comics, like Margaret Cho, Kathy Griffin and Wanda Sykes. “The secret is to keep working,” she said of her long career, “especially if you’re a comedian. I work every Wednesday night when I’m in New York in a little club getting new material. Don’t think you have laurels to rest on. You’re as funny as your last joke, and your last joke had better been a good one. “Once, when I was on ‘The Tonight Show’ guest hosting, I went to one of the producers and asked how many shots at not funny could I get away with on this show before you would never use me again. My husband thought three and they said two. You’ve got to deliver. This is a business of delivery. Bill Cosby said when they don’t know you, they give you five minutes to make up their minds. If they do know you, they give you six minutes. You’re as good as your show.” Rivers added that she is too focused on her own work to be

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

concerned about what most other comics are doing. “Years ago, a friend of mine said don’t worry about the others, run your own course. I don’t look to the right or the left. I do my on thing. I’m very friendly with Kathy Grifﬁn, so I know about her career because we’ve been friends for years. I love Sarah Silverman. We come and we bow to each other. We pay homage to each other. Rosie, I adore. She’s so smart.” Many of today’s comics would hail Rivers as a trailblazer and an inspiration — not that she would entertain the idea. “They all tell me that,” she said. “Who cares? Get the fuck out of the way. I could still take you with one hand behind my back. You can only become a role model when you become the grand old master. I’m in the trenches with those girls. I’m competing with them for audiences and, if we’re on the same show, I want to be funnier.” Rivers wouldn’t even acknowledge her business acumen, which, on top of her red-carpet reputation, has landed her a successful business selling her own brand of jewelry and beauty products. She credits her success to serendipity, not business sense. “What are we talking about here? I’ve never had control in this business,” she said. “I still don’t at this age. I’m still depending upon the kindness of strangers. You’re talking to the empire. I’ve never had that big sitcom. I’ve never had that big payoff. I’ve never owned anything. Everything is luck. They came to me during one of the down moments in my career, which were many. I never say no to anything. I’d always worked in retail growing up, so I had that and I paint, so I was kind of artistic. I sat down and designed very basic jewelry. I brought it to QVC and they sold out. My God, I’ve found myself a jewelry designer. I learned while doing, which turned out to be advantageous.” She added that selling jewelry under the bright lights of the QVC studios isn’t that much different than performing for an audience in a club or theater. “It’s totally the same. It’s just a different audience. I adore my jewelry but I’m still there to entertain the people who are there to watch me.” Rivers knows there are longtime fans in the audience that still want to hear her do her

PAGE 23

ON “CELEBRITY APPRENTICE” EPISODE “LET THEM BAKE CAKE” WITH BRANDE RODERICK

WITH NATALIE GULBIS (FROM LEFT), CLINT BLACK AND HERSCHEL WALKER ON “CELEBRITY APPRENTICE” NBC Photos: Ali Goldstein

famous routines from the ’70s and ’80s. “I try to throw them in because I’ll go backstage and someone will say, ‘Please do your gynecologist routine. I saw it 30 years ago and I brought my friend,’” she said. “So I throw in at least part of some things. But I love the new stuff. With Tony Bennett, you want to hear ‘San Francisco,’ but with Joan Rivers, you don’t want to hear the old ‘Wedding Night’ routine. It’s fabulous that they do that, but

they still want a good show. They paid for parking, a babysitter and tickets. They want to have a good time. I feel that obligation. You have no idea how heavy that is on my head. I want you all to go away having a good time — except for seven people who will be totally offended, because that means I’m still sharp.” When it comes to her career, Rivers said she still gets nervous before she goes on stage. “I never go on stage without saying a prayer,” she said. “Every

audience is different.” She added that she couldn’t pick out highlights of her career, because she hasn’t peaked yet. “It had better happen fast,” she said. “I swear to you, there’s something better around the corner.” Joan Rivers performs an evening of talk, comedy and conversation at 8 p.m. May 2 at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St. For more information, visit www.gershmany.org or call (215) 790-1042. ■

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APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Philly native asks and tells about gays in the military By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer Dr. Nathaniel Frank has spent much of the last 10 years studying the military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers. In his new book, Frank draws from the countless interviews he’s conducted with policymakers, servicemembers and military leaders to provide an in-depth look at the history of the highly criticized policy and trace the destructive and wide-ranging effects of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

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Pick us up every week.

Frank, a senior research fellow at University of California think-tank The Palm Center and a Philadelphia native, said “Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America,” which was published last month by St. Martin’s Press, was the natural culmination of his years of research on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” “I’d been working in earnest on the book for the past two or three years, but I don’t remember the time when I ﬁrst said to myself, ‘I’m going to write this book,’” Frank said. “I had been working closely with [Palm Center director] Aaron Belkin and for years he’s been saying, ‘Well, when you write that book ... ’ It may have even started out in jest, but then I realized how necessary it was.” Frank said LGBT-rights opponents have distorted the real need for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and “Unfriendly Fire” seeks to set the record straight, so to speak, on what really led up to the creation of the ban and how it’s been used to the detriment of thousands of

LGBT servicemembers and the entire military. “There’s been so much myth and fear and misinformation surrounding gays in the military that I thought it would be very helpful to have all the facts and the many compelling stories in one volume,” the author said. “Despite the passions that often highjack a rational debate on this topic, I still think there are fair-minded people who genuinely want to know the facts on this issue. So I thought if it were collected in one readable book, that it could really have an impact.” Frank said his interest in studying the ban was initially sparked shortly after thenPresident Bill Clinton signed the bill, a compromise stemming from Clinton’s pledge to lift the ban on gay servicemembers, into law in 1993. Frank graduated college that year and said he was also beginning to come out himself and accept “how important it is to be able to be open and honest for my own mental health and for the health of my relationships with other people.” He said the fact that the ban punished servicemembers for doing just that angered him and, coupled with his passion for historical research as a historian-in-training, motivated him to investigate the motives behind and effects of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” “History is about uncovering the truth, and this was a law that reﬂected our nation’s collective inability and unwillingness at times to look at the truth. I was angered, intrigued and ashamed of my country for passing a law that essentially was about sticking its head in the sand.” In the past eight years, Frank interviewed hundreds of individuals both for his research for the Palm Center and, more speciﬁcally, for the book. While Frank conducted many of the interviews, such as those with numerous policymakers who helped craft the legislation, in formalized atmospheres, he also immersed himself in the military culture during his time spent aboard military ships and in other settings,

AUTHOR NATHANIEL FRANK

where he gathered information through casual conversations and first-hand observations. Frank said that while some sources were eager to provide him details about the “dishonesty and irrationality behind the policy when it was created,” he had to invest a great deal of time and effort for other subjects to share information. “There were times when, as any journalist knows, you have to press or push and you have to be patient,” he said. “You have to cultivate trust, and that’s something that has to come with time.” Frank said he’s hopeful that the time he devoted to uncovering the facts about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will help fuel a national conversation about the ban, and about the need for a shift toward a more open culture. “This is a very specific law, which is damaging for a number of reasons that I tried to chronicle in the book. I’ve argued strongly that this is a bad policy, and I hope this will help shape the debate in a way that allows people to see what the costs are and why we’re better off without it,” he said. “I also have a broader hope, which is that this book will lead to a conversation about the importance of facing different truths in general — not just with respect to gays in the military or gay rights. This policy is a reflection of a burdened past that we’ve been stuck with for too long. Not all countries suffer from this in quite the same way; See ‘UNFRIENDLY,’ Page 32

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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Q Puzzle

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Superman’s Ex Across 1. “You’re the Top” songwriter Porter 5. Like Fellini’s vita 10. “Beat it!” 14. Race track shape 15. Long, hard one of construction workers 16. Game played astride the wellhung 17. Gay romance drama of 1996 20. Walks like Sue Wicks? 21. Tickled-pink feeling 22. Tournament exemption 23. Neighbor of Leb. 24. With 28- and 42-Across, gaythemed mystery film of 2008 28. See 24-Across 33. Writing that evokes feeling? 36. Song of Bloody Mary 38. Performed like Rufus Wainwright 39. Like the gas krypton 41. Blackball 42. See 24-Across 45. Orgasm, e.g. 48. One, for James M. Barrie 49. British noblemen 53. Land of writer E. Donoghue 54. Opponent of a horny male? SOLUTION, Page 33 57. The Common Mkt.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009 58. With 60-Across, actress who played gay in the movies of this puzzle 60. See 58-Across 62. ___ instant 63. “So long!” 67. “The Music Man” setting 68. Court records 69. “A Room of One’s Own,” e.g. 70. Move the ball between your legs 71. Depilatory brand 72. Water threesome 73. Tab and Shift

Down 1. Afr. or Eur. 2. Out partner 3. Composition of some beds 4. Mt. sign 5. With little light 6. Like chubby chasers’ targets 7. Sanction 8. Ambiguously Gay Duo attire 9. Poet Dickinson 10. Chose not to swallow 11. “ ___ fan tutte” 12. In addition 13. Roger Rabbit, for one 18. Causeless Dean character 19. Song about donning gay apparel, e.g. 24. Delivery people, briefly

25. Piece-loving org. 26. South Beach souvenir 27. “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” experiences 29. Campbell of “Martin” 30. LBJ’s veep 31. Bonheur bathed in it 32. ___ Tin Tin 34. Memorial designer Maya 35. Stop with 36. Go straight? 37. ___ loss for words 40. Barry Humphries’ Dame 43. What guns shoot off 44. Hatcher of “Desperate Housewives” 45. Roddy McDowall in “Planet of the Apes” 46. Strut like a stallion 47. Put bubbles in 50. Made over 51. Street named for writer Harper? 52. Leftovers 55. Cruising, maybe 56. Rubber-stamps 59. Responder to “Bite me!”? 61. Common UFO shape 64. Hrs. in P-town 65. That, south of the border 66. Orange veggie

PGN We love to get picked up.

www.epgn.com

We also like to hook up online.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Family Portraits

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Suzi Nash

William Shakespeare once wrote, “April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” That certainly rings true April 30 as students at Philadelphia University gear up for their annual fashion design show, “Fashion Fantasy,” at the Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St. It’s an amazing showcase that is completely run by the students and introduces the best and the brightest of the future world of fashion. PGN took time to speak to Andrew Van Sant, co-producer of the event.

PGN: What does your dad’s company manufacture? AVS: They make machines that work with non-woven textile things like baby wipes or paper towels or gift wrap; it’s hard to explain.

PGN: It’s almost show time and I know it’s bad luck to say good luck, so I’ll say “break a leg.” Do you have any superstitions? AVS: If I spill salt, I have to throw it over my left shoulder. My whole family does it, so if we’re together, you don’t want to be behind us or you might get pelted. I know we have at least a few disgruntled waitresses in my hometown.

PGN: What else did you like to do as a kid? AVS: I was obsessed with computers. We had a really old, slow computer but I would stay on it for hours. For some reason, I was also obsessed with the Weather Channel. Looking back, I can’t believe I was so weird, but that was my thing. My parents would ask me what the weather was and I’d give them an update, ‘There’s a storm coming in two hours and it’s moving at 6 miles per hour!” I have no idea why I cared. Luckily, my sister started taking art lessons, so I asked to take them too. I started doing art at about 8 and then also began taking piano lessons, which got me into music. By the time I got to high school, if there was a musical group or an acting club or audition, or an art showing, I was involved. From there, I started getting into fashion.

PGN: Where would your hometown be? AVS: I’m from Hanover. Home of Snyder’s of Hanover potato chips and pretzels. It’s near Gettysburg too, so we had a Civil War influence going on as well. It’s a very small town, so growing up was an interesting experience. I was definitely different than most of the people there. Everyone knew it and some people were OK with it, but others weren’t so open. It could be hard. PGN: When did things change? AVS: Not until I came to Philadelphia University. It used to be called Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science and they’re well known for their design school. I feel a lot more comfortable here and have met a lot of good friends. PGN: Do you have any siblings? AVS: I have an older sister, Caitlin, and a younger brother, Matthew. He’ll be going to Drexel next fall, so there’ll be two of us in Philadelphia. My sister goes to James Madison University in Virginia. PGN: What do your parents do? AVS: My dad is a CPA and controller for a manufacturing plant and he also adjuncts at York College as an accounting professor, and my mother is practice manager at a pediatrician’s office.

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PGN: Did you prefer G.I. Joes or Barbies? AVS: [Laughs.] Barbies. And my sister is probably still pissed at me because I used to cut off the hair on her dolls and change their clothes.

PGN: What was the first piece of art that you brought home? AVS: The first big project we had to do was a drawing of a flower. My parents had hung the flower my sister had drawn in the powder room, so I decided to draw the exact same one. I got yelled at by my teacher for plagiarizing! I had to pick another flower and I guess it wasn’t as good because it never got hung up in the house ... I did go on to be the president of our chapter of the National Art Honor Society my senior year, so I guess I got better. PGN: Who did you play with as a kid? AVS: I mostly stuck to myself, but when I did play with other kids, it was usually with the girls. [Laughs.] No surprise there! It was a bit of a traumatic childhood. Hanover is very conservative and, in high school, I got

picked on a lot and was always being called gay or fag. I wasn’t out then, and am actually slowly in the process of coming out now. When I ﬁrst came to Philly, I would lie to people about being gay because I still had the mindset of a small town. I wasn’t very convincing and, now, being in such a supportive environment, I’ve come to realize that there’s nothing wrong with me and that this is normal. I’m a lot happier now. It’s not a big deal anymore, it’s just what it is. PGN: Low point? AVS: I remember one night after a school dance or something, I was crying and thinking that nobody liked me and that I didn’t have any friends. My sister was with me and she started to cry too. It was a rough time and that night the frustration just got to me. I couldn’t see things getting better, because I was at such a low point. I never did anything stupid or hurt myself, but I had a hard time day to day. PGN: That’s interesting, because we tend to think things are so much easier for your generation. How about a good childhood memory? AVS: All my good memories were with my family. When I was in ﬁfth grade we went to San Diego and visited Lego Land. Oh my God! I don’t care how old you are, Lego Land is the most amazing place.

ANDREW VAN SANT Photo: Suzi Nash

PGN: Your sister was older; were you close? AVS: Yes, I really looked up to her. Anything she did, I wanted to do. She joined band, I joined band. She played the violin, I played viola. Piano lessons, art lessons, she did all of these ﬁrst and I followed. The only time she got mad was in sixth grade. There was an airport near our school where they gave lessons to students from our school. Caitlin heard about it and wanted to take ﬂying lessons, so of course I did too. My parents didn’t let her, but they let me do it since I was a boy, even though I was younger than her. I still tease her about it. PGN: What instruments did you play? AVS: I played the viola and the See PORTRAITS, Page 34

PGN

What do you think? E-mail feedback at pgn@epgn.com

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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Offline

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Bruce Yelk

A guide to Philly’s phun phestivals After far too long a winter, we’ve ﬁnally broken through the cold and leapt into spring. With some of the city’s biggest events on tap in the coming weeks, the change couldn’t have come at a better time. Athletes from all over the country are currently “duking it out” at the Penn Relays

(April 21-25), while others are ﬁnishing preparations for the Broad Street Run (May 3) and the Dad Vail Regatta (May 8-9). Many outdoor charity events, such as the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (May 10), will take to the Eakins Oval at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to raise money and awareness. For LGBT Philadelphia, spring is the beginning of “phestival season,” where a series of special events adds character to our local LGBT community, attracting throngs of tourists and supporters to enjoy everything Philadelphia has to offer. Over the past several years,

Philly Black Gay Pride has evolved from a humble community gathering to an annual attraction for LGBT people of color and supporters from all over the region. Now in its 10th year, Philly Black Gay Pride celebrates this weekend with a series of amazing events. Here are a few highlights, but for the entire rundown, check out www.phillyblackpride.org. — This evening from 6-8 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Main Line, 4100 Presidential Blvd., in the Fairmount Ballroom is the opening reception for Black Gay Pride. This meet and greet is the

perfect opportunity to get all the information you need to have an amazing weekend. The cover charge is a donation of $5. — Arguably the most exciting event this weekend is tomorrow evening’s Legends Awards Ball. From 6-10 p.m. in the Crowne Plaza’s ballroom, organizers will honor local and national leaders who have helped catalyze growth, movement and positive change on behalf of Philadelphia’s black LGBT community and organizations. Honorees include choreographer Zane Booker, AIDS educator and activist James Roberts and straight ally/youth activist Judith Peters. Tickets are $65 per person or $600 for a 10-person table. Contact phillyblackpride@gmail. com for admissions information. — After two days of community building and recognition, Sunday is the big celebration. From noon-5 p.m., Shampoo Nightclub, 417 N. Eighth St., will host An Explosion of HipHop, Black Gay Pride’s wrap-up party. Winners of the “Sing Out Strong” and “Miss Philadelphia Black Gay Pride Pageant” will be announced during the day. Cover is $10. Just as Black Gay Pride is wrapping up, Equality Forum will begin in Philadelphia on Monday, April 27 and run through Sunday, May 3. If you’re not familiar, Equality Forum is part political activism, part professional networking, part social engagement and part civic awareness. You’re best served by visiting www.equalityforum.com to map out your schedule, but here is a little info on the events about which I’m most excited: — On May 2 from 7-10 p.m., the National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St., will host the

International Equality Dinner. Gov. Rendell is the Honorary Dinner Chair and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will be on hand to receive the 14th annual “International Role Model Award.” — On Sunday, May 3 at 3 p.m., you can join activists for the National Equality Rally on Independence Mall, where our first gay pioneers launched the movement in 1965. Since many of us will be in Old City celebrating SundayOUT, there’s nothing to keep you from participating in this meaningful demonstration. From repealing the Defense of Marriage Act to LGBT health issues to overturning “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” our community has a lot to fight for. Join the rally and the movement for equality! That’s it for this week, but I want to congratulate Charlie Biggs, who was crowned Mr. Gay Philadelphia 2009 at PURE last Saturday evening. Thanks to www.nightlifegay.com, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation, 12th Street Gym, The Independent Hotel and Privileged Communication, as well as my other sponsors, volunteers, performers, contestants and ActionAIDS, for organizing a phenomenal silent auction. I’m so thrilled to have an event like this that generates such excitement and support across the entire community. I promise to make next year even bigger and better! ’Til next time, get offline and see what your community has to offer! ■ If you have comments or information on upcoming events, e-mail Bruce@nightlifegay.com, reference Offline.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Out Online

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Jason Villemez

Living legal online Single or partnered, 16 or 60, legal consequences of life — and death — will eventually find a way into our lives, especially as non-heterosexuals. Business agreements, wills, powers of attorney and domestic partnerships matter much more to us than to our straight counterparts for many obvious — and unfortunate — reasons: not only as precautionary preparation for unfortunate events, but also protection from an uneven legal system that has only recently begun dipping its foot in LGBT issues. We’ve heard the stories before. A person unable to visit his partner in the hospital, or inherit her partner’s estate. Businesses that hire openly but fire with discrimination. The possessions of an estranged son or daughter returning to the very family that opposed him or her. Or, simply, the wishes of a person not being followed. They are all issues that need to be addressed — if not by our government, then by us. Fortunately, city, state and federal governments are slowly dissolving the barriers to equal protection under the law with things like the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act and more expansive rights for couples. But we’ve still got a while to go, so having our legal documentation in order is important. Legal Out (www.legalout. com) is a newly launched Atlantabased Web site that allows users to prepare legal documents online. Falling under one of four categories — healthcare, financial and property, family and children and business — users can create

anything from a living will to a power of attorney to an employee agreement without leaving the computer. And if the legal reading isn’t enough, the site also has a gay news feed, recommended book list, lawyer search and links to other helpful resources. Creating your ﬁrst document is free; additional documents require membership to the site, which allows one to create and manage documents, store them safely, make changes and sign them electronically. The site walks users through the necessary questions and answers needed to formulate documents, and offers advice and resources for those of us who need explanations in plain English. I’ve always been hesitant to actually sit down with a lawyer and draft something like a hospitalvisitation authorization or living will, whether due to the costs or time or gloominess involved. But nobody can speak for us but us. I have views about issues such as healthcare directives and inheritance that I would want followed, and the only way to ensure that is to have the proper legal documents. It’ll certainly save my partner, friends and family a lot of stress. Morbid thoughts aside, having documentation prepared does more than just ensure our future and that of those close to us. It shows everyone around us that we’re being smart and taking our lives into our own hands, whether the state supports us or not. We want our partners to be able to see us in the hospital. We want our loved ones, blood or not, to receive our possessions. And we want our wishes honored. Hopefully, over time, we’ll have the same rights as any other single or couple. Until then, it’s nice to know we’ve got support on the Web. ■ Contact Jason with feedback at outonline@gmail.com.

Looking For Love? philagaynews.com

PGN Web Personals

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Central PA art exhibit heads to Philly By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer The coming-out experience is an intensely personal process for most LGBT individuals. However, an LGBT group from Central Pennsylvania has proudly displayed its members’ own coming-out tales across the state and, next week, will head to Philadelphia for the retelling of their stories. “Coming Out: 15 Artists, 15 Years of Common Roads” is a traveling art exhibit that showcases 15 original pieces by the same number of LGBT artists who used their work to express their feelings about their own coming-out experiences. The exhibit, which will be on display at the William Way LGBT Community Center from May 1-31, was created as part of a 15th-anniversary celebration of Common Roads, a Central Pennsylvania LGBT youth organization. Don Blyler, curator of the exhibit and a former board member of Common Roads — which recently merged with the LGBT Community Center of Central Pennsylvania to form the LGBT Center Coalition — said the concept for the show was a result of a series of

brainstorming sessions among Common Roads’ board members, who were eager to pay tribute to the organization’s 15 successful years, as well as generate a productive conversation about LGBT issues. Once the idea was ﬁnalized, Blyler went to work contacting representatives of local art venues in search of interested artists. “First we had to ﬁnd 15 LGBT artists and then make sure those artists were comfortable with their names being associated with an LGBT event that’s going to be traveling through Central Pennsylvania,” Blyler said. “It sounds much more challenging than it actually was, because as soon as I had 15 people, I explained what we were doing and got almost unanimously positive feedback; there were a couple who said they weren’t able to participate, which I completely understand, but I think we went through about 17 names and got 15 ‘yesses.’” Blyler said there is a proportionate number of men and women featured in the exhibit, as well as one transgender individual, and the artists range from their 30s-60s. Blyler noted that the submissions, which vary

from photographic pieces, oil paintings and water colors to mixed-media works such as a leather jacket and a handmade shawl, represent numerous facets of the coming-out process, as each artist was given leeway and artistic freedom. “I asked them to create a piece that they felt expresses something about coming out, whether it’s their feelings when they were coming out, the feelings they had before they came out or what it’s like now as an out artist,” he said. “We left it pretty open-ended for them in that regard.” Each piece is accompanied by a copy block that details the artist’s motivation for the work, which Blyler said helps to bring together the entire exhibit. “I had an experience last March where a young woman came into the exhibit and walked through for a couple minutes and said, ‘I’m done, there are only 15 pieces here.’ And I asked her if she took the time to read all the copy blocks and she didn’t, and then I saw her again about an hour later when she was going to leave, and she said, ‘Oh my gosh, it all makes sense now,’ and just couldn’t stop talking in

“OUT OF THE DARKNESS” BY KATE WILLIAMS

See ART SHOW, Page 43

“INSPIRATION POINTS Q: MARK AND HIS JEANS” BY VICTOR CAPECCE

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 31

Mombian Dana Rudolph Explaining civil unions vs. democracy to children

Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian (www. mombian.com), a blog and resource directory for LGBT parents.

PGN

Gay is our middle name. scottdrakephotos@gmail.com

don’t know how to respond if their child comes home and asks, “How come Johnnie has two moms?” Forget the sex. Here’s my simple lesson on how non-LGBT people can explain our families to children: “Families come in all different shapes. Johnnie has two moms [or dads] who fell in love and wanted to raise a child, just like we did.” Easy as that. Parents should also offer examples of family diversity from their own lives, even if they don’t know any same-sex couples. A child may have friends with single parents, or divorced and remarried parents, or a foster parent. These will open children’s minds to the possibility of variety, and chances are they will easily ﬁt same-sex couples into this multifaceted picture. If the LGBT community and our allies can help people get over their fear of explaining same-sex couples to children, then it will become increasingly clear that civil unions are not equal. “Marriage” is the term that appears in storybooks and Disney ﬁlms, the exalted state to which characters aspire. Children learn young that it has a special power. When children learn that Johnnie’s moms fell in love and started a family just like our own, the next logical question is: “How come they can’t get married?” Civil unions may convey equal rights, but they do not convey equal respect. Are we prepared to teach our children that such lack of respect is acceptable? Are we as a country prepared to teach our children that such inequality is enshrined in our laws? Marriage equality is not just a matter of making children of same-sex parents feel better about themselves, although it will do that. It is not just a matter of appeasing the LGBT constituency. It is a matter of teaching all children the fundamental principles of our democracy. ■

267.736.6743

Furthermore, several studies in the January 2009 issue of the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Counseling Psychology also found that amendments that restrict civil-marriage rights of same-sex couples have led to higher levels of stress and anxiety among LGBT adults and their families. While no one is talking about removing rights from same-sex couples in Vermont or New Hampshire, it seems no great stretch to say that the defeat of a marriage-equality bill and the conﬁrmation of our separate status would have similar effects. Laws are not meant to make people feel good about themselves, some may argue. It’s not the state’s fault if they experience stress because of certain rules. Many people feel that way about speed limits, for example. The counterargument, however, is that the state has always acted to preserve the best interests of children, and should do no less now. Yes, marriage equality is about more than just children. The far right has long tried to focus their efforts on the supposedly negative impact of it on children, however, and it behooves us to counter them on this point. I have yet to see one example of the child of opposite-sex parents harmed by the marriage of a same-sex couple. Slightly puzzled, perhaps, if they have never encountered same-sex couples before, but harmed, no. Rather, the harm is to the children of same-sex parents if they continue to be told their families have fewer rights than others. If one also counts kids who are LGBT themselves and those who have LGBT relatives or friends, the impact grows wider. Part of the problem, I believe, is that many non-LGBT people fear having to explain same-sex relationships to their children. There’s that darn problem of “sex” in “sexual orientation” that confuses them. A few may truly feel that same-sex relationships are not an appropriate topic for young ones, but others may simply be nervous because they

scottdrakephotos.com

I’m not sure what I’d put more money on this year: The Red Sox winning the World Series or marriage equality becoming law in more New England states. In Vermont and New Hampshire, where bills have advanced farthest, the governors have said they will veto them. Each claims that existing civilunion laws provide equal and sufficient protections. That may be true in terms of the literal legalities, but when one looks at the impact of civil unions on children, one sees gaps in those protections. In the final report of the Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection (April 2008), which evaluated Vermont’s laws relating to same-sex couples and their families, psychologist Kristin Williams Propp stated: “In my [professional] experience with children, the fact that their parents cannot marry and have to have an alternative to marriage sends a very bad message. It is no different than water fountains for ‘Negroes’ and ‘Whites’ 45 years ago. The message is, ‘Your family isn’t good enough and therefore your parents are unable to marry.’ No child should feel inferior because of the gender combination of their parents.” Farther down the East Coast, a similar report by the New Jersey Civil Union Commission (December 2008) confirmed this position. Judith Glassgold, president of the New Jersey Psychological Association and a faculty member at Rutgers University, asserted that “as a result of the lack of marriage equality, both lesbian, gay and bisexual adolescents and children of same-sex relationships face continued stigma. The stigma has negative mental-health effects.” Testimony from teen and adult children of same-sex parents supported the claim.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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‘UNFRIENDLY’ From Page 24 it’s about choosing concealment and deception and dishonesty over facing uncomfortable truths. Look at the past seven months and the economy: There was a collective willingness for people to live beyond their means because they’re not willing to fact facts. Self-

deception has its consequences.” Frank said he believes the most effective means of deconstructing that deception and repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” lies in a threepronged approach that includes public education, Congressional lobbying and action on the part of the president. He said The Palm Center continues to dedicate itself to

heightening the public’s awareness of the damaging effects of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and he’s eager for his book to further strengthen that effort. Frank also teamed up with OUTWrite Books in the hopes of placing a copy of “Unfriendly Fire” in the hands of all 542 voting and non-voting members of Congress. Readers can purchase a second copy of the book for half-price at

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

www.outwritebooks.com, which the company will send to Congress to ensure that all lawmakers are aware of the truth about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Frank said he’s already begun personally delivering the 100 copies that have so far been purchased, and he’s hopeful that the book will help lawmakers “allay their own fears so that they can step forward and do what’s right.” He said that if the Military Readiness Enhancement Act — the bill that seeks to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” — cannot get enough Congressional support, President Obama should step in and issue an executive order to end the ban. “It could be quicker and cleaner than dragging the nation through the protracted debate in Congress. I think Obama may be taking the wrong lesson from the Clinton years; he and others think Clinton’s error was coming out too quickly on the issue, but it was actually

Clinton’s delay that allowed the opportunity for opposition forces to rally and defeat him. While Congressional action is ideal, in the absence of that, Obama should consider his executive option.” Frank will further discuss the history and future of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as a panelist in a discussion about the ban from 8:30-9:45 p.m. April 29 at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., as part of the 2009 Equality Forum. Frank will also take part in a question-and-answer session following the screening of “Ask Not,” a documentary about the ban, at 6:30 p.m. May 13 at the WHYY Technology Center, 150 N. Sixth St. Both events are free. For more information about the book, visit www.unfriendlyﬁre. org. ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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Author collects stories of the black, gay South By Larry Nichols PGN Staff Writer E. Patrick Johnson challenges the stereotypes of the South with his latest book, “Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South,” an oral history collecting life stories from black gay men who were born, raised and continue to live in the southern United States. The out author from North Carolina conducted interviews with more than 70 black gay men between ages 19-93 and, in the process, dispelled some of the preconceived notions that he himself held. “I thought there would be nothing I would learn that I didn’t sort of already know,” he said. “I thought that everyone would be Baptist, Methodist or Pentecostal. But I found a whole range of religious faiths. I found someone

who was Muslim. I interviewed atheists. I interviewed people who were trying new kinds of spirituality.” He also discovered that gay sexuality wasn’t as repressed during certain eras as he originally thought. “The other thing that was surprising to me was the amount of sexual activity that was going

7 Make waves. Write a letter.

PGN

profound to leave on the page, and was inspired to turn them into a one-man show called “Pouring Tea.” In the show, Johnson portrays the interviewer and some of the men he interviewed in the making of the book. “It was about a year into the research when I started to encounter wonderful storytellers; men who knew how to tell a fabulous story and whose E. PATRICK JOHNSON words wouldn’t necessarily be on at historically black colleges, the same on the page,” he said of especially in the ’50s, ’60s and the show’s inspiration. “I decided ’70s,” he said. “There were a that this work had to become some number of men whom I spoke to kind of performance, but I didn’t talked about how homosexuality know at the time whether I would was not only tolerated but, in direct something and cast eight or some instances, it was commonly nine people or if I would perform known that some of the professors it myself. I don’t think I am a good were gay and that they would also director but I do think I’m a good sleep with some of the students. It performer. I was the one who was wasn’t a big issue.” in that moment of the interview. I Johnson added he didn’t expect recalled some of the gestures and the older interviewees to be so intonations. I decided to do the candid about their sexuality. one-person show and it was the “I thought that it would be the best decision to make.” younger men that would be more Whether people experience forthcoming about their lives,” he “Sweet Tea” live or on the page, said. “That ended up not being the case. A lot of the older men were much more open, especially talking about the sexual part of their lives. Part of that had a lot to do with the older men feeling they were at a stage in their lives where they didn’t really care what people thought about them.” Johnson felt that some of the stories in “Sweet Tea” were too

Sunday, April 26 at 5:30

A Reading:

SOLUTION From Page 26

E. Patrick Johnson author of

Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South

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Johnson said he hopes the stories will begin to ﬁll in the void in African-American history, which has so far neglected to recognize LGBT issues and people. “African-American studies in particular has been silent around issues of sexuality and, before that, it was silent about issues of gender,” he said. “The book is meant to be an intervention in the ﬁelds of African-American studies and history. There have been several histories of

homosexuality in the South but none of them focused on race and region. This book is supposed to be the beginning of an archive for a history that no one has either thought about or knows about.” E. Patrick Johnson hosts a reading at 5:30 p.m. April 26 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. For more information, call (215) 923-2960. ■ Larry Nichols can be reached at larry@epgn.com.

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PAGE 34

PORTRAITS From Page 27 piano and I played drums and xylophone in band. My biggest regret is that I quit piano. PGN: What are you studying now? AVS: I take fashion merchandising, which is a business degree. It’s a combination of marketing and retailing. There are a lot of things you can do, from buying for stores or lines where you decide what you want in the stores and at what prices, or creating store displays and the themes for the store’s marketing. I’m the only guy in my class. It’s cool: I have an internship this summer with a fashion PR company and then I go to study abroad in London. My parents always instilled a strong work ethic in us.

PGN: So tell me about the fashion show. AVS: There’s a lot that goes into it. The Annual Fashion Show is a production of Philadelphia University’s Fashion Industries Association, our student group composed of fashion design, fashion industry management and fashion merchandising students. I’m on the board. We coordinate with the Academy of Music, which is where the show is held. It is the largest fashion event in the Philadelphia area and we get an audience of nearly 2,300 people. This year, we chose Fashion Fantasy as our theme. Things are so difﬁcult in society right now with the economy tanking and two ongoing wars, we thought people needed an escape. It’s very whimsical, ﬂirty and fantastical. What’s amazing is that it is completely student run. The sets are designed by the architectural

students, the furniture by the industrial students, etc. It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun. PGN: What was the most outrageous outﬁt from last year? AVS: There was a set of three garments inspired by American ideology. I looked at them and they were made of faded armygreen canvas with draping. Underneath it had all these controversial slogans like “Saddam in ’08,” “All fags should go to hell” and, on one dress, there was a big McDonald’s logo in blood red. Things that are still a part of our society whether we want to acknowledge it or not. There was another outﬁt in that collection with a hat made to look like a mushroom cloud from an atomic bomb. When that came on stage they played “Paper Planes” by MIA. It really made you think. This year we have some really wow pieces as well.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PGN: I read a quote from Clara Henry, director of the Fashion Design Program: “The event celebrates the best of this year’s student designs, and we are pleased by the number of designers and fashion-industry representatives who attend the fun, exciting night to scout for the design talent of the future.” AVS: Yeah, last year the student who won best of show got written up in “Women’s Wear Daily,” which is a huge deal: It’s read by everyone in the fashion industry. We’ve had numerous guest celebrities in the fashion world including Jay McCarroll, who won “Project Runway” and was a student here. He comes every year. Last year, we had Francisco Costa, who is Calvin Klein’s creative director. It’s always exciting to see people who have made it big in the fashion industry. We also get a lot of press coverage at the event.

PGN: Hobbies? AVS: I’m really into music. I love to see what’s new and who’s doing what. I’m helping with the music for the fashion show. We try to choose music to emphasize the emotions of each collection. PGN: Worst clothing disaster? AVS: Every school picture I ever took! PGN: What actress would you like to be? AVS: Tilda Swinton. She’s so powerful and feminine at the same time. She’s very outspoken and doesn’t follow the pack. She makes interesting artistic choices. PGN: Brush with fame? AVS: My freshman-year roommate’s cousin got me my internship for this summer. In February, I got to go up to New York and help them out at Fashion Week. I got to meet Anna Wintour from Vogue and Rachel Zoe, who is stylist to the stars; Jimmy Fallon, Elijah Wood and a whole lot of style celebrities. It was really cool to meet them in person. PGN: Contest or award you’ve won? AVS: I actually got Most Valuable Player on our track team. It’s funny, because I was never an athletic type. In ninth grade, I was 5-foot-5 and 150 pounds. I started running track and did well. At first I was like, “Oh my God, physical activity hurts!” But then I got into it and ran for all four years in school. By the end, I could run a mile in under four minutes. It gave me a chance to show the jocks I could do something athletic too. PGN: Speaking of showing off, how can people find out more about the fashion show? AVS: The fashion show is on Thursday, April 30 at the Academy of Music. The fashion show starts at 7:30 but there’s a pre-show at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $10-$45 and you can get them at the Kimmel Center box office at Broad and Spruce or by calling (215) 8931999. You can also purchase tickets online at www.ticketphiladelphia.org. ■ To suggest a community member for “Family Portraits,” write to: Family Portraits, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 or portraits05@aol.com.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 35

Le Bec-Fin: Sumptuous, with an affordable twist By Suzi Nash PGN Contributor When I was a mere tot, I remember my parents as a hip, attractive couple who seemed the epitome of sophistication. Both of them were New Yorkers, who found themselves relocated to the gastronomical wasteland that was then Philadelphia. In New York, my father was a member of several classic dining clubs and I vaguely remember tales of them before they met: my mother having lunch with Cary Grant when she worked at 20th Century Fox and my father getting into a fight with a guy who was pestering his friend Lauren Bacall. I myself, had a drink named after me at the Russian Tea Room. (I was severely underage, not yet attending kindergarten, so it was a Shirley Temple made with Coke instead of 7-Up and they called it a Suzi-Q.) Then we moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia, where I was teased my first day of school for wearing what I thought was a very mod outfit. Never mind them; Laurie Partridge would have been proud of me. I think my parents were equally disappointed at the lack of sophistication in Philadelphia at the time, but there were a few bright lights. I remember the name Georges Perrier being bandied about as they dressed for a night out in Philly. Their steps seemed to be a bit lighter and the smiles a little brighter as they headed into town to the place that made them feel special again, Le Bec-Fin. Since those days, Philadelphia has blossomed into a town rife with fine dining and innovative new hot spots popping up like daffodils, but the name Le BecFin, 1523 Walnut St., still makes people stop and sigh. I had a chance to visit recently and was pleased to see that the classic charm was still there, bolstered by just a bit of a facelift and a new attitude. I’ve

mentioned in previous columns how much I enjoy a good accent — I think I almost proposed to one waitress just based on her reading of the dessert menu — but I digress. Even though they were men, I was still infatuated by the pleasant descriptions of our choices by our Frenchspeaking waiters. We also had a number of well-spoken American waiters when the accent got a little too quick to decipher. We started off with the complimentary amuse-bouche, which is French for “amuse the mouth.” And who can argue with that? The bouche pleaser at Le Bec was a cucumber jelly that brought to mind thoughts of spring. It was refreshingly light with a hint of oysters. My dining companion went with the new à la carte menu, where I went with the Degustation de Provence, the prix-ﬁxe chef’s tasting menu.

For $150, it includes ﬁve courses along with sorbet and ice cream and selections from Le BecFin’s legendary dessert cart. My ﬁrst course was the Coach Farms fresh goat cheese, served with a zucchini terrine and boquerones (a white anchovy) and lavender vinaigrette. I loved the goat cheese and shared my anchovies with my dining companion. She was happy to accommodate me, though, being more cultured than I, she may have muttered “Philistine!” under her breath. She started with the steak tartar ($15), a generous helping of steak See LE BEC-FIN, Page 36

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LE BEC-FIN From Page 35 that was nicely complimented by Gaufrette potatoes. My second course was the pan-seared diver sea scallops with grilled white asparagus and Gribisch, a housemade, mayonnaise-based sauce tossed with capers, shallots and cornichons. The scallops were perfectly seared, not too soft, not too dry, and the cornichons gave the sauce a nice contrast in textures.

My dining companion has two weaknesses, caviar and foie gras, so we were hopefully optimistic this would be up to par. It vastly surpassed her expectations: She was nearly floating, it was so good. The pan-seared Hudson Valley foie gras ($17) is served over an apricot and armagnac purée with sauce Rouennaise, Chef Perrier’s signature sauce, a combination of red wine, duck jus and foie gras. It was paired with a lovely Chateau de Casa Nova wine that had a rich apricot and dried-fig flavor. My companion

declared the foie gras “cooked to perfection, pan-seared expertly with a silky center that melted in your mouth.” Additionally, it was nestled on a delicate piece of French-toast brioche, a culinary surprise to be accompanying the foie gras. The hints of cinnamon on the French toast surprisingly worked with the foie gras. Next on my course was the roasted Mediterranean rouget, or red mullet, a ﬁsh renowned in the Mediterranean for its delicate ﬂavor. Perrier served his over a thymescented tomato concasse, with caramelized fennel and black niçoise olives in a bouillabaisse broth. For her main entrée, my dining companion ordered the Elysian lamb de Provence ($42), a roasted loin with kalamata-olive caramel in natural jus with tomato preserves K O S H E R

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

over quinoa, a type of grain from South America. The lamb, which is brought in from a farm outside of Pittsburg known for

K O S H E R

SINGAPORE Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant

its excellence, was strong and ﬂavorful, enhanced rather than overpowered by the ingredients. Last on my menu (before dessert) was the dry-aged prime strip loin. Dusted with kalamata olive powder and dressed with saffronstained cippolini onions, it was served with dandelion, argan oil and a natural bordelaise sauce. The sirloin was like butter and perfectly complemented by the bordelaise sauce — a nice way to end the heavier portion of the tasting menu. From there we went to the artisan cheeses, an amazing assortment from around the globe served with a variety of freshly baked breads. We sampled everything from a Valencay from central France, which comes packed in the ash from Chablis casks, to a

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Sardinian sheep’s milk cheese packed in olive oil. Before wrapping things up, we were given a choice of ice creams and sorbets. I chose the cassis sorbet, which was sublime, slightly tart, slightly sweet and all together savory. My dining companion ordered the white peach ice cream, which was creamy and subtle compared to my sorbet. For dessert, we chose two from the aforementioned renowned patisserie cart. My dining companion ordered the gâteau Le Bec-Fin, the restaurant’s signature cake, which features layers of chocolate genoise soaked in rum and chocolate mousse, topped with a display of chocolate fans. I ordered the pistache, a pistachio-butter cream surrounding a cherry-studded blondie. (Yes, I know pistachios are supposed to be taboo these days, but this cake was so good it was worth the risk. Plus, my waiter assured me these weren’t on the recall list ... ) By the way, for you business

types or just those who like a good bargain, Le Bec-Fin is now serving several lunch offerings: a $15.23 express lunch featuring your choice of soup or fieldgreen salad followed by the new signature burger Lyonnais, reputed to be one of the best burgers in town; a $35 prix-fixe lunch offering a choice of any appetizer, entrée and a dessert from the à la carte lunch menu; and an ultimate five-course lunch experience for $55. There’s also a $35 three-course

dinner meal if you get there between 5:30-6:30 p.m. or 9-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, as well as a special BYOB on Monday nights with no corking fee. Before we left, we went on a little tour of Le Bec-Fin, from the private room upstairs where an earlier group had been obviously enjoying themselves to the wonderful Le Bar Lyonnais downstairs. Described as one of Philadelphia’s best-kept secrets, the bar features the elegance of

PAGE 37

Le Bec-Fin with a slightly more casual atmosphere. Our server, son of Daisy Martinez, of “Daisy Cooks!” on PBS, told us we must come back for happy hour, which features a huge selection of $5 drinks including martinis and specially chosen wines along with free hors d’oeuvres, Monday through Friday from 5-7 p.m. I know I’ll be returning. Maybe I can even talk them into naming a drink after me. Now that I’m a little older, maybe we can put a little vodka in it ... ■

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You Can Always Trust

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Published the 2nd and 4th week of every month. Our advertising representatives:

Nick, ext. 209 Greg, ext. 201 Kelly, ext. 207 Morgan, ext. 212

If you go Le Bec-Fin 1523 Walnut St. (215) 567-1000 Open for lunch Monday through Saturday and dinner daily

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APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Something new — pesto with pig instead of Parmesan By J.M. Hirsch The Associated Press It was an interesting dinner dilemma. A huge bag of incredibly aromatic fresh basil. A heap of pasta that just begged for pesto. And one lactose-intolerant dinner guest who couldn’t eat the Parmesan cheese that gives pesto its deeply savory flavor. My options seemed bleak. Vegan pestos were out; they fool no one. I was leaning toward thinly slicing the basil and tossing it with the pasta along with some extravirgin olive oil, minced garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. That would have been fine, but then I started considering other ingredients that share Parmesan’s seriously savory (also called umami in the food world) flavor profile. And of those ingredients, which could handle being ground up into pesto. Bacon. Just trust me. It was a stunning success. The resulting pesto was meatier than conventional recipes, but not heavy in the way a meat sauce is. And, as it does with

Parmesan, the herby taste of the basil cuts through the fatty bacon. This pesto is delicious tossed with pasta, but it’s also great smeared onto slices of sourdough bread, topped with tomato and a slab of fresh mozzarella, then brieﬂy broiled. BOWTIE PASTA WITH BACON PESTO Start to ﬁnish: 20 minutes Servings: 4 6 slices thick-cut bacon (preferably smoked) 12 ounces farfalle pasta 2-1/2 cups (about 4 ounces) fresh basil 1/4-cup pine nuts 3 cloves garlic 1/4-cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 tomato, seeded and diced In a large skillet over medium-high, cook the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to paper towels and drain well.

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Let the bacon cool slightly. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/4-cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, return it to the pot and set aside. In a food processor, combine the bacon, basil, pine nuts and garlic. Pulse until well chopped. Then, with the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the ingredients form a thick paste. Stop the processor and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse again to blend. Add the pesto to the pasta and toss well. Add just a bit of the pasta cooking water and toss again. Serve topped with diced tomato. Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 576 calories; 235 calories from fat; 26 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 13 mg cholesterol; 68 g carbohydrate; 18 g protein; 4 g ﬁber; 440 mg sodium. ■

BOWTIE PASTA WITH BACON PESTO AP Photo: Larry Crower

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worth watching: FRIDAY Dollhouse When Miss DeWitt’s wealthy friend is murdered, she imprints Echo with the woman’s memories and personality to solve the case. 9 p.m. on Fox. SATURDAY Groomer Has It The new gayest show on TV has 12 doggy stylists compete. 9 p.m. on Animal Planet. SUNDAY Desperate Housewives Edie’s death began the shattering of lives on Wisteria Lane. A woman is stopped by the police and is caught with a picnic basket with guns and knives. Dave realizes he has been targeting the wrong Wisterian. 9 p.m. on ABC. In Treatment Gabriel Byrne stars in this riveting series about self-examination, relationships and conﬂicts. Like

Queer TV you can always see: All My Children

Bianca is coming back from Paris to reclaim her life with estranged soul-mate Reese and their two daughters. Will it be a happy ending for Bianca and Reese? MondayFriday, 1 p.m. on ABC. As the World Turns

real therapy, only more rewarding. 9 p.m. on HBO; repeats Monday. The Tudors Henry brings an end to the Catholic uprising. Starring the incredibly sexy Jonathan Rhys Meyers as a young and virile Henry. 9 p.m. on Showtime. Brothers & Sisters Last week Kevin and Scotty’s marriage heated up again. After Chad returned, he kissed Kevin in broad daylight and proposed a threesome, which the couple declined. For now. 10 p.m. on ABC. Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union New season of the always-LGBTfriendly Ullman’s sex-laden show. 10 p.m. on Showtime. MONDAY House The case of a deaf 14-yearold boy who collapses in the middle of a wrestling match after “hearing” explosions. 8 p.m. on Fox. TUESDAY American Idol The clock is ticking out on the last remaining contestants. Adam Lambert is the queer favorite. 8 p.m. on FOX. Eco Trip: The Real Cost of Living This new series about how easy it could be to be green is a must-see. 9 p.m. on Sundance.

WEDNESDAY America’s Next Top Model The female/TG models get dressed up and down by Tyra Banks. Tonight they go overseas on a scavenger hunt. 8 p.m. on the CW. Lie to Me The group investigates a controversial case about a cop who shot an innocent teenager. 8 p.m. on FOX. New Adventures of Old Christine Lesbian comedian Wanda Sykes. 8 p.m. on CBS. Better Off Ted Portia de Rossi, Ellen’s wife, stars in this new black comedy as the boss from hell. 8:30 p.m. on ABC. American Idol 9 p.m. on FOX. THURSDAY Parks and Recreation Amy Poehler is at her funniest in this quirky comedy from the creators of “The Ofﬁce.” 8:30 p.m. on NBC. Grey’s Anatomy Meredith and Derek plan their wedding; Callie and Arizona kiss. 9 p.m. on ABC. Southland Gritty new police drama starring former “The O.C.” hunk Benjamin McKenzie and featuring a gay cop (Michael Cudlitz), who is the butchest guy on the beat. 10 p.m. on NBC.

Poor Luke and Noah. No sooner did they finally get back together than Luke’s father returned; now, someone is stalking father and son. And Noah has been kidnapped. Monday-Friday, 2 p.m. on CBS. Guiding Light

Natalia left Frank at the altar, then told Olivia she couldn’t marry Frank because she was in love with her. MondayFriday, 10 a.m. on CBS. Ellen

Monday-Friday, 3 p.m. on NBC. The Rachel Maddow Show

Monday-Friday, 9 p.m. on MSNBC.

ONE LESS SECRET IN THE CHAMBER: Now that we know Dumbledore (played by the late Richard Harris, center) is supposed to be gay, we can find out if that makes Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry any more interesting as dark forces terrorize the school in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” airing at 8 p.m. April 25 on ABC. Photo: Warner Bros./Peter Mountain

PAGE 39

Q on the tube: Going to the chapel By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor On April 17, Natalia and Frank, central characters in TV’s longest-running soap opera, “Guiding Light,” stood together in the chapel in Springfield. Natalia was beautiful and demure in her white gown and long veil, a small cross at her throat. Her maid of honor, Olivia, looked equally beautiful and profoundly sensual. Who else but Olivia — Springfield’s scarlet woman — would wear red for a wedding? Soaps are known for weddings, but unlike at most, the looks of love and longing were not passing between the bride and groom, but between the bride and her maid of honor. The morning before the wedding, Natalia and Olivia met at the grave of Natalia’s late husband, Gus. Olivia was there talking to Gus, who had been her best friend, about her love for his widow. Olivia got his heart in a transplant after he was killed in a motorcycle accident. Natalia showed up to talk to him about her confused feelings for Olivia. When the two women crossed paths, Olivia finally acknowledged her love for Natalia. For months, the women have done a dance of repressed desire and deepening love. They could not be more dissimilar. Olivia has long been the bad girl of Springfield. Natalia is a deeply religious Catholic. It was Natalia’s faith that led her to move in with Olivia and her young daughter, Emma, after Olivia left the hospital. Natalia nursed her back to health. Soon the two were sitting on the sofa together, Natalia’s head on Olivia’s shoulder and vice versa. Then one day Olivia kissed Natalia. But as Olivia fell in love with Natalia, so did Frank, the earnest cop who was drawn to Natalia’s sweetness. When Frank asked Natalia to marry him, she said yes, denying her feelings for Olivia. Before the ceremony, when the priest was unable to come, Natalia prayed to God to tell her what to do. When it came time for Natalia to say her vows, she couldn’t. She ran from the church. Olivia tracked her down and the two stood together, the love between them palpable. Natalia explained that she could not lie while standing before God. “I can’t tell Frank I love him,” she cried. “I love you!” While the “Guiding Light” drama was playing out, Sen. John McCain’s former campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, was speaking to Log Cabin Republicans about same-sex marriage. Schmidt argued that opposition to same-sex unions would not only hold the Republican Party back, but could easily marginalize it. Schmidt urged Republicans to endorse civil unions now and to stop using the Bible as an excuse to ban same-sex marriage. On “Guiding Light,” Olivia — the more worldly of the two women — is keenly aware of the controversy a relationship between her and Natalia would accrue. How would it impact their children, Emma and Rafe? Would the external stresses be too much for the couple to bear and crush their love for each other? These very-real conflicts for lesbians and gays are among the reasons marriage has become a locus of the queer civil-rights movement. If Olivia could ask Natalia to marry her, how different would their relationship be? If their community stood behind them, that support would allow their already-deep love to flourish. Natalia shouldn’t be forced to give up her dream of marriage and family simply because she has fallen in love with another woman. The concomitant clarity of a soap opera and a Republican strategist on one of the key social issues of the day resonates: Marriage should be a choice for everyone based on love and commitment. Politics should be withdrawn from the discourse all together. ■

PAGE 40

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Diversions

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Your guide to arts and entertainment

Theater

has received rave reviews — runs through May 3 Birdy at Shubin Theatre, 407 The Centre Theater presents Bainbridge St.; (215) 627the story of two Philly boys 1088. who go to war, then try to come back home physically Show/Tell and mentally, through The two short gay-themed April 26, 208 Dekalb St., dramas run through May Norristown; (610) 2792 at Shubin Theatre, 407 1013. Bainbridge St.; (215) 6271088. Born Yesterday The Walnut Street Theatre Something Intangible presents one of America’s Arden Theatre Company original screwball comedies presents the world premiere about a business tycoon by celebrated Philadelphia who goes to Washington, playwright Bruce Graham D.C., trying to break into set in Hollywood circa the “special-interest” 1941, through June 7, 40 N. business with an ethically Second St.; (215) 922-1122. challenged senator, through April 26, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550. Hot ’n Throbbing Luna Theater presents this noir detective drama for mature audiences, through May 2 at Walnut Street Theatre’s Studio 5, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550. Jihad Jones & The Kalashnikov Babes InterAct Theatre Company presents a fast and furious satire examining the effect of Hollywood’s stereotyping of Arab Americans, through May 10, 2030 Sansom St.; (215) 568-8077. Mack & Mabel The Players Club of Swarthmore presents the bittersweet story of a Hollywood romance between Mack Sennet, the mogul of silent ﬁlm, and Mabel Normand, the girl he made a star, through May 9, 614 Fairview Road, Swarthmore; (610) 3284271. Passing By The gay comedy set in the 1970s about two men whose paths cross in a movie theater — which

Music classical

Cellblock: Stories of the Eastern State Chamber Music Now presents a collection of works inspired by the famed prison, at 8 p.m. April 24-25 and May 1 and 3, Eastern State Penitentiary, Cellblock 7, 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue; (215) 236-3300. Alarm Will Sound The forward-leaning classical music group performs at 7:30 p.m. April 25 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847. 88 Keys, A Big Band and A Voice Peter Nero and the Philly Pops perform with celebrated jazz vocalist Diane Schuur, through April 26 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847. Denève Conducts The Philadelphia Orchestra presents the chief conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, at 8 p.m. April 25 at Kimmel’s Verizon

Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847. Juilliard Quartet The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia presents the revered ensemble performing three wildly different works at 3 p.m. April 26 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847. AIDS Benefit Gala Choir Concert A choir comprised of members from five Reconciling United Methodist Churches presents a concert to raise money for local agencies fighting AIDS, from 4-6 p.m. April 26 at Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad St.; (215) 5686250. Voices of Welcome: Songs of Joy A gala choir concert to benefit the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance and Community Health and Education Outreach of Delaware County will be presented at 4 p.m. April 26 at Drexel Hill United Methodist Church, 600 Burmont Road, Drexel Hill; (610) 259-2104. Mitsuko Uchida The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia presents two original works performed by the revered pianist at 8 p.m. April 27 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847. The Damnation of Faust The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Sir Simon Rattle leading a major choralorchestral masterpiece by Berlioz at 8 p.m. April 29 and May 2 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?: The Bacon Brothers Band, featuring Hollywood star Kevin Bacon, crank out country, rock and folk music for a special performance at Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education’s 26th Annual Benefit for Children, tonight at 6 at Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center, 4842 Ridge Ave., East Falls. Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education provides qualified instructors, equipment and positive opportunities to more than 8,500 children each year, most of whom participate at little or no cost through after-school, indoor and outdoor summer programs. For more information, call (215) 487-3477 or visit www.ashetennis.org.

Music other

The Presidents of the United States of America The quirky alt-rock band performs at 9 p.m. April 24 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-5483. The Manhattan Transfer The Grammy-winning jazzpop group performs at 8 p.m. April 25 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 572-7650. Milton and The Devil’s Party The catchy alt-rock band performs at 8 p.m. April 25 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1710.

Foreigner The classic rock group performs at 7:30 p.m. April 30 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 572-7650. The Bloodhound Gang The outrageously funny rock band performs at 8 p.m. April 30 at TLA, 334 South St.; (215) 922-1011.

Exhibits

Abstract Reflections Edge Gallery presents an exhibition featuring the works of the gallery’s entire stable of artists, through April 26, 72 N. Second St.; (215) 4137072.

Assembled Abstractions AxD Gallery presents an exhibition of original paintings by Barbara Klein and Michael Smith, through April 25, 265 S. 10th St.; (215) 627-6250. Collective Aphrodite Gallery, Philadelphia’s showcase for erotic ﬁne arts, presents a staff art show through May 24 at Passional Toys, 620 S. Fifth St.; (215) 829-4986. Cristo Redentor Proximity Gallery presents an exhibition by Philadelphia native and cityscape artist Anthony A. Ferrara, through April 26, 2434 E. Dauphin St.; (267) 825-2949.

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

The Exquisite Queer Temple Gallery at the Tyler School of Art presents the thesis exhibition by out photographer Dave Kube, through April 25, 2001 N. 13th St.; (215) 925-7379. Figure Fleisher/Ollman Gallery presents a solo exhibition of the work of Philadelphia artist Bruce Pollock, through May 9, 1616 Walnut St., Suite 100; (215) 545-7562. Ion Zupcu: Works on Paper Gallery 339 presents an exhibition of still-life photography, through May 16, 339 S. 21st St.; (215) 731-1530. Liberty Bears Fourth Annual Bear Art Show Meet local LGBT artists at a cocktail reception, show and sale 7-10 p.m. April 24-25 at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St.; (215) 627-1662.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Pulp Function Fred Beans Gallery at Michener Art Museum presents a wide variety of artistic expressions using handmade paper pulp, recycled paper, paper cuts, cardboard, papier-mâché and folded paper, through June 28, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; (215) 3409800. Sendak on Sendak The Rosenbach Museum and Library hosts an exhibition exploring the work of gay artist/author Maurice Sendak, through May 3 at 2008-10 Delancey Place; (215) 732-1600. Victory for Tyler 2009: Sculpture Ice Box Project Space presents the second in a series of biennial

exhibitions to beneﬁt the Tyler School of Art’s Exhibitions and Public Programs department, through April 26, 1400 N. American St.; (215) 9236552. Yuichi Hibi: Neco Gallery 339 presents Hibi’s photographic exhibition that evokes the menace, beauty and mystery of urban landscapes at night, through May 16, 339 S. 21st St.; (215) 731-1530.

Opera

L’enfant et les sortilèges/Gianni Schicchi The Opera Company of Philadelphia presents a double bill of short operas from the early 20th century that proves youngsters aren’t the only ones prone

PGN

to acting up, through May 3 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Dance

Kun-Yang Lin Dancers The Eastern-inﬂuenced dance company presents a program featuring some of its newer pieces at 4 p.m. April 25 at Chi Movement Arts Center, 1316 S. Ninth St.; (267) 687-3739. Jeanne Ruddy Dance Ninth Season Featuring Martha Clarke The guest choreographer brings her avant-garde works to Philadelphia through April 26 at The Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine St.; (215) 5694060.

Pick

Making Arrangements Wexler Gallery presents a solo exhibition of new sculptural works by the Vancouver-based ceramic artist Dirk Staschke, through April 25, 201 N. Third St.; (215) 923-7030. The Many Faces of Stereotypes Verdadism Art Gallery hosts an exhibition of New York-born artist Soraida’s new series of drawings, through April 30, 220 S. Berlin Road, Lindenwold, N.J.; (856) 346-3131.

Notices Send notices at least one week in advance to: Diversions, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147; fax them to (215) 925-6437; or e-mail them to diversions@epgn. com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.

Spring is in full swing as the Kimmel Center opens its doors to the after-work crowd for Spring Fling, a free festival held Mondays through Saturdays in the Commonwealth Plaza from 5:30-7:30 p.m. through May 8, 260 S. Broad St. Spring Fling features specially priced happy-hour drinks and savory tapas selections with a cabaret-style atmosphere of free live music by regional artists performing jazz, dance, classical and pop on stage. For more information, call (215) 790-5847 or visit www.kimmelcenter.org.

PAGE 41

Philadanco Four fresh works choreographed by up-andcoming talent are performed from April 30-May 3 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Film

The Ladykillers The 1955 comedy starring Alec Guinness is screened at 2 p.m. April 26 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 917-0223. Philly Black Pride Movie Madness at Midnight “Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom,” “Stranger Inside” and “Dakan” are screened at midnight April 24 at Crowne Plaza Hotel Main

Line, 4100 Presidential Blvd.; (215) 477-0200.

Books

Ruth Reichl The editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine and author of three bestselling memoirs (“Comfort Me with Apples,” “Tender at the Bone” and “Garlic and Sapphires”) hosts a book discussion at 7:30 p.m. April 28 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; (215) 6865322.

Etc.

Dennis Leary The comedian and star of “Rescue Me” performs at 8 p.m. April 29 at the Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby; (610) 3522887. ■

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 42

Meeting Place A community bulletin board of activities, facilities and organizations

Community centers ■ The Attic Youth Center: For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held from 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday through Friday. See the Youth section for more events. 255 S. 16th St.; (215) 545-4331 ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St.; (215) 898-5044; center@dolphin.upenn.edu, Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. ■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Doylestown Planned Parenthood, The Atrium, Suite 2E, 301 S. Main St., Doylestown; (215) 348-0558 ext. 65; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. ■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center: 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220; www.waygay.org. Peer counseling: Monday through Friday, 6-9 p.m. Library hours: Mondays 3-9 p.m., Tuesdays 3-6 p.m., Wednesdays 3-9 p.m., Thursdays 3-9 p.m., Fridays 3-9 p.m., Saturdays noon-6 p.m., Sundays noon-6 p.m. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.; Volunteer Velada, third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

Health Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 166 W. Lehigh Ave.; (215) 763-8870 ext. 6000. AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 340 N. 12th St., suite 205; (2215) 536-2424. Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; (215) 851-1822 or (866) 2223871. Spanish/English. HIV testing Free, anonymous testing and counseling is offered from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment at AIDS Resource, 520 W. Fourth St., suite 2A, Williamsport;

Key numbers ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: (215) 587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: (856) 933-9500 ext. 221 ■ AIDS Library: (215) 985-4851

Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey. Men’s Coming Out Group Meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; (215) 563-0652 ext. 219. Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. every Wednesday at 1201 Chestnut St., 15th ﬂoor; (215) 496-0330. Men of Standard Provides a place for men of color 21 and older to share issues of concern. Meets 7-9 p.m. every Thursday at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; (856) 963-2432 ext. 206; johnson_ t@camden_ahec.org.

Renaissance Transgender Assoc. Meets at 8 p.m. third Saturday of the month at Into the Woods office complex in King of Prussia; (610) 975-9119 box 5; and 7:30 p.m. first Thursday of the month at the William Way Center; www.ren.org. T-MAN People of color support group for transmen, FTMs, butches, studs, agressives, bois, genderqueer and all female-born individuals with gender questions meets 7:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays, second floor, 1201 Locust St.; (215) 834-9063; tman215@aol.com. Transhealth Programming Committee Meetings are at 5 p.m. second and last Sundays of the month at the William Way Center. Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 7-11 p.m. Tuesdays at 1201 Locust St.; (267) 549-6497. Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization meets at 5 p.m. second and last Sundays of the month at the William Way Center; (215) 732-1207; www. critpath.org/thac.

Young, Trans, and Uniﬁed! Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 13-23 meets from 7-8:30 p.m. every Thursday at The Attic Youth Center; (215) 545-4331 ext. 24.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Cape May, N.J. Meets at 2 p.m. third Sunday of the month in the Maruchi Room of Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital, 2 Stone Harbor Blvd.; (609) 861-1848. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Chester County Meets at 7 p.m. ﬁrst Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St., West Chester; (484) 354-2448.

African Asian Latina Lesbians United Social-issues discussion group meets fourth Thursday of the month at The Pride Center of New Jersey.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Philadelphia Meets from 2-5 p.m. third Sunday of the month at the LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 3907 Spruce St.; (215) 572-1833.

Expressions Women’s Space Lesbian singles, family and coming-out groups meet at 1538 Church St.; (215) 535-3600.

HIV health insurance help Access to free medications, conﬁdential HIV testing available at 17 MacDade Blvd., suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Ofﬁce Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; (610) 586-9077. Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, case management and support groups; 1201 Chestnut St.; (215) 563-0652. www.mazzonicenter.org. Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; (215) 985-9206. Gloria Casarez, (215) 686-2194; Gloria. Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: (215) 686-2555 ■ Mazzoni Center: (215) 563-0652; www.mazzonicenter.org ■ Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine: (215) 563-0658

■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: (215) 685-1633

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: (215) 772-2000

■ Mayor’s liaison to LGBT communities:

Men of All Colors Together Meets at 7:30 p.m. third Friday of the month September through June at the William Way Center; (610) 277-6595; www.MACTPhila.org.

Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary healthcare and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, non-judgemental environment, 809 Locust St.; (215) 563-0658.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Bucks County Meets at 7:30 p.m. third Thursday of the month at Penns Park United Methodist Church, 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park; (215) 598-8005.

■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: (215) 686-4670

■ Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Peer Counseling Services: (215) 732-TALK

Gay Married Men’s Association Meets at 8 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays at the William Way Center; (215) 483-1032.

Oasis Meets 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays at 1201 Chestnut St.; (215) 563-0652 ext. 509.

HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; (215) 685-1803.

■ AIDS Treatment hot line: (215) 5452212

■ Equality Forum: (215) 732-3378

Delaware Valley 40-plus Club for Men Social group meets every other month; (215) 587-9933.

(570) 322-8448.

■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: (215) 5921513

■ Equality Advocates Pennsylvania: (215) 731-1447; (866) LGBTLAW

Boys Night Out A social gathering for gay men, meets at 7 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday at Iron Hill Brewery, 30 E. State St., Media; BurbBoysNiteOut@aol.com.

Interweave New Jersey An organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Unitarian and their allies meets every third Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 401 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, N.J.; (856) 667-3618.

Philly DADS An association of gay and bisexual fathers supporting each other meets at 7:30 p.m. fourth Friday of the month at the William Way Center; (215) 668-5239.

■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): (215) 572-1833

■ The COLOURS Organization Inc. 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; (215) 4960330.

Men

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Chief Inspector James Tiano: (215) 685-3655 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: (215) 494-LGBT; ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: (215) 875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: (717) 920-9537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: (215) 732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays, and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

Parents/Families

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Princeton, N.J. Meets at 7:30 p.m. second Monday of the month in the George Thomas Room at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer St.; (609) 683-5155. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Wilmington, Del. Meets at 7 p.m. second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 13th and Rodney streets; (302) 654-2995. Philadelphia Family Pride Advocacy, support and social network for LGBT families offers play groups, monthly kids and teen talk groups, activities and outings. Planning meetings are held monthly; (215) 844-3360; www. phillyfamilypride.org.

Trans

Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey A transgender civil-rights group meets ﬁrst Sunday of the month at 1 p.m. at The Pride Center of New Jersey.

WeXist FTM support group meets from 6-8 p.m. second Friday of the month at the William Way Center; ﬁrst hour is open; second hour is for people assigned female at birth who have gender issues; (267) 250-1548; www.wexist.org.

Women

Bucks County Lesbian Alliance Meets monthly for social events; http://buckscountylesbianalliance.org.

Lesbians and BiWomen in Heterosexual Marriages A support group meets at 7:30 p.m. on third Wednesday of the month at The Pride Center of New Jersey. Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group holds monthly meetings and activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; P.O. Box 962, Phoenixville, PA 19460; http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/LCDV/; marichikogirl@yahoo.com. Lesbian Couples Dining Group of Montgomery County Meets monthly; (215) 542-2899. Lesbian Social Network of South Jersey 500-member social group for lesbians holds monthly activities in South Jersey and surrounding area; www.lsn.southjersey.com. Lesbians with Breast Cancer A support group meets from 6:30-8:30 on second Wednesday of the month at Gilda Club Delaware Valley, 200 Kirk Road, Warminster; (215) 4413290. Queer Connections

Social group for women in their 20s meets weekly; (215) 468-1352; queerconnect@yahoo. com. Republican Lesbians Meetings held at 7:30 p.m. on first Monday of the month at The Pride Center of New Jersey. South Jersey Lesbians of Color Meetings are the first and third Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at The Starting Point, 215 Highland Ave., Suite C, Westmont, N.J.; (856) 824-0881; e-mail: SJLOC-owner@yahoogroups.com. Women’s Coffee House for Lesbians A group for lesbian and bisexual women meets on first Saturday of the month at 7 p.m. at The Pride Center of New Jersey. The Womyn’s Village The first womyn-owned and operated thinktank targeting black African, Asian, Latina and Native American LBT and two-spirited womyn. Meets at 5 p.m. on third Thursday of the month at COLOURS Organization, 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; (215) 765-0121; the_womyns. village@yahoo.com.

Youth

40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 112 N. Broad St., 11th ﬂoor; (215) 496-0330. Drop-in Group For gay, lesbian and bisexual youth; meets at 11 a.m. Saturdays at AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington, Del.; (302) 652-6776. HAVEN For GLBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20; meets from 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; (610) 868-2153. HiTOPS A safe-space support program for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, will meet from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; (609) 683-5155. Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 109 Lancaster Ave., Wayne; (610) 688-1861; info@myaonline. org. Mountain Meadow For youth with GLBTQ parents. Monthly programs for ages 8-16, family programs and parent coffee groups. Residential program offered in August; 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 772-1107; inquiries@mountainmeadow.org. Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center For ages 14-21; meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Doylestown Planned Parenthood, The Atrium, Suite 2E, 301 S. Main St., Doylestown; (215) 3480558 ext. 65; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Planned Parenthood of Chester County’s West Chester ofﬁce, 8 S. Wayne St., West Chester; (610) 692-1770 ext. 108 or thespot@ppccpa.org. Teen Support Group Drop-in group for teens and adolescents meets Thursdays from 4:30-6 p.m. at 1201 Chestnut St.; (215) 563-0658 ext. 319. Under the Rainbow Discussion and social group for 18-25-year-old gays and lesbians meets at 7:30 p.m. at The Pride Center of New Jersey. Youth in Transition A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 12-23 meets from 7:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays at the The Attic Youth Center. Youth Making a Difference For GLBTQ African-American and Latino youth ages 14-24. Meets from 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; (856) 963-2432 ext. 234; gray_w@camden-ahec. org.

Send submissions to pgn@epgn.com or fax (215) 925-6437 PGN Meeting Place, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 Meeting Place is a public service. Submissions must include a phone number for publication.

Complete Meeting Place listings of all Parent/Family, Professional, Recovery, Recreation, Religion, Sports, Men, Women, Trans, Youth groups can be found online @ www.phliagaynews.com and www.epgn.com

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

ART SHOW From Page 30 positive terms once she actually allowed herself to see how it all ﬁt together.” Philadelphia is the seventh and last stop for the exhibit, which opened at the WITF Inc. Public Media Center in Harrisburg in February 2008. It’s since traveled to Millersville, Lebanon, Lancaster and York. Blyler said he was pleasantly surprised by the number of Central Pennsylvania venues that were open to the idea of an LGBT art show. “Through the planning stage I knew we’re in Central Pennsylvania. I grew up here and lived in D.C. for 10 years and then moved back. It’s a very conservative area — certainly not DuPont Circle. To be stereotypical, you’re back in Kansas,” he said. “I anticipated there’d be some kind of pushback as far as the theme of the event, but the minute WITF came onboard as the premiere exhibit sponsor, a lot of other places got in touch with us and said, ‘When can we be in the schedule?’ and ‘We’ve heard really good things; what can we do to make this work?’ We didn’t even have all of the images of the works yet to show these places, but they just went by what they know WITF to stand for and we’re so lucky about that, because this could have been a huge obstacle.” However, Blyler noted, the exhibit did experience some resistance when it opened at the Arts Centre of York Inc. in January. He said that after a local newspaper in York ran a story about the upcoming show, the center was inundated with hate mail and angry phone calls from

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

area residents opposed to the theme of the exhibit, and a group of residents announced it would protest the opening. Although no protesters showed up, a wealth of supporters did turn out. “It was one of the best openings the Arts Centre ever had,” Blyler said. “We had a huge turnout in support of the show, and what I thought was really amazing

“WET DREAMS” BY SCOTT ALPERT

“BREAKING THE SURFACE OF EQUIPOLLENT OPPOSITIONS” BY KRISTIN KEST

was the way the York Police Department responded — they were very open and supportive, which is really the last thing I ever thought would happen. When I heard there would be protesters, I thought, ‘Oh, great, now the police will be involved and they don’t want us here either,’ but it ended up being the exact opposite.” Blyler said the tour has been an

PAGE 43

eye-opening experience for him, and he’s anxious for it to have the same effect on patrons. “Every single stop has been really heartwarming. It’s so nice to see that things have changed in the last 15-20 years and changed for the better. There’s still certainly room to improve in Central Pennsylvania, and I’m hoping that this exhibit opens people’s eyes to

that.” There will be an opening reception for the exhibit from 68 p.m. May 1 at the center, 1315 Spruce St. For more information about the exhibit, visit www.1515artexhibition.com. ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.

PAGE 44

Classifieds

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

With Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services and Personals

For sale by tweet: Social networking to sell homes By Alex Veiga The Associated Press When you sign up for Facebook or Twitter, you expect to get a stream of random messages from the people who make up your virtual social network — but pitches on homes for sale? Real-estate agents and others are trolling for clients on these and other popular online social networking sites, mixing home huckstering with their online networking. But is this a good way to sell a home or are agents’ sales pitches getting lost in the post? Agents who use the social networking sites to market properties say they hope to generate referrals — just as you might tip off a friend about a new for-sale sign on a lawn. “Tweeting is the same way,” says Duane Hopper, an owner and broker at Century 21 Real Estate Center in Seattle, referring to the term for posting messages on the microblogging Web site Twitter. com. “There is a multiplier effect that can take place, particularly on very hot information,” adds Hopper, who

posts information about homes he’s trying to sell and promotes himself on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and ActiveRain. Twitter lets users create proﬁles where they can post messages of up to 140 characters that can be viewed by anyone with Internet access on a PC or mobile phone. Hopper started using the site last fall. Since then, he’s racked up more than 600 people who have elected to “follow” his tweets. (By comparison, celebrities such as Britney Spears have hundreds of thousands of dedicated tweet recipients.) A recent look at Hopper’s Twitter page revealed more than 20 tweets, although not all the posts were real estate-related. Hopper liberally mixes tweets about the Mariners baseball team — “Getting excited for Home Opening Day for the 5-2 Mariners” — with posts on his daily real-estate rounds: “On my way to paint For Sale Post at our hot new Kirkland listing. Can’t anyone get the color right?” But often, Hopper’s tweets are listings of homes for sale that read like word-stingy newspaper

classified ads: “At Juanita Multilevel photo shoot,” started a recent post. “Listing coming. Hurry if you have buyers. Under $500K, 2,190 feet. 3Bed 2.5Bth.” Hopper also sometimes includes Web links to a virtual tour of the home. Jo-Ann Cervin, a buyer’s agent with ZipRealty in Las Vegas, began using the site just last week under the handle “LV—Cheap—Houses,” but she’s wasted little time posting a barrage of bulletins urging readers to buy now. So far, she has 44 users subscribing to her tweets, which mostly consist of homes for sale or calls to action like this one: “Las Vegas bank owned properties are seeing multiple offers! The great deals are going QUICK!” Cervin isn’t worried that the barrage of home listings via tweets will scare off those who subscribe to her missives. “They’re choosing to connect with me,” Cervin says. “I’m not spamming.” On Facebook, which boasts more than 200-million active users, many real-estate firms have profile pages

that sometimes feature home listings and discussions about real estate. Some agents set up commercial Facebook pages, which are open to all users. Many agents use one of several Facebook applications designed to highlight home listings on their proﬁle page, such as eListIt’s My Listings widget. Others let users pipe in video tours. John Ammirati, an associate broker with Century 21 Prevete in Long Island, N.Y., created a Facebook page for his company so his agents log in and post listings and information about open houses. “We’re just starting to get into video,” he says. Hopper takes a more subtle approach on Facebook, however. He tries to keep it personal, posting photos of a recent vacation, for example, while only sprinkling in real-estate listings and links to virtual home tours. “I don’t want to overwhelm people,” Hopper says. “It’s like getting unsolicited advertising if you overdo it.” Cervin also only recently began playing up her real-estate business

on Facebook. She hopes her friends will refer her to wouldbe homebuyers. She’s also on ActiveRain, where she blogs about real estate and, ultimately, hopes to nab some client referrals from other agents on the site. Still, Cervin says she hasn’t received any business directly from her social networking activities — yet. “At this point it’s free advertising,” she says. Ammirati, who began using Twitter in December and now ﬁres off tweets six days a week to nearly 600 people on the site, suggests ﬁnding real-estate-oriented groups with more than 100 tweet trackers and join the pack. Social networking has begun to pay off for Ammirati. Since he and his agents began using Facebook and other sites about a year ago, the efforts have brought in at least four clients. “Part of it is the agents themselves reconnecting with some people in the past,” Ammirati says. “Sometimes it’s hard to quantify how this networking leads exactly to [new clients].” ■

Location! Location! Location! This week’s featured property

837 N. 2nd St. - Northern Liberties

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Northern Liberties bi-level penthouse in pristine condition. 1 owner and only 4 years old. This spacious bi-level condo has many large rooms, with 3 beds and 2.5 large baths, very large dining-living Great Room and includes a deeded, gated, covered, secure parking space at no extra charge. Condo fees are reasonable.

address • Daytime telephone number Having all this information ready will speed your order and help to avoid errors. Phone calls can only be returned during business hours. For more information, see the coupon page in this section.

Philadelphia Gay News assumes responsibility for errors in classified ads only when notified by noon the Tuesday after the ad first appears. To receive credit for errors, please notify PGN by then. Credit only will be extended in the form of additional advertising space. Any cash refunds, for any reason, are subject to a $10 service charge. PGN will publish no classified ad — in any category — that contains sexually explicit language. Obviously excluded are traditional four-letter words that relate to sexual activity. Other words may be excluded at the discretion of the publisher, who reserves the right to edit or rewrite any ad that, in his opinion, violates this policy or its intent.

available! Call 800-

___32-16 N - $39,900 unting off m. Limited ssociates com ___32-16

ouse, 85 frontage. 00. www.

___32-16

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Real Estate

REAL ESTATE

HOME FOR SALE Horticultural Hideaway – 4 BR/2 1⁄2 BA Colonial. 2 Acres, Stream & pond, perimeter trees Internal trees & garden beds. Bucks County, minutes from Doylestown. RE/MAX Action Realty 215-358-1100. Contact Carl Hedner, CLASSIFIEDS Realtor 215-358-1144. www.carlhedner.com _______________________________33-17 CONTEMPORARY REAL WATERFRONT ESTATEHOME Available in time for summer fun. Located on the river in quiet Beachwood, NJ. Large home with 6 bed, 3.5 bath, water views from all rooms, 6 MONTANA LAND BARGAINS decks, inground pool, hot tub and much more. 20AC at with Utilities & Country Road was Priced $899K. Call LBO Realty, ask for Elliott $99,900 Now $69,900 BLM Deer & 732-674-3851 for info and foraccess. showing. elk galore! Call to view 877-229-7840 www. _______________________________33-18 WesternSkiesLand.com Fabulous 2nd Empire 3 story single in Chest_______________________________32-16 nut Hill, 3 BR 2 bath. Light drenched rooms, GOLF SIDE wrapped SC HOME contemporary finishes in old world charm. All systems new. floor master Luxury four bedroom,are four bath.3rd Fully furnished. retreat including elegant vanities,Call whirlpool Mountain and lake views.dbl $678,000. Dave tub & flat screen TV. Gorgeous kitchen featuring 602-758-9062. cherry, granite, slate & SS pkg. 2nd floor laundry _______________________________32-16 with stakable LG front load washer/dryer. 72 acres along McKean/Potter CountyConline venient to train and Philly Carwooded, Share. Please near Shinglehouse. Mostly some see ourarea, websiteincludes at http://www.205benezet.com open old hunting cabin, offered at $479,000.00. Call 267-481-3723 or electric, $199,000. Field and Stream RE. e-mail Mike@205benezet.com 800-668-8679. _______________________________33-17 _______________________________32-16

NEW Single-Family homes in active adult (55 plus) community in historic Smyrna, Delaware, near Beach and Bays. From $99,000. 302-6595800 or see www.bonayrehomes.com _______________________________33-17 Cameron County- 3.5 acres near Sizerville State Park. Flat land perfect for cabin or camper. Electric, perc, frontage on RT 155. $19,900. ESTATE Owner REAL ﬁnancing. 800-668-8679. _______________________________33-17

Always Renting? Low on Funds? Buy 1-4bd Homes from $10,000! Buy Discounted Homes, Sell for Big Proﬁts! Foreclosures &Bank Repos! For Listings &Info 800-935-9058 ext.B104. _______________________________33-17 PA Hunting Land: Bordering State Forest loPAGE 91 cated in PA Wilds of Clearﬁeld County. 2-Day Sale, May 2nd&3rd. Sale Price, 30 Acres, Only $99,900. Call for more information and appointREAL ESTATE ment:1-866-473-5770; 315-447-1499 _______________________________33-17

SALE

Mike Jenofsky

Loan Ofﬁcer

(267) 341-1066 Direct Phone (267) 341-1067 Direct Fax Toll Free (800) 559-2514 x1066 Email: mjenofsky@fpms.com

er et ...

PAGE 45

CLASSIFIEDS

SALE

Let CHRIS CHRIS RISS RISSuse his Experience, Enthusiasm, and Contacts to sell your place or ﬁnd your new beach home. Most Transactions Award

CHRIS RISS makes it happen in Direct: 302-226-6655 REHOBOTH! Lingo: Lingo: 302-227-3883 302-227-3883

ChrisRiss@JackLingo.com

www.RehobothBeachHouses.com

Rates have D R O P P E D

Time to reﬁnance, consolidate debt, or buy NOW! Ask about our no closing cost option for buying a home.

Mike McKeown Email: mike.mckeown@mindspring.com 1-888-533-9890 Licesensed by Dept. of Banking/Insurance in NJ, PA, DE and NY

The COOLEST homes in Philadelphia’s HOTTEST neighborhoods. el ning d Mo Ope d an r G

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Schoolhouse Lane & Ridge Avenue East Falls 215.844.8888 Brewerytown Square

City location with the finest features of a suburban townhome 2-3 Bedroom homes with garages (up to 1,710 sq. ft.) from the low $300’s 3 Bedroom homes with garages (up to 3,400 sq. ft.) from the mid $500’s

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Deck or balcony with each home

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10 year tax abatement

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Free Center City Shuttle

The Villas & Regency

PGN

The Arbours at Eagle Pointe

REAL ESTATE

SALE

REAL ESTATE

SALE

Buy or Sell in the Poconos Close to Mt. Airy Casino & Camel Back.

Corners of Routes 390 & 44 • Candensis, PA 18325 OFFICE: (570) 595-2110 • FAX: (570) 595-7207 CELL: (570) 994-5118

FRED W. BALDI

REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® fred_baldi@hotmail.com

www.PoconosHomesInfo.com

Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Find help in the Home Improvement Directory

PGN

CLASSIFIEDS

PAGE 46

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Placing Classiﬁeds Liner Ads In Person: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, By Phone or on the Web: 24 Hours, 7 Days

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APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

CLASSIFIEDS

REAL ESTATE

SALE

1608 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

REAL ESTATE

SALE

PAGE 47

REAL ESTATE

SALE

REAL ESTATE

SALE

www.philarealtyexchange.com

AVENUE OF THE ARTS 1326 SPRUCE ST #2903 (Center City One)-2br, 2 bth, 29th fl views $435,000 Tom Gangemi GRADUATE HOSPITAL 923 S. 17th-Attn Investors!! Triplex renovation started $175,000 Janis Dubin RITTENHOUSE 226 W. RITTENHOUSE SQ -2 br/den. 2 bth, newly renovated, with park view, $895,000 Tom Gangemi 613 LOMBARD ST- Brand new everything, 3 br, 2 bth and working fire place $499,900 Kera Ritter 401 S. 17th St-401 S. 17th: Quaint space, great location, new kitchen, commercial on 1st floor. $499,900. Kera Ritter

OLD CITY 244-48 N. 3rd, UNIT 3B – Corner unit condo, parking included $225,000 Kera Ritter SPRING GARDEN 1601 SPRING GARDEN ST #419- gorgeous upgraded unit, elevator and secure $179,900 Janis Dubin SOUTH PHILADELPHIA 1904 S. 9th St- 2br home in Bella Vista w/ large living room, $139,900 John Perno UNIVERSITY CITY 209 Saint Marks Sq- 6br,2.5bth porch front w/huge backyard, c/a, w/d, wood ﬂoors and high ceilings. $599,000 Janis Dubin WASHINGTON WEST 541 S. 12th St Unit A- 2br, 2 bth condo newly renovated, deeded parking, court yard $389,900 Tom Gangemi

FOR RENT 711 S. 18th ST-2 beds/1.5 baths, backyard, 2 secure parking spaces, great space $2,000 mo Kera Ritter 1513 S. 13th St-Ultra Modern 1 BR, 1 BA with deck in Gray’s Ferry. Avail May 1 - $575 mo no pets Janis Dubin 3512 BARING ST – Studio, utilities included in rent starting at $900 mo Kera Ritter 4030 W. GIRARD AVE-Huge Storefront retail space, $1000 mo Kera Ritter 1613 LOMBARD ST Brand new everything, 3 br, 2 bth and working fp $2000 mo Kera Ritter 2314 REED St- 2 bedrooms- 2 Units-wood ﬂoors, new kit, exposed brick starting $895 mo Janis Dubin 226 W. RITTENHOUSE SQ-2br,den, recently renovated, balcony, view of park $3500 mo Tom Gangemi 1601 SPRING GARDEN ST #419- gorgeous upgraded unit, elevator and secure $1000 mo Janis Dubin 2015 WALNUT ST-Commercial Storefront in Rittenhouse Sq. $2,000 mo Kera Ritter CAREER OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL TIME SALES AGENT- FOR INTERVIEW CALL OFFICE SPECIALIZING IN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT-CONDOS AND APARTMENTS 2-10 UNITS

WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEW SALES ASSOCIATE, MAURICE CORNELIUS AND IISHA MOFIELD

Open Houses Sunday April 26, 2009 1:30 - 2:30 136-138 N. 2nd St. “MALT HOUSE” condo. This is a very large 1 bd. 1ba. condo with a big private terrace. Good condition and priced to sell. ............................................................................................$300,000 238 S 13th St. Unit G100 “George T. Sale Condo” Unique Garden level 1 bd, 1 ba. unit w/ private entrance.. Low fees & Tax Abatement. Lowest price 1 bd. in area .....................................................................$200,000 416 S 10th St. NEW LISTING. Large update 4 bd. 2ba. with huge garden and wonderfully roof deck with city skyline views..........$800,000 3:00 - 4:00 2434 Poplar St. New Listing. Restored & Renovated Richardson Revival Twin, 4 Bedroom, 2 Full Baths, Hardwood Floors, High Ceilings, 2 mantles, plus garden, .............................................................. $409,000 416 S 10th St. NEW LISTING. Large update d 4 bd. 2ba. with huge garden and wonderful roof deck with city skyline views.............$800,000 136-138 N. 2nd St. “MALT HOUSE” condo. - This is a very large 1 bd. 1ba. condo with a big private terrace. Good condition and priced to sell ...................................................................................................$300,000

Search all Philadelphia area listings @ www.thephillyrealtors.com Dan Tobey

The Curtis Center 170 W. Independence Mall , Suite L-44 Philadelphia, PA 19106

215.546.2700 Business • 267.238.1061 Direct 215.432.7151 Cell • 215.546.7728 Fax dtobey@cbpref.com

o Electronic PGN: philagaynews.com

PAGE 48

CLASSIFIEDS

REAL ESTATE

SALE

REAL ESTATE

SALE

REAL ESTATE

SALE

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

REAL ESTATE

SALE

PT. PLEASANT, PA PREFERRED • FREE Listings by Email...DAILY! • Negotiable Commissions!

Andy Mariano

Direct Line 610-789-0982 Office 610-325-4100 E-Mail: sold.andy@verizon.net

837 N. 2nd Street, Unit #302 Philadlephia, PA 19123

Property Proﬁle • 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths • Hardwood Floors • 1,923 Sq. Ft. • Stainles Steel Appliances • Sunlit Rooms • Abundance of Closet Space • Deeded Covered Parking

Open floor plan, Galley Kitchen, Livingroom w/ pine plank flooring & exposed ceiling beams. Main floor bedroom, full bath. Butterfly stairs to large second bedroom, skylights, full bath. Butterfly, (half a circular stairs), down to the family room, 1/2 bath, firplace, W/D. Terraced on hillside in a quaint River Village. 18’x30’ deck wraps around house to a covered porch in front. Broker Participation 3%.

FOR SALE BY OWNER. $329,000 Creative offers considered Vinnie Stauffer 215-297-0776 www.realtor.com – look up 4830 River Road, New Hope

VACATION

Competitively Priced At: $485,625 Marketed By:

Packer Park

Barbara A. Louridas Cell: 215-429-9605 Ofﬁce Direct: 215-409-6939 Licensed in PA, RS#306562

Long & Foster Real Estate, inc.

601 Walnut Street, Suite L-10, Philadelphia, PA 19106 Ofﬁce: 215-409-6900 Fax: 215-509-6900

Although deemed accurate, this information is subject to errors, omissions and changed without notice.

2014 South

Graduate Hospital

Totally Renov. 3 BRS, 2 B,Townhome, gorgeous HD Flrs, 2220 Sq ft, Patio & Deck, Breakfast Rm, Cedar cls

2436 Madison Sq.

New Price $549,900

Graduate Hospital

2 story Charmer on great block, 2 BR, tile Bath, LivRm w/ wd ﬂrs, exposed beams, Newer Eat-In Kit. Patio. 756 sq. ft. c/a Move In!

1620 N Front

New Price! $259,000

Old Kensington

New Listing! Stunning renovation, 3 BRS, 2 Baths, Finished Basement, custom lighting and ﬁnishes, wood ﬂrs, 9’ clgs and more

1256 S Iseminger

1119 Marlborough

Several Style Homesites Available from the low 300’s in the Community of Packer Park - Philadelphia Very safe, clean, convenient Community Minutes from Whitman Bridge, I - 95, Sports Complex, International Airport, FDR Park (350 acres of open Greenspace with golf, tennis, skateboarding, walking & biking trails) We have several luxurious home sites available, many with ten yr tax abatements & Developer Incentives, From the low 300’s - most with GARAGES for your safety and convenience.

bc@CapozziRealEstate.com www.CapozziRealEstate.com 215 551 5100 • 3320 South 20th St

$184,900

Passyunk Square

Renovated in 2005, wood ﬂrs, ﬁnished Basement, C/A wonderful amenities 3BRs, 1 Bath 1072 sq ft

New Price $309,900 Fishtown

New Listing! Charming Historical House w/ orig wide plank pine ﬂrs, baseboards and panel drs. Modern Kitchen and Bath 2 BRS, 1.5 Bs, 1356 sq ft

$259,900

Call Solo Real Estate, Inc. 215-564-7656 • www.SoloRealty.com 2017 Chancellor Street, Phila., PA 19103

$1200/MONTH SPECIAL 2 bedrooms, kitch, W/D, living room, hardwood flr, ultra modern steel refrig and dishwasher. Central air. New apt. of year in Queen Village. All tile bathroom and kitchen floor. Sexy! Must see! 215-687-8461, home 215-336-4629. _______________________________33-18 ART MUSEUM HOUSE 2BR house w/parking, deck Art Museum Area-- off 26th St. (800 N. Bambrey, 19130) 800 N. Bambrey--Corner house on quiet street, close to public transportation. Newly renovated, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, hardwood floors, AC, laundry, deck, PARKING, wired. $1600+ call 215-990-4850. Go to www. kratzworks.com for rental app and pix. _______________________________33-17 AVAILBLE MAY 1ST Two bedroom split-level apartment on second floor of row home at 20th and Christian streets. LR, kitchen/dining, bath, small foyer. On-street parking, pets okay. Utilities separate. $875+two months deposit. Scott 267.736.6743. _______________________________33-18 12TH & DICKINSON ST. 3 room apartment, living room, kitchen, bath, and bedroom (all Large rooms) 2nd floor, private entrance. $1000.00 month, includes utilities. Call 215 686-3431 or 215-468-9166 evenings. _______________________________33-24

RENTAL

Bi-Level Penthouse - Corner Unit

MLS #5495977

R/E RENT

ROOMMATES

BRIGANTINE, NJ Beach blk. Share lovely 3 BR house w/senior citizen. Full house privileges. Must be employed. $950/mo. Call Jim at 609-458-3711 to discuss details. _______________________________33-19 8TH & WASHINGTON Lrg. room with closets & shelves. Full house priv., sat TV & cable internet. $500, all utils included. 215-922-0663. _______________________________33-17 Share 2 BR apt. Upper Darby, W/D, cable. $350. Call 610-352-1188. _______________________________33-21

PGN

SUMMER RENTAL SEA ISLE CITY, NJ More info at www.vacationseaisle.com Monthly / Half Season / Full Season. _______________________________33-17 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-638-2102 Online reservations www.holidayoc.com _______________________________33-17

BUSINESS

OPPORTUNITIES Insurance Agency for Sale: Major National Insurance Company has local agencies for sale. Great Opportunity to run your own business. Please reply: Fax#866-296-7535 or agencyforsalepa@aol.com _______________________________33-17 100% RECESSION PROOF! Do you earn $800 in a day? Your own local candy route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy All for $9,995. 1-800-460-4027. _______________________________33-17 VANGUARD CLEANING SYSTEMS FRANCHISE Commercial Ofﬁce Cleaning. Operate a Business that YOU own! Since 1984, as low as $1500 down, Equipment, Support, Customers. Phone: 717-260-3678. _______________________________33-16

SERVICES PAINTING Painting and paper hanging, reasonable prices. 45 yrs experience. Neat and clean work. Sonny, 215-888-1099. _______________________________33-18 ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE From Home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Computers, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualiﬁed. Call 866-858-2121 www.CenturaOnline.com _______________________________33-17 AIRLINES ARE HIRING Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualiﬁed -Housing available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888)349-5387. _______________________________33-17

APRIL 24 CLASSIFIEDS - 30, 2009

r”ra.5 t in 2

REAL ESTATE

FOR SALE SALE

SAWMILLS From only $2,990.00--Convert your LOGS TO VALUABLE LUMBER with your Norwood portable band sawmill. Log skidders also available. www.norwoodsawmills.com/300n Free information: 1-800-578-1363-Ext300-N. _______________________________33-17 ONLINE PHARMACY Buy Soma, Ultram, Fioricet, Prozac, Buspar $71.99/90 $107/180 Quantities. PRICE INCLUDES PRESCRIPTION! Over 200 meds $25 Coupon. Mention Offer: #21A31. 1-888531-6744. tri-pharmacy.info _______________________________33-17 WANT MOBILITY FREEDOM??? Call today for your Medicare approved Power Wheelchairs & Scooters. ABSOLUTELY NO COST TO YOU if qualified! ELDERKARE MEDICAL SUPPLIES 1-888-54-ELDER(35337) REAL ESTATE _______________________________33-17 AAABSOLUTELY NO COST TO YOU!! Limited Offer! Power Wheel Chairs & Scooters ACT NOW: 1-800-719-0024. MANAYUNK RETAIL _______________________________33-17 1200 s.f. + storage. $2500/mo. Renovated HOMEOWNERS WANTED! on Main & Grape. 610-647-1776. www. Kayak Pools looking for Demo Homesites to eadeh.com display new maintenance free Kayak Pools. _______________________________32-17 Save thousands of $$. Unique opportunity! MANAYUNK 100% financing available. 1-877-499-POOL. Studio apt. $850/mo. + utils. Avail. May. 610_______________________________33-17 647-1776. www.eadeh.com AAA POOLS! _______________________________32-17 Distributor must sell entire inventory of leftNORTHERN LIBERTIES over 2008 Pools! HUGE 31’x19’ w/Sundeck, Cozy 3 story home, 2 BR, 1.5 BA, lg. yard, family Fence,Filter ONLY $890! (Install. extra) 100% rm./den, laundry in bsmt. LR w/exposed beams FINANCING! 3-Day Installation! Call Us! 1-866& brick. Hdwd rs, EIK. $1100/mo. + utils. Call 237-2217 sapphirepools.biz 302-761-9500 or maria@165girardave.com _______________________________33-17 _______________________________32-17 GRAD HOSPITAL AREA 2 newly renov. 2 BR apts, hdwd rs. 1st fgl. w/rear yard, W/D, C/A. 1319 S. 23rd St. $650. 267-320-9618. 5 year old Rottweiler, Georgia for adoption. _______________________________32-16 Female, super friendly, house and obedience OLD CITY trained. AllRenovated shots, spayed. For adoption. Ref. Castings. Factory. Condo Bldg, req. Call Philip, 267-912-4027. A home Courtyard 1 Bedrm Apt. HW Flrs. W/D,without Ctl Air, cats preferred. $1250/mth. Call 215 588-0606. _______________________________33-17 _______________________________32-18 AVENUE OF THE ARTS Modern 2 bedroom apartment with large living room, large eat-in kitchen, D/W, micro, ice maker, washer/dryer, central A/C, loaded satellite TV, heatADOPTION and hot water, all included. You pay; to gas cooking and electric. Subway Wishing adopt newborn to nurture and and busWill at the front your door.baby $1,200 adore. provide with/ month. warm, 215-416-5545. Available 2008. This with is a loving, stable home. You May will be treated non-smoking building. Expenses Paid. Please respect/ confidentiality. _______________________________32-18 call Glenna 1-866-535-8080. 5 bedroom, 2 Baths Bank Repo only $45,000! _______________________________33-17 Payments from $199/month! 5% down, 20 Considering Adoption? A beautiful home, loving years @8%apr. For listings 800-604-8363. attorney and nurturing full-time mom awaits _______________________________32-16 your baby. Expenses paid. Call Anne & Phyllis 3 Bedroom Bank foreclosure only $207/month! (ask for Michelle/adam) 1-800-790-5260. 4 bedroom, 2 bath home only $238/month! _______________________________33-16 5% down, 20 years @8% apr! For listings 800-546-8656 ext. s915. _______________________________32-16

RENT

PETS

ADOPTION

nge.com

ison

for

erno

acy

pace

MON

AUCTIONS VACATION/ ABSOLUTE LOGGING EQUIPMENT

Auction. Selling for the RENTALS bank, Late Model SEASONAL Logging/Construction Equipment, 80+ Pieces. MayLOWER 14, 10 a.m. Rockingham, NC. Iron Horse CHELSEA ATLANTIC CITY Auction, 800-997-2248, www. Lovely 3 NCAL3936, bd. 1 ba. fully furnished home in ironhorseauction.com beautiful secluded gay court. 2 blocks to _______________________________33-17 beach, jitney at corner. Long season-12,500.

plus security dep. Call 609-347-8059. _______________________________32-17 REHOBOTH/LEWES Lg. twhnse, 3 BR, 2.5 BA. No pets or smoking. $1500/wk, $5000/mo. SUPER302-236-3338. FAST _______________________________32-19 2001 Toyota Celica GTS $2500! 2 door,custom OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND made orange exterior, black interior, 96500 Best selection affordable Full/partial miles, 6 speedof manual, 4 rentals. cyl. Contact info: weeks. Call for free brochure. Open daily. corysmoore@gmail.com or call at (208) Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-638-2102 Online 977-9080. reservations www.holidayoc.com _______________________________33-18 _______________________________32-16 DONATE VEHICLE Debordieu, The Pawleys Island, Litcheld,Coupon. Receive $1000 Grocery Noah’s Jewels of theNo South House/ Arc Support Kill Carolina Shelters.Coast. Research to condo rentals. Beach vacations start Advance Veterinary Treatments. Free here! Towwww.lachicotte.com. For availability call 1ing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners accepted 800-422-4777. 1-866-912-GIVE _______________________________32-16 _______________________________33-17

AUTOS

CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 95

REAL ESTATE

HELPSALE WANTED

ROOMMATES HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

PGN WILL NOT PUBLISH RACIAL DISTINCTIONS IN ROOMMATE ADS. SUCH NOTATIONS WILL BE EDITED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. ___________________________________ GREATER NE PHILA. Have your own bedroom in a beautiful split level home with 2 gay men. House is 4 BR, 2 full baths, W/D, upper and lower decks, use of kitchen. Property is by Welsh & the Boulevard, 1 min. to 58 bus. We ask only that you be at least reasonably neat and employed. Rent is $600 + 1/3 utils. Contact Dave at 215-698-0215. _______________________________32-19 NE PHILA. House to share. $350/mo. Call John at 267574-1804. _______________________________32-16 OVERBROOK PARK/CITY LINE Room. Use of kitchen, W/D, cable. $450/mo. 215-850-7900. _______________________________32-16 REHOBOTH BEACH House share, room avail. Inc. pvt bath, deck, pool & utils. 5/1 to 9/1. $5400 season. Call 302-530-1071. _______________________________32-17

Mystery shoppers, make up to $150 a day. Undercover shoppers needed to judge retail and dining establishemnts. Experience not required. 877-280-7603. _______________________________33-19 Travel, Travel, Travel! $500 Sign-on and $500 Performance bonuses. Seeking Sharp Guys/Gals, Blue Jean Environment, Music Lovers Welcome! Janelle #888-375-9795 Start Today! _______________________________33-17 Part-time, home-based Internet business. Earn $500-$1000/month or more. Flexible hours. Training provided. No selling required. FREE details. www.K348.com _______________________________33-17 POST OFFICE NOW HIRING! Avg. Pay $21/hour or $54K annually including Federal Beneﬁts and OT. Paid Training. Vacations. PT/FT 1-866-945-0341. _______________________________33-17 Drive the Big Rigs! 30 Trainees Needed ASAP. $700-$800 per week, Beneﬁts, No CDL, No Problem. No Credit, No Problem. GIT-R-DONE Call Now! 1-800-961-4319. _______________________________33-17 Over 18? Between High School and College? Travel and Have Fun w/Young Successful Business Group. No Experience Necessary. 2wks Paid Training. Lodging, Transportation Provided. 1-877-646-5050. _______________________________33-17 Pensioner, GM inn, 609-287-8779 9 AM-1 PM only. _______________________________33-19

NOW AVAILABLE! 2009 POST OFFICE JOBS. $18-$20/hr. NO EXPERIENCE, PAID TRAINING, FED BENEFITS, VACATIONS. CALL 1-800-910-9941 TODAY! Ref #PA09. _______________________________33-17 GTS needs CDL-A. 1 year exp in past 2. Teams & Singles, High Miles per Week. Medical, Life, Dental, Prescriptions, Paid Vacations. 1-800-326-8889. _______________________________33-17 Mailing Brochures! Weekly pay + Bonus. Supplies furnished. Guaranteed Opportunity. Call Now! 1-800-307-7131. _______________________________33-17 “Can You Dig It?” Heavy Equipment 3wk Training Program. Backhoes, Bulldozers, Trackhoes. Local job placement asst. COULD QUALIFY FOR GI/VA BENEFITS. 866-362-6497. _______________________________33-17 GTS needs CDL-A. 1 year exp in past 2. Teams & Singles, High Miles per Week. Medical, Life, Dental, Prescriptions, Paid Vacations. 1-800-326-8889. _______________________________33-17 Now Hiring Van Drivers! WESTERN EXPRESS *Regular Home Time *Excellent Equipment *One-Day Orientation *BCBS Insurance *Stable,Growing Company Must be 22Yrs. Old, Class A CDL Required 866-863-4009. _______________________________33-17 BALLROOM DANCE INSTRUCTORS No exp. necessary, will train. PT or FT. SJ shore area. Call 609-645-2010. _______________________________33-19

Advertising Sales Representative

PGN, one of the country's most award-winning Gay and Lesbian publications, is looking for a special candidate to fill this position in our advertising sales department. Applicants should have previous advertising sales experience, preferably in a similar environment. You should have a strong work ethic, good communication skills (both written and verbal), and an aggressive desire to sell advertising in this very special niche market. Most important, you should aspire to become an integral part of our successful sales team. We offer a competitive salary plus bonus, as well as Health Insurance. Applicants should call Nick Forte at 215-625HELP WANTED HELP WANTED 8501, ext. 209. Email resume to nick@epgn.com or send resume to:

PGN

SELL AVON! 50% PROFIT. 1-800-AVON-443 (ISR) _______________________________32-20 Banquet Servers Needed Shifts Avail 7days/week $12-14/Hour. Call Today! Best Personnel 1315 Walnut St. Suite 320 215-732-3100 _______________________________32-16 OPERATIONS DIRECTOR For successful growing cleaning company. Starts P/T, becomes F/T. Must be: exible, hands on, detail oriented, willing to learn and grow. Salary commensurate w/exp. Great owners/leadership, great staff, paid training. Call 856-424-1444. _______________________________32-17

PAGE 49

Jersey Shore

PGN, 505 S. 4th St., Phila. PA. 19147 wanted. Attn.: NickHousekeeper/Driver Forte 40 hours a week. EOE Valid drivers license and references required. Started at $15.6k per year. Med. Insurance after 6 mos. (Low rent Apt. available.)

Advertising works.

PGN Email: jjs@1616pr.com

Seeking part-time editorial intern The Philadelphia Gay News is seeking a part-time editorial intern. As editorial intern, you will perform a variety of duties in support of the editorial staff. Duties might include writing short articles and weekly event listings, research, fact checking, ling, archiving data and special projects. Intern(s) may also have the opportunity (depending on level of interest and journalistic skills) to attend local events (press conferences, rallies, etc.) and write news and features articles. Intern(s) should be highly motivated with strong writing skills. A journalistic background is preferred but not required. Intern(s) must have the ability to stay focused while working independently. Intern(s) must be able to meet deadlines both on a daily and longer-term basis.

Recreational

Activities

This is an unpaid internship (academic credit available), 15-20 hours per week. Skills: Computer procient. (Prefer Word, e-mail, In-Design, Excel. Photoshop a plus.) Organized, detail oriented Solid written and verbal communications skills; knowledge of AP style Team player

Please send résumé, cover letter and three writing samples to Sarah Blazucki, Editor, Philadelphia Gay News, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147. Or e-mail, editor@epgn.com.

FIND THEM IN THE

Meeting Place

PAGE PAGE 108 50

CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS

��

Is it time to look for a new doctor? CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008 APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Want to let There are easier mom, dad and all waysoftoyour get noticed... exs know you’re tying the knot?

APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008

Want to let mom, dad and all of your �� exs know Wa you’re m tying the a knot? o Send us your wedding/civil union/ ex Individual, Couple & Family Counseling Life & Career Coaching

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PAGE 108

CLASSIFIEDS

��

this space: only $25 per week*

Your ad dollars go further when you target your audience *when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks

Is it time to look for a �� new doctor?

��

commitment ceremony announcement and we’ll share it with the City of Brotherly Love.

E-mail information to Free Online editor@epgn.com Personals or fax us at www.philagaynews.com (215) 925-6437.

PGN

Social Security Disability Claims Appeals

Social Security Disability Claims Appeals PAGE 110 PAGE PAGE 110 APRIL 24 215-629-0585 - 30, 2009 PAGE110 110 PAGE 110

Suite 202 Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA 19030

215-629-0585

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APRIL -- MAY 1, 2008 2008 APRIL2525 25- MAY MAY 2008 PAGE 51 APRIL 1,1,2008

LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY CLASSIFIEDS

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1900 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 www.amysteerman.com

Attorney-at-Law

Estate & Tax Planning

GENERAL PRACTICE FOR THE COMMUNITY MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2008

��

�� CLASSIFIEDS ��

LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY ��

215-546-1950 (Voice)

AMY F. STEERMAN Attorney at Law

Concentrating in Planning for Lesbian and Gay Couples • Probate • Wills • Living Wills • Powers of Attorney

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215-546-8801 (Fax)

James M. M.SPACE Quesenberry, MA, CRC,CVE CVE THIS ISMA, YOURS James Quesenberry, MA, CRC, CVE CRC,

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Only $25.00* SocialPer Security Disability Week! Security Disability Social Disability

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Attorneys-at-Law

Disability Consultant James M. Quesenberry, MA, CRC, CVE Disability Consultant Consultant Disability Consultant

Social Security Disability Claims Appeals Appeals Claims Appeals Claims Appeals That’s Less Than

215-629-0585 215-629-0585

215-629-0585 A Week’s Worth Of Suite 202 202 Suite Double Mocha Lattes Suite 202 Rd. Oxford Valley Rd. Oxford Valley Oxford Valley Rd. Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA19030 19030 PA *8 Week Minimum Fairless Hills, 19030 Fairless Hills, PA 19030

GENERAL PRACTICE FOR THE COMMUNITY • Estate Administration • Wills, Living Wills, Trusts • Powers of Attorney

• Domestic Relations • Incorporation • Adoption • Criminal • Name Change • Immigration

• Property Agreements • Accidents

• Guardianships • Real Estate

215-546-1950 (Voice) �

�

Bar Association Serving Southeastern PA., South Jersey; and Delaware. Organized to promote civil and human rights. GALLOP Referral Service provides free referrals to attorneys sensitive to the needs of the community For info or a referral, call 215-627-9090 P.O. Box 58279, Penn Center Station, Phila., PA 19102 www.galloplaw.org

• WILLS & ESTATES • • DISCRIMINATION • • SMALL BUSINESS • • DIVORCE • • EMPLOYMENT • • REAL ESTATE • • CIVIL ACTIONS • • AUTO ACCIDENTS • • POWER OF ATTORNEY • • DOMESTIC PARTNERS •

THIS SPACE IS YOURS Only $25.00* Per Week!

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Jeremy R. Gussick Financial Advisor

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1211 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19107

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forme

PRO LEG E PO FO C

FREE

www

521 S. 2ND ST., PHILA., PA APPT. ALSO AVAIL IN DE & NJ

Financial Advice for the GLBT Community

A M W

• Social Security • Elder Law

Your ad dollars go further when you target your 215-627-8200 PA audience 302-777-2201 DE *when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks

215-546-8801 (Fax)

Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia

MINSTER & FACCIOLO, LLC

1528 Walnut St. Suite 1220, Philadelphia, PA 19102

GALLOP

PARTNERS IN LAW PARTNERS IN LIFE

this space: only $25 per week*

APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008

William A. Torchia, Esquire

AMY F. STEERMAN Attorney at Law

Concentrating in Planning for Lesbian and Gay Couples • Probate • Wills • Living Wills • Powers of Attorney

Suite 202 Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA 19030

Charles S. Frazier, Esq. Attorney at Law

• General Practice • Wills and Trusts • Living Wills • Powers of Attorney • Cohabitation Agreements

Wayne, PA (610) 687-4077 cstar1@verizon.net

THIS SPACE IS YOURS Only $25.00* Per Week!

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Gregory H. Quig

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*8 Week Minimum

R. FRANCISCO CORBIN, ESQUIRE Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today! Areas of Practice: Automobile Accidents Slip and Falls Workers Compensation

3000 Market Street Suite 201 Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 243-3450

CLASSIFIEDS

PAGE 52

��

CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY ��

��

PAGE 106

��

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today!

APRIL 1, 2008 APRIL 25 24 -- MAY 30, 2009

CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS

HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY

PAGE PAGE107 53

G.I. CONTRACTORS Complete start to finish contractors:

Electrical • Plumbing Carpentry • Ceramic Tile Siding • Rooﬁng • Decks Kitchens & Baths 24 hour emergency service with certiﬁed technicans

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Fax : 215-501-8306

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RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION INC. • KITCHENS, BATHS • REMODELS • CUSTOM CABINETRY • DESIGN SERVICES • PRACTICING GREEN CONSTRUCTION General Contractors Licensed, Insured, References PO Box 359 Broomall, PA 610-353-2018 gjennings@randcinc.com

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today!

PAGE 54

CLASSIFIEDS

SERVICES DIRECTORY

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

this space: only $25 per week*

Your ad dollars go further when you target your audience *when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks

��

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week.

FRIENDS

MEN

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009

Adult/Personals

FRIENDS

Xdress sex party. CD house orgy every Sat. nite. GWM couple ISO GWMs 18-40 yrs. for 1 on 1 and group sex. Stockings, pantyhose, etc. Starts 9 PM Sat. Call Sat. 7-8 PM 856910-8303, ask for Mark. _______________________________33-24

WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. _______________________________33-19 GWM seeks new friends. 610-352-1188. _______________________________33-21

LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. _______________________________33-28

MEN

PAGE 71

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PAGE 55

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PAGE 56

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

APRIL 24 - 30, 2009