PGN May 6 - 12, 2016

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pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

Vol. 40 No. 19 May 6-12, 2016

Family Portrait: Susan DiPronio talks positively about SEXx PAGE 19

• Rapist of lesbian blasts judiciary PAGE 2

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

• Formerly homeless LGBT youth share stories with City Council PAGE 5

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PA issues trans-inclusive insurance rule

Kathryn Knott sued for $5 million By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Kathryn Knott is facing another legal challenge stemming from her involvement in a 2014 gay bashing in Philadelphia. Kathleen O’Donnell, of Norristown, filed a federal lawsuit last Friday, claiming she unjustly lost her job after posting Internet comments about Knott. O’Donnell is seeking punitive damages of at least $5 million, as well as compensatory damages of at least $150,000. Named in the suit are Knott; her father, Karl Knott; Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler; two Bucks County detectives; and Bucks County. Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams were arrested Sept. 24, 2014, for an attack earlier that month on a gay couple in Center City. Two days after the arrests, O’Donnell, 61, created an online profile on Disqus — a Web-commenting tool — under the name “Knotty is a Tramp,” using a photo of Knott drinking from a bottle of whiskey taken from a social-media account. PAGE 14 O’Donnell’s attorney,

Cho ’nuf, she’s back!

By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com

PRIDE PROCLAMATION: The City of Philadelphia issued an official proclamation in honor of Philadelphia Black Pride in an April 29 ceremony at City Hall. The proclamation was read by Nellie Fitzpatrick (second from left), director of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs. Joining Fitzpatrick were Jack Drummon (from left), director of the city’s Office of Black Male Engagement; D’Ontace Keyes, chief creative officer of PBP; Le Ferria Thomas, PBP board president; and Earl Fowlkes, CEO of The Center for Black Equity. See more PBP coverage on pages 12-13. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Insurance professionals are still awaiting a final rule on nondiscrimination protections, including for transgender people, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed in the fall for the Affordable Care Act. “Because it hasn’t been finalized, we were getting questions from insurance companies about how it would apply to them,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller. The state Insurance Department decided to clarify how the proposed rule, called Section 1557, would apply in Pennsylvania by issuing guidance April 27 stipulating that policies cannot contain “a blanket exclusion of coverage for health services related to an individual’s gender transition.” On the heels of Gov. Tom Wolf’s LGBT nondiscrimination orders, Miller said, “We thought, what a perfect opportunity to make it clear to insurance comPAGE 14

Six LGBT units part of new Chinatown housing By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com

WELCOME HOME: About 100 people assembled Wednesday to celebrate the opening of Francis House of Peace, an affordable-housing facility at 810 Arch St. for low-income and formerly homeless people. Six of the building’s 94 units are set aside for LGBT residents, a number that is expected to increase in the future. Photo: Paige Cooperstein

Joseph Hill-Coles was born to a drug-addicted mother in Philadelphia and entered the foster-care system at the age of 3. Although he was adopted by a single mother when he was 10, he said he was an angry kid. He got kicked out of several schools before being arrested at 17. “When I got out, it was all about survival,” Hill-Coles said. “I house-hopped until I wore out my welcome.” He shared his struggles of living on the streets and sleeping in Love Park with nearly 100 people gathered May 4 in Chinatown for the opening of Francis House of Peace, an affordable-housing complex for formerly homeless and low-income people at 810

Arch St. The nine-story building, named for Pope Francis, has retail space and 94 units. Six are dedicated to LGBT residents and three of them are still available. Project HOME spearheaded the building in collaboration with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and the Middleton Partnership. It’s the first LGBT-friendly space that Project HOME and Middleton Partnership have developed in their five years working together. Sister Mary Scullion, executive director of Project HOME, has committed to more LGBT units in her organization’s next project, said Mel Heifetz, an LGBT advocate who has participated in development meetings with Scullion. “She welcomes GLBT folks and has been very supportive over the years,” he said, noting

Scullion also collaborates with the Mazzoni Center and The Attic Youth Center. Heifetz was in the audience at the Francis House of Peace opening, as was Anne Fadullon, the out head of the new Planning and Development Cabinet. Hill-Coles told the audience he turned his life around with the help of Covenant House shelter in Germantown. Now 22, he works for Urban Tree Connection, plans to start Community College in the fall and moved into his own apartment in Francis House of Peace in March. “My journey was long and hard, but there were little lights along the way,” he said. “I want to be one of those lights for someone else.” Hill-Coles is not a member PAGE 14 of the LGBT


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