pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 40 No. 20 May 13-19, 2016
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Germantown Academy wants to publicly name a student who’s suing the prestigious college-prep school for pervasive same-sex abuse. School officials claim the young man doesn’t have a legal right to litigate under a pseudonym. But his attorneys say a pseudonym is needed to protect their client and his family. “John Doe” filed suit against the school in February, claiming school officials facilitated pervasive same-sex abuse from participants in a swim program. The school is located in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County. The alleged abuse of Doe includes being urinated on, being kneed in the genital area, being degraded “in any way possible” and threatened with anal
A Pennsylvania high school is coming under fire after administrators ejected a lesbian student from her prom. Aniya Wolf reports she was barred from Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg after arriving in a suit instead of a dress. Wolf, a junior, told media outlets she identifies as a “masculine” lesbian and feels more comfortable in pants than “girly” clothes. The Catholic school maintains it informed students and parents several months ago of its prom policy that girls must wear “formal dresses” and sent a reminder a few weeks before the May 6 event. Wolf’s mother contends the original notice was ambiguous, and the follow-up didn’t give the family enough time to find new attire. According to a statement from the school after the incident, administrators learned Wolf
planned to wear a suit a few hours before the prom and “contacted her mother in hopes we could resolve the situation.” It is unclear if the school reached Wolf’s mother that day. Wolf reported that, when she and her date arrived at the prom venue, a teacher pulled her aside and told her she couldn’t enter and said she would be arrested if she didn’t leave the premises. In its statement, the school defended its dress-code policy. “Without question, we love, respect and cherish all of our students,” the statement said. “Bishop McDevitt will continue to practice acceptance and love for all of our students. They are tremendous young men and women. We simply ask that they follow the rules that we have put into place.” After the dustup, William Penn High School in neighboring York extended an invitation to Wolf and a date to attend its upcoming prom. n
rape, the suit states. The student no longer participates in the swim program. He wishes to remain anonymous, in order to avoid further embarrassment, humiliation and harassment, according to his attorneys. In court papers, school officials note that Doe is an adult. They say it’s unfair for Doe to remain anonymous while his attorneys publicly criticize the school. They also raised the possibility of publicly naming Doe in future pleadings. Attorneys for Doe called the school’s desire to publicly identify their client “outrageous.” “This attempt to force [Doe] to disclose his identity in public pleadings is nothing more than an additional attempt to intimidate [Doe],” according to Doe’s attorneys. School officials recently reiterated their position that Doe PAGE 19
Plaintiff seeks archdiocese’s secret archive
PA lesbian kicked out of prom By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
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School wants alleged abuse victim named in court papers By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
OFF TO THE RACES: Geno Vento, the out owner of Geno’s Steaks, was among several judges of a costume contest at West Laurel Hill Cemetery’s Derby Party. Vento, pictured with West Laurel Hill sales director Deb Cassidy (left) and marketing coordinator Priyanka Setty, was among more than 50 revelers at the May 7 festivity, which raised funds for Hope Springs Equestrian Therapy, Inc. As the derby played live on TVs, guests got into the spirit of the tradition with mint juleps and sweet-tea vodkas, mason-jar pies and carriage rides through the cemetery.
Pack your bags for a weekend in Doylestown
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
PRIDE PLANNING: Staffers at Humphrys Flag Company, on Arch Street in Philadelphia, were hard at work last week putting the finishing touches on a new rainbow flag for New Hope Celebrates. The Pride group will unfurl the flag May 15 in New Hope to kick off its weeklong celebration. For more, see our special Bucks County coverage, pages 21-36. Photo: Courtesy Humphreys Flag Company
Deborah McIlmail, who’s suing the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for allegedly contributing to her son’s death, wants to buttress her case with records contained in a “secret archive” at the archdiocese. Sean McIlmail allegedly was molested by the Rev. Robert L. Brennan between 19982001, while he was a student at Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic School in Rhawnhurst. Sean died in 2013 at the age of 26 due to a drug overdose. McIlmail holds Brennan; Brennan’s former supervisor, Msgr. William J. Lynn; and the archdiocese responsible for Sean’s death. She filed suit in 2013, seeking more than $50,000 in damages. The secret archive contains sensitive personnel records for local priests accused in various scandals over the past several decades. The archdiocese PAGE 2
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Prosecutors oppose new murder trial for gay man By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Delaware County prosecutors continue to oppose a new trial for William F. Smithson, who allegedly strangled to death coworker Jason K. Shephard during a sexual encounter. Prosecutors say Smithson invited Shephard to his Delaware County home in September 2006, where he allegedly strangled the young man while trying to rape him. Advocates for Smithson, who is openly gay, say there’s no direct evidence linking Smithson to Shephard’s murder. They also say homophobia played a significant role in Smithson’s prosecution. In a 65-page brief filed May 6, prosecutors reiterated their position that Smithson was properly convicted of first-degree murder in 2008, and should remain behind bars for the rest of his life. Smithson claims that law-enforcement officials failed to properly investigate F. Bruce Covington, who also was inside Smithson’s home when Shephard died. ARCHDIOCESE from page 1
refuses to divulge secret-archive materials requested by McIlmail, citing religious-freedom rights, privacy concerns and other reasons. Brennan was arrested and charged with forcible rape in September 2013, but he was released from jail the following month, after Sean died. Brennan, 78, is retired and lives in Perryville, Md. In court papers, he denies molesting Sean. Lynn, 65, is incarcerated at a state prison in Waymart, due to a child-endangerment conviction in a different case. The McIlmail case has been plagued by discovery disputes, including McIlmail’s request for additional records contained in the archdiocese’s secret archive. She’s received some secret-archive materials pertaining to Brennan, but she wants more. She also seeks secret-archive materials for 18 other priests who were supervised by Lynn. “ T h e s e c r e t a r c h ive s s o u g h t b y [McIlmail] may provide even more evidence of the archdiocese’s pattern of deceit, and their intentional subordination of the safety of children to their own self interest,” states a recent filing by her attorneys. But the archdiocese refuses to turn over the materials. “The archdiocese objects to the production of files pertaining to 18 non-party priests in this matter, who are not alleged
Smithson also claims that his trial attorney, G. Guy Smith, failed to properly investigate Covington, and that Smith gave undue credibility to law-enforcement authorities. But the prosecution’s brief contends the outcome of the trial wouldn’t have been different had Covington been investigated more extensively. Advocates for Smithson believe that Covington killed Shephard. They note that Covington lied to authorities about not being inside Smithson’s house when Shephard died. They also claim Covington has a history of violent sexual practices and drugging his sex partners. Shephard was drugged with the date-rape drug Gamma hydroxybutyrate prior to his death, according to court records. Covington was convicted of drug-related offenses relating to the Shephard incident, but prosecutors say he didn’t kill Shephard. The prosecution’s brief notes that Smithson lied to authorities about circumstances surrounding Shephard’s death. Additionally, the brief emphasizes that a pair of gloves inside Smithson’s home contained both his DNA and Shephard’s DNA. to have had any involvement with the facts and circumstances underlying plaintiff’s claims,” according to an archdiocese’s filing. The filing also notes that McIlmail received numerous records pertaining to church officials from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. According to the archdiocese, those records “consist of thousands of documents related to more than 20 priests in addition to Robert Brennan, all of whom have nothing to do with plaintiff’s alleged abuse.” Moreover, victims and other individuals identified in the secret archive “have a protectable right to privacy,” thus the archives should remain confidential, according to the archdiocese. Brennan’s attorney, Trevan P. Borum, said it would be wrong to release any files in the secret archive pertaining to his client’s mental-health treatment. “Any release of mental-health records pertaining to my client without an express waiver from him would be a violation of federal law,” Borum told PGN. A jury trial in the case isn’t expected until May 2017. A 2005 grand-jury report noted that officials within the archdiocese routinely covered up allegations of child molestation and transferred predatory priests to other parishes rather than stripping them of pastoral duties. n
In a prior interview, Smithson told PGN he passed out prior to Shephard’s death due to excessive drug intake. When he awoke and found Shephard dead in his home, he panicked and moved Shepard’s body to the basement before he could collect his thoughts, he said. Advocates for Smithson say Shephard’s DNA could have gotten on Smithson’s gloves when Smithson moved Shephard’s body to the basement. The prosecution’s brief also refutes claims by Smithson that he was denied an opportunity to confront several witnesses who provided information to authorities that cast Smithson in a negative light. The brief claims that Smithson voluntarily relinquished his right to confront the witnesses, and the outcome of the trial wouldn’t have been different if the witnesses underwent cross-examination. The matter remains pending before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard A. Lloret, who must make a recommendation to U.S. District Judge C. Darnell Jones 2d. Smithson, 51, remains incarcerated at a state prison in Huntingdon. n
Discovery continues in Keisha Jenkins case Defense attorney Geoffrey Kilroy said he’s missing any kind of forensic evidence and police paperwork associated with the investigation of Pedro Redding, who is accused in the murder of transgender woman Keisha Jenkins. “I would be remiss if I said discovery is complete,” Kilroy told Judge Lillian Ransom at a pre-trial conference May 6. Kilroy said he does have Redding’s videotaped statement. He said he didn’t foresee any issues getting the full body of evidence from the commonwealth, but requested more time to receive it. The next court date is scheduled for May 31. Redding, 25, of the 4500 block of North 13th Street, remains in custody in CurranFromhold Correctional Facility. He was denied bail. Redding is charged with murder, conspiracy and robbery in connection with the Oct. 6 fatal shooting of Jenkins, 22. She was assaulted by several men in Logan after getting out of a car at 13th and Wingohocking streets around 2:30 a.m. Jenkins was shot twice in the back during the altercation. Police do not believe Redding was the shooter, and no further arrests have been made. Police said the motive was robbery and that there’s no evidence to indicate Jenkins was targeted for being transgender. n
40 years ago in PGN Pride date, parade route set Adapted from reporting by PGN staff Gay Pride Day was set for June 12, 1976, in Philadelphia. A parade through Center City was scheduled to be held in conjunction with the festivities. The schedule of events was not yet finalized, but the parade route had been laid out: It was planned to start at Rittenhouse Square at noon, head west on Locust Street, then south on 22nd Street to Spruce Street. Parade participants would then travel east to 13th Street, north to Chestnut Street and east to Fifth Street before ending at Independence Hall. Weekly planning meetings of the Gay Pride Committee were set to take place Thursday evenings until the event. LGBT Catholic group to host conference in Philly Adapted from reporting by PGN staff Dignity, a national organization for gay Catholics, announced it would host its May 1976 conference, with 20 East Coast chapters in attendance, in Philadelphia. Most events throughout the Memorial Day weekend were to take place at the Christian Association on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Six workshops and a keynote address were set to center on the theme of “Hunger for Justice.” The Catholic liturgy was to be celebrated with a cocktail party, several shared meals and a candlelight tour of historic Philadelphia. Sister Barbara Ferraro of Boston was scheduled to deliver the keynote address. She was active in ministering to the gay community and has authored a book on counseling gay people. Other speakers included activists Barbara Gittings, Tony Silvestre and Father Robert Nugent, author of several works dealing with gay Catholics. n — compiled by Paige Cooperstein
— Paige Cooperstein
Philadelphia Gay News
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Weekly features
News&Opinion 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Op-Ed Mark My Words Street Talk 19 — News Briefing
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C o l u m n s
Family Portrait Out & About Comic Scene in Philly Q Puzzle
Mo’ Betta is crowned the Philadelphia Drag King for 2016.
24 CHARTING A NEW PATH: Educational Justice Coalition founder Quincy Greene (right) briefed community members on the latest on the EJC Charter School May 7 at the University of Pennsylvania LGBT Center. About three-dozen supporters gathered to hear about the proposed LGBT-friendly charter school, which would expose students to principles of democracy, nonviolence and tolerance and have emphasis on careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Proceeds from the event will support the organization’s charter-application process. Photo: Scott A. Drake
PHILLY PRIDE ISSUE: JUNE 10
12 — Thinking Queerly: Lesbians are taking their Q 14 — Out Money: What to consider with mortgages
Classifieds 37 — Real Estate 41 — Personals 43 — Bulletin Board
Sally Kellerman’s career started on the big screen and is now all about her big voice.
33 “We wanted to offer a safe space for those who have been through this, who have suffered loss, but who have shown resilience in overcoming those difficult times. They’re still here to share their stories and we want to honor what they went through but also their survival, as a way of moving the community on a path forward.”
~ Jeff Berry, TPAN director of publications, on the Reunion Project of long-term HIV/AIDS survivors, page 7
Next week Gettin’ On Outward Bound
Two weeks Mombian On Being Well
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Ain’t she a woman: Laverne Cox on intersectional feminism By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Transgender actress Laverne Cox remembered sitting in a therapist’s office in Alabama when she was around 8 years old. The therapist asked if she knew the difference between a boy and a girl. “In my infinite wisdom as a thirdgrader,” Cox said, “I said, ‘There is no difference.’ This was years before [I read] Judith Butler or any kind of gender theory. But the way I reasoned it in my mind at the time was that everybody was telling me I was a boy, but I knew that I was a girl. I knew it in my heart, my soul and my spirit: I was a girl.” Sounding like a spoken-word poet through her hour-long speech, Cox dazzled the 420 people packed May 10 into Mandell Theatre at Drexel University. She spent another 20 minutes on audience questions. The Student Center for Inclusion and Culture sponsored the event, along with the Campus Activities Board. It was a full house for the “Orange is the New Black” star. A portion of ticket sales benefited The Attic Youth Center. At the opening, Drexel assistant director of campus engagement Sarah Olsen called Cox “an advocate with an empowering message of moving beyond gender expectations to live more authentically.” Cox is the first trans woman of color to have a leading role on a mainstream scripted show. The fourth season of “Orange is the New Black” comes out June 17. Cox has also been working on a forthcoming CBS legal drama, “Doubt,” and plays Dr. FrankN-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” set to air on Fox in the fall. She said her career trajectory changed once she stopped viewing her trans identity as something that might hold her back. “I stand before you this evening a proud African-American transgender woman from a working-class background raised by a single mother,” Cox said. “I stand before you an artist, an actress, a sister and a daughter … I believe it’s important to claim the various intersecting components of my multiple identities with pride in public. I haven’t always been able to do so.” Cox had the tone of a beloved professor when she talked about shame and the work of Dr. Brené Brown on the subject. Feminism was also a hot topic. Cox has clearly spent time doing what many would consider the required reading. She peppered the phrase “Ain’t I a woman” throughout her talk as a refrain, in reference to the famous speech given by civil-rights activist Sojourner Truth at the Ohio Women’s Convention in 1851. Cox also repeated “Trans is beautiful,” along with “One is not born a woman, but rather becomes one” and “Nowhere … is it guaranteed that the one who becomes a woman is necessarily female,” from the
feminist manifestos of Simone de Beauvoir and Butler, respectively. She discussed a disagreement she had with black feminist Bell Hooks about the value of female presentation, noting feminism has a history of painting femininity as artificial and masculinity as authentic. “I was terrified of being as feminine as I was. When I finally just let go and was like, let me embrace this, it felt so freeing. What might be shackles for one woman is liberating for another.” Cox weaved her own stories into the analysis of gender. She talked about attending the Alabama School of Fine Arts, where she practiced “Salvation Armani,” turning thrift-store clothing into her own couture, and eventually moving to New York City in the 1990s to attend Marymount Manhattan College. Cox started her transition in New York, receiving hormone therapy and wearing the dresses she didn’t feel she could in high school. Three years into her transition, she thought she would be able to walk down the street and no one would know she was trans. That wasn’t the case, she said, but she came to love her big hands and feet and her height. Still, she encountered violence. In 2008, a group of men in Midtown Manhattan kicked her and shouted antitrans slurs as she tried to pass them. Thirteen years ago on the Fourth of July, Cox was walking to the train station in her Upper West Side neighborhood when a red light stopped her at a corner with a Latino man and a black man. One man tried to hit on her. Then the two began arguing about whether she was a man or a woman, using the “n-word” and the “b-word,” Cox said. “I’m just standing there waiting for the light to change, like, ‘God, get me out of here.’ I got out of that situation safely.” Cox paused to say the name of Islan Nettles, a black trans woman who was pummeled to death in Harlem in 2013 after a man who hit on her realized she was transgender. Her attacker, James Dixon, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in April. Cox also recognized her mother’s support. Her mother did try to get Cox to identify as a boy when she was young, she said, but drew the line when a therapist suggested injecting Cox with testosterone to make her act more masculine. As an adult, Cox sent her mother books, articles and videos about transgender people to help educate her. “We had a lot of difficult conversations, arguments often, about the right pronouns to use. It was hard but we got there. I’m very lucky my mom has always wanted me in her life. She’s never said, ‘You can’t be in my life if you do this or that.’” “Having her accept me as her daughter has been one of the greatest blessings of my life,” Cox added. “We got there being willing to have difficult conversations across difference.” n
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Jen Colletta, Scott A. Drake, Sean Dorn have been awarded the
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2015 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Deadline Reporting (NON-DAILY PUBLICATION)
for “Marriage Equality Comes to the U.S.” The Sigma Delta Chi Award is a national honor that dates back to 1932. The awards are among the premiere prizes given for professional journalism.
KING OF KINGS: Mo’ Betta (front) took his bow before being crowned Mr. Philadelphia Drag King May 7 at William Way LGBT Community Center. Five kings competed for the title in the annual matchup, which benefits Philadelphia Dyke March. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Trump taken to task at Mr. Philly Drag King By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Mo’ Betta, who described his look as an international spy with a London clip, walked away with the title of Mr. Philadelphia Drag King 2016, after a twohour competition Saturday night at William Way LGBT Community Center. The hosts of the evening — Rough RydeHer and Arielle — joked that he outdid another famous British agent, reducing James Bond to “Double-oh-something.” Mo’ Betta won $200 and will perform at the Philadelphia Dyke March June 11 at Kahn Park in the Gayborhood and on a float in the Pride parade the next day. About 100 people attended the show, which raised money for the Dyke March. Eli Harvester, who rocked a lumberjack look, took second place, and Travis Tea, who came out in a shirt made to look bloody for “women who are tired of misogyny,” got third. Mr. Roy A. Ramming, who had a cowboy persona, and Mr. Dan Mac, wearing a big fur coat and chains, also competed. Donald Trump came up several times during the evening, from a knockout performance by Mr. Philadelphia Drag King 2015 Manny Tucker Lovett to the question-and-answer session for the current competitors. Donning an ill-fitting blonde wig, Lovett performed choreography that featured marching and saluting reminiscent of Nazi Germany. The rap track “You’re a Jerk” was spliced with things Trump has said on the campaign trail for the Republican
nomination for president, like, “Those are powerful hands. Those hands can hit a golf ball 285 yards.” The crowd roared when Lovett spun around in a circle throwing water from a plastic bottle like Trump mocking the sweating of former Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio. Travis Tea said if he could ask Trump a question, it would be, “Where’s that taco bowl from, though?” in reference to Trump’s Cinco de Mayo tweet claiming he loves “Hispanics,” despite calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals early in his campaign. Other highlights from the competition included Eli Harvester gyrating through the audience to the tune of Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” “I love drag so much I would keep doing it until my legs fall off and it’s just my arms flailing around,” Harvester said, noting he would continue with drag even if he didn’t win the 2016 title. Mr. Philadelphia Drag King 2014 Jimmy Two Fingas also performed a medley tribute to Prince, zipping through five costume changes and songs like, “I Would Die 4 U,” “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain.” The judges for the competition were Lovett; Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs; Franny Price, executive director of Philly Pride Presents; and Tara Lessard, who founded Freedom G Photography. Lessard, who is undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, received a full minute of applause and whistles. n
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Summit ‘reunites’ long-term HIV survivors HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTORY a summit to explore what it would take to continue By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
Long-term survivors of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and their supporters are invited to share stories and fellowship at an event this weekend in Philadelphia. The Reunion Project will bring together HIVpositive people and allies to explore shared experiences and build community among survivors. The free daylong summit will be held 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 14 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The effort was conceived of by Test Positive Aware Network, with funding by Bristol-Myers Squib. The original summit was held last summer in Chicago, with a second one in Palm Springs. It’s estimated that about half of the country’s HIVpositive population is over age 50, said Jeff Berry, TPAN director of publications. “There’s been an increasing conversation about HIV and aging but we also wanted to focus on the segment of the population called long-term survivors, and the types of issues that face individuals who’ve been living with HIV since the early days of the epidemic,” he said. “We wanted to offer a safe space for those who have been through this, who have suffered loss, but who have shown resilience in overcoming those difficult times. They’re still here to share their stories and we want to honor what they went through but also their survival, as a way of moving the community on a path forward.” Berry connected with William Way executive director Chris Bartlett during a national HIV conference last fall, and the two talked about bringing the effort to Philadelphia. “I always felt there was a need for building community among long-term survivors of HIV,” Bartlett said. “In Philadelphia, we have a long history of strong communities of people living with HIV and allies, so I thought it would be a great thing to have
to strengthen that community.” The Reunion Project will include a plenary session in which participants are encouraged to share stories of surviving, and thriving, with HIV. Berry said that at the first two summits, participants discussed the emotional impact of isolation and depression, as well as practical issues like finances and health-care concerns. He said it’s up to the participants how much they want to share. “Some want to and some don’t want to go there; it’s too difficult for some people to go back to a very painful time,” he said. “That’s why we offer not only the experiential portion but also the educational part so people have the opportunity to take part in aspects of the program that most interests them.” The afternoon will feature breakout sessions where topics include the epidemic’s impact on women, medical needs of long-term survivors and how to develop strong patient-provider relationships. A closing session will address strengthening ties among long-term survivors. “We’re hoping the conversation will lead to folks doing more to move forward,” Bartlett said. While The Reunion Project is geared toward people who are long-term survivors, anyone who has been impacted by the epidemic is invited. “There are a lot of topics that will be addressed that touch everyone,” Berry said. “There are people who are HIV-negative who went through the early days of the epidemic and suffered a lot of loss; they’re survivors in their own right. There are also younger people who want to learn about the issues facing long-term survivors. We welcome anyone who is interested in learning about this because we need to build a community of not only survivors, but also allies.” To register for The Reunion Project, call 215-7322220. Lunch will be provided. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/24KpOUK. n
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New location for Mazzoni’s Elixir By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com There will be several new additions to Mazzoni Center’s annual fundraising gala this weekend, including a new host venue. Elixir: the Cure for the Common Gala will be held 6-11 p.m. May 20 in the Lubert Plaza at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. “We try to change it up most years because people come year after year so we want to keep it interesting,” said Elisabeth Flynn, senior communications manager at the LGBT health facility. She noted last year’s 35th-anniversary event at Water Works “set the bar high.” “That venue was incredible so we thought, How do we match that atmosphere? We did a bit of searching and we made the connection with Jefferson, which offered the opportunity to use their plaza. It’s literally in the heart of our service area, between
the medical practice and our office, and is right in the middle of the Gayborhood. We also have a longtime relationship with Jefferson, so this was a natural location in a lot of ways.” Jefferson hosts parties, graduations and other events at the plaza, so has tents at the ready in case of inclement weather, Flynn noted. Elixir also has a new event running concurrent with it. Tonic will be held from 10 p.m.-midnight at Voyeur and will feature music by DJ Carl Michaels and performances by a number of local drag queens. Proceeds from the $20 admission will benefit Mazzoni. Also joining the Elixir lineup is Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. The silver sponsor venue will host a casino lounge at Elixir, where guests can try their hands at card games for a chance to win a number of Borgata packages. The event also features a silent auction. “I think it’s going to add a lot of
fun and a dash of glamour,” Flynn said. “People love games and chance competitions of all kinds, and knowing the proceeds benefit Mazzoni Center puts a nice spin on the gambling experience; you can go all in and have fun and know that you can’t really lose no matter what because everything is going to support a great cause.” Two honorees will be recognized this year. Mazzoni will honor the Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, vice president of community affairs at Independence Blue Cross. She also leads IBC Foundation, the organization’s philanthropic arm. Marshall-Blake was an early board member of HIV/AIDS organization BEBASHI and currently sits on more than twodozen nonprofit boards. “She’s a really community-focused person who cares so much about making Philadelphia a healthier place,” Flynn said. Joining PAGE 25
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Voices of Pride celebrates milestone with new music, venue TM
ANti-Defamation league
Walk Against Hate may 15, 2016
TM
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PHILADELPHIA VOICES OF PRIDE MEMBERS REHEARSED LAST WEEK FOR THEIR UPCOMING 10TH-ANNIVERSARY CONCERT. Photo: Scott A. Drake
By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Kirsten Schaney grew up in a tiny town in Western Pennsylvania where she felt it wasn’t OK to be gay. About a decade ago, she moved to Philadelphia to join her partner, and one of the first things they did was go to Pride in the Gayborhood. “There were people yelling and screaming, ‘Come and sing with us,’” Schaney said. “Singing is a huge part of who I am.” Those calling to them were members of Philadelphia Voices of Pride, recently rebranded from the Spruce Street Singers. The formerly gay men’s group had begun accepting lesbians, trans people and allies. “For me, it’s always been really important to be identified in a gay and lesbian group,” said Schaney, now president of the chorus. “It was kind of my first experience putting it in people’s faces, like, ‘Hey, I’m gay.’” The chorus that helped Schaney come out is celebrating its own milestone: its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the 55-member chorus will perform “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” by Karl Jenkins, a contemporary composer born in Wales. The Prometheus Chamber Orchestra will accompany them, a first-time collaboration. The event takes place 8 p.m. May 21 at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 3723 Chestnut St. Philadelphia Voices of Pride has not previously performed here. Tickets cost $25 for general admission or $40 for VIP. Students with their IDs pay $10 for entrance. “It’s very exciting for us to be performing new music of a composer who’s still living,” said Dan Schwartz, artistic director of the chorus. “Certainly, there’s still a lot of violence against our community. Singing a mass about peace and the juxtaposition of violence is certainly relevant for us.” Schwartz said he would like PVOP to expand people’s horizons in terms of what they look for in an LGBT chorus. Many gay
singing groups focus on pop music, while PVOP takes on more classical work. “You’re probably going to think I’m joking, but we’ve had people tell us they’ve cried during our shows,” said Yvette Wilson, a soprano singer in the chorus. “To go from where we were 10 years ago to where we are now and say we brought someone to tears with our sound, I think that’s truly amazing.” Wilson said, when she joined in 2007, there were some members who had trouble singing or were singing in the wrong range. But now people’s voices have developed and the arrangements have matured. “I think we’ve more than made a name for ourselves in this community,” she said. Schaney added that PVOP is proud to join the standard bearers for local LGBT choruses: the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, which has been around for more than 30 years, and Anna Crusis Women’s Choir, which is over 40 years old. “Our name used to never come into that mix,” she said. “It’s great to have become included in the group of names that are known in the city.” In addition to the musical achievements, Wilson said she’s happy to see the choir members support each other personally. She noted she was raised in a black Baptist family, but when she came out to her mother, it wasn’t a big deal. “I know that’s not the story for everyone,” Wilson said. “What I really love about the chorus is it’s not just a chorus. It’s a family.” For Schaney, it’s literally family: Her wife, Jill Chambers, also sings with PVOP. “We want to keep going,” she said. “I’d like to see us do more outreach with schools and to people who don’t feel at home yet in the Philadelphia area. It’s hard to find your place in a city this big. I hope we can continue to stay that home for a lot of people.” n For more information or tickets to the anniversary concert, visit www.pvop.org.
LOCAL PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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‘OITNB’ star Taryn Manning to DJ in Philly HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTORY By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Best known for playing a bornagain inmate in the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black,” an iconic show for many LGBT people, Taryn Manning started her career in music. She signed a deal in 2002 with her brother, Kellin, to record as Boomkat, an electronica duo. When Manning started acting, she decided to continue as a DJ. She describes her style as a hybrid of ’90s and modern with Alanis Morissette, Nirvana and Calvin Harris as influences. Manning takes her talents to the stage in Philadelphia May 15 at Stratus Lounge. It’s part of the bar’s Sunset Sessions, which kicked off last month with Samantha Ronson, a name familiar to the LGBT community. Brody Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner’s son, will also perform next month in the series. Before arriving in Philadelphia, Manning took some time for an email interview with PGN. PGN: What got you interested in being a DJ, and how would you describe your style? TM: My brother was certainly a huge influence. He has a hip-hop head, and everything to him was two turntables and a microphone. I have always been into breakdancing, the late-night club and dance scene. We are the whitest kids on the planet, but we just loved everything about this world. After our Dreamworks deal with our band, Boomkat, I started to venture off solo. Pursuing becoming a DJ was a cool way I could play music and be social. It was a way to satiate that side of me — to be out and the provider of the fun. I tend to gravitate toward femaledriven vocals, but it’s a paradox because I also tend to love more male-driven bands. A perfect mix would be Alanis Morissette and Nirvana together; that would be the greatest thing ever. Mix in a little Calvin Harris on top and I’d be in Hog Heaven. I definitely have a hybrid of a little ’90s influence, as some of the greatest movies were made then, and it was such a high point for music, film and TV. Those were my most impressionable years, my teenage years, and it made a stamp in my brain and translates into my music. I always implement modern stuff, too.
PGN: In 2011, there was a controversy over the fact that DJ Mag’s list of the top 100 DJs didn’t include any women. How has your experience been as a female DJ? TM: Great question. Every year, I like to look up the Top 10 DJs in Forbes because it’s really inspiring to see how one person can really be a “master of ceremonies” and completely dominate their industry. While it’s certainly fascinating and well-deserved, there hasn’t been a female on that particular list yet. It’s just a matter of time. Females are great producers too, but it’s just one of those realities right now and someone is going to break through. As an actress and a female, all of the odds are against me. And you know, they should be! There are people that just play music day
in and day out, 24/7, and they have their entire lives. I have massive respect for them. The best ones are the ones that say to me, “You’re good. You have potential. I’d love to help you get better.” And I take it, thank you. Tell me anything. PGN: How does acting fuel your work in music and vice versa? TM: Music came first. It fuels my acting. That’s the truth. To me, it’s all just entertainment, like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. There were no lines back then; they were all just entertainers, born entertainers. PGN: “Orange is the New Black” has achieved cult status, particularly in the lesbian community. What is that like? TM: It’s certainly an honor, and the show has been such an anomaly for all of us. I just had a show at Dinah Shore, and Lea
Delaria was also there performing her David Bowie set. I could not believe how much love there was in that audience and how supportive everyone was. We met up after my set and decided to go venture out and grab something to eat, and I could not have prepared myself for what was to come. We were just torn apart by all the amazing people there, so much love! PGN: Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett makes a lot of snide comments about lesbians in “OITNB,” but her friendship with Big Boo becomes a strong part of season three. How do you approach Tiffany’s relationships with women in the show? TM: I’m really enjoying what the writers are doing with my character. I feel like the moral conflict I have had as myself, as “Taryn,” for these past seasons and my character, “Pennsatucky,” is finally becoming less divided. I feel like my character is learning to be more open and accepting, and is becoming less judgmental. Tiffany is starting to see beyond sexual preference, color, gender and she’s starting to see someone who is just a friend, someone who is there for her. Both of our characters are becoming less judgmental and we both come with all this backstory — just real people with real feelings. I attribute all of this magic to our ‘OITNB’ writers. PGN: Any upcoming projects you’re excited about? TM: I’m really excited to start shooting season five of ‘OITNB’ and for what is to come for my character. I’ve been in the studio consistently and I am excited to release an EP later this year and show the world some of my new music I’ve poured my heart and soul into. I just signed on to a new film that starts shooting this year, which I can’t wait to start talking about and, of course, just continuing to perform my set at all these great locations and preview some of my new music. n Manning’s set begins at 6 p.m. May 15 at Stratus Lounge, 433 Chestnut St. Doors open at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance and could reach $20 at the door depending on time of arrival. For more information or tickets, visit www.stratuslounge.com/events-1/ sunset-sessions.htm.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
EDITORIAL PGN
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Louie Gohmert
Editorial
Let it go People with kids in their lives, or just those who are in touch with their own inner child, have probably seen the Disney hit “Frozen” more times than they can count. For the uninitiated, the animated flick tells the story of a pair of princesses, one of whom struggles to keep a special power under wraps from her sister and her kingdom. It’s a cute and empowering tale about being true to your identity, and puts a unique and modern spin on the archetypical Disney theme of a man coming to a damsel’s rescue. A movement recently started on social media to make future incarnations of “Frozen” even more 21st-century-friendly: by making the main character, Princess Elsa, a lesbian. There are no references to a love interest for the character in the original version, so LGBT supporters suggested introducing a girlfriend in the upcoming sequel could be a good way to introduce LGBT topics to the Disney realm. That proposal sent conservatives aflutter, including local Daily News columnist Christine Flowers, who penned a piece last week blasting the suggestion. Flowers said this “really stupid idea” has the “same sort of feel to it as the crusade to make high school bathrooms gender neutral, the push to allow girls to take girls to the prom, the inclusion of ‘Heather Has Two Daddies’ on elementary-school curriculums, the need to allow 10-year-old Geoffrey to wear a tutu to school on those days that he identifies as Giselle.” She further opined that casting the character as a lesbian would feed into the increasingly “overly sexualized” American society, equating LGBT identity with sexual practices. Flowers herself illustrated the problem in her logic: It’s based in bigotry. She clearly is operating with some strong animus toward LGBT people, minimizing and attempting to trivialize efforts to use public accommodations safely, to have relationship recognition, to learn about diversity. That she cast the intense struggle trans kids face as a boy deciding to wear a tutu on some days shows how limited her knowledge is about the depth and breadth of the issues LGBT people face. As a newspaper, we’re all about freedom of press and a balanced presentation of viewpoints and ideas; however, ideas that are rooted in bigotry are not only empty, they can be dangerous. It’s a shame someone like that has a platform to spew bigotry. That’s what’s “really stupid.” n
Target. It’s kind of a weird name for a Uh, Target is not changing their restrooms, nor are women all of a sudden store. I mean, a target is something you shoot at. But say the word “target” anyflocking to Target’s urinals (because uriwhere in America and chances are people nals are very hard to sit on). But as I’ve will think, I need to buy some underwear, said, Gohmert is not the brightest bulb in milk and a laundry basket, before they the House. think “shooting range.” After chiding folks for being so hard But now Target is the target of the anti- on North Carolina, Gohmert said, “It’s trans right because Target did something already been shown: You give guys a pretty radical … something few compachance to say, ‘I’m transgender’ and nies have dared to do because it’s just so I can get to go in and film a girl in a fringe, so wild, so unheard of. And no, shower. There will be people that do that. it has nothing to do with Isaac Mizrahi. Why not let the transgender LGBTQ, R, This time. S, T — whatever the initials are — let On April 19, Target announced that it’s them have their activities where they OK for people to use the restrooms at don’t impose upon the privacy of sometheir store. I know! Can you even believe one who wants to go to the restroom or it? Can you even believe how totally shower without someone of the opposite mundane and uninteresting that should sex being there with them?” be? But, no. This nation’s unhealthy First of all, ha ha. Get it? LGBTQRST obsession with the potty … Because there are so habits of trans people or many weird letters! And “It’s already been people who do not have who cares what they a rigid gender identity shown: You give guys mean? Secondly, it has not has made such a statea chance to say, ‘I’m already ment revolutionary, been shown that apparently. guys will fake being transgender’ and “[W]e welcome transtrans so they can go get I can get to go in gender team members nudie videos. That is and guests to use the not a thing. There are and film a girl in a restroom or fitting-room guys who are predafacility that corresponds shower. There will be tors. And those guys with their gender idenare predators regardless people that do that.” of tity,” Target said in an whether the law disApril 19 statement. criminates against trans “Given the specific questions these legpeople or not. To say that trans men and islative proposals raised about how we women are by definition sexual predators manage our fitting rooms and restrooms, simply because they make you feel conwe felt it was important to state our posifused and uncomfortable is stupid and tion.” hateful. To which I say, “Bravo, Target! Now if The crux of Gohmert’s complaint, and you would just let your workers unionize, really the entire argument in favor of the I might love you instead of just liking bathroom police laws being proposed you.” across the country, is who gets to define Other people, however, are what a man or a woman is? Target thinks FREAKING dumb people, but people it should be up to the individual person. nonetheless. Gohmert thinks it should be him. And one of those dumbs is Rep. Louie Gohmert is totally going to delete his Gohmert, (R-Texas). Cartwheel app as soon as he can find it “I understand Target may now be on his flip phone. n changing their restrooms,” Gohmert said on the House floor on April 21, according D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet to the Huffington Post. “If they’re going (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the to be having women come into men’s creeps of the world, she reviews rock and restrooms, I won’t be going to Target to roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and shop, unless and until that changes.” teaches writing at the University of Michigan.
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.
OP-ED PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
Change through communication rightfully the LGBT community was This last sleepy, dreary, overcast Saturday, you might have missed outraged. I saw that as an opportunity for change. Just hours after the remark, President Barack Obama as he gave I was on the phone with the goverwhat many might say in the future was nor’s office that led to a meeting in the one of his best speeches of his presigovernor’s residence, which changed dential years. It was a commencement address at Howard University, his position on supporting and it was a call for what he LGBT nondiscrimination has consistently stood for: in Pennsylvania. He stated hope. It was also an urge to that he’d sign it if passed those in attendance to get by the legislature. And less involved, and not be afraid to than a year later, those conengage with those who do not versations led to his not agree with us, for change only appealing the federal ruling happens with communication. on same-sex marriage in The speech had me in tears Pennsylvania. and I urge you to watch it Here’s the point. I made (http://bit.ly/21IIzTk ). It no secret of that meeting. In brought me back to my first fact, I wanted our commumeeting with President Obama nity to know as I built that who, at the time, was Sen. relationship. Others at that Obama. It was 2008, he was meeting were not so public, running to be president and at Mark Segal since they feared retribution from our community; that time many in the LGBT the LGBT activist community was, to community didn’t think he was clear say the least, disapproving. Others who enough on our issues. In Pennsylvania, were at that first meeting saw that disapI was the flag bearer of that fight. He proval and for the most part kept quiet personally felt my sting on a daily about it. This, as you’d expect by now, basis, until he was forced to address my attacks during an interview with a CBS didn’t change my experience of engagreporter. We met a week later by acciing. dent. When I introduced myself, he took The reason for that is simple: my hand, pulled me forward and said, Communication brings change. If we do “So, you’re Mark Segal.” With a hurt not engage, we fail to make change. I look on his face, he added, “I’m really know this personally since it has been a good on LGBT issues and we need to constant in my life’s struggle for LGBT talk.” equality. What I took away from that first expe- The first was when I worked with rience with him was how much that a city councilman who had hurled hurt look was one of truth and how he homophobic slurs. His name was was really upset thinking that someone Thacher Longstreth. Through dialogue, with political knowledge of the LGBT we became friends, and I was called community didn’t realize what he had a traitor by people in the community. to do was get elected first in order to Thacher, that man who had hurled horcreate change. But he understood that rible words, voted for Philadelphia’s I had to stick to my stance; we both controversial domestic-partners law and knew our positions, even though they became a supporter of PFLAG. were opposed to each other, and we both Later, the man who embodied knew at that moment that we’d be allies. homophobia in Philadelphia was City That’s reading a lot into it, but that is Council President John Street. Again, exactly what happened. In a moment, we began to engage in discussion. Later, we knew that we had similar views on when he was mayor, he became the politics and how to make change. most LGBT-friendly mayor the city had We did talk and I’ve served as his seen to that point. official host, and most importantly, he So President Obama’s talk at Howard helped me spearhead what is the largest University was one where he was LGBT brick-and-mortar project of his expressing to the graduating students of administration: the John C. Anderson that historic African-American school Apartments, our LGBT-friendly afforda philosophy that resonated with me, since it’s a mission we share: one of able senior home. And thanks to White engaging rather than just talking. That is House involvement, it was built and opened in record time. the other side of the equation: walking That same spirit or political philosthe walk. ophy of willingness to communicate Mr. President, you’re preaching to the with whom many might call enemies choir. n is why Pennsylvania got marriage Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s equality a year before the Supreme most-award-winning commentator in LGBT Court ruled it so nationally. When formedia. You can follow him on Facebook mer Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett at www.facebook.com/MarkSegalPGN or compared marriage equality to incest, Twitter at https://twitter.com/PhilaGayNews.
Mark My Words
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Street Talk Should time limits be abolished for filing childhood sexual-abuse lawsuits? "Yes. I work with children. I see the ravages of childhood sexual abuse. There should be no time limit to make a victim Julia Driggers whole again. nutritionist Childhood Gayborhood sexual abuse is devastating and all remedies should be available to victims."
"Yes. Childhood sexual abuse shouldn't be minimized. It can ruin someone's life. I'm all for victims getting their Latifha Brooks day in court, student no matter South Philadelphia how long it takes. They've been ruined mentally and emotionally. They need justice."
"Yes. Childhood sexual abuse is something you have to deal with your entire life. Its effects don't stop when Kelsey Glynn a statute of nurse limitations Graduate Hospital area expires, so there should be no time limit for filing lawsuits. If there are frivolous cases, the courts will have to weed them out."
"Yes. We're still going after Nazis, so many decades after Hitler. Why not go after child predators? Nobody says Julien Musolino it's crazy to professor hunt down Center City Nazis; why should it be crazy to hunt down child predators? Sexual molestation is a vile crime and should be punished. I don't see why there should be any time limits."
Op-Ed
Antar Bush
The Great Philadelphia Pumpkin Patch Any inmate who has taken a trip to Philadelphia’s State Road House of Corrections knows exactly what the terms “pumpkin patch” or “pumpkin suits” mean: They refer to the orange jumpsuits all inmates are required to wear, and when all of us are gathered together on a cell block, we look like a pumpkin patch. My soul flinches when I hear people talk about the popular Netflix series “Orange is the New Black” because, on the show, prison looks exciting, adventurous and integrated. However, if you ask any African-American who has been to a correctional facility in the United States, orange has always been black. Needless to say, I have worn my fair share of pumpkin suits in my short lifetime. I was one of the regulars at State Road from 2003-06. Each time I would get locked
up, I’d ask myself, “How the hell did I get here again?” Then every time I would get released, I would pray to God not to let me go back to my criminal ways. Nevertheless, somehow I would find myself right back at the Great Philadelphia Pumpkin Patch. I grew up in the horrors of the ’80s and ’90s drug wars of North Philadelphia. When the sun would rise, I would walk past the drug dealers in North Philly and admire those guys as if they were gods. I would ask myself, Who needs four years of college when all you have to do is find the right hustle? Although I did not grow up thinking, When I grow up I want to go to prison, I knew at some point in my life, I was destined to go to the pumpkin patch. Was I a bad seed? Or was I a good seed in bad soil? I could never figure what kind of pumpkin I was. In PAGE 25
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PGN MENTAL HEALTH
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Why ‘genderqueer’ was the best thing to happen to lesbians A friend of me and my partner invited from extremely feminine to completely us to a concert a couple of weeks ago. androgynous or even masculine. I’m not typically much for concerts. The As for the women who do present with crowds, lack of seating and overpriced great levels of androgyny or a traditiondrinks generally cause me to prefer other ally masculine appearance, it is a disserforums for live entertainment; however, vice to all of the progress we have made this particular friend is in her 60s and towards the advancement of LGBT rights came out as a lesbian-identified trans and visibility to assume that she is a woman last year after 40-something years butch lesbian. Maybe she is or maybe she of upper-class male heteronormativity. doesn’t want a label at all. Or, maybe her Needless to say, when this particular presentation is not at all the result of her type of friend asks you to go to a Chris sexual orientation, but instead speaks to Pureka concert, you say yes. her gender identity, a different For those of you who aren’t matter entirely. Gender idenlesbians, Pureka is your quinttity is how you view yourself essential lesbian, guitar-toting, as it relates to your gender and indie folk singer. To give you a is separate from your biology. bit more perspective, I last saw The world that we live in is her perform about 10 years most comfortable with boxes: ago in someone’s living room Check the boxes that apply to in Mount Airy. you and then stay firmly inside At that time, just a decade of their lines. Gender identity ago, when you saw a boyish (and sexual orientation, for woman wearing men’s clothes that matter) is not that simple. and sporting a short haircut, As the pioneer, Alfred Kinsey, not unlike Pureka, you called observed in the 1940s, gender her butch or maybe you’d go identity and sexual orientation with dyke (which may or may occur on a spectrum (he chose Kristina Furia a seven-point scale) and they not have been used with the intention to be rude). Terms exist separate of each other. like “genderqueer” or “gender-nonconWhat this very notion means is that, forming” didn’t exist yet and so any although we are roughly 60 years late woman presenting with a traditionally to the party, we can no longer assess the male appearance was not only labeled sexual orientation of a person by assessby society, but she probably also labeled ing their appearance and expression of herself as a butch lesbian. So, 10 years masculinity and/or femininity. later, standing among a crowd of women So, while I may not have loved standof all sorts, watching a totally androgying in my high heels for three hours (yes, nous performer, I started to think about I am a lesbian who generally lives in the progression from masculine-preheels!), as a feminine woman who once senting women simply being considered chopped off all but 2 inches of her hair in butch to sexual orientation and gender order to conform to my lesbian identity, it identity being conceptualized as separate was such a gratifying experience to take entities. note of the freedom of gender expression Historically, many, if not most, lesbiin the room that night. With that being ans presented with a distinctly masculine said, I feel confident in saying that the look. Why? One really good reason was distinction between gender identity and visibility. In a society where gays and sexual orientation is potentially the most lesbians were flying under the radar and liberating thing to ever happen to the lesprimarily meeting up in back-alley gay bian community! So, as we’ve all been bars, wearing a uniform of sorts helped hearing since pre-K, let’s stop judging a gay women to recognize one another — a book by its cover. It’s generally a pretty sort of nontraditional way to meet datineffective way to get a sense of what’s ing partners and to find community. In going on inside. n our society at present, with LGBT issues Kristina Furia is a psychotherapist committed and rights being at the forefront, there is to working with LGBT individuals and couimmense variation to the appearance of ples and owner of Emerge Wellness, an LGBT lesbians. Lesbian and queer women now health and wellness center in Center City present in any number of ways, ranging (www.emergewellnessphilly.com).
Thinking Queerly
We want to know! If you are celebrating an anniversary, engagement, wedding, adoption or other life event, we would be happy to help you announce it to the community. Send your contact information and a brief description of the event to editor@epgn.com.
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
FINANCES PGN
Doing your homework: what you need to know about home mortgages Q: My partner and I are in our 30s and looking to buy our first home together. We think we have good credit, but are just starting to explore our financing options, which is a bit overwhelming. Can you please help? A: First, please let me congratulate you on taking this exciting step. Financing a home can be a confusing, anxiety-producing experience, especially the first time. But it doesn’t have to be if you’re prepared. Here are a few tips to help ease your mind as you look for that perfect place to call home. Buying your first home can be a learning experience, especially when it comes to getting a mortgage. The myriad financing options can leave you wondering if owning a home is really worth the trouble. But finding the best solution for your needs is not so hard if you know some of the basics.
Your next step is to get specific about how much mortgage you can afford. The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is a government-sponsored organization that purchases mortgages from lenders and sells them to investors. Fannie Mae has established two standard requirements for conventional mortgages. The first is that monthly mortgage principal and interest payments (P&I), plus homeowners insurance and property taxes, cannot exceed 28 percent of the buyer’s gross monthly income (some exceptions may apply to increase this limit to 33 percent). The second requirement limits total monthly debt payments (housing, credit cards, car payments, etc.) to 36 percent of gross Jeremy monthly income. In addition to these requirements, you may Gussick have to pay 20-percent down on the total purchase price to qualify for a conventional mortgage. To help you get a better idea of what your own situation might look like, try “running some numbers” with one of the many mortgage calculators that are prevalent online, especially on real-estate and consumer-finance-focused websites.
Out Money
Put your own financial house in order Before you go house shopping, you should evaluate your own financial situation and assess your ability to take on a mortgage. Most lenders will prequalify you to borrow up to a certain amount. Prequalification allows you to focus in on a realistic price range and makes you a more attractive buyer. Whether or not you want to prequalify, eventually you’ll be required to complete a loan application and it may take some time to gather and assemble the required information. It’s also a good idea to review your credit status. You can request a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major national credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — once every 12 months, as well as under certain other circumstances, such as if you’ve been denied credit. To order your free annual report, go to: www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call toll-free 877-322-8228. Review your report to ensure that all information is correct. If your report indicates past credit problems, don’t lose hope. Be prepared to present a rationale for each incident with your prospective lender and demonstrate an improvement in your ability to pay bills on time. How much mortgage can you afford?
Types of mortgages Aside from your income, the other key variables affecting how much house you can afford are the term and interest rate of your mortgage. The term is the length of time (usually 15 or 30 years) over which payments will be paid. The rate can be fixed (meaning it doesn’t change over the loan’s term) or adjustable (it fluctuates with market conditions). The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage remains the most popular. The longer term lowers the monthly payment, while the fixed rate provides stability over the life of the loan. Given relatively low interest rates, these mortgages are attractive to buyers planning to stay at least six or seven years in their new home. The drawbacks are low principal payments in the early years, and the risk that interest rates will decline over the term. However, if your credit history is sound and you have sufficient income, you can usually refinance your mortgage when rates decline. A 15-year term lowers the interest rate, reduces total interest payments and increases principal payments. But it also
increases monthly payments. If you can’t afford the higher payments now, you might opt for a 30-year mortgage. If there are no prepayment penalties, you can make additional principal payments as your income increases. Making just one extra monthly payment a year will pay off a 30-year mortgage in less than 22 years and can save tens of thousands of dollars in interest costs. If you plan to stay in a home no more than three years, you might consider an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). ARMs offer initial rates that are lower than fixed mortgage rates. At some point, usually after the first year, rates are tied to market conditions and are subject to potential rate increases. Most ARMs include a cap on rate increases in any given year, as well as over the life of the loan. Some ARMs offer initial rates at least 2-percent below fixed rates and limit increases to 1 percent annually and 5-6 percent over the life of the loan. Many homebuyers are attracted by the affordability of an ARM during the initial period. However, you should be confident that your future income will be sufficient if both interest rates and your monthly payments increase. Three steps to finding the right mortgage 1. Estimate how long you expect to live in the house. If the answer is less than three to five years, consider an ARM, which typically starts out with a lower rate. If you plan to live in your new home longer than five years, a fixed-rate mortgage offers protection against rising interest rates. 2. Shop around for mortgage rates. Banks, credit unions and mortgage companies all offer mortgages. Compare several different lenders in your area. You can find lenders who are members of our LGBT and allied communities here in PGN, and also in the Member Directory section of the Independence Business Alliance website at https://www.thinkIBA.com/member-directory. 3. Add up all the costs for each lender. Include fees, points, closing costs, etc., to arrive at the total mortgage cost for each lender. Alternatives are available If you can’t afford a conventional mortgage, there are a variety of alternatives to consider. The Federal Housing
Administration (FHA) — a government agency responsible for insuring affordable-housing mortgages — may offer loan down payments as low as 3 percent, but may require the buyer to purchase mortgage insurance. The Veterans Administration (VA) offers no-money-down mortgages to qualified veterans of the U.S. military. Finally, there are local affordable-housing advocates that offer low-cost, low down-payment loan alternatives. For further information, contact these agencies directly or your local mortgage lender or real-estate broker. n Jeremy R. Gussick is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional affiliated with LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer.* Jeremy specializes in the financial planning needs of the LGBT community and was recently named a 2015 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager as mentioned in Philadelphia Magazine.** He is active with several LGBT organizations in the Philadelphia region, including the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund and the Independence Business Alliance, the Philadelphia region’s LGBT chamber of commerce. OutMoney appears monthly. If you have a question for Jeremy, you can contact him via email at Jeremy@RetirementRefined.com. LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. *As reported by Financial Planning magazine, 1996-2015, based on total revenues. **Award based on 10 objective criteria associated with providing quality services to clients such as credentials, experience, and assets under management among other factors. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. This article was prepared with the assistance of Wealth Management Systems Inc. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor. Please consult me if you have any questions. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscribers’ or others’ use of the content. LPL Financial and LPL Representatives do not offer mortgage or lending services.
Philly Pride Issue: June 10
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
PGN
PGN
News Briefing N.J. bill to limit travel to antiLGBT states moves ahead The New Jersey Senate Government Committee voted 3-2 last Thursday to advance a bill that would prohibit publicly funded travel to states that enforce antiLGBT laws. Senators Jim Whelan, Shirley K. Turner and Joseph F. Vitale voted in favor of the bill, known as S2043, while Samuel D. Thompson and Steven V. Oroho voted against it. The yes votes came from the Democrats while the no votes came from the Republicans. The bill now moves to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The New Jersey Assembly passed the bill 54-17 last month. Eight representatives did not vote and one abstained. Aaron Potenza, director of programs for Garden State Equality, testified in front of the chamber May 5, saying, “Transgender people are not sexual predators, we are not pedophiles. And as every expert medical and psychiatric body has stated, we are not mentally ill. We are individuals from all walks of life, who have at least two things in common: we don’t identify with the sex we were assigned at birth, and we need to go to the bathroom.” The proposed bill says New Jersey cannot pay for travel to any state that “has adopted a law to protect religious freedom without instituting in such law or other statute protections against discrimination in the provision of goods or services to the public.” It also says New Jersey can pay for travel to any municipality that has enacted a nondiscrimination ordinance, even in a state with a religious freedom law that lacks a nondiscrimination clause.
Lower Merion to vote on trans student policy After introducing a policy last month for transgender and “gender-expansive” students, the Lower Merion School Board is set to vote May 16 on whether to adopt the policy. The meeting takes place at 8 p.m. in the ACADEMY from page 1
should be publicly named. “While [Doe] hides his identity, he readily identifies members of Germantown Academy who are not parties to the instant action or accused of misconduct, and who deserve the same kind of privacy [Doe] seeks,” the school’s filing states.
administration building, 301 E. Montgomery Ave., Lower Merion Township. The policy would address privacy rights for trans students, the handling of academic records, proper incorporation into sex-segregated programs like athletics, restroom and locker-room access and general harassment and discrimination protections. Lower Merion would be the third district in the state to adopt a policy for addressing the needs of their transgender students, behind Great Valley School District in Chester County and Springfield Township School District in Montgomery County. The Pittsburgh Public School Board this month introduced a policy for transgender students. The next step is to vote on its adoption at a second reading. The School District of Philadelphia has a policy working its way through administration that’s expected to hit the School Reform Commission over the summer.
Artists, writers sought for Philly Dyke March fundraiser An art event to benefit the Philadelphia Dyke March is seeking artists to donate their work for auction, as well as writers to share their work. The Starter Kit, a Philadelphia-area collective, is hosting the event from 6-10 p.m. May 19 at Repair the World, 4029 Market St. Artists and writers who would like to participate should email ambitiousartists@ gmail.com. From artists, organizers are asking for the title, dimensions and price of the work they would like to donate, as well as a link to the artist’s website. Craft vendors are also invited to have a table at the event. All participants are asked to be members of the LGBT community or create work that deals with those themes. It costs $50 for vendors to rent space for a table. That money goes to the Dyke March, but any proceeds from selling crafts go to the vendors. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.thestarterkit.tumblr.com.
IBA launches new biz award The Independence Business Alliance will give out a new award next month to honor a business with inclusive employment policies and active appeal to LGBT customers. The honorary Business Integrity Award comes with two complimentary registrations to the 2016 National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s International Business and Leadership Conference. This The school’s filing also notes that Doe would have a “tactical advantage” during potential settlement talks if he’s permitted to remain anonymous. “[Doe] is not really concerned about public stigma, given his continual efforts to bring as much media attention to this matter as his counsel can garner,” the filing adds. “[Doe] wants the free-
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
year, the event is in Palm Springs from Aug. 23-26. The IBA, the Philadelphia region’s LGBT chamber of commerce, is now accepting applications for the award. The deadline is June 10. Business owners can apply or nominate a peer by visiting www.thinkiba. com/business-integrity-award. The winner will be an IBA member business selected by representatives from Integrity Staffing Solutions, the company partnering with the IBA to present the Business Integrity Award. The award will be presented at the IBA Annual Meeting in June. — Paige Cooperstein
Injured gay inmate pursues damages Kenneth J. Houck Jr., an openly gay federal inmate who was assaulted five years ago, continues to seek financial remuneration for his injuries. In 2011, Houck was assaulted by two other inmates while detained at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia. Houck’s leg was broken in multiple places, and he continues to walk with a limp. Last year, Houck filed suit against the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, seeking $1.8 million in damages. The U.S. Department of Justice requested the dismissal of Houck’s suit on the basis that it lacks merit. But in a 15-page brief filed April 19, Houck urged U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen M. Tafoya to allow the case to proceed to a trial. In his brief, Houck states that he suffers from major neuropathy, muscular-skeletal problems and hammer-toe syndrome. He claims prison authorities refuse to provide him with adequate medical care, resulting in “cruel and unusual punishment.” Houck also noted he’s doing his best to document his medical issues, but he has limited resources to do so. Additionally, he reiterated his request for court-appointed counsel. Houck is imprisoned for transporting child pornography. His scheduled release date is June 11, 2018. As of presstime, the DOJ’s request for dismissal of the case remained pending.
Gay man’s claims held in abeyance Thomas Vandergrift’s claims against the Pennsauken School District have been sepdom to remain anonymous but is happy to give this case as much publicity as he can.” According to court records, Doe was prescribed several antidepressants to help him cope with the alleged mistreatment. Doe’s counts against the school include negligence, intentional inflic-
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arated from a federal complaint filed on behalf of his nephew, who alleges antigay bullying. Vandergrift, who is openly gay, claims that district officials wrongfully accused him of inappropriately touching a child after he advocated for a proper education for his nephew, “D.V.” “D.V.” allegedly suffered pervasive antigay bullying while he was a student at the Pennsauken School District. He’s currently enrolled in a private school where he’s doing better. Vandergrift contends the false accusations damaged his reputation and minimized future work opportunities in his chosen profession of teaching. On May 6, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider said Vandergrift’s claims will be held in abeyance indefinitely, but D.V.’s claims will move forward. Schneider also said Vandergrift will serve as his own attorney. Neither side had a comment for this story.
Defendant in Woody’s case gets attorney Jamar D. Palmer, who allegedly drank alcohol at Woody’s prior to contributing to a traffic accident, has obtained the services of an attorney. As a result, the alleged victim, Daniel A. Callaway, has withdrawn a request that judgment be entered against Palmer at this stage of the litigation. On Dec. 7, 2014, Callaway, a certified EMT and firefighter, suffered extensive injuries while tending to Palmer’s disabled vehicle on I-95 in Tinicum Township, Delaware County. A vehicle driven by Corrin R. Collier sideswiped Palmer’s vehicle, pushing it into Callaway. Palmer allegedly drank an excessive amount of alcohol at Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St., prior to the accident, according to a lawsuit filed in March by Callaway. Collier wasn’t charged with any criminal wrongdoing. Callaway alleges that Woody’s staff served Palmer when he was visibly intoxicated and failed to take reasonable measures to ensure that he departed the premises in a safe manner. Last month, Callaway asked that a “default judgment” be entered against Palmer, because he hadn’t responded to the complaint. But on April 21, the request was withdrawn after Palmer obtained the services of an attorney. n — Timothy Cwiek tion of emotional distress, negligent failure to rescue, failure to report suspected child abuse, false light and defamation. The case remains pending in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court. Doe is seeking in excess of $50,000 in compensatory and punitive damages and has requested a jury trial. n
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Day in the Life of ... a pianist and entertainment-company owner, Bob Egan By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Bucks County native and longtime New Hope resident Bob Egan spends a lot of time away from his bucolic home, which also serves as his office and rehearsal space. Most nights of the week, the pianist and entertainer is performing at restaurants, clubs, parties, lounges and events all over the region: Bucks County, Atlantic City and New York City. “I love when I get back here,” he said about having recently returned to New Hope from a performance in Atlantic City. “The dogs are here. Actually some of my days are not in the office. Had today been nice, I would have probably been on the tractor cutting the lawn. I love working. I do most of my yard work. I cut my lawn and do all my weeding. When I’m here, it’s not all business.” Egan said that while he has seen many changes in New Hope since he first moved there, it’s still a great place to live. “It’s still wonderful,” he said. “Everything changes but it’s still beautiful. It’s still a magnet for amazing people. Everybody here is really busy. Nobody here is just
laying around loafing. Everybody here is very driven.” Egan grew up in Bucks County neighbor Warminster and then moved to Doylestown before heading to New Hope. In addition to entertaining at various venues in the region, Egan runs his own entertainment agency, with his trusty assistant Sandy, matching up bands, musicians, DJs and other performers with special events, parties and fundraisers. It’s familiar territory for Egan, who was entertainment director, founder and producer of the Cabaret at Odette’s, which ran for 19 years. “I started that cabaret in 1985,” he said. “That was a magic year for me because that’s when I started a piano bar in the Poconos and then I started a cabaret there a year later. At the same time, I started Bob Egan Entertainment. I always felt like I was three people: I was a music performer, an entertainment coordinator and a music producer. But they all kind of worked together.” Odette’s closed in 2006, but Egan continues to stay busy performing as well as hosting showcases and open mic nights all over the area, gigs that require him to keep his iPad loaded and updated
with songbooks. “Sometimes, it’s as much as seven nights a week but usually it’s five or six,” Egan said of his schedule these days. “What I was doing mostly since Odette’s closed is showcase nights where I would take 10 performers and present them. I would get them stage time so they could be seen and heard by a lot of people and they would get that experience of getting up there to become a better performer. That was a lot of fun. I did that up until a year ago. That’s the part that went away and then I become more involved with the entertainment office and worrying about my own performances
New Hope Pride gets its own flag By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com New Hope Celebrates, the group responsible for the Bucks County borough’s Pride celebration, will unveil its own rainbow flag for the first time since it started 13 years ago. Organizers commissioned an eight-color, 15-by-25-foot flag from Humphrys Flag Company in Old City. They picked it up May 11 and will hang it publicly at noon May 15, the first day of the weeklong Pride celebration. The flag will hang from the roof of the Starbucks at Bridge and Main streets. “It’s going to be a pretty monumental occasion,” said Sharon Fronabarger, president of New Hope Celebrates. “It’s a special piece of history we can use year after year.” Previously, the organizers had used a portion of the famous Key West Rainbow Flag, but the 100foot section was scheduled for repairs during this year’s Pride in New Hope. New Hope Celebrates has
activities planned through May 22, making it one of the few Pride celebrations that lasts longer than a day. Fronabarger said it was meant to give the locals a way to celebrate in between the weekends, which usually see an influx of out-of-town visitors. “We all enjoy our town so much and we want to get out there to our bars and restaurants,” she said. Fronabarger noted that pieces from “Retro-Scope,” an exhibit of the LGBT history in New Hope, will be on display in The Cub Room and The Raven, two of the borough’s notable gay bars. The exhibit will also be on display during the Pride Fair on May 21. It’s been three years in the making and Fronabarger said organizers are always looking for more LGBT mementos to add. Another returning highlight to New Hope Celebrates is the second-annual Best Cocktail Contest. Thirteen bars in New Hope are tasked with creating one cocktail with Tito’s Vodka and another with Bulleit Whiskey/ Rye, the alcohol sponsors of this
year’s event. Pride attendees can try the drinks and vote for their favorites by visiting www.newhopecelebrates.com. Voting runs throughout the Pride celebration, and the topthree drinks will be revealed at the end of the week. A final showdown will take place in June, a new addition to this year’s competition. The winning drink earns its bartender a plaque to hang in his or her establishment. Fronabarger said people should also plan to come to New Hope for the Pride parade that starts at 11:30 a.m. May 21 in Lambertville, N.J., just across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania. Marchers will cross Bridge Street into New Hope. It’s the third year of the tradition, which started in 2014 to symbolically show New Jersey helping Pennsylvania welcome marriage equality to the state. Fronabarger said New Hope Celebrates has the only recognized Pride parade that crosses a state line. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www. newhopecelebrates.com. n
and my own schedule.” Egan said that performing with different singers on a nightly basis keeps him on his toes as a pianist. “I love doing the open mics,” he said. “I want people to get up and sing. It’s their outlet. It’s their 15 minutes. I’m all prepared. It’s fun for me. It challenges me every night. Last night somebody asked me for a Jethro Tull song. I love that stuff but I’ve never been asked to play it. Everything I do is about challenging myself so that it’s always fresh and it never feels like work. I could never be one of those performers that works at the same hotel five nights a week. That would be like work. That’s why I specifically set out to have a night here, a night in Atlantic City, a night in Philadelphia and a night in Asbury Park. The downside of that is a lot of driving.” Even though he’s been in business for more than 30 years, Egan never gets to a point where he feels he can coast or rest on his laurels, which also helps keep things fresh. “I can never understand when people say they are bored,” he said. “During the day, there are so many things I have to do. Sometimes it’s just scheduling because I like to plan ahead. It
takes a lot of time. On top of that, there’s the whole social-media thing. I never want to assume that everyone is going to show up. And when I go somewhere and they do show up, I’m thrilled. You have to constantly promote every day. You have to make sure your website is good; that’s tricky to stay on top of it with the video and the audio. One of the things I’m conscious about and have been focusing on for the last few years is changing the stigma of what my piano bar or my open-mic nights are. I’ve had people say, ‘Oh, we don’t do those because it’s Broadway.’ In some people’s minds, a piano bar is people singing Broadway songs. When I play, I play it all. I want young singers coming in saying, ‘I want to sing Adele or Bruno Mars.’ I want older people. I’ll play Cole Porter and other things from the 1920s. I’ll play country. There’s no pigeonholing it. We’re just celebrating good music.” n Bob Egan appears at the piano weekly at Bowman’s Tavern in New Hope, Moonstruck in Asbury Park and The Claridge in Atlantic City. For more information, visit www.bobeganentertainment.com.
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BUCKS PGN COUNTY
Jazz, blues, rock ’n’ roll locations in Pennsylvania converge in Philly, New Hope BUCKS COUNTY Bristol • Bristol News World, 576B Bristol Pike •Doylestown • Darkanyu, 504 Eagle Lane • Doylestown Bookshop, 16 S. Main St. • Siren Records, 25 E. State St. • Levittown • Levitt Books, 7406 Bristol Pike • Newtown • Bucks Co. Community College, 275 Swamp Road • Penns Park • United Methodist Church, 2394 Second St. Pike • Quakertown • Adult World, 880 S. West End Blvd. • Warminster • Planned Parenthood of Bucks Co., 610 Louis Dr. Allentown • Allentown Brew Works, 812 Hamilton St. • Candida, 247 N. 12th St. • Stonewall, 28-30 N. 10th St. • Annville • Lebanon Valley College, Sheridan Ave. • Ardmore • Ardmore Station, Anderson Ave. near Coulter Ave. • Bethlehem • LGBTQ Services Lehigh U, 25 Trembley Dr. • Bloomsberg • Bloomsberg University LGBTA Center, 400 E. Second St. • Bryn Mawr • Bryn Mawr College, Canaday Library • Bryn Mawr Station, Morris Ave. near Bryn Mawr Ave. • Fox & Roach Realty, 763 Lancaster Ave. • Chester • AIDS Care Group, 2304 Edgemont Ave. • Harrah’s Chester Casino, 777 Harrah’s Blvd. • Widener University, 1 University Place • Collegeville • Adult World, 3975 Ridge Pike • East Stroudsburg • Rainbow Mountain Resort, 210 Mt. Nebo Road • Easton • Lafayette College, 101 Hogg Hall • La Pazza, 1251 Ferry St. • Gibson • Hillside Campground, 1 Creek Road • Glen Mills • Imago Dei MCC, 1223 Middletown Road • Glenside • Keswick Cycle, 408 N. Easton Road • Hanover Township • Venture Lounge, 1266 San Souci Parkway • Harrisburg • 704 Strawberry Cafe, 704 N. Third St. • AIDS Community Alliance, 100 N. Cameron St. • Brownstone Lounge, 412 Forster St. • MCC of the Spirit, 2973 Jefferson St. • Stallions, 706 N. Third St. • Haverford • Haverford Station, Haverford Station Road near Lancaster Ave. • Huntingdon • Huntingdon Valley Library, 625 Red Lion Rd. • Kutztown • Kutztown University, 15200 Main St. • Lancaster • Downtown Books, 227 N. Prince St. • Sundown Lounge, 429 N. Mulberry St. • Tally Ho Tavern, 201 W. Orange St. • Lansdale • Gwynedd Vet Hospital, 1615 W. Pointe Pike • Lehighton • Cristalees Restaurant, 130 S. 1st St. • Woods Campground, 845 Vaughn Acres Road • Malvern • Malvern Station, King St. & Warren Ave. • Media • Media Theater, 104 E. State St. • Penn State Brandywine, 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Suite 115 • Unitarian Universalist Church, 145 W. Rose Tree Road • Narberth • Narberth Station, Haverford & Narberth avenues • Newport • My Buddie’s Place, 2380 Susquehanna Trail •New Hope • Cornerstone Gym, 419 York Road • Eagle Diner, 6522 York Road • Havana, 105 S. Main St. • John & Peters Place, 96 S. Main St. • Karla’s Restaurant, 5 W. Mechanic St. • La Chateau Exotique, 31A W. Mechanic St.• Raven, 385 W. Bridge St. • Triumph Brewing Co., 400 Union Square Drive • Wishing Well B&B, 114 Old York Rd. • New Milford • Oneida Campground, 2580 E. Lake Road • Norristown • Revelations, 1832 Markley St. • North Wales • Adult World, 608 Upper State Road • Old Forge • Twelve Penny Saloon, 535 Hickory St. • Paoli • Paoli Station, North Valley Road & Lincoln Highway • Phoenixville • Artisans Gallery and Cafe, 234 Bridge St. • Steel City, 203 Bridge St. • Reading • Berks Aid Network, 429 Walnut St. • Reading Adult Center, 316 Penn St. • Rosemont • Rosemont Station, Airdale Road & Montrose Ave. • Sharon Hill • Sharon Hill Medical, 907 Chester Pike • Spring Grove • Atland’s Ranch, RR6, Box 6543 • Swarthmore • Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Parrish Hall • Temple • Naughty But Nice, 4502 N. Fifth St. • Upper Darby • Honor Box, 69th Street Station • Villanova • Villanova Station, Spring Mill Road near County Line Road • Wayne • Central Baptist Church, 106 W. Lancaster Ave. • Stafford Station, Old Eagle School & Crestline roads • Wayne Station, N. Wayne & West Ave. • West Chester • Chester County Books, 975 Paoli Pike • Wilkes Barre • Heat, 69-71 N. Main St. • Willow Grove • Barnes & Noble, 102 Park Ave. • Wynnwood • Wynnwood Station, Wynnewood & Penn roads •
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By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor At age 18, before she had her first screen role, actor Sally Kellerman had signed a recording contract with Norman Granz of Verve Records. She did not record right away “because I was scared,” she acknowledged in a recent phone interview. “But that was the beginning of my musical foray. I made my first album in the early 1970s. Lou Adler produced it.” Kellerman will bring her musical — and acting — talents to the area this weekend for shows in Philadelphia and New Hope, at respective Rrazz Room venues. She describes her act as “a little jazz, a little blues and a little rock and roll.” She is not inclined to call her performance a cabaret act. “I’m a singer. I sing songs I love, whatever I find. If I can sing them, I do. If the song doesn’t fit, I don’t. I’m lucky that as an actress-singer, I get to tell a story. It’s finding the center of what the song is about. It’s like acting, but there’s some beautiful music behind it. It’s a great combination. Only here, the stories are musical.” After a beat, she added, “I get to be myself on stage. I discovered that I’m an entertainer. It’s me being myself, and it takes a lifetime to be oneself.” Kellerman will most likely perform songs from her 2009 CD “Sally,” which includes jazzy tracks like “Over Over Night,” bluesy tunes like “Somebody Call The Cops” and a rock song or two. She also enjoys performing slow numbers. “I like the sound of ballads,” she said in her seductive, husky voice. “I have a beautiful ballad called ‘Say It Isn’t So.’” The song has a real 1970s feel to it, in part because Kellerman has an appreciation for musical producers who worked with classic ’70s musicians, including Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor. The 1970s were certainly an important period in the actor/singer’s career. She skyrocketed to fame, earned an Academy Award nomination for her role as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” O’Houlihan in Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H” and later appeared in director Bob Altman’s subsequent comedy, “Brewster McCloud.” She digressed for a moment to talk about Altman. “Bob Altman, my hero! We were so close up to when he died.” She explained that she was part of his stock company but said, in hindsight, after the Oscar nomination, “It went to my head. I was too big to be part of his stable.” She turned down the Karen Black role in “Nashville” and waited more than a decade to work with Altman again in films like “The Player” and “Ready to Wear.” In fact, Kellerman made the decision at the height of her acting fame to shift gears
and move toward song. “After the Academy Award nomination, I went on the road [to perform with a band] for three months when things were really starting to happen. I followed my bliss. I hope I’ve grown up by now, and am not so careless. It’s worked out. I’m loving it. “Certainly when I was younger, I was relaxed — especially in the ’70s,” she added. “But I went through times when I was less confident. I have nothing not to be relaxed about now. I love to sing and be whatever I am in the moment. I love the audiences’ response. They seem to enjoy it. I have nothing to lose now, and I work with wonderful musicians.” She champions Ed Martel, her musical director who will accompany her on keyboards at her performances. Kellerman previously worked with Michael Orland for a decade before he became a musical director for “American Idol,” and then found Martel,
whom she waxes eloquently about: “Even when it’s just the two of us, he fills in all the holes.” While Kellerman has a distinctive singing voice, she has also made a career doing narrations, both for advertisements (“Hidden Valley Ranch” salad dressing) as well as documentaries. She is particularly proud of her work with Ken Burns. “I did a whole big thing on Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the suffragettes who fought for women’s voting rights. I loved working with Burns, he was so specific.” But right now, her love is singing. “It’s great to sing professionally, or even just in the car. When I’m in the car, I listen to WAVE [97.4 FM, Los Angeles], the jazz station, and 101 FM, the rock station. If I like the song, I play it, or I move to the jazz station, and then back again.” It’s a little jazz, a little blues, a little rock and roll. Just like her act. n Sally Kellerman performs 8 p.m. at The Rrazz Room at The Prince and 7:30 p.m. May 14 at The Rrazz Room at The Raven in New Hope. For tickets, visit http://princetheater.org/therrazzroom or www.therrazzroom.com.
PGN OP-ED from page 11
other words, was I a criminal by nature or nurture? When doing crime, I felt like it was a rite of passage. Everyone I knew had a hustle and I thought this would be a way of life. Easy money was the way to go in my ’hood. I rarely saw anyone going to work, and I certainly did not know anyone who went to college. What I did not know then was that I was witnessing an entire community being victimized by institutional racism. These hustlers did not grow up thinking, I want to be a drug dealer. However, because of institutional racism and the economic status all of us young black men in this North Philadelphia neighborhood, we were being groomed for our pumpkin suits. I am a raw product of the Philadelphia School District, and I did not read my first book until I got to prison. I often wondered, How did I make it out of high school? I could barely write in 1999. I realized I was pushed through the system like so many of my fellow young black men. Teachers found it easier to just pass you than to engage with you. I remember a teacher screaming at me, “If you don’t stop acting stupid, you’re going to end up in jail!” I did not care. All the black men in my ’hood at some point had to do a “bid” or, as they liked to call it, “take a hustler’s vacation.” But still to this day, I remember being in solitary confinement and hearing that teacher’s voice echoing in my head as I would pace back and forth in my cell like a caged leopard. Reflecting back on every time I was released from prison, I would leave the pumpkin patch more bitter than the last time I got out. Questions would volley in my head: Where am I going to work? Where will I live? What is my probation officer going to be like? In 2005,
I remember a teacher screaming at me, “If you don’t stop acting stupid, you’re going to end up in jail!” I did not care.
when I was released from State Road, I applied for a job to simply clean toilets all day. The moment I turned in the application, I was swiftly denied employment because of my criminal record. As the hiring manager was telling me this I thought to myself, Cleaning toilets is one of the nastiest jobs that I can think of; if I can’t get a job here, then what am I going to do? In that moment, I felt completely defeated, and I told myself: Fuck getting a job. I’m going back to the hustling. It’s a lot easier. As a result of this decision, the next time I would be arrested and sentenced to 75 months in a federal detention center. So there I am again in my cell with my pumpkin suit looking at my reflection in the beat- up mirror asking, How did I get here again? I had told myself I wasn’t coming back to this place that was so devoid of anything positive and motivating. However, here I was. It wasn’t until I started exploring the backgrounds of fellow inmates that I realized we all had this conversation with ourselves. Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that I continued to come back and forth to prison. According to Bureau of Justice statistics, the national recidivism rate for inmates released from prison or jails is 65 percent. The criminal-justice system is made to be a revolving door. If a newly released prisoner does not have a support system in place when he gets out, the chances of returning to prison grow.
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Michele Alexander, author of the seminal work “The New Jim Crow,” has explored how the criminal-justice system has created so many barriers for men of color. These barriers come in the form of halfway houses, ridiculous fines and court costs, overzealous probation officers and the one question every former inmate hates to answer on a job application: “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” All of these barriers create a vicious cycle of “human cargo” in our criminal-justice system. As concerned citizens, we have a duty to understand the barriers that inmates newly released from prison face. The people of this great city should no longer have to continue to harvest inmates like pumpkins. Philadelphians should be given the opportunity to offer inmates who are entering into society more support to prevent the revolving door of the criminal-justice system. For a city whose slogan is “brotherly love,” if we do not advocate for new re-entry policies and practices, we are subliminally saying through our lack of actions: “What size pumpkin suit do you need?” n Antar Bush aka TAR! is a native of Philadelphia and has an MSW from West Chester University. TAR! is an enthusiastic social researcher, mentor and writer of social-justice issues. His background in LGBT public health, criminal justice and social work have led him to a number of opportunities and community-leadership roles throughout the country.
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ELIXIR from page 7
Marshall-Blake is LGBT sports league Stonewall Sports. “Stonewall promotes healthy activity, teamwork and fun for many folks who grew up thinking team sports were not somewhere they’d be welcomed; they’re breaking that myth apart,” Flynn said. “Philanthropy is also central to what to do. While they’re having fun, they’re raising money to support vital community organizations and projects.” The event features performances by Brian Sanders’ JUNK and ArcheDream for Humankind. Joshua’s Catering and Front Street Café will provide the food, with the open bar by Woody’s. “When people hear the word ‘gala,’ I think they have an image in mind, but this is really the opposite of the stuffy type of event people might expect,” Flynn said. “From the food to the drinks to the entertainment, the casino games, the auction, there’s truly something for everyone. It’s a great night, a great crowd and a really great cause.” Organizers are aiming to raise a net of at least $105,000; last year, Elixir netted about $83,000. Fundraising from this year’s event will go directly to support Mazzoni Center’s planned site consolidation and move to Bainbridge Street, which is expected next year. Mazzoni Center director of development and marketing Perry Monastero said that project is on track. “Things are moving along with construction and, if things continue at the current pace as planned, we’ll be moving into our space and have a new landlord come June 2017,” he said. For more information or Elixir tickets, visit www.mazzonicenter.org/elixir-2016. n
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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BUCKS PGN COUNTY
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
Out & About in Bucks County “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” screening 8 p.m. May 14 Bucks County Playhouse 70 S. Main St., New Hope bcptheater.org The 2001 musical-comedy film centering on a gender-queer musician. New Hope Celebrates Pride Opening Ceremony 11:30 a.m. May 15 East Bridge and Main streets, New Hope www.newhopecelebrates.com Pride organizers unfurl the rainbow flag at the corner to welcome New Hope Celebrates Pride. Guests are invited to a pig roast by Dish Catering at Lambertville House Hotel after the ceremony.
Big Wig Pride BINGO 6 p.m. May 18 Eagle Fire Hall, 46 N. Sugan Road, New Hope www.factbuckscounty.org Miss Pumpkin, Big Sue and other drag queens host the BINGO festivities. The $20 admission fee includes dinner and an open bar, with proceeds going to FACT Bucks County’s work on HIV/ AIDS causes. A Service of Justice: Telling Our Stories 7:30 p.m. May 19 St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 10 Chapel Road, New Hope Community attorney Angela Giampolo leads a discussion on the changing LGBT-rights movement, with specific focus on transgender rights. Big Pants and Hot Flashes! 8 p.m. May 20 Bucks County Playhouse 70 S. Main St., New Hope bcptheater.org
In partnership with New Hope Celebrates, the playhouse presents comedians Kevin Meaney and Julia Scotti, who fuse their stories of coming out as gay and trans, respectively, into their acts. A “no-holds-barred” Q&A follows. New Hope Celebrates Pride Parade 11:30 a.m. Lambertville, N.J., and New Hope The annual Pride parade kicks off in Lambertville and makes it way to New Hope, featuring floats, bands, entertainers and more. The Pride Fair follows at noon at Bucks County Playhouse, featuring performers, vendors, food and drinks. Arts Alive! 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 21 West Broad Street, Quakertown Quakertownalive.com The 15th-annual Arts Alive! features more than 100 juried exhibitors — including artisans, crafters and more — showcasing their wares. They’ll be joined by musi-
cians and live entertainers, food vendors and a wine-tasting area. Ladies 2000 Pride T-Dance 3 p.m. May 22 Havana, 105 S. Main St. www.ladies2000.com Ladies 2000 presents the official New Hope Celebrates women’s party with DJ Steven Singer. A portion of the proceeds benefits NHC.
from the windows, and invited back at the end of the summer to see their growth. Strawberry Festival 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 21-22 Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska All things strawberry! Enjoy pie-eating contests, live entertainment, food samples, artisans, Peddler’s Village shopping and more.
Pride T-Dance at The Raven 4-10 p.m. May 22 The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St. http://theraven.net Dance and drink poolside while kicking off Pride season.
New Hope Beer Festival 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. June 11 Event Center by Cornerstone, 46 N. Sugan Road Unlimited beer samples from local breweries, along with live music and performances.
Wildflower Express Train 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends through May 22 32 W. Bridge St., New Hope www.newhoperailroad.com See the sights and sounds of New Hope and surrounding towns on the New Hope-Ivyland Railroad. At stops on the trip, children will be invited to sprinkle wildflowers
Philadelphia in Style through June 26 James A. Michener Art Museum 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown michenermuseum.org The exhibit explores Philly-centric fashion designers, retailers and fashion trends from the last century. n
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Doylestown: days and nights of food and drink, fashion and fun Bucks County offers a fast escape from mind-numbing routines and the fickle fate of spring dreariness with a plethora of dining, shopping and entertainment options. By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com
EVEN ON A GRAY DAY, THE PARK BEHIND THE DOYLESTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (DOYLESTOWNHISTORICAL.ORG) NEXT DOOR TO HARGRAVE HOUSE IS INVITING
New Hope is only one of the hot spots in Bucks County with great restaurants, shopping and festiveness. Doylestown is another. Even though it is the county seat and has roughly three times as many residents as the little sister on the river, Doylestown gets overlooked too often. Let’s change that. Had we let weather determine our decision or enjoyment factor when we were scheduled to go to Doylestown during this recent wet spell, we probably would have said, “No thanks” and stayed home. And that would have been tragic. Never forget that travel is about the journey and the destination, not the temperature and humidity. Whereas a day trip can be one way to get away, making it an overnighter and having an extended evening of food and drink is really a great idea. You don’t have to worry about the drive home or what time the train leaves. (The Doylestown line deposits travellers right on the Doylestown down-
town front doorstep.) We stayed at the historic and fabulous Hargrave House Bed & Breakfast (hargravehouse.net) for two wonderful nights. The location on Main Street, just a couple blocks from the train station and town center and right next door to the Historical Society, makes it a splendid location from where one can truly walk ART IMITATES LIFE: Edward Hicks’ “Noah’s Ark” near the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown was seen on anywhere in town. The 1813 house a drizzly day in May. It is one of 13 reproductions on display is quite large but in Doylestown as part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s has the comfort of InsideOut Project. The Michener Museum hosts one-hour a cozy B&B that walking tours through the duration of the display event. Visit is unmatched. Our Discoverdoylestown.org for more details. Photos: Scott A. Drake room even included Doylestown is no different: Main and a Jacuzzi tub! There’s a common room for State streets. Add a couple of interesting reading or relaxing and another for break- side streets and you have a great space to fast, with tables and chairs included along wander around and run across whatever the front of the house for spectacular days. tickles you. Hostess and owner Lorna greets each Main Street is slightly less developed guest as though they’re old friends and than State, but it has special places along is a pure delight. She moved to the area it and is the road you would come in on in 1960 (“When you could stand in the from Philadelphia. State Street has the middle of Main and State shouting and no lion’s share of the businesses and is likely one was around to notice”) and has been a the road you will come in on if travelling credit to the town ever since. Her warmth from New Hope. and good nature are cheerily infective. We also found, slightly off State Street and sharing parking, two great places: Two streets, many directions Empanada Mama’s (yoemama.com) and The Zen Den (zendencoffeeshop.com). In the best towns for strolling, shopping, Coffee first! eating and drinking (like Provincetown, The Zen Den is the kind of coffee/tea New Hope, etc.), there is one, maybe shop that is the pinnacle of sipping. Beans two, main street that is the heart of town. are roasted locally by PAGE 28
AC ul t ure DINING NOOK IN HARGRAVE HOUSE (LEFT) AND COFFEE AT ZEN DEN
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Dining Out Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
BUCKS PGN COUNTY
though we did not have the opportunity to do so this trip. Specialty cocktails such as the Grapefruit Julip and The Hattery are delish and quite popular. And the atmosphere in The Hattery is nothing short of festival-like. Our server, Melissa, was just the best at keeping us entertained and well-taken care of. The best for me was the chicken pot pie: the size of a pie plate, but baked shallow. The rest of the menu sits perfectly with option of salads, French onion soup, burgers, lamb chops, scallops and more. Now for brunch on the weekend, either of those places would be just as favorable. But we got the opportunity to eat at Genevieve’s Kitchen (genevieveskitchen.com). Genevieve and her partner Karen run this cute little bistro with indoor and patio seating and a fantastic fresh menu. Located directly across from the County Theater, it makes a before- or after-film meal perfectly situated. Karen works the front of the house and the two complement the place perfectly. Out back in season, Genevieve grows fresh herbs and selects salad items in raised beds, but indoors in the kitchen she really cooks. Brunch runs from salads to grilled asparagus with prosciutto di Parma and burrata, topped with balsamic glaze, to crepes and French toast. For some, like me, brunch frequently means eggs. I love a good poached egg so when I saw the hash maiale tirato — slow-roasted pulled pork shoulder, duck fat-fried potatoes and onions, two poached eggs and avocado — I was instantly sold. Both the lunch and dinner menus offer attractive options as well.
DOYLESTOWN from page 27
Backyard Beans (backyardbeans.com) in Lansdale and it makes a superb cuppa! The space is large enough to have live music a couple of nights a week but still set up with a variety of tables and chairs, sofas and barstools so that you can have your quiet space the rest of the time. Sandwiches and other treats complete this stop in place for rejuvenation and caffeine. Just steps away at 21 Donaldson St. is Empanada Mama’s. A total of three barstools and a window seat are all the place has room for, but take-out seems to be the usual way to go. Take out can be ready to eat, or ready to heat. The owner lived in Rio for a spell so she knows what’s cookin’ when it comes to these perfectly baked pastries. Yes, they are baked here, not deep-fried, and they are splendid! There are specials every day (closed Sundays) and decisions can take a hot minute. A lunch box of three w/sauce is about $10; get a half-dozen or a dozen for discounts and mix the empanadas as much as you like. The buffalo chicken, Korean beef and ham and cheese were all excellent choices and we split a brie and pear empanada for dessert that was delicious. You know you’re going to the right places for meals when Lorna or another local asks you where are you having dinner and their face lights up. That happened with both The Hattery Stove & Still (hatterydoylestown.com) and “Mom’s” Maxwell’s on Main (momsdoylestown. com). Each has a distinctive look and diverse menu to accommodate any taste. At Mom’s, one is faced with the happy dilemma of Southern-style dishes that scream home-cooking. The aromas coming from the kitchen are inspiring and the food lives up to the reputation. A full bar menu and some unique draft beers make menu perusal fun. After starting with fried pickles with Mom’s sauce (the pickles are made in-house also, by the way) and a crab cake that had a nice celery root and green apple slaw on it, you’d think about maybe going a different direction for the entrée. Nope! The gumbo that was on the daily special board was delightful and had just the right seasoning level that gave it that Creole flavor without overpowering the sausage and shrimp. Add a dash of hot sauce and bam! There is also a daily stuffed meatloaf special, which the day we visited was corn and Gruyère. An individually prepared meatloaf “ball,” it had all of the classic flavors and the imaginative filling spilling onto the plate. The Hattery is in the Doylestown Inn (18 W. State St.), another distinctive place to consider staying in,
The old and the new
HASH MAIALE TIRATO AT GENEVIEVE’S KITCHEN (TOP), MOM’S CHANDELIER-APPOINTED DINING ROOM AND PLATE-SIZED CHICKEN POT PIE AT THE HATTERY Photos: Scott A. Drake
Scott A. Drake
Of course, visiting a town isn’t all dining, though it can be. As mentioned, County Theater (countytheater. org) sits on State Street and shows first-run films, with classics nights as well as special events. The locals have put the money and effort into revitalizing the old theater (instead of selling it to the highest bidder like we do in Philadelphia) and it’s quite special. Also across the street from it next to Genevieve’s is Siren Records (sirenrecords.com), which I mention because not only can you peruse the vast roomful of music in a variety of forms, but it’s also a distribution point for PGN. If old records and CDs aren’t your thing but books are, you’re in tremendous luck. Doylestown boasts several bookstores that cater to everyone who wants new releases to first-edition collectables and every nuance between. I got a bargain on a copy of “Last of the Mohicans” at Bucks County Bookshop (abebooks.com), which specializes in older and out-of-print books. Sharing the build-
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ing is Central Books (doylestownusedbooks.com), with a collection of more-recent books on two full floors. There is another brand-new bookstore also on Main Street.
Where you really want to wander off to, though, this spring is the James A. Michener Art Museum (michenermuseum.org). Currently, it has several excellent exhibits, but the primary one
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
is “Philadelphia in Style” and it is only running through June 26. The collection shows and tells the history of fashion in Philadelphia that includes Wanamaker’s, Nan Duskin and Strawbridge and Clothier and includes stunning (and sometimes whimsical) outfits by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, Christian Dior, Callot Soeurs, Halston and Elsa Schiaparelli. It’s mesmerizing and certainly a unique opportunity to see such designs. Get your drink on Getting on the road for a couple of options isn’t too difficult as the county is overflowing with covered-bridge tours and the Bucks County Wine Trail and Ale Trail. Pick one or choose them all. Just about any direction you point your car, you’ll find signs for all of the above. We first tried Wycombe Vineyards (wycombevineyards.com) on free-tastings Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays, there is a small charge ($5) but that includes some cheeses, crackers, breads, veggies, sweets and other wine accompaniments missing on the free Fridays. Host and owner Richard is extremely knowledgeable of wines, local geography and history. Learning here whilst tasting is heavenly. One of the most unique parts of any vineyard we’ve visited was that Wycombe asks for grape pickers from the public. Starting the first Sunday after Labor Day through October, registered volunteers harvest the bounty and are treated to a patio barbeque for their efforts. Sweet! Crossing Winery (crossingvineyards. com) has such a variety of tours and special tastings on its calendar, everyone can find one that speaks to them. We happened on a wine and chocolate pairing one afternoon that was divine. Pierre’s Chocolates (360 W. Bridge St. in New Hope) is the partner on this tasting and it is highly recommended. The next one is May 15. They also have dates for cycle and sip, wine tasting and yoga, pairing wine and cheese, pairing wine and cupcakes and a singles tasting. (That’s a tasting for single people, not tasting singles.) Crossing Winery is just up the road from Washington Crossing Historic Park and the Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve on River Road and near Bowman’s Tower, another worthwhile stop when in Bucks County. If you bring your bike along, there are some delightful paths along the canal in the park as well. Newest on the Visit Bucks County (visitbuckscounty.com) tours list is the Ale Trail. Doylestown boasts its own stop with the Doylestown Brewing Company. Possible stops include Bucks County Brewery in Pipersville, Vault Brewing Company in Yardley, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company in Croydon and Triumph Brewery in New Hope.
THE JAMES A. MICHENER ART MUSEUM (TOP), THREE DRESSES FROM THE MUSEUM’S “PHILADELPHIA IN STYLE” EXHIBIT AND THE WYCOMBE VINEYARDS MAIN HOUSE AND TASTING ROOM Photos: Scott A. Drake
Whatever your Bucks destination in whatever time of the year, slow down and explore, experience and engage the local scenes. New friends and good cheer are the best souvenirs to bring home. n
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BUCKS PGN COUNTY
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The Center City IHOP located at 1320 Walnut St. is now open 24 Hrs on FRIDAY and SATURDAY
THANKS FOR MAKING IT A IHOP DAY
By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Bucks County original Earl’s Prime (a long-running steakhouse that closed last year) has returned anew with the recent opening of Earl’s New American, 2400 Street Road in Peddler’s Village. Led by chef Bill Murphy, this new incarnation of Earl’s blends the rustic charm of the area’s farmhouses with a more polished contemporary look and menu. Earl’s starters have an elegantly classic feel while working in some lovely turns on familiar dishes. The shecrab bisque ($7) was creamy and light with some pleasantly assertive hints of sherry. The lobster dumplings ($11) were plump and had a nice crunch in the filling thanks to the carrot slaw that complimented the lobster. The crab cakes ($11) let the crabmeat shine without an overabundance of fillers and distractions. The fluke crudo ($11) was assertively bold, making us wonder who really needs the wedge of lemon that accompanies the dish; it has more than enough of a citrus punch without it. The chopped salad ($10) was complex and showed off the bountiful produce of the area with almonds, blue cheese and seasonal vegetables that gave off layers of complimentary flavors. Oh, and if you happen to saddle up to the bar at Earl’s, the pear tree cocktail is a brisk take on the martini, with a nice balance of orange liqueur and lemon juice. The entrees at Earl’s really turn on the charm, giving diners the kind of thoughtfully composed dishes one would expect in a such a setting: familiar and refined classics. It’s easy to see why the diver scallops ($28) are one of the house favorites. The scallops are seared to perfection and rest on a bed of local wild mushroom risotto topped with crispy shiitake mushrooms. It’s a pretty flawless dish. The Griggstown Farms fried chicken ($24) had great technique. The chicken itself was super crisp outside and juicy inside. The fingerling potato salad did a nice job backing up the dish, but the maple black pepper sauce was the real star. The glaze of it on the bottom plate seemed like a cruel tease, as we could have done with a whole bowl Earl’s New American of the syrupy flavor Peddler’s Village in which to engulf 2400 Street Road, New Hope every available 215-794-4020 succulent sliver of www.earlsnewamerican.com chicken. Hours of operation: Welcome back, Tues.-Thurs.: 4-10 p.m. Earl. We like your Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. new look. n Sun.: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
If you go
BUCKS PGN COUNTY
Family Portrait
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Suzi Nash
Sara Scully: Lights, camera, (ally) action in New Hope Just 45 minutes from downtown Philadelphia is a beautiful, bucolic LGBT haven that, I must say, I often forget to take advantage of. But when I do remember to visit New Hope, I always vow to go more often. If you haven’t been for a while, now is the perfect time as New Hope Celebrates gears up for its annual festival and parade. Nationally recognized, the Pride festival boasts the only Pride parade to be held in two states: New Hope, Pa., and Lambertville, N.J. There are going to be a week’s worth of activities, including parties, drag shows, educational events and, of course, the festival and parade. Set along the banks of the scenic Delaware River, New Hope has long been a place of acceptance and diversity. In order to preserve the memories of this oasis in the countryside, filmmaker and ally Sara Scully is working on an amazing project called Retro-Scope. Scully comes with the chops to undertake this large project. Prior to starting Scullyone Productions, she worked on independent documentary projects such as the Oscar-nominated film “The Weather Underground” as well as “Trembling Before G-d,” “Cancer: Evolution to Revolution” and “The Paper.” She also produced her own documentary in development with HBO, “You Again: A Human Cloning Love Story.” She has been a producer for nearly a decade and comes from a long history of progressive social change. In addition, Scully also runs the Acme Screening Room and Artist Visions Festival and writes a regular column for Bucks Life magazine. She’s also working on a new doc called “Nowhere But Here.” Phew! PGN: Are you from New Hope? SS: Yes, I grew up here. PGN: What was a favorite family memory? SS: Oh, so many. Growing up in New Hope was not like growing up in any plain old suburban town, but I don’t think I realized it until I went to college. As a child, you’re not registering everything with the labels you might as an adult. In college, I learned the word “diversity,” but even as a child, I understood, in my own kid way, that this place was different and interesting and had more life than most other places. The older I got, the more I realized how special it was. The magic of the place is something that I’d like to capture in the film and Retro-Scope project. It’s pastoral and quiet and beautiful here but at the same time it’s cosmopolitan and artsy and fun. We have conservative people and liberal people, gay and straight and trans people, just a special mix of a lot of different folks all living together in harmony. But one of my favorite memories growing up
was driving with my mom in our station wagon. You know, as a kid someone has to drive you everywhere and we would always see Mother Cavelluci walking down Route 202. Do you know who she is? PGN: No, I don’t. SS: Oh man! As a sidebar, when we did the Retro-Scope exhibit, my partner in this, Dan Brooks [the founder of New Hope Celebrates], placed a few articles about the exhibit and, no joke, every single comment was about Mother Cavelluci. And the comments were from people all over the country; it was amazing. Even Andy Warhol wrote about her. She was actually Joe Cavelluci; he walked around in men’s clothes, trousers and a shirt but with a beehive hairdo and lots of makeup. But she didn’t have a car so she walked everywhere and I swear we saw her every single time we went out. There’s an amazing documentary called “I Remember Mama” that’s all about her and it’s so beautiful. She was a real mother to a lot of people in the LGBT community and she worked in the service industry as a waitress. So she was also very funny with a cutting and witty sense of humor. As a kid, she was fascinating to me. [Laughs] It’s not often you saw someone walking up 202 with a beehive, clutching a patent-leather purse. Another favorite memory … I was a latchkey kid with a single mom so I’d go to the pool by myself and, at that time, the pool was wall-to-wall people: single people, swingers, gay guys; it was a big party. As a kid in New Hope, you interacted with a lot of adults, which I think was unusual. Nowadays, you have helicopter parents running around behind their kids with juice boxes, but back then I could just hang out myself. And the pool was connected to a club called The Prelude, which was in a big purple building and the owner drove a big purple Cadillac. I just remember that it looked like the most glamorous place in the world. [Laughs] I mean, I got to see all the people hanging around the pool nursing hangovers so I knew something fun was going on there! PGN: Tell me a little about yourself. You tackle so many different subjects: the elderly, LGBT issues, compost bins … Where did your compassion come from? SS: I don’t know! It’s just how I’ve always been. Even as a kid, I was always thinking things like, Why do we just throw so much stuff away? Can’t they use it again? That was back in the ’80s before we had recycling. I used to take the bus to New York by myself when I was a teenager and I remember being upset with the way things were, so I wrote a letter to the mayor of New York about the state of the city! Crazy I know, but I’ve always been concerned about the people and things in this world. [Laughs] If I were a dog breed, I’d be an
Australian Shepard! I instinctively want to herd everyone together and have always been interested in community, sustainability and understanding each other. PGN: You started out with a degree in history. How did that lead you to filmmaking? SS: Yeah, I got a degree in history and in my 20s got into politics. I ran a national conflict-resolution program and then worked on finance reform, then decided to hybrid my interest in history and socialchange politics with my interest in the arts. So at 28, I did a 180 and moved to New York. I got into documentary films and worked full-time in film and television. A few years ago, I decided to transition back here. A lot of stuff can now be done through the computer so I work on a lot of multimedia projects here and was teaching gender studies at the College of New Jersey. I also run the Acme Screening Room and, of course, we’re working on Retro-Scope.
PGN: Explain Retro-Scope. SS: It’s an online archive of LGBT history of the greater New Hope area. People can see, search and share their memories. Type in “Mother” and Mother Cavelluci will pop up and you can see all the pictures, video and stories about Mother we can find, or you can upload your own memories, whether it’s a story or picture. It has an interaction map so you can click on a place like The Raven and learn the history. It’s an interactive,
multimedia history experience. It’s pretty cool. PGN: Did the film “Nowhere But Here” come out of that? SS: Yes, I had such cherished memories about what an extraordinary place this was to grow up in and, working on Retro-Scope, I saw there was such a goldmine of material — photos and video and stories — that it was impossible not to make it into a documentary. And the archive project could be a community-outreach tool for the film. Most documentaries are one and done if they’re not tied to something bigger but, in this case, the film is able to inspire people to get involved with the history project. Hopefully, when the film is completed and available for purchase or download, that money will go back to the Retro-Scope project. PGN: What are a few of your favorite pictures? SS: If you go on the website and look under the film synopsis, scroll down and there’s a picture of three guys with their shirts off sitting together in a sunny field. There’s something about the photo that captures a sense of the friendship and comfort, safety and serenity found here at a time when gay bashing was the norm in the rest of the country. There’s a quote from one of them, Phillip Powell: “Being here was a windy sigh …” You felt everyone was here to protect you and that nature itself was taking care of you. I love the picture because it captures something that people don’t expect when they think of gay men in the ’70s. The other is a photo of two guys in a swimming pool; one is wearing a blue Speedo and the other has a feather boa. It’s just a fun photo. And the last is a set of photos from Mother C’s weddings. She got married annually and would pick a different guy each year! Hundreds of people would come and the press would cover it. People would give her gifts and money; it was kind of a fundraiser and kind of performance art. Just think, a big gay wedding in this little bucolic country town in the ’70s. It was brilliant! That’s what is/was great about New Hope: There’s so much humor and artistry here. PAGE 38
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Theater & Arts 1776: The Musical The Media Music Theatre Company presents the historical musical comedy set when our country was on the brink of declaring independence, through May 22, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-8910100. Always ... Patsy Cline Walnut Street Theatre presents the stories of laughter and heartache that brought together a housewife and a legendary country singer through July 3 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550. Breaking Ground: Printmaking in the US, 1940– 1960 Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the variety of ways in which artists in the 1940s and ’50s pushed the boundaries of printmaking, through July 24, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Cirque Goes to the Movies The Philly POPS perform with circus performance artists May 20-22 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Creative Africa Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of photography, fashion, sculpture and architecture by
FANGS FOR THE MEMORIES: Out author, poet and playwright Jewelle Gomez celebrates the 25th anniversary of her groundbreaking lesbian vampire novel “The Gilda Stories” with a reading and signing 6-8 p.m. May 17 at Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. For more information, call 215-923-2960.
artists from Africa May 14-Sept. 25, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Elaine Boosler and Michele Balan The two comedians perform 7 p.m. May 15 at The Rrazz Room at the Prince, 1412 Chestnut St.; 215422-4580. Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and The Trammps The classic soul/R&B groups perform 8 p.m. May 14 at The Rrazz Room at the Prince, 1412 Chestnut St.; 215422-4580. Holly Trostle Brigham: Sisters and Goddesses The Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition of works by the Philadelphia-based artist, featuring seven self-portraits in which she takes the guise of artists of the past, through May 26, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800.
Inside Out Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of largescale replicas of favorite works from the museum’s collection of local neighborhoods through Nov. 1, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. International Pop Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition chronicling pop art’s emergence as a global movement, migrating from the United Kingdom and the United States to Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Japan, through May 16, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Kellen Kaiser The author hosts a reading and signing of her new memoir, “Queerspawn in Love,” 6:30-8 p.m. May 18 at Philly
AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960. Leslie Stahl The newscaster and author of “Becoming Grandma: The Joys and Science of the New Grandparenting” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. May 17 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215686-5322. Margaret Cho The out comedian performs May 19-21 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Moby The electronicmusic artist and author of “Porcelain: A Memoir” hosts a reading 7 p.m. May 19 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-686-5322. Philadelphia in Style: A Century of Fashion The Michener Art Museum hosts a display of approximately
PGN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Freak, geek or chic, it’s in a New Hope boutique By Jeff Solimando PGN Contributor
THE ‘BILLY’ CLUB: Out singer Rufus Wainwright hits the road in support of his latest album, “Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets,” a tribute album commemorating the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. He performs 11 p.m. May 20 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 1100 Canal St. For more information or tickets, call 215-625-3681.
30 dressed forms and additional accessories spanning a century of high fashion through June 26, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800. Sister Act Walnut Street Theatre presents the musical comedy based on the hit film May 17-July 17 at its Mainstage, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Plays of/for a Respirateur Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an installation by Joseph Kosuth that includes a selection of his work, along with a group of seminal works by Marcel Duchamp, through the fall, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Yannick and Lang Lang The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with the worldfamous pianist through May 14 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.
Music Erin McKeown The out singersongwriter performs 8 p.m. May 13 at Tin Angel, 20 N. Second St.; 215928-0978. The Verve Pipe The alt-rock band plays a children’s concert 11 a.m. May 15 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215222-1400. Explosions in the Sky The rock band performs 8 p.m. May 20 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 1100 Canal St.; 215-6253681.
Nightlife Drag Wars: Over the Rainbow Mimi Imfurst hosts the action 10 p.m. May 19 at Voyeur, 1221 Saint James St.; 215-735-5772. Clutch The Mr. & Mrs. Philadelphia bar night, 9 p.m.
May 20 at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St.; 215627-1662. Rasputin’s Room Lil’ Steph presents a burlesque show 9 p.m.-midnight May 20 at Second Story, 1700 S. Columbus Blvd.; 215-4636900.
Outta Town Sally Kellerman The actor and cabaret singer performs 7:30 p.m. May 14 at The Rrazz Room, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 888-5961027. How to Marry a Millionaire The classic Marilyn Monroe film is screened 2 p.m. May 15 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St.,
Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. Joe Posa as Joan Rivers in “The Bitch is Back!” The impersonator performs 7:30 p.m. May 20 at The Rrazz Room, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 888-596-1027. SON!A The out singersongwriter performs 8 p.m. May 20 at Steel City Coffeehouse, 203 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-933-4043.
New Hope is a charming hamlet that boasts cultural diversity, artistic imagination, live theater, fine dining and amazing antiques. Yet, in addition to peddling trendy paintings and vintage apparel, local merchants also indulge a more eclectic customer base: one that scours their quaint shops for rare commodities that range from mainstream-trendy to the downright macabre. Whatever your taste, New Hope is the place to find an infinite array of goods as diverse and colorful as the clientele in search of them. Take gourmet cooking, for example. If dabbling in the culinary arts tickles your fancy, then you need to visit Olive-nGrape, 11 A, W. Bridge St. Owned by Dawn and Manny Lorenzo (and managed by daughter Michelle), this wonderful specialty shop features an insane selection of imported and flavored olive oils, dark and white balsamic vinegars, pastas, flavored sea salts, spices and gourmet foods. Patrons can sample these unusual oils and vinegars direct from immaculate metal cisterns and create clever marinade combinations designed to compliment any dish. Rare, yet reasonably priced, oils with flavors such as “Citrus Habañero,” “Sun-Dried Tomatoe & Parmesan Garlic,” “Butter” and “Bacon” prove to satisfy the palate and not empty the pocket. “What you do is take a cup and taste, and you do it again, and again and again,” said Dawn Lorenzo. “Mix the balsamic vinegars with your choice of olive oil and you’ll know what your special blend of marinade tastes like before you leave our store.” Manny Lorenzo ventures overseas at various times during the year and travels the
length of Italy to hand-select products from a number of his carefully chosen business contacts. Find out more about Olive-n-Grape at www.olivengrape.com or call the shop at 215-862-5464. Oils are fun, but what if you’re looking for a hand-made, long-horned circumcision mask? Lucky you! Africa Endeavor, 102 S. Main St., is the place to pick one up. Featuring African and Moroccan art, the shop seems to come alive when one walks through the door. Hand-carved statues and dramatic masks provide a sense of magical animation that transports the shopper to an untamed land thousands of miles away. “Our hand-made masks are works of art from the west coast of Africa,” said store owner Mohammad Musbahi. “The circumcision mask is spiritual in nature, and is designed to protect those who endure the procedure.” Diverse in meaning, each mask and statue represents a dance or ceremony that supports power, prosperity, victory at battle and bountiful harvests. The shop also carries a large selection of beautiful ethnic jewelry, ceramics, blankets and other sundries. Interested in finding out more? Contact Musbahi at 267-740-2253. Does “dark and macabre” pique your curiosity? The Creeper Gallery, 7 W. Bridge St., is definitely the place for you. Packed from floor to ceiling with Gothic fine art and other “peculiars,” this Victorian gallery has an aesthetic that revolves around anything creepy, ominous and unusual. Owners Danielle Deveroux and D.L. Marian offer a unique gallery experience that allows one to get in touch with his or her dark side. Items on display include a small boy’s partial skeleton, baby dolls in locked cages, rouge PAGE 36
The Craft The teen horror thriller is screened 9:45 p.m. May 20 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. n
Notices Send notices at least one week in advance to: Out & About Listings, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 fax: 215-925-6437; or e-mail: listings@epgn.com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.
LOVE SAVES THE DAY IN NEW HOPE Photo: Scott A. Drake
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
PGN BUCKS COUNTY
Music, fun and fare keep Irish culture thriving in New Hope By Jeff Solimando PGN Contributor
Guide to the Gayborhood
The Philadelphia Gayborhood is roughly centered at 12th and Camac streets. Look for the rainbow street signs at intersections and remember to be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. Boxers
1330 Walnut St. facebook.com/ boxersphl Sports bar with multiple plasma tvs, pool table, brick oven, djs
m
<—
m
Rosewood
200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com Sports bar / drag shows and bar food
202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com American-style bar food and large dance floor
m m
The Bike Stop
Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; secondfloor pool table and big-screen sports action
Walnut St. Chancellor St.
m
m
St. James St.
m Locust St.
m Manning St.
m
Quince St.
Latimer St.
12th St.
<—
Camac St.
m
11th St.
MAIN STREET VIEW OF DUBLINER ON THE DELAWARE Photo: Scott A. Drake
“I’ve been here since they started,” says Diarmuid MacSuibhne (pronounced MacSweeney), manager of The Dubliner on the Delaware. “I came in to see if they were in need of entertainment, and immediately found myself on this rotation of playing live music for 30 minutes then bussing tables for 30 minutes after that.” MacSuibhne, a native of Baile Bhurine, County Cork, Ireland, is a professional musician and teacher whose forte lies in extracting Irish music from its traditional roots and placing a modern twist on it. “That’s how the entertainment at The Dubliner started to create its own special niche,” said MacSuibhne. “My Baile Bhurine style of music was complimenting Robby’s [Lynch] PAGE 36
Tabu
Woody’s
1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Cozy, panelled bar with dj and high-end cocktails
13th St.
Welcome to New Hope, or as the Irish might say, “Fáilte go dtí ar bhaile!” Establishing itself here in the early 1830s, New Hope’s Irish community began growing as the Delaware and Raritan Canal project started expanding. Mostly migratory immigrants, Irish workers who settled here were hired to hand-dig the feeder canal at Lambertville, N.J., which was 22 miles long, 50 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The going was tough but so were the Irish and they survived. Tis’ true, green beer may not flow through the streets of New Hope, but its Irish culture remains a sparkling green emerald deeply embedded into the mosaic of this wonderfully diverse town. Business partners Robert Lynch, wife Margaret and Mike Scully strive to keep a genuine cultural approach incorporated into their recent venture. Owners of the popular Irish restaurant The Dubliner on the Delaware, all three are intent on celebrating their Irish heritage through how they run their business. Scully hails from Derrybrien, County Galway, and Lynch from Dublin and both ironically ended up marrying two sisters named Sullivan. Son of famous Irish musician Bobby Lynch, Robert Lynch used the name of his father’s renowned band The Dubliners as inspiration for the name of the pub. Taking up residence at the venue formally known as Mothers, the restaurant opened this past September and has already proven to be a sought-after destination with a loyal and growing clientele. Whether it’s the quaint atmosphere, loft-style seating, scenic views of North Main Street or authentic Irish fare, customers keep coming back for more. The bartender’s thick Irish brogue adds an air of authenticity to the festive atmosphere.
The
Juniper St.
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r r Spruce St.
William Way LGBT Community Center
1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org
A resource for all things LGBT
Voyeur
1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub.com After-hours private club; membership required
U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660
Relaxing corner bar, easy-going crowd, popular for happy hour and window watching
Tavern on Camac West of Broad Street Stir Lounge
1705 Chancellor St. 215.732.2700 stirphilly.com Fun two-bar lounge, DJ in the back, regular poker games and specials
255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Piano lounge with upstairs dance floor; Tavern restaurant in the basement.
Knock 225 S. 12th St. 215.925.1166 knockphilly.com Fine -dining restaurant and bar with outdoor seating (weather permitting)
ICandy
254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com Three floors with a total of six bars; dance floor, lounge and rootop deck.
The Attic Youth Center
255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org Safe space and programs for LGBTs age 16-23 weekday afternoons and evenings
Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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BUCKS PGN COUNTY
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
BOUTIQUES from page 33
• Cosmetic dentistry • Crowns • Implants • Veneers • Whitening
High quality dental treatment and preventive care
Andrea V. Cronin, DDS Craig T. Wakefield, DDS Proudly serving the LGBT community and PWA for over 25 years. Medical Towers Building • Suite 2306 255 S. 17th St., Philadelphia, Pa 19103 (215) 732-8080 Evening hours available.
taxidermy, creepy life-sized figures and a quiet “viewing room,” complete with a decedent laid out in her coffin. “Zak Bagans, host of the Travel Channel’s ‘Ghost Adventures’ is purchasing numerous items from our store,” said Jon Palestini, gallery staffer. “He’s opening a haunted museum in Vegas and is showcasing a large portion of our inventory.” Evidently, The Creeper Gallery and its contents have a reputation that far exceeds the city limits of picturesque New Hope. More about The Creeper Gallery can be found at www.thecreepergallery.com, or by calling 484-HOW-VILE. Is pure vintage the name of your game? Then Love Saves the Day, 1 Main St., should be on your shopping list. It’s probably no coincidence the initials “LSD” are in the name of this quirky shop because part of Love Saves the Day is a true psychedelic sanctuary. Full of nostalgia and vintage clothing, the shop was originally opened in Manhattan in 1966. Love Saves the Day also features items from other fashionable eras and displays its vast inventory in the form of a colorful floor-to-ceiling collage of period styles that shoppers can spend hours sifting through.
CULTURE from page 34
Dublin musical roots, and Mike’s [Scully] style from west of Ireland near Galway.” Together, the three possess an extensive knowledge of Irish history and all are familiar with incorporating the Celtic language into the traditional Irish music they entertain with. This combination, according to MacSuibhne, “just kind of melted everything together” to help create the most authentic Irish restaurant and pub in Bucks County. MacSuibhne concluded with a chuckle: “And it’s never a bad idea to have someone behind the bar who knows how to pour a pint of Guinness the correct way.” The Dubliner’s calendar of events details all of the pub’s musical happenings by month. Standing events include live music each Friday between 8-10 p.m. Word about The Dubliner’s musical venue is spreading fast among musical artists too. Musicians and bands are quickly lining up to fill the pub’s summer calendar. Scheduled performers for May include (but may not be limited to): Acoustic Martin, Oliver McElhone, NaBodach Band, Gerry Timlin, Raymond McGroary and Ray Coleman. Authenticity at The Dubliner on the Delaware isn’t limited to just entertainment. The menu sports Irish fare that is quite delicious and prepared by a team of talented chefs who prepare each meal with authentic Irish ingredients. Classic dishes like shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash and corned beef and cabbage tempt the palate, along with a varied selection of domestic fare. “There’s a decent amount of American
Vintage dresses and fur coats wallpaper the perimeter of the store, while accessories, wigs and scarves dangle from the ceiling. Antique toys rest alongside glass display cases that house costume jewelry, vinyl records and aged Playboy magazines. “Speaking of display cases, the one I’m standing behind was in the movie ‘Desperately Seeking Susan,’” said store manager Stasia. “Madonna actually leaned against this very case in the film, and fans still come into the store to pay homage to it. One fan actually licked the case.” Apparently, it looks like anyone and everyone can have a fantastic experience at Love Saves the Day. Learn more about the shop at www.facebook.com/lsdnewhope or call 215-862-1399. Mind you, this is a small sampling of the endless oddities and surprises hidden within the nooks, niches and cubbyholes of New Hope’s eclectic shops. In order to truly grasp the assortment of odd wonders tucked away here, one must come to town and be prepared to have a marvelous time searching for something that can’t be found anywhere else. Whether it’s considered freak, geek or chic, the merchants of New Hope are sure to have it hidden somewhere. n
items on the menu,” MacSuibhne said. “Robby, Margaret and Mike carefully created the menu and we think it has the perfect amount of Irish with an American veneer and vice-versa.” The Dubliner on the Delaware is a cultural experience that one must experience first-hand. Located at 34 N. Main St., the restaurant hours are 11 a.m.-close. The “Paddy’O” is now open and features a charming outdoor dining area and bar. More information can be found by visiting www.thedublinernewhope.com or calling 215-693-1816. Celt-lberia Traders at 52 S. Main St. is yet another porthole of Irish culture here in New Hope. A “one-and-only”-type gallery, owners Richard Cordover and Mike Burns feature the culturally distinctive art and craftwork of both Ireland and Spain. Located in the 1750 Parry Barn, this marvelous shop overflows with unusual items of authentic Celtic design, unusual Spanish and Irish ceramics, woodwork and traditional apparel. Irish sweaters, scarves, hats and capes adorn the walls, while both traditional and cutting-edge Irish and Celtic jewelry fill the display cases. “Currently, we have available a selection of more than 300 traditional Irish wedding bands, which people seem to really love,” Burns said. Celt-lberia’s blog boasts amazing historical information about its products and how they came to New Hope. Visit the store on the web at www.celtiberiatraders.com or call 215-862-4922. Store hours are 11 a.m.5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The shop is closed Tuesdays. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
PORTRAIT from page 31
PGN: What’s the most homophobic thing you’ve witnessed as a straight person? SS: An example … I was once walking with my girlfriend at the time and we were holding hands. We’re both pretty femme-presenting and a few guys started whistling and cat calling. Two friends of ours were walking behind us and they looked at one half of that couple and started making comments about her being an ugly butch dyke. What they didn’t realize was that the woman they were harassing was actually a straight guy! He was a guitar player with long rocker hair but they assumed he was a really masculine woman because he was with us! He didn’t even realize what was happening until I told him he’d just been gaybashed. PGN: Oh my gosh! That just shows the limits of human perception. Human beings always want to draw circles around groups of people and put them in categories, but those circles never hold up. People are not static; we’re always moving around. Plus, like in your case, things are not always what you presume them to be! Back to you, you’ve worked on some great films like “Trembling Before G-d” and “Public Weapon,” which was screened at a Black Panther festival. Say what? SS: Yeah, “Trembling” was when I was a little baby intern, but “Public Weapon” came about because I started and ran a group in New York called Eye Witness video. Pre-9/11, I was involved with a lot of the protests against the WTO and globalization, etc., as well as Bush’s first convention in Philly. I started it because the police could be really rough and I wanted it documented and I wanted us to know our rights. We trained and dispatched people to do cop-watching at demonstrations and put out a manual for safety. A lot of times, people were getting written up on fake charges so we’d send the footage to the National Lawyers Guild to defend protestors. We had so much footage showing police brutality, we decided to do a doc and had it narrated by Kathleen Cleaver, activist and wife
of Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver. PGN: And you taught school as well? SS: Yes, I taught gender studies at the College of New Jersey. Everyone has to take a GS class, even if you’re a math major, so it was interesting. One of the classes combined gender and technology so we studied things like how technology affected patriarchy, surveillance and security and who controls the technology. That was my passion course. PGN: I was just watching the woman at Target who chased after a guy she’d seen taping women in dressing rooms. She chased him across the parking lot and videotaped him and his car for the police. SS: Aside from them being time suckers, cell phones have been very liberating for women in many ways. The safety you feel being able to call 911 or a friend when walking at night is game-changing. That goes for everyone. PGN: Let’s do some random questions. What’s your sign and what was your best birthday? SS: I’m a Libra. And my best birthday was my 25th birthday. You’re going to want this birthday. My friend took me into the city to see this artist, Peter Witkin, who was having a retrospective at the Guggenheim. Then we went to see an incredible film, “Lessons in Darkness,” and we were seated behind Susan Sontag and Annie Leibowitz! I mean, they were the ultimate power couple. [Laughs] Between the brilliance on screen and right in front of me, I was like, Oh yeah, I’m 25! PGN: Any pets and what interview question would you ask them? SS: I have a cat named Cleo and I think she tells me everything already. Her cuteness says it all. PGN: What person would you want to interview? SS: Not interview, but I’d love to have a conversation with Gloria Steinem — if I could find the courage to get any words out.
PGN
PGN: What advice would you give to one of your students coming out? SS: Oh they’re light years ahead of any advice I could give. My older sister came out in the ’80s and my younger sister came out more recently and their experiences are radically different. My students come out and find communities and resources on the Internet, people to meet and support, so I don’t know what advice I’d give other than my personal support. PGN: Are they your only siblings? SS: [Laughs] No, I’m one of eight. PGN: What’s your stripper name (your first pet’s name and street where you were born)? SS: Dopey Aspen! Not very pornalicious! PGN: Spell it Ass-pen, that might help. So are you still looking for contributions for the projects? SS: Yes! People should check out the website (retro-scope.com). It’s very easy to search around or upload your own stories, pictures or video. I’d also encourage people to check out www. nowherebutherefilm.com. You’ll see the pictures we spoke about as well as some great videos! PGN: Fab. So will I see you out for New Hope Celebrates? SS: Of course! There’s something going on every day between May 15-22. They kickoff with the unfurling of the 15-by-25-foot rainbow equality flag and have everything from cocktail contests to barbeques to drag shows to Big Wig BINGO to openmic night — all during the first part of the week. Then we wrap up with a program on justice with Angela Giampolo, who also writes for the PGN, as well as a comedy show, the Pride fair and parade on Saturday, CeCe Peniston at The Raven and a Ladies 2000 party on Sunday. Everybody come out! n For more information, visit www.newhopecelebrates.com. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
Q Puzzle Legendary Lesbian Across
1. Instrument with several G-strings 5. Toon Le Pew 9. Long, hard one of construction workers 14. Israeli author Oz 15. Star quality 16. Fosse field 17. Able to bend over 18. “The Unicorn” author Murdoch 19. Standing up straight 20. Legendary lesbian name once of Lansing 23. Start of an online view 24. Part of UTEP 25. Locale of valuable stones 29. Playful mammal 31. Bottom’s cry 33. “QAF” network 36. Wear at the edges 37. Become like a bear 38. Legendary lesbian name once of Fort Lauderdale 40. Legendary lesbian name once of Philadelphia
41. “About Cherry” director Stephen 42. Trial run 43. NYPD rank 44. Succeeds a la Log Cabin 45. Needed some BenGay 47. Kind of IRA 48. “Etta ___” (old comic strip) 50. What an athletic supporter might do? 53. Legendary lesbian name once of Portland 57. _One of Ours_ novelist Cather 60. Drag queen Gene 61. Fey of “30 Rock” 62. Poet Dickinson 63. Charged particles 64. Out partner 65. Events at Barneys 66. Petrol station choice 67. They wave their sticks in Cincinnati
Down
1. Shakespeare’s own? 2. Greek theater opening 3. Composer Ned 4. Anthony Perkins flick of 1960
5. Two of a kind 6. Pole, for one 7. Early contest for Hillary 8. Lets up 9. Head output 10. Big yellow fruit 11. WSW opposite 12. Jock org. for UNC 13. Trysted 21. Come quickly, with “it” 22. Catch in the North Atlantic 26. Quit, with “out” 27. Brand for cutting leaves of grass 28. Adolf’s intimate Rohm 30. Russian friend of Kahlo 32. Indiana Fever’s conference 33. Look from Snidely Whiplash 34. Greeting for Dolly
35. One of the little hooters 39. Williams of “Brokeback Mountain” 40. Citrus fruit parts 42. Skin decorations 46. Arizona, on “Grey’s Anatomy,” e.g. 49. Beatles manager Brian’s nickname 51. Kind of drab 52. Adjusted guitar strings 54. G of PFLAG 55. Errol Flynn’s “The Sun ___ Rises” 56. Four of the answers in this puzzle 57. Bentley of “American Beauty” 58. “_ ___ Yankee Doodle Dandy” 59. Like a one-incher, in Dogpatch
PGN
Classifieds All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any realestate advertising that is in violation of any applicable law.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Lumberville: Enjoy cocktails in the tree house and watch the sun set overlooking the Delaware River just north of New Hope. Room after room of remarkable interiors with rich historical details, windows and French doors galore and a new top-grade kitchen. Romantic main suite. Sunroom; 3 fireplaces; guest quarters. A beautifully terraced rear yard includes a patio, deck, fire pit and zip line! Kurfiss.com/6730751 $1,000,000
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FIELDSTONE
New Hope: Walkable to New Hope, this turnkey 3BR townhouse with new roof, new flooring, new appliances, new kitchen counters and new master bath vanity. It is one of the few in the community with a walkout basement. Open-plan main living space; a large eat-in kitchen opens to a den with fireplace. Ask agent for info on other units in desirable Fieldstone coming on the market shortly! Kurfiss.com/6772253 $395,000
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Legal Notices Pursuant to §128.85 of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Title 7 regulations, GROWMARK FS, LLC. hereby gives notice of ground application of “Restricted Use Pesticides” for the protection of agricultural crops in municipalities in Pennsylvania during the next 45 days. Residents of contiguous property to our application sites should contact your local GROWMARK FS, LLC. facility for additional information. Concerned Citizens should contact: Michael Layton, MGR. Safety & Environment, mlayton@ growmarkfs.com GROWMARK FS, LLC. 308 N.E. Front Street, Milford, DE 19963. Call 302-422-3002. ________________________________________40-20
THE PERFECT WEEKENDER
Summer, fall, winter, spring…this sophisticated cottage is classic Bucks County, tucked away off a quiet little road overlooking woods and pond. Its three levels are beautifully renovated with modern amenities, including an updated kitchen with fireplace, fabulous main suite, dining room with wall of windows overlooking the gardens. A hidden gem! 2BR/2BA. Solebury Township Kurfiss.com/6777213 $549,000
AQUETONG SCHOOL HOUSE
This c. 1869 schoolhouse on almost 1 acre overlooks a park. Dramatic 13’ ceilings on the first floor, huge windows and hardwood floors are the perfect canvas for creating your Bucks County getaway no matter your design style. Stone fireplace in the living room; formal dining room; sunroom; first-floor bedroom with two bedrooms upstairs. A charmer! 3BR/1.1BA. New Hope Kurfiss.com/6767608 $424,500
JOE MCCABE 267.980.8346 KURFISS.COM 215.735.2225
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Each Office Independently Owned/Operated.All Rights Reserved. SIR® is a licensed trademark to SIRA, Inc.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
Friends Men 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. ________________________________________40-29 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________40-21 Senior WM ISO same who would like to be orally serviced. Must be patient; I am very inexperienced. Call Bill at 856655-4013. NJ only, please. ________________________________________40-20
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Religion/Spirituality Arch Street United Methodist Church Services 8:30 and 11 a.m. at 55 N. Broad St.; youth/adult Sunday school at 9:30 a.m.; 5:30 p.m. prayer service; 215-568-6250. Bethlehem-Judah Ministries Open and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 5091 N. Dupont Hwy., Suite D, Dover, Del.; 302-750-4045. BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Church Services 10:15 a.m. at 2040 Street Road, Warrington; 215-343-0406. Calvary United Methodist Church Reconciling, welcoming and affirming church holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 801 S. 48th St.; 215-724-1702. Central Baptist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds services at 10:45 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:30 a.m, at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-0664. Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church Services 11 a.m. and Spirit at Play, an arts-based Sunday school for children, 9:30 a.m. at 8812 Germantown Ave.; 215-242-9321.
Metropolitan Community Church of Christ the Liberator Holds services 10:45 a.m. Sundays at the Pride Center of New Jersey; 732-823-2193, mccctl.com. Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia Services 1 p.m. Sundays at the University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, 3637 Chestnut St.; 215-294-2020, www.mccphiladelphia. com. Old First Reformed Church Open and affirming United Church worships at 11 a.m., summer services at 10 a.m, at 151 N. Fourth St.; 215-922-4566, www. oldfirstucc.org. Penns Park United Methodist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park; 215-598-7601. Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral Progressive and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays with Holy Eucharist at 3723 Chestnut St.; 215-386-0234, www.philadelphiacathedral.org. Rainbow Buddhist Meditation Group Meets 5 p.m. Sundays at William Way.
Church of the Crucifixion Inclusive Episcopal community holds services 10 a.m. Sundays and 6 p.m. Fridays at 620 S. Eighth St.; 215-922-1128.
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting worships 11 a.m., summer services 10 a.m, Sundays at 1515 Cherry St.; 215-241-7000, cpmm@ afsc.org.
Church of the Holy Trinity Inclusive church holds services 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays at 1904 Walnut St.; 215-567-1267.
Resurrection Lutheran Church Services 10 a.m. Sundays at 620 Welsh Road, Horsham; 215-6462597.
Congregation Rodeph Shalom Shabbat services every Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at 615 N. Broad St. ; 215-627-6747.
Silverside Church Services 10 a.m. Sundays followed by a group discussion at 2800 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Del.; 302-478-5921, silversidechurch. org.
Dignity Jersey Shore An organization for sexual-minority Catholics meets the first Saturday of the month in Asbury Park; 732-502-0305. Dignity Metro NJ An organization for sexual-minority Catholics meets 4 p.m. the first and third Sundays of the month at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 550 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood; 973-509-0118. Dignity Philadelphia Holds Mass 7 p.m. Sundays at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-546-2093, dignityphila@aol.com. Drexel Hill Baptist Church Nonjudgmental Christian congregation affiliated with American Baptist Churches of the USA holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 4400 State Road, Drexel Hill; 610-259-2356, www.dhbaptist.com. Emanuel Lutheran Church Reconciling in Christ congregation meets at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:30 a.m., New and Kirkpatrick streets, New Brunswick, N.J.; 732-545-2673; www.emmanuelnb.org. Evangelicals Concerned Lesbian and gay Christian counseling; 215-860-7445. First Baptist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds prayer services 10:30 a.m. Sundays and community worship 11:30 a.m. at 123 S. 17th St.; 215-563-3853. First Baptist Church of Moorestown Welcoming and affirming congregation holds Bible study and discussion at 9 a.m. Sundays and worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays at 19 W. Main St., Moorestown, N.J.; 856-235-1180; www. fbcmoorestown.org; info@fbcmoorestown.org. First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne Welcoming church holds services at 10 a.m. Sundays at 140 N. Lansdowne Ave.; 610-622-0800; www.lansdownepresbyterian-church. com. First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia A liberal, welcoming and diverse congregation that affirms the dignity of all. Sunday services at 10 a.m., 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-563-3980, www.firstuu-philly.org.
St. Asaph’s Church Inclusive and progressive Episcopal church holds services 8 and 10 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:15 a.m., at 27 Conshohocken State Road, Bala Cynwyd; 610-664-0966, www.saintasaphs.org. St. John’s Lutheran Church (ELCA) Reconciling in Christ congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 24 N. Ridge Ave., Ambler; 215-646-2451, www.stjohnsambler.org. St. Luke and The Epiphany Church Open and welcoming church holds fall liturgy 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays, summer sevices 10 a.m., at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-732-1918, stlukeandtheepiphany.org. St. Mary of Grace Parish Inclusive church in the Catholic tradition celebrates Mass 6 p.m. Sundays in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road, Media; 610-566-1393, www. inclusivecatholics.org. St. Mary’s Church Diverse and inclusive Episcopal church celebrates the Eucharist 11 a.m. Sundays at 3916 Locust Walk; 215-386-3916; www. stmarysatpenn.org. St. Paul Episcopal Church Welcoming and inclusive church holds services 9:30 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Tuesdays at 89 Pinewood Drive, Levittown; 215-688-1796, www.stpaullevittown.org. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Welcoming and diverse congregation with numerous outreach and fellowship groups holds services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday at Third and Pine streets; 215-925-5968; www.stpetersphila.org. Tabernacle United Church Open and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 3700 Chestnut St.; 215-386-4100, tabunited.org. Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church Sunday worship with nursery care, 10:30 a.m. and fourth Thursday of the month contemporary worship with Communion at 7 p.m. at 2212 Spruce St.; 215-732-2515, trinityphiladelphia.org.
The First United Methodist Church of Germantown A sexual-minority-affirming congregation holds services at 10 a.m., summer services 11 a.m., Sundays, with lunch to follow, at 6001 Germantown Ave.; 215-438-3077, www.fumcog.org.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County Welcoming congregation holds services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. Sundays, summer services 10:30 a.m., at 145 W. Rose Tree Road, Media. Interweave, a group for LGBT parishioners and allies, meets 12:30 p.m. the third Sunday of the month and holds a potluck brunch 12:30 p.m. the first Sunday of the month; 610-566-4853. www.uucdc.org.
Grace Epiphany Church A welcoming and diverse Episcopal congregation in Mt. Airy with services 9:30 a.m. Sundays at 224 E. Gowen Ave.; 215-248-2950, www.grace-epi.org.
Unitarian Society of Germantown Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 6511 Lincoln Drive; 215-844-1157, www.usguu.org.
Holy Communion Lutheran Church ELCA Reconciling in Christ congregation worships 9 a.m. Sundays at 2111 Sansom St. and 11 a.m. at 2110 Chestnut St. in the main sanctuary; 215-567-3668, www.lc-hc.org. Imago Dei Metropolitan Community Church Sexual-minority congregation worships at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 1223 Middletown Road (Route 352), Glen Mills; 610-358-1716, www. ImagoDeiMCC.org. Living Water United Church of Christ An open and affirming congregation that meets for worship 11 a.m. on Sundays at 6250 Loretto Ave.; 267-388-6081, www.lwucc.org. Kol Tzedek Reconstructionist synagogue committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community meets at Calvary Center, 801 S. 48th St.; 215764-6364, www.kol-tzedek.org. Mainline Unitarian Church Holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon; 610-688-8332, www.mluc.org. Maple Shade Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ Affirming congregation open to all sexual orientations and gender identities holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 45 N. Forklanding Road, Maple Shade, N.J.; 856-779-7739, mapleshadeucc.org.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Cherry Hill Services 10:15 a.m. Interweave, a group of LGBT Unitarians and their allies, meets at 401 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, N.J.; 856-6673618, uucch.org. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration Welcoming congregation holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 6900 Stenton Ave.; 215-247-2561, www.uurestoration.us. Unitarian Universalist Congregation, South Jersey Shore Services 10 a.m. Sundays in Galloway Township; 609-965-9400, www.uucsjs.org. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Pottstown Services 10:30 a.m. at 1565 S. Keim St.; 610-327-2662, www. uupottstown.org. United Christian Church Open, affirming and welcoming congregation holds services 10:15 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:15 a.m., at 8525 New Falls Road, Levittown; 215-946-6800. Unity Fellowship Church of Philadelphia Diverse, affirming LGBT congregation holds services 2 p.m. Sundays at 55 N. Broad St.; 215-240-6106. University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 3637 Chestnut St. preceded by “Adult Forum: Sundays” at 9:30 a.m.; 215387-2885, www.uniphila.org.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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Community Bulletin Board Community centers
■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044, center@dolphin. upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. MondayThursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088
■ Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Activities held 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.
■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Key numbers
■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377
■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org
■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221
■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378
■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851 ■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330
■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Office of LGBT Affairs — Director Nellie Fitzpatrick: 215-6860330; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov
■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670
Health
Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 215-763-8870. ActionAIDS Provides a range of programs for people affected by HIV/ AIDS, including case management, prevention, testing and education services at 1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088, www. actionaids.org. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871, www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite
■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090, www.galloplaw.org. ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly busi-
108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652, www. mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Philadelphia FIGHT Comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines; 1233 Locust St.; 215985-4448; www.fight.org. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, rapid HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.
Professional groups nesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.org/ philly; philly@nlgja.org.
■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus Regional organization dedicated to promoting LGBT tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region, meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; 215-8402039, www.philadelphiagaytourism.com.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com May 13-19, 2016
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