pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 40 No. 23 June 3-9, 2016
Family Portrait: Jaymie Campbell talks trans health
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Community members sound off on GOAL stepping down as Pride marshal
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Richard Blanco gives a word up for chorus
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Pride grand marshal dustup continues By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com
FIELD OF COURAGE: Hundreds of sports enthusiasts and supporters turned out for the second-annual Courage Game Sunday at Penn Park on the campus of University of Pennsylvania. The all-day lacrosse tournament featured six matchups and included girls’ teams for the first time. The event was conceived of by local youth lacrosse player Braden Lange and his family after Lange faced bullying for coming out. The Langes launched the nonprofit Courage Game to counter homophobia in sports. Photo: Patrick Hagerty
MontCo trans youth granted name change By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A Montgomery County trans boy last week was granted a legal name change, almost a year after his initial petition was filed in court. The youth, identified as Aidan, was 16 in September when Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Bernard A. Moore denied the name-change petition, without explanation. Aidan recently filed a new petition under seal. After a brief hearing May 25, Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Joseph A. Smyth granted the change. Molly Tack-Hooper, an ACLU attorney who represented Aidan, was pleased with the outcome. “It’s a good day at the office,” she said. “I’m sorry Aidan had to go through the disappointment of the first name-change petition. But I hope that trans youth will take heart and see that justice can be done, with allies on their side.” Tack-Hooper spoke with admiration
about her client. “Aidan is a typical high-school boy,” Tack-Hooper noted. “He has plenty on his mind other than legal proceedings. I’m glad he doesn’t have to stress about this issue anymore and get back to just living his life and finishing up high school.” The attorney expressed hope that other trans youth will be inspired by Aidan’s struggle. “Obviously no one is happier about today’s result than Aidan but hopefully it will have a broader impact on other trans youth,” she added. Tack-Hooper represented Aidan and his mother at the May 25 hearing in Norristown, along with Michelin Cahill, another attorney at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. Aidan’s mother, who asked to be identified as Melissa, issued this statement about Smyth’s ruling: “After waiting eight agonizing months for my son to have a name that matches his gender expression, I am absolutely elated! A tremendous weight was lifted from my PAGE 14 Momma Bear shoulders
The Greater Philadelphia Gay Officer Action League, called GOAL, will no longer lead the Pride parade next week. The LGBT law-enforcement officials from the city and suburbs withdrew from the position of grand marshal May 27, after a petition circulated last month calling for the group’s removal. “The community has spoken, and GOAL has listened,” the organization said in a statement. “Therefore, it is with great regret that GOAL declines this honor.” The statement further noted that GOAL is for any LGBTQ-identified criminal justice, corrections, firefighting, EMS and military personnel. Started last year, the group currently includes police, probation and parole officers and sheriff’s deputies from Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery counties. “To represent such a varied and diverse community within the pillars of law enforcement is a monumental task, but one we must accomplish,” the group stated. “In doing so, we have to do it not in opposition to our community, but in concert with it … GOAL will not accept this honor until the community, loudly and proudly, decides we have earned it.”
LGBT employees of the city of Philadelphia will continue to serve as grand marshals. GOAL and city employees were announced as joint parade leaders in April. GOAL members said in the statement they will still attend Pride festivities as community members and would continue working to earn the community’s respect. The statement noted the 20-year history of LGBT law-enforcement officers meeting in Philadelphia before they had the courage to come out in an organized group. At a board meeting May 25 for Philly Pride Presents, the group that organizes Pride, members spent over an hour discussing the petition and their meeting with petitioners earlier that night, said Franny Price, executive director of Philly Pride. But some longtime members could not attend, and the board did not take a vote on whether to rescind GOAL’s invitation. “They did what they felt was right for the community,” Price said of GOAL’s decision. “They were very humble to do this. What they did was really honor what they heard the community wanted.” Price said Pride has historically had a few officers join the latter part of the parade, and GOAL members are welcome to do that this year. “The nature of the parade is always about PAGE 14 visibility,” she said.
Defendant in Jenkins murder to get medical eval The man accused in the murder of transgender woman Keisha Jenkins will be evaluated by a medical expert, according to public defenders on the case. Pedro Redding, 25, has stopped taking medication for an undisclosed ailment during his time in custody at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the defense said at a pre-trial conference May 31. The next court date is set for July 13. “By that time, I want the report from [the doctor],” said Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Lillian Ransom. The defense also said they were still working on completing discovery of the evidence in the case. Defense attorney Geoffrey Kilroy told Ransom in early May that he was miss-
ing forensic evidence and police paperwork. Redding, of the 4500 block of North 13th Street, is charged with murder, conspiracy and robbery in connection with the Oct. 6 fatal shooting of Jenkins, 22. He was denied bail and has been in custody since his arrest. Jenkins was assaulted by several men in Logan after getting out of a car at 13th and Wingohocking streets around 2:30 a.m. She was shot twice in the back during the attack. Police do not believe Redding was the shooter, and no further arrests have been made. Police said the motive was robbery and there’s no evidence to indicate Jenkins was targeted for being transgender. n — Paige Cooperstein