En Blanco y Negro: Gay & Boricua debuts
Singer gives back to HIV/ AIDS group
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Local diver fundraising for Worlds in Russia PAGE 67
family Portrait: Jim O’Toole on judging Pride PAGE 69
Drescher and Newell set to wow crowds PAGES 59-61
June 12-18, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 24
Two arrested in murder of gay man By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Two acquaintances of a gay Philadelphia man were arrested this week for his murder, which investigators are calling a drug-related robbery gone bad.
Philadelphia Police arrested Thomas Brennan, 25, on Monday in connection with the beating and stabbing death of Scott Bernheisel.
Crystal Leibhart, 27, was also arrested and charged with robbery and related offenses. Bernheisel’s body was found May 28 in a suitcase in Essington, near the Philadelphia International Airport. The Delaware County medical examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt-force trauma to the head; he had also been stabbed in the neck. Investigators say Brennan killed Bernheisel during a robbery May 22 in the 200 block of Wilder Street in Pennsport, where Bernheisel, 41, whose most recent address was in the 900 block of Carpenter Street, was temporarily living. B o t h PAGE 39
Pride expected to set records By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Every summer, thousands of LGBTs and allies from across the region gather in Philadelphia for an unforgettable Pride weekend. Whether it’s your first time or your 10th, this year’s festivities promise to take the entertainment to the next level. The 27th Philly Pride Presents parade and festival will take place June 14. The parade will start at 11:30 a.m. at 13th and Locust streets and end at approximately 1 p.m. at Penn’s Landing. Admission to the festival is $15. “We’re excited; this is going to be the best year ever,” said Philly Pride Presents executive director Franny Price. “We already have 72 groups in the parade — the most ever. And there are going to be several more. We have also sold out all our vendor space.
We’re completely full.” Price said the event has been gaining in size each year. “Each year we grow. We are a victim of our own success. We have to work extra hard to provide reasons for 25,000 people to stay,” she joked. “People can be entertained or entertain themselves — it’s all there.” Before Sunday’s festivities, you can get the weekend started with the fourth-annual Kick-Off Block Party, 6-10 p.m. June 12 at 12th and Locust streets. Refreshments, food and entertainment will be provided. Discounted $10 festival tickets will also be available to purchase. Coincidentally, June 14 is also National Flag Day. In honor of the holiday, paratroopers will drop down onto Independence Mall at 11:30 a.m., so get to the Pride judges’ PAGE 39
Dr. Levine confirmed by Senate By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
THAT’S THE TICKET: Philadelphia Senior Center’s Monique French-Brown and Julie Nelson geared up for Black-Tie GayBINGO! June 7 at the Crystal Tea Room with volunteers Rob and Sean. The event, moved to June this year from its usual April date because of scheduling, raises money for the HIV/AIDS causes supported by AIDS Fund; fundraising tallies were not finalized as of presstime. AIDS Fund executive director Robb Reichard called the event a “hit,” noting the Bingo-Verifying Divas “outdid themselves with creative fun and a spectacular dance number. Awards were given to the Wistar Institute, Philadelphia Senior Center and Preston & Steve Show. Reichard said a highlight of the night was the six team members from Preston & Steve arriving in tuxes and dresses representing the colors of the rainbow, a heartening message from the “open-minded team that has been incredibly supportive of AIDS Walk Philly and all the AIDS Fund events for many years.” Photo: Scott A. Drake
The Pennsylvania Senate on Tuesday unanimously confirmed Dr. Rachel Levine’s nomination as the state’s physician general. Levine has been in the role in an acting capacity since Gov. Tom Wolf appointed her in the beginning of the year. She is the highest-ranking openly transgender public official in the state and the first trans person to hold a top government post in Pennsylvania. “It’s very gratifying,” she told PGN Wednesday. “I was absolutely thrilled. Gov. Wolf didn’t shy away from nominating me because I’m an openly PAGE 39
Rainbow crosswalks to be installed in late June By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The long-awaited rainbow crosswalks coming to the Gayborhood will be installed the last week in June. Philly Pride Presents executive director Franny Price told PGN installation will begin at the end of the month and wrap up in time for an unveiling and press conference July 4. “We just confirmed the color choices and they are going to do a color test soon just to make sure,” Price said. “We’ve been told it will take a couple days to install, as it is difficult to remove the old
asphalt.” The crosswalks, eight in total, will be painted at the intersections of 12th and Locust and 13th and Locust streets. Price said the ceremony will likely take place at 11 a.m. and feature several honored guests, including rainbow-flag creator Gilber Baker and John James — a participant in the Annual Reminder Day protests, one of the nation’s earliest LGBT-rights demonstrations — who will be the first people to walk across the crosswalks. John Herzins, deputy commissioner of the Department of Public PAGE 38 Property, and
A WELCOME SIGHT: The transgender Pride flag flew over Philadelphia City Hall from June 4-8. The first-ever flag-raising drew more than 250 spectators, many of whom walked in unison from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where the first day of the Philadelphia TransHealth Conference was taking place. The initiative was organized by the city’s director of LGBT Affairs, Nellie Fitzpatrick, and is expected to become an annual effort. Photo: Scott A. Drake
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
PRIDE
Join Macy’s as we Celebrate Family + Friends + Love + Life + Equality + Respect We are proud to join the parade across America in honor of National Pride Month. We think it’s really something to celebrate. Plus, join us in supporting The Trevor Project this year! The Trevor Project provides life-saving crisis intervention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
F O R M O R E D E T A I L S visit
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Weekly features
News&Opinion 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Letters/Feedback Mark My Words Street Talk 24 — Crime Watch 26-27 — Bulletin Board 36-37 — PGN locater 40 — News Briefing 45 — Media Trail
AC &
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C o l u m n s
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Family Portrait Scene in Philly Out & About Q Puzzle Comics
33 — Out Money: Caring for parents 33 — Thinking Queerly: Pride 67 — Get Out and Play: Diving into Russia
Classifieds 86 — Real Estate 93 — Personals
From the beach to the boardwalk, Asbury Park showed its Pride last weekend.
STAGE SUCCESS: The Philadelphia Voices of Pride took the stage June 6 at Trinity Center for Urban Life. The concert, “Brahms & Broadway,” featured music by the famed composer as well as selections from hit Broadway shows, such as “Avenue Q,” “Into the Woods” and “Newsies.” PVOP is holding auditions for new members June 30 and Aug. 18 and 23; to arrange an audition, email pvopmembership@ gmail.com. Photo: Scott A. Drake
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This week in PGN 6 — Morris records remain elusive 7 — WWCC archives take center stage 8 — History at Homecoming, Dyke March ready to go 17 — LGBT date night returns to Clay Studio 20 — Philadelphia Soul says “You Can Play”
Clownin’ around with Pride performer Puddles Pity Party.
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76 — Local author makes waves 77 — Studio 54 reboot CDs for your summer fun 80 — Arts collective collects new members
“If we had done it here at William Way, you would have been preaching to the choir. But when you realize you have to talk to people who may or may not agree with you or may have no idea at all what you’re talking about, it really makes you focus.”
Charles Cohen finds sudden success.
~ Bob Skiba, on the “Speaking Out” exhibit, page7
Next week
Post-Pride photo spread!
PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506 Phone: 215-625-8501 Fax: 215-925-6437 E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Web: www.epgn.com
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Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 2015 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-5155 The views of PGN are expressed only in the unsigned “Editorial” column. Opinions expressed in bylined columns, stories and letters to the editor are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PGN. The appearance of names or pictorial representations in PGN does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that named or pictured person or persons.
PRIDE
PENNSYLVANIA PROUD: “Fun Home” producer Kristin Caskey (center) accepted the Best Musical Tony Award, surrounded by the show’s cast and crew, June 7 at Radio City Music Hall. “Fun Home” picked up five Tonys, tying with “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” for the most awards of the night. The show is based on the graphic memoir of the same name by Pennsylvania native and former PGN contributor Alison Bechdel, exploring her growing up and coming out. Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron shared the Tony for Best Original Score for “Fun Home,” the first female writing team ever to nab that award. “Fun Home” also won for Best Book of a Musical, Best Leading Actor in a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical. Photo: Associated Press/Charles Sykes
Toomey votes against pro-LGBT vets bill By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R) of Pennsylvania voted against an amendment last week that would grant same-sex spouses of veterans equal access to health benefits. New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) introduced the Charlie Morgan Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act in January. The legislation would allow all legally married same-sex spouses of veterans to receive survivor benefits; current law regulates benefits based on the laws of the couple’s state of residence, not the state where the marriage was performed. Shaheen offered the legislation as an amendment to the Military Construction Authorization Act, part of an annual military-funding package. But on June 4, Toomey and 41 other senators successfully blocked the bill. Every Democrat, as well as eight Republicans, voted for the bill, but the 53 Senators were seven votes short of the 60 votes needed. Toomey did not respond to a request for comment as of press time. “It’s tremendously disappointing that the Senate would quietly vote to deny important benefits for those who have served our country in uniform and their families,” Shaheen said in a statement last week. “Veterans served their country bravely, and yet some are deprived of the very rights they risked their lives to protect. The impact of this discrimination is real.” Shaheen noted that same-sex spouses,
and their children, living in states that don’t recognize their marriages are not eligible for medical care from the Veterans Administration; receive less in monthly benefits than heterosexual spouses; and are ineligible for equal death benefits. “While I am disappointed, I am also resolved to continue fighting to make sure that all veterans get the benefits they’ve earned regardless of who they love or where they live,” Shaheen said. Toomey’s vote against the bill aligns with his relatively poor record on LGBT rights-related legislation. The Human Rights Campaign scored him 40 out of a possible 100 on its Congressional Scorecard report. He was supportive of ENDA-related measures, but unsupportive of most other pro-LGBT legislation. Despite the amendment’s failure, there was good news this week on another military front: The Department of Defense announced it will add sexual orientation as a class protected from discrimination in the military’s equal-opportunity policy. It did not, however, extend the policy to include gender identity. “The inclusion of LGB individuals in the MEO takes us one step further toward making military service a model of equal opportunity,” said OutServe-SLDN interim executive director Matt Thorn. Thorn called the move a “monumental victory,” but noted the agency will continue to lobby for transgender military inclusion and the addition of gender identity in the MEO. n
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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CONCENTRATED CONFERENCE: Community organizations, health centers and more filled the resource fair at the inaugural End AIDS 2015 conference, June 8 at Pennsylvania Convention Center. Philadelphia FIGHT’s AIDS Education Month event fused the previously separate faith, prison and prevention summits into a largescale one-day event featuring more than 60 workshops and 250 speakers, drawing more than 1,500 people. The opening plenary included remarks by Piper Kerman, the inspiration for “Orange is the New Black,” TheBody. com’s managing editor Julie Davids and Everett Gillison, Mayor Nutter’s chief of staff and deputy mayor for public safety, and the event closed with the performances of “Freed Truths: Short Plays from Inside U.S. Prisons.” “We are so thankful to all our planning partners and speakers who made this event so special this year,” said FIGHT director of education Juliet Fink Yates. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Morris dispatch records remain elusive By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Last week, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said it needed more time to respond to PGN’s open-records request for certified records pertaining to the Nizah Morris incident. The agency said it will provide more information about PGN’s request by June 29. Morris was a transgender woman found with a fatal head wound in 2002, shortly after a courtesy ride from Officer Elizabeth Skala. Her homicide remains unsolved. For reasons not clear in the record, Skala initiated an unrelated vehicle stop while still assigned to handle Morris, who was intoxicated. Due to the vehicle stop, Skala didn’t respond to Morris after her head injury for about three hours. By that time, Morris was brain-dead. PGN is seeking certified records for Skala’s vehicle stop from the D.A.’s Office. In October, the agency gave PGN a dispatch record pertaining to Skala’s vehicle stop. But subsequent affidavits from the agency didn’t clarify whether the record is complete. A portion that appears to be missing could explain the initial priority level for Skala’s vehicle stop.
If the office agrees to certify the record, more information about the incident’s priority level may become available. The state’s open-records law allows a requester to seek certified records from an agency. Certification verifies that the agency is providing an accurate copy of the record it possesses. Babette Josephs, a member of the Justice for Nizah committee, expressed hope that the D.A.’s Office will cooperate with PGN’s request without further delay. “Delays for no good reason merely increase the suspicion of the public that a cover-up is taking place,” Josephs said. It’s in the public interest for local authorities to release all of their records pertaining to the Morris incident, she added. “If government isn’t transparent, if there isn’t trust between law enforcement and the public, if the public has little or no confidence in the police, then none of us is safe,” Josephs said. Materials withheld by local authorities include the complete Internal Affairs file for the Morris incident, and numerous investigative reports generated by the D.A.’s Office. “We’re all in this together against the really bad actors,” Josephs noted. “I hope the police and the D.A.’s Office will act appropriately and help citizens understand what happened to Nizah Morris.” n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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William Way archives take center stage in ‘Speaking Out’ By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Before it even officially debuted last week, the National Constitution Center’s landmark LGBT exhibit, “Speaking Out for Equality: The Constitution, Gay Rights and the Supreme Court” — which relies heavily on artifacts from William Way LGBT Community Center’s John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives — has been extended until January. “The NCC walked through the exhibit last week when it opened and liked it so much they decided to extend it,” said archive curator Bob Skiba. “I’m elated. They were so complimentary.” Skiba has managed the center’s archives since 2006, and was responsible for helping plan and curate the new exhibit, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminder LGBT protests at Independence Hall. “We have been meeting every Friday
other than the NCC, Skiba said they initially approached the Philadelphia History Museum. “We spoke with the Philadelphia History Museum first, but they had some good valid reasons to say no, so then we approached the NCC,” said Skiba. “We were a little surprised when they said yes. It also immediately put some limitations on what we could and could not do.” As a non-partisan institution, the NCC does not take political sides in its programming — which presented some unique challenges when trying to tell the story of the history and evolution of the LGBT civil-rights movement. “It was really challenging. We had to be careful about what we said,” Skiba said. “For instance, we could not talk about ‘progress,’ we had to say ‘change,’ because ‘progress’ was subjective.” However, Skiba said those challenges helped them focus the exhibit while maximizing its appeal to a
EXHIBITING EMOTION: Guests at the “Speaking Out for Equality” opening reception got a sneak preview of the exhibit June 4, before it opened to the public the following day. The groundbreaking LGBT-history exhibit at the National Constitution Center is largely populated by artifacts from the William Way LGBT Community Center’s archives and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminders, one of the nation’s earliest LGBT protests that took place at Independence Hall. Last week’s opening party featured a performance by John Jarboe of the Bearded Ladies and the Philadelphia Voices of Pride, as well as remarks by William Way executive director Chris Bartlett and other city leaders. The exhibit was originally set to close in September but museum officials green-lighted it to remain open through Jan. 3. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The groundbreaking “Speaking Out for Equality” LGBT-history exhibit opened last week at the National Constitution Center, in advance of next month’s 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminders. Make sure to also check out a number of other local exhibits celebrating LGBT equality this summer: National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East “The Pursuit of Happiness: Jewish-American Voices for LGBT Rights” June 23-September This free artifact installation celebrates and explores the stories of Jewish marchers who participated in the Annual Reminders. The museum is also collecting stories of LGBT Jewish identities at http://nmajh-lgbt.tumblr. com/. BOB SKIBA (RIGHT) DISCUSSES ARCHIVE ARTIFACTS WITH VISITORS at THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA JUNE 3. Photo: Scott A. Drkake
morning for the past three years planning this,” Skiba said. “And now we finally get to share artifacts from the archives with the public.” Skiba said one of the original motivations of organizers was to share and promote the diverse collection that exists in the John Wilcox Jr. Archives. “Our artifacts really form the backbone of the exhibit — artifacts from the first Reminder Days like buttons, pamphlets, all the paperwork, photos,” Skiba said. “We also borrowed a few things from the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, Philadelphia History Museum and Mütter Museum.” While it may be hard to imagine such an exhibit taking place anywhere
broader audience. “It couldn’t just be a celebration of gay rights and progress. It’s a much more complex and nuanced exhibit because of it, though, and it’s a better exhibit for it,” he said. “If we had done it here at William Way, you would have been preaching to the choir. But when you realize you have to talk to people who may or may not agree with you or may have no idea at all what you’re talking about, it really makes you focus.” For more information about the John Wilcox Jr. Archives, visit www. waygay.org. To purchase tickets for Speaking Out, visit www.constitutioncenter.org. n
The African-American Museum, 701 Arch St. “Legendary: Inside the House Ballroom Scene” June 12-Aug. 6 The premiere of the Philadelphia-based work of photographer Gerard Gaskin explores the culture of house balls of the African-American and Latino LGBT communities with photos of local and regional house-ball events; aampmuseum.org. Liberty Bell Center, Sixth and Market streets “Protesting for Equal Rights: 50th Anniversary, Reminder Day” Through July 26 The exhibit offers a retrospective on the Annual Reminder demonstrations held in almost that spot five decades ago. Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St. “Barbara Gittings, LGBT Library Activism and the Stonewall Book Awards” This ongoing exhibit traces the efforts of Gittings, an Annual Reminder participant, and others to promote access to LGBT books; freelibrary.org. n
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William Way honors history at Homecoming By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
At TD Bank, we like to Bank Human. And we’re proud to celebrate the LGBT community.
Now in its fifth year, William Way LGBT Community Center’s Homecoming celebration has become a staple of Pride weekend. The center’s second-largest annual fundraiser takes place 6-10 p.m. June 13 at the John C. Anderson Apartments, 251 S. 13th St. General admission tickets are $50, student/ senior/sober tickets are $35 and homecoming-host tickets are $500. Cocktail hour begins at 6, with dinner and awards at 7, followed by a dance party. This year’s event will focus on commemorating William Way’s 40-year anniversary. “It’s all about celebrating our incredible history and all the great things the center has done over the years,” said William Way development director Ben Jones. “This Homecoming will launch a series of events we have planned for the summer.” The highlight of the night is always the crowning of the Homecoming court. This year, William Way is honoring Joseph
DeMarco, one of the organization’s original founders; former executive director Claire Baker, who oversaw the center’s move to its current location; and GALAEI founder and longtime center supporter David Acosta. “We have a smaller court than usual this year,” said Jones, “but we wanted to recognize a few very-instrumental people in the community.” Last year, 150 people attended the event, and Jones said the center is expecting 200 this year. “This is our second-largest fundraiser after the Indigo Ball,” he explained. “And this year we already have a huge lead on our fundraising goal thanks to PECO, who has been a great partner.” Jones added that, while the event has featured entertainment in the past, organizers have streamlined the schedule this year. “As soon as the awards are over, it’s going to turn into a great dance party,” he said. “Of course, we will still have our silent auction too.” To purchase tickets and for more information, visit www.waygay.org. n
Dyke March hits the streets By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The annual Philly Dyke March returns this weekend, with a special tribute to one of the long-running event’s founders. The event kicks off with a rally at 3 p.m. June 13 at Kahn Park, 11th and Pine streets, with the march setting off at 4 p.m. Afterwards, light refreshments and musical entertainment will be provided free of charge in the park. The official Stimulus after-party will be held 10 p.m.-3 a.m. at Voyeur, 1221 St James St. PDM coordinator Katie Hinchey said she expects that this year’s march could be the biggest they’ve ever had. “We are expecting a much higher turnout since we will be a place of healing and community about Gloria [Casarez],” Hinchey said. “Because the march is annual we haven’t had a time to gather for her as Philly Dyke March. It’s really important for people to heal and have the opportunity to collectively mourn. We wouldn’t have the march without her.” Hinchey said Casarez was a part of the original group of women who founded the PDM in the late 1990s and that the focus of this year’s march would center on her. “We talk about Gloria every time we are together,” Hinchey said. “She was so involved last year that this year we couldn’t possibly have any other focus.”
While the march takes place the day before Pride, Hinchey said it has a much different mission and focus. “It’s important to make sure that dykes have a safe space, that we create community, apart from the typically male-dominated corporate Pride parades,” she said. “But Franny Price and Philly Pride Presents have been huge supporters from the very beginning. They respect the need for this march.” In the leadup to the march, PDM held its second-annual Community and Craft Night and Kickoff Happy Hour. The new events, coupled with longtime fundraiser Mr. Philly Drag King, are part of PDM’s rebranding initiative, Hinchey said. “We have rebranded ourselves this year in our outreach and marketing. We are really encouraging people to sign up for our newsletter, since we could lose our Facebook page at any time.” Recently, the Stimulus Facebook page and other community-organization pages have been removed because they violated the new user guidelines. Stimulus lost all of its photos and contact with users who had liked its page. To avoid a similar fate, PDM organizers strongly encourage people to sign up for their newsletter. For more information about PDM, visit www.phillydykemarch.com or email phillydykemarch@gmail.com. n
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Out & About Pride Weekend June 12
En Blanco y Negro 5:30-8 p.m. Taller Puertorriqueño, 2721 N. Fifth St. Join GALAEI and Taller for the opening reception of the exhibit by artist Jose Luis Cortos, known for black-and-white guache paintings on newspaper, part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Annual Reminder Days. Pride Kick-Off Party 6 p.m. The Gayborhood block party features games, food and drinks; purchase discounted wristbands to Sunday’s festival for $10.
June 13
Woody’s Block Party Noon Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. The annual indoor and outdoor party, featuring a charity dunk tank, returns to the Gayborhood. Philadelphia Dyke March 3-7 p.m. Kahn Park
March steps off from 11th and Pine streets after a pre-event rally and concludes at the park with speakers and live entertainment.
and heads to Penn’s Landing for the festival, featuring headliner Fran Drescher, more than 100 vendors, food and drinks, games and more; admission is $15.
Homecoming 2015 6-10 p.m. John C. Anderson Apartments, 251 S. 13th St. The annual fundraiser for William Way LGBT Community Center features dinner by Giorgio on Pine, an open beer and wine bar, silent auction, live entertainment and the presentation of the 2015 Homecoming Court.
IBA Sails with Pride 2:30-5 p.m. 401 S. Columbus Blvd. The third-annual yacht cruise, organized by LGBT chamber of commerce Independence Business Alliance, includes lunch, open beer and wine bar, prizes and views of the Penn’s Landing Pride festival; $85 for IBA members and $95 for nonmembers.
Stimulus Pride Party 10 p.m. June 13 Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St. The official after-party for the Philadelphia Dyke March features go-go dancers and drink specials; cover is $5 for guests in PDM shirts or $10 otherwise.
Pride at ICandy Noon-2 a.m. 254 S. 12th St. No cover all day with performances by the ICandy Girls and specials including $3 Coors Lights and $6 Stoli cocktails.
June 14
Pride Parade and Festival 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. The parade steps off from 13th and Locust streets at 11:30 a.m.
Back 2 Basics: Pride Edition 4-10 p.m. Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. Cover is $5 before 6 p.m., with a buffet from 4-5 p.m. and drink specials all day. n
TRANS-FORMATIVE CONVERSATIONS: Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference participants Jason Robert Ballard (from left), Skylar Kergil, Chase Ross, Reed Wetmore, Skylar, Val Pizzo and Ash Arsenault relaxed during a break between conference events June 4 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. More than 5,000 people attended the multi-day conference, a program of Mazzoni Center, a big jump from last year’s 3,500. “We were thrilled at the turnout, which was well beyond our expectations, and goes to show just how important events like this are in terms of providing for the needs of trans and gender-nonconforming people, and those around them,” said Jaymie Campbell, professional-development manager at Mazzoni Center. Photo: Scott A. Drake
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PRIDE EDITORIAL EDITORIAL
Editorial
What is the PGN staff most proud of this Pride season? Carol: I’m very proud to be a part of a great team at PGN. I’m also vey proud of the community that has learned how to take care of its own. This is a great time we live in, so let’s all be proud of who we are. Don: How far we’ve come. Memorial Day Weekend, I saw two teenage boys, probably high-school age, walking hand in hand on the boardwalk in Wildwood — unthinkable just a couple of years ago. Greg: I’m proud of our sales team for giving 100-percent every single day and navigating through all the craziness during Pride season. Jen C.: That I was able to legally marry my partner of eight years right here in our own state, surrounded by family and friends. Jen J.: I’m proud to be a part of the fun staff at PGN, who works so diligently to bring awareness to the goings-on in the LGBT community, especially with all the exciting changes in legislation. Looking forward to more progression in the future! Larry: I’m proud of my coworkers on the PGN staff for being the well-oiled, award-winning journalistic machine that we have been for the last year. Mark: Philadelphia has much to take pride in this year: Again being named the most LGBT-friendly city in the nation by Human Rights Campaign; the first-ever full-scale LGBT exhibit at a major national museum (not to mention the LGBT exhibits at other local museums), coordinated by William Way LGBT Community Center; the largest Trans-Health Conference in history; the LGBT media summit the city hosted; the incredible support this community has earned from our city and corporate structures — from Comcast to PECO
to PNC and many others. And there is so much more. But on that personal note, while I’m proud of our work on the John C. Anderson LGBT-friendly senior affordable apartments, it’s my family here at PGN, who each week brings you award-winning journalism on par with the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post, that makes me most proud. And then the most personal: I’m now a happily married man. Prab: I’m proud of myself for going outside of my comfort zone in my search for true love. I may have stumbled upon it in Elmira, N.Y., I think? Ryan: I’m proud that marriage is now legal in our state. Sandy: I’m so proud that marriage is arriving at a critical point in its institution (come on, SCOTUS!), and that my daughter, age 9, didn’t bat an eye when I explained it to her. I’m also proud my editor married her love in the sweetest ceremony ever! Scott: I usually reserve my pride for someone else, like my boyfriend Micheal, but I really am quite proud of the multiple photography awards I’ve won this year, especially the SPJ one I get to collect at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., later this month. Sean: Looking at the odd assortment of crazies running as Republicans for president in 2016, I’m proud to live in a place where most people realize how round-the-bend most of them are on LGBT issues. Tim: I’m proud that our local community continues to be on the front line of advances in all areas of LGBT life. The upcoming 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminder LGBT protests is a great opportunity to celebrate our successes. n
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.
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Josh Duggar By now you’ve probably heard about the scandalous revelation that Josh Duggar, the oldest child of the Duggar clan, has admitted to molesting five underage girls when he was a teenager. At least some of these girls were his sisters. The Duggar cult has gotten a lot of flack about how they handled the incident, and what they did clearly indicates that they didn’t think it was a very big deal. Now, Josh was 14-15 when he molested the girls, which means he was just a child himself, but definitely old enough to know better. Plus, it’s worth noting that molesting your younger sisters is not at all a normal part of a boy’s sexual development. According to reports, Josh didn’t seem to face many consequences as a result of his actions, and his parents waited a year after they learned about the molestation before they did anything about it. He did get a talkin’ to by a sheriff who was a friend of the family. (Said sheriff was later arrested on child-pornography charges.) And then the parents sent Josh away to stay with a family friend. It’s unclear what kind of counseling he received — like if he actually saw someone with, say, a master’s degree in psychology and social work, or if he just prayed about it with a family friend. Nor is it clear what kind of counseling his sisters or any of the other girls he violated received. The Duggars have been pretty quiet about what they’ve done, if anything, to provide support for the victims here. Instead, Josh is on display as the victim. Not, say, the girl whose “breasts and genitals” he touched “while she slept.” But he’s said he’s sorry now. Josh told People magazine, “Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably, for which I am extremely
sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents, who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.” Ah, yes. Clearly he’s repented and is doing the Lord’s work, making sure it’s A-OK to discriminate against perverted homosexuals, at the Family Research Council, an organization that advances hatred masquerading as Christian values. Or at least he did, until he resigned in the wake of the scandal. A life well spent. Josh’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, told People, “When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before.” Remember that Josh is the first-born son to this man and woman who believe it’s their God-given destiny to produce as many children as possible (19 and counting!). And they are teaching those children their values: that homosexuals are morally reprehensible. And molesting your little sisters is apparently just a little mistake best kept in the family. n
D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.
Op-Ed PRIDE
Success on theatrical, political stages It’s been a great few years for all of us The next day, the Democratic National who have fought for LGBT equality in Committee announced its executives for many different forms. This week had me its upcoming 2016 National Convention in a mile off the ground as I watched two of Philadelphia. Among the names was an old those I’ve worked with over the years reach friend, Brian Bond, who was named deputy the pinnacle of success: one in the arts and CEO for public engagement. I’ve known the other in politics. Bond from his earliest days attempting to The road that LGBT media forge a national political path has taken in the last 50 years is for the LGBT community That a storied one. We’ve actually was quite a battle, since many in built an industry where one did our community still distrusted not exist. In doing so, we had politicos at that time to try and bring the diversity of He’s made me proud, buildthe community together, in the ing and reshaping dysfunctional scope of race, religion, gender organizations and training othand the full spectrum of the ers to enter politics. You can see political meter. One of the early the result today in the number of contributors to local LGBT LGBT people serving in governmedia, and especially PGN, ment, contributing to campaigns was Alison Bechdel. Her carand running as out community toon strip “Dykes to Watch Out members for office. Many of For” was an attempt to ensure those advances have their roots that women were a part of our with Bond, who understood as Mark Segal an ambitious youth growing up community media. Bechdel brilliantly took the everyday in the rural Midwest that LGBT issues affecting her and her friends and put people don’t have to hide — and that we them into graphic form, a delightful way should make ourselves visible. He has for readers to learn about the women in our done so with such success that he has been community, and also Bechdel. As she used a trusted advisor to the president. to tell me, PGN was one of the first to pick Both of these events could not have come at a better time: LGBT Pride month. up her strip, and we always paid her, and on time. (In the early days of LGBT media, Alison and Brian, you bring pride to our community and change to society. Take many times publishers did not have funds some time this month to appreciate and for freelancers.) Well, Bechdel went on to publish that take personal pride. n strip in book form and then several more. And a few years ago, someone asked if Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s they could attempt to produce a musical most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. You can follow him on Facebook at about her life. That musical became “Fun www.facebook.com/MarkSegalPGN or Twitter Home,” and last weekend that show won at https://twitter.com/PhilaGayNews. the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Mark My Words
Op-Ed
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Street Talk Should billboards promoting conversion therapy be allowed? "No. That would be false advertising. Conversion therapy is fraudulent. It doesn't work. People don't change Niek Herveaux their sexual officer administrator orientation North Philadelphia like that. It's particularly damaging if forced on children, who don't have any say in the matter."
"Yes. Everyone should be free to make that choice. If they want to participate in the therapy, give them the opportunity. Nadirah Lyons Get the student word out so South Philadelphia people who want that service know it's available."
"Yes. We live in a free society. People have a right to find out about that therapy, if that's what they want. Tanaeya Thomas It's not student hurting the South Philadelphia person, if the person really wants to do it."
"I think people are born gay. They want to change [to straight] due to societal pressures. So I don't think the Taneeya Williams therapy will corrections officer work. But Claymont, Del. if there's a 1-percent chance that it will work, then it should be allowed on billboards. Let people cling to their hope. Give them a chance."
Pennsylvania is 33-percent lower than the household income of heterosexual, married parents. As a result, LGBT parents in Pennsylvania are less likely to be able to afford to take unpaid time off from work. Providing paid sick days would allow LGBT workers in Philadelphia to better care for their own health needs and those of their family members. For Philadelphians living with HIV/ AIDS, paid sick days are not only a key economic protection, it can be a life or death issue — especially for those individuals who work in lower-wage and service-sector jobs. Not being able to take time off to attend medical appointments and recover from illness jeopardizes their well-being. Moreover, access to paid sick time influences the ability of Philadelphia workers to provide care for aging family members with HIV/AIDS. Among Philadelphia residents living with HIV/AIDS, more than 70 percent are 40 or older and more than 36 percent are 50 or older. As the population ages,
their working family members will face increasing elder-care demands. Paid sick leave is also important for transgender workers. With a modest floor of paid sick leave, transgender workers are able to take care of their health needs without fear of lost pay or job retaliation. Pennsylvania Pride at Work, the AFLCIO LGBT constituency group, calls on our state lawmakers to listen to the diverse voices in Pennsylvania fighting to stop this attack on paid sick leave. Workers, parents, domestic-violence survivors, good government groups, churches and many other organizations have fought for years to help workers earn paid sick days. Legislators in Harrisburg from every community should stand with workers who are trying to be the best caregivers and providers possible — not trying to make our lives harder. n
Pennsylvania Pride at Work
Protecting earned sick days As we know well in the LGBT community, our state legislature doesn’t do anything quickly. We’ve been fighting for years to pass statewide nondiscrimination protection for LGBT workers. Now, instead of rushing to protect workers, legislators are in a race to take rights away. Some are trying to fast track a law that would take away sick days from 200,000 workers and strip the rights of local communities to create their own ordinances. Lawmakers throughout Pennsylvania want to stop workers in Philadelphia from finally earning paid sick days. At the same time, those same lawmakers want to make sure their own local governments are blocked from passing ordinances that provide sick days in their communities. Following years of debate, Philadelphia’s City Council passed a sickleave law in February that was slated to take effect May 13, a glimmer of hope to many struggling to get by without good health insurance and retirement benefits. Under the Philadelphia law, workers
at businesses with 10 or more employees could earn at least an hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours worked. Workers at smaller businesses could earn unpaid sick days. It’s common sense that people who work hard and are devoted to their jobs should be able to earn paid sick time. A large number of LGBT workers in Philadelphia are forced to go to work ill because they cannot afford to lose pay or their jobs. Studies demonstrate that paid sick days help employers by promoting productivity and reducing turnover. San Francisco passed a law similar to Philadelphia’s in 2007, with overwhelming success; two-thirds of San Francisco employers support the law. Philadelphia’s paid sick-days law strengthens LGBT families by allowing workers to take leave to care for their partners and children. It is estimated that 30 percent of LGBT adults in Philadelphia have at least one child in the household. On average, the household income of LGBT couples raising children in
Pride @ Work is the officially recognized LGBT constituency group of the AFL-CIO.
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ANNA-VERSARY: The Anna Crusis Women’s Choir celebrated its 40th anniversary with two performances of “Reclaiming the ‘F’ Word” at International House, where the singers took audiences through a retrospective look at their last four decades. The performances also included multi-media elements and, for the first time, were live-streamed. Anna Crusis is the nation’s oldest feminist choir. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Local group launches for ‘lesbians who tech’ By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The Philly chapter of Lesbians who Tech — an international association of techminded queer women — officially got off the ground last month. The organization has two-dozen chapters around the world. It provides social networks for women who work in the tech industry, and promotes LGBT representation in the field, with its local chapters working to mobilize attendance at the annual Tech & Innovation Summit, held in New York City. “The goal of Lesbians who Tech in general is to create a group of like-minded individuals who show an interest in the tech field and bring them all together at this annual summit, where they have speakers and activities,” said CJ Bachmann, city director for Philly’s chapter. Bachmann, vice president of operations at Bristol-based 1SEO, said she and her wife, the COO of the company, came upon Lesbians who Tech while looking to expand their professional network. “My partner and I were looking for new trade shows, conferences, things like that to get involved in. The owner, who happens to be my partner’s brother, has always tried to point us in the direction of niche groups because with us being lesbians, he saw an
opportunity there,” she said. “So we found out about the New York Summit and got more information and saw that there was no Philadelphia chapter.” Bachmann reached out to the organization’s founder, Leanne Pittsford, who subsequently suggested Bachmann head up an inaugural Philly chapter as its director. The group held its first happy-hour social May 28 at Pennsylvania 6, with about twodozen participants. “It went really well,” Bachmann said. “I spoke with a handful of women there who are going to be attending the summit and everyone there was interested in making sure we had another local event set up.” Happy hours and other speaking engagements will likely be held every other month, Bachmann said, though the chapter is working to push the next event up to June. The social aspect of the chapter, she noted, is important to ensuring the members have a support network. “We want to give our members opportunities to share their experiences with likeminded individuals, and feel connected to this wider group of women that you can lean on and learn from,” Bachmann said. The summit will be held Oct. 1-4 in New York. For more information, visit www. lesbianswhotech.org or email Bachmann at cbachmann@localinternettraffic.com. n
PRIDE
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Lincoln construction in full swing By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
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The long-awaited construction of the blighted Lincoln Apartments in the Gayborhood got underway this spring — with the doors on the new luxury apartment building expected to open early next year. Like Lincoln’s recent history, the rehab process has been full of ups and downs. “We hit quite a few unforeseen structural issues that have required extra steel, extra masonry and extra head-scratching. But we’re moving right along now,” said Joe Zajaczkowski, project manager with Venco Building Group, which is spearheading the construction. The Lincoln, 1222 Locust St., has stood empty since July 2006, when it was gutted by a fire. The building became an eyesore and often attracted a criminal element. Developer and Philadelphia Residential Development Corporation president David Perlman purchased the building for $2 million last summer with plans to rehab it into a high-end apartment complex. It will offer 44 apartments and one penthouse, with rents ranging from $1,600-$3,000. After remedying structural issues, construction crews recently began restoring the façade of the building, which dates to the late 1800s. “We just started the front façade restoration, and did the middle last week,” Zajaczkowski said. “We’re taking the sills off and repairing them and are going to start a solvent wash at the beginning of next week. So you’ll start to see the front of the building getting cleaned up.” All of the damaged windows have been removed and, with the recent approval from the Philadelphia Historical Commission,
new windows were ordered, which crews will start framing next week. Builders are also in the midst of constructing the elevator hoistway. Zajaczkowski said the close streets and buildings have complicated the process. “The site is so tight. We have three or four pieces of equipment that the masons
Photo: Scott A. Drake
are using right now so every time we get a delivery, that’s more people vying for elbow room,” he said. “So we’re progressing slowly, but carefully.” Zajaczkowski said site managers have worked with nearby U Bar to keep the street as accessible as possible, especially with the higher volumes expected in the summer, including for events like this weekend’s Pride festivities. The original open date was at the beginning of 2016, which Zajaczkowski said might be adjusted slightly. “The developer was hopeful we’d make it by the beginning of 2016 but I think that, with the last two or three structural issues, we had to resolve to put a damper on that,” he said. “It set us back maybe two months or so. We’re going to re-evaluate and see if we can re-calculate but right now I would say early next year we’ll be open.” A name for the complex has not been announced publicly. n
Scott A. Drake Photography 267-736-6743
PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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GALAEI, Taller to present exhibit, discussion By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The work of a queer Latino artist from Philadelphia will anchor a community discussion next week about the intersection of race, sexuality and other issues. “En Blanco y Negro: Gay & Boricua” opens June 12 at Taller Puertorriqueño and will be on display through July 25. The exhibit, which features the work of Philadelphia-born José Luis Cortés, is the result of a partnership between Taller and GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Agency. It is also part of the city’s 50th-anniversary celebration of the Annual Reminders, one of the nation’s earliest LGBT-rights demonstrations, which took place at Independence Hall. Cortés, a painter and performance artist, will lead a panel discussion at 3 p.m. June 20 at Taller, 2721 N. Fifth St., with community leaders and activists. Cortés’ art has an LGBT
focus, often depicting under-addressed issues like addiction or sex work in the community. GALAEI youth sexual-health coordinator Fran Zavala said Cortés’ work was a natural fit when his organization and Taller began brainstorming for
work we’re both doing, and we wanted to focus on a community member whose artwork has really had an impact, so that’s how Cortés’ name came up,” Zavala explained. “A lot of the work he does captures scenes of queer life through his own
fit for our communities.” The panel discussion will include Cortés, Gonzales, artist Erika Guadalupe Núñes, GALAEI youth member Emmanuel Coreano, trans youth Bella and Louis Ortiz of The Gran Varones Project.
a joint art venture. “[GALAEI executive director] Elicia [Gonzales], myself and other folks at GALAEI and Taller Puertorriqueño were talking about how we can incorporate artwork into the activism
perspective using both art and activism, which is very aligned with our mission. We thought we could collaborate on this, bring the artist along and have him do a presentation and that would really have a lot of bene-
The event will be moderated by GALAEI founder and Casa de Duende artistic director David Acosta. “We’re going to look at a lot of different perspectives about our community’s past, current
and future directions,” Zavala said, noting the discussion will center on the intersectionality of homophobia, invisibility, migration, race, class, gender, HIV/AIDS, the LGBT structures in the United States and Puerto Rico and more. Cortés will also conduct a one-week, intensive residency with youth from GALAEI and Taller. “The youth will get to meet him and learn one on one from him,” Zavala said. The exhibit and panel, he added, are relevant to broad cross-sections of the community. “The panel is full of people of all walks of life: artists, youth organizers, activists. They’ll all bring different perspectives that anyone can relate to, and likely will relate to more than one. And it’s a great opportunity to see the beautiful artwork as well.” There will be an opening reception for “En Blanco y Negro” from 5:30-8 p.m. June 12 at Taller. n
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PRIDE
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Clay Studio marks Pride with LGBT Date Night By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Throw on your smocks! A local arts organization is inviting couples to make their next date night a little dirty. Clay Studio is staging its annual LGBT Date Night June 19, where couples and groups can try their hand at throwing pottery. The studio, which hosts Date Night twice a month, holds the LGBT-specific event every June to coincide with Pride month. Josie Bockelman, Clay Studio’s director of education, said the event is both social and educational. “Our date nights are meant to be fun, social experiences where you also get a little hands-on learning,” she said. The class can hold up to 26 students, who gather for food and drinks in the studio’s gallery
before heading to the wheels, where the instructors do a short demonstration before the group members begin creating their pottery pieces. Bockelman said no experience is necessary; nearly all Date Night attendees have never before sat at a pottery wheel. “It’s one of those things where you can have it shown to you but once you get your own hands on it it’s a difference experience. We try to get everyone working individually and then the instructors will go around the room and work with everyone,” she said. “It’s a challenging thing to do but we have good systems for walking everyone through the basics.” Drinks and snacks are available for when the artists-in-training need a break, Bockelman said. Once the pieces are created, the class decorates them, and those wanting to keep the pieces leave them to be glazed, fired and
shipped. Bockelman said the event allows couples to have a night out together that’s more engaging than dinner and a movie. “It’s a really fun and active thing to do together. I think a lot of people have a curiosity about working with clay and throwing it on the wheel — especially anyone who’s seen the movie ‘Ghost’ — and this is the chance to do it. It’s really more about the experience than the end product. It’s a fascinating process and a fun experience.” LGBT Date Night will be held 7-9 p.m. June 19 at 137-139 N. Second St. The event is $30 for Clay Studio members or $35 for nonmembers, with a $10 charge for glazing, firing and shipping. Registration is required. Contact Rachel Pearlman at Rachel@theclaystudio.org or 215-925-3453 ext. 19 for more information or to register. n
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PERSONAL STORIES. ARTIFACTS. PIVOTAL COURT CASES.
THROUGH JANUARY 3, 2016 Timed to the 50th anniversary of the first Annual Reminder demonstration, the National Constitution Center is proud to host Speaking Out for Equality: The Constitution, Gay Rights, and the Supreme Court, a new exhibition created in partnership with the William Way LGBT Community Center. The exhibition chronicles the LGBT rights movement and the ongoing debate over how much the Constitution protects gay rights. Come learn about the issues, hear personal stories, and join the conversation about the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision on the constitutional right to same sex marriage.
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Sand Blast brings the heat back to A.C. By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com After a successful first summer in Atlantic City, the biggest beach party at the Jersey Shore returns with an all-star DJ lineup for another weekend of unforgettable fun. Mark your calendars for Sand Blast, July 17-19 in Atlantic City. Stay at the official host hotel, The Claridge, or official luxury hotel, Borgata, and enjoy special discounted rates. Weekend and individual events passes are available. Eleven DJs from around the world will be spinning throughout the weekend. “We are so excited to have such a diverse lineup of DJs from Rome, Barcelona, New York City, Montreal, Philly and D.C. — this is our best lineup ever,” said Sand Blast co-producer Bruce Yelk. “Plus, our venues are spectacular this year.” Beach parties, pool parties, nightclubs, comedy shows, drag shows — Sand Blast has it all, Yelk said. Not to mention A.C.’s famous boardwalk, casinos, shows, shopping and great restaurants. The weekend kicks off with the Lost at Sea party, featuring Alain Kaskinsky on the turntables 10 p.m.-3 a.m. at Mixx at Borgata. Saturday opens with Rip Tide and Dani
Toro at the Chelsea Hotel rooftop pool; Margaret Cho performs 9 p.m. at Music Box at Borgata; and the Skinny Dip party caps things off at 4 a.m. at the Claridge hotel pool. Wake up Sunday for the Drag Race & Handbag Toss, hosted by Brittany Lynn at 11:30 a.m. at Boardwalk and California avenues. The namesake Sand Blast beach party has moved to Sunday this year, from noon-7 p.m. DJs include Mike Reimer and Phil Romano. “We moved the beach party to Sunday to open up Saturday for the amazing pool party at the Claridge rooftop pool,” Yelk said. “Now you get two amazing events instead of one.” After 11 years in Asbury Park, Sand Blast moved to Atlantic City last summer to accommodate the fast-growing event, which now regularly attracts over 4,000 people. “Part of the goal moving forward is to diversify the event,” Yelk said. “It won’t just be parties. We are going to expand to include concerts, comedy shows, volleyball tournaments and more — becoming more of a weeklong festival. Atlantic City is the perfect place for us and the future of Sand Blast.” To purchase tickets and for more information, visit www.sandblastweekend.com. n
Arena-football team rebrands LGBT night By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Following the success of its LGBT theme night last year, the Philadelphia Soul arena-football team has rebranded the event in an attempt to reach even more people and have a greater impact on the LGBT and sports communities alike. Philadelphia Soul has teamed up with You Can Play Philadelphia — an organization dedicated to ensuring safety and inclusion for LGBT athletes, coaches and fans — for the first-ever You Can Play Night at the Philadelphia Soul game, presented by Independence Blue Cross, 7:30 p.m. June 26 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S Broad St. Individual tickets are $27 and include a Philadelphia Soul T-shirt. Business and group tickets include VIP extras like in-game and event website recognition, tabling opportunities, meet-and-greet passes and more. All individual and group tickets include a donation to You Can Play. “Last year, it was strictly an LGBT night,” said Corrine Kolesinskas, manager of group sales for Philadelphia Soul. “But as a sports team, it made sense to partner with You Can Play — which focuses on athletes, coaches and fans. I think our missions really align and we can both raise even more awareness together.” Kolesinskas said the Soul is a great team this year — with a 9-1 record so far — and credits the players’ mutual respect as a factor of its success. “We are one of the best teams in the league because of our cohesion and the
way the players respect one another,” said Kolesinskas. “If we discriminated against anyone, we wouldn’t be where we are. That’s why we are proud to partner with You Can Play to promote inclusion.” Anna Aagenes, vice president of programming and community relations for YCP, echoed Kolesinskas’ belief that together the two organizations could have a greater impact than by themselves. “This is a great fit. Now, not only are people showing their support for inclusion, but they are actively contributing to an organization whose mission is to raise awareness
and promote inclusion,” Aagenes said. She added that the event also provides the opportunity to help educate and create better allies. “We invest a lot of time educating allies throughout the sports world,” Aagenes said. “Many teams, including the Philadelphia Soul, make their own ‘You Can Play’ videos. We love this because it helps spread the message that, out or not, you can always be an ally to others.” To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.philadelphiasoul.com. n
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Performer returns to Philly for fundraising concert By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Nathan Townsend’s concert next week is a homecoming of sorts, the out performer said. “I ran away from Philly, I can say that now. I ran away to die, and I didn’t,” he said. “Now I’m back in the game, and I want to share my story.” The 60-year-old New Hope resident is the housing coordinator at Bucks Villa, an independent-living facility for people with HIV/AIDS in New Hope. He is also a consultant for Merck, a role that allows him to share his experience with his HIV/ AIDS diagnosis across the region. That’s also a goal of his June 20 show, “This is My Life,” at Drexel University’s Mandell Theater — a fusion of song, dance, film and spoken word, being held the same day he releases his first CD. Townsend was diagnosed several decades ago. “My experience was much different than many other people in the early years because I wasn’t really in shock or too fazed. I had a partner and he tested negative and we stayed together; that was, I think, one of the single most important things that allowed me to deal with it,” Townsend said. “We eventually broke up but the disease progression was fairly
uneventful. It was years before I really had to address it again.” About a decade ago, Townsend had lost his job and, unable to afford his medication, saw his health going downhill quickly. “I was deathly ill and in the hospital for 40 days, getting blood transfusions,” he said. “I was a fashion designer in Philly and knew a lot of people and didn’t want to share this with them. I was afraid to tell my story. Who knew that would be the defining moment of the rest of my life?” His fear propelled him to New Hope, where he lived at Bucks Villa. His health
gradually improved, and so did his outlook for the future. Townsend trained to become an HIV educator, then an outreach specialist, counselor and tester. He served as Bucks Villa’s resident manager before becoming housing coordinator in 2008. “I believed I was going to die: I had bought a funeral plot. But in preparation of death, I never made plans for life. So now here I am, a senior releasing my first CD at 60 years old.” Townsend said music has always been a part of his life — he previously worked as both a wedding and funeral singer — but he chose not to pursue a career in the industry. “I wanted to sing when I wanted to sing, not when I had to,” he said. But his struggle over the last decade is a story he felt he had to tell through song. “A lot of my songs are about my experience with lack of love, loneliness. Too often, people who are diagnosed are denied affection and intimacy and that’s, for me, been one of the hardest parts of being diagnosed. And also, when you become a senior, people think desire stops; to me, the only things that have changed since I’ve gotten older is I’ve gotten more numbers on my age and more wisdom. Other than that, I’m no different.” Townsend said he wants to use that atti-
tude to promote a message of hope to people who’ve been through, or are currently facing, experiences similar to his. “I feel blessed, and I want to share that. There are people I encounter every day who are not where I am, but I want them to be as comfortable as I am,” he said. “And part of that process is bringing this message back into Philly. I’ve been speaking at prisons, colleges, schools out in Bucks County, but just dancing on the edge — I want to dance in the main arena now.” To give back to an organization that helped him turn his life around, Townsend is donating a portion of the proceeds from next week’s show to Bucks Villa. “Without Bucks Villa, I would not be alive. I couldn’t have survived in the lifestyle I was caught up in in Philly. I came to see the benefit of social services and was able to utilize those services until I was back on my feet, which so many people feel like they won’t ever be able to do. That’s the message I bring: You can do it. I’ve been down to the ground and I know it’s no fun down there. But you can do it.” n
“This is My Life” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. June 20 at Mandell Theater, 33rd and Chestnut streets. For more information, visit http://on.fb.me/1FwA5C9.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Tax-planning tips for married same-sex couples By David H. Glusman CPA, DABFA, CFS, CFF PGN Contributor The LGBT community is anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court decision, expected imminently, that may finally establish same-sex marriage as a civil right in all 50 states. But regardless of how the court decides, married same-sex couples still have to be vigilant and proactive in how they protect their financial assets and plan for the future. Following are tips about some of the most important areas to consider: 1. Married Tax Status: Determine if there is any benefit to amending previously filed income-tax returns using your “married” status. Married tax status as compared to single or head of household status could result in a lower joint-tax liability because of the netting of income and deductions, eligibility for certain tax credits and income exclusions. It could also result in an increased tax liability due to the marriage-penalty tax or because of limitations on deductions based on combined adjusted gross income. File amended returns as soon as possible; don’t wait until April 15. Amended returns must be filed before the statute of limitations runs out — generally three years from the filing of the original return or two years from when the tax was paid, whichever is later. 2. Non-Taxable Fringe Benefits: Consider amending income-tax returns to exclude previous taxable income that was used to purchase job-related benefits for your spouse, such as health insurance, life insurance and other benefits. Employers may be entitled to a refund of matching FICA payments on benefits that are now non-taxable. The statute of limitations for refund claims also applies. In spite of the federal court rulings, many employers have not properly adjusted their benefit and payroll systems to account for this change. Individuals should carefully review their W-2 forms to confirm that no taxable income is improperly being added for spousal benefits. Also make sure you have advised your human-resources department of your marital status and provided them with a copy of your marriage certificate. 3. Employer Spousal Benefits: Save current tax dollars by contacting your company’s human-resources department for a list of marital benefits available. Take advantage of all non-taxable benefits available to your spouse. Also, look for a benefit that may pay you a buy-back amount if you no longer need employer-paid benefits (because you are now covered under your spouse’s plan). Like non-taxable fringe benefits above, some employers have not properly updated their systems, so a call or visit to HR may be warranted. 4. Retirement Accounts: To save taxes
your beneficiaries will pay after your death and allow the payout to be stretched out as long as possible, check your IRA/401K plan designations. A same-sex spouse may not inherit or roll over such a plan to his/her own name in states that do not recognize same-sex marriages. Also, consider making a year-end retirement account contribution for your spouse (if applicable) and receive an additional deduction. Make sure your beneficiary designations are updated for marriage (and divorce!) as well as contingent beneficiary designations for children or others. 5. Social Security: Apply for Social Security marital benefits and the lumpsum death benefit, if applicable. Currently, the Social Security Administration is only processing claims for same-sex married couples who reside in states that recognize their marriages. Even if you live in a state
Save current tax dollars by contacting your company’s human-resources department for a list of marital benefits available. Take advantage of all nontaxable benefits available to your spouse. that does not recognize your marriage, you should apply anyway — applying will preserve your filing date, which is used to determine the start of benefits. If you reside in Pennsylvania or another state that recognizes same-sex marriage, apply for benefits before you move to a state that does not; your benefits will travel with you. 6. Estate Taxes: If your same-sex spouse died and the estate paid estate taxes on the portion of the estate that you inherited, file a claim for refund. If you and your spouse did not do any estate planning prior to death, be sure to consult with an attorney or an accountant in a timely manner, as there are estate-planning techniques and elections available for married couples after death. Even if you are not required to file a federal estate tax return, consider filing one to take advantage of portability. Portability allows your deceased spouse’s unused federal-exemption amount to be rolled over to you as the surviving spouse. 7. Making Gifts: Consider transferring assets, gift-tax free, to your spouse. When making gifts to loved ones and children, consider the benefits of year-end gift-splitting. One spouse may now utilize the other spouse’s annual gift-tax exclusion amount by electing to split gifts. In 2015, the annual gift tax exclusion is $14,000. 8. Estate Planning: If you reside in a state that has a death tax and recognizes same-sex marriages, establish a marital trust, Qualified Terminable Interest
Property Trust (QTIP) or disclaimer trust for your spouse in your will. If you reside in a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marriages, you must plan as if you are single and execute a will, as state laws control inheritance rights. Your spouse will not automatically inherit or be entitled to any of your estate if you die without a will. Also, if you made substantial gifts to children, trusts or others over the past few years, additional gifts may now be feasible. The gift- and estatetax exclusion amount increases each year and is now $5.43 million per individual ($10.86 million for legally married couples). Additional gifts may be possible to bring your total gifts to the new limit if you anticipate having a taxable estate (check for inflation-adjusted increases annually). 9. Payroll Tax Withholding: Update your Form W-4 with your employer to change your status to married and increase or decrease your exemptions. Make a note and place it with your other tax-preparation documents so your tax preparer can advise you again in April if another revision is recommended. 10. Other Points: Same-sex couples in a domestic partnership or civil union might want to consider getting married, as different laws apply. Same-sex married couples who divorce may now be able to take a
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deduction for alimony payments. 11. Innocent Spouse Protection: As the number of same-sex legally married couples increases exponentially, so does the incidence of spousal tax fraud. The filing of a joint income-tax return can have a downside if a spouse substantially under-reports income or over-states expenses and/or losses on a tax return. Individuals who suspect their spouse may be engaging in tax fraud should consult a knowledgeable CPA or tax attorney to determine if a joint return should be avoided. If the IRS has already come knocking on such an issue, you need to consult an advisor to determine if the “innocent spouse rules” under IRS guidelines might be applicable. If you don’t understand what’s on your joint tax return, ask before you sign it! n David H. Glusman is advisory-services partner at Marcum LLP. Contact him at David.glusman@marcumllp.com.
The above tax tips are provided by the LGBT & Non-Traditional Families Practice group of Marcum LLP, a top national accounting and advisory firm with an office in Philadelphia. As the first national accounting firm to establish a practice dedicated to the unique tax and estate-planning needs of samesex clients, Marcum is widely regarded as a thought leader in this specialty area. For more information, visit www.marcumllp.com/LGBT.
STREET Domestic & Foreign Care State Inspection & Emissions Inspection
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
The Law Office of Matthew I. Hirsch is a boutique firm specializing in immigration law. We have years of success helping people achieve their U.S. immigration goals. With the end of DOMA, we look forward to working with even more couples on family-based applications for permanent residence. We welcome inquiries on immigration equality for same-sex spouses. *Matthew I. Hirsch - Former INS atty, Adj. Professor of Immigration Law, Past Chair of Phila. Chapter of AILA
For more information, please contact us at: Info@hirschlaw1.com 150 Strafford Ave, Suite 110, Wayne PA 19087 P: 610.964.6100 │ F: 610.964.6106 www.hirschlaw1.com │ www.facebook.com/HirschLaw1
QUEEN BEE(R): Goddess Isis kicked off the “Broads, Brews & Queens” show, May 30 at Smokin’ Betty’s. The fifth-annual event, held in conjunction with Philly Beer Week, raised money for William Way LGBT Community Center. The evening featured performances by Isis, Pissi Myles, Omyra Lynn, Mary D’Knight, Miss Gemini Rose and Porcelain Queen and highlighted a number of local brewers. Photo: Scott A. Drake
JUNE IS...
Gayborhood Crime Watch 2015 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS PLEASE JOIN US!
THE GOSPEL CONCERT: FEATURING JJ HAIRSTON & YOUTHFUL PRAISE SUNDAY, JUNE 14 / 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, 6401 Ogontz Avenue
An inspirational night of gospel music where we will lift our spirits through song. THE SUMMIT BALL: CLIMBING OUR WAY TO THE TOP SATURDAY, JUNE 20 / 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM Hamilton Hall, University of the Arts, 320 South Broad Street
Philadelphia FIGHT and Philadelphia Black Pride host the region’s most recognized house/ballroom community event that integrates HIV prevention with electrified talent, creativity and artistry. HIP HOP FOR PHILLY: FEATURING TEYANA TAYLOR SATURDAY, JUNE 27 / NATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY Visit www.fight.org/hiphop for more information
Young people aged 13 – 24 receive a free ticket to this Hip Hop concert when they get a free HIV test at participating locations. THE COMMUNITY COOKOUT SUNDAY, JUNE 28 / 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Fairmount Park, Area #2, 33rd & Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Relax, kick back, and enjoy the community that AEM brings together.
www.fight.org
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE! REGISTER NOW! Register online at: www.aidseducationmonth.org or call 215.985.4448 x 200
The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between May 25-31. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS. INCIDeNTS — At 2:25 p.m. May 28, a male tried on a watch inside E.R. Diamonds, 23 S. 11th St., then fled without paying. The suspect was described as black, 45, 5-foot-6, thin, with a gray goatee and wearing a green hat. — Between 12:10-2:30 a.m. May 30, someone entered an apartment in the 1300 block of Spruce Street through a window and stole a laptop and backpack. Sixth District Officer Colon attempted to lift fingerprints. — At 11:30 p.m. May 30, an intoxicated man was walking in the area of 1100 Pine St. when three males knocked him down and stole his phone, ID and ATM card. — Between 11 a.m.-noon May 31, a resident left an apartment in the 900 block of Irving Street and, upon return, found a laptop and watch missing. There was no forced entry. Sixth District Officer Corrado attempted to lift fingerprints. — Three thefts of bicycles were reported May 25-31: outside 1200 Locust St., 833 Chestnut St. and 1109 Spruce St.
NON-SUMMaRY aRReSTS — At 10:45 a.m. May 26, Sixth District plainclothes Officers Ferrero and Grant observed a male steal an unattended bicycle from outside Juniper and Chancellor streets. The 53-year-old culprit with a South Philadelphia address was charged with theft. — At 3:55 p.m. May 26, a woman flagged down Sixth District Officer Chim in the 1000 block of Market Street to report a woman shoved her, stole her cell phone and then fled into Burlington Coat Factory. Chim apprehended a suspect and store employees recovered the phone. The 31-year-old with a homeless-shelter address was charged with robbery and related offenses. — At 2:30 p.m. May 29, Sixth District plainclothes officers observed an illegal narcotics sale outside 932 Market St. They confiscated a quantity of narcotics pills and arrested a 29-year-old suspect with a Frankford address for illegal narcotic sales and a 61-year-old for buying illegal narcotics. — At 12:30 p.m. May 30, Sixth District plainclothes Officers Ferrero and Grant observed a male steal an unattended bicycle from outside 200 S. Juniper St. The 29-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address was charged with theft. — At 9 a.m. May 31, Sixth District Officer Chim arrested a male at 1201 Market St. for failure to appear in court. The 55-yearold suspect with a Northeast Philadelphia address was charged with contempt of court. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Longtime couple turns adoption into marriage By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
PROM POSE: Hors d’oeuvres made their way around the room at the second-annual A Very Tabu Prom, held May 30. The party, staged by Ash Events, raised funds for Youth-Health Empowerment Project, a program of Philadelphia FIGHT that works with at-risk youth. Revelers donned their finest prom attire and partook in dancing and drink specials before the midnight crowning of the Gayborhood Prom Royalty. Photo: Scott A. Drake
A longtime local couple recently went from adopted father and son to legally wedded husband and husband. It may sound strange, but same-sex couples across the country have used the adoption “survival” technique in order to secure what little legal rights they could in the absence of marriage equality. Norman MacArthur, 74, and Bill Novak, 76, have been together since they were in their 20s. In 1994, they registered as domestic partners in New York City. In 2000, they moved to Erwinna, Pa., but may as well have been two strangers: Domestic partnerships were not recognized. “Without the adoption we would be legally strangers,” MacArthur told Yahoo News. “We wanted to begin estate planning and, most importantly, it would allow us visitation rights in a hospital, and gaining of knowledge if one of us was in the hospital.” At a sudden loss of legal rights afforded by their domestic partnership, the two retirees sought the counsel of Terry Clemons of Clemons, Richter and Reiss, P.C., in Doylestown. Clemons told them their only
I now pronounce you husband and husband ...
PGN is happy to publish your wedding/civil union/commitment ceremony announcement. E-mail information to editor@epgn.com or fax us at (215) 925-6437.
legal avenue would be adoption, especially since marriage equality seemed unlikely to happen any time soon in Pennsylvania. Thus, MacArthur became Novak’s legally adopted son. But last spring, the state’s marriage ban was declared unconstitutional, prompting MacArthur and Novak to begin the process of vacating their adoption and getting married. According to MacArthur, “When we went to court my knees were knocking, but at the end of the hearing Terry said, ‘We’re hoping you will sign the order to vacate the adoption from the bench,’ and the judge said, ‘I will happily do that.’” On May 14, Judge Gary B. Gilman of the Bucks County Orphans’ Court granted their petition to vacate their adoption. Free to marry, the couple tied the knot May 24 in a small, private ceremony. “I feel incredibly happy,” MacArthur said. “It’s the only way I can describe it — just enormously happy. It was very much worth the wait.” According to Clemons, this was the first time in Pennsylvania history that an adoption between a same-sex couple was vacated in order to allow them to marry. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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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. See the Youth section for more events. ■ 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. Monday through Thursday; 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 ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221 ■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851 ■ 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
■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065 rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. ■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay.org. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday through Friday Library hours: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Key numbers ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378 ■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Nellie Fitzpatrick, 215-6862194; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555
■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000 ■ 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
■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833
■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670
■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, self-employed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city, invites speakers on various topics, partners with other nonprofits and maintains a website where everyone is invited to sign up for email notices for activities and
ment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing available 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, case management and support groups; 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, 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-noon Friday; 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.
Professional groups
ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) meets 6-9 p.m. Mondays at St. Luke and The Epiphany Church, 330 S. 13th St.; 215-386-1981, www.actupphilly.org. Delaware Valley Chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State seeks activists and supporters of church-state separation. Holds monthly meetings and events; www.dvau.org. Equality Pennsylvania holds a volunteer night 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month, 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 605; 215-731-1447, www.equalitypa.org. Green Party of Philadelphia holds general meetings 7 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month, except August and December; 215-243-7103, www.gpop.org. Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club meets seasonally; www.libertycity.org.
Library Book Club meets to discuss a new book 7 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month at William Way. Men On Tap, an LGBT group that performs with choirs, organizations and at the Fringe Festival, rehearses 8 p.m. Mondays at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St.; dale@ magicalfantasies.com. Philadelphia Freedom Band, an audition-free LGBT band that does concerts and parades, rehearses 7-9:30 p.m. Mondays; philadelphiafreedomband.com. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus rehearses 7-10 p.m. Wednesdays; 215-731-9230, auditions@pgmc.org. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Opera Club meets to share and listen to recordings 6:30 p.m. the last Saturday of the month; 215-732-7898. Philadelphia Voices of Pride, Philadelphia’s first mixed LGBT chorus, rehearses 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at William Way; www.pvop.org. Queer Writer’s Collective workshop and discussion group meets 3-5 p.m. the fourth Saturday of the month at William Way. Reading Queerly, open to all women and genderqueer/ trans people, meets 6:45 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.
Recreation
Health
■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia GALLOP holds board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; GALLOP also provides a free referral service; 215-627-9090; www.galloplaw. org.
Activism/Politics
Arts
■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658
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.; 215763-8870. 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. AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 1711 S. Broad St.; 215-629-2300; www.asiac.org. Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 149 W. Susquehanna Ave.; 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 appoint-
Community Bulletin Board
events; www.gppn.org; 215-9223377.
■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association The Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www. nlgja.org/philly; philly@nlgja.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 businesses and professionals. Visit www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com for information about events, programs and membership; 215-557-0190; 1717 Arch St., Suite 3370.
■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus A regional organization dedicated to promoting gay and lesbian tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region holds meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; P.O. Box 58143, Philadelphia, PA 19102; www. philadelphiagaytourism.com; 215-840-2039.
Gay Bridge Club non-beginners group meets Monday 2-5 p.m. at William Way; reservations required. Call 215-732-2220. Gay-friendly Scrabble Club meets 5:30-10:30 p.m. at Abner’s Steaks, 38th and Chester streets; 215-382-0789. Humboldt Society: Lesbian and Gay Naturalists meets 7:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at William Way; 215-985-1456, www.humboldtsociety.org. Independence Squares LGBT square-dance club, modern Western square dancing hosts an open house and Tuesday classes in the fall at Lutheran Church, 2111 Sansom St.; philadances@gmail.com, www.independencesquares.org. Male Oenophile Group forming to discuss, appreciate and taste various wines. Will meet once a month to investigate the nuances and glories of the fermented grape; 267-230-6750. Mornings OUT LGBT Senior Social activities for senior gay men are held 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesdays at William Way. PhilaVentures, Philadelphia’s LGBT outdoor group, meets for hikes in Wissahickon Valley and Valley Forge Park; philaventures.org.
Sports
Brandywine Women’s Rugby Club meets for practice at p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Greenfield Park, West Chester; www.brandywinerugby.org. City of Brotherly Love Softball League serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area with games on Sundays, beginning in April, at the Dairy and Edgeley Fields in Fairmount Park; www.cblsl.org. Frontrunners running club meets 9:30 a.m. Saturdays for a run and brunch at Lloyd Hall, No. 1 Boathouse Row; www.philadelphiafrontrunners.org. Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club, open to LGBT and allies, practices 8-10 p.m. Mondays and 2-4 p.m. Saturdays; www.falcons-soccer.org. Philadelphia Fins Swim Team, open to male and female swimmers, meets 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Friends Select School and 10:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays; www.philadelphia-fins.org. Philadelphia Gay Bowling League meets 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays September-April at Brunswick Zone, 1328 Delsea Drive, Deptford, N.J.; 856-889-1434, www. philagaybowling.com.
Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League plays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at FDR Park; www.phillyflagfootball.com Philadelphia Gryphons Rugby Football Club, open to players of all skill levels, meets 7:45 p.m. Thursdays at Columbus Square Park, 1200 Wharton St.; 215-9137531, philadelphiagryphons.org, becomeagryphon@ gmail.com. Philadelphia Liberty Belles women’s semi-pro fulltackle football league holds fall tryouts; phillybelles.com. Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association plays yearround, all skill levels welcome; philadelphialibertytennis. com. Philadelphia Firebirds women’s football team seeks players; www.philadelphiafirebirds.com. Philadelphia Women’s Baseball League seeks players, all skill levels and ages. Practice is 7 p.m. Thursdays at Marian Anderson Recreation Center, 17th and Fitzwater streets, with games at 2:30 p.m. Sundays; 215-991-5995 (day), 301-919-1194 (evening), phillywomensbaseball. com. Philly Gay Hockey Association Philadelphia Phury seeks players; 917-656-1936, phury@gayhockey.org. Philly QCycle LGBT bicycling club promotes organized recreational riding for all levels in the Greater Philadelphia region; contact the organization via Facebook. Rainbow Riders of the Delaware Valley motorcycle club meets regularly; 215-836-0440, www.groups.yahoo. com/group/rainbowridersdv/. Rainbow Rollers gay and lesbian bowling league meets 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays at Boulevard Lanes in Northeast Philadelphia; rainbowrollers.com. Spartan Wrestling Club gay wrestling team meets 6:30-9 p.m. Mondays at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-732-4545, www.phillyspartans.com.
Etc.
AIDS Law Project provides free legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS and sponsors free monthly seminars on work and housing at 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 600; 215-587-9377, www.aidslawpa.org. BiUnity, Philadelphia-area social and support network for bisexuals, their family members and friends; http:// biunity.org. Delaware Valley Pink Pistols, for LGBT people dedicated to legal, safe and responsible use of firearms for self-defense, meets 2 p.m. the third Saturday of the month at Classic Indoor Range, 1310 Industrial Blvd., Southampton; 610-879-2364; www.pinkpistols.org. Delaware Pride holds planning meetings 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the United Church of Christ, 300 Main St., Newark; 302-265-3020, delawarepride.org. Haverford College’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance holds open meetings 10-11 p.m. Mondays during the school year in the lounge in Jones Basement at Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave.; 610-896-4938. Men and Women for Human Excellence support group meets from noon-2 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of the month at 26th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue; 267-273-3513, cmoore8300@yahoo.com. Long Yang Club Philadelphia, social organization for gay Asians and their friends, holds monthly socials; www.longyangclub.org/philadelphia. Our Night Out, a casual social networking party of LGBT professionals, friends and colleagues, meets in a different Philadelphia hot spot each month. To receive monthly event invitations, email OurNightOutPhilly@ gmail.com; more information on Facebook. Philadelphia Bar Association Legal Advice offered 5-8 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month; 215-238-6333. Philadelphia Prime Timers club for mature gay and bisexual men and their admirers meets regularly; primetimersofphiladelphia@yahoo.com. Philadelphians MC Club, for leather men and women, meets 7:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of the month at The Pit at The Bike Stop, 201 S. Quince St.; philadelphiansmc.org. Rainbow Amateur Radio Association ARRL-affiliated, weekly HF nets, quarterly newsletter; www.rara.org. Silver Foxes, a social and educational group for gays and lesbians 50 and older, meets 3-5 p.m. the fourth Sunday of the month at William Way; 215-732-2220. SNJ Queers meets monthly for queer/queer-friendly folks in South Jersey to mix and mingle; 856-375-3708, wmf69@comast.net.
PRIDE
Community Bulletin Board Men Delco Dudes A men’s social and support group meets 7-9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road in Media; delco.dudes@uucdc.org. Gay Married Men’s Association Meets 7-9 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; www.gammaphilly.com. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at William Way; 610-277-6595, www.MACTPhila.org. Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey; njwarrior@aol.com. Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330.
Parents/Families Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Bucks County Meets 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Penns Park United Methodist Church, 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park, and hird Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Warminster UCC, 785 Street Road; 215-348-9976. PFLAG/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484-354-2448. PFLAG/Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609-202-4622, pflagcollingswood@yahoo.com. PFLAG/Media Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Unitarian Universal Church, 145 Rose Tree Rd.; 610-368-2021. PFLAG/Philadelphia Meets 2-5 p.m. the third Sunday of the month at the LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 3907 Spruce St.; 215-572-1833. PFLAG/Princeton, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the George Thomas Room at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer St.; 609-683-5155. PFLAG/Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St.; 302-654-2995. Philadelphia Family Pride Advocacy, support and social network for LGBT families offers play groups, monthly kids and teen talk groups, activities and outings. Planning meetings held monthly; 215-600-2864, info@ phillyfamilypride.org, www. phillyfamilypride.org.
Trans Evolutions A drop-in support group for anyone on the transgender spectrum meets 6 p.m. Thursdays at 21 S. 12th St.,
eighth floor; 215-563-0652 ext. 235. Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary health care and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, nonjudgmental environment, 809 Locust St.; 215563-0658. T-MAN People-of-color support group for transmen, FTMs, butches, studs, aggressives, bois, genderqueer and all female-born individuals with gender questions meets 7:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays, 1201 Locust St., second floor; 215-632-3028, tmanphilly.com. Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; 215-8511822. Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization, 1201 Locust St., fourth floor; 215-732-1207. Young, Trans and Unified Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, www. atticyouthcenter.org.
Women Hanging Out With Lesbians A group in Central Pennsylvania that organizes concerts, camping, golf, picnics, hikes, plays and game nights in nonsmoking environments; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ howlofpa/. Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group meets monthly for activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/LCDV/. Lesbian Couples Dining Group of Montgomery County Meets monthly; 215-542-2899. Mt. Airy Lesbian Social Club For lesbians in the Philadelphia area ages 35-plus; www.meetup.com/ mtairylesbiansocial/. Queer Connections Social group for women in their 20s meets weekly; http://groups.yahoo. com/group/queerconnections/. Sisters United A social/support group for transwomen of color ages 13-24, with weekly social events, open discusson and monthly movie/ discussions meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330. Women Coming-Out Support Group Women, ages 18 and over, who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the coming-out process are welcome to meet 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of New Jersey; www.pridecenter.org.
Youth 40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975.
GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meet at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J.; schedule at www. glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com, 908-300-1058. HAVEN LGBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20 meet 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153. HiTOPS A safe-space support program for LGBT and questioning youth meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; 609-683-5155, hitops.org. Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-1861, info@myaonline. org. Project Keeping it Safe LGBT youth drop-in center offers meetings, HIV and STD prevention and testing, counseling and other services on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-9632432, camden-ahec.org/. PRYSM Youth Center Youth ages 14-20 meet 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at the center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610357-9948. Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Youth ages 14-21 meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 13-23 meets 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at Planned Parenthood of Chester County, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267-6876648. Young, Trans and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center; 215-545-4331, www. atticyouthcenter.org. You’re Not Alone Sponsored by AIDS Delaware, the group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth meets during the school year at 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington, Del; 800-810-6776. Youth Making a Difference A group for LGBTQ AfricanAmerican and Latino youth ages 14-24 meets 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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; 610688-0664. 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. 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. Church of the Holy Trinity Inclusive church holds services 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays at 1904 Walnut St.; 215-567-1267. 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. 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.; 215563-3853. 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. 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. 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. 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.
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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. 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. Resurrection Lutheran Church Services 10 a.m. Sundays at 620 Welsh Road, Horsham; 215-646-2597. Silverside Church Services 10 a.m. Sundays followed by a group discussion at 2800 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Del.; 302-478-5921, silversidechurch. 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. 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. Unitarian Society of Germantown Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 6511 Lincoln Drive; 215-844-1157, www.usguu.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.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
PRIDE
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PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Page 29
Jesus welcomed all
people. So do we. Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. (Childcare provided. All types of families welcome.)
Tabernacle United Church
3700 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 215-386-4100 • www.tabunited.org No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here.
Gittings, Stonewall Book Awards, and PFLAG
Don’t miss the Free Library of Philadelphia’s new exhibition:
Gittings, Stonewall Book Awards, and PFLAG June 22 through August 14, 2015 Parkway Central Library 1901 Vine Street | West Gallery | Philadelphia PA 19103 Gittings, Stonewall Book Awards, and PFLAG shines light on the incredible and important protests led by Barbara Gittings, Coordinator of the American Library Association’s Gay Task Force, and features key moments from her life including her first protest march at Independence Hall 50 years ago, as well as books and materials important in the life of the LGBTQ community from the pre-Stonewall era to today. The Free Library is also proud to feature the permanent Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Library, 18 S. 7th Street.
freelibrary.org
PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Page 30
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PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Page 31
Legal Advice on the Main Line for the LGBT Community • Wills & Powers of Attorney • Asset Protection
• Prenuptial Agreements • Real Estate
Marriage Equality Legal Reviews
Marc H. Jaffe Fromhold Jaffe & Adams Attorneys at Law
Villanova, PA 610-527-9100 www.fromholdjaffe.com
GAY IN THE GARDEN STATE: An estimated 30,000 people turned out for Asbury Park Pride June 7. The LGBT-centric New Jersey beachtown was covered in rainbows for the annual celebration, which featured a parade and festival. Organizers kicked off the event by calling “Pride virgins” up on stage — paying tribute to folks who were attending their first-ever Pride festival. Throughout the day, drag queens, dancers and musicians — including headliner and “American Idol” alum Frenchie Davis — took the stage, situated outside of the famed Paramount Theatre. New Jersey’s largest-ever outdoor display of the Names Project was set up inside the festival, which featured more than 170 community and business vendors. Photos: Scott A. Drake
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
PRIDE
We put our energy into celebrating pride. At PECO, we’re proud to support the LGBT community. So much so that the Exelon family of companies was recently recognized with the “2014 Corporate Equality Index Best Place to Work for LGBT Employees” award. Not to mention, PECO received the “Best Business” award at the Pride Day LGBT Parade and Festival for the second year in a row. We’re committed to LGBT inclusion and equality because we believe that working with individuals with different perspectives and backgrounds drive some of the most powerful outcomes. It’s what makes us proud to be a part of Exelon and happy to celebrate the power of diversity.
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PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Be prepared: Tips for caring for an ill or elderly parent
Why we have Pride
Q: I’m a gay man in my 40s. My mother now lives alone and I am her primary support. I’m concerned about how to make sure she’s OK as she continues to age and becomes more dependent on me and others. A: First, it’s terrific that your mother has such a caring son. You’re certainly not alone with your concerns. And especially in our community, it seems it’s often the LGBT child who becomes the primary sibling to watch over mom, dad or others. Here are some tips to get you started.
It’s not difficult to get wrapped the Supreme Court.”) But, I am confident that the strong bond, up in the excitement of Pride weekend in Philadelphia: the start comradery and shared experience among members of the earliest of summer, the glitter, the raingay communities around our bows, the feather boas … what’s country endowed those verynot to get wrapped up in?! Quite brave individuals with the coursimply, it’s a definite formula for age and resilience needed to start fun; however, the Pride events a revolution. As we find ourselves that take place all around the country surely don’t exist just for decades later still fighting for the sake of fun. What is the impe- equality, it is only through a solid tus for thousands and sense of community thousands of people to that we continue to attend? proudly surge ahead in Let’s start by examthe direction of reachining the word “pride.” ing common goals. The literal definition It is pride in one’s is the state or feelpersonal identity that ing of being proud, allows for feelings or a sense of one’s important to social own proper dignity or activism, like outrage value. There are a lot and fury in response of amazing aspects to inequities. Pride about having feelings also invites a strong of pride, as well as sense of self-respect holding pride-related and dignity, which events. For example, contribute to Kristina Furia also having pride in yourthe commitment to self and your varilongterm social activous personal attributes promotes ism. Without pride, we have no increased feelings of self-worth Harvey Milk or Edie Windsor, no and validation. Having events Caitlyn Jenner or Laverne Cox. dedicated to the celebration of Feelings of pride, not unlike the that pride helps to reinforce such events themselves, are crucial to feelings on the group level. our community’s visibility, its To go further, events like Philly sustainability and its continued Pride, now in its 27th year, proupward battle for full rights under mote a sense of community. the law. Without pride, our comCommunity allows for a sense of munity and many others would belonging that all people, whether be hard-pressed to find the sort gay, straight or anywhere in of motivation required to consisbetween, are likely to experience tently work towards the creation benefits from, but it is minorities of real change and social moveand those who are socially marment. ginalized who seem to benefit Pride is, in many ways, the the most. Marginalized individbackbone of our community as uals, such as those who identify well as the substance that fuses as LGBTQ, are susceptible to us. So, this year, let’s enjoy every depression, substance abuse, feel- moment of our Pride-filled weekings of isolation and low self-esend with the awareness of what teem; however, there is a variety we are doing there and why we of research that speaks to the cor- really love it so much: It is the relation between a strong sense opportunity for us to celebrate of community and increased boldly the pride that each of happiness, as well as individual us has (or maybe, are working well-being. towards having) and the power For the LGBT community, of sharing in this feeling with we started to become an actual our fellow lesbian, gay, bisexual, community in bathhouses and transgender and queer people. back-alley bars. Eventually, Happy Pride, everyone! n despite being hidden from the view of mainstream society, Kristina Furia is a psychotherthe community became collecapist specializing in issues and tively empowered and strong concerns of the LGBTQ comenough to take a stand, expressmunity in addition to depresing the first outward shows of sion, anxiety, substance abuse pride. (I’ll leave the history lesand other mental illnesses. Her son to the current exhibit at the private practice, Philadelphia National Constitution Center, LGBTQ Counseling, offers both “Speaking Out for Equality: The individual and couples sessions Constitution, Gay Rights and (www.lgbtphillytherapy.com).
Illness or disability can come without warning. If you are faced with taking on the responsibility of caring for an aging parent or ailing loved one, these checklists may serve as starting points for organizing your thoughts and building the network of financial, medical and other resources that can help. Consider the need for taking care of your loved one’s finances. • Look into obtaining a power of attorney. This legal document enables you to make legally binding decisions on your loved one’s behalf and to access his or her bank accounts and financial records. The person granting you power of attorney must generally do so in writing. • If your loved one cannot grant you power of attorney, a conservatorship could be an alternative. This is a court-ordered arrangement used when someone is not able to communicate with others or sign documents. A court-designated conservator would manage the individual’s assets in a way that is in the individual’s best interests.
shopping to actually feeding someone who cannot manage utensils. If you are asked to help with medication, it might simply mean counting pills and putting them in marked containers once or twice a week. But it could also mean monitoring and servicing complex medical devices such as infusion pumps. It could even mean giving injections on a daily basis. • Determine whether your loved one can remain at home. That may be the preferred arrangement, but the decision may not be clear-cut. Other options may include moving your loved one in with you, or to an assisted-living facility or nursing home. Discuss the alternatives candidly with your loved Jeremy one’s doctors, nurses, Gussick physical therapists and mental health-care providers, as well as with the person you would be caring for. • Be sure that the home is safe and accessible. Your loved one may need ramps, lifts, grab bars and similar features in order to get around. Make sure there’s enough space around furniture for a walker or wheelchair. Rugs and loose wires can trip people who use walkers, canes or crutches. Easyto-use remote controls for heat, air conditioning, entertainment systems and lighting can ease frustration for people who can’t readily get around on their own. • See what professional support is available. Visiting nurses and home-health aides can help you fill in gaps in your own caregiving efforts and improve the quality of life for your loved one. Determine what services might be available from local providers and whether any might be covered by insurance.
Out Money
Understand what types of assistance may be needed. • Ask about the medical outlook for the person you will be caring for. Sometimes the primary goal is getting the patient back on his or her feet. Sometimes it’s just stopping a patient’s condition from becoming worse. Discuss the person’s prognosis with his or her doctor to better understand what the future may hold. • Identify the tasks you will need to perform. If you are asked to help with meals, it could mean anything from weekly grocery
Know what options are available when in-home care might not be viable. • Assisted-living facilities are suitable for people who can generally take care of themselves independently but may need some help with routine tasks such as preparing meals, housekeeping and getting around. They are the most home-like and least restrictive living environments outside the home. Outside transportation and recreation opportunities can vary widely.
• Nursing homes are designed to house and care for very frail or disabled people who are not capable of caring for themselves. Take into account atmosphere and quality-of-life concerns for assisted-living facilities and nursing homes. For example: • The size and general layout of the facility. Look at living quarters, the dining area, recreational facilities and group-activity spaces. • The overall cleanliness of the facility. • Resources and experience with LGBT patients, if applicable. • The physical situation of the facility. Busy main streets may make it easier for visitors to gain access, but the noise may be intrusive for residents. • Proximity to family and friends. People close to their loved one may be more likely to visit if the facility is nearby and conveniently located. • The organized activity programs for residents, if any. • Safety features. Look for adequate lighting, smoke and firealarm systems and clearly marked exits. You can request evidence that the facility has all mandated features and is current with its code and safety inspections. • Proximity to a hospital or urgent-care clinic. • Proximity to outside resources. Easy access to parks, libraries, theaters and stores can be important for your loved one’s quality of life. • Pets can be meaningful companions but they can also be sources of allergens or other irritations. Consider financial factors for assisted-living facilities and nursing homes. • Obtain a detailed list of all fees and costs. The documentation should indicate what services are covered by the base payment, as well as the cost for any optional services. It should also indicate any costs that might be contingent on a particular circumstance. • Understand the billing arrangements. You may be expected to make regularly scheduled payments without receiving any prior notice or statement. You may also be expected to set up a cash reserve to finance any optional costs or services. • Rate adjustments may be a factor for indefinite arrangements. Ascertain how frequently rate adjustments can be made and how much advance PAGE 38
Thinking Queerly
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PRIDE
locations in Philadelphia Center city — Around THe gayborhood
12th Street Gym, 204 S. 12th St. • 13th Street Gourmet Pizza, 209 S. 13th St. • AACO, 1101 Market St., 9th floor • Action AIDS, 1216 Arch St. • Apt. & Townhouse Rentals, 304 S. 12th St. • The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. • Bioscript Pharmacy, 1227 Locust St. • Boxers PHL, 1330 Walnut St. • Cafe Twelve, 212 S. 12th St. • Charlie Salon, 203 S. 12th St. • Charlie was a Sinner, 131 S. 13th St. • City Hall NE Entrance • Club Body Center, 1220 Chancellor St. • Com-Har Living Room, 101 S. Broad St., 14th floor • Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. • Cut Salon, 204 S. 13th St. • Danny’s Bookstore 133 S. 13th St. • Dignity/St. Lukes, 330 S. 13th St. • Dirty Frank’s Bar, 13th & Pine sts. • The Foodery, 10th & Pine sts. • GALAEI, 1207 Chestnut St. • ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. • Independent Hotel, 13th & Locust sts. • John C. Anderson Apts., 249 S. 13th St. • Mazzoni Clinic, 809 Locust St. • Midtown II, 122 S. 11th St. • More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St. • Nationality Service Center, 1216 Arch St. • Optimal Gym, 1315 Walnut St. • Paolo Pizzeria, 1336 Pine St. • PAT@Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. • Phila. FIGHT/Aids Library, 1233 Locust St., 2nd floor • Planned Parenthood, 1144 Locust St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Salon K, 1216 Locust St. • Scorpio Books, 205 S. Juniper St. • Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St. • Square One, 249 S. 13th St. • Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. • Toast, 12th & Spruce sts. • Triangle Medicine, 253 S. 10th St., 1st floor • U Bar, 1220 Locust St. • Valanni, 1229 Spruce St. • Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St. • William Way LGBT Community Center, 1325 Spruce St. • Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. •
Center City OTHER — East of broad
Bean Café, 615 South St. • Best Western Independence Park Hotel lobby, 215 Chestnut St. • Bodhi Coffee, 410 S. 2nd St. • Bridgeview Place, 315 New St. • Cedrone’s Flowers, 800 Lombard St. • Class Act Auto Repair, 2042 S. Bancroft St. • Copabanana, 342 South St. • Dane Décor, 315 Arch St. • Filter Coffee Co., 331 Race St. • Hopkinson House, 604 S. Washington Sq. • Hyatt Regency Hotel lobby, 201 S. Columbus Blvd. • Independence Place Condos, 241 S. Sixth St., lobby in both towers • Independence Visitors Center, 6th & Market sts. • Modish Hair Salon, 640B South St. • PGN offices, 505 S. Fourth St. • Philadelphia Java Co., 518 S. Fourth St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Strands Salon, 25 N. Third St. • Two Independence Place, 233 S. 6th St. •Ultimo Coffee, 1900 S. 15th St. • Wireworks, 301 Race St. •
center city OTHER — west of broad
Adonis Cinema, 2026 Sansom St. • Art Institute, 1622 Chestnut St. • Art Institute, 2300 Market St. • The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St. • Bob & Barbara’s, 1509 South St. • Dan Tobey R/E, 1401 Walnut St., 8th floor • Dr. Wakefield’s Office, 255 S. 17th St., Suite 2306 • Drucker & Scaccetti, 1600 Market St., Suite 3300 • Drexel Partnership, 1427 Vine St., 3rd floor • Latimer Deli, 255 S. 15th St. • MANNA, 12 S. 23rd St. • Marine Club Condos lobby, Broad St. & Washington Ave. • Metropolitan, 115 N. 15th St. • PA Law Project, 2122 Chestnut St., Suite 1600 • Phila. Daily News, 801 Market St. • Safeguards Lobby, 1700 Market St., 18th floor • Sansom St. Gym, 2020 Sansom St. • South Square Market, 2221 South St. • Stir, 1705 Chancellor St. • U Do It Laundry, 15th & Spruce sts. • Westminster Arch Apts., Vine St., 3rd floor •
UNIVERSITY CITY
Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St. • Bucks County Coffee, 3430 Sansom St. • Bucks County Coffee, 30 S. 33rd St., Rom. 113 • Christian Association, 3627 Chestnut St. • Drexel University, 4001 Walnut St. • Fresh Grocer, 4001 Walnut St. • Goodman Hall, 710 S. 42nd St. • International House, 3701 Chestnut St. • LGBT Center at Penn, 3907 Spruce St. • Metropolitan Community Church, 3637 Chestnut St. • Old Quaker Condos lobby, 3514 Lancaster Ave. • Oslo Hall, 510 S. 42nd St. • Penn Bookstore, 3610 Walnut St. • Sheraton Hotel, 36th & Chestnut sts. • St. Mary’s Church, 3916 Locust Walk • University of the Sciences England Library, 4200 Woodland Ave. • Wilson Hall, 708 S. 42nd St. • World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. •
PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS — OTHER
Almost Paradise, 742 Frankford Ave. • Awbry Aboretum, 1 Awbry Rd. • Caribbean Pharmacy, 3825 N. 5th St. •Elfant Wissahickon Realty, 8962 Ridge Ave. • Fantasy Island Books, 7363 State Road • Harry’s Natural Foods, 1805 Cottman Ave. • Infinity Jewelers, 3528 Cottman+ Ave. • Infusion Salon, 7133 Germantown Ave. • Morris House, 5537 Woodland Ave. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Philadelphia University KANBAR Center, 4201 Henry Ave. • Philly Pharmacy, 9475 Roosevelt Blvd. • WCAU TV lobby, City Line Ave. & Monument Road • Weaver’s Way, 559 Carpenter Lane • Welker Real Estate, 2311 Fairmount Ave. • WPVI TV lobby, City Line Ave. & Monument Road •
locations in Philadelphia NORTH OF Center City
1 Shot Coffee, 1040 N. Second St. • 2601 Parkway Condos lobby, 2601 Pennsylvania Ave. • Barnes & Noble, 1700 N. Broad St. • Bebashi, 1217 Spring Garden St. • Beth Ahavah, 615 N. Broad St. • Bridgeview Place Condo lobby, 315 New St. • Colonnade Condos lobby, 1601 Spring Garden St. • Community College CCP Lambda, 1700 Spring Garden St. • Congresso de Latinos, American St. & Lehigh Ave. • Darling’s Diner, 1033 N. Second St. • Girard Vet, 28th St. & Girard Ave. • HIV Early Intervention Clinic, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 16th St. & Girard Ave. • Logan View Apts. lobby, 17th & Callowhill sts. • Northern Liberties Iron Works, 821 N. Second St. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Packard Apts., 317 N. Broad St. • Philadelphian Condos lobby, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. • PYT Restaurant, 1050 N. Hancock St., at the Piazza • Sammy’s Place, 1449 N. Fifth St., 1st floor • SILOAM Ministries, 1133 Spring Garden St. • Temple University Student Activity Center, 1755 N. 12th St. • Vice Coffee, 1031 Spring GardenSty. • Welker Real Estate, 2311 Fairmount Ave. • Whole Foods Market, 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. •
SOuth of Center city
Bethel Community Home, 933-935 S. Third St. • Black N Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. • Essene, 719 S. Fourth St. • Famous 4th St. Deli, Fourth & Bainbridge sts. • Fuel, 1917 E. Passyunk Ave. • Jackson Place, 501 Jackson St. • Rockerhead Salon, 607 S. Third St. • Wedge Medical Center, 1939 S. Juniper St. •
locations outside Pa. DELAWARE
Rehoboth Beach • Canal Side Inn, 34 Sixth St. • Proud Bookstore, 149 Rehoboth Ave. • Rams Head Inn, 35006 Warrington Ave. • Rigby’s Bar & Grill, 404 Rehoboth Ave. • Shore Inn, 37239 Rehoboth Ave. • Wilmington • AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th St. • Crimson Moon, 1909 S. Sixth St. •
Maryland Waterville • Treasure Chest II, 5 Sanger Ave. •
NEW JERSEY
Asbury Park • Georgie’s, 812 Fifth Ave. • Paradise, 101 Asbury Ave. • Atlantic City • Oasis, 32 S. Tennessee Ave. • Ocean House, 127 S. Ocean Ave. • Rainbow Room, 30 S. Florida Ave.• Ritz Condo lobby, 2715 Boardwalk • South Jersey AIDS Alliance. 10 Gordon’s Alley • Bordentown • Shoppe 202, 202 Farnsworth Ave. • Camden • Honor Box, PATCO Ferry Ave. Station • Cape May • Sunshine News, 7 Gurney St. • Cherry Hill • Unitarian Church, 400 N. Kings Hwy. • Collingswood • Honor Box, PATCO Collingswood Station • Groove Ground, Haddon Ave. • Egg Harbour City • Red Barn Books, 1204 White Horse Pike • Egg Harbour Twp. • Atlanticare, 6550 Delilah Ave. • Galloway • Pride Alliance Stockton College, 101 Vera King Farris Dr. suite 240 • Gloucester City • Red Barn Books, 600 Rt. 130 South • Haddonfield • Honor Box, PATCO Haddonfield Station, PATCO Woodcrest Station • Hammonton Club Revolution, 19 N. Egg Harbor Rd. • Highland Park • Pride Center of NJ, 85 Raritan Ave. • Lambertville • Buck’s Ice Cream, 25 Bridge St. • Lebanon • LGBT of Hunterdon Co., 126 Petticoat Lane • Lindenwold • Honor Box, PATCO Lindenwold Station East • Honor Box, PATCO Lindenwold Station West • Morristown • Gay Activist Alliance, Unitarian Church, 29 Normandy Heights Road • Mountainside • Rivendell Media, 1248 Rt. 22 West • Oaklyn • Sacred Green Earth, 511 Whitehorse Pike • Princeton • LGBT Center, Princeton University, 246 First Campus Center • Vineland • J&J News, 729 N. Main St. • West Berlin • Red Barn Books, 597 Route 73 North • West Cape May • Gables of Cape May, 600 Park Blcd. • Westmont • Honor Box, PATCO Westmont Station •
NEW YORK
Blooming Grove • Help Inc., 48 Sylvan Trail • New York City • Lesbian and Gay Services Center, 208 W. 13th St.
PRIDE
locations in Pennsylvania 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. • Bristol • Bristol News World, 576B Bristol Pike • 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 • Doylestown • Darkanyu, 504 Eagle Lane • Doylestown Bookshop, 16 S. Main St. • Siren Records, 25 E. State St. • 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 • Woods Campground, 845 Vaughn Acres Road • Levittown • Levitt Books, 7406 Bristol Pike • 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 • 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 • Newtown • Bucks Co. Community College, 275 Swamp Road • North Wales • Adult World, 608 Upper State Road • Old Forge • Twelve Penny Saloon, 535 Hickory St. • Paoli • Paoli Station, North Valley Road & Lincoln Highway • Penns Park • United Methodist Church, 2394 Second St. Pike • Phoenixville • Artisans Gallery and Cafe, 234 Bridge St. • Steel City, 203 Bridge St. • Quakertown • Adult World, 880 S. West End Blvd. • 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 • Warminster • Planned Parenthood of Bucks Co., 610 Louis Dr. • 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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Page 37
Honor boxes and free library locations
2nd & Chestnut sts. • 2nd & Market sts. • 2nd & South sts. • 2nd & Walnut sts. • • 2nd & Wildey sts. • 3rd & Arch sts. • 3rd & Race sts. • 3rd & Chestnut sts. • 3rd & Market sts. • 3rd & Spruce sts. • 4th & Bainbridge sts. • 4th & Chestnut sts. • 4th St. bet. Arch & Market sts., by Holiday Inn • 5th & Chestnut sts. • 5th & Spring Garden sts. • 5th & Spruce sts. • 6th & South sts. • 7th & Pine sts. • 8th & Market sts. • 8th & South sts. • 8th & Walnut sts. • 9th & Market sts. • 9th & Pine sts. • 10th & Market sts. • 10th & Pine sts. • 10th & South sts. • 10th & Spruce sts.• 10th & Reed sts. • 11th & Arch sts. • 11th & Locust sts. • 11th & Pine sts. • 11th & Walnut sts. • 12th & Filbert sts. • 12th & Locust sts. • 12th & Manning sts. •12th & Spruce sts. • 12th & Walnut sts. • 13th & Arch sts. • 13th & Chestnut sts. • 13th & Locust sts. • 13th & Pine sts. • 13th & Sansom sts. • 13th & Spruce sts. • 13th & Walnut sts. •15th & Spruce sts. • 16th St. & JFK Boulevard • 16th & Market sts. • 17th & Lombard sts. • 17th & Pine sts. • 17th & Spruce sts. • 18th St. & JFK Boulevard • 18th & Locust sts. • 18th & Market sts. • 19th & South sts. • 20th & Fitzwater sts. • 20th & Locust sts. • 20th & Pine sts. • 20th & Sansom sts. • 20th & Vine sts. • 21st & Walnut sts. • 22nd & Chestnut sts. • 22nd & Market sts. • 22nd & South sts. • 22nd & Walnut sts. • 23rd St. & Fairmount Avenue • 27th & Poplar sts. • 28th & Girard sts.• 29th & Girard sts. • 30th & Market sts. • 34th & Spruce sts. • 34th & Walnut sts. • 36th & Walnut sts. • 37th & Spruce sts. • 38th & Chestnut sts. • 38th & Spruce sts. • 38th & Walnut sts. • 40th & Walnut sts. • 40th & Spruce sts. • 63rd St. & City Ave. • 69th St. SEPTA station • 505 S. Fourth St. • Broad & Chestnut sts. • Broad & Ellsworth sts. • Broad & Race sts. • Broad & Spruce sts. • Broad & Walnut sts. • Front & Girard sts. • Germantown & Girard sts. • Juniper & Market sts. • Main & Cotton sts. • Main & Levering sts. • Passyunk Ave & 10th & Reed sts. • Passyunk & Mifflin sts. • University City SEPTA Station • Walnut & Dock sts., by Ritz Movies • Welsh Road & Roosevelt Boulevard • Wyndmoor SEPTA Station • Andorra Branch, 705 E. Cathedral Road • Blanch A. Nixon Branch, 5800 Cobbs Creek Parkway • Bustleton Branch, 10199 Bustleton Ave. • Falls of Schuylkill Branch, 3501 Midvale Ave. • Fishtown Branch, 1217 E. Montgomery Ave. • Frankford Branch, 4634 Frankford Ave. • Independence Branch, 18 S. Seventh St. • Joseph E. Coleman Branch, 68 W. Chelten Ave. • Kingsessing Branch, 1201 S. 51st St. • Lehigh Branch, 601 W. Lehigh Ave. • Logan Branch, 1333 Wagner Ave. • Lovett Branch, 6945 Germantown Ave. • Main Branch, 1901 Vine St. • McPherson Square Branch, 601 E. Indiana Ave. • Northeast Regional, 2228 Cottman Ave. • Oak Lane Branch, 6614 N. 12th St. • Ogontz Branch, 6017 Ogontz Ave. • Olney Branch, 5501 N. Fifth St. • Thomas F. Donatucci Branch, 1935 Shunk St. • Richmond Branch, 2987 Almond St. • Rodriguez Branch, 600 W. Girard Ave. • Roxborough Branch, 6245 Ridge Ave. • Southwark Branch, 932 S. Seventh St. • Welsh Road Branch, 9233 Roosevelt Blvd. • West Phila. Branch, 125 S. 52nd St. • Wynnefield Branch, 5325 Overbrook Ave.
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PRIDE MONEY from page 33
notification of changes you can expect. Additional resources: • LGBT Elder Initiative (www.lgbtei.org) • AARP Caregiving Resource Center (www. aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/) • Assisted Living Federation of America (www.alfa.org) • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging (www.aoa. gov) n Jeremy R. Gussick is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional 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 2014 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager by 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, email jeremy.gussick@lpl.com. LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. 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. Wealth Management Systems, Inc. and LPL Financial are not affiliated entities. *As reported by Financial Planning magazine, 19962014, 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. CROSSWALKS from page 1
other city officials are expected to attend. “This is going to be so special to have these historic figures from LGBT history present, and on Barbara Gittings Way of all places,” Price said about the section of the street renamed after the late LGBT pioneer. There will also be a dedication of the crosswalks during the July 5 Annual Reminders Block Party, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the demonstrations. The project — a collaborative effort between Philly Pride Presents and the city’s Streets and Public Property departments — has been two years in the making. Several other major cities currently have rainbow crosswalks. Philly’s new crosswalks will most resemble Toronto’s, with six colors spanning the street horizontally from sidewalk to sidewalk. n
PRIDE MURDER from page 1
Bernheisel and Brennan had previous drug arrests, and police spokesperson Leeloni Palmiero said drugs appear to have played a role in the robbery and killing. She said the victim and suspects knew each other prior to the crime. Palmiero said investigators do not believe Bernheisel’s sexual orientation played any role in the killing. She noted that Leibhart identifies as bisexual. How the incident progressed from a robbery to the gruesome murder is not yet clear. “At this time, we do not know, as it is still under investigation,” Palmiero said, noting investigators are still working to determine when the suitcase was placed where it was found. “As of right now, we can only determine that it had been placed after the murder. We do not have a date.” Brennan was charged with murder, robbery with the intent to inflict serious bodily injury, conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime and abuse of corpse. Bail was denied and he faces a preliminary hearing 9 a.m. June 24 in Room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Brennan was arrested in October on drug-possession charges and was ordered to perform 12 hours of community service and pay $215. Leibhart, who had no previous arrests in Philadelphia, was charged with robbery with the intent to inflict serious bodily injury, conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking, hindering apprehension or prosecution, receiving stolen property and obstructing the administration of law. She is being held at Riverside Correctional Facility on $500,000 bail. Leibhart’s alleged role in the crime will be disclosed at her preliminary hearing, Palmiero said, which is scheduled for 8 a.m. June 23 in Room 503 of the Criminal Justice Center. n
LEVINE from page 1
transgender woman. I was nominated because of my qualifications and professional background, and I was confirmed on that basis. And that’s the way it should be.” After the excitement of the day, Levine joked that she cooked dinner — bison burgers and corn — for herself and her son and had a quiet evening at home. PGN’s full interview PRIDE from page 1
stand early and catch some bonus entertainment. Catch parade performances by The Attic Youth, ICandy girls, Venture Inn and more. Pride will have a dual theme this year: commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminder Days and recognizing the transgender community. “Our parade is a salute and acknowledgement of the trans community,” Price said. This year’s grand marshals are Nellie Fitzpatrick, the city’s new director of LGBT Affairs, and Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s acting physician general and the highest-ranking transgender official in the state. There will also be two grand-marshal floats this year, one of which will be named the Charlene J. Arcila Gender
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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with the Physician General will run next week. Levine, a Middletown resident, was most recently a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine, vice-chair for clinical affairs for the Department of Pediatrics and chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and Eating Disorders at the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. She graduated from Harvard College in 1979 and went on to Tulane University School of Medicine, where she graduated in 1983. She completed her
training in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, where she practiced from 1988-93. Jessica Rothchild, president of the board of Equality Pennsylvania, on which Levine previously sat, congratulated Levine Tuesday, calling her an “excellent physician. We look forward to her tenure as the Physician General of Pennsylvania.” State Rep. Dan Frankel also welcomed the news. “This is a history-making cabinet first for Pennsylvania, and I congratulate not only Dr. Levine but also Gov. Tom
Wolf for nominating her,” said Frankel, co-chair of the state legislature’s LGBT Equality Caucus and longtime lead sponsor of the state’s LGBT nondiscrimination bill. “By confirming Dr. Levine, the Senate has not only provided Pennsylvanians with a quality physician general, [but] a majority of our state Senate has affirmed that being LGBT should not matter in employment. What should matter is whether the person will do a good job, and Dr. Levine will.” PGN will run a sit-down interview with Levine in next week’s issue. n
Equality Grand Marshal Float. Arcila, a trans woman whose complaint against SEPTA ultimately led to the elimination of gender markers on transpasses, died earlier this year, shortly after the plans for the float were announced. “We really wanted to honor and respect Charlene,” said Price. “She made a huge impact in terms of equality for the trans community when she helped get rid of the ‘male’ and ‘female’ on the SEPTA passes. We want to encourage as many trans folks and allies as possible to ride the float.” The Friend of Pride designation will go to Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel, the department’s LGBT liaison, who Price noted has worked closely with the Police LGBT Liaison
Committee. At Penn’s Landing, Henri David will keep the festivities moving along as master of ceremonies. Larisa Bunch will open the event with a performance of the unofficial LGBT anthem “I Am What I Am.” Fran Drescher, comedian and actor best known as the star of the CBS sitcom “The Nanny,” will headline the main stage. Joining Drescher in the entertainment lineup is Alex Newell, who played the character “Unique” on Fox’s “Glee,” as well as musician Cary Nokey and band Puddles Pity Party. “We have an incredible lineup, one of the best in the country,” Price said. “We haven’t heard one negative thing. Everyone loves Fran. Alex Newell really is the next big thing; people heard him at the
GLAAD gala and he was one of the highlights of the whole gala. Tons of unique entertainment for everyone.” Festival attractions include a dance area featuring DJ June Rodriguez, health area with STD screenings, food and drink vendors, sports zone, pet zone, family zone and more than 150 community organizations and vendors. Price gave credit to the 16 Pride coordinators who will help make this year’s event a reality. “We have been together for a while and they are like siblings; we couldn’t do this without them,” she said. “The community as a whole comes together and makes this successful.” For more information, visit www.phillygaypride.org. n
Happy Pride! Since 1976
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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A status conference is set for 11 a.m. Aug. 14 at the U.S. Court House in Camden, N.J.
News Briefing Settlement still possible in cop case Settlement talks continue in the workplace-bias case of N. Melville Jones, an openly gay police officer. Jones filed suit against the city in 2013, seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages. The officer claims that a supervisor outed him throughout the Philadelphia Police Department, triggering pervasive harassment and discrimination against him. A jury trial was scheduled to begin 10 a.m. April 28 in Courtroom 243 of City Hall. But it was postponed in the hope that the case could be settled. “The case has not reached settlement yet,” said Barak A. Kassutto, an attorney for Jones, this week. “We will inform you if and when we are back on track to go to trial.” City attorneys had no comment for this update.
School district seeks emails from gay litigant The Pennsauken School District continues to seek emails in the possession of Thomas Vandergrift that pertain to his lawsuit against the district. In a June 1 court filing, district officials said they’re entitled to the emails, along with all social-media posts relating to the case. They asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider to order Vandergrift to immediately provide the information. Vandergrift, an openly gay teacher, alleges that district officials wrongfully accused him of child molestation after he advocated for a proper education for his autistic nephew. District officials also want Vandergrift’s mental-health records for the past 18 years. In a prior interview, Vandergrift said he’s doing his best to comply with that request. Vandergrift seeks policy changes within the district and an unspecified amount in damages.
Gay inmate claims thefts Kenneth J. Houck Jr., an openly gay inmate who was assaulted while reading an LGBT novel, says he’s also been the victim of multiple thefts. In 2011, Houck pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography. While awaiting transfer to a federal prison, he was brutally assaulted by two inmates at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, resulting in multiple fractures to his right leg. Houck is currently incarcerated in a federal prison in Littleton, Colo. In letters to PGN, Houck said he was placed in solitary confinement on multiple occasions. When he returned to his cell, his personal belongings were missing. He wants to be transferred to a facility on the East Coast, where his family lives, he said. Houck, 40, also said that last November a prison staffer defamed him in front of numerous inmates, placing him at risk for serious injury. Ed Ross, a spokesperson for the federal Bureau of Prisons, had no comment about Houck’s allegations. Houck’s scheduled release date is May 18, 2018.
Settlement conference set in Voyeur case Kelly Martin, a South Philadelphia woman, is suing Voyeur Nightclub after falling inside the building and sustaining serious injuries. On July 1, 2012, Martin allegedly fell due to slippery conditions caused by an accumulation of liquid, glass and debris at the club.
She sustained fractures to her right arm, requiring extensive surgery, according to her lawsuit. She’s seeking more than $50,000 in damages, claiming the club operated in a dangerous manner. The popular night spot, located at 1221 St. James St., has a large LGBT clientele. The case is in the discovery phase. A settlement conference is tentatively set for 10 a.m. Sept. 8 in Room 646 of City Hall. Neither side had a comment for this story.
New deadline set in rape case The Pennsylvania Superior Court has given Jeffrey J. Marsalis until July 1 to file an appellate brief in his quest for a new trial. Marsalis sexually assaulted two women in Philadelphia before raping a lesbian in Idaho. He wants a new trial for his Philadelphia convictions, citing ineffective counsel. Marsalis, 42, allegedly sedated his victims with a date-rape drug prior to sexually assaulting them. He denies the allegations. The initial deadline for Marsalis’ appellate brief was May 1. But the court said an extension until July 1 is warranted, and ordered local authorities to provide more records to Marsalis so he can compose the brief. Marsalis remains incarcerated at a state prison in Marienville. His scheduled release date is Jan. 17, 2017. Then, he must begin serving a 14-year prison sentence in Idaho for raping a lesbian in that state, according to court records. n — Timothy Cwiek
PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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International Police injured in Kiev gay-march clash Opponents of a gay-rights march held in the Ukrainian capital threw smoke bombs and tear gas, injuring five officers. Reports indicate that four of the estimated 300 marchers also were injured. The march took place June 6 along the Dnipro River in Kiev. Helmeted riot police formed a cordon to keep marchers and opponents at a distance from each other. The opponents threw smoke bombs and some tried to break through the cordon. Some demonstrators were attacked after the march dispersed. As in other parts of the former Soviet Union, animosity toward LGBT people persists. The tensions are aggravated by opponents’ claims that Ukraine’s political turn toward the West will promote marriage equality.
Seoul Pride organizers vow to defy ban The Pride event in South Korea’s capital has been banned by police, but organizers have vowed to march regardless. Police cited public safety and traffic concerns as their reasons for banning the parade, part of the Korea Queer Festival. Conservative Christian groups had been vocal in their opposition to the festival, and
Media Trail EEOC files lawsuit on behalf of trans employee According to My Fox Twin Cities, a federal lawsuit alleges a Minnesota company subjected a transgender employee to sex discrimination. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the suit June 5 against Shoreview-based Deluxe Financial Services Corp. According to the EEOC, after longtime employee Britney Austin began to present as a woman in the company’s Phoenix office and informed her supervisors that she was transgender, the company refused to let her use the women’s
organizers contend this is the real reason behind the ban. Executive director Woo Ji-Young said: “The police should protect the rights of free expression, rather than siding with those trying to suppress it. The parade will go on whether the police ban it or not.” More than 20,000 people had been expected to take part in the street parade on June 28 at the end of the festival. It is not the first time pressure from conservative groups has harmed LGBT rights in South Korea. A human-rights charter that would have offered protections to LGBT people was scrapped after antigay protests. Schools in South Korea have also been banned from talking about LGBT issues. The first lesbian kiss on South Korean television sparked complaints earlier this year.
Costa Rican couple gets common-law marriage A Costa Rican judge has granted the first same-sex common-law marriage in Central America. The “common-law marriage,” which is not the same as a legal marriage or civil partnership, grants Gerald Castro and Cristian Zamora benefits such as inheritance and social security. A judge can grant one after a couple has been together for three years. Costa Rica currently does not allow same-sex marriage, but has a bill for civil unions is progressing through its legislature. A change to the country’s law in 2013 opened up common-law marriages to samesex couples, but is the first that has been granted. Marco Castillo, president of the Diversity Movement, said: “This is a big step forward. This is the first time that the law has restroom. The suit accuses Austin’s supervisors and coworkers of causing a hostile work environment, including using hurtful epithets and intentionally using the wrong gender pronouns. The EEOC accuses the company of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a statement last week, the company wrote that the EEOC claims lack merit and that the company takes the dignity of its employees seriously.
AK couples: Wed to keep benefits According to the Alaska Dispatch News, same-sex couples under Alaska’s employee union health-care plan will no longer have access to those benefits unless they are married. The decision by the Alaska State Employees Association’s board of trustees comes after an October ruling legalized same-sex marriage in Alaska. Starting July 1, the health plan will only
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
been recognized as such.” Francisco Madrigal, political-affairs director for the Center for Research and Promotion of Human Rights in Central America, added: “This is an important accomplishment but it gives us a view of how much more we need to do.” The country has been at the forefront of LGBT rights in Central America — extending social benefits to same-sex couples last year. Costa Rica’s president also flew a Pride flag above his residence to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. He has, however, said he does not support same-sex marriage.
MP official criticizes trans athlete Western Australia MP Peter Abetz said a trans girl should not have been allowed to compete in a girl’s cross-country event. The 8-year-old transgender girl ran in a competition at her primary school in Perth alongside other girls her age. She placed fifth and qualified for the local interschools event. Christian pastor and Liberal Party politician Peter Abetz said it was unfair for a trans girl to compete in a girls’ event. Abetz said: “I think what the school could have done is gone to the parents and say, ‘We appreciate that you have the view that your son identifies as a girl, but from a practical perspective, this is going to create a lot of difficulties at the school and if he doesn’t want to run the cross-country as a boy, he can stay on the sidelines.’” He asked, “Is it fair that a child who is clearly biologically a boy and is by nature more muscular than girls runs in the race? What would have happened if he came first in the race? What would that have created? If I was a girl, I would have said that was be available for married couples. In April, the board sent letters to same-sex couples utilizing the state’s health-benefits plan to inform them of the changes. Board chairman Mike Williams said the board’s decision is part of an effort to “treat all couples the same now.” Williams said domestic partnerships, either with same- or opposite-sex partners, are not eligible because the state does not legally recognize them. Alaska began offering benefits to samesex couples in 2005 after a state Supreme Court ruled that not extending benefits to couples solely because they couldn’t marry violated their equal-protection rights. The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska first brought the lawsuit forward. ACLU of Alaska executive director Joshua Decker supported the union’s decision, noting that the point of the ACLU lawsuit was to give same-sex couples equal protection. “Equality is what we’ve always been fighting for,” Decker said. “It’s perfectly
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unfair. The thing is, the child is biologically a boy. That’s what he is. It’s a scientific fact.” However, research has shown that, before puberty, boys and girls are roughly equal in strength and sporting ability. The school’s principal was committed to respecting the pupil’s gender. In a letter to parents, the principal explained: “The student was enrolled in our school last year and may be familiar to your children as a boy, but will now be recognized as a girl. In accordance with discrimination laws, an individual cannot be discriminated against on the ground of transgender identity in sports, meaning that individuals can compete according to their identified gender.”
Thousands turn out for Cyprus Pride Several-thousand people marched in the streets of Nicosia, the capital of the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus, for the nation’s second Pride parade. Parade organizer and ACCEPT-LGBT Cyprus President Costas Gavrielides said turnout was roughly that of last year’s inaugural parade, showing that taboos in the country are fading away. Gavrielides also noted that critics were a no-show at the June 6 parade, while more politicians embraced the event. Last year, scuffles broke out after police prevented a small group of Orthodox Christian protesters from approaching the parade. Gavrielides said he’s pleased the Cypriot government has approved a long-awaited civil-partnership bill. Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos said he’s confident parliament will approve the bill. n — compiled by Larry Nichols legal for Alaska to say to all loving and committed couples, whether opposite or same sex, if you want to get the full suite of employee benefits, you have to be married.” The board of trustees moved forward with their decision despite a pending ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that could overturn Alaska’s same-sex marriage ruling. Williams said fewer than 20 couples will be affected by the change. If the ruling is overturned, couples will have 60 days to return to the plan if they choose.
Barnard votes to admit trans women The New York Post reports Barnard College has decided to admit transgender women, becoming the latest women’s college to issue a new policy acknowledging the fluidity of gender. The new policy, announced June 4, says Barnard will consider applicants PAGE 47 who consistently live
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and identify as women. That excludes transgender men, those born female but identifying as male. The decision is an attempt to balance Barnard’s identity as a women’s college with what the school calls “an evolving understanding of gender identity.” The decision makes Barnard the last of the traditional Seven Sisters colleges to update their admissions policies. Each school has come up with a slightly different formula. Though it won’t admit transgender men, Barnard said it would still give its full support to any student who makes such a transition while enrolled.
Providence to extend transition-related health coverage According to the Providence Sun Times, the city of Providence, R.I., is extending transition-related health coverage for employees and retirees who identify as transgender or gender-nonconforming. Officials say the city is extending health-insurance coverage for gender-reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and behavioral health care in order to be more inclusive. Mayor Jorge Elorza says there are about 90 other cities extending coverage already. The city also plans to designate gender-neutral bathrooms at City Hall, the Public Safety Complex and the Providence school department. The mayor did not have any hard numbers on the plan’s costs.
N.C. veto vote delayed Greensboro News & Record reports the North Carolina House adjourned last weekend without formally deciding whether to cancel Gov. Pat McCrory’s veto of legislation allow-
ing some government officials to avoid performing gay marriages on religious grounds. The vetoed bill was listed on the House agenda June 4 but not acted upon for a second consecutive day. House Rules Chairman David Lewis says a vote hasn’t occurred because a few members were absent. Lewis also acknowledged some fellow Republicans are on the fence about an override. McCrory told reporters June 4 he believes there’s arm-twisting going on in the House, and a vote should be performed in a reasonable period of time. Lewis says the bill will remain on the daily agenda until a vote, or until Speaker Tim Moore decides there will be no vote.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Debate over Colo. valedictorian heats up The Denver Post reports that, under pressure from a Congressman, the Colorado school that stopped a valedictorian from delivering a commencement speech in which he planned to come out as gay has asked outside lawyers to review what happened. In a letter on behalf of the school to Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, Denver lawyer Barry Arrington said Twin Peaks Charter Academy is hiring a law firm to look into the case. Polis had called for an independent investigation after school officials initially announced their probe would be internal. Arrington also accuses Polis of bullying. Polis says the issue is ensuring all students feel safe and supported at the Longmont school. The events in Longmont contrast with a decision by another Colorado school to allow its valedictorian to come out in her graduation speech. n
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You Can Play Night at the Philadelphia Soul PRESENTED BY
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We were there, too.
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Reminder Day, 1965
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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PGN recently won eleven awards from the Local Media Association 2014 Editorial Contest Best Arts & Entertainment Writing, Honorable Mention Runaways Singer To Perform in Philly Community Service Award, Third Place Best Special Section, Second Place World AIDS Day Supplement Best Opinion Column, Second Place Mark My Words Best Breaking News Story, First Place Pennsylvania says ‘I Do’ Best Local Election Coverage, Second Place Phildelphia 2014 Primary Election Best Front Page, Second Place Best Non-Page One Layout, Second Place Arts & Culture Feature Story Best Coverage Life Under 30, First Place LGBTQ Youth Supplement Best Arts & Entertainment Feature Writing, Second Place Meshell Ndegeocello’s New Album Burns Bright Best Breaking News Story, Honarable Mention PA Treasurer Enters Marriage Fray
PGN is the most award-winning LGBT newspaper in the country.
PGN photographer
Scott A. Drake has been awarded the
Society of Professional Journalists prestigious
2014 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Sports Photography (Newspaper Circulation 1-100,000, Regional Magazine, Non-Daily Publication or Online Independent Category)
for his photograph “Almost Home” The Sigma Delta Chi Awards date back to 1932 and are among the premiere prizes given for professional journalism.
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Proud recipient of these 2015 PA Newsmedia Association’s Keystone Press Awards
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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PGN recently won five SPJ Keystone Spotlight Awards.
Scott A. Drake
First Place Scott A. Drake Photo-Story – Philly Pride 2014
Jen Colletta
Jen Colletta, Angela Thomas, Scott Drake and Sean Dorn Spot New Story – Pennsylvania says ‘I do’
Staff
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2nd place—Sports Photo: “Crash Landing”
Honorable mention—Series: “After prison, one-half of ‘gay-porn twins’ speaks out”
Honorable mention—Special Project: LGBTQ Youth Supplement
Jen Colletta and Sarah Blazucki Spot News Story – City mourns LGBT director Gloria Casarez Third Place Mark Segal Commentary – Mark My Words
PGN is the most award-winning LGBT newspaper in the country.
PGN is the most award-winning LGBT newspaper in the country.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Cartoon Dining Out Family Portrait Get Out and Play Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly
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STARS ALIGN Fran Drescher to bring her distinctive style and activism to Philly Pride By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Actor, comedian and author Fran Drescher is taking the stage as this year’s Philly Pride headliner, June 14 at Penn’s Landing. The longtime LGBT ally and activist has supported and appeared at events for such organizations as Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS and became an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church Monastery so she could legally officiate same-sex wedding ceremonies. She said she hopes lending her time and name to events like Philly Pride will help promote dialogue on LGBT equality in mainstream circles. “I’m going to speak and lend my support as I always do,” Drescher said. “I’m on a path of trying to help the gay community as a demographic that counts on the political landscape and the heath landscape of our country. These are all different issues that affect every other demographic in America, and certainly families. I think that gradually moving in that direction is going to be very empowering and accepted by other groups that may not as be as tolerant as they are supposed to be. But at the end
of the day, when you have a group that bands together and becomes vocal on an issue that may serve you well, then you suddenly learn how to smoke the peace pipe.” Drescher also hopes to help the LGBT community through her Cancer Schmancer movement, named after the book she wrote about surviving her battle with uterine cancer. The effort seeks to educate the public about cancer prevention and detection, as well as how to ask the right questions when dealing with doctors. “Since I’ve officiated same-sex weddings, it seems like a natural that I combine my leadership in both spheres on this one particular thing,” she said. “A big campaign for Cancer Schmancer right now is family prevention, and I want to engage the gay community and their families to make this very present and visible historic collaboration, and I think it’s a mutually beneficial experience. I’ve been talking about that for several years at GLAAD events.” Even apart from her activism, Drescher wouldn’t be a stranger to the LGBT community. She turned her relationship with her ex-husband, who came out during their marriage, into a sitcom, “Happily
Divorced,” which ran from 2011-13. Drescher said she hadn’t planned to pitch her and her ex-husband’s story when she initially sat down with executives from TV Land. “I was called in to take a meeting with TV Land,” she said. “I had a few ideas for a TV series, none of which was ‘Happily Divorced.’ I was thinking that they were interested in me as a writer and producer, and not to star in it. I was conditioned to think that I should come up with something that is more youth-driven. Then at lunch I said, ‘Do you want to hear my ideas?’ What would be the idea if you were going to be starring in it? I said cavalierly that it would have to be the relationship between me and my gay ex-husband. Then I said, ‘Now do you want to hear my ideas?’ And they said, ‘Why? I just bought that one.’ That was the beginning of ‘Happily Divorced.’” Drescher said the show struck a chord with people from all walks of life who related to the situations she and her ex-husband found themselves in. “We got tons of feedback from people in a few different ways,” she said. “One was when the spouse comes out. Then the notion of being happily divorced became a catch phrase as a result of the
series, because we discussed the fact that people who fall in love with others think in a very provincial way that the next likely conclusion is, We’re supposed to be married. Maybe you’re not supposed to be married. Maybe you’re supposed to be really loving friends for the rest of your days. That’s what you have to think about when the marriage doesn’t work. Maybe we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Maybe what made us love each other in the first place should be reinvented and put on a new shelf because the demands that we make of a spouse are very different than what we expect from a dear friend. Then a lot of people would say my spouse and I are divorced but can’t afford to live apart. That also was explored in the series. Those relationship things were very fresh for television.” Drescher said the show’s cancellation in 2013 was a surprise to her, as it was one of the higher-rated shows on the network. “We were disappointed when the network didn’t pick us up for a third season because our numbers when we were cancelled were better than the numbers of the other programs they put on,” she said. “We’ll never really PAGE 60
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
DRESCHER from page 59
know why, but it was what it was and we’re very proud of it. I tried to see if I could get someplace else to pick it up but at the time I wasn’t getting any bites. I was holding up the destruction of the sets and all the things that made the show the show. Then the talent started to go on with their careers and I kind of let it go.” Drescher didn’t dwell on the demise of the show too long. Instead, she found new opportunities to perform when she made her Broadway debut last year, in the revival of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” Now a veteran of the small screen, the big screen and the stage, Drescher said each presents its own unique challenges. “I find theater to be particularly physically grueling, so I really enjoyed it. It was a great rush and I love the experience and the community,” she said. “But I would hesitate to do it again and have to do two shows on any given day. That’s the
PRIDE
hard part. If I could do one show five or six days a week, I could manage that, but the two shows two days a week? That is really hard.” Drescher is currently reading a movie script for which she’d have to travel to New Orleans, an aspect of filmmaking that gives her pause. “That’s the thing about movies. I’m a newlywed and being away from my husband to do a movie, I’m not sure. It would have to be pretty good,” she said. “I like televi-
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sion but I don’t love not wearing all the hats in television. I like being the star but I like being the writer, creator and producer too. So I need a lot of stimulation to be comfortable with a longterm commitment. Just being the actor is probably not enough unless I was given the opportunity to stretch so far outside myself that it was all I should be focused on. But the business doesn’t really give me that opportunity and I’ve made peace with that. I have a very different personality, sense of humor and voice. I’ve made my mark being this way and that’s OK. If every character I ever play is a Jewish or Italian girl from Queens, so be it, as long as I get to write and create and produce and direct.” n Fran Drescher headlines Philly Pride June 14. For more information, visit www.phillygaypride.org or www.cancerschmancer.org.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
‘Glee’ star to give ‘Unique’ Pride show By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Out actor and singer Alex Newell is coming to Philly to lend his considerable talents to the main stage at Philly Pride. Best know for portraying transgender character Wade “Unique” Adams on the hit TV show “Glee,” Newell has gone on to be signed by Atlantic Records and featured on dance hits by a number of international artists, as well as working on an upcoming EP of his own. Newell said his fans can expect a mix of his own songs, as well as some “Glee” tunes, when he takes the stage at Philly Pride. “I’m not trying to hide the fact that I was on ‘Glee’ for so many years, so I always try to do at least a couple of songs that I did on the show, just to show everyone that I actually did sing them,” he said. “And I’m at such a positive time in my life that I love sharing that positivity I have singing those songs. I will do some of my new stuff as well, like some of the stuff I did with other groups like Clean Bandit and The Knocks, mixed in with some ‘Glee’ favorites and my own favorites.” Newell said his upcoming EP won’t alienate fans of “Glee” but will still go in a different musical direction.
“The songs that I did on ‘Glee’ were covers and great hits,” he said. “The songs I’m working on have somewhat of a new sound, something that everyone can still enjoy across all platforms, like ‘Glee’ music, but at the same time it’s something new that people will enjoy more. It’s so pop. It’s kind of Donna Summer meets Beyoncé meets Luther [Vandross] meets Britney [Spears]. It’s very dance-driven and makes you want to tap your feet and
get up. It’s also thought-out and intelligent because there is so much instrumentation into it. There’s so much thought going into creating this sound.” Newell added that he’s been able to work with some iconic producers and songwriters for his upcoming EP, such as Nile Rogers and Diane Warren. “I’ve been working with so many amazing people and legends. That just blows my mind,” he said. “I’d like to collaborate
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with more people like Beyoncé; she’s one of my greatest inspirations because she’s just a powerhouse and in her own lane. There’s no one else out there that’s like her. I look at her as an example of what I want to be in my own career.” Hmm … Maybe that’s why Newell has his eye on a particular dream gig. “Everyone knows I would kill and murder everyone in my way to play Effie in ‘Dreamgirls,’ so that’s the number-one priority for me.” Jennifer Hudson needs to watch her back! In the meantime, Newell is content to focus on his music and field the many acting opportunities coming his way. “I’ve been doing musical theater my entire life, so acting, singing and dancing is in me,” he said. “I’m always going to want to act. Sometimes I get offers and they don’t pan out schedule-wise; I can’t always jump at the opportunity and do them. So that is a bummer but I’m always harassing my team about getting different shows or booking me on ‘The Wiz’ on NBC. I’d like to get back on stage and do musical theater again but I would love to do another TV show or another movie.” n Alex Newell performs at Philly Pride June 14 at Penn’s Landing. For more information, visit www.phillygaypride.org.
June 12th-14th
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The
Since 1976
PGN 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, more!
❍
<—
❍
Rosewood
Tabu
Woody’s
1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Cozy, elegantly-appointed bar with high-end cocktails
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
❍ ❍
The Bike Stop
Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; secondfloor pool table and big-screen sports action
Walnut St. Chancellor St.
❍
❍
St. James St.
❍
❒ ❒
❍ Manning St.
❍
Quince St.
Latimer St.
12th St.
Camac St.
<—
11th St.
Locust St.
❍ 13th St.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Juniper St.
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❍ 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
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
255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Piano lounge with upstairs dance floor; Tavern restaurant below is open late.
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.
Venture Inn 255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Bar and restaurant with frequent entertainment
Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Puddles Pity Party to reign over Philly Pride By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com The internationally renowned music group known as Puddles Pity Party is sure to be one of the most talked-about performances at this year’s Philly Pride. If you haven’t seen any of the group’s videos, which are getting a wildly viral level of attention, or one of their many live performances, here’s a chance to see what the excitement is about. The group, fronted by Puddles, a towering baritone singer in classic clown makeup, is known for putting their smoothly melancholy, yet carnival-like spin on classic songs and modern hits. Their cover of Lorde’s “Royals” racked up more than 10-million hits on YouTube since it debuted two years ago. We managed to track down the elusive Puddles to get a few questions answered about what makes this visually and sonically captivating group tick, and what they have planned when their wagons roll into town for Philly Pride. PGN: Are you planning to do anything outside of your usual repertoire for your performance at Philly Pride? PPP: I don’t like to plan too much in advance. I like to see where the mood takes me as I determine a set. Of course, I’ll include some crowd favorites. But I may throw some surprises in there, too. PGN: How do you go about choosing the songs that you cover? PPP: I like a song that hits you right in the ticker. Pop anthems that are emotive and uplifting are my favorites. I like some deep cuts, but there is also something thrilling about singing a popular tune that everyone in the audience recognizes and sings along with. PGN: What is it about sadness that people find alluring and entertaining? PPP: Sadness is everywhere. Even happiness is sad, because it’s fleeting. No matter how happy you might be at one moment, you know it can’t last. That dog of yours is going to die someday, but that should not prevent you from enjoying canine companionship. We have to accept the sad with the happy. It’s just part of living. And it’s best not to stifle your sadness. If you can allow yourself to feel sadness, allow it to pass through you, you’ll feel better once you’re on the other side of it. It’s cathartic to cry it out when those feelings come over you. PGN: Is the mood of your performance in any way altered by the fact that you will be performing outside in the daylight? PPP: It’s not altered in any way. Day or
night, rain or shine, it’s a Pity Party. We’ll all get down and help each other back up again. PGN: Why is it important for you to be a part of Philly Pride? PPP: I’m proud to perform at Pride. My show is all about fellowship. And I’ve got people in Philly. My mee-maw is from Fishtown. I love that city. There’s nothing like a lemon “wooder” ice on a hot summer day. PGN: Who are some of your influences as a performer? PPP: I was greatly influenced by my mee-maw, who used to say that life is just a series of disappointments. She’d look right at me when she said it, too. There’s also Freddie Mercury, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, The Shmoo, Frankie Lane, Charlie Chaplin and the list goes on. PGN: Do you have any plans to record and release any more music? PPP: I have a couple of recording projects in the hopper, but I spend so much time traveling with my show, so it has been tricky finding time in the studio. I had some fun recently at Third Man Records in Nashville, recording a little ditty in their special olden-timey record booth. I captured the fun with moving pictures on this-here video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXf43wldkDA. n For more information on Puddles Pity Party, visit www.puddlespityparty.com.
PRIDE
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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PRIDE
Get Out and Play
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Scott A. Drake
Local diver raising money to compete in Russia By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com Eric Blevins is gay and wants to go to Russia. It’s fortunate that his driving force isn’t for gay rights over there. As he puts it, he prefers not to make any statement about his sexuality because he doesn’t want to get shot. But he does want to go and compete in the 2015 FINA World Diving Championships in Kazan, Russia, this August. Blevins is truly an all-around athlete who has also played rugby and flag football, and done some wrestling, just to name a few sports, but he didn’t take up diving until after he started college. He was such a natural that, even 15 years later, at 33, he continues to place in the top brackets in most
national and international competitions. What was the strangest part about being asked to be on the first dive team? “I didn’t know how to swim,” Blevins laughed. “I know! I still don’t know how to, really, but diving isn’t much about the swimming.” Blevins is a diving coach at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. He has coached previously at Missouri State and the University of Evansville. The rigors of training and coaching keep him pretty busy. Blevins lives in Trenton and has access to pools at both Rider and The College of New Jersey so he almost always has a place to practice. His workout routine includes a couple hours of diving each day, running 3-6 miles and lifting weights for at least an hour.
Blevins said he has had a number of out teammates; in fact, on one team, every guy was gay. He said he was recently helpful to at least one other diver in her coming-out process. While Blevins isn’t focusing on being gay in Russia, getting there and sleeping there are another matter. “You can’t book accommodations without having a visa,” he said, “and you can’t get a visa unless you can tell them where you are staying. That makes things difficult, but we’re making progress.” Blevins is in the process of booking and saving for the competition, but is hoping to get some funding from friends, family and other supporters. Travel, accommodations, fees and meals are estimated at about $6,000. “I just want to bring back a medal for the U.S.,” he said. “Just go, do my best and come home.” n If you would like to contribute to Blevins’ expenses as he represents us in Kazan, you can contribute at gofundme. com/v8rmbx9h.
ERIC BEVINS DURING A MORNING PRACTICE AT TCNJ Photos: Scott A. Drake
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The Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
dmhFund
The Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund
dmhFund
You know us as the developer of the pride of our community, the John C. Anderson Apartments — an LGBT-friendly affordable senior-living space, which just was awarded the 2015 AIA Housing Award for Architecture… but dmhFund has done so much more. In the last few years, dmhFund has donated more than a quarter of a million dollars to LGBT organizations such as:
The Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund
Mazzoni Center
LGBT Elder Initiative
Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference
The Attic Youth Center
Philadelphia Black Pride
Philadelphia Gay Pride
GALAEI
ActionAIDS
William Way LGBT Community Center
Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus
and many more!
BEBASHi
Including the award-winning, historic JCAA, dmhFund has contributed more than $20 million to our community. And our board does all of this without any full-time staff. We will continue to work hard to help build the most LGBT-friendly city in America! Mark Segal Jeff Guaracino Irene Benedetti
The Hon. Dan Anders Judith Applebaum Rick Lombardo
Larry Felzer Tyrone Smith Micah Mahjoubian (Part-Time Administrative Consultant to Board)
PROFILE PRIDE
Family Portrait
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
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Suzi Nash
Jim O’Toole: Predicting high scores for this year’s Pride “Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.” — Jason Collins It’s Pride month! Time to bust out your shorts and rainbow attire and strut your stuff! Pride in Philadelphia seems to get bigger and better each year, and there is already a record-breaking number of participants scheduled for the June 14 parade and festival — not to mention this year’s headliner, Fran Drescher, aka The Nanny. Drescher has been a strong presence in the entertainment world, in our community and as a human-rights activist. Also onstage will be “Glee” star Alex Newell, who played the quick-tongued “Unique” on the show. I have to admit to being a bit of a Gleek myself and can’t wait to hear Newell belt out a song live and in person! Philadelphia icon (and former Portrait) Henri David will emcee the lineup of talented performers that will grace the stage throughout the day. Pride begins in the heart of the Gayborhood with the annual parade, stepping off at 11:30 a.m. from 13th and Locust streets and proceeding through Center City and Philadelphia’s historic district. The judging stand is at Independence Mall, Sixth and Market streets. The parade ends at the festival location at the Great Plaza of Penn’s Landing. The parade is free but there’s a $15 cover charge for the festival. Don’t grouse: Where else can you see six hours of back-to-back entertainment, dance your toes off with several top DJs, get tested, find a church, have a drink, get dunked, join a team or organization and hang out with thousands of your closest friends? It takes a team of people to pull it all off, and this week we spoke to one of the organizers. Jim O’Toole does his part before the festival begins, as he is responsible for organizing the judging process at the reviewing stand. PGN: Tell me a little about yourself. JO: I was born in New York City. My mother had outstanding typing skills on those big, clunky machines and she was very bright, so she started out as an administrative assistant and when we moved to Washington, D.C., she got hired by the Pentagon and worked on a little thing called “The Manhattan Project.” After World War II ended and, after getting many, many, many proposals — she was drop-dead gorgeous — she finally chose my father, who was the editor of the Georgetown Law Review. He’d served in the Navy in an educational capacity and then, at the Pentagon, served under the admiral who oversaw the signing of the treaty with Japan. He took the job not so much to make money but to serve the public, something that runs in the family. He later was hired to be the chief prosecutor
for the IRS in New York. PGN: What were you like as a kid? JO: Uh, I think I’m shy, but people keep telling me I’m lying when I say that. I guess I can turn the switch on and off. PGN: What’s a favorite family memory? JO: Every summer we would do two weeks on Cape Cod up until the time that my Grandmother O’Toole passed away. She died right in the middle of our vacation and we never went again! PGN: Oh my! So, where did you go to school and what did you study? JO: I went to Columbia University. I started out as a theoretical math major in the hopes of doing pre-med work, then I developed epilepsy and said, OK, I guess I’d better change paths, and followed what I was doing during my free time in high school, which was working on political campaigns. Trying to make the world a better place.
and, later, with the Street administration, I helped set up community programs. John is a very interesting guy in that his image is of a big bad wolf but he’s really not. One of the programs we worked on was for community grants and one of the important provisions I added said that a community was not just a geographical area. That allowed us for the first time to funnel money to the LGBT community for festivals, film events, a theater festival, Pride and all sorts of things. PGN: What is your role currently with Pride? JO: One year, [Philly Pride Presents executive director] Franny Price asked me if I would serve as a judge and it didn’t go the way I thought it should. There were a couple of older judges who seemed to nod off, and a few others who didn’t seem interested in following the guidelines. So Franny said, [imitating her raspy voice] “Jim, why don’t you come back and organize the program?” So I created
PGN: What was the first campaign you worked on? JO: You don’t want to know. PGN: But I do! JO: John F. Kennedy. As a youngster, I would be dressed up in a suit with buttons and run in and out of polling booths and the women would say, “Oh, he’s so cute!” Nine years later with the Vietnam War results coming in, I became more active and ran the George McGovern campaign for the southern part of our town. We had 36,000 people and we pulled 90 percent of the vote for him. Unfortunately, he didn’t fare as well in other places. I later went into economics and urban studies and received a fellowship to come down to University of Pennsylvania. I studied there until I realized that I didn’t want to eat out of cans anymore and searched for a position that I would find interesting but that would give me time to finish my graduate studies. In retrospect, I learned a lot of things about Philadelphia that surprised people. PGN: Such as? JO: Well, things like how great a mayor Frank Rizzo really was. He established little fiefdoms and let different factions run them. For instance, the Treasurer’s Office was run by a certain part of the community and the Streets Department by another, and it went the same all over. Everyone had their little piece and it worked. I ended up getting a job with the Office of Housing and Community Development. I worked there until 1983 and then went to work for the Commerce Department as the administrator of economic-development programs. I handled the Rendell stimulus programs
a spreadsheet and made categories and created written guidelines so that people wouldn’t do things like judge the grand marshals! That had actually been done in the past. I’ve been organizing it ever since; that was probably back around 2003. Since then, we’ve added a lot of variety on the platform, both culturally and bringing in prominent people from government and business. We’ve had Brian Sims, there was a judge and one Council person who liked to just hang out … I finally asked,
“Councilman Kenny, would you like to participate?” And he said, “Oh, no. I just enjoy being here.” We also had another fellow who came and shook hands and said a few words from the reviewing stand. He felt it was important, which was quite a special thing for us. That was Tom Wolf. PGN: What was the biggest difficulty you’ve faced? JO: Weather. One year we had a rain that didn’t last long but when it hit, it came down in buckets. We actually had to run into the Visitor Center. The judging sheets were ruined so we had to go back and re-judge each group. We’ve also had some scorching-hot days that make it difficult. And of course the biggest difficulty was losing one of my favorite judges, Gloria Casarez, last year. PGN: We all miss Gloria. What is Jim Squared? JO: Ha. That’s me and Jim King. We’ve been together for 25 years-plus, which is a bit of a phenomenon. When we got together, there weren’t many long-term couples. He’s a certified public accountant. PGN: What’s a fun adventure you’ve had? JO: We did our honeymoon in Europe, May of 1990. We started out in England. I showed him London and then when we were in Amsterdam I said, “Let’s go down and have some mussels with red sauce.” I took him to the train station and we went to Brussels, where I took him to my favorite restaurant right off of the square. Then I told him a little secret: that I’d done the same thing on my first trip there and then had secretly taken a night train to Berlin when Berlin was completely shut down. So we did it again. Berlin was mostly open by then, as the wall had come down, and as we were flying back to Photo: Suzi Nash the states, they announced the unification of Germany. It was pretty cool. PGN: There weren’t a lot of gay people getting married in 1990. Was there any pushback? JO: No, the kids in the family always just treated him like Uncle Jim. His sister is a public defender up in Massachusetts and she’s gay too. As far as my mother and her sisters were conPAGE 84
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a.kitchen is d.licious By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Does it get any better than getting to sit in a street-level restaurant near Rittenhouse Square in the summertime, sipping a glass of wine? Yes is does. Especially when the restaurant you happen to be sitting in is a.kitchen + bar. Chef Eli Kulp knows how to put together a sexy plate, whether it be small or entrée-sized. The small plates on the menu are especially exciting. The fried oyster tartine comes across like an elevated open-face po’ boy with crispy fried oysters, creamed collard greens and shallots resting on a hearty piece of grilled sourdough bread, which is also available in a small loaf ($5). Hot sauce comes on the side and the tartine works great with or without it (but the sauce does add something special to the dish). The bread by itself is hearty and full of character thanks to the vegetable ash baked into it. Yeah, you heard us: Vegetable ash. It works. We don’t know — and frankly don’t care — how they figured out why vegetables reduced
to ash make some of their dishes taste amazing. It just does. The grass-fed beef tartare sets itself apart from similar dishes in the city by presenting the tender, flavorful dish slightly seared and with perfectly crisp potato skins taking over as a vehicle instead of some kind of bread or chips. The Hamachi crudo ($13), served on a rice cake, was bright, fresh and dressed with a spicy bite that married the fish and rice nicely. The smoked beets ($13) were colorful, bursting with herby flavor and substantial enough to give any steak some serious competition. The side dishes don’t slouch, either. The ramps and spring onions ($11) were a nice surprise, giving the feeling of eating your way out of a hot, seductive garden. Healthy, yes, but it felt sinful. Similarly, the baked and grilled potatoes ($8) exceeded expectations with a kettle-chip-like crunch on the outside and a warm, baked texture on the inside. The main courses had a lot going on as well. The duck breast ($26) had a juicy, smoky flavor and very little of the rich fattiness one expects with duck. The cedar scallops ($23) came seared to perfection and surrounded by a supporting cast of roasted turnips, fennel and hen of
the woods, giving the dish a refreshingly different, earthy overtone that most scallops don’t have. a.kitchen definitely has a desirable location — and thankfully an immense amount of creativity on the menu and in the kitchen to keep Rittenhouse Square buzzing about it for the foreseeable future. n
Phillips: A boardwalk empire By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com When you’re a seafood institution like Phillips — especially one in a destination like Atlantic City — you are pretty much in the school of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” You are not going to get cutting-edge, super-innovative seafood dishes, but you can always go somewhere else for that. Here, you get classic, picture-perfect seafood dishes featuring staples from clam chowder and shrimp cocktails to crab cakes and lobster, all of which fit perfectly with the classic Atlantic City casino and boardwalk experience everybody knows and loves. Ever since Revel shut its doors, the best view of the ocean and boardwalk from above shifted back to the panoramic view from the dining room at Phillips. And the food matches the décor and vibe of the space perfectly. The Phillips’ signature salad ($9) is flawless. The crab-stuffed mushrooms ($15) and clams casino ($11) are too well-rehearsed, popular and polished to be anything less than everything you would
If you go The Pier Shops Caesars, 1 Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City 609-348-2273 www.phillipsseafood.com Sun.-Thurs.: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
If you go a.kitchen 135 S. 18th St. 215-825-7030 www.akitchenandbar.com/ Dinner Sun.-Thurs.: 5-10 p.m. Fri. and Sat.: 5-11 p.m. Lunch Mon.-Fri.: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Breakfast Mon.-Fri.: 7-11 a.m. Brunch Sat. and Sun.: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
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want and imagine them to be. The ultimate crab cake ($44) is all killer and no filler, just a succulent and massive ball of crabmeat fried just lightly enough to retain the feel that the meat is fresh from the ocean. The crab mac and cheese ($8) strikes the right balance of fluid richness and creaminess. A lot of restaurants are trying to offer the hippest and most innovative seafood experiences in Atlantic City, and some of them are pretty good at it. But if you want that timeless classic seafood meal that generation after generation has enjoyed in this iconic city, the place to visit was, and still is, Phillips. n
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Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month
- and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com.
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Playwright Kash Goins on six degrees of stigma By Henrik Eger PGN Contributor Kash Goins — Philadelphia actor, teacher, producer, director and playwright — learned to write by taking chances, and says he discovered what black audiences responded to in the theater medium. “VI DEGREES,” his award-winning play, tackles sexual taboos within the AfricanAmerican community, including marital infidelity, prison life, closeted homosexuality (the ‘down low’), unprotected sex, overall promiscuous and reckless behavior; daughter-daddy issues, financial strife and ignorance about HIV/AIDS. The play has been performed in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C., and at some of the 20 most renowned historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) since 2008. Walter Dallas, famed former artistic director of Philadelphia’s Freedom Theatre, dedicated to African-American drama, described “VI DEGREES” as a “very entertaining but sobering, shockingly serious play, which innovatively pries the cover off of the DL scene [a subculture of men who usually identify as heterosexual, but who have sex with men], and how it affects a close-knit family, their best friends and their wedding plans.” PGN recently spoke with Goins about his groundbreaking play, which was performed at The Adrienne last month. PGN: What were your experiences with life- and soul-destroying activities, which you observed, that gave you the courage to confront some of the issues addressed in “VI DEGREES?” KG: I’ve known people and heard stories of others who have had devastating situations cripple their marriages. I’ve spoken with fellow artists who are openly gay and who offered not only artistic feedback for “VI DEGREES,” but insight to the DL experience to help inform and define the characters I’ve written. PGN: The rate of new HIV infections for black men is more than six times as high as the rate among white men. To what do you attribute that disproportionately high number, given the comparatively small number of African-American males in the U.S. population? KG: It’s confounding, almost staggering! The other stats that point to the prevalence of African-American women who are infected through heterosexual relationships with African-American men are also astounding. My view from the insideout is that there is still a large degree of health-related ignorance and misconceptions embraced by my demographic. For example, backing down from HIV/ AIDS for a moment, I’ve recently gotten a vasectomy to ensure that my wife and I don’t have any more pregnancies. I shared this on my social networks as a means for encouraging others to do the same. I
never even considered it to be “taboo.” The responses that came from my AfricanAmerican male friends ranged from jokes to proclamations of my insanity for doing such a thing. What was even more surprising was that those who were moved to consider the same for the benefit of themselves and their significant others did so in secret. PGN: This seems to suggest that a lot of stigma is still attached to sexual issues in the black community? KG: I feel that the stigma, especially in my demographic, is still as strong as it was when HIV/AIDS first hit the U.S. some 30-plus years ago. In addition, with the small population of “eligible” heterosexual black men in the face of a larger pool of black women, these social-sexual networks that evolve in dense metropolitan areas are prevalent. Everybody is sleeping with everybody indirectly. So, if HIV/ AIDS is introduced to that circle, it has an easier opportunity to spread around. This is actually one of the points made by “VI DEGREES.” Another issue is the stigma associated with male-male sexual relationships. They are taboo, yet increasingly prevalent — hence, the DL experience. PGN: What are the most harmful lingering misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, especially in the black community? KG: That it’s predominantly a gay and white disease, even though the statistics obliterate that thinking. There’s almost
an undercurrent of comfort in not knowing. If you polled a population of blacks, they would probably rate knowing they were infected as a worse fate than being infected. This desire to be ignorant in this way helps the disease to grow. PGN: Secrecy and shame seem to play an important role. KG: Yes, while HIV/AIDS is no longer a “gay disease,” it’s still a more fertile environment in either unprotected or inadequately protected male-male intercourse. I think all of this plays a part in the disparity. Where there are secrets, there are also consequences of the secrecy. Where there is ignorance, the consequences are magnified. Whites and others are much more comfortable than blacks being in these relationships among men. Yet, blacks are still doing it in secret. I know personally of stories involving men from the “streets” who went to jail and engaged in full-on relationships with other men in jail. Then they come home and re-engage in public heterosexual relationships. Privately, however, they have developed a different taste. PGN: How did you reconcile your religious beliefs with the reality of the African-American community, and the role of the Baptist Church, in particular, for blocking serious discussions of taboo subjects? KG: I’ve always considered myself a strong individual thinker without a sheep-
like mentality to herd. Yet, I reckon I still subjected myself to the weekly rituals and the inherent guilt manufacturing. The Baptist Church as an institution is a staple in the black community, serving as a hospital, a social network, a place of accountability and the thing that many need to maintain their sanity. It provides so much interpersonal and spiritual value to those who embrace and need it. I’ve seen many people become better people because of it. Many black communities would be hell in a hand basket without it. However, there are “pet sins” that are viewed universally by the Baptist Church that leave many in need of help with nowhere to go. The Baptist Church, being a hub for blacks, has a responsibility to urge more social consciousness. PGN: Talk about your experience with resistance to this vital topic within the black community when first you approached these subjects. KG: I don’t suffer a lot of resistance with my endeavors. Either that or maybe I’m immune to it. There is always an audience willing to consume and love what it is that I have to offer. Some of those audiences have been very small, while others have been massive. PGN: How would you describe a possible change of heart within the community toward stigmas? KG: I don’t know that I see it. I see that the message is getting out there a little
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PGN: To what do you attribute such an important, life-enhancing paradigm shift? KG: Blacks are becoming more liberal in 2015, and more expressive in their relationships. For example, there is a shift where gay African-Americans are more comfortable living in their truths than there may have been 10 years ago. This is commensurate with the country becoming more liberal, open and accepting. But, I still think the ignorance and the stigma mentality that is attached to HIV/AIDS among blacks is still counterproductive to curbing the epidemic. more. There are others like myself that have taken to grassroots efforts to be social advocates for informing the public about the perils of HIV/AIDS. One who comes to mind is a mentee and former collaborator named Shenille Melton and her organization “iChoose2live.” But I think the stigmas that keep us blacks stuck are still there.
PGN: In your play, you brought up many taboos and concerns among AfricanAmericans. How did you handle this wide range of psychological, social and sexual problems as a writer so that audiences would not get confused, nor depressed, but become aware and perhaps even take action? KG: “VI DEGREES” is light when it’s
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
supposed to be light, funny when it’s supposed to be funny and heavy when it’s supposed to be heavy. It carries a very important message without being preachy. At times, it’s very funny without being minstrel. Overall, the play offers very relatable characters. People love it, they bring others and they always refer to it. PGN: You set out “to promote a change in these practices,” including “support of protected sex.” KG: I did. I think that a gentle reminder can be the best type of influence at times. Theater is disarming. If an audience sees people they can relate to or invest in making certain choices (positive and negative), I think that it at least causes an internal questioning of ourselves. We choose to either agree or disagree. “Strapping up” (condom usage), as it’s presented in the play, is something audiences have to make a decision on while watching the play. I think we “nudge” them in a particular
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direction. We have distributed baskets of condoms at some shows in the past as well. PGN: How impactful is knowledge that some of the most famous black dancers, musicians, singers, sportsmen and many others — from Alvin Ailey to Magic Johnson — contracted HIV/AIDS? KG: I’m on the fence with that. We blacks tend to lean on the mainstream for slang and fashion trends, financial motivation and superficial things like that, but not much else. If I’m able to present neighbors from two blocks away and get them to tell their stories, that is much more impactful than celebrity influence. PGN: And you integrate those voices for all of us to hear in your new urban theater here in Philadelphia and all over the United States. After all, we’re all connected to each other by only four, five or six degrees. n
July 2nd-5th
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Out author dives into meaning, message of ‘Mermaids’ By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor Local out film scholar Julia Mendenhall recently published her book “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing” as part of the “Queer Film Classic” series published by Arsenal Pulp Press. The author will read from her work at Giovanni’s Room @ Philly AIDS Thrift at 7 p.m. June 18. Mendenhall’s book unpacks the various meanings and readings of lesbian filmmaker Patricia Rozema’s quirky 1987 comedy. The film features Polly Vandersma (Sheila McCarthy), a self-described “person Friday” and amateur photographer, taking a temporary job at an art gallery run by Gabrielle St. Peres, who is known as The Curator (Paule Baillargeon). Gabrielle has a girlfriend, Mary Joseph (AnnMarie MacDonald), which creates an unspoken love triangle. The film was a sleeper hit when it was released theatrically, but Mendenhall admitted in a recent interview that she did not see “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing” until 10 years after it was made. “I was doing my dissertation at Temple University in 1997 on lesbian film and saw it on DVD. I identified with Polly way too much. I over-related to her. I was really shy. I thought the film was super sad, and I didn’t understand it, quite frankly — there was so much going on. I didn’t know what to make of it at first, so I thought, I have to study it!” Her enthusiasm for the film is boundless, and she admitted with an infectious energy, “I love it even more now. It has all the hallmarks of a great classic. You can read it in a variety of different ways and find different meanings. That’s what makes it a great work of art.” Mendenhall’s book presents several interpretations of the film. It is accessible to fans of “Mermaids,” as well as those viewers who have not seen the film. The author said that, for her, much of the film’s appeal was how the characters of Polly, The Curator and her girlfriend, Mary Joseph, were very attractive to and reflective of her. “I think the film spoke to the zeitgeist of the time. It’s a very inspirational film. Polly is a quiet, underdog figure, and she is represented in a positive way.” She added, “Director Patricia Rozema got letters from fans who said the film spoke to them, and that they identified with Polly: a quiet, everyday person.” “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing” was a unique — and, as the author urges, an important — film for LGBT viewers in the late 1980s because it was not a “typical coming-out story.” It was not “Desert Hearts,” a classic lesbian romance from
the era. Nor was it “political” like some of the films that heralded what critic B. Ruby Rich dubbed the “New Queer Cinema” around that same time. “Mermaids,” Mendenhall explained, “is of its own generation, genre and grouping. It didn’t involve big, traditional romance. It was a representation of two women who made art, and it was a critique of the high art world. It was more queer than lesbian.” This last remark is significant because Rozema, who made the lesbian romance “When Night Is Falling” in 1995, did not want to come out publically when “Mermaids” was released. Mendenhall justifies why in her book. “Rozema says the film’s characters represents three sides of herself,” the author said. The filmmaker creates ambiguities in her film — such as: Is Polly in love with The Curator? Or is Polly asexual? — that Mendenhall explores in her book. She posits that Polly is polymorphously perverse; she experiences erotic gratification from the body and sensations, and experiences pleasure in looking and making art, as well as hearing the titular mermaids singing. “Polly is child-like, not childish. It’s a coming-of-age story,” Mendenhall observed. She also credits the director for being innovative in her storyteling, using a direct-to-camera narrative that has Polly providing videotaped confessions, as well as some handheld camerawork. “Some folks probably think it’s dated,” the author acknowledged, “but people still laugh at it. It’s really a quiet comedy. It has a Canadian sensibility and humor. It’s not our American, scatological over-the-top stuff. The wordplay in the film is corny. There are subtle touches of humor and irony and some laugh-out-loud funny stuff. It’s deadpan comedy. The film respects the audience to get the irony and the jokes.” When Mendenhall has shown the film in classes she has taught, she effused, “students find it very funny.” The author will show clips of “Mermaids” at her reading and signing and discuss the film and the various reactions and responses to it. “Studies in cognitive science indicate that art is healing. ‘I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing’ is not only about making enjoyment of out art, but it is art itself. So it’s doubly, triply healing,” Mendenhall said, adding, “Polly is a lovable, relatable queer outsider. That’s why ‘Mermaids’ is a classic.” n Julia Mendenhall will present “I Heard the Mermaids Singing” at Giovanni’s Room @ Philly AIDS Thrift, 345 S. 12th St., at 7 p.m. June 18.
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Director’s cut of ‘54’ heats up the festival circuit By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Seventeen years ago, Mark Christopher got his big break in Hollywood when he wrote and directed “54” — the film, starring Ryan Phillippe, Neve Campbell, Salma Hayek and Mike Myers, about the rise and fall of the late-’70s notoriously decadent nightclub Studio 54. Christopher delivered his vision for the film, which was dark and full of gay themes and characters, to Miramax and the studio was initially pleased with the film. But after they testscreened the film, they drastically edited and retooled it, cutting most of the overtly gay characters and themes and reshooting more scenes to appeal to a wider audience. The resulting sanitized version of the film wasn’t the success the studio wanted when it was released in 1998. But in the years since it debuted, a bootleg director’s cut that Christopher made has been making the rounds on film-festival circuits, winning a lot of fans in the LGBT community. Now, an official director’s cut of “54,” with all the gay and bisexual characters and situations restored, is hitting film festivals this summer and was recently released on iTunes. Christopher, currently a professor in the Media Arts & Design School at Drexel University, said the buzz generated by the bootleg director’s cut helped convince
Miramax to let him assemble an official version of his original vision of the film. “Immediately after the film’s release, I cobbled together a director’s cut on video because a real director’s cut didn’t exist,” he said. “People would often contact me because they heard it got screened at Outfest. I would pester my producer and my producer would speak to Miramax every year. So, after 17 years, they finally said yes. Last June, they gave us the green light to make the director’s cut and finish it on negatives. We started after the Fourth of July and worked nonstop until February, when we delivered it. That process was crazy. It was a 24/7 job for all of us — not just to find that version that was a bootleg,
but also the restoration. It was very complex because the negatives spread out all over the world. It was a very complicated process, but we made it.” The director’s cut of “54” is garnering praise from fans in LGBT and mainstream film circles. “It’s a total crossover,” Christopher said. “It’s half-international film festival and half-LGBT. It’s
for everyone.” The release has also has been welcomed by the film’s stars, like Phillippe and Campbell. Christopher said he appreciates their support. “Personally, it was very important because I made the director’s cut for us originally because I wanted them to have a VHS copy of the movie we signed up to make,” he said. “So I was thrilled when they were supportive when it was finally done 17 years later.” Christopher was hesitant to theorize if his version of “54” would have been more successful than the edited cut Miramax
released in 1998. “I wish I had a crystal ball,” he said. “Who knows? It’s very hard to say. But there is a sense that the film was ahead of its time because it had dark and complex characters. So, releasing the film on 1,800 screens like that, I have no idea.” Christopher has gone on to write for television and is currently writing a new drama series, “Berlin.” His TV career has generated interest in the new cut of “54,” which he hopes will lead to more film projects. “I hope it would help,” he said. “That would be nice. TV is a very exciting place right now because of the one-hour drama, which is full of complex characters, which is exactly what I love. Since that paved the way for this movie, it would be great if this movie paved the way back there. So I have a few writing deals and I am writing a feature of my own. We’ll see what happens.” Christopher added that he tries to include LGBT characters and stories in his projects whenever possible. “One is mixed and the other is less so,” he said about the LGBT characters and stories in his current TV projects. “But I always find room for one of my people. So there will always be something.” n The director’s cut of “54” is available on iTunes now. For more information on Mark Christopher, visit www.markchristopherfilms.com.
Established artists challenge themselves on latest releases By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Adam Lambert “The Original High” Warner Bros. Records From the five o’clock shadow Lambert sports on the black-and-white album cover and the acoustic strains of the intro of the first track, “Ghost Town,” you would think the out singer and sometimes-Queen frontman was about to get his “Faith” on, a la George Michael. Alas, not really. But Lambert does a decent bait and switch throughout “The Original High,” which can be maddening or clever depending on which side of his musical personality you subscribe to. The majority of the songs, like “Ghost Town” and the title track, have really deep, introspective intros that hint at a direction deeper than pop music. Then, just when you start thinking this is going to be some next-level stuff, generic club-dance pop beats and synths come crashing into the song like a heavy backpack full of glitter and glowsticks, shattering the mood and turning something that could have been transcendent into something closer
to a thumping, Gaga-dancefloor remix or a shiny, poppy Katy Perry collaboration. Still, there are some moments of brilliance to be found. Tracks like “Heavy Fire” and “The Light” play no tricks, delivering solid, dark, propulsive bass-heavy dance grooves throughout. “There I Said It” and “Underground” are soaring, sparse and heartfelt, some of the best songs on the album. Lambert definitely has all the pop and rock bases covered with his career, and longtime fans will definitely find a lot to be satiated with on this new album. But hopefully he will start digging deeper into his influences and take some more creative risks on future albums. Indigo Girls “One Lost Day” Vanguard/IG Recordings The pioneering acoustic folk duo continues to pull out all the stops on their latest album, which is a kaleidoscope of the various styles that make up their unique brand of folk rock. Of course, there are going to be stripped-
down atmospheric folk songs like “Texas Was Clean,” “If I Don’t Leave Here Now” and “Alberta,” with haunting melodies and excellent harmonies. But the Girls also get down and dirty on rock songs with a little more grit and bite to them than we usually hear from the pair, especially on tracks like “Happy in the Sorrow Key” and “The Rise of the Black Messiah.” The Indigo Girls could definitely give the E-Street Band a run for their money if they wanted. Given those two extremes, the majority of the album finds a happy middle in the kind of jangly, breezy rock songs like “Olympia Inn,” “Southern California is Your Girlfriend” and “Learned It On Me,” any of which could easily put Sheryl Crow out of business. It’s nice to see that the Indigo Girls are firing on all cylinders this deep into their career. This album is one that you will be happy to get lost in. VNV Nation “Resonance” Anachron Sounds For their latest album, this British/Irish
EDM/goth duo recorded only vocals for some of their more well-known songs, with music performed by the Babelsberg Film Orchestra. It’s definitely a bold move for artists used to composing and performing using only electronic drums and backing synth. But VNV Nation has always had more going for it than your average EDM band, and singer Ronan Harris’ voice has long appealed to fans outside of the genre. So it’s no surprise that their songs translate very well in an orchestral format. It’s not that much of a stretch for their more-somber songs like “Beloved” and “Nova.” But for tracks like “Sentinel” and “Perpetual,” which were way more robotic and propulsive in their original form, the orchestra versions are quite the transformation. Longtime fans of VNV Nation probably have fluid-enough tastes in music to adjust well to the classical beauty of these reimagined songs. But if some of them don’t, it’s their loss, as “Resonance” shows how eclectic and visionary this duo has been over the course of their career. And hopefully this will give some fans of classical music a jumping-off point into EDM. n
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Theater & Arts Adventures in Photography Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of rare, early pictures and examples of the Pictorialist art movement by figures such as Peter Henry Emerson and George Seeley through Aug. 20, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Aries Spears The comedian seen on “Mad TV” performs through June 14 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Bare: A Pop Opera A musical comingof-age story of five high school seniors
at a Catholic boarding school that focuses on the relationship between two boys, through June 13 at Luna Theater, 620 S. Eighth St.; 215704-0033. Dance: Movement, Rhythm, Spectacle Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of prints, drawings and photographs that celebrate the world of dance through Aug. 2, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. Disney’s The Lion King The hit musical based on the classic tale runs through June 14 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-7905847.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PRIDE LISTINGS
En Blanco y Negro: Gay & Boricua GALAEI presents an exhibition and performance by Jose Luis Cortos, known for his black-and-white gauche paintings on newspaper, 5:30-8 p.m. June 12 at Taller Puertorriqueño, 2721 N. Fifth St.; 215-426-3311. The Fever The indie/newwave band performs 8 p.m. June 14 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888. I Love A Piano Walnut Street Theatre presents a show featuring the music of Irving Berlin through June 28 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550.
Kate Breakey: Small Deaths An exhibition of hand-colored, oversized images of the birds, flowers and insects that photographer Breakey has memorialized through her work, through July 12 at Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine St.; 215-3409800.
COME TO MY SOLO: Out rock star and singer Melissa Etheridge goes solo for an intimate performance 9 p.m. June 12 at Caesars Atlantic City, 2100 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City. For more information or tickets, call 609-348-4411.
Into Dust: Traces of the Fragile in Contemporary Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition about the distinctions between
the corporeal and transcendental, emergence and decay, belonging and displacement, life and death, through Oct. 25, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.
Keigwin, Fonte & Forsythe The Pennsylvania Ballet performs a new program through June 14 at Kimmel’s Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-8931999. Memphis Walnut Street Theatre presents the Tony Awardwinning Broadway musical about the city with a rich musical history through July 12,
825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.
N. Second St.; 215922-8900.
Murder for Two Philadelphia Theatre Company presents a new musical comedy about a small-town policeman thrust into a murder mystery through June 28 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-985-0420.
The Normal Heart Mind Distortion Theatre presents the play by Larry Kramer about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1980s New York City, with 20 percent of proceeds going to Camp Dreamcatcher and City of Hope Cancer Center, 8 p.m. June 11 and 13 and 2 p.m. June 14 at Plays and Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Place; brownpapertickets. com/event/1596993.
Passion Arden Theatre Company presents a tale of love and obsession set in 19th-century Italy through June 28, 40
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.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PRIDE LISTINGS
READY TO POP: Get your “TRL” fanboy/fangirl screams ready for The Main Event, a summer tour headlined by superstar boy band New Kids on the Block, with special guests TLC and Nelly, 7 p.m. June 19 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-389-9543.
Music
World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.
Taylor Swift The country-pop superstar performs June 12-13 at Lincoln Financial Field, 1020 Pattison Ave.; 215463-5500.
Bette Midler The singer performs on her first major tour in a decade 7 p.m. June 16 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215389-9543.
Barry Manilow with Dave Koz The superstar singer and the out jazz saxophonist perform 7:30 p.m. June 13 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215389-9543.
John Mellencamp The rock singer performs 8 p.m. June 16 at Kimmel’s Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215893-1999.
Train and The Fray The rock bands team up to perform 7 p.m. June 14 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-3651300.
Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters The rock singer performs 7:30 p.m. June 17 at Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave.; 215-546-7900.
Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin The two singer-songwriters perform 7:30 p.m. June 14 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. China Crisis and Men Without Hats The synth-pop bands perform 8 p.m. June 15 at
Amos Lee and David Gray The rock singers perform 7:30 p.m. June 19 at Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave.; 215-546-7900. Soul Asylum and Meat Puppets The alt-rock bands perform 8 p.m. June 19 at
Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St.; undergroundarts.org.
Nightlife Pride Kick-Off Party The Gayborhood block party runs 6-11 p.m. June 12; www.phillypridepresents.com. California Dreamin’ An evening of music, burlesque and pole performances, 7-10 p.m. June 13 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Crankshaft A dress-code-enforced (leather/ rubber/military/ sports) dance party, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. June 13 at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St.; 215-627-1662. Stimulus Pride Party: The Official Philly Dyke March After-Party The LBGTQ party turns up for Pride weekend 10 p.m.-6 a.m. June 13 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St.; 215735-5772.
Pride 2015 Block Party The Gayborhood bar celebrate Pride noon-6 p.m. June 13 at Woody’s 202 S. 13th St.; 215545-1893.
Outta Town Wanda Sykes The comedian performs June 12-13 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Kimberly Locke The “American Idol” singer performs 8 p.m. June 13 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-596-1027. Whoopi Goldberg The comedian performs 9 p.m. at Harrah’s Casino Hotel, 777 Harrah’s Blvd., Atlantic City, NJ; 609-441-5501. KT Sullivan The singer performs 8 p.m. June 19 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-5961027. n
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Artistry, diversity on display from new collective members By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor The work of nine new members of artist collective Vox Populi is now on display in “With For And Against” — a collection diverse in focus and scope. The artists, who work in varying disciplines, are Joe Bartram, Meg Foley, Jesse Harrod, Matt Kalasky, Kirk McCarthy, Tiona McClodden, Chad States, Julia Staples and Suzanne Seesman. “Their addition to the collective has altered its constitution and brought diverse material and conceptual considerations to the expanded group,” said VP director Bree Pickering. “This is certainly exciting to me programmatically, but I view it as additive rather than strictly transformative.” This crew truly has its metamorphic act together, especially when addressing sexuality and gender. Bartram’s collage may examine how we build relationships in our environment, Foley may deconstruct traditional choreographic forms and Kalasky may be represented by a finger-pointing wall mural, “Author Culprit Liar Pulpit.” However, when it comes to Harrod’s textural macramé sculptures and States’ highly charged (literally) installation pieces, sex and gender politics are addressed directly and imaginatively. For States — a Philly-based photographer and installation artist — diversity comes in the manner on which he sentimentalizes queer ideals while (in Vox Pop’s words) creating mythos around the marginalized spaces they inhabit. In his (literally) greening photographic book, “Cruising,” States looked at the wooded cruise spots of Delaware with an eye toward the romantic. Installation came late in his game of art-making, as States was first trained as a photographer who worked with that sole medium for years. After a while, though, the Philadelphia artist wanted to start “creating experiences instead of documenting them. I could then begin to explore things historically instead of always in the present.” His “Nightlife” neon, when teamed with “Shimmer of Possibility” — shattered car-window glass collected off the streets of Philadelphia meant to emulate cocaine — is certainly an experience worth re-creating. In terms of communicating a sexual/ritual vibe, States said “environments work better than images on the wall because it starts to affect the entire body and not just the eyes. The body is always a part of my work with installation. I like to romanticize ideas of queerness to transform them into beautiful and desirable objects.” He points out how one of his pieces, “Heaven Knows” (steel, marble sourced from a tombstone, hand-blown glass cloche, black marble scrying bowl, amyl nitrate), presents a highly elevated way to do poppers — often seen as low and seedy. “I like to invert these ideas and imbue
them with a sense of beauty, to create a mythology around sexualized ways of being beyond just being queer too.” If States is creating mythologies around ways of being, Harrod’s knotted fiber-esque work — rope, metal, cloth sculptures — tying together what Vox Populi calls “subtle accents such as strap-on harnesses, cock rings and fetish ornamentals to infuse their seemingly organic forms with prosthetics of queer sexual practices” dives right in. Harrod’s macramé-like crafts-y sculptures developed while the artist lived in rural Virginia before moving to Philly. “Feminism, queerness, diversity were challenging notions for many and I reacted by becoming further politicized,” he said. “I was hesitant to use macramé, as it so completely references my mother’s ’70s aesthetic. However, I realized the technique of using a visual language of ’70s feminism brings a layer of meaning that can enrich my work. By playing with scale, color and materials, I can make macramé contemporary, while remaining in conversation with formative feminist art.” How macramé works best for the sexual/ritual vibe of Harrod’s work comes down to plant morphology as a way to explore sexuality and gender expression — an apt stand-in for the body. Queerness is confronted through the exploration of symmetry between sex and material. “Queer lives and sexual practices, like craft-making, often rely on do-it-yourself strategies of creativity; there is no guidebook or inherited cultural roadmap for lives lived outside of normative structures,” Harrod said. “I hope to relay the same senses of self-determination, inventiveness and resourcefulness I have experienced and witnessed within queer lives and sexual practices in my sculptures.” Harrod said working with the eight other new members — who brought the collective’s total numbers to 24 — is both challenging and motivating. “It’s hard work to be in a collective with that many people, yet those challenges force me to think about my actions and responses in a much more thoughtful way. I love being part of a team.” n “With For And Against” runs through June 28 at 319 N. 11th St. For more information, visit voxpopuligallery.org.
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Charles Cohen’s career crescendo By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor Charles Cohen has long been a part of Philadelphia’s varied art scenes. Yet, despite his white hair, he seems like an ageless sprite — occasionally making splintered electronic music with-and-for teens, occasionally playing in bars where young aficionados of his ragged brand of oscillating improvisation hang. Watching him readying for a gig or a recording — just him and his scuffed-up baby-blue suitcase filled with his rare Buchla Music Easel synthesizer and a handful of wires — is an art unto itself, one that’s only recently found him more popular than ever. Blame a series of Morphine label albums of his past work (“The Middle Distance,” “Group Motion,” “Music for Dance and
Exclusive U.S. Venue
Theater,” a remixed 12-inch “Dance of the Spiritcatchers”) and the recently released “Brother I Prove You Wrong” — Cohen’s first newly recorded album in 30 years — as reasons why this kind soul has won popularity beyond critical acclaim. Performing shows throughout the globe has only brought his hypnotic sound waves closer to his crowd. Of his newly found fame, Cohen said softly, “My deceased mother came to me in a dream months after she died and gave me this message: ‘Live. Be happy. Forget the past.’” Asked if he has listened to her, he replied: “I try.” To get a better picture of Cohen — a gay gentleman in his 60s — and his importance to Philly’s wide-ranging scenes, jump back to his arrival: a fresh-faced technician who
April 1 – August 2
Richard Avedon’s striking photographs helped define America’s perceptions of beauty, politics, and power. Come see more than 70 works by the renowned photographer, including a massive mural of beat poet Allen Ginsberg and his family, a group portrait of Andy Warhol and the Factory, and a series of portraits published by Rolling Stone on the eve of the 1976 presidential election.
5th and Market | NMAJH.org
Richard Avedon: Family Affairs is based on a 2014 exhibition organized by the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Major support for this exhibition has been provided by The David Berg Foundation, The Director’s Fund, and Lynne and Harold Honickman. Additional support has been provided by The Abstraction Fund, Gagosian Gallery, Macy’s, The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Annette Y. and Jack M. Friedland, the Consulate General of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region, Gwen and Alan Goodman, and Marsha and Stephen Silberstein. Image: Allen Ginsberg’s Family, Paterson, New Jersey, May 3, 1970. Photograph by Richard Avedon. © Richard Avedon Foundation. Gift of the American Contemporary Art Foundation, Leonard A. Lauder, President, to American Friends of the Israel Museum. Images clockwise from top left: Walter Annenberg, publisher, Radnor, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1976. Katharine Graham, Chairman of the Board, The Washington Post Company, Washington D.C., March 11, 1976. Jerry Brown, Governor of California, Sacramento, California, March 20, 1976. Bella Abzug, U.S. Congresswoman from New York, New York, June 19, 1976. Barbara Jordan, U.S. Congresswoman from Texas, New York, July 14, 1976. George H.W. Bush, Director, CIA, Langley, Virginia, March 2, 1976. Photographs by Richard Avedon. © The Richard Avedon Foundation. From the Collection of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Joint gift of Gagosian Gallery and the American Contemporary Art Foundation, Leonard A. Lauder, President, to American Friends of the Israel Museum.
had just dropped out of graduate school in New York City, where upon he was offered a sound-designer job for Temple University’s theater department. “Never played piano. Never studied music,” he said. His background is dance and theater, as he started creating scores for various university productions as well as those for Group Motion, a pioneering contemporary West Philly multimedia movement-theater company. “When the GM folks came to Philly from Berlin, they did Temple,” Cohen said. “It was a real eye-opener. I was already into electronic music as a hobby but here were serious artists making creative use of very ‘out’ music.” Theirs was a marriage made in sonic heaven. Yet, the more he “composed,” the more bored he became with the hint of fleeting convention. “It was fun but I moved on, as I eventually got frustrated with dance/theater collabs as too restrictive and time-consuming.” What he didn’t mind being consumed by was endless improvisation, which brought him to the attention of Philly’s free jazz-playing crowd, as well as the instrument he’d make his bones playing — the then-rare (and now rarer still) Buchla Music Easel. Created by Don Buchla, the modular, non-keyboard instrument was made popular (if you could call it that) by Morton Subotnick on 1968’s heady “Silver Apples of the Moon.” “When I heard that, I knew those were the kind of sounds I wanted,” Cohen said. “But, it took a year back then to find exactly what Subotnick was using, another year to find contact information about Buchla and another year to buy one.” After Cohen got his Buchla, he never looked back — or, for that matter, used another instrument. Ask him if writers and critics often put too much emphasis on the instrument rather than the man behind it, and he too is quizzical. “It is still an unresolved question in my mind as to how much of what I do is informed by the instrument. It is a totally unique synth and always generates a lot of buzz and I admit that has helped me find a unique niche.” There were fleeting few opportunities to hear Cohen on an album: two efforts with Jeff Cain such as “Objects in Mirrors Are Closer Than They Appear” (1981) and “Remote Dreaming” (1986), as well as acoustic guitarist Linda Cohen’s “Leda” (1973). In the 21st century, Cohen could be heard on records from Philly bands like Color is Luxury and the freak folkist Espers when they made “The Valerie Project.” Yet, rather than document himself on a bunch of records or make himself known in a careerist’s sort of way, Cohen chose to just play anywhere he could — punk clubs, LGBT hangouts, bars.
“I don’t ‘strive’ for particular gigs,” he said. “If the folks are nice and authentic, I’m interested in playing for them.” Of pursuing his improvisational largesse as opposed to focusing himself on recordings, he said improv is more fun. “I like music where I don’t know what’s coming. Besides, I have always been more fun-oriented than career-oriented. Plus, if I’m not playing, I’m content to just chill.” Among Cohen’s wise sayings: “There is nothing wrong with nothing.”
He has little patience for TV, Hollywood, pop, fine dining, professional sports, interior design, shopping for clothes and sightseeing. When Cohen mentioned, “Music is my way to party. I don’t think of myself as a terribly social person,” I go back to his playing for, and communion with, the Philadelphia gay community. He has never considered himself as part of any “gay music scene,” but rather as a player who moves through various art scenes. “I don’t hang out in bars unless I’m performing.” It is only through the auspices of Morphine Records and its label bosses who discovered a Cohen sample during a rave that Philly’s boss of the Buchla is suddenly soaring career-wise. “I had no expectation that the retrospective material would have any use after the particular production was done. When Morphine heard the stuff, they wanted to put it all out. I agreed and those releases got me a lot of recognition and invites to festivals and such.” From there, he was encouraged to record and release new material — hence, “Brother,” along with other new material he is currently considering. “Everything will be new from now on,” he said, pointing out a list of summer tour dates throughout the United States, Europe and very likely Japan (you can find his gigs at twitter.com/CBeepsAndBoops), as well as a stop at Bowerbird Philadelphia Double Decker Music Series on Aug. 23. “A ‘career’ seems within reach now. Maybe I’ll give it a try. I’ve been presented with so many awesome opportunities in the last couple of years, it would seem a crime to not try and make the most of it.” n
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Q Puzzle Where gay means happy Across
1. Neuwirth of “Chicago’ 5. IRS form 10. Mama’s boys 14. Top 15. _Love Affair_ costar Dunne 16. “___ first you don’t ...” 17. Like a stereotypical wrist 18. Salami you can put in your hero 19. Katharine’s “Butch Cassidy” role 20. Nation where gay men are the happiest, per a Planet Romeo survey 22. Secondhappiest nation for gay men 24. Buckeye State sch. 26. Seasonal
songs 27. Fourth-happiest nation for gay men 30. Rope at a gay rodeo 32. It helps you get to advocate.com 33. ___ Doctor (law degree) 34. Semen may be evidence on this program 37. “Metamorphoses” poet 38. Mullally of _Will & Grace_ 39. Man in a skirt, perhaps 40. Porter’s “___ Out of Town” 41. Bone just over a foot 42. Carpet abrasions 43. Judy Reyes role on “Scrubs” 44. Sixth-happiest nation for gay men 45. “For sure?” 48. Sentence units 50. Sevent-
happiest nation for gay men 51. Third-happiest nation for gay men 55. Seedless plant 56. Base neutralizers 59. Muscle Marys pump it 60. Fairy tale prince waiting to be kissed 61. Conductor Boulanger 62. Q to a Scrabble player 63. They come out in the lumber yard 64. Less sweet 65. In the pink
Down
1. “___ Hai” 2. Really big tale 3. Sammy Davis Jr.’s “I’ve Gotta ___” 4. Blew, big time 5. Register 6. Set of beliefs 7. Cock’s mate
PORTRAIT from page 69
cerned, I never told them — I didn’t think it was important — but one day when they were in their 80s, one of them turned to us and said, “Why can’t you two just get married like everyone else?” They knew all along! Sadly, we’ve lost most of that generation now. PGN: What do you like to do for enjoyment when you’re not working? JO: We’re both into games. When we were taking care of some of the older family members up in Boston, I had to do something to keep from going crazy so I started playing games on the computer. I’m not talking aggressive games — I play things like Monopoly and card games. Jim is more into doing crossword puzzles. We both enjoy doing garden work and working on the house. We’ve been doing a lot of renovation on the place. We started at the top and have worked our way down. The next step is to put in sandy beach-floor tiles. PGN: I once interviewed drag performer Sandy Beach. Do you know how he got the name? JO: Ha! I was just imagining Sandy Beach on our floor. I think I knew once, but I forget. PGN: He was working with the dolphins at the Steel Pier at the shore and people thought he looked like Sandy on the TV show “Flipper.” But I digress. I understand that Jim also bowls in a competitive league. JO: Yes, they just won the city championship. There are three LGBT leagues in the city and they first won their league and then there was a match with the league
8. Bowie collaborator Brian 9. Clark Kent portrayer on TV 10. S, in communications 11. “A Tale ___ Cities” 12. Concerning one’s coming out? 13. Chooses not to come 21. Throat-clearing sound 23. Mouthful for a stallion 25. 5th happiest nation for gay men 27. West Hollywood pollution 28. Didn’t go straight 29. Cut 31. Gershwin and Levin 33. Harden 34. Italian honey 35. Tickle pink 36. Ingrid’s role in “Casablanca” 38. State that
could describe the countries in this puzzle’s theme? 39. Maker of things you shoot off 41. Maupin story of the city 42. Country dance spot 43. Bell bongs 44. Subject of pointed rebuke? 45. Guitar motifs from Etheridge 46. Former NFL player Tuaolo 47. Straight as an ___ 49. “Frasier” pup 52. Diva’s piece 53. Drum sound 54. Trick joint, maybe 57. The Batmobile, e.g. 58. “The Last King of Scotland” character
champions playing each other for the city title. His team won! PGN: Three things you have in common with the other Jim? JO: I don’t know, at this point we’re kind of bonded. PGN: What movie could you watch over and over? JO: For Jim, it would be “The Sound of Music.” For me, I used to be a big “Cabaret” fan, but now I think it would be more like the “Harry Potter” series — the worlds of fanciful imagination. We just watched “Hotel Budapest.” I wanted something quirky and funny with a little drama on top and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was everything I wanted. We had the great-niece and nephew here recently and we watched “The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.” It was a thoroughly enjoyable film, based on a true story. You should check it out. PGN: I will. Favorite Motown song? JO: Anything from The Supremes. They were a pleasure to watch, and my other favorite group but not from Motown was The Beatles. To this very day, they influence music; they brought rock from being an Elvis Presley-kind of thing to what it is now. I also sang in college. PGN: With a group or choir? JO: I was with the Columbia University Glee Club. We got to tour the states, Puerto Rico and Mexico and even put out an album. PGN: Nice. Do you still have it? JO: Oh boy, it’s somewhere! After I graduated, they tried to get me to come back
to sing on the European tour. PGN: Were you out then? JO: It’s odd, a friend of mine from high school, who I just reconnected with, used to always tease me. We never knew about him but we kind of thought he was. I’d occasionally say hi on Facebook and in the ’70s we both were starting to come out. I basically came out when I came to Philly in 1977. I look at these kids now and am astounded at how early they’re coming out. I think it’s easier for kids these days, though I’m not happy when I’m driving and see antigay signs like I did in Smyrna, Del., recently. Get over it. If you don’t agree with it, just keep it to yourself. [Laughing] Of course, that’s what they used to say to us: We don’t care if you’re gay, just keep it to yourself. PGN: True. What’s in store for this year’s Pride? JO: There’s a lot happening. We will be giving out 20 awards in categories like Best Marching Group (with and without sound), Best Performance, and we even have a new category this year, for Best Animal Group. We also have some amazing officials participating. Dr. Rachel Levine is one of the grand marshals — she’s the acting physician general of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the first transgender woman in the United States ever nominated to a post of that kind. Nellie Fitzpatrick is our other grand marshal; she is Mayor Nutter’s new director of LGBT Affairs. We’re also honoring Charlene Arcila, a community activist who filed a complaint with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations when she was told that the gender sticker on her transit pass did not
match her presentation. As a result of her efforts, SEPTA transit passes no longer have gender stickers. She unfortunately passed away earlier this year. Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel is our Friend of Pride. He authored Police Directive 152, which advises the Philadelphia Police Department on the proper way to treat trans victims and offenders and he serves on the Police LGBT Liaison Committee. A really impressive group. PGN: So what’s something you’re looking forward to when it’s all said and done? JO: Air-conditioning. n The Pride Parade kicks off at 11:30 a.m. June 14 at 13th and Locust streets. The parade will arrive at Penn’s Landing for the festival, which costs $15, around 1 p.m. For more information, visit phillygaypride.org. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol. com.
PRIDE
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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 housingrelated 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 real-estate advertising that is in
violation of any applicable law. PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.
Real Estate Sale
Real Estate Sale UPPER HUNT TRACT -Cherry Hill, NJ The traditional styling, coupled with modern amenities, creates a universal appeal that any discerning buyer will appreciate. This beautiful home boasts elegant architectural design features, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 wood-burning fireplaces, a quartz kitchen, hardwood floors & a partially finished walkout lower level. Utilize the approximate 650 sq. feet of unfinished space to easily add 2 additional bedrooms & a full bath on the lower level. Immaculate home in a very prestigious location, close to Philadelphia & all major highways. $525,000
The McLean Team
Husband & Wife REALTOR® Sales Team
Len Cell: 856-874-6360 Lisa Cell: 856-874-6345 Office: 856-983-2888 x 110
107 Taunton Blvd., Medford, NJ 08055
Edgewater Park,NJ
Weichert Realtors, 609-313-6400 Rosalie Conaty — www.rosalieconaty.com
Open House Sunday June 14th 1:30 - 3:30 Bayard Road Kennett Square, PA $875,000
Welcome Home! Looking for a completely renovated Classic home, featuring 4-5 BRS,3 1/2 BA, office, detached 2 car garage and nestled on a parklike 2.84 acres plus much more! Short stroll to the light rail for a short ride to Philly and Trenton.
Beautiful Barn Home, Secluded 2 Acres, Open Foyer, Living Room with Fireplace, Bright Kitchen, Master Bedroom with Fireplace, Endless Pool, Patio with View of Pond
$385,000
Great treasures like this stately circa 1774 Federal Style home are truly rare. Located in historic Burlington City, within walking distance of the revitalized business district. Three full baths and two half baths(one outside for entertaining) compliment the 7 bedrooms of this gorgeous property. The foyer features a well detailed staircase with a stunning Swarovski crystal chandelier which sets the tone for the elegance thru out. The restoration included a new kitchen and baths, new upgraded electrical service and wiring, 4 zone hot water heat, central air and much more. There’s also a two car garage, the outside half bath, a masonry handicap ramp and details that only the eye can appreciate. $399,900
HAINES & HAINES REALTORS – Chris Seiler 609-386-1636
Carol Halsey, CRB, CRS, GRI Associate Broker
Fox & Roach, REALTORS®
312 W. State Street, Suite A, Kennett Square, PA 19348
Bus 610-444-9090 Cell 610-742-0041 Fax 610-444-5858 VN 610-925-2949 carol.halsey@foxroach.com
PRIDE
Real Estate Sale
Services
VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________39-29 CLOUDS FOR SALE: HOUSE INCLUDED Restored 1860’s NE PA farmhouse w/barn on 14 ac. Views, private, quiet, nr. Delaware Rvr. and Elk Mt. 917-828-1774 or Facebook@Clouds for Sale ________________________________________39-24
A FUN TIME FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT ! Enjoy creative comedy when your audience becomes. part of the show! www.nickpawlow.com ________________________________________39-31 MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES NEEDED! Become a Medical Office Assistant! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/ GED & PC/Internet needed! 1-888-424-9412. ________________________________________39-24 IF YOU USED THE BLOOD THINNER XARELTO and suffered internal bleeding, hemorrhaging, required hospitalization or a loved one died while taking Xarelto between 2011 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson 1-800-535-5727. _____________________________________________39-24 AIRLINE CAREERS begin here – Get hands on training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial Aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance. 888-834-9715. ________________________________________39-24
Vacation/Seasonal Rentals THE SAMUEL AURAND HOUSE An elegant B&B in an 1838 public house & tavern. It hosts 4 elegant appointed rooms & a 2 bedroom suite. Biking, hiking kayaking as well as wineries, dining & history surround the quiet town of New Berlin PA. Within 2 hrs of Philly. Find us on AirB&B or at 570-966-3711, ________________________________________39-26 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services. 1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________39-24
Roommates
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Page 87
Conrad Kuhn
ROOM FOR RENT GM couple seeks RM. 3 BR home in Manayunk. Steps to Main St. & all pub. trans. W/D, D/W, G/D, new hdwd flrs, 1.5 BA, updated kit. Must love dogs. $600 incl. all uitils, cable & internet. Furnished if needed. Rhett, 267-688-1946. ____________________________________________39-24
Broker/Sales Rep. Since 1987 NJAR Circle of Excellence Sales Award 1991- 2011 Weichert President’s & Ambassador’s Clubs
Office: 856.227.1950 ext. 124 Cell: 609.221.1196 www.conradkuhn.com Realtor856@aol.com
For Sale SAWMILLS From only $4,397.00 – MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill – Cut lumber any dimension. In Stock, ready to ship! FREE info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com ________________________________________39-23
Washington Township Office 5070 Route 42 Turnersville, NJ 08012
Autos for Sale
Largest Kahn Park Condominium with Garage Parking
2002 PT Cruiser. Red with wood grain. 112K. Runs good. Well maintained. $3000.00. Call Joe-856-275-6271. ________________________________________39-27
2000 Sq. Ft. on 3 Levels Super Bright Corner Unit Overlooking Kahn Park 2 br, 2 Dens, 2.5 baths, Fireplace, Deck Best Views! Best Neighborhood!
Legal Notice Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, April Term, 2015, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on April 8th, 2015, the petition of Jamisa Lajuan Haskins was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Cassir Maurice Haskins. The Court has fixed June 17, 2015 at 11:00 A.M., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________39-24
Help Wanted HONE DISPATCHER WANTED FOR BUSY ESCORT SERVICE Applicant must have good communication and sales skills, outgoing personality and basic computer skills. A knowledge of the Tri-State area would be helpful. Available days are: Thurs. thru Sat. 215 - 733 - 9779. ________________________________________39-24 Can You Dig It? Heavy Equipment Operator Career! We Offer Training and Certifications Running Bulldozers, Backhoes, and Excavators. Lifetime Job Placement. VA Benefits Eligible! 1-866-362-6497. ________________________________________39-24 Werner Enterprises is HIRING! Dedicated, Regional, & OTR opportunities! Need your CDL? 4 wk training avail! Don’t wait, call today to get started! 866-494-8633. ________________________________________39-24 Drivers – No experience? Some or LOTS of experience? Let’s Talk! We support every driver, every day, every mile! Call Central Refrigerated Home. (888)673-0801 www. CentralTruckDrivingJobs.com ________________________________________39-24 REGIONAL DRIVER Reliable driver needed: dedicated regional runs out of Carlisle PA hauling plate glass. New trucks, strong rates and benefits. Home weekly & weekends. 800-669-6414 ________________________________________39-24
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. ________________________________________39-30 GWM, 39 seeks mail correspondence with hometown Philly guys during the remainder of my incarceration. Interested a lot in foreign guys, too. 6’3”, blond hair, hazel eyes, funny open minded guy that will answer all your questions. Kenneth Houck, #06743-015, FCI Englewood, 9595 W. Quincy Ave., Littleton CO 80123. ________________________________________39-30 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________39-27
Massage David, 65, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________39-27 From the pages of GREEK mythology steps out this blue eyed hard body. Call JASON for ALL of your massage NEEDS. 267.733.5902. ________________________________________39-24
1119 Pine St. $549,000 Suzanne E. Petruzel Sales Associate Cell 610-659-8030
Fox & Roach REALTORS®
210 W. Rittenhouse Sq. Phila, PA 19103 Dir. 215-790-5671 Fax 215-546-3415 Office 215-546-0550 suzanne.petruzel@foxroach.com
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Live in
Luxury .
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Create
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6/5/15 10:20 AM
Embracing Diversity Cathedral Village’s nondenominational, inclusive community
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PRIDE
REASON #14 TO LIVE AT 251 DEKALB
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Page 89
WE’RE PRETTY COLORFUL, TOO.
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SERVICES & HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY
dunbar painting
Speedy Carpet Kleen
Don’t worry about the dirt, we will
John M Sewell
25 years experience in Upholstery anD area rUg cleaning
I Work Alone To Ensure Job Quality!
Cell 215-715-7335
philadelphia pa
215-756-4456
Interior/Exterior Painting • Plaster/Drywall Repair • Wallpaper Removal • Finish Carpentry • Old House Specialist•
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Excellent References - Photos of Work Available
This Kitchen Was Renovated By A Retired Kitchen Installer! with 43 years experience.
At A LOW PRICE. Cabinets to appliance included. I have referrals
For more info call Mr. Dave: 215.800.9899
Giving back to our communities for over 25 years • License PA#009390
Roofing Repairs • Installation & Maintenance Gutters • Siding & Windows • Professional Courteous Staff
Phone (215)752 6145 • Fax (215)702 9376
www.abrooksconstruction.com 390 Middletown Blvd., Suite 612 Langhorne, PA 19047
Damage to your Home or Business? Fire, Smoke & Soot Floods
Lightning Vandalism Wind and Rain
Snow and Ice Backups Plumbing Leaks
Theft Collapse and Many More . . .
Call for your FREE inspection and policy analysis. The experts at Apple will work with your insurance company to negotiate the proper loss settlement.
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for only $50 per week when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks.
PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Page 91
SERVICES & HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY
THE CONTRACTOR YOU CAN TRUST
JOHN B. GREGORY & SONS As Featured On KYW Newsradio 1060
For REMODELING or REPAIRS contact John at:
YourTrustedContractor.com or call 215-626-8367 WWW.GREGORYSONS.COM WWW.MaxQualityDrains.com
(Plumbing Division and Bathroom/Kitchen Remodeling)
Just Clean It! cleanouts / hauling
Daniel A. Kazanicka P.O. Box 146 Narberth, PA 19072 610-667-1890 kazball@comcast.net
Diligent Service - Quality Results
AFRAID??
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Paul 610-809-4494 Celebrating 25 Years of Serving Philadelphia
Thinking it’s about time for some professional help with the home repairs? PGN’s Services and Home Improvement Directory is a great place to get started when looking for contractors that know and proudly serve our community.
Page 92
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SELECT APARTMENTS AVAILABLE
LIFE AT FOULKEWAYS
More Time – More Friends – More Choices Setting Standards of Excellence in Retirement Living Since 1967
A
t Foulkeways, there’s always something close at hand to inspire both body AND mind! Whether exploring new horizons or devoting time to life-long hobbies, you’ll find yourself looking forward to each new day. So, what are you doing with the second half of YOUR life? For more information and to set up a personal tour, call Marketing Counselor, Kimberly McCloskey, at 215-283-7339. Foulkeways® at Gwynedd does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap or familial status.
Guided by Time-Honored Quaker Values 1120 Meetinghouse Road Gwynedd, PA 19436
www.foulkeways.org
Eating Out Should Be Fun! Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month - and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com. Since 1976
PGN
PRIDE
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
Your Future.Your Choices. Our Commitment. Keep the lifestyle you love and enjoy a reinvented retirement—opening in 2017. You’ve built a good life for yourself. Now that you’re planning for retirement, the only thing you want to give up is work. The Cornerstone is a fresh neighborhood concept, coming to the campus of Simpson House, where you can live your life of leisure! Become a depositor today and get ready to free your spirit at this perfect location when we open our doors in 2017!
With residences available now, you can look at your retirement living options in a whole new light. If you think you know Simpson House, take a new look. Yes, we’re Philadelphia’s landmark retirement community, committed to providing you with health care for life. But there’s lots of newness inside. Tour the freshly renovated Signature Series and Value Advantage apartments to see what we mean.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 12-18, 2015
ADONIS CINEMA
“THE ONLY ALL MALE ADULT THEATER IN THE CITY”
2026 Sansom St
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(located 3 doors up from Sansom St Gym)
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PRIDE CELEBRATION
WEEKLY SPECIALS:
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Half Price Rooms & Lockers (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) ROOMS: Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50 LOCKERS: Members: $9.00 and Non-Members: $19.00
Saturday, June 13th Time: 11pm- 3:30am • BuffBoyzz Entertainment: Mike & Andrew • DJ David Dutch • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
Sunday, June 20th Time: 11pm- 3:30am WHAT TO EXPECT:
• DJ PAULIE PAUL • INTRODUCING: Steven Well’s “BLACK OUT NIGHT NEVETS MEN OF ADONIS” • BLACK INCHES: Legendary Anaconda & Sexy Rio • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More
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MONDAY thru FRIDAY: (8am to 4pm) Business Mans Locker Special 4 hour lockers Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00 TUESDAYS
Half Price Rooms (6am till 12 Midnight) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT CRUISE $12 Flat Rate for Locker Admission & Clothing Optional (4pm-12 Midnight)
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w ted e N ora ! l c e e d D o M
live the
… river location … city views … infinite elegance
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5/21/15 1:34 PM
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WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN OWN HERE FOR LESS.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE. Open interiors with 20’ ceilings are just the beginning of what this address delivers. Now’s the time to make your move to the only place that brings so much added dimension to Center City living. 1352 Lofts offers a rare combination of amenities and buyer advantages, including: • 1,100-2,500 sq. ft. floor plan • Low condo fees • 24/7 concierge
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