pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 42 No. 24 June 15-21, 2018
Sen. Casey talks to and about voters at Toasted Walnut PAGE 2
“Hearts Beat Loud” is a heartwarming tale PAGE 36
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
NJ trans man wins jury verdict PAGE 5
Disney’s “Aladdin” is out of his magical lamp
Pride events reflect growing inclusion
Museum CEO: ‘Overwhelmingly positive’ response to Drag Queen Storytime
By Adriana Fraser adriana@epgn.com Amid fan-favorite traditions like the Gayborhood block party and the City Hall flag-raising, Philadelphia’s 30th annual Pride celebration featured even more diversive, diverse events than ever before. Pride weekend June 8-10 featured nearly 20 events by a variety of organizations spanning three days. The Mayor’s Office of LGBT Affairs jumpstarted Pride with the flag-raising ceremony, followed by the “Pride in the Plaza” kickoff party in the City Hall courtyard June 7, a new addition to the celebration. Dancers, musical artists and drag queens performed in the courtyard as an introduction to the weekend. The William Way homecoming and the block party followed June 8. The Dyke March celebrated 20 years June 9. The festivities wrapped up Sunday with a rainy Pride parade and festival headlined by Margaret Cho at Penn’s Landing. New additions to the lineup included more events for people of color, families, women and any combination thereof. JUICE, a summertime music, arts and film festival, invited LGBTQ women of color to celebrate Pride on June 9. Selina Carrera, a JUICE performer, saidthe event was a welcome addition to a Pride weekend that lacked celebratory spaces for people of color. “I need spaces like this to exist and to see reflections of myself,” Carrera said. I didn’t even know that there were this many black and brown LGBTQ women in this city until JUICE. That says a lot about who’s being represented during Pride. We’re a part of this community so there should be more representation of that.” Jenn Anderson, co-lead of this year’s Dyke March, said the inclusion of more diverse events mirrors why the march started 20 years ago. “We’ve been a part of Philly Pride for the last 20 years. So much has changed but so much more change is on the horizon. To see the self-identified dykes of all shapes and colors marching with us PAGE 16
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By Adriana Fraser adriana@epgn.com
LET A SMILE BE YOUR UMBRELLA: Elizabeth Coffey Williams shows her pride through rain and rainbows June 10 at the Philadelphia Pride Festival. The overcast skies with occasional showers and downpours may have dampened wardrobes, but it didn’t wash away the spirit of the thousands of revelers who came out for the 30th annual event. More Pride events and photos inside. Photo: Scott A. Drake
D.A. withdraws felony charges in flag-burning By Adriana Fraser adriana@epgn.com The Philadelphia District Attorney’s office dropped two felony charges against a trans woman arrested on Sunday at a Pride event June 13, but will proceed to trial on two misde-
POLICE WITH THE CONFISCATED FLAG AT 12TH AND LOCUST STREETS Photo: Scott A. Drake
meanor charges. ReeAnna Segin, a trans woman from New Jersey, was arrested at the Pride parade on Sunday after she attempted to set fire to a flag in support of law enforcement during the celebration. The D.A.’s office dropped the attempted arson and causing/risking a catastrophe felony charges “after additional investigation into the incident,” spokesman Ben Waxman said in a statement. The misdemeanor charges include possession of an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person. Segin held up the blue-line “Blue Lives Matter” flag along with a can of VM&P Naphtha, a paint thinner, in the middle of a crowd on 12th and Locust before police officers arrested her. The D.A.’s office said her backpack also included two road flares and a blue lighter stick. Segin gave officers her dead name — her name that was assigned at birth — and was transferred to the CurranFromhold Correctional Facility, a men’s prison, after PAGE 21
Please Touch Museum CEO and president Patricia Wellenbach said she stands by her decision to hold the Drag Queen Storytime event at the museum’s inaugural Family Pride Festival June 9 and that membership numbers remain intact despite online backlash. “The responses were overwhelmingly positive both during the event and online. We are not backing away from providing children a space to learn, explore and discover diverse communities,” Wellenbach told PGN after the event. “The museum lost no revenue and no one has cancelled their membership.” The children’s museum celebrated Pride with the immersive and interactive day of play honoring LGBTQ families and communities around the world. Last week, the museum’s Facebook page was hit with negative comments from parents after the announcement of Drag Queen Storytime — a dress-up segment hosted by local drag queens. Brittany Lynn and Miss Aurora hosted the storytime event over three sessions during the day, the first of which was the biggest and filled to capacity, with more than 120 parents and children, the CEO said. On the museum’s Facebook page a debate emerged about what’s appropriate to introduce to young children. Comments from parents against the storytime included, “This is appalling! #SexualAbuse” and “Definitely very inappropriate to subject children of these ages to things like this.” Of the roughly 80 comments on the post, at least 70 were supportive. One supporter thanked the museum for showing inclusivity through diversity. Another wrote, “Thank you for leading the way and providing children with the space to learn and explore all expressions of the human experience.” Wellenbach said in the PAGE 16