Once a stand-up comic in Philadelphia, now in a film playing at The Ritz
Day in the Life Of ... a radio host: Elvis Duran
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Family Portrait: Making music with Jess Choi PAGE 29
June 20-26, 2014
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Vol. 38 No. 25
Chaput issues curt response to letter-writer By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
ADVOCACY IN MOTION: Attendees at the 15th annual Prevention and Outreach Summit Wednesday morning sprung into action to donate to the Positive Women’s Network at the prompting of plenary speaker Paul Kawata, executive director of the National Minority AIDS Council. Seeking to demonstrate the power each person has in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Kawata mentioned his recent conversation with PWN’s Waheedah Shabazz-El (center in purple) about the organization’s potential for a $10,000 matching grant. Kawata encouraged guest to donate $1 to the cause, and scores streamed to Shabazz-El do so. The summit was part of Philadelphia FIGHT’s AIDS Education Month; AEM activities continue through the end of the month. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The leader of Philadelphia’s Catholic Archdiocese recently sent a letter steeped in sarcasm to a local man who questioned the church’s position on marriage equality. In a letter dated May 27 written on Archdiocese of Philadelphia letterhead, Archbishop Charles Chaput responded to an email sent to him by Jerry Silverman in which he seemingly questioned the ability of Silverman, who is Jewish, to question Catholic teaching. Silverman had penned a letter to the editor to the Philadelphia Inquirer May 21, the day after Pennsylvania legalized same-sex marriage, and sent a copy to Chaput and Pope Francis. Silverman’s letter read: “Let
me get this ‘straight.’ In condemning same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, Archbishop Chaput says, ‘Marriage is ordered not just to companionship but to creating and rearing new life.’” Silverman goes on to quote a paragraph from the Catholic Education Resource Center website that details that the church believes infertility does not preclude a person from marrying — questioning why, if an elderly or infertile couple can marry in the eyes of the church, a same-sex couple cannot. “In all fairness, perhaps the protestors of gay marriage should demand the dissolution of all straight marriages that do not produce offspring,” he finished. A few days letter, Silverman received a curt letter from Chaput PAGE 17 in the mail that
AC ramps up LGBT tourism effort By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Just in time for the start of summer Saturday, Atlantic City this week officially rolled out the welcome mat for the LGBT community. In a beachside press conference Monday, LGBT and ally leaders in the city announced a host of LGBT initiatives, includ-
ing the formal designation of an LGBT-friendly beach. Out Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian planted the rainbow flag, presented to him by leaders of the Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance, at the entrance to the Park Place beach. G L B TA p r e s i d e n t R i c h Helfant noted that the beach has long been a hot spot for LGBT beachgoers.
“Dating back to the 1960s, that historically has always been known unofficially as the gay beach,” Helfant said. “We’re very happy that Mayor Guardian graciously agreed to fly the rainbow flag on the beach. And it’s not just a gay beach; everyone’s welcome. That’s the great thing about the rainbow. Our community adopted it as our PAGE 16 symbol, but
One month of marriage equality in PA By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
This Friday marks the first month of marriage equality in Pennsylvania. On May 20, Judge John E. Jones’s ruling overturning the state’s ban on marriage equality made Pennsylvania the 19th state to sanction same-sex marriage.
One major change spurred by the ruling is that married samesex couples will be eligible to access health benefits from employer plans that extend to spouses. Same-sex couples who married out of state prior to May 20 have 31days to bring their marriage certificate to their humanresources representative in order
to add their spouse for what is considered a change-of-life event. Newly married couples have 31 days from the date of their wedding to do so. “People have to talk to their HR representative,” urged attorney Tiffany Palmer, of Jerner & Palmer, P.C. “Many bigger employers were already recogPAGE 16 nizing same-
PARK PLACE PROUD: Atlantic City’s LGBT-friendly beach was officially dedicated Monday. On hand for the occasion were Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance president Rich Helfant (from left), Sandblast producer Brad Hurtado, Stand OUT LGBT Expo producer Gene Cavazos, Mayor Don Guardian, Harrah’s Resort regional president Rick Mazer and Miss’d America Pageant co-founder the Hon. John J. Schultz. Photo: Nick Valinote