PGN June 28 - July 4, 2013 by The Philadelphia Gay News

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Family Portrait: Rev. Nate Walker PAGE 23

Locals react to SCOTUS decisions

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PAGES 6-7

June 28 - July 4, 2013

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Vol. 37 No. 26

Supreme victories on Day of Decision By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

Marriage equality saw its greatest victory to date Wednesday with the defeat of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act. The federal ban on same-sex marriage was overturned in a highly anticipated 5-4 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. A separate ruling cleared the way for marriage equality in California. Neither ruling established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The DOMA opinion rather found that the section of the law that denies federal marriage benefits to same-sex couples who are legally married violates the constitutional equal-protection clause. The opinion, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, held that the law is “invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and injure those whom the state, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity.” Kennedy went on to say that DOMA

sought to displace this protection and treat same-sex couples as “less respected” than others. “Under DOMA, same-sex married couples have their lives burdened, by reason of government decree, in visible and public ways.” Kennedy was joined by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Dissenting were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito and Antonin Scalia, with Justice Clarence Thomas dissenting in part. With the defeat of DOMA’s Section 3, married same-sex couples will now have access to federal benefits such as joint tax filings, Family and Medical Leave Act benefits and Social Security survivor rights. The ruling will also be felt in the immigration realm, as Americans will be eligible to sponsor a foreign-born same-sex spouse for citizenship. However, some federal agencies, such as the IRS and Social Security Administration, grant marriage benefits based on a couple’s state of residence, while others grant rights

Lesbians attacked in DelCo By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A lesbian couple was ejected from a Delaware County fast-food eatery last week for allegedly having sex in the bathroom, and was then attacked by a group of patrons. The June 19 incident took place at a McDonald’s on 69th Street in Upper Darby. Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said a group of diners complained to a manager that two women had entered the one-person bathroom on the second floor of the store and were having sex. The manager entered and allegedly found the two engaging in a sex act and ordered them to leave. Chitwood said the women, who told police they were not having sex, complied but were verbally harassed by the group that had complained to the manager as they left. “They said the group was telling them to ‘get out of here, dirty dykes,’” Chitwood said. “And that’s when the fight started.” The altercation moved outside, and one

of the women was stabbed in the back after coming to the aid of her partner. There were between six and eight attackers, mixed men and women. The stabber, Chitwood said, is believed to be a Hispanic or African-American woman in her 40s who had two children with her. The weapon was a black-handled silver blade. The group dispersed before police arrived and no suspects have been apprehended. The victim was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and has been treated and released. The other woman was not seriously injured, Chitwood said, and refused medical treatment. The women identified themselves as an engaged couple to police. Chitwood said the incident is not currently being investigated as a hate crime. “We’re not getting the cooperation we should be getting,” he said. “But we’ll see as the investigation goes on.” Chitwood said there were surveillance cameras nearby but “we haven’t been able to retrieve it yet because of incompatibility of various technologies. So we’re working on that.” ■

based on the state of celebration, or where the marriage was conferred; it is yet unclear what steps the administration will take to ensure equal access to federal rights for married couples who do not live in a marriage-equality state. The DOMA case was brought by 84-year-old Edie Windsor, a Philadelphia native, who was forced to pay more than $300,000 in inheritance tax after the death of her longtime partner, to whom she was legally married. In a statement Wednesday, President Obama applauded the ruling. “This was discrimination enshrined in law,” he said. “It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people. The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for it.” Obama said he directed the Attorney General’s office and his Cabinet members to review all relevant federal statutes to ensure that the decision is reflected in federal law “swiftly and smoothly.” AG E r i c H o l d e r s a i d t h e Department of Justice will work “expeditiously” with other branches to implement the decision. The momentous ruling was released minutes before another 54 ruling, written by Roberts, that the petitioners in the California Proposition 8 case lacked standing. In that case, state officials declined PAGE 7 to defend Prop.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Independence Mall played host to about 150 LGBTs and allies Wednesday night who turned out to rally for marriage equality after the historic U.S. Supreme Court rulings that morning. Speakers included Delaware Valley Americans United for Separation of Church and State founder Janice Rael (pictured), the Rev. Jeffrey Jordan, Philadelphia’s director of LGBT affairs Gloria Casarez, Philadelphia Family Pride vice-chair Wendy Forbes, Philadelphia Human Relations Commission executive director Rue Landau and SafeGuards director Brian Green. Supporters carried signs, chanted pro-LGBT messages and spoke to the sea of mainstream media on hand. For more coverage and photos, see p 6-7. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Victims of the night: Stories from the streets By Victoria A. Brownworth Special to PGN Second in a series Two names regularly bring forth tears and anger in the Philadelphia LGBT community: Nizah Morris and Stacey Blahnik. The deaths of both women have gone unsolved, years later. But their names are among a disturbingly long list of transgender women of color who have either died under mysterious circumstances like

Morris or been brutally murdered like Blahnik. Mo’Nique says she met Blahnik, a leader in the Philadelphia ballroom community and by all accounts a remarkable woman, a few months before her October 2010 murder. Mo’Nique, who named herself after the Oscar-winning actress, said Blahnik’s murder “broke my heart. Just broke it. I looked up to her. I wanted to do all the things she did for everybody.” Mo’Nique looks away when she talks PAGE 12 about Blahnik, her

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

News Briefing Cradle moves out As the Boy Scouts of America Cradle of Liberty Council moved out of a city-owned building this week, LGBT advocates had mixed feelings about the departure. “I’m pleased that discrimination inside the city-owned headquarters building is coming to an end,” said LGBT advocate Arthur Kaplan. “But Cradle is receiving a parting gift of $825,000 in taxpayer dollars courtesy of the Nutter administration. And for that, I’m disappointed.” Cradle waged a five-year battle to remain in the building, even though it refused to allow participants covered by the city’s antibias rules, including gays and atheists. In May, Cradle agreed to vacate the premises as part of a settlement. In return, Cradle will receive $825,000 in city taxpayer dollars for improvements reportedly made to the building. Cradle had until June 30 to depart the building, located on 22nd Street near the Ben Franklin Parkway. R. Duane Perry, another LGBT advo-

cate, expressed dismay that Cradle apparently will continue to discriminate, despite the lengthy ordeal. “I hope the building — or proceeds from the sale of the building — will be used for programs that discourage homophobic bullying, along with other forms of bullying,” Perry added. He said efforts to end discrimination in the Parkway building were worthwhile. “It’s important just to recognize that we had an impact on the national debate about discrimination,” Perry noted. “We hope it will be an ongoing dialogue, and eventually the national BSA will stop discriminating.” Cradle spokesperson Kera Armstrong had no comment for this story.

Oral arguments set for church dispute The state Commonwealth Court has scheduled oral arguments for October in the appeal to preserve an old Catholic church formerly owned by AIDS agency Siloam. The old Church of the Assumption is located at 1123-33 Spring Garden St. It was built in 1848, and has ties to saints John Neumann and Katharine Drexel. But it’s been vacant since the Archdiocese closed it nearly 20 years ago. The Callowhill Neighborhood Association wants the church preserved as

a historic landmark but the city contends the structure is in danger of collapse and wants permission for its demolition. Oral arguments on the dispute have been tentatively set for Oct. 7 at the Widener Building, 1339 Chestnut St. Siloam owned the church for about six years prior to selling the structure to developers John Wei and Mika He last July. Siloam continues to operate in an old Catholic rectory adjacent to the church. Samuel C. Stretton, an attorney for CNA, said the church shouldn’t be demolished. “It’s real clear, the church should never be demolished,” Stretton told PGN. “It’s a wonderful building, and it can be preserved. We’ve presented evidence, demonstrating that it can be preserved in a reasonable fashion.” Andrew S. Ross, a city attorney handling the matter, had no comment. Wei and He also had no comment.

Alleged assault victim seeks payment from city Attorneys for a man who says Officer Michael A. Paige sexually assaulted him while he was on duty have filed notice that they expect the city to pay legal costs resulting from the incident. In March 2007, Paige allegedly forced James Harris to perform oral sex on him in a secluded area of Fairmount Park, according to court records.

The following year, Paige was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing. But in June 2012, a federal jury awarded Harris $165,000 in damages due to the alleged assault. Brian F. Humble, an attorney for Harris, asked U.S. District Judge Robert F. Kelly June 14 to determine how much Paige owes Harris in additional legal costs. Then, Humble plans to seek payment of those costs from the city. A hearing on Humble’s request hadn’t been scheduled at presstime. In a prior interview, Humble estimated that Paige owes Harris about $500,000. Mark McDonald, a spokesperson for the Nutter administration, had no comment. Brian M. Puricelli, an attorney for Paige, also had no comment. — Timothy Cwiek

Panel on SCOTUS ruling Locals questioning the impact of the recent Supreme Court ruling are encouraged to attend a town-hall meeting, 6-8 p.m. June 27 at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Sponsored by Mazzoni Center and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Committee, the event will explore the impact of the striking of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act on Pennsylvania residents. ■ — Angela Thomas

locations in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA — NORTH OF C.C.

1 Shot Coffee, 1040 N. Second St. • 2601 Parkway Condos lobby, 2601 Pennsylvania Ave. • Bebashi, 1217 Spring Garden St. • Beehive Hair Salon, 2319 Fairmount Ave. • 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. • Crooked Frame Café, 2545 Brown St. • Darling’s Diner, 1033 N. Second St. • Filter Coffee House, 331 Race 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. • Philadelphian Condos lobby, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. • PYT Restaurant, 1050 N. Hancock St., at the Piazza • Sammy’s Place, 1449 N. Fifth St., 1st ﬂoor • Shampoo, Seventh & Willow sts. • SILOAM Ministries, 1133 Spring Garden St. • Temple University Student Activity Center, 1755 N. 12th St. • Welker Real Estate, 2311 Fairmount Ave. • Whole Foods Market, 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. •

PHILADELPHIA — SOUTH OF C.C.

Bethel Community Home, 933-935 S. Third St. • Black N Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. • Carmen’s Country Kitchen, 11th & Wharton sts. • Class Act Auto Repair, 2042 S. Bancroft St. • Equal, 1516 Snyder Ave. • Essene, 719 S. Fourth St. • Expressive Hand, 622 S. Ninth St. • Fuel, 1917 E. Passyunk Ave. • Hideaway, Days Inn, 2015 Penrose Ave. • Jackson Place, 501 Jackson St. • Kris Restaurant, 1100 Federal St. • Rockerhead Salon, 607 S. Third St. • South Philly Bagels, 613 S. Third St. • Ultimo Coffee, 1900 S. 15th St. •

PHILADELPHIA — UNIVERSITY CITY

Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St. • Bucks County Coffee, 3430 Sansom St. • Bucks County Coffee, 40th & Locust sts. • Fresh Grocer, 4001 Walnut St. • Goodman Hall, 710 S. 42nd St. • International House, 3701 Chestnut St. • LGBT Center at Penn, 3907 Spruce 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. • University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut St. • Wilson Hall, 708 S. 42nd St. • World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. •

PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS — OTHER

Almost Paradise, 742 Frankford Ave. • Coffee Junction, 7210 Cresheim Road • Elfant Wissahickon Realty, 8962 Ridge Ave. • Fantasy Island Books, 7363 State Road • GWHS Beacon Center, 10175 Bustleton Ave. • Harry’s Natural Foods, 1805 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. • Prevention Point, 166 W. Lehigh Ave. • Today’s Videos, 9255 Roosevelt Blvd. • Touch of Class Books, 3342 Kensington Ave. • 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 •

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Get out of town. No, really, we mean it. Find deals both near and far, along with travel tips from Philly’s own Jeff Guaracino.

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Outward Bound

Jeff Guaracino

We’re all getting older. For LGBT seniors, being out in the golden years can pose a whole new set of challenges. Each month, Gettin’ On brings you insights on aging, from legal issues to sexual health.

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Gettin’ On

GO-GOING: About 50 supporters of the William Way LGBT Community Center turned out to Prime Rib June 20 for the preview party of this fall’s Indigo Ball. About half of the tables are already sold for the Oct. 5 event at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, which is the center’s largest fundraiser of the year. Guests at last week’s party included center development director Michael Pomante (from left), board co-chair Jeff Sotland, Bryan Delowery, Mark Mitchell and Marty Sellers. Photo: Scott A. Drake NEWS

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Crime Watch Local News Briefing Regional

EDITORIAL/OP-ED

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Out Law

Angela Giampolo

Stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Retirement plans, savings plans and college funds. Good debt vs. bad debt. Financial advisor Jeremy Gussick breaks it down every month, interpreting simple and complex ﬁnancial strategies for the LGBT community.

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Contents

How do you feel about a plaque commemorating the Boy Scouts at the site of the building controversy?

What special challenges does the LGBT community face when it comes to the law? Whether it’s adoption, co-habitation agreements or a will, Angela Giampolo shares legal advice for our community each month.

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REGIONAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Del. adopts trans protections By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com Just a month after Delaware approved marriage equality, the state has once again gained another victory for the LGBT community. On June 18, the Delaware House of Representatives voted 24-17 for the Gender Identity Nondiscrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity in regard to employment, housing and public accommodations. The Senate approved the legislation the following day, and Gov. Jack Markell summarily signed it into law. The state adopted a nondiscrimination law inclusive of only sexual orientation in 2009. In response to critics who argued that the law could be misused, the House amended the legislation to clarify that gender identity is evinced by one’s “consistent and uniform assertion of the gender identity or any other evidence that the gender identity is sincerely held as part of a person’s core identity.” Sixteen states and Washington, D.C., have gender-identity nondiscrimination laws, and Delaware is just the second state to pass such legislation after adopting a marriage-equality law. Equality Delaware board member Sarah McBride said she and other agency leaders and volunteers began canvassing for the bill six months ago. “We helped take the lead in terms of making personal and broader societal arguments,” she said. “I helped organize the trans community in Delaware to engage them on the bill and keep them informed.” EQDE president Lisa Goodman said the organization worked for this measure alongside the push for marriage equality. “It had equal importance to our marriage-equality work and we were advocating actively and lobbying for the bill starting back when our legislators went into session in January, but we started working on behalf

of the bill before that,” Goodman said. McBride said the adoption of this legislation, as well as the recent marriage victory, speaks to the progressive atmosphere in Delaware. “There is no question that this legislative session has been historic. It speaks volumes for the courage and compassion of our legislation and governor, who have taken the lead on ensuring that we will bring marriage equality for some in the LGBT community, but also addressing the rights and needs of every LGBT person,” she said. “It says that Delaware is welcoming and safe for everyone and I think that’s something I have known, but now the rest of the country can know.” McBride was born and raised in Delaware and said she feels more comfortable residing in her home state now that there are protections for the transgender community. “Just the piece of mind going into a restaurant and knowing that I have every right to be there like everybody else, going into a retail store, applying for a job or renting a house, I know that who I am is not a disqualifier,” she said. “Having gone to school in D.C. where there are protections, I noticed a difference of my comfort level and security, compared to in Delaware. I finally feel that I am welcomed into the state, that laws and government and society say that trans people deserve to be treated with dignity and fairness and we are people. That is a powerful message.” The gender-identity law took effect immediately, and the marriage-equality measure goes into effect July 1. But, Goodman said, there are still a number of other LGBT issues that need attention. “There is always work to be done around gay youth in terms of anti-bullying, homelessness, and education to be done on behalf of transgender Delawareans and our neighboring states. There is always a tremendous amount of work to be done.” ■

*See this award-winning photograph now in the LGBT display at the Philadelphia History Museum, 15 S. 7th St., Philadelphia

Scott A. Drake freelance 267.736.6743

UNEARTHING THE FOUNDATION: The Philadelphia History Museum celebrated the launch of its “Private Lives in Public Spaces: Bringing Philadelphia’s LGBT History Out in the Open” with an opening reception June 19. The exhibit, on display through October, draws on William Way LGBT Community Center’s Archives to tell the city’s storied LGBT past. Guests included museum CEO Charles Croce (from left), center archivist Bob Skiba, the Hon. Ann Butchart and John Whyte. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

LOCAL PGN

Photos: Scott A. Drake

What does the demise of DOMA mean? While questions still remain about which benefits will be granted to legally married same-sex couples who live in states that do not sanction marriage equality, Section 3 of DOMA prevented same-sex couples from receiving more than 1,100 federal marriage rights, including: • Social Security survivors’ benefits • Ability to jointly file taxes • Eligibility to sponsor a foreign samesex spouse for citizenship • Exemption from federal estate tax after death of a spouse • Access to employee benefits for spouses of federal employees

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NEWS PGN SCOTUS from page 1

8 against a legal challenge, prompting the organizers of the ballot initiative to take up the defense. “We have never before upheld the standing of a private party to defend the constitutionality of a state statute when state officials have chosen not to,” Roberts wrote. “We decline to do so for the first time here.” That ruling sent the case back to a lower court, with instructions for dismissal. Roberts was joined by Ginsburg, Scalia, Breyer and Kagan. Dissenting were Kennedy, Thomas, Alito and Sotomayor. Same-sex marriages could resume in California by the end of the month. California will be the largest state to be home to marriage equality and, with this move, 30 percent of Americans will live in a jurisdiction that sanctions marriage equality. The rulings were hailed by LGBT advocates around the globe, including on the steps of the Supreme Court building, where a massive crowd of pro-LGBT supporters had gathered. ”It’s hard to overstate the importance of today’s Supreme Court decision on the dayto-day lives of married same-sex couples,” said Marriage Equality USA executive director Brian Silva. In Philadelphia, about 150 supporters gathered outside Independence Hall Wednesday night. Director of LGBT affairs Gloria Casarez read a statement from Mayor Michael Nutter to the cheers of supporters. Nutter called both decisions “momentous,” noting that, while Pennsylvania has its own DOMA-like ban on same-sex marriage, Philadelphia has emerged as a leader

on LGBT issues. “I am proud of Philadelphia’s contributions toward LGBT equality and am looking forward to the day when a Philadelphia mayor can legally perform a same-sex marriage,” Nutter said. Casarez, who married her partner Tricia Dressel in New York in 2011, said the pair was on the phone together as the rulings came down. “This is a landmark decision,” Casarez told PGN. “This will be one of those times we refer to in the future and we’ll recall today like we do the Annual Reminders, Stonewall, the Dewey lunch-counter protests. And this is going to be one of those things that we reflect upon and look back on with embarrassment that we even needed to do this. This isn’t about recognizing our relationships, it’s about recognizing our lives.” While LGBT Philadelphians married in other jurisdictions will receive some federal benefits because of the ruling, Casarez said, Wednesday’s decision highlights the long road ahead for Pennsylvania. “If you live in Pennsylvania, you can get married in New York or one of the other states that offer these rights, but you better think twice about putting that wedding picture on your desk at work if you live outside of Philadelphia. Since we don’t have a statewide law to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, it’s still not entirely safe for us to be LGBT people in Pennsylvania. I want to be optimistic that this ruling is going to right some of the wrongs in Pennsylvania, but ultimately it’s going to take a lot of work. So I think we’re going to see court cases and we’re going to need our legisla-

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

tors to really push these issues. These rulings really point to the fact that there are big decisions to be made in Pennsylvania.” Equality Pennsylvania executive director Ted Martin said Wednesday’s decisions should be used to fuel both nondiscrimina-

tion and relationship-recognition laws in Pennsylvania. “This ruling really sets us apart from the states around us even more,” Martin said. “We need to challenge the state’s DOMA. Now’s the time.” ■

BRACING FOR IMPACT: More than 100 LGBT supporters from throughout the state converged on the steps of the Capitol building in Harrisburg June 22 for a marriage-equality rally in advance of the pending U.S. Supreme Court rulings on same-sex marriage. David Moore, founder of Marriage Equality for Pennsylvania, said participants sought to “bring to Harrisburg a clear and convincing message that the LGBT community in Pennsylvania is unified in its fight for equality. We want the politicians across the commonwealth to know that we will continue to rally until we win equal rights for all Pennsylvanians. We will continue to fight to end legal discrimination against the LGBT community for all public accommodations, to end bullying against LGBTQ youth in schools and to win marriage equality.” Photo: David Moore

Locals sound off on the SCOTUS rulings “It is a huge victory and something we have been fighting for, for a long, long time. We are not 100-percent there, but this is a big step for full marriage equality across the nation. Prior to this ruling, I would not be able to sponsor my husband [for citizenship], so this should effectively open that pathway for us to have federal benefits.” — Brian Andersen “It’s an understanding of our Constitution that is inclusive and one that I think goes to what our founding parents were envisioning when they drafted these documents. I am just thrilled. It is an enormous day for history — for our nation, not just for our community.” — The Hon. Ann Butchart “Today is a monumental day in the history of our community, where our highest court has ruled that our families have the same rights as any other to happiness and protection under the law. Now we must build on this momentum to continue our human-rights movement for full equality and justice for all members of our community here in Pennsylvania and across the nation.” — Sherrie Cohen

“It is one of those days where you remember 10 years from now where you were when the decision came down. It is the beginning of the end of discrimination and will allow the LGBT community to live in a society where we are equal citizens.” — Angela Giampolo, Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia chair “This is a powerful day for the LGBT community. It lets us realize that we are citizens who are equally cared for and equally protected under the U.S. Constitution.” — The Rev. Jeffrey Jordan, Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia “This is the first time the Supreme Court has recognized that our relationships are equal, our lives are the same. It is incredibly momentous, but unfortunately in Pennsylvania, it means we have a lot of work left to do.” — Ted Martin, Equality Pennsylvania executive director “The fact that we were given the strong victory 5-4 decision from the court striking down DOMA is enormous, that federal benefits can now be given to married couples in states that have marriage equality. With Prop. 8, it’s a step forward in that California will have marriage

equality soon when the final rulings are put in place. Pennsylvania has a long way to go towards equality.” — David Moore, Marriage Equality for Pennsylvania founder “It’s a watershed decision in the DOMA case because the court is recognizing that our relationships have validity and should be recognized at the federal level in those states that have protections.” — David Rosenblum, Mazzoni Center legal director “It is probably one of the biggest turning points of our generation to have two landmark decisions for LGBT equality. This is the time we have to be fighting and winning and right now these rulings give us so much momentum to move our movement so much further.” — Adrian Shanker, Equality Pennsylvania president “I think I can comfortably say that today is the single most important day in LGBT civil-rights legally, perhaps in history. I would put the Stonewall riots at the top, but today in our rights, this is the most important decision the court has made.” — PA Rep. Brian Sims (D-182nd Dist.) — Compiled by Angela Thomas

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

LGBTEI seats inaugural board By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

PROM POSE: About 150 LGBT and ally youth donned their Vegas wear for the 18th annual Philadelphia Alternative Prom June 21 at Houston Hall of the University of Pennsylvania. The event featured the typical prom experience — dinner, dancing, prom photos and election of a royal court — in a safe and welcoming environment. The event, themed “Las Vegas: All of the Lights,” was hosted by GALAEI and organized by its youth-leadership board B Seen B Heard. Photo: Freedom G Photography

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The LGBT Elder Initiative, founded two-anda-half years ago to advance services and resources for LGBT older adults, earlier this month named its inaugural board. LGBTEI elected Heshie Zinman as chair, Helen Dow as vice chair, Bruce Bonner as treasurer and Terri Clark as secretary. Also joining the inaugural board are Jaci Adams, Ada Bello, Ed Bomba, Gloria Casarez, John Cunningham, Diane Menio, Theo Schall, Bob Schoenberg and David Webber. Zinman, who was involved in the planning for the LGBT Aging Summit in 2010, the impetus for the organization’s launch, co-chaired the agency with Clark since its founding. He said the formation of the board will be important to formalizing the agency’s work. “The most important goal

Bonner said the agency is to work to create a struc- on program capacity and ture for the Elder Initiative possibly develop a webinar will not only be transparto be able to attract and series,” she said. “Hopefully ent with financials, but will grow the programs and we will forge relationships also continue to be open to implement our goals, which with other aging-service the community’s interests. “I think the organization are to create culturally com- providers and have colpetent services, institutions laborations with them. We needs to have a degree of and resources for inquisitiveness and LGBT older adults listen to the community to see where the and allies,” he said. needs are,” he said. “I hope we can grow “We’re not just misinto the future.” sion-driven from our Dow, who is also own perspective but a founding member, also to the commusaid she plans to nity and I think the focus on increasing board has shown just the organization’s outreach. that.” “I want to reach Since its incepLGBTEI BOARD TREASURER BRUCE as many folks aged BONNER (FROM LEFT), SECRETARY tion, Zinman noted 50-plus with good TERRI CLARK, CHAIR HESHIE ZINMAN the organization has news about EI and AND VICE CHAIR HELEN DOW launched a community-discussion the great resources and rich information avail- want to be responsive to our series held six times a year, able to them,” she said. “EI community’s needs. We are a cultural-competence allows each of us to bring always looking for feed- training program for agingsomething to the table and back from our community services providers and a for me, it is my goal to help and hearing their voices number of other initiatives. and advocate for those who and trying to make our proThe group is also develmay not be able to speak for grams accessible and wel- oping its website to provide resources on everything themselves. My desire is to coming.” Bonner joined the organi- from housing to medical make a real difference in my information to legal assislife and most importantly in zation three months ago. He has a background tance. the lives of others.” “Our hope is that now that Clark joined the organi- in corporate and financial zation during its first year management and said he we have a board of direcas well and played a large will put those experiences tors with committees, we will attract more volunteers part in the development of to use at LGBTEI. “Transparency is a key who could help us grow our its Silver Rainbow Project issue in financials. We programs because there is a and Conversations series. Clark said she hopes to should be transparent to tremendous need,” Zinman build on those and other the outside community,” he said. For more information, programs the LGBTEI said. “I also hope to develop partnerships with other visit www.lgbtei.org, and offers. “I hope to expand ser- organizations and have email info@LGBTEI.org v i c e s , e x p a n d w o r k grant-funded initiatives and for volunteer opportunities. ■ throughout the state, build grow the organization.”

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Josh Thomson

Editorial

Keeping the dialogue open Last week, PGN began a series about transgender sex workers, exploring these women’s lives, from the endemic discrimination they have faced to the physical and sexual violence they’re confronted with on a daily basis. Following the piece’s publication, there were a number of questions raised about the writer’s attitudes towards the trans community. As a publication that serves the entire LGBT community, PGN takes each and every reader response seriously and wants to ensure that all readers feel represented in and by this paper. While this piece has elicited a range of responses, no one could argue against the importance of examining the issues and people in this series. The “T” in LGBT represents a community that is disproportionately affected by a range of societal ills — discrimination in housing and employment, violence, access to health care and proper medical treatment, among many others. Sex workers, in particular, are at increased risk of being victimized, and because of stigma, these women continue to be in danger every day. But their plight is often off the radar of the rest of the LGBT community, not to mention the mainstream population; these women and their stories need to be heard and humanized — and this was the primary goal of this piece. This series was pitched to PGN by Victoria Brownworth, a former PGN

staff writer and longtime contributor, who also writes for a number of other national LGBT publications and has won a series of national journalism awards. Some readers have contended that the piece should have been assigned to a transgender-identified writer. However, PGN does not take into consideration factors such as orientation, identity, race, age, religion, etc., when assigning stories; while it is vital that the writer has an understanding of the community about which he or she writes, PGN does not have a policy that the writer identify with that community. And, as always, PGN welcomes pitches by writers of all backgrounds. That said, it has also been argued that this particular writer has made comments in the past that suggested anti-transgender viewpoints. PGN was unaware of these previous incidents and that may have factored into our editorial discussion. Each writer and staffer at PGN comes from a different background and holds different perspectives, based on his or her own experiences, about personal identity. Just as the LGBT is far from monolithic, ideas about what it means to be L, G, B or T are wide-ranging. Differences, however, should not close the door to discussions. Brownworth was criticized by some readers for instances in which she expressed support for womenonly space, comPAGE 11

When it comes to the cage match over LGBT civil rights in the United States, it seems like everyone has an opinion: President Obama, Lady Gaga, the Pope and Pat Robertson have all gone public with their positions. In other words, weighing in, we have a world leader, a pop star, a religious figure and a crazy old man who, if his family really loved him, would be in a nice home somewhere and not plopped in front of a microphone to make an ass of himself. The usual suspects, really. So that’s why it’s exciting to see real-life cage fighter Josh Thomson step into the fray with a gay-marriage throw-down on Facebook (spelling and grammar, courtesy of Thomson). On June 10, he posted the following: “Should you be allowed to marry whoever you want? Before you answer that, should u be allowed to have more than 1 wife?” A very provocative question, indeed. Whatever could he be getting at? Don’t worry, he has a follow-up. “My next question is, should siblings be allowed to marry siblings?” he wrote. “I personally don’t care who you marry but I also am smart enough to know that it opens a gateway to men/women trying to marry young kids, siblings marrying eachother and people having multiple husbands an wives. You have to think all of these things are okay otherwise your stopping them from being happy as well which is hypocrisy. Equality doesn’t stop with gay marriage, it just starts with it.” Get it? If a man can marry another man, then all bets are off when it comes to marriage! It’s the classic slippery-slope fallacy, and one that Thomson seems unaware has been made and debunked before. Overall, he demonstrates a very poor understanding of the issues and a complete disregard for critical thinking. But you can hardly blame the guy. He does, after all, get kicked in the head for a living. Unsurprisingly, Thomson got called out by people who found his comments uncool. So he tried to explain himself. “Look everyone,” he wrote. “I’m not comparing [polygamy and incest] to gay marriage, I’m simply asking you guys why is okay to allow one thing but not allow the man who wants 4 wives?” Yeah, you guys. Can’t a guy ask a simple inflammatory question on Facebook

without a bunch of people freaking out? He continues, “Like I said, I don’t give a crap who marries who and I personally don’t care if a man or woman wants to have multiple spouses but I’m also afraid of what this will all lead to.” Ah, I see. He just wants to know what people think because he’s afraid. Not only does Thomson have a poor understanding of the argument, he also does not seem to know what “I don’t care” means. When a user posted that married siblings pose a “biological safety issue,” Thomson responded, “[G]ay people have more safety issues with their life style than any other. Perhaps not biological but health safety issues that come with that lifestyle.” Thomson doesn’t mention what these “safety issues” are, but he doesn’t have to. The antigay right loves the myth that gay people are a bunch of diseased perverts driven to death by their desire to sex each other. It’s a claim used to dehumanize gays in order to fan the flames of hatred. But don’t worry. Thomson isn’t a hater. In response to his detractors, he wrote, “[I]t’s a simple conversation with no hate being thrown around. Stop trying to make more out of it than what it is. Of course your only reading what you wanna see. ... I’m asking questions and expect answers not your whining an crying about how you think I hate gays. Which is the furthest thing from the truth.” See? Thomson’s gay-hating is the furthest from the truth. That is so far away! And he said it on Facebook so it’s legit. So quit yer crying before Thomson strips down to his shorts and gives you something to cry for. ■

The antigay right loves the myth that gay people are a bunch of diseased perverts driven to death by their desire to sex each other. It’s a claim used to dehumanize gays in order to fan the flames of hatred.

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 ’n’ roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.

OP-ED PGN

Time for state leaders to deliver The Supreme Court ruling now leaves veto. the rights of gay couples in New Jersey and Pennsylvania: Unfortunately, Pennsylvania in the hands of our lawmakPennsylvania is on the same level as ers and governors. Delaware is already a Mississippi and Alabama as far as state full-equality state. Let’s make a simple law on LGBT citizens is concerned. We point: It is time for state representatives, do have adoption rights thanks to the state Supreme Court, and 32 counstate senators and governors to ties have LGBT nondiscrimideliver. Why? nation laws. But in this part First, over the last 45 years, the LGBT community has of the country, we’re almost a fought — sometimes to their legal dinosaur. There are some own bodily harm or death — to state representatives and senators who have used our issue to make the point for equality. grandstand. Instead, it’s about That paid off in public-opinion time for you to deliver, then polls, which changed laws and pushed LGBT allies running for make speeches. office to seek our support. All How do you do that? The of this led to opinion polls now same way other pieces of legislation are passed. You befriend finding that Americans believe members on both sides of the that, not only should gays not aisle and make a deal. “You be discriminated against, but want privatization? I’ll give you a majority also believes that all LGBT couples should be Mark Segal my vote if you vote for nondistreated equally in marriage. So crimination.” Or, “You want that what about New Jersey and Pennsylvania? tax or education plan? Well, I have a group Now is the time for some elected offiof reps who want nondiscrimination.” That cials to go from grandstanding to deliveris how our laws have been passed since ing. Here’s where. this democracy was founded. New Jersey: New Jersey has civil unions. It takes work and leadership, not grandstanding. The LGBT community has From the ruling handed down this week, done its work well; we have educated the it is unclear whether civil unions will be public to the point where a majority of treated by the federal government as marriages. Meaning, the 1,100 rights that marthem support our rights. It’s up to those ried couples now get, it’s possible that New in Harrisburg to put in the time and effort Jersey residents who have a civil-union and fight. We’ve given you the tools, now certificate may not receive those rights. deliver. ■ One man, Gov. Chris Christie, stands in Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the the way of equality for thousands of New Jersey citizens. Christie vetoed a marriage- nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. He can be reached at equality measure last year, but the legismark@epgn.com. lature is willing to take the bill back up, and may have enough votes to override the

Mark My Words

We want to know!

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Street Talk What should be done with the former Boy Scouts building near the Ben Franklin Parkway? “Let it be an LGBT youth center, a place for LGBT youth to go for counseling if they need it. There could also be Robert Cancel recreational server space and Northeast Philadelphia an area for temporary housing. The housing should be a stepping stone for homeless LGBT youth, not a permanent solution.”

“Turn the building into a place that houses anti-bullying programs. Bullying is a problem everywhere. Kelly Chmiel There have student been several Lancaster, N.Y. occurrences of bullying at my school. The administration was very proactive. But one transgender student had a fruit cup dumped on her. I thought that was very inappropriate.”

“Well, it’s in the heart of the museum area. So it should become an LGBT-history museum. There’s been very little Paul Fontaine acceptance in Realtor that building, Queen Village in terms of the LGBT community. Turning it into an LGBT museum would be a great way to make reparations. I hope the Nutter administration gets the point.”

“Make it an LGBT-focused health-care facility. Philadelphia has a huge medically underserved population, Alexandria Starks which medical student includes Washington Square many LGBTs. West So I think converting it into a health-care facility would be a sensible addition to the community. Treatment areas could include mental health, substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.”

ions can be dually productive. But, dialogue is key. If PGN readers have an opinion about a story, we always encourage letters to the editor so that these views can be shared with other readers. And writers themselves welcome individual contacts about their work. No one has argued against the content of this series. And that’s important. But the debate that has surrounded it has detracted from its impact. Instead of this series being about the trans women who are facing harassment and violence each day and night, it has become about a writer’s personal views. This writer

spent money of her own and countless hours with these subjects; there was no malintent with this series. As most journalists who write for community newspapers can attest, this work is not motivated by love of money — it stems from a passion for the craft and for the community. And the community is what needs to be the focus here. The community of women profiled in this series has been cast aside, by society and by our community, for too long. All other issues can and should be addressed, but separately. The women profiled in this series have stories to tell. And we need to listen. ■

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.

ments that some interpreted to mean that she did not include trans women in those spaces. Each comment, however, should be looked at separately and in full context. For instance, in a recent piece about the Michigan Women’s Festival, Brownworth wrote that the event should be a place for women to be women. But, she contended, she was not suggesting that transgender women should not be welcomed; rather, that the event should be a time for celebration of women of all identities, without political arguments. The festival has long been the subject of a debate about trans inclusion, which has drawn a

range of opinions from throughout the LGBT spectrum. Regardless of where you fall on the Michigan Women’s Festival issue or other conversations about gender and identity, having an open discussion about and respecting one’s differences should not be out of the question. As reporters, we at PGN talk with people every day — some of whom we share similar ideologies with, and others not so much. But we have seen firsthand how integral it is to not shut down conversation when another’s viewpoint digresses from our own; remaining open to the other’s experiential opin-

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

TRANS from page 1

deep brown eyes sparkling with tears. But Blahnik is not the only person Mo’Nique has known in her 22-year-old life who has been killed. Mo’Nique has witnessed both a shooting and a stabbing. Two members of her family of origin were killed. Violence has been a part of Mo’Nique’s life as far back as she can remember. Unfortunately, much of it has been directed at her. Like most of the transwomen sex workers I’ve interviewed since March, Mo’Nique has had conflicts at school, at home and

on the streets, many of which have ended in violence, most of which have been because of her transgender status. Her family threw her out “years ago” when she was barely 16 but already living her life as a woman. She’s mostly been on the streets since then — nearly a third of her life, searching for help from people like she says Blahnik was for her. When she talks about Blahnik, I’m reminded of the classic “Paris Is Burning,” in which families are created among the people who no longer have family.

PGN NEWS

Mo’Nique wants to be a performer. I can imagine her beautifully dressed, like Blahnik, but I can hear in her voice that what she wants most is family. “I had to leave out my house, leave school, leave everything and everybody,” she says, an angry edge to her voice. She was frequently slapped, punched and called names. It was supposed to make her “manly.” Mo’Nique’s family is large and religious. “‘No he-she son, no,’ that’s what my mom told me.” Everyone in Mo’Nique’s family insisted on calling her by her

given, male-gendered name. “You want to know, for your story?” she asks. I tell her no. She’s been Mo’Nique since she first saw the actress on TV years ago, hosting “Live from the Apollo.” “I loved her name, I loved how she looked,” she says. “But no one would call me that.” After a suspension from high school for fighting, Mo’Nique never returned. I tell her I was expelled from my high school for being a lesbian and put in a mental hospital briefly to “de-gay” me. She laughs, and asks me how they

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knew. We both laugh. The back-and-forth feels friendly and easy. We both forget for a few minutes that I’m a reporter and she’s a street sex worker getting ready to go out and trick all night, risking her life, because she doesn’t feel she has any alternatives. We both forget she’s telling me her story because her friend Tiffani is afraid she’s going to end up dead. Like Morris and Blahnik. Or like pretty, much-beloved 30-year-old Ashley Sinclair, an Orlando transwoman murdered in April. She is one more murdered woman of color for whom justice has been eluded. Like Sinclair, Mo’Nique is a big, curvy woman. Light-skinned, with a soft, breathy Marilyn Monroe-style voice who leans into you when she talks and holds your gaze, Mo’Nique can’t remember exactly the first time she had sex for money, but she knows she was very young; it wasn’t her choice and it hurt her. “Everybody got an ‘uncle,’ you know? One of them men who be hanging out with somebody in your family, but nobody can say exactly who he with — he just always, always there, that Uncle Boo. ‘Kiss your Uncle Boo, now,’ somebody says, and then he’s all grabbing at you, this and that. That was him. That was the guy.” She turns away again as we sit in a booth at the McDonald’s near Hunting Park. It’s dark outside, and the lights feel too bright in the too-loud fast-food place. We go outside and the spring air feels good, there’s a strong breeze. Traffic whizzes by on the way to the Boulevard. We walk toward the park where I know there are benches and less traffic. I try not to look at Mo’Nique, because she’s crying and we’ve only met one other time, with her friends Tiffani and Kendria, and I’m not sure if she wants to tell me more or not. I don’t want her to feel embarrassed. The time these women spend with me is time they aren’t making money, they aren’t looking for work. But it’s early still. I don’t want to rush her. And it was her idea to meet with me again. Tiffani and Mo’Nique have both told me they can make hundreds of dollars a night if the weather is good and they are in the right place for a walking date or a car date or the occasional motel date. Rates for their services fluctuate from $40-$60 for oral sex to $200 for “everything.” Mo’Nique has been using Twitter and Facebook to help find dates and has signed up with a

NEWS PGN

local escort service. The last time we met, she showed me photos on her phone of her on the website. She’s dressed in fishnet-style pantyhose and a very tight, short black dress that exaggerates her curviness. She has tattoos up and down one leg, but I don’t know if they are real or fake. She asked me if I thought she looked pretty, a question I am asked by these young women again and again. They want to be told they are pretty, sexy, dressed well; the one part of this work they like is having men tell them how good they look. Just like any other woman out on a date where there’s no money involved. Mo’Nique does look pretty. She also looks even younger than she is, just like the other young women on the sleazy website. Prostitution is a job with an age ceiling: The women are younger and younger, the competition between 20-somethings and teenagers, fierce. The service does “out calls,” which means the escorts — not one of whom looks older to me than Mo’Nique — go where they are sent. To motels, hotels, apartments, houses. Tiffani thinks this is dangerous. I don’t know if it’s more dangerous than the street or the cars. But I know everyone on that site, trans or not, of color or not, is at risk. There are way more men looking for youthful bodies and specific services than there are people able or willing to help these young women get off the streets. Beacon of Hope is a Women’s Way-supported agency with outreach to victims of sex trafficking like Mo’Nique. Project Safe is an all-volunteer “harm-reduction” agency providing advocacy and support for women in prostitution. The Polaris Project also provides outreach for victims of sex trafficking. The Mazzoni Center (see next week’s installment of this series) has a panoply of health-care services, including referrals to specialty providers. Women in Transition, located above the Mazzoni Center at 21 S. 12th St., is one of the oldest continuing services for abused and endangered women in the country. Executive director Roberta L. Hacker has been at the helm for more than two decades. Before she was at WIT, she headed Voyage House, Inc., which served

dependent and neglected youth of all statuses, but many were gay, lesbian and transgender. Hacker has special concern for young transwomen like Tiffani, Mo’Nique and Kendria, who she says are at serious risk on the streets because of their isolation from family and community, and because abuse makes teens and 20-somethings more susceptible to sexual predators. Getting sex workers off the streets is not easy for many reasons, Hacker notes. But the risks posed to them are high, she says, including not just physical and sexual abuse, but substance abuse — “self-medicating” to numb the pain of their circumstances. When I was with Tiffani, Mo’Nique and Kendria, Xanax was the drug of choice — Zbars or Xany-bars — readily available and sold on every corner at Broad and Erie, out-

She may be soft-looking, but her hand is strong, urgent. “When he hurt me, and gave me some money, nobody ask where that money come from. Nobody ever ask me.” Hacker says a history of abuse is common among sex workers. “As an advocate for women who are being abused sexually and physically, it broke my heart to read about the true lives of young trans people in sex work on the street in this series. It’s past time somebody tells their story.” Having worked with at-risk LGBT youth and endangered adult women for decades, Hacker concedes that “help” is neither a one-size-fits-all, nor does it always work. “The alternatives that we all know and recommend are so off the radar for these young people, like getting a job in a retail store or going for job training,” Hacker explains.

“I had to leave out my house, leave school, leave everything and everybody,” she says, an angry edge to her voice. She was frequently slapped, punched and called names. It was supposed to make her “manly.” side Max’s steak place and the Eagle Bar. All three said they used “occasionally.” “The trauma that sex workers experience can be extreme,” says Hacker. “The less time they spend on the street, the less hard it will be for them to begin to recover from that trauma.” That trauma is multifaceted. Tiffani is afraid Mo’Nique will be arrested again; she’s already been taken in for solicitation twice, but only booked once. Both women know other prostitutes who have gone to jail. Once there, they have been stripped of their femaleness, incarcerated as men and endured yet more trauma. Mo’Nique is one of Tiffani’s best friends and the one she says “makes me feel safe.” Mo’Nique, despite her size, looks fragile to me. She has a soft, round face and hair straightened to her chin, with fluffy bangs. She looks younger than 22, but that’s the look she’s going for. Because her competition for “dates” is teenagers. “Somebody should have helped me,” she says suddenly, and puts her hand on my arm.

WIT “serves anyone who identifies as a woman,” says Hacker, who established one of the country’s first programs for lesbian domestic violence. She explains that for a woman like Mo’Nique, “we’d try to get her into a shelter or appropriate housing, get her counseling. What we strive for is to get women grounded and safe.” But women have to be ready to make the radical shift from sex work to something mundane. “As cliche as it sounds,” Hacker explains, “a job at McDonald’s would be better for these women. There are benefits, they have a program for college tuition. But you’re not going to make $100 a day.” For women engaged in sex work, Hacker asserts, “even if they are still on the street and they want to come in, there are a lot of strings attached, a lot they have to let go of. They have been so hurt and so damaged. They need trauma therapy. And not everyone is ready. Some women never are.” The abuse Mo’Nique experienced was not an isolated event, and she says she began to associate unpleasant sexual

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

encounters with money from an early age. The suspension for fighting that led to her dropping out of school was because a classmate had said he would pay her for oral sex and then refused to give her the money. As Mo’Nique talks, the story she reveals is one of trying to break free: of the family who disowned her, of past physical and sexual abuse, of the work she’s doing now. She wants her own apartment, a dog, to sing. She sings a little for me as we sit. She wanted to sing at church, but her family kept her quiet, afraid of what others would say about the boy who was much more like a girl, even in the Sunday suits the young Mo’Nique was dressed in. It’s hard not to think of all the famous African-American singers, from Whitney Houston to Jennifer Hudson, who started their careers in church choirs, something Mo’Nique was deprived of. It’s nearing 10 p.m. We’ve been talking for a couple of hours, but now Mo’Nique has to work. I ask her if she could forego a night, or more. If it isn’t time to do something else instead. She says she can’t. She’s staying in a room in a boarding house on the other side of the park and her rent is due. She pays weekly. The rent seems high, but there’s no cheap places to live in the city anymore. Even in the YoNo area near Temple, which isn’t that far from where we are, studio apartments rent for $1,000 a month. Mo’Nique doesn’t have a bank account. Finding a place to live with no credit and where gender issues have been raised for her before because her only identification has that other name on it, the one we don’t mention, is one more part of her struggle. It’s not easy for any 22-yearold. But with limited education and no family to provide so much as a credit reference, Mo’Nique is on her own. Tonight, Mo’Nique is going to meet someone down near Temple University. As I drive, she asks me again, as she did when we first met, if I can help her. I tell her I will try, but she has to want to leave the street. She says she knows, she’s just not sure how. I drop her on a dark corner at 11th and Diamond. She tells me once more that she will think about my offer of help. Before I can even pull away, a car pulls up and she gets in. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

FITNESS PGN

The forgotten muscle Summer is here and many of you are ready to work out hard and show off your muscles. Some folks focus on muscles that are more visible, such as chest, back and legs, but there are forgotten muscles that are just as visible, such as forearms; if we don’t give them the right attention, they could end up making us look like T-Rex. It is not only important to change your arms’ appearance, but also to add strength. Strong forearms facilitate the performance of upper-body workouts. Here are some workouts that will help to make extinct T-Rex forearms. Dumbbell hammer bicep curls Stand with your knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides Noe Espinosa with your palms facing in. Your back should be arched normally and your chest up. Flex your arms and bring the dumbbells up, keeping your elbows at your side. Bring your arms down and repeat. You can do this by bringing both arms up at the same time or alternating. If it’s difficult to perform standing, make use of a seated bench. Perform three to four sets with 12-15 reps, increasing weight with each set.

Work It Out

Barbell wrist curls Grab a barbell and kneel down in front of a flat bench, palms up. Place your forearms on the bench, leaving your wrists hanging over the edge. Curl your wrists up and bring them down. Make sure to grab a light barbell at the beginning and increase weight until your forearms become stronger. Perform three to four sets with 12-15 reps, increasing weight with each set. Dumbbell Zottman curls Stand with your knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with the palms of your hands facing up. Curl the weight upward until the dumbbells are shoulder-level. Hold for a moment, then rotate your wrist until the palms of your hands are facing down and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Perform three to four sets with 12-15 reps, increasing weight with each set. Remember that strong forearms will give you maximum results while performing other upper-body workouts. Don’t forget about them! ■ Noe Espinosa is one of the more-than 30 registered personal trainers at 12th Street Gym. To learn about Noe, visit 12streetgym.com or Go2Maxfitness on Facebook.

PGN REGIONAL

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Trans PA native stepping down at military group By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com Rumors flew last weekend about the possible forced resignation of OutServeServicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Allyson Robinson. Robinson, a Scranton native, took the reigns of the organization, which advocates for the full inclusion of LGBT people in the military, in October and is the first transgender individual to lead a national LGBT organization with no specific transgender focus. According to a number of leaked emails, the agency’s board voted Saturday night in

an emergency meeting to ask Robinson to resign. The action resulted in the resignation of at least three senior staff members, one board member and a board member of OutServe Magazine. However, in a statement published on the magazine’s website June 24, Robinson said she was stepping down voluntarily and would continue to lead the organization through the leadership change. “To honor those who’ve shared those values with me, it is my intent to continue to lead OutServe-SLDN in the near term as we approach an historic moment for our community and our country,” she said. “After that, at a date to be determined, I have decided of my own accord to step down, and will work with our members to ensure an orderly transition to the next phase of this organization’s life.” In its own statement Monday, the board

Rutgers study examines body-image issues among lesbian couples By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com New research out of Rutgers University has found that lesbian couples experience similar weight concerns as women in heterosexual relationships. The study, “Weight Disparities Between Female Same-Sex Romantic Partners and Weight Concerns: Examining Partner Comparison,” which will soon be published in “Psychology of Women Quarterly,” was led by Rutgers psychology professor Dr. Charlotte Markey and her husband, Dr. Patrick Markey, of Villanova. “We thought it was an important academic venture to follow up on the literature that found links between romantic relationships and health but that never explored those questions among same-sex couples,” Charlotte Markey said. “It’s also a really important applied investigation with all the interest in the last decade in same-sex relationships and marriage equality to have some actual data to add to that dialogue.” This study was based on surveys of 144 lesbian couples, who were together for an average of five years and who were asked a range of questions about their relational satisfaction and views on their own and their partners’ bodies. Researchers compared the data to a similar survey of heterosexual women and found that lesbian women experience similar concerns about their weight. “The gist of the findings seems to be that

there are more similarities than differences between same-sex and heterosexual couples,” Markey said. “The women in these relationships, regardless of if their partner’s a man or a woman, are experiencing concerns about their weight. And those concerns are heightened if their partner is thinner than they are. There’s some speculation in popular culture and in psychological literature that if a woman is with another woman, they’re not concerned about weight, but our data don’t support that idea. Most women are inundated by messages in popular culture about weight and how they should look and, regardless of who their partner is, those messages seem to have an effect.” Markey said those findings point to the need for continued research into LGBT relationships — as well as to the production of viable weight-management solutions for people of all orientations and identities. “We need more research and education to help support healthy weight management. Women, and increasingly men, have concerns about these issues, and those concerns are warranted giving the rising rates of obesity, but there aren’t many good solutions out there; most diet plans aren’t empirically substantiated. Our data provides evidence that we need better public-health messaging for all. And that to suggest any segment of the population is immune to weight issues and concern is inaccurate.” The Markeys are also working on a similar study focused on same-sex male couples. ■

Philadelphia Gay News epgn.com

said the leadership change was precipitated by the organization’s pending transition “from primarily a legal-services organization into a membership-services and advocacy organization,” which includes “revising our business model to operate effectively under new political and financial realities.” The board said the leaked emails were confidential and “erroneously distributed” to an email list outside the agency. “There is no excuse for the series of events that transpired this past weekend,” said board co-chair Josh Seefried. “On behalf of the board of directors, I sincerely apologize for this, as well as the impact it’s had on our staff’s and members’ trust and confidence in the organization. Allyson Robinson has led OutServe-SLDN as one of the most transformational leaders of this movement, and there is not a member serv-

ing on this board who does not respect and admire her work for this organization and the LGBT movement.” Despite praising Robinson, the statement went on to confirm that the board and Robinson will “be working together toward a successful transition of the organization.” Robinson said in her statement that she appreciated the wealth of support she saw since Saturday’s news. “I have no words to express my gratitude for the hundreds who have reached out to me privately or stood up for me publicly over these last 24 hours to show their support: from the military community, the LGBT community and most especially, most dear to me, the troops of OutServeSLDN and their families,” she said. “For that, I am blessed beyond measure.” A timeline for Robinson’s departure from the organization has not been set. ■

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Waiting for justice, feeling Pride

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Eighteen-year-old Riley Roberts, who has lesbian moms, spoke to the Nevada Assembly in favor of a bill to repeal the state’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples. I’m not sure which is worse: Nicole Maines, a 15-year-old waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to issue its rulings on martransgender girl, is fighting in riage equality, or waiting for the Maine’s highest court for the right to use the girls’ restroom. results of a pregnancy test. It And 12-year-old Jazz, a transwould relieve quite a lot of stress in the LGBT community if we gender girl, has spoken out publicly about the rights of trans could just pee on a stick to know youth and been the subject of how the justices will decide. Then again, when my spouse and a documentary on the Oprah I were starting our Winfrey Network. She family, our doctor told recently spoke with us the sticks wouldn’t Huffington Post about her desire to become a work because of the fertility drugs my parent someday. spouse had taken. I am proud of LGBT parents, too We tried them anyway. The doctor was — ones like Jennifer right — we had to be Tyrrell, who found herself thrust into the patient and wait for results of the blood spotlight after being test. banned as leader of I find myself reflecther son’s Cub Scout troop, simply because ing, though, as I wait for the Supreme Court Dana Rudolph she is a lesbian, and this Pride month, who has become an that I really do have a lot to feel outspoken LGBT advocate. proud about this year. Then there’s Karen Morgan, First, foremost and always: whose wife Charlie was a chief my son. He’s as great a kid as warrant officer in the New Hampshire National Guard and I could ever hope for. I’ll spare died of breast cancer. Karen is a you excessive parental bragging, and simply say I feel proud just plaintiff in a case challenging the because he is who he is. I’m hon- Defense of Marriage Act, which ored to be one of his moms. prevents her and her children I am proud, too, of my spouse from getting the benefits due to and our extended family. We’re different-sex spouses of deceased servicemembers. far from perfect, but we’re And Mark Maxwell and always there for each other when it counts. Helen and I recently Timothy Young, who live in celebrated 20 years together, half Winston-Salem, N.C., with their four foster children recently of which have been as parents. released a video about their The world may say what it will; attempt to marry — and therewe are a family. fore be able to adopt their four I also feel proud when I hear stories of other children who boys — as part of the Campaign are standing up for themselves for Southern Equality’s “We and their families. To share just Do” campaign. (View it at southernequality.org.) a few recent examples: Zea and Add in the binational same-sex Luna, 9-year-old twins from California, wrote to President parents challenging current immiObama about their two-mom gration laws to keep their families family, marriage equality and the together. Some do not reveal their need for education funding and names to the media — but you gun control. They were invited to can read many of their stories at the White House and introduced domaproject.org. the president to the crowd at the I am proud — and more than White House LGBT Pride Month a little humbled — to be part of Reception. the community of LGBT families that has such people in it. Colorado teen Ted Chalfen used his high-school commenceI am also proud that LGBT ment speech to talk about coming families continue to make inroads out and how the accepting attiin the media, with ABC Family’s tudes from his family and friends new drama “The Fosters” stepping away from television’s usual will help build a better future unimaginative depiction of same— not only for him, but for his PAGE 18 whole generation. sex parents as (This was written before the U.S. Supreme Court released its rulings Wednesday on marriage equality.)

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Ten modern LGBTQ role models As LGBT Pride Month draws to a close, I DeGeneres came out publicly in 1997 and has wanted to reflect on some of the people who have been called TV’s first openly gay star. I was fininspired me through the years, and consider what ishing middle school when Ellen came out, and I makes us “proud” as individuals and a community. count myself as one of the millions who have felt Aristotle taught that it was the moral obligasafer because of her courage. The best part is that she has accomplished so much for herself and the tion of each person to model ethical behavior for LGBTQ community just by being hilarious. the people around them. Each person’s behavior Leslie Feinberg is a transgender author and is impacted by the actions of their community. We look up to people we can identify with, and we are activist. Feinberg’s first novel, “Stone Butch inspired by the good work of the people Blues,” won the Stonewall Book Award around us. in 1994. Transgender and gender-nonBecause members of the LGBTQ conforming folks who have been lucky enough to stumble upon this book, community are often faced with discrimination and alienated from their myself included, discovered a relatable primary supports, LGBTQ role models story that is seldom told and the gift of are especially important. As the intake language with which to tell our own stories. Feinberg has been a lifelong advospecialist for Mazzoni Center’s Open cate of the working class, the LGBTQ Door counseling program, I have seen community and the disabled. many clients seeking acceptance and Barney Frank served 16 terms in the wrestling with their self-esteem as they U.S. House of Representatives. When come out. LGBTQ-identified role models inspire us to succeed in all walks he came out as gay in 1987, he was the of life by leading the way and showing first U.S. Congressperson to do so volthat there are no limits to our potential. untarily. Frank has received 100-perWe are fortunate to live at a time ratings from NARAL Pro Choice Sean cent and in a place where more and more America, the NAACP and the HRC for LGBTQ people are coming out and McNamara his voting record and consistent support speaking up for the rights of their comof women’s and civil rights for all. Mondo Guerra is a fashion designer who munity. In working on this column, the best discovery for me was how difficult it was to limit appeared on “Project Runway” and won “Project myself to enumerating only 10 such role models Runway: All-Stars” in 2012. During “Project who inspire me. None of these people are without Runway,” Guerra came out publicly as HIV-posiblemish in the court of public opinion, but that has tive and has become an outspoken advocate for not kept them from doing great work. While the HIV awareness. I am constantly inspired by the role models listed below are publicly known, some stories of Mazzoni Center’s HIV-positive clients, of the greatest LGBTQ role models are teachers, from those who have been living with HIV for 25 parents and others working locally in their commu- years to those who have discovered a new kind of nities. The following are presented in alphabetical courage in themselves following a recent diagnosis, and I am delighted to see Guerra showing the order. Kate Bornstein is an author and performance world what that strength and courage look like. Rachel Maddow is a political commentator and artist. Bornstein has written and talked publicly about her gender transition and identity as a lesbian author. Maddow was the first openly gay anchor of as well as her own mental-health struggles includa major American prime-time news program. As a ing PTSD, borderline personality and anorexia. I Rhodes Scholar, Maddow’s doctoral dissertation in political science addressed HIV/AIDS and healthwas inspired by Bornstein’s biography, “A Queer care reform in British and American prisons. and Pleasant Danger,” and her ability to be forthDan Savage is an author and columnist. right about such difficult issues. Dan Choi is a former American infantry offiTogether with his husband, he began the “It Gets cer who served in combat in Iraq from 2006-07 Better Project” to help prevent suicide among and came out publicly in 2009. As an activist, LGBTQ youth. I am so excited when I see young people coming into Mazzoni Center and connectChoi publicly protested against “Don’t Ask Don’t ing with the resources and supports available in the Tell” and helped found Knights Out, an organization of West Point alumni who support the rights LGBTQ community. We all have a responsibility to of LGBTQ soldiers. Choi inspires me because, show young people that it’s OK to be themselves, in addition to helping to ensure that all LGBTQ and “It Gets Better” seeks to do just that. Wanda Sykes is a writer, comedian and actor. Americans have the right to serve their country, he She has been named one of the 25 funniest people has highlighted for mainstream America the courage and patriotism of LGBTQ Americans. in America and has won an Emmy Award. Sykes Jason Collins is a center who played for the came out publicly in 2008 while campaigning Boston Celtics and then the Washington Wizards in against California’s Proposition 8. I was living in the 2012-13 season. Collins has been in the NBA California at the time, and in the face of the frightening support that Prop 8 was gathering, it was for 13 seasons. He is the first active player in a inspiring and comforting to see great people like major American team sport to come out publicly. Sykes rallying for the LGBTQ community. NBA Commissioner David Stern praised Collins’ Those are my 10 picks. Maybe this column will leadership and the White House called him courageous. As an avid sports fan, I am hopeful that inspire you to consider who your own role models Collins’ bravery will be the start of a much-needed are, and the ways in which they have inspired you change in the often-homophobic culture surroundto be your best self. ■ ing professional sports in America, from the locker room to the bleachers. Sean McNamara is the intake coordinator for Ellen DeGeneres is a comedian and actor. Mazzoni Center’s Open Door counseling program.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

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Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the 6th Police District between June 10-16. Information is courtesy of 6th 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 (8477). INCIDENTS — At 12:15 a.m. June 10, a woman’s Galaxy cell phone was snatched from her hand while she was walking in the 1200 block of Locust Street by a black male with dreads, who was wearing a red T-shirt and jeans. — Between 9:20 a.m.-3:15 p.m. June 10, someone smashed the window of a 2011 Chevy van that was parked in the 1000 block of Chestnut Street and stole power tools. — Between 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. June 10, someone stole a secured bicycle from outside 11th and Market streets. — Between 6 p.m. June 11 and 8 a.m. June 12, someone stole a secured bicycle from outside 13th and Chestnut streets. — At 2:20 p.m. June 12, a man was boarding a shuttle bus at 900 Market St. when a male bumped into him and fled the bus, heading south. The victim then discovered his wallet missing from his pocket. The suspect was described as a black male about 35, 5-feet-8, 120 pounds, with a medium complexion and short hair, wearing a white T-shirt and tan pants. — On June 13, a business in the 1200 block of Walnut Street discovered that 24 pieces of copper pipe from the air-conditioning units were stolen. — Between noon June 13 and 6:45 a.m. June 14, someone cut the locks of a newsstand at 11th and Market streets and stole cigarettes and lottery tickets. — Between 9:20 a.m.-10 a.m. June 14, someone stole an unsecured bicycle from inside the office building at 809 Locust St. — Between 9 a.m.-12:55 p.m. June 14, someone stole a secured bicycle from outside 900 Walnut St. MOMBIAN from page 16

white and upper-middle-class with young children. NBC’s fall show, “Sean Saves the World,” about a single gay dad and his teenage daughter, promises to remind us that the phrase “same-sex parents” doesn’t cover us all. And there are many more stories left to tell of families across the LGBT spectrum. I am proud we have allies like “The Fosters’” executive producer Jennifer Lopez, who is using her star power to get some of those stories told. Finally, I am proud of my country. Regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court cases, we have made tremendous and accelerating progress towards LGBT equality. I am proud of those who have helped President Obama “evolve” on marriage equality, and continue to pressure

— Between 9 a.m. Feb. 1 and 6:30 p.m. June 14, someone stole a 1996 Honda that was parked in the 400 block of South 12th Street. — At 5:30 a.m. June 15, a woman alleged she was assaulted by her boyfriend inside an apartment in the 200 block of South 12th Street. The victim said the suspect stole money from her before leaving the scene. An arrest warrant will be obtained. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — On June 12, 6th District plainclothes Officers Ferrero and Hill set up surveillance in the area of 12th and Spruce streets and at 2:50 p.m. observed a male steal a bicycle from outside 230 S. 12th St. The 56-yearold suspect with a homeless-shelter address was charged with theft. — At 8 p.m. June 13, a complainant came to the aid of a domestic-violence victim in the 200 block of South 13th Street and was punched by the suspect, causing an eye injury. Sixth District Officer Green arrested the 40-year-old suspect with an Overbrook address and charged him with two counts of assault and related offenses. — On June 14, 6th District plainclothes Officers Ferrero and Hill set up surveillance in the area of 12th and Locust streets and at 11:45 a.m. observed a male steal a bicycle from the rear. The 34-year-old suspect with a Cherry Hill address was charged with theft. — On June 14, Center City District Officers Moore and Bates observed an illegal drug transaction outside 11th and Market streets. The officers apprehended the seller and confiscated narcotics pills, heroin and cash. The 47-year-old suspect with a South Philadelphia address was charged with illegal narcotics sales. — At 10:55 p.m. June 14, a man was waiting at the bus stop at 1300 Market St. when a male started yelling at him and punching him. The victim fell, hit his head and suffered an injury. Sixth District Officer Minnis responded to an emergency call and apprehended the suspect at the scene. The 56-year-old homeless suspect was charged with aggravated assault. ■ him and Congress regarding employment nondiscrimination, immigration rights and transgender equality as well. I am proud of those who see these issues as inextricably tied to other social-justice concerns. No matter how the Supreme Court rules, this is not the end of the road towards equality for all. I have no doubt that LGBT parents will continue to be among those leading the way, if only because, whether starting our families or raising them, we know the importance of both action and patience. Even if we do sometimes buy completely useless pregnancy tests. ■ Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher of Mombian (mombian.com), an awardwinning blog and resource directory for LGBT parents.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

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Dining Out Family Portrait Get Out and Play Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly Worth Watching

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COMPLETING IN THE CUBE: James Lamar (top left), Khabeer Rashad (bottom middle) and Kyle Couture perform in The Rubix Cube Eclectic LGBT Artist Show.

LGBT performers featured on new showcase By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Phila Republic is bringing together a colorful array of LGBT talent for The Rubix Cube Eclectic LGBT Artist Show July 5. Local promoter Stro Kyle created the event, hosted by Khabeer Rashad and featuring performances by DJ Reezey, James Lamar, Furious George and Kyle Couture. Kyle said that Rubix Cube is a place for performers who don’t always fit into other LGBT-themed performance events around town. “I realized that in Philadelphia there are so many different endeavors to take part in, as far as the culture and the community,” he

said. “One of the things I’ve noticed that is lacking in Philadelphia gay culture is that there isn’t a core foundation for artists and DJs and people who are in the creativearts scene. There’s no core place to go to and network and come together and do things on the more artistic level. There are a lot of places that provide karaoke and drag show but, for hip-hop and neosoul artists and artists who are in bands that really want to showcase their talent, there aren’t many promoters who provide that. I want to be the sole person for that; to JAMES LAMAR provide an outlet for

many urban and eclectic alternative artists they can bring in that will attract a crowd who want to promote their music in the or keep the party cool. With us, it is about Philadelphia arts scene.” inspiration. Every single artist and DJ that Still, LGBT performance events are comes has a unique flair that resonated with somewhat frequent in each of our events.” a big metropolitan area Kyle added that the artists like Philadelphia. he chose for Rubix Cube So we asked what are on the bill because of is going to distinguish their artistic ability instead Rubix Cube from simiof any kind of local star lar events. power. “There’s a certain “I have to be moved and vibe that everybody inspired by their artistry and feels,” Kyle said. “It’s the story that they are trying to tell. I’ve worked with almost if everything is a lot of LGBT artists so in line, from the venue far in the tri-state area that to the performers to the inspire me,” Kyle said. “I’m set. Every little aspect an artist myself so if I can of it is set to coordinate. be moved and inspired as When people come an artist and as a young gay to this event they feel male, I want to bring that to that unique vibe. Most events are about who KYLE COUTURE everybody PAGE 24

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

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else in the community. If I’m truly inspired by your artistry, I’m willing to pull out all the stops and put an event together to try to get you out there in the community. It truly comes down to if you have a strong message that you want to convey to the community, I’m all for it.” One artist making a statement at the showcase will be up-and-coming Pennsylvaniabased R&B singer Lamar. “I’ve always wanted to perform at an LGBT event and with my management and with my previous label that I was with, I wasn’t able to express myself as far as me being a gay artist.” Lamar said. “I had to keep it hidden. But now that I have separated from this label, I just felt that this would be a perfect opportunity for me to come out as an artist and be who I am. They wanted me to wait until I got credibility in the industry and had hits on the radio before I did that, like pull a Frank Ocean. But I just want to be truthful from the get-go. Doing this event is an opportunity for me to be myself and do me on the stage and express myself the way I want to be seen.” Lamar said that for a while he bought into his former label’s rationale of not being open about his sexuality. “They wanted me to be mainstream and they kind of put it in my head that that’s what I wanted to be too,” Lamar said. “But now that I’m apart from them, I realize that that is not exactly what I want. I have no intention of being top-40. If that happens with me, being out as a gay artist, awesome. With the genre I’m in, it kind of clashes because with R&B, it’s more AfricanAmerican audiences and most of the time they are the ones that are against homosexu-

ality. So that was a big argument that they had. But I was at the point where I wanted to be true to myself and express myself with 100-percent honesty.” Lamar added that he focuses on being a role model for other out performers instead of trying to fit in to one particular scene or genre. “I really want to just hone my craft and find out who I am musically,” he said. “I know that my voice fits with the R&B/soul genre. That’s what I’m sticking with. I’m trying to figure out how to blend that with singing as truthfully as I can. I’m definitely going to be singing about other guys because I like guys, and the experiences I have are with guys. But I don’t want to speak about my experiences on music. I want to inspire other people in the gay community. I really would like to be a voice for the gay community. A lot of what is out there in the gay music scene is really raunchy, and there is nothing wrong with that. But I kind of want to just be a normal person and make it seem like gay is normal. We’re working to get that status. I want to be seen as an artist and just a regular person who happens to be in love with men. I want to sing about music that is about love and heartbreak and not all the raunchy stuff and club music. I want to go at it with a different approach. I want to be able to bring some people out of the closet and know that it is OK to be who I am. The main thing is to be an inspiration with my music.” ■ Phila Republic presents Rubix Cube Eclectic LGBT Live Artist Showcase 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Milkboy, 1100 Chestnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-925-6455 or visit philarepublic215.tumblr.com.

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The Property Manager of this 56 unit, LGBT Friendly senior community located in Downtown Philadelphia will be responsible for providing leadership and direction to associates at assigned properties. Mentors associates and ensures all support corporate mission and understand roles in achieving established goals. Advocates on behalf of associates to enhance individual performance. Provides excellent customer service to residents.

Building Duties:

• Supervises and trains all property associates • Evaluates associates’ performance, including the completion of annual performance reviews. • Counsels underperforming associates and provides critical feedback to improve performance • Assists Regional Property Manager in the selection of property associates. Assumes primary responsibility for preliminary interviewing • Creates positive, welcoming, supportive environment for residents, visitors, and property associates • Be able to work with and have knowledge of community organizations such as the william way LGBT Community Center & Mazzoni Center • Prepares and submits timesheets and payroll adjustments • Maintains vacancy information as required by investors, syndicators, and monitoring agencies • Achieves financial solvency through cost reduction and implementing systems to achieve 0% rent delinquency • Utilizes selection and retention strategies to maintain 100% occupancy level • Participates in the preparation of the annual operating budget, and works with Regional Property Manager to maintain budgetary guidelines • Reviews bids for contract work • Ensures adherence to proper preventive maintenance schedules • Manages health and safety programs, including training in fire safety, general emergency procedures, and in the use of emergency equipment • Executes marketing and advertising campaigns for apartment leasing and coordinating leasing events such as open houses, realtor tours, and resident promotional activities • Assists with the development and implementation of resident services programming • Maintains knowledge and awareness of corporate in/out migration, property competition, and other market conditions affecting leasing and operations • Oversees property’s answering service, ensuring superlative customer service, up-to-date calling sequences, and accurate contact information • Notifies residents of all issues affecting their tenancy • Files court documents for eviction and attends scheduled court hearings as Landlord’s representative • Oversees security deposit administration including inspecting units to determine resident’s balance or refund, preparing disposition letters, and processing security deposit returns • Maintains building security measures, ensuring proper incident documentation and notification to management, owners, and insurance carriers • Maintains familiarity with all procedures and requirements of accounts payable and accounts receivable • Leads tours of property, showing vacant units and marketing property amenities as needed • Screens, reviews, and approves all applications • Leads lease orientations and signings, and submits relevant documentation • Enforces lease requirements • Ensures property’s filing system is maintained and includes tenant, applicant, accounting, and vendor and contract files • Develops and utilizes sound rent collection procedures, including following up with delinquent accounts • Delivers rent deposits to bank and submits all related documentation • Monitors landlord-tenant relations and mediates disputes when necessary • Collaborates with Support Services to provide residents referrals to appropriate agencies • Utilizes maintenance software program to enter in and track work orders, and regularly reviews maintenance reports • Inspects apartments for move-in condition (pre-inspection) and turnover status • Directs administrative and maintenance associates in annual unit inspections and annual recertification of residents • Prepares and submits quarterly competitive marketing analysis • Remains current on and compliant with policies and laws affecting the marketing and leasing of the property, including the Company’s leasing agreement, Landlord Tenant code, Fair Housing laws, and other applicable laws • Submits any and all reports on a timely basis • Establishes and maintains regular daily office hours, ensuring adequate coverage on weekends and holidays

Possible requirements

• Knowledge of the LGBT community and Washington West neighborhood • High School Diploma or equivalent • Certifications in the following: Housing Credit Certified Professional, Certified Occupancy Specialist, Specialist in Housing Credit Management would be a plus • 2 or more years’ experience in multi-family property management, including direct supervision of others • Proven Marketing and Leasing experience • Understanding of Low-Income Tax Credit system • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook • Proficiency in Yardi • Excellent customer service skills • Ability to perform in a busy, changing, multi-tasking work environment • Requires ability to physically inspect property (or properties) and individual units • Requires ability to read, speak, and comprehend the English language • Requires the ability to travel (between properties, on-call emergencies, training, etc.)

Property Characteristics: • Lease-up • Senior

• Tax Credit • 56 units

The ideal candidate has tax-credit experience and will be an advocate for the well-being and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities.

Apply online at www.pennrose.com/careers or email lgiberson@pennrose.com with copy to mark@epgn.com

PROFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Suzi Nash

Rev. Nate Walker: Standing on the side of love You know it’s a cool church when the minister fights for a filmmaker’s right to name his production company “I Choose Hell Productions.” The Rev. Nate Walker is the minister of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. An accomplished author and lecturer, he recently completed a research fellowship at Harvard Divinity School and is currently a doctoral candidate at Columbia University. His activism on gay rights, ethical eating and finance reform have been featured by the New York Times, Mother Jones, AirAmerica and other national media venues. He is coeditor of “Whose God Rules?” — former British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote the forward — which Cornel West called “provocative and pioneering.” PGN: Are you a Philadelphia native? NW: No, I was actually born in Munich, Germany. PGN: Munich? NW: My mother saw a production of “The Sound of Music” when she was in high school in Carson City, Nev., and decided that she wanted to go dance in the Alps. She went and her high-school sweetheart flew over to join her and I was conceived. [Laughs.] I believe that I was born gay because of that musical. I blame Julia Andrews! PGN: That’s a great conception story. NW: Yes, they separated before I was born and we stayed for a year before she moved back to Nevada, where I was raised. PGN: What was growing up in the Sierras like? NW: Oh it was great. Both my parents are non-religious so we spent most weekends camping. We’d take our horses and camp around a fire, tell stories, make wishes on stars — that was my unconventional religious education. I kind of realized that that was the basics of all religion, gathering around, sharing food and stories. Then I came out of the closet when I was 15 and my grandmother said, “There’s a lesbian up at the Unitarian Fellowship.” So off we went in search of the lesbian. Given the culture of Northern Nevada in 1992, I thought that was an extraordinary response. And that’s how I became a Unitarian Universalist. PGN: Go Granny! So did your parents get back together? NW: No, my mother remarried when I was 3 and he was the best father I could have hoped for. My biological father stayed in Germany. PGN: What did the folks do? NW: My mom is an accountant and my dad works in water restoration. They run

a lobbying firm representing local interests in the state government to try to counter the major companies like the casinos who try to take away water rights, etc., from local communities. Something sweet, my mom just called me last week to tell me that Nevada just passed a bill that would change the constitution to make it the first constitutional amendment that would be pro-gay marriage. She was very excited to share that with me. It still has to be put on the ballot but, if it passes, it’ll be the first time people have used the state constitution to add gaymarriage rights instead of banning them. PGN: That would be nice. What was your favorite game as a kid? NW: 10 Penny. It’s a card game, kind of like rummy. I was just playing it with my partner last night! PGN: Who was your favorite teacher? NW: Easy. Mrs. Keys. She was my second-grade teacher and she was amazing. She only had one assignment all year, the same homework every day, and that was to observe. Her room was constructed in a way that there were aquariums everywhere. She would do things like have me count how many times a lizard flicked its tongue in a minute, then she’d ask how many times that would be in an hour, have me write about the lizard, read about it, find out where it came from. You’d find yourself learning math and history and geography and science, all under the guise of observation. PGN: I love great teachers. Were you an only child? NW: No, I have a brother four years younger. When my mom told him I was gay, Kenny said, “Don’t worry Mom, I’ll have the kids in the family.” He was 11 at the time and he did. I now have a wonderful 3-year-old nephew named Theo. PGN: What was a favorite adventure with Kenny? NW: Oh God, there’s lots. I’ll tell you a favorite moment. He was the star quarterback and for graduation he wrote a song that was sung at the ceremony. I was really proud to see him show his sensitive side. PGN: What was the worst trouble you got into? NW: Oh gosh, we fought over who got to play Nintendo and stupid stuff like that. PGN: Favorite TV show from childhood? NW: Interestingly or strangely, my brother and I both loved to watch Bob Ross and “The Joy of Painting.” We loved watching him paint his happy trees and happy clouds. One day my aunt walked in and saw us watching it and was like, “OK, what were you just watching? I can tell you just

switched the channel!” She didn’t believe that two boys were home alone voluntarily watching Bob Ross paint landscapes. PGN: When did you leave Nevada? NW: I left to go to San Francisco to attend the American Conservatory Theater, and then I went to Emerson College in Boston. PGN: Woot woot! I went to Emerson too. Tenth floor, 100 Beacon St., which they called Bacon Street because we were all such hams. NW: [Laughs.] Really? I lived in the same building, on the same floor! High five! (Note: That’s the first time I’ve ever highfived a member of the clergy.) PGN: What was a good memory from college? NW: Emerson has a 14th-century castle in Holland where you can live and study for a semester. I went when I was 20 and met my biological father for the first time. I found out he’d met his biological father when he was 20 too.

PGN: So cool. You were a theater major? NW: Yes, with a minor in education. After I left Emerson, I went back to Nevada and taught theater. While there, I tried to adopt a child. I went to an agency and they went through all my records and said, “You’re one of the best candidates as a single father that we’ve seen.” We were going line by line through the check list: “Are you willing to take a disabled child, a child of a different race?” etc. They asked if I ever intended to get married. I said, “Most likely,” and she asked, “What do you imagine your wedding to look like?” I said, “I don’t know, it would depend on what my husband might want too.” I could see her recoil and she actually clutched her cross necklace and said, “I’m sorry but you don’t meet our definition of a family.” After that, I packed everything I owned, called a company called Driveaway and said, “I’ll drive a car anywhere you want” and ended up in Bethesda, Md. From there, I moved in with a friend of mine in New York who was a Rockette and stayed in New York for eight years. I worked at NYU and Columbia, where I’m finishing my doctorate now. PGN: And how did the Reverend part happen? NW: Right. When I was 15, my high-school girlfriend was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. When I came out to her, her father said, “Be his friend” and when I came to him with a pamphlet I’d been given for a church that could help “pray the gay away,” he crumpled it up and told me it was bullshit.

PGN: In those words? NW: [Laughs.] Yes! Then while I was at Emerson, I worked as a theater-arts instructor at a Presbyterian church for four years. I was openly gay and they were very welcoming. Between that Photo: Suzi Nash and the lesbian at the PGN: I remember Emerson life being Unitarian Church that like the movie “Fame.” We’d take over my grandmother took me to meet, I’d a subway car and dance and sing. had a lot of positive religious experiNW: Ha! I was the lead dancer in our ences. Incrementally, I took more and production of “Fame” my junior year. more courses on moral and intellectual I’m a little freaked out about our simiand faith development and then did larities! My friend Seth used to strut ministerial internships. Though I’m a humanist, I’ve found refuge in Unitarian/ up and down the cars and do whole Universalism because there’s no creator numbers. We’d even have the subway dogma. I’ve been at this church for six operator blink the lights in the cars for years. effect! PAGE 36

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

TV &PGN SPORTS

Get Out and Play

Tournaments, with liberty and justice for all Coming up July 18-21 is the second annual Liberty Tennis Open Invitational. Open as in, you don’t have to be part of any group to play. Register through the Gay & Lesbian Tennis Association under the Philadelphia Open at www.GLTA.net. Fees cover the games, banquet and awards. The host hotel is the Loews and the draw party will July18, location to be announced. Play commences bright and early 8 a.m. July 19 and continues through July 21. The banquet will be held July 20. Last year, the tournament saw about 70 players from across the continent join in the inaugural event and the group’s excellent efforts won Liberty Tennis national recognition as one of the best new tournaments of 2012 by GLTA. All skill levels are welcome. All you need is enthusiasm. And a racquet.

Congratulations Come see what’s new at your local, non-corporate, gluten-free historic queer bookshop! Browse, chat, and support the oldest continuously operating LGBT book store in the USA!

10% most hardcovers, over 5 million books and 3 million eBooks available at queerbooks.com email: giovannis_room@verizon.net 345 S. 12th St. Philadelphia, Pa 19107 215-923-2960 Mon-Sat 11:30 - 7, Sun 1 - 7

We want to know!

FOOTBALL POOL: Members of the Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League hit the local swimming hole June 22 at the Raven in New Hope for some fun, sun, barbecue and a swimsuit fashion show courtesy of Metro Mens Clothing. The second annual Wet N’ Wild in the Country party had about 20 people tanning, burning, bathing and imbibing. Photos: Scott A. Drake

PGN FUN & GAMES

Games are played at the Legacy Youth Tennis and Education courts, 4842 Ridge Ave. Questions can be submitted to killian0909@aol.com. And taking some liberties with the balls and pins, nothing says Independence Day like the Liberty Belle—the Liberty Belle Invitational Open bowling tournament, that is. Celebrating its 25th Fourth of July weekend bowling extravaganza, this year’s tournament promises more fun, food and festivities than ever. The exact dates are July 5-7 this year so you can keep all your Independence Day fun going. This tournament has the caveat of needing an IGBO-recognized established handicap to join in the fun, so if you have questions, see the website at libertybelle. org. T.E.A.M. What’s that spell? Our Night Out is having a special sports night with Team Philadelphia and many of the area LGBT sports organizations July 9 at the Water Works. The timing is perfect: Opening ceremonies for Gay Games 9 in Cleveland-Akron is a mere 394 days from that date. It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular ONOer or an infrequent one, this river setting is everyone’s favorite spot for evening cocktails and camaraderie. With all this in mind, I strongly urge everyone who intends to go to GG9, whether as a participant or as a spectator, to register NOW. Basic registration fees go up $30 on Sept. 1, and that’s $30 you won’t have to spend later if you wait. Pony up the basic registration fee now and the participant fee, lodging and transportation costs later. Keep on top of all of the Gay Games 9 updates via gg9.org. And if you’re going to QFest for any number of films or parties, make sure you set aside July 19 for a QFest/Stimulus after party at North Shore Beach Club on the fringe of the Piazza in Northern Liberties. This official party has Team Philadelphia and GO!Athletes as two of the fundraising

recipients. See you along the river and the pool!

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Worth Watching

Breaking news (and a token baseball tip) The Cubbies are in town for the 11th annual Gay Community Night at Citizens Bank Park Aug. 7 Game time is 7:05 p.m., but you’ll want to be in your seat by around 6:45 to see the ceremonial first pitch and all the other hoopla. This year, providing 500 or more tickets are sold, the LGBT community will be represented on the mound by the current Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia chairperson Angela Giampolo. Get your tickets early, because they always sell out and you know you want to sit with 500 of your closest friends. Maybe we can even finally get a second gay night win to perk up that 1-9 gay night record. For tickets, visit phillygaydays.com. What’s the tip? Stock up on your SEPTA tokens by the end of June because fares go up July 1.

PORTRAIT OF A PIN-UP: Agnes Bruckner stars as Anna Nicole Smith in the all-new Lifetime Original Movie, “Anna Nicole,” premiering 8 p.m. June 29 on Lifetime. Photo: Bob Mahoney

Short stops • The Falcons men are looking for a few more players to play in the PSSC Penn Park 8 v. 8 men’s turf field league starting July 22 for eight-10 consecutive weeks. More info at falcons-soccer.org. • CBLSL has fall ball registration open for the season starting Sept. 8. A fall ball kickoff party is planned for Aug. 23. Questions? Visit fallball@cblsl.org. • Advocate magazine has listed 55 inspiring LGBT athletes for Pride month and you can vote on your favorite. Look for local boy Johnny Weir on the list as well as Pennsylvania hero Mark Bingham; advocate.com/sports. ■ Countdown to Gay Games 9: 406 days, Send your questions, comments, sporting events and extra Phillies tickets to Scott A. Drake, courtesy PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147; scott@epgn.com.

IRON MEN: If you want to feel really out of shape, tune into the premiere of the fifth season of the competition series “American Ninja Warrior,” which follows competitors as they tackle the world’s most difficult obstacle courses, 9 p.m. June 30 on NBC. Photo: NBC/John Parra

COME SAIL AWAY: The new docuseries “Below Deck” follows a group of crew members, including out cast member David Alanson Bredberry (pictured), as they live and work aboard a luxurious, privately owned yacht, while tending to the everchanging needs of their wealthy, demanding clients, 10 p.m. July 1 on Bravo. Photo: Bravo/Justin Stephens

RUSSIAN ROULETTE: In 1908, a meteor hit deep into the remote Siberian territory of Tunguska. Now, more than 100 years later, 16 contestants descend on Tunguska, unknowing of the land’s mysterious past, and must band together in an effort to survive in the new fictional reality TV series “Siberia,” 10 p.m. July 1 on NBC. Photo: NBC/ WRESTLERS AT THE RECENT SPARTANS TOURNAMENT TAKE IT TO THE MAT

Jamie Winterstern

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

DINING PGNOUT

New Indian restaurants are a welcome addition to the area By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Two new Indian restaurants have sprouted up in the area and, while their locations and approaches to cuisine are different, they are both spicing things up in their neighborhoods. In Conshohocken, Nirvana 401, at 401 Fayette St., occupies the space that used to be 401 Diner. Actually during breakfast and lunch hours, Nirvana still serves American diner food. But at night, it transitions to Indian fare created by Chef Jagmeet “Happy” Singh. Nirvana 401 impressed from the start with its Gobi Manchurian appetizer ($9). Any time you can get us to enjoy cauliflower, you’re a magician. The tangy eggplant ($9), sliced thin and fried crispy, was a delight as well. Traditional Indian staples like vindaloo (chicken $14, shrimp $20) are especially flavorful and spicy. The chicken briyani ($13) was hearty enough for two to share, overflowing with lovely seasoned rice and juicy pieces of chicken.

CHICKEN AT NIRVANA

Singh’s skills really shined on dishes like the Lamb Roganjosh ($17), which is tender, spicy and elegantly presented. Dessert was equally impressive. The orange khufi ($8), delicately flavored orange ice cream in a shell of real orange rind, was a lovely way to end the meal. Back in the Gayborhood, Indeblue, 205 S. 13th St., is causing a buzz after winning over diners in Collingswood, N.J. And we can see why the restaurant is popular enough to open a second location. The décor is ornately modern and classic at the same time. The live sitar and tabla player add a nice vibe as well. Things got off to a great start with the soup of the moment ($6), a carrot-orange ginger soup that was spicy and chilled to perfection. The salad of the moment ($7) was even better, a watermelon salad topped with greens and cashews for a refreshing and texturally complex experience. The small plates we tried were spectacular. The only problem with the samosa duo ($8) is that you want more of it, especially the spinach and feta samosa, which was addictively crunchy and rich. The pork samosa was no slouch either, with a sweet

and juicy goodness. The bacon-wrapped bison seekh kabob was carnivore heaven, and the accompanying apple chutney gave the savory bite an extra bit of brightness. Equally addictive was the naan, the bread that is a must at any Indian restaurant. All of the varieties we tried we great, but the best was the mozzarella and spinach-stuffed naan. Yeah, it’s a pattern: We’re suckers for crispy things stuffed with spinach and cheese. But we dare anyone to try any of the

SEATING AT INDEBLUE

naans at Indeblue and not fall in love. For the larger plates, Indeblue does a great modern spin on classic dishes. The osso bucco pork vindaloo definitely has more meat than sauce as the pork was prominently featured and on the bone with marrow and potatoes, giving the dish a more substantial and elevated feel that what your average dish elsewhere offers. The shrimpcrusted salmon ($25) had a sweetness that was expected but made the dish feel exotic. The most satisfying of the big plates was a vegetarian dish, the del makhani ($14), a hearty convergence of black beans, kidney beans, chick peas, ginger and tomato that could easily pass for a great spicy meatless chili with its thick, hearty presence. Dessert came in the form of bananas nirvana, which was aptly named. We would have been completely content with fried banana fritters by themselves but they went the extra mile to drench them in caramel and top the whole thing with a potent cinnamon ice cream. Yeah, we had an out-ofbody experience. Fans of Indian food both in the city and the suburbs can rejoice now that Indeblue and Nirvana 401 have arrived. ■

If you go Indeblue 205 S. 13th St. 215-545-4633 www.indebluerestaurant.com Mon.-Thurs.: 4:30-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat.: 4:30 p.m.-midnight Sun.: 4:30-9 p.m.

Nirvana 401 401 Fayette St. Conshohocken 484-351-8029 www.401nirvana.com Breakfast and lunch Mon.–Fri.: 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun.: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Indian lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dinner: Sun.-Thurs.: 5-9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.: 5-10 p.m.

PENNSYLVANIA 6 BISOU - SEA SCALLOPS YELLOWFIN TUNA TARTARE WITH CRISPY PORK BELLY

CITRON AND ROSE DRY-AGED RIB EYE FIRE AND ICE SHAKY BEEF SALAD

ZESTY’S - OCTAPODI

SOWE - TACO TARTARE

PGN

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‘s Dining Out Photos: Scott A. Drake

A rainbow of flavors, every second and fourth week

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Food & Drink

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

OUT & ABOUT The week ahead Fri. 06/28 Close Encounters with Carrie Rickey ... with M. Night Shyamalan The filmmaker is interviewed live onstage, 7 p.m. at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-7905800. HOLLER! The open-mic night starts 7 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960. America The rock band performs 9 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Burlesque Showcase: Summer Tan Lines Edition Philly’s showcase of sexy local talent is back, 11 p.m. at Sisters Nightclub, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215-735-0735.

Sat. 06/29 Tim Allen The comedian performs 8 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Zombie Beach Party The Sharkskins, DJ Kiltboy and Dave Ghoul set the mood 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003

Arch St.; 215-9226888. Cazwell The out rapper performs 9 p.m. at Tabu Lounge, 200 S. 12th St.; 215964-9675.

Sun. 06/30 Ain’t In It For My Health The film about Levon Helm is screened 2 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888. Helen of Troy The 1956 epic is screened 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223. Brad Paisley The country singer performs 7 p.m. at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856-3651300.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

The Counting Crows and The Wallflowers The rock bands perform 8 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Maria Bamford The comedian performs 8 p.m. at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Ferry Corsten The DJ and producer performs 10 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Mixx Nightclub, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Mon. 07/01 Free Quizzo & Board Game Night Roll the dice, 7 p.m. at World Cafe

Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. The Borgata’s 10th Anniversary Concert The Roots, Jill Scott and Slash perform 8 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Lipstick Mondays A weekly drag show featuring a changing roster of queens takes the stage 9 p.m. at The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 215-8622081.

Tue. 07/02 Philly Rising Showcase Local artists perform 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.

Wed. 07/03 Heart The rock band performs 7 p.m. at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour

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HEY, MISTER DJ: Ferry Corsten, the DJ, remix artist and producer, will keep the dance ﬂoor packed starting 10 p.m. June 30 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Mixx Nightclub, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609-317-1000.

Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856-365-1300. Questlove & D’Angelo The Roots drummer and the neo-soul singer perform 11 p.m. at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-9221011. 4W5 Blues Jam Local musicians get down, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400.

Thu. 07/04 The Burlesque Show The new event

kicks off 9 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show The outrageousness begins 11 p.m. at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South St.; 215-545-4511.

Fri. 07/05 Ne-Yo The R&B singer performs 8 p.m. at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-343-4000.

The Polyphonic Spree The rock band performs 8 p.m. at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011. The Rubix Cube Eclectic LGBT Live Artist Showcase LGBT artists are featured 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Milkboy Philadelphia, 1100 Chestnut St.; 215925-6455. The Blob The 1988 monster movie remake is screened 9:45 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

GROOVE IS IN THE HEART: Heart brings its summer tour featuring Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience to town for a night of classic rock bombast, 7 p.m. July 3 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 856-365-1300.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Opening Jackson Brown The singer performs July 5-6 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Kevin Nealon The “Saturday Night Live” alum and comedian performs July 5-6 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-4969001. Warehouse: A New Musical A one-act musical exploreing topics such as hope, neglect and the meaning of life, July 5-6 at Wedgwood Country Club, 200 Hurffville Road, Sewell, N.J.; 856-3470825. Circus Week See the Big Top and circus trains and learn the history of the circus, June 29-July 7 at Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.; 215-247-5777.

Continuing All Dressed Up: Fashions for Children and Their Families Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of clothing from the late-18th through mid-20th centuries, comparing and contrasting adults’ apparel with children’s smaller styles, through Dec. 1, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. The Art of Golf Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of paintings celebrating the sport, through July 7, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Candy Coated Wonderland Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition by Philadelphia-based multimedia artist Candy Coated (formerly Candy Depew) reinterpreting children’s fancy dress costumes from the museum’s collection, through Nov. 17, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Design for the Modern Child Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition featuring some of the latest furniture, toys, tableware, wallpaper and textiles designed internationally in Australia, Asia, Europe, Great Britain and the United States, along with classics from the museum’s design collection, through Oct. 14, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. DINO! An Evening with Dean Martin at the Latin Casino Walnut Street Theatre presents a recreation of a legendary Dean Martin concert, through June 30 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; 215-5743550. Grease Walnut Street Theatre presents the classic musical through July 14, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Love, Loss and What I Wore Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the intimate collection of stories by superstar sisters Nora Ephron (“Sleepless in Seattle,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Heartburn”) and Delia Ephron, through July 7 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215985-0420. Private Lives/Public Spaces: Bringing Philadelphia’s LGBT History Out in the Open The William Way LGBT Community Center presents the first solo exhibition of LGBT history in a mainstream museum in Philadelphia, which features a glimpse into the John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archival Collection, through Oct. 25 at The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent, 15 S. Seventh St.; 215685-4830. Serpentine The Academy of Natural Sciences hosts an exhibition of photography by Mark Laita of the world’s most deadly snakes, through Sept. 22, 19th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway; 215-2991000.

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.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

SPY: The Secret World of Espionage The Franklin Institute presents an exhibition of historical artifacts from the intelligence community, through Oct. 6, 20th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway; 215-448-1200. Wicked The hit musical about characters from “The Wizard of Oz,” through Aug. 4 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of drawings and watercolors by Jerry Pinkney, Sept. 22, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Closing Dave Matthews Band The rock band performs 7 p.m. June 28-29 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856365-1300. Indian Dance by Three Aksha Three Aksha remounts their work “Pushkara” alongside two new works, “Saha” and “Aarambha,” June 28-29 at Painted Bride Arts Center, 230 Vine St.; 215-837-3587. ■

THE PERFECT 10th: The Borgata celebrates its 10th anniversary in grand fashion with a concert hosted by The Roots and featuring performances by neo-soul sensation Jill Scott (pictured) and iconic rock guitarist Slash, 8 p.m. July 1 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609-317-1000.

SPEND AN EVENING IN PARIS! FRIDAY, JUNE 28 | 8 PM – 10 PM Put on your best vintage attire for this exciting Parisian-themed summer soirée celebrating the opening of French Twist: Masterworks of Photography from Atget to Man Ray! Enjoy delicious cocktails, lively Jazz Age music, and prints from the golden age of French photography.

Want to learn more? Visit delart.org for details. All works are from the collection of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg. French Twist: Masterworks of Photography from Atget to Man Ray is made possible by the Emily du Pont Memorial Exhibition Fund. Additional support is provided by grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. This exhibition was organized by art2art Circulating Exhibitions. | Image: Lovers, Bal Musette des Quatre Saisons, rue de Lappe, c. 1932. Brassaï (1899–1984). 9 3/8 x 7 inches. Collection of Michael Mattis and Judith Hochberg. © The Brassaï Estate—RMN.

GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT (EVERYBODY DANCE NOW): Out dancer artist and rapper Cazwell lands in Philly to rock the house 9 p.m. June 29 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. For more information or tickets, call 215964-9675.

2301 Kentmere Parkway | Wilmington, DE 19806 | 302.571.9590 | delart.org

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

PORTRAIT from page 29

PGN:What was a moment that stands out in your years of ministry? Where you’ve gotten to say, “This is bullshit.” NW: I’ve been working with a couple, Kim and Sara. I married them a while back and they’ve been facing some extraordinary discrimination. Like Sara not being able to put Kim on her health plan. That’s bullshit. It’s invidious discrimination and I won’t stand for it, so we’re fighting it. At the same time, just [recently], Exodus ministry — the organization that advocated reparative therapy known as “pray away the gay” — just apologized and are shutting down their doors. To have one of the most homophobic groups in the country apologize for their actions against the LGBT community is huge! That kind of turnaround gives me hope. PGN: I was impressed by the number of different causes that your church champions — everything from gay rights to immigration to environmental issues. I was even reading about something you call “ethical eating.” NW: The seventh principal of our beliefs is affirming and promoting what we call the interdependent web of existence. I’m very clear that all of this was not made for our consumption. I’m bold in my challenge to religions who articulate dominion theology. I think it causes great harm to the Earth and humans and other beings. Ethical eating has been our social-justice theme for three years. Food justice. For instance, I gave a sermon on the ethics of genetically modified foods. I asked the CEO of Monsanto seven questions about their practices. He responded and invited us out to St. Louis, where a twohour meeting turned into four days and we met with 14 senior executives and others. We asked them to lead the field by adopting a code of ethics and they were captivated by the idea. We asked them to vow to do no harm. That led them to come here and have dinner with members of our congregation. We like to grapple with moral issues of our time, whether it’s environmental issues, sex trafficking, contraception, social justice, animal rights; we’re not afraid of conflict or controversy. PGN: Yeah, I saw on the calendar you have a meeting coming up about the politics of ritual circumcision. NW: True, I have a big problem with someone using the Bible

to justify violence. Just because someone says, “God told me to circumcise my female child,” it doesn’t mean they have the right to do it. I don’t think any religion should be exempt from laws designed to protect the rights of children. PGN: I understand you’re a vegetarian? NW: Yes, I have a sermon that asked people to consider, not what happens when we die, but what happens when we kill three times a day. Not to spend so much time on the unknown of the afterlife — none of us really knows what’s going to happen — but we can do something about taking life. For me, it started when I was a child in Nevada and I was fed my pet cow. His name was McKinley and I was there when he was born. I didn’t know that he was being raised to be our food until one night when we were having dinner. Everyone was laughing and laughing over the fact that we were eating “Big Macs” for dinner. It set me on a trajectory thinking about my relationship with animals and food. PGN: One of the tenets I enjoyed was, “Be out in the world six days a week and come back and tell us how that informs your faith.” It was a refreshing change from those who just go out to proselytize. NW: Yeah, we use many different sources of authority, unlike most religions that use one Bible or text, or one teacher or tradition as law. In UU, our first source is direct experience, so my experience of consuming my pet McKinley is a legitimate source of truth and knowledge for me. PGN: So how did you meet your partner? NW: I met him three years ago when my ministerial colleague set us up. We met at Woody’s. He walked in and said, “Oh no, I don’t think this atheist is up for drinking with two ministers.” I told him that I thought atheism was sexy and that was the start of our relationship! PGN: Do you find people are a little nonplussed when they find out that you’re a minister? NW: Yeah. That’s why I usually curse in the first minute after revealing it. It breaks the ice. PGN: What’s your guiltiest pleasure? NW: I love “Mad Men” and I love Sade. I’ve seen her perform twice. Seriously love her!

FUN PGN & GAMES

PGN: Celebrity crush? NW: George Stephanopoulos. PGN: [Laughs.] OK, I can skip the next question asking if you’d consider yourself a nerd! NW: Yeah, I guess that’s a given. PGN: Hobbies? NW: I love riding my bike and traveling. I’ve been to 17 countries and I just got back from Costa Rica. PGN: My parents told me that I was _____ as a child. NW: The first line in my baby book read, “Nathan’s the most sensitive baby I’ve ever held.” PGN: Aww. What’s your middle name? NW: Coffey. It’s Irish, my mom’s maiden name. And yet I’ve never had a drop of coffee! PGN: Any notable ancestors? NW: On my mother’s side of the family, we’re somehow related to Martha Washington and my biological grandfather was fullblooded Cherokee. PGN: Last time you cried? NW: When I watched Stephen Colbert announce the death of his mom. She was born the week that women got the right to vote, which shows you how relatively recent it was. To think of how much change she’d seen in her lifetime is profound. PGN: And since we’re here in the cradle of liberty, tell me about your article “Liberty: A Vote or A Veto?” NW: Well, it’s about the healthcare mandate that requires private organizations to provide contraceptives and the corporations that are fighting it. I wrote that owners of for-profit companies have the freedom to vote their conscience, to speak their mind, to persuade and petition, but free exercise of speech and religion does not give them the right to unilaterally veto the rights of their employees. I.e.: The founder of Domino’s Pizza doesn’t have the right in the name of religion to deny his employees access to legal contraceptives. When our corporations become the de facto state religion, those CEOs become the high priests of that theocracy. And that’s a fundamental perversion of the definition of religious freedom. ■ To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, write to portraits05@aol.com.

Q Puzzle Fostering understanding Across

1. With 68Across, she plays Stef in “The Fosters” 5. Michael Musto’s tidbits 10. British carbine 14. Russian John 15. Male counterpart to a Seattle Storm player 16. Estimate ending 17. Mary’s pet 18. Bruce Willis, to pals 19. “Puttin’ on the ___ “ 20. Producer of 2013 TV series “The Fosters” 23. Bara of the silents 25. Hot, in Vegas 26. Enjoy Stephen Pyles 27. Gay couples often meet in them 31. Come slowly closer 32. TV spots 33. One with a gifted tongue 36. Poet who inspired Cats, initially 37. Network of “The Fosters” 39. TV monitor, in a way

41. Layers that got laid a long time ago 42. Part of BYOB 45. Benjamin Britten’s Peter 47. Flat-bottomed receptacle 48. Bottom’s date 49. Condenses on a surface 52. One who asks “Bride or bride?” at a wedding? 54. Partners, in “The Fosters” 58. Diva’s piece 59. Inn offerings 60. With 40Down, Jackie’s designer 63. Taboo word for optimists 64. Bert’s longtime companion 65. Spread out on the breakfast table 66. Larry Kramer and peers 67. Fender bender scars 68. See 1Across

Down

1. Word in a store-hours sign 2. Madonna’s Peron role

3. Some plane engines 4. Where some may lie 5. A number of books 6. Spelling of _Trick_ 7. “No mo’!” to Gomer 8. Sal of “Exodus” 9. Contempt 10. Alpha Chi Upsilon, for example 11. “Third leg” guys 12. Getty of “The Golden Girls” 13. Hose part 21. One with a big bag of money 22. Article written by Frida 23. Bagged brew 24. Made a fool of 28. They aren’t straight 29. Boat that’s often blown up 30. Get the

ball rolling 34. Barbra’s “Funny Girl” guy 35. ___ Mae Brown 37. They may take a tumble 38. Rim job? 39. Kind of case or court 40. See 60Across 42. Moor drama 43. Misfortune 44. Listenersponsored org. 45. Digs for the queen 46. Mysore Mr. 50. Like the cheeks of one who streaks 51. Make noise in bed 53. “John B.” of song 55. Neighbor of Mass. 56. Skip past 57. Treats as a sexual object 61. Long, slippery one 62. Sticky stuff

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

Classifieds Real Estate Sale

Real Estate Sale

Real Estate Rent

Help Wanted

DOWNTOWN REHOBOTH BEACH Lowest priced 2 bedroom condo unit in Rehoboth. Minutes from POODLE BEACH and NORTH BEACH. Within 2 blocks of Boardwalk, Bars, Restaurants and shopping. $340,000 Contact Evan Thomas @302-379-5634 RE/MAX By The Sea. ________________________________________37-27 Our Newest Affordable Acreage Upstate NY/Owner Financing. 60 Acres, Cabin, Stream & Timber: $79,995. 80 Acres, Nice Timber, Stream, ATV trails, Borders Farmlands, Great Hunting: $74,995. 73 Acres, Pine Forest, Road front, Utilities. Minutes to Oneida Lake Boat Launch: $79,995. Small Sportsmen’s Tracts: 3 - 5 Acres Starting at $12,995. Call 1-800-229-7843 or info@landandcamps.com ________________________________________37-26 OFFICE SPACE IN HATBORO 3,264 Sq. Ft. Open Floor Plan. Subdivadable & Income producing. Close to PA turnpike & Byberry Rd. Owner Financing Available. Off street parking. Under $470,000. Available now. Call 215-674-1180. ________________________________________37-26

NE PA LACKAWAXEN Country party house, 4,100 sq. ft. 5 bed. 3.5 bath, Indoor jacuzzi, exercise room and sauna, 1,500 sq ft. deck. 2.5 hrs from Phil. $439,000 Call for slide show. 570 685-4660. ________________________________________37-27

PASSYUNK AVE AT PIERCE 2nd ﬂoor, pvt. entrance, 5 rooms and bath. W/D. $1500 . 215-463-2028 or 215-768-5253. _____________________________________________37-27

Heavy Equipment Operator Career! 3 Weeks Hands On Training School. Bulldozers, Backhoes, Excavators. National Certifications. Lifetime Job Placement Assistance. VA Benefits Eligible! 1-866-362-6497. ________________________________________37-26 Exp. Reefer Drivers: GREAT PAY /Freight lanes from Presque Isle, ME, Boston-Lehigh, PA. 800-277-0212 or primeinc.com ________________________________________37-26 CDL-A OTR Drivers Needed. No Gimmicks! Solos up to $.38/mile. $.50/mile for Hazmat Teams. 800-942-2104 Ext. 7308 or 7307 www.TotalMS.com ________________________________________37-26 GORDON TRUCKING, INC. CDL-A Drivers Needed! Up to $3,000 SIGN ON BONUS. Starting Pay UP to .46 cpm. Refrigerated Fleet, Great Miles, Full Benefits, Great Incentives! No Northeast Runs! Call 7 days/wk! TeamGTI.com 866-554-7856. ________________________________________37-26 EARNING BETTER PAY IS ONE STEP AWAY! Averitt offers Experienced CDL-A Drivers Excellent Benefits and Weekly Hometime. 888-362-8608. Recent Grads w/a CDL-A 1-5/wks Paid Training. Apply online at AverittCareers. com Equal Opportunity Employer. ________________________________________37-26 EARN $500 A DAY Insurance Agents Needed; Leads, No Cold Calls; Commissions Paid Daily; Lifetime Renewals; Complete Training; Health & Dental Insurance; Life License Required. Call 1-888-713-6020. ________________________________________37-26 CDL-A Drivers: Hiring experienced company drivers and owner operators. Solo and teams. Competitive pay package. Sign-on incentives. Call 888-705-3217 or apply online at www.drivenctrans.com ________________________________________37-26 Get up to $1,000 sign-on bonus and superior work/life balance with weekly hometime. Class A exp drivers for Milton terminal. 800-333-9291 www.veriha.com ________________________________________37-26

Travel & Resorts OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________37-26 609-345-8203. oceanhouseatlanticcity.com ________________________________________37-45 NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ - FLORENTINE FAMILY MOTEL Beach/Boardwalk Block, Heated Pools, Efﬁciency/Motel units refrigerator, elevator. Color Brochure/Specials 609522-4075 Department 104 www.ﬂorentinemotel.com ________________________________________37-26

Services EXP RELIABLE HOUSECLEANER Let me free up your valuable time by cleaning your house or apt. Weekly biweekly monthly. I have 10+ years exp. FREE estimates. Call Wayne 215-422-2654. Ref’s upon request. ________________________________________37-27 AIRLINE CAREERS Begin here-Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualiﬁed-Housing available. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-834-9715 ________________________________________37-26

For Sale SAWMILLS From only $3997.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1800-578-1363 Ext.300N. ________________________________________37-26

Adoption ADOPT A happily married couple promises cozy home, secure future, extended family, unconditional love for baby of any race. Expenses paid. Leslie/Daniel TOLL-FREE 1-855-7672444. danielandleslieadopt@gmail.com ________________________________________37-26

Placing Classiﬁeds Liner Ads In Person: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, By Phone or on the Web: 24 Hours, 7 Days

Open Houses - Sunday June 30, 2013 1:00-2:30 PM 1027-31 Arch St #409, Philadelphia, PA 19107 2BR/2BA Bi-level condo. Low fees! $349,900 1020 S. Randolph St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 Unique rehabbed Queen Village 3BR/2BA multi-level home. $324,900 936 N. 30th St, Philadelphia, PA 19130 Beautiful 3BR/2.5BA home in Art Museum Area. $350,000 Search all Philadelphia area listings @ www.phillyrealestateagents.com Dan Tobey

1401 Walnut St. • 8th Floor • Philadelphia, PA 19102

215.546.2700 Business • 267.238.1061 Direct 215.432.7151 Cell • 215.558.1063 Fax dtobey@cbpref.com • www.cbpref.com

All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and ﬁnancing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any real-estate advertising that is in violation of any applicable law.

Deadline for Line Advertising is Friday at 3 p.m. for the following Friday’s issue. You may place your ad via our secure voicemail system, fax or e-mail at any time, or on our Web site. Please have the following information ready to place your ad:

YOUR AD COPY • YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER • CREDIT CARD INFORMATION PHONE: 215-625-8501 ext. 200 OR 215-451-6182 (DIRECT) • FAX: 215-925-6437 • E-MAIL: don@epgn.com

GENERAL INFORMATION

All classified advertising must be in our office by 3 p.m. Friday for the next Friday’s paper. Ads arriving after that time will be held for the next available issue. PGN reserves the right to edit or rewrite ads as needed, to refuse any ad for any reason and to determine the final classification. Ads determined to be in bad taste, directed to or from persons under the legal age of consent or containing racially or sexually discriminatory language will be refused. We need your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number on the insertion order form for you ad. This information is confidential and will not appear in the paper. Any ads received without full information will be destroyed. Sexually explicit language will be edited or refused at the discretion of the management.

PAYMENT AND PLACEMENT

Classified ads may be placed online or by mail, fax, e-mail or in person at the PGN offices at 505 S. Fourth St., Phila. Phone, fax and e-mail orders are accepted with credit/debit cards only. A $10 minimum applies to all charges. If you are paying in person with cash, please have the exact change as we cannot make change at the office. All ads must be prepaid for their entire run. NO EXCEPTIONS! DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL; IT’S NOT SAFE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED.

TERM DISCOUNTS - BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ISSUES PREPAID 4 weeks, 5% • 8 weeks, 10% • 16 weeks, 15% • 26 weeks, 20%

CANCELLATION POLICY

All PGN Classified ads are cancelable and refundable except for “FRIENDS” ads. Deadline for cancellation is 3 p.m. Friday. The balance will be credited to your credit/debit card. Checks take two weeks to process. The date of the first issue the ad appeared in, along with the classification, your name, address and daytime phone number is required to cancel your ad. 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.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

PGN

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. ________________________________________37-29 BM, 60 looking for British gent, 35-45 for intimate encounters. 215-763-3391, 6PM-Midnight. ________________________________________37-29 Senior GWM ISO male, 40+, all races for platonic relationship. Phila. area only. PO Box 302, Merion Sta., PA 19066. ________________________________________37-28 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________37-27 SEEKS GUYS FOR FRIENDSHIP AND MORE GWM, 50s, 5’7”,145, looks & acts younger seeks younger 18-45. Me: quiet, easygoing, likes music, ﬁlm, theater, cooking, exercise. Leave msg 215-590-1446. ________________________________________37-27

Handsome Certified Therapist

Massage David, 63, 6’, 200 lbs., educated. 215-569-4949. ________________________________________37-32

��

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�� B-7

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SUNDAY RELIEF Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50

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PGN

Activism/Politics

ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) meets 6-9 p.m. every Monday 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 the second Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m., 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 605; 215-731-1447; www.equalitypa.org. Green Party of Philadelphia holds general meetings the fourth Thursday of the month except August and December, 7 p.m.; 215-243-7103; www.gpop.org. Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club meets seasonally; www.libertycity.org.

Arts

Library Book Club meets to discuss a new book 7 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month at the William Way Center. Men On Tap, an LGBT group that performs with choirs, organizations and at the Fringe Festival, rehearses Mondays at 8 p.m. 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 Mondays 7-9:30 p.m.; 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 GLBT chorus, rehearses 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the William Way Center; www.pvop.org. Queer Writer’s Collective workshop and discussion group meets 4-6 p.m. the fourth Saturday of the month at the William Way Center. 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

Gay Bridge Club non-beginners group meets Monday 1:304:30 p.m. at the William Way Center; reservations required. Call 215-732-2220. Gay-friendly Scrabble Club meets 6-11 p.m. in the P.I.C. Building, 42nd and Locust streets; 215-382-0789. Gay Opera Guys of Philly, a new group for opera appreciation, meets the last Sunday of the month at 2:30 p.m. in Roxborough/Andorra area; 215-483-1032. Humboldt Society: Lesbian and Gay Naturalists meets the second Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the William Way Center; 215-985-1456; www.humboldtsociety. org. Independence Squares LGBT square-dance club, modern Western square dancing. Monthly open house. Tuesday classes in the fall; 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. Call 267230-6750 for more information. Mornings OUT LGBT Senior Social activities for senior gay men are held every Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the William Way Center. 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 Tuesday and Thursday practice at 8 p.m. Greenfield Park, West Chester; www.brandywinerugby.org. City of Brotherly Love Softball League serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Games are played Sundays, beginning in April, in Fairmount Park; www.cblsl.org. Frontrunners running club meets 9:30 a.m. Saturdays for a run and brunch. Lloyd Hall, No. 1 Boathouse Row; www. philadelphiafrontrunners.org. Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club LGBT and allies; plays 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m. Saturdays at Edgely Fields in Fairmount Park; www.falcons-soccer.org. Philadelphia Fins Swim Team, male and female swimmers, meets 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Friends Select School and 10:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays at Kelly Pool in Fairmount Park; 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 games played Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Columbus Square Park, 1200

Wharton St.; phillyflagfootball.com. Philadelphia Gryphons Rugby Football Club seeks players, all skill levels welcome; meets 7:45 p.m. Thursdays at Columbus Square Park, 1200 Wharton St.; 215-913-7531; philadelphiagryphons.org; becomeagryphon@gmail.com. Philadelphia Liberty Belles women’s semi-pro full-tackle football league holds fall tryouts; phillybelles.com. Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association plays year-round, 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 welcome. Practice is Thursdays, 7 p.m. at Marian Anderson Recreation Center, 17th and Fitzwater streets, with games on Sundays 2:30 p.m.; phillywomensbaseball.com; contact Narda Quigley, (day) 215-9915995 or (evening) 301-919-1194. 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, the gay wresting team, meets 6:30-9 p.m. Mondays (no August practice) at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-732-4545; www. phillyspartans.com. Suburban Gay Bowling League bowls at 8 p.m. Thursdays from August-April at Facenda-Whitaker Lanes, 2912 Swede Road, Norristown; sgblbowl@gmail.com. Team Philadelphia, the umbrella group for gay and lesbian sports teams, and individual athletes in the Delaware Valley come together to provide a healthy outlet for all members of the community; teamphiladelphia.org.

Etc.

AIDS Law Project provides free legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS and sponsors free monthly seminars on work and housing; 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 600; 215-5879377; www.aidslawpa.org. BiUnity, Philadelphia-area social and support network for bisexuals, their family members and friends meets the second Friday of every other month at the William Way Center; www.biunity.org. Delaware Valley Pink Pistols for LGBT people dedicated to legal, safe and responsible use of firearms for selfdefense; 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; 267-2733513; 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; primetimer sofphiladelphia@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. Rock ’n’ Roll Queer Bar Party for gay and lesbian rockers with host Psydde Delicious starts 10 p.m. every first Sunday at Fluid, 613 S. Fourth St.; www.RocknRollQueerBar.com. 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 the William Way Center. SNJ Queers meets monthly for queer/queer-friendly folks in South Jersey to mix and mingle. Search for SNJ Queers on Facebook; contact Wendy at 856-375-3708 or wmf69@comast.net.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

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 48:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available MondayFriday. 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 ■ The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330 ■ District Attorney LGBT Liaison: Helen “Nellie” Fitzpatrick, 215-686-

■ 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 9980, helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov ■ 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: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555

■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670 ■ 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

■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658

■ 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)

Health

Anonymous, free, conﬁdential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 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 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871; www.galaei. org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appoint-

■ 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. ■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, selfemployed 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 chronicdisease 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 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.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com June 28 - July 4, 2013

PGN