Philadelphia Gay News Vol. 33 No. 27
Honesty Integrity Professionalism
July 3 - 9, 2009
Local, national LGBT leaders mark Stonewall at White House By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer
MEETING OF THE MINDS: Gloria Casarez (from right), the city’s director of LGBT affairs, introduces the panelists during an LGBT town-hall meeting June 25 at Tavern on Camac. State Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17th Dist.), who recently introduced a bill in the Pennsylvania Senate to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, spoke about his commitment to marriage equality, while Steve Glassman, chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission; Brian Sims, president of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia; and Jake Kaskey, policy and outreach director at Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, also addressed the crowd about other issues affecting the local LGBT community. Photo: Scott A. Drake
President Obama welcomed about 200 LGBT leaders from around the country, including three local activists, to the White House June 29 for a reception to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, during which the president reiterated his support for LGBT-rights issues. Obama spoke to the crowd for about 15 minutes, encouraging LGBT and ally individuals to continue the fight that began in New York City 40 years ago the previous day, when hundreds of LGBT people fought back against a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, spurring what is considered the birth of the modern LGBT-rights movement. Obama noted that current change can be fueled by reflecting on “the story of the Stonewall protests ... when a group of citi-
zens — with few options and fewer supporters — decided they’d had enough and refused to accept a policy of wanton discrimination.” “The riots at Stonewall gave way to protests, and protests gave way to a movement and the movement gave way to a transformation that continues to this day,” the president told the crowd. “It continues in your work and in your activism, in your fight to freely live your lives to the fullest.” During the reception, Obama recognized longtime LGBT activist Frank Kameny, saying the community was “proud” of him and “grateful for [his] leadership.” Last week, Kameny received
Photo: Kathy Padilla
a written apology from the Office of Personnel Management for his 1957 firing from his post as an astronomer with the federal government because of his sexual orientation and was also invited to be present when Obama signed a presidential memorandum granting some benefits to the same-sex See WHITE HOUSE, Page 9
Temporary measure allows LGBT tax-free property transfers By Timothy Cwiek PGN Writer-at-Large After pressure from LGBT advocates, the city has developed a temporary procedure that allows unmarried couples to transfer property without being taxed by the city. The procedure will stay in effect until the city’s Department of Revenue implements a permanent regulation, which is expected to occur by Sept. 30. Prior to 2007, the city required unmarried same-sex or opposite-sex couples who wanted their partners placed on a deed to pay a transfer tax. The city tax amounted to 3 percent of the fair-market value of the house. Property transfers between legal spouses have always been tax-exempt under city policy. But advocates said this policy disproportionately affected LGBT couples because Pennsylvania does not recognize same-sex marriages. In November 2007, Philadelphia City Council attempted to rectify the inequity by enacting a law exempting financially
interdependent couples — both samesex and opposite-sex — from the transfer tax. The ordinance stated that financially interdependent persons must have lived together for at least six months, must have shared the common necessities of life and must have been responsible for each other’s welfare. However, the ordinance didn’t specify the evidence needed to determine eligibility. Instead, the ordinance directed the revenue department to specify “any additional evidence such persons must submit to establish their eligibility for this exemption, except where individuals are registered as Life Partners.” To be designated as life partners, couples must register with the city’s Human Relations Commission and provide specific evidence of their life partnership, such as a joint back account or reciprocal insurance policies. This past January, the AIDS Law See PROPERTY, Page 13
A CONGRESSIONAL CALL: ACT UP members demonstrate outside of Sen. Arlen Specter’s (D) Center City office June 30 to draw attention to HIV/AIDS issues, such as a lack of federal funding for AIDS housing and needle-exchange programs. About 100 supporters took part in the protest, marching from the Liberty Bell to Specter’s office at Sixth and Arch streets. The organization chose to target Specter because he sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has jurisdiction over funding for government programs. Photo: Scott A. Drake