PGN July 3 - 9, 2015 by The Philadelphia Gay News

July 3-9, 2015

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PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Vol. 39 No. 27

Marriage equality comes to America By Jen Colletta and Ryan Kasley jen@epgn.com, ryan@epgn.com Marriage equality is now a nationwide reality. In a landmark vote June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the U.S. Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry. The ruling mandated marriage equality in the states that had yet to sanction it, making the United States the 21st country to fully allow same-sex marriage in all jurisdictions. The 5-4 opinion, issued in Obergefell v. Hodges, was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, who found that denying same-sex couples marriage rights constitutes “a grave and continuing harm.” “The imposition of this disability on gays and lesbians serves to disrespect and sub-

ordinate them,” he continued. “The Equal Protection Clause, like the Due Process Clause, prohibits this unjustified infringement of the fundamental right to marry.” Joining Kennedy were Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan. Dissenting was Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, who wrote a scathing dissent calling the decision a “threat to American democracy.” President Barack Obama was among the countless public figures who hailed the historic ruling. In an address outside the White House, Obama called the decision a “victory for America.” “This decision affirms what millions of Americans already believe in their hearts: When all Americans are treated as equal, we are all more free,” the PAGE 28

Philly reacts to SCOTUS ruling By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

ity in America, including here in Philadelphia.

From all corners of the country, LGBTs and allies spent Decision Day celebrating marriage equal-

Independence Mall Dozens of local organizations

MAYOR NUTTER ADDRESSES THE PHILLY CROwD ON INDEPENDENCE MALL Photo: Jen Colletta

Special Section on LGBTQ Older Adults: 16 — Honoring our history 17 — A personal journey 17 — Maintaining financial independence

18 — Planning for care

19 — Living independently, with community 20 — The Americans with Disabilities Act at 25 24 — Resources for aging, living independently

THOUSANDS CELELBRATE IN FRONT OF THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING IN wASHINGTON, D.C., THE MORNING OF THE DECISION Photo: Scott A. Drake

sponsored a Decision Day rally at Independence Mall Friday evening, which drew hundreds of supporters. Before a backdrop of Independence Hall, a handful of community and political leaders took to the podium, including Mayor Michael Nutter, who had stepped off a plane from Rome less than a half-hour before the rally. “Buongiorno,” he greeted the crowd, which joined in cheers when the mayor announced the city had quickly raised the rainbow flag outside City Hall after the ruling. Nutter noted that, while the community and its allies should celebrate the ruling, they shouldn’t lose sight of the other battles still to be won. PAGE 28

Marriage Equality 29 — A Day in D.C. 30-31 — Philly comes out for marriage

32-33 — From the steps of SCOTUS 34 — Locals react to the ruling 35 — A historic NYC Pride

FRANK KAMENY AT THE ORIGINAL PROTESTS (CLOCKwISE FROM TOP LEFT), AT INDEPENDENCE HALL 45 YEARS LATER, BARBARA GITTINGS AND THE STATE HISTORICAL MARKER

Annual Reminders 36 — Annual Reminders take their place in history

37 — Historical context of the 1960s 38 — Out & About Annual Reminder Day weekend 38 — William Way

marks its own anniversary 39 — Focus on the marchers 40 — Judy Shepard on her pioneering journey

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

dmhFund

The Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund

dmhFund

The Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund

dmhFund

The Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld Fund

Invite you to meet four of the remaining ORIGINAL

July 4th Annual Reminders Independence Hall Picketers at a one-time only

LGBT Equality History Panel Discussion

featuring Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom To Marry Additionally, the conversation will include: Evan Wolfson - Evan is the founder and president of Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide, and author of Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People’s Right to Marry. In 2004, Time magazine named him one of the “100 most influential people in the world,” and in 2012, he was awarded the Barnard Medal of Distinction alongside President Barack Obama.

David Carter - David began his work as an LGBT civil rights activist by raising money to try to defeat Anita Bryant’s efforts to overturn Dade County’s anti-gay discrimination law in 1977, when he lived in Wisconsin. Subsequently, he helped to create a grass roots LGBT movement in Wisconsin, which helped Wisconsin pass the nation’s first

statewide law that outlawed discrimination against gay men and lesbians. Carter has been involved in a number of creative endeavors over his career, including making a documentary film about Meher Baba (“Meher Baba in Italy,” 1977) and helping to start the nation’s second LGBT TV series, “Glad to be Gay” (1979). He is the author of a number of books, including “Spontaneous Mind” (2001; a collection of Allen Ginsberg’s interviews that he edited) and “Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution” (2004). Stonewall was the basis for the American Experience film “Stonewall Uprising,” which was based on Carter’s book and for which Carter served as the consultant. “Stonewall Uprising” was one of three films that were cited as the reason for the American Experience film series being given a George Foster Peabody Award in 2012. Carter is currently writing a biography of LGBT civil rights pioneer Frank Kameny.

LGBT Equality History Panel Friday, July 3rd, 2015 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Lillian Faderman - Lillian is an internationally-known scholar of lesbian history. Her numerous books include “Surpassing the Love of Men: Romantic Friendship and Love Between Women From the Renaissance to the Present” (1981); “Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in 20th Century America” (1991); “To Believe in Women: What Lesbians Have Done for America—A History” (1999); and “Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians” (2006, with Stuart Timmons). Her most recent book, “The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle” will be published by Simon and Schuster in September. Faderman’s books have been translated into seven languages. She has won six Lambda Literary Awards, two American Library Association Awards, and several lifetime achievement awards for LGBT scholarship, including the Monette/Horwitz Award, the Bill Whitehead Publishing Triangle Award, and Yale University’s James Brudner Award.

The National Constitution Center John C. Bogel Chairman’s Room 525 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19106

RSVP for free at www.lgbtequalityhistorypanel.com

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

weekly features

News&Opinion 9 — Crime Watch News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Street Talk Transmissions

AC &

45 47 48 52 53

— — — — —

C o l u m n s

Family Portrait Scene in Philly Comics Out & About Q Puzzle

LGBT Archivist Bob Skiba talks about the tremendous honor and importance of preserving the past and present for the future.

RAINBOw ROAD: The Philadelphia Streets Department installed permanent rainbow crosswalks at 13th and Locust streets June 24. The crosswalks, spearheaded by Philly Pride Presents, stretch across all four corners. The $26,000 venture was initially slated to also cover 12th and Locust streets, but that portion of the project is on hold. The crosswalks will be dedicated at 1 p.m. July 5, during the Annual Reminders Block Party. Photo: Scott A. Drake

This week in PGN 15-24 — LGBT Senior Supplement 29-35 — Marriage Equality history and photos

12 — Out Law: The new legalities of marriage 49 — Get Out and Play: Soccer shop and drag pitching

Classifieds 54 — Real Estate 58 — Personals 59 — Bulletin Board

Judy Shepard, mother of murdered Matthew Shepard, talks about his namesake foundation and her upcoming visit to Philadelphia.

36-40 — Annual Reminder Days reflection 43-44 — LGBT history on paper and film

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” ~ Justice Anthony Kennedy

Next week Out Money Thinking Queerly

Two weeks Gettin’ On Outward Bound

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The march for marriage equality did not begin in the 21st century. Follow our timeline back to the true origins of this legal turning point.

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Scott A. Drake (ext. 210) scott@epgn.com Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com

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N.J. jury rules against conversion-therapy group By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

THRIFTY EXPANSION: Philadelphia AIDS Thrift co-founder Christina KallasSaritsoglou and City Councilman Mark Squilla cut the ribbon on PAT’s new HIV Testing Center June 25. Located on the second floor of the shop, 710 S. Fifth St., the center is open noon-4 p.m. the first and third Saturday and Sunday of the month and the second and fourth Friday and Saturday of the month. Testing and counseling will be provided by ActionAIDS, Bebashi, GALAEI, Mazzoni Center and Philadelphia FIGHT. Photo: Scott A. Drake

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A jury in New Jersey on Thursday found that a Jewish therapy group committed fraud by pledging that its conversion-therapy practices could turn clients straight. The first jury trial of its kind in the nation lasted about three weeks, with the seven jurors deliberating for three hours this week before announcing their finding. They determined that Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing violated New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act. The jury ordered JONAH to pay the plaintiffs — three men and two of their mothers — a total of $72,400 in damages. The plaintiffs were also seeking for JONAH’s business license to be revoked, a request Superior Court Judge Peter Bariso, Jr., is expected to rule on in the next few weeks. “This verdict is a monumental moment in the movement to ensure the rights and acceptance of LGBT people in America,” said David Dinielli, deputy legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center and lead attorney for the case, in a statement. “Conversion therapy and homophobia are

based on the same central lie — that gay people are broken and need to be fixed. Conversion therapists, including the defendants in this case, sell fake cures that don’t work and can seriously harm the unsuspecting people who fall into this trap.” James Bromley, co-counsel in the case and partner at New York-based Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, called the verdict a “huge victory.” “This first-of-its-kind lawsuit faced enormous challenges since it was filed in 2012, and our team has worked tirelessly with our colleagues from the Southern Poverty Law Center and Lite DePalma Greenberg LLC [of New Jersey, also co-counsel] to make this day a reality,” he said. “Cleary Gottlieb could not be more proud to be part of this history-making effort.” In February, Bariso himself made history when in a pre-trial ruling he noted that characterizing homosexuality as a disorder is fraudulent. New Jersey has banned conversion therapy for minors since 2010, the second state in the nation, after California, to do so. Oregon and Washington, D.C., have since followed suit. n

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Attorneys for Milano’s killer paid $200K By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com

A HOME RUN: PGN photographer and art director Scott A. Drake accepted the Society of Professional Journalists’ prestigious Sigma Delta Chi award June 26 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Drake won the Sports Photography award for his photo of City of Brotherly Love Softball League player Matt Simmer being tagged out at home base during an Oct. 25, 2014, Fall Ball game in FDR Park. The contest, established in 1932, was open to all media outlets across the country and recognizes excellence in print, radio, television and other media. Photo: Micheal Ward

Two court-appointed attorneys who represented Anthony Milano’s killer received a combined total of more than $200,000 in taxpayer-funded compensation, according to documents released this week. For about 15 years, Daniel A. Silverman and Jules Epstein served as appellate attorneys for Frank R. Chester, who murdered Milano almost 30 years ago. The attorneys worked to prevent Chester’s execution and tried to obtain his freedom — partly on the claim that Chester’s trial attorney was deficient. In 1987, Chester and Richard R. Laird escorted Milano out of a Bucks County tavern and kidnapped him to a nearby wooded area, where Milano’s throat was hacked out with a box cutter. Milano was gay, and prosecutors called his murder an antigay hate crime, even though there were no hate-crime protections in place for the LGBT community. A jury convicted Chester and Laird of first-degree murder and sentenced them to death. But their first-degree murder convictions were voided by federal judges due to faulty jury instructions by the trial judge. Beginning in 2000, Chester claimed his trial attorney, Thomas Edward Jr., had a conflict of interest — necessitating the voiding of all his convictions. In court papers, Chester noted that Edwards had a pending DUI charge during his trial, along with other personal, legal and financial problems. In 2013, U.S. District Judge C. Darnell Jones 2nd rejected Chester’s conflict-of-interest claim, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that rejection. After Chester declined to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, his attorneys’ com-

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pensation figures became publicly accessible. Between 2001-14, Silverman received $166,982.46 for his work on behalf of Chester on the district-court level. Between 2001-13, Epstein received $26,695 for his work on behalf of Chester on the district-court level. A court spokesperson said all payment requests were reviewed by federal judges for reasonableness, prior to being approved. Their hourly rates gradually increased over the years, from $100 to $180. Last month, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals approved a payment of $31,168.80 to Silverman for 172 hours of work, at $180 an hour, performed between October 2013 and May 2015. Those hours include 132.9 doing legal research and writing, 19.1 interviewing and conferring with Chester and 18.7 obtaining and reviewing evidence and documents in the case. For one of the hours Silverman worked — in January 2015 — he was paid $181, due to a recent rate increase. Epstein has 45 days to submit a payment request to the Third Circuit for work performed on behalf of Chester since 2013. Silverman and Epstein had no public comment about receiving the funds. Chester remains convicted of second-degree murder, kidnapping and related offenses. Bucks County authorities have until March 2016 to decide whether to retry him for first-degree murder. If they decline to retry him, Chester, 46, will be removed from death row. Meanwhile, he remains on death row at a state prison in Graterford. Laird, 51, was retried and re-convicted of first-degree murder in 2007. He remains on death row at a state prison in Waynesburg. n

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City shuts down ‘Gay Pizza’

Hearings delayed in murder of gay man

A popular pizza shop in the Gayborhood was shut down last week for operating without a license. The city’s Department of Licenses & Inspection posted a cease-operations sign on the door of 13th Street Gourmet Pizza late last Thursday night, ordering the venue shuttered. According to the sign, the shop, at 209 S. 13th St. — long a haven for late-night Gayborhood revelers who gave it the moniker “Gay Pizza” — did not have a license to serve food. Such licenses are required for any food establishment “where food is pre-

The hearings for two people accused in the murder of a local gay man were postponed last week. Thomas Brennan, 25, is accused of stabbing and bludgeoning to death Scott Bernheisel this spring during a robbery in the 200 block of Wilder Street in Pennsport. Crystal Leibhart, 27, allegedly assisted Brennan in trying to cover up the crime. Bernheisel’s body was found May 28 in a suitcase near the Philadelphia International Airport. Brennan was charged with murder, robbery, theft, conspiracy, abuse of a corpse and related offenses, and Leibhart with robbery, theft, conspiracy, obstruction

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

pared or served for consumption,” according to L&I. Such venues include restaurants, delis, caterers, bars and grocery stores making sandwiches and serving beverages. The sign includes a note that the violation can be overridden by the attainment of a food license. A c c o r d i n g to L&I records, the establishment’s food license expired the last day of April. Calls to the shop were not returned as of presstime, so it is unclear if the store will pursue a new license to reopen. n — Jen Colletta

and hindering the apprehension of a criminal. Brennan was set for a preliminary hearing June 24 but it was delayed until July 7, scheduled for Room 306 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. The motion for a continuance, granted by Common Pleas Judge Patrick Dugan, was requested by the Commonwealth. Leibhart’s preliminary hearing scheduled for June 23 was delayed a day because the defendant requested a sign-language interpreter. It was then postponed also until July 7 by Commonwealth request. Dugan further denied Leibhart’s petition for a bail reduction. Her bail was set at $500,000. Brennan is being held without bail. The pair was identified as

acquaintances of Bernheisel, but it is unknown how they knew one another. Investigators do not believe Bernheisel was targeted for being gay but rather say the incident began as a drug-related robbery. They have not said how the robbery turned violent. Bernheisel, 40, most recently lived in the 900 block of Carpenter Street in Pennsport but was temporarily staying at the Wilder Street home. The Atlantic City native was raised in Galloway Township, N.J. He obtained an associate’s degree in business administration from Atlantic Cape Community College and took classes at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Bernheisel moved to Philadelphia in June 2011. n

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Philly health orgs receive HIV-prevention funding By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The Centers for Disease Control announced this week that three Philadelphia community-based organizations were awarded new funding to deliver HIVprevention initiatives to underserved populations. AccessMatters, Mazzoni Center and Philadelphia FIGHT were among 90 CBOs nationwide — and the only in Pennsylvania — to receive a piece of the $216-million CDC funding. The funding supports efforts targeted at high-risk groups, including people of color, men who have sex with men, transgender individuals and injection-drug users. For the first time, a new component of the funding allows for the creation of “prevention partnerships” among multiple CBOs, enabling them to pool resources. “It’s clear that we need to focus our limited resources on strategies that can have the greatest possible impact,” said Dr. Eugene McCray, director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. “This funding targets local communities to help maximize the impact of every federal prevention dollar. By delivering powerful prevention tools where they’re needed most, we can have a transformative impact on the epidemic.” FIGHT education director Juliet Fink Yates said her agency will receive about $700,000 per year for five years, which will be split with Prevention Point Philadelphia. “Our plan is to address the epidemic among African-Americans, who are disproportionately burdened by the disease,” she said. “We are partnering with Prevention Point to reach the most high-risk AfricanAmericans here in Philadelphia, including [men who have sex with men] and injection-drug users.” Specifically, the organization is looking to provide rapid HIV testing to underserved populations in Southwest and Lower Northeast Philadelphia.

They also plan to “create a team of care navigators who link newly diagnosed positives to care. For people who test negative, we want to connect them to PrEP and other preventative medical services,” Fink Yates said. The other grantees had not responded to requests for comment by presstime. “Community-based organizations have been vital to our nation’s HIV-prevention efforts since the earliest days of the epidemic,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis Prevention. “The organizations we’re funding have a strong foothold in the hardest-hit communities. They have the credibility and experience needed to deliver the most effective HIV prevention strategies to those who need them most.” According to the CDC, the funding is expected to boost the following four prevention strategies: providing HIV testing to those at high risk to increase the proportion of people who are aware of their HIV status; engaging HIV-positive people in ongoing care and treatment, helping them adhere to anti-retroviral therapy and ensuring they receive prevention and support services; ensuring high-risk, HIV-negative individuals have access to prevention and support services such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), high-impact behavioral interventions and screening for sexually transmitted infections; and distributing condoms to HIV-positive and high-risk, HIV-negative individuals. According to the CDC, Philadelphia and 49 other geographic areas represented the highest number of HIV diagnoses in 2011 and, thus, CBOs in these areas were targeted for the funding. Recipients of the funding will be required to monitor program impact and behavioral outcomes. The CDC will also provide technical assistance and support to the organizations to help ensure they are meeting prevention goals. n

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Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between June 15-21. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS. Do you bike in or around Center City? If so, you’ll want to check out www.phillypolicebikeregistry.com. Register your bike, upload a photo and get valuable bicycle-related information. INCIDENTS — At 9:30 a.m. June 16, a man ran past another man who was walking in the 1100 block of Market Street and snatched his cell phone from his hand. The suspect was described as a thin, 20-year-old black male wearing dark clothing. — At 12:10 p.m. June 18, a woman’s wallet was stolen from her handbag when it was on the back of a chair inside Au Bon Pain, 111 S. 11th St. The suspect was described as a black female with black and blonde hair, a heavy build and light complexion, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. — At 5:45 a.m. June 21, an employee entered ICandy, 254 S. 12th St., to clean and observed a male behind the bar attempting to steal liquor. The male fled, heading north on 12th Street. He was described as black,

News Briefing

about 30, 5-foot-8, with a goatee, wearing a gray sweatsuit. — There were three thefts of bicycles reported June 15-21: outside 1300 Locust St., 1300 Market St. and 310 S. 12th St. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — On July 17, while conducting surveillance in the area of Juniper and Walnut streets, Sixth District plainclothes officers observed a male steal an unattended bicycle. The 52-year-old suspect with an Overbrook address was charged with theft. — At 4 p.m. June 19, Sixth District Officers Chim and Gable arrested a male outside 1100 Locust St. who was wanted on a warrant for failure to appear for court. The 46-year-old suspect with a Harrowgate address was charged with contempt of court. — At 11:30 a.m. June 21, Sixth District Officer Barthelemy arrested a male outside 21 S. 13th St. who was wanted on a warrant for failure to appear for court. The 51-yearold suspect with a Bensalem address was charged with contempt of court. SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 2:50 p.m. June 15, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 13th and Locust streets. — At 3:40 p.m. June 16, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 215 S. Broad St. — On June 18, Sixth District officers issued citations at 7:25 p.m. outside 217 S. Broad St. and 9:30 p.m. outside 1300 Walnut St. n A Philadelphia jury sided with Anapol in May, but Downs has requested a new trial, citing multiple errors allegedly made by the trial judge. He’s also suing in federal court, and jury selection is set to begin on Sept. 11, with U.S. District Judge Luis F. Restrepo presiding.

Gay litigant gets new attorney Magistrate judge assigned to An openly gay attorney suing his former police-brutality case employer for workplace bias has selected a new attorney to handle his litigation. John A. Gallagher began serving as Jeffrey S. Downs’ attorney last month. He replaces Michael A. Bowman and Anthony C. Giletto 2d, who represented Downs during a two-week jury trial in May. “I’m excited about my legal representation,” Downs told PGN. “This case needs an aggressive lawyer to hit back at the tactics employed by defense counsel. John Gallagher is providing strong representation. Mike Bowman and Anthony Giletto have assisted in the transition.” Downs contends he was mistreated by his former employer, law firm Anapol Schwartz, due to his sexual orientation. But when he tried to get a new job, Anapol defamed him to a prospective employer, nixing the job offer, he said. He’s seeking more than $6 million in damages.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Lynne A. Sitarski has been assigned to handle the police-brutality lawsuit of Luis A. Berrios 3d. Berrios is suing Officer Michael Gentile for allegedly using excessive force when arresting him during a domestic disturbance in December 2010. He’s also suing Officer Robert Taverez and Det. Joseph Newbert for allegedly facilitating the excessive force. Berrios contends police were motivated by homophobia, noting that slurs and taunts such as “faggot” were hurled at him during the incident. On June 25, Sitarski ordered a pre-trial telephone conference for 3 p.m. June 29. Additional information about the conference was unavailable as of presstime. If the case isn’t settled, a jury trial is expected later this year. n — Timothy Cwiek

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EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Rick Snyder

Editorial

SCOTUS serendipity Breaking news and special issues are probably the two biggest headaches for the PGN staff. This past week, we had a lot of both — but their confluence is a welcome stress. We have long been planning to produce a double special issue this week — our coverage of this weekend’s Annual Reminder Day anniversary celebration, running simultaneously with our second-annual Special Section on LGBTQ Older Adults. What better way to mark the work of our earliest pioneers than with a section written by and for LGBTQ older adults — the people who have, for decades, fought for our right to be a community, yet who are often ignored by that same community? As this edition approached, another possibility began taking shape: The U.S. Supreme Court was expected to rule in late June on national marriage equality, with many pundits predicting a June 26 decision. Lucky for us, our photographer was slated to be in Washington, D.C., that day to receive a national photography award. Timeliness ultimately won out, with our photographer able to capture the historic moments outside the SCOTUS building. That all of these events converged in this one issue is serendipitous, to say the least. In planning for this edition, we were eager to pay tribute to the pioneers who weathered seemingly insurmountable obstacles to make a better future for our community. We wanted to highlight what America in 1965 looked like to convey just how daring their demonstrating was, let alone their commitment to simply publicly identifying as LGBT people. And we hoped to illustrate how those first steps those pioneers took, as they marched outside of Independence Hall, put us on a journey toward the creation of today’s modern LGBT community. Those aims were immeasurably strengthened by the SCOTUS ruling. In just about a 50-year span, our community went from demonstrating outside Independence Hall for basic respect for LGBT people to rallying outside that same spot in celebration of nationwide marriage equality. In those five decades, our community’s issues have been championed in the streets, in courtrooms, in the media, in legislative chambers, in homes and in countless other spaces. But all of the progress we’ve seen — and the unprecedented pace of that progress in the past decade — could not have been possible without our earliest champions. So we thank our pioneers — from the Reminder Day marchers to all LGBT people who weathered inequality and injustice. Every person who strove for the right to embrace his or her identity has helped move our community toward the history-making place we find ourselves in today. n

there is usually Fact: Michigan’s Republicans, who are good reason, it’s literally in charge of every branch of state a traumatic situgovernment, do not give a shit about kids. ation for a child. In case that wasn’t clear to the world, Whether the the Republicans rammed through a religious-exemption bill so that adoption child will later agencies that receive taxpayer money be reunited with could discriminate against LGBT folks his or her parlooking to adopt or foster children based ents or whether on their agencies’ so-called sincerely held that child needs religious beliefs. It’s important to note a permanent that faith-based agencies handle a big bulk new home, these of foster-care placements in the state. kids need some The law is so broad, actually, that agen- one, now, who cies can discriminate against any prospec- is willing to do the tough work of caring tive parents, for just about any reason. But for them during what is the most difficult make no mistake, the true aim is at the time of their young lives. gays. And now Michigan has made that more Why? Because the U.S. Supreme Court difficult by allowing ideology to trump was expected to — and did — overturn what’s best for kids. All so Republicans Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban, and can give gays and lesbians in the state yet the antigay right was another middle finger. And now Michigan has Astonishingly, Snyder flailing against that very real possibility. said via press release, just made that more So they’re looking for “We are focused on ways they can make life difficult by allowing ensuring that as many in Michigan harder for children are adopted to ideology to trump LGBT families. as many loving families See, Michigan doesn’t what’s best for kids. as possible regardless of allow same-sex couples their makeup.” All so Republicans to jointly adopt kids, This is at complete can give gays and les- odds meaning that, for many with the codificafamilies in Michigan bians in the state yet tion of discrimination Snyder signed his with same-sex parents, another middle finger. that name to. It’s clear that only one parent is a legal parent. The other, the family’s “makeup” is as far as the state is concerned, is just a more important than the “loving” part. live-in nanny. One would hope that, since Supporters of the bill are quick to point Michigan now has to recognize their parout that, should a prospective parent be ents’ marriages, the state would also recdenied based on an agency’s belief in a ognize that these kids have two parents. particular gay-hating sky god, said parents This antigay adoption law, signed before are to be referred to a different agency the ink was even dry by Gov. Rick Snyder, that’s willing to deal with “their kind.” is a warning to lesbian and gay couples Rumor has it that Snyder might have raising kids in Michigan: “You might win signed the antigay adoption bill in order this marriage thing, but we’re gonna fight to get support for a road-funding bill he you tooth and nail over your kids.” wants. Trading kids for pavement. That’s Snyder has a woefully unearned repunot a moderate move, and it’s not befittation as a moderate. He calls himself a ting of anyone who wants to call himself a “tough nerd” but what he is proving him- leader, let alone a decent human being. n self to be is tough on Michigan’s families, and not just the gay ones. D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since There are 13,000 kids in the state’s 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe care right now. The foster-care system it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the is complicated and rife with heartache. world, she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit We’re talking about a system that takes with her twin sister and teaches writing at the kids away from their parents, and while University of Michigan.

We want to know! If you are celebrating an anniversary, engagement, wedding, adoption or other life event, we would be happy to help you announce it to the community. Send your contact information and a brief description of the event to editor@epgn.com.

Op-Ed PGN

Rating Republicans on marriage Republicans, it’s no longer 1950. But, if sion was unconstitutional, then suggested you continue to take positions that are held states should ignore it. Here’s what I’d by only those born in 1950, like opposition say to that: Senator, you claim you always to marriage equality, you are destined to keep a copy of the Constitution in your suit go the way of the dinosaur. So how are the pocket. Would you please read it? If you Republican presidential candidates doing really knew the Constitution, you’d note on last week’s U.S. Supreme that the Supreme Court has the Court ruling on marriage equalright to interpret and rule on the ity? If this were school, what Constitution and our rights. Its mark would they get? You be rulings are the law of the land, the judge. whether we like them or not. Wisconsin governor and presSo your comments either show idential candidate Scott Walker an ignorance of the law and the stated: “The only next approach Constitution, or you’re blatantly for those who are supportasking people to ignore the law. ers of marriage being defined I guess we should expect that as between one man and one from a guy born outside of the woman is to consider pursuing United States. Can you show us your birth certificate, please? a constitutional amendment.” No other Republican presiSo here’s his problem with that. dential candidate voiced even a First, that approach is hypocrithint of support for the SCOTUS ical as, when marriage equality came to Wisconsin, he conMark Segal ruling — though Americans ceded that the marriage issue now overwhelmingly support was over. But now he’s taking another marriage equality. Are the Republicans stance. That’s not to mention that a constidestined to become irrelevant? n tutional amendment would take the support Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the of 38 states. You do the math. And really, nation’s most-award-winning commenwhen was the last time we had a constitutator in LGBT media. You can follow tional amendment? him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ Then there’s my favorite, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who became apoplectic MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter. after the ruling. He first stated the decicom/PhilaGayNews.

Mark My Words

Transmissions

Gwendolyn Ann Smith

A papal confrontation Pope Francis recently released an encyclical — a letter the pontiff sends to all the Roman Catholic Church’s bishops — addressing climate change. As you can imagine, many on the right wing were up in arms even before it had been penned. This particular encyclical letter, titled “Laudato Si,” speaks of the need to reduce the causes of climate change, putting the blame squarely on humanity in the process. It’s a great move by a pope who has been largely praised for being very progressive and forward-thinking, especially in the light of Pope Benedict XVI. Yet buried in this 184-page letter is something only tenuously related to the climate, and something much more in line with the core beliefs of the right wing than perhaps anything else in the encyclical. Pope Francis started by quoting his predecessor, who said in a 2011 address that “man too has a nature that he must respect and that he cannot manipulate at will. Man does not create himself. He is intellect and will, but he is also nature, and his will is rightly ordered if he respects his nature, listens to it and accepts himself for who he is, as one who did not create himself.” From this, Pope Francis said the following: “It is enough to recognize that our body itself establishes us in a direct relationship with the environment and with

other living beings. The acceptance of our bodies as God’s gift is vital for welcoming and accepting the entire world as a gift from the Father and our common home, whereas thinking that we enjoy absolute power over our own bodies turns, often subtly, into thinking that we enjoy absolute power over creation. Learning to accept our body, to care for it and to respect its fullest meaning, is an essential element of any genuine human ecology.” He continued, “Also, valuing one’s own body in its femininity or masculinity is necessary if I am going to be able to recognize myself in an encounter with someone who is different. In this way, we can joyfully accept the specific gifts of another man or woman, the work of God the Creator, and find mutual enrichment. It is not a healthy attitude which would seek ‘to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it.’” This is not the first time Pope Francis has made similar statements, and indeed, the last part of the previous paragraph referred to an address of his from last April. That address, on the family and subtitled, “Male and Female,” contained many attacks on gender theory. “I ask myself, if the so-called gender theory is not, at the same time, an expression of frustration and resignation, which

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Street Talk What's your opinion of Christians boycotting pro-LGBT businesses? "If I had my druthers, I'd like for there to be a law against those boycotts, because it's discrimination. However, you Abby Rubin can't outlaw graduate student idiocy. We Society Hill live in a free society. I just hope it doesn't gain any steam."

"I strongly disagree with their position. I'd never participate. But they have the right to organize boycotts. Rebeca Lee If someone server suffers South Philadelphia economically as a result, that's the price you have to pay to live in a 'free' society."

"I wouldn't think twice about avoiding a Christian event, so I have to give Christians the right to boycott Ed Robb pro-LGBT home relocator businesses. Lower Moyamensing But I don't think it will have any effect on Wells Fargo [targeted for a boycott by Franklin Graham]. They're a powerhouse. Good luck, Christians!"

"It's silly. It's an exercise in futility, but it's their right to do it, if they want to be ridiculous. And if they want to make Diana Hamm their lives bartender harder for no Queen Village good reason."

seeks to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it,” said the pontiff in that address. “Yes, we risk taking a step backwards. The removal of difference in fact creates a problem, not a solution.” I was not raised Catholic, and aside from assisting my father in photographing weddings at St. John Vianney, my personal experiences with Catholicism are largely academic. Indeed, my whole childhood experience has caused me to have a very strong agnostic streak. I don’t mind any belief that any one wishes to hold dear, provided it harms none. With the pope’s words, he’s gone against that. I think he is spot on when he speaks of the environment, about man’s greed and how that has damaged Mother Earth — but to take that same opportunity to tell transgender people to somehow “suck it up” seems nothing but hurtful. One of the hardest things for a person such as me to come to terms with is the very fact that their own physical body lies. It’s not a simple matter of accepting “what

God gave me,” any more than it is for someone born with a cleft palette. All that we go through simply to be comfortable in our own skins has little to do with having “absolute power over creation.” I want a better world, and I want the harm done to our environment to be addressed. I am happy to see the pontiff speak out while so many other leaders won’t. Yet this continual cycle of attacks on “gender theory” and transgender people from the pope is tiresome and hurtful. How many transgender people, brought up in the Catholic Church, is this harming? And how many may take their lives as a result? With that in mind, I don’t feel the good done by Pope Francis in “Laudato Si” fully outweighs the harm it can cause to transgender people — and he needs to take a new look at transgender people if he expects to be as progressive as many claim him to be. n Gwen Smith is not a nuclear weapon; she is a human being. You’ll find her on Twitter at @gwenners.

LEGAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Marriage: life, liberty and the pursuit of equality The historic June 26 U.S. Supreme through the required steps, it’s possible Court decision on marriage equality has (and actually likely) that all of the clerks given the LGBT community and our in a particular county could refuse on relicountry a new civil right, placing the rulgious grounds, thereby forcing people to ing firmly alongside Brown v. Board of shop from county to county in search of Education and Loving v. Virginia someone willing to sign their in history. Unfortunately, marriage license. equality does not mean accep To be clear, the majority tance and the reality is that the opinion upholds the First SCOTUS ruling will likely proAmendment, but the disduce new conflicts and intensify senters, and every religious old ones. conservative I’ve spoken to The most important new conthis week, are more skeptical. flict will be in deciding where Chief Justice Roberts went so our 14th-Amendment right to far as to state that “people of marriage begins and where the faith can take no comfort” in First Amendment right to relithe ruling, despite the clear gious liberty of people like Ted language by Justice Kennedy, Cruz and Rick Santorum ends? who emphasized that “reliAngela gions, and those who adhere The minute the decision came down, states like Mississippi, Giampolo to religious doctrines, may Texas and Alabama refused continue to advocate with to issue marriage licenses and utmost, sincere conviction other states are introducing laws that that, by divine precepts, same-sex marallow clerks to refuse to sign or issue a riage should not be condoned.” His statemarriage license based on religious objecments on religious freedoms seem pretty tions. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), straight-forward (no pun intended!) but a possible 2016 presidential contender, somehow Roberts found a way to read into plans to support his state’s Marriage and what’s not there. He argued in his dissent Conscience Act, which would allow both that while “[t]he majority graciously sugprivate- and public-sector employees to gests that religious believers may continue refuse to recognize same-sex marriages for to ‘advocate’ their views of marriage, the religious reasons. While the law tries to First Amendment guarantees the freedom ensure that an LGBT couple can proceed to ‘exercise’ religion and, ominously, that

Out Law

is not a word the majority uses.” Fundamentally, Roberts is arguing that Obergefell vs. Hodges has somehow curtailed the First Amendment and he, along with the other three dissenters, have created a firestorm among the conservative right which, in my opinion, will breathe new life into all of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cases we saw back in April. Amid the “bakery,” “pizza” and “wedding gown” cases where LGBT individuals were denied services for their weddings based on private business owners’ religious beliefs, more than 100 antiLGBT bills were introduced in 29 states — all centered on religious freedoms and all intentionally vague. Many people have asked me how the conservative right can undo or dull the effects of Obergefell vs. Hodges. Last year’s Hobby Lobby decision may be the legal precedent that LGBT opponents rely on. In this case, SCOTUS ruled that “closely held corporations” can decline to provide coverage for birth control in health-care plans they offer to their female employees if the coverage would violate the owners’ religious beliefs, prompting a firestorm between religious groups and LGBT-rights advocates. Within days, President Obama received a letter signed by more than 100 religious leaders, asking him to “respect this vital element of religious freedom” by exempting religiously

Snowflakes. Fingerprints. People.

At Pennswood Village, the power behind our community is

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affiliated groups from adhering to the LGBT nondiscrimination protections contained in his executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The next presidential election will be significant, as it is likely that the next president will appoint several Supreme Court justices. Roberts is the youngest and will likely be with us for the long haul. If the court is filled with Roberts and Scalia-esque appointees, not only will future litigation be decided against LGBT rights but, over time, Obergefell vs. Hodges’ holding could be chipped away. I implore the entire LGBT community to not become complacent at this very important juncture, especially the young LGBT generation, who has grown up in a predominantly safe and accepting world. Bigotry disguised as religious liberty is still bigotry, and the fight for newly minted constitutional rights is about to intensify. n Angela D. Giampolo, principal of Giampolo Law Group, maintains offices in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and specializes in LGBT law, family law, business law, real-estate law and civil rights. Her website is www.giampololaw.com and she maintains a blog at www. phillygaylawyer.com. Reach out to Angela with your legal questions at 215-645-2415 or angela@giampololaw.com.

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PERSONALITIES PGN

Day in the Life of ... By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Few people in Philadelphia know more about LGBT history in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection than William Way LGBT Community Center archives curator Bob Skiba. The center has collected archival materials since its inception 40 years ago. Skiba has helmed the John J. Wilcox Jr. Archives since 2006 and has become the go-to man for all things gay history — and a frequent interview source for many a PGN article. The self-described local history buff writes several history blogs: “Gayborhood Guru” on the history of Philly’s Gayborhood, a dance history blog and another on the history of drag traditions in Mummers organizations. He has also co-authored two books on Philadelphia history: “Lost Philadelphia” and “Philadelphia Then and Now.” Skiba is also president of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides, teaches ballroom dance, runs a dance company called the Mixed Pickles (American social dance from the Colonial period to the 1930s) and is regularly invited to speak about LGBT history at organizations throughout the city. When Skiba took over as supervisor of the center’s archives, the collection was in better shape than he expected. “It actually wasn’t one big mess,” he said. “The center has been collecting materials since the beginning but there have been volunteers doing their best to manage it the whole time, even though the center has moved a few times over the years.” However, there were many boxes that were completely uncatalogued. “There were a lot of unlabeled ‘surprise boxes’ of stuff that people just dropped off at the front door,” said Skiba. “Most of it was random stuff — utility bills, a copy of “Brokeback Mountain” — but every once in a while I find something that tells a story, that’s worth keeping.” Skiba said he also had to catalogue and chronologically order thousands of periodicals, including newspapers and magazines. “It took me two years to do that. It would not have taken so long if I hadn’t flipped through every one just to look at the old photos. That was the problem,” he joked. Skiba admitted that he has the right type of personality for what many would consider a tedious, if not boring, job. “I’m an anal-retentive person,” he said. “I’d rather come here where that type of craziness is appreciated than drive a boyfriend crazy because the spices are not in alphabetical order.” Among his first objectives with the archives when he took over was making their existence better known throughout the LGBT community.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

an archivist, Bob Skiba “A lot of people didn’t know they were here,” Skiba said. “The first thing was to get it known in the community and encourage individuals and organizations to give their artifacts and histories to us.” Now Skiba is working to promote the archives to the city at large. “We have joined organizations throughout the city like the Delaware Valley Activists Group and work with the Historical Society to make sure mainstream organizations know about us as a resource,” he said. Evidence of his progress is visible, as more and more students use the archives as part of projects for efforts like National History Day. “School kids, sixth grade through high school, have to do a history project and present it, either an exhibit, film or anything,” Skiba said. “I wanted to make sure we were listed as a resource. And more and more, kids are coming in and making use of it each year.” Three years ago, Skiba participated in a Historical Society small-repositories initiative, which aided immensely in his continued effort to better organize the materials in the archives. “They came in and they surveyed everything we had and kind of graded it according to usefulness for researchers and helped us get some of our catalogue online,” Skiba said. The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts also came in and surveyed everything for conservation needs. Both evaluations were instrumental in the center receiving a $300,000 grant from the William Penn Foundation last year for its archives. Among other things, the grant enabled the center to pay Skiba for the work he was doing (he had been volunteering until that point) and hire a part-time archivist, John Anderies, to help him. The two are now working to rehouse materials in archival-grade storage and to finish what remains to be catalogued. “About 80 percent of what we have here is catalogued,” Skiba said. “Which is very high for a volunteer-based community archive. We are doing great.” Skiba said the next step is to organize the materials in a way that will make them accessible to researchers and the general public alike. “That’s a very high priority,” Skiba said. “Once we get those things done, and create a policies and procedures manual, we can apply for another round of funding, including for specific projects like digitization.” But what exactly do the archives contain? On the day of my visit, Skiba showed me around to get a better idea. What follows is some of what I saw, and by no means a complete list: newspapers, periodicals, buttons, clothes, playbills, performance-art packets, movies, commercial

catalogues, pornography, matchbooks from gay bars and clubs, membership cards to private clubs, travel guides, a database of LGBT spaces in the city, photographs, gay pulp novels, audio recordings — and much more. With such a plethora of material, Skiba said that, looking ahead, he would like to focus more on collecting materials of local interest to the Philadelphia area. “We don’t need another copy of ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ There is so much gay stuff out there now, it would be

impossible to save everything,” said Skiba. “More and more, I like to think we are concentrating on local stuff that no one else will have — to document LGBT history here in this area.” As much as he knows about Philadelphia and its LGBT history, Skiba didn’t actually move to the city until the late ’90s. Before that, the Bayonne, N.J., native bounced around the country for about 20 years. “I moved to Vermont after college for love for eight years, then Minnesota for love and again to Philly for love and I’ve been here ever since,” he said. All the while, he was able to continue to pursue one of his passions — dance — which he said he first explored as an undergrad at Boston College. “I was involved in theater and senior year someone came through and gave a dance class. There was no dance at BC at that time and the theater-department head wanted all the actors to take it,” Skiba said. “The dance instructor said I moved well and should take more classes. So I did.” Skiba danced in a tap-dance company, a modern-dance company and was in the student group at the Boston Ballet. He also played renaissance and baroque music. “I have always done six different things at once. It’s my modus operandi,” he said. “I initially thought I was going to teach linguistics, which is what my degree is in, but somehow I got sidetracked.” Skiba also came out as gay while living in Boston, shortly after graduating, though he was married to a woman for a year

before doing so. “I was married to a woman for a year. Then realized I was gay,” Skiba said. “In the ’70s everyone thought they were bi. I didn’t have a problem with being gay. I was smart enough to say to myself, ‘I’m a decent person and if I am gay, then it must be OK.’ I never went through the tortured thing that so many people did.” However, coming out to his family was a somewhat different story. “I never came out to my parents. I tried to bring it up and they always edged away from it and made it obvious they didn’t want to talk about it,” Skiba said. “My divorce was a big-enough scandal for them. I told my two brothers and the rest of my family, though.” Despite not coming out to his parents, Skiba said he was grateful for the opportunity they gave him to attend a private high school in Manhattan. “Bayonne is right across from New York City. It’s very blue-collar. My father worked in a steel plant. But they put me in a private Jesuit school in the Upper East Side, and it was an eye-opening experience,” Skiba said. In 1979, Skiba began working on the Boston Area Lesbian and Gay History Project before moving to Vermont. “I have always had an interest in local history, and I kind of got my start in Boston before I moved,” said Skiba. “I do not have an archival degree, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I am doing here.” Skiba said he and his partner in crime, Anderies, are working on taking the archives to the next professional level. Both work part-time at the archives, but between the two, they manage to have someone there at all times. “I’m here about 16 hours a week, sometimes a little more. It just depends,” Skiba said. “But it’s great having a flexible schedule because it allows me to do other things like give tours, teach dance and work on my blogs.” The majority of his time of late was occupied with preparing the National Constitution Center’s LGBT exhibit, “Speaking Out for Equality: The Constitution, Gay Rights and the Supreme Court.” “We have been meeting every Friday morning for three years. What am I going to do with my Fridays now?” Skiba joked. Between ongoing projects at the archives, his keynote speeches around town and a new book in the works on Gayborhood history, Skiba will have plenty to do in the months ahead. “I know this stuff. I want to get it out there,” he said. “I can’t do nothing now that the exhibit is open. I just can’t. As a historian, I like to think that, unless you understand where you came from and why and how you got where you are today, you are not going to know how to move towards the future.” n

LGBTQ OLDER PGN ADULTS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

July is a remarkable month in history for LGBT older adults. Fifty years ago, the first Reminder Days protests were held, on July 4, 1965. Later that month, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Older Americans Act and legislation creating the Medicare and Medicaid health-insurance programs, all pieces of landmark legislation that have served to improve the lives of older

Americans over the past half-century. Twenty-five years ago, again in July, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, pushing forward the rights of all older adults and people with disabilities so they can age successfully and live independently in their own homes and communities. Five years ago this month, members of the LGBT communities con-

ducted the first needs-assessment survey of LGBT older adults in the Delaware Valley. That survey helped to identify the most pressing needs facing the older members of our LGBT communities. To address the issues identified in that survey, the LGBT Elder Initiative (LGBTEI) was formed. Today, the LGBTEI, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Gay

News, has assembled this Special Section on Older Adults that is designed to inform, educate and provide resources so that every member of our communities can age successfully at every phase of life. For more information, resources or to volunteer with the LGBTEI in its important work for our communities, email info@lgbtei.org or call 215550-1460.

Honoring our history and challenging our future By Heshie Zinman This Independence Day will have more meaning for LGBT older adults than almost any other July 4 in our community’s history. The steps that my friend, the fearless Barbara Gittings, and the other brave picketers first took in front of Independence Hall 50 years ago spurred a march that continues today for independence and equality for all of us. Those “Reminder Day” protests are, sadly, still relevant because we are not yet all equal under the law. Gittings and her fellow demonstrators pointed out that, although the Declaration of Independence claims that we all share the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” not all of us share that status. We are still not all equal, nor do we enjoy the same freedom to live our lives as we choose. Many of us remember the other remarkable changes that were taking place 50 years ago. Those changes affect us all today, in different ways than do Reminder Days. Fifty years ago, the Older Americans Act, Medicare and Medicaid, the Voting Rights Act and many other pieces of social-support and civil-rights legislation were enacted. They have given us many of the protections, resources and services that we need as we age. Twenty-five years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was added to the list of civil-rights legislation and it has

reduced discrimination and expanded access to the communities in which we choose to live and work. Yet, those laws are under attack today. Voting rights are being withdrawn. The OAA still does not recognize the unique issues facing LGBT older adults. In too many places in this country, it is legal to fire someone, deny them housing or refuse to serve them a meal in a restaurant because they are LGBT. The pushback against marriage equality will continue. Medicare and Medicaid coverage for older adults and people with disabilities continue to be used as political footballs that often leave the most vulnerable members of our communities without the care and services they need to remain independent and out of institutional care. Discrimination within our own communities, in the form of ageism, racism, sexism, HIV-apartheid and bi-, trans- and disabila-phobias, persists and weakens all of us. The challenge ahead is to continue the march that began on Reminder Day 1965. The voices raised against us and against our goals of equality and independence and dignity as we age will grow louder as we try to move forward. Silence on our part is not now, and never has been, acceptable. Five years ago, a group of community activists and aging-services professionals formed an organization dedicated

to assuring that members of the LGBT communities would have every right and opportunity to age successfully, at every age. Today, that organization, the LGBT Elder Initiative (LGBTEI), advocates for resources and services that will help us live independently and vibrantly in our own homes and communities. Advocating for those services and

The challenge ahead is to continue the march that began on Reminder Day 1965. The voices raised against us and against our goals of equality and independence and dignity as we age will grow louder as we try to move forward. Silence on our part is not now, and never has been, acceptable. resources is a challenge. First, we have to overcome the fact that we have been an invisible community because we have never been officially counted. Some actually say that there are no LGBT older adults in their communities, in their neighborhoods or even in their service areas. Getting the government to begin to count us is a critical first step in the development of programs designed to meet our needs as we age.

Creating awareness and building a collective community voice is also critical in this effort. And that voice must be strong enough to be heard over the voices that are pitched against us and that would still deny us our rights and our very existence. Complacency is not an option. Gittings and company put soles on the ground to make their point. Their physical presence was enough to shock the system and provoke the response that has led to change. Today’s tactics are somewhat different. We now sit at the table and debate, propose and discuss how to institute change and build inclusion. We sit at the computer and send messages of support out into the ether. We use small devices that fit into the palms of our hands to tell people across the country and around the world what we think and to urge them to act. But to be effective, we must all use all of the tools in our toolbox. We no longer shock, but we must convince. We must demonstrate political and economic strength. We must speak as one community seeking the rights and the ability to live our lives as equal to all other citizens, independently and free from the oppression of every form of discrimination that still exists. n Heshie Zinman is chair of the board of the LGBT Elder Initiative. He is a member of the Mayor’s Commission on Aging, serves on the boards of Rodeph Shalom and Center in the Park and is active in many other community organizations.

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A bumpy ride to my own Barbary Lane By Dawn Munro It comes to most working people, but I’d never really considered retirement. After all, as long as I was mobile, my brain still worked and I enjoyed what I was doing, so why would I want to retire? Unfortunately, my employer didn’t quite see it that way. Out of the blue I got a “position discontinuation” notice. I’d been continuously employed for 48 years since college, and this left me totally devastated. For about a month, I was just numb. Eventually, I came to terms with it. While I was employed, I’d had an employer-sponsored health plan, which allowed me enormous latitude in choice of physicians and facilities. Now retired, my options were dramatically changed and, for an elder trans woman, that’s of enormous importance. I didn’t know what Medicare would or would not cover and this reduced me to a state of panic, as I’d been struggling for two years with a serious illness. A visit to the family physician, who had provided my primary care for the last 20 years, gave me the reassurance that, once I signed up for Medicare, most of my needs would be covered. She was able to recommend a supplementary plan that would cover the rest. At this point, I still had no idea what my financial situation would be in the future. I regularly pass an SSA.gov (Social Security) billboard on I-95 that asks, “Are you one of the millions who’ve signed up for retirement online?” For me, the

answer was a resounding NO! After a fruitless attempt to sort things out online, I tried the phone number they provided. In retrospect, I think that contacting Comcast to cancel cable service might be just marginally less time-consuming. I made an appointment to visit my local (20 miles away) Social Security office. After four appointments, the last with an English/Chinese interpreter, I had gotten no further. In desperation, I called the lady who had been my HR representative while I was working. She suggested I just use a different Social Security office. I went to the University City location at 42nd and Market streets and after one 45-minute appointment, I walked out signed up for Medicare and retirement benefits, with details of what my income would be and a date for when the first payment would be made. There’s a lesson in this for others. For the previous 15 years, I’d lived in a small town outside of the city. I had socialized with colleagues from work and LGBT community friends in the city. Suddenly, I found myself in a situation where my budget would no longer cope with as many trips into the city and I began to feel increasingly isolated. The solution seemed logical. Move! But when I began to browse the ads on Craigslist, Back Page and in the South Philly Review and to talk to Realtors and others, it became obvious that, since I’d last considered relocating,

rental costs had increased dramatically. I began to explore other options but was unable to find something where I felt that I could be both safe and comfortable. This was extremely depressing and eventually a friend asked if I’d considered the John C. Anderson Apartments (JCAA). In truth, I hadn’t and, in fact, had been a little dismissive of it. The only time I’d ever been there had been on a wet, gray November day and it had seemed depressing. However, after having been invited to a couple of events and doing a book reading there, I developed friendships with a number of the residents and saw some of the apartments. I gradually warmed to the idea of living there. Eventually, I got around to applying and was over the moon when my application was accepted. I’m now excitedly planning my move. A friend recently asked me what my first impressions were and my response was, “I can see similarities between the residents of JCAA and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane, San Francisco,” as immortalized by Armistead Maupin in “Tales of the City.” “Well then,” she responded, “sounds like you’ll fit right in.” You know, I think she’s right. I will! n Dawn Munro is a biologist who was born in the United Kingdom and worked in Europe and the United States. She has a long history of social activism and was active in the Gay Liberation Front. A resident of the John C. Anderson Apartments, she serves on the boards of the LGBT Elder Initiative and PFLAG. She’s grateful to the Big Bang for giving us Planet Earth and to Italy for giving us gelato.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

10 keys to maintaining financial independence after retirement By Jeremy R. Gussick Whether you are already retired or are planning to retire in the near future, you’re preparing for a new phase of your life. You’ve worked hard and made many important decisions. Continuing to make informed, prudent decisions will keep you on your path of financial independence. Here are my 10 tips to help make your retirement enjoyable and rewarding. 1. Start with a plan You need to understand the short- and long-term impact of financial decisions you make. According to a study by Fidelity Investments, 57 percent of current retirees look back on the years before retirement and wish they had done more to prepare. Learn from those who came before you. Knowing you’ll have sufficient income to sustain your desired lifestyle throughout your retirement years is key to an enjoyable retirement. And that starts with a plan. 2. Retire debt-free, or as close as possible There is a sense of comfort when you live within your means and don’t have to worry about how the bills will be paid month by month. Use credit cards to take advantage of rewards programs and incentives; just be sure to only charge what you can afford to pay off each month.

3. Match expenses with sources of income Understand your monthly income needs: the fixed (food, mortgage/rent, taxes, health care) and the discretionary (dining out, entertainment, travel, charitable giving). Ideally, you should plan to have your fixed needs covered each month by guaranteed sources of income. Once you know your fixed needs, subtract out any pension and Social Security benefits. If you have a shortfall in income to cover your fixed needs, consider taking a portion of your saved assets to purchase a guaranteed income annuity to fill the gap. This will help minimize your dependence on investment performance during retirement. Instead, you can use potential investment growth and income to support your discretionary needs, which may give you more flexibility. 4. Do not file for Social Security early — consider delaying beyond full retirement age. According to the Social Security Administration, nearly seven out of 10 retirees filing for Social Security today are filing for their benefits early — meaning before their full retirement age (FRA).* By doing so, these retirees are locking in reduced benefits for the rest of their lives, sometimes reduced by as much as 25 percent. However, if you delay your benefits beyond your FRA, your benefit will increase by 8 PAGE 22 percent per

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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No one makes good decisions in times of crisis. Twenty percent of LGBT older adults report that they have no one to call for help at such times. Additionally, LGBT older adults do not have the “traditional, nuclear family” structure to turn to for support and care: 80 percent are single, 75 percent live alone and 90 percent have no children. Added to the lack of support structures for care when it is needed is the fact that LGBT older adults may need more care and assistance in order to age independently and successfully. Several studies indicate that LGBT older adults will need care and supports due to the onset of disabilities. One in five Americans has a disability; half of Americans over 65 have a disability. One estimate points to 62 percent of transgender older adults as having a disability. Knowing what kinds of services and supports are available, and how to access them, can help you remain independent, in your own home or community, rather than having to move to a nursing or other longtermcare facility. Here are some of the options for care that you should know are available if and when the need arises: Skilled Home Health Care: intermittent, skilled services provided in the home for the purpose of restoring and maintaining the patient’s maximum levels of function and health. This care covers a wide range of medical services and is provided by a licensed practitioner. These services are usually covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private health-insurance programs and must be ordered by a physician. These services are rendered instead of hospitalization or confinement in an extended-care facility or going outside of the home for the service. Outpatient and In-home Therapies: Physical, occupational and speech therapies are often covered by Medicare or private health insurance when ordered by a physician. These services, which can be provided in the home or through outpatient visits, can help you to recover from the effects of an illness or injury. Medicare may also pay for counseling if you are experiencing social or emotional stress related to an illness, injury or disability. Non-Medical Home Care: These services can include light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation to appointments, companion care, personal care, medication reminders and laundry. These services are generally fee for service, meaning that you pay for them out of your own pocket. Some longterm-care insurance programs or VA benefits may cover the cost. In-home support and home care can be

provided through Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). Every county in Pennsylvania is served by such an agency. To access in-home support services through an AAA, you must participate in an interview to determine if you are eligible based on your age, care needs and financial resources. A case manager will be able to tell you which services and how many care hours you are eligible to receive. The AAAs can help you access adult day centers and senior centers and can also help you connect with in-home support programs that include Meals on Wheels, nutritional support, mental-health counseling, home repairs, transportation assistance and protective services. (Note: Adult day centers provide a protective environment, personal care and recreational activities to persons who cannot remain safely at home or who are isolated at home alone. Senior centers provide a range of educational, health and wellness, recreational, nutritional and social activities to encourage older adults to remain active in the community.) The five Area Agencies on Aging in Southeastern Pennsylvania are: • Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA), 215-925-7333, www.pcacares.org • Bucks County Area Agency On Aging, 267-880-5700, www.buckscounty.org/government/humanservices/AAA • Chester County Department of Aging Services, 610-344-6350, www.chesco.org/ index.aspx?nid=135 • Delaware County Office Of Services for the Aging (COSA), 610-490-1300, www. delcosa.org/ • Montgomery County Office of Aging and Adult Services, 610-278-3601, http:// mcaas.montcopa.org/mcaas/site/default. asp? • To find the AAA nearest you, call 800- 677-1116. The Alzheimer’s Association also has many free and fee-for-service programs for anyone who has dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Call 800-272-3900 or visit them online at www.alz.org. LIFE programs: If you need “nursing-home level of care” as determined by a physician, but want to stay in your own home, LIFE (Living Independence for the Elderly) programs provide comprehensive medical and supportive services to those who qualify. These services help people meet their health-care needs in the community instead of going to a nursing home or other institution. In other parts of the country, they are often called PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) programs. They are Medicare and Medicaid programs. The LIFE program then becomes your insurance provider. PAGE 22

PGN ADULTS LGBTQ OLDER

Living together, independently By Ed Bomba Approximately 75 percent of LGBT older adults live alone. It is important, wherever we live, that we remain connected to others in the community for all types of supports. You have probably had the conversation with friends over the years in which someone suggested, “When we get older, we should buy a big house and all move in together. We can take care of each other.” Well, rather than taking that “radical” step and possibly ruining great friendships, here are some other options to consider. Some of us can take advantage of a beautiful living space like Philadelphia’s LGBT seniorfriendly John C. Anderson Apartments or Chicago’s Town Hall. Similar housing developments are popping up across the country. LGBT seniors can live together, in a communal-type space, with some programs and services available that enable them to remain independent in their own homes. Others choose a version of communal living found in a continuing-care community like Cathedral Village. Some live in a rowhome or condo or co-op. One or two may even live in the apartments they have lived in since they were kicked out of their parents’ home over half a century ago. Whatever the physical living space and situation, most of us will need some type of supports and help along the way so that we can continue to live independently, to take care of ourselves, for as long as possible. There are different ways to achieve that goal. Organizing support systems to help when help is needed along the way may be the key. One such model of organizing was started at the Beacon Hill Village in Boston in 2002. This type of Village is a dynamic program that helps older adults or younger persons with special needs to live independent lives in the neighborhoods they love. Center City Philadelphia’s Village is called Penn’s Village, a nonprofit, grassroots organization made up of a network of neighbors who volunteer to provide services and programs to their neighbors. These services and supports enable a diverse group of residents in central Philadelphia to live independently in their own homes, and stay active and socially engaged in their community. Penn’s Village coordinates access to the volunteer-provided services, which include transportation to medical appointments and other errands, assistance with simple chores inside and outside the home and access to a list of carefully screened preferred providers/vendors. Penn’s Village’s newest program, Health Pals, pairs specially trained volunteers with members to help them navigate the

health-care system. According to Jane Eleey, Penn’s Village executive director, “A Health Pal volunteer will work with a member to formulate questions, fill out forms, be a second set of ears and assist with follow-up instructions such as scheduling appointments and picking up prescriptions.” For LGBT older adults, the Village model can provide the back-up plan for those times when we do need assistance with a few activities, but can still remain in our homes and take care of ourselves. For more information about Penn’s Village and the Village model, call 215-925-7333. Another model of living together, independently, is called “cohousing.” Cohousing communities are intentional, collaborative buildings or neighborhoods designed to bring together the value of private homes with the benefits of more sustainable living. Residents actively participate in the design and operation of their building, and share common facilities and strong connections with neighbors. One cohousing community currently in the planning stages is Wissahickon Village Cohousing in Northwest Philadelphia. Vanessa Lowe, a member of the group, described it as “a group of people who come together to design the community. One difference from a traditional condo is that there is much more common space because we want to encourage community interaction.” Lowe explained that the cohousing philosophy is “conscious commitment to living as a community. Anyone can come and participate with us but, to be a member, we have an agreement that we ask people to sign that says that you are pledging that you want to live in this interdependent way. That you want to be involved with us and to be engaged.” For more information about the cohousing model, visit www.cohousing.org. Whatever living arrangements you choose, keep in mind the services, supports and connections that you may need from time to time in order to remain independent, in your own home and community. Planning in advance, knowing what resources are available and how to access them can smooth out those inevitable bumps in the road when you will need some type of assistance. For more LGBT senior-friendly housing resources, visit www.lgbtei.org. n Ed Bomba is the co-chair of Liberty Resources, Inc., Philadelphia’s federally designated Center for Independent Living. Bomba also serves on the advisory committee for Penn’s Village and is a volunteer with the LGBT Elder Initiative.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

LGBTQ OLDER PGN ADULTS

The Americans with Disabilities Act at 25: HIV/AIDS and the ADA: easthe impact on LGBT older adults ing the burden of discrimination By LGBT Elder Initiative

Twenty-five years ago, Congress passed, and President George H. W. Bush signed into law, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The ADA was designed to end discrimination against people with disabilities. The law has been challenged by opponents, interpreted by the courts and revised by Congress to clarify its intent and expand its coverage. Today, it stands as one of the highest forms of civil-rights legislation ever passed for people with disabilities in the United States. To help understand the impact of the ADA on the ability of LGBT older adults and people with disabilities to live independently as we age, the LGBT Elder Initiative spoke with one of Philadelphia’s outstanding disability-rights leaders, Thomas Earle, the chairperson of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, and CEO of Liberty Resources, Inc. (LRI), Philadelphia’s federally designated Center for Independent Living. LGBTEI: What were the three most impactful changes brought about by the ADA? TE: First, the ADA protected people with disabilities from employment discrimination by private and public employers. For the first time in this country, people with disabilities were able to apply for jobs that they previously would never have had a chance of getting. Second, employers had an affirmative duty to accommodate their employees with disabilities so they could more efficiently do their jobs — things like assistive technology and other equipment, basic access to facilities, alternative format materials and sign-language interpreters are just a few simple examples. Third, private businesses were required to become accessible to people with mobility impairments, including those using wheelchairs. Retail businesses, museums, movie theaters, restaurants, the whole gamut of places of public accommodation that able-bodied people routinely visit and use, were now required to remove architectural barriers so that people with disabilities could go there. LGBTEI: How has the ADA enabled older adults to live independently? TE: Philadelphia and

Pennsylvania have among the largest populations of seniors in the country. As people live longer, many acquire age-related disabilities, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes and vision loss. These people are also working longer, well into their older years. It is not uncommon now to see folks in their mid-60s and 70s seeking employment opportunities. Here at LRI, we just had a person apply for a job at 72. Under the ADA, people who want to stay active in the community and work longer are protected. The ADA has advanced the inclusion of people with disabilities into society through its important community-integration mandate. LGBTEI: What other benefits have resulted from the ADA? TE: We have seen that the ADA aids people who are older with the improved accessibility of our mass-transit system; fixed bus routes, Regional Rail or the El, many of SEPTA’s transportation options have improved under the ADA. Other significant improvements resulted from the “CurbCut Case,” which was based in Philadelphia. Ed Rendell, who was then mayor, challenged the ADA as an unfunded mandate. Our disabled community protested and rallied and a case was filed against the mayor and the city that said that, as the city resurfaced its streets, part of that work should also include putting in curb-cuts. The court agreed that the time to make an accessible feature is when you are in the middle of constructing something. Higher courts agreed and this interpretation of the ADA set a precedent for the country. Those curb-cuts we now see everywhere benefit many people today — seniors, people with baby strollers, delivery people, you name it. LGBTEI: Studies show LGBT people fear discrimination and abuse in nursing homes or institutional, longterm-care settings. How can older adults and people with disabilities avoid institutional care and remain in their own homes and communities? TE: LRI and other advocacy organizations are trying to help the government, at all levels, refocus funding from institutional care to community-based, in-home care. For consumers, knowledge is power and older adults and people

with disabilities need to be aware of what their community-based options are. Not everybody knows that there are alternatives to expensive and unnecessary nursing-facility placement. Right now in the United States, and Pennsylvania is no exception, the Medicaid-funded longtermcare system has what is called an “institutional bias.” Federal dollars have been used to automatically support someone’s entry into a nursing facility. This is done even though, for the past 15 years or so, there have been a growing number of community-based options for longterm care. These options exist throughout the city. Older residents with disabilities, including members of the LGBTQ communities, can receive services in community-based settings. Nursing-home care is very expensive and typically unnecessary and undesirable. Our statistics show that Philadelphia and other parts of Pennsylvania have the ability to serve up to three people in community-based settings for every one person we pay for to live in a nursing facility. The economics support what many older Americans actually want: to live longer, independently, in their own homes and communities. LGBTEI: What should older adults and people with disabilities advocate for so we can live independently as we age? TE: The need for affordable, accessible housing is critical in Philadelphia and impacts many different groups of people. Recent studies have shown that the city’s stock of rental housing is becoming unaffordable to the majority of working families, seniors and people with disabilities. It is important for the city and its community-development work to carefully ensure that, as development takes place, it is done in a way that does not displace longtime residents, including seniors. Our older adults must have the ability to live in the neighborhoods that they want to live in, and not be priced out of those areas. That is a huge undertaking. LRI and the Philadelphia Coalition on Affordable Communities are working to increase funding into the Housing Trust Fund so affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities will continue to be developed throughout all of Philadelphia. n

By LGBT Elder Initiative Twenty-five years old, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) supports people with disabilities by establishing their legal right to fully participate in society. Among the groups that have benefited from the strong protections of the ADA are people living with HIV and AIDS. More than half of the people in the United States who are HIVpositive are over 50 years of age. They often face discrimination based on their age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and/ or HIV status. The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania has provided free legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS for 27 years and has represented thousands of clients fighting discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. Ronda Goldfein has served as its executive director since 2000. Goldfein shared her thoughts with the LGBT Elder Initiative about the impact of the ADA on the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. LGBTEI: hat has been the impact of the ADA on people living with HIV/AIDS? RG: From its inception, the ADA was groundbreaking in its protection of people who were denied access to employment or services available to the public — including health care. Before the ADA, people with HIV were routinely turned away from necessary services and the workplace with no recourse. A doctor would say, “I am afraid of you, I don’t really want to treat you.” Employers would tell employees, “If you have HIV, it might cost me money down the road, so I am going to fire you.” With the ADA, people are, thankfully, forced to learn about transmission and hopefully come to the realization that people with HIV don’t present a risk in casual or workplace settings. LGBTEI: Does the ADA specifically cover HIV? RG: No, the ADA does not identify specific illnesses or conditions as disabilities, but the legislative history provides strong evidence that Congress

intended HIV infection to constitute a per-se disability. In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court in the Bragdon case ruled that a person with HIV was covered by the ADA, because the virus impacted activities of major life functions. LGBTEI: Has the ADA evolved over the last 25 years? RG: Yes, in 2008, the ADA was amended by the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA). The amendments were in response to two Supreme Court rulings that workers who used mitigating measures such as medication or assistive technology weren’t disabled, and therefore were not entitled to the protections of the law. The ADAAA requires courts to focus on whether discrimination occurred, rather than whether the individual seeking the law’s protection fits within the technical definition of the term “disability.” This is an important distinction for people with HIV, who, thanks to their medication, are well, but still need antidiscrimination protection because of the stigma that still exists. LGBTEI: How did the law impact your clients? RG: If a client came to us before 1992 because they had been discriminated against because they had HIV, the answer was, “Oh well, sorry about that.” But there was almost no legal remedy. It was not unlike somebody saying, “They fired me because I am gay.” The answer was, “It’s OK. They can do that.” The ADA gave people legal rights and protections. It made sure that people could remain in their jobs, could retain their health coverage. It assured people’s rights. LGBTEI: What is the impact that you see on your clients today? RG: A lot of the original issues were about people trying to keep their jobs so that they could have health insurance or people who wanted access to a doctor or a dentist. It got people some relief, some dignity while they were dying. Now, people with HIV have futures and the law supports the future that science made possible. We represented

PGN ADULTS LGBTQ OLDER

a 14-year-old student who was kicked out of school because he has HIV. Not only was he compensated for the impermissible decision to exclude him, but the school has since changed its policy and now admits HIV-positive students. LGBTEI: What would life have been like for the past 25 years for people with HIV/ AIDS without the ADA? RG: I think that we would not be seeing people in our workplaces. We, as a society, would be saying, “I don’t know anybody with HIV.” I think it would have impacted our entire way of thinking about people with HIV. They would have been the scary monsters in the night, not the guy who is sitting next to me on the bus. The ADA forced that conversation to happen and impacted how everyone perceives people with HIV/AIDS. Further, I think the support of legal protections empowered people to fight for better medicine. LGBTEI: What does it mean when people say that the ADA is a civil-rights law? RG: The ADA stops people from just saying, “Well, I don’t like those kinds of people and I won’t let them in my restaurant.” That is not permissible under the ADA. You cannot exclude people with HIV from whatever it is — a dental practice, a health club, a hotel, an airplane or a restaurant. What happens is that you hear people say things such as, “It is my gym, it’s my hotel, it’s my restaurant. I can do whatever I want.” Well, you can do whatever you want, as long as it is consistent with the law. If your business is open to the public, you cannot turn people with HIV away. LGBTEI: What would our lives be like today had the ADA not been the law for the past 25 years? RG: Our society would’ve been dramatically different without the ADA. I don’t want to say that the ADA forced the issue, but it probably did. It forced that conversation to happen and impacted how everyone perceived people with HIV/AIDS and people with disabilities in general. The ADA also meant that, when you are open for business, you are going to treat all of your employees fairly and you are going to serve everybody who walks or rolls in the door. Attitudes have changed. If the ADA had not been there to protect people so that they could be on the bus, at the barbershop, making your hamburger — to be in all those places where we all are — our attitudes about people with disabilities would be very different. They would still be the bogeyman, the other. But now, because people know and see people with HIV and other disabilities, it causes people to talk about it. It is the idea of awareness and familiarity and it helps reduce the fear of the unknown, of the different. The ADA has helped to open people’s minds, and doors. n For more information or assistance, contact the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania at 215-5879377.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTORY

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9. Protect your identity According to IBM, more than 1-billion records year between the ages of 66-70, or a total of 32 percent during those four years. If you file at 62, containing personally identifiable information were leaked in 2014 alone. Some tips to protect your benefits will be 76-percent less than if you filed at 70. Statistics show that, for partners who yourself: First, never click on a link in an email reach the age of 65, there is a 50-percent chance before verifying it with the person who sent the email — even if it comes from someone you that one will live to 92, and a 25-percent chance know. A simple click can give identity thieves one will live to 97. A single person age 65 today for only $25 per week access to your computer and other informacanwhen expect to live on average an additional 22 you run for years.* Unless have known health concerns, tion. Next, be sure to review your credit report a minimum of 8you weeks. at least annually. 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Supports for aging independently By David Griffith Aging comes with many challenges. Tasks that may have come easily to you in prior years, such as driving to medical appointments or shopping for groceries, may now include added obstacles. Managing finances after retirement can cause great stress, and staying connected with your social networks later in life can be difficult. Reaching out for support to deal with these challenges may feel like losing your independence. Even when you do seek out this support, navigating the aging-services network may feel like an overwhelming task. The good news is that there are several supportive resources and services available in the community that can help you maintain your independence as you age. Aging independently does not mean aging in isolation. Benefit programs can help you manage the costs of health care, housing and everyday living expenses. Social programs can allow you to build and maintain meaningful support networks. Services from local nonprofits can connect you with resources such as transportation, meal preparation and home-based care, allowing you to age successfully while maintaining independence.

The following list highlights a few of the services and resources available to older adults in the Greater Philadelphia region. These services are by no means an exhaustive list, but may be good starting points in finding community supports that meet your needs. These services are free and many can be easily accessed over the phone or Internet. Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) PCA is Philadelphia County’s Area Agency on Aging and connects older Philadelphians with a wide array of services. PCA contracts with approximately 200 community organizations to provide programs and services that support older adults. These services include transportation assistance, home-delivered meals, legal assistance, protective services and home-based care. PCA operates a telephone helpline (215-765-9040) to refer callers to programs, services and resources. If you live outside of Philadelphia, you can still receive services from your county’s Area Agency on Aging. Contact the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging at 800-677-1116 to be connected with the Area Agency on Aging that serves your county.

BenePhilly BenePhilly Centers offer free, one-on-one professional support to help you enroll in benefit programs such as assistance with food, shelter, utilities and prescription costs. Specialists at BenePhilly can help you enroll in programs including PACE (prescription assistance program), LIHEAP (heating assistance) and SNAP (food stamps). BenePhilly services are available to Philadelphia residents over 60 and with household incomes below $40,000. You can reach BenePhilly at 844-848-4376 or visit one of their six walk-in locations in person.

CARIE (Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly) CARIE operates the CARIE LINE, a free telephone-based advocacy and counseling service for older adults. Staff on the CARIE LINE can answer questions and provide referrals around issues such as housing, health care, insurance and elder abuse. The CARIE LINE also coordinates an Elderly Victims Emergency Security Fund (EVESF) that serves Philadelphians, age 60 and over, who are on a limited income and are victims of crime and abuse. To contact the CARIE LINE, call 215-545-5728 or 800-356-3606.

United Way The United Way offers a variety of supports for older adults and people with disabilities. Calling 2-1-1, the United Way’s free resource line, can connect you with programs and services that can improve your quality of life and help you maintain independence. Available services for older adults include home-delivered meals, transportation assistance and health-care services. Additional services include food banks, utility assistance, support groups, financial assistance and job training.

APPRISE APPRISE is a free, confidential health-insurance-counseling program designed to help older Pennsylvanians with Medicare, Medicare Supplemental Insurance, Medicaid and longterm care insurance. APPRISE counselors can help you to understand your benefits and make informed choices about your coverage options. Counselors can also advise on financial-assistance programs that may be available to help pay for your Medicare premiums. The toll-free APPRISE Helpline is 800-783-7067.

Resources for living independently Advocacy and community organizations

Health, social services and general info

CARIE (Center for the Rights and Interests for the Elderly) 215-545-5728 www.carie.org

AARP 888-687-2277 www.aarp.org

Equality Pennsylvania 215-731-1447 www.equalitypa.org LGBT Elder Initiative 215-550-1460 www.lgbtei.org Penn’s Village 215-925-7333 www.pennsvillage.org PFLAG Philadelphia 215-572-1833 www.pflagphila.org William Way LGBT Community Center 215-732-2220 www.waygay.org

ActionAIDS 215-981-0088 www.actionaids.org Alzheimer’s Association 800-272-3900 www.alz.org Bebashi 215-769-3561 www.bebashi.org/ CARES Program at LSH 215-426-8610 www.facebook.com/ LSHCARES?ref=hl Congreso 215-763-8870 www.congreso.net Mazzoni Center 215-563-0652 www.mazzonicenter.org

Philadelphia Corp. for Aging (PCA) 215-925-7333 www.pcacares.org Philadelphia FIGHT 215-985-4448 www.fight.org

Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference 215-563-0652 www.trans-health.org Transgender Health Action Coalition 215-732-1207 www.critpath.org/thac The TransLine Health Project 415-901-7120 www.project-health.org/ transline/ Trans-Health Information Project (TIP) 215-851-1822 www.galaei.org/ programs/transgender-health-tip/

United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey 215-665-2500 www.unitedforimpact.org

Legal services ACLU Pennsylvania 877-745-2258 www.aclupa.org AIDS Law Project of PA 215-587-9377 www.aidslawpa.org Community Legal Services 215-981-3700 www.clsphila.org Lambda Legal 212-809-8585 www.lambdalegal.org The Law Project of Southern New Jersey 856-566-3190 www.allabouthopenj.org/ law_project.html Mazzoni Center 215-563-0652 www.mazzonicenter.org

SeniorLAW Center 877-727-7529 www.seniorlawcenter.org

Government services and benefits City of Philadelphia Commission on Aging 215-686-8450 www.phila.gov/aging Commission on Human Relations 215-686-4670 www.phila.gov/ HumanRelations

William Way LGBT Community Center The William Way LGBT Community Center is a member of the SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) Affiliates Network and provides regular programming specific to older adults. Programs such as MorningsOut, Women’s Wednesdays and Silver Foxes offer free social, recreational and educational gatherings for LGBT older adults and provide meaningful opportunities for social interaction and community-building. You can receive more information on these programs by calling 215-732-2220 or visiting the center at 1315 Spruce St. in Philadelphia. Reaching out for support does not mean losing your independence. Rather, taking advantage of the supportive resources and services available in the community can enable you to better maintain your independence and age successfully! n David Griffith is the director of programs and outreach for the LGBT Elder Initiative. He can be reached at dgriffith@lgbtei.org.

Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs 215-886-2194 Helen.Fitzpatrick@phila. gov Police Advisory Commission 215-685-0891 www.phila.gov/pac/ Pages/default.asp Police Department liaison Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel 215-686-3318 Police Liaison Committee 215-760-3686 ppd.lgbt@gmail.com

Commission on People with Disabilities 215-686-2798 www.phila.gov/mcpd

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District Attorney’s Elder Victim/Witness Coordinator 215-686-8000 www.phila.gov/districtattorney/victim_ ElderAbuse.html

State & Federal

Pennsylvania Department Of Aging 717-783-1550 www.aging.state.pa.us/ MEDICAID 877-267-2323 www.medicaid.gov

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Affordable Care Act 800-318-2596 www.healthcare.gov MEDICARE 800-633-4227 www.medicare.gov Social Security 800-772-1213 www.ssa.gov

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SCOTUS from page 1

president said. Almost immediately after Friday’s ruling, same-sex couples rushed to clerks’ offices in the 13 states that had previously banned marriage equality: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Nebraska. Officials in Louisiana and Mississippi initially said they needed to wait for judicial orders from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals before licenses could be issued to same-sex couples, but the states finally fell in line on Monday. Obergefell v. Hodges was a challenge to Ohio’s ban on marriage equality that was consolidated with cases from Tennessee, Kentucky and Michigan. The four fell under the purview of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld Ohio’s ban — dissenting with other federal appellate courts and giving SCOTUS the split it needed to finally act on the issue. The ruling came two years to the day after SCOTUS issued another landmark ruling in a case brought by Philadelphia RALLY from page 1

“Enjoy the happiness of the moment but none of us can be free until we’re all free, none of us have rights until all of us have rights,” he said. “Let us end discrimination of all kinds in the United States of America because that’s who we are — that’s why we’re Americans.” William Way LGBT Community Center executive director Chris Bartlett also addressed the need for ongoing activism. “We can now marry in all 50 states but, in many states, that marriage can result in the loss of your job,” he said, prompting chants of “shame” from the audience. “Many other important protections still do not exist for the LGBT community; transgender equality, immigration reform and economic justice are just a few of the major pieces of work still to be addressed. So let’s enjoy this sweet moment of success and celebration and then take the energy and passion we have used with such effect to continue to pursue the path of full equality set forth in front of Independence Hall 50 years ago,” Bartlett said, referring to the Annual Reminder Day marches that took place in Philadelphia five decades ago. The significance of the 50th anniversary was addressed by many on the speaker list, which included: GALAEI executive director Elicia Gonzales, Democratic mayoral nominee Jim Kenney, American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania executive director Reggie Shuford, Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations executive director Rue Landau, youth leader DeAngelo Cameron, the Rev. Jeffrey Haskins and business leader Christopher Labonte. The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus closed out the rally with a performance of “Chapel of Love.” The hundreds who gathered included seniors, families, allies and even 50 elementary-school students from out of state.

MARRIAGE PGN EQUALITY

native Edie Windsor, which struck down a key portion of the federal ban on same-sex marriage. That decision allowed legally married same-sex couples access to some federal benefits but left open the question of whether states could ban same-sex marriage. June 26 was also the day, 12 years ago, when, in Lawrence v. Texas, SCOTUS stuck down sodomy laws across the country. Kennedy authored both opinions. The Williams Institute estimated that about 150,000 same-sex couples live in the states that had lacked marriage equality; the organization puts the total number of samesex couples in the nation at about 1 million. Pennsylvania became the 19th state to sanction marriage equality on May 20, 2014, when a federal judge overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. A landslide of court decisions followed, bringing the total number of U.S. states with marriage equality to 37, plus Washington, D.C., prior to this week’s landmark ruling. Community leaders in Pennsylvania praised the ruling but cautioned that LGBT Pennsylvanians still had a way to go for full equality, given the state’s lack of an LGBT-

inclusive nondiscrimination law. “It’s a truly great day when every person in America is treated equally when it comes to marrying the person you love. We couldn’t be more pleased with the court’s decision and this will mean a lot to couples and their families all across the country,” said Equality Pennsylvania executive director Ted Martin. “However, this victory is bittersweet here in Pennsylvania, because, as most Pennsylvanians are shocked to learn, it is still legal to be fired from your job, turned away from a business or evicted from an apartment just because of who you are or who you love.” Mazzoni Center legal-services director Thomas Ude also lauded the ruling while remaining mindful of the work ahead. “It’s a terrific, great ruling and another tremendous step forward for same-sex couples. It takes us the furthest towards equality yet,” Ude said. “Pennsylvanians can now be assured that their marriage will be respected in all 50 states they travel to or through. But there is still a lot of work to be done to make sure people’s lived experiences match that equality.”

Even though federal equal-opportunity law does protect from discrimination based on sex, through which Ude said precedent has been set to protect LGBT individuals in certain cases, state-level laws are still necessary in Pennsylvania and the 30 other states that lack measures covering both sexual orientation and gender identity. “Explicit protections like [those in] HB 300 that Sen. Farnese and others plan to re-introduce remain incredibly important and will continue to be,” Ude said. “While there is some remedy through federal sexbased discrimination laws, people need more immediate protection.” State Rep. Brian Sims (D-182nd Dist.) echoed Martin and Ude’s excitement and caution. “I am thrilled for our country that the Supreme Court has come down on the side of equality. At the same time, I am concerned for people who are at risk of getting fired for getting married,” said Sims. “In most of Pennsylvania and many other states, it is still legal to fire someone or deny them an apartment, a hotel room or a table in a restaurant because they are LGBT.” n

Kevin Taylor and Jeff Becker, both 33, said they were still reeling. “My boss got an email update and I grabbed the mouse and clicked out and almost passed out in his office, I was so happy,” Taylor laughed about hearing the news of the SCOTUS ruling. “It’s nice to know that I can go anywhere in this country now and not have to worry that I’ll become magically unmarried at the border of the state,” Becker said. The couple got married Oct. 26, 2013, and said they experienced firsthand the dangers of marriage inequality while on their honeymoon in Florida. “Jeff got really sick on the honeymoon so we had to go to the emergency room in the middle of the night. I was very well aware of what the laws were like in Florida and was so terrified the whole way to the hospital that the doctors wouldn’t give me medical information on my husband,” Taylor said. “It turned out fine but I’m so grateful now that no one in this country is ever going to have to experience something like that again.” “Surreal” was a word echoed by many at the rally. “It’s emotional and it’s great but it doesn’t feel real at the same time,” said Tracy Levesque, 44. “I would never have thought things would happen so quickly, so it’s exciting and strange at the same time.” Marcello Brening, 36, agreed that the rapid pace of marriage equality in the past few years makes the moment hard to believe. “My boyfriend said it best when he said that, when you’ve been repressed and denied this right for so long, when it comes true, you still don’t know what it really means,” he said. As the country comes to terms with the new reality of marriage equality, Levesque said, she’s optimistic that that process will

advance other LGBT-rights issues. “Even more fundamental of a right than marriage is the right to housing and job security, but the fact is that LGBT folks still get fired in many states, denied housing in many states and that’s completely legal right now,” she said. “This is a big victory and I’m hoping that now all those other things are going to fall into place.”

Court made its ruling so I just had to come here,” he said about the Constitution Center. “It’s amazing. Now if we decide to retire and move, we can go to any state and feel safe doing that.” The ruling was also particularly meaningful for Richard Brannon. The 20-yearold Philadelphia resident moved here about a year-and-a-half ago from Georgia, one of the handful of states that had yet to sanction marriage equality before Friday. “When I came to Philly, I had never really been in an environment that was this open before,” he said. “So any time something like this happens, I want to be where the action is, to celebrate.” Brannon was also on hand for last year’s rally when Pennsylvania legalized samesex marriage, which happened to come on his birthday. He said that, while he expected the nation to eventually follow suit, the reality of that happening is exhilarating. “It’s not very shocking because I think most people felt like this was coming for a long time, but it’s still very relieving that this finally happened,” he said. “There are of course still a lot of issues that have to be tackled in the LGBT community — marriage isn’t the final stopping point — but it’s still very exciting.” That notion of continuing forward was shared by Bill Fedullo, 21, an intern with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, who followed the ruling announcement with his colleagues in their conference room. “We’ve had this in Pennsylvania for a year now and that was really exciting when that happened, but it’s nice that we can now extend this right to couples throughout the country,” he said. “It’s obviously not the end of the LGBT-rights movement, but it’s a pretty significant victory and it’s good that our country is finally recognizing the rights of LGBT couples.” n

National Constitution Center Immediately after the ruling, the National Constitution Center opened its doors for a Civic Gathering, inviting visitors to learn about the ruling through realtime updates and explore the “Speaking Out for Equality” exhibit free of charge. A few LGBT-rights supporters milled about outside the center, one man carrying an American flag on his shoulder as he rode his bike in a circle, and even former Gov. Ed Rendell made an appearance. The wording of one of the exhibit’s interactive displays was quickly changed Friday to “the Supreme Court will decide” to “the Supreme Court has decided,” and William Way LGBT Community Center archivist Bob Skiba said other updates will be made to ensure accuracy. With the Reminder Day celebration this weekend, Skiba said the timing of the ruling couldn’t have been more perfect. “The Supreme Court has been saying over the past couple years that this is all very new, we need to move cautiously,” Skiba said. “But it’s not new; people have been working towards today for at least 50 years. It finally gained momentum but today we’re seeing the fruits of all that work over the last 50 years.” The longevity of that fight was especially meaningful for Jerry Rineer, a Philadelphia resident who married his partner of 30 years last August in Pennsylvania. “He sent me a text and said the Supreme

MARRIAGE EQUALITY PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

when the past and the future met By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com By a fortunate coincidence, my boyfriend Micheal and I were already planning to be in Washington, D.C., the night of June 26 for an awards ceremony. Taken on its own, the honor and delight of receiving a nationally recognized award at the National Press Club was something I had only imagined during my decades in photography. But when the long-awaited marriage-equality ruling wound through and towards the end of June, and the speculation of that anniversary date being the big day, we couldn’t pass on the possibility and opportunity of being at the Supreme Court as the decision was announced. When we arrived at the Supreme Court steps around 9 a.m., there was a crowd of about 300 people milling about and a press campsite established, with a line next to it a half-block long of people still hoping to get inside the building, long after the doors had been opened for admittance and closed.

June 26, 2015 — U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of a nationwide right to marry for all samesex couples.

There were people from across the country — Vermont, Michigan, Washington, Texas, California, Ohio, Alaska and more. There were people from Puerto Rico, Canada and England and probably other countries as well, all comingled with security, media and tourists. Several families visiting D.C. even stopped to learn what was going on. As minutes crawled, the constrained excitement of the crowd was almost palpable. Would the ruling be today? Would we be victorious? Would there be stunned silence and incomprehension if the case went against us? The tension reached the critical point just before 10 a.m. Hundreds more had arrived to witness history being made and the crowd swelled to easily over 3,000 people. All eyes were on the Supreme Court building waiting for the “running of the interns,” that time-honored delivery system of the word from on high to the common folk on the street. My thoughts turned towards the marchers at Independence Hall from almost exactly 50 years

May 22, 2015 — Marriage equality wins in a landslide vote in Ireland, making the country the first in the world to legalize same-sex marriage through public referendum.

prior. We were again standing up for our rights and our beliefs, this time waiting for the outcome of a fight that had consumed decades. It was as if we were at a juncture between history and the promises of the future. Then they came. Sprinting from the courthouse towards each of their respective news outlets they ran. In those seconds, my joy and pride in being a part of this elite group as millions of other LGBT brothers and sisters waited for news was unparalleled.

April 28, 2015 — SCOTUS hears oral arguments from both sides in the Sixth Circuit cases, consolidated as Obergefell v. Hodges.

Jan. 16, 2015 — SCOTUS agrees to hear four marriage-equality cases from the Sixth Circuit.

The crowd cheered the runners even before the decision was announced. Seconds later, it got louder — the joyful cheers of thousands of LGBTQA people who were getting word one by one and in small groups that victory had been declared, and we were now all equals to the masses who were already granted marriage rights. It did not subside for at least a full minute. It was as if we were in a massive group hug and love was pouring through the crowd.

Nov. 19, 2014 — A federal judge in Montana overturns that state’s ban on marriage equality.

Some danced, many cried. And as every detail emerged, the celebrating just got broader. Thousands of celebratory photos, Tweets and posts locked up social media as our friends and some of our families re-shared the good news. Just being there, in the midst of all the joy, is an experience I’ll never forget. As the minutes ran on and everyone intermingled, I saw three young gay men talking with one of the very-few demonstrators of the opposition. Talking, not yelling at each other, not calling each other names or even belittling their stances. They were having a conversation. My hopes are that this was another small step towards understanding, and that it will not be the last. I get emotional still when I think of that morning. The past had caught up to the future and we looked it right in the eye, tears and everything. Just like other momentous moments in history where people remember where they were when they heard the news, we will remember June 26, 2015. We were there. n

Nov. 12, 2014 — A federal judge in South Carolina overturns that state’s ban on marriage equality.

Nov. 6, 2014 — The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upholds marriage-equality bans in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, the first federal-appeals court to do so.

Looking back at how we got here June 26, 2015, will go down in history as one of the most significant days in LGBT history. While the country’s marriage-equality laws changed almost instantly with the U.S. Supreme Court’s seminal ruling, that day was decades in the making. For years, LGBT-rights advocates have lobbied, lawmakers have debated, voters have flocked to the polls, attorneys have argued, allies have educated and, every day, LGBT people have courageously put a face to the issue. From legislative successes to court rulings to public-opinion advances, the pinnacle of victory we experienced last Friday stands on the shoulders of years of individual battles bravely fought by our advocates and allies. Puerto Rico: June 26, 2015

Ireland: May 22, 2015

Marriage equality

March 2015

Bans overturned, pending litigation

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

October 2014 — On Oct. 6, SCOTUS decides not to hear challenges to rulings overturning bans on same-sex marriage from the Fourth, Seventh and 10th Circuit

Courts, letting the rulings stand in Indiana, Wisconsin, Utah, Virginia and Oklahoma. Over the next two weeks, marriage equality comes to Idaho, Nevada, Colorado,

SCOTUS Fast Facts Marriage: Same-sex couples should now be able to legally wed in all 50 states. Undoubtedly, some clerk or probate judge is going to refuse to issue a marriage license (likely citing a religious objection). If this happens, contact agencies like the American Civil Liberties Union or Human Rights Campaign. Domestic-Partner Benefits: While it may seem like there is no longer a need for domestic partnerships now that marriage is legal across the country, HRC has recommended employers keeps these benefits in place, mainly because of the lack of LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination legislation in certain states

West Virginia, North Carolina, Alaska, Arizona and Wyoming through state and federal court decisions.

Sept. 4, 2014 — The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upholds lower-court rulings striking marriage-equality bans in Indiana and Wisconsin.

Sept. 3, 2014 — A federal judge in Louisiana upholds that state’s ban on marriage equality, the first anti-marriage-equality ruling in a string of advances.

that leaves LGBTs vulnerable to adverse employment action. Employees are strongly encouraged to examine the benefits of marriage versus domestic-partner benefits at their place of employment.

same-sex marriage, then nothing changes when filing your taxes this year. If your state previously banned marriage equality, you and your same-sex spouse will now be able to file as “married” on your state return.

Parent-Child Relationships: Same-sex marriage will guarantee equal parental rights, right? Not necessarily. Again it depends on what state you live in, and your biological relationship to the child (or lack thereof). It is still strongly recommended that every parent who is not a biological parent — married or not — get an adoption or, if possible, a court judgment of parentage.

Health Insurance: Newly married couples in their home state will be able to enroll for health insurance through the federal marketplace during a 60-day “special-enrollment” period. Married same-sex couples already have the right to enroll in any Affordable Care Act “family” or “spousal” plan. If your employer offers insurance to employees and their spouses, same-sex spouses must have equal access to these benefits.

Taxes: If your state, like Pennsylvania, already allowed

— compiled by Ryan Kasley

Aug. 21, 2014 — A federal judge in Florida overturns that state’s ban on marriage equality.

July 28, 2014 — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturns bans in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia.

“We recognize that same-sex marriage makes some people deeply uncomfortable. However, inertia and apprehension are not legitimate bases for denying same-sex couples due process and equal protection of the laws.” — Fourth Circuit Court, July 28, 2014

PGNEQUALITY MARRIAGE

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Philadelphia FROM PHILLY, wITH LOVE: Hundreds gathered outside Independence Visitor Center June 26 for a Decision Day rally to celebrate the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Sponsored by dozens of local organizations, the rally included remarks by political, business and faith leaders, many of whom remarked on the stunning success of the day but urged LGBTs and allies to continue to press for issues like LGBT nondiscrimination protections and transgender equality. The event was held across the street from Independence Hall where, just about 50 years ago, the Annual Reminder Day marches staged one of the nation’s first LGBT-rights demonstrations, imagery referred to by many of the speakers. Photos: Jen Colletta

July 18, 2014 — The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the lower court’s ruling striking Oklahoma’s ban on marriage equality.

June 25, 2014 — The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the lower court’s ruling striking Utah’s marriage ban, becoming the first appellate court to rule on

marriage equality since DOMA was struck down.

May 20, 2014 — A federal judge in Pennsylvania overturns the state’s ban on marriage equality; the governor declines to appeal the following day.

May 19, 2014 — A federal judge in Oregon overturns that state’s ban on marriage equality.

Dec. 19, 2013 — The New Mexico Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage.

2014

Nov. 20, 2013 — The Illinois General Assembly approves marriage equality. Nov. 13, 2013 — The Hawaii legislature approves marriage equality.

“The Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right to marry, establish a family, raise children and enjoy the full protection of a state’s marital laws. A state may not deny the issuance of a marriage license to two persons, or refuse to recognize their marriage, based solely upon the sex of the persons in the marriage union.” —1oth Circuit Court, June 25, 2014

United Kingdom (England, Wales, March 13, 2014 Scotland, March 12, 2014)

Luxembourg: June 18, 2014

Marriage equality Bans overturned, pending litigation

March 2014

Civil unions

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

MR. INTERNATIONAL LEATHER PATRICK SMITH (LEFT) AND MR. DC EAGLE DAN RONNEDBERG. SMITH wILL BE IN PHILADELPHIA JULY 4.

PHILADELPHIANS IN D.C.: HOPE BRINN (TOP) AND MIKE BANNAN

Sept. 27, 2013 — A state-court judge in New Jersey overturns that state’s ban on marriage equality.

July 24, 2013 — Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes becomes the first Pennsylvania official to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

July 9, 2013 — The first-ever lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage is filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Hangley Aronchick.

June 28, 2013 — Same-sex marriages resume in California following the SCOTUS ruling.

June 26, 2013 — In Windsor v. United States, SCOTUS finds Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, paving the way

for federal benefits for legally married same-sex couples; the court also overturns California’s Prop. 8.

May 14, 2013 — The Minnesota legislature approves marriage equality. May 7, 2013 — The Delaware General Assembly approves marriage equality.

2013 Delaware vote: House 23-18, Senate 12-9

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Washington, D.C. D.C. D-DAY: Thousands gathered from across the country and beyond to witness history in the making, some arriving hours before the announcement that was delivered shortly after 10 a.m. Even though there was no guarantee that the decision was going to be made that day, or even be in their favor, the crowd was nonetheless energized. A diverse bunch, but young, gay males were the predominent demographic, a testament to the belief in and power of the commitment of marriage. Photos: Scott A. Drake

May 2, 2013 — The Rhode Island General Assembly approves marriage equality.

Nov. 6, 2012 — Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington legalize marriage equality through public referendums, the first states in

the nation to do so. The same day, voters in Minnesota reject an antigay-marriage constitutional amendment.

May 9, 2012 — President Barack Obama becomes the first sitting American president to say he supports marriage equality.

June 24, 2011 — The New York legislature approves marriage equality.

2013

2012

August 2010 — CNN releases the first-ever national public-opinion poll to find a majority of Americans in favor of marriage equality.

2011

Dec. 18, 2009 — The Council of the District of Columbia approves marriage equality.

2010 Portugal: June 5, 2010

Brazil: May 14, 2013

Denmark: June 15, 2012

France: May 29, 2013

Argentina: July 22, 2010 Iceland: June 27, 2010

Marriage equality

March 2013

Civil unions

MARRIAGE PGNEQUALITY

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

SCOTUS Sound-Off Reaction to Friday’s landmark marriage-equality ruling poured in from all corners of the country. Here’s a sampling of what some of our local leaders said about the ruling: “This is a historic and joyous occasion. We should all be proud of this victory for equality, freedom and love. It is an important step on this country’s journey to full acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.” — Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania “Love prevailed in the Supreme Court decision. The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental right that dates back to the very founding of this nation. LGBTQ rights are human rights, and everyone deserves to be able to marry the person they love. I’m proud to support marriage equality in Pennsylvania and beyond.” — Lt. Gov. Mike Stack “I am thrilled for our country that the Supreme Court has come down on the side of equality. At the same time, I am concerned for people who are at risk of getting fired for getting married. In most of Pennsylvania and many other states, it is still legal to fire someone or deny them an apartment, a hotel room or a table in a restaurant because they are lesbian, gay,

June 3, 2009 — The New Hampshire legislature approves marriage equality.

bisexual or transgender.” — State Rep. Brian Sims “Today’s landmark Supreme Court decision affirming the legality of same-sex marriage is a victory not only for same-sex couples, their families and children, but affirms the rights of all citizens for equal treatment under the law.” — PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane “There are hardly words to describe how excited we are. Marriage equality is a constitutional right. We’re honored that New Jersey was a leader in the marriage-equality movement, and we’re simply elated to see the rest of the country join us in celebrating love and justice.” — Garden State Equality executive director Andrea Bowen “The Philadelphia Bar Association applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges holding that the Fourteenth Amendment requires a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out of state.” — The Philadelphia Bar Association “I join with millions across our great nation in celebrating this landmark decision to affirm marriage equality in the

April 7, 2009 — The Vermont General Assembly approves marriage equality. April 3, 2009 — The Iowa Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage.

Nov. 12, 2008 — Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Connecticut following a state-court decision.

2009

“We are firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective. The legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of persons from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification.”

United States of America. This is a monumental step forward in our country’s pursuit of equal rights for all. Today, everyone who has fought so hard for this moment can stand proud knowing that marriage is a fundamental right. It is a proud day for America because love has won.” — PA Congressman Chaka Fattah “This morning’s Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges is the last hurdle for same-sex couples seeking marriage equality. The justices found that the Constitution guarantees equal treatment under the law for LGBT Americans, which is a right extended to state-issued marriage licenses. All Americans can marry whomever they love no matter what state they live in; when they travel from state to state, the legal status of their marriage is recognized by law everywhere. This is a great day for all of Pennsylvania’s families.” — Michael Morrill, executive director of Keystone Progress “Today’s decision, written by Justice Kennedy, puts America on the right side of history by making clear that the 14th Amendment requires states to license a marriage between people of the same sex. This decision sets our nation one more step forward on the path to full equality under the law. Those of us who have

Nov. 4, 2008 — Voters in California approve Proposition 8, ending six months of marriage equality in that state.

2008 Prop 8: Yes 7,001,084 (52.24 percent) No 6,401,482 (47.76 percent)

Sept. 6, 2006 — The California legislature becomes the first state in the nation to approve a marriage-equality bill, which was later vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

2008

fought for years for marriage equality are overjoyed. We all owe a great deal of gratitude to Mr. Obergefell and his stellar legal team.” — Adrian Shanker, BradburySullivan LGBT Community Center executive director “Today’s ruling is a tremendous victory, but it is also a call to action. Philadelphians must rally together and demand a statewide nondiscrimination law that protects on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. As one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in the nation, it is our responsibility to continue fighting until complete equality is a reality in every corner of this state and this country.” — Jim Kenney, Democratic nominee for Philadelphia mayor “In Philadelphia, wise minds settled the matter of equality decades ago, making it illegal to fire people or deny them public accommodations and everyday rights simply based on who they love or how they identify themselves. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today on marriage equality now makes it clear that Pennsylvania and other states must catch up to such thinking, and make equality and nondiscrimination the law of the land.” — Rue Landau, executive director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations

Nov. 18, 2003 — The Massachusetts Supreme Court makes that state the first in the nation to sanction same-sex marriage.

2006

Dec. 9, 1999 —The Hawaii Supreme Court, bound by the new restrictive constitutional amendment, dismisses the couples’ challenge and leaves standing the denial of marriage.

2003

“That same-sex couples are willing to embrace marriage’s solemn obligations of exclusivity, mutual support, and commitment to one another is a testament to the enduring place of marriage in our laws and in the human spirit.” — Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, GOODRIDGE vs. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Nov. 18, 2003 Spain: July 3, 2005

— Iowa Supreme Court, 2009

Sweden: May 1, 2009

Norway: January 1, 2009

South Africa: November 30, 2006

Canada: July 20, 2005

Belgium: June 1, 2003

MARRIAGE PGN EQUALITY

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

New York City Pride BIG APPLE BONANZA: About 2-million revelers are estimated to have lined Fifth Avenue for New York City’s Pride March June 28. Held two days after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that brought marriage equality to all 50 states, marriage revelry was common throughout the day: The parade kicked off with a same-sex marriage outside Stonewall Inn, officiated by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo; the crowd burst into sporadic chants of “all 50 states;” and many parade participants — who numbered more than 60,000 — held signs thanking SCOTUS and announcing engagements. The largest Pride parade in the world was also a star-studded affair, featuring appearances by “Orange is the New Black” actors Lea DeLaria, Adrienne Moore and Jackie Cruz, as well as grand marshals Sir Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi. Photos: Brooke Lutz

Sept. 22, 1999 — California adopts the country’s first domestic-partnership law.

1999

The Netherlands: April 1, 2001

May 1998 — ThenPhiladelphia Mayor Ed Rendell signs the city’s domesticpartner measure into law.

Oct. 8, 1996 — Then-Gov. Tom Ridge signs Pennsylvania’s Defense of Marriage Act into law, defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

1998

Sept. 21, 1996 — President Bill Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act into law, banning federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

April 21, 1975 — A clerk in Boulder, Colo., becomes the first in the nation to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, a move that led to the filing

1996

of the first lawsuit seeking federal recognition of samesex marriage.

Jan. 1, 1973 — Maryland is the first state to ban samesex marriage by statute.

1975

Anthony Sullivan (left) and Richard Adams married in Boulder, Colo., on April 21, 1975.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

ANNUALPGN REMINDERS

Reminder Days: Starting the march forward By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com They came on buses from Washington, D.C., and New York City. They dressed in suits and ties and dresses. They readied cardboard signs that carried messages whose simplicity underscored the journey that lay ahead of them: “Homosexuals should be judged as individuals,” “Gay is good” and “Equal opportunity for all.” And at 1 p.m. July 4, 1965, the 40 protesters — 33 men and seven women — set off outside Independence Hall, on Chestnut between Fifth and Sixth streets. On a day in which Americans were celebrating freedom and equality, they marched in a line outside the national symbol for two hours, calling for basic freedom and equality for gay and lesbian citizens. The effort became known as the Annual Reminder Day marches, a tradition that continued on Independence Day through 1969 — preceding the Stonewall Riots in New York City, often thought of as the birthplace of the modern LGBT-rights movement, by four years. The tone of the marches, however, was wholly different than that of the famous Stonewall uprising. Conceived by activist Craig Rodwell, the event was largely spearheaded by Mattachine Society’s Frank Kameny, based

in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia activist Barbara Gittings of Daughters of Bilitis. Kameny, who died in 2011, told PGN the previous year that the date and location were both selected for their symbolism and inspired, in part, by previous demonstrations earlier that year at the White House and other government buildings in Washington, D.C. “We thought that Fourth of July just seemed conceptually appropriate and there would be no better place to do them than in front of Independence Hall,” he said. The marchers were all kept to strict dress and behavioral codes: They were expected to present dressed according to gender expectations of the time, and march without rowdiness, including hand-holding or other signs of affection. The intent of that style of protest was to demonstrate that gay and lesbian people were no different than heterosexuals, marcher Randy Wicker told PGN in 2010 — itself a bold notion. “It was considered extremely radical just to be out there looking like corporate nonentities, in suits and ties and dresses, representing the masses of gay people that at that time were totally invisible,” Wicker said. Many of the marchers who participated in the 1965 demonstration came from New

York City and D.C., a testament to the notion that many locals were hesitant to take such a public step in their own city. The march proceeded with little fanfare and no run-ins with police. William Way LGBT Community Center archivist

Bob Skiba noted that the police had recently formed a squad to specifically oversee civil-disobedience actions, which were catching steam in the mid-1960s. “They had just formed this squad to deal with people protesting, chaining themselves to things,” Skiba said. “Barbara and Frank got a permit and when they went back to renew it after that first year, the police chief thanked them for being so well-behaved and said there were no problems at all with the march.” The number of participants ebbed and flowed throughout its five years: 50 in 1966, 30 in 1967, 75 in 1968 and 150 in 1969, which took place one week after Stonewall. After that time, Annual Reminder organizers discontinued the Philadelphia demonstration and refocused their efforts on the Christopher Street Liberation Day in New York City, to mark the one-year anniversary of Stonewall. n

Oct. 10, 1972 — The U.S. Supreme Court dismisses the first-ever case before it from a same-sex couple seeking the right to marry. The couple had been turned away from a Minnesota clerk, a decision upheld by several courts before it reaches SCOTUS. June 28, 1970: The Christopher Street Liberation Day march is held in New York City to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. It, and a simultaneous Los Angeles march, are considered to be the first LGBT Pride parades in the nation. May 18, 1970: Richard Baker and James McConnell apply

for a marriage license from Hennepin County in Minnesota, becoming the first known American same-sex couple to pursue a marriage license.

June 28, 1969: Following a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village, hundreds of LGBTs and allies fight back in a riot that later came to be considered the birth of the modern LGBT-rights movement.

July 4, 1965 — Forty demonstrators conduct one of the nation’s first organized LGBT-rights protests. Held outside Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, the action was organized by Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings and, over the next four years, came to be known as the Annual Reminder Day marches.

ANNUALPGN REMINDERS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

1965: A time of protest By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

When the Annual Reminder Day demonstration came to Independence Hall in 1965, it was at a revolutionary time in our country’s history. America was entrenched in the Vietnam War, and organized opposition to the war began picking up steam in 1964 — from draft-card burnings to marches to sit-ins. The African-American civil-rights movement was also reaching a peak. Demonstrations were spreading throughout the country, including the seminal march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., in which participants called for an end to harassment and intimidation of AfricanAmerican voters, which came at the time of several high-profile murders of AfricanAmerican civil-rights leaders. While much of the direct actions, especially in the civil-rights movement, were taking place in the South, Philadelphia saw a wealth of demonstrations, with Independence Hall emerging as a popular site for such events. “In 1965 at Independence Park, there was every kind of demonstration there,” said William Way LGBT Community Center archivist Bob Skiba. “There were demonstrations supporting what was going on in Selma and the African-American civil-rights movement. There was actually a sit-in at the Liberty Bell earlier in 1965 where they let them sleep over.” Skiba said public reaction to that particular demonstration was mixed — information he came upon in the National Park

Service archives. “Some people wrote in saying they supported the demonstration and how perfect of a venue this is. But then another said, ‘What they hell are you doing turning Independence Hall into a Howard Johnson for hippies?’” One of the people who participated in that demonstration was Kiyoshi Kuryomiya, the late local LGBT and later HIV/AIDS activist. “Kiyoshi was active in the antiwar and civil-rights movements. Many people cut their teeth on those movements before they got into the gay-rights movement,” Skiba said. While there was some cross-over among the LGBT-rights and other movements, the Reminder Day demonstrations had a decidedly different tone than many other actions of the time. Organizers dictated that participants abide by a dress code, with little room for gender-nonconformity, and some marchers were turned away for dressing too “hippie”-like. Skiba said the revolutionary wave that was gripping the country was directly related to organizer Frank Kameny’s vision for the Reminder Day marches — which aimed to communicate that gay and lesbian Americans were equal to heterosexuals and, thus, deserving of the same rights. “One of the reasons that Frank Kameny wanted the demonstrators to dress conservatively was so they wouldn’t be mistaken for the demonstrators in some of these other protests that had been going on.” n

LGBT Philly in the early 1960s By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com

was a lot more lesbian leadership, and the men and women worked together,” Skiba said.

LGBT Philadelphia around the time of the first Annual Reminder Day in 1965 was a far cry from the rainbow crosswalks, Pride parades and general outness of the community today. William Way LGBT Community Center archives curator Bob Skiba helped give PGN an idea of what life was like in the early ’60s and a timeline of important events that led up to the first demonstration in front of Independence Hall.

1962 Philadelphia Police Commissioner Frank Rizzo instructs bar owners not to serve drag queens under penalty of losing their liquor license. The Gayborhood as we know it today was dubbed the “gay ghetto,” Skiba said, with most bars hidden on the smaller side streets in that area. “A lot of the bars were mob-owned. But regardless, they were raided all of the time. Rizzo was trying to clean up the area; even straight bars were raided too,” Skiba said. “There was an after-hours bars on the third floor of what is currently The Bike Stop. The bartender would have a switch he would flick if the cops came and the lights would flash, then people dancing would scramble to find a dance partner of the opposite sex.” Skiba said “Rizzo’s Raiders” were especially hard on lesbians at the time. “They were really hard on them. It was so unwarranted. They would just pick up anyone that they thought looked LGBT,” he said. “Then they would take them to the station, harass them, threaten to out them and release them the next day.”

1960 The Philadelphia chapter of the national Mattachine Society is formed. The organization pulishes a newsletter and holds forums and social events. “There was really no political community then. The Mattachine Society was the very first LGBT political organization in the city,” Skiba said. Roughly a year later, the national Mattachine Society dissolved, and the Philadelphia chapter soon became The Janus Society of Delaware Valley. “The Janus Society here in Philly was mixed, men and women. It was unique because there

1963 The first East Coast Homophile Organization (ECHO) conference is held at the Drake Hotel Aug. 3-Sept. 1. “ECHO helped gather activists from New York, Philadelphia and D.C.,” Skiba said. “Now, we had a few political groups really beginning to get things going — Janus, ECHO and Daughters of Bilitis.” Despite political action beginning to take place, gay life was still very much kept hidden in Philadelphia. “People I spoke to who were around then said they compartmentalized their lives,” Skiba said. “They would say, ‘I worked 9-5 and I was straight, but I was damn gay on weekends.’” Rittenhouse Square Park was a popular hang out. “Gay men and lesbians hung out there. It was a ‘hidden but in plain sight’ type of thing,” Skiba said. “People managed to find spaces and make them their own and make a sense of community.” 1965 First Annual Reminder Day demonstration is held July 4 outside Philadelphia Independence Hall.

“Things are really heating up now. We had the Dewey sit-in and ECHO demonstrations in D.C. in April,” Skiba said. “Everyone at ECHO thought it went well in D.C., so they decided Independence Hall would be the perfect place to do it next, to talk about gays and the government.” Reminder Day demonstrations were held every year at Independence Hall until 1969. n

ANNUALPGN REMINDERS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

A look ahead at Annual Reminder weekend July 2 Historic marker wreath-laying 2:15 p.m. Independence Hall, Sixth and Chestnut streets Local leaders will commemorate the Annual Reminders at the spot where they took place, now designated by a historic marker.

HONORING HISTORY: On July 1, 2005, Lilli Vincenz (from left), Bill Kelley, Randy Wicker, Ada Bello, Barbara Gittings, Mark Segal, Kay Tobin Lahusen and Frank Kameny celebrated the installation of a historic marker at Sixth and Chestnut streets commemorating the Annual Reminder Days. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission was the first state agency in the country to issue a historic marker honoring an event in LGBT history. The marker was installed three days prior to the 40th anniversary of the first Reminder march in a ceremony that included remarks from then-Mayor John Street and participation by phone from then-Gov. Ed Rendell.

National legal panel 6:30 p.m. National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East Williams Institute director R. Bradley Sears will moderate a discussion on LGBT legal challenges, with U.S. Equality Employment Opportunity Commission’s Daniel Vail, author and attorney Kenji Yoshino and Douglas HallwardDriemeir, who argued the landmark marriage-equality case before the U.S. Supreme Court. National politics panel 8:15 p.m. Congress Hall, 520 Chestnut St. Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff will moderate a discussion on LGBT political issues with Gill Action Fund director Kirk Fordham, National Center for Lesbian Rights director Kate Kendell, National Lesbian &

Gay Task Force public-policy and government-affairs director Stacey Long Simmons and Center for American Progress executive vice president for external affairs Winnie Stachelberg. July 3 LGBT history panel 12:30 p.m. National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. The four living participants of the Annual Reminders will be on hand for a panel discussion on LGBT history, featuring Freedom to Marry founder Evan Wolfson, filmmaker David Carter and author Lillian Faderman. National interfaith service 4 p.m. Christ Church, 20 N. American St. A multi-faith service featuring notable religious leaders, including Bishop Gene Robinson, the first gay man in a relationship to be ordained an Episcopal bishop. Live Nation 50thanniversary concert 5-11 p.m. Penn’s Landing Great Plaza, 101 S. Columbus Blvd.

Hosted by dumblonde and featuring a number of performers, such as Jonathan Allen of “America’s Got Talent,” Mimi Imfurst and Jonathan Hernandez of “American Idol.”

Hotel Monaco, 433 Chestnut St. The plaintiff in the landmark SCOTUS marriage-equality case, James Obergefell, receives the Frank Kameny Award.

Philly POPS! Concert 8 p.m. Independence Hall, Sixth and Chestnut streets The POPS! will salute Annual Reminders marchers during their annual free Independence Dayeve concert.

July 5 Crosswalk unveiling 11:30 a.m. 13th and Locust streets Rainbow-flag creator Gilbert Baker and original Reminder Day marchers will be among the participants in the unveiling ceremony of the new rainbow crosswalks in the Gayborhood.

July 4 50th-anniversary VIP lunch 11:30 a.m. Independence Visitor Center, 1 N. Independence Mall West Edie Windsor and Judy Shepard will receive International Role Model awards. 50th-anniversary ceremony 2:15 p.m. Independence Hall, 520 Chestnut St. Wanda Sykes emcees the ceremony featuring local and national LGBT leaders and entertainers. VIP party 4:30 p.m.

Annual Reminders Block Party Noon-6 p.m. Gayborhood Performers, vendors, games and activities will take over 12th and 13th streets, from Walnut to Locust, for a block party marking the 50th anniversary of the start of the Annual Reminders. Youth Pride 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Those under 24 are invited to participate in youth-led workshops at the center, followed by an outdoor festival. n

William Way celebrates 40th anniversary By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com This year the William Way Community Center — one of the primary forces behind the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Annual Reminder Days — is celebrating its own 40th anniversary. From its humble beginnings in a coffee shop on Third Street to the stately historic Gayborhood building where it currently resides, the center has come a long way in its four decades — yet it has never stopped pursuing its mission of bettering the lives of the community it serves. Getting off the ground According to Bob Skiba, archive curator at William Way, the organization began as a very small, grassroots initiative in the wake of Philadelphia’s first Pride parade in 1972. “After the first Pride parade, people started talking about a gay community center,” Skiba said. “The bars were looked down upon because many of them were mob-owned and often had high drink prices. People wanted an alternative space to socialize.”

A small group began to meet at a coffee shop at 16 N. Third St. Then in 1975, the group incorporated as the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia. In 1976, the fledgling organization moved into its first building on Kater Street. “For the first year or so, in the ’70s, when gay people were really anti-establishment, there was no board of directors or corporate structure like there is today,” Skiba said. “That was a deliberate choice. Instead, everything was run by committees.” From the beginning, the center offered services much like it still does today, including classes, a library, events, fundraising and rental space. “There was a real sense of commitment to the community from day one,” Skiba said. The center was also completely volunteer-run until it moved to its current location, at 1315 Spruce St., in the late 1990s. “The people who ran this place were also responsible for everything, to keeping the bathrooms clean,” said Skiba. “Everyone spent countless hours fundraising to pay for things.” Eventually, the organization transitioned

from volunteer-run into a corporate structure, enabling it to apply for grants and funding in order to meet its goals of expanding services. In 2010, Chris Bartlett became executive director and has done much over the past five years to prepare the center for the next 40, Skiba said. “Chris has done a lot to make the center more financially stable, as well as reaching out to underserved segments of the LGBT population, especially the ‘T,’ among other things,” he said. Expanding, evolving Bartlett said he has focused on expanding the visibility of the center throughout the city as a whole, beyond the Gayborhood. “We have focused a lot on arts and culture programming in particular,” the director said. “We’ve increased access to the archives, grown senior and youth programs. Strengthening the intergenerational bond between the youth and seniors in the LGBT community has become a part of the center’s vision going forward.” Bartlett acknowledged the progress that has been made over the past few years by

the center diversifying its funding sources. “We’ve been successful in making the case to foundations, corporations and individual sponsors that the center is a crucial part of Philly culture,” he said. One of his key goals is solidifying the future of the historic Spruce Street building the center now owns. “I want to look strategically at how we can care for and utilize the building,” Bartlett said. “It’s an old building. To maintain it and keep it looking the way it should requires a lot of investment. We’re also bursting at the seams capacity-wise. We need to think about expansion, maybe at this site or another location.” Bartlett said another goal is to continue to build on the intergenerational vision of the center. “How do we bring youth and seniors together?” he posed. Part of the answer lies in the new program director Bartlett said they plan to bring on board soon. “This position is going to go a long way in continuing our efforts to build community between the two generations,” he said. “People have come to expect more from us because we are able to do more.” n

ANNUALPGN REMINDERS

Reminder Day Participants Participant Year Affiliation Steve Abramowitz 1968 NYC Jack Adair Unknown PHL Lourdes Alvarez 1969 PHL, DOB/HAL George Arzumanyan 1966 NYC 1969 PHL, DOB/HAL Ada Bello* Aldo Bonura 1968 NYC Bill Brady 1968 NYC Dick Briggs 1969 NYC Renee Caffiero 1966-67 NYC David Canterbury 1968-69 NYC Howard Cari 1969 NYC Madeleine Cervantes 1967 NYC straight ally Roland Chenard 1968 NYC Frank Cianflone 1966 NYC David Cross 1969 NYC John Daly 1968 NYC student Sandy DeWine 1969 NYC DOB Susan Dregely 1969 NYC Violette Duroux 1969 NYC Ernestine Eckstein 1966 NYC Betty Ettler 1968 NYC Roland Fajardo 1968 NYC student Ellen Fendrich 1968 NYC Joan Fleischmann Unkonwn PHL Unknown DC Eva Freund Carole Friedman 1968 PHL, DOB Charlie Frost 1966 NYC Nancy Gardner 1967 Unknown Roy Gillespie 1968 NYC Barbara Gittings 1965-69 PHL, DOB/HAL Dick Griffo 1966 NYC Foster Gunnison Jr. Unknown Hartford, MSNY Carl Hargreaves 1968-69 NYC student 1969 NYC Edward A. Hlastova Ernest Hole 1969 NYC from London 1968 NYC NYU student Jim Hoon Richard Hornak 1968 NYC Barbara Horowitz Unknown PHL, Janus editor 1965 DC, MSW John James* Frank Kameny 1965-69 DC, MSW John Kane 1969 NYC John Kauger 1968 NYC William B. Kelley 1967 Chicago Paul Kuntzler Unknown DC, MSW Kiyoshi Kuromiya 1965 PHL Sam Lanczaruk 1968 NYC Halsey Langdon 1966 NYC Carol Lehner 1968 NYC Diane Lehner 1968 NYC Dick Leitsch Unknown NYC, MSNY Curt Lindsay 1969 NYC Andy Little 1968 NYC Michael May 1966 NYC Bob McGrath 1966 NYC John Menendez 1969 NYC Robert Miller 1968 NYC Bob Milne 1966, ’68 NYC Michael Montgomery 1968-69 NYC, SHL Samantha Morse 1969 PHL Jack Nichols Unknown DC,co-founder MSW Peter Ogren 1966, ’68 NYC Charles Pitts 1969 NYC Richard Purcell 1966 NYC Richard Ramras 1966 NYC Jack Reid 1968 NYC photographer Jose Rivera 1969 NYC Anne Robinson 1968 NYC student Braulio Rodriguez 1969 NYC Craig Rodwell 1966, ’68-69 NCY, HYMN Terry Rohnke 1968-69 NYC Nino Romano 1968-69 NYC, SHL Harry Rothschild 1966, ’68 NYC Kathy Scanlon 1968 NYC Michael Schein 1968, ’69 NYC Jackie Schon 1968 NYC student Robert Schwarz 1969 NYC Art Sengstacken 1968 NYC Fred Sergeant 1969 NYC, HYMN Unknown DC, MSW Perrin Shaffer Martha Shelley 1969 NYC, DOB Leo Skir Unknown NYC, MSNY

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Pioneer profile: Ada Bello

said. During the march, she said she wove in and out of the line so she could hear reactions to the event for a newsletter story. “I sort of walked around the perimeter to hear what people were saying and I was surprised the comments were almost 50/50, positive and negative,” she said. “There had been an antiwar march right beforehand so perhaps the audience left behind was more liberal, but overall it definitely was not a bad reaction.” In accordance with the march’s policies, Bello donned a skirt for the event. “I wouldn’t have been allowed to march otherwise,” she explained. The dress and behavioral code championed by orga-

About 150 people participated in the 1969 Annual Reminder Day march outside of Independence Hall — and among them was Ada Bello, who had waited several years for her opportunity to march in the history-making demonstration. Bello, who was 36 at the time of that march, had come to the United States from Cuba in 1957 to attend Louisiana State University. She moved to Philadelphia five years later and was eager to get involved in the gayrights movement, but had to keep her work behind the scenes for a number of years. “It was better if you were going to do this if you were a citizen because you obviously had more protection,” she said. “I became a citizen in 1968 so the next year I decided to march.” Bello noted that many of the participants grappled with real fears about family rejection or employment termination for their role in the march. “A lot of the people who marched in Philadelphia, particularly in the first demonstration, came from New York or D.C. because a lot of the local people didn’t feel very comfortable with jobs and family, the usual things,” she said, noting that, while her situation was different, she still shared some of the marchers’ concerns. “That wasn’t really my case because I had no family here and I was working for a university that was a relatively liberal envi- Reminder Day participants John James (left) ronment — I had no direct contact with students and Ada Bello (right), along with Reminder 2015 and that was a concern for a lot of the teachers planning committeemembers Chris Bartlett, who wanted to be involved. But, intellectually, John Cunningham and Bob Skiba Photo: Scott A. Drake you don’t abandon those feelings and fears in just a few months; you eventually get to the point where you nizer Frank Kameny was initially fitting, Bello said, know you’re on firm ground, but emotionally you still although the tenor of the movement began to shift in the late 1960s. remember a time when you weren’t.” Bello was a founding member of the Philadelphia “I think that was the right approach in the beginning, chapter of Daughters of Bilitis, which later transitioned maybe in ’65 or ’66, but by ’69, things were starting to into the Homophile Action League. She said her moti- change,” she said. “The claim of the movement sort of vations for joining that organization mirrored her rea- changed from ‘We deserve’ to ‘We demand.’ I remember some people were trying to march hand in hand as sons for participating in the Reminder Day march. “We were a bunch of women, mostly professionals, couples and the organizers, particularly Frank, prohibwho knew we weren’t breaking the law and shouldn’t ited that. But I think even he realized that the tactics have to scurry around back alleys. Our bars could be — which had been successful up to that point, I don’t raided at any time. It was rough and it built anger at challenge that — had to be changed. And that was the the injustice we saw,” Bello said. “We didn’t see our- last march.” selves as negative members of society; in fact, we were While the movement became more revolutionary in all very much law-abiding, productive individuals. We the coming years, Bello said, the foundation that made wanted to change the conditions, to have the same rights that shift possible was laid at such events as the Annual as anybody else. That was very much the aim of the Reminders. “Without the Reminders, there very well might not whole movement at that time.” Bello helped put out the organization’s newsletter, have been a Stonewall,” she said. “Stonewall definitely which announced the march in advance, although much brought about a tremendous change, but that was a proof the planning was done outside of Philadelphia, she cess that started years before.” n Participant

Year

Daniel H. Smith 1968-69 Dennis Smith 1968 Peter Stein 1969 David Steinecker 1968 Z. Tchkotoau 1966 Erwin Temkin 1969 Kay Tobin (Lahusen)* 1965-69 Mary Tolarnao 1968 Nancy M. Tucker* 1967-69 *still living -NYC: New York City -PHL: Philadelphia -DC: Washington, D.C. -DOB: Daughters of Bilitis -HAL: Homophile Action League

Affiliation NYC NYC NYC NYC NYC NYC NYC, DOB/HAL NYC DC

John J. Timmons 1966 Otto Ulrich Unknown Lilli Vincez* 1969 Dean Watson 1968-69 Bill Weaver 1969 Fred Whitman 1966 Randolfe Wicker* 1966 Rev. Robert W. Wood 1965-69 Warren Weiss 1968 Robert Yates 1968 Marie Young 1968

-MS: Mattachine Society -MSNY: Mattachine Society New York City -MSW: Mattachine Society Washington, D.C. -PHL MS: Mattachine Society Philadelphia

DC DC, MSW DC, MSW NYC NYC NYC NYC, MSNY NYC NYC NYC NYC

-NYC SHL: New York City Student Homophile League -HYMN: Homophile Youth Movement in Neighborhoods -GLF: Gay Liberation Front -GAA: Gay Activist Alliance

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

ANNUAL PGN REMINDERS

Judy Shepard talks pride and progress before Philly visit By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Philadelphia is honoring LGBT advocate Judy Shepard during the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Annual Reminder Day marches. Shepard has been a tireless advocate for LGBT rights and antidiscrimination laws after her son, Matthew, was murdered in 1998 in an antigay hate crime that thrust the issue into a national spotlight. In an effort to prevent the kind of violence and discrimination that cost their son his life, Judy and her husband, Dennis, established the Matthew Shepard Foundation to advocate for social justice, diversity awareness and equality for LGBT people. A lot has changed in the social landscape since the foundation’s inception, including the 2009 adoption of the Matthew Shepard Act, a law that expanded federal hate-crimes legislation to include LGBT people. That same year, Shepard wrote “The Meaning of Matthew: My Son’s Murder in Laramie and a World Transformed,” a book about her son’s murder and its international repercussions. Shepard talked to PGN about how the laws and attitudes about LGBT rights have changed in the last few years, and what she and the Matthew Shepard Foundation see as the next challenges facing LGBT individuals in these shifting times. PGN: In your opinion, has significant-enough progress been made with it comes to LGBT equality and civil rights since the Matthew Shepard Foundation started? JS: Significant progress? Yes. Enough? Of course not. There’s so much more to be done. And now we have the momentum to move on to the remaining challenges. Since Matt’s death, the way we talk about the LGBT community and hate crimes in this country has changed radically. The community is represented in government, entertainment and media, business leadership. Military service, spousal immigration, hospital visits — these challenges are mostly, if not entirely, resolved. But “equality” is more than marriage equality. Your same-sex wedding photo on your desk at work can still get you fired fresh off your honeymoon. Bullying is an epidemic and youth are still harming themselves at an alarming rate. We’ve only just begun to even talk thoughtfully and constructively as a society about the advances the trans community still needs to make. We have so much more to do. PGN: Do you think LGBT activists give and get enough support from other minority groups? JS: I can’t speak for every LGBT organization from local to national levels, much less the rank and file of activists, but there are crucial partnerships between our movement and the huge array of social-justice organizations and leaders that are out there doing great work. Some of the great

leaders of the civil-rights movement, like John Lewis, were crucial in rallying support for the federal hate-crimes law. And the foundation, along with [Human Rights Campaign] and many others, participate actively in 200-group-plus coalition work at the national level, touching not only on racial justice but also workers’ rights, women’s wage equality and immigration reform. LGBT people face these challenges every bit as much as non-LGBT people, and our movement includes every race, social class, religion and gender. I think this kind of coalition will only grow as all of us focus on remaining goals. And it certainly should continue growing at the activist level as well. PGN: What course of action or resources can you recommend for LGBT individuals who do not have the support of their families or communities when it comes to defending their rights? JS: Having parents, siblings and other loved ones turn their backs over someone coming out is one of the saddest kinds of stories I hear in my travels. Dennis and I thought it was a no-brainer that parents should stand by their kids unconditionally and, as we got into this work, we were truly shocked by the number of people — not even just youth — who’ve lost those relationships because they were authentic about who they are. Before those doors get slammed forever, there’s always PFLAG, counseling, intervention, a lot of strategies and sometimes they do work. But sometimes, they just don’t. This is where the concept of “pride” comes to make a real difference for people. We may face rejection in our lives for so many reasons, but pride, and dignity, they have to come from within and they are powerful tools for moving forward after a loss. PGN: When the Matthew Shepard Act was being decided upon in Congress, what was it like for you to go from a president and administration [George W. Bush] who were going to shut down the bill no matter what Congress decided, to just a few years later having the ear and the attention of the next president [Barack Obama], who promised you he would do whatever he could to get the bill passed? JS: “Whiplash” is probably a little too strong of a word for it, but it was kind of like somebody turning on the lights in a really dark room. All of a sudden, we could see that the opponents were weak and losing steam and the number of Americans demanding this change was so much greater than any of us realized. A president’s ear is a powerful thing to have, but this president gave from his heart, too, and so did the Congressional leaders who had done a decade of groundwork to set up that

moment. PGN: Do you think that having the support of the president has made a difference in other politicians’ and organizations’ willingness to endorse laws and initiatives that support LGBT equality? JS: It’s just one more piece of the puzzle coming together — a big, central piece. With the White House on board, there is certainly cover for lower-level politicians. The voters pick up on it too and start to expect the new tone from all their leaders. And the policy steps matter. Hospitals stop turning away spouses. Gay and lesbian soldiers return from war and set a high bar for how the community is viewed. Federal workforce protections influence the private sector. It becomes viral. PGN: Why do you think that some politicians are resistant to take hate crimes and discrimination against LGBT individuals and others seriously, even when there is overwhelming evidence that they are a frequent and serious issue? JS: Honestly, for a long time I thought most of the opposing politicians knew they were on the wrong side of the hate-crimes debate and they were just afraid the far right would come after them and endanger their career. Dennis and I sat with Dennis Hastert when he was Speaker [of the House] and he shed an actual tear to hear our story, but never took one step to push the bill or even just get out of its way. It’s purely the anti-LGBT passions of a small minority that locked this issue up for so long. Now that we have the law, it’s being implemented in a smart way by the Justice Department and stands to protect an untold number of people in the future. We’ve seen it move from being a culture-war issue to being a public-safety and law-enforcement issue, which is really what it ought to be. PGN: How is the Matthew Shepard Foundation addressing the issue of the recent spike in transgender teen suicides? JS: We’re doing everything we can just to keep a conversation going nationally about acceptance and understanding and of celebration of diversity. These suicides simply break our hearts, as they should for anyone. Suicide is a very complex issue and we don’t profess to have the expertise to counsel or prevent or respond to it. Experts have set guidelines for how to talk about it without promoting “contagion” and without making it look to vulnerable youth like there is a straight line that runs from bullying to rejection to self-harm. And we pay close attention to that advice. Where our expertise lies is just continuing to speak to parents about accepting their kids and supporting

them for who they are. It’s a message that needs constant reinforcement if it has any hope of taking hold, and since we started this work, a whole new generation of parents have started families. It’s a fresh and needed message every day and we could use a lot more messengers. PGN: Do you think the LGBT community has been too focused on marriage equality and not enough on other issues affecting the community? JS: I think there’s a perception that the movement was entirely focused on marriage because marriage was what was getting headlines and really catching the mainstream public’s attention. All the other work has been going on throughout, and making progress too, just not as prominently. We’ve stayed largely focused on hate crime, youth resources, public awareness and conversations, and marriage has been helpful in getting people to ask what’s left to be done still. We are especially eager to see the Employment Nondiscrimination Act revived and passed as soon as possible — many people will be coming out at work now that marriage has happened, and a huge number of them don’t have state or local employment protection from being fired. The marriage issue certainly deserved high-level focus, though, and a lot of savvy people stepped forward to seize the opportunity to get it done. Those bundle of rights that come with marriage actually cover a lot of separate injustices and inequalities, such as immigration for bi-national couples or adoption, just for a few examples. We’ve been connecting with community leaders who have been working on all the issues for years and years and my sense is the marriage victory is giving everyone a lot of strength to continue the unfinished work. PGN: As the laws to protect the rights of LGBT individuals change and evolve, does that have any impact on the foundation’s goals and purpose? JS: I feel like our goals haven’t changed all that much because changing hearts and minds is a lifetime commitment at this point. So many aspects of true equality for all Americans — not just LGBT Americans — are a slow process. We have the hatecrimes law now but it will require a huge number of police and prosecutors and victims and offenders to change the way they think and act in order for it to fulfill its potential to truly prevent bias crimes and protect communities. And that’s just one of the many issues. We’ve always said we’re working for the day when we can honestly say the foundation isn’t needed anymore. It’s not here yet, but we’re closer than we’ve ever been. n Judy Shepard and Edie Windsor will be the guests of honor at the 50th Anniversary VIP Lunch, hosted by Equality Forum at 11:30 a.m. July 4 at Independence Visitor Center; www.lgbt50.org.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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

Page Page Page Page Page

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NEW WORKS EMERGE ABOUT

PHILLY’S PIONEERS

Barbara Gittings’ life and times explored in biography By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

270 of her photos are featured in the biography. Baim said her 30 years of experience covA new biography is finally shining an ering the LGBT community as a journalist extensive light on the life of local longtime and author helped greatly when Lahusen was looking for a writer to pen Gittings’ LGBT activist Barbara Gittings. Written by journalist Tracy Baim, who biography. “Because I know where all the inforhas authored 11 books on LGBT history, mation is buried, it “Barbara Gittings: takes me much less Gay Pioneer” time than someis the first fullone starting from length biography scratch,” Baim said. about the woman “While Barbara whom many have was alive, they had called the mother always wanted to do of the gay-rights some kind of book movement. It covabout all their years ers the early days of work. So Kay was of the movement, trying to see if there starting in the was someone who 1950s, until her BARBARA GITTINGS AND KAY LAHuSEN could take this on. death in 2007. Gittings’ life partner Kay Lahusen photo- We had been in communication for about a graphed many of the movement’s biggest year and I met with her early last fall and actions during the 1960s, and more than we confirmed that I would take on the proj-

ect.” Baim said that, even with her extensive background writing about LGBT issues, she was somewhat surprised at how much information she came across in researching for the book. “Absolutely the breadth and the depth of it was incredible to me,” she said. “I had known about her American Psychiatric Association work and certainly that she had done a lot of speaking around the country in her last couple of decades. But I hadn’t realized much of the 1960s movement pivoted around the work of her and Frank Kameny because they were really a couple of the first people to take their work to a national stage.”

While Baim acknowledged that early pioneers were active locally in places like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, Kameny’s and Gittings’ efforts had far-reaching effects. “She was just in all the pivotal places, almost Forrest Gumplike, across the country and that made her and Kameny unique among a lot of the other people that were working on LGBT rights,” Baim said. “Delving into all the work in the 1960s was like peeling an onion, like her work with Kameny on legal cases of people challenging federal-government discrimination. The two of them — even PAGE 44

WHYY to produce LGBT documentary By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Following the success of its first LGBTfocused documentary “Gay Pioneers,” WHYY has announced plans to produce a second film documenting the 50th-anniversary of the Annual Reminder Day marches in Philadelphia. The currently untitled film is a collaboration among WHYY, the Independence Visitor Center Corporation and Equality Forum, with major funding provided by The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. The one-hour program will air in 2016 on WHYY-TV. It will explore a diverse array of

LGBT narratives in five chapters: growing up, the professional landscape, marriage, travel and growing old. “As a longtime admirer of WHYY, I am pleased to produce and direct this film,” said director Ilana Trachtman in a statement. “I look forward to creating a program that will honor the contributions of the original gay pioneers of 1965, and, through cinema verité stories, will provocatively capture the present moment in LGBTQ lives.” According to WHYY president and CEO Bill Marazzo, the film will be comprised of two major thematic elements. “The first is to refresh issues we explored in ‘Gay Pioneers’ and state them in a slightly dif-

ferent way; to use this occasion to further document the individuals who have worked so hard,” said Marazzo. “The second element is to trace for the viewing public the evolution of the gay-rights movement to today’s movement in a way that we can appreciate more deeply how dramatically the country has changed.” Marazzo said the film would highlight Philadelphia by including coverage of the original Reminder Day demonstrations, as well as footage of the 50th-anniversary celebrations and events planned for this July 4 weekend. “This story has a decidedly local and regional beginning,” PAGE 44

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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though she wasn’t a lawyer and he wasn’t either — were very helpful to a lot of the cases of individuals who were taking on the government. Their work in this area led to changes in federal government policy on hiring homosexuals. I didn’t realize how integral she had been to all the legal behind-the-scenes stuff as well as all the pickets in front of the camera.” We asked Baim why, given Gittings’ instrumental role in the history of the movement, she isn’t recognized on a more national level as a pioneer. “One easy answer is sexism. I would also say sometimes of our movement, who do we really remember from that era? We remember very few people from that era,” she said, noting that Kameny may have garnered more media attention than Gittings because he was based in Washington, D.C., and she was in Philadelphia and Delaware — although Baim noted she was also active in D.C. and New York. On a larger scale, she said, the work of pioneers such as Gittings is often missing from history books.

“I think it’s more the overall loss of our history. It’s not taught in our high schools. People don’t take a lot of history [courses] in college and if they do, they don’t get a lot of our history,” Baim said. “So I’m hoping that this book will be a small piece of the puzzle in rectifying that. You really have to be someone who is in search of this truth to find it. There are hundreds of films and books where you can find this history, but it’s not all in one place easily unless you are looking for it.” n “Barbara Gittings: Gay Pioneer” is available now.

There are around 12 people in total.” Marazzo said. “We wanted to find world- After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor class things of interest that were created of marriage equality last week, Marazzo said that such a milestone event in Philadelphia. Certainly, the would become a part of the Reminder Day demonstrafilm. tions and the 50th-anniversary “No doubt the most recent celebrations we can claim as major federal move with our own. The film will help respect to gay rights would be broaden this information to a something we want to include larger audience.” in the film,” he said. Marazzo said WHYY plans After the airing of “Gay to cover all activities, speakPioneers,” Marazzo said ers and events happening this WHYY has continued to look weekend. for opportunities to share those “We want as much footage as FRANK KAMENY stories again. possible for the film,” he said. “When I first came to WHYY, we The film will also include interviews with and footage of founders of the LGBT civ- had the honor of producing ‘Gay Pioneers,’ il-rights movement and demonstrators from which was largely built around the stories of the elder statesmen in the movement. the first Reminder Day protests. “We are going to work very hard to get post- From that point on, there has been a serious humous material on both Frank Kameny commitment in our newsroom and TV proand Barbara Gittings,” said Marazzo. “Then, duction unit to find good ways to tell those depending upon the relative accessibility and stories over and over again,” Marazzo said. health of others, some activist elders include “Gay Pioneers” will air 7:30 p.m. July 3 and Ada Bello, John James and Kay Lahusen. 10:30 p.m. July 10 on WHYY-TV. n WHYY from page 43

(an independent, LGBTQ-friendly Catholic Church)

We’re a different kind of Catholic, a Catholic church that welcomes everyone no strings or “buts” attached. Curious?

Come and join us for Mass on Saturdays at 5 PM. We meet in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 7809 Old York Road in Elkins Park Church offers on-site parking for your convenience. Check us out at www.StThomasMoreANCC.org

PRoFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Suzi Nash

Thom Cardwell: From ‘Bandstand’ beginnings to film-festival head Hooray! It’s film-festival time! Other than Christmas, this is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the chance to glimpse into other people’s lives (hence this column), learn about life in far away places, see what my LGBT brothers and sisters around the globe are going through or rejoicing in, and having a good cry or belly laugh. Film festivals have all of that and a bag of popcorn. In full disclosure, I am one of the programmers of the women’s films for qFLIX Philadelphia, coming to our town July 7-12. Produced by Thom Cardwell and James Duggan, the festival will present approximately 50 features, documentaries and short films. This year’s selections boast five world premieres, two U.S. premieres, 16 East Coast premieres, two Northeast premieres and three Mid-Atlantic premieres. Truly an international festival, the films come from 15 different nations, from Argentina to Uganda. There is also a strong local flavor, as the opening-night film, “Beautiful Something,” will have its Philadelphia premiere in the city in which it was entirely shot by local filmmaker/screenwriter/director Joseph Graham (local filmmaker Kelly Burkhardt served as executive producer). We spoke this week with the charming and indefatigable Cardwell. PGN: Describe the Cardwell household when you were growing up. TC: The Cardwell household was atypical from the other families in the neighborhood I grew up in. I was born at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and at 5 we moved to the suburbs. I was born in 1945, so it would have been part of the white flight in the ’50s. It was atypical because my Irish/ Welsh father was from North Carolina, a Southern Baptist, and my Italian mother was from Connecticut and was a Roman Catholic. They were both first-generation Americans and because they had more than one religion in the same house, it was considered a mixed marriage! The kids used to ask me why my father didn’t go to church with my mother and sister and me. When I said that he was Southern Baptist, they had no idea what that was. So right from the start, I was considered a little bit of an outcast, an outsider. PGN: Huh, I never imagined you having a father with a Southern drawl! TC: [Laughs] No one does. People are surprised to find that I’m half-Southern. PGN: How many kids? TC: Just me and my sister, who is five years younger than me. Growing up with parents from different parts of the country made me aware that everyone was not the same. I think that helped me a lot later in life, especially being gay in high school, which was not exactly fashionable at the

time. I was also a regular on “American Bandstand,” and there were always rumors about all us kids being gay. Most of the kids on “Bandstand” were from the city, so that separated me even more from the kids at school in the suburbs. PGN: How did you end up on “Bandstand”? TC: By accident! A fellow freshman friend of mine had two passes to go to the show and asked if I wanted to go with him. I’d watched the show on television — it was the only youth-oriented show on the air at the time — and so I called my parents and told them I’d be home late and off I went. I had a great time and met all sorts of people. I danced the whole show and, as we were leaving, they gave me passes to come back. I invited the friend who invited me, but he hated the experience and didn’t want to come back. We stayed friends, it just wasn’t his thing. I went back the next day and ended up on the show for three-and-ahalf years! PGN: It sounds like you took to it like a duck to water. TC: Yes. It’s funny, in middle school, when I was in seventh grade, they actually had dance classes — not tap and jazz, but how to waltz and foxtrot and jitterbug. I thought, Now that could be fun! And I signed up. It was in the gym after school and I went religiously. I became passionate about dancing so, by the time “Bandstand” came along, I knew dancing. PGN: Was taking foxtrot in seventh grade the first sign that you were gay? TC: [Laughs] No, there were many more, but that certainly was one of them. PGN: What was exciting about being on the show? TC: Attending “American Bandstand” gave me a taste of the entertainment industry, opened up my world to urban life and high-schoolers from different ethnic, racial, religious, educational, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. My suburban upbringing was homogenous and white. Some of the first Puerto Rican, Jewish and African-American people I met were AB regulars. It opened up my world, even to different neighborhoods in Philadelphia. PGN: Did you become a “regular” on the show? TC: Yes, I got letters and signed autographs, and was featured in magazines, all that stuff. I’m in Dick Clark’s archives and all of that. It was also my first foray into writing professionally, because I got hired by Sixteen magazine to write about the show. I was a ghost writer so I didn’t get a byline, but I still have copies of the magazine with my stories. I wrote gossip about the show

— who was dating, who was feuding, who threw a party and who went, etc. They especially wanted to hear about the girls’ looks. Like Hillary Clinton, if a girl changed her hairdo, it was big news. Personal facts — who was in the drama club, who made the team, stuff like that. PGN: What was a crazy moment? TC: Well, when people wrote and asked if they could start a fan club for you, it was pretty unbelievable. Having fan clubs, enjoying penpal writing to kids all over the country was just crazy. And helpful. I learned American geography looking up where cities and towns in different states were. I have a few old “Bandstand” fans that have been in touch. One of my fan club presidents is a grandmother living in Massachusetts. She found me on Facebook and we keep in touch. She found old copies of some of the magazines I was featured in and sent them to me. I was asked by the William Way Archives to donate all of my archives, including 29 years of writing for

lished. I write something every day, especially now that I have Queertimes, plus all the blog postings for the film festival. PGN: What sparked your love of and involvement with films? TC: Thinking back on 70 years, I grew up in a time where television was central to people’s lives. That’s why both physically and symbolically the TV was in people’s living room. Most people didn’t have foyers, so you entered from the outside world into the living room as well. But there were only so many choices, so movies were still in vogue. They would have double, even triple features on Saturdays for the kids. But they weren’t just kid movies; they had Westerns and romantic films, science fiction and comedies. That was also the time when the studio system still existed so glamour and movie stars were heavily promoted. If you look at old trailers, they barely told you what the movie was about. It was more “See Elizabeth Taylor in … !” or “See Rock Hudson in his new film!” That was the beginning of my love of movies. During the summers, we would go to Wildwood, N.J., and I’d sneak off to the movies with my cousins. We’d spend our allowance for the week on a movie and then we’d sometimes sneak back in the exit and watch it again. I remember when I was about 12, we watched “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” with Marilyn Monroe five times! PGN: Another early sign you were gay! TC: Ha! Yes, it wasn’t like I was trying to see a John Wayne picture.

PGN: Who are two stars you’ve met who impressed you? TC: Oh, there are so many who’ve made good impressions. Susan Sarandon is a big Hollywood star but is an anti-Hollywood type of person. She’s really down to earth and pleasant to be Photo: Suzi Nash around. She genuinely cares the PGN and A&E magazine OutWeek and various other outlets along with my about people. We had her at “Bandstand” memorabilia. an event and she said to me, “I really have to get going” but as we were walking out, PGN: With all the hats you wear — proshe saw two girls that were waiting to speak ducer, director, PR guy, event planner, colto her so she went back. She did that about umnist — which one do you think fits you three times with different people. She didn’t best? want to disappoint anyone. Another one TC: I’d say “writer” fits best, with all of the was William H. Macy. He’s into wood-turncolumns I’ve done over the years. I have a ing, so we took him to The Center for Art in few screenwriting projects in various states Wood and he loved it. He was another one and I’ve had a few books of poems pubwho was very nice to PAGE 54

PGN

The

Since 1976

PGN Guide to the Gayborhood

The Philadelphia Gayborhood is roughly centered at 12th and Camac streets. Look for the rainbow street signs at intersections and remember to be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. Boxers

1330 Walnut St. facebook.com/ boxersphl Sports bar with multiple plasma tvs, pool table, brick oven, more!

❍

<—

❍

Rosewood

Tabu

Woody’s

1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Cozy, elegantly-appointed bar with high-end cocktails

200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com Sports bar / drag shows and bar food

202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com American-style bar food and large dance floor

❍ ❍

The Bike Stop

Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; secondfloor pool table and big-screen sports action

Walnut St. Chancellor St.

❍

St. James St.

❍

❒ ❒

❍ Manning St.

❍

Quince St.

Latimer St.

12th St.

Camac St.

<—

11th St.

Locust St.

❍ 13th St.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Juniper St.

❍ Spruce St.

William Way LGBT Community Center

1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org

A resource for all things LGBT

Voyeur

1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub.com After-hours private club; membership required

U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660

Relaxing corner bar, easy-going crowd, popular for happy hour and window watching

Tavern on Camac West of Broad Street Stir Lounge

1705 Chancellor St. 215.732.2700 stirphilly.com Fun two-bar lounge, DJ in the back, regular poker games and specials

The Attic Youth Center

255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org Safe space and programs for LGBTs age 16-23 weekday afternoons and evenings

255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Piano lounge with upstairs dance floor; Tavern restaurant below is open late.

Knock 225 S. 12th St. 215.925.1166 knockphilly.com Fine -dining restaurant and bar with outdoor seating (weather permitting)

ICandy

254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com Three floors with a total of six bars; dance floor, lounge and rootop deck.

Venture Inn 255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Bar and restaurant with frequent entertainment

Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

PGN FILM

Diverse LGBT titles hit screens for second QFlix By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor QFlix, the area’s LGBT film festival, opens July 7 with writer/director Joseph Graham’s locally made drama “Beautiful Something,” and closes July 12 with the Philadelphia premiere of writer/director Joey Kuhn’s “Those People.” In between, there are dozens of features, shorts and documentaries that showcase LGBT life. Set in Philadelphia, shot with a local cast and crew and produced by locals Kelly Burkhardt and Calvin Woodruff, “Beautiful Something” (7:30 p.m. July 7 at Perelman Theater) is a striking mood piece that follows a handful of characters over the course of a single day. Brian (Brian Sheppard) is a writer who falls in love with just about every

guy he meets. Meanwhile, Jim (Zack Ryan) is making an important decision about his relationship with Drew (Colman Domingo), a famous artist, while Bob (John Lescault) cruises around town in his limo, looking for someone to love, if only for a little while. “Beautiful Something” eschews plot and dramatic crescendos to focus on the intimate and intense moments shared by the gay men who reveal their insecurities, as well as their chiseled chests, to one another. Graham’s strength as a writer/director is to give his actors room in each scene to breathe and develop, and Sheppard delivers an outstanding performance. In a recent phone interview, Graham spoke about making the film, which is based on a series of his own life experiences. “I made the film in Philadelphia because Philadelphia is a city that has been so won-

derful to me over the past 10 years,” he said. “My films ‘Vanilla’ and ‘Strapped’ screened there, and I made friends there. I consider it a second home. Shooting there afforded us the opportunity to make the film grittier, and give it a stronger backdrop than doing it in San Colman Domingo, left, and Zach Ryan in “Beautiful Something” Francisco, where wants to be licensed to compete in MMA I live. It gave it a but her life changes when her transgender stronger edge.” status is made public. The fallout includes Other worthwhile films playing at QFlix a debate on whether Fox should be allowed include: to fight women. Meanwhile, Clemens strug “All Yours” (5 p.m. July 8 at Prince gles to find the right time to come out and Theater) is a frisky romantic drama about gets some support and guidance from openly Lucas (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a scruffy gay NBA player Jason Collins. As the film young Argentine who meets a heavylaudably shows, both Fox and Clemens find set Belgian baker, Henry (Jean-Michel a measure of happiness and work to change Balthazar), online. When Henry flies Lucas to Europe to live with him, the Latino is vis- the culture, combating fear, ignorance and discrimination in the process. ibly uncomfortable with both the sleeping The sweet, unpretentious film “That’s and working arrangements. Writer/director Not Us” (7:15 p.m. July 10 at Prince) is a David Lambert’s vivid, engrossing characterrific comedy-drama about three couples ter study features some graphic sex scenes, — lesbians Alex (Sarah Wharton) and Jackie opera singing and plenty of baking as Lucas and Henry navigate their relationship, which (Nicole Pursell), gay couple James (Mark Berger) and Spencer (David Rysdahl) and is further complicated when Lucas finds himself attracted to Henry’s other employee, straight couple Liz (Elizabeth Gray) and Dougie (Tommy Nelms) — who spend a Audrey (Monia Chokri). late September weekend together at a New The inspiring documentary “Game Face” York beach community. While each couple (7:15 p.m. July 8 at Prince) tells the parallel coming-out stories of transgender MMA ath- spends their time alone together fucking or lete Fallon Fox and the closeted college bas- fighting, all the characters are dealing with partnership issues involving honesty and ketball player Terrence Clemens. How both (mis)communication. “That’s Not Us” is athletes navigate their sexuality and sports consistently warm and engaging, thanks to will have viewers rooting for them. Fox the assured performances by the entire cast, who improvised most of their scenes. This is a perfect film to see on a summer night with someone you care about. The cast and filmmakers are scheduled to be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. “Seed Money” (9:30 p.m. July 10 at Prince) provides a nostalgic portrait of Falcon Studios’ Chuck Holmes, his success and his legacy through assiduously chosen clips, interviews and photographs. This thin but lovingly made documentary chronicles Holmes’ landmark career in porn, creating visibility for gay consumers in an era when it was risky to do so. “Seed Money” is preceded by the sexy, evocative short “Been Too Long at the Fair,” co-directed by Charles Lum and Todd Verow. In a wistful voice-over, Lum recounts his memories of and experiences at the Fair, a gay adult movie theater in Queens, N.Y. The film conveys Lum’s excitement of entering this venue and features some explicit activity to complement the narrator’s fond memories. It’s an appropriate companion to “Seed Money.” For tickets and more information, visit www.qflixphilly.com. n

PGN SPORTS

Get Out and Play

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Scott A. Drake

Open invitation to try your foot at something new For some of us, soccer is a great sport to watch when there’s a World Cup being televised or some other similar high-profile event. For many others, it’s their sport of choice and they play whenever they get the chance. This summer, even if you think you have the dexterity of a puppy on ice, you also get a chance. Beginning July 7 and continuing through the better part of the summer, Philadelphia Falcons Soccer is offering beginners the opportunity to learn the basics on the field. Not only will you learn some new skills, but watching will be even more interesting when you know a little more about what’s going on. Organizers Juan David Franco and Yunio Ivan Martinez are encouraging anyone who has a desire to play, no matter what skill level, to come by one of the pick-up games and join in. Cleats are highly recommended but not required. Games are at Edgley Fields in Fairmount

Reading is fundamental The Reading Fightin Phils are never a drag when it comes to a good game of baseball, but Aug. 17 might be borderline. Not the game, mind you; just the opening ceremonies. In what is a local first, at least as far as I can find out, the ceremonial first pitch that night will be thrown out by Philly’s own history-making drag queen Sandy Beach. Beach was asked recently to throw out the first pitch in conjunction with game sponsorLOVE FOR THE LADIES: The Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club has been ship by Venture Inn. getting together for Women’s World Cup games as the ladies progressed Beach isn’t a newcomer into the quarter- and semifinals, and June 30 was no exception. About to pitching, though it’s 20 Falcons members, players and fans met up at Tabu for the game and been a few years and some watched as the United States took down Germany 2-0. The party for the practice time is definitely finals on Sunday is at Pennsylvania 6. Photo: Scott A. Drake in the forcast. “They have never had Park. Play times are 6-8 p.m. the Falcons through facebook. a drag performer throw out the Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 com/groups/phillyfalcons/. first pitch,” Beach said. “I’ve a.m.-noon Saturdays. Now be careful, but get out been looking it up and can’t For more information, contact and play!

seem to see if anyone has thrown a pitch in drag. I am extremely thrilled and excited.” Tickets are available for the Monday-evening game through milb.com. No word yet on whether the officials are permitting heels on the field or if Beach will have to wear flats. In either case, the game will be Beachin’! Short stops • The Philadelphia Fins Aquatic Club has several swimmers participating in the DCAC Maryland Swim For Life July 11. It is an open-water swim with distances from 1-5 miles. Go Fins! • Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association is still registering players for its annual Philadelphia Open tournament July 24-27. To register, go to philadelphialibertytennis.org. n Hit me up for photos of your special events and team time this summer! Email scott@epgn.com.

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PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Theater & Arts

PGN recently won eleven awards from the Local Media Association 2014 Editorial Contest Best Arts & Entertainment Writing, Honorable Mention Runaways Singer To Perform in Philly Community Service Award, Third Place Best Special Section, Second Place World AIDS Day Supplement Best Opinion Column, Second Place Mark My Words Best Breaking News Story, First Place Pennsylvania says ‘I Do’ Best Local Election Coverage, Second Place Phildelphia 2014 Primary Election Best Front Page, Second Place Best Non-Page One Layout, Second Place Arts & Culture Feature Story Best Coverage Life Under 30, First Place LGBTQ Youth Supplement Best Arts & Entertainment Feature Writing, Second Place Meshell Ndegeocello’s New Album Burns Bright Best Breaking News Story, Honarable Mention PA Treasurer Enters Marriage Fray

PGN is the most award-winning LGBT newspaper in the country.

Adventures in Photography Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition featuring diverse works by figures such as Peter Henry Emerson and George Seeley through Aug. 20, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Caitlin Moran The comedic author of “How To Build A Girl” hosts a book signing 7:30 p.m. July 9 at Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.

‘KHAN’ ARTISTS: The Franklin Institute presents “Genghis Khan: Bring the Legend to Life,” an exhibition of saddles and armor used by the Mongol Warriors, as well as hundreds of historical treasures including weapons, jewels, monuments and documents up to a thousand years old, through Jan. 3, 20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. For more information, visit www.fi.edu.

emergence and decay, belonging and displacement, life and death, through Oct. 25, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Dance: Movement, Rhythm, Spectacle Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of prints, drawings and photographs that celebrate the world of dance through Aug. 2, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Jimmy Carter The former president and author of “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety” hosts a book signing 12:30 p.m. July 10 at Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.

Gay Pioneers Screening and Panel The documentary is screened followed by a discussion with a panel of renowned LGBT activists and historians, 7-10 p.m. July 3 at WHYY, Independence Mall West, 150 N. Sixth St.; 215-351-1200.

Kate Breakey: Small Deaths An exhibition of hand-colored, oversized images of the birds, flowers and insects that photographer Breakey has memorialized through her work, through July 12 at Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine St.; 215-3409800.

Into Dust: Traces of the Fragile in Contemporary Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition about the distinctions between the corporeal and transcendental,

Legally Blonde The comedy film is screened 8 p.m. July 6 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888. The Marvel Experience A domed attraction that features

the world’s firstever traveling 360-degree, 3D stereoscopic projection theater through July 5 at Lincoln Financial Field, 1 Lincoln Financial Field Way, 267570-4000. Memphis Walnut Street Theatre presents the Tony Awardwinning Broadway musical about the city with a rich musical history through July 12, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Northern Lights: Scandinavian Design Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition surveying Scandinavian design from its triumphant showing at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris to the present day, through Oct. 4, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Tommy Johnagin The comedian seen on “Last Comic Standing” performs July 9-11 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001.

Music Buddy Guy The legendary blues guitarist performs 8 p.m. July 3 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-572-7650. Foo Fighters The rock group performs 6:30 p.m. July 6 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-3651300. Kid Rock and Foreigner The rock groups perform 6:45 p.m. July 7 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-3651300. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah The rappers and Wu-Tang Clan members perform 8 p.m. July 7 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011. Patti LaBelle The R&B icon performs 7 p.m. July 9 at Dell

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

BELLES OF THE BALLROOM: The African American Museum in Philadelphia presents “Legendary: Inside the House Ballroom Scene,” an exhibition of photography by Philadelphia-based photographer Gerard Gaskin focusing on the culture of house balls of the AfricanAmerican and Latino gay, transgender and queer community, through Aug. 16, 701 Arch St. For more information, visit www. aampmuseum.org.

Music Center, 2400 Strawberry Mansion Drive; 215-685-9566. Vans Warped Tour The daylong punk-rock and skateboarding festival kicks off at noon July 10 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-3651300. Get the Led Out The Led Zeppelin tribute band performs July 10-11 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-

Nightlife 257-5808. Live Nation 50th Anniversary Concert Equality Forum stages a musical celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminder Days, with local and national performers, 7 p.m. July 3 at Penn’s Landing Festival Pier.

Red, White and Bearlesque The Bear-themed burlesque show goes patriotic, 9 p.m. July 3 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Annual Reminders Block Party Philly Pride Presents stages a 50th-anniversary celebration of the Annual Reminder Days marches from noon-6 p.m. July 5, with entertainment, vendors and more in the Gayborhood. Butchqueen The gender-bent drag show with lots of twists and surprises, 9 p.m. July 10 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-9649675. Big Phat Losers Drag stars Mimi Imfurst, Jiggly Caliente, Mystique Summers Madison, Delta Work, Victoria “Porkchop” Parker, Latrice Royale, Stacy Layne Matthews and Darienne Lake perform 10 p.m. July 10 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011.

Outta Town Meghan Trainor The pop singer performs 7 p.m. July 3 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000. Barb Jungr The singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. July 3 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888596-1027. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre The classic horror film is screened 9:45 p.m. July 3 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St.,

Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. The Fly The classic horror film is screened 2 p.m. July 5 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. Idina Menzel The acclaimed actor and singer performs 8 p.m. July 10 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000. Jim Norton The comedian performs 9 p.m. July 10 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000. n

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.

Q Puzzle I refuse to be invisble Across

1. Jane of “Grace and Frankie” 6. Member 10. Will of “The Waltons” 14. Slicker in the winter 15. Wine region of da Vinci’s land 16. Trucker’s rod 17. Kidney-related 18. Fight for a twosome 19. Life partner 20. Nelson, who championed LGBT rights 22. Broadway district 24. Sondheim’s “___ Can Whistle” 25. “Another card” in S/M-speak? 26. “Faboo!” 28. Audre Lorde’s birthplace 32. It borders Tenn. 35. Material from Sylvia Beach? 37. Queen topper 38. “Dykes to Watch Out For” cartoonist Alison 41. Media gadfly Huffington 43. Rimbaud’s heart 44. “Pandora’s Box” heroine 46. Canon camera 47. Gloomy 49. “The ___ of

Harvey Milk” 52. Marlon Brando’s hometown 54. Check out gay porn sites, e.g. 58. Streisand’s “Don’t Rain on My ___” 60. Gay rodeo ropes 61. Old fruit drink 62. Cartoon chipmunk 64. Phrase from Ripley 65. Mireille, whose name rhymes with “penis” 66. Tied up 67. Christopher of “Superman” 68. Power measure 69. Enjoy Capote 70. Exodus memorial

Down

1. Like ground that’s hard 2. South Beach setting 3. Boob 4. Completely faithful 5. Francis of old TV 6. Cry of pride 7. Coll. of Phil Andros 8. Cheri once of SNL 9. Frasier’s ex 10. Abercrombie & Fitch locale, perhaps 11. Come out 12. Sailor’s patron 13. “Gone With the Wind” extra 21. Will and Grace shared one

23. Precious strings 25. Sweetie pie 27. Albee’s “Three ___ Women” 29. Nathan of “Modern Family” 30. Cosmetics businessman Laszlo 31. “Serpico” author Peter 32. Free verse “rhyme scheme” 33. Fifth-century pope 34. Perfect serves from Mauresmo 36. Limp watch painter 39. Kate Clinton or Margaret Cho 40. Stage offering 42. “Dancing with the Stars” routine 45. Hagen of “The Boys from Brazil”

48. Drag queen’s hose problem 50. Boo-boos, to Billy Bean 51. Human Rights Campaign fundraiser 53. Word before “ho!” 55. Lost some of its size 56. Pilot’s place 57. Artist Hernandez 58. Elizabeth of “Transamerica” 59. Part of a title by Tennessee Williams 60. What libraries do 61. “Orange Is the ___ Black” (source of the line in the puzzle’s title) 63. Actress who said the line whose name is visible in this puzzle

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

PORTRAIT from page 45

everyone and easy to get along with. Oh, and one more! Malcolm McDowell has a wicked, wild, unrelenting sense of humor. He would leave me the most hilarious message on my voicemail, which I kept for months after the festival was over. PGN: So what is “Bittersweet”? TC: Oh wow! How did you know about that? It’s an autobiographical screenplay I’m working on that’s about a “love at first sight” relationship that I had with a man I met at a GALA [Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses] conference. He was in the Los Angeles Gay Men’s choir and I was with the Spruce Street Singers and by the end of the second evening, we were inseparable. It had a very profound effect on my life. On the way home, our choir director said, “From the minute you met him, your feet have not touched the ground. I predict that you’re leaving us.” And sure enough, I moved to California. The bittersweet part was that he was dying of AIDS. This was in 1989 and he was HIV-positive, something he revealed to me in the first hour. I lived there until 1992 and took care of him and all of that. It was an experience that I’ll always remember without any regrets. PGN: Tell me about your relationship now. TC: Well, my partner and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary on Halloween night 2015. His name is Randal L. Stein. We met outside Woody’s and we lived together for 10 years before he went to Memphis, Tenn., to take care of his ailing parents. It’s a longterm, long-distance relationship. People don’t understand how we do it, but you just make it work. There are good and bad parts but we’ve weathered it all. He’s a Southerner too, born in Kentucky and living in Tennessee. PGN: Backtracking, what did you study in school? TC: I studied American and English Literature at Fordham University. Most people choose their school by the program they want to study, but I choose Fordham because of the location. I really wanted to live in New York. I began organizing film festivals as a sophomore in college when I was on student government and in charge of events. I was a renegade in the English Department, always studying film in graduate school, taking courses in film at The New School University while pursuing a Ph.D. at Fordham. I took film courses at Villanova University too. PGN: And I saw you were at Saint Francis too, all religious schools. TC: It’s funny. Because my mother was in a “mixed marriage,” our Catholic Church made her sign documents saying that the children would be raised in the Catholic faith and go to Catholic schools or study. I think of myself now more of a spiritual person than a religious person. I flourished in New York and expanded my hori-

PGN

zons in amazing directions, meeting new people and learning new things, including a relationship with a professor (from a different school) who was 20 years older than me. He introduced me to opera and theater, visual arts and jazz. It was an exciting time. PGN: Speaking of an exciting time, let’s talk about the film festival. Why is it important to have an LGBT film festival when you can turn on the TV and find gay characters on “Modern Family”? TC: Yes, you can watch “Modern Family” or “Will & Grace” reruns or the darling of daytime TV, Ellen DeGeneres, hosting a talk show for the masses and it’s great, but there are still a lot of stories to be told. We have a lot of very creative people in the LGBTQ community and film is a great way for them to communicate. And our festival is international in scope. Here in America, with things like the recent Supreme Court ruling, we can get complacent and forget that there’s still a lot to fight for, here and abroad. One of the things we’re really proud of is a film called “Outed: The Painful Reality,” which is about the LGBT people who have been killed after being outed publicly in newspapers in Uganda. The director, activist Hassan Kamoga, decided to make the film after a friend of his was brutally murdered by a mob after being outed. We are trying to raise funds to bring him to the states to speak about the film and the situation. We have another film called “Mala, Mala” about drag queens and transgender people in Puerto Rico who are treated like outcasts. We have fun films too, like the one you programmed, “S&M Sally,” a cute comedy from the director of “Butch Jamie” and “Heterosexual Jill.” We have special guests, world premieres, parties and satellite events. It’s going to be an exciting six days for film lovers! PGN: What movie set do you wish you could have been on? TC: With Orson Wells and “Citizen Kane.” PGN: What is one thing that you would really like to learn how to do and why? TC: I’d like to be a fashion designer of men’s clothing. Men’s clothing really hasn’t changed very dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. Just think of the tie and jacket! It’s still basically variations on a theme. PGN: What advice would you give the you of 25 years ago? TC: To plan strategically for the future (I didn’t expect to reach 70 years and the senior-citizen period in life) and to take many more chances, to be more daring in life. n For more information on qFLIX, visit www.qflixphilly.com. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol. com.

Classifieds All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other 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 realestate advertising that is in violation of any applicable law.

PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

PGN

Embracing Diversity Cathedral Village’s nondenominational, inclusive community

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

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Men Delco Dudes A men’s social and support group meets 7-9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road in Media; delco.dudes@uucdc.org. Gay Married Men’s Association Meets 7-9 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; www. gammaphilly.com. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at William Way; 610-277-6595, www.MACTPhila.org. Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey; njwarrior@aol.com. Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330.

Parents/Families Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Bucks County Meets 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Penns Park United Methodist Church, 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park, and hird Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Warminster UCC, 785 Street Road; 215-348-9976. PFLAG/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484-354-2448. PFLAG/Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609-202-4622, pflagcollingswood@yahoo.com. PFLAG/Media Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Unitarian Universal Church, 145 Rose Tree Rd.; 610-368-2021. PFLAG/Philadelphia Meets 2-5 p.m. the third Sunday of the month at the LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 3907 Spruce St.; 215-572-1833. PFLAG/Princeton, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the George Thomas Room at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer St.; 609-683-5155. PFLAG/Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St.; 302-654-2995. Philadelphia Family Pride Advocacy, support and social network for LGBT families offers play groups, monthly kids and teen talk groups, activities and outings. Planning meetings held monthly; 215-600-2864, info@ phillyfamilypride.org, www. phillyfamilypride.org.

Trans Evolutions A drop-in support group for anyone on the transgender spectrum meets 6 p.m. Thursdays at 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652 ext. 235.

Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary health care and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, nonjudgmental environment, 809 Locust St.; 215563-0658. T-MAN People-of-color support group for transmen, FTMs, butches, studs, aggressives, bois, genderqueer and all female-born individuals with gender questions meets 7:309:30 p.m. Mondays, 1201 Locust St., second floor; 215-632-3028, tmanphilly.com. Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; 215-8511822. Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization, 1201 Locust St., fourth floor; 215-732-1207. Young, Trans and Unified Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, www. atticyouthcenter.org.

Women Hanging Out With Lesbians A group in Central Pennsylvania that organizes concerts, camping, golf, picnics, hikes, plays and game nights in nonsmoking environments; http://groups.yahoo. com/group/howlofpa/. Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group meets monthly for activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/LCDV/. Lesbian Couples Dining Group of Montgomery County Meets monthly; 215-542-2899. Mt. Airy Lesbian Social Club For lesbians in the Philadelphia area ages 35-plus; www.meetup. com/mtairylesbiansocial/. Queer Connections Social group for women in their 20s meets weekly; http://groups.yahoo. com/group/queerconnections/. Sisters United A social/support group for transwomen of color ages 13-24, with weekly social events, open discusson and monthly movie/ discussions meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330. Women Coming-Out Support Group Women, ages 18 and over, who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the coming-out process are welcome to meet 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of New Jersey; www.pridecenter.org.

Youth 40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for

youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meet at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J.; schedule at www. glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com, 908-300-1058. HAVEN LGBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20 meet 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153. HiTOPS A safe-space support program for LGBT and questioning youth meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; 609-683-5155, hitops.org. Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-1861, info@myaonline. org. Project Keeping it Safe LGBT youth drop-in center offers meetings, HIV and STD prevention and testing, counseling and other services on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-9632432, camden-ahec.org/. PRYSM Youth Center Youth ages 14-20 meet 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at the center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610357-9948. Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Youth ages 14-21 meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 13-23 meets 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at Planned Parenthood of Chester County, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267-6876648. Young, Trans and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center; 215-545-4331, www.atticyouthcenter.org. You’re Not Alone Sponsored by AIDS Delaware, the group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth meets during the school year at 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington, Del; 800-810-6776. Youth Making a Difference A group for LGBTQ AfricanAmerican and Latino youth ages 14-24 meets 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 3-9, 2015

Community Bulletin Board Community centers

■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331; atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. See the Youth section for more events. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044; center@dolphin. upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088 ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221 ■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851 ■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330

■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065 rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. ■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay.org. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday through Friday Library hours: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

Key numbers ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378 ■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Nellie Fitzpatrick, 215-6862194; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000 ■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288

■ 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)

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

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 149 W. Susquehanna Ave.; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871; www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appoint-

■ 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, self-employed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city, invites speakers on various topics, partners with other nonprofits and maintains a website where everyone is invited to sign up for email notices for activities and

ment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing available 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652; www.mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-noon Friday; 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups 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 July 3-9, 2015

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THERE’S MORE SUMMER FUN IN BALTIMORE. Discover your new favorite entrée. Dance barefoot at an outdoor concert. Go antiquing. Wear some red, white and blue to the birthplace of our national anthem. Or, check out the nation’s largest free arts festival.

FORT! FLAG! FREEDOM!

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine June 27–August 23, 2015 Fort McHenry delivers hands-on history seven days a week, offering you the chance to help rangers hoist the Star-Spangled Banner flag over the ramparts. And Wednesdays through Sundays, become a part of history as you drill with wooden muskets, muster to the drum, learn about 1814 fashions and meet historical characters.

ARTSCAPE

Bolton Hill and Station North Arts & Entertainment District July 17–19, 2015 This three-day festival showcases creative expression of all kinds, including outdoor sculpture, art cars and photography. Live concerts, dance, opera and film will also be featured, as well as family-oriented demonstrations, competitions and street performances. An international menu of food and beverages is available throughout the festival.

SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK

Participating Restaurants in Baltimore July 24–August 2, 2015

Dine your way through Baltimore! The metro area’s largest culinary tradition is a celebration of outstanding chefs and dining diversity. Enjoy specially selected three-course, fixed-price lunches and dinners at more than 90 of our best restaurants.

35TH ANNUAL BALTIMORE SUMMER ANTIQUES SHOW Baltimore Convention Center August 20–23, 2015

Spanning four days and featuring 575 exhibitors, the largest indoor antiques show in the country puts artistry on display. Featuring more than 200,000 pieces of furniture, jewelry, porcelain, glass, textiles, and fine and folk art alike, this extraordinary event is a collector’s dream.

40TH ANNUAL BALTIMORE PRIDE

Mount Vernon & Druid Hill Park July 25–26, 2015 With more than 30,000 people attending each year, Baltimore Pride is the premier LGBT event in Maryland. Historic Mount Vernon hosts the parade and block party, featuring Martha Wash, Cazwell and TS Madison, before moving to Druid Hill Park. Feel the love at one of Baltimore’s most colorful happenings.

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Plan your visit today at BALTIMORE.ORG

6/22/15 3:00 PM