pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976 Family Portrait: Roz Sutch has a taxing job PAGE 47
Vol. 40 No. 28 July 8-14, 2016
Attorneys oppose HIVpoz woman suing under psuedonym PAGE 2
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Comic author takes to the stage
CHOP program delivers info, fun to ballroom youth PAGE 5
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Kathryn Knott files motion for parole By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
FROM PHILLY, WITH LOVE: With the help of Timmay Barlow (aka Gio MichaelsAvelli), Rani (left) and Devi Simons wrote notes for victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando at Pop-Up Pride Tuesday night at the PA Horticultural Society’s South Street Pop-Up Garden. The poster, along with dozens of cards donated by Philly AIDS Thrift, will be sent to victims of the LGBT mass shooting, along with over $300 generated through raffles and a 50/50; the money will be donated to Pulse Tragedy Community Fund to support the crisis counseling being provided by the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida. PGN art director/photographer Scott Drake organized the event, which drew more than 100 people. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Kathryn Knott asked a judge this week if she could be released from prison once she has served the minimum threshold of her sentence for her involvement in a Center City gay-bashing incident. On Wednesday, Bill Brennan, Knott’s attorney, filed a request for parole. Common Pleas Judge Roxanne Covington, who oversaw Knott’s December trial, will consider the motion. If she approves it, Knott could be released from Riverside Correctional Facility on July 8, five months after Covington handed down a five-to 10-month sentence. Knott was convicted of four misdemeanors in relation to a September 2014 attack on a local gay couple. Co-defendants Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams accepted plea deals and were sentenced to community service and probation. On June 10, Knott requested an early release based on the earned time, good
Gay man files complaint against police
Philly trans vets speak out on military inclusion By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Christopher R. Lombardi, an openly gay resident of South Philadelphia, contends he was mistreated by Philadelphia police when he was arrested for driving under the influence last month. Lombardi’s arrest occurred about 3:30 p.m. June 17 on Island Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. He denies the DUI allegation. On June 27, Lombardi filed PAGE 18 a c i t i z e n ’s
time principle that allows release for good behavior before the minimum time limit on a sentence. Covington denied that request one week later without comment. Brennan told PGN Wednesday that Knott has not gotten into any trouble during her incarceration, which he said supports her request for being released at the minimum of her sentence. “She’s had no infractions in prison, she’s really been a model inmate; that’s the reason we design minimums and maximums, as opposed to the federal system, where there’s a flat sentence,” he said, noting he’s more confident Covington will rule in Knott’s favor on this petition than last month’s. “That petition was a long shot and I understand the court may have felt that the petition for earned time, good time was a re-entry program, but I’m cautiously optimistic that, based upon the fact that we structure sentences with minimums and maximums, that she’ll be released at the minimum.” Once she is released, PAGE 8
BOWLING BELLES: Gay bowlers spent Independence Day weekend in Philadelphia for the annual Liberty Bell Invitational tournament. Bowlers competed July 2-3 at Laurel Lanes in New Jersey and Sunday night boarded the Spirit of Philadelphia for a dinner and awards banquet, with a bird’s eye-view of the Penn’s Landing fireworks. Guests included Ian Rimerman (from left), Blase Pronsati, Scott Wrasman, LBI secretary Terry Geyer, Tom Creech, LBI webmaster Steve Nipe, Jeremy Gussick, LBI league director Doug DiPasquale and LBI treasurer Mike Higgins. Photo: Scott A. Drake
DNC coverage begins July 22
When the Department of Defense lifted its ban on open transgender service in the military just before Independence Day, local transgender veterans cheered the move. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced the inclusion at a June 30 news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. “I’m confident that we have reason to be proud today of what this will mean for our military,” Carter told reporters. “It’s the right thing to do and it’s another step in ensuring that we continue to recruit and retain the most qualified people. Good people are the key to the best military in the world. Our military, and the nation it defends, will be stronger.” His full comments are available by visiting www.defense.gov. PGN checked in with four transgender veterans — from the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force and Army — to share their stories of PAGE 22 personal patriotism and self-discovery.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
PGN LOCAL
Defendants in lawsuit want woman with HIV publicly identified By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Two defendants in a federal antibias lawsuit filed by an HIV-positive woman have opposed her request to litigate anonymously. “Bonnie Jones,” 40, an Iraq War veteran claims she was denied access to a therapeutic swimming pool at OSS Orthopaedic Hospital in York. The named defendants are the hospital, Drayer Physical Therapy Institute and Timothy Burch. The hospital performs orthopedic surgeries and Drayer operates its physical-therapy program. Burch is a physical therapist affiliated with the hospital and/or Drayer. In June 2015, Burch allegedly denied Jones access to the hospital’s therapeutic pool because Jones is HIV-positive.
Last month, Jones filed suit in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, seeking an unspecified amount in damages, among other remedies. She also filed a request to litigate under a pseudonym. “[Jones] has a reasonable fear that widespread knowledge of her HIV status might lead to further stigma and discrimination against her,” the June 24 request states, adding that Jones isn’t being unreasonable in her request for anonymity. The hospital doesn’t oppose Jones’ request to litigate anonymously. But on July 1, attorneys for Drayer and Burch filed a brief in opposition to the request to litigate anonymously. “[Jones’] fear of severe harm is not reasonable,” the brief states. According to the brief, Jones filed three complaints stemming from the alleged
Philly gets thousands of condoms for new MSM program
incident with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, using her legal name. “[Jones] contends that a pseudonym is necessary because using her full name would disclose her HIV-positive status. She has already done so in the Pennsylvania administrative litigation alleging facts virtually identical to this case, thereby waiving her right to anonymity. [Jones] suggests that if she is not permitted to proceed under pseudonym, she may not be willing to proceed with this lawsuit. The claims asserted by [Jones] are meritless and defendants will defend this case.” Attorneys argued in the brief that no injustice will occur if Jones is publicly identified. “[Jones] assertion that ‘it would be a gross injustice if defendants’ discriminatory [conduct] remains unaddressed because [Jones]
News Briefing
By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com The Philadelphia Department of Public Health was among three winners that will receive a shared total of 500,000 condoms. It plans to distribute them in a new program for men who have sex with men. The National Coalition of STD Directors, a sexual-health nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., in partnership with Trojan condoms, announced the condom donations June 29. It’s part of a campaign called Condoms (Still) Work. State health departments in Iowa and Oklahoma also received the free condoms. Each nominee had to submit a video entry to be considered. Health workers in Philadelphia’s video said the city has the fourth-highest rate of chlamydia among large cities in the United States, and third-highest rate of gonorrhea. They also noted the prevalence of condoms in services for people who are living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS. The condoms donated to Philadelphia will go toward a new initiative called Do You, Philly that promotes sexual health for men who have sex with men. The health department launched it June 12. “It helps us get this program off the ground,” said Caitlin Hoffman, communications and policy coordinator with the health department. “These resources are hard for health departments to sustain and we know Trojan condoms are what this community wants.” Do You, Philly targets males, especially those of color, ages 13-29. Participants can request up to 20 condoms a month, as well as anal or standard lube, by visiting www.doyouphilly.org. They can also request free STI tests to be mailed to them or set up an appointment for a health professional to visit their home to perform a blood test for syphilis. Funding for the program comes from the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office, part of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The program is expected to continue indefinitely. At a panel hosted last month, Coleman Terrell, acting director of AACO, said his agency spends about $200,000 a year on condoms. n
Abuse case transferred to Montco A lawsuit file against Germantown Academy for allegedly facilitating same-sex abuse against a male student has been transferred to Montgomery County. In February, “John Doe,” a student at the school, filed suit in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, alleging pervasive same-sex abuse at the school. Doe contends he was victimized by various abuse within the school’s swim program, including being urinated on, having his nipples twisted in a painful manner, being kneed in the genital area and being threatened with anal rape. Germantown Academy is located in Whitemarsh Township, and school officials requested that the case be transferred to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. On June 23, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Arnold L. New granted the school’s request. Neither side had a comment for this update.
911 law goes into effect this month A new law that limits the type of information that can be released from 911 time-response logs goes into effect July 24.
could not proceed under pseudonym’ is a misstatement because the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission has been addressing identical allegations without a pseudonym. Clearly, no injustice will occur.” The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, which represents Jones, will reply to the brief by July 15, said Ronda B. Goldfein, executive director of the agency. Goldfein said many people had their lives ruined because of stigma related to their HIV-positive status. “At the heart of this claim is a complete insensitivity to this woman and her HIV status,” Goldfein told PGN. “So to make an allegation that she faces no harm if her identity is known is a continuation of that lack of sensitivity and understanding.” Attorneys for Drayer and Burch couldn’t be reached for comment. n
The law prohibits officials from releasing 911 information that would jeopardize the safety of a 911 caller, witness or victim. “We believe the bill enacted is an improvement over the original version,” said Melissa B. Melewsky, media-law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. “By its plain terms, it guarantees public access to response locations — the cross street, block identifier or closest mile marker. But it’s always a concern when a new limit on public access is enacted. There’s always a concern that agencies will misinterpret or misapply the law.” State Sen. Randy Vulakovich (R) introduced an amendment to an earlier version of the measure. “Sen. Vulakovich is pleased that the legislation was signed into law after passing the Senate with one negative vote and unanimously in the House,” said Nathan P. Silcox, an aide to Vulakovich. “Sen. Vulakovich believes the work he did with the Open Records Office and stakeholders struck a balance between protecting the privacy of 911 callers and witnesses while providing the public with needed information to monitor the effectiveness of our first responders.” — Timothy Cwiek
Financial experts discuss money management A panel of successful LGBT business owners will discuss how to manage finances later this month. From 10 a.m.-noon July 13, Queer Money: Igniting Your Success Philly will be held at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.
The discussion is open to all ages, but is aimed toward high-school students, college students and young professionals. The panel consists of LGBT attorney Angela Giampolo, Kevin Gatto of Verde Salon and the Debt Free Guys. Find more information on the event on Facebook.
Happy hour helps Orlando victims The local community is invited to a happy hour fundraiser next week for those affected by the Orlando shooting, in which 49 people were killed in Pulse nightclub. Werk 4 Orlando will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 14 at Pennsylvania 6 Philly, 114 S. 12th St. This event is open to anyone 21 or over. There will be local entertainers, a silent auction and many opportunities for donations. A $10 donation upon entering the event is recommended. For more information, call 267639-5606.
Pulse benefit raises funds A local bar will host a night of performances, wine and raffles to raise money for Pulse Orlando, a charity dedicated to helping those affected by the tragic Orlando shooting. Love Conquers: A Benefit for Pulse will take place 8-10 p.m. July 18 at L’etage Club, 624 S. Sixth St. This event is 21 and over, with a suggested donation of $10 at the door. For more information, see the event’s Facebook page. n — Eliana Berson
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
News & Opinion
2 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Street Talk Transmissions
Columns
15 — Out Money: Trusts and beneficiaries 26 — Dining Out: Maya.J brings a lot to a small plate
Arts & Culture
23 — Feature: Philly debut for out comic’s one-woman show 25 — Scene in Philly 27 — Family Portrait 28 — Out & About 30 — Q Puzzle 31 — Comic
COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION: Ms. Tootsies hosted Recess June 29, a joint event by Philadelphia Black Pride and Philadelphia FIGHT. The AIDS Education Month gathering encouraged social and professional networking by LGBT people of color, with a particular emphasis on discussions about preexposure prophylaxis. Photo: Scott A. Drake
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The Mt. Airy Arts Garage held its last First Friday art opening at its current location July 1.
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Editor
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~ Pennsylvania Catholic Conference spokesperson Amy B. Hill on the Pennsylvania abuse bill going back to the House after Senate amended approval, page 6
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Community Living Room’s fifthannual Art and Recovery show colors people’s lives.
Jen Colletta (ext. 206) jen@epgn.com
“I can reiterate that no matter the final resolution with the legislation, the Catholic Church will keep its sincere commitment to the emotional well-being of individuals who have been impacted by the crime of childhood sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the crime was committed.”
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“Holy Hell,” by gay filmmaker Will Allen, screens July l4-15 at MOCA.
Copyright © 1976 - 2016 Copyright(s) in all materials in these pages are either owned or licensed by Masco Communications Inc. or its subsidiaries or affiliate companies (Philadelphia Gay News, PGN, and it’s WWW sites.) All other reproduction, distribution, retransmission, modification, public display, and public performance of our materials is prohibited without the prior written consent of Masco Communications. To obtain such consent, email pgn@epgn.com Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 1976-2016 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-5155
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LOCAL PGN
CHOP brings sexual health to Philly’s house and ballroom scene
By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Wearing an Oxford shirt, blue Bermudas and aqua aviators, Pamela 007 from the House of 007 wielded his arms like a Swiss Army knife. The 26-year-old went limp at the knees and dropped until his back was parallel with the floor. A nearby table erupted with stomping and snaps. Many caught the action on their phones, streaming it to Facebook Live. The performance took place June 30 in the recreation room of Fairmount’s Ukrainian League of Philadelphia. It was part of the first-annual Philadelphia Kiki Youth People’s Choice Awards. Dozens received plaques for outstanding work in everything from realness and runway to vogue femme. The event capped six months of Kiki Lounges organized by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). They aimed to get youth together to have fun and learn about sexual health. Organizations like Bebashi, COLOURS, Mazzoni Center and the University of Pennsylvania had representatives deliver 15-minute presentations at each Kiki Lounge in a conference room in University City. The young people then blasted bass beats to practice their categories. Most at the awards chatted about the top $1,000 prize. But, when asked, they could recall information about pre-exposure prophylaxis, called PrEP, a daily pill regimen that’s been shown to be effective at preventing HIV; and Do You Philly, a campaign launched last month by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health to provide free condoms, lube and STI tests to young men who have sex with men (MSM). Tyrall Williams, 21, was part of the Do You Philly campaign. He modeled for some of the promotional materials and said he had a good time doing the photo shoots. “If you put a little fun with it, you’ll get things done,” said Williams, who’s part of the House of Patron. “If we don’t inform
people about their health, then we fail as a community.” Pamela 007 said the health information sticks in people’s minds better when they talk about it with their friends. “This is somewhere safe for the gays, basically,” he said of the ballroom competitions and Kiki Lounges. Monte Woods, 23, of the House of Gabbana, agreed. He started coming to the Kiki Lounges because of a mutual friend from the House of 007. “They were talking about things you wouldn’t know on the regular,” Woods said. ‘Nothing out there like this’ CHOP is one year into a five-year grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health. The funds support the Kiki Lounges and people’s choice awards as part of Project POSSE. The goal is to develop a behavioral-intervention method that would make young people more knowledgeable about their sexual health, help them take fewer risks and develop mentors. “Hopefully we can say, ‘Hello, CDC, you should package this so other people in the house and ballroom scene can use it,’” said Dr. Marné Castillo, project director at CHOP. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already endorses intervention methods based on “popular-opinion leaders,” or people with sway in a community. Castillo and her colleagues Richard Laboy, clinical research assistant, and Bevin Gwiazdowski, clinical research coordinator, spent about a month assembling a Community Advisory Board of 75 local opinion leaders, including the heads of 13 active houses in Philadelphia. CHOP researchers also work closely with Cook County Health and Hospitals System in Chicago. Laboy said Chicago researchers have run a version of Project POSSE for two years in their city’s PAGE 6
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
LOCAL PGN
Senate passes watered-down abuse bill By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com An effort within the state legislature to permit the reviving of time-barred civil claims alleging child sex abuse has been scuttled. In Pennsylvania, people over the age of 30 cannot file civil suits alleging child sex abuse. Advocates say this age cap is unfair, because many people don’t realize they’re child-abuse victims until later in life. In April, the state House of Representatives passed HB 1947, which would have allowed people up to the age of 50 file civil suits alleging child sex abuse. But the bill also contained a controversial provision allowing for the reviving of time-barred claims dating back to the 1960s. Several lawmakers in the state Senate expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the time-barred provision. Last month, the state Senate Judiciary Committee stripped the time-barred provision from the measure. And on June 30,
the full Senate approved the bill without it. The measure enacted by the state Senate allows people up to age 50 to sue their alleged molester and the institution that employed the suspect. But the measure doesn’t allow people between 30-50 to file civil suits alleging molestation that occurred prior to enactment of the bill. The measure does eliminate all time limits for criminal charges against childsex abusers in Pennsylvania. The amended bill has been sent back to the state House, where leaders say it won’t be considered until the fall, at the earliest. Attorney Marci A. Hamilton is an advocate for the reform of child sex-abuse laws. In June, she urged the state Senate Judiciary Committee to retain the timebarred provision. “Pennsylvania’s children and adult survivors deserve at least this much respect by this body for their civil rights,” she testified. Last week, Hamilton appeared undaunted by the removal of the timebarred provision. “This is just one stage in the process of
MANNA program defunded By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A local agency that provides nutritional meals to people with life-threatening illnesses is scrambling to fill a gap after it lost all city funding for one of its program. The Philadelphia Department of Human Services cut $350,000 from Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance’s Children’s Meal Program. The DHS funding was the initiative’s only financial backing. MANNA CEO Sue Daugherty said the DHS funding has supported the program for more than 15 years. The Children’s Meal Program provides daily meals for about 150 youth annually. A handful of the children are the primary MANNA clients who themselves are ill, but the majority, Daugherty said, are dependent children who live in the household with a MANNA client. “We learned a long time ago that, if you don’t provide meals for the whole household, the client is not going to get the proper nourishment, because as parents, they’re going to take care of their kids first,” Daugherty said. MANNA was founded to provide meals to people with HIV/AIDS but has since expanded its mission to meet the needs of those battling an array of illnesses. Nearly all of their clients, Daugherty said, live in poverty. “We don’t have financial criteria, but 95 percent of our clients live below the poverty line,” she said. “Most of the time, they lack support systems, so we may have a single mom taking care of the kids as well as herself.”
Daugherty said DHS Acting Commissioner Jessica Shapiro reached out to her this spring to give her warning that the department’s financial situation could impact the program’s funding. “She shared with me that last year they had 14,000 child sex-abuse cases and this year it was 20,000. They’re struggling and they’re getting their funding from the state cut each year,” Daugherty said, noting that Shapiro explained the agency has had to divert funding from its prevention program, which the Children’s Meal Program was funded through, to direct services. “We were planning to take a hit but were a little shocked to be completely defunded; but I do appreciate that we had somewhat of a heads-up.” Daugherty said DHS officials offered to make introductions at the Department of Health in case that department could help MANNA close the funding gap in the future. She said the organization is tapping into its reserved resources to keep the Children’s Meal Program up and running. They’re also undertaking active fundraising efforts to help sustain the program until new funding sources can be located. Apart from donating money, Daugherty said supporters can also donate time to the organization. “We’re a volunteer-driven organization, which is why we’re able to afford to serve as many people as we do, and the summer is always challenging for getting volunteers, so volunteering is a great way to help out,” Daugherty said. For more information, visit www.mannapa.org. n
identifying Pennsylvania’s hidden predators and creating justice for the victims of Pennsylvania’s unfairly short statutes of limitations for child sex abuse,” Hamilton said. “I look forward to working with the impressive coalition of organizations and survivors that have come together to fight for Pennsylvania’s children.” State Sen. Lawrence M. Farnese Jr. (D) voted against removal of the time-barred provision, but ultimately voted in favor of the amended bill. “I carefully considered the hearing testimony, written submissions, and relevant case law, and I am not persuaded the revival clause in HB 1947 was per se unconstitutional,” Farnese said in an email. “For that reason, I would’ve preferred the bill pass the Senate without amendment. However, I supported the bill as amended because it will update Pennsylvania law to recognize the physical, emotional and psychological obstacles victims of child sexual abuse must overcome before coming forward.” The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, which represents 10 dioceses in the state, opposed enactment of the time-barred pro-
vision. “PCC is taking a closer look at the amended bill,” said Amy B. Hill, a spokesperson for PCC. “I can’t say yet what it means for us. I can reiterate that no matter the final resolution with the legislation, the Catholic Church will keep its sincere commitment to the emotional well-being of individuals who have been impacted by the crime of childhood sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the crime was committed.” In an email, Hill emphasized that dioceses throughout the state are sensitive to child sex abuse issues. “The Catholic community enforces strict safe environment policies and offers assistance to survivors and their families. To date, Pennsylvania’s dioceses have spent more than $16.6 million on victim/ survivor-assistance services such as counseling, addiction treatment, medication, etc. Millions more have been negotiated in financial settlements with survivors who sought that resolution. We will continue to offer assistance as long as it is needed.” n
CHOP from page 5
voguing in someone’s living room. And this project is not just coming to sit in a room and get tested. They get to bring their friends and have a party.” It also normalizes the conversation, said Caitlin Hoffman, Health Department communications and policy coordinator. “If we’re talking about sexual health at a clinic, there’s a different tension and stigma,” she said. “At a community event, it’s more positive.”
house and ballroom scene, with significant results. “There’s nothing out there like this,” Laboy said, “nothing that’s targeting these young people. We need more data.” Laboy was a founding member of the House of Prodigy in Philadelphia in 2002. He has since reached legend status. Laboy noticed a disconnect between what his personal connections knew and what his professional connections knew. The CDC released statistics this year that one in two black MSM will contract HIV. “I’ve seen my house kids and friends affected by this epidemic,” Laboy said. “I want to make sure these kids have resources I didn’t have.” Calling on the community Michael Melvin, a member of the Community Advisory Board, described houses as “gay fraternities.” Mothers and fathers establish them, children join and the competition is known as ballroom. Members walk in different categories, selected by the house organizing the ball. In the Kiki scene for young people, Melvin goes by Icon Michael Unbothered Cartier. He’s the father of Unbothered Cartier. In the real scene, he’s the father of the House of Xistence. “If it’s like school, Kiki would be middle school before mainstream high school,” said Melvin, who helped plan the Kiki Lounges and the people’s choice awards. He likes that Project POSSE relies on existing social networks to share health information. “It’s like, ‘OK, if he’s doing it, I can too,” he said. “It definitely gives them resources, things they might not get if they were just
The talk Laboy said the STI tests at the Kiki Lounges are optional. But he likes to advise people that a urine test for gonorrhea and chlamydia, which is most common, does not provide information on possible infections in the rectum or throat. Laboy said people should make sure to test all areas. “With the presence of another STI, the likelihood of HIV infection doubles,” he said. Laboy said the Community Advisory Board would undergo training for four weeks starting at the end of the month. It will teach them how to start conversations about sexual health in their houses. Every six months, CHOP will conduct follow-up assessments of the young people who participated in the Kiki Lounges. The Community Advisory Board will meet monthly for “reunions” to discuss if CHOP can provide any resources to better facilitate sexual-health conversations. CHOP researchers want the Community Advisory Board to take the lead on training each other and discussing what works in sharing sexual-health information. “It is very community-based at every single level,” Laboy said. “We wanted [the house leaders] to be involved in giving this to their kids.” n
LOCAL PGN
Shooting-prevention expert seeks outside review of Pulse incident By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
“The public has a right to know what went right and what went wrong during the Pulse incident,” he said. “If major Chris Grollnek, an active-shooter pre- leadership errors were made, this will be vention expert, says an independent review used as a textbook picture of what not to of the Pulse massacre is needed to ensure a do in a critical incident and management of same.” credible narrative of the incident. On June 12, Omar Mateen shot 102 peo- Grollnek emphasized that he wasn’t ple inside the LGBT nightclub, 49 of them faulting the actions of responding officers fatally. It was the bloodiest mass shooting and SWAT members. “I have nothing but the utmost respect in American history. After a preliminary review of the inci- for the responding officers and SWAT dent, Grollnek believes police leadership team. They tried to do their job and stop the incident. But for reasons may have made serious errors not yet clear, police leadin judgment, contributing to ership may have prevented the chaos inside Pulse. them from doing their job “I’m not saying mistakes promptly.” by police leadership contrib In an email, the Orlando uted to the heavy death toll police department provided at Pulse, but I also can’t rule this version of events: out that possibility,” Grollnek “[A]t 2:08 a.m, OPD made told PGN. entrance to the nightclub and Grollnek is a nationally from 2:12 a.m. on, OPD offirecognized expert on activecers were in position to preshooter tactics, and a retired police officer and SWAT Team member vent the shooter from moving throughout Pulse, changing from an active shooter based in McKinney, Texas. He said an after-action report, known scenario to a hostage situation. The last as an AAR, typically is issued after a shots fired were at 2:18 a.m. We know the shots fired at 2:18 a.m. were from an OPD mass-shooting event. An outside agency with no vested inter- officer aimed at the shooter. At 5:14 a.m., est in the outcome should issue the Pulse when the SWAT rescue took place, additional shots were fired. after-action report, Grollnek said. “And I hope they don’t refer this task to “Police and Fire [computer-aided dispatch] reports provide additional inforthe Florida Department mation as to what of Law Enforcement,” occurred between he added. “I’d like to “If major leadership 2:18 a.m. and 5:14 see a more indepen- errors were made, this a.m. During this time, dent agency conduct will be used as a text- police were constantly the review.” helping victims out of Grollnek, 46, quesbook picture of what the building, bringtioned a narrative of the ing them to medical Pulse incident provided not to do in a critical being provided by by the Orlando Police incident and manage- aid either the fire departDepartment. ment or the hospital. According to the ment of same.” Within the first hour, department, Mateen’s there were reports that shooting spree ended by 2:12 a.m. June 12, when he retreated to explosives existed. Despite this threat, OPD officers continued to rescue people a Pulse restroom area and held hostages. Police said they used the next three hours from the building. to implement a rescue plan, which included “Once the SWAT team breached the breaching a restroom wall at 5:14 a.m., wall of Pulse, 30 additional people were rescued from the area where the gunman thus limiting additional casualties. But Grollnek said computer-aided dis- had been holding hostages. We have said patch records from the Orange County all along that our officers acted heroSheriff’s Office indicate Mateen continued ically — from the moment the first shots were fired, through the rescue of many shooting until 2:34 a.m. Grollnek also questioned why Mateen club-goers during the hostage situation, was able to retreat to the restroom area, to the time that the shooter was killed by OPD gunfire. But the [computer-aided where he apparently shot more people. Additionally, Grollnek noted that dispatch] narrative also shows that many Orlando Police Chief John W. Mina pub- people inside the club, and their friends licly disputed a survivor’s account that and family members who were relaying Mateen shot three people shortly before phone calls and text messages to 911 operators, also acted extremely heroically in a police breached a restroom wall. Grollnek said Mina’s refusal to accept time of great crisis. Officers could not have the survivor’s account underscores the acted so effectively without the information coming from inside the club.” n need for an impartial review.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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LOCAL PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
GALAEI looks to future with new TIP hire By Paige Cooperstien paige@epgn.com
The National Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Editorial Contest is the only national competition recognizing the best in community journalism.
Philadelphia Gay News won five awards. FIRST PLACE Best Review “Going to the ends of the earth to get married” Scott A. Drake
SECOND PLACE Best Feature Photo “Singing with Pride” Scott A. Drake
THIRD PLACE Best Obituary “Obituary: Jacob Kaskey” Jen Colletta
GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization has not had an executive director since February, but recently welcomed a new staffer and some executive support to help keep it on track. Madelyn Aamina Morrison joined the Trans-Health Information Project as a co-coordinator on June 27. She had spent a decade working for the project, called TIP, before stepping down in 2013 for “professional and personal soul-searching.” “I didn’t want to become jaded working with the community,” Morrison said. “I’m at a different place now.” She said she looks forward to working with Naiymah Sanchez, TIP coordinator, whom she met in 1998. Morrison said they would be able to take care of each other while doing the work. The Urban Affairs Coalition, a financial sponsor of GALAEI, will provide embedded executive support, the nonprofit told PGN. The coalition will have a representative at GALAEI’s North Philadelphia office at 149 W. Susquehanna Ave. three days a week, said Fran Zavala Cortes, youth coordinator. Zavala Cortes said GALAEI’s board expects to interview executive director candidates this month, and that the organization would like to hire someone by the end of the summer. Miguel Andrade, a former GALAEI board member who served as interim executive director since February, concluded his service in May. He told PGN he was only able to take three months off from his fulltime job working with the Indego bikeshare program in Philadelphia. Andrade has not rejoined GALAEI’s board, a body he left in order to serve as interim executive director. But he continues on good terms with the organization. He KNOTT from page 1
THIRD PLACE Best Photo Essay “Philly Pride 2015” Scott A. Drake
HONORABLE MENTION
Best Performing Arts Story “New documentary focuses on ‘gaymer’ culture” Larry Nichols
Knott must serve two-years’ reporting probation, during which time she will be prohibited from entering Center City Philadelphia. She is also facing two lawsuits: a civil suit from the victims, Andrew Haught and Zachary Hesse, and a federal suit from a Norristown woman. In that case, Kathleen O’Donnell claims Knott, her father, the Bucks County District Attorney and others took part in a conspiracy that resulted in her termination from her job. O’Donnell was fired after detectives visited her work while investigating a complaint by Knott, who took issue with an online account operated by O’Donnell under the moniker “Knotty is a Tramp.” Knott and her father, Karl, filed a brief last month to dismiss the count of the suit in which they are defendants. The other defendants also asked for the suit’s dismissal. The Knotts contended in their brief that
said he is focused on advocacy efforts for the U.S. Human Rights Network and Not 1 More, a campaign to end deportations. Elicia Gonzales abruptly left GALAEI in February, after six years as executive director. The move was called a mutual decision by the board. Gonzales has not commented publicly on her reason for leaving. She was not available for comment this week. GALAEI’s current employees expressed optimism for the organization’s future. Zavala Cortes said TIP has grown significantly over the last few years. “There is this increase in social positivity from the TIP program,” Morrison said. “It’s expanded in ways it couldn’t before.” She said it’s great that she and Sanchez can go into the prison system and work with the guards, staff and transgender inmates to improve the environment. Morrison also hopes to work on a new volunteer initiative. Morrison said she would handle outreach and some administration work, while Sanchez would handle administration and some outreach work. “It is stressful doing it on your own,” Morrison said. “We can call on each other for anything. I’m just ready to get the ball rolling.” Sanchez was out of the office this week and not available for comment. Zavala Cortes said Morrison would be able to jump right into providing programs and services through TIP because she has done it before. In her previous tenure, Morrison shepherded TIP through the three-year Project STARR for Strengthening Trans Adolescents in Risk Reduction. It operated from 2006-09 through a $1.5-million grant from the CDC. “We’re super excited,” Zavala Cortes said of Morrison’s return. “She was the perfect candidate.” Morrison is also pursuing her bachelor’s degree in public health. n O’Donnell did not illustrate material facts to prove they conspired to violate her FirstAmendment rights. “A plaintiff cannot get by with mere speculation, but rather must allege with specificity and support an actual meeting of the minds,” they said in the brief. “There is no indication of who agreed with whom or what they agreed to do. In fact, there is no actual allegation that any of the minds actually met, only that the defendants acted with the common purpose, which, of course, does not amount to conspiracy.” In arguing against O’Donnell’s claims of First-Amendment violations, the brief claims that O’Donnell is actually responsible for committing the torts of “appropriation of name or likeness” and “publicly placing a person in a false light,” suggesting she also committed libel and identity theft. It goes on to note that the intersection of First-Amendment rights and the Internet have yet to be fully addressed by the courts. O’Donnell is seeking $5 million. n
LOCAL PGN
After losing lease, lesbian-owned art garage finds new home
August 12 is
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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Aug. 12 Wedding Issue will celebrate local couples and help you plan your own big day. For advertising info, GUESTS MEANDER AT THE FINAL FIRST FRIDAY SHOW OPENING AT THE MT. AIRY ART GARAGE. Photo: Scott A. Drkae
By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com As the end of their lease approaches, the lesbian owners of Mt. Airy Art Garage are prepared to “go into pop-up mode.” Renovations to a new home at 6651-6659 Germantown Ave. are expected to be completed by 2018. In the meantime, a small handcraft and gift popup shop opens Aug. 1 at 6622 Germantown Ave. It’s across the street from what will become the garage’s new home. There will also be space to display work in the gym of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at 7301 Germantown Ave. “Everything we do will operate in a fourblock radius,” said Linda Slodki, who owns Mt. Airy Art Garage with her wife, Arleen Olshan. “Our members still have places to show and sell their work. We’ll still have some classes.” The only thing that will wait for the new building is residential studio artist space. Slodki noted she and Olshan found out last year that the landlord for their current building at 11 W. Mt. Airy Ave. did not want to renew their five-year lease. The decision came not long after the couple completed updates to the space with $120,000 raised from the community. Gregory Bushu owns the property at 9-11 W. Mt. Airy Ave., according to Philadelphia property records. He purchased it for $150,000 in 1988, the records show. The records note the property’s market value dropped to $48,100 between 2011-13, before jumping to $258,400 in 2014. Bushu could not be reached for comment. “It was a blow,” Slodki said of finding out the art garage would have to move. She said Bushu recently sold the property, and WAJ Realty Associates told her and her wife that rent would go up 20 percent, which they could not afford.
The art garage has since partnered with Mt. Airy USA, a community-development organization. It owns several properties on Germantown Avenue, including the location of the pop-up shop and the nearby property that will become the art garage’s new home. A private investor is funding the renovations for the new space. “We really wanted to find a permanent home for the arts community here in Mt. Airy,” said Kim Massare, director of development and community programs at Mt. Airy USA. “We identified this parcel that’s right on the main corridor. We wanted the arts garage to have a prominent place, right in the center of the neighborhood.” The art garage and Mt. Airy USA have launched MAAG in Action, a campaign to support the move. Proceeds will benefit the campaign from an upcoming performance by out comedian Fay Jacobs. She will present “Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay” at 8 p.m. July 16 at the art garage, 11 W. Mt. Airy Ave. Tickets cost $15 in advance or $20 at the door. For artists and community members to bid farewell to the current location, an “End of an Era” party is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at the art garage. Slodki said she’s optimistic for the next phase of Mt. Airy Art Garage. The garage is pursuing a partnership with the Philadelphia Theatre Company, which is expected to begin next year. Slodki said that most likely would not have occurred without the move. This fall, Mt. Airy Art Garage is also launching “Community of Pride,” a mural project working with fourth graders at Houston and Emlen elementary schools. The East Mt. Airy Neighbors Community Fund, part of The Philadelphia Foundation, last month awarded a $6,000 grant to the project. “We’ve really taken lemons and turned them into lemonade,” Slodki said. n
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EDITORIAL PGN
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Donald Trump
Editorial
An unholy communion Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput has struck again. This week, the leader of the local Catholic Church issued a decree that sexually active gays are not entitled to receive Holy Communion, nor to serve in leadership roles within the church, including as Eucharistic ministers, lectors, teachers or on parish councils. The exclusionary ban also extends to people who have been remarried and did not have their first marriage annulled by the church, and to cohabitating unmarried couples. Chaput’s guidance was issued in response to a papal document on family, and is thought to be the first response of its kind by a bishop. At a time when church doors are already being shuttered by dwindling funds and shrinking congregations, and when churches are confronting mounting sex-abuse lawsuits, Chaput is taking it one step further and nailing those doors shut. While Pope Francis can’t exactly be called LGBT-affirming, he has made more strides to extend an olive branch to LGBT Catholics than any other pope in history. But Chaput is seemingly working to counter the bit of hope instilled by LGBT and progressive Catholics by Francis. Even if Chaput doesn’t care that his approach to leadership is disheartening for countless Catholics, you’d think he would at least see the financial and structural damage that continued exclusionary practices have on a flailing institution. While many gays, divorced people or cohabitating couples have already left the church, those who haven’t may now be compelled to find faith communities who accept them — bringing their weekly donations with them. In his writing, Chaput noted that the policies are rooted in “hard teachings.” Based on Chaput’s history — which has included lobbying against a bill to allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to seek justice and in favor of ejecting a toddler of lesbian parents from a Catholic school — it’s doubtful he found this position a hard one to take. n
Trump with actions, So much anti-LGBT dumbfuckery has or Hillary Clinton emerged after the shooting of 102 people, with her words?” of whom 49 were killed, by a man with a Trump continued. military-style assault weapon at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando. There has also I don’t know what actions Trump been much love and support for LGBT is talking about, people and rainbow flags a’flyin’ literally and figuratively. And that’s nice. But, man, since he has no the antigay stuff is just especially exhaust“actions” to show ing to read through and think about right for his supposed now. support of LGBT But I do it for you, dear reader. And people. He has while there were a lot of potential Creeps, not done a single thing but run his mouth many of them were pretty small fish, all about how much he hates brown people. things considered. So I chose a big fish, It looks like Trump is engaging in some albeit one with very tiny hands. magical thinking here. Apparently he As has been established, one of the first believes that everything he says comes things Donald Trump did after the shoottrue. I for one am very relieved that is not ings was to hop on Twitter and basically the case. congratulate himself “for being right on On June 14, Trump tweeted, “Thank radical Islamic terrorism.” Granted, he folyou to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more peolowed that with “I don’t want congrats,” ple that will threaten your freedoms and but I doubt that. As one of the most narcisbeliefs.” sistic people ever to run for president, I’ll bet he gets a boner every time he’s praised. Not sure what he’s thanking LGBT On June 12, the tweet that came before people for, but support certainly isn’t it. read, “Horrific incident in FL. Praying for LGBT voters support Clinton by a mile. all the victims & their Some individual In other words, since LGBT people have families.” Which is expressed their supan appropriate thing Trump, who doesn’t port for Trump folto say. But it doesn’t even support marriage lowing the Orlando really mean shit shooting. Fear makes because, from that equality, hates Muslims, people do stupid moment on, Trump has been using the he’s a far better choice things. And Trump is Orlando shooting for happy to capitalize political gain, namely for gays. on fear. In fact, his by crafting the narcampaign wouldn’t exist without it. On rative that President Obama and soon-toJune 17, he promised via Twitter, “More be-President Hillary Clinton are somehow attacks will follow Orlando.” softies for terrorists and that, since terror Perhaps Trump has dreams where he ist groups like ISIS hate LGBT people, stops the next attack, flying through the Obama and Clinton basically hate LGBT air and stopping bullets with his bare tiny people too. “Hillary Clinton can never claim to be a hands — but as far as actual policies go, friend of the gay community as long as she all Trump has is anti-Muslim rhetoric that supports immigration policies that bring inflames hate and inspires bigotry. You Islamic extremists to our country and who can’t fight hate with hate, and yet that’s suppress women, gays and anyone else all Trump has to offer. And LGBT people who doesn’t share their views or values,” have had more than enough hatred, thank Trump said in a June 13 speech. you. n In other words, since Trump, who D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since doesn’t even support marriage equality, 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe hates Muslims, he’s a far better choice for it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the gays. world, she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit “Ask yourself who is really the friend of with her twin sister and teaches writing at the women and the LGBT community. Donald University of Michigan.
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OP-ED PGN
Donald Trump, Orlando and Nazi skin-heads Like many of you in the LGBT comknown but here is what we know now: munity, I have been overwhelmed by the Whatever Mateen was, he committed a outpouring of support from allies here and heinous crime and his religion is of no around the world after last month’s mass importance. shooting in Orlando. But I also have many We in the LGBT community cannot questions and am perplexed by what I’m and will not allow anyone to use our comseeing and hearing as some people attempt munity’s tragedy to bash an entire other to explain or use this incident community. We know discrimfor their own purposes — or ination because we suffer it even to bash other communities every day. We also understand in our name. Those mixed feelunfair immigration laws. Until ing are slowly building up to recently, if LGBT people maranger. ried someone from another On June 12, the day of the country, that person might be attack, my email was full of refused entrance or citizenship statements from religious orgain the United States. Our comnizations — even including the munity will also recall clearly Vatican — as well as political when people with HIV were figures and others condemning forbidden to enter the United the violence against members States. So please do not use of the LGBT community in the still-warm dead bodies in Orlando to suggest that we bar Orlando. But one stuck out as all Muslims from the United insulting and hurtful; it should Mark Segal States. be no surprise it was from While Trump was raging Donald Trump. about blocking Muslims from doing this He used the most tragic of times to again, did he even understand that the attack rather than calm an alarmed nation. man who did this was an American citiIn total, his statement was seven paragraphs. It seems few have noted what was zen? His unilateral banning of Muslims missing from that statement. would not have stopped a similar event; it His words in part read, “President might very well have created one. Barring Obama disgracefully refused to even say Muslims would not have stopped this the words ‘Radical Islam.’ For that reanor San Bernardino, nor Fort Hood, nor son alone, he should step down. If Hillary Columbine … Clinton, after this attack, still cannot say In 1973, the Upstairs Lounge, a gay bar the two words ‘Radical Islam,’ she should in New Orleans, was firebombed, killing 34 individuals. That attack came from a get out of this race for the presidency.” While Trump used those paragraphs to Christian. Should our community hate bash Obama and Clinton, he didn’t know Christians? The answer is no. how to say a few other words: “gay,” “les- We and all communities should begin bian” or “LGBT.” Nowhere in his stateto look at all extremists — whether they are on the left or the right. When extremment did he mention the community that ism and instability mix, an Orlando, a San was most affected by the largest mass murder in American history. Mr. Trump, if Bernardino, a Fort Hood, a Columbine happen. you cannot say some comforting words to Extremism is what is the real danger to the LGBT citizens of this country at this this country, and unfortunately, extremtime, then you are not fit to be president. Also of importance, most of the victims ists are home-grown. And Trump seems were Latinos. And of those Latino LGBT to have a very cozy relationship with people who were the victims, how many them — especially the racist, anti-Semitic, of them would Trump deport? And would homophobic Nazi skin-heads, whose he deport their parents if they didn’t hate messages he consistently retweets. have a green card? Lose a child or get Enough said. n deported? Mark Segal is the nation’s most-award-winning Then there’s the issue of who and what commentator in LGBT media. His recently pubOmar Mateen was. Was he a Muslim terlished memoir, “And Then I Danced,” is availrorist? Was he gay? Did he want to kill able on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or at gays or was it Latinos? your favorite bookseller All those answers may eventually be
Mark My Words
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Street Talk Is Donald Trump a friend of the LGBT community? "No. He's pandering to the LGBT community to get more votes. He's trying to seem like he's on our side but he contradicts himself. So I don't believe him."
Lily Roman student Northeast Philadelphia
"No, Donald Trump is a piece of crap. He's openly homophobic. He's putting on a façade of pretending to care about LGBT Farzana Fariha Latinos. At student the same New Brunswick, N.J. time, he's trying to ruin their lives by deporting them."
Transmissions
"No, he's a hypocrite. Sometime he's pro-life. Other times he's prochoice. He's sounding like he's proLGBT. But Lydia Anderson I think he's student going to go West Philadelphia back on it. He's hot and cold. He has no solid opinions." "No, he uses tragedies like Pulse to drive wedges between groups of people. He tries to pit one group against Jaclyn Daddio another. student I don't New Brunswick, N.J. think he respects LGBT individuals. So I certainly don't think he's a friend of the community."
Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Running the numbers Roughly 20 years ago, in the mid-1990s, I was managing the first public transgender community space on the then-nascent Internet. While the service we were located on, America Online, was just them ramping up its onslaught of free-hours compact disks that led to their astonishing growth by the end of that decade, our little corner of the service was all but unknown. The Transgender Community Forum existed as a subset of the larger Gay and Lesbian Community Forum, which itself was a subset of AOL’s Clubs and Interests section. In this era, the transgender community — such as it was — looked a lot different from what you know now. Most of the community was deeply closeted. If we met up, it was done in the back rooms of your local motel or some such. The notion of meeting via computer and accessing content and people across the world was still one step removed from a science-fiction story. In this place, we often dreamed of changing the world, but we were all aware
of one obvious limitation: There simply were not enough of us. We were a small community on an Internet service that was limited at the time in scope, in demographics and in users. Surely we could never make any serious gains, given how frightfully tiny our numbers were. We were sure that there were probably only a couple thousand of us worldwide, and maybe a couple hundred who were Internet savvy and within our tiny part of it all. A year or two after we started this tiny forum of ours, I ended up with one of AOL’s higher-ups. He had some questions for me. As it turned out, AOL — in spite of its “billions of hours free” CDs — was facing issues with what they referred to as “churn rates.” People would join the service, stay briefly and go away, never to log in again. Those, however, who came to our area stayed, and would log in daily, often for many hours at a time. What’s more, we were seeing upwards of 20,000 unique accounts doing this over the course PAGE 19 of a month. We were
LOCAL PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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Comhar participants share healing power of art By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Colondra Seals jumped from a second-story window to escape a house fire at 17th and York streets more than a decade ago. She has burns on 90 percent of her body and developed an infection in her left leg that resulted in an amputation at the knee. At the Comhar Community Living Room July 1, she took a microphone and sang, “As the sun shines on all of my glory, my flaws don’t look so bad at all,” from the Jazmine Sullivan song “Masterpiece.” Seals concluded by revealing the self-portrait she painted over the last three months as part of the fifth-annual Art and Recovery show. “The main thing I learned is our skin looks one color but we’ve got green and purple in there too,” she said. “There are all different colors in our skin. I had to take a really deep look to make it look like me.” Seals’ piece was one of 170 created for this year’s show at the Community Living Room
in Center City. The program serves adults with HIV and mental-health diagnoses. It has received an LGBT-affirming designation from the city of Philadelphia. Individuals who fit the program can join by visiting the Community Living Room at
SELF-PORTRAIT BY COLONDRA SEALS
100 S. Broad St. during walk-in hours Wednesday mornings, said Rashad Scott, the program’s director. They then meet with a therapist to determine their eligibility. Caseworkers and doctors from other institutions can also
refer clients to the program. “Art is such a major part of the Community Living Room,” Scott said. “We understand the importance of art expression and how it contributes to our quality of life.” Gary Schoenberg, a psychologist at Comhar, said creating something helps people see themselves as contributors to society. He emphasized that Comhar uses a model that asks, “What are your hopes and dreams?” instead of, “What’s the problem?” Alicia Mino led art classes for 55 people every Tuesday and Friday leading up to the Art and Recovery show. Many participants credited their work to Mino’s patience as a teacher. Standing in front of her painting of an orangutan, Kelly Williams said Mino taught her shading and how to mix colors. She used a fine brush in a pointillism style, combining brown and orange for the fur. “The details, especially with animals, are hard to get,” Williams said. “It relaxes me.” Jon Coates was also interested in color in his work. He showed
JON COATES SHOWS OFF THE PORTRAIT HE HELPED PAINT Photos: Paige Cooperstein
off a pink and green mandala he designed, as well as large-scale portrait surrounded by geometric designs. “Alicia may give us an idea and I pick my own colors,” Coates said of his process. “Colors speak to you. Picking the colors that make [the art] move was really
fun.” Coates’ mother, Juanita, came to the opening of the Art and Recovery show. She said she felt proud of her son and pleasantly surprised by his artistic ability. “I know he can paint because he paints my house, but this is beautiful,” she said. n
Del. man on starting family with expanded parental leave at Bank of America 40 years ago in PGN Spruce Street bars step up ID checks Adapted from reporting by Jeffrey Speicher Three bars in the area of Spruce Street adopted strict carding policies after a rash of police raids in the summer of 1976. The bars were Steps, Allegro and Roscoe’s. Police said they had received calls from people who complained of being denied entry. At Steps, men were usually admitted without having to show ID. The idea was to keep the establishment largely male-attended. Women were carded consistently. Now all people wanting to enter would be asked to present ID proving their age. All three bars reported cordial interactions among police, staff and customers. The owner of Allegro told PGN that the police were never “pushy or physical.” Police removed 12 people one night from Roscoe’s, 10 of whom were later released while the other two were charged with possession of illegal drugs. The increased checks were expected to remain through the end of summer 1976.
Lesbian alumnae not allowed at Girls’ High prom Adapted from reporting by Matt Wilson After the administration of Girls’ High School refused to sell prom tickets to lesbian alumnae, a dozen protested outside the school at Broad and Olney streets at the end of May 1976. “We’re protesting a history of intimidation and harassment at Girls’ High,” said Sherrie Cohen, one of the protesters. She went on to run for Philadelphia City Council twice. Mayor Jim Kenney recently married Cohen to Virginia Gutierrez on stage at Philly Pride 2016. Some students wore lavender armbands and circulated a petition opposing discrimination. Others said the protest damaged the school’s reputation. Girls’ High administration initially agreed to a meeting to discuss the issues with lesbian alumnae and include lesbian literature in the curriculum. But the plans were later dropped. n
— compiled by Paige Cooperstein
By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Timothy Petlock met his husband while driving to the beach in Florianopolis, Brazil. He was using a Go Pro camera to take pictures of the scenery when he caught a man in the frame who was walking along the side of the road. “He waved me down and we started talking,” said Petlock, a systems engineer of ecommerce with Bank of America in Newark, Del. “He asked for a ride to the beach. We spent the next 24 hours together.” Some of the first questions that Petlock and Fabio Panisson asked each other had to do with kids and starting a family. Petlock called them normal “screener questions.” But since the two married in January in Las Vegas, the thought of becoming fathers seems more real. Petlock and Panisson are still discussing whether to adopt a child or find a surrogate. Whichever option the couple chooses, Petlock said they feel at ease about the process thanks in part to an expanded parental-leave policy unveiled by Petlock’s employer in April. Bank of America increased its paid leave to 16 weeks, up from 12 weeks. The program supports all parents, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or marital
status. “We really look at it from the point of valuing our employees,” said Tom Woodward, Philadelphia market president at Bank of America. “We’re really proud to be a company that works to achieve a balance between work and home life. “We absolutely embrace the diversity of the people who work for our company, ” he added. “We have a diversity council chaired by our CEO. It’s really core to who we are as a company and how we want to serve the markets and clients we work with.” The bank’s parental-leave policy also offers a reimbursement for eligible adoption costs of up to $8,000 per child. Petlock said that would really help him and Panisson. He added the policy was one of the things that drew him to the bank in the first place, noting he read about it in a score report the company had on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index. “I’ve known a number of parents, friends of mine, who participated in adoptions,” Petlock said. “Those first few weeks are irreplaceable. You need to form a bond as quickly as you can and interact with the doctors.” While Petlock works a 9-to-5 schedule, Panisson runs the household and takes English classes. Petlock said he looks forward to having the time at his disposal to start a family with his husband. n
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Making LGBT health care accessible LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY QSpaces: Hoffman said. “You’re tired and prophylaxis] and gender-affirmaBy Beth Boyle PGN Contributor
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Nic Anthony and Catharine Hoffman have a plan to make finding LGBT-friendly health care safer, more convenient and accessible. They’re making an app for it. Hoffman, a designer, and Anthony, a medical student, got the idea when they moved to Philadelphia from North Carolina last year. “We moved to Philly and we were like, where are all the gay people at?” Hoffman said. So they came up with the idea of a map-based LGBT travel app. “In February we put out a survey. We got around 250 responses,” Anthony said, “and one thing we heard overwhelmingly from people was that they liked the travel app, but they really wanted an app that would help them find doctors that understood treating LGBT people.” A Lambda Legal survey from 2009 showed that roughly half of LGB people experienced verbal or physical harassment from a nurse or doctor. For trans people, that number goes up to 70 percent. In the same Lambda study, 90 percent of the trans people surveyed felt doctors were inadequately trained to help them, as did half of the LGB people surveyed. “The hardest time to advocate for yourself is when you’re sick,” LOMBARDI from page 1
complaint with the Philadelphia Police Department, alleging antiLGBT bias. He acknowledged pulling over to the side of the road and falling asleep. But he said paramedics administered an excessive amount of Narcan to wake him up, producing convulsions. Lombardi said an arresting officer urged him to decline medical treatment, allegedly telling him he’d go home sooner if he did so. “I felt I was medically neglected,” Lombardi told PGN. “Everything was all about the officer trying to force me through the system so she could go home. She kept trying get to me to tell the doctor at the hospital and the nurse at the Police Administration Building that I was fine. But I wasn’t.” Lombardi, 33, also alleges that a paramedic at the scene of his arrest spoke to him in a homophobic manner. The paramedic allegedly said:
vulnerable and we’re all taught we should be able to trust our doctors.” Due to the risk of discrimination, the demand for LGBTcompetent health care is extremely high. Penn’s LGBT Health Program and the Mazzoni Center are lifelines for Philadelphia’s LGBT community, but there’s a huge demand for more options, Hoffman said. “I want this app to exist so I can use it,” she said. “I’ve had some bad experiences with doctors,” Anthony added. “That’s why I’m in medical school.” Dr. Judd Flesch, associate director of Penn’s LGBT Health Program, agreed that discrimination in health care is a serious problem for the LGBT community. “There are a lot of disparities that need to be addressed,” he said. “When people have bad experiences, it’s more often because [the doctor or nurse] didn’t know what to do, not because of any animosity. Direct feedback and education can go a long way.” So, how can doctors be better providers to the gay community? “First,” Flesch said, “have an open mind and accept all patients. Understand gender identities and be respectful. More specifically, understand screening guides, learn about PReP [pre-exposure
tion treatments. Understand the nuances of how to treat every patient.” Anthony and Hoffman had a few suggestions for doctors to be more LGBT-friendly as well. “Make sure you have gender-neutral bathrooms and be sure not to use the wrong pronouns and using the correct name for every patient,” Anthony said. QSpaces will function similarly to Yelp. Users will be able to search and filter results by gender identity, sexual orientations, HIV status and other specifications, as well as leave detailed reviews about their experiences. “Ultimately, we’d like to help educate the doctors who get low ratings. We could gather this data, show it to them and prove there’s a real problem that needs to be dealt with,” Anthony said. Currently, they are in the planning and funding stage of QSpaces’ development. “It’s important to us that QSpaces be a self-sufficient business, not a nonprofit,” Hoffman said. “The app needs to be sustainable so we can stick with it.” “We have the plan, we have the designers and we’re ready to get started,” Anthony said. “We just need the funding.” To learn more about QSpaces or get involved, visit https:// qspacesapp.com, or search for the app on Facebook and Twitter.
“You’re gay. I would think you would like jail.” The paramedic also allegedly said, “[W]e don’t have any gays or retards in my family,” according to Lombardi’s complaint. Additionally, the paramedic allegedly questioned why people inside Pulse nightclub in Orlando didn’t fight back against Omar Mateen, adding: “Fifty gay guys or whatever dying is not that big of a deal.” Lombardi said he was detained for about 17 hours at the Police Administration Building, he said. “During much of that time I was verbally abused and my requests for medical attention were ignored,” Lombardi told PGN. “It was so careless how I was treated. I was brought into the [Police Administration] building in a tank top, shorts and socks. I had to walk out the next day barefoot. That’s how little they cared about my well being.” A guard at the Police Administration Building
allegedly said, “The fag is complaining again,” when referring to Lombardi, according to the complaint. Lombardi said he continues to be affected by the alleged abuse, stating in the complaint: “Police are supposed to protect us, make us feel safe and represent truth and honesty,” the complaint concludes. “It’s not that I expect special rights or am ‘pulling the gay card.’ I am just so appalled at how unsafe I felt in the care of Philadelphia’s justice, legal and medical systems.” P o l i c e s p o ke s p e r s o n L t . John Stanford issued this statement about Lombardi’s complaint: “The Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division is actively investigating Mr. Lombardi’s complaint. All [citizens’] complaints against police are public, so the public will have access to the findings regarding Mr. Lombardi’s complaint, just as they would any other complaint.” n
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the only place with those sorts of numbers other than their hugely successful “People Connection” chat rooms. What I learned that day was that there were a lot more of us out there than any of us knew. Fast-forward to today. The transgender community has changed as much as, if not more than, the Internet. While not everything is positive, I think it can be safely said that awareness of transgender issues and people is at an all-time high. In 2011, The Williams Institute at the University of California published a paper that an estimated 0.3 percent of the population of the United States is transgender — about 697,529 Americans. Opponents of transgender rights, who wish to claim that trans people are statistically too few to be deserving of rights, bandy about that 0.3-percent figure about a lot. This has been quoted as recently as June 30, as the Department of Defense lifted the ban on transgender people serving openly in the United States military, while members of the right wing decried this “social experiment” on behalf of a small minority. In 2011, the U.S. population was 311.7 million people; .3 percent of them — the 697,529 people — were transgender. That is 300,000 more than the population of Oakland at the same time. This is not an insignificant number of people. At the end of June, the Williams Institute
released a new paper, titled “How Many Adults Identify as Transgender in the United States?” Spoiler alert: Our numbers have apparently doubled in the last five years. Based on their data, adult transgender people make up 0.58 percent of the U.S. population, with slightly higher rates of younger adults versus older. So 0.58 percent of the current U.S. population is 1,397,150 people. Even at that, this only covers those who are 18 and over and who self-identify as transgender. This is a population somewhere in the range of San Diego, Calif., or Dallas, Texas. There are as many people who identify as transgender as there are people who have heterochromia. That’s typically a difference between the iris portions of both eyes. Think of David Bowie, for example. Now imagine what 1,397,150 people can do. It is still a small minority compared to many others, but these are the sorts of numbers that can make or break an election, that can sway businesses and advertisers and that can be loud enough to be heard. We also know that these 1,397,150 estimated adult transgender people — and our younger members — intersect with other communities and causes. We also have allies that bolster our numbers further. Like I learned in the 1990s, there were a lot more of us out there than any of us knew — and what’s more, our numbers may continue to grow. n Gwen Smith always thought heterochromia was cool. You can find her at www.gwensmith.com.
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PGN FINANCES
Trust beneficiaries: Be informed about the basics Q: When my parents passed, they had set up a trust, which pays me a small amount of income each year. My uncle manages the trust for me, but other than that, I don’t know too much about it. Is there anything I should be asking him? A: It sounds like your parents went to some effort while they were alive to help look out for your needs after they were gone. While your uncle is likely doing a fine job in his role as trustee, here are some basics you should know. If you have been named as a beneficiary of a trust, you probably have many questions about what comes next. Trusts can take many forms and may be governed by unique provisions established by the creator of the trust or “grantor.” As a trust beneficiary, you also have certain rights. To ensure that your financial and other interests are fully protected, you need some basic information about different trust structures and their management.
maintenance and upkeep of the property and maintaining appropriate insurance on the property. In the case of financial assets, such as cash or securities, the trustee must maintain one or more separate accounts on behalf of trust beneficiaries. • Investment oversight — The trustee ensures there is a plan in place to address the needs and interests of current and future beneficiaries. Typically, trust investments are expected to generate income for beneficiaries while also retaining and reinvesting principal. In some cases, the trustee may have the authority to make distributions of principal to beneficiaries. • Taxes — The trustee reports all income generated by trust assets and pays tax on any undistributed income as well capital gains realized by the Jeremy as trust. In addition, the trustee Gussick informs beneficiaries of the amounts that they must report on their personal income-tax returns as a result of trust distributions. • Recordkeeping — The trustee is responsible for documenting every transaction that takes place in the trust accounts. Prior to final settlement, the trustee must demonstrate to the beneficiaries that all assets and income have been properly administered and distributed.
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At their most basic, trusts can be grouped into two broad categories: living trusts and testamentary trusts. A living trust is created by an individual during his or her lifetime. The grantor transfers property to a trust that is managed for the trust beneficiaries by a trustee. The grantor may act as trustee, or he or she may appoint another family member or family advisor, such as an attorney or accountant, to be the trustee. A testamentary trust is established by will upon the death of the person whose assets it represents. Testamentary trusts can be used for many purposes, chief among them to provide for current and future beneficiaries. In either case, it is the trustee who is charged with administering the trust in strict accordance with its terms. If this so-called “fiduciary duty” of the trustee is breached in some way, beneficiaries have the right to protect their interests by taking legal action against the trustee. Role of the trustee Following is a brief overview of the trustee’s roles and responsibilities. • Asset collection and protection — Two of the trustee’s key responsibilities are collecting assets earmarked for the trust and ensuring the protection of those assets. For instance, if real estate is included as a trust asset, the trustee is responsible for the
Beneficiary right to action In addition to regular accounting of trust assets, beneficiaries have a right to request a special accounting from the trustee if there is reason to suspect a problem with the trustee’s performance of his or her fiduciary role. If it is found that the trustee is in violation of his or her responsibilities or fails to provide proper documentation of trust activity, then the beneficiary has the right to take legal action, including removing the trustee and requesting a replacement. Such action is normally handled by filing a petition with the local probate court. Revocable vs. irrevocable trusts Living trusts may be revocable or irrevocable. As its name implies, property held in a revocable trust may be “revoked” at any time; the terms of the trust may be changed and assets returned to the grantor. He or she can establish detailed instructions as to the handling of trust assets during his or her life and ensure continuity of management upon incapacity or death. Revocable trusts need not be filed in probate court after death, thus maintaining family privacy. However, the grantor will be subject to income and estate tax as if
PGN
the property were owned outright. In contrast, assets placed in an irrevocable trust are permanently removed from the grantor’s estate, and any income and/or capital-gains taxes owed on assets in the trust are paid by the trust. Upon the grantor’s death, the assets in the trust are not considered part of his or her estate and are therefore not subject to estate taxes. Irrevocable trusts offer lifetime giving to beneficiaries While requiring some loss of grantor control, a properly drafted irrevocable living trust allows individuals of substantial wealth to begin transferring assets to beneficiaries during their lifetime without incurring gift or estate tax. (Please note that a three-year survival period may be required in certain situations.) For example, the normal annual limit on tax-free gifts is $14,000 per beneficiary in 2016, an amount that may be indexed for inflation in future years. Under some circumstances, a taxpayer may include
amounts above that in his or her unified estate and gift-tax exclusion amount ($5.45 million in 2016 for an individual, twice that for a married couple, and subject to indexing for inflation in subsequent years). In addition, upon the grantor’s death, appreciation on the remaining trust assets is not subject to estate tax (assuming any three-year survival requirements are met). Being named as a beneficiary of a trust is indeed a welcome event, but not without its complications and, if handled improperly, unfortunate consequences. For help understanding your rights and protecting your inheritance, it may be wise to engage the services of an experienced trust attorney. n Jeremy R. Gussick is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional affiliated with LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer.* Jeremy specializes in the financial planning needs of the LGBT community and was recently named a 2015 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
as mentioned in Philadelphia Magazine.** He is active with several LGBT organizations in the Philadelphia region, including DVLF and the Independence Business Alliance, the Philadelphia region’s LGBT chamber of commerce. OutMoney appears monthly. If you have a question for Jeremy, you can contact him via email at Jeremy@ RetirementRefined.com. Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. *As reported by Financial Planning magazine, 1996-2015, based on total revenues. **Award based on 10 objective criteria associated with providing quality services to clients such as credentials, experience, and assets under management among other factors. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. This article was prepared with the assistance of Wealth Management Systems Inc. The opinions voiced in this material are
for general information only and are not intended to substitute for specific tax or legal advice, or to provide specific recommendations for any individual. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor. Please consult me if you have any questions. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscribers’ or others’ use of the content. LPL Financial Representatives offer access to Trust Services through The Private Trust Company N.A., an affiliate of LPL Financial.
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ARMED SERVICES from page 1
Some said they would still be in the military today if they could’ve served openly, while others focused on hope for future transgender service members. Nick Greiner, Philadelphia, U.S. Coast Guard, 1995-98 Greiner, a Center City veteran, first enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1995. He served during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which was repealed in 2010. Greiner thought the secret he was keeping was that he was a lesbian. But a few years ago, the 40-year-old came out as transgender. “As far as the transgender aspect, it was easier for me,” he said of his service, which concluded in 1998. “There was no expectation of femininity. The culture was more masculine or unisex.” Still, Greiner was excited to hear that the Pentagon decided to lift its ban on open transgender service in the military. “It’s a different world now and it’s fantastic,” he said. “It allows people to focus on what they’re doing and what they’re good at doing.” Greiner remembered once working on a “tie-down team” charged with tying a landing helicopter to the deck of a ship. Someone had complained that there were no women on the team. Greiner recalled a bit of confusion regarding his involvement. He noted servicemembers would stay active longer if they felt they could contribute without having to hide any aspect of themselves. Greiner said he hopes that transgender people who are undergoing hormone-replacement therapy could easily access medical resources in the field. He anticipated an adjustment period followed by a return to business as usual. “Now that you’ve got women in combat and gay and transgender people serving openly, all the concerns that people had will just start to go away,” he said. Robin Brzezinska, Philadelphia, U.S. Navy and Army National Guard, 2002-10 Brzezinska had just returned from a stint in the Peace Corps when terrorist attacks struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. She felt compelled to enlist and joined the U.S. Navy the following year. “I went into the service not only to serve my country, but to try to see if I could man up,” Brzezinska said. “That didn’t work so well. I had to learn to accept myself.” Despite the patriotism she shared with her colleagues, Brzezinska said some
PGN
found her an easy target. She worried about how much of herself to hide and what to wear. At one point, a petty officer first class assaulted her. Brzezinska said she never reported the incident. She felt her attacker was too well-connected. He was being groomed for a promotion at the time. Instead, she took advantage of the Blue to Green program, which enabled commissioned officers from the Navy or U.S. Air Force to switch into the U.S. Army. Brzezinska joined the Army National Guard in December 2004. She found more opportunity to serve and worked on data analysis largely at Fort Dix in Trenton, N.J. She developed stronger relationships with her colleagues and found them more accepting. A stress breakdown, stemming from some unpaid medical bills and her mother’s heart attack, led to Brzezinska being medically processed out of the military in 2010. But she didn’t want to cut ties completely with the service. Brzezinska now works as a civilian employee for the Navy in Northeast Philadelphia. She is out at work and has also joined the region’s chapter of Outserve-SLDN, an advocacy organization for LGBT servicemembers. Her primary focus is helping veterans find jobs when they leave the military. Brzezinska said coming out “opened up a lot of doors.” “It was a lifting of a burden,” she said. Joanne M. Carroll, Lancaster, U.S. Air Force, 1960-80 Carroll graduated high school in 1958 when the draft still dictated the lives of many young people. She said anyone who was fit for service often got turned away from jobs. The best employment she could find was to work as the clerk of a grocery store, and she knew she wanted more. Carroll also wanted to blend in after struggling with her gender identity since she was about 4 years old. “When I was younger, I was bullied so much that I had to become a good actor,” she said. “I wanted to do as many macho things as I could. I tried as best as I could to live up to the role I was assigned.” In the U.S. Air Force, she served in special operations with the air commandos in Southeast Asia. She said she didn’t receive any flak from her colleagues, calling her tenure “a matter of suffering in silence.” Carroll remembered feeling a kinship to Christine Jorgensen, a World War II vet-
DNC coverage begins July 22
Implementation Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said gender identity would be added to the Military Equal Opportunity Program and medically necessary transition-related care would be provided, though the timing would depend on deployment schedules. American officials studied Fortune 500 companies with inclusive policies, in addition to allied military with open transgender service like the United Kingdom, Australia and Israel. Guidance for commanders and medical professionals will be developed over the next 90 days, followed by training for the entire force. At that point, transgender servicemembers can begin the process to change their gender in the personnel-management system. After no more than a year, the military will begin recruiting transgender individuals who meet all other physical and mental standards for service, Carter said. New recruits will have to “have been stable in their identified gender for 18 months, as certified by their doctor,” before they can enter the military. The implementation plan will be reviewed in two years to make sure it’s going well. Carter said the timing mirrors that for the reversal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which had prevented gay people from serving openly, and admitting women to combat roles. eran who sought gender-confirmation surgery in Denmark. “Developing a language to describe myself took quite a while,” she said. “But I don’t lament a single thing that’s happened in my life. My time in the service taught me how to be a team member, build strong bonds and rely on others. I had a sense of duty and honor.” When Carroll retired from the Air Force in 1980, leaving with the rank of master sergeant, she started gender counseling. She began hormone-replacement therapy in 1995 and fully transitioned by 2001. Carroll called her transition relatively uneventful. Her mother and kids accepted her. Her health care through the Department of Defense, TRICARE, covered her hormone therapy over the years, and she found affirming physicians. On the new policy of open transgender service, Carroll was cautiously optimistic. “Obviously, I’m excited that the military has taken this stance,” she said. “But absent nondiscrimination legislation in all 50 states, what are those people supposed to do when they have to live in local communities where they’re stationed? “Perhaps with the military taking this step, people will realize it’s not the aberration they thought it was.” Carroll works to promote transgender rights in Lancaster as president of TransCentralPA. She also serves on the board of Equality Pennsylvania. Jennifer Marie Long, North Jersey, U.S. Army, 1983-2012 Long happened to be delivering the keynote address at the first Pride Day at Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, N.J., when the Pentagon announced it would
allow open transgender service in the military. The U.S. Army veteran said it lent weight to her words when she shared statistics from the Palm Center, a Californiabased public-policy research firm, that count 15,500 active transgender servicemembers and 130,000 transgender veterans. Long said she’d still be in uniform today if the policy were in place during her nearly 30-year tenure. “My career just got good,” she said. “I made top-enlisted rank. That’s no easy feat to make it to the decision-making level. I enjoyed the military. It was my world.” Long enlisted in April 1983 and retired in August 2012, soon after becoming an infantry sergeant major. She said she enlisted because most people in her family had joined the military, “but moreover, it was to take on a tough-guy job.” She recognized her gender was different than what had been assigned at birth, but tried to suppress it for fear of losing her career. By 2005, she presented as male at work, and then changed into civilian clothes to live as Jennifer at home. Long legally changed her name in May 2012. She didn’t worry about losing benefits or facing a dishonorable discharge for coming out. Long said the Army knew her plan, at that point, was to retire. She said active transgender servicemembers could focus on their jobs with the new policy in place. “There will be no more anxiety,” Long said. “I think you’ll see better performance from those soldiers who are transgender.” n
AC ul t ure rts
FEATURE PGN
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Dining Out Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly
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The Teaches of Beaches
Out writer brings one-woman show to Philly By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Out author and journalist Fay Jacobs brings the vibe of Rehoboth Beach to town for the Philadelphia premiere of her acclaimed o n e - wo m a n show, “Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay,” July 16 at Mt. Airy Garage. The native New Yorker and longtime journalist is best known for her award-winning essay collections, “For Frying Out,” “As I Lay Frying,” “Fried and True” and “Time Fries.” But lately she’s been forging a reputation as the “Last Comic Sitting” for her humorous performances in LGBT-centric towns like Rehoboth and Provincetown. But she hasn’t performed in Philadelphia until now. “I’m very excited about it,” Jacobs said about her upcoming Philadelphia debut. “I’ve been all over the East Coast and I haven’t really been outside of the borders of Rehoboth too much. So I’m very excited about being in Philly. I had explored early-on opportunities [to play Philly] but things
happened so fast. I went to New Orleans, Florida and New York. Finally I got around to a friend asking the Arts Garage and they said, ‘We’d love to have you.’ So it’s super.” “Aging Gracelessly” finds Jacobs using her humorous stories, both new and published, to address LGBT issues. “It’s a little of both,” she said about her old and new pieces. “There’s a narrative with the show, mostly about marriage equality and a little bit about the history of gay culture in the old days, and that is all new. A couple of the columns that I’ve read at conferences that people really enjoy are also in the show. But essentially it’s a narrative. The point is, nothing is ever so bad if it’s worth a story you can tell.” With the rise in acceptance of LGBT issues and the dwindling number of LGBT bookstores, publications and clubs, we asked Jacobs if she sees the mainstreaming of LGBT culture as a positive thing. “My theory is changing,” she said. “At first, I was concerned that we were losing our gay culture by being caught up in the mainstream. Obviously, there was a huge yearlong honeymoon in every sense of the word after the marriage-equality decision from the Supreme Court. But obviously recent bathroom bills and religious-freedom bills and, of course, the horrible massacre in Orlando have shown us that the fight is not over and safe places are still necessary. I think like any other PAGE 24
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PGN FEATURE
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culture, sometime we like to celebrate with our own. Therefore coming to Provincetown and going to Rehoboth are necessary still and are going to live on. I think we have our allies and we’re bringing more straight people with us. I like that. I was very interested to see audience reactions to my show because a lot of it is universal but a lot of it is about GLBT issues. But the audiences are really diverse and everybody seems to get it.” Jacobs added that, for some in her audiences, her shows are the first time they are hearing these accounts of LGBT history. “I was on an Olivia Cruise and after the show a lot of young women came up to me and said, ‘Oh, my goodness I had no idea. We didn’t know those stories. We didn’t know how it was. Thank you for sharing,’” she said. “I thought that was cool. I was really happy to have that. On the other hand, when I tell stories to people in my age group, everybody can relate because they’ve been there too. It’s a good vehicle for passing along our gay culture.” While there are fewer LGBT publications and outlets for writers to contribute to these days, Jacobs said her live performances help to get her stories out there — and she isn’t too concerned about the future of LGBT media. “In a way it bridges the gap, but I’m a journalist first and of course I hate to see newsprint becoming less important,” she said. “But local papers are thriving. So there’s a market for publications where it may not be for the New York Times or the Washington Post. So much of that is on television or on the Internet. But I think some of our publications are going to live on and be strong. The ad dollars may not be there but I don’t think we are going to lose it completely and I think there are so many wonderful blog opportunities for the GLBT market. I do love that fact that I have been able to do this show. It was supposed to be a one-and-done thing at Camp Rehoboth
and it went so well and so many people wanted to see it that it just snowballed and it makes me happy that I finally have a career on stage after I got my Medicare card.” Even though her “50 Shades of Fay” remains popular and is booked at venues all over the country through the rest of the year, Jacobs is also working on new adventures and stories to talk about in future shows and books. “I’m going to Iceland and we’ve rented an RV. We’re arriving for Gay Pride weekend and driving around the whole country,” she said. “That should be interesting. I’ve got a new collection of columns from Camp Rehoboth and Delaware Beach Life coming out in April. There’s just so much going on. The next one is going to be about gay culture specifically so I think there is another show in me down the road. But this one, there’s a lot still to be told and the equality issue speaks to everybody.” n Fay Jacobs performs the Philadelphia premiere of “Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay” 8 p.m. July 16 at Mt. Airy Art Garage, 11 W. Mt. Airy Ave. For more information or tickets, call 215-242-5074. For more information about Jacobs and her books, visit www.fayjacobs.com.
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PGN
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PGNOUT DINING
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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Maya.J brings global flavors to small plates By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com New on the Manayank scene, Maya.J is the product of Chef Craig Wilson’s vision of locally sourced and sustainable farm-to-table ingredients — which he uses to make an interesting range of internationally themed small plates. The adventurous menu is split into three categories — land, sea and earth (for the vegetarian-leaning diners) — that bring together Thai, Japanese, Spanish, Mediterranean, Italian and modern-American influences. Wilson’s travels in Thailand really shine on Far-Eastern dishes like the hot green curry seitan ($12) off the earth menu and the Thai red curry, which was on special. The latter was creamy and spicy, overflowing with shrimp, scallops, fresh vegetables and lovely thick rice noodles. The green curry seitan, while not as spicy, was equally vibrant with a hint of coconut sweetness that will appeal to all the vegans. Other Pacific-influenced dishes, and a counterbalance to the hot spicy curries, included the excellent chilled shrimp gazpacho ($5), which was hearty and refreshing, and the tuna poke ($13), which had a lot of authentic raw Hawaiian charm. Another treat from that region was the spiced duck lumpia ($10), a long Philippine/ Indonesian style egg roll that had an added level of decadent richness thanks to the savory and juicy duck-meat stuffing. The grilled beef bulgogi ($12) was smoky, meaty nirvana with an exceptional house-made kim-chi. The Mediterranean- and Indian-influenced dishes include the falafel and grilled naan ($11), which was colorful and texturally complex, and the fire-roasted chicken tandoori ($11), which was cooked perfectly
MAYA.J TUNA POKE Photo: Dallyn Pavey with a great garlic yogurt sauce. If all that globetrotting is too much for your palette, there are some American comfort dishes to be found on the menu. It’s easy to see why the Maine lobster mac and cheese ($15) is a house favorite — served hot and crusted with breadcrumbs and caramelized cheeses. But what really elevates the dish is a healthy splash of truffle oil, which in less capable hands would be overkill and a turn-off, but Wilson makes the complex swirl of creamy and crunchy better than the sum of its parts. It takes a lot to stand out on the main drag in Manayunk, but Maya.J definitely has what it takes, visually and flavor-wise, to turn heads and have tongues wagging. n
If you go
Maya.J
4371 Main St. 267-297-8961 www.mayajrestaurant.com Dinner: 4-10 p.m. Tues.-Sun. Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.-Sun.
PROFILE PGN
Family Portrait
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Suzi Nash
Roz Sutch: Tax ‘warrior’ on being a lifelong LGBT ally Benjamin Franklin said there is nothing certain but death and taxes. If you find yourself dealing with the latter, you might want to contact this week’s Portrait, Roz Sutch. In 2009, Sutch became the youngest person to become a shareholder at Drucker & Scaccetti, and in that same year was recognized by the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants as a “40 under 40” member watch. Earlier this year, she was awarded the Michael A. DeAngelis Award by LaSalle University’s Accounting Department, its most distinguished honor. An ally to the community, Sutch is well known as an expert on LGBT tax and financial-planning issues. She makes regular presentations to both members and advisers of the LGBT community and has been an active member of the Independence Business Alliance for more than two years. On June 27, Sutch was elected to the board of the IBA. PGN: Where do you hail from? RS: Born, raised and educated in Philadelphia. I grew up in East Falls and lived there until I graduated from college. PGN: I read that you’ve been working since you were 16. RS: Yes, I went to a Philadelphia public school and they had a business academy that had a work-study program. I’ve been a Type-A personality since birth and I’d always wanted to be an accountant. I made a declaration to myself at 16 and picked up the Yellow Pages — this was before Google. I looked up accounting firms and started making phone calls. I must have called the right person on the right day at the right time. They needed help so I became administrative support for the personnel department. I was only there for a month but I learned important basic things like how to use a fax machine, how to do mail merges and a lot of other things I wouldn’t have known how to do at 16. Because of that experience, that same summer I also worked for the Philadelphia Department of Revenue. Because of my experience with those two jobs, my next-door neighbor, a long-time friend and mentor, got me a position doing administrative support in his tax department. I stayed there for two years and then started working for a sole proprietor actually doing tax work myself. An H&R Block-type deal, I was there for about three-and-a-half years and then I started here. PGN: Wow. And how did your Type-A personality manifest itself? RS: I was always very independent. I knew what I wanted and would attack whatever I needed to accomplish it. I’d set goals and crush them.
PGN: Do you have any siblings? RS: Do I have any siblings? I have 10 siblings! And that’s my first connection to the LGBT community, my eldest brother. He passed away in 1992 of AIDS. I was 12 at the time. He was the oldest and I’m the youngest so there was a large gap between us but we were very close; he was like a second father to me. I used to spend summers with him in Wildwood, N.J. He was the manager of a female-impersonation show and he was in the show too. So I’d basically spend summers in a house full of drag queens. My next-closest sibling in age was nine years apart from me so I was raised kind of like an only child, which is strange coming from such a large family! PGN: How big was the gap between you and the brother you stayed with? RS: About 30 years. PGN: Wow. What did the parents do? Well, with 10 kids we know some of what they did for a lot of the time. RS: [Laughs] My dad did everything from driving a truck to huckstering. For a while he drove kids to school in a van, a kind of private school bus, and my mother actually worked in childcare, shocker. But it was a yours, mine and ours situation; my dad was married twice before my mom, my mom once before my dad and I’m the only one from the two of them. It’s a whole “Brady Bunch” deal.
a credit that they clearly were entitled to. We proved that and I remember getting the letter stating we’d won and running down the hall to the associate I was working with yelling, “We got it! We won!” Everything we do is within the confines of the law but when you are able to use your knowledge to the advantage of your client it’s very satisfying. PGN: Any crazy tax loopholes you’ve heard about and/or what’s the craziest thing someone’s tried to claim? RS: Luckily none of our clients are apt to do crazy things but you always hear people trying to take deductions for their animals as dependents and it’s like, “I know your cat feels like your child, but that’s not the way the law is written.” PGN: What is a tax warrior? RS: So one of our clients who passed away last year wrote a mantra for us. We got the name Tax Warriors when we entered a soapbox derby to benefit the
PGN: What’s a fun family memory? RS: My immediate family is like a party unto themselves. There must be 100 of us. The first thing that sprang to mind were the water fights that would break out during summer barbecues. There may have been a hose involved at one point. I recall my mom freaking out because my one brother brought the hose in the house. She put the kibosh on that pretty quick. But there was always something going on. PGN: That’s funny, as soon as you said water fights I had a flash memory of my brother with the hose inside the house! Who was the troublemaker and who was the funny one? RS: Out of the 11, the troublemaker was definitely my brother Danny. He’s since passed away. The funniest one is probably Steve. He’s the oldest out of the living siblings. We’ve lost three of them. PGN: Turning to work, what makes accounting sexy? RS: [Laughs] Nothing! Well, the fact that there’s always a right answer. I was always more interested in tax law. What makes tax exciting is when you have a big win, when I can recoup for or save a client a lot of money. We had a client who, due to a simple administrative error was going to lose
Arthritis Foundation and we needed a team name. The name stuck and way back when, when we were registering for a website, someone said we should use Tax Warriors. They were joking but since then it’s evolved and become our identity. The gist is that we advocate for our clients the same way the Samurai warriors and the Knights of the Round Table all fought. [Points to several paintings on the wall] This is a pictorial mantra drawn by cartoonist and illustrator Tony Auth.
PGN: You work with a lot of entertainers and sports figures. Why is it that it seems that they’re always getting into trouble with the IRS? RS: Because people know they have money, so people are always in their pockets. That’s why it’s important that they have good gatekeepers and we’re part of that team that acts as a buffer. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who take advantage of them so we try to be in the middle; it goes athlete, gatekeeper and someone trying to get to the money. You have clients who aren’t equipped to deal with the kind of wealth they receive so suddenly. For athletes especially, there are very specific rules about how their money is allocated. It varies from state to state, so where they choose to reside can make a big difference. Even which city makes a big difference. As you probably know, Philadelphia is very heavily taxed so helping structure their residency and making sure they meet the proper residency requirements is important. For most people, the difference might be negligible, but if they get a $10-million signing bonus, it can be significant. Most teams are not going to allocate for each person based upon the strict interpretations of each city and state — they generally do what’s easiest for them regarding payroll — so we can go in and proactively figure out where the athlete is going to be the entire year and create duty-day schedules that best suit them. There was a recent case where Philadelphia allowed a portion of agent fees to be deducted. Well, that can be significant when an agent takes 3-4 percent. It’s all money we can save for when they retire because they can’t be athletes forever. PGN: What are some of the specific challenges for the LGBT community, tax-wise? RS: Pre-Windsor, some states allowed for marriage but the federal government didn’t recognize it. For example, in Massachusetts, the first state to allow gay marriage, you’d have to file jointly in Massachusetts but separately for federal. With a good adviser, you could have filed for PAGE 30
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
PA native explores his past and present in new autobiography By Bobby Brier PGN Contributor In “Life Lessons from a Total Failure: A Journey from Failure to Fulfillment,” 34-year-old author and actor M.J. Dougherty tells the profound story of his life. A native of Scranton, Dougherty accumulated an eclectic mix of experiences that led to him becoming an actor in Los Angeles. His autobiography is a tragic, euphoric and intimate account of his quest for fulfillment. PGN had the opportunity to sit down with Dougherty to talk about his inspiration for writing the book, the messages he hopes readers take away from it and his future as an author and actor. PGN: What was your inspiration for writing this book? MJD: I was going through all this stuff and you think you have issues and you think that it’s singular to you. But then you realize that [to] varying degrees, everybody goes through the same kind of things; it’s just varying degrees of severity. Perspective is so powerful. You may have broken a pinkie and you felt as shattered as I did when I lost everything because it’s your life. It’s real and it means something to you. So, that was something I kind of realized: Everybody’s pain is equal. That’s the reason I wanted to write the book, because I wanted people to realize that we all go through the same things to different degrees and you can’t lose sight of the fact that it all passes. Time marches on. There’s something really refreshing about that. PGN: What are some of the main messages you hope people derive from your book? MJD: No matter what’s happening, we can always move on. We can always move forward and you always have two options in life. You can accept the ways things are or change them. That’s a very powerful thing to think about. I don’t think people really think about that a lot. They think, Well, this is the way it is. Well, it doesn’t have to be. You can change it. When we stop trying to control everything and just kind of let ourselves evolve and move forward, that’s when things really start to become good and you start to really see what your life is supposed to be. PGN: What are some of your hopes for your future?
MJD: I can’t believe I’m an author; it’s not something I ever thought would happen. I’m really proud I wrote a book that people are really liking and that they’re appreciating and that they’re learning something from, because that was the whole point. [People] hear my story, hear what I have to say and then afterwards they open up and tell me about their stuff and what they’re going through. There’s
Theater & Arts Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr. Take a trip down the rabbit hole in this updated take on the classic story through July 8 at Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe St.; 215785-0100. Bill Bellamy The comedian performs July 14-16 at the Punch Line Philly, 1004 Canal St.; 215-309-0150. Breaking Ground: Printmaking in the U.S., 1940– 60 Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the variety of ways in which artists in the 1940s and ’50s pushed the boundaries of printmaking through July 24, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.
just that human connection and I love that. And it kind of goes hand in hand with why I love being an actor, because [actors in Los Angeles] always say to me when I tell them I want to be on TV, “Don’t you want to be in movies?” I don’t want to be a movie star. If you see someone from TV, you want to run over and be like, “Oh my God, let’s go for coffee!” And that’s what I love. It’s about connection. And now I’m in multiple industries, it’s all about that — connecting with people — and it’s what drives me. It literally gets me up in the morning. I get excited because you never know who I’m gonna talk to or what’s gonna happen. So, I can’t ask for anything more. If I can do this to the day I die, I’m thrilled. My ultimate goal is I would love to be on a sitcom. I was a teller at a bank and I loved it because I got to talk to people every day. As long as I’m doing stuff like that, it makes me happy. I never thought that this book would bring me so much opportunity. But it really has and my whole life is changing on a daily basis. It’s just always something, like, Wow, I can’t believe this is happening. So, if I could just continue where I’m at and keep going for the future, I’m thrilled. n
Creative Africa Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of photography, fashion, sculpture and architecture by artists from Africa through Sept. 25, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Disney’s The AristoCats The classic animated film takes the stage July 15-16 at Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe St.; 215785-0100. Embracing the Contemporary: The Keith L. and Katherine Sachs Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of one of the nation’s leading col-
ANOTHER TRIP DOWN ABBEY ROAD: Rock royalty visits Philly when Sir Paul McCartney delights audiences of all ages with an evening of Beatles and Wings classics, as well as solo hits, 8 p.m. July 12 at Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way. For more information or tickets, call 215-463-1000.
lections of contemporary art, featuring some of the most prominent European and American artists of the past 50 years, through Sept. 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. Inside Out Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of large-scale, high-quality replicas of favorite works from the museum’s collection to local neighborhoods through Nov. 1, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Lloyd Ney: Local Color The Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition of works by the American painter, sculptor, writer and artistic innovator known for pushing boundaries, embracing Modernism and stirring up controversy through Sept. 11, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800. Plays of/for a Respirateur Philadelphia Museum of
Art presents an installation by Joseph Kosuth that includes a selection of his work, along with a group of seminal works by Marcel Duchamp, through the fall, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. qFLIX Philadelphia 2016 The region’s only LGBTQ film festival screens films from all over the world through July 10 at Prince Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.; 215422-4580. Russell Peters The international comedy star performs through July 10 at the grand opening of yhe Punch Line Philly, 1004 Canal St.; 215-3090150. Sister Act Walnut Street Theatre presents the musical comedy based on the hit film through July 17 at the Mainstage, 825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550.
Tête-à-Tête: Conversations in Photography The Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition celebrating more than 25 years of regional photographic programming through Sept. 11, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800.
Music Vans Warped Tour An all-day festival of punk-rock and metal bands starts noon July 8 at BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609365-1300. Sublime with Rome The alt-rock band performs 7 p.m. July 9 at Festival Pier Penn’s Landing, 601 N. Christopher St.; 215-922-1011. Billy Joel The rock singer performs 8 p.m. July 9 at Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way; 215-4631000.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
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Mild humor on the menu in ‘Mike and Dave’ By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor
POP PIN-UPS: Platinum-selling singers Nick Jonas (pictured) and Demi Lovato team up for the Future Now Tour, which hits the area 7 p.m. July 14 at BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609365-1300.
Hall & Oates The rock/soul duo performs 7 p.m. July 10 at BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-3651300. Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds The R&B singer and songwriter performs 7:30 p.m. July 10 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215-5727650. Paul McCartney The rock singer performs 8 p.m. July 12 at Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way; 215-4631000. Bob Dylan The rock/folk icon performs 7:30 p.m. July 13 at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave.; 215-5467900. Sharon Katz and the Peace Train The out singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. July 13 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.
Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas The pop singers perform 7 p.m. July 14 at BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-365-1300. Guns N’ Roses The rock band performs 8:30 p.m. July 14 at Lincoln Financial Field, 1020 Pattison Ave.; 215-4635500. Journey The rock band performs 7 p.m. July 15 at BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-365-1300. Justin Bieber The pop singer performs 7:30 p.m. July 15 at Boardwalk Hall, 2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-348-7000.
Nightlife Let’s Get Friendly, Philly! A benefit for Team Friendly Philadelphia, 6-9 p.m. July 9 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675.
Back 2 Basics The Saturday queer dance party, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. July 9 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Dungeons & Drag Queens The Gayborhood’s first all-drag fundraising scavenger hunt to benefit the Mazzoni Center kicks off 7 p.m. July 11 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; register at dungeonsdragqueens@gmail.com. Werk 4 Orlando A happy-hour fundraiser to benefit the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 14 at Pennsylvania 6 Philly, 114 S. 12th St.; 267-639-5606.
Outta Town Blobfest 2016 The classic horror film is celebrated
with a weekend of screenings July 8-10 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. Jessica Kirson The out comedian performs 7:30 p.m. July 9 at The Rrazz Room, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 888-5961027. Alive! ’75 The KISS tribute band performs 8 p.m. July 9 at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular The longest-touring laser show lights up 8 p.m. July 15 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228. 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.
In the fitfully funny comedy “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” opening July 8, the title characters (Adam Devine and Zac Efron, respectively) are brothers forced by their parents’ intervention to bring nice, respectable girls to their sister Jeanie’s (Sugar Lyn Beard) nuptials in Hawaii. Apparently, too many family gatherings have been catastrophes because of the siblings’ bad behavior and worse judgment. There is even a very amusing video to prove it. The guys, who put an ad for dates online and even go on “The Wendy Williams Show,” get more than they bargained for — and not because one prospective girl, Lauralie (Bob Turton), is a man in drag who really wants to have sex with Dave. No, the trouble — and much of the film’s humor — stems from the two women who connive to be those dates. Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) and Alice (Anna Kendrick) are fired from their bartending job because they showed up drunk, again. They are looking for adventure and see the brothers’ offer of a free trip to Hawaii as the vacation they deserve. Tatiana can drink to her heart’s content, and Alice can finally get over being jilted at the altar. Pretending to be good girls, Tatiana and Alice meet Mike and Dave literally by accident, when Tatiana is hit by a car and Mike helps save her. The foursome hit it off, and so it’s off to Hawaii. The film has Tatiana and Alice making good impressions on Jeanie as well as the brothers’ parents (Stephen Root and an underused Stephanie Faracy), and even Terry (Alice Wetterlund), the brothers’ butch, bisexual cousin, who thinks Tatiana is pretty hot. But once everyone is gathered together at the destination wedding, the chaos begins. The girls encourage Jeanie to go on an ATV course and, of course, a horrific — and actually somewhat hilarious — accident happens. What should be a relaxing massage for Jeanie turns into a highly erotic session because Alice tips Keanu (Kumail Nanjiani) to give Jeanie “a full release.” While there are some belly laughs generated from the slick nude bodies rubbing and bumping together, the spa shenanigans that transpire between Tatiana and Terry in the spa’s steam room are equally wild. Alas, too much of this broad comedy goes for the obvious joke. When Alice gives Jeanie ecstasy, the bride-to-be gets very naked and very unafraid to say what’s on her mind. Likewise, a series of snafus and miscues cause Mike and Dave, as well as Tatiana and Alice, to say things they should probably keep to themselves. But these moments don’t have the comic
zing that the film’s more elaborate set pieces do, which is why “Mike and Dave” is so uneven. It is a given that Jeanie and her fiancé Eric (Sam Richardson) are going to have a hitch getting hitched, but the film — “based on a true story … sort of,” a title card announces — seems to always go for the lowest common denominator. The problem is not the crudity or the nudity, but rather the fact that the characters are not particularly likeable. It becomes harder to laugh either with or at them. That said, there is some heart in the film when Dave and Alice start to connect emotionally. Their romance, however, means Efron does not do much in the way of comedy. What is more — or less, as
the case may be — the buff actor appears shirtless only twice (for those who count such things). Efron seems to be playing Dean Martin to Devine’s more manic Jerry Lewis-like character. At least the “High School Musical” actor does get to sing and dance here, albeit briefly, which provides some nice moments for his fans. In contrast, Devine tries far too hard to be funny throughout the film. He mugs shamelessly, says stupid things — as when he makes up a strange new sexual term — and wears a loud pantsuit that Tatiana claims is “wallpaper stolen from a Long John Silver’s bathroom.” As Tatiana, Plaza is a wonderfully devious comedienne with crackerjack comic timing, especially when she repeatedly teases Mike with a come-on for sex but leaves him hard or hanging, or when she switches effortlessly from good girl to bad as the situation demands. Plaza has a game coconspirator in Kendrick, who relishes misbehaving and helping Jeanie let her guard down. In support, Wetterlund steals her every scene as the confident and competitive Terry. Ultimately, “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” is very raunchy in places, but it is a mild comedy overall. n
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PORTRAIT from page 27
protective election, which would allow you to get a refund, should it apply, when marriage equality became law. Post-Windsor, we have the opposite problem. You have to file joint on your federal taxes but many states don’t recognize gay marriage and they all have different things you have to do to file. It’s like 50 states with 50 different sets of rules. When the Windsor case was won, I could see from a tax standpoint how confusing it was going to be and I couldn’t find a single person who was knowledgeable on the subject, so I decided to become the expert. I’ve been a lifelong ally with friends and family in the LGBTQ community so I had a personal interest and wanted to be a resource for the community. And frankly, I also saw a business opportunity. To find balance, I do presentations on it for the community pro bono and I also started doing presentations for practitioners so that there would be more people out there aware of the different specifics under the laws — pre-Windsor, post-Windsor, post-Obergefell. It can have a big economic impact from the standpoint of taxes. Even things like adoptions can also be greatly affected by the marital status. PGN: What is a needbased benefit? RS: Anything like food stamps, Medicaid, SSI, financial aid if they have kids, etc. That’s another area where someone may qualify for those benefits as a single person but if they get married, the combined incomes may disqualify them from those benefits — something to consider for all couples straight or gay contemplating marriage. Especially for mature couples, I had one client who we calculated it would cost $50,000 per year, per year to get married. They decided to hold off. Every year I ask if they’re getting married and the one guy tells me, “You’re worse than my fiancé!”
PGN
PGN: Other than crunching numbers, what do you like to do? RS: I power lift. I haven’t competed yet — I tore a rotator cuff — but it’s one of my goals.
that at a sleepover in first grade.
PGN: Were you always athletic? RS: I played JV and varsity sports in high school.
PGN: Let’s wrap up with your brother, who inspired you to work with the LGBT community. RS: George, he was great. He spent every summer in Wildwood and each winter in Montreal. He was cremated but I was able to get a headstone placed for him. It’s cool because it’s in a Catholic cemetery but I managed to get two pictures on the headstone, one of him as George and one of him in drag as Liza Minelli. “New York, New York” was his signature song. For my senior music project I arranged the song in his memory. He was very musical and he had a big influence on me. He played the keyboard and it inspired me to take piano from the time I was 8. Because of him, I got into theater and he used to make all my costumes. He was so talented. I used to love watching him and all his friends getting ready for drag shows. I was only 12 when he died but he had a big impact on my life.
PGN: [Laughs] So you’ve always been around lesbians … RS: Ha! Yes, there were a few on my teams. Actually my best friend came out to me when we were about 13. I’m sure for her it was the biggest deal in the world to tell me but for me it was totally non-eventful. I was like, OK so what’s going on tonight? Oh, I also took karate for several years. But then a week after I buried my father, my mother was diagnosed with stage-four cancer and died just months after him. It was a tough time and I let myself go. But now I’m back and it’s interesting to see the changes in my body. PGN: [Laughs] Between your athleticism and activism, how often do people think you’re gay? RS: That’s funny. I don’t know and I don’t really give a shit if people think I am. Though sometimes if I’m doing an LGBT workshop and I make a reference to my husband it’s funny to see some people’s faces go, “What?” But it’s not like I go out of my way to say, “I’m at this gay event, but I’m not gay!” It’s 2016, who cares? I consider myself part of the community. I’ve been an ally since birth. PGN: OK, random questions. What was your first car? RS: A teal Dodge Neon.
PGN: That’s a tough one! RS: I didn’t say I sang it well. But I am Alicia Keys in the car.
PGN: That must have been so difficult to understand. RS: It was definitely challenging to wrap my head around his death. I didn’t know anything about AIDS and he never told us he was sick. It was so taboo back then. We just got the phone call from Montreal that he had died. So I didn’t really have closure until I went to Canada for the headstone. I was always afraid that my brother died alone but I met up with some of his good friends and they gave me comfort to know that he died surrounded by friends and taken care of. He had community. n
PGN: Big night out? RS: Dinner at a foodie spot and a concert or show. Last show was American Psycho in New York.
For more information about Drucker & Scaccetti, visit www.taxwarriors.com.
PGN: Go-to karaoke song? RS: I’m such a bad singer. “The Greatest Love of All,” I remember singing
To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
Q Puzzle Famous Homophobes Across
1. Hazard for Sheehan 5. E with a queer orientation 10. Barely makes, with “out” 14. Inventor Elias 15. “___ you loud and clear!” 16. Stuff stuffed under G-strings 17. Male mating call? 18. Menotti’s middle name 19. “___ put it another way ...” 20. Homophobic TV doctor of the ‘70s 23. Bloom of “The Producers” 24. Peaks in Peru 25. Words said near crystal balls 26. Eligible for soc. sec. 27. Teakettle sound 28. Env. stuffer 31. Wilde tragedy banned in London 33. Anita, who founded the antigay group Save Our Children 36. Frugal sort 37. “Quills” subject 40. Move stealthily 42. Becomes wife and wife, e.g. 43. Exams on sexual technique? 45. President who
called gay people “sick unfortunates” 47. Middle point 49. Mineo of “Rebel Without a Cause” 50. Russian commune 53. Like hard-core porn 54. Tobias pseudonym 57. Former defensive tackle Tuaolo 59. Interjection for Ernst Roehm 60. Pope who decried homosexuality as “intrinsically evil” 63. “Are you up ___?” 65. Michelangelo piece with stones of stone 66. Park of Queens 67. Ron Howard film with Ellen DeGeneres 68. Autobiography of Grace’s roommate? 69. Adolescent affliction 70. Matches a poker bet 71. Elton’s tube 72. They depend on their masters
Down
1. The “T” in T.E. Lawrence 2. Caesar and Antony 3. Lammies, e.g. 4. Britten’s change 5. Commands to
attack 6. Sticking point 7. Beginning to come? 8. Places for plaques 9. Some Western homes 10. “The Name of the Rose” writer 11. He played to homophobia to help get Bush reelected in 2004 12. Put on a pedestal 13. Cincinnati gay bar 21. Friendly opening 22. Consenting votes 29. B’way locale 30. Singer Vikki 32. Blades of grass, collectively 33. Cold-cock 34. Born, to Bonheur 35. Some like them
hot 37. Ancient Greek gay, perhaps 38. 415, in San Francisco 39. He gunned down Harvey Milk 41. Org. that uses ball-washers 44. Belgrade resident 46. Mapa of “Switched at Birth” 48. Go over proofs again 50. Kahlo’s country 51. “Bye Bye Birdie” writer Brecher 52. Makes erect 55. Blown away 56. Mischievous type 58. Stravinsky string, perhaps 61. “To Kill a Mockingbird” character 62. In a lazy way 64. Boob tubes
PGN
Cult culture explored in ‘Holy Hell’
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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.
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Gay filmmaker Will Allen’s astonishing first-person documentary “Holy Hell” is a cautionary tale that recounts his experiences in the Buddhafield, a West Hollywood cult that formed in the mid1980s. The film will screen at Philadelphia’s MOCA, 531 N. 12th St., July 14-15. The
Buddhafield was a group that was supposed to offer spiritual enlightenment. Allen was looking for a “secret to life” and acceptance for who he was. Instead, his experience became a decades-long service to an insidious narcissist named Michel (then later, Andreas, when the cult moved from Los Angeles to Austin). Whereas Will was searching for “truth” and “the knowing” — a Buddhafield exercise where God would be revealed in his purest form — what he got was hypnotherapy sessions (aka “cleansings”) that eventually led to sexual abuse by Michel. “Holy Hell” chronicles how and why this cult lasted through video footage Allen shot over the years as well as interviews with present-day survivors. The film may not provide any new insights about cults, but it does show how people are susceptible to brainwashing. And what Allen reveals about Michel, who was obsessed with ballet and plastic surgery, among other things, is as fascinating as it is frightening. n
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.
Real Estate Sale
Real Estate Rent
By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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PGN
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Religion/Spirituality Arch Street United Methodist Church Services 8:30 and 11 a.m. at 55 N. Broad St.; youth/ adult Sunday school at 9:30 a.m.; 5:30 p.m. prayer service; 215-568-6250. Calvary United Methodist Church Reconciling, welcoming and affirming church holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 801 S. 48th St.; 215-7241702. Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church Services 11 a.m. and Spirit at Play, an arts-based Sunday school for children, 9:30 a.m. at 8812 Germantown Ave.; 215-242-9321. Church of the Crucifixion Inclusive Episcopal community holds services 10 a.m. Sundays and 6 p.m. Fridays at 620 S. Eighth St.; 215-922-1128. Church of the Holy Trinity Inclusive church holds services 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays at 1904 Walnut St.; 215-567-1267. Congregation Rodeph Shalom Shabbat services every Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at 615 N. Broad St. ; 215-627-6747. Dignity Philadelphia Holds Mass 7 p.m. Sundays at 330 S. 13th St.; 215546-2093, dignityphila@aol.com. Evangelicals Concerned Lesbian and gay Christian counseling; 215-860-7445. First Baptist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds prayer services 10:30 a.m. Sundays and community worship 11:30 a.m. at 123 S. 17th St.; 215-563-3853. First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia A liberal, welcoming and diverse congregation that affirms the dignity of all. Sunday services at 10 a.m., 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-563-3980, www.firstuuphilly.org. The First United Methodist Church of Germantown A sexual-minority-affirming congregation holds services at 10 a.m., summer services 11 a.m., Sundays, with lunch to follow, at 6001 Germantown Ave.; 215-438-3077, www.fumcog.org. Grace Epiphany Church A welcoming and diverse Episcopal congregation in Mt. Airy with services 9:30 a.m. Sundays at 224 E. Gowen Ave.; 215-248-2950, www.grace-epi.org. Holy Communion Lutheran Church ELCA Reconciling in Christ congregation worships 9 a.m. Sundays at 2111 Sansom St. and 11 a.m. at 2110 Chestnut St. in the main sanctuary; 215-567-3668, www.lc-hc.org. Living Water United Church of Christ An open and affirming congregation that meets for worship 11 a.m. on Sundays at 6250 Loretto Ave.; 267-388-6081, www.lwucc.org. Kol Tzedek Reconstructionist synagogue committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community meets at Calvary Center, 801 S. 48th St.; 215-764-6364, www.koltzedek.org.
Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia Services 1 p.m. Sundays at the University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, 3637 Chestnut St.; 215294-2020, www.mccphiladelphia.com.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
Community Bulletin Board Community centers
Old First Reformed Church Open and affirming United Church worships at 11 a.m., summer services at 10 a.m, at 151 N. Fourth St.; 215-922-4566, www.oldfirstucc.org.
■ 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.
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral Progressive and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays with Holy Eucharist at 3723 Chestnut St.; 215-386-0234, www. philadelphiacathedral.org.
■ 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. MondayThursday; 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.
Rainbow Buddhist Meditation Group Meets 5 p.m. Sundays at William Way. Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting worships 11 a.m., summer services 10 a.m, Sundays at 1515 Cherry St.; 215-241-7000, cpmm@afsc.org. St. Luke and The Epiphany Church Open and welcoming church holds fall liturgy 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays, summer sevices 10 a.m., at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-732-1918, stlukeandtheepiphany.org. St. Mary’s Church Diverse and inclusive Episcopal church celebrates the Eucharist 11 a.m. Sundays at 3916 Locust Walk; 215-386-3916; www.stmarysatpenn.org. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Welcoming and diverse congregation with numerous outreach and fellowship groups holds services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday at Third and Pine streets; 215-925-5968; www.stpetersphila.org. Tabernacle United Church Open and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 3700 Chestnut St.; 215-386-4100, tabunited.org. Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church Sunday worship with nursery care, 10:30 a.m. and fourth Thursday of the month contemporary worship with Communion at 7 p.m. at 2212 Spruce St.; 215732-2515, trinityphiladelphia.org. Unitarian Society of Germantown Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 6511 Lincoln Drive; 215-844-1157, www. usguu.org. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration Welcoming congregation holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 6900 Stenton Ave.; 215-247-2561, www. uurestoration.us. Unity Fellowship Church of Philadelphia Diverse, affirming LGBT congregation holds services 2 p.m. Sundays at 55 N. Broad St.; 215-240-6106. University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 3637 Chestnut St. preceded by “Adult Forum: Sundays” at 9:30 a.m.; 215-387-2885, www.uniphila.org.
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■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088
■ Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Activities held 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.
■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Key numbers
■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377
■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org
■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221
■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378
■ 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
■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Office of LGBT Affairs — Director Nellie Fitzpatrick: 215-6860330; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov
■ 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 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ 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.; 215-763-8870. 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. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871, www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite
■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090, www.galloplaw.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 busi-
108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, 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, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Philadelphia FIGHT Comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines; 1233 Locust St.; 215985-4448; www.fight.org. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, rapid HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.
Professional groups nesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.org/ philly; philly@nlgja.org.
■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus Regional organization dedicated to promoting LGBT tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region, meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; 215-8402039, www.philadelphiagaytourism.com.
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com July 8-14, 2016
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