Ferras scores new music with the assist going to Katy Perry PAGE 23
Former manager fundraising for a new space PAGE 7
Family Portrait: Marcos Matos is abuzz about hair PAGE 31
Gay Community Night with the Phillies to make it an even dozen
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Aug. 1-7, 2014
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Vol. 38 No. 31
SEPTA worker speaks out
Center launches sports org. By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A new LGBT sports presence is coming to town. The board of the William Way LGBT Community Center last week voted in favor of the creation of the Out Philadelphia Athletic League. The league is a program of William Way and aims to unite the myriad LGBT sports entities throughout the area. Among its areas of focus is providing assistance to LGBT sports organizations in attaining facilities and permits and in attending regional, national and international sports tournaments. OPAL may also spearhead the creation of new intramural sports clubs, as well as stage cross-sporting events. “This grew out of conversations with different teams, groups and leagues about the need to have a bigger sense of community on a more consistent basis,” said OPAL executive committee president Jeff Sotland, the former commissioner of the City of Brotherly Love Softball League. “All the teams have historically come together pretty well every four years for the Gay Games but we have never really had a cohesive, strong relationship amongst all the sports.” Local participation in the Gay Games has been organized by Team Philadelphia, whose marketing director, Bob Szwajkos, welcomed the launch of OPAL. “I’ve been a supporter of this from day one,” he said. “This provides us with the next steps we want to take. Bringing the teams together through the center provides substantial resources that were previously unavailable collectively.” Szwajkos said Team Philadelphia will continue to function alongside OPAL. “William Way can be a jumping-off point for where we’re going to go next,” he said. “I don’t know exactly where that’s going to be, but it PAGE 14
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
GOGO GIVING: Partiers from all corners of the community came together July 26 at Underground Arts for IndiGoGo, a fundraiser for William Way LGBT Community Center. The event was staged by a coalition of local party promoters and drew more than 700 guests, who together raised $8,670 for the center. This marked the first year that the party was held separately from the October Indigo Ball. “IndiGoGo was a total hit,” said Kate Hinchey, William Way development coordinator. “The new structure of the event and the diversity of the promoters gave the center access to a wider and younger audience who might not normally be able to afford Indigo Ball.” Photo: Scott A. Drake
Giovanni’s Room sale still pending By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com Plans are still pending on the fate of the nation’s oldest LGBT bookstore, Giovanni’s Room. Various media outlets have reported that the sale of Giovanni’s Room would be finalized by Aug. 1; however, owner Ed Hermance said such information is inaccurate and premature. “The reporter who I talked to agreed she would not post anything until something is signed,” he told PGN. Hermance announced last year that he planned to retire and sell the business and buildings, at 12th and Spruce streets. Unable to finalize a sale agree-
ment, he closed this past spring but later announced he was in talks to sell the business to an LGBT-related organization, which he has declined to publicly identify. Hermance told PGN this week that the sale could be finalized by September pending the potential buyer’s plans. He is still in talks with the organization to smooth out the terms of the agreement. Hermance added that his lawyer is also on vacation for two weeks, which is further delaying efforts to reopen the store. The LGBT bookstore was founded in 1973 and carried more than 48,000 titles. Giovanni’s Room remains closed until a decision is reached. ■
A longtime SEPTA employee says she’s determined to have her same-sex marriage recognized by the transit agency, no matter how long she must fight. “I feel like I’m in a war,” she told PGN. Due to an impasse with union representatives, SEPTA’s management only recognizes the same-sex marriages of its non-union workers for the purpose of workplace benefits. SEPTA’s workplace benefits include health-care coverage, pension and death benefits and family-leave/bereavementleave privileges. The worker interviewed by PGN is a member of Transport Workers Union Local 234. Its labor contract expired in March and talks are underway for a new contract. She agreed to be interviewed on condition of anonymity, citing concerns of retaliation by management. She’s been coupled with her lesbian spouse for more than 20 years. “My spouse has no health-care [coverage],” the worker said. “If I die tomorrow, she wouldn’t get my pension. If she gets sick, I can’t take off work and be assured that I have a job waiting for me when I return.” The worker pays $13 weekly in union dues and $37 weekly towards her pension. Overall, she said, she’s satisfied with her union. But she hopes it will advocate for marriage recognition with a sense of urgency. Asked if she’s considering her legal options, she replied: “I’d be silly if I didn’t.” This week, SEPTA spokesperson Jerri Williams said the agency is committed to honoring all legal marriages among its workers. “It’s our intention, as soon as we can, to PAGE 14 make sure the workplace
Next week in our Aug. 8 issue:
Wedding 101: Tips, trends and traditions