PGN Aug. 16 - 22, 2013 by The Philadelphia Gay News

Do you think I’m saxy? PAGE 25

Family Portrait: Sarah Sawyers-Lovett

Start packing your bags for SisterSpace

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Aug. 16-22, 2013

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Vol. 37 No. 33

Philly’s only lesbian bar shuts down By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

HOPING FOR A HOMER: Despite the Phillies continuing their Gay Community Night losing streak — which now stands at 1-10 — the LGBT fans enjoyed a night at the ballpark Aug. 7. Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia president Angela Giampolo (back row, left) was slated to throw the first pitch of the game but, since the requisite 500 tickets weren’t sold, Giampolo watched the game from the stands with fellow supporters like Franny Price (clockwise from back row center), Samantha Giusti, Micheal Ward, John Bobon, Chip Junod and Bob Tuerk. The event raises money for the Sean Halpin Memorial Scholarship Fund. Photo: Scott A. Drake

City pressed to sever ties with Russian city By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com In 2012, legislation was introduced in two sister cities that would affect the LGBT community — in entirely different ways. Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Kenney introduced the LGBT Equality bill, the first in the nation to provide tax credits to companies that provide health coverage for transgender people, as well as for same-sex partners. And, Philadelphia’s Russian sister city, Nizhny Novgorod, passed a law banning LGBT “propaganda”; earlier this summer, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a similar bill into law, sparking international outcry. Locally, activists are urging the city to sever its ties with Nizhny Novgorod, Russia’s fifth-largest city. No decision had been announced as of presstime. Sister cities, conceived of in the second half of the 20th century, are meant to promote cultural awareness. Philadelphia operates Sister Cities Plaza at 18th and the Parkway to honor its seven sister cities. Progress Now and Keystone Progress launched a MoveOn petition last week urging Philadelphia City Council to suspend Nizhny Novgorod’s sister-city title in protest of Russia’s anti-LGBT climate. Similar efforts are underway in several-dozen other cities. “It was something that was generating response from people and PAGE 12 something other cities were encouraged to do,”

The city’s longest-running lesbian bar abruptly closed its doors this week. Citing financial difficulties, the owners of Sisters Nightclub shut down Monday after 17 years in operation. Sisters has been the only full-time lesbian bar in the city since its inception June 21, 1996. Denise Cohen, who managed the club since its opening, said in a Facebook posting that business owner Jim Ross notified her of the closing Monday morning. Cohen did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The building, 1320 Chancellor St., is owned by Mel Heifetz, while Ross owns the business. After a series of calls and emails, Heifetz told PGN he would not comment for this story. There is a sign on Sisters’ door that the building is undergoing renovations and will reopen in the fall, but it is unclear if the business or building has been, or is in the process of being, sold. Heifetz refused to comment on the matter. Heiftez purchased the three-story building on July 12, 1994, for $86,000. The city assessed the property at $70,400 each year from 2010-13, but that figure jumped to $746,400 for 2014, seemingly because of the city’s new property-tax evaluation. The adjoining building, home to the now-defunct Key West Bar, is also empty. Cohen said in her posting that there will be no closing party, and noted that sudden closings are not uncommon in the bar and restaurant industry. Response to Cohen’s Facebook posting was strong,

A SHUTTERED SISTERS NEXT TO THE ALSOCLOSED KEY WEST ON CHANCELLOR AND JUNIPER STREETS Photo: Scott A. Drake

with more than 200 “shares” by the next day. Cohen said on her personal Facebook page that Ross was equally upset when he shared the news with her. PAGE 8 “This is not something he

PA LGBT leader to speak at March on Washington By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com On Aug. 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., took to the microphone at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom to change the world with his “I Have a Dream” address. Fifty years later, activists, including a local LGBT leader, will head to D.C. to commemorate the change that has happened, and the change that still is needed,

ADRIAN SHANKER (LEFT) AND MARTIN LUTHER KING III

since King’s seminal speech. Equality Pennsylvania presi-

dent Adrian Shanker will be among the speakers at the Aug. 24 50th Anniversary March on Washington, joining labor, health, housing, education and civil and human-rights advocates, as well as Congressmembers and President Obama. Shanker is the only announced speaker who works primarily for LGBT rights. The event is expected to bring a crowd of PAGE 20 500,000 for a

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

ity. He and Lonegan will square off in an Oct. 16 special election. — Jen Colletta

News Briefing

No new trial in Milano case

Booker wins NJ Senate primary Newark Mayor Cory Booker won the Democratic nomination for a vacant U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey on Tuesday. Booker, a strong proponent of marriage equality, came out on top of three other Democratic contenders. Republic activist Steve Lonegan won the Republican primary. The race is to fill the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s seat, who was also a strong LGBT ally. Booker has called marriage equality a “legal right” and has participated in the Human Rights Campaign’s Americans for Marriage Equality campaign. He has come out against Gov. Chris Christie’s proposal to put marriage equality to a public vote and has refused to perform wedding ceremonies at Newark City Hall because of marriage inequal��

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REGIONAL PGN

Bucks County Common Pleas Judge Rea B. Boylan has denied Richard R. Laird’s request for a new trial in the grisly slashing death of gay artist Anthony Milano. Laird and Frank R. Chester murdered Milano in December 1987 after escorting him out of a tavern in Tullytown. Both men were convicted of first-degree murder in 1988 and sentenced to death. Laird was granted a retrial in 2007, and another Bucks County jury convicted him of first-degree murder and sentenced him to death. But Laird is seeking another trial, claiming ineffective assistance of counsel during his retrial. Laird also claims jurors didn’t receive enough information about his father’s alleged abusiveness and about head injuries he sustained as a youth. But in an eight-page ruling issued Aug. 7, Boylan denied Laird’s request. “[Laird] has not set forth a claim which

would justify relief under the law,” Boylan wrote. Laird’s request had been pending with Boylan since March 2011. Billy H. Nolas, an attorney for Laird, had no comment for this story. In a prior interview, Stephen B. Harris, chief of appeals for the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, said Laird received a proper retrial in 2007. “It’s the commonwealth’s position that Mr. Laird had very good legal representation, and that he had a fair trial,” Harris said. “Mr.Laird was properly convicted and re-sentenced to death.” Laird, 49, remains on death row at a state prison in Greene County. Chester’s appeal for a new trial remains pending in federal court. Chester, 44, remains on death row at state prison in Graterford.

Assault victim will remain in state custody David H. Chapman, a state inmate in Frackville who was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a prison guard, will remain in state custody, despite his appeals to be transferred to federal custody. Marlin Freeman, 54, repeatedly orally raped Chapman inside the chapel of a

state prison in Bellefont from 2010-12. According to court papers, Chapman fears for his life, after filing a civil suit against state Department of Corrections officials for allegedly failing to stop the assaults. “Pennsylvania state officials continue to threaten my life as well as threaten to have other inmates beat me up if I do not drop my civil complaint against them,” Chapman wrote to U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick. But on Aug. 9, Mehalchick denied Chapman’s request, noting that state officials could possibly do more to ensure Chapman’s safety. Barry H. Dyller, an attorney for Chapman, said he’s exploring ways of ensuring Chapman’s safety, but didn’t go into details. “We’re exploring alternate avenues to ensure my client’s safety,” Dyller told PGN. In June, Centre County Common Pleas Judge Pamela A. Ruest sentenced Freeman to 11-1/2 months to 23-1/2 months in the Centre County Correctional Facility. Freeman’s employment with the state Department of Corrections was terminated July 2, said DOC spokesperson Susan McNaughton. ■ — Timothy Cwiek

locations in Pa. outside of Philadelphia

Allentown • Allentown Brew Works, 812 Hamilton St. • Candida, 247 N. 12th St. • MCCLV, 930 N. Fourth St. • Stonewall, 28-30 N. 10th St. • Annville • Lebanon Valley College, Sheridan Ave. • Ardmore • Ardmore Station, Anderson Ave. near Coulter Ave. • Bethel • Adult World, 341 Midway Road • Bethlehem • LGBTQ Services Lehigh U, 25 Trembley Dr. • Bloomsberg • Bloomsberg University LGBTA Center, 400 E. Second St. • Bristol • Bristol News World, 576B Bristol Pike • Bryn Mawr • Bryn Mawr College, Canaday Library • Bryn Mawr Station, Morris Ave. near Bryn Mawr Ave. • Fox & Roach Realty, 763 Lancaster Ave. • TLA Video, 761 Lancaster Ave. • Chester • Harrah’s Chester Casino, 777 Harrah’s Blvd. • Widener University, 1 University Place • Collegeville • Adult World, 3975 Ridge Pike • Devon • Devon Station, Devon State Road & Lancaster Pike • Doylestown • Doylestown Bookshop, 16 S. Main St. • Siren Records, 25 E. State St. • East Stroudsburg • Rainbow Mountain Resort, 210 Mt. Nebo Road • Easton • La Pazza, 1251 Ferry St. • Gibson • Hillside Campground, 1 Creek Road • Glen Mills • Imago Dei MCC, 1223 Middletown Road • Glenside • Keswick Cycle, 408 N. Easton Road • Harrisburg • 704 Strawberry Café, 704 N. Third St. • AIDS Community Alliance, 100 N. Cameron St. • Brownstone Lounge, 412 Forster St. • Liquid 891, 891 Eisenhower Blvd. • Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. 3rd St. • MCC of the Spirit, 2973 Jefferson St. • Stallions, 706 N. Third St. • Haverford • Haverford Station, Haverford Station Road near Lancaster Ave. • Kutztown • Kutztown University, 15200 Main St. • Lancaster • Downtown Books, 227 N. Prince St. • Sundown Lounge, 429 N. Mulberry St. • Tally Ho Tavern, 201 W. Orange St. • Lansdale • Gwynedd Vet Hospital, 1615 W. Pointe Pike • Lehighton • Woods Campground, 845 Vaughn Acres Road • Levittown • Levitt Books, 7406 Bristol Pike • Malvern • Malvern Station, King St. & Warren Ave. • Media • Unitarian Universalist Church, 145 W. Rose Tree Road • The Media Theater, 104 E. State St. • LGBT Alliance Group, Delaware Co. Campus, Penn State Univ., 901 Media Line Road • Moosic • 12 Penny Saloon, 3501 Birney Ave. • Narberth • Narberth Station, Haverford & Narberth avenues • New Hope • Café Europa, 11 Market Place • Cornerstone Gym, 419 York Road • Eagle Diner, 6522 York Road • Havana, 105 S. Main St. • John & Peters, 96 S. Main St. • Karla’s Restaurant, 5 W. Mechanic St. • La Chateau Exotique, 31A W. Mechanic St. • Havana Bar & Grill, 105 S. Main St. • The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St. • Sandbar, 90 S. Main St. • Triumph Brewing Co., 400 Union Square Drive • Wildﬂowers, 8 W. Mechanic St. • New Milford • Oneida Campground, 2580 E. Lake Road • Newtown • Bucks Co. Community College, 275 Swamp Road • North Wales • Adult World, 608 Upper State Road • Paoli • Paoli Station, North Valley Road & Lincoln Highway • Plains Township • Twist Bar, Fox Ridge Plaza, Rte. 315 • Quakertown • Adult World, 880 S. West End Blvd. • Reading • Berls Aid Network, 429 Walnut St. • Reading Adult Center, 316 Penn St. • Rosemont • Rosemont Station, Airdale Road & Montrose Ave. • Spring Grove • Atland’s Ranch, RR6, Box 6543 • Swarthmore • Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Parrish Hall • Temple • Naughty But Nice, 4502 N. Fifth St. • Upper Darby • Honor Box, 69th Street Station • Villanova • Villanova Station, Spring Mill Road near County Line Road • Warminster • Darkanyu, Bux Mont Unitarian Church, Street Road at Rt. 611 • Planned Parenthood of Bucks Co., 610 Louis Dr. • Wayne • Central Baptist Church, 106 W. Lancaster Ave. • Stafford Station, Old Eagle School & Crestline roads • Wayne Station, N. Wayne & West Ave. • West Chester • Chester County Books, 975 Paoli Pike • Williamsport • Peachies, 144 E. Fourth St. • Willow Grove • Barnes & Noble, 102 Park Ave. • Wynnwood • Wynnwood Station, Wynnewood & Penn roads •

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION ON THIS LIST? Contact Don at don@epgn.com or 215-625-8501 ext. 200 to arrange for delivery of complimentary copies. All of these locations are now visible on a zoomable Google Map at

http://www.epgn.com/pages/where_to_find

REGIONAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Gay man claims bias in health coverage By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Anthony Putz, a gay New Jersey resident, says he’s at risk for losing his health coverage because his partner’s employer won’t recognize their civil union. Putz and his partner, Patrick Callaghan, both 47, have been together for about 15 years. The couple lives inWilliamstown, where Callaghan works as custodian at the Wiliamstown Middle School. GCA Services Group Inc., which is based in Ohio, is Callaghan’s employer. Callaghan isn’t employed by the Monroe Township School Board, which owns the middle school, because the board contracted with GCA to provide custodial services. On June 22, the men legalized their relationship in a civilunion ceremony that’s registered in Monroe Township, Gloucester County. After the ceremony, Callaghan promptly had Putz placed on the health plan he receives through

GCA. But on July 23, the men were notified that Putz will be removed from the plan because GCA is based in Ohio, which doesn’t recognize civil unions. Kevin Kovitch, a spokesperson for GCA, had no comment for this story. On Aug. 8, the men attended a Monroe Township school-board meeting and urged board members to ensure that Putz retains his health coverage. “We hope the board will get GCA to just leave me on the insurance, and fix the problem so it doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Putz said after the meeting. He said board members appeared sympathetic but they declined to comment on the issue publicly, on the advice of counsel. Schools superintendent Charles M. Earling declined to comment for this story other than to note that Callaghan is employed by GCA, not the school board. Putz said he shouldn’t be penalized because of Ohio law. “I never stepped foot in Ohio,” he said. “I don’t understand why

ANTHONY PUTZ (LEFT) AND PATRICK CALLAGHAN

Ohio law should govern my situation in New Jersey.” If Callaghan were employed by the school board, Putz’s benefits wouldn’t be in jeopardy because the board recognizes civil unions, Putz said. Putz has reached out to numerous individuals and entities in an effort to retain his coverage.

“I’m not taking this lightly,” Putz added. “My future is in jeopardy. I have degenerative bone disease and can’t walk without crutches. I’m facing multiple reconstructive surgeries over the next few years. I know it’s not going to be cheap. I’m on Medicare, but that coverage is woefully inadequate. I desperately need the financial support

of Patrick’s health plan so I can walk again.” Putz said his dilemma spotlights the need for marriage equality on a national level. “We need our congressmen and senators to act on a federal level to fix this once and for all,” he continued. “It’s a totally unacceptable situation, and one [that] I don’t want to fund with my tax dollars.” He said many people in the community have been supportive. “They can’t believe this is happening when we tell our story,” he said. “They don’t think it’s possible in New Jersey, which has a very strong history of supporting LGBT rights.” Putz has reached out to politicians for assistance, including U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.). Timothy Garvin, a spokesperson for Andrews, had no comment at pres time. “We’re going to continue speaking out until this problem is resolved,” Putz said. “We’ve been LGBT activists for 25 years. Speaking up is part of who we are.” ■

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Tired of eating at the same old dives? Thinking about hitting a new hot spot? We’ll tell you what we liked — and didn’t.

Only in

Dining Out

Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month

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

BOYS WILL BE BOYS: The Boys of Summer festivities hit the streets Saturday in the Gayborhood. Revelers took part in a block party outside Tavern on Camac, taking a break from sudsing up a car from Fiat of Maple Shape to turn the hose on each other. Partiers who received a free rapid HIV test from University of Pennsylvania’s mobile unit on site got drink tickets to TOC. The annual Boys of Summer weekend culminated in a swimsuit party Saturday night at Voyeur. Photo: Scott A. Drake

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NEWS

Online and in print every ﬁrst Friday.

Out Law

Angela Giampolo

Local Gettin’ On News Briefing Paw Prints Regional

10 10 11 11 11

Poll results from our online survey as of Aug. 14:

41% There are still Russian connections. Dump it. 21% They are far enough removed from Russia. Drink it. 18% They have Russian ties but market to gays. Undecided. 21% I don’t care. I drink something else.

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Go to www.epgn.com to weigh in on this week’s question:

Read On Being Well every fourth week of the month

An estimated one-third of LGBTs in Philadelphia have children. Every month, Dana Rudolph dissects parenting from our perspective, from watching your children grow up to teaching them how to deal with bullies, to interviews with authors and ﬁlmmakers.

Should Philadelphia sever ties with Russian sister-city Nizhny Novgorod? PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506

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Editor

Jen Colletta (ext. 206) jen@epgn.com

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Contents

EDITORIAL/OP-ED

Creep of the Week Editorial Thinking Out Loud Mark My Words Street Talk

Which side of the Stoli debate are you on?

Are you taking care of yourself? How’s your health and well-being?

On Being Well

6 13 2 23 2

Staff Writers Angela Thomas (ext. 215) angela@epgn.com

Mombian Dana Rudolph

Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208) timothy@epgn.com

Advertising Sales Representatives Prab Sandhu prab@epgn.com National Advertising Rivendell Media: 212-242-6863 Office Manager/ Classifieds Don Pignolet (ext. 200) don@epgn.com

Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Suburban Newspapers of America Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 2013 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-5155

The views of PGN are expressed only in the unsigned “Editorial” column. Opinions expressed in bylined columns, stories and letters to the editor are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PGN. The appearance of names or pictorial representations in PGN does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that named or pictured person or persons.

REGIONAL PGN

MontCo student wins award for antibullying work By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

“She was the driving force behind getting us into those buildings, and especially getting into middle schools,” Arnst said. Girard said her peers motivated her to News of marriage equality in Montgomery County has been making headlines across spearhead the effort. “A lot of students were bothered by the the nation, but last weekend the county gained another LGBT-equality victory in anti-LGBT language used in school, so we thought the best way to do that is talk the form of a recent high-school graduate. Molly Girard, 18, a graduate of Owen J. to staff and faculty and have them be more Roberts High School in Pottstown, was one aware of the language and how to handle of 14 area youth honored Aug 8 with the those situations,” she said. “A lot of teachers National Liberty Museum’s Young Heroes were aware it was wrong to use anti-LGBT language, but were unsure of how to stop it, Award. The museum, and sponsor TD Bank, so talking to them about different situations uses the award to recognize young people was a good way to help with that.” Arnst, who nominated Girard for the who have championed liberty through civic engagement, conflict resolution, promotion Young Heroes Award, said her leadership of diversity and school or community lead- will be missed at the school. “For me personally, her graduating has ership. Girard, who will attend Savannah College had a huge impact and having her gone of Art and Design in the fall to study art, will be a big adjustment. As a role model, she has prepared younger kids quite well. I think she has such a passion for the work and it was infectious and a natural thing for her,” she said. “She was not shy about her comingout experience and she has been forthright in sharing her stories. She has encouraged other kids to come out and start conversations with friends or parents. Knowing there are kids like Molly who are willing to stand up and be out makes other kids NATIONAL LIBERTY MUSEUM CEO GWEN BOROWSKY feel more comfortable in (LEFT) PRESENTS THE YOUNG HEROES AWARD TO their school.” Girard was also active MOLLY GIRARD Photo: Jordan Cassway in her high school’s AP art was recognized for her efforts to educate program and ran cross-country. She said her school has evolved on her school district on the effects of bullying LGBT issues, but noted that more work on LGBT students. Girard served on the executive board of needs to be done. “It is more accepting than it was four or her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, having been inspired to get involved in the GSA five years ago. It has gotten better but there her freshman year after her own coming-out is room for improvement,” she said. Girard said she is excited to discover the experience. “[The GSA] was a huge support system LGBT community at her new school and for me when I came out because my par- hopes to continue her work. “I definitely want to stay involved and ents were struggling for a while in coming to terms that their oldest daughter was get involved in the GSA at college and see gay,” she said. “It was helpful to meet other what the LGBT climate is like in Savannah people, teachers or students, who were and get involved in the community there. I going through or went through similar situ- hope to continue to be involved in activism and public speaking for LGBT issues.” ations.” While Girard was humbled by the Young Jen Arnst, who serves as a guidance counselor for the school and as faculty advi- Heroes Award, she was also surprised. “I was honestly shocked because I just sor for the GSA, said Girard was integral in pushing forward a GSA project in which the did what made sense for me to do and members visited every facility in the district something I was passionate about, and wanted to make a difference.” ■ to teach about anti-LGBT bullying.

Philadelphia Gay News

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Wedding Eric Alayon and Joe Rudisill By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

Bobby Rydell

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ERIC ALAYON (LEFT) AND JOE RUDISILL ON THEIR WEDDING DAY

“Joe manages our accounts while I maintain the house and our little four-legged family: three Jack Russells and our cat,” Alayon said. Unlike many engagements, neither of them did the official ask; they jointly decided Aug. 10, 2009, on their four-year anniversary while in Rehoboth, to get married. After eight years, the two found that communication is the key to making sure everything is smooth-sailing in the relationship. “We make a point of talking about our feelings,” Rudisill said. “We have never gone to bed separately.” Alayon noted that they successful relationships take continued investment. “We make sure to still have date night on a regular basis. You have to take the time to rekindle your relationship and remind yourselves why you are together and what you love about one another. After eight years, we are still just as crazy about the other as the first day we met.” ■

Red-carpet event to honor leaders By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

$9.99 BBQ Buffet Tuesday - Sunday

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Same-sex marriages took effect July 1 in Delaware, and one Philadelphia couple spent last weekend tying the knot in the First State, where their wedding journey began. Eric Alayon, 34, and Joe Rudisill, 35, met online in 2005 and, eight years later on Aug. 10, were joined in a wedding ceremony on Poodle Beach in Rehoboth Beach, Del. — the exact place where they decided to take their relationship to the next level. “Rehoboth Beach has been a special place for us; we vacation there every year,” Alayon said. Alayon, who grew up in New Brunswick, N.J., works as an interior designer, and Rudisill, who is from Gettysburg, works as a government economist. When the two initially met, they were both struck by appearances — but soon found out they were drawn to each other for much more than looks. “I just thought that he was cute,” Alayon said. “We talked for a few days online, then decided to go on our first date to Pod, and the rest is history. We just clicked.” “When we met, we just seemed to balance each other out,” Rudisill added. “We always thought of ourselves as complete opposites, but we have grown into similar people while we have been together.” Alayon described Rudisill as book smart and someone who is good with numbers, adding he is more of the artsy one with street smarts.

The red carpet will be rolled out next month to honor the celebrities in the local LGBT community. Dawn Maitri of Maitri Moments, LLC, and business partner Denise Ward created the Rainbow Carpet Awards Dinner to honor local LGBT organizations and individuals with a “red carpet”-esque event from 6-11 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Waterview Lounge, 1020 N. Delaware Ave., third floor. “Many of us watch the Oscars or Emmys but we don’t have our own red-carpet event in our own community, so we decided to form one on a much smaller scale,” she said. “We have so many organizations and people that do good things in our community and we wanted to spotlight them.” Maitri hopes to make it an annual event. Awards will honor best group or organization, youth supporter, social booster, promoter, civil-rights advocate, artist, athletic league, night expo and business pillars. The public can vote for their favorites online, with one vote allowed per day. The Rainbow Carpet Awards Dinner will

also pay tribute to longtime community leaders such as the William Way LGBT Community Center, The Attic Youth Center, Mazzoni Center, Philadelphia FIGHT, Wanda Sykes, Giovanni’s Room and the recently defunct Sisters Nightclub. “[The honorees] don’t have any type of prejudice against our community and their main focus is to make sure our community is recognized,” Maitri said. The event will feature a silent auction and photography by “paparazzi.” “We are also looking to have entertainment from standup comedians from the LGBT community,” Maitri said. “The agenda has not been nailed down just yet and we are still trying to get confirmation, but the highlight of this event will be the awards.” Maitri said the event will allow the community to thanks its leaders. “It is important to support the work and the good deeds that the nominees have been doing for many years, so come out and show support for all the hard work they are doing.” The event is black-tie and tickets are $80 each. For more information, visit rainbowcarpetawards.socialiction.com. ■

LOCAL PGN

SisterSpace returns with new entertainment, education By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com SisterSpace Weekend is gearing up for its 36th year as a haven for fun, food and friends for LGBT women. SisterSpace, which will be held Sept. 68 in Darlington, Md., was founded in the 1970s and originally called the Lesbian Feminist Weekend. The event celebrates women’s space, community and empowerment, offering live music, workshops, sports activities and networking opportunities. The weekend usually brings together 300 participants from as far as Oregon and Canada and as close as Maryland, Washington, D.C., New York and Pennsylvania. The event staffs about 60 volunteers to ensure everything runs smoothly. Entertainment is a primary aspect of SisterSpace Weekend, with both day and night stages for performers. Although the night stage is usually reserved for more well-known acts, this year will mark the third year of the day stage. “We’ve been doing night stages with more well-known acts but wanted to support more local and amateur day acts,” said SisterSpace vice president Corinne Thornton. “It is nice to have more smaller acts come in.” The entertainment is also interactive, as guests can vote for their favorite day-stage act to serve as the opening act on the night stage. This year’s featured entertainers will include Cris Williamson, Mama’s Black Sheep, Crys Matthews, Kin4Life, Dawn Drake & ZapOte, Pandora Scooter and Rachel Tension. Thornton said the performers bridge generational gaps and represent a wide variety of genres. She added that the festival has traditionally focused on folk-style music

but recently organizers have been looking to broaden the offerings to include areas such as hip-hop. Thornton, 36, has been attending SisterSpace since she was 28 and said the workshops are always a popular stop for guests. “The workshops are my favorite because they are put together and presented by festivalgoers. There is a diverse array of workshops—everything from AA and 12-step meetings, S&M and kinky workshops to how to change your oil and Raiki. It is neat to make people feel a part of the entertainment of the festival.” One workshop in particular, she noted, is expected to bring together a cross-sections of participants. “There is one workshop called ‘Old Dykes, Young Queers’ that is interesting because it is cross-generational,” Thornton said. “You get women who have been out longer than when we were around and telling stories and younger generations talking about their experience.” The weekend will also include a chance for individuals to shop, with over 20 vendors selling everything from jewelry to clothing, as well as services like hair cuts and massages. “You get exposed to people you wouldn’t necessarily get exposed to. It is a welcoming environment where you can introduce yourself and strike up a conversation. It is inclusive and you feel good after you leave.” Registration for the event is on a sliding scale depending on yearly income. Fees also depend on whether guests stay in tents or cabins. Thornton said SisterSpace is a chance to meet new people and experience new things. For more information, visit www.sisterspace.org. ■

NJ town presses state on marriage By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A New Jersey town this week sent a strong message to lawmakers that the Garden State is ready for marriage equality. The Rahway City Council unanimously adopted a resolution Aug. 12 urging state legislators to override Gov. Chris Christie’s veto of the proposed marriage-equality law. The Rahway action comes on the heels of a similar resolution recently adopted by the Union County Board of Freeholders. To override Christie’s veto, supporters will need a number of new Republican votes. Democratic Councilman Bob Bresenhan told PGN this week that the resolution was meant to signal to lawmakers, especially Republicans, that their support will be welcomed by constituents. “We really are just trying to build

momentum around the state and show other community leaders that there is support throughout the state,” he said. “Right now, our Republican counterparts are not crossing over to support this, and they’re not voting their conscience. We have a governor who’s grandstanding for 2016, and we need a way to fight against that. One way is to win people over from the Republican side to join supporters and work to override this veto.” Bresenhan hopes Rahway’s leadership pushes other municipalities to follow suit. “Our members thought it was time to make a public statement and say that we don’t stand behind discrimination,” he said. “And that’s how we see this; preventing two adults who love each other from getting the same rights as heterosexual couples is discrimination. There’s a groundswell happening, and I hope that it continues.” ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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SISTERS from page 1

wanted to do and I know he is just as devastated for his staff, for his business and for his community,” she wrote. “There just wasn’t enough sales to continue operations and without that support we could not grow, we could not change, we struggled in this economy and it took its toll.” Knock owner and Woody’s founder Bill Wood echoed the surprise many expressed via social media. “I’m still a little confused by it all,” Wood said. “Usually you hear rumors and people commenting if no one’s going there or employees saying that they’re having a tough time. But I don’t think anyone heard anything like that.” PGN columnist Suzi Nash ran the club’s Thursday-night karaoke event since Sisters opened. “I’m sad to see an institution like Sisters close down,” she told PGN. “As the host of karaoke since day one, I’ve seen so many people gather and grow and seek solace, joy and companionship at the bar. Over the course of 17 years, I’ve had couples who met on the karaoke stage get married and people who made their first tentative foray into the gay community at Sisters grow into activists and proud members of the community.

It’s been an anchor for the lesbian community for both the patrons and the many nonprofit organizations they’ve supported. She will be sorely missed.” The City of Brotherly Love Softball League is one such organization that Sisters supported. Women’s division commissioner Jen Brown said Sisters was a fixture in the league. “Since opening, Sisters was one of the CBLSL’s top sponsors and supporters, Brown said, not-

NEWS PGN

ing they often sponsored several teams per season. “They helped us host fundraisers for the league and for their teams. When I shared the news of their closing with some softball players from other cities who visited for our World Series in 2011, each of them had a story about Sisters from their week in Philly. That really shows how special they were to our league and our community.” The club was also a popular gathering space during events like

SISTERS’ OPENING-NIGHT AD (LEFT) AND ARTIST MELISSA SWEENEY, WHO CREATED SOME OF SISTERS’ ORIGINAL ARTWORK, WITH LONGTIME MANAGER DENISE COHEN AND ASSISTANT MANAGER KIRSTEN HESS ON OPENING NIGHT, JUNE 21, 1996 Photos: Courtesy of the John J. Wilcox LGBT Archives

OutFest and Pride. Franny Price, executive director of Philly Pride Presents, which runs both events, said Sisters filled a needed gap. “Every city has a girls’ bar. Every gay community has one. Sisters was ours,” Price said. As news of the closing spread Monday, personal accounts of nights and days at Sisters abounded. “I couldn’t wait to turn 21 so that I could go to Sisters for the first time,” Brown told PGN. “After eight years and countless visits, I can’t remember one that didn’t create a memory: singing karaoke with strangers, dance-offs with my closest friends and a lot of laughs. I never felt more comfortable in a club than I did when I was at Sisters. It felt great to be around other people who were like me — where I wasn’t defined solely by my sexual orientation.” William Way LGBT Community Center archivist Bob Skiba said this is the first time since the 1940s that Philadelphia is without a lesbian bar. “It leaves a huge gap, there not being women’s bar right now,” he said. “This is the first time since World War II that there has been no women’s bar in Philadelphia. So that’s a pretty big thing.”

A SISTERS SHOT GIRL FAVORITE, PATIENCE PGN archives

Wood referenced a recent Inquirer article about the demise of a number of LGBT bars in the suburbs, potentially owing to the mainstreaming of the community. “I think a lot of bars now are trying to not segregate by sex so maybe that’s the problem,” he said. “Maybe it’s good that the lesbian community isn’t just going to lesbian bars, but it’s still a great loss. You hate to see anybody close, especially after 17 years. They provided a really big service for a

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safety knowing that, as a gay woman, there was somewhere like Sisters. Whenever there was something coming up, people would look to Sisters to see what was going on there because that’s where the bulk of the lesbian community went,” she said, noting that Sisters stood apart from the venues that offer LGBT events but that don’t identify as LGBT establishments. “I have a problem with the ‘gay night’ or ‘ladies night’ thing. I like to think we’d be welcomed every day. And we had that at Sisters. Whenever anyone would come to the city and ask where the girls’ bar is, you’d say, ‘Sisters.’ Now what are we going to say? ‘Well, Wednesday night you can go here’ or ‘Tuesday night you can go here.’ It’s sad.” While Sisters held the distinction as the city’s only lesbian bar, it also was the longest continually operating lesbian bar in Philly history. Skiba noted there were a number of women’s venues open simultaneously in the 1970s and ’80s, but none as long as Sisters. Sneakers, on North Third Street, was open for 11 years, PBL for a decade, Hepburn’s on 12th Street for six and Mamzelle’s above The Bike Stop for four. The land where Sisters is located was, in the mid-19th century, home to stables for rental horses. From the 1930s-’80s, it was F r a n k i e B r a d l e y ’s restaurant and later Hesch’s restaurant, which closed in 1987. Depsite Sisters’ closing, Price said supporters should revel in its longevity, which she attributed to the work of Cohen and her staff. “[Cohen] did something nobody else did in Philadelphia, and that’s keep a women’s bar open for 17 years,” Price said. “Look at how incredible that is when you think back to all those bars that couldn’t stay open. She managed to keep it open for 17 years. BARTENDERS AT SISTERS (FROM TOP), PRIDE PARTY IN That’s incredible. I’m 2006, ANNIVERSARY PARTY IN 2010 AND MARRIAGE- hoping someone says, EQUALITY PROTESTING IN 2013 PGN archives ‘Do you want to open a really long time.” new women’s bar?’ to Even with more bars integrating men and her because she knows what she’s doing.” women, and LGBTs and allies, Price noted The Big Gay Boat Party, a monthly that it was important for women to have a LGBT party on the Moshulu staged in part space to call their own. by Cohen and Sisters, will continue, with “It was kind of like a sense of security and the next event being held Aug. 25. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Christopher Doyle

Editorial

Starting over from Sisters In a largely male-dominated society, and in a city that houses a wealth of LGBT bars that draw predominately male crowds, Sisters Nightclub was, for 17 years, a haven for women to not only be themselves, but to see themselves in others. But, the tradition that is Sisters is no more, as owners, citing financial reasons, closed the business Monday. Some were blindsided by the news, while others said thinning crowds in recent years predicted the club’s demise. Foreseen or not, Sisters’ closure has left the lesbian community asking what went wrong, and what happens now. Women’s bars have long struggled in the city of Philadelphia, although Sisters outlasted all others by several years. The economic downturn of the past several years, the rapidly changing attitudes of mainstream Americans — and mainstream nightlife — to LGBTs and the rise in popularity of traveling women’s parties could have all helped put Sisters on the path to closure. Some have also questioned if the club’s owners allowed the venue to stay updated and modern enough to keep the crowds coming, despite these other factors. With the doors of Sisters locked for good, examining these questions will do no good for the business. But they could be important to consider for whoever plans to take up Sisters’ torch — and someone needs to. Philadelphia is the nation’s fifth-largest city. We have been named by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the nation’s most LGBT-friendly municipalities. Our city is one of the pioneers in the LGBT-tourism market. We host a wealth of conferences each year that draw innumerable LGBT visitors. We

have a sea of rainbow street signs welcoming residents and guests to our Gayborhood. But we do not have a lesbian bar? That is unconscionable. Yes, women are welcome at all bars in the city — gay and straight. And integration and cooperation is a valuable thing. However, that doesn’t negate the sense of solidarity and pride that comes from having your own place to belong. Some people find that in extracurriculars with people of similar interests. Others align themselves with groups representing a particular racial or ethnic background. And still others are proud to simply define themselves as belonging to the LGBT community. For a multitude of women, Sisters was about having a place meant just for them, where they could be themselves among women who, despite their differences, knew what the intersection of being a woman and being a member of the LGBT community looks and feels like. This week, social media was rife with stories of the club and what it meant to both regulars and the occasional visitor who stopped in for the infamous Thursday night drink-ticket special. Patrons of all generations came forward with tales of growing up, falling down, new loves, ubiquitous old loves, dancing and drinks, heartbreak and humor. Each story was different but each was told with a sense of ownership; Sisters clients were proud to have found their community within the Catwoman-clad walls of the Chancellor Street venue. Those 17 years are now over, but that doesn’t mean the sisterhood that was created at Sisters needs to end. It’s time for Philadelphia’s women to carry forward what the business represented. ■

“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever know ...” I’m sorry to report, but Ex-Gay Pride Month has been retroactively cancelled. I mean, obviously the month of July itself happened, but the ex-gay part, not so much. That’s bad news for folks who were hoping to march on Washington with their thunderstorm flags. (Get it? Because that’s the opposite of a rainbow flag ... ) But it serves those folks right, since they didn’t even bother to show up. But if you were to ask Christopher Doyle, president and cofounder of Voice of the Voiceless, an organization that calls itself “the only antidefamation league for former homosexuals,” this whole ex-gay Pride thing is working fabulously. In an Aug. 2 posting to the VOTV website, Doyle writes, “July 31, 2013 was a great day for former homosexuals in America!” What was so special about July 31? Well, that’s when approximately one dozen people milled about in front of the Supreme Court building in D.C. to hold a press conference demanding equality and respect for ex-gays. “While the turnout was humble, the enthusiasm among those who participated in Ex-Gay Pride was immeasurable,” writes Doyle, adding, “We have to start somewhere.” Which is kind of weird, because if this whole “ex-gay” thing is really, well, a thing, then where are the thousands of people Doyle claims have thrown the homo monkey off their backs? Why, in the closet, of course. Because the big gay meanies are bullying them. That’s right. While gays are steadily coming out of the closet, ex-gays are apparently grabbing up the newly available real estate. It’s a buyer’s market, after all. According to Doyle, numbers don’t matter. “[I]t only takes ONE ex-gay that has changed to put a wrench in the ‘born that way, cannot change’ strategy [gay

activists] are using to deceive the public. The fact is, these activists cannot handle the existence of ONE person who says they have experienced change from samesex attraction to opposite-sex attraction,” Doyle writes. “So they need to mock, belittle and downplay the significance of yesterday’s events. That is why there is so much anger. So much intimidation. So much disrespect. So much harassment.” No disrespect, but surely he can’t be serious. Out of the thousands he claims exists, if he can find one real ex-gay then BAM! he wins? How convenient. Look, there is no doubt that people who identify as ex-gay exist, but their existence does not negate the existence of LGBT people and the legitimacy of love between people of the same sex. Doyle’s insistence that because a handful of people claim to have cast off their same-sex desires then gay people are not, in fact, real, is akin to climate-change deniers denying global warming because a miniscule sub-set of scientists aren’t on board. The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming. You have to willfully ignore the majority of evidence to see the conclusion you want to see. And so for Doyle, that means shouting from the rooftops that Ex-Gay Pride is a thing. You’d get a bigger crowd in D.C. if you did a march of Pastafarians (Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster members). And, as an added bonus, Pastafarians aren’t known for hating themselves. But Doyle hasn’t given up. Instead, he’s declared that September will be Ex-Gay Awareness Month. Apparently, before you can celebrate Ex-Gay Pride, you have to wake the sleeping ex-gay masses. It’ll be just like “The Night of the Living Dead,” only more depressing. Save the date! ■

Look, there is no doubt that people who identify as exgay exist, but their existence does not negate the existence of LGBT people and the legitimacy of love between people of the same sex.

D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock ’n’ roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.

Tell us what you think Send letters and opinion column submissions to: pgn@epgn.com; PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; fax: 215-925-6437.

Please include a daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, style and space considerations.

OP-ED PGN

The right direction on a long path for seniors Like most LGBT people, you may not there are those who are homeless. think regularly about our seniors and There is little being done in our comtheir needs. Did you ever note how few of munity nationally to begin to solve these problems thus far. There is only one them are out at community events, with affordable senior living facility that is the exceptions of fundraisers and benefits? But those at events where specifically LGBT-friendly in the nation at present. they can contribute are those Philadelphia’s groundbreakwith funds. The ones the maining project is under construcstream media like to stereotype tion and will open next year. us by. Rich white men. Likewise, Chicago will be next The reality is we are not all up. After that, there are plans rich, well-to-do or even comfortable. Some members of for San Francisco to have a groundbreaking on 40 units by our community are poor, some 2015. But, nationwide, that is even homeless, and as a community we almost ignored it. those individuals while fightHow bad is the need? Last ing equality in marriage and week here in Philly we had our military and other issues. But first public meeting to explain note the mark of a true comhow interested residents can munity is dealing with the qualify. We expected about 30 most endangered in your comMark Segal people. We put out chairs for munity. In our community 50, but that was not enough. there are two groups that fall into that It was standing-room only. We could tell category: youth (and we’ve really begun you some of their stories here but let me to address those concerns) and seniors, leave you with a counter-debate on that for whom we are only in the pioneering mainstream-media report that we’re all stage. rich. The minimum annual income to Did you know in a recent study that 13 qualify is $8,000. There were people in that room who did not. percent of LGBT seniors are concerned What are we doing for them? ■ about housing? Many worry they’ll be put into senior-housing situations where Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the they will be harassed, and others worry nation’s most-award-winning commentathey will not even qualify because of tor in LGBT media. He can be reached at discrimination. Others are already being mark@epgn.com. mistreated in their current housing. Then

Mark My Words

Thinking Out Loud

Abby Dees

Is one of you the man? It happened again. Friends asked my partner Traci and me, “Is one of you, like, more the man in the relationship?” This doesn’t piss me off, but it’s still puzzling. After all, I’ve always thought Traci and I were pretty much on the same spot on the gender continuum and yet people keep scratching their heads about it. Here’s what prompted it this time: I posted pictures of us at a hoity-toity fundraiser on Facebook. Traci wore a print dress and I wore black, shiny cigarette pants and a tailored blouse. We both wore make-up and heels, though if we’re nitpicking, mine were only kitten heels. There is any number of reasons why I wasn’t wearing a dress beyond the basic fact that my outfit rocked. Among them: I’m deathly white and L’Eggs in Suntan went out of style (if they were ever in style) in the ’80s; I have a nasty scar on my shin from walking into a broken flower pot; and dresses give my rather cylindrical body a chintz-draped pink column look.

Not included on this list is anything having to do with gender roles. In fairness to my friends, they didn’t ask just because of that pic. They’d noticed that most of the time they see Traci she’s in make-up and clothes straight from the dry cleaner, while I’m in jeans and wearing nothing more on my skin than sunblock and maybe lipstick. It’s not so off the wall for them to wonder if there was something more to this than fashion. But what’s funny is that they are as much flouters of traditional roles as we are. They are a straight couple bonded by Comic-Con geekitude and scholarly understanding of the action-movie oeuvre. Hell, their wedding cake was a copy of the Millennium Falcon (from “Star Wars,” you ignoramus). The only time I could imagine them in full gender conformity is if she dressed up as Wonder Woman and he as Superman, or whomever Wonder Woman is dating these days. What I get from this is a reminder of

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Street Talk What LGBT person deserves a Presidential Medal of Freedom? “Truman Capote. He was a wonderful writer. I absolutely loved his book ‘In Cold Blood.’ He really Emily Burr got into the student minds of the Princeton, N.J. killers. He actually got me to feel some sympathy for them. I had a much better understanding of the situation after reading the book.”

“Ellen DeGeneres. She’s not discouraged by all the flak she gets for being a lesbian. She’s still very Stephanie Hall driven and paint mixer focused on Frankford the [LGBT] cause. She’s dope. She has a great sense of humor and can poke fun at herself. She’s comfortable in her own skin.”

“Frank Ocean. It’s rare to find such a brave, out person in the hip-hop community. He wasn’t worried about album Kyle Morris sales. He public-relations just wanted manager West Oak Lane to be true to himself. I love his music. I was a big fan before he came out. I applaud him for his bravery.”

“Anderson Cooper. He’s an excellent journalist. I was very impressed when he came out. He showed Everardo Nevers a lot of sales associate intelligence, West Philadelphia sincerity and humanity. I think his coming out really helped advance the LGBT movement. He should be given an award for that.”

just how deeply worn our gender-expectation grooves are, even if real life has more room for variety. To me, more obvious questions about Traci’s and my sartorial choices might be, “Abby, are you a lazy ADD-addled slug in the morning?” or “Abby, do you not accept the fact that you are a grown-up now and should probably dress like one?” I’d answer yes to both. For argument’s sake, let’s say there’s something to this question about Traci’s and my gender roles. After all, we’re not immune to those expectations any more than my friends are. It’s the model we all grew up with in some way about how couples are expected to interact. Is one of us more like a typical man or woman than the other? Honestly, I’d have to say yes. It looks like this: When it comes to heaving bags of fertilizer to the backyard and grumbling afterwards about how she shouldn’t have done that to her back, Traci’s the man. When it comes to wiring a stereo or fixing the computer, I’m the man

and Traci is the woman making endless suggestions over my shoulder that I try to ignore. When it comes to making charts of finances and household numbers, Traci’s the man and I’m definitely the ditzy platinum blonde. When it comes to picking up old socks and underpants from the floor and wondering if Traci even notices, I’m very much the woman. When it comes to being patient with a curling iron and mascara, Traci’s the total woman, and I’m the man forever striving to bring my morning grooming ritual in under two minutes. And when it comes to emotional communication, Traci’s the monosyllabic man and I’m the harrumphing woman — but Traci’s still got big girlie delicate feelings. Does that answer the question? ■ Abby Dees is a civil-rights attorneyturned-author who has been in the LGBTrights trenches for 25-plus years. She can be reached at queerquestionsstraighttalk. com.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

PGN RUSSIAN INFLUENCE from page 1

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said Keystone Progress executive director Michael Morrill. “We looked into it and unfortunately found that our sister city had actually set the stage for this kind of law. The gay-propaganda bill didn’t start at the national level but in the municipalities, and our sister city was one of those that started the ball rolling.” The petition says Philadelphia should sever its ties with the city due to both its own and countrywide anti-LGBT laws. Although Morrill has not received a response from City Council, he is confident the members are cognizant of the petition, as MoveOn notifies each councilmember each time someone signs the petition. As of presstime, 1,319 people signed. “Every one of them is well aware of this,” Morrill said. Jim Engler, director of legislation for Councilman James Kenney, said the issue should be addressed by Mayor Nutter. “There have been conversations about it, but it is something that is in the mayor’s control,” Engler said. “There is a possibility that a council member will introduce a resolution for that legislation. We are still working on it, but it could be introduced in the fall.” Councilman Mark Squilla, whose First District includes the Gayborhood, was not available for comment. Mark McDonald, the mayor’s spokesperson, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. A representative of the city’s Sister City program did not respond to a request for comment by presstime. The new national law forbids discussion of LGBT issues among minors and mandates a fine or jail time for individuals who are expressing pro-LGBT messages. Fines are as high as 1 million rubles, or $30,000. Morrill encouraged LGBTs and allies to sign the petition, especially in light of Russia’s hosting of the 2014 Winter Olympics. “It’s not only foreign government we are dealing with but the 2014 Olympics will take place in Russia and Russian authorities will arrest those who are openly gay or do any demonstration for LGBT rights,” Morrill said. “This is not just another country acting badly. We need to protect our citizens who will be attending the games.” To sign the petition, visit http://petitions.moveon.org/keystoneprogress/sign/philadelphiacity-council. ■

AGING PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

An open letter about the PA State Plan on Alzheimer’s On Aug. 15, on behalf of the LGBT Elder Initiative, I gave the following testimony to Gov. Tom Corbett, Secretary of Aging Brian Duke and the Pennsylvania Alzheimer’s Disease Planning Committee: Memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disease states are critical issues facing Pennsylvanians. Alzheimer’s and related cognitive issues present a looming public-health crisis for all Americans. Within this crisis, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities face unique challenges as they age. Alzheimer’s and other cognitive impairments are nothing less than devastating for the patient, caregivers and community. These diseases, along with the mental and physical harm they cause the patient, sap the emotional strength, the physical energy and the financial resources of loved ones. As the commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognized by highlighting this health crisis in the State Plan on Aging, Alzheimer’s will increasingly drain the financial and healthcare resources of our state. The LGBT Elder Initiative, in collaboration with many individuals and organizations, began this conversation within the LGBT communities in April. We presented an educational forum on the medical, psychosocial and caregiving issues resulting from memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s and other cognitive issues. At that conference, the unique circumstances facing LGBT older adults were presented. The bottom line is that access to care and support for LGBT older adults is severely limited. Not only do we face services, resources and institutions that are not culturally competent but, in some cases, hostile, discriminatory and stigmatizing. The vast majority of LGBT older adults fear nursing homes because of these issues. We also face challenges in caregiving. The family structure in our community is different than that of the general population. This is the result of generations of stigmatization, criminalization and legal discrimination, which continues in Pennsylvania to this day. Because we have been barred from legally forming “traditional” family structures, and have not been afforded equal rights in any area of endeavor, we do not have the same support and benefits as do non-LGBT older adults. Reliance on LGBT “families of choice” as we age becomes problematic. Friends caring for friends are often single-generational and can experience the same infirmities, making them unable to adequately

care, or advocate, for each other. Coping with diminished mental capabilities, or taking care of someone experiencing that loss, is difficult in any circumstance. For LGBT older adults, the impact is more severe. Because of stigma, prejudice and intolerance, many LGBT people do not seek care. Support from biological family members is often not an option. Our plans for guardianship, preparation of advance directives and other legal documents can be ignored or challenged in court. Even when we plan for medical crises, we fear that our plans and wishes may not be carried out. Additionally, LGBT people are often called upon to be caregivers for their aging parents. Whether caring for parents, partners or friends, the stress can be overwhelming. We are asking you to take immediate steps to begin the process of assuring that all Pennsylvanians — no matter who they love, no matter their Heshie sexual orientation, no matter gender identity — have Zinman their equal, safe and welcoming access to culturally competent care and services for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other cognitive disease states. We ask that you: • recognize and address the needs of LGBT older adults as a community of greatest economic and social need in the State Plan on Aging; • initiate a program to achieve a culturally competent aging service and care network throughout the commonwealth by 2020; • end legal discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in marriage, employment, housing and public accommodation. We offer our support in these efforts, and we seek your support for these goals.

Gettin’ On

Fellow community members and allies, please help the LGBTEI advocate for LGBT-friendly Alzheimer’s care and services by contacting the governor, the secretary and the committee. Urge them to adopt the recommendations listed above. Contact Gov. Corbett at 717-787-2500 or governor@pa.gov; secretary Duke at 717-783-1550 or aging@pa.gov; and the Alzheimer’s State Planning Committee at 717-425-5115 or alzstateplan@pa.gov. ■ Heshie Zinman is chair of the LGBT Elder Initiative. The LGBTEI, headquartered in Philadelphia, fosters and advocates for services, resources and institutions that are competent, culturally sensitive, inclusive and responsive to the needs of LGBT elders in the Delaware Valley and beyond. To comment on this column, suggest topics or for more information, visit www.lgbtei.org or call LGBTEI at 267-546-3448, and watch for “Gettin’ On” each month in PGN.

Windy City Times publisher Tracy Baim and PGN publisher Mark Segal will discuss Baim’s new book “Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America”

5:30 p.m. Aug. 20, 2013 Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.

“Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America” is a comprehensive overview of the past, present, and future of gay Tracy Baim print media. Baim uses essays, interviews, and hundreds of news clips and images from both mainstream and early gay publications to describe the critical role of the gay press. Mark Segal

345 S. 12th St. Philadelphia, Pa 19107 215-923-2960

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

PGN ANNIVERSARY from page 1

rally at the Lincoln Memorial followed by a march to the King Memorial. Shanker said the opportunity came about after he spoke earlier this month at a marchmobilization event at Community College of Philadelphia hosted by Martin Luther King III and his Communities Without Boundaries International, who is staging the march along with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. Shanker, who has served as EQPA president for two years and previously was vice president of the Pennsylvania Diversity Network, said this is “certainly among the biggest honors” of his activist career. “I’m honored and humbled and excited and very energized to bring LGBT issues into the discussion that’s going to be had with half-a-million people,” he said. Shanker said he once spoke at an Obama/Biden rally before 4,000 people but “4,000 and 500,000 are very different things.” But he’s eager to bring LGBT issues into the larger discussion on social justice. “We have a lot that we need now in terms of equality, it’s not just one or two or three issues. And we need to be talking about the intersections with other civil-rights movements. I’ll be speaking in solidarity with other tangentially related issues because I believe the LGBT community needs to stand in solidarity with communities of color, women, immigrants, all other groups that need their civil rights too.” Shanker’s invite came just days after Obama announced the late LGBT pioneer Bayard Rustin, a Pennsylvania native, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Rustin is largely credited with organizing the original March on Washington, but was kept out of the spotlight from fears about his sexual orientation sidetracking the event. “He was the reason the march came together as smoothly as it did but he wasn’t allowed to speak,” Shanker said. “So the fact that there is an openly gay speaker at this march on the 50th anniversaryis very important. And I will certainly be reflecting on Bayard Rustin’s legacy and may be quoting him in my remarks.” Shanker added that, while the civil-rights causes King was fighting for have evolved in the past five decades, many of the core struggles at issue in 1963 are still prevalent today, for LGBTs and others. “The dream he shared 50 years ago and the reasons they marched in 1963 are frankly the same reasons we need to march now,” Shanker said. “They marched in 1963 for jobs and freedom; we still don’t have family-sustaining wages for most jobs. There is still a lack of freedom, to marry and in other forms of civil rights. They marched for voting rights in ’63, and we’re still marching for voting rights. They marched for safe communities free from violence, and that is still an issue that resonates for LGBTs and especially communities of color in the wake of the Trayvon Martin verdict. We’ve come a long way, but a lot of the issues they marched for then, we’re marching for now.” Busses will leave from a number of sites in Philadelphia. For more information, visit www.nationalactionnetwork.net. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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Gayborhood Crime Watch

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The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the 6th Police District between July 29-Aug. 4. Information is courtesy of 6th District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice. com or call 215-686-TIPS (8477).

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AMY F. STEERMAN Attorney at Law

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INCIDENTS — Between 7:50 a.m.-5 p.m. July 29, someone stole a secured bicycle from outside 211 S. Broad St. — Between 1 p.m. July 29 and 5 a.m. July 30, someone stole the front wheel of a secured bicycle from outside 1040 Locust St. — At 5 p.m. Aug. 3, inside the coffee shop at 1101 Spruce St., a male distracted the employee while a second male stole an iPad from the counter. The culprits left the store together. The first was described as a Hispanic male in his 20s, 5-foot-5, while the second was a black male in his 20s, 5-foot-10, with tattoos on his face and arms. — At 12:30 a.m. Aug. 4, a man was walking near 12th and Walnut streets when an unknown person snatched his iPhone from his hand. — Between 9-9:40 p.m. July 28 (reported July 29), someone entered an unlocked 2012 Honda that was parked in the 1200 block of Chestnut Street and stole a GPS and an iPad. — At 12:15 p.m. July 31, someone snatched an iPhone from its owner’s hand in the 100 block of South Juniper Street. The suspect fled north and was described as a black male, 22, 5-foot-9, thin, wearing a black hoodie. — Between July 7-July 23 (reported July 31), someone stole a number of brass standpiper covers from outside 1101 Market St. —On July 31, someone stole a secured bicycle from outside 114 S. 13th St. ■

PETS PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Helping your dog stand on its own four legs Behavior problems in dogs and cats increasingly agitated even as they preare quite common and continue to be a pare to depart the home. Many dogs significant cause of nonmedical-related with SA will cause severe damage to euthanasia of pets. Most behavior probthe home and/or its contents and are at lems are caused by a comrisk for injuring themselves. bination of inherited (brain Regardless of the degree of chemicals) and environmenseverity, SA is extremely frustal imbalances. One of the trating and takes a huge toll most common and severe on both the dog and owners. If behavior disorders is sepasymptoms are mild, then owners may not realize that a probration anxiety in dogs. The lem exists. When SA is severe, exact cause of SA in dogs is many owners will rearrange unknown; however, dogs of all ages, genders and breeds their schedules and sacrifice have been diagnosed with their own quality of life to SA. Overall, one out of every ensure that someone is always six dogs will develop some home in order to prevent their degree of SA during their dog from experiencing SA. life. Typically, dogs that have Dr. David Diagnosis of SA is made based on a thorough medical suffered from abuse, neglect or other traumatic events are McCrork, VMD and detailed behavioral history, as well as a thorough physical more likely to develop SA. exam and routine laboratory tests to help Dogs with SA have variable degrees rule out any possible underlying medical of panic and severe anxiety when sepaor metabolic problems. The doctor may rated from their special family memeven ask a client to use videotape or bers or when left alone. Owners will audio to record the pet when people are report that the dog engages in destrucaway. tive behavior, vocalizes and soils in Management and treatment of SA the house when they are left alone, requires both medical and non-medical with symptoms usually occurring soon approaches, with the goal of decreasing after departure of the owner(s). Many the dog’s panic and distress and thereowners observe that the dog becomes

Paw Prints

fore changing its behavior. Depending on the severity of SA, an effective treatment plan will involve training, behavior modification, environmental and social enrichment and medication. Punishment should never be used. Basics include providing for the dog’s social and exercise requirements and teaching the dog how to relax and accept some time without attention/interaction. All family members must display predictable and non-emotional departures and arrivals/ greetings. Owners must also encourage alternative and appropriate behaviors and provide a safe and comfortable resting area. Details of management are different for each dog with SA. For many dogs, anti-anxiety medication or a combination of medications will be necessary to reduce panic and facilitate training and environmental enrichment. Many of the medications used in dogs for SA are the same medications that humans take for anxiety disorders, although the dosages are much different. The need for and dosage of medication(s) should be taken on a case-by-case basis. Many anti-anxiety medications will take weeks to reach an effective level in the patient’s system. It is important to know that medications alone will not properly manage/treat a

dog with SA and many owners are surprised and frustrated when there is no improvement immediately after starting a medication. Although frustrating, it is important to remember that effective management/treatment of a dog with SA involves several medical and non-medical approaches listed above. Separation anxiety is typically a lifelong problem but can be successfully managed or minimized with appropriate treatment methods. Recognition of the problem is a must, and consistency with all treatment approaches is required. There may be relapses when routines are disrupted by vacations, moving to a new home/location and variations in the family schedule (work, school). There can also be seasonal variations that occur with any dog suffering from SA. Regardless of severity, if your dog has signs that you feel might be due to separation anxiety, please see your veterinarian as soon as possible to properly diagnose and address the problem. Do not separate yourself from your dog’s problems. ■ Dr. David McCrork is an associate veterinarian at Society Hill Veterinary Hospital. For more information, visit www.societyhillvets.com or call 215-627-5955.

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FEATURE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

PAGE 28

Barcrawlr Family Portrait Out & About Outward Bound Q Puzzle Scene in Philly Worth Watching

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31 29 34 30 36 27 31

Out saxophonist brings jazz superstars to Philly By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

Group sax

Fans of good-time summer music will rejoice when out eight-time Grammynominated saxophonist Dave Koz brings his recent and acclaimed “Summer Horns” CD to life Aug. 22 at Dell Music Center. Under the name “Dave Koz and Friends,” the compilation, which hit number-one on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Album Chart, found Koz bringing together fellow saxophone stars Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot to record an album’s worth of covers. Koz said collaborating with other musicians is very much a part of who he is, as a

SAX PLAYERS RICHARD ELLIOT, DAVE KOZ, MINDI ABAIR AND GERALD ALBRIGHT

person and a musician. “I love working with other artists and have done this for a number of years,” he said. “That part of my life where it’s just putting artists together and seeing what happens, this is something that I love to do. From the beginning, that has always been an aspect of my creative life because I think when you put people together, magic can happen.” Yes, magic can happen ... or the opposite. Koz admitted he initially had some worries that so many stars of the genre on one project could become a clash of egos, but those concerns soon melted away. “That’s where the right casting comes in,” he said. “I went to these three other artists, who are some of my favorite saxophonists in the world and also at the top of their games. They do albums and tours on their own as soloists. As long as I’ve known them, we’ve never actually worked together. I made myself very vulnerable and had them agree to do this album and a tour before I knew this whole thing would work. The first day in the studio, here we were, shoulder to shoulder, and there was this anticipation of what sound was going to be created and what the four of us would play together. And there was this huge sigh of relief. I can’t even tell you how relieved we all were when what we heard on that first recording session we all liked. From the very beginning, it seemed to work. But you have to cast the right people with the right attitudes, and it’s very different from being a soloist to being part of a band or a horn section, because you have to put your ego aside and be one of the members as opposed to the star. I think with this grouping of people, the four of us came to the project with the right attitude, and as a result we’ve got a great blend.” Another potential source of anxiety Koz had to contend with was the material being covered — classic songs from groups with legendary horn sections like Chicago, Tower of Power and James Brown, to name a few. Koz said it is tricky to cover such revered songs. PAGE 26

FEATURE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

some surprises.” With the success of the “Summer Horns” album and tour, Koz said there is a possibility of a second album and another tour next year. But fans should take the opportunity to catch the show now, as nothing is certain. “You should have seen the list of the songs we didn’t get to,” Koz said about recording the album. “Everybody had their favorites but there were a lot of songs that were left off the table. There’s all these songs we could do a volume two with, and we don’t know whether that is going to happen quite yet, but it seems like it would be a good idea. When I went to my cohorts, the commitment was to do one album and a summer tour. We don’t know whether this is ever going to happen again, so this is very special. We have about 30 shows and for our fans, that is it. When this tour is over, as far as we know, that’s it for ‘Summer Horns.’ But the response has been so great and the attendance has been so great, I think that means we may do another tour at least, and maybe another album. We’ll see.” Even if we don’t see a “Summer Horns 2,” a talent like Koz has enough on his plate to keep him busy. “I worked earlier this year with Gloria Estefan on her standards project, which is going to be all over PBS next month, and I’m going to be working with her in the fall,” Koz said. “That turned me on to a Latin-music concept, which has got me going. There’s a bunch of stuff in my mind. I don’t know which is going to be the next project, but it’s nice to have the creative outlet to explore it all.” ■

JAZZ from page 25

“It’s a classic because it’s perfect,” he said. “You can’t improve upon it, so the minute you try and say, ‘Watch me, I’m going to improve upon this song everybody knows,’ you’re going to be led down a path that you can’t win. The only thing we can do is tip our hat to these songs. It’s walking a fine line because you want to be respectful of the original but you also want to come to this song with some new information, some re-imagination of the original piece of music. And that, for us, was all about the arrangements of these songs. We went to the horn arrangers that are the guys that did the arrangements for these bands. I think that was a big part of the success of the project, to pick the right horn arrangers for us to pick the right notes that we can sink our teeth into.” Music fans can’t argue with the results: an infectiously fun, playful and powerful collection of songs featuring a monster sax ensemble. “It’s a super-sized sax section,” Koz said. “It is a wall of sound because it’s not just one saxophone and it’s not a synthesizer. It’s the real deal. When we come out I look so I can see people’s faces in the audiences because it hits you over the head, this sound. That has been a really cool experience. We also have this killer band that’s made up of members of each of our bands. We each got a chance to handpick one player to put a super-group together to back us up. So you got four sax players and four rhythm-section players on stage that are putting out a lot of sound on stage, and people are feeling it.” Koz added that the shows on the Summer Horns tour will feature songs by the individual members of the ensemble. “We each have our own fans, so we want to make sure we give the fans at least a little bit of our own music, so there’s that element,” he said. “Plus there are

Dave Koz and Friends perform 8 p.m. at Dell Music Center, 2500 Strawberry Mansion Drive. For more information or tickets, call 215-685-9560.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

FILM PGN

Out Philly filmmaker’s ‘Butler’ shines on screens By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor If gay filmmaker and native Philadelphian Lee Daniels’ name wasn’t on “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” opening today at area theaters, fans of his films — “Shadowboxer,” “Precious” and “The Paperboy” among them — would be surprised at the nuance and subtlety he employs to tell the story of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), the White House butler of the title. This epic drama, based on actual events, traces American civil-rights issues at the macro and micro levels. It is an absorbing story, told extremely well. Daniels coaxes strong performances from his entire cast just as Cecil assuredly serves seven presidents. And he shrewdly uses archival film clips to show important historical moments while indicating the passage of time. The elderly Cecil tells the narrative of his life in a poignant, reflective voice-over. After a traumatic childhood incident in the cotton fields, Cecil is taught how to serve in a house. His skills — knowing and anticipating what folks need — help him get a job at a Washington, D.C., hotel, and he is soon invited to serve in the White House. His interview is one of the film’s best scenes, as it illustrates that Cecil knows how to act in a critical situation. But “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” also

reveals how Cecil is taught to show both a public and a private face. At work, he hides his true feelings, showing respect to an untamed Richard Nixon (John Cusack) or an indisposed Lyndon Johnson (Liev Schreiber). At home, with his wife Gloria (Oprah Winfrey), he lets his guard down, but not entirely. Proud that he can support his family with his job, Cecil FOREST also silently acknowledges that he cannot always attend to them. Whitaker is quite emotive, particularly when he says nothing. On a drive home from work, Cecil’s expression is weary. He is suitably tired, and understands he is expected to return to serve the next day. His story is contrasted with that of his elder son Louis (David Oyelowo), who is politically active where his father is passive. Louis stages sit-ins in “whites-only” sections in a Woolworth Diner, joins the Freedom Riders and eventually the Black Panthers. He gets arrested frequently, while his father works in the rarified White House. Louis’ story forms the emotional heart of the film. It is Cecil’s son’s efforts that place the civil-rights issues in bold

WHITAKER AS CECIL GAINES IN “LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER” relief and attract the president’s attention in each era. Whereas Cecil is told to “hear nothing, see nothing and only serve,” Louis is out protesting and fomenting change. This father-son story provides the film with most of its dramatic conflicts. Cecil is troubled by Louis’ behavior, and the two do not speak for long periods. “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” hinges on this strife, which has the father as a dignified servant who seeks workplace equality while the son is out on the streets, generating attention and interacting with notable activists and leaders. A dinner-table scene in which Cecil kicks his son out of the house over this divide is especially powerful. Daniels’ restraint helps to make his film

so gripping. The filmmaker avoids showy moments, with everything from the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy to the death of Cecil’s family and friends happening off screen. The drama is emotion, but never overemphasized. This is most notable in a key scene, set in the 1980s, in which Cecil gets to be served, rather than to serve. Cecil’s response is telling, as it prompts a change of heart and mind about his life and work and family. This is what makes “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” so moving: The personal becomes political. If the film is anchored by Whitaker’s remarkable performance, he is ably supported by Winfrey. She makes Gloria a sympathetic character, a woman who is tough and loving, but also troubled. Oyelowo is excellent as Louis, and Cuba Gooding Jr. is amusing as Cecil’s foulmouth and foul-minded fellow butler, Carter. In smaller roles, Clarence Williams III and Terrence Howard have memorable turns as Cecil’s mentor and Gloria’s neighbor, respectively. “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” culminates with the election of Barack Obama, which leads to an appropriate and highly satisfying ending for Cecil’s story. It is a journey through American history that deserves to be seen. Daniels and his cast and crew deserve applause for bringing it so vividly to life. ■

PROFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Suzi Nash

Sarah Sawyers-Lovett: Writing a new future in Philly Sarah Sawyers-Lovett was born in Tazewell, Va., and says she isn’t offended if you haven’t heard of it. She enjoys pickles, punks and coffee and writes ’zines and blogs. She’s currently working on her first long-form memoir, “Everybody Else’s Girl.” PGN: Tell me about Tazewell. SSL: It’s a really small town in southwest Virginia. It’s very rural, very religious and not very diverse. It’s mostly straight-laced cisgender Christians. The gay community is about 10 people. PGN: What about the fam? Are you an only child? SSL: I never know how to answer that. I had a brother but he died when I was in about eighth grade. PGN: I think that answers it. How did he die? SSL: He was crossing the street going to school and got hit by a car. PGN: Without warning, that must have thrown the family into turmoil. SSL: Yeah, it was pretty difficult. He was about three years younger than me. PGN: What was a happy memory with him? SSL: We used to play video games a lot. Wait, scratch that. One of my favorite memories of him was dancing to the Whitney Houston video, “I Want to Dance With Somebody.” We were both obsessed with it. Our favorite part was where she shook one of the guys singing, “Don’t you want to dance, say you want to dance!” and we’d take turns being the shaker and the shakee. He probably would have turned out to be a fabulous gay man. PGN: My younger brother and I used to do that to the Prince song, “The Beautiful Ones.” We’d sing in the bathroom for the acoustics (plus a mirror) and when we got to the part where Prince screams, our poor mother came running up the stairs thinking we were being bludgeoned to death or something. SSL: I used to think that the lyrics to “I Would Die for You” were “apple, dapple doo.” I remember my mom and her friend driving in the car and cracking up when they heard what I was singing! PGN: So speaking of mom, tell me a little bit about the folks. SSL: Well, my dad was never really in the picture and my mom didn’t really work. She had a drug problem but she’d read to us a lot and encouraged us to read as well, so there was that. I don’t know, that’s a weird question for me.

PGN: Did you grow up with public assistance? SSL: Yeah, AFDC [Aid to Families with Dependent Children] and food stamps and all that good stuff. PGN: It’s kind of scary that they’re cutting all these programs now for families in need. SSL: Yeah, We lived in a trailer park and we wouldn’t have had any resources if that had been cut off. Even then, things could get lean at the end of the month. AFDC paid our rent and electricity and things like that and my grandparents helped out with clothes and toys for our birthdays, but it was pretty bare bones. The funny thing is that I didn’t know we were poor until I went to school and there was something to compare it to. I think perhaps growing up with a mother who was on public assistance made me resourceful. I’m the queen of finding things on sale, or using Craigslist and Freecycle. As a kid we didn’t have a lot of toys; I’d get maybe a Barbie for Christmas and a Barbie for my birthday and that was big livin’. I’d cut their hair and draw tattoos on them, I never played normal Ken and Barbie games. Instead I’d imagine Barbie slipping through a mirror into an alternate universe and coming back with a thirst for blood. So not a lot of people played with me except for my brother! We’d have these epic weird Barbie games. I don’t know, maybe my mother would have sprung into action if public assistance wasn’t so available but I don’t think so; she had addiction issues so, without help, I probably would have ended up in foster care. I’ve never really given it a lot of thought before. Interesting to think about the what ifs? PGN: What kind of kid were you? Obviously imaginative. SSL: Yeah. I was a pretty weird kid. We used to put on shows for the parents who were perpetually stoned, which probably made our shows all the better. There were two old freezer trucks parked in the woods and we’d use them as club houses. We’d use the car seats like couches and spent a lot of time there painting on the walls and reading. I spent a lot of time in the woods too, looking at animals and thinking about running away. I’d come up with these elaborate schemes about how to survive. Since I had no marketable skills at age 8, I’d have to support myself by begging. I’d envision smudging my face with dirt to look cute and a little pathetic. You have to exploit what you have! I never actually ran away, but I thought about it a lot. We lived in a trailer park so we’d play stick ball with the other kids, sometimes using apples for balls and an old shoe or somebody’s dog for third base until the dog wandered away.

PGN: And it sounds like you were smart. I read that your mom had to write notes to your teacher so you could read things outside your age bracket. SSL: I guess one benefit of having a mother who wasn’t super attentive was that I got to read anything I wanted. I read a lot of what my mother read, Harlequin romances and crime novels and things like that. My grandmother would take me to the library every two weeks and I’d get a stack of books. Reading was a huge part of my early development. As soon as I cracked the cover on a new “Choose Your Own Adventure” or “Boxcar Children” book, all my problems would fade. Things in those worlds were wholesome, different from the physical world I was in. It’s funny because when I was in first grade, they put me in a slow-readers group, but I think I was slow because I would write down what I thought about the things I was reading or rewrite them in my own words. I was looking for answers in books, but after they realized I wasn’t slow, I was pretty free-

around. Then when my grandfather died, I moved back home to take care of my grandmother. That was rough, moving back to the area where I’d been abused, so I had a pretty serious drug problem when I got there. After a bit, I decided to get clean and realized if I wanted to stay that way, I needed to get out of there. So I made a list of cities and compared crime rates, cost of living, GLBTQ community, the distance from other cities, etc., and Philadelphia won. PGN: You’re in the process of writing your memoir about what you lived through. I know your mother was abusive; was she abused as well? It seems these things go in cycles until someone gets the wherewithal to stop it. SSL: Yeah, my mom was abused as well, but I’m not comfortable saying more. It’s not my story to share. But it is interesting the way it has played out in both of our lives. She physically abused me, but the sexual abuse I suffered was so vastly different, so randomly different, that I don’t even know what to make of it. I feel like there’s some kind of glib lesson to be learned from it, but anything I try to piece together doesn’t make sense. It’s something I puzzle over. PGN: So, what is a zine? SSL: It’s a cross between a magazine and a pamphlet. The great thing about them is that anybody can write one, about any subject. There are poetry zines and queer zines and lesbian zines. They’re a wonderful resource and anyone can make them. I’m completely in love with them and have been since I was 15.

reeling and fun-loving with the books. PGN: Did you spend most of your life in the same area? SSL: Until I was about 18 and then I went to community college and married a very nice straight guy. It was kind of a buddy-buddy marriage. Then I met a girl on the Internet and moved to Wisconsin. She turned out to be crazy and abusive, so I moved to Virginia Beach and spent a lot of time getting drunk and whoring

PGN: And you credit the zines and the community for saving your life? SSL: Well, after feeling wasteless for so long and then finding an avenue of expression that you have total control over is very powerful. People who relate to it reach out and you build a community of people with queer issues or abuse or poverty or addiction or different problems. It’s a non-threatening way to communicate because it’s not in person so there’s no pressure until you’re ready for it to develop. With letters and with zines, you get to choose your words carefully and can choose how much you want to reveal or how much PAGE 36

TRAVEL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Outward Bound

Jeff Guaracino

Bragworthy ideas for your next trip Travel is all about the stories and photos you can share with your friends, coworkers and hundreds of your so-called Facebook “friends.” We love Fort Lauderdale. We adore RSVP Vacations. We enjoy tanning and partying in Miami. And we all love a great deal. But, travel lovers, every once in a while, we need a trip to really brag about. Queens With the world news all about the royal family, now is the time to book your own royal experience. The royal family may not invite you to dinner but you can be treated like the king or queen that you are on the Cunard line. In my column last September, I called a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 “an essential trip of a lifetime.” As soon as you book a voyage, you can start bragging that you are soon traveling on the legendary Queen Mary 2, the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive liner ever built. There is also the Queen Victoria and the Queen Elizabeth. So go ahead and book your favorite queen. Out of travel ideas? Explore www. cunard.com. You can find sailings to the Canaries, Fjords, Iceland, the Low Countries, around Britain, up to Montreal

and Québec in Canada and among the Caribbean islands. Not good enough? Go ahead and book a World Voyage. Think how fun it will be fun to post your status updates to Facebook while sipping a cup of tea, nibbling on a scone and downing bottles of champagne. Most voyages attract groups of gay and lesbian travelers. Pied Piper Travel (www.piedpipertravel. com) is offering an LGBT group westbound seven-day transatlantic crossing from England to New York on the Queen Mary 2 Dec. 15 and again on the new Queen Elizabeth departing Jan. 10. Open the hotel closet door Anyone can book on Priceline or Hotels. com and get a low rate, but why not brag about how your trip helped the LGBT community? LGBT travelers can be invisible, but if we come out and book gay-oriented hotel packages, then we send a message to corporate America to give more to LGBT causes. Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Kimpton Hotels and Marriott have established programs aimed at the LGBT traveler. Support them. W Hotels forged a new partnership with the Human Rights Campaign. As a partner, the W brand is announcing an exclusive

HRC Pride 365 package available at W Hotels & Retreats across the United States. The package — available at every W Hotel in the United States and Canada — includes a room, bonus hotel points, one-year membership to HRC (already a deal) and $10 donation to support equality. Hilton Hotels & Resorts was the official hotel sponsor of Northalsted Market Days in Chicago Aug. 1011. Hilton hosted an exclusive event with LGBT songwriter Steve Grand Aug. 9 at Hilton Chicago, where he performed live. Hilton also presented a donation to Point Foundation as part of Hilton Worldwide’s corporate commitment to supporting LGBT youth. The “Stay Hilton. Go Out” hotel package is available at participating properties worldwide and includes high-speed Internet, a one-year digital subscription to OUT magazine, two welcome beverages and late checkout when available. More info: www.hilton.com/gout. Support the gay-friendly businesses — especially the gay-owned or gay-supportive B&Bs and hotels. You can see their ads in PGN or online. You can also find a list of TAG-approved accommodations. Gayowned and gay-friendly businesses are the

first ones to be THE QUEEN MARY 2 asked to support community causes. Now more than ever, it is important to buy travel from these businesses and make sure to tell them that their ad or support of our community means that you supported them back. You can find a list of supportive businesses at www.tagapproved.com, www.purpleroofs.com and www.iglta.com. And be sure to brag to your friends, family and anyone who listens that you travel openly LGBT! ■ Jeff Guaracino is the author of “Gay and Lesbian Tourism: The Essential Guide for Marketing.”

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PGN & TV NIGHTLIFE

Summer turns me upside-down Labor Day is right around the corner! That means the clock is ticking and we’re running out of long, hot summer days and cool summer nights. Make sure you make the most of it! Levitate Philly Make the trek over to Old City at 9 p.m. Aug. 16 and head for Fire & Ice, 312 Market St., for Levitate Philly’s latenight dance party with live performances and an art auction built around the theme of equality. Get there early for free appetizers, and stay late because they’ll have drink specials all night long. Cover charge is only $10, but you can RSVP on their Facebook page for a $5 discount! Proceeds will benefit Equality PA and The Attic Youth Center.

afford to miss it! Doors open at 9 p.m. Aug. 23 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St. Catch “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season-five winner Jinkx Monsoon and co-star Major Scales hot off the extended New York City engagement of their hilarious musical comedy show. The concept is simple: Frozen in the Antarctic since the 1920s, Kitty Witless and Dr. Dan Von Dandy have recently thawed out and were shocked to discover that pop stars throughout the years have been stealing their music! Hear the “original” arrangements of classics like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Simple, right? Tickets are $20 for general admission or $40 for a VIP meet and greet.

Bingo-a-Go-Go Get your daubers and goodluck troll dolls ready, because Jim Kiley- you’ll need them from 6-9 p.m. Ladies 2000 at Havana Head up river from 4-9 p.m. Zufelt Aug. 24 at the Delaware City Aug. 18 and meet all your girlCommunity Center, 250 Fifth friends at Havana, 105 S. Main St. in Delaware City, Del. The St. in New Hope. They’ll have their signature theme this month is Hula Luau and your buffet, your favorite DJ Steve Singer spinhost will be Jack Daniels, but the benefining the tunes and drink specials well into ciary is the same — Delaware’s annual the night. What better way to spend a lazy LGBT Pride Festival. Cover charge is $18 summer Sunday evening? in advance or $20 at the door. See www. delawarepride.org for more information and Naked Yoga Philly advance ticket sales. Like yoga? Like doing yoga naked? What Gayborhood Goes to Rehoboth do you mean you haven’t tried it yet? Find If you haven’t started planning your out what you’re missing at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 Labor Day weekend and you need a ride to at a convenient central Gayborhood location. The class is low-impact and led by an the Delaware beach, then you’re in luck! instructor who knows how to tailor things for The Liberty City Social Club is running a all skill levels. party bus down to Rehoboth that departs The class fee is based on a sliding scale, Philly at 6 p.m. Aug. 30 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. so check out www.nakedyogaphilly.com What you do once you get there is up to for more information and to register. You’ll you; just make sure you’re ready when the receive the address in your registration confirmation. And sorry ladies, this event is bus departs Rehoboth at 5 p.m. Sept. 2 from strictly for men only (you don’t really want the boardwalk at Rehoboth Avenue. Tickets to be around all those sweaty balls, do you?). are $65 each, which is a great deal, especially since it includes snacks, cups and ice so you can enjoy your BYOB beverages and Fall Ball Kick Off leave the driving to them! Speaking of balls, it’s almost time for the Seats are first come, first serve, so regisCity of Brotherly Love Softball League’s fall ter today at www.rehoboth-bus.eventbrite. season of slow-pitch softball. Be there for com. ■ the kick off from 8-10 p.m. Aug. 23 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. All levels of play and all genQuestions, comments, need more encourders and ages are welcome. For more information, see www.cblsl.org. agement to try naked yoga? Contact Jim at barcrawlr@gmail.com or follow him Jinkx Monsoon in The Vaudevillians on Facebook for links to back articles and This show is one-night-only and you can’t totally bitchin’ music videos!

Worth Watching COME TO ‘MAMMA’: Academy Award-winner Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast in this film adaptation of the beloved stage musical “Mamma Mia!” a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family, 8:30 p.m. Aug. 17 on ABC. Photo: Universal Pictures

TO THE LAST BITE: “Sharknado,” the low-budget TV disaster movie about a hurricane that unleashes an aerial shark attack on Los Angeles, was such a hit on social media that repeats of the film are drawing larger audiences and it recently made the jump to movie theaters for midnight screenings. Your last chance to catch the film on TV for a while is at 7 p.m. Aug. 22 on SyFy.

Barcrawlr

Barcrawlr and Get Out and Play alternate every week in PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

CAN’T WE JUST DRINK?: Bravo’s new docu-series “Eat, Drink, Love” follows five single ladies as they claw their way to the top of the male-dominated Los Angeles food scene, 9 p.m. Aug. 18 on Bravo. Photo: Bravo/Tommy Garcia

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY: Syfy is running a triple feature of movies about iconic boogeyman Freddy Krueger, culminating with “Freddy vs. Jason,” where the former crosses blades with the famous “Friday the 13th” slasher, 9 p.m. on Syfy.

BOOKS PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Turning the pages of LGBT media at Giovanni’s Room By Ray Simon PGN Contributor Tracy Baim is optimistic about the role that the gay press continues to play in the LGBT community, and she’s in a position to know. With almost 30 years in LGBT journalism under her belt, Baim has firsthand knowledge of the subject. She’s gone from doing hand-set type to becoming the publisher and executive editor of the Windy City Media Group, which publishes Chicago’s gay weekly, the Windy City Times, as well as other print and online publications.

Baim will share some of that knowledge when she visits Philadelphia Aug. 20 to discuss her new book, “Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America.” The talk begins 5:30 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. Baim will be joined by Mark Segal, publisher of PGN, one of 10 longstanding regional LGBT newspapers singled out for discussion in the book. The book, a 2013 Lambda Literary Award finalist, offers a wide-ranging look at LGBT media. Baim got the idea for the book in

2011 and enlisted numerous collaborators to help write and edit it, including historian John D’Emilio and columnist St. Sukie de la Croix. More than 450 pages long, there is ample room to discuss broad topics, such as the mainstream media’s treatment of gays and the rise of an alternative LGBT media. But that still leaves plenty of space to highlight notable periodicals such as the Washington Blade and pioneering journalists, including Perry Brass and Karla Jay. According to Baim, “Gay Press, Gay Power” provides a valuable perspective that

Food & Drink

has been missing from the handful of publications about gay journalism. “There have only been a few books written specifically about LGBT media,” she said. “Some have been personal memoirs and others were academic approaches to the topic. I felt none had been a comprehensive insider’s view of the main areas I wanted to focus on.” As a result of this reporter’s-eye- view, readers get a glimpse at how LGBT journalists balanced coverage of local items, like softball leagues and fundraisers, with nationwide issues,

including HIV/AIDS and gay marriage. The contributors and their subjects are also intimately familiar with the challenges confronting everyone in publishing: the cost of paper, the loss of advertisers and whether to publish online exclusively. One of the book’s highlights is its examination of the mainstream media’s sometimes-shameful depiction of LGBT people. In an extensive chapter entitled “All the News That’s Not Fit to Print,” Baim details the shoddy coverage the LGBT community has received over the years from respectable publications, including Life magazine and The Washington Post. As she shows, for much of the 20th century, reporters and editors routinely referred to LGBTs as deviants or perverts, equating them with murderers and rapists. One surprising example is Joseph Epstein’s essay “Homo/Hetero” in the September 1970 issue of Harper’s. Written shortly after Stonewall, Epstein decried homosexuality, claiming nothing would make him more ashamed than if one of his sons were gay. Reactions were swift and voluminous. An unintended but positive consequence of Epstein’s article was that the respected writer Merle Miller came out, publishing a historic piece in a 1971 issue of the The New York Times Magazine titled “What It Means to Be a Homosexual.” For Baim, Epstein’s article marked a turning point. As she said, “In many ways, his essay is a benchmark of post-Stonewall journalism and how that shift happened within 15 years after that, how differently the media was treating us. I do think it was definitely one of the more significant pieces of journalism that was a signal of the old guard, and you were soon to see a shift.” As Baim and her collaborators show, the seeds of this change were planted decades earlier, when a few LGBT writers and activists

founded magazines of their own. Publications like The Ladder and the Mattachine Review, both begun in the mid-1950s, paved the way for the community newspapers that sprang up from the late 1960s through the ’70s. One of those newspapers is this very publication. PGN’s first issue hit the streets Jan. 26, 1976. In a chapter written by its current editor, Jen Colletta, readers learn how activist Mark Segal and a group of volunteers transformed what started as a labor of love into a professional,weekly newspaper. Along the way, there were leaky roofs and numerous honor boxes vandalized, but PGN never missed a deadline. More significantly, PGN covered substantive issues, from misdeeds at a local LGBT organization to AIDS activism. It also provided a forum for writers who went on to have long careers in LGBT journalism, including Timothy Cwiek and Tommi Avicolli Mecca. The media has changed remarkably in the decades since Segal began PGN, and Baim said it was early pioneers who helped bring about those changes. “There were so many people who sacrificed a lot for their careers so that someone like an Anderson Cooper or a Rachel Maddow or Don Lemon have the ability to be out in the newsroom,” said Baim. “Gay Press, Gay Power” recounts their story, in rich detail and lavishly illustrated. For more information, visit www.queerbooks.com. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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

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

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

OUT & ABOUT The week ahead Fri. 08/16 Backstreet Boys The pop group performs 7 p.m. at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856-365-1300. American Idols Live Singers from the TV show perform 7:30 p.m. at Mark G. Etess Arena, 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-4495150. Cherry Poppin’ Daddies The rock band performs 8 p.m. at Sellersville Theater 1984, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-257-5808. Carnival of Souls The 1962 horror

film is screened 9:45 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Sat. 08/17 Cheech & Chong The comedians perform 8 p.m. at Mark G. Etess Arena, 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-449-5150. Scott Weiland The rock singer performs 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.

Sun. 08/18 All That Jazz The Bob Fosse musical is

screened 2 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223. Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill The R&B singers perform 7:30 p.m. at Robin Hood Dell East, 2500 Strawberry Mansion Drive; 215-685-9560. Diana Ross The iconic singer performs 8 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Mon. 08/19 PGMC Auditions The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus will hold auditions for its new season from 6-8 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111

PGN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS

Sansom St.; email in advance to schedule an audition time slot at auditions@pgmc. org. Free Quizzo & Board Game Night Roll the dice, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Top Gun The action film is screened 7:30 p.m. at Sellersville Theater 1984, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808. Lipstick Mondays A weekly drag show featuring a changing roster of queens takes the stage 9 p.m. at The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 215-8622081.

Tue. 08/20 Tracy Baim and Mark Segal on LGBT Newspapers The author and the publisher host a discussion 5:30 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960. Big Country The rock band performs 8 p.m. at Sellersville Theater 1984, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-257-5808.

Wed. 08/21 PGMC Auditions The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus will hold auditions for its new season from 6-8 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St.; email in advance to schedule an audition time slot at auditions@pgmc. org. Dropkick Murphys The Celtic punkrock band performs 7:30 p.m. at the Mann Center for the Performing

Scott A. Drake Photography 267-736-6743

Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave.; 215-546-7900. 4W5 Blues Jam Local musicians get down, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400.

Thu. 08/22 Dave Koz and Friends The out saxophonist performs 8 p.m. at Dell Music Center, 2500 Strawberry Mansion Drive; 215-685-9560. One More Time: A Tribute to Daft Punk The music of the dance group is performed 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-9226888. The Burlesque Show The new event kicks off 9 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

ANGER MANAGEMENT: The ﬁery and often politically minded comedian Lewis Black is back in the area performing Aug. 23-24 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609-317-1000.

Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show The outrageousness begins 11 p.m. at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South St.; 215-545-4511.

Fri. 08/23 John Mayer The singer performs 7:30 p.m. at

Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 856-3651300. Modern English and DJ Robert Drake The band and the DJ perform 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.

I’LL STOP (AT) THE WORLD (CAFÉ): The music of the ’80s comes alive when rock band Modern English and DJ Robert Drake join forces for an evening of new-wave fun, 8 p.m. Aug. 23 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-222-1400.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Serpentine The Academy of Natural Sciences hosts an exhibition of photography by Mark Laita of the world’s most deadly snakes, through Sept. 22, 19th Street and the Parkway; 215-299-1000.

Opening Dave Attell The comedian performs Aug. 22-24 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001.

SPY: The Secret World of Espionage The Franklin Institute presents an exhibition of historical artifacts from the intelligence community, through Oct. 6, 20th Street and the Parkway; 215-4481200.

Lewis Black The comedian performs Aug. 23-24 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609317-1000.

Continuing All Dressed Up: Fashions for Children and Their Families Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of clothing from the late-18th through mid-20th centuries, comparing and contrasting adults’ apparel with children’s smaller styles, through Dec. 1, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. BRT Broadway Collection An evening of hit songs from Broadway’s favorite musicals such as “Oliver,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Wicked” performed by David Edwards, Lauren Cupples, Kristine Fraelich, Jessica Gruver and Sean Thompson, through Aug. 25 at Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St.; 215785-0100. Candy Coated Wonderland Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition by Philadelphia-based multi-

Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of drawings and watercolors by Jerry Pinkney, Sept. 22, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Closing THESE AREN’T THE DROIDS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ... BUT THEY WILL DO: If the live experience of arena-shaking grooves of the French hit-making robots are out of reach for you, you can always catch “One More Time: A Tribute to Daft Punk,” which should be just as good as the real thing, 8 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-6888.

media artist Candy Coated (formerly Candy Depew) reinterpreting children’s fancy dress costumes from the museum’s collection, through Nov. 17, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Design for the Modern Child Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition featuring some of the latest furniture, toys, tableware, wallpaper and textiles designed internationally in Australia, Asia, Europe, Great Britain and the United States, along with classics from the museum’s design collection, through Oct. 14, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. The Importance of Being Earnest Mauckingbird Theatre Company presents a gender-bent interpretation of the stage classic, through Aug. 25 at OffBroad Street Theater, 1636 Sansom St.,; 215-923-8909. Private Lives/Public Spaces: Bringing Philadelphia’s LGBT History Out in the Open The William Way LGBT Community Center presents the first solo exhibition of LGBT history in a mainstream

THE SUPREME DIVA: See where Beyoncé got the blueprint for her career when legendary pop and R&B singer Diana Ross performs 8 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609-317-1000.

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.

museum in Philadelphia, which features a glimpse into the John J. Wilcox Jr. Archival Collection, through Oct. 25 at The Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent, 15 S. Seventh St.; 215-685-4830.

Jay Pharoah The comedian seen on “Saturday Night Live” performs through Aug. 18 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. The Two Noble Kinsmen The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre presents the story exploring the desperate path of two men driven out of home and country by an untimely war, through Aug. 18, 2111 Sansom St.; 215-4968001. ■

FUN PGN & GAMES

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Q Puzzle Live from Rio Across

1. One of the motorist’s aids 8. ___ Records (Etheridge label) 14. Artist Robert 15. Loch name 16. Pope who recently spoke in Rio about gay priests 17. Cobbler containers 18. Uses the keyboard 19. Where to put your meat, in a deli 20. Traveler’s info 21. Studio stages 22. Start of how Pope Benedict XVI labeled gay life style 25. Coming soon 27. Some sex-toy batteries 28. Hook up 31. Medicine dose 34. Beantown tower, with “the” 35. Start of what 16-

Across said about gay priests 39. Prefix with classical 40. Maria’s “Do-___” 42. John, who played a transsexual in “The World According to Garp” 44. Sixth sense 46. Gay porn director Francis 47. See 22-Across 50. Good buddies 54. Half of a ballroom dance 55. Pitching stat 56. Former “American Idol” judge Paula 57. Lane of “The Birdcage” 59. See 35-Across 61. Turn on 62. Tangled up 63. Interrupts, with “in” 64. Bacon procurers

Down

1. Splits

PORTRAIT from page 29

you want to let someone into your personal territory. As a kid, growing up in a small religious town, all I heard was “God doesn’t love you, you’re going to hell,” so finding other queers was very normalizing and it made me feel less freakish and alone. PGN: I read that you discovered them when you were a member of a queer pen-pal group. SSL: Yup, I answered an ad in the back of a Rolling Stone magazine when I was in high school. You’d tell them if you wanted to write to someone geographically close or far, male, female or transgender and they’d match you up with a pen pal. One of my pen pals sent me the zine and at first I thought it was kind of weird but then I got into it and thought, I could totally do this, so I did. PGN: Do you have to be an artist to be a zinester? SSL: No, no, not at all. You just have to have the desire to express yourself. PGN: What did you study in college? SSL: I studied radio and television production until I realized that I hated being in front of a camera, so I studied journalism until I moved to Wisconsin. Since I’ve been clean and sober, I started taking classes online so “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise,” I’ll be graduating with a bachelor’s this year in English. PGN: And what do you do at my favorite anarchist shop, The Wooden Shoe? SSL: I’m a buyer and I’m on the events committee.

2. Way to serve your meat 3. Make fit 4. Enjoys orally 5. PC alternatives 6. Singer DiFranco 7. Audio systems, for short 8. Acquire, as debt 9. Neighbor of Croatia 10. Tigers of the NCAA 11. Taking stock of 12. Capone colleague 13. Cul-___ 19. Gas additive 22. Problem for skin 23. Cold war defense assn. 24. Catch forty winks 26. Fresh 28. Putting your mouth on a stranger, perhaps 29. Vein filler 30. The number on top of a fraction 32. Bloom of “The Producers” 33. On the down ___ 36. Weight loss prod-

uct 37. Textiles plant 38. “...see ___ will believe...” 41. Bk. before Jeremiah 43. Quip source Kate 45. Tickle pink 46. NASA outing 47. Mystery writer Claire 48. Poet Frank 49. Sea eagles 51. Confuse mentally 52. German pistol 53. Snow vehicles 56. Showing a tiny opening 58. Hold tight 59. Poet who inspired “Cats,” initially 60. “Put ___ Happy Face” n

PGN: You must get some fun characters in there. SSL: It’s a good time. I love to interact with the community and watch people on South Street. People are so excited to see the variety of resources we have that they want to talk about it. Sometimes we have to curtail it, like, “I’m so happy you found info on vegan microbiotics, but I need to get a little work done. Please make yourself at home.” One of my favorite regulars in the store is a woman named Stella. She has some developmental issues and she often doesn’t realize that she’s being inappropriate. So one of my favorite things is to watch new staffers interact because they’re not sure what to do with her. I figured out that if I got her bubble wrap it would fascinate her for hours so I could get some work done. She’s so cute! PGN: And your “day job”? SSL: I make balloon animals and do face painting for kid’s parties. PGN: Very cool. Tell me about your partner. SSL: She’s a school teacher and we met online. I wrote her a letter and she wrote me back. I wrote again and she never answered. So I figured, “OK, I guess she’s not into me, not everybody is — no harm, no foul,” and then I saw her at a volunteer training at the William Way Center. I felt a little weird because I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable, so I emailed her one more time and it turned out that she’d decided to move to Philadelphia at the same time I did and we just had some scheduling differences. We started dating and we recently got married at Fleisher Art Memorial. It was

overwhelming and exhausting but amazingly beautiful. Then we went to New York and got our official license. It was a great experience with friends and family.

straight girls really made me nervous. I was hyper aware of them knowing that I was gay and terrified that they would start something to mess with me.

PGN: Family? SSL: Well, since I’ve been in Philly, I’ve created my own family based on shared interests and community, which feels more sincere than with the people I share a bloodline with. My mom did come. She was the only one in the family that did; the rest of the family is very religious and of the “love the sinner, hate the sin” mentality. I think it was a good experience for her. Ryan’s family came from all over and it was wonderful.

PGN: Secret remedy for hiccups? SSL: I have a great one. It’s my wife’s remedy. Have someone stand behind you and cover your ears with their hands. As you chug a glass of water have them put pressure on your ears. It works like a champ.

PGN: Any non-human companions? SSL: I have a hedgehog. I love her so much, I did not even know that I could love a hedgehog like that. Like, yesterday I gave her a bath. You have to keep them warm so I put her in my shirt and we fell asleep. It’s awesome. PGN: Three sounds that disturb you? SSL: When kids are really crying, distressed or in pain. In part because it’s alarming and in part because of my profession. Since I’m a balloon twister, it’s something I can fix. I carry them with me and if I see a kid crying on the train, I’ll jump in and help. Asking first of course, so I don’t seem like a creeper. I’m pretty shy by nature, but that sound is enough to make me overcome my reticence and get involved. Also, screeching tires and sirens. Don’t like them. PGN: Ever play any organized sports? SSL: Not really. In high school being in the locker rooms with presumably

PGN: What book would you put in a time capsule? SSL: “Two or Three Things I Know for Sure” by Dorothy Allison or “Written on the Body” by Jeanette Winterson or “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. ■ Learn more about Sarah SawyersLovett’s work at punkjoanofarc.com To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Classifieds Real Estate Sale

Real Estate Sale

Open Houses - Sunday August 18, 2013 12:00-2:00 PM 1720 Bainbridge Street, B - Philadelphia, PA 19147 2BR/1.5BA House with GARAGE! $449,9000 415 S 19Th St #PH4D - Philadelphia, PA 19146 1BR/1BA Penthouse Condo in Rittenhouse Sq. REDUCED! $314,900 Search all Philadelphia area listings @ www.phillyrealestateagents.com Dan Tobey

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

215.546.2700 Business • 267.238.1061 Direct 215.432.7151 Cell • 215.558.1063 Fax dtobey@cbpref.com • www.cbpref.com OWNER MUST SELL! Beautifully wooded homesite located next to crystal clear mountain lake, WISP Ski area and brand new golf Courseonly $79,900. Adjoining lot sold for $249,900. Bank will ﬁnance. Call 301-387-8100, x 94 ________________________________________37-33 A PLACE FOR THE LGBT ENTREPRENEUR 3200 plus stand alone building located on the fringe of Hatboro on the Bucks/Montco border. From Community Center to Clinic, this building offers a realization for the GLBT dreams. Financing available. For more info 215230-4185. ________________________________________37-34

Travel & Resorts OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________37-33 609-345-8203. oceanhouseatlanticcity.com ________________________________________37-45

Real Estate Rent APT. FOR RENT, 1600 FRANKFORD AVE. 1 & 2 Bedroom Apt still available. Newly rehab - $1400$1600 per month. $35 credit check fee. 215-834-7832. ________________________________________37-33

Help Wanted COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR Center City non-proﬁt organization seeks individual to coordinate and implement community engagement, social media outreach, and HIV counseling and testing within the LGBTQ community in Philadelphia. Must have three years of related experience in this area. Familiarity with evidence-based intervention preferred. Must have minimum Associate’s degree and HIV certiﬁcation. Flexibility is essential to work in late afternoon, evenings, and/or weekends. Email resumes to: pennarecruiter@gmail.com ________________________________________37-33 Exp. Reefer Drivers: GREAT PAY /Freight lanes from Presque Isle, ME, Boston-Lehigh, PA. 800-277-0212 or primeinc.com ________________________________________37-33

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

Help Wanted

For Sale

Can You Dig It? Heavy Equipment Operator Training! 3 Weeks Hands On Program. Bulldozers, Backhoes, Excavators. Lifetime Job Placement Assistance. National Certifications. VA Benefits Eligible. 1-866-362-6497. ________________________________________37-33 2013-2014 VACANCIES Biology (9-12), Earth Science (9-12), Signing Bonus $2,000 -Prince Edward County Public Schools, Farmville, VA - 434-315-2100. www.pecps.k12.va.us Closing Date: Until filled. EOE. ________________________________________37-33 DRIVE A REEFER? DRIVE MAVERICK! MAVERICK’S NEW REEFER DIVISION IS NOW HIRING IN YOUR AREA!! Exp. drivers or students with Class A-CDL for training. Brand new equipment, 1st year average $39k-$47k depending on experience. Highest mileage pay in industry plus pay for performance incentives. All with the best name in trucking. Must be 21 yrs old & hold Class A-CDL. 1-800-289-1100. www.drivemaverick.com ________________________________________37-33 DRIVERS Transport America has Dedicated and Regional openings! Variety of home time options; good miles & earnings. Enjoy Transport America’s great driver experience! TAdrivers. com or 866-204-0648. ________________________________________37-33 CDL-A OTR Drivers Needed. No Gimmicks! Solos up to $.38/mile. $.50/mile for Hazmat Teams. 800-942-2104 Ext. 7308 or 7307 www.TotalMS.com ________________________________________37-33 ATTENTION REGIONAL & DEDICATED DRIVERS! Averitt offers Excellent Benefits and Hometime. CDL-A req. 888-362-8608. Recent Grads w/a CDL-A 1-5/wks Paid Training. Apply online at AverittCareers.com Equal Opportunity Employer. ________________________________________37-33 GORDON TRUCKING, INC. CDL-A Drivers Needed! Up to $3,000 SIGN ON BONUS. Starting Pay UP to .46 cpm. Refrigerated Fleet, Great Miles, Full Benefits, Great incentives! No Northeast Runs! Call 7 days/wk! GordonTrucking.com 866-554-7856. ________________________________________37-33 Take your career to the next level with Roehl CDL School - earn your CDL-A and start a rewarding driving career! Call Kim - 800-535-8420 GoRoehl.com AA/EOE ________________________________________37-33 Get up to $1,000 sign-on bonus and superior work/life balance with weekly hometime. Class A exp drivers for Milton terminal. Email csciandra@veriha.com. 800-333-9291. ________________________________________37-33 CDL-A Drivers: Hiring experienced company drivers and Owner Operators. Solo and Teams. Competitive pay package. Sign-on incentives. Call 888-705-3217 or apply online at www.drivenctrans.com ________________________________________37-33

SAWMILLS From only $3997.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1800-578-1363 Ext.300N. ________________________________________37-33 services EXP RELIABLE HOUSECLEANER Let me free up your valuable time by cleaning your house or apt. Weekly biweekly monthly. I have 10+ years exp. FREE estimates. Call Wayne 215-422-2654. Ref’s upon request. ________________________________________37-34 AIRLINE CAREERS Begin here-Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualiﬁed-Housing available. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-834-9715 ________________________________________37-33

Friends Men LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. ________________________________________37-39 BM, 60 looking for British gent, 35-45 for intimate encounters. 215-763-3391, 6PM-Midnight. ________________________________________37-39 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________37-33 Looking for a heavily endowed top for white butt. 215-7322108, 8-11 PM. ________________________________________37-33 Male, 65 seeks muscular male. John, 570-624-8538. ________________________________________37-34

Massage David, 63, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________37-48

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

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

YOUR AD COPY • YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER • CREDIT CARD INFORMATION PHONE: 215-625-8501 ext. 200 OR 215-451-6182 (DIRECT) • FAX: 215-925-6437 • E-MAIL: don@epgn.com PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

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BUSY TIMES FOR US:

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SUNDAY RELIEF

Half Price Rooms (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50 JOIN US SUNDAY MORNINGS for COMPLIMENTARY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST with Fruit, Pastries & Coﬀee TO START YOUR MORNING OFF RIGHT....

MONDAY thru FRIDAY:

Business Mans Locker Special (8am to 4pm) Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00

TUESDAYS

Half Price Rooms (6am till 12 Midnight) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50

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PGN

12-step programs and support groups Al-Anon

■

Pennsylvania Al-Anon Alateen Family Groups: Events, meeting times and locations at pa-al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

■ Acceptance meets 7:30 p.m. on Fridays at

Episcopal Church, 22nd and Spruce streets. ■ Community meets 8 p.m. on Thursdays at Holy Communion Church, 2111 Sansom St. Gay and lesbian, but all are welcome. ■ Early Night Out meets 5:30 p.m. daily at Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St., second ﬂoor; 215-985-9206. ■ GLBT Alcoholics Anonymous meets 7 p.m. on Sundays and 8 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 100 W. Windsor St., Reading; 484-529-9504. ■ Living Sober meets 8:30 p.m. Saturdays at the William Way Center. ■ No Other Way Out meets 11 a.m. Sundays at the William Way Center. ■ Night Owl meets 11:30 p.m. daily at the William Way Center. ■ Stepping Stone meets 2:30 p.m. Mondays at the William Way Center. ■ Sober and Gay meets 8:30 p.m. Sunday-Friday at the William Way Center. ■ Young People’s meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mark’s Church, 1625 Locust St.

Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA)

■ Meets 7 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday,

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the William Way Center.

Emotional Support

■ Pink and Blues, a free peer-run mental-health

support group for LGBT people, meets 7 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Luke and The Epiphany Church, 330 S. 13th St.; 215-627-0424. ■ Survivors of Suicide Inc. meets 7:30 p.m. on ﬁrst Tuesday of the month at 3535 Market St., Room 2037; 215-545-2242; www.phillysos. tripod.com. ■ Survivors of Suicide Inc., Chester County, meets 7:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at Paoli Memorial Hospital, Willistown Room, Medical Ofﬁce Building; 215-545-2242; phillysos.tripod.com.

HIV/AIDS

■ Strength In Numbers

Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ SINPhiladelphia.

Mondays: ■ Positive Brothers, a support group for men of color living with HIV/AIDS, meets 6 p.m. at 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215-496-0330. Tuesdays: ■ A support group for HIV-positive men and women meets 1:30-3 p.m. at BEBASHI — Transition to Hope, 1217 Spring Garden St., first floor; 215-769-3561; bebashi.org. ■ “Pozitive Light HIV/AIDS Support Ministry,” presented by Unity Fellowship of Christ Church Philadelphia HIV/AIDS Ministry and Girard Avenue Pharmacy, meets 5-7 p.m. at 112 N. Broad St., first-floor group room; 267481-5085; blaclikme@comcast.net. ■ Encuentros, a group for HIV-negative Latino men who have sex with men, meets 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of the month at 1201 Locust St. ■ “Feast Incarnate,” a weekly ministry for people affected by HIV/AIDS, meets 5 p.m. at University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut St. Bible study follows at 6 p.m.; 215-387-2885. ■ A support group for people recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Mazzoni

Center; 215-563-0652 ext. 235.

■ Youth Outreach Adolescent Community

Awareness Program’s Voice It Sistah, a support group for HIV-positive women, meets 11 a.m. ﬁrst and third Tuesday at YOACAP, 1207 Chestnut St., Suite 315; 215-851-1898.

Wednesdays: ■ AIDS Services in Asian Communities’ weekly volunteer work group meets 6-8 p.m. at 340 N. 12th St., Suite 205; 215-629-2300. ■ Project Teach, a peer-education and empowerment program for people living with HIV/AIDS, meets at Philadelphia Fight, 1233 Locust St.; ﬁght.org. ■ Positive Effect, for HIV-positive people 18 and over, meets 5-7 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-963-2432. Thursdays: ■ A support group for HIV-positive men and women meets 6-8 p.m. at BEBASHI — Transition to Hope, 1217 Spring Garden St.; 215-769-3561. ■ Diversity, an HIV/AIDS support group for all infected or affected, meets from 7-9 p.m. at Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad St.; call Zak, 215-848-4380; azaklad@craftech.com. Saturdays: ■ AIDS Delaware’s You’re Not Alone youth support group meets during the school year. Call 800-810-6776 for location and time.

Debtors Anonymous

■ Meets 7-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday at the

William Way Center.

Overeaters Anonymous (OA)

■ Open meeting, Tuesdays, 5:45 p.m., and

7 p.m. Fridays, at Hahnemann University Hospital, 245 N. 15th St.; call Troy for ﬂoor/ room number, 215-514-3065; www.oa.org. ■ Meets 11 a.m.-noon at the William Way Center.

S.A.R.A.

■ Substance Abuse – Risk Assessment; day and

evening hours; 215-563-0663 ext. 282.

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous

■ Meets 7:30 p.m.Thursdays at All Saints

Church, 18 Olive Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.; 302-542-3279.

SEPCADD

■ Safe space to meet and discuss substance

abuse problems at the William Way Center.

Health

Alder Health Services provides LGBT health services on a sliding-fee scale; 100 N. Cameron St., Ste. 301 East, Harrisburg; 717-233-7190 or 800-867-1550; www.alderhealth.org. Anonymous, free HIV testing with Spanish/ English counselors, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayFriday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 3439 N. Hutchinson St.; 215-763-8870 ext. 6000. HIV treatment: Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents available 9 a.m.-noon Mondays and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1803. HIV health insurance help: Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing available at 17 MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Philadelphia FIGHT provides HIV primary care, on-site lab services, clinical trials, case management, mental-health services and support groups for people living with HIV regardless of insurance status or ability to pay; 1233 Locust St., fifth floor; 215-985-4448; www.fight.org.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

Community Bulletin Board Community centers

■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331; atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 48:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available MondayFriday. See the Youth section for more events.

■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044; center@dolphin. upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088 ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221 ■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851 ■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 ■ The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330 ■ District Attorney LGBT Liaison: Helen “Nellie” Fitzpatrick, 215-686-

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

Key numbers 9980, helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378 ■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555

■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670 ■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000 ■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288

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

■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537

■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

Health

Anonymous, free, conﬁdential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 215763-8870. ActionAIDS Provides a range of programs for people affected by HIV/AIDS, including case management, prevention, testing and education services at 1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088; www.actionaids.org. AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 1711 S. Broad St.; 215-629-2300; www.asiac.org. Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871; www.galaei. org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appoint-

■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia GALLOP holds board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; GALLOP also provides a free referral service; 215-627-9090; www.galloplaw. org. ■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, selfemployed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city, invites speakers on various topics, partners with other nonprofits and maintains a website where everyone is invited to sign up for email notices for activities and

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

Professional groups events; www.gppn.org; 215-9223377.

■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association The Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www. nlgja.org/philly; philly@nlgja.org.

■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly businesses and professionals. Visit www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com for information about events, programs and membership; 215-557-0190; 1717 Arch St., Suite 3370.

■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus A regional organization dedicated to promoting gay and lesbian tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region holds meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; P.O. Box 58143, Philadelphia, PA 19102; www. philadelphiagaytourism.com; 215-840-2039.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Aug. 16-22, 2013

PGN