Fall arts preview, from the Art Museum to Zeppelin PAGE 23
Judge urged to quickly rule on ADA protections’ reach PAGE 5
Family Portrait: One pair looks for full house PAGE 25
‘Gay pizza’ reopens on 13th Street
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Aug. 28 - Sept. 3, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 35
Antibias bills re-intro’d By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
WELCOME HOME: The doors of the new GALAEI building swung open Tuesday night for the organization’s Open House celebration. The queer Latino social-justice organization moved from its former Center City location to 149 W. Susquehanna Ave. in North Philadelphia in the spring to better connect with its constituents. The three-story building includes meeting, program and event space and, on its second floor, a prominent portrait of the late Gloria Casarez, created by artist Betsy Casañas. The former GALAEI executive director and director of LGBT Affairs for the city passed away last fall. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Cop removed from street patrol after anti-LGBT slurs By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Philadelphia Police Officer Matthew Zagursky was removed from street patrol last week, after he was caught on video uttering anti-LGBT slurs and coercing a motorist into purchasing tickets to a police fundraiser. The actions of Zagursky, a nine-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force, were recorded by a camera inside a motorist’s vehicle during a recent traffic stop. Zagursky, 32, can be heard on the video blatantly gender-stereotyping and exhibiting anti-LGBT bias. For example, when questioning the motorist about his pink windshield wipers, he said: “What’s up with the faggot-ass wipers?” The motorist indicated the wipers are pink to demonstrate support for breast-cancer awareness. “Breast cancer I can understand,”
Zagursky replied. “But can’t you support breast cancer in another way? It looks like you’re a fruitcake. You know? What the hell?” Zagursky encouraged the motorist to purchase three tickets to an upcoming Police and Fire Thrill Show, and to take a female so he won’t look like a “fruitcake.” The thrill show raises funds to pay college tuition for the children of Philadelphia police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. Additionally, Zagursky referred to the man’s vehicle and its content as “shit.” The motorist couldn’t be reached for comment. On the video, he appears to hand Zagursky $30 for three thrill-show tickets, to avoid having his vehicle towed. The video was posted on a Facebook account belonging to someone with the user name “Rob Stay Faded.” Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey condemned Zagursky’s actions. “What he did was totally inappropri-
The effort to ban LGBT discrimination made its way back to the state legislature this week, under a new moniker. The newly named Pennsylvania Fairness Act was introduced in both the House and Senate on Wednesday. The long-stalled legislation would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to prohibit LGBT discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. State Rep. Dan Frankel (D-23rd Dist.) is again spearheading the House version with Sen. Tom Killion (168th Dist.), and Sens. Larry Farnese (D-First Dist.) and Pat Browne (R-16th Dist.) are taking up the Senate bill. The House version has 83 cosponsors, including 12 Republicans, and the Senate version has 25, including six Republicans. The legislation was last introduced in May 2013 with 77 House cosponsors and 25 Senate cosponsors, including nine Republicans overall. The House version ultimately peaked at 97 cosponsors, a number that Frankel spokesperson Gabe Spece
acknowledged could be hard to reach this time around. “Given the makeup of the House, it’ll be a challenge to get to that high point,” he said. “I think we have more votes for it; it’s just a matter of whether people want to put their name on it right now. We and advocacy groups have conversations with members, trying to whip votes, and we see a lot who are willing to support the bill — the numbers are good — they just aren’t ready to put their name on it as a cosponsor.” Spece said Frankel is working closely with Killion to rally Republican support in the House. “[Frankel] is happy with the numbers we have. He’s now going to turn to having conversations with some of his colleagues who didn’t want to sign their name before it was introduced. That’s the next phase.” Farnese told PGN he was pleased with the level of support his bill has seen as well. “Having that bipartisan support right off the bat, especially from Sen. Browne, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, is really important,” he said. “I’m excited at the prospect of the bill finally making it PAGE 19 across the goal line and
Suspect arrested in brutal attack on trans woman By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
A transgender woman was among three people who were violently attacked in North Philadelphia last week, allegedly by the same man. As of presstime, the 5 3 - y e a r- o l d t r a n s g e n der woman remained in Hahnemann University Hospital, where she was admitted in critical condition. Marcus Jones, 23, was arrested the following day for her attack and attacks on two men. He is charged with attempted murder in connection with the attack
on the woman; two counts of robbery, aggravated assault, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property; and three counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment. Jones, who did not have any prior arrests, is being held on $500,000 bail. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8 a.m. Sept. 8. The woman and the suspect were known to one another, and police spokesperson Officer Tanya Little said investigators do not believe Jones targeted her for being transgender. The incident took place around 1 p.m. Aug. 18 in the 900 block of North Watts
Street. Officers responding to a call of an assault found the woman unconscious. Video surveillance later obtained allegedly showed Jones punching and kicking the victim until she was rendered unconscious. He then allegedly stomped repeatedly on her face before fleePAGE 18 ing with