PGN Sept. 4 - 10 2015

Family Portrait: Life-saving lessons from Connie Labouff PAGE 25

Updates: • ‘Suitcase’ murder defendants get hearing

• Rehoboth arrestees sentenced • Three-year anniversary of Cordova murder

PAGE 2 PAGE 5

Lily Tomlin talks about being “Grandma” PAGE 23

Sept. 4-10, 2015

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PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Vol. 39 No. 36

First-ever LGBT ‘panic’ bill intro’d in PA House

N.J. cop files sexualharassment suit

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com H a d d o n Tow n s h i p P o l i c e Officer Jason DeMent says he faces dismissal after he rebuffed Haddon Township Police Chief Mark Cavallo’s sexual advances, then requested a temporary accommodation for his vision impairment.

The allegations are contained in a 27-page lawsuit DeMent filed against Cavallo and the township in federal court last month.

DeMent, 36, suffers from Stargardt disease, a rare disorder that impairs vision. A doctor recommended that DeMent limit his patrol duties to familiar areas during daylight.

In June, the 11-year veteran requested the limited patrol work, until his vision improves with stem-cell therapy. But instead of making a “reasonable accommodation,” Cavallo allegedly placed DeMent on unpaid sick leave until Oct. 28, when he’s expected to be dismissed.

Meanwhile, DeMent is receiving his accrued vacation pay as compensation.

“Ever since June 12, when Officer DeMent informed Chief Cavallo of his [Stargardt] diagnosis, he hasn’t been back to work in any capacity,” said Zachary R. Wall, an attorney for DeMent.

“Ever since that day, Officer DeMent has been trying to come up with various scenarios of how he can come back to work. But no accommodation has been offered by the township or Chief Cavallo.”

DeMent’s refusal to acquiesce to Cavallo’s sexual advances was a motivating factor in his alleged dismissal, according to the lawsuit.

C ava l l o ’s a l l eg e d s ex u a l advances include asking DeMent to turn around PAGE 17

HOME TEAM HEROEs: More than 200 athletes gathered Aug. 28 at the annual awards banquet for the City of Brotherly Love Softball League, including longtime players Jeff Chase (from left), Brandi Fitzgerald and Michael Valerio. Chase and Valerio were inducted this year into the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance Hall of Fame, and Fitzgerald will be inducted into the Amateur Sports Alliance of North America Hall of Fame later this month. When asked how his game has changed in the three decades he’s been playing LGBT softball, Valerio joked that he’s had “two joint replacements,” but added he’s grateful for “the ton of new people I’ve been able to meet over 30 years of playing softball.” Fitzgerald added that she’s a “hell of a better softball player” than when she started and joked, “So many girlfriends later, I might be gay.” Chase noted it’s been a team effort for him: “My partner and I joined to do it together and, 28 years later, we’re still doing it together.” This marked the first year CBLSL launched its own hall of fame, inducting Lydia Yureck posthumously. Photo: Scott A. Drake

A state lawmaker last week introduced the first-ever legislation that would prohibit accused murderers of invoking a “panic” defense based on a victim’s LGBT identity.

State Rep. Michael Schlossberg (D-132nd Dist.), who represents Lehigh County, introduced HB 1509 on Aug. 25.

The state’s criminal code currently allows consideration of voluntary manslaughter, downgraded from a murder charge, when, among other factors, “serious provocation” can be demonstrated.

Schlossberg’s bill would amend the provocation stipulation to clarify that the term “does not include the discovery of, knowledge about or potential disclosure of the homicide victim’s actual or perceived gender identity or expression or affectional or sexual orientation.”

Schlossberg is joined by cosponsors Reps. Mark Rozzi (126th Dist.), Stephen Kinsey (201st

Dist.), Dan Frankel (23rd Dist.), Daniel McNeill (133rd Dist.), Mark Cohen (202nd Dist.) and Mike O’Brien (175th Dist.).

Schlossberg told PGN this week that he happened to read about a case in which the “gay-panic” defense was invoked and was surprised to learn that such strategies weren’t banned in Pennsylvania, a sentiment shared by several fellow lawmakers.

“It was one of those things you just sort of come across by accident. I saw that it was used and I was just shocked and horrified.

My first thought was, How can something so archaic and barbaric be legal in the 21st century?”

Schlossberg said. “That’s a pretty common feeling with other legislators I’ve talked to about this, just genuine surprise. A lot of people didn’t think something like this still happened, but it does.”

Locally, a judge prohibited the defense team for Raymond Armstrong, accused of a 2008 murder, from using a “gay-panic” PAGE 16 defense, and

Who’s who among antibias-bill backers

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The long-awaited legislation to ban LGBT discrimination in Pennsylvania made its way back into the state legislature last week — a bill that has support from all corners of the state and across both sides of the aisle.

A record number of original cosponsors signed on to the newly named Pennsylvania Fairness Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s Human Relations Act, which prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. Within a day of its introduction, the House bill had 86 cosponsors, including 13 Republicans.

There are 203 lawmakers all together in the Republicancontrolled House.

Of the 86 cosponsors, the majority comes from Philadelphia and its surrounding four counties, with 24 Philly lawmakers and 24 suburban signing on. The only member of the Philadelphia delegation who is not yet cosponsoring is Republican Rep. Martina White (170th Dist.) of Northeast Philadelphia, who was elected in a special election in March.

Nearly all of the Republican support for the bill came from lawmakers in the Philadelphia suburbs; 12 represent one of the four counties, with the last being Rep. John Taylor of Philadelphia.

“I think Republicans are coming around on PAGE 16

sCHOOL sPIRIT: It was a new spin on back-to-school Saturday night at Pulse Events’ Show Your College Pride party at Smokin’ Betty’s.

Partiers were encouraged to wear gear of their college of choice, with all the door money going to the LGBT campus group of the best-represented colleges. Rowan University won by a landslide, followed by Villanova, so both schools’ LGBT clubs will receive donations from Pulse. About 150 people turned out for the party. Pulse plans to host a similar event early next year. Photo: Scott A. Drake

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

PGN REGIONAL

locations in Philadelphia Center city — Around THe gayborhood

12th Street Gym, 204 S. 12th St. • 13th Street Gourmet Pizza, 209 S. 13th St. • AACO, 1101 Market St., 9th floor • Action AIDS, 1216 Arch St. • Apt. & Townhouse Rentals, 304 S. 12th St. • The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. • Bioscript Pharmacy, 1227 Locust St. • Boxers PHL, 1330 Walnut St. • Cafe Twelve, 212 S. 12th St. • Charlie Salon, 203 S. 12th St. • Charlie was a Sinner, 131 S. 13th St. • City Hall NE Entrance • Club Body Center, 1220 Chancellor St. • Com-Har Living Room, 101 S. Broad St., 14th floor • Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. • Cut Salon, 204 S. 13th St. • Danny’s Bookstore 133 S. 13th St. • Dignity/St. Lukes, 330 S. 13th St. • Dirty Frank’s Bar, 13th & Pine sts. • The Foodery, 10th & Pine sts. • GALAEI, 1207 Chestnut St. • ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. • Independent Hotel, 13th & Locust sts. • John C. Anderson Apts., 249 S. 13th St. • Mazzoni Clinic, 809 Locust St. • Midtown II, 122 S. 11th St. • More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St. • Nationality Service Center, 1216 Arch St. • Optimal Gym, 1315 Walnut St. • Paolo Pizzeria, 1336 Pine St. • PAT@Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. • Phila. FIGHT/ Aids Library, 1233 Locust St., 2nd floor • Planned Parenthood, 1144 Locust St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Salon K, 1216 Locust St. • Scorpio Books, 205 S. Juniper St. • Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St. • Square One, 249 S. 13th St. • Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. • Toast, 12th & Spruce sts. • Triangle Medicine, 253 S. 10th St., 1st floor • U Bar, 1220 Locust St. • Valanni, 1229 Spruce St. • Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St. • William Way LGBT Community Center, 1325 Spruce St. • Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. •

Center City OTHER — East of broad

Bean Café, 615 South St. • Best Western Independence Park Hotel lobby, 215 Chestnut St. • Bodhi Coffee, 410 S. 2nd St. • Bridgeview Place, 315 New St. • Cedrone’s Flowers, 800 Lombard St. • Class Act Auto Repair, 2042 S. Bancroft St. • Copabanana, 342 South St. • Dane Décor, 315 Arch St. • Filter Coffee Co., 331 Race St. • Hopkinson House, 604 S. Washington Sq. • Hyatt Regency Hotel lobby, 201 S. Columbus Blvd. • Independence Place Condos, 241 S. Sixth St., lobby in both towers • Independence Visitors Center, 6th & Market sts. • Modish Hair Salon, 640B South St. • PGN offices, 505 S. Fourth St. • Philadelphia Java Co., 518 S. Fourth St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts.

• Strands Salon, 25 N. Third St. • Two Independence Place, 233 S. 6th St. •Ultimo Coffee, 1900 S. 15th St. • Wireworks, 301 Race St. •

center city OTHER — west of broad

Adonis Cinema, 2026 Sansom St. • Art Institute, 1622 Chestnut St. • Art Institute, 2300 Market St. • The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St. • Bob & Barbara’s, 1509 South St. • Dan Tobey R/E, 1401 Walnut St., 8th floor • Dr. Wakefield’s Office, 255 S. 17th St., Suite 2306 • Drucker & Scaccetti, 1600 Market St., Suite 3300 • Drexel Partnership, 1427 Vine St., 3rd floor • Latimer Deli, 255 S. 15th St. • MANNA, 12 S. 23rd St. • Marine Club Condos lobby, Broad St. & Washington Ave. • Metropolitan, 115 N. 15th St. • PA Law Project, 2122 Chestnut St., Suite 1600 • Phila. Daily News, 801 Market St. • Safeguards Lobby, 1700 Market St., 18th floor • Sansom St. Gym, 2020 Sansom St. • South Square Market, 2221 South St. • Stir, 1705 Chancellor St. • U Do It Laundry, 15th & Spruce sts. • Westminster Arch Apts., Vine St., 3rd floor •

PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS — OTHER

Almost Paradise, 742 Frankford Ave. • Awbry Aboretum, 1 Awbry Rd. • Caribbean Pharmacy, 3825 N. 5th St. •Elfant Wissahickon Realty, 8962 Ridge Ave. • Fantasy Island Books, 7363 State Road • Harry’s Natural Foods, 1805 Cottman Ave. • Infinity Jewelers, 3528 Cottman+ Ave. • Infusion Salon, 7133 Germantown Ave. • Morris House, 5537 Woodland Ave. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Philadelphia University KANBAR Center, 4201 Henry Ave. • Philly Pharmacy, 9475 Roosevelt Blvd. • WCAU TV lobby, City Line Ave. & Monument Road • Weaver’s Way, 559 Carpenter Lane • Welker Real Estate, 2311 Fairmount Ave. • WPVI TV lobby, City Line Ave. & Monument Road •

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Eight men in Delaware sting operation get probation

By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Eight of the 12 men arrested during a recent sting operation near Rehoboth Beach were given brief periods of probation, in return for an opportunity to have their criminal records expunged. But four defendants are headed for trials.

In July, Delaware police engaged in the undercover operation at a gay-male cruising area about 3 miles northwest of Rehoboth Beach.

The arrests occurred in a section of Cape Henlopen State Park known as Wolfe Neck, according to a statement issued by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).

The men were charged with various offenses, including criminal solicitation, offensive touching, lewdness, indecent exposure and loitering to engage in or solicit sex.

John F. Brady, an attorney for two of the men, said his clients entered a deferred-adjudication program requiring them to plead guilty, serve a one-day probationary period, pay $125 in fines and costs and agree to stay away from Delaware state parks for six months.

In return, their criminal records are expected to be expunged, he said.

Sussex County Common Pleas Court Judge Kenneth S. Clark Jr. set one-day probationary periods for Brady’s clients, despite prosecutors’ request for six-month proba-

tionary periods, Brady said.

“My clients are pleased with the outcome,” Brady told PGN. “They learned an important lesson, and I don’t think either will get in trouble again.”

Although the men pleaded guilty, Clark deferred judgment until the cases are dismissed, thus a formal guilty verdict won’t be entered, Brady said.

“The program they’re in required a guilty plea,” Brady explained. “But Judge Clark didn’t accept the pleas, and indicated the cases would be dismissed in a timely manner.”

Probationary periods for six other Wolfe Neck defendants range from 30 days to six months, said Carl Kanefsky, a spokesperson for the Delaware Department of Justice.

Four defendants are scheduled for trials in the fall in Sussex County Common Pleas Court in Georgetown. A trial judge hasn’t been announced.

Kanefsy said prosecutors will consent to bench trials, rather than jury trials, if defendants request a bench trial.

Law-enforcement authorities said the “sting” operation was due to public complaints of lewd activity at Wolfe Neck. “[T]here have been no additional arrests made at the Wolfe Neck parking area pursuant to the operation there by Delaware Natural Resources Police Parks Enforcement to curtail lewd behavior,” said Michael Globetti, a spokesperson for DNREC, in an email this week. n

Hearing scheduled for ‘suitcase’ murder

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A man accused of stabbing and beating to death a local gay man, and disposing of his body in a suitcase, was formally arraigned this week.

Thomas Brennan faces murder, robbery, theft, abuse of corpse and related charges in connection with the May killing of Scott Bernheisel. He was arraigned Sept. 1 and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference 9 a.m.

Sept. 29 in Room 1105 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. His co-defendant, Crystal Leibhart, also has a conference that day. Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner will preside.

Bernheisel’s body was discovered May 28 in a suitcase near Philadelphia International Airport. Investigators say he was the victim of a drug-related robbery that turned violent in the 200 block of Wilder Street in Pennsport, where he was temporarily living.

Investigators said they do not believe he was targeted for being gay; however, that idea was raised during at a pre-trial hearing last month.

At the proceeding, two former cellmates

of Brennan testified that he confessed to killing Bernheisel, his alleged drug dealer, after a deal gone bad. One of the witnesses said Brennan told him he killed Bernheisel after the victim made unwanted sexual advances toward him.

They also testified that Brennan told them he killed Bernheisel in the house and attempted to hide the body in a closet. But,

BRENNAN (LEFT) AND LEIBHART

they testified, the odor became overpowering, so Brennan and Leibhart, his girlfriend, moved the body into a suitcase and deposited it near the airport.

Brennan remains incarcerated at CurranFromhold Correctional Facility and Leibhart at Riverside Correctional Facility. n

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

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Weekly features

News&Opinion 8 — Crime Watch 9 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Mark My Words Street Talk Transmissions 12 — Obituary 16 — International 18 — Media Trail

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25 27 30 34 33

— — — — —

Family Portrait Scene in Philly Out & About Q Puzzle Comic

Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus artistic director Joe Buches is all smiles at a recent PGMC fundraiser at Voyeur.

GAy GAMERs: Local LGBT singles went head to head in retro board games last week, all for a good cause. Proceeds from the Aug. 25 LGBT Singles Mingle Game Night at Valanni were donated to LGBT-rights group Equality Pennsylvania. Guests dove into old-time favorites like Hungry, Hungry Hippo, Operation and Mystery Date, all while getting to know other local singles. Photo: Scott A. Drake

This week in PGN 6 — LGBT bias complaints need a champion 7 — Penn earns top LGBT honors Miss’d America mixes it up

Jacob Kaskey, a lobbyist and former staffer of Pennsylvania’s largest LGBT-rights organization, died late last month.

10 — Kim Davis earns the wrath of many

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30 — “An Older Man” heads to P-Town 31 — Fringe Festival highlights

Classifieds 35 — Real Estate 38 — Personals 39 — Bulletin Board

“Basically what it looks like is a horrific crime of violence happens and this type of defense gives the defendant an opportunity to say, ‘Oh well, because of your sexual orientation or because of how I perceived your gender, I saw red and lost it.’ To me, that really isn’t even a panic defense, it’s a license to kill.” ~ Nellie Fitzpatrick, on the new ‘don’t panic’ bill in Harrisburg, page 16 PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506

Next week And the winners in PGN’s 2015 Best of LGBT Philadelphia are ...

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LOCAL PGN

Three years pass since Cordova murder

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The frustration Kyra Cordova’s mother feels when speaking about her daughter’s homicide case is almost palpable.

“I don’t know how many more people in that neighborhood need to get killed before someone speaks up,” Dawn Maher said, referring to the residents of the Frankford neighborhood where her daughter was gunned down three years ago. “Somebody knows something. Are they going to continue to let people run around hurting people?”

Cordova, 28, was shot in the head in the early morning hours of Sept.

3, 2012. Her body was found later that day, Labor Day, in a wooded area off the 1100 block of Adams Avenue.

Two months later, police said they had identified a person of interest, but that individual has never been publicly identified.

“They told me they have a person of interest but that everyone they talk to says they don’t know anything,” Maher said.

“Apparently these other people are afraid of this person.”

Maher said she’s tried to keep the case alive in the public, though getting mainstream media exposure has been challenging. She noted the $25,000 reward is still active.

Initial information about Cordova’s murder from the police department misgendered her, but Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs, noted that much has changed in three years.

“We are in a much different place now than we were three years ago,” she said.

“We’ve had some powerful teaching moments, and that’s how we change the

culture of an institution.”

That three years have passed is also becoming more evident to Maher: A school now occupies the site where her daughter was killed, and where she used to visit and leave flowers.

Maher has become a volunteer for the Montgomery County Victims Services and other organizations, sharing Cordova’s story with other families of victims.

Through that work, she said she’s come across several people who knew Cordova, which is a comfort.

“I was speaking at an event recently, a memorial for people murdered in Montgomery County, where I live.

Afterwards, a woman came up and said, ‘My son knew your daughter.’ And then at another event not long ago, a transgender woman came up to me and was telling me about how her parents had thrown her out, and while we were talking and I was talking about Kyra, it turns out the guy she was with knew her too. That’s always neat, and nice.”

Fitzpatrick urged anyone with information about the case to come forward.

“If anyone knows or hears something, please reach out,” Fitzpatrick said. “You can call the police, you can call my office and I can put you in touch with [LGBT Liaison] Deputy Commissioner Bethel directly. Sometimes with cold cases, they can be revisited and the person can be brought to justice when people finally speak up. And people shouldn’t feel scared if they’ve been sitting on information; that is something that can be worked around.”

Anonymous tips can be made by calling 215-686-8477 or 215-686-3334/3335.

Fitzpatrick can be reached at 215-6860330. n

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LOCAL PGN

Will state agency investigate LGBT bias complaints?

By Timothy Cwiek tiimothy@epgn.com Despite recent rulings by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that anti-LGBT workplace bias is a form of sex discrimination, it remains unclear whether the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission will investigate LGBT-related workplace complaints.

In the past, the PHRC declined to investigate LGBT-related workplace complaints because Pennsylvania doesn’t have a statewide LGBT-inclusive antibias law, and anti-LGBT bias wasn’t considered to be sex discrimination.

But Pennsylvania has statewide prohibitions against sex discrimination. And now that

the EEOC considers anti-LGBT bias to be a form of sex discrimination, some advocates are urging the PHRC to investigate LGBT-related workplace complaints.

Though the EEOC’s rulings aren’t binding on the courts, they’re viewed as persuasive and could help pave the way for a national ban on anti-LGBT workplace bias.

This week, Joseph Olivares, an EEOC spokesperson, said state fair-employment practices agencies without explicit LGBT coverage have been told to forward “LGBT charges” to the EEOC. By presstime, Olivares didn’t say whether state agencies were told to forward LGBT-related workplace complaints to the EEOC if the basis for the com-

plaints is alleged sex discrimination.

In Pennsylvania, some LGBT complainants may prefer a PHRC investigation in order to retain the option of pursuing remedies in state court. State courts often are closer to litigants, less expensive and have LGBT-sensitive jurors if located near large urban centers.

Also, an LGBT complainant may cite additional bias factors not recognized by the EEOC — but recognized by the PHRC — such as “use of guide dog or support animal.”

This week, PHRC spokesperson Christina Reese said the PHRC is abiding by the EEOC’s guidance, without elaborating.

By presstime, Reese didn’t respond to a question as to whether the PHRC would inves-

tigate an LGBT-related workplace complaint if requested to do so by a complainant.

Thomas W. Ude Jr., legal and public policy director at Mazzoni Center, urged the PHRC to investigate LGBT-related workplace complaints if requested to do so by a complainant.

“Pennsylvania’s courts, and the PHRC, have often looked to interpretations of federal antidiscrimination laws for guidance,” Ude told PGN. “While there is no question of the importance of and need for explicit protections, now is not the time for the PHRC to choose to depart from its time-honored practice. The EEOC’s interpretations make sense, and their logic applies with equal force to all prohibitions against discrimination because of sex.” n

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Penn earns top marks as LGBT-friendly campus

By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com After three months of gathering information for the Campus Pride Index, the University of Pennsylvania earned a perfect score as an LGBT-friendly campus.

“In a sense, it took years of work to have the right answers, to change policies and make sure the programs are what they should be,” said Bob Schoenberg, director of the Penn LGBT Center. “To begin with, just having the kind of facility, staff, budget, programs and services we have here has really taken 30-plus years.”

Penn ranked in the top 25 in the latest edition of the Campus Pride Index, which

came out in August.

Seven other schools earned a perfect score of 5, including Montclair State University and Rutgers University in New Jersey.

The only other Pennsylvania institution on the list, Penn State University, earned a 4.5, with improvements called for in the areas of LGBT institutional support and academic resources.

Campus Pride has highlighted colleges and universities for the past seven years for their LGBT-inclusive policies, programs and practices. Public and private colleges with at least 1,600 students were surveyed in several categories: policy, institutional commitment, academic life, student life,

housing, campus safety, counseling and health and recruitment and retention.

This year was the first time higher-education institutions had to meet stricter benchmarks to earn a perfect score. Campus Pride put more focus on providing support for trangender and gender-nonconforming students.

“Most campuses want to know what they can do better, but they don’t necessarily have a pathway,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride and creator of the index. “Many campuses are using the Pride Index to put in their strategic plans. They have used the new benchmarks as a way to improve LGBT life on campus.”

Schoenberg said the earlier rankings asked universities to self-report on a variety of yes-or-no questions, but did not need supporting evidence. This year’s rankings required schools to provide links to policies and documented programs that support the LGBT community.

“You couldn’t just say, ‘Yes, we have a nondiscrimination policy,’” Schoenberg said. “You had to send a link to the nondiscrimination policy to show the exact language.”

“They were much more rigorous in investigating the campuses,” he added. “It took us quite a while to provide all the data.”

Schoenberg said it was gratifying to be able to answer nearly PAGE 17

Miss’d America back with some big changes

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com If you’re looking for an escape from Popefest later this month, high-tail it to Atlantic City for the annual Miss’d America Pageant, which this year will be held on a new day and at a new venue.

The fundraising drag extravaganza will be staged Saturday, Sept. 26, at Borgata Casino & Hotel. It previously was held at Harrah’s, traditionally on a Sunday night.

The show, a tradition of more than 20 years, raises funds for the SchulzHill Foundation and Atlantic City GLBT Alliance, which distribute the money to regional LGBT organizations.

Alliance president Rich Helfant said organizers put out a request for proposal for the host venue each year, and Borgata’s plan outshone the others.

“The pre-production costs for Miss’d America are very high and Borgata pretty much beat everybody else by offering to give us everything we asked for. From a financial standpoint, it made the most scott a. drake art photography

sense to go there,” he said. “Plus, Borgata has launched a pretty aggressive — in a positive way — marketing campaign to the LGBT community, so they were looking for a signature event to be part of that.”

Helfant said Borgata has exhibited an unprecedented commitment to the LGBT market.

“At the beginning, I was in Joe Lupo’s office, who’s Borgata’s senior VP of operations, and he said, ‘I can write you a check, that’s easy. But I don’t want to do just that.

I want to write a check and get involved, commit this hotel to be a true partner in this event and in the LGBT community.’

And they’ve lived up to that 1,000-percent.

They’ve been so cooperative and a pleasure to work with. They’ve looked for ways to say yes instead of reasons to say no. It’s refreshing and encouraging that they’ve taken that attitude toward Miss’d America and the LGBT community at large.”

The Borgata Music Box, where the show will take place, has about 900 seats, about 400 fewer than the Harrah’s space.

Helfant said the slight decrease in space

was worth being able to hold the event at the Borgata, and on a Saturday.

“Atlantic City is a Saturday-night town.

We found we lost some support because it was on a Sunday night, a work and school night,” he said. “Most people have off on Sunday and so we felt it would be a benefit to selling tickets to move it to Saturday.”

Helfant said ticket sales are already outpacing other years, and he expects the show to sell out.

The format of the pageant will remain largely the same, with the addition of a runway. Instead of a headlining guest performer, like last year’s Village People, the show will feature the Miss’d America Dancers.

“They’re eight sexy guys and girls who are going to be doing their own routines and complementing the contestants,” Helfant said. “And that’s what people want to see: sex appeal.”

Ten drag queens from throughout the region will compete under a sci-fi theme.

Mark Dahl is again writing and directing the show, which will be hosted by Carson

Kressley.

Helfant said beneficiaries will be decided upon after the show, and noted in the past the show has benefitted the South Jersey AIDS Alliance, William Way LGBT Community Center, John C. Anderson Apartments, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Human Rights Campaign.

“It’s a night of hilarity for a tremendously good cause,” Helfant said. “You get to see 10 extraordinarily talented performers and laugh until your sides hurt. This year, with the Supreme Court ruling and marriage equality, the LGBT-rights movement has never been more significant than it is now. And to have all this happen on the stage of a major hotel in Atlantic City, to have everyone greeted by our openly gay mayor, it’s wonderful.”

And, Helfant joked, maybe the show will have a special guest.

“The pope’s been so LGBT-friendly, we’re hoping he’ll come.” n For more information, visit http://acglbt. org/events/2015-missd-america-pageant/.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Aug. 17-23. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS. INCIDENTS

when a fellow male patron made unwanted advances. When he was rebuffed, he knocked the victim down and bit him on the face, causing an eye injury. Sixth District Officer Thornton was nearby and arrested the 31-year-old suspect with a Chester address, who was charged with aggravated assault.

— On Aug. 18, while outside 1339 Chestnut St., a woman got into an argument with her boyfriend, who threw her to the ground, stole her cell phone and fled. Police apprehended the 45-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address, and he was charged with robbery and related offenses.

SUMMARY ARRESTS

— At 1:20 p.m. Aug. 18, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 299 S. Watts St. — At 2:20 a.m. Aug. 19, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 1300 Locust St. — At 2:25 a.m. Aug. 20, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 1206 Chancellor St. — At 10:50 p.m. Aug. 21, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 200 S. Juniper St. — At 2:55 a.m. Aug. 22, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 201 S. Juniper St. n

OF

2015

BEST LGBT

— At 12:40 a.m. Aug. 17, police responded to an alarm at a residence in the 800 block of Addison Street and found a basement window had been forced open. A walkthrough with a key-holder was conducted with negative results, and nothing was reported stolen.

— At 10 p.m. Aug. 23, a woman was walking in the 400 block of South 11th Street when a man on a bicycle rode past and grabbed her buttocks, fleeing east on Pine Street. He was described as 25, Hispanic, 160 pounds, wearing a pink shirt and dark shorts and riding an orange and black bike.

sTRIPPED DOWN: The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus hosted its first underwear fundraiser Aug. 29 at Voyeur. It’s expected to become an annual event. The models included porn stars Billy Santoro and Hunter Vance, among others. More than 70 people paid $20 each to attend, plus bid on men’s underwear designed

by Andrew Christian and Cellblock 13. Cher impersonator Candi Stratton performed along with Pissi Myles, Brooklyn Ford and Aida Snatchwell-Stratton from Philadelphia. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Philadelphia

NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS

— At 1:35 a.m. Aug. 22, a man was inside Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St.,

Since 1976

PGN OF

2015

BEST LGBT Philadelphia

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PGN LOCAL

Appeal of SEPTA ruling possible City officials say it’s possible a Commonwealth Court ruling exempting SEPTA from the city’s antibias rules will be appealed in state Supreme Court.

LGBT advocates blasted the Aug. 7 ruling, saying riders and customers would be negatively impacted if SEPTA doesn’t have to comply with local antibias rules.

The city has until Sept. 7 to file notice of an appeal.

SEPTA has about 9,000 workers and more than 1-million riders daily.

Mark McDonald, a spokesperson for the Nutter administration, said a decision on filing an appeal is pending.

“The city has a period of time within which to make a decision on an appeal,” McDonald said in an email. “By that deadline, we will do what we believe is in the city’s best interests.”

Deadline set for employer in trans case A federal judge has extended a deadline for Cabela’s Retail Inc. to submit an export report in the Kate Blatt antibias case.

On Aug. 26, U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. said Cabela’s has until Oct. 14 to submit its expert report on the case.

Leeson also said both sides have until Nov. 16 to complete the expert-discovery phase of the litigation. Then, if the case isn’t settled or dismissed, a jury trial is expected.

Blatt, a Pottsville trans woman, is suing Cabela’s Retail Inc. for job discrimination.

She claims Cabela’s discriminated against her on the basis of her disability — gender dysphoria — by denying her access to a female restroom and name tag. Part of Blatt’s lawsuit challenges the ADA’s exclusion of gender-identity disorder as a protected disability. She claims the GID exclusion violates her constitutional right to equal protection under the law.

Blatt worked at the outdoor-sports store, located in Hamburg, as a seasonal stocker between September 2006 and March 2007.

Cabela’s denies any wrongdoing.

The ADA protects persons with disabilities from discrimination in private employment, public accommodations and governmental services.

Gay inmate transferred to Illinois Kenneth J. Houck Jr., an openly gay inmate who was brutally beaten while in

Asbestos illegally removed from church Anthony Biello 3d is serving a oneyear prison sentence for illegally removing asbestos-containing materials from the old Church of the Assumption, which is adjacent to AIDS agency Siloam.

The materials, which were removed in 2009, include insulation covering a boiler and piping in the church’s basement. Biello was paid $45,000 by a demolition and salvation contractor to remove the materials, according to court records.

The church, 1123-33 Spring Garden St.,

has been vacant for about 15 years.

Biello, 56, formerly of Ambler, was sentenced in March. He’s incarcerated at a federal detention center in Brooklyn, N.Y. His scheduled release date is Jan. 21, 2016.

In addition to his prison sentence, Biello was ordered to pay a $100 fine, restitution to the city of $12,000, a $100 special assessment and undergo two years of supervised release. The court also ordered that Biello not work in the asbestos-removal industry during his supervised release.

— Timothy Cwiek

LGBT night back at Six Flags Six Flags Great Adventure is hosting its annual LGBT party 8 p.m. Sept. 5 at the park in Jackson, N.J. The event, called Fairgrounds: Out at Night, goes until 2 a.m. and features a lineup of DJs. Tickets cost $40 for season-pass holders and $50 for all others.

Proceeds benefit the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, World Wildlife Fund and Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance in Philadelphia.

The tickets include all-day access to the park plus the private party. The pre-party starts at 8 p.m. in the Movietown arena with DJs Ultra Nate, Joey Z and Kimani G. The main event starts at 10 p.m. with Grammy-nominated DJ Dave Aude. DJ Steve Sidewalk will be the opening act. Miss

Session to look at discrimination Same-sex couples can marry legally in the United States, yet the LGBT community still faces discrimination in employment and housing opportunities.

That imbalance will be one of the focal points of “Moving the World Toward Equality,” hosted by the Germantown Jewish Centre, 400 W. Ellet St. The free event takes place 2:45 p.m. Sept. 23 as part of the Yom Kippur Oscar Bregman Memorial Program.

Jane Greenspan, a retired justice from the state Supreme Court, will moderate.

During her career, Greenspan worked on cases involving business and financial disputes and also dealt with domestic-violence and sexual-assault cases.

Greenspan will foster discussion about the struggle for justice, particularly why some causes succeed while others fail.

In addition to talks about issues facing the LGBT community, injustice toward people of color will also be discussed. n — Paige Cooperstein

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News Briefing

custody three years ago, has been transferred to a federal prison in Illinois.

Houck, 40, requested a transfer to the East Coast to be closer to his family.

He was previously incarcerated Littleton, Colo. The move to a prison in Marion, Ill., brings Houck closer to his relatives, but still hundreds of miles away.

In 2011, two inmates at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia entered Houck’s cell and assaulted him, causing multiple fractures to his right leg. That same year, Houck pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography.

His scheduled release date is May 18, 2018.

He’s suing the federal Bureau of Prisons for damages related to his assault. A BOP spokesperson had no comment for this update.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

10

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Kim Davis

Editorial

Ungodly actions Kim Davis is simultaneously one of the most reviled figures by LGBT advocates and one of the most revered by LGBT opponents.

But, her steadfast commitment to “upholding Christian principles” is, effectively, driving the wedge unnecessarily deeper between people of faith and LGBT-accepting individuals.

Davis is a county clerk in Kentucky who, for months, has been refusing to issue marriage licenses — a main function of her job — because she disagrees with the mandate, issued by the U.S. Supreme Court, that same-sex couples are eligible for licenses. Davis has taken her case to court after court, judge after judge, and repeatedly been ordered, even by the state’s governor, to get back to work. As of presstime, she remains resolutely ignoring those orders.

That Davis is continuing her futile crusade in the name of Christianity is doing a disservice to the countless Christians who want to welcome LGBT people into the fold. Davis’ misguided efforts are certainly supported by some self-described believers, but she surely does not represent all, or even anywhere near a majority, of Christians. Poll numbers have shown that believers of all denominations are increasingly embracing LGBT equality.

Christianity and LGBT identity should not be considered mutually exclusive, an idea that has been promoted for decades by Christians, LGBTs and LGBT Christians.

In this time of evolving equality for LGBT people, faith communities can be integral allies. As our community fights for nondiscrimination laws and measures to protect the most marginalized members of our community from harassment and violence, faith communities can champion and spread the message of basic human dignity for LGBT people. Many religious circles were admittedly closed off to LGBT equality for years but are now opening their doors, and introducing LGBT issues to their followers, an important inroad that can further advance our community’s goals.

Faith communities can also be important sources of support. LGBT young people are growing up in a time where our country has marriage equality, but they may still face homophobia in their classrooms and resistance from families. In such times, youth should be able to turn to their faith community for guidance and comfort.

But Davis is doing her damnedest to cut those ties and curtail the progress that has, and continues to be, made to bridge the gap among LGBT communities and communities of faith. With each hateful message she proclaims, faith and LGBT leaders should counter with their own — because people are listening. n

Once upon a time, when I was a teenager, I worked at a video store. One very busy night, a woman and her young son asked me for the bathroom key. It was store policy to unlock the bathroom for customers, so I took them to the back, unlocked the door and ran back to the counter to continue checking out customers. The woman and her son soon came to find me.

“Um, someone had a problem in there,” the woman said.

An understatement, as was soon discovered. Shit was everywhere: on the toilet, the walls, the sink. There was even a pair of men’s underpants left behind on the floor. After closing, while I restocked videos and counted out the register, my boss was mopping up an E. coli crime scene and dry heaving into the alley behind the store.

I’m lucky my boss didn’t ask me to clean it, because he saved me from a moral dilemma. There is no way I would have cleaned that bathroom. Such a thing was not in my job description and they didn’t pay me enough. I would have had to quit.

Which leads me to Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky who has refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because she says it violates her religious freedom to hate homosexuals. Davis has since sued, and lost, for the right to not do this part of her job, but she’s still not doing it at presstime.

You see, she sees issuing a license to two men or two women as akin to a video rental store bathroom covered in feces: It’s totally disgusting and not something she’s willing to touch. Unfortunately for her, issuing licenses is what she does. It is in her job description and it’s exactly what she gets paid for. It’s like a video store clerk rushing around with stacks of VHS tapes under her chin, re-shelving movies as they’re checked in. It’s an expected part of the job and if you don’t want to do it, or claim that Jesus told you not to, then you should be fired or you should quit.

Instead, Davis is stomping her feet and asking that the county go to great lengths to save her the trouble of having to interact with the gays while still keeping her job.

U.S. District Judge David Bunning has told Davis to suck it up.

“Her religious convictions cannot excuse her from performing the duties that she took an oath to perform as Rowan County Clerk,” he wrote.

Davis has appealed and, as of presstime, ain’t nobody getting married in Rowan County.

According to the Associated Press, “Until the case is resolved, no new wedding can be legally recognized in Rowan County unless the couple obtain[s] a marriage license somewhere else.”

Davis stopped issuing licenses June 26, the day of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality. She testified in federal court that her refusal “was thought-out and, you know, I sought God on it.”

Ah, yes. Very well thought-out. Good work, Davis and God. It’s God’s best work yet.

Davis is being represented by the virulently antigay Liberty Council, a group that is advocating mass civil disobedience in the face of marriage equality.

“Christianity is not a robe you take off when you leave a sanctuary,” said Liberty Council’s Mat Staver.

This is especially true, it seems, when the robe of Christianity is being used to mask bigotry. n

It’s an expected part of the job and if you don’t want to do it, or claim that Jesus told you not to, then you should be fired or you should quit.

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 and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.

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

My personal confession While you’re reading this, I’m on a the early days of the gay-rights struggle.” plane on my way to San Francisco for — Booklist the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists “‘And Then I Danced’ is a fascinating Association convention, where I’ll speak page-turner that prompted my tears, laughfor the first time about a project I’ve been ter, envy and astonishment — but most of quietly developing the last few years — all left me feeling very proud of what our and the reason for all those trips community has accomplished to New York City. It’s a project and grateful to Mark for sharthat many of you have suging his intimate memoir. While gested over the years, but one there are many who witnessed to which I didn’t know if I was the extraordinary history of the capable of doing justice.

LGBT community, few played On Friday, it will be my as major a role in creating it honor to announce that I’ll as has Mark. It is no exaggerafinally and proudly be publishtion to say that there is no pering my memoirs next month. son alive today who has been Many of you have urged me a more central participant in to do so, and the book is now as much of the contemporary LGBT-rights struggle than Mark complete. I wanted that news to Segal.” — Sean Strub, author appear here first, so my readers of “Body Counts: A Memoir who encouraged me to pursue this project got the news first. of Politics, Sex, AIDS and The early reviews for “And Mark Segal Survival” Then I Danced” are in and have There are many more you overwhelmed me. can read all on Amazon.com, where you Here’s a sample: can also pre-order the book. The book hits “[A] swiftly written debut memoir bookstores Oct. 6, but Amazon.com orders ... [Segal] vividly describes his firstwill ship first. hand experience as a teenager inside the Be prepared to discover a side of me you didn’t know. My editor was Michael Stonewall bar during the historic riots, Denneny, who edited “The Mayor of his participation with the Gay Liberation Castro Street: The Life and Times of Front and amusing encounters with Elton John and Patti LaBelle … A jovial yet pas- Harvey Milk,” and he encouraged me to be myself, which I was. sionately delivered self-portrait inspiring awareness about LGBT history from one of In many ways, you’ve all been a part of this memoir since your responses to my the movement’s true pioneers.” — Kirkus columns, projects and ideas helped shape Book Reviews it in different directions. Welcome to our “The reader can clearly see how Segal’s fearless determination, cheerful tenacity book. n and refusal to attack his opponents made Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-awardhim a power broker.” — Publishers Weekly winning commentator in LGBT media. You can follow “With great verve and spirit, Segal has him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MarkSegalPGN rendered a lively and dramatic memoir of or Twitter at https://twitter.com/PhilaGayNews.

Mark My Words

Transmissions

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

11

Street Talk What vacation spot did you enjoy visiting over the summer?

"Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan. It's restorative.

You can stay at the Grand Hotel.

It's very expensive, Victoria Dickson but worth personal trainer the money.

Old City They have a croquet court, pool and afternoon tea, every day.

From there, I'd suggest a trip to Harbor Springs. You can go skydiving, boating, golfing, tennis. Any type of outdoor activity, you can find there."

"Longport, N.J. It's very relaxing and the beach is very clean.

There's a great icecream man who walks the beach.

Stefanie Jolles You don't store owner have to Queen Village travel that far to get there and if you become bored, Atlantic City is only 20 minutes away, max.

You're guaranteed to have a good time."

"Sri Lanka.

It has really nice beaches and boutique hotels.

There's the tree that Buddha sat under when he found Saabi Markar enlightenstudent ment. It's Society Hill a superpeaceful vacation spot."

"Boulder Beach, Los Angeles. The gambling is awesome but it also has a manmade beach that's out of this world.

Christopher You'd really Walker think it was tattoo artist a natural North Philadelphia beach, it's so beautiful. They keep it nice. I had a great time."

Gwendolyn Ann Smith

A costume controversy Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve seen Halloween change dramatically. Sure, the shift was slow, but like water carving the Grand Canyon, it was seemingly inevitable.

In my youth, it was a holiday where kids ruled the night. The streets were ours.

We’d trot out into the darkness wearing anything from store-bought plastic masks and smocks to hastily assembled “hobo” costumes of tattered old clothing, with ratted hair. It was a magic time, when we would be allowed more leeway than on any other night, and explore our wild characters under the moon and stars.

As you can guess, I have a lot of fondness for that time.

Yet things changed. Fears — largely unfounded — of razor blades and other contaminants in the holiday candy haul led to more chaperoned Halloween events

at local schools and community centers, sucking the life out of the night. Today, the ritual of trick-or-treating seems to be turning into a memory of my generation.

Something else changed since then, too.

While costume parties for adults certainly existed, they were less common than one might imagine. The holiday was relegated to the kids, and the adults were more likely to be lurking behind their home’s door with a bucket of Smarties, Starbursts and those awful circus peanuts.

Much like Cinco De Mayo has become “the day we mock Hispanic culture and get drunk” and St. Patrick’s Day has become “the day we mock Irish culture and get drunk,” Halloween has extended similarly.

It’s become a time when the adults don the costumes and hit the clubs.

I sound cranky, but I do have a point.

There is a big business in costumes, and

the real money is not in kids’ costumes, but ones for adults. We’ll pay a premium for a cool costume that you will only wear once. You’ll find them for sale at your local big-box stores as well as chain stores that crop up each Halloween in otherwise-derelict storefronts across the country.

They sell all sorts of Halloween gear that I would have given my eyeteeth for back in the day: not only super-detailed costumes and accessories, but all the makings of an ersatz cemetery, dungeon or haunted house. It’s amazing to see just how many different spooky things they pack into these hastily assembled storefronts.

Among these are celebrity costumes.

They’ll sell you rubber masks of the president and his would-be replacements. You can find the cast of “Duck Dynasty” shoehorned in.

Yet there’s another topical costume of

note: Caitlyn Jenner.

Now it makes sense, in a way, that stores would opt to make a Jenner costume.

They are in the business to make money and, what better way than a costume that features a member of the Kardashian clan, particularly at a time when she is probably the most marketable?

The news initially broke via the New York Daily News, who called the idea “creepy.” Spirit Halloween PR disagreed, saying that Jenner “has proven to be the most important real-life superhero of the year,” and claimed the costume would be one that “celebrates her.”

Spirit Halloween has both a Jenner wig and corset, similar to the now-famed Vanity Fair cover. It’s nicely done, all things considered.

Others have been less forgiving. Another retailer — selling PAGE 17

12

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

LOCAL PGN

Obituary Jacob Kaskey, former Equality PA staffer, 33

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Jacob Kaskey, a lobbyist and former staffer of Pennsylvania’s largest LGBTrights organization, died late last month.

The cause of death was ruled accidental. He was 33.

Kaskey was most recently living in Los Angeles, Calif., but spent the past eight years in Philly.

From September 2008-October 2009, he served as policy and programs director for Equality Advocates, which has since become Equality Pennsylvania, and from October 2009-January 2010, he was its managing director.

In those roles, Kaskey coordinated lobbying efforts, collaborated with coalition partners to mobilize grassroots support for LGBT legislation, spearheaded the organization’s statewide media outreach, led the reorganization of the agency’s board to include representation from all corners of the state and managed the organization’s day-to-day staffing needs, operations, donor development and fundraising.

Mason Lane, chief of staff for state Rep. Brian Sims, said Kaskey hired him as an Equality Advocates intern, later giving him his first job, as the organization’s field organizer. He went on to become its policy coordinator.

“He’s a big reason I got involved in LGBT civil rights and the work I’m doing now,” Lane said. “Jake was a relentless, tireless advocate.”

Lane added that Kaskey’s passion for his work was inspiring.

“He had tons of energy and was always very positive,” he said. “He had incredible passion and vitality, which was really very motivating to everyone around him.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by Natalie Hrubos, who also met Kaskey when she was interning at the organization, in its legal clinic.

“You always felt his presence and his passion whenever you were in a room with him, especially when he was excited, which was nearly all the time,” she said, noting that Kaskey organized the agency’s first statewide summit and built a statewide listserv. “He worked really hard during his time at Equality Advocates. He was so dedicated to advancing the organization and growing it. He felt really strongly about building a network of advocates across the state and put so much of himself, his heart and soul, into making that a reality.”

No matter the task, Hrubos added, his passion shone through, and was infectious.

“Jake was really good at getting other people excited about the work he was

doing, and getting them engaged in advocacy. He made the work fun for everyone,” she said. “He was a really talented organizer. That’s what he did best and where he really shined as a person.”

Community organizing went hand in hand with his passion for social justice, which began exhibiting itself at an early age, said his father, Tom Kaskey.

“He was always for the underdog and always believed firmly that equality was key. He fought for people,” Tom said, noting that his son’s LinkedIn summary aptly describes his focus: “I’m a passionate advocate toward creating equality for the disenfranchised among us all.”

Kaskey grew up in Olmsted Falls, OH, where his family still lives. He was involved with Scouting throughout his childhood, earning the Eagle Scout designation in 1998. While a senior at Olmsted Falls High School, he was named one of Ohio’s toptwo volunteers in the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

In a Congressional memo honoring Kaskey for that award, former Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio described how Kaskey launched a coloring-book and crayon drive to benefit homeless children, a project he initiated after serving meals at a local homeless shelter, where he saw lack of activities for youth.

“He enlisted the help of his classmates and others. He wrote letters and made personal visits to area businesses asking for donations of money and coloring books,” Kucinich stated in the Congressional memo. “When they delivered the books to the shelter, Jacob and his volunteers stayed to serve dinner and play with the children.

Jacob was nominated by his high school for his outstanding service to the community, an effort which needed to be recognized.”

The Prudential award afforded Kaskey a trip to Washington, D.C., where his father said he so impressed Kucinich that he offered him a position in his office.

“He told Jake, ‘Once you’re out of high school, come work for me in Cleveland,’ and that continued until he went off to American [University], and then Dennis put him on as a paid staffer,” Tom said. “And from there, his career just blossomed.”

While at the D.C. university, Kaskey worked on Kucinich’s Congressional campaign and later served as a deputy field director, staff assistant and staff director.

He earned his bachelor’s in political science and communication, legal institutions, economics and government from AU. He was the first-ever student director of AU’s School of Public Affairs Leadership Program, founded its speakers’ series and wrote its first strategic plan. He was a member of several collegiate honor societies and president of AU’s Circle K International, a collegiate community-service organization.

His post-college organizing and lobbying took him to a number of different states.

PGN

Kaskey served as the Iowa Caucus field organizer for Dick Gephardt’s presidential campaign from 2003-04; the statewide field director of the House Democratic Campaign Committee of the Missouri Democratic Party in 2004; a consultant and campaign manager for the Palatine Township Democratic Organization in Chicago in 2005; field organizer for Grassroots Solutions in Minneapolis from 2004-06; and state canvas director of the Ohio Education Association Independent Expenditure Campaign in 2006.

In 2006, The Advocate named him to its “Top 25 Under 25” list of LGBT leaders.

“He was an organizer, that’s what he did,” Kaskey’s father said. “If he had a cause, he would totally focus on getting people involved. He just had that quality. Before he moved to Philadelphia, he was in Chicago when Barack Obama was a state senator and went out and had drinks with him a couple times. He was a politics geek, an organizer and just loved and lived for that stuff.”

Outside of politics, he supported causes like Philadelphia’s AIDS Walk, sat on the board of Spiral Q Puppet Theater from 2008-10 and volunteered in ActionAIDS’ Buddy Program from 2007-09.

Hrubos said Kaskey was a social-media whiz, who often jokingly posted “how-to” tech guides on her Facebook wall.

“He would get excited about nerdy things.

I’m pretty sure one time he used the word ‘geektastic’ multiple times in a five-minute span,” she laughed. “He loved to learn, and he loved to share that with others.”

Kaskey was also a fierce friend, Hrubos said, and one who embraced affection.

“He was a truly wonderful friend, just a really warm and loving person. I don’t think I have a friend who I’ve hugged and kissed more than him, that’s just how he was; every greeting was always so full of affection,” she said, noting he often went above and beyond for those in his life.

“He treated every visit like it was a special occasion. I went to his apartment for dinner one time and walked into a candlelit living room and he had made all these little hors d’oeuvres and was cooking dinner.

It felt like we were on a date,” Hrubos laughed. “But he was just so cute like that.

He was always going out of his way to do nice things for other people.”

Tom said his son’s passion for people permeated his personal and professional life, and positively influenced those with whom he came into contact.

“It was an honor having him as a son, an honor. He made everybody a little better; he made me better just by being himself. When he stepped into a room, he lit it up. He just had that quality. It’s a loss, a tragic loss, and not just for us, but to society.”

In addition to his father, Kaskey is survived by his mother, Pat, and sister, Katie.

A memorial is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sept.

12 at Olmsted Falls Community Church, 7853 Main St., Olmsted Falls, OH 44138.

Donations can be made to the Olmsted Falls Endowment and Alumni in care of the Jake Kaskey Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 38244, Olmsted Falls, OH 44138. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

13

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International Nepal’s LGBT parade demands rights Hundreds of LGBTs paraded through Nepal’s capital Aug. 30 to demand that rights for sexual minorities be included in the country’s new constitution that is being finalized.

T h e c o l o r f u l r a l l y i n d ow n t ow n Kathmandu, an annual affair, drew about 500 participants.

“Our main demand is that the rights of sexual minorities should be guaranteed in the new constitution,” said Pinky Gurung of the Blue Diamond Society, an LGBT-rights group in Nepal.

They are also demanding same-sex marriage be guaranteed in the new constitution, permitting gay and lesbian couples the right to adopt, buy joint property, open joint bank accounts and inherit from one another.

Nepal this year issued passports under the category “others” for those who do not want to be identified as male or female.

People who identify themselves as “third gender” have also been issued citizenship certificates by the Nepalese government. But the community is saying only a few have been issued and it is still difficult to get them from government offices.

The parade has been held annually for the past few years on Gaijatra, a Hindu festival to remember the dead.

The much-delayed constitution draft is being finalized by members of the Constituent Assembly, but political parties are still unable to agree on the number and border of the proposed federal states.

Senegal activist: Release seven convicted of gay acts A Senegalese activist has called for the release of seven men arrested in July and sentenced to six months in prison for homosexual acts.

Djamil Bangoura, president of LGBT-

PGN is happy to publish your wedding/civil union/commitment ceremony announcement. E-mail information to editor@epgn.com or fax us at (215) 925-6437.

rights group Prudence, said Aug. 28 that Senegal must stop condemning LGBT people. He said he wants the laws changed but also contends people are being convicted with insufficient evidence.

Bangoura said police arrested the seven at one of the men’s homes after his mother reported them. He said they were arrested without a warrant. Neither the mother nor police officers testified before the conclusion of the trial last week.

Same-sex conduct is criminalized in 36 African countries, including Senegal.

A well-known Senegalese journalist was sentenced in July to six months in prison for acts of homosexuality.

Singapore softens HIV ban Singapore officials said Aug. 31 the country has lifted a two-decade ban on HIVinfected people entering the country, but will limit their stay to a maximum of three months.

The Health Ministry said the ban was lifted April 1, “given the current context with more than 5,000 Singapore residents living with HIV and the availability of effective treatment for the disease.”

The three-month restriction is apparently aimed at preventing long-term residence by foreigners, such as those looking to work in the island nation or looking to accompany a child studying there.

“The policy on the repatriation and permanent blacklisting of HIV-positive foreigners was recommended in the late 1980s when the disease was new, fatal and no effective treatment was available,” a ministry spokesman said in an e-mail reply to The Associated Press.

While a short-term visit “poses very low additional risk of HIV transmission to the local population,” the ban on a long-term one remains as “the public-health risk posed by long-stayers is not insignificant,” the spokesman said.

Countries such as Australia and New Zealand have similar restrictions on longterm visitors with HIV. Short-term visitors to Singapore have to obtain a Social Visit Pass that is valid for two to four weeks, and may subsequently be renewed for up to three months. Pass holders are not allowed to work in the city-state. n — compiled by Larry Nichols

ment and housing, but we need protection the notion of such a defense has also been in all sorts of areas, and that includes in the raised in this past spring’s murder of Scott moment of death. It’s about the dignity of Bernheisel, whose body was found in a suit- the human being who’s been murdered, for case near Philadelphia International Airport. their families and for the people seeking And Charles Sargent, the defendant in last justice for them. To be discriminated against year’s murder of trans woman Diamond in your final moment is barbaric,” she said.

Williams, proposed “trans panic” as the rea- “The more we can have people find safe son he killed her, though that case has yet to housing and employment, maybe we can start limiting the rates of victimization we’re reach trial. seeing. While these are “The defense and very different things variances of that defense “The more we can happening in Harrisburg work themselves into have people find safe right now, they’re both far too many crimiabout basic human dignal cases we see in housing and employnity.”

Philadelphia and I’m ment, maybe we can Schlossberg acknowlsure across the nation,” said Nellie Fitzpatrick, start limiting the rates edged that the current of the legisladirector of the city’s of victimization we’re makeup ture could make it difOffice of LGBT Affairs. ficult for the legislation “Basically what it looks seeing. While these to advance this session, like is a horrific crime though he is determined of violence happens and are very different to take it as far as posthis type of defense gives things happening in sible, and is looking for the defendant an opporRepublican support as tunity to say, ‘Oh well, Harrisburg right now, well. because of your sexual they’re both about “It’s certainly difficult orientation or because for Democratic pieces of of how I perceived your basic human dignity.” legislation to get over the gender, I saw red and lost it.’ To me, that really isn’t even a panic finish line right now, and we still definitely struggle to get pro-LGBT legislation moved defense, it’s a license to kill.”

The bill was introduced the same week forward,” he said. “If it were to come up for the long-stalled antibias bill made its way a vote, I have no doubt the vast majority of Republicans would vote for it. It’s the same back into the House and Senate.

Fitzpatrick said both issues seem to go thing with the antidiscrimination legislation; if that were to come up for a vote, I bet it hand in hand.

“When I explain the need for nondiscrim- would get about 160 votes out of the 203 ination laws, it’s easy to talk about how we in the House. It’s a difficult thing to justify need protection when it comes to employ- opposition to discrimination anymore.” n PANIC from page 1

COsPONsORs from page 1

the issue in a lot of ways, which I think made them signing on as cosponsors easier for quite a few of them,” said Equality PA executive director Ted Martin, who is also board president of PA Competes, a new coalition that is building business support for the bills. “And in the Philadelphia suburbs, these are primarily areas that have their own nondiscrimination ordinances, so people who live there can go to their legislators and explain how the law has improved the community, but also how weird it is that it ends at the border of the community.”

Of the Senate bill’s 25 cosponsors, seven represent districts in Philadelphia, including Sens. Art Haywood (D-Fourth Dist.) and John Sabatina (D-Fifth Dist.), who are new to the legislature. Four come from the Philadelphia suburbs, including Republican Sens. Charles McIlhinney (10th Dist.) and Dominic Pileggi (Ninth Dist.), who are first-time cosponsors.

The other areas of the state are also well-represented. On the House bill, 18 Democrats from Western Pennsylvania are cosponsors, as well as 12 from Central Pennsylvania and seven from Northeastern.

The only lawmaker in the House who cosponsored last session but not this session is Democratic Rep. Tim Mahoney.

Of the approximately two-dozen lawmakers new to the legislature this ses-

sion, the bill picked up nine cosponsors: Democratic Reps. Jason Dawkins, Leslie Acosta, Michael Driscoll, Peter Schweyer, Leanne Krueger-Braneky, Donna Bullock and Joanna McClinton and Republican Reps. Aaron Kaufer and James Santora.

It also garnered support from returning legislators who had not cosponsored before, all of whom are Republicans: Reps. Robert Godshall, Kate Harper, Warren Kampf, Scott Petri, Marguerite Quinn, Todd Stephens and lead cosponsor Tom Killion.

There is also new Republican support for the Senate bill, such as from Central Pennsylvania lawmakers, where three of the five cosponsoring legislators — including first-time cosponsor Patricia Vance (31st Dist.) and freshman lawmaker Scott Wagner (28th Dist.) — are Republicans. They are joined by four Northeast Pennsylvania lawmakers, including freshman Republican Sen. Mario Scavello (40th Dist.), as well as five Democrats from Western Pennsylvania.

Also new to this session’s effort is record business support. Just this week, Penn State University became a PA Competes member, joining more than 400 other companies backing the initiative.

“The corporate support we’ve seen is really unprecedented,” Martin said. “Dow, Alcoa, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, PNC; it’s an enormous support and I think that’s sending a message.” n

PGN POLICE from page 1

so he could see his rear end; pinching DeMent’s upper leg under a table; calling him “cute” and “handsome;” caressing DeMent’s cheek in a suggestive manner; asking DeMent to “talk dirty to me, baby;” offering to “run away” with DeMent; and texting messages of a sexual nature to DeMent.

“My client is very eager to return to work,” Wall said. “He could have continued working without a break, with minimal accommodations since June 12, when he was sent home.”

DeMent is seeking an unspecified amount CAMPUs from page 7

100 questions affirmatively.

“It feels good to students to be in a place they know is inclusive,” Schoenberg said, noting that even non-LGBT people feel a strong alliance because of friends or family members in the community. “It’s a very good recruiting tool.”

He said when a school has a reputation for supporting LGBT-inclusiveness, it tends to mean the school supports inclusive practices for other minority groups as well.

Some of the successes at Penn include the Preferred Name Initiative, which helps gender-nonconforming students change their names on school documents.

There is also a push to create single-use gender-nondescript bathrooms on campus.

The LGBT Center provides a travel fund to send students to things like the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Conference at the end of September in Portland, Ore., and the Creating Change Conference in January in Chicago.

TRANsMIssIONs from page 11

through a number of websites such as wholesalehalloweencostumes.com — released its own. It too features the Vanity Fair look, but adds a parade sash emblazoned with “Call Me Caitlyn.” Here’s the big difference between the two: A stocky male with an arm tattoo and 5 o’clock shadow is modeling the latter.

While Spirit’s costume is presented in a much more attractive fashion — and with a feminine-appearing model — both are problematic. The latter even much more so.

I mentioned earlier about how Halloween has increasingly become an adult holiday. With that in mind, the costumes have become far more over the top, reveling in more adult themes than one might have seen in the past. Zombies are more rotten and bloody, most gear for women is presented in a “sexy” version and some costumes are meant to be mean-spirited and controversial.

The Jenner costume is not likely to be worn to “celebrate” Jenner, any more than a rubber Donald Trump mask is likely going to be used to support The Donald.

While Spirit has attempted to show the costume worn in an “appropriate” fashion, it seems obvious to me that its audience is

in punitive and compensatory damages. A jury trial was requested. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert G. Kugler, based in Camden.

Cavallo and the township recently asked Kugler to toss out a major portion of DeMent’s lawsuit, on the basis that DeMent can’t perform the essential functions of a police officer due to his vision impairment.

That request was pending as of presstime.

Haddon Township solicitor Eric J. Riso said: “Mr. DeMent’s allegations are without merit, and both Haddon Township and Chief Cavallo intend to defend this matter vigorously.” n A research fund is also available through the LGBT Center.

Schoenberg said the Campus Pride Index confirmed areas of improvement for Penn as well. He said the LGBT Center will redouble its efforts with faculty.

“We’re trying to increase the number of out LGBT faculty members and faculty who are doing substantial research in areas of interest to the LGBT community,” Schoenberg said. “It’s still fairly rare to see out LGBT members at the front of the classroom.”

He said that work requires training search committees to be sensitive to sexuality and gender identity, instructing hiring officials about where to place ads for open positions to attract LGBT academics and putting policies in place to make it easier for potential faculty members to support their partners who come with them.

For full Campus Pride Index results, visit www.campuspride. org/2015-top-25-list. n going to be the same sort of schlub shown by that other retailer.

We live in a year when transgender people are gaining visibility like we haven’t seen before. We’re also living in a time when our deaths are being reported in very high numbers, likely as a backlash to this visibility. Do we need to see this sort of mockery on Halloween?

We’re not talking about a light-hearted jest here — but with people’s real lives.

One might say Jenner is a public figure, and this is simply what happens. There’s some truth to that. This isn’t about Jenner though, so much as it is about Jenner being transgender. More than that, it’s about Jenner having presented as male in the past, and now being female — and trying to point out what the costume wearer feels about Jenner’s gender.

Halloween when I was a kid was transformative, allowing us to share our desires and interests. With that in mind, I suggest this: A person who mocks Jenner with an ill-gendered costume says far more about themselves than they ever say about her. n Gwen Smith never had a Reneé Richards costume. You can find her on Twitter at @gwenners.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

PGN recently received two awards from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Excellence in Journalism Awards.

PGN publisher Mark Segal took the first-place spot for Excellence in Opinion/Editorial Writing for his Mark My Words column.

PGN art director/photographer Scott A. Drake won the second-place award for Excellence in Photojournalism for his “Pride in Philly” photo.

PGN is the only LGBT local to win an award in more than one category.

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

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Media Trail

Some lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to void the policy earlier this year.

A legislative committee voted last week to prepare a proposal for the 2016 session to require that students play on the team matching the gender listed on their birth certificates.

Activities association board members in June directed further revisions to the presented policy, in part based on concerns from legislators.

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WTVA.com reports four lesbian couples are asking a federal judge to immediately stop Mississippi from enforcing a law that bans samesex couples from adopting or taking children into foster care.

The request for a preliminary injunction comes in court papers filed Aug. 28. It says an injunction would only affect the four couples who are plaintiffs.

The couples and two LGBT-rights groups filed suit Aug. 12 to challenge the 1999 adoption ban.

It was not immediately clear how soon U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan would consider the request.

The couples point out that Republican Gov. Phil Bryant said in his 2014 State of the State address that he wanted all children to be born into a “mature, two-parent family.” They say allowing same-sex couples to adopt would help fulfill that goal.

Group gives first nod to trans athlete rule changes KSL.com reports the South Dakota High School Activities Association has taken the first step to change its policy on transgender student participation in athletics amid concerns among state lawmakers about the rules.

The association’s board of directors gave first approval Aug. 27 to the revisions, which would be finalized at a later meeting.

The policy provides a way for transgender students to request to participate on the team reflecting their gender identities.

NBC News reports the Mormon Church, the nation’s largest sponsor of Boy Scouts units, is keeping its longtime affiliation with the organization, despite the BSA’s decision to allow gay troop leaders.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the decision Aug. 26 in a news release.

Church leaders decided to stay with the Boy Scouts after getting assurances they can appoint troop leaders according to their own religious and moral values.

The church “will appoint Scout leaders and volunteers who uphold and exemplify church doctrine, values and standards,” Mormon leaders said in the statement. The decision comes as something of a surprise. Mormon leaders had said they were deeply troubled after the Boy Scouts organization announced July 28 that it would lift its ban on gay adult leaders, while allowing church-sponsored Scout units to continue excluding gay adults.

As American culture accepts gays and lesbians, the Mormon religion is trying to strike a balance between adhering to its basic tenets and acknowledging cultural shifts in the world. The church said it will continue evaluating and is open to alternatives to the Boy Scouts.

Mormon leaders have softened their tone about gays and lesbians in recent years. Church leaders were involved in legislation enacted in Utah in March that extended nondiscrimination protections to LGBT people.

But those leaders have also made it clear that the church still opposes gay marriage and believes homosexual activity is a sin. n — compiled by Larry Nichols

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October is LGBT History Month.

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Exclusive LGBT history coverage throughout the month.

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HAVE MORE FUN THIS FALL IN BALTIMORE. From Pride to paperbacks and flowers to music festivals, there’s an exciting event waiting for you this fall in Baltimore.

FLOWERMART

Mount Vernon Place September 12, 2015

Buy plants and flowers, crafts, garden gnomes and more at the beloved Baltimore FlowerMart. Also on hand will be wellness experts, commercial vendors and live entertainment performing on two stages. A perfect way to spend a fall day— and it’s free!

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Carroll Park September 19, 2015

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Inner Harbor September 25–27, 2015

It’s bookworm heaven at the 20th annual Baltimore Book Festival, featuring hundreds of local and national authors speaking on 10 stages, as well as cooking demos, poetry, workshops, panel discussions, live music, food and more.

BALTIMORE BLACK PRIDE

Locations throughout Baltimore October 8–11, 2015

Black Pride brings the community together to embrace and celebrate diversity with a full schedule of events, including workshops and town hall meetings, entertainment and the annual Cultural Affair and Fall Festival.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

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Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly

Page Page Page Page

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Tomlin

on Top

Queer queen of comedy shines in ‘Grandma’

By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor Lily Tomlin is poignant and hilarious as Elle, the acerbic title character in “Grandma.” This enjoyable lark, written and directed by Paul Weitz, gives the iconic comedienne a juicy role, one she was born to play, and Tomlin tears into it with the gusto of a pit bull with a chew toy.

The film opens with an ending: Elle, a poet and “unemployed academic,” is breaking up with her much-younger girlfriend, Olivia (Judy Greer). Elle’s deadpan response to the relationship’s failure — “I need to vacuum” — is both funny and telling; it completely brushes aside Olivia’s feelings and masks the deeper pain Elle feels too but is perhaps too proud to express.

The story begins in earnest when Elle’s granddaughter, Sage (Julia Garner), turns up on her doorstep hoping to get $630 for an abortion. Sage does not want to tell her bossy mother, Judy, (Marcia Gay Harden), about her pregnancy, and hopes her grandma can help her resolve her problem quickly and discreetly. Elle is sympathetic, but doesn’t have the money;

she cut up her credit cards after paying off $27,000 of debt in hospital bills for her late lover.

Thus, the two women embark on a local, day-long road trip to visit various women and a man (Sam Elliott) Elle has known over the years who might be able to help them out with a loan.

“Grandma” is a slight, contrived story, but it yields many pleasures, most notably when Tomlin is dispensing bracingly funny one-liners, from throwaway jokes about “rapidly approaching 50,” to how “assholes” make her angry. The film is more than just a fantastic showcase for the actor, but a chance for Tomlin to play a lesbian character who was part of the feminist movement and now is living in a world where her own granddaughter does not know who Betty Friedan is.

Weitz’s smart, quick-witted script mines much of its humor from Elle’s droll responses to the younger generation.

Tomlin plays the irascible character as someone who struggled all her life and has little patience for anyone who is not as tough as she is. Case in point: her encounter with Cam (Nat Wolff), the teen who impregnated Sage. He is not very responsible when PAGE 24

Lily Speaks Out

Tomlin chatted about “Grandma” and her experiences as a young woman, the feminist movement, tattoos and getting punched in the face.

PGN: As a teenager, who would you have run to if you got into trouble like Sage did?

LT: I had some adult friends, grown women 10-15 years older than I was. They lived in the apartment building I grew up in. We’ve stayed friends. One woman is in her 90s now. So I would have gone to one of those women. I had a quality about me — an air of independence — that made me seem probably older than I was.

I would babysit their children, though I wasn’t much older than their kids.

PGN: One of the points in “Grandma” is that there is a generation that does not understand — or perhaps does not want to understand — the difficulties women and LGBT people have faced in the recent past.

LT: I’m sad the younger generation doesn’t know many people in the women’s movement particularly. There is more effort in the gay community about celebrating its heroes, like Harvey Milk.

PGN: You have rarely played openly gay characters on screen. Was there a reason for that?

LT: In “Tea with Mussolini,” I played an archeologist, but not much was made of her lesbianism. I did try to get the Cher part in “Silkwood.”

Nora Ephron had called me and wanted me to have the part, but Mike Nichols wasn’t inclined towards me. I was never really offered anything.

There weren’t that many lesbian parts out there.

PGN: How did you find a way to create Elle so that she wasn’t “Lily Tomlin”?

LT: I didn’t struggle to create a character. I didn’t have to wear a wig or anything, like I have to in big studio movies to identify the characters’ culture or type. It was my own hair, makeup, clothes and car. I think Elle was just well-created; the script was so fluid and so perfect. It is like “Grace and Frankie.”

PGN: Elle ends a relationship with Olivia, brushing aside her lover’s feelings, masking her own pain and pride. How do you see her character?

LT: Olivia just wants something Elle can’t give her at that point in her life. Elle’s still grieving from Violet’s death and PAGE 24

24

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TOMLIN from page 23

it comes to dealing with Sage’s situation, and how Elle handles him is a comic highlight.

When Elle and Sage get into an old Dodge that has trouble starting, it is as much a metaphor for the characters facing a moment of difficulty as it is foreshadowing car trouble later. The script is never subtle, but neither is Elle, who gets to beat up a character and also take a punch. The film’s physical comedy is amusing because the players tackle their roles with noticeable relish. The verbal dexterity is an asset as well.

Sage calls Elle a “philanthrope” when she means misanthrope, and there are discussions about the term “slut” that provide some intergenerational female-centric bonding.

The film also offers some terrific supporting moments, as when Elle visits with her old friend, Deathy (Laverne Cox), a tattoo parlor artist, in the hopes of collecting some cash. Their exchange, in which the women reminisce about old times, is lovely, if all too brief. Cox has such a warm presence that viewers will want more of her, but at a brisk 79 minutes, “Grandma” needs to keep moving.

Another key episode involves Elle paying a call to Karl (Elliott), a man she once loved and lived with and dubs “the ogre.” Their conversation, about how their lives have changed over the past 30 years and what they owe one another, is especially touching. Weitz mines this scene for humor as well, with the pair smoking a joint together as a way of remembering their past and dealing with the present. More imporLILY from page 23

turning away from that is a kind of betrayal.

So she seizes the break-up in her own defense. When you have a long-term relationship, it takes a while to get over it. So if Olivia can’t take Elle on her own terms, she needs to split.

PGN: Speaking of long-term relationships, how is married life?

LT: Very sweet. We’ve been together a long time. We weren’t going to get married. We used to say we weren’t interested in imitating heterosexuals. But so many people asked us, so we decided, let’s get married. And we did, on New Year’s Eve 2013. We were glad that it comes to pass.

PGN: Do you have any tattoos, like Elle does?

LT: [Laughs] I don’t like tattoos but I like to look at them on other people. I wouldn’t want to have a tattoo myself. I have played a lot of characters with tattoos. I had a butterfly in “Flirting with Disaster” and one in “Admission.”

PGN: What about giving and getting a punch as Elle does? Have you had any notable altercations?

LT: I once had a guy punch me in the face

tantly, the encounter provides Elle with some soul-searching moments that Sage can also relate to. The parallels add a layer of poignancy.

If Sage’s character is the force that drives the story, she is more a straight (wo)man for Elle, who bulldozes her way into every scene. A visit to a cafe where her friend Carla (the late Elizabeth Peña) works has Elle acting out and lashing out, leaving a stunned Sage in her wake. It shows how Elle’s behavior is not always admirable.

If the story is episodic, “Grandma” is consistently fun because Tomlin makes Elle’s hard demeanor refreshing. When Judy enters the picture — and Gay Harden plays the protective momma-bear role to the shrewish hilt — there is perhaps a justification for Elle’s attitude, but the mother-daughter bonds seem real.

The film also does not cop out in its final moments, even when it threatens to become warm and fuzzy.

“Grandma” is yet another abortion comedy that joins “Juno” and “Obvious Child” in making light of a delicate situation. But it delivers the laughs thanks to Tomlin’s crackerjack timing and its cogent observations about feminism and sisterhood. n in a bar. It was years and years ago. I’m a mouthy person. I’ve mellowed somewhat.

But at the time, I put a dollar in a jukebox in a bar in the Lower East Side of New York, and this punky guy from the neighborhood came in. It was a dive bar, where some lowgrade mobsters might come in at the end of the night. And this guy comes in and tells someone to unplug the jukebox. When the guy came over to unplug the jukebox, he looked over at me and asked if I minded. I said I did; I had money in it. And the punky guy came over and roughed my shoulders and said, “You don’t mind. Do you?!” And I threw a glass of water in his face. He gave me a black eye. I cried for days, I was so horrified and trespassed.

PGN: Wow! What was your relationship with your mother and your grandmother like?

LT: I was close to my mother and grandmother. My grandmother died in the 1980s.

She had a lively personality. She was sweet and docile. My mother, who died 10 years ago, was very witty and kind and everybody loved her. She was never ridiculing or sarcastic — very upbeat. I wouldn’t have gone to her with anything like Sage does; I would have taken care of it myself, or gone to my friend who was a mature woman. n

PROFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

25

Suzi Nash

Connie Labouff: Safety, security and saving lives Last week, one of our own became a real-life hero. A lead transportation security officer with the Transportation Security Administration, Connie Labouff was just about to clock out when an incident at work caused her to jump into action and use her life-saving CPR training to keep a man from clocking out permanently. She shared her story in an effort to make everyone aware of how a few hours of your time could save a life.

PGN: Where are you from?

CL: I grew up right over the bridge in Haddon Township, N.J. PGN: What was life like growing up in Haddon Township?

CL: Well, we lived in California until I was about 10, which is where my half-sister still lives. My full sister and I are very different so it was interesting. I think we balanced each other out. She’s more artsy, which I appreciate but can’t do. Well, I did some welding but that was it.

PGN: Welding as in pipes like in “Flash Dance” or sculptures?

CL: I got a welding certificate from the Burlington County Community College, which was for traditional welding, but I primarily did artistic welding, sculptures.

PGN: What was your favorite piece?

CL: I made a pregnant angel for Angela (I call her my angel) when she was pregnant with our oldest son. It’s a silhouette with angel wings in the back and a pregnant belly.

PGN: Any other hidden talents?

CL: Ha! My mom used to say that I dabbled in everything without committing to anything. I taught snowboarding in Breckenridge, Colo., for a couple of years, I worked at a gym for a while, you name it.

PGN: You’ve been all over the place!

CL: [Laughs] Yes, I was in West Point as well for two years until I tore my ACL and left the school. I decided to go to Colorado and hang out and got a job teaching snowboarding. After that, I spent a year in California with my half-sister and then came back to this area.

PGN: What was West Point like?

CL: It was intense, but I kind of like that. I loved the camaraderie and the competition and would have loved to have graduated from there, but my personality didn’t fit the military at that point. My uncle was killed in Iraq and it takes a very specific person to be able to compartmentalize their feelings in wartime. I couldn’t.

PGN: The best and craziest moments at West Point?

CL: The best moment was probably during our summer training. They had this really big rope you had to climb up and none of the girls could do it. There was this one really loud girl who kept bragging that she could do it. I was a recruited athlete and knew that I was pretty strong but I just kept quiet. She went up first and was getting close but then got winded and didn’t make it. I went after her and without a word made it all the way to the top. It was a perfect moment for my personality. I’m not a really showboat-y person; I’d rather let my actions speak for me. The craziest moment was probably the gas-chamber training. They put you in a little room with C4 tear gas and you have to take off your mask for like 10 seconds and you come out all drippy and teary.

PGN: You were there before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Was there much homophobia? Were people afraid of being outed?

CL: Not really. It didn’t feel like they were shark-dogging for it. I didn’t have a girlfriend at the time but there were upper classmen who were gay and they didn’t bother to hide it very well. We were women who were all pretty athletic and strong both mentally and physically and we were more concerned about the competition and getting things done.

mies — are all Division 1 schools, so they all have sports teams and departments. I was recruited for track and field. I threw javelin in high school and was second in the state my junior year. I played soccer as well.

PGN: I guess javelin could be useful on the battlefield. By the way, what do the folks do?

CL: My dad is a loan rep and my mom is an assistant principal at Seneca High School.

PGN: Was she your assistant principal?

CL: No, I went to Haddon Township High School, but we have history there. My mother went to Haddon, I went there and now my two boys are in Haddon Township schools. It’s kind of cool.

PGN: What brought you to Philly?

CL: My grandparents were getting older.

My pop-pop is … was — he just passed away a year ago … he was 100-percent Italian and my nana was 100-percent Russian. Family is really important to us

It was near the Fourth of July, which is fun because now every Fourth, I’m like, “Aww, remember when we met?”

PGN: And now you’re back in Jersey.

CL: Yes, we were living in the city but when we had kids we needed more space, so I figured we might as well go back to a place I was familiar with. We have two sons, Gavin who’s 6 and Logan who’s 4.

PGN: What’s something funny that one of them did recently?

CL: Um, we were at my parents’ house swimming in their pool and complaining about the mosquitoes. Gavin said, “Not getting mosquito bites, yay! Getting mosquito bites, whomp, whomp, whomp, wah … ” He does a lot of crazy sound effects that make us laugh.

PGN: Something surprising about being a parent?

CL: People always say that it takes a lot to become a parent, but I think you don’t realize how much that means until you’re there. To be needed all the time, 24/7.

You’re always on.

PGN: How did you end up with the TSA? CL: I have a security background and I started working as a bouncer at an after-hours club for extra money, but once we had Gavin I needed to find something more stable with benefits and health care where I wouldn’t be out all night. I heard about this job and took it.

PGN: You must have been proud of the two female rangers who just made it through the training.

CL: Oh yeah, they were West Point grads too, which was cool. Most men can’t get through the cycle so it was pretty awesome.

PGN: You said it was physically and mentally challenging. What were the mental challenges?

CL: Things like, during freshman year, you can talk in your living space and in your academic buildings but you’re not allowed to talk outside of those two areas … at all.

You have to walk with your hands balled at all times unless you’re in an academic building and greet every single upperclassman you pass with a good morning (or afternoon), sir! Things like that. I was blessed that, since I was recruited as an athlete, I got to get away from some of the academic stuff, but for a lot of people it’s really difficult. Most of us were used to being the best but at West Point they only recruit the best, so you go from being special to one of many at the same level, whether athletically or intellectually. Everybody is a top dog and the classes are extremely hard and people find themselves getting bad grades for the first time in their lives.

PGN: I didn’t know they recruited athletes.

CL: Yes, all the academies — West Point, Annapolis, Coast Guard and Navy acade-

and we would do a family dinner every other week. They’d send me pictures of everyone together with an empty spot for me and I thought, Man, I want to be there.

They were getting older and I didn’t want to miss anymore time with them.

PGN: When did you meet your partner?

CL: Angela Carol, I met her a year after I got back. I was working at a skate shop and a friend of hers was into skateboarding. I saw them out one time and we met.

Photo: Suzi Nash

PGN: What are some of the interesting things you had to learn for the job?

CL: The ever-changing policies and equipment.

We constantly are doing updated trainings and taking courses to keep up because the threat that we’re facing is ever-changing as well.

The agency is also changing from being very reactive to proactive.

PGN: So most of us wonder things like, so why can I take 3 ounces but not 4 ounces on a plane?

CL: Well, it’s interesting for us because we get all the back stories that the public doesn’t see. When someone argues, “It’s just a bottle of water!” we can’t respond, “Well you say so, but it might not be.”

Part of our job is our customer service and being polite, but we PAGE 34

Grand Opening Celebration featuring One Of Broadway & Cabaret’s Greatest Performers

Karen mason NEXT TO NORMA (Desmond, that is!)

From Beatles To Broadway

OcTObeR 9 & 10

TONY AWARD LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT

tommY tune

A DIVINE EVENING WITH

Charles busCh with Tom Judson at the piano

PGN Guide to the Gayborhood

World Class Cabaret returns to PhiladelPhia this sePtember!

SePTembeR 19

Since 1976

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

Boxers

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

“TAPS, TUNES AND TALL TALES” ❍

OcTObeR 11

amanda mcbroom

<—

❍

Rosewood

Chancellor St.

❍

linda laVin “STARTING OVER”

Well-strunG

❍

St. James St.

Locust St.

❍

<—

❒ ❒

Camac St.

NOvembeR 6 & 7

Latimer St.

❍ Manning St.

❍

❍ Spruce St.

“POPssical” CD Release Concerts

with

William Way LGBT Community Center

Musical Director and Special Guest Violinist Aaron Weinstein

1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org

billY stritCh,

A resource for all things LGBT

Voyeur

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

U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660

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

Tavern on Camac

NOvembeR 13

An An Intimate Evening With

rhonda ross

NOvembeR 15

andrea marCoViCCi

“LET’S GET LOST” with SHELLY MARKHAM, Musical Director

DecembeR 18 & 19

maureen mcGoVern “HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”

NOvembeR 14

Varla Jean merman’s “BIG BLACK HOLE” Direct From Her Sold Out 10-Week Provincetown Engagement!

with JEFF HARRIS, Musical Director

PrinceTheater.org/TheRRazzroom • 215-422-4580

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

❍ 13th St.

OcTObeR 17

The Bike Stop

Walnut St.

OcTObeR 16

mixed with a cutting wit and a sharply tuned social conscience.

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

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

❍ ❍

“LET’S FALL IN LOVE”

nellie mcKaY Part cabaret, part sparkly pop

Tabu

Woody’s

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

11th St.

SePTembeR 18

Come To The CabareT

The

Quince St.

the

PGN

12th St.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

Juniper St.

26

West of Broad Street Stir Lounge

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

The Attic Youth Center

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

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

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

ICandy

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

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

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

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

PGN

Eating Out Should Be Fun! Read PGNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month

- and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

Arts & Entertainment PGN

Novelist takes beloved, aging characters to P-Town

By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com In his latest novel, “An Older Man,” out novelist and former PGN columnist Wayne Hoffman is revisiting characters he created in his acclaimed first novel, “Hard,” which came out in 2006.

“Hard” followed a group of gay men in 1990s New York City, including activist Moe Pearlman, who were searching for sex and romance against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic, antigay repression and the challenges they faced simply by getting older. Now, in the new novel, these characters are trying to navigate life and happiness in their 40s.

“During ‘Hard,’ the characters are still in their 20s and in some cases in their teens and 30s and they don’t think about what middle age is going to look like,” Hoffman said. “So I think they hadn’t stopped to think about what might come and what it might do to their desires and their relationships and their feelings around sex and community. I don’t think anyone sits back and thinks, I wonder who I’ll be having sex with in 30 years? Some of it catches them by surprise and some are just like, ‘I’m here and I guess I should be happy that I’m here.’”

Hoffman added that he didn’t envision himself revisiting these characters when he wrote “Hard.”

“I never intended to, originally,” he said. “When I finished ‘Hard,’ I moved on and I wrote a different book. It was only after I turned 40 — I’m 44 now — that I started thinking about what it means to get older as a sexually active gay man. I was thinking what I was going through and what friends of mine who are my age are going through and I realized, Oh, you know who’s going through the same things? Moe Pearlman, who is roughly my age. It wasn’t just that I wanted to check in with Moe and his friends. It’s that I wanted to explore what gay men go through when they hit their 40s and their 50s. And Moe seemed like the perfect vehicle to do that. Some readers already knew who Moe was, so seeing his evolution would be more meaningful than

starting over with a new character.”

Hoffman, who lives in New York City, moved the action in “An Older Man” away from the city and instead catches up with the characters in Provincetown, Mass., during Bear Week.

Hoffman said the change in scenery was necessary for the story.

“It didn’t have to be Provincetown but it had to be a vacation,” he said.

“Whatever your regular rituals are, it’s hard to step back and see where you are in life because you are running on autopilot all the time. What Moe needed to do is step outside of his life for a minute to take stock of things. It doesn’t take long. In the span of a week, he can get enough distance from his life to see what is still working and what is not working and what is missing. That’s why I needed him to go on vacation. You don’t have time when you are working to really see what is happening with your life. Once I knew he had to be on vacation, Bear Week seemed like the perfect place. It’s not just any week. It’s a place where someone like Moe who, even in his 40s, is still hung up on his body image, can be challenged in a positive way and people can make him feel better about himself. I wanted him to be in that kind of place, an affirming, safe place for him to look at himself and look at his life with a clear eye. To do that, he needed to be in a place where he was surrounded by people who love him and supported him. And still, he needs to look at his life and see what is not working.”

So will we see another novel in a few years where Moe and company are in their 60s?

“I didn’t see going back to Moe in his 40s until a couple of years ago so I don’t know,” Hoffman said. “Right now, I don’t have anything planned.” n “An Older Man” is available through Bear Bones Books. Hoffman will host a reading from the book, along with author Thom Nickels, 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. For more information, call 215-923-2960 or visit www. waynehoffmanwriter.com.

Theater & Arts According to Goldman Act II Playhouse presents a comedy about a screenwriter turned professor trying to break back into the biz in Hollywood Sept. 8-Oct. 4, 56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler; 215-6540200.

Andy: A Popera Opera Philadelphia and The Bearded Ladies present a musical based on the life and philosophy of Andy Warhol Sept. 10-20, 1526 N. American St.; 215-893-3600.

Dave Attell The comedian performs through Sept. 6 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215496-9001.

Defiant Archives The William Way LGBT Community Center presents a collection of archival and personal items with a focus on the history of transgender activism in Philadelphia, curated and collected by local trans community members, through Sept.

20, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220.

Discovering the Impressionists: Paul DurandRuel and the New Painting Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of paintings that reveal the story of Monet, Renoir, Degas, Manet, Pissarro and their visionary art dealer and champion, Paul Durand-Ruel, through Sept. 13, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Genghis Khan: Bring the Legend to Life The Franklin Institute presents the story of one of the world’s greatest leaders through Jan. 3, 20th Street and the Parkway; www. fi.edu.

Herman Leonard: Jazz Portraits An exhibition of photographs from the master portrait photographer featuring jazz legends such as Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and many more from 194060 through Oct. 11 at Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine St.; 215-3409800.

High Society Walnut Street Theatre presents Cole Porter’s feelgood musical about a socialite preparing for her lavish summer wedding Sept. 8-Oct. 25, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.

Iliza Shlesinger The comedian performs Sept. 10-12 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001.

Into Dust: Traces of the Fragile in Contemporary Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition about the distinctions between the corporeal and transcendental, emergence and decay, belonging and displacement, life and death, through Oct. 25, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Northern Lights: Scandinavian Design Philadelphia

RETURN OF THE GRUNGE GODESSES: Alt-rock group L7 has reunited for a tour that is ready to hit Philly like a heavy load of bricks 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-6888.

Museum of Art presents an exhibition surveying Scandinavian design from its triumphant showing at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris to the present day, through Oct. 4, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

The Pop Musical Diary Of A Gay Man Pop hits from Madonna to Rhianna tell the story of Adam, a young man coming to terms with his sexuality, 7 p.m. Sept. 9-13 at Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom St.; http://christophertmcginn.wix.com/ popmusicaldiary.

Take Two: Contemporary Photographs Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring how contemporary artists have responded to changes in culture and technology by refashioning or rejecting photography’s conventions, through Nov. 15, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Music Natural Wonder The Stevie Wonder tribute group performs 8 p.m. Sept.

10 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808.

Luke Bryan The country singer performs 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-365-1300.

L7 The all-female grunge band performs 8 p.m. Sept.

11 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.

Lisa Loeb The singer songwriter performs 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808.

Little Feat The rock band performs 8 p.m. Sept.

11 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650.

Arts & Entertainment PGN

Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Melanie Stace The international singing star performs 8 p.m. Sept.

4 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-596-1027.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers The 1978 sci-fi thriller is screened 9:45 p.m. Sept. 4 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.

A STAR IS REBORN: Steven Brinberg, the country’s premier Barbra Streisand impersonator, performs “Simply Barbra” to mark and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the icon’s “The Broadway Album,” 8 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope. For more information or tickets, call 888-5961027.

Nightlife The Search for the Best Dadbod Bearlesque hosts a pageant with performances 9 p.m.

Sept. 4 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675.

Jackie Beat The drag and TV star performs 8 p.m. Sept. 4 at Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor St.; 215-737-0735.

Weird Beard Revue The drag show gets comfortable at its new location 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Sept.

5 at Tavern on Camac, 243 Camac St.; 215-545-0900.

Outta Town Gabriel Iglesias The comedian performs 8 p.m. Sept.

4 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way,

Counting Crows The rock band performs 7 p.m. Sept.

5 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Festival Park, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Italian All-Night Splatter-Fest Italian horror films are screened starting 7 p.m. Sept.

5 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.

Simply Barbra Steven Brinberg, the country’s premier Streisand impersonator, performs 8 p.m. Sept.

5 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-596-1027.

Tiesto The DJ performs noon Sept. 6 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Festival Park, 1

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.

Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000.

Casino Royale The 1967 spy comedy is screened 2 p.m.

Sept. 6 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.

Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire The classic bands perform 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 6 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000.

Arsenio Hall The comedian and talk-show host performs 10 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000.

Flo Rida The hip-hop/ dance star performs 5 p.m. Sept.

11 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Festival Park, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Suede The cabaret singer performs 8 p.m.

Sept. 11 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888-5961027.

Frank Sinatra Jr. The crooner performs 9 p.m. Sept.

11 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

31

Dance companies bring it down home for Fringe performances

By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

“I love the idea of dinner theater,” Sanders said. “It’s a version of a VIP ticket and it adds an added flair to the show. We Queer-themed performance groups and want to make something special and have Fringe Festival favorites Tangle and Brian it be unique and different. This is defiSanders’ JUNK are going home for this nitely going to be that; it’s dinner theater in the raw. They’ll literally be sitting on hay year’s Philly Fringe shows.

Tangle, a seven-woman circus company bales and eating out of wood bowls with that uses aerial maneuvers in its performances, wood spoons, but it’s very haute cuisine. will stage “The Girl’s Guide to Neighborly It’s going to be a unique experience. We’re Conduct,” which explores what it means to excited to see how it works out.”

Both Tangle and JUNK have come to be find home in the culturally diverse landscape perennial performers at Philly Fringe. of Philadelphia.

We asked if the audience’s expec “It tells the story tations for their return engagements of two Philadelphia are a help or a hindrance. rowhouses, start “This is our fifth Fringe Festival ing with a group of so I think we’ve found a good home six roommates that and found our stride with the Fringe have been houseFestival,” Smith said. “We’ve develmates for many oped a style and an audience so that years,” said Tangle people may have a picture of what they founder Lauren might see when they come to a Tangle Rile Smith. “When show. They know that they are going a new neighbor to see a spectacle of aerial acrobatics moves in next door, that can have some edge-of-your-seat some fights break excitement but also has storytelling out, some romance that emphasizes queer themes and breaks out and some arguments JUNK relationships between women and displays of female strength.” about how to sort recycling happen. We were really interested “I try to be versatile so I don’t always in exploring the idea of, in close urban spaces top myself,” Sanders said. “Sometimes I of Philadelphia, being neighbors with people bottom myself … that’s my gay joke for we might not have ever run into in our lives. the day. I make sure to challenge myself.

We share space with people who have differ- Last year, I really pushed myself in a new ent customs or different assumptions about direction. It was very provocative in a vulhow to interact politely or organize a kitchen. gar way. I wanted to try it, I wanted to do So for us, that show started by asking some of it. I wanted to put people over the edge those questions about the different rules and and make them feel turned on and grossed out at the same time. Is it something I’d expectations that we carry with us.” want to do again?

For Brian Sanders’ JUNK, their Probably not. It’s new show, “American Standard,” not that I try and top takes the audience down home, to a myself. I try to push more bucolic way of country life with myself over on the bluegrass music. same shelf. I don’t Sure, it sounds a lot less controverconsider it up and sial than JUNK’s past Fringe shows, up and up. It’s just but Sanders assured us there is plenty moving forward. I’m of bare flesh and boundary-pushing in always trying new the new show. things. Last year, it “It has a more homespun feel but I’m was erections and in there, so 200 percent it’s all me, and singing vaginas. This it’s all JUNK dancers and JUNK qualyear, it’s hay bales ity,” he said. “That’s what I like about and cows.” n Fringe. I can apply it to any venue TANGLE and this venue is a barn. We’ve built Tangle pressome four-legged fake cows. Instead of climbing on scaffolding, we’re climbing on ents “The Girl’s Guide to Neighborly barn beams and swinging with raw hemp rope Conduct” Sept. 10-12 at Philadelphia and throwing pitchforks at each other. So it Soundstages, 1600 N. Fifth St. For more has that same sense of audacity and daring but information, visit www.tangle-arts.com.

Brian Sanders’ JUNK presents “American it’s got a warm, cozy feel.”

If that isn’t enough for audiences to sink their Standard” Sept. 9-19 at JUNK Studio, teeth into, select performances of “American 2040 Christian St. For more informaStandard” will feature a special two-course tion, visit www.BrianSandersJunk.com/ meal conceptualized by chef Alex Garfinkel American-Standard/ of A&G Catering, Le Bec-Fin, Morimoto, For more information on the Fringe Festival, visit www.fringearts.com.

Amada and Mugaritz.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

PGN

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PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

Food and Drink Directory

Since 1976

PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

PORTRAIT from page 25

have the research on things like, maybe you’re limited to 3.4 ounces because that’s the most you can take and not bring down a plane. We’re just trying to get people safely to where they want to go. But we understand that people get frustrated. People will say, “Come on! Do I look like a terrorist?” but we can’t profile.

Again, when you’ve done your research, you know about things like the two women in the ’90s that took down a plane. I think being gay, I can empathize with people who may get stereotyped.

If I were Muslim-American and felt that I was always having the focus on me, I think I’d feel some kind of way about that. As a gay person, I know what it’s like to be judged so I think I’m more sympathetic.

PGN: What are some of the silly aspects of the job? Ever pat someone down who’s really ticklish?

CL: [Laughs] Yeah, it happens all the time, actually! It’s funny, passengers will remember me and say, “Hey there, this is my third pat-down from you!”

PGN: You don’t ask them to buy you flowers first?

CL: Oh yeah, we get all those comments too. I’m at a really busy checkpoint, so I don’t remember them. We see about 6,000 people in eight hours.

Multiply that by five days a week and it’s a lot of people.

PGN: What are your responsibilities?

CL: I run the everyday workings at the checkpoints. We have security officers to run the body scanners, the X-rays and the metal detectors, and we rotate them regularly and I coordinate that. If there’s a problem or if a passenger is getting irate, I’m the one they call to try to mitigate the situation.

PGN: So what happened the day of the incident?

CL: I had 10 minutes left in my shift and was standing with some of my people when we heard a loud thud. I heard people call for a supervisor and though I’m not a supervisor, I usually go to those calls. It’s in my blood to be the one to jump in. My partner keeps telling me, “I know you have a good heart, but if there’s a burning building, I hope you’ll take a minute to think, Hmmm, I have kids and a partner at home, maybe I should let someone else handle this.” So anyway, I ran to

the front of the checkpoint and there was a gentleman laying on the ground. Another officer was there and we both started checking for a pulse and we couldn’t find one. He started yelling, “Is anyone certified in CPR?” and I was saying, “Ed, I’m right here!”

And I just went right into train mode. I remember doing “look, listen, feel” to see if he was breathing. I remembered that it’s really bad to do chest compressions if he was breathing so I checked it twice but he wasn’t, at all. So I started doing compressions. Out of nowhere another officer of mine appeared and jumped in to help. I told her, “Do the breaths, you have to do the breaths! Thirty and two, 30 and two!” [the compression-to-ventilation ratio]. We were both just in the zone. [Laughs] She was shouting, “Let me get some more breaths in!” and I was yelling back, “The chest compressions are more importaaant!” Then I yelled to the people standing around for someone to get the defibrillator and we got it open and on and shocked him and then listened for a heartbeat. Nothing, so I did 30 more chest compressions, she did two more breaths, a couple of more pumps and then his legs started moving and he came back.

PGN: Wow! What had happened?

CL: He’d had a massive heart attack and fell straight back and hit his head on the ground. That was the big thud we’d heard, his head hitting the ground like a bowling ball.

PGN: Ouch.

CL: Yeah, his wife kept thanking us. I got CPR training because of my work coaching soccer, and I just keep thinking, Wow, without that, he could be dead. It’s crazy to think that, with that twohour training, I was able to save a person’s life. The people who were standing around and saw it happen were all saying they now want to get trained.

PGN: Quite a story. I forgot to ask, what’s your coming-out story?

CL: It was fairly difficult. Since I was always on the move, my parents didn’t really know until I moved back here and Angela and I started dating. At first it was a “This is my friend … ” type of situation but when we moved in and started talking about having kids, I had to sit my parents down and tell them. They’re evangelical Free Christians so it made it a

PGN

little difficult. My dad didn’t talk to me for a good year. I knew that there was going to be drama, but I was like, This is who I’m going to be with and we’re going to have a family so get on board or I’m going to choose my family.

We went to Christian counseling and they came around. They’re now exceptionally good grandparents.

PGN: How did the counseling go?

CL: Surprising! I thought it was going to be like something from “But I’m a Cheerleader,” some kind of intervention, but it was the opposite. The counselor was very supportive and really helped out.

PGN: That’s great. So, you’re a big Eagles fan. What position would you want to play?

CL: I think I’d want to be a tight end, they get to do a little bit of everything. They’re very versatile.

PGN: How long have you been coaching?

CL: I’ve been coaching varsity women’s soccer at the Friends School for four years.

PGN: Ever have any problems as an openly gay coach?

CL: No, not here. Bullying is not tolerated. It’s very open. In fact, we have several trans kids here.

PGN: Let’s talk about your tattoos. Why two guns and a heart?

CL: Oh, part of the reason I went into the military was because I was feeling desensitized towards human life. The tattoo represents fragility, how two muscle pulls could wipe somebody off of the face of the earth. My moral heart is not OK with that.

PGN: What did you take away from the life-saving experience?

CL: With social media and everyone on their phones, it’s so easy to get numb to life. Recently, there was a teenage girl at the airport crying her eyes out. No one was paying attention to her; everyone was like, “Oh, I’m sure she’ll be all right.” But I had to go over and see what was going on.

She was just overwhelmed and was afraid she was going to miss her flight. We’re so insular these days, we don’t see people. I don’t ever want to get to the point — no matter what job I’m in — that I lose compassion for others. n To suggest a community member for Family Portait, email por-

Q Puzzle Dear Editor: Everyone Diggs him Across

1. Loads 5. Nancy McKeon’s “___ of Life” 10. Cold feet 14. When quadrupled, a song

by Bikini Kill 15. Finish off 16. Foam at the mouth 17. Grace ___ 18. First name in cosmetics 19. “East of Eden” son 20. Start of a quote by 68-Across 23. Abe Lincoln’s boy 24.

Disencumber 25. Not potent 28. More of the quote 31. Pluck ’em 35. Arnaz, whose inlaws had Balls 36. Muscular strength 38. Young stud?

39. Sobriquet for 68-Across 42. Inventor Otis 43. Examine the testes again, e.g.?

44. Take a crack at 48. Enjoy a hot

tub 51. Tooth care org.

52. Sex, crudely 56. End of the quote 59. Emphatic affirmative, to Frida 60. Opportunity for Glenn Burke 61. “So ___, Farewell” 63. Went down 64. 2014 film about a voter-registration drive 65. A girl named Frank 66. High place with a flat top 67. Kilmer poem 68. Diggs

Down

1. “Atlas Shrugged” author Rand 2. Fifth-century pope 3. Scout’s recitation 4. Hissy fits and such 5. Did a slow burn 6. On an Atlantis cruise 7. Publisher and friend of Moss Hart 8. Jethro of rock 9. Weapon of Caesar’s day 10. A real pussy?

11. Bring home the bacon 12. With mouth wide open 13. Kevin Bacon in “Footloose” 21. Winery container 22. Thousandth of an angry inch?

25. “Why, ___ delighted!”

26. Title role for Jodie Foster 27. Morales of “La Bamba” 28. Bellows of “Ally McBeal” 29. Collection suffix 30. “___ out!”

(Pallone cry) 32. Frat toga, e.g.

33. Julia Morgan wings 34. Keep in 36.

“Beat it!”

37. Sitcom radio station 40. Uniform

material 41. Piss off 45. Wine expert, maybe 46. Safe to swallow 47. Title for Colette 48. Word from Bruce Weber, perhaps 49. Wet spot on a blanket of sand 50. “West Side Story” girl 53. Black key for Elton John 54. “___ roll!”

55. Dustin Hoffman biopic 57. Cartoonist Thomas 58. Sappho’s H’s 59. “American Beauty” director Mendes 62. Headscratcher’s comment

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

SERVICES & HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY

dunbar painting

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

Classifieds

224 NORTH PINE ST. LANGHORNE Open House Sunday, September 13th 2-4pm

$419,000.

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.

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.

Considering a change in your housing situation?

Real Estate Sale VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________39-39

Real Estate Rent 4TH & WOLF, SOUTH PHILA. 2 BR, 1 BA house, newly renov., fireplace, charming patio with planters, ample storage. $1184/month. Call 215-990-3405. _____________________________________________38-36

PGN

Meticulously Restored

Classic Victorian

4 B/R 2.5 Baths in 2900 Sq. Ft. 1.2 Acres of Gardens R-2 zoned for home business option Potential B&B • Efficient Gas Utilities/Heat • Pocket doors • Back stairs

MLS# 6549153 Linda Manzo 215-702-8387

annelusk.com

DUKE STREET, LANCASTER, PA.

2 BR, 2 BA condominium in Steeple House. Completed renovated home with custom mosaic tile floor medallion in the foyer, hardwood and marble floors throughout. Granite countertops in both baths and in the custom kitchen, built-ins throughout. $449,900.

BENT CREEK COUNTRY CLUB, LANCASTER, PA.

This majestic 5 BR Colonial on 1 acre has over 7,000 square feet of living space.Amenities include a convertible gas/wood-burning fireplace,Viking appliances, a walk-in pantry, master whirlpool, and lower level with wet bar, wine cellar, and potential sixth bedroom. $1,289,500.

WOODFIELD CROSSING, LANCASTER, PA.

This 5,500 square foot 4 BR home on 5 acres has an elegantly curved staircase, heated tile floor, and natural light streaming through large windows in the foyer. Amenities include a concealed wet bar, office with custom cherry built-ins, and more. $1,095,000.

HARVEST DRIVE, LANCASTER COUNTY, PA.

A 2,800 square foot single story ranch with four bedrooms and three full baths. It showcases a traditional style with striking contemporary features: large living spaces with an exquisite kitchen including granite counters, Quality Custom Cabinetry, abundant storage, and a wet bar. $379,900.

© MMVI Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Les Bords de l’Epte a Giverny, used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a licensed trademark to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except Offices Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated.

PGN’s Real Estate listings and Home Improvement Directories are a good place to start whether you want a housing upgrade or just to redo the place you are at.

PGN

Vacation/Seasonal Rentals

Notices

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services.

1-800-638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________39-35

Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, July Term, 2015, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on July 30, 2015, the petition of Kayla Christine Murphy was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Rylan Nicholas Murphy.

The Court has fixed September 14, 2015 at 10a.m., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________39-35 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, July Term, 2015, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on July 17, 2015, the petition of Marissa Arielle Rubin was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Shane Noah Rubin.

The Court has fixed September 14, 2015 at 10a.m., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________39-35

Roommates ABSECON Secluded house to share with one other guy. Pvt BR, shared bath, full house privileges. $185/week includes all. Call Art at 609-839-2476. _____________________________________________39-35

Help Wanted Can You Dig It? Heavy Equipment Operator Career! We Offer Training and Certifications Running Bulldozers, Backhoes, and Excavators. Lifetime Job Placement. VA Benefits Eligible! 1-866-362-6497. ________________________________________39-35 Werner Enterprises is HIRING! Dedicated, Regional, & OTR opportunities! Need your CDL? 4 wk training avail! Don’t wait, call today to get started! 866-494-8633. ________________________________________39-35

Adoption A childless successful woman seeks to adopt. Will be hand-on mom with large extended family/friends. Financial security. Expenses paid. Juana & Adam 1-800-790-5260. ________________________________________39-35

For Sale

Auto for Sale

SAWMILLS From only $4,397.00 – MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill – Cut lumber any dimension. In Stock, ready to ship! FREE info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com ________________________________________39-35 Oxygen Concentrator. InogenOne – Regain Independence.

Enjoy Greater Mobility. NO More Tanks! 100% Portable Long-Lasting Battery. Try It RISK-FREE! For Cash Buyers Call 1-800-614-1512. ________________________________________39-35 PA DRIVERS Auto-Insurance-Help-Line. Helping you find a Car Insurance Payment You can afford. Toll Free 1-800-231-3603 www.

Auto-Insurance-Helpline.ORG ________________________________________39-35 ANTIQUE LOVERS TAKE NOTE – BRIMFIELD, MA opens Tuesday September 8th-13th. 5,000 Dealers of Antiques/Collectibles. Visit: www.brimfield.com for info on 20 individual show openings. ________________________________________39-35

2002 PT Cruiser. Red with wood grain. 112K. Runs good.

Well maintained. $3000.00. Call Joe-856-275-6271. ________________________________________39-47

Services HOUSECLEANING SERVICE

By Dina. References available upon request Call 267-441-4402 _____________________________________________39-43 JAMISON ROOFING Beat any estimate. Licenced and insured.

Affordable work, quality price.

Call 267-770-6722. _____________________________________________39-37 AIRLINE CAREERS begin here – Get hands on training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial Aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

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. ________________________________________39-38 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________39-35 RICHARD GINSBURG - CALL ME 215-748-2406 or 215-847-8037 Jimmy T. ________________________________________49-41

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SERVICES & HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY This Fabulous Space Could Be Yours for only $25 per week when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

ADONIS CINEMA

Eating Out Should Be Fun!

“THE ONLY ALL MALE ADULT THEATER IN THE CITY”

2026 Sansom St (located 3 doors up from Sansom St Gym)

215-557-9319 4 Small Theaters with Video & Dark Room Area

HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday - Thursday

7am-6am

(closed an hour for cleaning)

Friday- Sunday:

Open 24hrs

ADMISSION: $12.00

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

- and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com.

WEEKLY SPECIALS:

SUNDAY RELIEF

Half Price Rooms & Lockers (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) ROOMS: Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50 LOCKERS: Members: $9.00 and Non-Members: $19.00

MONDAY thru FRIDAY: (8am to 4pm) Business Mans Locker Special 4 hour lockers Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00 TUESDAYS

BUFFBOYZZ

Saturday, Sept. 12th Time: 9pm- 3am

• BuffBoyzz LIVE ENTERTAINMENT • DJ PAULIE PAUL • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More

FLAT RATE DURING PARTY NIGHTS: ROOM: $50.00 LOCKER: $30.00

(Standard Club Rates & Specials Not Effective During Party Nights)

P.A.N.G.(Philadelphia Area Nudist Group)

Sunday, September 20th Time: 3pm- 6pm BOYS WILL BE BOYS- AWAKEN YOUR INNER SPIRIT • An Afternoon of Naked Socializing • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More For More Information On Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/pang

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

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT CRUISE $12 Flat Rate for Locker Admission & Clothing Optional (4pm-12 Midnight)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON DELIGHT 4 Hour Lockers (8am - 4pm) Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00

Check out our website for our WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events....

www.sansomstreetgym.com

BIGGER, BETTER & MORE ENTERTAINING EVENTS...

PGN

Men

Trans

Delco Dudes A men’s social and support group meets 7-9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road in Media; delco. dudes@uucdc.org.

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

Gay Married Men’s Association Meets 7-9 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; www. meetup.com/GAMMA-GayMarried-Mens-Support-Group-inPhiladelphia-PA. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at William Way; 610-2776595, www.MACTPhila.org.

Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey; njwarrior@aol.com.

Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330.

Parents/Families Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Bucks County Meets 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Penns Park United Methodist Church, 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park, and hird Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Warminster UCC, 785 Street Road; 215-348-9976.

PFLAG/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484-354-2448.

PFLAG/Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609-202-4622, pflagcollingswood@yahoo.com.

PFLAG/Media Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Unitarian Universal Church, 145 Rose Tree Rd.; 610-368-2021.

PFLAG/Philadelphia Meets 2-5 p.m. the third Sunday of the month at the LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 3907 Spruce St.; 215-572-1833.

PFLAG/Princeton, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the George Thomas Room at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer St.; 609-6835155.

PFLAG/Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St.; 302-654-2995.

Philadelphia Family Pride Advocacy, support and social network for LGBT families offers play groups, monthly kids and teen talk groups, activities and outings. Planning meetings held monthly; 215-600-2864, info@ phillyfamilypride.org, www. phillyfamilypride.org.

Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary health care and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, nonjudgmental environment, 809 Locust St.; 215563-0658.

T-MAN People-of-color support group for transmen, FTMs, butches, studs, aggressives, bois, genderqueer and all female-born individuals with gender questions meets 7:309:30 p.m. Mondays, 1201 Locust St., second floor; 215-632-3028, tmanphilly.com.

Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; 215-8511822.

Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization, 1201 Locust St., fourth floor; 215-732-1207.

Young, Trans and Unified Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, www. atticyouthcenter.org.

Women Hanging Out With Lesbians A group in Central Pennsylvania that organizes concerts, camping, golf, picnics, hikes, plays and game nights in nonsmoking environments; http://groups.yahoo. com/group/howlofpa/.

Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group meets monthly for activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/LCDV/.

Lesbian Couples Dining Group of Montgomery County Meets monthly; 215-542-2899.

Mt. Airy Lesbian Social Club For lesbians in the Philadelphia area ages 35-plus; www.meetup. com/mtairylesbiansocial/.

Queer Connections Social group for women in their 20s meets weekly; http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/ queerconnections/.

Sisters United A social/support group for transwomen of color ages 13-24, with weekly social events, open discusson and monthly movie/ discussions meets 6-8 p.m.

Wednesdays, 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330.

Women Coming-Out Support Group Women, ages 18 and over, who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the coming-out process are welcome to meet 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of New Jersey; www. pridecenter.org.

Youth 40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m.

Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975.

GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meet at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J.; schedule at www. glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com, 908-300-1058.

HAVEN LGBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20 meet 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153.

HiTOPS A safe-space support program for LGBT and questioning youth meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; 609-683-5155, hitops.org.

Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-1861, info@myaonline. org.

Project Keeping it Safe LGBT youth drop-in center offers meetings, HIV and STD prevention and testing, counseling and other services on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856963-2432, camden-ahec.org/.

PRYSM Youth Center Youth ages 14-20 meet 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at the center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610357-9948.

Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Youth ages 14-21 meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks. org.

Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 13-23 meets 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-8511975.

Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at Planned Parenthood of Chester County, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267-6876648.

Young, Trans and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center; 215-545-4331, www.atticyouthcenter.org.

You’re Not Alone Sponsored by AIDS Delaware, the group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth meets during the school year at 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington, Del; 800-810-6776.

Youth Making a Difference A group for LGBTQ AfricanAmerican and Latino youth ages 14-24 meets 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

39

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 n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330

■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065 rainbowroom@ppbucks.org.

■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay.org.

Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m.

Monday through Friday Library hours: noon-9 p.m.

Monday-Thursday; noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

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

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

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

■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537

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

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

Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

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

Health

Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 215763-8870.

ActionAIDS Provides a range of programs for people affected by HIV/ AIDS, including case management, prevention, testing and education services at 1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088; www.actionaids.org.

AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 1711 S. Broad St.; 215-629-2300; www.asiac.org.

Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 149 W. Susquehanna Ave.; noon-6 p.m.

Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871; www.galaei.org.

Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appoint-

■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia GALLOP holds board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; GALLOP also provides a free referral service; 215-627-9090; www.galloplaw. org.

■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, 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.

40

Tips & Talk Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 4-10, 2015

Tips to Get You Through Winter

Brrr! It’s cold outside! At least it wasn’t as cold as last year, but the weather certainly isn’t pleasant. Your heating bills are slowly climbing skyward and the freezing rain has left your walkway an icy mess. We know how hard winter can be on your home, but it’s ok! We have some tips that will help you get through these bitterly cold months. Before you know it, it’ll be beach season!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Are you slipping and sliding on the way to your car in the morning? That sidewalk freezes up fast, and you don’t want to take a slippery spill! Just take 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and ½ gallon of hot water and mix

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from your Neighborhood Roofer it together in a large bucket. Take your soapy mixture and pour it along your walkway. Now your sidewalk won’t freeze at all! Your steps are now safe from salt erosion!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• You can use this same formula to help de-ice your car’s windshield! Just put it in a spray bottle and spray it right onto your icy windshield. In just a couple of minutes the ice will be melted enough to easily wipe it away.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Winterizing your windows is certainly an important part of maintaining your heating bill. You can pick up some weather sealing from the local hardware store, or fashion your windows with some cellular shades and layered curtains. The cellular shades insulate your windows while allowing light to pour in, while heavy layered curtains keep drafts out of your home.

The best way to prepare for winter is to have someone come by and do a 17 Point Inspection on your roof and home. You don’t want any leaks during that big snowstorm, or maybe your house could use some new windows. Whatever your needs may be, Kanga Roof has you covered.

Call us today for a 17 Point Inspection!

(215) 752-6145 Follow us on Twitter

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Visit our website: www.abrooksconstruction.com • Call for a 17-point roof inspection: 1-215-752-6145

• New Roofs & Roof Repairs • Gutters & Downspouts

• Siding & Windows • Free, Fast & Courteous Quotes

A. Brooks Construction, Inc. Kanga Roof

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www.abrooksconstruction.com We are in your neighborhood!

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