Philly Fringe and Live Arts kick off fall
Family Portrait: Stormy Lundy
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PGN editor to depart, staff writer to take helm
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Sept. 7-13, 2012
Vol. 36 No. 36
City to settle suit by women housed with trans inmate
Record number of local, national LGBTs at historic DNC By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com City officials are in the process of settling a lawsuit filed by four women who say their privacy rights were violated while sharing a cell with a pre-operative transgender woman in a city prison. Mark McDonald, a spokesperson for Mayor Nutter, confirmed that efforts are under way to settle the case, but no deal had been struck by press time. “The settlement has not been finalized, and so I am unable to discuss any details,” McDonald said. “If there is a final, signed deal, I’ll let you know.” Jabrina T. Barnett, Maria Cachola, Katiria Chamorro and Yazmin Gonzales claim they were placed in danger when they were required to share a cell with a transgender woman at the Riverside Correctional Facility, a city prison. Last November, they filed suit in federal court, each seeking more than $100,000 in damages. They contend that the transgender woman — Jovanie Saldana — PAGE 2
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KEYSTONE PROGRESS MICHAEL MORRILL (FROM LEFT), CHAIR OF THE PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATS JIM BURN AND EQUALITY PENNSYLVANIA PRESIDENT ADRIAN SHANKER, ONE OF 13 OUT PENNSYLVANIA DELEGATES TO THE DNC, SUNDAY AT A RECEPTION IN CHARLOTTE.
The Democratic Party ushered in a new era in the LGBT-rights movement this week with its full endorsement of marriage equality during the Democratic National Convention — an effort witnessed by a record number of out participants. This year, 486 openly LGBT delegates — and 534 out participants in all — took part in the convention, held Sept. 4-6 in Charlotte, N.C. There were about 350 LGBT participants, 277 of whom were delegates, in the 2008 convention. Locally, Pennsylvania sent 13 LGBT delegates, up from 11 at the last convention. Pennsylvania’s out delegates hailed from all areas of the commonwealth, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley and North-Central Pennsylvania.
Trans woman shot to death
ACT UP members arrested at guv’s mansion By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Four members of ACT UP Philadelphia were arrested outside of Gov. Corbett’s mansion last week while protesting the elimination of funds that had been used to support the state’s most low-income populations. The Aug. 29 action was in response to Corbett’s plan to do away with General Assistance — a cash-assistance program for the disabled, ailing unemployed adults, domestic-violence victims and those in drug and alcohol rehab — that PAGE 16
The heightened LGBT participation mirrored the record support for the community’s issues, with the DNC voting to adopt marriage equality as an official platform plank, the first time ever a major political party has done so. The approved language states that the party supports marriage equality and “the movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples,” noting that it also backs an exemption in such laws for religious entities. The platform calls for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and expresses opposition to federal and state constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage. Equality Pennsylvania president Adrian Shanker served as an alternate delegate and told PGN before leaving for North Carolina that this was a significant year for PAGE 18 LGBTs at the DNC.
FORKFUL OF FUNDRAISING: About 250 people filled their plates at “Josh’s Dinner Party,” a fundraiser for New York City’s LGBT homeless youth agency The Ali Forney Center, Aug. 30 at Tabu. Hosted by Josh Schonewolf (front row, second from left,) a local out food blogger, the event featured dinner by chef Lisa Ransing, drag performances and raffle prizes. The dinner exceeded Schonewolf’s $10,000 goal. Photo: Scott A. Drake
A person thought to be a transgender woman was murdered last weekend in the city’s Frankford section. The victim was found early Sept. 3 in a wooded area near the 1100 block of Adams Avenue with a gunshot wound to the head. The victim, described in the police report as a man in woman’s clothing, was AfricanAmerican and between 25-30. Police have identified the victim but are not releasing the name pending family notification. Deputy Commissioner Stephen Johnson, LGBT liaison for the Philadelphia Police Department, said the victim made a purchase at the Wawa on Castor Avenue, about a half-mile from the crime scene, prior to the murder. It is unclear whether the store had surveillance cameras. Johnson said investigators believe the victim may have been a sex worker. As of presstime, no motive and no suspects were identified. — Jen Colletta