2015 Best of LGBT Philadelphia winners starts on page 24
Gay attorney’s antibias case resolved
Trans attack hearing delayed
Family Portrait: King Rochelle Johnson PAGE 35
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Sept. 11-17, 2015
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PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 37
City settles gay cop case
After court battle with parents, trans woman gets surgery
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Trans woman Christine Kitzler underwent gender-reassignment surgery Sept. 3, one day after a Bucks County judge cleared the way for the procedure, despite objections from Kitzler’s parents. Dr. Christine McGinn performed the threehour operation at the Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol. “I heard from Dr. McGinn that Christine is doing well and mission accomplished,” said Angela D. Giampolo, an attorney for Kitzler. She said McGinn donated her services, but Kitzler had to pay for other costs associated with the procedure. “Dr. McGinn generously donated her time and expertise, but the hard costs pertaining to the hospital fees had to be covered,” Giampolo PAGE 13 explained.
GREAT (GAY) ADVENTURE: Ron Johnson (inset, from left), David Grogan, Bob Buchhofer and Seth Beck were among the guests taking in the sights and sounds of Fairgrounds: Out at Night Sept. 5 at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. Ticketholders had all-day access to the theme park — in picture-perfect, late-summer weather — with free run of the park after the gates closed to non-ticketholders. A dance party capped off the festivities, with DJ Dave Audé and Steve Sidewalk and appearances by Miss USA and Miss America. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the World Wildlife Fund. Photos: Scott A. Drake
Casey not yet cosponsoring Equality Act By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com
BEST LGBT Philadelphia
BEST LGBT OF
2015
POLITICAL PARTY: Jacinto Grant, associate director of The Attic Youth Center, was among the staffers collecting donations for the LGBT youth center at Knock Sept. 8. The drive, which amassed back-to-school items, gifts and cash for the agency and its members, was staged by supporters of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Centered around Sanders’ birthday, the party included a birthday cake and cards, as well as resources on Sanders’ platform, including his work on LGBT youth homelessness. The Attic will continue to accept donations of winter clothing over the coming months. Photo: Scott A. Drake
backs LGBT rights, including strong support of marriage equality,” said Jacklin Rhoads, Casey’s U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) is press secretary. Casey, of Scranton, does not still reviewing the federal Equality Act, which would outlaw discrim- yet have a concrete position on ination against LGBT people in the bill. He has voted to prohibit employment, credit, jury selec- discrimination against LGBT tion, housing and other public Americans in other legislation, Rhoads noted. accommodations. His office told PGN in July,OF C a s e y c o s p o n s o r e d t h e when the bill was introduced, that Employment Nondiscrimination he would be taking some time Act in 2013, which would have to evaluate it before deciding added LGBT protections, though he was absent for the Senate vote whether to support it. “Sen. Casey is currently review- because his wife was having suring the Equality Act and fully gery to repair a PAGE 12
Philadelphia
N. Melville Jones, an openly gay Philadelphia police officer, settled his antibias lawsuit against the city in return for expanded LGBT-related sensitivity training within the police force and other concessions. The case was scheduled for a bench trial next month but on Sept. 2 both sides settled the case, after conferring with Common Pleas Judge Idee C. Fox. Jones, a 17-year veteran of the force, alleged a supervisor outed him throughout the department, triggering pervasive harassment and discrimination. Alleged acts of bias against Jones include being sent out on patrol without proper uniform and weaponry, being asked if he gets paid while having sex in the men’s locker room and being transferred to the “graveyard” shift. Jones also claimed he witnessed numerous colleagues experience anti-LGBT bias. He filed suit against the city in 2013, seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages. The city tried to have a major portion of Jones’ case dismissed, but in February a judge denied that request and Commonwealth Court denied permission for an interim appeal. Gerald J. Pomerantz, an attorney for Jones, said the city has agreed to sponsor sensitivity training to ensure LGBT employees within the police force work in a bias-free environment. “It will be groundbreaking,” Pomerantz told PGN, noting officers do receive LGBT sensitivity training, but that this will additionally address “how one police officer deals with another police officer with respect to their LGBT status. It’s an acknowledgement that this type of training is needed.” Mark McDonald, a spokesperson for the Nutter administration, couldn’t be reached for comment. Pomerantz said Jones is pleased with the outcome. “Officer Jones is relieved to know the city has acknowledged that changes need to be made,” Pomerantz continued. “And he’s very happy the city is going to do something that’s good for him and his fellow officers, regardless of whether or not they’re in the LGBT community. This is good for everybody.” The settlement also contains a financial component, but details weren’t available at press time. On Sept. 8, PGN filed an open-records request, seeking the amount of city tax funds expended to settle the case. n
And the winners are ... PAGES 24-30
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PGN
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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Hearing in attack on trans woman delayed By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com The preliminary hearing for a Philadelphia man accused of attacking and robbing three individuals, including a transgender woman, has been delayed until October. Lawyers for Marcus Jones, 22, wanted to waive the preliminary hearing, which would determine whether there is enough evidence to send the case to trial, but they could not reach an agreement with the state. The new preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m. Oct. 2 in Room 906 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Jones, who has also gone by the name Demetrie Farmer, was arrested in connection with an assault that took place around 1
p.m. Aug. 18 in the 900 block of North Watts Street in North Philadelphia. Police found a woman unconscious at the scene. Video surveillance showed a man matching Jones’ description punching and kicking the woman until she became unconscious. The man in the video repeatedly stomped on the woman’s face before fleeing with her purse. During the investigation, police found a man who said he was also attacked by someone matching Jones’ description. The man further identified a third victim of the same suspect. Jones is charged with attempted murder in connection with the attack on the woman, aggravated assault, robbery and related offences. He is being held in CurranFromhold Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 bail. n
Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Aug. 24-27. 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 — Between 7 a.m. Aug. 23 and 9 a.m. Aug. 24, someone stole the mail slot from a front door of a residence in the 300 block of South Fawn Street. — At 2:30 p.m. Aug. 24, someone stole a woman’s handbag from a chair inside Au Bon Pain, 111 S. 10th St. The suspect was described as a 40-year-old black woman, 300 pounds, wearing a white shirt and white-and-black pants. — Between June 30-Aug. 27, someone forced open the door of an apartment in the 1200 block of Chestnut Street and stole a camera, iPhone and clothing. Sixth District Officer Washington attempted to lift fingerprints. — At 2:40 a.m. Aug. 28, a man left a local bar and, outside 1100 Walnut St., was knocked down and punched by three men, who stole his sunglasses and sneakers. Two suspects were described as Hispanic, with the first wearing gray sweatpants and the second a white T-shirt and jeans. The third man was described as black and 6 feet. — There were three thefts of bicycles reported Aug. 24-27: outside 1000 Spruce St., 123 S. Broad St. and 1131 Market St. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 1:50 a.m. Aug. 26, a man was outside 1314 Locust St. looking at his cell phone
when another man snatched it from his hand. The victim chased the culprit, who then demanded $50 for its return. The victim got into a struggle with the man, and police were alerted and apprehended a suspect, recovering the phone. The 34-year-old homeless suspect was charged with robbery and related offenses. — At 11:30 p.m. Aug. 26, Sixth District plainclothes officers observed an illegal narcotics sale in the 200 block of South 13th Street. The alleged buyer fled south when police approached, and the alleged seller got into a car in the lot at 13th and Locust streets. Police pulled the vehicle over and recovered a quantity of crack cocaine. The 33-year-old suspect with a North Philadelphia address was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. — At 11 p.m. Aug. 24, a man snatched $20 and an ATM card from a person’s hand outside 121 S. Broad St. At 2:30 p.m. Aug. 26, the victim saw the suspect in the 100 block of South Broad Street and alerted Sixth District Officer Allen, who apprehended the man. The 58-year-old suspect with a Camden, N.J., address was charged with robbery and related offenses. SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 12:30 a.m. Aug. 24, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 237 S. Broad St. — On Aug. 25, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 10:15 p.m. outside 251 S. 13th St. and 11:15 p.m. outside 300 S. 12th St. — At 5:25 p.m. Aug. 26, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 13th and Locust streets. — On Aug. 27, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 6:30 p.m. outside 1100 Walnut St. and 6:50 p.m. outside 201 S. Broad St. n
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Weekly features
News&Opinion 2 — Crime Watch 8 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Op-Ed Street Talk 13 — Obituary
AC &
33 35 38 37 42
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C o l u m n s
Scene in Philly Family Portrait Out & About Comics Q Puzzle
14 — Thinking Queerly: First dates 15 — Out Money: Windfall investing
Let’s talk about sex at Penn.
BEST LGBT OF
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LEAVING A LEGACY: Robert “Sandy Beach” Hitchen was among friends who paid tribute to the late Michael Carney at a memorial gathering Sept. 5 at Venture Inn. Carney worked as a waiter at the Gayborhood establishment for more than three decades and died last month of a heart attack. About 70 people turned out for the event, which included remarks by several friends and Venture Inn staff and complimentary lunch. Photo: Scott A. Drake
BEST LGBT OF
41 — Real Estate 46 — Personals 47 — Bulletin Board
Pop goes the opera!
Philadelphia
36 — Get Out and Play: Stonewalling
Classifieds
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Pages 24-30
“If your current social circle includes a group of singles who party a lot but you’re hoping to meet a quieter, more serious guy, it’s likely a good idea to reserve some time for friends with other interests as well.” ~ Kristina Furia, Thinking Queerly, page 14
Next week Gettin’ On Outward Bound
Two weeks Mombian On Being Well Work It Out
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FACES OF FAIRNESS: Allison VanKuiken (from left), Megan VanKuiken and Tami Lunan were among the supporters rallying for a fairer Pennsylvania Sept. 3 at William Way LGBT Community Center. The center and Equality Pennsylvania organized the “Faced with Discrimination” photo booth at the spot to put a public face on the people impacted by Pennsylvania’s lack of an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination law. The Pennsylvania Fairness Act was introduced late last month to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of classes protected from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation. Backers of the initiative can upload their own photos to social media using the hashtag #FairPA. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Gay attorney’s antibias case resolved By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
The federal antibias case of Jeffrey S. Downs was resolved this week. In a onepage order signed by U.S. District Judge L. Felipe Restrepo on Sept. 8, the case was dismissed “pursuant to agreement of counsel.” The order references a federal rule indicating the case was officially settled, but none of the parties had a comment about terms of a settlement. Downs, an openly gay attorney, contended he suffered antigay workplace bias at the law firm Anapol Schwartz between 2008-12. But when Downs tried to get a new job at the law firm Raynes McCarty, the firm allegedly withdrew a job offer after Anapol officials said Downs threatened to sue them for antigay bias. Last spring, Downs lost a state-court action against Anapol for defamation and tortious interference. Downs contended he heard comments at Anapol to the effect that gay men lack families, are obsessed with oral sex, have substance-abuse issues, prey on children and have a knack for interior decorating. One Anapol employee allegedly called Downs a “faggot.” Downs had another opportunity to seek damages in the federal-court trial, which was scheduled to begin Sept. 11. The federal trial would have focused on the retaliation Downs allegedly experienced when asserting his right to a bias-free workplace. In court papers, attorneys for Raynes and Anapol challenged Downs’ version of events. They also questioned his work ethic,
suggested he was difficult to get along with, and claimed he was pursuing a meritless lawsuit. The alleged retaliation at Anapol included: failing to promote Downs; failing to pay him commensurate with his skills and contributions; delaying and denying expense reimbursements; delaying his mail delivery; failing to give adequate administrative and other paralegal support; and charging his stepfather for legal work that was supposed to be free. Downs maintained that Raynes officials retaliated against him by withdrawing a lucrative job offer, rather than welcoming a “highly talented” attorney who’s committed to LGBT equality. In his filing, Downs denied threatening to sue Anapol for antigay bias, and argued that, even if he did, it wouldn’t have been a valid reason for Raynes to pull a job offer. “Downs had never made any threat of any kind, and was trying to separate amicably with monies owed,” the filing states. “Downs was happy to be leaving Anapol and starting at Raynes, where he mistakenly believed he would be welcomed.” Rather than welcoming “a highly talented new member to their firm,” Raynes officials drove Downs out “like an outcast,” the filing adds. Downs’ complaint goes on to note that Raynes “had the audacity to hire a less qualified and less experienced associate directly from Anapol.” Downs met with Raynes officials on March 27, 2012, to resolve any misunderstanding, according to the filing. “Downs gave [Raynes’ PAGE 17
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
GayBINGO celebrates 20 years By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com One night in the late 1990s, Eric Wichner, then the executive director of AIDS Fund, invited Robb Reichard to join him for a happy hour at Woody’s in the Gayborhood. Reichard was an active volunteer with the fund at the time. Over the course of the evening, Wichner told Reichard about an idea to host a Bingo fundraiser with drag queens. “Honestly, I thought he was nuts,” said Reichard, now the executive director of AIDS Fund. “Until you actually go and experience it, you don’t grasp it.” It’s been 20 years since the first night of GayBINGO in 1996, when local performers Carlotta and Chumley, along with a band of Bingo Verifying Divas on roller blades, entertained hundreds of people at the Gershman Y on South Broad Street. The event became legendary with traditions like standing any time “O-69” is called. GayBINGO has raised $3.3 million in the last two decades for AIDS Fund to distribute among 30 regional organizations that provide direct care services, education and prevention programs to people living with HIV or those who are at risk of contracting it. Each season raises between $125,000$150,000 at nine monthly games, Reichard said. To celebrate this year’s milestone anniversary, AIDS Fund is reaching back into the vault to repeat some treasured GayBINGO themes. Normally, the organization only uses new themes. “We have some things that are really throwbacks,” Reichard said. “We’re excited to take a look back, not only at GayBINGO’s history, but the history of pop culture and what was going on at the time in society.” “A Very Martha Stewart Christmas” from 1997 was one of the most popular GayBINGO themes and will be repeated in December. May’s theme of “My Big Fat Gay Wedding” still bears the tagline
“Massachusetts, here we come!” from 2005, to commemorate the landmark legalization of same-sex marriage in the state. The annual Black-Tie GayBINGO is set for March at Loews Philadelphia Hotel
20th-anniversary season. The Collegeville couple has served as Bingo Verifying Divas for the past eight years. “We’re hoping it’ll be just as much fun for people as it’s always been,” said
Mark your calendars 20th anniversary GayBINGO season to benefit AIDS Fund Doors open at 6 p.m. Games start at 7 p.m. at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St., unless otherwise noted. Dates and themes: Sept. 12, Rocky Horror Nov. 21, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Dec. 5, A Very Martha Stewart Christmas Jan. 9, Divas Las Vegas Feb. 20, Lace, Leather, Feet and Feathers March 19, Black-Tie GayBINGO at Loews Philadelphia Hotel March 26, Totally Awesome GayBINGO, 1980s April 23, Beauty School Dropout, Grease May 21, My Big Fat Gay Wedding June 11, 20th Anniversary GayBINGO Spectacular, Roaring ’20s Tickets for the September game cost $25 for a reserved seat on the floor or $20 for balcony seats. It goes up to $30 or $25 in November and later. The cost for black-tie tickets has not yet been determined. For more information, visit www.aidsfundphilly.org or call 215-731-9255.
in Center City, and the season culminates in June with a “20th Anniversary Spectacular” that boasts a new Roaring ’20s theme. Dominic Scudera and his husband Brian Strachan are happy to be part of the
Scudera, who goes by the name Summer Clearance during GayBINGO. Strachan, who works as a theater costume designer, performs as Thunder Showers. Scudera said one of his favorite memories happened during a 2011 game when
the theme was “Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride.” A couple got married during the game’s intermission and the BVDs served as bridesmaids and ushers in the ceremony. Scudera said he was surprised at first by how large a crowd the event draws. “It’s so wild and raucous and fun,” he said. “You don’t think of Bingo being like that. I didn’t realize how theatrical it was. It’s just like a party every month.” At his first GayBINGO, Scudera dressed as Madonna, in a bejeweled cone bra. The popularity of the event has enabled the AIDS Fund to keep people aware of the changing needs of people living with HIV, Reichard said. “We’re constantly getting new people out each month and that’s mostly by word of mouth,” he said. “They come to have a good time, but we take the opportunity to remind them HIV is still an issue.” Reichard noted that an HIV diagnosis may not be the death sentence it once was, but there are still issues in the LGBT community regarding living with the virus. “Thirty years ago, we were helping people to die with dignity,” he said. “Today we’re helping people to live with dignity and making sure they have access to the services to live a long, healthy life.” Many people with the virus need guidance with legal, medical and housing issues, as well as anti-discrimination advocacy. Reichard said educating people about the latest prevention methods is a big part of the awareness campaigns run by the AIDS Fund. He highlighted the successes with the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis, called PrEP. The treatment is meant for people who do not have HIV, but are at a high risk of contracting it. PrEP combats infection with a pill, taken daily. The pill contains two main medicines, tenofovir and emtricitabine, which are used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The treatment now really is prevention,” Reichard said. n
Triangle Medical General Practice Progressive HIV Care Mark T. Watkins, DO Rebecca Calder PA-C
(215) 829-0170
253 S. 10th St., 1st Floor Philadelphia
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First-ever LGBT Senior Prom to be held at William Way By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com The ballroom of the William Way LGBT Community Center will be decked out in two historic rainbow banners and balloons next weekend. Philadelphia’s first LGBT Senior Prom, slated for 7-10 p.m. Sept. 19, will feature the same banners that were wrapped around the John C. Anderson Apartments at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in February 2014. The banners have also been carried in the annual Mummers Parade. Residents of the Anderson Apartments, seen as a national model of housing for low-income LGBT seniors, are helping to organize the prom, which is sponsored by the Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Greater Philadelphia, William Way and the LGBT Elder Initiative. “I’ve done a lot of really cool initiatives, but this one is my favorite,” said Phoenix Schneider, director of the LGBTQ Initiative at the JFCS. “It makes me giggle all the time. I love it.” Schneider said he started talking about the prom six months ago with Anderson residents and planning got underway last month. DJ Sandi Stabler, a veteran of places like Sneakers and Sisters, will spin music from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. There will be a punch bowl, photo booth, dance contest and tables set up for people to meet and mingle. Light refreshments will be served along with centerpieces made of Hershey Kisses. The theme is “Turn Back Time: Reimagining Your Senior Prom.” Dress can run the gamut from casual to fancy. Guests will walk a red carpet on the way into the William Way ballroom. “We’re going all out,” Schneider said. “We want to create a special experience for older adults. Some came out later in life and didn’t get to go to prom with their partner or hold their partner’s hand in high school.” Tickets cost $5 in advance
or $10 at the door. No one will be turned away if they can’t afford tickets. Schneider said some people have already purchased extra tickets to donate to people at the door. Denny Samen and Elizabeth Williams are among the Anderson residents helping to put together the prom. Williams was proud of the inclusion of the Anderson banners into the décor. “We use it sparingly, usually only on special occasions,” she said. She thought the prom was a special event because it encourages people to have a good time while building a sense of community in an LGBT-friendly space.
“This prom is definitely a pilot,” Schneider said. “I hope it will be an annual event.” He added the JFCS also has reason to celebrate because the Human Rights Campaign is honoring the organization this month with its “All Children — All Families” seal of recognition for the commitment to supporting and serving LGBT youth and families. The JFCS is the first Jewish organization in the country to earn the recognition, Schneider said. n For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Phoenix Schneider at 267256-2257 or pschneider@jfcsphilly.org.
AMY F. STEERMAN Attorney at Law
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
Paint Day scheduled for Casarez mural The life and legacy of Gloria Casarez will be memorialized in the Gayborhood, starting next weekend. The LGBT and ally community is invited to participate in a Community Paint Day Sept. 18, to work on the mural of Casarez outside of 12th Street Gym. Casarez was the city’s inaugural director of the Office of LGBT Affairs who died of complications from cancer last fall. The city and Mural Arts Project announced this spring they were joining forces for a mural carrying Casarez’s image, spearheaded by artist Michelle Angela Ortiz. Two community-paint sessions will be held Sept 18 at the gym, 204 S. 12th St. The 2-3:30 p.m. session is geared toward families and kids, with the general public pitching in from 4:30-6 p.m. The mural will be dedi-
cated in a ceremony at 1 p.m. Oct. 11, during OutFest. In addition to the 12th Street Gym, MAP and the Mayor’s Office, the project is being supported by Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, William Way LGBT Community, Bread & Roses Community Fund, GALAEI, Leeway Foundation and Philly Pride Presents. Casarez, the former executive director of GALAEI and co-founder of Philadelphia’s Dyke March, was appointed to the city post in 2008. During her tenure, she launched the now-annual raising of the rainbow flag at City Hall, worked on legislative and policy work and served as liaison between city government and the LGBT community. n — Jen Colletta
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
LOCAL PGN
News Briefing Word on SEPTA appeal pending
At TD Bank, we like to Bank Human. And we’re proud to celebrate the LGBT community.
Information on whether the city will appeal a Commonwealth Court ruling exempting SEPTA from the city’s antibias rules remained pending this week. The Aug. 7 ruling was blasted by LGBT advocates, who note that SEPTA’s LGBT riders and employees would be negatively impacted if SEPTA doesn’t have to comply with local antibias rules. SEPTA has about 9,000 workers and about one million riders daily. The transit system serves Philadelphia and four nearby counties. The city had until Sept. 8 to file a “petition for allowance of appeal” with the state Supreme Court. Mark McDonald, a spokesperson for the Nutter administration, couldn’t be reached for comment and Jerri Williams, a SEPTA spokesperson, declined to comment.
Court declines to reconsider ruling in Milano case On Sept. 3, the state Supreme Court rejected the request of Richard R. Laird to file a petition for reconsideration in the Anthony Milano murder case. In 1987, Laird and Frank R. Chester escorted Milano out of a Bucks County tavern and kidnapped him to a wooded area, where his throat was hacked out with a box cutter. Milano was gay, and prosecutors called it an antigay hate crime. A Bucks County jury convicted both men of first-degree murder and sentenced them to death. Laird received a second trial in 2007, due to faulty jury instructions by the trial judge. The second jury re-sentenced Laird to death. But Laird claims he received ineffective assistance of counsel during his second trial. In 2013, a Bucks County judge rejected Laird’s request for a third trial and the state Supreme Court upheld that rejection. But Laird asked the state Supreme Court to reconsider its rejection, which the court declined to do on Sept. 3 — effectively halting Laird’s appeals in state court. Laird, 51, remains on death row at a state prison in Franklin Township. Chester, 46, remains on death row at a state prison in Graterford. His first-degree murder conviction also was overturned, and prosecutors must decide whether to re-try him. — Timothy Cwiek
Demonstration targets conversion therapy Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia is organizing a peaceful demonstration to speak out against the inclusion of people with ties to conversion therapy at this month’s World Meeting of Families. The demonstration will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at Sister Cities Park, 18th and Race streets, across from the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. The event will call attention to the involvement of people who have backed conversion therapy — the practice of trying to change one’s sexual orientation — at the international Catholic conference being held in Philadelphia Sept. 22-25. PGN reported last month that at least eight presenters have personally advocated for the practice, or have ties to organizations that have backed conversion therapy. Conversion therapy has been condemned by every major medical and psychological association. For more information about the demonstration, contact the Rev. Jeffrey JordanPickett at 215-873-5719 or revjjordan@aol. com. — Jen Colletta
Survey looks at aging issues People who are 65 and over are invited to participate in a survey to help make Philadelphia a more age-friendly city. Mayor Michael Nutter, the Mayor’s Commission on Aging and AARP Pennsylvania released the citywide survey, which can be completed through the end of September at any Free Library location or online at https://secure.jotform.us/philagov/ mca-survey. “We know that different communities have different needs,” Nutter said in a statement, noting that the survey would help officials better understand the needs of different senior communities in the city and how to support them. More than 12 percent of Philadelphia’s 1.5 million residents are 65 or older, according to the 2010 census.
Food-bank fundraiser Philadelphians are invited to eat and drink for a good cause at a fundraiser for the Mazzoni Center Food Bank. “Meals for Mazzoni” takes place from 2-5 p.m. Sept. 13 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. Tickets cost $20 for food and an open bar for one hour starting at 2 p.m. It costs $6 after 3 p.m. and includes one free drink. Crystal Fox, the executive chef of Giorgio on Pine, will prepare a selection of appetizers. DJ Chris Urban will perform along with dancers. All proceeds will support the Mazzoni Center Food Bank, which served about 1,500 individuals and 1,300 PAGE 14
LOCAL PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
9
Sex takes center stage at yearlong Penn forum By Ray Simon PGN Contributor Desiree Akhavan, who played Chandra on season four of Lena Dunham’s HBO series “Girls,” will help to kick off the Penn Humanities Forum’s yearlong investigation of Sex at a Sept. 16 program called “What Is Appropriate Behavior?” The event, which is free and open to the public, starts at 5 p.m. and takes place in the Harrison Auditorium of the Penn Museum, located at 3260 South St. The evening will begin with a conversation between Akhavan, a bisexual actor and filmmaker, and Patricia White, the author of “Uninvited: Classical Hollywood Cinema and Lesbian Representability.” Afterwards, there will be a screening of Akhavan’s 2014 indie comedy “Appropriate Behavior.” In an article for Film Quarterly, White described “Appropriate Behavior” as a “chronicle of the cringe-worthy misadventures in romance, sex, housing and underemployment of Shirin, a 20-something Iranian-American college graduate in Brooklyn.” In the movie, Akhavan plays Shirin, a young bisexual woman reeling from a breakup with her lover Marnie. Her sadness and frustration are compounded by the fact that she doesn’t quite fit in anywhere. Shirin never seems at ease, whether she’s
with her family, her coworkers or even when partying with her fellow hipsters. One of the film’s strengths is its matterof-fact treatment of gender fluidity. After her breakup, Shirin embarks on a series of random hookups with men, women, even a couple. They’re all a bit messy and certainly less comforting than Shirin hopes they will be. In other words, quite realistic. Those are some of the qualities that make “Appropriate Behavior” an excellent choice for the forum, said Heather Love, the event’s topic director. “The film captures so much of the complexity of sex and desire, it just seemed like the perfect opening,” Love said. Of course, the movie deals with far more than sex. Issues like choosing a career, the immigrant experience in America and sexual identity are present, too. But Akhavan approaches these difficult subjects with a low-key, self-deprecating humor. Love regards that as a shrewd artistic choice on the filmmaker’s part. Akhavan, she said, “has an incredibly light touch and I think it shows the incredible kind of cultural work that comedy can do at its best.” “What Is Appropriate Behavior?” is the first of 25 public events on Sex that the Forum will be presenting throughout the coming academic year. Love and her colleagues have put together a series they hope
will prompt people to view this oft-studied and publicized topic with fresh eyes. “One of the things we tried to capture is the tension between sex as something that seems kind of astoundingly obvious, and, by looking at it from different contexts and
historically, to show its complexity and how much it varies over time and in different places,” she said. Many Forum events will be of interest to LGBT audiences. This fall alone, speakers include Teresa de Lauretis, a founding figure in the Queer Studies movement (Nov. 5) and Terry Castle, a prolific author and public intellectual who wrote “The Apparitional Lesbian” (Nov. 18). Love, the author of “Feeling Backward: Loss and the Politics of Queer History,” is delighted audiences will also get to hear from scholars whose names might be less familiar. They include Afsaneh Najmabadi,
a historian who has studied gender variance in the Middle East. Her Oct. 1 talk is called “The Kin Who Count, and Those in the Shadows.” And on Oct. 14, Steven Epstein and Lance Wahlert will discuss “Living in the Era of Sexual Health.” The Penn Museum is even participating with its exhibit “Sex: A History in 30 Objects.” Opening Oct. 17, the exhibit will display pieces culled from the museum’s enormous collection. These precious artifacts come from cultures as varied as ancient Greece and Tibet and show how other people, in different times and places, regarded sex, gender and sexuality. The chance to compare and contrast what ancient cultures thought about sex should offer fresh perspective on contemporary attitudes. In fact, the Forum seems to have chosen an auspicious moment to tackle this subject. “Sex is always important,” Love said, “but I think it’s very timely now with legislative changes.” Penn also happens to be a good setting. In recent years, Love pointed out, the Ivy League university has distinguished itself as a place where scholars and researchers are doing exciting, interdisciplinary work on gender and sexuality. To learn more about the Forum’s public events, visit www.phf.upenn.edu/events/ sex. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
EDITORIAL PGN
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Campaign for Houston
Editorial
Time for justice The date Sept. 11 is synonymous with the cowardly attacks on American soil 14 years ago. But, last year, the date also signified another cowardly attack. On Sept. 11, 2014, a group of young men and women visiting Philly for a group dinner verbally and physically attacked a gay couple in Center City. While the attackers allege the men were culpable, the victims and a witness have attested that the group taunted the couple about their sexual orientation, and started throwing punches after the men stood up, verbally, for themselves. The beating left one of the men bleeding profusely with broken bones; he ultimately had to have his jaw wired shut for two months. The suspects — a group of upper-class, white, suburban college grads — were quickly brought in, and quickly bailed out. And a year later, justice has yet to be secured for the victims. At the start of this summer, the District Attorney’s Office offered the three suspects plea deals and, as of presstime, and as the one-year anniversary comes and goes, they’re still considering the bargains. Perhaps the socioeconomic statuses of the defendants’ families have played a role in how this case has carried out. Save for one appearance at a pre-trial hearing late last year, surrounded by dozens of family and friends, the trio has not had to report back to court. We’ve watched from the courtroom as defendant after defendant, whose cases were scheduled for hearings in the same room as this one, met with their public defenders and came before the judge, while this trio was spared even the trip to court. Instead, their high-powered attorneys have handled the case for them, through pre-trial motions and fleeting court visits to continue to pre-empt the next phase of the case. The couple, the community and the city have waited a year for justice. What the D.A.’s Office has deemed that to be in this case is yet to be seen, but the time for a resolution is long passed. These defendants and their supporters have characterized themselves in the media as victims; however, the real victims in this case need to know that the criminal-justice system is working, swiftly, to bring them the justice they deserve. n
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While marriage equality is now the law of the land in the United States, there are plenty of places where it is still perfectly legal to discriminate against LGBT people in all kinds of fun ways. Many forward-thinking cities across the country have gone ahead and enacted antidiscrimination ordinances of their own rather than wait around for their nearly immobile state governments to get off their asses and do something. This is why Houston, Texas, for example, has the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of characteristics in city employment, city services, city contracting practices, housing, public accommodations and private employment.” There’s over a dozen characteristics the law protects; gender identity and sexual orientation are the ones that have the haters, well, hating. And alas, in November there will be a measure on the ballot to repeal the ordinance. Behind the push for repeal is the Campaign for Houston. But don’t be fooled by their seemingly innocuous name. They are pulling out all the transphobic stops in their campaign against the ordinance, trying to scare people with images of men lurking in women’s restrooms. They’ve released a radio ad with a woman’s voice that claims “this ordinance will allow men to freely go into women’s bathrooms, locker rooms and showers. That is filthy, that is disgusting and that is unsafe.” The ad continues, “Join me and other women in Houston as we vote ‘no’ on Mayor Parker’s bathroom ordinance. And again, let me make this very clear: On behalf of all moms, sisters and daughters, no men in women’s bathrooms.” M’kay. Let’s break this down. What do the women of Houston have against men? I’m presuming there are plenty of women there who are married to men and/or do sex with them and even share bathrooms with them every day at home. What’s up with all the men-hating women in Houston? It just doesn’t make any sense. Unless, of course, the Campaign for
Houston doesn’t mean “men men,” but rather trans women. Oooh, that must be it. That’s who is really being called “filthy” and “disgusting” here. What’s really disgusting here is the Campaign using an already marginalized group of people who face layer upon layer of discrimination — in other words, the very people who need the protections this ordinance provides most — as a scare tactic to “moms, sisters and daughters.” Oh, and by the way, some of those moms, sisters and daughters are trans. The campaign’s site reads, “Campaign for Houston is made up of parents and family members who do not want their daughters, sisters or mothers forced to share restrooms in public facilities with gender-confused men, who — under this ordinance — can all themselves ‘women’ on a whim and use women’s restrooms whenever they wish.” Yeah, the only people confused here are the ones who think there are men who, on a whim, say, “I’m a lady!” just to use women’s restrooms. Have they never seen the long lines for the women’s rooms at sporting events or concerts? Not to mention the fact that that’s just not how trans identity works. The website also claims, “The ordinance limits free speech and religious expression in unprecedented ways so as to not ‘offend’ these two new ‘protected’ groups, both of which are defined by behaviors — not by characteristics given at birth.” If your idea of free speech and religious expression is the right to openly and hostilely discriminate against LGBT people then, yes, I guess this ordinance does suck for you. Then again, being a douche bag is not a characteristic given to you at birth. Unlike being gay or trans, it’s a behavior that is actually harmful to everyone around you. Here’s hoping you can find it in your heart to pray the antigay away. n
Yeah, the only people confused here are the ones who think that there are men who, on a whim, say, “I’m a lady!” just to have the privilege to use women’s restrooms.
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.
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Op-Ed PGN
Op-Ed/Joseph Quinn
11
Street Talk
Raised/razed Catholic I have been both raised (brought up) Catholic and razed (torn down) Catholic. As a gay person living in a city with a large, enlightened Catholic population and a tone-deaf, conservative hierarchy, I suspect there are others torn between these two spiritual poles, especially now. Philadelphia is currently in a vortex of Catholic activity and notoriety. We are about to host the September World Meeting of Families, the highlight of which will be the visit of Pope Francis. Then, there is the recent controversy over the firing of a popular, well-respected lesbian teacher from her position as at a local Catholic school, supposedly at the behest of the school’s administration, but clearly with the encouragement of the local church authorities. Now we’ve learned that a World Meeting session on gender identity, sponsored by New Ways Ministry, has been kicked out of the gathering space it had been promised in a local Catholic church, for fear of providing “a platform … for people to lobby for positions contrary to the life of the church,” according to Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput. Organizers of the World Meeting of Families (meaning, I guess, families recognized and approved by the Catholic Church) apparently do not want competition for their official presentation on LGBT issues to be given by a group called Courage, a group that promotes itself as a “pro-chastity ministry,” and which peddles a church-sanctioned version of the discredited “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy, now legally banned for youth in New Jersey, California, Oregon and Washington, D.C. Courage? I’d like to think this is an ironic wink at the cowardly character in a movie so well-loved by Dorothy’s friends, “The Wizard of Oz.” If they “only had the nerve,” instead of hiding behind discredited science, they’d pull down the curtain and reveal who’s behind it manipulating all the smoke and mirrors. Talk about mixed signals. What happened to the pontiff’s oft-quoted comment regarding the LGBT community: “Who am I to judge?” He may not be judging, but some elements of the Catholic hierarchy have apparently decided once again to don the robes of medieval inquisitors and threaten us with the raging fires of damnation unless we clamp on chastity belts. All of this brings me back to being raised/razed Catholic. In other words, my exposure to years of Catholic education and spiritual training have helped shaped permanent, positive values that still guide my life; and yet that indoctrination has led to years of doubt, fear and questioning about my value as a person in my eyes and the eyes of God because I am attracted to other men. I was baptized, confirmed and brought up in a blue-collar Roman Catholic home. I was educated in a Catholic grade school,
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
high school and college. I was taught to honor the commandments and the precepts of the catechism. But all during those formative years, as I was outwardly practicing Catholicism by rote, my true nature as a gay man was constantly in silent rebellion and searching for ways to reconcile my emotional and bodily needs with the scorn and condemnation of all things sexual, and especially homosexual, preached by church authorities. Thus, the stage was set for becoming a razed Catholic; that is, for my rejection of all church teachings that filled me with shame and forced me to live in a state of constant guilt. As for being raised Catholic, acclaimed storyteller Ed Stivender covers the familiar territory in his book “Raised Catholic (Can You Tell?).” His uncanny ability to hit all the high (and low) notes of growing up Catholic, with both heart and humor, are evident on every page of his book (a sort of Philly-flavored “Nunsense”). For me, as an exercise in nostalgia, it unlocks a lot of ambivalent feelings toward so many aspects of Catholic teaching and tradition that, as much as I resist, have a deepseated hold on me. (For a darker treatment of “sexuality, gender and power in the Catholic Church,” see “The Black Wall of Silence,” by local Augustinian priest Paul F. Morrissey.) My personal Catholic boyhood memories run deep and emerge from a swirl of undeniably mixed feelings: • A big family Bible with Technicolor photos depicting familiar scenes and parables that feature a surprising number of scantily dressed hunks. Samson would have looked right at home in any “physique” magazine. • Entrancing rituals involving slow-motion processions of boys and girls dressed in virginal white — like the annual May procession, during which I always envisioned myself in place of the girl chosen to wear a wedding gown and veil, carrying a bunch of calla lilies and placing a crown of roses on the Virgin Mary’s stony head. • As a choir boy singing hymns and Gregorian chant during regular Sunday Mass, and snaking, candle in hand, through a mysteriously darkened church during midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, finishing with “Silent Night” in front of the elaborate manger scene. • Finding myself at the crowded communion rail, about to receive the host, with the older, handsome Jimmy Hill next to me, our elbows or shoulders casually brushing, causing my knees to shake and the hair on my arms and neck to rise. • My favorite class in grade school, Picture Study, every Friday afternoon, something I looked forward to all week. Colorful prints of Biblical subjects — crucifixions, Madonnas, saints and martyrs, depicted by some the world’s greatest artists — so many naked breasts, legs and
Are white gay men more empathetic to racial minorities than white straight men? "No. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with that subject. If people are going to be racist bigots, they'll be that way, Drew Jenkins regardless bartender of sexual South Philadelphia orientation. It has no bearing whatsoever. What has bearing is the way you were brought up."
"I would say yes, simply because gay men are an oppressed minority. They're kindred spirits with other Lucia Mancini minorities, student with some Washington Square exceptions. Generally speaking, I would say it's true they'll have more empathy for racial minorities."
"Yes, it makes sense to me. The gay men I know do seem very nice to other people. They're used to being Katelynn Mirra oppressed in student society, so Washington Square they avoid doing something that's been done to them."
"People are people. You're going to run into angry people in any community. But overall, I'd say the gay Ashley Thompson community musician is much less West Philadelphia racist than the straight community. That's because gay men already know what it's like to be discriminated against."
loins! • Sneaking into the vestibule every Saturday to find out which movies had been “condemned” by the Legion of Decency. Films like “Untamed Youth,” “Baby Doll,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Psycho” — always the titles that appealed to my hormone-fueled imagination. • Being drilled on the questions and answers in the green-bound catechism, which we memorized word for word and recited in childish sing-song voices. I can’t remember any references to overt sexuality, let alone homosexuality, in that gradeschool version (other than the dreaded “impure thoughts and actions”). How different is the current version, with its shrill, almost vindictive denunciation of homosexual acts as “acts of grave depravity,” “intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to natural law?” Just to be sure we get the message, the passage concludes: “Under no circumstances can they be approved.” We lived across the street from the parish complex — church, school, convent and rectory — that dominated the neighborhood. Yet our parents were not blindly
rigid in their adherence to church doctrine, giving my brother and me just enough freedom to negotiate our way around restrictions that came to appear arbitrary and stifling to rambunctious (my brother) and studious (me) adolescents. All-boy Catholic high-school memories include the plays and musicals when we got to mingle socially with the all-girl Catholic high-school students (oh, those furtive, fruitless “making” sessions), and waiting in line for confession week after week, terrified about what Father would say when I repeated yet again my offenses of “impure thoughts and actions, with another!” I waited in terror to see if he would ask, “Was it with a girl or another boy, my son?” Then all-boy Catholic college. Living away from home for the first time. Fully, joyfully exploring my sexuality in Center City during the ’60s! The fires that would eventually raze my Catholicism burned ever brighter. Such fires were a prominent feature in one of the first books assigned in Freshman English class, “Portrait PAGE 14
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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heart valve. “Sen. Casey is a leader of congressional efforts to prevent bullying of LGBT youth and is the lead sponsor of the Safe School Improvement Act,” Rhoads added. It’s not clear when Casey will make a final decision about his position on the Equality Act, which would serve as an amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which does not yet include protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It covers race, color, national origin, sex and religion. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Lehigh County Republican, is not a cosponsor of the Equality Act. His office did not return requests for comment on his position. The bill has more support from Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives. All of the state’s Democratic representatives cosponsor the bill. The bill has 168 cosponsors in the House, led by Rep. David N. Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat who is openly gay. There are 39 cosponsors in the Senate, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat. There are not yet any Republican cosponsors. “At the moment, we’re under no illusion that this is going to pass in this congress,” said Laura Durso, director of the LGBT research and communications project at the Center for American Progress, a progress iv e Wa s h i n g t o n based think thank that took a leadership role on the Equality Act. “But we’re very optimistic this won’t be a matter of decades,” she added. “We’re talking years. It is going to be passed in the very near future. It’s supported by a broad base of Americans.” Durso said her group at the Center for American Progress recently released survey results that show millennial voters, faith leaders and small business owners favor the Equality Act. She said the center has conducted research related to a comprehensive nondiscrimination bill for over a year, especially since ENDA failed in Congress. The center and other advocates renewed the push for a comprehensive bill after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June that created marriage equality nationwide. “We’re trying to use that momentum we’ve seen,” Durso said. “It was actually really important that we demonstrated what was next for LGBT equality. We didn’t want to mistake great progress for victory.” Going forward, Durso said, there are two big knowledge gaps to close: First, the majority of Americans think it’s already illegal to discriminate against someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity; second, people think discrimination against LGBT people doesn’t happen that often, or if it does, it’s inconsequential. She said her project aims to tell legislators about the real-life inequalities faced by LGBT people, like the mothers in Michigan who were denied pediatric care for their
daughter this year because they are lesbians. It’s a hard road ahead not just in Congress, but with other advocacy groups whose support is crucial. The NAACP and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights are thought of as the gatekeepers to reopening the Civil Rights Act, which has not been amended since it passed more than 50 years ago. The leadership conference supports the Equality Act as an amendment to the Civil Rights Act. In July, Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the leadership conference, issued this statement: “The Equality Act presents an opportunity to codify these protections into law nationwide and we look forward to working toward passage of this bill or similar legislation that helps to realize the promise of nondiscrimination and dignity for LGBT Americans.” The NAACP has not officially endorsed the bill. Officials were unavailable for comment this week because they were marching in the annual Journey for Justice from Selma, Ala., to Washington. The organization has a history of supporting LGBT rights, said Raquel Coombs, vice president of communications for the NAACP. The organization passed a resolution in May in support of marriage equality. At the time of the Equality Act’s introduction, Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat and cosponsor of the bill, said black leaders feel cautious about reopening the landmark Civil Rights Act for fear it might become vulnerable to efforts to scale back protections for women and minorities. Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat and an icon of the civil-rights movement who marched in Selma, has spoken about the necessity of the Equality Act. “We’re all very focused on making sure the Equality Act does cross the finish line,” Durso said. As Congress debates the bill at the federal level, over half the country is having similar discussions at the state level. Twenty-nine states, including Pennsylvania, do not yet include protections for sexual orientation or gender identity in their nondiscrimination laws. Proposed legislation at the state level often boasts more bipartisan support. The Pennsylvania Fairness Act, reintroduced in August, has 83 cosponsors in the state House of Representatives, including 12 Republicans, and 25 in the state Senate with nine Republicans. Durso said it’s important for the federal and state governments to explicitly protect LGBT people from discrimination. “It shouldn’t be possible to discriminate with any taxpayer money,” Durso said, adding that it would “fill all those holes” to have nondiscrimination laws for LGBT people at all levels of government. n
Twenty-nine states, including Pennsylvania, do not yet include protections for sexual orientation or gender identity in their nondiscrimination laws.
PGN LOCAL SURGERY from page 1
Kitzler’s parents, Klaus and Ingrid Kitzler, tried to stop the surgery, claiming a childhood learning impairment and subsequent mental-health issues rendered their 48-year-old daughter incapable of making sound health-care decisions. They sought emergency limited guardianship, so that an independent psychiatrist could evaluate Kitzler. They also claimed that Kitzler has medical conditions rendering the procedure risky. Giampolo vigorously opposed the parents’ legal moves. “Who is anyone, regardless of parental status, to tell a grown woman she’s mentally incapacitated?” Giampolo posed. “You don’t get to use the law to control another person.” Giampolo also said Kitzler’s surgery wasn’t inordinately risky. “Regardless of Christine’s medical conditions, whatever they may be, those medical conditions in no way increase the risk for this particular surgery,” Giampolo said. She noted that Kitzler is a college graduate, maintains rental properties in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and jogs about 25 miles weekly. “She plans to come back to Philadelphia to run a marathon,” Giampolo said. “She feels a community here, in the greater Philadelphia area, because of what she went through.” On Aug. 31, Kitzler’s parents filed an emergency petition to halt the surgery, which was scheduled for Sept. 1 Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge C. Theodore Fritsch Jr. granted the petition and an emergency hearing was held Sept. 2. After the day-long hearing, Fritsch dismissed the petition, effectively paving the way for Kitzler’s surgery. Giampolo described the Sept. 2 court proceeding. “After the parents were done putting on their entire case, I made an
oral motion to dismiss their petition, because the parents failed to meet their burden of proof that their adult child was incapacitated. The judge asked me on what basis, at which point we went into closing arguments. When both sides rested, the judge said he was ready to rule and immediately went into explaining his favorable decision. He acknowledged that Christine had drug and alcohol issues. She’s been clean and sober for two-and-a-half years, and is a happy, well-adjusted person living as a woman. He spoke for five to seven minutes about what he heard, and why he felt Christine was more than capable of making decisions for herself.” Giampolo expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “I’m delighted,” she said. “This was literally a life-and-death situation. While I’ve been doing this LGBTadvocacy work for nine years, I can honestly say this is the first time I feel as if I’ve tangibly saved a life.” Her law firm provided provided legal services to Kitzler on a pro-bono basis. “It was an all-hands-in, joint effort,” she said. She said Kitzler hopes to have a close relationship with her parents someday. “Christine has stated publicly that she hopes to one day be close to her parents, and that they call her Christine. But until then, she needs space from the toxicity. But she absolutely wishes to one day be close to them and that they call her Christine and acknowledge her as their daughter.” J u l i a M o r r ow, a n a t t o r n ey f o r Kitzler’s parents, said the family had Kitzler’s best interests in mind. “They did what they had to do,” Morrow told PGN. “They love their child, and did everything they could to make sure their child was safe.” n
Photography • Fine Art • Portrait/Nude • Advertising • Events Scott A. Drake 267.736.6743
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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Obituary Brenda Torres, project manager and bar owner, 45 By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Brenda Torres, the co-founder of the city’s first-ever Latino Pride festival and former co-owner of a local LGBT Latino bar, died Sept. 3 at age 45. Torres was a resident of North Philadelphia and a former project manager at Philadelphia Gas Works. In 2007, she and Iris Melendez opened Rainbow Eye in North Philadelphia, a Latino LGBT club. The following year, the pair launched Latino Pride Festival, which drew 2,000 people in its first year. In an interview with PGN in 2009, Torres said the Pride festival was an effort to build community within LGBT Latino circles. “It’s time for us to say, ‘Yes, we’re Latino,’ and ‘Yes, we’re in the LGBT community’ and come to our barrio, our backyard,” Torres said, adding that her “grandfather always said that the first time you do something great, you earn applause and the second time, you earn respect, so that’s what we’re hoping for.” Melendez said Torres worked effectively with stakeholders from across the city in her efforts. “The professionalism and articulation she applied with zest in every endeavor or task she took on earned her the admiration and respect of community lawmakers, business owners, friends, family and an entire community,” she said. “Her big focus was getting the Latino LGBT community together, in any way and shape she could,” added Jose Figueroa, the former manager at Rainbow Eye. “She would work with City Council to close the
AC ul t ure rts
block down in front of the bar and get everyone together for a nice barbeque, just out of the blue. She wanted everyone to feel welcomed.” Figueroa said Torres was generous in both her professional work and personal relationships. “She was an awesome person. She’d give you the shirt off her back,” he said. “She was always a fun-going, warm-hearted, family-oriented person, who always put other people ahead of herself. She would always make sure she treated everyone as if they were a part of her family.” Vicky Visconto was a patron of Rainbow Eye who became friendly with Torres through visiting the establishment. “She was very welcoming, always there with a smile, a hug. She was there to watch baseball games with, football games with, talk politics with,” Visconto said. “She was that person who could just sit silently next to you and you knew you had a support system. She was there for people, whatever they needed, in whatever way they needed.” Outside of her community work, Melendez said, Torres loved to dance, sing karaoke and visit the beach. “She will most be remembered for her laughter, compassion towards others and the abundance of generosity she bestowed on so many of us,” Melendez added. Torres is survived by her daughter, Tatiana Castro. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
The gay dating blues (and how to beat them) There are aspects that make dating as gay men are using these apps, and two, LGBT people simply more difficult than those who are using such apps likely the average heterosexual dating experiaren’t putting their best foot forward the ence. way they would in a traditional dating I have several single clients who often situation. talk about the limited “selection” of When it comes to your internal life potential dating partners, as well as the and dating, it is important to foster feelstruggle to actually identify those potenings of confidence, fearlessness and tials. One client in particular (who gave hopefulness. In my line of work, I cerme permission to mention him here) tainly know that what I’m suggesting can often discusses feelings of hopelessness be very challenging; however, sometimes related to finding a spouse, a little bit of awareness can go due to his appearance and a long way. One quick way to overall demeanor. He doesn’t access the confidence that’s necessarily “read” as gay, already within you is to take so unless he self-discloses inventory of what you have immediately, most gay men to offer someone as well as won’t know that he’s even in what you need someone to the running. To make matters offer you. When you’re clear worse, he tends to be attracted on what you want and what to other men who also don’t you’ve got to give, it becomes set off the gaydar alarm. In easier to feel empowered. short, gay dating can be chalCertainly, you know the lenging, given that approxiphrase “knowledge is power,” mately 80 percent of the popright? ulation at large isn’t attracted Speaking of power, fear can to members of the same sex, be a very powerful emotion. Kristina Furia To fight off fear, ask yourand it only gets harder to successfully date when you, as self some questions about well as your potential dating partners, worst-case scenarios. If your worst-case don’t fit into many of the common perscenario is extreme awkwardness or getceptions gay men have about other gay ting shot down, this may be a fear worth men. It’s a pretty disheartening notion. working through by remembering that So how can the gay dating blues be those feelings are completely temporary. overcome? There are two pieces to focus If, on the other hand, you feel paralyzed on: your internal experience, which by fear and the notion of rejection, it encompasses your thoughts, feelings and may be a good moment for you to conoverall perspective on dating, and your sider talking to a professional that can external experience, which includes the help you to work through those intense choices you make out in the world. We’ll feelings. start with the latter, as often it can be Lastly, hopefulness. Hopefulness is easier to change what you do than how hugely important to preparing yourself you feel about it. to successfully date. If you view dating First, if you’re looking to get over as burdensome and unlikely to produce the dating blues, it’s an excellent time a good outcome, you will create a sense to start doing new and different things. of dread that ultimately psyches you What’s great is your attention doesn’t out, prevents you from ever taking on have to be focused solely on finding a a date with as much enthusiasm as you date as you embark on new activities. otherwise would and, in my opinion, Consider it an opportunity to try out a also creates negative energy that a datnew hobby or take a class in a subject ing prospect will either consciously or you find interesting — something that unconsciously pick up on. The great thing about these suggesincludes having fun while also being around new people. You might also bene- tions is that, by implementing them, you fit by considering the company you keep. are improving your baseline quality of life, which will not only make you a If your current social circle includes happier person but will likely make you a group of singles who party a lot but that much more dateable. So, why not you’re hoping to meet a quieter, more serious guy, it’s likely a good idea to try something new this fall? n reserve some time for friends with other interests as well. Kristina Furia is a psychotherapist Next, it’s time to turn off apps like specializing in issues and concerns of Grindr. Casual sex can negatively affect the LGBTQ community in addition to your dating life by causing feelings depression, anxiety, substance abuse and of disenchantment regarding available other mental illnesses. Her private pracprospects when, in reality, it isn’t a fair tice, Philadelphia LGBTQ Counseling, representation of single gay men in your offers both individual and couples sesarea for a couple of reasons: One, not all sions (www.lgbtphillytherapy.com).
Thinking Queerly
PGN CATHOLIC from page 11
of the Artist as a Young Man,” wherein James Joyce scathingly describes everything about Catholicism and provincial, Catholic Ireland that he hated, and the rejection of which fueled his genius. One unforgettable part is a long sermon describing, to an impressionable audience of Catholic schoolboys, the flames of hell in the most lurid terms possible. Hell, thunders the preacher, is “the abode of the damned which the justice of an offended God has called into existence for the eternal punishment of sinners,” a “foulsmelling prison, an abode of demons and lost souls, filled with fire and smoke.” Well, if Joyce (or Stephen, the novel’s hero) could survive this, so could I. After all, I was surrounded by inquiring Jesuitical minds, and was being taught to apply my powers of reason when studying literature and life, and to question, analyze and consider all possibilities, rather than automatically accept things “on faith.” After years of carefree agnosticism, circumstances led me back into the chilly arms of Catholicism via the Houston chapter of Dignity, a national organization that provides advocacy, education and support for the cause of LGBT Catholics. That lasted until the local chancery cut us off from all ministry being offered willingly by Catholic clergy, eventually forcing us to close down our worship space and effectively killing us off. During that period I wrote a column for the Houston chapter’s newsletter call “Razed Catholic,” thus bringing me full circle from being raised Catholic. I tried to stimulate discussion about issues like the enforced celibacy for straight and gay priests, inclusive language in all phases of ministry, equal involvement of women in all church activities, sanctioning of samesex commitment ceremonies and, repeatedly, the potentially sacred nature of love
and sex shared between two consenting adult men or women. The hierarchy, and even some of the more orthodox members of the congregation, had other ideas. “The advantages of travel and exposure to other belief systems — Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, even the less-exotic Quaker — have expanded my sense of what it means to live a life of the spirit, and led me to trust my own powers of discernment when seeking spiritual growth and guidance.” Razing by fire can involve demolition of an old, outdated, dangerously dilapidated structure and the clearing of a space for something new and valuable to take its place. It can also suggest a refining fire of purification, one that burns off age-old encrustations and reveals an artifact in its natural, pristine state. Catholicism seems to be approaching a critical moment in its history. Which type of razing will it, and individuals raised Catholic, experience: destructive or rehabilitative, encrusted or pristine? For this razed Catholic, the journey has led to an uneasy reconciliation of nostalgia and bitterness. The youthful promises of love and redemption have faded along with the smoke and pungent smell of incense. Now there is the reality of condemnation, continued exclusion and the hypocritical perversion of the most enlightened verse in the gospels: “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another,” has become “Love the sinner, not the sin.” After being raised and razed Catholic, a quiet, empty clearing is a good place to be, filled with spiritual potential and possibilities. n
After years of carefree agnosticism, circumstances led me back into the chilly arms of Catholicism via the Houston chapter of Dignity,
NEWS BRIEFING from page 8
families last year. The food bank also provided over 10,000 bags of groceries to people who needed supplemental nutrition as part of a health program. The Mazzoni Center Food Bank caters to people living with HIV/AIDS in the Philadelphia region who need a balanced diet to support a healthy lifestyle. For more information, search “Meals for Mazzoni” on Facebook, or visit www.mazzonicenter.org/content/food-bank.
Forum looks beyond marriage Members of the LGBT community have a lot on their minds in addition to marriage. To explore some of those topics, there will be a free forum from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at the WHYY-FM studios in Independence
Joseph Quinn is a retired technical writer/ editor. A resident of Philadelphia, he volunteers his time with the William Way Community Center and the LGBT Elder Initiative. Mall West, 150 N. Sixth St. Doors open at 6 p.m. The radio station is hosting the event alongside the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association. Topics of discussion include nondiscrimination and hate-crime laws, transgender inclusion, youth homelessness and religion. People are invited to share their personal stories and discuss priorities. Guest speakers will attend with perspectives on law, social justice, health care, business and politics. Attendees are asked to register at www. whyy.org/events/speakeasy_lgbt.php. For more information, contact Emily Gann with WHYY at 215-351-1689 or egann@ whyy.org. n
— Paige Cooperstein
FINANCES PGN
Newfound wealth: thinking through the options Q: I just found out that I will be inheriting some substantial money from my father’s estate. I’m fairly young, earn a good income, have some credit-card debt and a mortgage. I guess I’m not sure what I should/should not do with the inheritance. Can you help?
You should consider talking through these tax issues with a tax professional. You may even find that it helps to create a fund now to meet anticipated future tax liabilities. Put new wealth to good use
A: From my experience helping people manage an inheritance, the best first step is often to take a deep breath and do nothing right away. There’s typically no need to rush into making any quick decisions; better to let your windfall sit for a bit, which will afford you time to create a thoughtful strategy.
New money may open up new possibilities. Think about how any new priorities might fit with your current plans and goals. For instance: An influx of money may free up your current cash flow, allowing you to increase your contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement-savings program and/or to evaluate opportunities for an Whether you are the recipiIRA. You also may find that an ent of an inheritance, a windfall annuity might be beneficial. or a bonus, new wealth brings Make sure you’re finanwith it new issues. This checkcially prepared for your chillist can help you identify comdren’s future education needs. mon tax issues, as well as forConsider making full use of mulate plans for investing and 529 plans, Coverdell educationgifting your newfound wealth. al-savings accounts and other education-savings vehicles for Tax considerations all your children and/or grand Here’s a list of the different Jeremy children. Weigh the potential return types of taxes that you may encounter as a recipient of sudGussick you could earn from new wealth against the cost of carden, substantial wealth. As you rying your current debt load. You may find go through it, keep in mind that different it’s time to speed up some debt repaystates have different rules. ments. Prime candidates may include credit cards and other consumer debt, stuFederal, state and local income taxes While inheritances may not normally be dent loans and home-equity lines of credit. counted as income, payments like buyouts, Plan ahead to create your legacy fees and winnings may be. Even though you may not need to formally pay any Consider how you can use your estate taxes due until you file, the IRS and many plan to extend the reach of your wealth. other jurisdictions require estimated tax For instance: payments if your tax liability for the year won’t be covered by your tax withhold• Could your new wealth help you to ings. increase the amounts of your bequests to the people in your life you care about? Transfer taxes • Is it important for you to leave a legacy Real-estate transfers often include a tax, through good works? You may be able to and that tax is often paid by the buyer (or do even more good by increasing your the recipient). Transfer taxes may also be charitable efforts. assessed if you receive investment securities and valuable personal property such as • Any trusts you might have created were probably built to make the most of fine art, jewelry or antiques. the resources that you had at the time. You may find that your new wealth has State inheritance taxes changed your circumstances enough to The IRS and some states collect any estate tax due from the estate itself, before justify rethinking your existing arrangements. assets are distributed to beneficiaries. However, some states require beneficia Last, but not least, did your new wealth ries to account for their share of a taxable estate and to settle their state-tax liabilities come with any strings attached? If so, you may want to take the time to understand individually. those special terms or conditions now. For instance, there could be limits or restricAd valorem taxes tions on how you can use the money or the These taxes are assessed periodically items you inherited. You may be required on the value of an item in your possesto do something or avoid doing somesion rather than on a cash flow to you. thing in order to qualify. In addition, some For instance, some jurisdictions consider bequests may depend on specific market investment securities to be taxable perevents or other outside conditions. sonal property and levy taxes on them in For help with special conditions or any the same way they do on real estate, autoPAGE 17 other aspect of managmobiles and jewelry.
Out Money
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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ing newfound wealth, contact your financial advisor or other trusted planning specialist. n Jeremy R. Gussick is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional with LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer.* Jeremy specializes in the financial-planning needs of the LGBT community and was recently named a 2014 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager as mentioned in Philadelphia Magazine.** He is active with several LGBT organizations in the Philadelphia region, including the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund and the Independence Business Alliance,, the Philadelphia region’s LGBT chamber of commerce. OutMoney appears monthly. If you have a question for Jeremy, email jeremy.gussick@ lpl.com. LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. This article was prepared with the assistance of Wealth Management Systems Inc. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. We suggest that you discuss your specific situation with a qualified tax or legal advisor. Please consult me if you have any questions. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error by Wealth Management Systems Inc. or its sources, neither Wealth Management Systems Inc. nor its sources guarantees the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or availability of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. In no event shall Wealth Management Systems Inc. be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damages in connection with subscribers’ or others’ use of the content. Wealth Management Systems, Inc. and LPL Financial are not affiliated entities. *As reported by Financial Planning magazine, 19962015, based on total revenues. **Award based on 10 objective criteria associated with providing quality services to clients such as credentials, experience, and assets under management among other factors. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. TRIAL from page 5
officials] far more information than they were entitled to by law, in response to inappropriate and illegal questions about whether or not Downs intended to file a discrimination claim, and all of the facts and circumstances that transpired at Anapol. Downs told Raynes he had no plans to sue unless he lost his job offer as a result of what was unfolding in their inquisition of him.” The filing reiterates the unfavorable outcome of the meeting. “Unfortunately for Downs, after he honestly answered all the questions put to him to the best of his ability, and to diffuse Raynes’ inquiry as to any potential claims, Downs’ fear was realized, and Raynes [officials] acted to deny him an employment opportunity in retaliation for raising claims of discrimination at Anapol. Raynes feared that they would somehow be entwined in what they perceived as threatened litigation. Oddly enough, their own actions in stripping Downs of his employment opportunity have caused them to be named as defendants in this action.” n
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PGN
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FEATURE PGN
Best of the Best By PGN Staff The votes are in! Our fifth-annual Best of LGBT Philadelphia has been our biggest and (we think!) best yet. We recorded our most-ever votes and saw a number of new winners, as well as welcomed several returning winners — including one that has won all five years! The folks listed below all provide valuable services to our community and often don’t get enough thanks for their hard work. Your votes of confidence are surely meaningful to them, and encourage us to keep bringing back this effort year after year. Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to all who voted. PGN is a community newspaper, so we love opportunities that let our community’s many voices be heard. Without further ado, dive in and see who PGN’s readers chose as the best of the best this year — and read, in their own words, why they’re thankful.
Politician State Rep. Brian Sims www.sims4pa.com Thank you very much for this recognition and the opportunity to serve you. It’s hard to believe the amount of progress we have made over the last few years. We still have a lot of work to do, including passing the Pennsylvania Fairness Act. I hope you will join me in bringing full equality to the Commonwealth. Again, thank you for this acknowledgement. It is sincerely and deeply appreciated.
Late last year, Jim introduced and passed hate-crime legislation that gives LGBTQ Philadelphians the broadest such protections in the country. As mayor, Jim will continue to make sure that equality is not just a buzzword, but a way of life in Philadelphia. Youth Jason Landau Goodman payouthcongress.org Thank you for honoring the critical LGBTQ youth advocacy that I am humbled to help lead in Philadelphia and
This year I marched from Selma to Montgomery, journeyed to Salzburg, Austria, and will have traveled nearly 40,000 miles throughout Pennsylvania in the work to create a better state for LGBTQ people. We have positively impacted countless lives and will continue to be a beacon of hope for the thousands of LGBTQ youth in every part of our state. This work is rarely seen or appreciated. I am forever grateful to all those who support our efforts. One of my greatest hopes is that future generations of young leaders will be more clearly heard and respected because of our actions.
Thank you, PGN readers, for this honor. Want to live a long and healthy life? Much is happening now in biomedical research on the aging process, toward learning how to slow aging and repair some of the damage already done. I’m developing a new online newsletter — AgeTreatment.org — to explain this fast-moving medical and scientific work to the interested public. I published AIDS Treatment News for 20 years, and now will use that experience to report on progress against another deadly and so-far-incurable disease: aging. Bar Bar Staff Bar Food Tabu www.tabuphilly.com PEOPLE: Chris Bartlett (clockwise from top left), Jim Kenney, Jason Landau Goodman, John James, State Rep. Brian Sims Ally Jim Kenney https://kenney2015.com Jim Kenney is a lifelong Philadelphian and the city’s current Democratic mayoral nominee. During his 23 years as a City Councilman-at-Large, Jim was a leading voice for Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community. In the early 1990s, he introduced legislation to provide benefits to life partners of city workers. In 2013, he fought to provide additional benefits and protections to transgender citizens.
throughout our state. As the founding executive director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, I have fought to advance freedom and justice for young LGBTQ people. As the principal lobbyist for PYC, I have worked tirelessly for the dignity of LGBTQ youth, particularly those facing discrimination and violence in schools, homeless shelters and foster care. With PYC’s new headquarters across from the State Capitol in Harrisburg, we have been able to be a stronger force in Pennsylvania government than ever before.
OF
Philade
Elder John James
Unsung Hero Chris Bartlett Many thanks to the readers of PGN who voted me Unsung Hero for this year’s Best of LGBT Philly. Though I don’t feel that my work has been unsung, it’s a true honor to be so acknowledged by the community I love so much. I share this award with the committee who organized the “Speaking OUT for Equality” exhibit at the National Constitution Center, and especially John Cunningham, who thought of the exhibit and did more than anyone else to make it happen. I also want to acknowledge a number of my inspiring ancestors: Barbara Gittings, Gloria Casarez, Lois Lax, Dominic Bash, Arnold Jackson, Kiyoshi Kuromiya and Eric Rofes. I do my best to live up to the incredibly inspiring examples that they provided. I also thank my colleagues at the William Way LGBT Community Center, who work 365 days a year to make sure that there is a welcoming home for LGBT people in all of our diversity. I consider myself part of a movement for LGBT liberation that started centuries ago and that will continue into the future — we LGBT people are key visionaries, creators, innovators and we make our city better by all of our hard work.
BEST
Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar was created to be Philadelphia’s very own sports bar that catered to not just the LGBT community, but our allies as well. Commended as one of the first spaces and atmospheres designed to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable, Tabu has been focused on our customers and providing them with exactly what they requested: a great space with great drinks at great prices. We are thankful to have the best staff and customers because that is what has made us the best bar in Philadelphia, with the best bar food. We have continuously worked to improve for our friends, and 2016 will be no exception.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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FEATURE PGN
Non-Gayborhood Bar Stir www.stirphilly.com Stir is honored to receive the award for best Non-Gayborhood Bar. Leaving the comfort of the Gayborhood and crossing Broad Street is a daunting task, but we have been able to find our niche in a small alley in Rittenhouse Square. Stir continues to be the Cheers for the queers. It is a neighborhood bar that brings people together in a comfortable setting. Our staff is amazing and goes out of their way to make old and new faces feel right at home. We wouldn’t be here today without the continued support of our loyal customers, whom we now call friends. You can follow our Stir Lounge fan page for the latest posts on events for the fall, and be sure to stop in for one of our daily happy hours to try one our cocktails off the new fall drink menu. Cheers!
Hundreds of LGBTQ people of different races, gender presentations and backgrounds come together each month for one purpose: to have an amazing time! Stimulus founders Amber and Morgan would like to thank the Stimulus staff, Stimulus family and PGN for making Stimulus Philly the 2015 Best LGBT Theme Party! Join them at their upcoming events: Back to School Sept. 18 and the Black & White Party Nov. 20 at Voyeur Nightclub, 10 p.m.-3:30 a.m.
Cartoons Dining Out Family Portrait Get Out and Play Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly art dance floor, a space to present great DJs and innovative shows on a regular basis, where everyone in the community can feel comfortable letting loose and having fun. Nothing could make us happier than knowing that our efforts have paid off with a great experience for our patrons. It’s you — our guests, our neighbors, the people who make this neighborhood the vibrant, rich and involved community that it is — that makes what we do worthwhile. This honor adds just a little more energy to our commitment to
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the City of Brotherly Love. The concept of a gay sports bar might come as a surprise, but take a moment to think about it, and it begins to make perfect sense: A chill, relaxed setting where everyone can come together — male, female, gay, straight, black, white, Asian or Latino — and share a good time. Boxers PHL has become a destination, with its fundamental focus on supporting local sports leagues and sports fans. It has also become the go-to institution to watch the sweet eye candy behind the bar working shirtless and in the signa-
LGBT Theme Party Stimulus Productions w w w. f a c e b o o k . PLACES: Tabu (clockwise from top left), Knock, ICandy, Stir, Boxers, Stimulus, Tria, Cafe Twelve, Green Eggs Cafe com/TheStimulus In 2009, Stimulus founders Morgan Levine and Amber Hikes were disappointed by queer women’s nightlife options in Philly and decided to create their own events. In May of that year, Stimulus Philly hosted its first party at Stir Lounge and welcomed 150 diverse attendees. Almost seven years and many venues later, Stimulus parties are bigger than ever! The Stimulus ladies attribute the success of Stimulus to the welcoming atmosphere, exciting themes and refreshing diversity at each event.
Dance Club ICandy www.clubicandy.com The whole staff at ICandy would like to extend our gratitude to Philadelphia Gay News and the voters in the community who have honored us with the award for best Dance Club this year! It’s part of our mission to keep improving and bringing something new to the neighborhood’s nightlife every single year. This year our big project was the renovation and opening of a state-of-the-
keep changing, keep improving and keep serving you. We can’t wait to see what’s next, together. With love from everyone here at ICandy, both on the floor and behind the scenes, thank you, thank you, thank you. Happy Hour Boxers www.facebook.com/boxersphl America’s gay sports bar, Boxers PHL, is the premier gay-owned and operated sports bar happily nestled in the heart of
ture brand’s boxer shorts. There is really no other place like it in Philadelphia! From the moment you walk in, you are always guaranteed a hot mix of sexiness and a good time. Their happy hour is second to none, seven days a week from 6-8 p.m., with brick-oven pizza, beer on tap, a pool table and many plasma screens for you to enjoy. After work or after the game, Boxers PHL is the place for gay sports leagues and fans to meet. Stop by and be debriefed on what Boxers PHL is all about. PAGE 26
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FEATURE PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
BEST from page 25
• Cosmetic dentistry • Crowns • Implants • Veneers • Whitening
High quality dental treatment and preventive care
Andrea V. Cronin, DDS Craig T. Wakefield, DDS Proudly serving the LGBT community and PWA for over 25 years. Medical Towers Building • Suite 2306 255 S. 17th St., Philadelphia, Pa 19103 (215) 732-8080 Evening hours available.
Restaurant Fine Dining Knock www.knockphilly.com The staff and management of Knock would like to thank everyone who voted for us! We know that we are only as good as the last meal we served, so we work hard each and every day to make sure our customers leave satisfied. A special thank you goes to Louis Torres, our executive chef, for also making this possible. Through his leadership and culinary skill, he works to ensure quality and consistency for you, our clientele. If you haven’t tried Knock for a while, you may want to come and dine with us. Try our small plates to share, from delicious ahi tuna to homemade turkey sliders, or choose from our fresh ample salads and savory entrées. See you at Knock! Place for a Date Tria Café www.triacafe.com Tria knows that sometimes it’s the environment that creates a romantic evening. (And you thought it was mutual attraction and common interests!) Without televisions, live music, karaoke or Monopoly boards, Tria makes it easy to give your date some well-deserved attention, and our award-winning wine and beer menus can help smooth out your rough edges. And since we all know that love creates unusual appetites, our beverages are complemented by our Euro-American menu of snacks, salads and paninis. Oh, and cheese. You do not want to forget the cheese! Nothing says “I love you”(or “I’d like to love you”) like wine, beer and cheese. And with Tria’s reasonable prices, even if you’re on a nightmarish blind date set up by “well-meaning” friends, at least the check won’t keep you up at night. Tria Wash West has been proudly serving the Gayborhood since 2007, and we’re looking forward to many more years of watching Tinder profiles turn into real human beings at our bar, and lifelong partners celebrate their 247th quiet evening at a window table. Thank you, PGN readers, for your support and integration of Tria into the community. Coffee Shop Cafe Twelve www.facebook.com/cafetwelve Cafe Twelve is a locally based café and espresso bar serving varieties of organic and fair-traded coffee, chai and teas. If you’re looking to satisfy your sweet teeth, you can indulge in any of its house-baked cookies, scones and muffins or can swing by the establishment for heartier breakfast and lunch fare. Food and drinks are just the start here. Cafe Twelve offers plush, comfy couches,
friendly staff and free wifi, making it an excellent spot to kick back and relax or do some Gayborhood people-watching. Neighborhood is the name of the game at Cafe Twelve, as the store invites the diversity of people from the area to meet, study or just stay relaxed by sipping coffee and enjoying the calm music in the background — all at a fair price. Breakfast/Brunch Green Eggs Café www.greeneggscafe.com Green Eggs Café has three locations, including one in the heart of the Gayborhood at 212 S. 13th St. The eatery serves breakfast, brunch and lunch — offering unique twists and daily specials that take the meals to the next level, like with its red-velvet pancakes, pumpkin-overload French toast or kale, bacon and mushroom frittata. The café is committed to serving high-quality food at a low cost, buying fresh and locally. It is also a strong proponent of environmentally sound policies, recycling all paper products, aluminum, glass and plastics; composting all food and organic waste; and using only biodegradable take-out containers. You might not find green eggs on the menu, but you will find green practices. LGBT Event OutFest www.phillygaypride.org In 1990, Philadelphia was the first city to have a National Coming Out Day event. This year, 2015, is the 25th Anniversary of OutFest, the largest NCOD event in the world, and the largest LGBT event of the year in Philadelphia, attracting more than 40,000 — which makes our fifth consecutive win in this category even more meaningful! Every community group participates and every business does something special. It has the look and feel of an old-fashioned block party, only gayer! Join us in the Gayborhood for OutFest, which falls this year on National Coming Out Day, Oct. 11! LGBT Fundraiser Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus Fall Ball www.pgmc.org The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus presents its fourth-annual Fall Ball Masquerade Fundraiser Oct. 17 at Loews Hotel Philadelphia. The theme for this year’s black-tie-optional event is Carnaval. Presented by Geno’s Steaks, festivities include live and silent auctions, dancing, an open bar and our sexy Ball Boys. Performances include the Brasilian duo, Minas and our own select ensemble, Brotherly Love. The VIP reception will include a performance by New York’s Brazilian dance company Casa Brazilia, and special hors d’oeuves.
FEATURE PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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More than 300 civic, business and community leaders from the Greater Philadelphia area are expected to celebrate and raise money for PGMC. This year, we are pleased to announce that Jim Kenney, Democratic candidate for mayor of Philadelphia, and Dr. Russell Harris and John Casavecchia serve as our Honorary Committee co-chairs. Pennsylvania Sen. Lawrence M. Farnese, Jr., state Rep. Brian Sims, City Councilmen Bill Greenlee, Mark Squilla and David Oh, as well as Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the city’s Office of LGBT Affairs, are among the members of the Honorary Committee. For information and tickets, visit www. pgmc.org or email info@pgmc.org. LGBT Nonprofit Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus www.pgmc.org The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus entertains audiences, supports communities and fosters acceptance through exceptional musical performance. Since 1981, the PGMC has steadily increased its visibility in the LGBT community and among Philadelphia arts organizations. The regular subscription season includes concert productions in December, March and June. In addition, the chorus performs at cabarets, fundraisers and other community events throughout the year. Our select ensemble group, Brotherly Love, also performs at concerts and communi-
EVENTS AND INSTITUTIONS: OutFest (clockwise from top left), Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus Fall Ball, Stonewall Sports, Mazzoni Center ty-outreach events throughout the year. We strive to be leaders in the LGBT community and a resource to the wider community. Working alone and in partnership with organizations that share our values, like The Attic Youth Center and ArtReach, we seek to break down the barriers of prejudice and ignorance. We deliver a program
with Philadelphia area schools through our community-outreach program, promoting music and cultural awareness and fostering acceptance and tolerance among youth. Learn more or become a part of PGMC’s Signature Circle at www.pgmc. org. Call 215-731-9230 or email info@ pgmc.org.
THE PEACE SEEKER Unusual Unassuming Unforgettable A welcoming & diverse Jewish community. A Reconstructionist Rabbi. A Conservative liturgy. SHS embraces a unique approach to worship & spirituality through prayer, music & song. Come and see what the excitement is about. Society Hill Synagogue 418 Spruce Street (215) 922-6590 bettyv@societyhillsynagogue.org
LGBT Nonprofit Mazzoni Center www.mazzonicenter.org Mazzoni Center is Philadelphia’s home for LGBT health and wellness. Our goal is to provide quality and comprehensive health and wellness services in an LGBTfocused environment. PAGE 29
Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show An Outdoor Art Show of Original Artwork
Unusual The oldest outdoor art show of only original artwork in the entire country Unassuming Unforgettable
11TH ANNUAL
A welcoming & diverse Jewish community. A Reconstructionist Rabbi. A Conservative liturgy. SHSinembraces a One Woman’s Battle the Church’s War on Homosexuality unique approach to
More than 140 top artists from around the country will
& spirituality SUSAN E.worship G ILMORE through prayer, music & song.
“CIRCLE THE SQUARE”
In The Peace Seeker, Susan E. Gilmore chronicles Rittenhouse Square at 18th and Walnut her struggle to reconcile her sexual identity with the Come and see what the teachings of the Christian church. Her nearly thirin Center City Philadelphia excitement is about. ty-year search for self-acceptance and understanding, a story of deep pain and devotion, is resolved only when she is prompted to investigate biblical passages used to condemn homosexuality as a sin. Whether Friday 11-7 • Saturday 11-7 • Sunday 11-5 Society Hill Synagogue you are interested in gay issues, religion, biblical Spruce scholarship, or human rights,418 this book will expand Street your awareness. (215) 922-6590 For more information call 1-877-689-4112
September 18 - 20, 2015
The Peace Seeker is bettyv@societyhillsynagogue.org Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble in both print and ebook formats.
or visit RittenhouseSquareArt.org
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
PGN
October is LGBT History Month.
Catch the spirit.
Exclusive LGBT history coverage throughout the month.
FEATURE PGN BEST from page 27
We offer a continuum of care to ensure that the LGBT community and others in Philadelphia have access to the essential services in every area of life: from primary health care and case management, to counseling and behavioral-health programs, to LGBT legal services and beyond. We’re always looking for feedback from patients and clients, so we can improve upon our services. The common thread that emerges from many of our patient stories is a feeling of sincere, personal attention to their individual needs. We think that makes us stand out. We work hard to communicate respect and dignity for each person that comes through the door.
know how important it is to have beautiful images to remember those moments by. From parents expecting their first child, to the cast of a show at Tabu, to birthdays, graduations and everywhere in between, to starting your new life with the one you love, Swiger Photography hopes to be the company you choose to be a part of your family. In almost six years, we’ve photographed more than 120 weddings, 70 families, 100 events and 90 individuals and we’d love to have you be a part of a wonderful family of clients who come back again and again! In the last year, Swiger Photography has been able to partner with parties and events in our community like Sleepover.The Party, Dining Out for Life, BASH Events
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
name Swiger for this business. You’ve been to hundreds of shoots and meetings, supported this dream and cheered me on when I lost sight of what I was doing in the first place. I couldn’t do what I do without you or ask for a better person to have by my side. If you are in need of a photographer, please contact us at swigerphotography@ gmail.com, visit our website at swigerphotography.com or like us on Facebook to see what we are up to! Non-Bar Hangout Wiliam Way LGBT Community Center www.waygay.org Many thanks to the PGN for this won-
LGBT Sports Organization Stonewall Sports www.stonewallphilly.org This has been a big year for the LGBT community in Philadelphia and for Stonewall Sports-Philly. We’ve been proud to be a part of it and are honored to be named the best LGBT Sports Organization in our city for the second year. Stonewall Sports is fundamentally about building community, and anyone who has been around town on a Sunday knows that we’ve built quite a large and close-knit one. More than 1,000 players have worn a Stonewall uniform since our first games last June and we’ve given out thousands of dollars to local charities. For LGBT Philadelphians of all ages, living in our city is significantly better today than it was less than two years ago, and that’s in large part because people feel more connected. We run sports that anyone can play, DRAG, DJ, DESTINATION: Timmy Tenderloin (clockwise from top left), Brittany Lynn with DJ because we want everyone Liberty City Drag Kings & Burlesque, The Raven to feel a part of this. It’s and Pulse, as well as collaborate with Ash. derful recognition! We work very hard been a year of amazing growth and we to make our space welcoming, engaging, Events to produce the first-ever all-LGBTcouldn’t be more excited to continue to stimulating and accessible for all memsupport and enhance the LGBT community styled wedding shoot here in Philadelphia. bers of our many communities. We’re This event allowed for so many wedding here in Philadelphia. open 365 days a year — even in blizzards, creatives to come together and show three If you haven’t yet, come out to a game heat waves and papal visits — providing unique ideas of how lesbian couples can and join us afterwards on Sunday. For warm smiles and wifi, counseling and card look on their wedding day, but more than many of us, it’s been life-changing. that, it fostered an idea that when we as an games for all who come through our doors. From Loft 23 — our weekly game and disindustry and community come together, LGBT-Owned Business cussion night for friends in their late teens #lovewins. Swiger Photography and 20s — to Mornings Out — our bois We’d like to thank our amazing group www.swigerphotography.com terous senior men’s social group — there’s of clients, friends and family who voted Swiger Photography is so honored for Swiger Photography the last two years. a place for everyone here. The coming months will see even more activity in our to again be your best LGBT-Owned Without you and your constant support space: a trans mentorship program born Business! and love, this wouldn’t have been possiout of our successful weekly TransWay As a company dedicated to capturing ble. I’d also like to thank my incredible whatever shape your family takes, we wife, Jordan. It’s because of you I have the group, more programs for exploring the
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lives of LGBTQ people of faith and new LGBTQ-focused art exhibits (our gallery is open every day and always free). Stop by any time. We can’t wait to see you! Drag King Timmy Tenderloin www.facebook.com/timmytenderloin I have been performing as Timmy Tenderloin since winning Mr. Philly Drag King and Mr. Philly Gay Pride 2013. It is such an honor to be the recipient of the Best of LGBT Philly award for Drag King. This community is amazing and I would be nothing without the fierce people who have helped me on my journey. Drag and performance have been such a positive outlet for me, as well as an unmeasurable vessel for my continuing self-discovery. As a person who is clean and sober, my gratitude continues to grow with humble realities like this. Liberty City Kings Drag and Burlesque have been there from the beginning and I am so proud to perform with them every first Saturday of the month at Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me and for all the people who continue to support me at shows and events. I love you all so much. The community’s continued support at shows and events is what most fills my heart with joy and thankfulness. Don’t forget to be yourself and dance like everyone is watching! Drag Queen Brittany Lynn Carl Michaels, Phillydragmafia.com I really want to thank my Philadelphia LGBT community for its constant support in what has been nearly two decades of fun and work. Together, we have broken down so many barriers separating the different communities here in what was once considered “our little gay bubble.” With your support, I have marched with a brigade of drag kings and queens at the very front in the city’s biggest parade on New Year’s Day, broke the Guinness Book of World Records for most drag queens on stage in one show at one time, been cited by City Council for my work with our local government and have raised thousands of dollars for such amazing charities as MANNA and City PAGE 30 of Hope.
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Your belief in me and my abilities is what drives me to keep doing more for our city. PGN gave me my first adult job, as the editorial assistant for an amazing publication that is still at the top of its game and set the standard for my career in helping to enrich the lives of my gay brothers and sisters. In a time where gay marriage has been legalized, we have the gay flags on our city streets and the Pride flag raised at City Hall, please realize how lucky we are to live in a city like Philadelphia. Thank you! DJ Carl Michaels www.facebook.com/carlmichaelsphilly DJ Carl Michaels plays fun and funky music for a broad variety of audiences, but has most notably been a fixture in Philly’s LGBT nightclubs.
FEATURE PGN
He fuses dance music from across the spectrum to cater to the melting pot that is Philadelphia’s LGBT community. Carl has been a consistent supporter of the community, donating his services for a variety of events benefiting Mazzoni Center, MANNA, William Way LGBT Community Center and more. You can find Carl at venues around the region including Voyeur Nightclub and Paradise Asbury Park. For more information, check out www.djcarlmichaels.com or email carlmichaels@gmail.com. Burlesque Act Liberty City Drag Kings & Burlesque Libertycitykings.com We are thrilled to receive the first PGN Best Burlesque Act award! Our mission is to produce fun, sexy, thought-provoking and fabulous performance art that blends, bends and blurs
BRUNCH HAPPY HOUR SATURDAYS 12PM-3PM
gender lines, satire and politics from Spot to Shop on the Main Line a place that is sex-positive, body-afSuburban Square firming and gender-aware … as well as www.suburbansquare.com downright fun. Open-air malls stuffed with the hip As the most diverse performance pest shops and boutiques are a dime a troupe in Philly, we feel it is vital for dozen, and they are slowly putting their our stage to reflect the different bodmore cumbersome enclosed brethren on ies, sexualities, kinks and genders in the endangered our diverse species list. communiBut Suburban ties. A strong Square really Glitter Family stands out from value we also the pack, thanks hold is to in large part to give back to its bucolic subour commuurban setting. nity. Each of The Square our monthly also eschews Vixens & the usual eatVagabonds ery chains for Queer & more upscale Kinky dining and its Cabarets own Farmers (every first Market, feaSaturday) turing the best raises money meats, sweets for local orgaand produce nizations. to be had in This year alone we have ON THE ROAD: Abury Park (top) and Blue Moon the area. Fresh raised nearly in Rehoboth Beach threads and fresh cuisine are $5,000 for an unbeatable combination. our community. We hope you will join us later this fall at our ninth-anniversary Consider your credits cards maxed out. show, Tricks & Treats, showcasing our Beach in New Jersey best numbers from the past year! Asbury Park We would like to thank our longtime www.APboardwalk.com sponsor Sexploratorium/Passional and our performance home Tabu for all their support. Lastly, thanks ’n’ spanks to our Immortalized by the music of Bruce Springsteen, revitalized by its growfans. We love what we do and we love ing LGBT community and immensely to do it for you! We are Philadelphia’s blessed by the fact that it is not the setGenderfuck Royalty! ting for “Jersey Shore,” Asbury Park is the friendliest place to be found on the Place to Visit in Bucks County coast. The Raven Asbury offers an eclectic mix of Theravennewhope.com entertainment, energetic nightlife, arts, shopping and traditional summer beach Established in 1979, The Raven activities for those vacationers unwilling has become a New Hope institution, to leave the state of New Jersey. Forget attracting both residents of the bucolic Bucks County town and visitors passing what you see on TV. The real Boardwalk Empire is Asbury Park. through. The multi-faceted bar, restaurant Bar/Restaurant in Rehoboth and hotel offers top-notch service and Beach entertainment year-round. In the sumBlue Moon mer, guests can enjoy Sunday brunch www.bluemoonrehoboth.com followed by a dip in the pool, and in the winter, the venue is decked out with For almost 35 years, Blue Moon has holiday cheer. Special events include been giving the good people of Rehoboth cabaret shows, drag performances, tea Beach the best of fine dining seven days dances and more. a week, as well as the live entertainment The Raven’s eclectic menus offer ranging from cabaret and karaoke to drag something for every diner while the divas and dance parties. Loyal customers extensive wine list adds the perfect and new fans of the eatery are constantly touch to any of the many choices. The drawn to Blue Moon’s three-decade trabeautifully crafted oak-paneled walls, friendly bartenders, colorful guests, fab- dition of excellence, which hopefully will continue for years to come. ulous music and the best drinks in town Whether you want to fuel up for the have made the bar at The Raven a must weekend with a delicious brunch or get for travelers from all over the world. the night started with a gourmet dinner, Come up for the day or the weekend good food and good times in Rehoboth and see all that The Raven and New Beach always get started at Blue Moon. n Hope have to offer.
PGN
IS SUNDAY OCT. 11
OUTFEST 2015
PGN’S PREVIEW ISSUE
FRIDAY Oct. 9
The pre-OutFest edition of PGN has all the info about what’s going in Philly for OutFest weekend! From cover to cover, PGN will be your guide to help you celebrate being out and proud in the Gayborhood and beyond. To reserve ad space today, email greg@epgn.com or call 215-625-8501 ext. 211 (Issue date: Oct. 9; advertising/art deadline: Oct. 2)
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
The
Since 1976
PGN Guide to the Gayborhood
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!
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6426 Lower York Road • New Hope, PA 18938
www.TheRRazzRoom.com • 888-596-1027 September 11
SUEdE
IN CONCERT!
with Fred Boyle, piano and Max Murray, bass
the
September 25
Chancellor St.
KINSEy SIcKS
“Chicks with Shticks” Brand New Show!
Come To The CabareT
Grand Opening Celebration featuring One Of Broadway & Cabaret’s Greatest Performers
KAREN MASON
St. James St.
11th St.
Locust St.
❍ Manning St.
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Quince St.
Latimer St.
12th St.
13th St.
❒ ❒
❍ Spruce St.
1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org
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
Knock 225 S. 12th St. 215.925.1166 knockphilly.com Fine -dining restaurant and bar with outdoor seating (weather permitting)
1412 Chestnut Street • Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.TheRRazzRoom.com • 215-422-4580 September 18
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William Way LGBT Community Center
tHe
Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; secondfloor pool table and big-screen sports action
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<—
the
The Bike Stop
Walnut St.
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Juniper St.
Email weddings@delart.org or visit delart.org for information.
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
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Photograph by Paul Poletti.
Custom-create your special day with our unique event spaces, experienced event planners, and all-inclusive packages.
Tabu
Woody’s
1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Cozy, elegantly-appointed bar with high-end cocktails
Camac St.
Celebrate
❍
<—
Rosewood
September 19
A DIVINE EVENING WITH
OctOber 9 & 10 TONY AWARD LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT
chARLES BUSCH tOMMy with Tom Judson at the piano TUNE “TAPS, TUNES
NEXT TO NORMA (Desmond, that is!) From Beatles To Broadway
AND TALL TALES”
NOvember 13 An Intimate Evening With
OctOber 17
LINDA LAVIN
“STARTING OVER” with BILLy StRItch, Musical Director and Special Guest Violinist Aaron Weinstein
RhONDA ROSS
NOvember 6 & 7
NOvember 14
WELL-STRUNG “POPssical” CD Release Concerts
NOvember 12
StORM LARGE with Le Bonheur Chanteuse of PINK MARTINI
VARLAJEAN MERMAN’s “BIG BLACK HOLE”
Tavern on Camac 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.
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. 11-17, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
PGN
Photography Art by Scott A. Drake
267-736-6743
CELEBRATING
30 YEARS!
Making a Difference One Child at a Time Over 6,498 families created through AFTH
THANK YOU! BEST OF LGBT PHILLY “Place for a Date” TRIA WASH WEST 12th & Spruce
Cory Wade
as the Master of Ceremonies Entertainment Ɔ Casino & Photo Booth Cocktails Ɔ Raffles Ɔ Red Carpet Photo Ops
TRIAPHILLY.COM
Join in the Celebration October 16th from 7-11pm at The Racquet Club of Philadelphia
FOR TICKETS & EVENT DETAILS: www.AFTH.org/Events
PROFILE PGN
Family Portrait
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
35
Suzi Nash
Rochelle Johnson: Donning drag, promoting Pride Pride. Passion. Punany. These are some of the things you’ll find at the Southern New Jersey LGBTQ Pride festival, 2-6 p.m. Sept. 13 at the beautiful Cooper River Park, just across the Ben Franklin Bridge. The day full of celebration and fun will feature entertainment from music pioneers The Girlfriends, the comedy of Michelle Tomko, motivational speaker D.H. DaHitwryter and others, such as this week’s profile, drag king Rasta Boi Punany, who will be crowned Mr. Southern New Jersey LGBTQ Pride 2016. There will be vendors of all sorts and a variety of organizations with information of interest to LGBT communities on both sides of the Delaware. And if all that pride and love under blue skies gets you feeling romantic, New Age Ever Afters will be there to officiate onsite weddings! We took a moment to speak with Rasta Boi’s alter ego, Rochelle Johnson. PGN: So, we have something in common: Both of us started our lesbian yearnings with a camp-counselor crush. RJ: [Laughs] Wow! How did you know about that? PGN: I have my sources. Mine was a counselor named Kendal and she looked like Vanessa Williams. Do you remember that song from the Jackson 5, “I Found That Girl”? I used to sing that in my head while she pushed me on the swings. RJ: Oh my God, that’s funny. I can’t remember the name of my camp counselor but she was Caucasian with curly hair. She was beautiful and I remember always wanting to be next to her. It was a church camp so we would always sit around and sing church songs, uplifting and happy songs. I remember one time we were supposed to go on a field trip and she wasn’t going so I hid in the bathroom until everyone left so I could stay behind with her. It was pretty intense. I wish I could remember her name! But I can still clearly see her face. So how did you know about it? PGN: I read a piece you wrote on coming out, I’m not sure where it was. But speaking of, in the piece you said you continued that crush until you were 11 and, after that, you began to date boys just because it seemed like it was what you were supposed to do until ... RJ: I turned 15. Then I met this woman who was a friend of my best friend’s big sister. One night we were all together at my best friend’s house and they all decided to go out to a club. The woman, who shall remain
nameless, wasn’t feeling well and stayed home and I decided to stay with her. She went to lie down and I was watching her sleep. I don’t know what possessed me but I reached out and touched her arm. She woke up and took my hand and … PGN: The rest is history! RJ: [Laughs] Yup! PGN: She was in college and you were still in high school. These days it could be problematic! RJ: Right? Thank God that didn’t happen. For me it was a good thing. It opened up my eyes. PGN: [Laughs] I have a friend who was quite the lothario in high school and apparently had encounters with a number of the teachers. I always think, Man, I wish one of my hot teachers had tried something on me! I always heard rumors about the gym teachers having affairs with different players. We actually had one of our teachers take a student to the prom. It caused a huge scandal. They got married and years later I saw them on a talk show about student-teacher relations. It was 15 years later and they were still married with three kids! RJ: Yeah, we never went anywhere with it. We just became good friends and I’m still in touch with her today.
PGN: What did your mom do? RJ: She worked as a secretary in the Catholic school system and in the personnel and HR departments. I think she had an associate’s degree in that. Then she went on to work for the archdiocese of New York. She just retired after working for them for about 48 years. PGN: Did you grow up Catholic? RJ: Nooo, heck no. I grew up mostly Baptist, some Islam, but I don’t really follow any particular religion. I am spiritual though, and believe in a higher power. No, at the diocese she was the only woman of color there, but she had a child to raise so once she got the job, she stayed. But I was not raised in any sense or fashion as a Catholic. I was raised in a very open-minded family. My mom’s best friend was Catholic and she took me to a service one time so I did get to experience it but there was too much moving around for me! Stand up! Sit down! Now kneel down!
PGN: Cool. So where do you hail from? RJ: I’m from East Orange, N.J.
PGN: Where did you go to college? RJ: Rutgers in New Brunswick. At first I wanted to be an OB/ GYN but quickly realized that math and science were not my strong points. I took a psychology class and felt that it fit me so I now have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and I’m a licensed social worker.
PGN: Big family? Small family? RJ: Very big family. On my father’s side, his mother and father had 11 kids and one of her sisters had nine, and I think some of the other siblings had a bunch too. On my mom’s side her mother had five kids. PGN: What about your immediate family? RJ: I am my mother’s only child. My father had another daughter who lives in California. PGN: So you pretty much grew up as an only child? RJ: Yes, well no. I’m my mom’s only child but I grew up in a household that held 19 people. From my great-great grandfather to cousins, uncles, great aunts, you name it. So I didn’t grow up like an only child. When people hear that I’m an only child they immediately say, “You must be spoiled!” And I’m like, “Not really.” I got everything I needed and most of what I wanted but I was also taught the word “no.”
her because she had been out and was more experienced. She suggested that I pick a nice guy that I liked and give it one more chance and see if I still felt the same. Unfortunately for him, the guy took me to an alternative club in New York. I was surrounded by gay people and when he tried to kiss me I was like, nope, sorry and there was no looking back. I came out to myself, then my best friends and then family. I had two best friends, one male and one female, and at first she wasn’t having any of it, but we later became lovers for a minute so I guess she got with the program! During that first year, I did research and prepared myself to tell my mom. I remember starting off as if I was in an AA meeting saying, “My name is Rochelle and I’m gay.” My mom said, “Well, that’s fine with me. I love you and you are still my daughter. However, everyone will not be as accepting, so I want you to be careful and not to flaunt it in public.” I didn’t tell my dad until I was in college, even though I knew he would accept me. That went really easy. One day my dad just said, “Chelle, are you dating girls?” I said, “Yes, Dad.” He said, “Well, that’s cool,” and we laughed and hugged. Once my family knew, I didn’t worry about anyone else.
Oh, no, too much for me. Thank God my family never forced any religion on me. My father’s father was a Baptist minister but I was taught to believe however I choose to believe. PGN: So what was coming out like for you? RJ: After that first experience at 15, I went back to boys but it didn’t feel comfortable. I went back and spoke to
PGN: Nice. So how did you end up in drag? RJ: My lovely wife was responsible. We went to a show that was featuring drag kings and queens. I was familiar with drag queens but was like, “What’s a drag king?” She explained it to me and said, “You know what? You’d be great at it.” I didn’t think so but later that year she took me to a drag-king show in Philadelphia and they had an audience competition. She and her friends urged me up onto the stage. PAGE 42 I’m usually a shy
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
SPORTS PGN
Get Out and Play
Scott A. Drake
Philadelphia’s favorite LGBT sports organization
STIR SUMMER SOCCER SCORE: Tara Jordan (from left), Shane Dreher, Tanner Nassau, Yunio Martinez, Margot Wilson and Wallie Wilks show off their medals and trophies from the summer soccer-league party at Stir. Photo: Crossley Ann When Stonewall Kickball first hit the streets — uh, parks — here in Philly, it quickly became the most popular kid on the block — and not just because it had the balls. But just like in advertising, if you find something the consumer wants, you’re going to succeed. It’s almost surreal since just a couple of years ago, softball dominated all of the other LGBT sports combined in shear numbers. Now, with Stonewall’s added volleyball and dodgeball (and I’m hoping they add darts some time soon. You listening?), the field has a broad base of hundreds. Another of the successes Stonewall has demonstrated is its ability to raise money for various organizations, not just those that are sports-connected. Most of the time, groups are feverously trying to pay their bills and fees and have little time to add on community fundraising. Yes, there are groups who find ways to raise money for special interests, but not on a regular basis like these guys and gals. When we first broke the news back in the day that Philadelphia was going to be an expansion city for the original Washington, D.C., group, the immediate buzz showed that we were ready for some kickball. And boy, were we ever! Two weekly leagues several times a year for almost all of the current sports offerings, and it just keeps thriving. A large part of that is obviously the camaraderie (and let’s not forget the
winning) that comes from an afternoon of agenda-less fun. Go to games some Sunday or Thursday (not on the Sunday during the APopeaclypse) and you’ll see some good sporting, but good sports as well. Don’t forget your beverage of choice. These people bring fun in a cooler, also. Congratulations to Stonewall for snagging the Best of LGBT Philadelphia award via the voices of the community. You are always welcome here! Short stops • Congrats to Bob Breitel and all of the Philadelphia Fins who performed so well at Maui Channel Swim over Labor Day weekend. Mahala! • Philadelphia Firebirds’ next tryouts are Sept. 20 at Kendrick Rec Center, 5822 Ridge Ave. No experience necessary. The 2016 season begins in April; philadelphiafirebirds.com. • Philadelphia Gay Bowling League has returned to South Philly. The season officially started Sept. 9, but it’s not too late to get into the game. Get more info on Facebook/ PhillyGayBowlingLeague?ref=stream. • Stonewall Kickball is suspending play Sept. 27 due to foreseen circumstances. n Using the Pope party to brush up on your decathlon skills? Email scott@epgn.com.
PGN
Since 1976
PGN
Photos: Scott A. Drake
’s Get Out and Play All the action with Philly’s jocks
Every other week in PGN
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.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
LISTINGS PGN & STAGE
Cabaret, opera fuse in Warhol collaboration By A.D. Amorosi PGN Contributor This month’s long-awaited “Andy: A Popera,” co-produced by Opera Philadelphia and Philly’s Bearded Ladies Cabaret, is a site-specific work composed by cabaret member Heath Allen and international classical composer Dan Visconti, with a libretto by BLC director John Jarboe. The work explores what Warhol has become in the now, as a brand and as a man. “Bearded Ladies Cabaret is a queer experimental company made up of professional theater artists — performers, musicians, designers, directors and a dramaturg — who are passionate about creating experiences for audiences that are undeniably live,” said Bearded Ladies associate artistic director Sally Ollove. “We believe in the idea of ‘the poison cookie,’ in which thought-provoking social criticism is introduced through the pleasure of intimate, homemade theater with beautiful songs, groan-worthy puns, tricked-out costume changes, drag and virtuosic prop construction. We also really love glitter.” Scott McPheeters, a Bearded Ladies collective member who plays Warhol “Superstar” Candy Darling, said the work continues with the group’s agenda to make great queer-focused art by playing into the idea of what it means (or at least meant in Warhol’s time) to be an outsider. “Apart from the varying sexual identities of characters that existed within Andy’s sphere, we explore a larger, more generalized theme of what it means to be a misfit, and the potential power existing as a result of being different,” McPheeters said. How the production operates as an opera and cabaret at the same time comes to what Jarboe said is an attempt to be as grand as opera — just as Warhol’s “superstars” were trying desperately to be actual superstars but, for the most part, failed. “This is by far the most highly produced Bearded Ladies production; the set, lights, sound and video design give the impression of opera grandeur,” McPheeters said. “However, as in all good cabaret performance, the underbelly of the theater world is quickly exposed. Juxtaposed with the vocal precision and relatively exact staging of the opera chorus, the cabaret performers have a script, but we’re encouraged to stray from it in order to interact and respond to the audience that is present each evening. The warehouse is our playground and we desperately want you to like our games.” Philly actor/director Mary Kay Tuomanen, a one-time Bearded Ladies member who returns to play Warhol as a
12-year-old boy, said her version/vision of Warhol is one obsessed with the glamorous people in Hollywood magazines, living in Pittsburgh with his doting Ruthanian mother and acutely aware that he is “different” — not like other all-American boys. “His name is funny — Andrei Warhola — and he would rather join the modern-dance club than any sport,” she said. “English is practically a second language and he has difficulty in school. He knows he’s queer but doesn’t have the words to identify it. He’s out of place. This awkward alienation from traditional gender is a great excuse to make Andrei a drag role. In our version of the Warhol story, Andrei replicates better, sleeker versions of himself (played by the opera chorus), so he can appear to the world as a phenomenon rather than a person, as recognizable as Coke.” Throughout “Andy,” Tuomanen appears as a creeping presence of the boy Warhol, controlling everything from the shadows, passing as something he is not. “We really play up the femininity of my body to give Andrei a cringing frailty,” Tuomanen said. “He’s a tiny mastermind behind an enormous machine.” Keeping with the idea of small and large, Tuomanen tried to make her voice and manner bigger to suit what she perceived as operatic, especially as her grandmother was an opera singer. “I came up against my limitations quickly, yet they’re perfect for this particular show, this opera/cabaret collision. Andrei is smaller than the opera singers. His voice is also smaller. His manic desire to be bigger is exactly what creates the Warhol phenomenon. Halfway through the show, I start singing less and start lip-synching; my voice is produced by eight-12 opera singers. I become operatic, larger than life.” McPheeters — who found focus as Candy by exuding confidence through a calm, collected, soft-spoken demeanor that demands attention — believes the best way to comment on the Warhol phenomena and Warhol the man is to put them side by side. “The differences are extreme and yet, over time, Andy learned from the bigness of his art and created a persona that was a mirror image of the work itself,” McPheeters said. “We relate the phenomena to the grandness of an opera chorus and the messy intrigue of the factory to cabaret performance.” n
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 through Oct. 4, 56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler; 215654-0200. Andy: A Popera Opera Philadelphia and The Bearded Ladies present a musical based on the life and philosophy of Andy Warhol through Sept. 20, 1526 N. American St.; 215893-3600. Bruce Bruce The comedian performs Sept. 18-20 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. 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, “Andy: A Popera” runs Sept. 10-20 at 1526 26th Street and the N. American St. For more information or Parkway; 215-7638100. tickets, visit www.operaphila.org.
Funny Or Die Presents The Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival Comedians Amy Schumer, Dave Attell, Aziz Ansari and more perform starting 5:15 p.m. Sept. 13 at Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.; 609-365-1300. 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., Doylestown; 215340-9800. High Society Walnut Street Theatre presents Cole Porter’s feelgood musical about a socialite preparing for her lavish summer wedding through Oct. 25, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Iliza Shlesinger The comedian performs through Sept. 12 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Into Dust: Traces of the Fragile in Contemporary Art Philadelphia
LOOK AND LISTEN: Out male model and musician Cory Wade, the first gay male contestant to compete on “America’s Next Top Model,” is taking a break from the runways to hit the road with his band, performing 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at The Legendary Dobb’s, 304 South St. For more information or tickets, call 267-239-0197.
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 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, through Sept. 13 at Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom St.; http://christophertmcginn.wix.com/ popmusicaldiary. Sinbad The comedian performs 8 p.m. Sept. 12 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. Take Two: Contemporary Photographs Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring how
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.
PGN & BOOKS LISTINGS
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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Local author ‘explains’ debut novel By Ray Simon PGN Contributor
STILL WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND: Rock singer, guitarist and actor Rick Springfield comes to the area with fellow 1980s party rockers Loverboy and The Romantics 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Festival Park, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609-317-1000.
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 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; 215-257-5808. Little Feat The rock band performs 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.,
Glenside; 215-5727650.
S. Camac St.; 215545-8731.
The Smiths Social The alternative-rock band’s music is celebrated 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.
Mod Pop! British Invasion Dance Party British classic rock takes over the DJ booth 10 p.m. Sept. 12 at Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St.; 215-545-8731.
Christine Havrilla and Gypsy Fuzz The out singer-songwriter and her band perform 8 p.m. Sept. 18 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. Lez Zeppelin The all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band performs 8 p.m. Sept. 18 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215-257-5858.
Nightlife See You in Hell … the Sequel Hostess BEV and drag performers Aurora Whorealis, Sutton Fearce, Zsa Zsa St. James and Mathew DeFiore skewer pop culture 10 p.m. Sept. 11 at Venture Inn, 255
Songbird 4: All-Stars vs. Newbies The singing competition continues 9 p.m. Sept. 15 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Katya The drag star seen on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performs 9 p.m. Sept. 16 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St.; 215-735-5772. Dina Martina in Philly: Flat & Lacking The drag legend performs 8 p.m. Sept. 18 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St.; 215-7355772.
Outta Town Flo Rida The hip-hop/ dance star per-
forms 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. Close Encounters of the Third Kind The sci-fi classic is screened 2 p.m. Sept. 13 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. Akira The anime classic is screened 9:45 p.m. Sept. 18 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. n
Annie Liontas, a local author, has a lot going on right now. Her debut novel, “Let Me Explain You,” was released in July; she’s busy at her day job as a curriculum specialist at Philadelphia Futures; and she’s preparing for the release of an anthology she edited about writers and their mentors called “A Manner of Being.” Liontas is also planning a Sept. 17 reading at Tattooed Mom, 530 South St. It’s part of the TireFire reading series that she and fellow writer Sarah Rose Etter have been organizing together for the past few years. They’ve got something special in mind. “This is going to be our blow-out reading,” Liontas said. Usually the organizers focus the attention on their guests, but they’re making an exception and reading from their work. “This will be our first time, just to celebrate our time from there,” she added. Hearing Liontas read from “Let Me Explain You” will be a treat. The novel is serious, heartbreaking and also funny. Stavros Stavros “Steve” Mavrakis is a central character. He’s an immigrant who arrived in America with nothing and now owns two successful diners. Stavros may have mastered his business, but his English is still a work in progress. He omits words, garbles tenses and translates Greek idioms into broken English. “It is a good rule to follow that, if the mustache is weak, so will be the man,” he writes to his youngest daughter, Ruby, offering unsolicited advice about choosing a mate. “Look at your father’s mustache, which it is a fist!” English isn’t Stavros’ only problem. His relationships with the women in his life are in shambles. After years of acting like a blustering, domineering patriarch, he’s alienated his oldest daughters, Stavroula and Litza, not to mention his two ex-wives. When the novel begins, Stavros believes he’s had a premonition of his death and is trying to set things straight. He fires off an email to his daughters and his ex that begins, “Let me explain you something.” The situation quickly dissolves from there. Liontas’ novel has a welcome comic sensibility, and that humor allows her to tackle difficult subjects. Addiction, divorce, exile, immigration and sexual identity are never far from the surface. And although Stavros is a memorable character, the women quickly emerge from his shadow. “This is a book about resilience,” Liontas said, “particularly about the resilience and survival of the young women in this family, how they really fight for their
own identities and place in the world.” Liontas’ female characters are fighting for their identities, especially, Stavroula and Litza. Stavroula is an accomplished chef whose emotional life has been stunted by her father’s expectations and his forceful personality. And Litza, the middle child, harbors a bitterness towards her father that, when not dulled by pills, erupts in angry, destructive outbursts. According to Liontas, early drafts of the novel were much darker. Feedback from trusted readers led her to shift its tone. “I learned from a great teacher the idea that we, as writers, have to represent joy as well as pain,” she said. “Once I understood that I could translate that joy and humor into writing, it opened up an entire door and it breathed life into the book that just hadn’t been there before. And it made everybody a little forgiving and forgiven in the book, including Stavros, who is still maddening.” Of all the characters, Stavroula may be of particular interest to PGN readers. When the novel opens, the 31-year-old has found professional success as chef, but she has yet to embrace her sexuality. Although she has a huge crush on a woman named July, Stavroula has barely acknowledged that she’s a lesbian. In his original email, Stavros notes Stavroula’s short hair and urges her to let it grow out. “There is a way to be for the normal society, and you are not it,” he tells her, unintentionally nudging Stavroula towards accepting a crucial part of herself that she’s been keeping at arm’s length. Having grown up in an immigrant household with a domineering father, Stavroula’s situation is understandable. “Part of her struggle in this book is coming to terms with her identity in a family and in a culture that really can’t acknowledge that. Can’t see it, can’t acknowledge that, doesn’t believe in it. And that’s enough of a battle,” Liontas said. It would be unfair to reveal how the novel turns out. But it is safe to say that the women in this book slowly begin to let their voices be heard. Rather than allowing Stavros to explain them, over the course of 340 pages, Stavroula, Litza and Marina explain themselves, in their own words. To learn more about Liontas’ writing and her upcoming readings, visit www. annieliontas.com. n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
PGN
Food and Drink Directory
The Center City IHOP located at 1320 Walnut St. is now open 24 Hrs on FRIDAY and SATURDAY
THANKS FOR MAKING IT A IHOP DAY
DINING PGN OUT
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
Estia: Sea-ing is believing
By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com Upscale Greek restaurant Estia, 1405 Locust St., really goes the distance when trying to transport diners to the Mediterranean tranquility of the Greek islands, thanks in part to the dimly lit and ornate museum-like atmosphere of the spacious restaurant and the attentive waitstaff. The menu is equally meticulous. Estiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu is refreshing in that it has no interest in finessing traditional Greek fare to conform with Americanized tastes and sensibilities. Simple, clean and uncomplicated flavors are the modus operandi, which leaves little margin for error when all you have to hide behind is lemon juice, salt and olive oil. But they make it work. Things start out simply enough with the Estia Chips ($18), a generous stack of thinly sliced zucchini and eggplant fried perfectly to the consistency of gourmet potato chips. They are great on their own and even better with the creamy tzatziki. If you substituted these for potato chips at your next Super Bowl party, they would disappear in record time. The stuffed calamari ($16) is effective and Spartan as well. Stuffed with three different Greek cheeses, the calamari is roasted tender and rests on a bed of spinach and olive oil.
The fried Greek potatoes ($8) had a nice crunch to them and were covered in cheese, but had our Americanized taste buds somewhat longing for some kind of condiment or salty reinforcements. Otherwise, they hit the spot. Given the Mediterranean menu, fish is prominently featured, either fileted and served up with regional ingredients or dished out whole with oregano and capers. Whole fish can be prepared salt-encrusted upon request. We had the Royal Dorado ($28/lb.), a light, flaky fish that was moist and once again expertly prepared with olive oil and lemon juice. If you are looking for aggressively spiced and seasoned fare, you might want to dine elsewhere. But if you want some of the best fresh seafood you can get in the city prepared simply, cleanly and in a no-nonsense fashion, put on your best casual seaside clothes and take a trip to Estia. n
Eating Out Should Be Fun!
If you go Estia
1405 Locust St. 215-735-7700 www.estiarestaurant.com Sun.-Thurs.: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
AC ul t ure rts
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
PORTRAIT from page 35
person but I got up on stage and flexed my muscles. The crowd was going crazy and I won the audience award! That following year, she entered me into the regular competition. She did everything: She picked out my name — Rasta Boi Punany — and my music and my clothes. Together we worked on the questions and I competed and won my first title. Since then I’ve won a number, from Mr. Philadelphia Gay Pride 2011 to Mr. Gay Pennsylvania United States M.I. First Alternate 20142015. PGN readers voted me Best Drag King 2011 and this weekend I’ll be crowned Mr. Southern New Jersey LGBTQ Pride 2016. PGN: Since you were so shy, what do you think your wife saw in you that would make you a great drag king? RJ: I guess it’s because I have androgynous mannerisms. I don’t really know. When she picked out my clothes for that first competition, I don’t think she ever expected it could go this far. [Laughs] I think she’s kind of tired of it now! PGN: [Laughs] She created a monster! RJ: Exactly! But it is what it is. She definitely brought out something I didn’t know was in me and I love doing it. PGN: So what makes a good drag king? RJ: Being confident and comfortable in the way that you are presenting yourself. You have to be an illusionist. I am changing from one person to another, from female to male, and I have to make it believable. Looking like you’re having fun and actually having fun with it. It’s not a job, it’s … well not a hobby because I do it too much but I always make sure I’m having fun and then the audience has fun too. Make sure you have all your gear right; your outfit, your clothes should match your persona and your performance. And flirting … that’s a big part of it. PGN: [Laughs] Is that the part the wife is tired of? RJ: Probably! At first when she created Rasta Boi she told me that he was a single guy but after me declaring — as Rasta Boi — to the women
that I was single, she finally said, “Maybe we need to stop that.” No problem. He and I now are both happily married. PGN: What’s been your worst onstage mishap? RJ: I really try to prepare and have everything together to avoid mishaps, but I do remember one time when I was on stage and my lips got stuck! I had to turn around with my back to the audience and unstick them. PGN: Was that from spirit gum on a mustache? RJ: No! I still get really nervous right before I perform and my lips were really dry! My lip got stuck on my top gum and I was like, Are you serious!? What’s happening? People keep telling me I need to start doing what the pageant queens do and put Vaseline on my lips but I think I’ll just hydrate better. PGN: That’s hysterical. So how long have you been involved with Southern New Jersey LGBTQ Pride? RJ: I think this is my fourth year. I’m a member of the Elegance Family, which is a group of performers, and we did a show for South Jersey Pride. I’ve been volunteering with them since. I really like being involved and I’ve sponsored a table each year, in addition to performing. I pass out Rasta Boi buttons and T-shirts just to raise awareness of and advocate for drag kings and get my name out there. I’ve been asked to perform each year and I asked founder and CEO DeAnn Cox if there was any way I could help, so this year I’m also the entertainment and outreach director. I love it! PGN: Speaking of love, tell me a little about your wife. RJ: She was actually my highschool sweetheart at one time, then we separated but remained friends. She graduated a year before me and we lost contact. Then one of my friends who is in Texas now wanted me to go online to see a picture of her dog that she’d posted on a website for our high school. As I was scrolling through the pictures I saw my wife’s picture and said, “Wow! She still looks good! I wonder if she remembers me.” I contacted her and she responded, “Are you kidding me? Do I remember you?
PGN
I’ve been trying to find you!” She’d been searching for me on different websites and had even paid someone to try to find me. [Laughs] It was like, wow, flattering and kind of spooky at the same time. But we started talking on the phone and then we met in person at a fair in East Brunswick. A year later, I proposed to her on the same date and we used that day to get married. So now we go back to the fair each year to celebrate our anniversary. PGN: So I guess the smell of funnel cakes makes you romantic! RJ: Ha. Yes, it sure does. We’ve been happily married for seven years. PGN: There was just a piece on rekindled romances on one of the news programs and they said that it’s one of the strongest, happiest relationships to have. RJ: It works for us! She was my first girlfriend/relationship and the last. PGN: OK, a few random questions. What traits do you deplore in others? RJ: Lying. PGN: Two celebrities, one male and one female, who you’d like to see in drag. RJ: Prince. I’d love to see him in a dress, all done up. And Deborah Harry from Blondie. I’d like to see her as a dude. PGN: The last book I read … RJ: I’m reading about four books right now, but the last one I completed was “The Four Musketeers.” I’m trying to go back and read a lot of the classics. PGN: Last time you cried? RJ: When my dad died last March. He went through a lot so it was more of a relief that he’s in a better place now. He’s free. It’s weird though because I don’t mourn him because I still feel him with me. [Laughs] And I look like him, so every time I look in the mirror he’s right there! n For more information on Southern New Jersey LGBTQ Pride, visit www. SNJGayPride.org. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
Q Puzzle First nude scene Across
1. “I ___ Andy Warhol” 5. Singer k.d. 9. Cartoon skunk Le Pew 13. Sounds of approval from Oz? 14. Reed in a Ned Rorem work 15. “June Is Bustin’ Out All ___” 16. “Mrs. Doubtfire” attire 17. It’s left on a map 18. Baptism or bar mitzvah 19. Trans actress who had her first nude scene with 55-Across 22. British peer 23. One with a tricky tongue 24. 55-Across in drag? 29. Tat word, often 32. Spread about, as rumors 33. Newt, to Candace 36. Palindromist’s exclamation 37. Character played by 19-Across 38. Like Abner, before Viagra?
39. The feminine side 40. Comes down hard in showers 41. Versatile vehicle 42. Reactions to seeing a hottie 44. Morales of` “Jericho” 45. Zipper problem 46. To some extent 48. Rank of von Trapp of Aust. 50. When to have sex 52. Dull finish 55. Title character of 33-Down 60. Phillippe of “Gosford Park” 61. Film that exposed Treat Williams 62. NY Met or LA Dodger 63. Hankerings 64. Response to Brut’s “How many hot dogs did you have?” 65. Actress Ione
Down
1. Like McCullers’ cafe 2. Chronicler of Poker Flat 3. Tara name 4. 1982 title role for R. Williams 5. Rob of “The
West Wing” 6. Genesis brother 7. Sticking in one’s proboscis 8. Catches on to 9. Wife of Ellen 10. Madonna title role 11. Pan handle? 12. Before, to the Bard 20. Sounds in “The Trolley Song” 21. Uses a slur 25. Slaved away 26. Responds to yeast 27. “___ little silhouetto of a man ...” 28. Highlands language 29. It goes on a hero’s meat, maybe 30. Birth state of Langston Hughes
31. Setting of 33-Down 33. TV show of the nude scene 34. Beatles’ meter maid 35. Jackie’s designer 43. Rears to your first mate 45. Gives rise to 47. Singer DiFranco 49. Verlaine’s soul 50. “Aida,” to Gomer? 51. “Mommie Dearest” star Dunaway 53. Deuce taker 54. French I verb 56. Broadway role for Antonio 57. “Cabaret’s” Kit___ Klub 58. Pose for Mapplethorpe 59. Capote bio
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
Classifieds 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.
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TWO HOUSES FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! Beautifully-maintained and decorated 4 bdrm, 3 bath MAIN HOUSE and a separate one bdrm, one bath, living room, full kitchen, GUEST HOUSE! Main House features include 9-foot ceilings and crown moldings, large great room with fireplace and custom mantle, lovely large kitchen with granite countertops, upgraded appliances and wet bar, downstairs bedroom, full bath with jetted tub, full high basement with cedar closet and lovely rear deck with pergola. Upstairs has master bdrm with large full bath and walk in closet, two additional bdrms, laundry room and lots of storage. GUEST HOME is adorable with a relaxing brick patio and laundry in its own full basement. OVERSIZED THREE-CAR GARAGE with LOFT too! Serene Koi pond with new equipment. Lots of parking on lovely ½ acre grounds complete with flowering and shade trees. This is not a drive-by! Call for your private showing today, or join us at one of our Open Houses! Ask For Pamela Whiting Ciervo. OPEN HOUSES
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© 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.
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45
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
Services OUSECLEANING 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. 888-834-9715. ________________________________________39-36 MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES NEEDED! Become a Medical Office Assistant! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training can get you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & PC/Internet needed! 1-888-424-9412. ________________________________________39-36 Hi, my name is Diego. I’m a 31 y.o. black guy living in the Art Museum area of Phila. I’m looking to clean your place twice a week, 3 hours each for $30.00. Call 267-333-5026. ________________________________________39-37
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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
Massage David, 65, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________39-43 Fantasy massage with couple. Bucks County area. Call 267-278-0545, Matt. ________________________________________39-36 Hi, my name is Diego, a 31 y.o. black guy, 5’2”, 110 lbs. living in the Art Museum area of Phila. looking to massage guys for $50/hr, $80/2 hrs. I’m open to all sizes, ages, races of guys. Call me at 276-333-5026. ________________________________________39-37
(closed an hour for cleaning)
Friday- Sunday:
Open 24hrs
ADMISSION: $12.00
Since 1976
PGN 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....
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BIGGER, BETTER & MORE ENTERTAINING EVENTS...
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Religion/Spirituality Arch Street United Methodist Church Services 8:30 and 11 a.m. at 55 N. Broad St.; youth/adult Sunday school at 9:30 a.m.; 5:30 p.m. prayer service; 215-568-6250. Bethlehem-Judah Ministries Open and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 5091 N. Dupont Hwy., Suite D, Dover, Del.; 302-750-4045.
Metropolitan Community Church of Christ the Liberator Holds services 10:45 a.m. Sundays at the Pride Center of New Jersey; 732-823-2193, mccctl.com. Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia Services 1 p.m. Sundays at the University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, 3637 Chestnut St.; 215-294-2020, www.mccphiladelphia. com.
BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Church Services 10:15 a.m. at 2040 Street Road, Warrington; 215-343-0406.
Old First Reformed Church Open and affirming United Church worships at 11 a.m., summer services at 10 a.m, at 151 N. Fourth St.; 215-922-4566, www. oldfirstucc.org.
Calvary United Methodist Church Reconciling, welcoming and affirming church holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 801 S. 48th St.; 215-724-1702.
Penns Park United Methodist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park; 215-598-7601.
Central Baptist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds services at 10:45 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:30 a.m, at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610688-0664.
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral Progressive and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays with Holy Eucharist at 3723 Chestnut St.; 215-386-0234, www. philadelphiacathedral.org.
Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church Services 11 a.m. and Spirit at Play, an arts-based Sunday school for children, 9:30 a.m. at 8812 Germantown Ave.; 215-242-9321.
Rainbow Buddhist Meditation Group Meets 5 p.m. Sundays at William Way.
Church of the Crucifixion Inclusive Episcopal community holds services 10 a.m. Sundays and 6 p.m. Fridays at 620 S. Eighth St.; 215-922-1128.
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting worships 11 a.m., summer services 10 a.m, Sundays at 1515 Cherry St.; 215-241-7000, cpmm@ afsc.org.
Church of the Holy Trinity Inclusive church holds services 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays at 1904 Walnut St.; 215-567-1267.
Resurrection Lutheran Church Services 10 a.m. Sundays at 620 Welsh Road, Horsham; 215-6462597.
Congregation Rodeph Shalom Shabbat services every Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at 615 N. Broad St. ; 215-627-6747.
Silverside Church Services 10 a.m. Sundays followed by a group discussion at 2800 Silverside Road, Wilmington, Del.; 302-478-5921, silversidechurch. org.
Dignity Jersey Shore An organization for sexual-minority Catholics meets the first Saturday of the month in Asbury Park; 732-502-0305. Dignity Metro NJ An organization for sexual-minority Catholics meets 4 p.m. the first and third Sundays of the month at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 550 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood; 973-509-0118. Dignity Philadelphia Holds Mass 7 p.m. Sundays at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-546-2093, dignityphila@aol.com. Drexel Hill Baptist Church Nonjudgmental Christian congregation affiliated with American Baptist Churches of the USA holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 4400 State Road, Drexel Hill; 610-259-2356, www.dhbaptist.com. Emanuel Lutheran Church Reconciling in Christ congregation meets at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:30 a.m., New and Kirkpatrick streets, New Brunswick, N.J.; 732-545-2673; www.emmanuelnb.org.
St. Asaph’s Church Inclusive and progressive Episcopal church holds services 8 and 10 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:15 a.m., at 27 Conshohocken State Road, Bala Cynwyd; 610-664-0966, www.saintasaphs.org. St. John’s Lutheran Church (ELCA) Reconciling in Christ congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 24 N. Ridge Ave., Ambler; 215-646-2451, www.stjohnsambler.org. St. Luke and The Epiphany Church Open and welcoming church holds fall liturgy 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays, summer sevices 10 a.m., at 330 S. 13th St.; 215-732-1918, stlukeandtheepiphany.org. St. Mary of Grace Parish Inclusive church in the Catholic tradition celebrates Mass 6 p.m. Sundays in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road, Media; 610-566-1393, www.inclusivecatholics. org.
Evangelicals Concerned Lesbian and gay Christian counseling; 215-860-7445.
St. Mary’s Church Diverse and inclusive Episcopal church celebrates the Eucharist 11 a.m. Sundays at 3916 Locust Walk; 215-386-3916; www. stmarysatpenn.org.
First Baptist Church Welcoming and affirming church holds prayer services 10:30 a.m. Sundays and community worship 11:30 a.m. at 123 S. 17th St.; 215563-3853.
St. Paul Episcopal Church Welcoming and inclusive church holds services 9:30 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Tuesdays at 89 Pinewood Drive, Levittown; 215-688-1796, www.stpaullevittown.org.
First Baptist Church of Moorestown Welcoming and affirming congregation holds Bible study and discussion at 9 a.m. Sundays and worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays at 19 W. Main St., Moorestown, N.J.; 856-235-1180; www. fbcmoorestown.org; info@fbcmoorestown.org.
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Welcoming and diverse congregation with numerous outreach and fellowship groups holds services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday at Third and Pine streets; 215-925-5968; www.stpetersphila.org.
First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne Welcoming church holds services at 10 a.m. Sundays at 140 N. Lansdowne Ave.; 610-622-0800; www.lansdownepresbyterian-church. com. First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia A liberal, welcoming and diverse congregation that affirms the dignity of all. Sunday services at 10 a.m., 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-563-3980, www.firstuu-philly.org. The First United Methodist Church of Germantown A sexual-minority-affirming congregation holds services at 10 a.m., summer services 11 a.m., Sundays, with lunch to follow, at 6001 Germantown Ave.; 215-438-3077, www.fumcog.org. Grace Epiphany Church A welcoming and diverse Episcopal congregation in Mt. Airy with services 9:30 a.m. Sundays at 224 E. Gowen Ave.; 215-248-2950, www.grace-epi.org. Holy Communion Lutheran Church ELCA Reconciling in Christ congregation worships 9 a.m. Sundays at 2111 Sansom St. and 11 a.m. at 2110 Chestnut St. in the main sanctuary; 215-567-3668, www.lc-hc.org. Imago Dei Metropolitan Community Church Sexual-minority congregation worships at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 1223 Middletown Road (Route 352), Glen Mills; 610-358-1716, www. ImagoDeiMCC.org. Living Water United Church of Christ An open and affirming congregation that meets for worship 11 a.m. on Sundays at 6250 Loretto Ave.; 267-388-6081, www.lwucc.org. Kol Tzedek Reconstructionist synagogue committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community meets at Calvary Center, 801 S. 48th St.; 215764-6364, www.kol-tzedek.org. Mainline Unitarian Church Holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon; 610-688-8332, www.mluc.org. Maple Shade Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ Affirming congregation open to all sexual orientations and gender identities holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 45 N. Forklanding Road, Maple Shade, N.J.; 856-779-7739, mapleshadeucc.org.
Tabernacle United Church Open and affirming congregation holds services 10 a.m. Sundays at 3700 Chestnut St.; 215-386-4100, tabunited.org. Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church Sunday worship with nursery care, 10:30 a.m. and fourth Thursday of the month contemporary worship with Communion at 7 p.m. at 2212 Spruce St.; 215-732-2515, trinityphiladelphia.org. Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County Welcoming congregation holds services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. Sundays, summer services 10:30 a.m., at 145 W. Rose Tree Road, Media. Interweave, a group for LGBT parishioners and allies, meets 12:30 p.m. the third Sunday of the month and holds a potluck brunch 12:30 p.m. the first Sunday of the month; 610-566-4853. www.uucdc.org. Unitarian Society of Germantown Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 6511 Lincoln Drive; 215-844-1157, www.usguu.org. Unitarian Universalist Church of Cherry Hill Services 10:15 a.m. Interweave, a group of LGBT Unitarians and their allies, meets at 401 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, N.J.; 856-6673618, uucch.org. Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration Welcoming congregation holds services 11 a.m. Sundays at 6900 Stenton Ave.; 215-247-2561, www.uurestoration.us. Unitarian Universalist Congregation, South Jersey Shore Services 10 a.m. Sundays in Galloway Township; 609-965-9400, www.uucsjs.org. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Pottstown Services 10:30 a.m. at 1565 S. Keim St.; 610-327-2662, www. uupottstown.org. United Christian Church Open, affirming and welcoming congregation holds services 10:15 a.m. Sundays, summer services 9:15 a.m., at 8525 New Falls Road, Levittown; 215-946-6800. Unity Fellowship Church of Philadelphia Diverse, affirming LGBT congregation holds services 2 p.m. Sundays at 55 N. Broad St.; 215-240-6106. University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation Welcoming congregation holds services 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 3637 Chestnut St. preceded by “Adult Forum: Sundays” at 9:30 a.m.; 215387-2885, www.uniphila.org.
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
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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 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. ■ 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. MondayThursday; 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
■ Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Activities held 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.
■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
Key numbers
■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377
■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org
■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221
■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378
■ 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
■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Office of LGBT Affairs — Director Nellie Fitzpatrick: 215-6860330; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov
■ 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 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)
■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ 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.; 215-763-8870. 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. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871, www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite
■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090, www.galloplaw.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 busi-
108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, 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 chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Philadelphia FIGHT Comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines; 1233 Locust St.; 215985-4448; www.fight.org. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, rapid HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.
Professional groups nesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.org/ philly; philly@nlgja.org.
■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus Regional organization dedicated to promoting LGBT tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region, meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; 215-8402039, www.philadelphiagaytourism.com.
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 11-17, 2015
#PBJLGBT
LGBT TOP COMPANIES & AWARDS
Is your Company Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-or Transgender-Owned? Do you know an LGBT Business Advocate? Join the Philadelphia Business Journal and Philadelphia Gay News in celebrating LGBT businesses in Greater Philadelphia. Once again, we will rank the Top 25 LGBT-Owned Businesses. If you think your business should be on our list or you know of a business who should be honored, please contact Philadelphia Business Journal Director of Research Sharon Oliver at soliver@bizjournals.com. NEW FOR THIS YEAR: The Business Journal and PGN will honor LGBT Business Advocates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the people who are helping the community become economically empowered. Our honorees can be LGBT folks or straight allies; our goal is to recognize the people who are making a difference. If you would like to nominate an advocate, go to http://bizj.us/1iu986 Save the Date! LGBT Top Companies & Awards Cocktail Reception Thursday, November 3, 5:00pm-8:00pm, The Union Trust
Presented by:
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Event questions? Contact Courtney Armstrong at courtneyarmstrong@bizjournals.com or 215-238-5111 Sponsorship opportunities? Contact Ron Maver at rmaver@bizjournals.com or 215-238-5123