Good fortune for Fortune Feimster
Meet this month’s “Day in the Life Of” subject: Jennifer Lydon PAGE 14
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Conversion-therapy ban upheld in NJ
Design excellence
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Sept. 19-25, 2014
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Vol. 38 No. 38
Gay-bashing incident sheds light on lack of hate-crimes law Arrests were expected to come soon in the attack on two gay men in Center City last week but, because Pennsylvania does not have an LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes law, the suspects will not be charged with a bias crime. By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Arrests were expected this week in the brutal attack of a gay couple in Center City, but none had not been made as of presstime Wednesday. A police source at the time said investigators interviewed three people connected to the group involved throughout the day Wednesday, but they were bystanders and were not being charged at that time. One or two men were the primary aggressors, the source said, and interviews were ongoing to verify their identities. “People have been cooperative, and it doesn’t appear that everyone in the group participated in this attack,” the source
said. “Some tried to help. So we’re trying to identify the guys who threw the punches and find out what ticked it all off.” While many are labeling the incident a hate crime, the assailants will not officially be charged with a hate crime, as the state law does not include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. “With or without the hate-crimes statute, there’s no question, this was a hate crime,” said assistant district attorney Nellie Fitzpatrick, the D.A.’s LGBT liaison. “As
Site unveiled for Lehigh Valley center
Giovanni’s Room doors reopened By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Backers of the Bradley-Sullivan LGBT Community Center took a big step forward this week in bringing the first LGBT center in the Lehigh Valley to fruition. At a press conference Monday in Allentown, the location for the planned center was announced — 1021 W. Turner St. The 7,000square-foot property is owned by the city of Allentown, which plans to sell it to the center for $1. The Pennsylvania Diversity Network in June unveiled a fundraising campaign for the center, PAGE 18 which is named
it stands now, a special hate-crimes charge cannot be brought against them. Not because we don’t want to, but because our hands are tied because it’s not in the law.”
Up to a dozen people were involved in the attack, which occurred around 10:45 p.m. Sept. 11 at 16th and Chancellor streets. The two victims, 27 and 28, were walking to get pizza when they said one brushed shoulders with a member of the group, and that person asked if the two were a couple. They responded that they were, and the group attacked, with some members holding the victims down and others kicking and punching them. The one victim’s head was smashed into the cement and he suffered facial fractures that necessitated his jaw being wired shut for eight weeks. As the men were being attacked, one of their bags, containing a cell phone and wallet, fell to the ground and one of PAGE 16 the assailants took it.
OUT AT THE OPERA: Out actor David Hyde Pierce was among the guests of honor at Opera Philadelphia’s 40thanniversary gala. The starstudded �� event was held Sept. 12 at the Academy of Music and brought big names in opera, who enjoyed an outdoor dinner on Broad Street, after recitals inside by singers Ailyn Perez and Stephen Costello. Photo: Scott A. Drake
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Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room opened last Friday morning to a bustling crowd of shoppers. Giovanni’s Room, the nation’s oldest LGBT bookstore, closed in May after owner and co-founder Ed Hermance announced he was retiring, and no buyer was found to take over the business. Then Philly AIDS Thrift announced last month it would open an upscale-boutique version of its headquarters on Fifth Street in Queen Village. The new store will still offer around 2,000 LGBT-related books. Manager Alan Chalak said there was a lot of work to do in just two weeks’ time. “Learning the systems that were in place from the beginning, that took a lot of time. It’s been a lot
of fun. Every day has been a new adventure,” he said. “We had to start thinking about what are we going to put in all these places, what was definitely going and what we wanted to hold onto. But
once stuff started coming in and we got some volunteers, it all happened really fast.” Beginning in October, PAT @ Giovanni’s Room will acquire PAGE 19 n ew r e a d i n g
OPENING-DAY DOLLAR: Becky Hanno, Alan Chelak, Dorian Onifer and Haden Reed signed the dollar bill from the first purchase at Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room. The store opened last Friday morning, ushering in a stream of shoppers. The PAT outpost is located in the space previously occupied by Giovanni’s Room, the nation’s oldest LGBT bookstore. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Entertainment, nightlife, people, community and food & drink
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