Funny in all the right places
Family Portrait: Nicole López talks Pride and prejudice
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Mayor Nutter sounds off on marrying same-sex couples PAGE 11
Sept. 20-26, 2013
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Vol. 37 No. 38
Gay cop sues city for harassment
The 15-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department alleges an anti-LGBT environment that puts gay officers at an “increased risk of harm.” He is seeking $50,000 in damages. By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
New Latino Pride event launches By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com
It has been three years since Philadelphia has seen an official LGBT Latino Pride event but, later this month, Raices Latin@ Pride will host “Orgullo” to celebrate the queer Latino community. The 11 founders of Raices, a collective, were motivated to relaunch a Latino Pride after the event that ran from 2008-10 was discontinued due to a lack of funding. “Philly Black Gay Pride started out really small and they hoped to provide some voice to that community, so when the Latino Gay Pride event didn’t happen due to lack of resources, we decided that we got tired of just talking about the idea and wanted to know how we can initiate something to provide us a voice and presence in the committee,” Raices member Louis Ortiz said. PAGE 8
GROWING IN THE GARDEN STATE: About 300 supporters turned out for the sixth annual Southern New Jersey LGBTQA Pride’s Rock the Rainbow Pride Celebration Sept. 15 at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Monica Beverly Hillz performed at the picnic, which also included an array of vendors, food and live entertainment. Organizer DeAnn Cox said the turnout was the event’s biggest yet, and marked the first year at its new location and the first with a headlining act. Cox said the group got a “warm welcome” from the Camden County Parks Department Ambassadors. The festival was the culmination of a week of events that included social outings, workshops and discussions. Photo: Freedom G Photography
Sims to introduce bill to ban conversion therapy By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com
MontCo marriage case heads to state Supreme Court By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Marriage equality was short-lived in Montgomery County, as a state judge last week halted the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the state’s third-largest county. But the county confirmed this week that it will appeal the decision — and will press the court to issue an opinion on the constitutionality of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Commonwealth Judge Dan Pellegrini last Thursday ordered MontCo Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes to immediately
Entertainment, nightlife, people, community, food & drink
This past spring, state Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Eighth Dist.) introduced a bill that would ban conversion therapy for minors. This fall, Rep. Brian Sims (D-182nd PAGE 17 Dist.) has plans to do the
halt the practice, which Hanes began in July. Hanes had contended that the ban is unconstitutional but, after a suit by the state Department of Health, Pellegrini found last week that Hanes did not have the authority to make such a decision. Hanes told PGN on Tuesday that the �� county will appeal the ruling. Once the county files a notice of appeal, which county solicitor Ray McGarry said would likely happen this week, the case will be transferred to the state Supreme Court, which McGarry said will involve some administrative processes before a judge releases a briefPAGE 20
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STATE SEN. ANTHONY WILLIAMS (FROM LEFT), REP. BRIAN SIMS, ED COFFIN AND MONIQUE WALKER AT A SEPT. 17 PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE ATTIC YOUTH CENTER Photo: Angela Thomas
2013
LEGAL LANDSCAPE AT 40: About 100 supporters of Lambda Legal turned out for an anniversary celebration marking the agency’s 40 years in operation. The event, held Sept. 12 at PNC Bank, raised more than $45,000 for the organization, which fights for LGBT equality across the country. The event included remarks by Lambda Legal deputy legal director Hayley Gorenberg, as well as locals such as Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia president Angela Giampolo. Former Congressman Patrick Murphy also made an appearance. Photo: Scott A. Drake
N. Melville Jones, an openly gay Philadelphia police officer, is suing the city for alleged workplace discrimination and harassment due to his sexual orientation. Jones, 44, a 15-year veteran, filed suit Sept. 17 in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court. The lawsuit contends that within the Philadelphia Police Department, “police officers known to be gay are subject to harassment, held in low esteem and are at an increased risk of harm.” In May 2009, Daniel Castro, a former highranking police official, began harassing Jones after observing him leave an LGBT-oriented PAGE 9 bar, Jones alleges in the
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