PGN Sept. 21-27, 2012 by The Philadelphia Gay News

Filmmaker Ira Sachs on what illuminated “Keep the Lights On”

AIDS Library commemorates 25 years

Family Portrait: Troy Cook

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PAGE 35

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Sept. 21-27, 2012

Vol. 36 No. 38

Senior housing to break ground in October By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

This summer, organizers attained zoning, building, environment and other necessary permits, said Mark Segal, PGN publisher and president of the Dr. Magnus Hirschfield Fund, which is spearheading the project. The Redevelopment Authority, which had been occupying the site, 249-257 S. 13th St., vacated the property last week. PAGE 29 Segal said cleanup of

The proposed LGBT senior-residence project is moving forward quickly, with construction expected to begin next month. A number of loose ends were tied up late in the summer, including the shoring up of all necessary funders, approvals and collaborators. Wells Fargo Bank has purchased the low-income tax credits allocated from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority, estimated at about $12 million. At least five national banks bid for CANDLES IN THE WIND: The family of Kyra Cordova led a procession of about 300 the credits. friends and family on a candlelight walk Sept. 15 through the streets of the Gayborhood. The additional $8 million Cordova, a former HIV tester and trans-youth advocate, was murdered Sept. 3, and her in funding is being covered killer has yet to be identified. Occasional breezes spurred some candle-relighting durby city and state funding. ing the walk, and family members commented on how they felt Kyra was behind the The proposed six-story mischievousness. The group congregated at the William Way LGBT Community Center before the walk, where friends and family members shared memories of Kyra’s life and building will be home to 56 one-bedroom units designed personality. Photo: Scott A. Drake for people age 62 and over. A portion of the residences will be dedicated to low-income LGBT-FRIENDLY SENIOR-HOUSING PROPOSED adults. COURTYARD

Community mourns, investigation continues in Cordova case By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

right now,” he said. Evers said investigators determined Cordova was killed at the location where There was barely standing room in she was found. the lobby of the William Way LGBT A call came in to police took police Community Center last week as sev- around 5 a.m., and Evers said the shooting eral-hundred community members came apparently took place shortly before. together to mourn a murder victim. “We believe we found her somewhat in The Sept. 13 vigil for Kyra Cordova drew a timeframe of less than a day, maybe a family and friends of the victim, as well as couple hours, of when this happened,” he a wealth of strangers, who said. together called for justice. Evers declined to say Police continue to inveswho called to report the tigate the Labor Day murbody. der but have yet to identify Cordova was last seen at a suspect or motive. a Wawa about a half-mile Cordova was found with a from the scene, purchasing gunshot wound to the head two sandwiches and two Sept. 3 in a wooded area off drinks. the 1100 block of Adams Evers said Cordova was Avenue in Frankford. captured on surveillance Police spokesperson Lt. video but she was alone. Ray Evers said investiga“It seems she got enough tors have little information. food for more than one perKYRA CORDOVA son but “We don’t have much PAGE 21

Haverford: Human-relations panel to be named shortly By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Nineteen months after Haverford approved an ordinance extending antibias protections to the LGBT community, a human-relations panel to investigate antibias complaints hasn’t been established.

Last week, more questions about the township’s commitment to LGBT equality were raised when its board of commissioners passed an antibias resolution related to township contractors that doesn’t include LGBT protections. In February 2011, in a 5-4 vote, the board enacted a comprePAGE 26

Voter ID heads back to lower court By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The state’s top court this week further prolonged a suit challenging the controversial new voter-identification law. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday sent the case back to the Commonwealth Court for further review of

how the state is implementing the law. The ruling vacated the lower court’s finding this summer that upheld the law. The Supreme Court ordered the Commonwealth Court to issue a final decision by Oct. 2. A hearing will be held this month to further examine the law. The law requires voters to present governPAGE 28 ment-issued identifica-

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

PGN

locations in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA — 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. • ASIAC, 1201 Chestnut St., 5th floor • The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. • Bioscript Pharmacy, 1227 Locust St. • Cafe Twelve, 212 S. 12th St. • Charlie Salon, 203 S. 12th 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. • Fusion Gym, 105 S. 12th St., 2nd floor • Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. • I Goldberg, 1300 Chestnut St. • ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. • Independent Hotel, 13th & Locust sts. • Mazzoni Clinic, 809 Locust St. • Midtown II, 122 S. 11th St. • More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St. • Pa. AIDS Law Project, 1211 Chestnut St., 12th floor • Paolo Pizzeria, 1336 Pine St. • Parker Hotel Lobby, 261 S. 13th St. • Phila. FIGHT/Aids Library, 1233 Locust St., 5th floor • Phila. Family Planning Commission, 260 S. Broad St., 10th floor • Planned Parenthood, 1144 Locust St. • Sansom Cinema, 120 S. 13th St., basement • Santa Fe Burrito, 212 S. 11th St. • Scorpio Books, 202 S. Juniper St. • Sisters, 1320 Chancellor St. • Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St. • Packard Apartments, 317 N. Broad St. • Safeguards lobby, 1211 Chestnut St. #610 • Salon K, 1216 Locust St. • Sansom Cinema, 120 S. 13th St. • Sante Fe Burrito, 212 S. 11th St. • Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. • Tavern on Camac, 243 S. Camac St. • Triangle Medicine, 253 S. 10th St., 1st floor • Uncles, 1220 Locust St. • Valanni, 1229 Spruce St. • Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St. • Voyeur, 1220 St. James St. • Westbury, 261 S. 13th St. • William Way LGBT Community Center, 1325 Spruce St. • Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. •

PHILADELPHIA — C.C. EAST OF BROAD

Bean Café, 615 South St. • Best Western Independence Park Hotel lobby, 215 Chestnut St. • Chocolate Works Condo lobby, 321 N. Third St. • Copabanana, 342 South St. • Dane Décor, 315 Arch St. • Famous 4th St. Deli, Fourth & Bainbridge sts. • 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, Sixth & Market sts. • Old City Ironworks Gym, 141 N. Second St. • Nationality Service Center, 1216 Arch St. • Packard Apts., 317 N. Broad 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. •

PHILADELPHIA — C.C. WEST OF BROAD

Adonis Cinema, 2026 Sansom St. • Art Institute, 1610 Chestnut 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. • Book Bin, 22nd & Market sts. • Dan Tobey R/E, 1401 Walnut St., 8th floor • Dr. Wakefield’s Office, 255 S. 17th St., Suite 2306 • Drexel Partnership, 1427 Vine St., 3rd floor • Latimer Deli, 255 S. 15th St. • L-2 Restaurant, 22nd & South sts. • MANNA, 12 S. 23rd St. • Marine Club Condos lobby, Broad St. & Washington Ave. • Metropolitan, 115 N. 15th St. • Safeguards Lobby, 1700 Market St., 18th floor • Sansom St. Gym, 2020 Sansom St. • South Square Market, 2221 South St. • Titan Room, 22nd & Market sts. • Touraine Building lobby, 1520 Spruce St. • U Do It Laundry, 15th & Spruce sts. • Wyndham Franklin Plaza Hotel, 17th & Race sts. •

PHILADELPHIA — NORTH OF C.C.

1 Shot Coffee, 1040 N. Second St. • 2601 Parkway Condos lobby, 2601 Pennsylvania Ave. • Bebashi, 1217 Spring Garden St. • Beehive Hair Salon, 2319 Fairmount Ave. • Beth Ahavah, 615 N. Broad St. • Bridgeview Place Condo lobby, 315 New St. • Colonnade Condos lobby, 1601 Spring Garden St. • Community College CCP Lambda, 1700 Spring Garden St. • Congresso de Latinos, American St. & Lehigh Ave. • Crooked Frame Café, 2545 Brown St. • Darling’s Diner, 1033 N. Second St. • Filter Coffee House, 331 Race St. • Girard Vet, 28th St. & Girard Ave. • HIV Early Intervention Clinic, St. Joseph’s Hospital, 16th St. & Girard Ave. • Logan View Apts. lobby, 17th & Callowhill sts. • Northern Liberties Iron Works, 821 N. Second St. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Philadelphian Condos lobby, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. • PYT Restaurant, 1050 N. Hancock St., at the Piazza • Sammy’s Place, 1449 N. Fifth St., 1st ﬂoor • Shampoo, Seventh & Willow sts. • SILOAM Ministries, 1133 Spring Garden St. • Temple University Student Activity Center, 1755 N. 12th St. • Welker Real Estate, 2311 Fairmount Ave. • Whole Foods Market, 2001 Pennsylvania Ave. •

PHILADELPHIA — SOUTH OF C.C.

Bethel Community Home, 933-935 S. Third St. • Black N Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. • Carmen’s Country Kitchen, 11th & Wharton sts. • Class Act Auto Repair, 2042 S. Bancroft St. • Equal, 1516 Snyder Ave. • Essene, 719 S. Fourth St. • Expressive Hand, 622 S. Ninth St. • Fuel, 1917 E. Passyunk Ave. • Hideaway, Days Inn, 2015 Penrose Ave. • Jackson Place, 501 Jackson St. • Kris Restaurant, 1100 Federal St. • Rockerhead Salon, 607 S. Third St. • South Philly Bagels, 613 S. Third St. • Ultimo Coffee, 1900 S. 15th St. •

PHILADELPHIA — UNIVERSITY CITY

Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St. • Bucks County Coffee, 3430 Sansom St. • Bucks County Coffee, 40th & Locust sts. • Fresh Grocer, 4001 Walnut St. • Goodman Hall, 710 S. 42nd St. • International House, 3701 Chestnut St. • LGBT Center at Penn, 3907 Spruce St. • Old Quaker Condos lobby, 3514 Lancaster Ave. • Oslo Hall, 510 S. 42nd St. • Penn Bookstore, 3610 Walnut St. • Sheraton Hotel, 36th & Chestnut sts. • St. Mary’s Church, 3916 Locust Walk • University of the Sciences England Library, 4200 Woodland Ave. • University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut St. • Wilson Hall, 708 S. 42nd St. • World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. •

PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS — OTHER

Almost Paradise, 742 Frankford Ave. • Coffee Junction, 7210 Cresheim Road • Elfant Wissahickon Realty, 8962 Ridge Ave. • Fantasy Island Books, 7363 State Road • GWHS Beacon Center, 10175 Bustleton Ave. • Harry’s Natural Foods, 1805 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. • Prevention Point, 166 W. Lehigh Ave. • Today’s Videos, 9255 Roosevelt Blvd. • Touch of Class Books, 3342 Kensington Ave. • 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 •

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

PGN

ROCKIN’ AND ROLLER COASTIN’: Two dozen adventurous LGBTs buckled up for El Toro, one of the most popular roller coasters at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. Thousands of LGBT thrill-seekers from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey converged on the park Sept. 14 for the Out at Night LGBT party. In addition to the roller coasters and other rides, guests were entertained by local DJs, souvenir-shopping and boardwalk games. The park was closed to regular visitors that night for the ninth annual event. Photo: Scott A. Drake NEWS

Crime Watch Gettin’ On International Local Media Trail News Briefing Obituary

12 13 24 5 15 14 23

Contents

EDITORIAL/OP-ED

Creep of the Week Editorial Letters/Feedback Mark My Words Street Talk

10 10 11 11 11

How stressful is it for LGBT youth compared to when you were in school? Poll results from our online survey as of Sept. 19:

73% Much better 23% About the same 3% Much worse Go to www.epgn.com to weigh in on this week’s question:

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Sarah Blazucki (ext. 206) sarah@epgn.com Staff Writers Jen Colletta (ext. 215) jen@epgn.com Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208) timothy@epgn.com

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Art Director/Photographer Scott A. Drake (ext. 210) scott@epgn.com Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com Executive Assistant/ Billing Manager Carol Giunta (ext. 202) carol@epgn.com Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Suburban Newspapers of America Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 2012 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-5155

The views of PGN are expressed only in the unsigned “Editorial” column. Opinions expressed in bylined columns, stories and letters to the editor are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PGN. The appearance of names or pictorial representations in PGN does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that named or pictured person or persons.

LOCAL PGN

AGING AS A COMMUNITY: The William Way LGBT Community Center hosted a workshop for older adults with HIV/AIDS Sept. 18. “HIV+Aging: What’s New,” sponsored by the LGBT Elder Initiative, allowed participants to discuss the challenges they have faced, including old and new medications and their complications and side effects. Photo: Patrick Hagerty

New venues, bigger crowds for Indigo Ball, party By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The annual Indigo Ball and its popular afterparty that premiered last year will return next month in newer, larger locales. The ball, William Way LGBT Community Center’s biggest fundraiser of the year, will be held Oct. 5 at the Franklin Institute, followed immediately by the IndiGoGo Party, taking place this year at Voyeur. Last year the ball was held at the Arts Bank, while the first IndiGoGo was hosted by Trocadero Theatre. Center development director Michael Pomante said the uniqueness of the Franklin Institute appealed to organizers. “It’s just a great space,” he said. “We consider it one of the premiere spaces in Philadelphia and truly a symbol of freedom.” Three of the Institute’s exhibits — the Giant Heart, Changing Earth and Electricity — will be open for guests to explore. “We wanted it to be more than a sitdown dinner,” Pomante said. “Guests can visit the exhibits and really be kids at heart that night. It’s a venue that’s really interactive.” The IndiGoGo venue change was also meant to enhance the guest experience. Center executive assistant Paul Blore said Voyeur’s expansive space can cater to guests of all musical interests. “Voyeur has a lot of different spaces so we can have different feels that will appeal to the tastes of all the people who are there,” he said. “We have great DJs lined up who will appeal to a really broad spectrum of people.”

The docket includes DJs Jovi Baby and Kash from the Stimulus parties, DJ Robert Drake and DJ Nastty Sinatra, a protégé of DJ Deejay. Last year’s party drew 600 guests, and Blore said organizers expect more than 1,000 at this year’s event. Attendance at the ball is also expected to be up from last year’s 250 to between 300350. New to the ball will be awards to community members and organizations who have had an impact on the center. “We have some incredibly special people in our community who have helped to make the center what it is and also truly impacted our community for decades, and we wanted to recognize them this year,” Pomante said. The center will present its Humanitarian Award to Al Besse, Lifetime Achievement Award to Deb Francesco and Community Partner of the Year Award to Optimal Sport Health Club. The ball will feature a cocktail hour with a performance by the Philadelphia Freedom Band, as well as the sit-down dinner. The larger event will include a pricetag of about $30,000 extra this year, but Pomante said organizers are looking to net about $90,000 in fundraising. The ball will run from 6-10 p.m., and IndiGoGo will kick off at 10:30 p.m. Tickets to the ball are $225 per person, and each ticketholder gets free access to the afterparty. IndiGoGo tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.waygay.org. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

LOCAL PGN

AIDS Library marks 25 years of information, education By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com Philadelphia FIGHT’s AIDS Library — the only one of its kind in the country — is celebrating 25 years of providing resources to the local HIV/AIDS community. The library will host a free public reception with refreshments from 4-6 p.m. Sept 28 at 1233 Locust St., second floor. Since it opened a quarter-century ago, the library has provided a wealth of information for the public pertaining to all aspects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When John Cunningham and Heshie Zinman founded it in 1987, there was a great deal of misinformation and stigma surrounding the disease, including how it was transmitted. Mark Seaman, FIGHT director of development and communications, said the library was invaluable to those trying to find out more about the disease — before the Internet made anonymous research possible. “Stigma around HIV/AIDS was pretty bad,” Seaman said. “It was a death sentence in the ’80s. People didn’t want to do research in public or disclose their status. They didn’t want others to think that they had HIV/AIDS.” Today, patrons can find resources on treatment, education and nutrition, as well

as the history of HIV/AIDS. The library’s collection includes books, periodicals, videos and other media. The AIDS Library has provided interactive community programs throughout its 25 years, such as “Ask a Librarian,” which allows patrons to ask reference questions. The facility has also held computer classes and book drives, and has hosted a variety of summits. Seaman said the library was originally a program of the AIDS Information Network in the 1990s under the supervision of Chris Bartlett, but was moved to FIGHT in 1999 when AIN disbanded. At that time, FIGHT also took on the Youth Health Empowerment Project. Seaman said he hopes the event will bring former patrons back to the AIDS Library. “The library has seen an incredible number of volunteers over the years. We would love to get them back,” Seaman said, adding he also hopes to “engage first-time visitors to the library who aren’t as familiar with this excellent resource.”

The library, now in its third home, has undergone many changes in the past twoand-a-half decades. With the growth of technology, in 2007 the library installed a public computer lab that offers six stations. The lab was made possible through a donation from local businessman Mel Heifetz. Seaman also noted that the library is offering a new class to help patrons learn how to research HIV/ AIDS correctly online. This course will reveal what sites offer the most accurate information and which sites to avoid. “The information has changed a lot during the years because HIV/AIDS has changed a lot over the years. In the ’80s and early ’90s, it was more about dispelling a lot of myths about HIV,” Seaman said. For instance, he recalled, one librarian related a story about an HIV-positive grandmother who came in looking for information about whether her grandson could contract the disease by coming to her

The AIDS Library has provided interactive community programs throughout its 25 years, such as “Ask a Librarian,” which allows patrons to ask reference questions.

house or swimming in her pool. The library provided her information on what to do and how to handle the situation. Seaman said the anniversary event will highlight the tremendous amount of work that Cunningham and Zinman put into making sure the library was up and running for community members. “They really got it going and put all of their hearts’ work into getting the library open. They did the legal paperwork, set up the board of directors, starting setting up grants, etc.,” Seaman said. The pair will be recognized with a plaque honoring their contributions during the reception. FIGHT has also arranged a short video about the history of the AIDS Library that will be shown during the ceremony. Cunningham and Zinman were both interviewed for the video, as well as Jenny Pierce, who served as director of the AIDS Library from 1999-2005. “We think the video is going to be able to help people reminisce and see what the library was like and how far it has come,” Seaman said. The library is open from 1-5 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and 1-7 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. For more information, visit www.fight. org. ■

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LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Appeal presented in ’91 murder of gay student By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A murder case that’s more than 20 years old was back in court last week as one defendant continues to attempt to prove his innocence. Court of Common Pleas Judge Rose Marie Defino-Nastasi held an evidentiary hearing Sept. 11-14 to consider the appeal of Giovanni Reid. Reid was convicted in the 1991 murder of gay University of Pennsylvania medical student Robert Janke, who was gunned down in a robbery outside his apartment at 17th and South streets. Reid, who was 16 at the time, was found guilty of second-degree murder and conspiracy, as was Carlton Bennett, then 20. Bennett’s cousin, Dwayne, also then 20, was the gunman and was convicted of first-degree murder. Dwayne told the court last week that he acted alone and that Reid and Bennett were 30 feet away from him when he pulled the trigger, which he said was accidental and a result of his use of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. Legal advocate LaTasha Williams said Dwayne testified that he is illiterate and had signed a confession

implicating Reid and Bennett without knowing what it said. Reid and Bennett also took the stand and maintained they were not with Dwayne when the shot was fired. Defense witness and Tennessee resident Wayne Richman testified via Skype. Richman, the former partner of the victim, was in the apartment at the time and said he witnessed the murder. He didn’t come forward at the time, he said, because Janke was closeted and because of the shock of the incident. However, in 2006, after learning that three people were convicted in the murder, he told police that he witnessed one person shoot Janke, and that two others were walking in the opposite direction. Richman reiterated that statement in court. Williams said Richman held up well under his 14-hour crossexamination. “He was very consistent,” she said. “The overall consensus of the lawyers and the defendants was that he did really well. He was consistent about what he saw that night: That one person, and only one person, committed the crime and that the other two people were some distance away.”

Williams, who also testified last week, said prosecutors suggested that she coached Richman into that admission, but both deny that allegation. “He stands to gain nothing by lying,” Williams said. “Over the years he could have just said that it was a lie or that I came up with this plan and he went along with it. He made it clear that this is what he saw that night and that, even if he didn’t want to be there testifying, he felt compelled to do what was right.” Attorneys will return to court Oct. 9 for oral arguments. At that time, prosecutors may call Lorraine Hill to the stand, the lone witness who said she saw two men restraining Janke while one shot him. Williams said she’s confident the defense presented a solid case. “I can’t make predictions if we’ll win or not, but I know that if we do lose, it won’t be because we didn’t put forward the best case possible,” she said. Williams does not expect an immediate ruling in the case, as the judge is also considering Reid’s claim for a new sentence based on this summer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that life sentences without parole for youth found guilty of murder are unconstitutional. ■

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ALLY IN ACTION: Dr. Manan Trivedi, who is running for Pennsylvania’s 6th District seat in the U.S. House, was the guest of honor at a campaign fundraiser and social Sept. 18 at Woody’s. Out Congressman Jared Polis was scheduled to attend but, because of plane problems, spoke via Skype. About 30 people attended, including Kathleen Miller (from left), Nina Ahmad, Trivedi, Adrian Shanker, Stephanie Singer, Brian Sims and Anna Aagenes. Photo: Patrick Hagerty

PGN Gay is our middle name

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

LOCAL PGN

More legal wrangling for Archdiocese By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Eight new lawsuits alleging cover-up of sexual-abuse allegations were filed against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia this week. The civil suits were submitted Tuesday by a total of nine plaintiffs. Defendants include the Archdiocese, current and former leaders and the priests accused of abuse. Archdiocese spokesperson Kenneth Gavin said in a statement Tuesday that the Archdiocese has not yet received copies of the suits but said that “lawsuits are not the best mechanism to promote healing in the context of the very private and difficult circumstances of sexual abuse.” Gavin said the Archdiocese will “work to assure all victims of sexual abuse receive appropriate assistance.” The announcement comes on the heels of a new appeal filed in the case of Monsignor William Lynn, the first Catholic official to be convicted of covering up allegations of FIRST CUT: The first proceeds from the Weigh It Forward challenge were dissex abuse. tributed this week, with the three recipients — William Way LGBT Community Lynn’s attorneys this week filed a new Center, Philly Pride Presents and The Attic Youth Center — each receiving motion contending that a former priest who $1,750. Royal Bank executive Denise Kaminsky (from left) presented checks pleaded guilty to sex abuse earlier this year Sept. 17 to William Way executive director Chris Bartlett, Attic Youth Center lied. executive direct Carrie Jacobs and Pride executive director and Weigh It Forward Edward Avery was set to be tried alongparticipant Fran Price, while participant Micah Mahjoubian and PGN outgoing editor Sarah Blazucki were on hand to witness. A total of $22,000 was raised side Lynn and co-defendant James Brennan through per-pound pledges that participants Price, Mahjoubian, Dan Calhoun in spring’s landmark abuse case but, days B:10.125” and Debbie Spadafora lost by June 10. before its start, he pleaded guilty. He is T:10.125” serving a two-and-a-half to five-year sen-

tence. Avery’s guilty plea included a stipulation that he implicate Lynn as a conspirator. A jury later found Lynn guilty of child endangerment for covering up the abuse allegations against Avery, and he is awaiting his sentence. In arguing that he be released on bail this week, Lynn’s attorneys contended in court papers that Avery passed a polygraph test in which he said he did not abuse his accuser and that he only took the plea deal to receive a lesser sentence. The bail motion is currently before the Pennsylvania Superior Court, which previously denied Lynn bail, as did a Court of Common Pleas judge. Also this week, the Archdiocese suspended a priest it had recently cleared of misconduct. The Rev. Michael Chapman, 56, was placed on administrative leave last weekend as an internal investigation began into a new allegation of sexual abuse. Archbishop Charles Chaput in the spring cleared him of a previous allegation. When the new allegations were made in May, the Archdiocese said it immediately reported them to law enforcement and delayed the priest’s return to his post as pastor of Ascension of Our Lord in Northeast Philadelphia. The abuse allegedly took place 30 years ago. ■

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REGIONAL PGN

Out candidates win Delaware primary races By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

trator. She won about 65 percent of the votes and will come up against Republican Stephen Two out candidates last week won their Smyk and Libertarian Valerie Valeska in primary elections in Delaware and are one November. Both candidates were endorsed by the step closer to becoming the state’s first Victory Fund, as well as by the local openly LGBT state lawmakers. Andrew Staton and Marie Mayor won their Stonewall Democrats. Equality Delaware did not endorse canrespective Democratic primaries Tuesday didates in the elecand in November will tion but its Political vie against Republican Activities Committee contenders in their issued a slate of canrespective races. The didates it advised its state has never elected members to contriban openly LGBT perute to, which included son to the state legisStaton and Mayor. lature. Equality Delaware “This is a great board president Lisa opportunity for us,” Goodman said both said Peter Schott, vice candidates have been president for political ANDREW STATON (RIGHT) WITH public about their oriactivity at the Barbara DELAWARE GOV. JACK MARKELL entation, which would Gittings Delaware make their election Stonewall Democrats. even more of a suc“There’s so much educess. cation that needs to be “They have been done about how our totally open throughcommunity is no difout their campaigns,” ferent from anyone she said. “They are else. Having someone both amazing candiat the table would be dates and would make very, very helpful in great legislators. I that regard.” believe they are going Staton is a Realtor MARIE MAYOR to get elected, and that operating out of would be just further Rehoboth Beach and is running for the 6th District seat in the evidence of how open and welcoming the Delaware Senate. The newly created district Delaware electorate is.” Schott said that both districts are leaning is comprised of Rehoboth, Dewey Beach, Democratic, but not entirely. Milton and Lewes. The context of the election could help Staton finished first of three Democrats last week, capturing nearly 60 percent of the them, he added. “Our governor is running this election, vote. He will face Republican Ernie Lopez and he is a very strong governor with a lot of in the fall. Mayor is running to represent the 20th backing from Democrats,” Schott said. “And District in the House, also a newly created we also have [former U.S. Senator from district. Mayor is a Delaware farm owner Delaware] Joe Biden for vice president so who has worked extensively on agricul- I think there will be a big Democratic vote tural-development issues in the state. She is coming out. If that happens, I think we have also a former educator and school adminis- a good chance of winning both of these.” ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Jerome Corsi

Editorial

Farewell, and thank you This is my last editorial for PGN. I’m leaving to take a job with the Peace Corps, and my departure is bittersweet. Being editor of PGN is a hard job, but it’s rewarding. When I became editor after six months as staff writer in 2006, I didn’t have a deep concept of the history of the paper, or of the mixed reputation it had at the time. I knew that people and organizations wouldn’t talk to us — I didn’t know who and I didn’t know why. While I was trying to figure out how to put out a paper every week (with no training on that front), I also had to find these burned bridges and repair them. I felt strongly that the paper would not, could not be effective if we weren’t listening to and speaking with the community. And not “the LGBT community” as a homogenous static entity, but the LGBT community and all the constituencies that comprise it, give it life and make it interesting. I knew, and still believe, that the mission of the paper is to enable the community to communicate internally and externally, to discuss problems, ideas and issues internally and with the larger mainstream community. I am forever grateful to the people who made my job easier, who gave me the benefit of the doubt and trusted me to get their stories right. Thank you for taking our calls, talking to us, giving us feedback and letting me know when we got it right and when we got it wrong. Thank you for making me — and the paper — feel welcome. I’ve made contacts and friends, and I’ve learned from you all. I am truly grateful for the staff of PGN, who put their hearts into their work every day. For the ad staff, without whom none

of us would get paid, for their dogged approach every day to get the message out that this is a quality publication with a quality readership and it is worth it to advertise. For the support staff, who get the bills paid and get the paper out every week, you are appreciated. For the production staff, thank you for staying late, for your patience with me when I changed my mind or when I made a decision you didn’t like, and for sharing your knowledge and expertise with me. For my writers, photographers and freelancers, thank you for your dedication. Thank you for pitching me, for accepting and turning assignments around at the last minute and for being more organized than I. For everyone at PGN, thank you for putting up with me on production day and making sure I had food, chocolate and tea to make it through. Thank you for not taking anything personally and for contributing to the team for the greater goal. Thank you for challenging yourselves to learn new skills, sharpen the ones you have and share them across the board. And lastly, Mark Segal, thank you for trusting me with your baby. For letting me grow here, for (mostly) respecting my opinion and my right to voice it. For giving me feedback and having my back. I know Mark better than most, and despite the difficulties, I’ve been proud to work for him, for PGN. My time here has meant a lot to me. I know that I’m leaving PGN in good hands, and in better shape than when I arrived. The LGBT community will always have a need for news. May PGN long meet that need. ■

Have you heard the news about Obama? He’s gay. A total homo closeted to the extreme who spent an awful lot of time at Chicago gay clubs and bath houses. Brave “author” Jerome Corsi, known for books such as “Where’s the REAL Birth Certificate?” and “Obama Nation” (get it? Abomination?), took to the pages of World Net Daily to expose Obama’s secret gay life. And how does Corsi know about Homobama? Because he’s been doing some super-sleuthing. “This is something I’ve accumulated a great deal of evidence on,” Corsi said in an August video. “The evidence, I think, is very strong.” Evidence includes a photo of Obama sitting next to his college roommate on a couch. He “seems to be sitting about on the guy’s lap,” says Corsi. “I’ve not seen a lot of roommate pictures where two guys are that chummy.” The photo in question shows Obama sitting kind of close to a skinny dude, though they aren’t touching. On the other side of the couch, next to Obama, is a bunch of stuff, which helps to explain why the two men are sitting where they are. Corsi also points out that this same roommate was Pakistani and that Obama went to Pakistan with him. Because Pakistan is such a gay vacation hot spot. And then there are the photos of Obama wearing a band on his ring finger long before he was married to Michelle. “He’s not married as far as we know, unless this is a love affair with his Pakistani male roommate,” Corsi says. In fact, he ruminates on the Ring of Gay Mystery for an entire 13-minute video. “Was he married to a guy, I mean, what’s the deal?” asks Corsi. He calls these “legitimate questions” that people have a right to know the answer to. One of Corsi’s “sources” is Kevin DuJan, founder and editor of HillBuzz.org, which has an entire page detailing a long

and lurid conspiracy theory about Obama’s homosexuality and the lengths he’s gone to cover it up. DuJan claims that Obama will go so far as to have you killed if you’ve ever slept with him and might talk. He then points to the tragic death of Alex Okrent, a 29-yearold Obama campaign staffer who died after collapsing in a campaign office. According to DuJan, Obama must have offed him and they must have been gay lovers. Oh, and remember how earlier this month the big burly pizza shop owner gave Obama a bear hug? DuJan says this is more proof that Obama is light in the loafers. “I don’t think Van Duzer is gay, but Obama sure is for allowing this big ‘bear’ to hug him,” writes DuJan. With sources like DuJan, how could Corsi possibly be wrong? Lest you think Corsi’s “investigation” has nefarious purposes, Corsi insists, “The issue is, again, not an issue that we want to raise in terms of criticizing the homosexuality or the bisexuality or whatever Obama’s true inclinations are. The issue is why does he have to lie about this, too? And why is Obama, if he wants to go out and proclaim same-sex marriage, he wants to proclaim that all of this is great for everybody except he has to lie about himself?” See? Corsi clearly just wants to help the president to come out of the closet. What a nice guy. Corsi then, displaying a complete lack of irony, declares that this whole thing is an issue of “truthfulness.” Ha ha ha hoo. Stop, my sides. ■

He then points to the tragic death of Alex Okrent, a 29year-old Obama campaign staffer who died after collapsing in a campaign office. According to DuJan, Obama must have offed him and they must have been gay lovers.

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 ’n’ roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.

Tell us what you think Send letters and opinion column submissions to: pgn@epgn.com; PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; fax: 215-925-6437.

Please include a daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, style and space considerations.

OP-ED PGN

Romney’s recent missteps Make no mistake about this. Republican North Africa and the Middle East. Does he Mitt Romney is the least patriotic person even know the difference between the two? who has ever run for president of this coun- The point is that developing a democracy try. Think that’s a huge leap? OK, then try takes time. Mr. Romney, let me remind you either the largest opportunist or most disabout America’s democracy and its chaos. honest man to ever run for president. Let’s Do your own homework; just look up The look at the proof-positive facts that back Whiskey Rebellion. them up. Finally, his latest brainstorm. He’s Last week, when demonstrations started decided to write off the “47 percent of in Egypt against an anti-Islamist film the population [that] pays no taxes and shot in the U.S., our Egyptian are going to vote for President embassy issued a statement Obama.” So that 47 percent to attempt to lower the fever. includes veterans of our various wars, the disabled, our Romney issued a statement seniors and those we assist attacking that statement. In other when they cannot help themwords, he attacked our embassy personnel who were already selves — something a country literally under attack. It gets should be proud to do. With worse. When he doubled-down that simple statement, Romney on that issue after learning that told America he will not be president for 47 percent of the our Libyan consulate was under country. When was the last time fire, he attacked the Obama administration for not releasing you heard a candidate say I’m information about that attack for not the president of (use your 12 hours. During those 12 hours, own group here), but president our government was attempting of all Americans? Certainly not Mark Segal Romney. to discover what had happened to our ambassador and three To keep my rule about other staff members. Trying not to make everything in this column being LGBTthe situation worse, they kept quiet and suf- related, add this: Earlier this week, fered Romney’s attacks until the facts were Politico reported that Romney wanted known. Romney used the time to attack Ken Mehlman to manage his campaign. our government without any knowledge Mehlman was the closeted former campaign manager for George W. Bush, who of what was going on — again, attacking used an anti-same-sex-marriage platform our government while it was already under to win W another term. Then he came out attack. And to make it worse, if possible, all one has to remember is the race between and now supports marriage equality. So Mr. President Jimmy Carter and his Republican Etch A Sketch wants a marriage-equality challenger, Ronald Reagan. In the Iran hos- guy to manage his campaign while he is tage crisis, Reagan stated that the country opposed to marriage equality. was under attack and therefore we should Romney will say literally anything to all rally around our government. That is win the White House but, luckily for us, presidential. For Romney’s statements, the he’s such a robotic actor that, unlike most fairest word would be opportunist. politicians, most Americans can see right Then when the shit hits the fan, he and through him. While this all seems good his allies blame the “liberal media.” That now, the election is still a few weeks away charge comes mostly on Fox News: I guess and these guys have barrels of cash. Bill they don’t consider themselves media. Nor Maher said, “The only way Romney can does Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Drudge win the election is to steal it.” My only Report, The Wall Street Journal or the thou- response to that is voter IDs. ■ sands of conservative radio talk shows in Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s this nation, which far outnumber “liberal” most-award-winning commentator in LGBT talk shows. media. He can be reached at mark@epgn. And while talking about the “Arab com. Spring,” he often talks about the chaos in

Mark My Words

This was written beautifully, and it tells a story of a transgender woman with a heart and who was very much loved. — Joey Josephs Thank you to all who came together to

Street Talk Is $700,000 an appropriate settlement in the Milton Hershey School HIVdiscrimination case? “It’s nice that they gave money to the student, and that they adopted a non-discrimination policy. But Alexa Byrd nobody is student going to learn Washington Square West from this. Everyone connected with that school needs up-to-date sex education. It’s awful what happened to the student. I have the utmost sympathy for him.”

“Yes. If the young man is OK with it, I am. I think it’s great that he’s getting money. He should be compensated Tionna Christopher for the retail agent harm done West Philadelphia to him. It also sends a message to other discriminators that they’ll have to pay big bucks for their actions.”

“Yes. The school acted in a ridiculous manner. The money can put the boy through private Matthew Fribush school for student four years, South Philadelphia with some left over for college. But I think the school also should have issued a public apology that was widely distributed. And the school should have been required to make a sizeable donation to a local AIDS organization.”

“No. Nobody really grows from the situation. The school should have issued a sincere, personal apology to Jazmin Gardner the boy. And student they should South Philadelphia have made him feel welcome to study there. But I don’t think they acted in a mean-spirited way. They meant well — to protect the students in their care. But they went about it the wrong way.”

We want to know! If you are celebrating an anniversary, engagement, wedding, adoption or other life event, we would be happy to help you announce it to the community. Send your contact information and a brief description of the event to editor@epgn.com.

Letters and Feedback In response to “Trans murder victim identified,” Sept. 14-20, 2012:

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

clarify that Kyra was a wonderful human being. This means so much to her family and friends. We need to be alert now that there is a killer on the loose. You have to be careful of who you think are your friends and alert others of new friends. I always screen who I meet for many reasons, including this one. The devil has many faces. — WRosado

This was a much better written story than the one previously reported. Thank you very much for giving a name — Kyra — to the unidentified transperson who was murdered. She was a much-loved human being who will be missed by many. — BrendaLaMour

In response to “Court backs AIDS whistleblower,” Sept. 14-20, 2012: I wish there were more people out there who were concerned about our tax money being defrauded. Congratulations to Dr. Feldman and his attorney on finally getting justice. — Jo Anne Bickel

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

a rts Fran Lebowitz Sat., Sept. 29 at 8PM

Fran Lebowitz is an off the cuff purveyor of urban cool, witty chronicler of the “me decade” and a cultural satirist. She offers insights on timely issues such as gender, race, gay rights, and the media.

10 Hairy Legs

Sat., Nov. 3 at 8PM

The debut performance of 10 Hairy Legs, Randy James’ company of 5 Principal men performing works from the contemporary canon of modern dance. The program includes: a World Premiere by James and Manuel Vignoulle and a work by David Parker of The Bang Group.

A John Waters Christmas

Sun., Dec. 9 at 7PM

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John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, A Dirty Shame) performs an unforgettable night of holiday mischief with his critically acclaimed one man show, A John Waters Christmas. Waters pokes fun at the holiday season with adult-appropriate humor, effectively putting the X in Xmas.

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Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the 6th Police District between Sept. 3-9. Information is courtesy of 6th 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 (8477). INCIDENTS — Between 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sept. 3, a secured bicycle was stolen from outside 1329 Lombard St. — Between 5:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 3, someone entered an apartment in the 400 block of South Eighth Street via a window and took a laptop, cameras and an E-reader. Sixth District Officer Minnis attempted to lift fingerprints. — Between 4-6 p.m. Sept. 5, a secured bicycle was stolen from outside 401 S. Broad St. — At 2:50 p.m. Sept. 5, at 12th and Market streets, a woman was walking down the steps to the subway when three males pushed her down and took her money and transpass. The suspects were described as black males, 16-17 years old. One was 5foot-4 with a thin build and a teardrop tattoo on his face; another was 5-foot-5 with a medium build and wearing a red baseball cap; the third was 5-foot-6 and thin. — Between 10:15 p.m. Sept. 5 and 7:45 a.m. Sept. 6, a secured bicycle was stolen from outside 311 S. 13th St. — At 2:55 a.m. Sept. 6, at 1000 Market St., a woman was accosted by a group of four or five males and females, knocked down and had her purse taken. The group fled south on 11th Street. Descriptions were only provided for two suspects: One black male, 18-25 years old, 5-foot-7,

wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts; and one black female, 5-foot-7, wearing braids. — At 4 p.m. Sept. 6, a woman was walking in the 1000 block of Sansom Street when a male groped her as she walked past him. The suspect was described as a black male in his late 20s, 6-foot-2, with a thin build and wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 3:45 p.m. Sept. 6, 6th District Officer Sweeney arrested a male outside 1221 Spruce St. who was wanted on a bench warrant for failure to appear for court. The 24-year-old suspect with a New Jersey address was charged with contempt of court. — At 1:35 a.m. Sept. 7, a man was walking with a male in the 1200 block of Locust Street when he was punched and had money taken from his pocket. The complainant alerted 6th District bike patrol Officer Stone, who broadcast a description of the suspect. Sixth District Officers Macchione and Cifelli stopped the suspect at 13th and Spruce streets, where he was positively identified and the victim’s money was recovered. The 45-year-old suspect with a North Philadelphia address was charged with robbery and related offenses. — At 4:40 p.m. Sept. 7, Center City District Officer Crosby arrested a male outside 1200 Market St. who was wanted on a bench warrant for failure to appear for court. The 43-year-old suspect with a Southwest Philadelphia address was charged with contempt of court. SUMMARY ARRESTS — On Sept. 6, 6th District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 100 S. 13th St. at 3:10 a.m. ■

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AGING PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Where will you live? LGBT seniors cite housing as one of their top-five concerns as they age. Safe, affordable and LGBT-friendly housing is scarce in many areas around the country. Some LGBT elders live in situations where they are harassed because of the music they play in their homes, the way their visitors look or sound or the pictures of friends and loved ones they display on their desks or nightstands. Depending on the facility in which they live, some seniors are not permitted to wear the style of clothing they prefer or the hairstyle of their choice. Others are not permitted to have sex with, sleep with or show outward signs of affection for their same-sex partners. A hostile living environment is a Ed health and safety risk. We face enough of those without having to deal with them in our home sanctuaries in our older years. Progress toward assuring the availability of affordable, safe and welcoming housing is being made on several fronts. The LGBT Elder Initiative has released the inaugural version of its LGBTEI Senior Housing Resource Guide for the Delaware Valley. This guide lists housing resources across a broad range of affordability and

types of housing, from subsidized housing to nursing homes to continuing-care communities to condominiums and rental units. All are LGBT-senior friendly. In Center City, a government-subsidized, LGBT-friendly, low-income housing project for seniors is under development. Spearheaded by the DMH Fund, the 50-plusunit building will be the first of its kind in the nation. It is a great start to providing housing solutions for LGBT people as we age. Nationally, there are several types of LGBT-senior-housing options available. Most recent is the approval of a low-income LGBT-senior-housing project in San Francisco. Triangle Square Bomba in Los Angeles, an affordable housing community, has been up and running since 2007. These and other communities already in existence can only begin the process of developing solutions for the needs of the LGBT communities for appropriate housing as we age. Homophobia, transphobia, racism, sexism and the law are often barriers for LGBT elders seeking adequate housing. The demand for elder housing has only just begun to surge. The next two decades of baby boomers reach-

Gettin’ On

ing retirement age will further tax housing resources for seniors. This demographic shift, along with the reverberations from the housing-market collapse, will strain affordable, safe and LGBT-friendly housing resources in most areas, especially for LGBT people of color. New models for how and where we age are being developed. Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities may be one model. A NORC is formed by people who already live in a building or neighborhood and find that they have similar needs and share similar interests and/or backgrounds. People in a NORC develop and share resources they need in order to age successfully in their own homes. Another potential model for successful aging may come from within LGBT families of choice. These families may choose to reside together, to share resources and expenses and to care for each other as best they can during their elder years. There are many changes occurring in where and how we live as we age. However, the law and society change slowly. There is still no national nondiscrimination law giving LGBT people of all ages equal access to housing. The federal government has taken some steps to reduce discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Twenty-two states, including New Jersey,

ban such discrimination. Delaware bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. Pennsylvania, however, still allows housing discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The LGBT Elder Initiative’s Senior Housing Resource Guide lists many LGBT-senior-friendly housing resources. There is also a list of resources you can access if you feel you have been discriminated against in your current housing or in your search for housing. The guide can be found at www.LGBTEI.org under the “Housing” tab. You can add to this list. Your additions and comments, both positive and negative, are welcome and can be helpful to other people seeking affordable, safe and welcoming housing. Add your comments directly to the web page or send your recommended listings or comments to info@lgbtei.org or call the LGBT Elder Initiative at 267-546-3448. ■ Ed Bomba is communications chair of the LGBT Elder Initiative. The LGBTEI fosters and advocates for services and resources that are competent, culturally sensitive, inclusive and responsive to the needs of LGBT older adults. To comment on this column, suggest topics for future columns or for more information, visit www.lgbtei. org or call 267-546-3448 and watch for “Gettin’ On” each month in PGN.

REGIONAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

News Briefing Antibias complaints settled Antibias complaints filed by two transgender women who were allegedly denied access to a women’s fitting room in a Center City store have recently been settled. Kate Lynn Blatt and Lindsey Nowak allegedly were discriminated against because of their gender identity when they attempted to use a women’s fitting room at Kmart in The Gallery, 901 Market St. During the May 2008 incident, store personnel allegedly asked intrusive questions about their chromosomal sex, a violation of the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance. Blatt and Nowak filed complaints with the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations and recently settled their complaints for an undisclosed amount of money. Terms of the settlement are confidential. Kmart is owned by Sears Holdings Corp., based in Illinois. Keith J. Potter, an attorney for Sears Holdings Corp., couldn’t be reached for comment. Blatt and Nowak were represented by Mazzoni Center’s Legal Services Department. “We’re delighted that at long last this matter has been resolved,” said David M. Rosenblum, legal director at Mazzoni Center. “We think it’s important for the transgender community to know that they have every right to use whatever dressing room is appropriate to their gender identity. Not only does Philadelphia’s antibias law ensure that right — but Kmart’s national policy does as well.”

Transwoman to appeal unfavorable court ruling

cancelled due to a medical issue for the auction. Bornstein plans to reschedule.

Janis Stacy, a Kunkletown transgender woman, will appeal a recent court ruling dismissing her employment-discrimination case, her attorney said this week. Two years ago, Stacy sued LSI Corp. in federal court, claiming she was terminated from her engineering position because of her gender, gender identity and disability. Stacy worked at the Allentown electronics firm for about 10 years prior to her termination in 2008. On Sept. 12, U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno dismissed Stacy’s lawsuit, citing insufficient evidence that LSI committed unlawful discrimination when terminating Stacy. Scott B. Goldshaw, an attorney for Stacy, said an appeal of Robreno’s ruling will be filed with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. “We believe [Robreno] ruled in favor of the employer by deciding facts which were in dispute and which the law requires be resolved by a jury,” Goldshaw told PGN. “We will be appealing — and requesting an order for a trial by jury in accordance with the law.” Stacy’s lawsuit alleged adverse employment actions dating back to 2005, when she started transitioning at work. But LSI contended that Stacy was terminated due to workforce reductions and because she lacked the skills necessary to help move the company forward. Robert W. Cameron, an attorney for LSI, declined to comment.

Gittings Way street sign to be dedicated

— Timothy Cwiek

Bornstein event cancelled A fundraising dinner and author dicussion with out writer Kate Bornstein at William Way LGBT Community Center scheduled for next week has been cancelled. The event was to be held Sept. 28 but was

LGBT leaders will unveil new street signs next month that honor a late lesbian pioneer. The 1300 block of Locust Street will be renamed “Gittings Way” in honor of Barbara Gittings, known by many as the mother of the gay-rights movement. The sign unveiling, organized by Equality Forum, will be held from 12:30-1 p.m. Oct. 1. Speakers will include Equality Forum executive director Malcolm Lazin and City Councilman Mark Squilla. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus will perform. Collaborating organizations include Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, Equality Pennsylvania, Independence Business Alliance, Mazzoni Center, PGMC, Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus and William Way LGBT Community Center.

Exploring classism The local chapter of Men of All Colors Together and William Way LGBT Community Center will present a discussion on classism from 1-4 p.m. Sept. 22 at the center, 1315 Spruce St. “Classism: The Invisible Ism” will examine differential treatment based on real or perceived social class and its impact on the LGBT community. Sherrie Cohen will facilitate the session.

Transwoman arrested for stabbing A transgender woman was arrested last week for allegedly stabbing a SEPTA

Only in Jeremy Gussick

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Philadelphia Gay News

— Jen Colletta

Trans community unites for Obama Trans United for Obama and the Liberty City Democratic Club will host a voter registration and voter ID information event for the transgender community from 3-7 p.m. Sept. 22. “T Party” will be held at 215 S. Broad St., second floor, at the office of out Pennsylvania Rep. nominee Brian Sims. Participants will get a chance to register to vote as well as ask questions pertaining to their voter ID and other political issues and concerns. Obama for America voter protection director Lauren Vidas will be at the event to answer questions. Trans United for Obama is a nationwide volunteer organization that educates transgender people, their friends, families and allies on gender-identity issues Obama has supported, as well as provides information on voter registration for the upcoming election. For more information, email ceibell42@gmail.com. ■ — Angela Thomas

“I lingered in the shadows of my mind to hide from forces I believed would conjure greater torrents of pathos in my life, as if my fate was to live in perpetual sorrow, and barebacking indiscriminately would keep fate at bay.”

Stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Retirement plans, savings plans and college funds. Good debt vs. bad debt. Financial advisor Jeremy Gussick breaks it down every month, interpreting simple and complex ﬁnancial strategies for the LGBT community.

Out Money

driver. The incident took place on the Route 102 trolley Sept. 14 in Collingdale, Delaware County. Investigators say the woman frequently boards the trolley without paying and that, when the driver confronted the woman about the fee, she stabbed him in the face. It is unclear what weapon she allegedly used. The driver was transported to a local hospital for a puncture wound. The woman fled the bus and was arrested in a nearby lot. She was charged with simple assault, aggravated assault and other offenses.

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Millennial Poz Aaron Stella

After 30 years of HIV/AIDS, the epidemic is impacting the next generation: the Millennials. Written by Aaron Stella, Millennial Poz gives a new voice to people with HIV/AIDS. Online and in print every second Friday.

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NEWS PGN

issue a statement once the petition request has been reviewed by the city.

Media Trail Furor fades a year after military’s gay ban lifted USA Today reports it’s been a year now since the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed, enabling gay and lesbian members of the U.S. military to serve openly. The Pentagon says the repeal has gone smoothly, with no adverse effect on morale, unit cohesion, recruitment or military readiness. Some critics persist with complaints that the repeal has infringed on servicemembers whose religious faiths condemn homosexuality. Conversely, instances of antigay harassment have not ended, and activists are frustrated that gay and lesbian military families don’t yet enjoy the benefits and services extended to other military families. Yet the clear consensus is that repeal has succeeded, producing far more joy and relief than dismay and indignation. The Pentagon credits rigorous training before repeal and tough enforcement of new standards.

Group seeks to repeal new Omaha antibias law The Omaha World-Herald reports an Omaha group is attempting to repeal the city’s new legal protections for LGBT residents. A group calling itself the Omaha Liberty Project recently filed a petition request with the city of Omaha. Once approved, the group will have 30 days to collect enough signatures to put the repeal to a vote. It’s unclear how many signatures the group will need. The Omaha City Council narrowly approved the ordinance in March that bans employers, job-training programs, labor groups and other organizations from discriminating based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The measure included exemptions for religious organizations. Patrick Bonnett, executive director of the Omaha Liberty Project, says the group will

D.C. to launch transgender awareness campaign The Washington Post reports the District of Columbia is launching what it calls the nation’s first government-sponsored campaign to promote awareness and understanding of transgender people. Mayor Vincent Gray unveiled five advertisements Sept. 13 that will be displayed around the nation’s capital. The ads feature transgender people who live in the district. The mayor’s office says it wants to ensure that transgender people have equal access to employment, housing and public accommodations and feel safe. Transgender people have been subjected to periodic violence in parts of the city. Gray will launch the campaign at MOVA Lounge, a gay bar in the trendy U Street area of northwest Washington.

Ventura speaks out against gay-marriage amendment TwinCities.com reports former Gov. Jesse Ventura is speaking out against a gaymarriage ban on the Minnesota ballot. The former Independence Party governor and longtime gay-rights supporter appears in a video posted online Sept. 14 by Minnesotans United for All Families, the main group working to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment. Voters will decide in November whether to add the ban to the state’s constitution. Ventura says, “Love is by far bigger than government can ever be.” In the video, he and his wife, Terry, talk about their 37-year marriage and urge Minnesotans to show their independence by rejecting the gay-marriage ban. As governor, Ventura pushed for domestic-partner benefits for state employees.

Pro sports more gay-friendly as athletes speak out Fox News reports several NFL players are speaking out in support of gay marriage in states where the issue is on the November ballot. Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has argued against a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Minnesota.

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Kluwe also defended Baltimore linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo after he was criticized by a Maryland politician for publicly supporting marriage equality. Athletes and team officials say attitudes are changing in big-league sports. But no active athlete in the four major sports of football, baseball, basketball or hockey has ever come out of the closet. In all, four states are voting on marriage equality this year. Minnesota’s vote is on a constitutional ban. Maryland, Maine and Washington voters are deciding whether gay marriage should be legal.

Pueblo rejects same-sex partner benefits The Denver Post reports the Pueblo City Council has rejected a proposal that would have let city employees have same-sex domestic partners added to their insurance and other benefits. The City Council voted Sept. 10 to put it off for the time being, but agreed to review the measure in the future if the economy improves. The council vote angered gay and lesbian activists in the audience and a police officer had to be summoned. City human resources director Marisa Walker previously told council members that cities such as Arvada and Lakewood offer the benefits, but others, including Colorado Springs, do not. She said national statistics indicate that allowing domestic partners to qualify for city benefits could increase city costs by about 1 percent.

Petition started to reinstate gay Boy Scout leader The Lexington Herald-Leader reports a petition drive to reinstate a Louisville Boy Scout leader who said he was forced to resign because he is gay has gathered more

than 2,000 signatures. Greg Bourke, who volunteered with the organization for five years, stepped down recently after the pastor at the church where his troop meets said the facility might lose its Scouting charter if he stayed. A Boy Scouts policy enacted in 1991 and reaffirmed in July doesn’t allow open gays to join. Bourke said after the affirmation, he wrote to Boy Scout executives asking whether he was still welcome and was told he didn’t meet “scouting’s membership standards.” The petition to reinstate him has gotten signatures from state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, TV and radio personality Terry Meiners and several Eagle Scouts. On the petition, Meiners wrote that Bourke is an “exemplary person, a doting father and a pious, generous man of integrity.” Barry G. Oxley II, of the Boy Scouts’ Lincoln Heritage Council, declined to comment about the petition other than to say it is “a national BSA policy.”

Berkeley ready to proclaim Bisexual Pride Day San Jose’s Mercury News reports Berkeley may become the nation’s first city to officially proclaim Bisexual Pride Day. If approved by the City Council, Bisexual Pride Day would be celebrated on Sept. 23, when there are bisexual pride events in Los Angeles, Boston and other cities. Berkeley would apparently be the first city in the country to officially proclaim Bisexual Pride Day. It will be separate from the worldwide LGBT events every June. Councilman Kriss Worthington proposed officially recognizing Bisexual Pride Day, saying bisexuals have complained for years that they are shunned by the gay community because they are considered fence-sitters. ■ — compiled by Larry Nichols

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“Most doctors choose ATRIPLA. That’s important to me.” Simon — Current ATRIPLA Patient With over 6 years of prescribing experience, ATRIPLA (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir DF) is the #1 prescribed single-tablet HIV regimen.*

Alone or with other HIV meds. Real ATRIPLA patients. INDICATION ATRIPLA (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is a prescription medication used alone as a complete regimen, or with other anti-HIV-1 medicines, to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children at least 12 years old who weigh at least 40 kg (88 lbs). ATRIPLA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS and you may continue to experience illnesses associated with HIV-1 infection, including opportunistic infections. See your healthcare provider regularly while taking ATRIPLA. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about ATRIPLA? ATRIPLA can cause serious side effects: • Some people who have taken medicine like ATRIPLA (which contains nucleoside analogs) have developed lactic acidosis (build up of an acid in the blood). Lactic acidosis can be a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get the following signs or symptoms of lactic acidosis: — feel very weak or tired — feel cold, especially in your arms and legs — have unusual (not normal) muscle pain — feel dizzy or lightheaded — have trouble breathing — have a fast or irregular heartbeat — have stomach pain with nausea and vomiting • Some people who have taken medicines like ATRIPLA have developed serious liver problems (hepatotoxicity), with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) and fat in the liver (steatosis). In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death.

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Call your healthcare provider right away if you get the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: — skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) — urine turns dark — bowel movements (stools) turn light in color — don’t feel like eating food for several days or longer — feel sick to your stomach (nausea) — have lower stomach area (abdominal) pain • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking nucleoside analogcontaining medicines, like ATRIPLA (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), for a long time. • If you also have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and you stop taking ATRIPLA, you may get a “ﬂare-up” of your hepatitis. A “ﬂare-up” is when the disease suddenly returns in a worse way than before. Patients with HBV who stop taking ATRIPLA need close medical follow-up for several months to check for hepatitis that could be getting worse. ATRIPLA is not approved for the treatment of HBV, so you need to discuss your HBV therapy with your healthcare provider. Who should not take ATRIPLA? You and your healthcare provider should decide if ATRIPLA is right for you. Do not take ATRIPLA if you are allergic to ATRIPLA or any of its ingredients. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ATRIPLA? Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant: Women should not become pregnant while taking ATRIPLA and for 12 weeks after stopping ATRIPLA. Serious birth defects have been seen in children of women treated during pregnancy with one of the medicines in ATRIPLA.

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ATRIPLA works to lower viral load and may increase CD4+ (T-cell) count, which may help improve your immune system. ATRIPLA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS and you may continue to experience illnesses associated with HIV-1 infection, including opportunistic infections.

Selected Important Safety Information: • Some people who have taken medicine like ATRIPLA have developed build up of lactic acid in the blood, which can be a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. • Some people who have taken medicines like ATRIPLA have developed serious liver problems, with liver enlargement and fat in the liver, which can lead to death. • If you also have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and you stop taking ATRIPLA, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. ATRIPLA is not approved for the treatment of HBV. Please see below for more information about these warnings, including signs and symptoms, and other Important Safety Information.

Ask your doctor about ATRIPLA— the single-tablet HIV regimen with over 5 million prescriptions written.* *Source Healthcare Analytics, Source® PHAST Prescription Monthly, January 2006 – April 2012.

To learn more, visit www.ATRIPLA.com Women must use a reliable form of barrier contraception, such as a condom or diaphragm, even if they also use other methods of birth control, while on ATRIPLA (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and for 12 weeks after stopping ATRIPLA. Women should not rely only on hormone-based birth control, such as pills, injections, or implants, because ATRIPLA may make these contraceptives ineffective. • Are breastfeeding: Women with HIV should not breastfeed because they can pass HIV or may pass ATRIPLA through their milk to the baby. We do not know if ATRIPLA can be passed to your baby in your breast milk and whether it could harm your baby. • Have kidney problems or are undergoing kidney dialysis treatment • Have bone problems • Have liver problems, including hepatitis B or C virus infection. Your healthcare provider may want to do tests to check your liver while you take ATRIPLA or may switch you to another medicine. • Have ever had mental illness or are using drugs or alcohol • Have ever had seizures or are taking medicine for seizures. Seizures have occurred in patients taking efavirenz, a component of ATRIPLA, generally in those with a history of seizures. If you have ever had seizures, or take medicine for seizures, your healthcare provider may want to switch you to another medicine or monitor you. What important information should I know about taking other medicines with ATRIPLA? ATRIPLA may change the effect of other medicines, including the ones for HIV-1, and may cause serious side effects. Your healthcare provider may change your other medicines or change their doses. MEDICINES YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE WITH ATRIPLA • Do not take ATRIPLA if you are taking the following medicines because serious and life-threatening side effects may occur when taken together: Vascor® (bepridil), Propulsid® (cisapride), Versed® (midazolam), Orap® (pimozide), Halcion® (triazolam), or ergot medications (for example, Wigraine® and Cafergot®).

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• ATRIPLA (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) should not be taken with: Combivir® (lamivudine/zidovudine), COMPLERA® (emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), EMTRIVA® (emtricitabine), Epivir® or Epivir-HBV® (lamivudine), Epzicom® (abacavir sulfate/lamivudine), Trizivir® (abacavir sulfate/lamivudine/ zidovudine), TRUVADA® (emtricitabine/tenofovir DF), or VIREAD® (tenofovir DF), because they contain the same or similar active ingredients as ATRIPLA. ATRIPLA should not be used with SUSTIVA® (efavirenz) unless recommended by your healthcare provider. • Vfend® (voriconazole) should not be taken with ATRIPLA since it may lose its effect or may increase the chance of having side effects from ATRIPLA. • Do not take St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), or products containing St. John’s wort with ATRIPLA. Taking St. John’s wort may decrease ATRIPLA levels and lead to increased viral load, and possible resistance to ATRIPLA or crossresistance to other anti-HIV-1 drugs. • ATRIPLA should not be used with HEPSERA® (adefovir dipivoxil). These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take ATRIPLA. Tell your healthcare provider about all prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements you are taking or plan to take. Important Safety Information is continued on the following page. Please see Patient Information on the following pages.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

ATRIPLA (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) Important Safety Information (continued) What are the possible side effects of ATRIPLA? ATRIPLA may cause the following additional serious side effects: • Serious psychiatric problems. Severe depression, strange thoughts, or angry behavior have been reported by a small number of patients. Some patients have had thoughts of suicide, and a few have actually committed suicide. These problems may occur more often in patients who have had mental illness. • Kidney problems (including decline or failure of kidney function). If you have had kidney problems, or take other medicines that may cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider should do regular blood tests. Symptoms that may be related to kidney problems include a high volume of urine, thirst, muscle pain, and muscle weakness. • Other serious liver problems. Some patients have experienced serious liver problems, including liver failure resulting in transplantation or death. Most of these serious side effects occurred in patients with a chronic liver disease such as hepatitis infection, but there have also been a few reports in patients without any existing liver disease. • Changes in bone mineral density (thinning bones). Lab tests show changes in the bones of patients treated with tenofovir DF, a component of ATRIPLA. Some HIV patients treated with tenofovir DF developed thinning of the bones (osteopenia), which could lead to fractures. Also, bone pain and softening of the bone (which may lead to fractures) may occur as a consequence of kidney problems. If you have had bone problems in the past, your healthcare provider may want to do tests to check your bones or may prescribe medicines to help your bones. Also, bone pain and bone softening may occur because of kidney problems. Common side effects: • Patients may have dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping, drowsiness, trouble concentrating, and/or unusual dreams during treatment with ATRIPLA. These side effects may be reduced if you take ATRIPLA at bedtime on an empty stomach; they tend to go away after taking ATRIPLA for a few weeks. Tell your healthcare provider right away if any of these side effects continue or if they bother you. These symptoms may be more severe if ATRIPLA is used with alcohol and/or mood-altering (street) drugs. • If you are dizzy, have trouble concentrating, and/or are drowsy, avoid activities that may be dangerous, such as driving or operating machinery. • Rash is a common side effect with ATRIPLA that usually goes away without any change in treatment. Rash may be serious in a small number of patients. Rash occurs more commonly in children and may be a serious problem. If a rash develops, call your healthcare provider right away. • Other common side effects include: tiredness, upset stomach, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea. Other possible side effects: • Changes in body fat have been seen in some people taking anti-HIV-1 medicines. Increase of fat in the upper back and neck, breasts, and around the trunk may happen. Loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face may also happen. The cause and long-term health effects of these changes in body fat are not known. • Skin discoloration (small spots or freckles) may also happen. • In some patients with advanced HIV infection (AIDS), signs and symptoms of inﬂammation from previous infections may occur soon after anti-HIV treatment is started. If you notice any symptoms of infection, contact your healthcare provider right away. • Additional side effects are inﬂammation of the pancreas, allergic reaction (including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat), shortness of breath, pain, stomach pain, weakness, and indigestion. This is not a complete list of side effects. Tell your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you notice any side effects while taking ATRIPLA. You should take ATRIPLA once daily on an empty stomach. Taking ATRIPLA at bedtime may make some side effects less bothersome. Please see Patient Information on adjacent and following pages. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. © 2012 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. All rights reserved. ATRIPLA is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. SUSTIVA is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 697US12AB02908

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Patient Information ATRIPLA® (uh TRIP luh) Tablets ALERT: Find out about medicines that should NOT be taken with ATRIPLA. Please also read the section “MEDICINES YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE WITH ATRIPLA.” Generic name: efavirenz, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (eh FAH vih renz, em tri SIT uh bean and te NOE’ fo veer dye soe PROX il FYOU mar ate) Read the Patient Information that comes with ATRIPLA before you start taking it and each time you get a refill since there may be new information. This information does not take the place of talking to your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment. You should stay under a healthcare provider’s care when taking ATRIPLA. Do not change or stop your medicine without first talking with your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any questions about ATRIPLA. What is the most important information I should know about ATRIPLA? • Some people who have taken medicine like ATRIPLA (which contains nucleoside analogs) have developed a serious condition called lactic acidosis (build up of an acid in the blood). Lactic acidosis can be a medical emergency and may need to be treated in the hospital. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get the following signs or symptoms of lactic acidosis: • You feel very weak or tired. • You have unusual (not normal) muscle pain. • You have trouble breathing. • You have stomach pain with nausea and vomiting. • You feel cold, especially in your arms and legs. • You feel dizzy or lightheaded. • You have a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Some people who have taken medicines like ATRIPLA have developed serious liver problems called hepatotoxicity, with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) and fat in the liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: • Your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice). • Your urine turns dark. • Your bowel movements (stools) turn light in color. • You don’t feel like eating food for several days or longer. • You feel sick to your stomach (nausea). • You have lower stomach area (abdominal) pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking nucleoside analogcontaining medicines, like ATRIPLA, for a long time. • If you also have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and you stop taking ATRIPLA, you may get a “flare-up” of your hepatitis. A “flare-up” is when the disease suddenly returns in a worse way than before. Patients with HBV who stop taking ATRIPLA need close medical follow-up for several months, including medical exams and blood tests to check for hepatitis that could be getting worse. ATRIPLA is not approved for the treatment of HBV, so you must discuss your HBV therapy with your healthcare provider. What is ATRIPLA? ATRIPLA contains 3 medicines, SUSTIVA® (efavirenz), EMTRIVA® (emtricitabine) and VIREAD® (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate also called tenofovir DF) combined in one pill. EMTRIVA and VIREAD are HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and SUSTIVA is an HIV-1 non-nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). VIREAD and EMTRIVA are the components of TRUVADA®. ATRIPLA can be used alone as a complete regimen, or in combination with other anti-HIV-1 medicines to treat people with HIV-1 infection. ATRIPLA is for adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 40 kg (at least 88 lbs). ATRIPLA is not recommended for children younger than 12 years of age. ATRIPLA has not been studied in adults over 65 years of age. HIV infection destroys CD4+ T cells, which are important to the immune system. The immune system helps fight infection. After a large number of T cells are destroyed, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) develops. ATRIPLA helps block HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, a viral chemical in your body (enzyme) that is needed for HIV-1 to multiply. ATRIPLA lowers the amount of HIV-1 in the blood (viral load). ATRIPLA may also help to increase the number of T cells (CD4+ cells), allowing your immune system to improve. Lowering the

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

ATRIPLA® (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) amount of HIV-1 in the blood lowers the chance of death or infections that happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections). Does ATRIPLA cure HIV-1 or AIDS? ATRIPLA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS and you may continue to experience illnesses associated with HIV-1 infection, including opportunistic infections. You should remain under the care of a doctor when using ATRIPLA. Who should not take ATRIPLA? Together with your healthcare provider, you need to decide whether ATRIPLA is right for you. Do not take ATRIPLA if you are allergic to ATRIPLA or any of its ingredients. The active ingredients of ATRIPLA are efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir DF. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ATRIPLA? Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant (see “What should I avoid while taking ATRIPLA?”). • Are breastfeeding (see “What should I avoid while taking ATRIPLA?”). • Have kidney problems or are undergoing kidney dialysis treatment. • Have bone problems. • Have liver problems, including hepatitis B virus infection. Your healthcare provider may want to do tests to check your liver while you take ATRIPLA or may switch you to another medicine. • Have ever had mental illness or are using drugs or alcohol. • Have ever had seizures or are taking medicine for seizures. What important information should I know about taking other medicines with ATRIPLA? ATRIPLA may change the effect of other medicines, including the ones for HIV-1, and may cause serious side effects. Your healthcare provider may change your other medicines or change their doses. Other medicines, including herbal products, may affect ATRIPLA. For this reason, it is very important to let all your healthcare providers and pharmacists know what medications, herbal supplements, or vitamins you are taking. MEDICINES YOU SHOULD NOT TAKE WITH ATRIPLA • The following medicines may cause serious and life-threatening side effects when taken with ATRIPLA. You should not take any of these medicines while taking ATRIPLA: Vascor (bepridil), Propulsid (cisapride), Versed (midazolam), Orap (pimozide), Halcion (triazolam), ergot medications (for example, Wigraine and Cafergot). • ATRIPLA also should not be used with Combivir (lamivudine/zidovudine), COMPLERA, EMTRIVA, Epivir, Epivir-HBV (lamivudine), Epzicom (abacavir sulfate/lamivudine), Trizivir (abacavir sulfate/lamivudine/zidovudine), TRUVADA, or VIREAD. ATRIPLA also should not be used with SUSTIVA unless recommended by your healthcare provider. • Vfend (voriconazole) should not be taken with ATRIPLA since it may lose its effect or may increase the chance of having side effects from ATRIPLA. • Do not take St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), or products containing St. John’s wort with ATRIPLA. St. John’s wort is an herbal product sold as a dietary supplement. Talk with your healthcare provider if you are taking or are planning to take St. John’s wort. Taking St. John’s wort may decrease ATRIPLA levels and lead to increased viral load and possible resistance to ATRIPLA or cross-resistance to other anti-HIV-1 drugs. • ATRIPLA should not be used with HEPSERA® (adefovir dipivoxil). It is also important to tell your healthcare provider if you are taking any of the following: • Fortovase, Invirase (saquinavir), Biaxin (clarithromycin), Noxafil (posaconazole), or Sporanox (itraconazole); these medicines may need to be replaced with another medicine when taken with ATRIPLA. • Calcium channel blockers such as Cardizem or Tiazac (diltiazem), Covera HS or Isoptin (verapamil) and others; Crixivan (indinavir), Selzentry (maraviroc); the immunosuppressant medicines cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune, and others), Prograf (tacrolimus), or Rapamune (sirolimus); Methadone; Mycobutin (rifabutin); Rifampin; cholesterol-lowering medicines such as Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin sodium), and Zocor (simvastatin); or the anti-depressant medications bupropion (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, and Zyban) or Zoloft (sertraline); dose changes may be needed when these drugs are taken with ATRIPLA.

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ATRIPLA® (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) •

Videx, Videx EC (didanosine); tenofovir DF (a component of ATRIPLA) may increase the amount of didanosine in your blood, which could result in more side effects. You may need to be monitored more carefully if you are taking ATRIPLA and didanosine together. Also, the dose of didanosine may need to be changed. • Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) or Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir); these medicines may increase the amount of tenofovir DF (a component of ATRIPLA) in your blood, which could result in more side effects. Reyataz is not recommended with ATRIPLA. You may need to be monitored more carefully if you are taking ATRIPLA and Kaletra together. Also, the dose of Kaletra may need to be changed. • Medicine for seizures [for example, Dilantin (phenytoin), Tegretol (carbamazepine), or phenobarbital]; your healthcare provider may want to switch you to another medicine or check drug levels in your blood from time to time. These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take ATRIPLA. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all medicines that you take. Keep a complete list of all the prescription and nonprescription medicines as well as any herbal remedies that you are taking, how much you take, and how often you take them. Make a new list when medicines or herbal remedies are added or stopped, or if the dose changes. Give copies of this list to all of your healthcare providers and pharmacists every time you visit your healthcare provider or fill a prescription. This will give your healthcare provider a complete picture of the medicines you use. Then he or she can decide the best approach for your situation. How should I take ATRIPLA? • Take the exact amount of ATRIPLA your healthcare provider prescribes. Never change the dose on your own. Do not stop this medicine unless your healthcare provider tells you to stop. • You should take ATRIPLA on an empty stomach. • Swallow ATRIPLA with water. • Taking ATRIPLA at bedtime may make some side effects less bothersome. • Do not miss a dose of ATRIPLA. If you forget to take ATRIPLA, take the missed dose right away, unless it is almost time for your next dose. Do not double the next dose. Carry on with your regular dosing schedule. If you need help in planning the best times to take your medicine, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. • If you believe you took more than the prescribed amount of ATRIPLA, contact your local poison control center or emergency room right away. • Tell your healthcare provider if you start any new medicine or change how you take old ones. Your doses may need adjustment. • When your ATRIPLA supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to ATRIPLA and become harder to treat. • Your healthcare provider may want to do blood tests to check for certain side effects while you take ATRIPLA. What should I avoid while taking ATRIPLA? • Women should not become pregnant while taking ATRIPLA and for 12 weeks after stopping it. Serious birth defects have been seen in the babies of animals and women treated with efavirenz (a component of ATRIPLA) during pregnancy. It is not known whether efavirenz caused these defects. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are pregnant. Also talk with your healthcare provider if you want to become pregnant. • Women should not rely only on hormone-based birth control, such as pills, injections, or implants, because ATRIPLA may make these contraceptives ineffective. Women must use a reliable form of barrier contraception, such as a condom or diaphragm, even if they also use other methods of birth control. Efavirenz, a component of ATRIPLA, may remain in your blood for a time after therapy is stopped. Therefore, you should continue to use contraceptive measures for 12 weeks after you stop taking ATRIPLA. • Do not breastfeed if you are taking ATRIPLA. We do not know if ATRIPLA can be passed to your baby in your breast milk and whether it could harm your baby. Also, mothers with HIV-1 should not breastfeed because HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in the breast milk. Talk with your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding. You should stop breastfeeding or may need to use a different medicine.

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PGN

ATRIPLA® (efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate)

Taking ATRIPLA with alcohol or other medicines causing similar side effects as ATRIPLA, such as drowsiness, may increase those side effects. • Do not take any other medicines, including prescription and nonprescription medicines and herbal products, without checking with your healthcare provider. • Avoid doing things that can spread HIV-1 to others. • Do not share needles or other injection equipment. • Do not share personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them, like toothbrushes and razor blades. • Do not have any kind of sex without protection. Always practice safe sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. What are the possible side effects of ATRIPLA? ATRIPLA may cause the following serious side effects: • Lactic acidosis (buildup of an acid in the blood). Lactic acidosis can be a medical emergency and may need to be treated in the hospital. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get signs of lactic acidosis. (See “What is the most important information I should know about ATRIPLA?”) • Serious liver problems (hepatotoxicity), with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) and fat in the liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any signs of liver problems. (See “What is the most important information I should know about ATRIPLA?”) • “Flare-ups” of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, in which the disease suddenly returns in a worse way than before, can occur if you have HBV and you stop taking ATRIPLA. Your healthcare provider will monitor your condition for several months after stopping ATRIPLA if you have both HIV-1 and HBV infection and may recommend treatment for your HBV. ATRIPLA is not approved for the treatment of hepatitis B virus infection. If you have advanced liver disease and stop treatment with ATRIPLA, the “flare-up” of hepatitis B may cause your liver function to decline. • Serious psychiatric problems. A small number of patients may experience severe depression, strange thoughts, or angry behavior while taking ATRIPLA. Some patients have thoughts of suicide and a few have actually committed suicide. These problems may occur more often in patients who have had mental illness. Contact your healthcare provider right away if you think you are having these psychiatric symptoms, so your healthcare provider can decide if you should continue to take ATRIPLA. • Kidney problems (including decline or failure of kidney function). If you have had kidney problems in the past or take other medicines that can cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider should do regular blood tests to check your kidneys. Symptoms that may be related to kidney problems include a high volume of urine, thirst, muscle pain, and muscle weakness. • Other serious liver problems. Some patients have experienced serious liver problems including liver failure resulting in transplantation or death. Most of these serious side effects occurred in patients with a chronic liver disease such as hepatitis infection, but there have also been a few reports in patients without any existing liver disease. • Changes in bone mineral density (thinning bones). Laboratory tests show changes in the bones of patients treated with tenofovir DF, a component of ATRIPLA. Some HIV patients treated with tenofovir DF developed thinning of the bones (osteopenia) which could lead to fractures. If you have had bone problems in the past, your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bone mineral density or may prescribe medicines to help your bone mineral density. Additionally, bone pain and softening of the bone (which may contribute to fractures) may occur as a consequence of kidney problems. Common side effects: Patients may have dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping, drowsiness, trouble concentrating, and/or unusual dreams during treatment with ATRIPLA. These side effects may be reduced if you take ATRIPLA at bedtime on an empty stomach. They also tend to go away after you have taken the medicine for a few weeks. If you have these common side effects, such as dizziness, it does not mean that you will also have serious psychiatric problems, such as severe depression, strange thoughts, or angry behavior. Tell your healthcare provider right away if any of these side effects continue or if they bother you. It is possible that these symptoms may be more severe if ATRIPLA is used with alcohol or mood altering (street) drugs. If you are dizzy, have trouble concentrating, or are drowsy, avoid activities that may be dangerous, such as driving or operating machinery.

Rash may be common. Rashes usually go away without any change in treatment. In a small number of patients, rash may be serious. If you develop a rash, call your healthcare provider right away. Rash may be a serious problem in some children. Tell your child’s healthcare provider right away if you notice rash or any other side effects while your child is taking ATRIPLA. Other common side effects include tiredness, upset stomach, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea. Other possible side effects with ATRIPLA: • Changes in body fat. Changes in body fat develop in some patients taking antiHIV-1 medicine. These changes may include an increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), in the breasts, and around the trunk. Loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face may also happen. The cause and long-term health effects of these fat changes are not known. • Skin discoloration (small spots or freckles) may also happen with ATRIPLA. • In some patients with advanced HIV infection (AIDS), signs and symptoms of inflammation from previous infections may occur soon after anti-HIV treatment is started. It is believed that these symptoms are due to an improvement in the body’s immune response, enabling the body to fight infections that may have been present with no obvious symptoms. If you notice any symptoms of infection, please inform your doctor immediately. • Additional side effects are inflammation of the pancreas, allergic reaction (including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat), shortness of breath, pain, stomach pain, weakness and indigestion. Tell your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you notice any side effects while taking ATRIPLA. Contact your healthcare provider before stopping ATRIPLA because of side effects or for any other reason. This is not a complete list of side effects possible with ATRIPLA. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a more complete list of side effects of ATRIPLA and all the medicines you will take. How do I store ATRIPLA? • Keep ATRIPLA and all other medicines out of reach of children. • Store ATRIPLA at room temperature 77 °F (25 °C). • Keep ATRIPLA in its original container and keep the container tightly closed. • Do not keep medicine that is out of date or that you no longer need. If you throw any medicines away make sure that children will not find them. General information about ATRIPLA: Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in patient information leaflets. Do not use ATRIPLA for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give ATRIPLA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. This leaflet summarizes the most important information about ATRIPLA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about ATRIPLA that is written for health professionals. Do not use ATRIPLA if the seal over bottle opening is broken or missing. What are the ingredients of ATRIPLA? Active Ingredients: efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate Inactive Ingredients: croscarmellose sodium, hydroxypropyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate. The film coating contains black iron oxide, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, red iron oxide, talc, and titanium dioxide. June 2012 ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. COMPLERA, EMTRIVA, HEPSERA, TRUVADA, and VIREAD are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. SUSTIVA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company. Reyataz and Videx are trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Pravachol is a trademark of ER Squibb & Sons, LLC. Other brands listed are the trademarks of their respective owners.

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PGN MEMORIAL from page 1

she was by herself at that time,” he said. Cordova did not live in the immediate area, but investigators believe she was on her way to a nearby location, which police could not disclose, Evers said. Evers said police do not believe the murder is indicative of any pattern. Before setting off on a candlelight vigil through the Gayborhood last week, mourners heard from the victim’s mother, Dawn Maher, who described how Cordova came out at age 16 and two years later told her she was going to transition. She called her daughter a “fierce, loving, compassionate” person and said she often “just couldn’t understand why so many people could hate her so much just for being who she was.” Elicia Gonzales, executive director of Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative, for which Cordova worked as an HIV tester from 2010-11, said Cordova symbolized “light.” “To say she had a lust for life is a gross understatement,” Gonzales told the crowd. “I learned more from her than I think she ever learned from me.” Qui Alexander, who relaunched The Attic

Youth Center’s Youth, Trans & Unified with Cordova in 2010, said Cordova was “so excited” to be involved in that initiative. “She didn’t see her potential,” he said. “She was a star and everyone in this room knew that.” Gonzales encouraged the participants to embrace emotions as they deal with Cordova’s death. “If you’re angry, be angry. If you’re sad, be sad. And if you’re happy, be happy,” she said. “Because Kyra was all of that wrapped into one. “She was loved, and she taught people to love each other,” Gonzales added. “Tonight is a sign of hope — that we can love each other and heal, and I hope that continues past today.” Evers urged community members to contact investigators at 215-686-3334/35 with any tips. “We’re working on any leads, so if anyone in the community may know something that would help us out, please give us a call,” he said. “Maybe someone who knew her patterns, knew where she went, would have information that could be helpful.” ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

MEAL OF CHAMPIONS: Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance hosted a volunteer-recognition event Sept. 13 at its headquarters. Outgoing executive director Richard Keaveny thanked more than 200 volunteers in attendance who have helped the organization with its services this year. MANNA delivers more than 70,000 nutritional meals monthly and provides counseling to individuals who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and cancer. Approximately 1,500 people volunteer annually. Photo: Scott A. Drake

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

NATIONAL PGN

NY voters’ gay-marriage reaction a caution for GOP By Michael Gormley The Associated Press

UNTIL THIS EPIDEMIC IS OVER: Audience members take the pledge before the games start at AIDS Fund’s GayBINGO! season kick-off Sept. 15 at the Gershman Y. The soldout event started its 16th year of dabbing numbers to raise money for HIV/AIDS agencies across the Philadelphia region with several panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt on site. AIDS Fund organizers will kick off the lead-up to the 26th annual AIDS Walk at 11 a.m. Sept. 21 in Rittenhouse Square. For the upcoming GayBINGO! schedule, visit www. aidsfundphilly.org. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Get the scoop on Philly’s LGBT nightlife in Barcrawlr, PGN’s biweekly take on not-to-miss events.

Only in Written by PGN’s intrepid reporter, Jim Kiley-Zufelt. Online and in print every other week.

Barcrawlr Jim KileyZufelt

Republican primary voters in New York punished two incumbents last week who voted to legalize same-sex marriage, firing a potential warning shot nationwide toward GOP lawmakers who could soon face tough votes in their states. Two of the four veteran — and longsecure — Republican senators in New York who voted for same-sex marriage a year ago await counts of absentee ballots as they sweat out the political fight of their lives. A third announced his retirement this year in the face of strong opposition to his gaymarriage vote. A fourth won his primary last Thursday after a fierce, nasty campaign that included homophobic images and phrases. “Gay marriage is a very, very tricky issue, particularly for Republicans,” said Lawrence Levy, executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University. “The moderate, independent voters who tend to be swing voters in suburban communities tend to be tolerant, and supportive of gay marriage and other social issues.” Republicans in battleground districts have a tricky path to walk: They must gain support from their base of conservatives who are opposed to gay marriage but not turn off the moderate voters who support gay marriage and who the candidate will need in a general election. In New York last June, the vote for gay marriage came down to a climactic moment on the Senate floor. For the measure to pass, three Republicans had to jump over the party line. One, Roy McDonald, had already signaled he would. Another, Stephen Saland, arose and said he’d vote yes, the pivotal moment in a long campaign that many likened to the civil-rights movement. The last two, James Alesi and Mark Grisanti, fol-

lowed, and New York made history as the largest state to approve gay marriage. Alesi retired rather than face re-election; Grisanti won his primary. In Maryland and Washington state, public votes on gay marriage are scheduled for this fall while voters in Maine also will address the issue in November. In Maryland, two Republicans in the House and one in the Senate voted for gay marriage and all face election in 2014. “Any Republican legislator faced with this vote is going to think twice,” said Robert Bellafiore, a political commentator and former top aide to Republican Gov. George Pataki of New York. In Minnesota, Steve Smith, who was one of the longest-serving House Republicans, lost his GOP primary last month to a candidate with tea party supporters. His opposition to a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage was one of the reasons. The Democratic Party’s support of samesex marriage mirrors most polls and was cemented when President Barack Obama embraced gay marriage this election year. Bruce Gyory, a political consultant to Democratic and Republican governors who studies voter trends, said opposition to gay marriage in New York will hurt a Republican in the general election. McDonald and Saland will likely find their gay-marriage votes give them a boost in the general election. They may even find themselves in a stronger position among independent and Democratic voters in the heavily Democratic state than their Republican colleagues in November. If they survive their primary. “All along, this was a profile-in-courage vote,” Gyory said. “They all knew there would be this choke hold to get through the Republican primary when they voted on this issue.” ■

PGN LOCAL

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Obituary

John Bell, HIV activist and prison advocate, 64 By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com John Bell, who spearheaded HIV-education programs for local prison populations, died Sept. 12. He was 64. Bell was a co-creator of Philadelphia FIGHT’s TEACH Outside initiative, a resource for HIV-positive people reintegrating into society from the prison system. He was also a longtime activist with the local chapter of ACT UP. Bell was a native of Baltimore and served in the Vietnam War from 1968-70. He moved back to Baltimore and worked as the only African-American foreman at the Amtrak station in Washington, D.C. After a struggle with drugs, he was diagnosed with HIV in 1989. Gloria Prusakowski, his partner of 12 years with whom he most recently lived in West Philadelphia, said he boarded a bus in 1995, determined to change his life path. “He came to Philly to get clean,” she said. “He met a woman who said that she knew of a place that could help him stop using, and he came right to Philly and started his recovery. It stuck and, because of that, he wanted to help other people.” He said in an interview with Philadelphia Weekly that when he arrived in the city, he went through a “spiritual experience” in which he “found out it was OK to be who I was and what I was, which was something that had eluded me all my life.” Once he got on his feet, he became an active ACT UP participant, and his natural leadership abilities caught the attention of Philadelphia FIGHT. FIGHT executive director Jane Shull said her agency recruited him to help spearhead its new prison initiative alongside Laura McTighe. “Aside from his brilliance and his knowledge, it was critical that we had one coleader who was an ex-offender — and John was — and it was obvious to us how much talent he had,” Shull said. “By his own

example, he showed that people could overcome an unbelievable amount.” With TEACH Outside, Bell facilitated countless classes for ex-offenders that showed them how to navigate an HIV diagnosis. “He had an incredible ability to get people’s attention and to keep it,” Shull said. “He knew the students really well. If I or someone else came in as a guest to talk, he’d stand in the back of the room and ask a really pointed question if something hadn’t been clear. He was a teacher of everyone.” By the end of the program, Bell would encourage the participants to find the confidence to take the front of the room. “Everyone would get up and talk about what the class meant to them. And when there were people who hadn’t spoken, he’d just look at them, and then they’d go and get up,” Shull said. “He helped them unlock their own minds and find their own voice and ability to speak. He made sure everyone was really a part of the class, and not just a passive observer.” He also led TEACH In/TEACH Out, an education program geared toward at-risk populations currently incarcerated, and Shull said he served as a mentor to countless people during and after their time in the prison system. In 2001, FIGHT named him one of the community’s “Ten Most Effective” at its 10th anniversary gala. Prusakowski said Bell was a natural people person, which made him such a successful advocate and activist. “He loved people,” she said. “He wanted to help people, no matter what level they are on. He would go into the jails and work with people who were newly diag-

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nosed and show them that it was OK and that they could be positive and still lead a good life. Once they came out of jail, he would always make sure they had somewhere to go and bring them into TEACH. He was warm, nurturing, generous to fault and just cared about people.” A c t i v i s t Wa h e e d a h Shabazz-El said she owes her life to Bell. She met him shortly after her own diagnosis while in prison in 2003. “He came to meet with me and I thought he was an attorney at first and he started talking about HIV,” she said. “He was the first person with AIDS I met after my own diagnosis. He told me he’d been living with it for 20 years and he gave me the hope that I needed. He gave me the hope to hold on until I was released.” Once she was released, Shabazz-El sought out Bell and began working at

FIGHT and in the HIV/AIDS activism community. “There would be no Waheedah without him,” she said. Shabazz-El said one of Bell’s favorite films was “Voices from the Front,” a documentary about the activism that sprung up after the start of the HIV epidemic, and he often opened up his house for viewing parties of the movie. Bell coined a quote that friends say embodied his spirit: “Half of your rights haven’t been written yet, because you haven’t been here to demand them.” “He always gave people a charge, a call to action,” Shabazz-El said. “He wanted people to get involved. In this epidemic, every right that we have or every service that we have, we have had to fight for it. And John was so driven to see that happen.” A memorial service will be held 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Donations can be made in Bell’s name to ACT UP Philadelphia at www.actupphilly. org or by sending a check payable to ACT UP Philadelphia to P.O. Box 22439, Philadelphia, PA 19110. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

NEWS PGN

International Canadian government criticizes Iran on gay rights In a swipe at Iran, Canada’s Justice Minister Jason Kenney says the country is determined to promote gay rights on the international stage. In a speech Sept. 14 before the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, Kenney mentioned efforts taken by the Canadian government to provide a safe haven for gay Iranians who are at risk of homophobic persecution in their own country. Kenney said Canada had welcomed more than 100 gay asylum seekers from Iran since 2009. Homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran, and many LGBT citizens have fled to neighboring Turkey. There they can file a claim with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which then works with countries like Canada on resettlement. Earlier this month, the Canadian government suspended diplomatic relations with Iran after formally listing the country as a state sponsor of terrorism under the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. Meanwhile, a state-sponsored newspaper in Iran recently published claims that Jewish people in the West were trying to spread homosexuality around the world. Iranian authorities announced in June that they had shut down a prominent publishing house in Tehran because of its “promotion of homosexuality, incest and sexual relations between men and women outside marriage.”

Jamaica: Education officials ban ‘homosexual’ textbook The Jamaican Ministry of Education has recalled part of its high-school curriculum after a TV news report showed parents and teachers had complained about its content on same-sex relationships and gay sexual health. Questions designed to get a better understanding of the sexual preferences of students ages 10-13 included, “Have you ever had anal sex? Have you ever used a condom [for] anal sex? How many sexual partners have you had? Do you know your HIV status? Do you know the HIV status of your partners?” and “If you have never slept with a member of your own sex, is it possible that you might be gay if you tried it?” Most of the parents interviewed for the TV report thought the questions were inappropriate for children, but at least two said they did not have a problem with them. It is claimed the report also revealed that

teachers should ask children which body part gave them the most pleasure and to sing a song about it. Education Minister Ronald Thwaites has ordered that the textbook be withdrawn from Jamaica’s school system and revised. “I consider sections of the material inappropriate for any age and certainly for the grade seven and eight students for which it is designed,” Thwaites said in a statement on Sept. 14.

Malaysian gov’t targeted for ‘gay children’ seminars The Malaysian government has been criticized by Amnesty International for hosting a series of seminars for parents and teachers on how to identify if a child is gay. A total of 1,500 people have attended 10 seminars organized by the Teachers Foundation of Malaysia. The foundation claims gay children can be spotted because of their preferences for tight, light clothes and large handbags. Gay women were deemed less obvious to spot — they were described as having “no affection for men” and would like to “hang out and sleep in the company of women.” In a posting on its staff blog site, Amnesty said: “It might sound like something from Victorian England, but this is modern day Malaysia,” adding, “It reflects a worrying trend towards increased homophobia in the country.” Sodomy is illegal in Malaysia and the country sparked global outrage after it sent “effeminate” boys to a “gay cure” camp in early 2011.

Iraqi police behind antigay killings, says documentary A BBC World Service program has revealed that law-enforcement agencies in Iraq are involved in the sustained systematic persecution of the country’s LGBT community. Campaigners say hundreds of gay men, and some women, have died in targeted killings in Iraq in recent years — with an upsurge in homophobic violence since the 2003 removal of Saddam Hussein from power. These numbers are difficult to verify, but the United Nations confirmed it was extremely concerned about what it called a deadly antigay campaign. The UN office in Baghdad also told the BBC that Iraq’s government is in violation of international law, and that failure to react to these killings have made the state a perpetrator in the crime. Ali Hilli, the founder of Iraqi LGBT, said, “Instead of protecting sexual minorities, the Iraqi government facilitates their murder by arresting the victims and handing them over to militias who kill them. Iraqi LGBT sources working inside Iraq have found the militias are also getting intelligence about the identities of sexual minorities from the Ministry of the Interior.”

NEWS PGN

In February, young LGBT Iraqis, who were seen to be part of the “emo” punkrock movement, were also being targeted by militias in a large wave of killings. Amnesty International issued a response, saying: “The government of Iraq should immediately investigate and bring to justice those responsible for a targeted campaign of intimidation and violence against Iraqi youth seen as belonging to the non-conformist ‘emo’ subculture.”

Uganda: British producer of gay play bailed from jail

British theater producer David Cecil has been released on bail in Uganda, where he was charged over a play featuring a gay storyline. The play — the main character of which is a gay businessman killed by his own employees — was performed at two theaters in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, in August. Cecil was freed on bail of 500,000 shillings (approximately $200). He appeared in court Sept. 13 charged with “disobeying lawful orders” of the Uganda Media Council. The Media Council had warned the play’s backers not to perform it until it had been approved. Ibin Ssenkumbi, a spokesman for the Kampala police, said, “There are two charges proferred against him, one of disobeying lawful orders contrary to the penal code and another of staging the play which

David Cecil, the British producer of the play “The River and the Mountain,” concerning the condition of Uganda’s gays, stands in a court cell in the capital Kampala. Cecil appeared in court last Thursday, charged with “disobeying lawful orders” from the Uganda Media Council which says he staged the play in Uganda’s capital last month despite orders to the contrary. According to his lawyer, he was not released on bail because his passport had been confiscated by the police. Photo: Associated Press/Stephen Wandera

was still under review.” Cecil faces two years in jail if convicted. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said they are providing consular assistance to Cecil. His passport has been confiscated. In August, the online protest group Anonymous hacked into two of the Ugandan government’s websites in protest of the country’s draconian homophobic laws.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Poland: ‘Risky’ sex upping HIV rates in gay men

Scottish athlete to stand trial over antigay threats

A study in Poland shows there were 992 new HIV infections reported in the country last year, and that two-thirds of those who tested positive for the virus were in the gay community. Poland’s National AIDS Centre said that some of the rise was curtailed to improve HIV testing. However, the report also said that attitudes towards the virus among Polish gay men were worrying, and researchers pointed to the issue of those using drugs during sexual activity. “In this population, we observe various disturbing phenomena that point to the underestimation of the risk of HIV infection, as well as the recognition that HIV/AIDS is a chronic disease that does not significantly alter the lifestyle.” The report added: “In this group especially, a lot of people are indulging in very risky sexual behavior, often under the influence of psychoactive substances.” The National AIDS Centre’s Anna MarzecBogusławska said: “There are some people who are unaware that they are living with the disease, of course. It is estimated that 35,000 people are carrying the virus. On average, three people a day test HIV-positive in Poland.” In 2007, 807 new infections were reported in Poland, while in 2009 that number rose to 957.

A former Hibernian soccer player will stand trial for charges that he made homophobic threats to staff at a nightclub in Edinburgh. Derek Riordan appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court Sept. 14 on breach of the peace and assault charges. Prosecutors allege the 29-year-old became involved in a confrontation at the Picture House on Lothian Road on May 7. The charges state Riordan also made “homophobic comments, which included comments of a sexually explicit nature” during the incident. The second charge states on the same date Riordan also allegedly seized employee Michael Moore by the throat. Earlier this year, Riordan pleaded not guilty to the two charges and Sheriff Elizabeth Jarvie QC granted him bail on the condition he did not enter Edinburgh city center between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. On Sept. 14, defense solicitor Kathleen More told the court Riordan was maintaining his not-guilty pleas. Sheriff Fiona Reith QC granted Riordan bail and adjourned the case until Oct. 9, when the trial is expected to begin. ■ — compiled by Larry Nichols

PGN NEWS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

HAVERFORD from page 1

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hensive antibias ordinance that covered employment, housing, commercial property and public accommodations in the township, a suburb 10 miles west of Philadelphia. The law bans discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, handicap or disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and use of guide/ support animal. It authorizes the creation of a seven-member human-relations panel to investigate antibias complaints, and allows for penalties of up to $5,000 per discriminatory act. The state Human Relations Commission doesn’t investigate complaints based on sexual orientation and gender/identity expression. Thus, local antibias complaints based on those categories must be handled by individual municipalities. Larry Holmes, a member of the township’s board of commissioners, said he wants the panel appointed promptly. “The sooner, the better,” Holmes told PGN. He said a legal challenge to the 2011 ordinance won’t dissuade the board from appointing the panel and that a judge hasn’t enjoined the township from doing so. In June 2011, resident Fred W. Teal filed a legal challenge to the ordinance, claiming the board exceeded state law when extending the LGBT protections. Last week, Teal, 77, vowed to fight any effort by the township to appoint the panel while his challenge remains pending. “If they try to go ahead and move forward with the commission, I’ll file a motion in court to block it,” Teal told PGN. “They would hurt their own case to do that.” His case remains pending in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, though both sides have sent letters asking that the case be assigned to a judge promptly. Teal is representing himself in the matter. Haverford Township Manager Lawrence J. Gentile said 18 residents have submitted applications to serve on the panel. Gentile said appointments to the panel are expected to be made by January. But Holmes said he wants the panel seated prior to that time. Board president William F. Wechsler said the panel “was in

a holding pattern for a period of time” due to Teal’s challenge. “We thought his lawsuit would get thrown out in a month or two,” Wechsler told PGN. “We didn’t want to appoint members if they couldn’t function. But now we’re moving forward like nothing is happening.” David M. Rosenblum, legal director at Mazzoni Center, hopes the board will seat the panel expeditiously. “We were delighted when they passed the LGBT ordinance, and would hope the panel is seated as soon as possible so the law they passed has an enforcement mechanism,” Rosenblum told PGN. Resolution sparks added concern Concerns about the lack of a panel were heightened Sept. 10 when the board unanimously passed a “resolution in opposition to discrimination” that doesn’t include LGBT protections. The resolution states the township “shall not participate in or support the activities of businesses, institutions or organizations that discriminate against any individual or group for reasons of gender, race, religious creed, color, ancestry, national origin, age, disability or veteran status.” The resolution doesn’t include LGBT protections, nor does it include protections for people who rely on support or guide animals — protections that were specified in the 2011 ordinance. The resolution adds protection on the basis of “veteran status,” which wasn’t specified in the 2011 ordinance. Louis M. Devecchis 3rd, a township resident who pushed for the 2011 ordinance, said the antibias resolution should include LGBT protections. “The resolution in its current format is sending the wrong message,” Devecchis told PGN. “We fought too hard for [inclusion in] that law to have it undermined by this resolution.” Devecchis said he wasn’t informed of the resolution prior to its passage. Rosenblum, of the Mazzoni Center, also spoke out against the resolution in its current form. “If you’re going to have a resolution reaffirming your commitment to nondiscrimination, then it should reflect all the protected categories in the township,” he said. Holmes stopped short of saying a new, inclusive antibias resolution would be introduced. But he vowed to personally

ensure that any township contracts with antibias provisions also contain protections for the LGBT community. “If we’re going to enter into contracts and require certification that the contractor doesn’t engage in discrimination that we find improper and unlawful in our township, I want the contractual language to be as broad as our prohibition against discrimination is in Haverford Township,” Holmes said. He plans to discuss the matter with other township officials, he said. “I’ll talk with the solicitor and discuss with other board members whatever steps we may need to take with this resolution to accomplish what we effectuated in 2011,” Holmes added, “I want to assure the LGBT community that I’m no less committed today than I was in 2011 to LGBT equality.” Both Wechsler and board member Mario Oliva said they would support an LGBT-inclusive antibias resolution if one is introduced. Board member Daniel J. Siegel, who introduced the Sept. 10 resolution, had no comment on whether he’d introduce an LGBTinclusive antibias resolution. But in an email, he explained why he introduced last week’s resolution. “The current resolution, which I introduced, was not designed to address a specific concern (as was the 2011 ordinance),” Siegel wrote. “Instead, the resolution was intended to assure that the township has a policy that all township services and activities are conducted in a non-discriminatory manner and with businesses that do not discriminate. Thus, the resolution addressed broad categories (gender, race, religious creed, color, ancestry, national origin, age, disability and veteran status) and did not focus on the same concerns as those the board considered in 2011.” Board members Steve D’Emilio, James E. McGarrity, Jeff Heilmann, Chris Connell Sr. and Jane F. Hall had no comment on whether they’d support an LGBT-inclusive antibias resolution. James J. Byrne Jr., the township solicitor who drafted the Sept. 10 resolution, couldn’t be reached for comment. The next board meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Haverford administration building, 2325 Darby Road in Havertown. ■

NATIONAL PGN

Trial begins on isolation of HIV-positive inmates By Bob Johnson The Associated Press Alabama prisons continue to isolate inmates who have tested positive for HIV even though the virus is no longer the death sentence it once was considered, an attorney for HIV-positive prison inmates said Monday. ACLU attorney Margaret Winter asked U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson Monday to end a longstanding Alabama prisons policy of isolating inmates who have tested positive for HIV. Thompson is hearing testimony in a trial of a lawsuit brought by HIV-positive inmates challenging the Alabama prisons policy of keeping HIV-positive inmates separate from the remainder of the prison population. Alabama and South Carolina are the only states that continue to do so. Attorney Bill Lunsford, representing Alabama prisons, said the HIV-positive prisoners are kept together in dormitories at Limestone Correctional Facility in north Alabama and at Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka. But he said the inmates can participate in most of the programs available to other inmates. Lunsford and Winter made the remarks in opening statements in a trial of a federal

lawsuit challenging the Alabama prisons’ HIV policy. The trial is expected to last about a month. The ACLU claims the policy is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Winter said in her opening statement that the policy keeps HIV-positive inmates from participating in some programs to help in their rehabilitation. But Lunsford said the only thing the HIVpositive inmates are prohibited from doing is working in the prison kitchen. Winter, however, said the HIV-positive inmates often can’t get the same work-release jobs as other inmates, particularly food-service jobs. The trial’s first witness was Frederick Altice of Yale University, who described himself as an expert in the incarceration of HIV-positive inmates. He described the prison system’s policy of isolating HIV-positive inmates as a mistake, particularly for inmates who are just learning that they are HIV-positive. He said some people still have the same reaction to HIV they had in past years, when it was considered more deadly. Lunsford repeatedly questioned Altice’s credentials, particularly when it comes to understanding how the Alabama prison policy works. ■

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tion each time they vote. It was passed earlier this year strictly along partisan lines, and critics charge that it was a Republican ploy to keep Democrats away from the polls this November. Groups expected to be most impacted by the law are the poor, minorities and the elderly. The LGBT community has also contended the law could impact transgender and gender non-conforming voters whose appearance may not match their ID photo. One of the plaintiffs in the suit challenging the constitutionality of the law is a transgender Pittsburgh man. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is issuing free voter IDs for those who lack eligible identification. In this week’s ruling, the Supreme Court ordered Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson, who made the initial ruling, to “make a present assessment of the actual availability of the alternate identification cards on a developed record in light of the experience since the time the cards became available.” The court went on to instruct Simpson to consider “whether the procedures being used for deployment of the cards comport with the requirement of liberal access, which the General Assembly attached to the issuance of PennDOT identification cards. If they do not, or if the Commonwealth Court is not still convinced in its predictive judgment that there will be no voter disenfranchisement arising out of the Commonwealth’s implementation of a voter-identification requirement for purposes of the upcoming election, that court is obliged to enter a preliminary injunction.” An injunction would halt the implementation of the law before the Nov. 6 election. The court said that appeals of the October ruling will be processed on an “expedited basis” because of the election. Supreme Court Justices Seamus McCaffrey and Debra Todd each wrote dissenting opinions, arguing that the law should be struck completely. A voter ID information session specifically for transgender individuals will be held from 3-7 p.m. Sept. 22 at 215 S. Broad St., second floor. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

they have a deep bench of talented architects and that they would have the current property has begun, and no difficulty producing the design plans are underway for its demolidocuments on an accelerated schedtion. ule.” “The project is moving forward Fisher said the job is moving along very quickly,” he said. “faster than anyone anticipated.” The current building will be comThe name of the residences will pletely leveled, and groundbreakbe unveiled during the groundbreaking, slated for late October, will take ing ceremony. Details about the cerplace on a clear lot. emony will be available in October. Developer Pennrose Properties DMH Fund also added two new has chosen Domus Inc. as the genboard members, former Washington eral contractor after a competitive Square West Civic Association presbid process. ident Judith Applebaum and out “We are happy to be working with Court of Common Pleas Judge Dan them,” said Pennrose development Anders. officer Jacob Fisher. “They are a “I’m proud to be part of a premier class act. Pennrose has worked with project that will lead the nation in them at least 20 times in the past and providing LGBT-friendly, affordable they have consistently delivered a housing for seniors,” Anders said. superior product in the required time Anders noted the building will be frame. They are also a great choice a certified Leadership in Energy and for a high-profile Center City job.” Environmental Design property, a Fisher said the company has comfederal designation for eco-friendly pleted “dozens” of projects in the structures. city and is known for its “quality and Renderings released this week integrity.” show that the indoor lobby will feaThe search for subcontractors has ture a fireplace and a wall of windows begun, and Pennrose and Domus overlooking a 6,000-square-foot plan to make a best effort to utilize courtyard. LGBT-owned businesses where The L-shaped building will include appropriate. LGBT-FRIENDLY SENIOR-HOUSING PROPOSED LOBBY 2,700 square feet of rentable space WRT Design will serve as the (TOP) AND STREETVIEW on the ground floor. architect. Anders said the property is shapFisher said WRT was the “obvious national and international reputation,” he choice.” said. “We knew they would bring creativ- ing up to be the “crown jewel of architec“They are a leading design firm with a ity and skill to the job. We also knew that ture in the Gayborhood.” ■

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PAGE 42

Family Portrait Get Out and Play Out & About Scene in Philly Q Puzzle Worth Watching

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35 36 42 37 38 39

ZACHARY BOOTH AND THURE LINDHARDT (LEFT) IN THE FILM “KEEP THE LIGHTS ON” DIRECTOR IRA SACHS (ABOVE) GIVES DIRECTION TO LINDHARDT (TOP) AND SEBASTIAN LA CAUSE (BOTTOM). Photos: Jean Christophe Husson

Lights on for dark, gay drama By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor

In an empty hotel bar on a summer Sunday morning, openly gay filmmaker Ira Sachs spoke — in hushed, almost confessional tones that revealed his thoughtfulness — about his award-winning new film, “Keep the Lights On.” This searing, potent drama, opening Sept. 21 at the Ritz Theaters, centers on Eric (Thure Lindhardt), a filmmaker whose lover, Paul (Zachary Booth), is a drug addict. The s story inspired by the filmmaker’s own experiences in a toxic, codependent relationship. Sachs demurred at the suggestion that making this film was a way of exorcising his demons. “I don’t begin to write a film until I have both the intimacy of the experience but also the distance to view the story as a story-

teller; the analytic distance is as important as the emotional intimacy for me,” he said. “I feel this film is a rebirth for me. I think that in the wake of the experiences on which this film is based, I’ve become more comfortable with myself, and that’s shifted my work, and the openness of my filmmaking. I think this is my freest film.” “Keep the Lights On” is certainly Sachs’ most personal project since his extraordinary first feature, “The Delta,” back in 1996. That film concerned a closeted 18-year-old in Memphis who begins a clandestine affair with a half-Vietnamese, half-African-American man. “Keep the Lights On” is Sachs’ first queer-themed feature since his debut. It is also his most passionate — not just because it is quite erotic, but also for its heartfelt emotion. The characters’ despair and desire are palpable. “As a filmmaker, I’m always mining my

own experience because it is what I know best. I try to make films about things I know more about than anyone else,” said Sachs. He added quickly: “But I never sense that privileges my story over others.” “Keep the Lights On” is a strong, extremely well-crafted story that has universal appeal. While it will resonate with anyone who has been in a relationship with an addict, the film also speaks to those who want to understand the intricacies of human nature and behavior. Eric and Paul each keep secrets as they find ways of coping with the corrosive nature of their relationship. How each fares by the end of the film is revealing. Sachs described his drama as a “tabula rasa” and acknowledged that most people who have seen it have talked to him afterwards about their relationships. He also indicated that some folks don’t consider it a

“gay” film, and cited an example of a psychologist in his 80’s who said it was, “not a film about love, or addiction, but about obsession.” “That was very clarifying to me,” the filmmaker observed. “I think what happens, for a lot of people — and this can be through other individuals, it can be through sex, it can be through drugs — is that by narrowing the range of what compels you to another person, you kind of silence the loud noises that are surrounding you. Obsession is a very comfortable place to be.” He paused, then quoted Emmylou Harris’ song “Where Will I Be,” which includes the lyric, “Addiction stays on tight like a glove.” “I thought about that often in my life,” he said. “I think addiction can be to a person as much as a drug.” The filmmaker explained that he was

FEATURE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

involved with Al-Anon, and learned what he could from his experiences. He said this “research” formulated the content of his film and showed him “how my behavior was cyclical and unenlightened in terms of the role that I played within the dynamic of this relationship.” Sachs contended that he worked through his guilt and pain over his relationship in therapy, referencing “Goodfellas,” of all films, to explain that his goal in making “Keep the Lights On” was — following Scorsese’s example — to “depict bad behavior, but not judge that behavior, or shy away from the consequence of what we do in our lives. I attempted to make a film about shame, but to do so shamelessly. I wanted to look without judgment at the behavior and the actions of these characters.” Viewers will connect with — and understand — Eric’s struggle as he tries to help Paul through his addiction and during his downward spiral. His efforts to try to maintain hope for this relationship are evident even when the relationship is at the apex of its crisis. “Keep the Lights On” unfolds over 10 years, with episodes happening in one day in a particular year or over an undetermined period in some cases. The oblique narrative approach is forceful because it shows how Eric and Paul relate to one another over the various jumps in time — from warm and caring to cold and fighting — but always with some element of love. “The script is like a diary,” Sachs commented. “If you think about diaries and journals, they are made up of events and ellipses. You write in your journal when something bothers you. So the film is like all the high points.” These scenes include an incredibly tense moment when Eric places a call to see if he contracted HIV, and a seductive scene in which Eric is offered — and warily tries — drugs, perhaps in an effort to understand what Paul finds so alluring about crack and crystal meth. “Keep the Lights On” benefits

LINDHARDT AND SACHS ON SET immensely from Lindhardt’s revelatory performance as Eric. Sachs, a Jewish gay man from Memphis, said it was liberating to cast the handsome Danish actor as his alter ego. “I was free from any attachment from the past,” he said. “I didn’t set up to cast a Danish guy. I heard Thure was the bravest actor in Denmark — and one of the best. I sent him the script, and he auditioned by doing a few scenes from the film on his cell phone. He chose all the scenes he could do alone — which meant a lot of masturbation scenes. There was a fearlessness, even in the audition, that was apparent, as well as an extraordinarily vibrant energy.” Sachs added that he could not easily cast this film in America because of the queer sexuality and the explicitness of the material. “Believe it or not,” he said, “I sent the material to an agency in Los Angeles that I always send new work to, and I got the

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response, ‘No one in our agency will be available for this film.’” This leads to a discussion of the filmmaker’s feelings on contemporary queer cinema today. Sachs remarked that his film is part of today’s “new queer cinema,” which focuses more on relationships and less on coming-out stories. This new work considers what Sachs called “the nocturnal world of gay life.” “I think we have to recognize that there are still so few images of what gay life looks like, particularly around sex and drugs. We as individuals and as a community have re-closeted ourselves. We’ve created a safe space where we can have certain kinds of experiences, and then we’ve stopped talking about them and stopped looking at them. There’s very, very little about gay life as I know it on film.” Sachs continued in this vein, insisting that even his film’s title is a call to arms for the audience.

“It’s a direct address for people in the cinema to not live in the darkness. I think as gay people, we have learned — out of need — to live with secrets. This film, in a way, is a testament to the destruction those secrets can create. The film is very, very open about two men who keep everything closed.” Sachs also maintained that “Keep the Lights On” is not an “anti-drug film,” but rather points to the need to talk about drugs. He said he hopes his film sparks more conversation about the place of drugs, particularly meth, in the gay community. The filmmaker likened the way crystal meth has been introduced to a sexualized community, like the gay community, to the introduction of crack to the AfricanAmerican community. “It was a fuel that set off a huge fire, and I think we are in the middle of that. But there is a way of ending it — and that’s to admit it. I think it’s another closet. We’re very used to creating closets and staying in them.” As angry as Sachs got here, his calm demeanor reinforced the happy place he was in. Sachs and his partner, the Ecuadorian artist Boris Torres — whose beautiful and sexy artwork is seen under the film’s opening credits — have been together for five years. “I feel like I came out at 40 in a lot of ways,” Sachs, who is in his mid-40s, said sunnily. “I live a very different way now. This relationship I’m in now is the first honest relationship I’ve been in.” The couple recently had twins — a boy and a girl — and the proud father showed cute photos of two adorable, smiling babies who surely have had a transformative effect on their parents. Sachs cooed about his children and acknowledged, “I tried to start keeping a journal when we had kids. Because I found it complex to be a parent — and fascinating and wonderful.” He mused, “Maybe it’s too wonderful to write about it.” ■

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Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Suzi Nash

Troy Cook: From the Bluegrass State to world-class opera Even if you’re not a big opera fan, the Opera Company of Philadelphia might pull you in with its innovative staging, excellent singers and interesting casting. A while back, after I interviewed executive director David Devan I saw “Orpheus and Eurydice,” which featured two women playing the lead male and female roles. This year’s opening production, “La Boheme,” also promises to be another innovative show, blending the classical opera with modern technology. PGN was lucky enough to catch baritone Troy Cook, who will play the role of Marcello, in between rehearsals. PGN: You’ve traveled and performed all over the world, but where do you originally hail from? TC: I’m from Kentucky, between Louisville, Lexington and Cincinnati. In Kentucky, you refer to where you live not by the city but by the county, and I’m from Henry County. PGN: I was in Louisville two years ago and loved it. It was really hip. TC: Oh yeah, Louisville’s a great town. Where I grew up it was a very small Southern town: I only had 33 kids in my high-school class. We had K-12 in one building. You might wonder how I got from such a small farming community to becoming an opera singer. PGN: [Laughs.] Yes, I would wonder. TC: Since the time I could reach the piano, I taught myself to play by ear. Music has always made sense to me. I remember playing a piece when I was in kindergarten and my parents were like, “Who taught you that?” I shrugged and said, “I don’t know, I just learned it.” It was like in the movie “Good Will Hunting” when Matt Damon’s character explains how he does math: “I look at a piano, I see a bunch of keys, three pedals and a box of wood. But Beethoven, Mozart, they saw it, they could just play ... Right. Well, I mean when it came to stuff like that ... I could always just play.” PGN: Outside of music, what kind of things did you like to do? TC: I had a pretty tight-knit group of friends and we went swimming a lot in the summer. The whole neighborhood would play kickball, that type of thing. We’d go to Kings Island, which is the big Six Flags amusement park. I rather enjoyed that. In fact, I still do. PGN: What did the folks do? TC: My father was a pharmacist. I grew up in a family business. There are still three Cook’s Pharmacy’s in Kentucky to this day and my sister is the CFO. My dad passed away my last year of graduate school. My mom was kind of like the woman behind

the man: She ran the store and the pharmacy. Though, when we were in school, she took care of us. PGN: How many siblings? TC: I have two older sisters. They refer to me as “The Golden Child” because they say I was my mother’s favorite. [Laughs.] And they were right. She wouldn’t admit it, but my mom knew it, I knew it, everybody knew I was her favorite. PGN: Aside from your self-taught piano, do you play any instruments? TC: I played the trumpet in our highschool band. PGN: How about sports? TC: I was the stat keeper for the girls’ softball team in high school. I even got to travel with the team. [Laughs.] Does that count? PGN: I don’t think they letter you for stat keeping. TC: True. Well, I run now and I’m hoping to do a 10k this fall.

best you could. I had a few girlfriends in college: I think they thought I was just saving myself. But, finally, my senior year of college I came out first to myself. I didn’t run around campus putting up posters saying, “By the way, you should know that Troy Cook is gay,” but I decided that if anyone asked me, I would be honest about it. Of course, the first person to ask me was my mother. PGN: Of course. TC: The way it happened, my dad was really, really sick and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He was on the board of directors of the local hospital where he was being treated and they tested him for Lyme disease and everything they could think of. Everything came back negative but he was still getting sicker. I finally asked my mom if he’d been tested for HIV, and she was like, “No, why would we test him for that?” Of course back then it would have been considered offensive for a doctor to suggest testing you for that

PGN: Do you remember the first time you heard an opera piece? TC: Hmmn, I think the first time was at the [Kentucky] Governor’s School for the Arts. I went there for a summer program during the summer after my sophomore year in high school. I was raw talent and had never had a voice lesson and for my first voice lesson my teacher assigned an aria for me to learn. It was the first music I’d ever learned in a foreign language and I thought that was so cool. It was awesome.

PGN: Did you find out how your father got sick? TC: Well, he had three different stories as to how he got it. I had my suspicions — I think my Dad might have been gay; knowing what I knew about him it wouldn’t surprise me. I know there was this one restaurant in Louisville that he frequented that just happened to be attached to a gay bar. Of course with the disease, he was never fully himself, but he never once said that he was gay. He had different explanations: He was sharing needles at a party, etc., which I didn’t believe for a second. I mean, come on, hello, my dad the pharmacist, sharing needles? I don’t think so. But, luckily, my mom was fine and we carried on. PGN: Tell me about your partner. TC: His name is Rob and we’ve been together for 13 years. We met in New York, the old-fashioned way, in an America Online chatroom. Now we have a home in Upper Bucks County with two Jack Russell terriers and lots of plants. He’s a gardener, which is great. When we bought our house there was an azalea bush and a rhododendron outside; now we have a gorgeous garden. Whenever I come home from traveling and pull into the driveway, it’s such a treat to see.

PGN: If you weren’t an opera singer, what did you go there for? TC: I didn’t do opera but I was into music and singing, and my music teacher suggested I try out for the school. Everyone else sang these Italian art songs for their auditions and I did “Memories” from “Cats.” PGN: Nice. TC: One of the things that got me into theater was that my parents had a subscription to the Broadway series at the local theater. The first show I ever saw was “Little Orphan Annie.” It was a transformative experience for me. The lights went down in the theater and it was like the audience disappeared. The walls of the theater disappeared and it was just me and Annie. I knew after that performance that I wanted to do something in the theater. PGN: When did you realize you were gay? TC: Well, I sort of knew in high school. I was always teased a lot but I was a child from Kentucky back in the ’80s, so you didn’t come out; you just tried to fit in as

because it implied you were gay. Well they did, and it turned out that’s why he was sick: He had full-blown AIDS. So I think the accumulative effect of my interest in the arts and my knowledge of HIV prompted her to ask me if I was gay. And I must say my family was amazing: From the minute I came out they’ve been totally supportive. My nieces love my partner, Rob. [Laughs.] I think some of them might even like him more than me! Actually, I think it’s even.

Photo: Suzi Nash

PGN: So back to your career: One review I read said, “Baritone Troy Cook came close to stealing the show and he lobbed a string of high notes into the auditorium.” What does it feel like being onstage and opening up and hitting those big notes? TC: It’s incredible. One thing I really love is the rehearsal process. It’s like you’re getting paid to horse around with your friends and put on a show. It’s the greatest thing. I consider myself so lucky that this is my job!

PGN: A favorite moment onstage and the biggest disaster? TC: [Laughs.] I’ll start with the biggest disaster. I was playing Escamillo, the toreador in “Carmen,” and during the big aria I had to jump off of this barrel on the high note and start the next note on landing. Well, as I went to leap, my foot crashed right through the barrel! Amazingly — I guess I’d rehearsed it so much — I didn’t even stop singing. PAGE 38

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Get Out and Play

SPORTS PGN

Scott A. Drake

PHILADELPHIA BEAN BAGGERS: Dan Stringer (center left) and Amanda Valentine tossed a few bean bags in some friendly street competition during the Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League Kickoff on Camac block party Sept. 15 on Camac Street. About 200 players, partners, friends and passersby stopped for games, food, beverages and music. GPFFL has an exhibition game Sept. 22 and its fall season begins Sept. 29, with an opening-day brunch at Venture Inn following the games. Games are played at Columbus Square Park, 1200 Wharton St. For those who are athletic supporters, the monthly JOCKS party returns Oct. 14. For more information, visit phillyflagfootball.com. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Short stops • Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League’s competitive team, The Revolution, is at the annual Gay Bowl Sept. 21-23 in Denver. • Gryphons Rugby Football Club has back-to-back home games at 1 p.m. Sept. 29 and Oct. 6 against North Penn and Wilkes-Barre, respectively. Home games are played at 2901 S. 84th St.; philadelphiagryphons.org. • Philadelphia Rollergirls are having their second workshop 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 14 at Millennium Skate World, 1900 Carman St., Camden, N.J. Tryouts will be held during the same hours Nov. 11 at the same location; www.phillyrollerderby. com. • Philadelphia FINS Aquatics Club is getting ready for a busy weekend in October. More on their upcoming events next week. • Sports and recreation website information is included in the PGN Community Bulletin Board every fourth Friday of the month on the inside back cover. Countdown to Gay Games IX: 686 days. If you have a game, tournament, practice or drinking challenge for Get Out and Play, email scott@epgn.com

ROCKY-ING AND ROLLING: Dozens of LGBT runners participated in the 35th annual Rock & Roll half-marathon Sept. 15. Mark Stambaugh (from left), Bob Szwajkos, Brian Sims, Kevin Kuehlwein, David Torres, Beth Parks Aronson, Anh Dang and Donald Tiu were among the LGBT contingent socializing before the run. Ten people enrolled specifically to run for William Way LGBT Community Center and raised about $1,800. Most of the runners got together after the event for brunch and to tell tales of the morning. While no one in this group ran the Art Museum steps and raised their fists triumphantly, they did participate in the run. Photo: Scott A. Drake

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

FUN & PGN GAMES

Q Puzzle Goodbye, Mr. Phipps Across

1. Pirate drink 5. ___ Virgin (character in 19-/43Across) 8. Spencer-Devlin’s sport 12. Like Obama’s office 13. Takes out of the text 15. Blown away 16. Queens tennis stadium 17. Tatum of “The Bad News Bears” 18. Sentence unit 19. With “The”, start of a film title of 32Across 22. Amount of AZT, e.g. 23. “Quo Vadis”

emperor 24. Charlize Theron’s “Monster” award 27. Flaming queen’s crime? 31. Cheerleader’s shout 32. With 56- and 57-Across, Mr. Phipps portrayer in “D.E.B.S.” 38. Pod beginning 39. “Get yer ass in gear!” 41. Get smart 42. Bipedal dino 43. End of the film title 46. Became erect 48. That to Juan 49. Orally pleasured with gusto 52. Cameo carvings 54. Sailing race 56. See 32-Across 57. See 32-Across 58. Boater or bowler

PORTRAIT from page 35

They told me that a chorus member helped me get the barrel off my leg, but I just kept going. If you listen to the recording, you couldn’t tell that anything happened, certainly not a baritone hopping around with a barrel on his foot. One of my best moments was an opera that I did in Bilboa, Spain. It was a gender-bending opera and I started the opera as a guy, then in the story, my wife decides that she doesn’t want to be a woman anymore so she can become a doctor or lawyer, one of the men’s professions. Other women follow suit and no one’s making babies anymore, so I become a woman and have 49,009 babies in one day. PGN: Ouch! TC: Yes, it’s a crazy opera. I got to dress in heels and a dress and sing incredible music. For a gay man it was great fun! Quite liberating. PGN: You get to travel a lot: That must be fun too. TC: It’s a blessing and a curse. You travel too much and you just want to come home, open your suitcase and dump your clothes in the fireplace. You’re so sick of wearing the same pair of jeans for two weeks that you want to get all new clothes. On the other hand, I get to go to some amazing places: Spain, Japan, the Canary Islands,

59. Dame Edna 63. Palindromist’s cry 64. Nice beach season? 65. A fistful 66. Play bumper-cars 67. Lawyers’ thing 68. Gothic-window lacework 69. Some of Barrie’s precipitation

Down

1. “Don’t ___ step further!” 2. Mobile digs 3. Island of Diamond Head Beach 4. “Ed Wood” role 5. Country or folk 6. What you shake when you come quickly 7. Have a craving 8. “I Will Survive”

singer Gloria 9. Got a little behind 10. Gamboling area 11. Eleanor’s beard? 13. Lesbian couples in “Bambi”? 14. Fruit flavor for gin 20. Sleeping quarters 21. Caspian Sea feeder 24. Tolkien cannibal 25. America’s Uncle 26. Willy Wonka factory output 28. Tennessee Williams’s desire and more? 29. Rough stuff for miners 30. Put the kibosh on 33. Notre Dame is on one 34. Hands over

the U.K., all over the States. And I’m usually there for at least a month, so it’s not like your typical business trip where you see the inside of a hotel and a few restaurants. I really get to know the places, find a favorite coffee shop or hangout, see the sights, etc. Since Rob works in gardening, most winters he gets to go with me and pretty much everything is paid for except getting him there. It’s fantastic, though there is something to say about working for the Philadelphia Opera Company. It’s a real treat to be able to sleep in my own bed each night and still do what I love. It’s my fourth production with them and I’m also singing in “Silent Night” this season as well. You should really try to see that, it’s a wonderful production. PGN: I will. TC: One of the best things about this OCP is that they’re really working to make this Philadelphia’s opera company, they’re not trying to compete with New York or San Francisco, they want us to be unique to Philadelphia so people can take civic pride in coming to see us. For instance, we’re collaborating on this show with The Barnes and the Art Museum. I play Marcello the painter, so I’ll be painting on my palette, which is actually a giant TV screen that sort of comes to life as I paint. There’s this cool interaction between the art and the live characters. I really think

35. Harry and others 36. Maid Marian’s cross-dressing suit? 37. Rocker Brian 40. Emphatic turndown 42. Tennessee tight end, e.g. 44. Most like a milquetoast 45. Without detail 46. He handles shafts and quivers 47. Give an account of 50. Affirmation member, for one 51. ColÛn locale 53. Kind of pitch 55. Second name in cross-dressing 60. Madonna’s Peron role 61. YMCA activity 62. “We ___ Family”

PAGE 43

the staging is going to set this production apart from the typical staging of “La Boheme.”

over again, are the ones that still have relevance. Time may change, but the human condition never does.

PGN: I had to laugh at the wording of some of the reviews I read. One of them said, “Troy Cook’s excellent baritone was in fine fettle from the off.” I could almost hear Niles from the show “Frasier” as I read it. TC: Well, I think that reviewer is from the U.K. You probably won’t find too many American writers using the word “fettle.”

PGN: Well said. How about some random questions. Historical moment I remember best ... TC: 9/11. I was living in New York and Rob, my partner, was a banker then and he was working in the Empire State Building. In the three weeks post-9/11, they were hardly in the building because idiots were calling in bomb threats — every day. They’d have to evacuate a three-block area in the radius of the building. It was ridiculous. It’s what prompted him to change careers and become a gardener.

PGN: Do you think there’s a misconception of opera as being inaccessible for most people? TC: Yes. As far as it being inaccessible is concerned, I think that’s not true at all. Especially now. For one, there’s a translation over the stage so you can understand what the song is saying. You don’t have to feel like you have to study the language beforehand so that you’re not left out if there’s a good joke. “La Boheme” is a perfect example because everyone can relate to goofing off when you’re young, falling in love for the first time, having a core group of friends — then a tragedy happens and they come out on the other side changed because of it. It was universal when it was first written and it’s still universal today. That’s the thing: The operas that last, that get performed over and

PGN: What’s a movie that always makes you cry? TC: “The Color Purple.” I’ve seen it a thousand times. PGN: If you could do an aria with anyone, who would you choose? TC: I think Adele. She’s just amazing and has such a unique and powerful voice. And she has something to say in her music that’s important to me — not just how you sing, but what you’re saying. ■ To suggest a community member for “Family Portrait,” write to portraits05@aol.com.

PGN TV

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Worth Watching YEAH, AWARDS ... WHATEVER, WHO IS WEARING WHAT?: Talkshow host Jimmy Kimmel hosts “The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards” 8 p.m. on CBS. Tune in at 7 p.m. to see the real action on the red carpet.

RSVP: Ryan (Matthew Perry) accompanies out character Anne (Julie White) to a lesbian wedding on a new episode of “Go On,” 9 p.m. Sept. 25 on NBC. Photo: NBC/

Photo: ABC/Bob D’Amico

Justin Lubin

CAT FANCY: Out couple Mitch and Cam decide to look into adopting a cat as they continue to cope with their failed attempt to adopt another child on the season premiere of “Modern Family,” 9 p.m. Sept. 26 on ABC. Photo: ABC/Peter

I’M NEVER GOING TO DANCE AGAIN: Kirstie Alley (pictured with dancing partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy) and *NSYNC member Joey Fatone return to compete in “Dancing with the Stars: AllStars,” premiering 8 p.m. Sept. 24 on ABC.

“Hopper” Stone

Photo: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Are you a community leader? Bia Vieira, longtime activist and vice president for community impact, Philadelphia Foundation Quincy Greene, founder, Educational Justice Coalition David Acosta, writer, poet, longtime HIV/ health activist, prevention coordinator for HIV programs at AIIDS Activities Coordinating Ofﬁce Joe Ippolito, founder/organizer of the Gender Reel multimedia festival Monica Bey-Clarke, author, entrepeneur, founder of My Family! books and products for LGBT families Sue Gildea, women’s commissioner, City of Brotherly Love Softball League

These people made the grade and were covered in PGN’s “Portrait” column by Suzi Nash. Every week, Suzi talks to people making a difference in Philadelphia. Has she talked to you yet?

TRAVEL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Outward Bound

Jeff Guaracino

A Queen Mary 2 transatlantic voyage is an essential lifetime trip A transatlantic crossing on Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 is a voyage, not a cruise. She is an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. Cunard ships draw international world travelers, not tourists. You know what to expect on a cruise, but Cunard is not a cruise company. A world of differences awaits you on this royal liner. For over a thousand years, humans have been traveling across the Atlantic Ocean. A relative few-thousand people a year travel aboard the Queen Mary 2. She is a large, elegant ship with an extraordinary art collection, abundant space for relaxation and a variety of venues for entertainment and fine dining. At an average speed of 20 knots, a transatlantic voyage takes seven nights. Roughly 2,400 people are on this late-August voyage. The Queen Mary 2, a Vista Class ship, could easily hold twice as many passengers but, Cunard designed this ship for ultimate passenger comfort. With a vast amount of space dedicated to the passengers, there were always plenty of teak deck chairs around the numerous pools. Among the many nice surprises on this trip was the large number of gay, lesbian and transgender passengers. My travel partner, Ed Salvato, editor-in-chief of Man About World, and I met a Broadway star, MIT engineers, an insurance-company president, owners of a public-relations firm and retirees. This cruise

attracted several gay male couples and one lesbian solo traveler. Interestingly, among the youngest of the gay travelers was a group of professionals who bid on this trip at a Human Rights Campaign fundraiser in San Francisco. Not only did Cunard support our community with a donation, it also attracted a young group of new travelers who in turn invited other friends to join them. Taking an eastward-passage journey with limited access to the Internet and no mobile cell-phone service could seem daunting at first. Would it be possible to disconnect from the modern world to steep yourself in Old World luxury and tradition? The answer is yes you can. What I found on this trip was that people rediscovered the art of conversation. Dinner tables were filled with laughter and thoughtful conversations — and not the distractions of modern life. Friends of Dorothy — LGBT meeting Unlike other cruise lines — like Royal Caribbean — that no longer publish Friends of Dorothy meetings in daily programs, Cunard steps it up a notch and adds “LGBT” to its daily FOD meeting. Every evening at 5 p.m., the FODs meet in the Commodore Lounge. The first night we met about six fellow travelers — mostly men and one single lesbian named Lois. By the second night,

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What to pack Nights aboard the Queen Mary 2 are more formal than on other cruises but are way more fun, too. From formal balls to semi formal nights, the ship’s passengers are dressed as elegantly as the ship. Here are some tips to lighten your luggage: Pack one tuxedo. Pack one black suit and one sportscoat and one pair of slacks. Depending on the time of year, pack a sweater or a light jacket. Leave the jeans at home. Queen and Princess Grills Cruise lines notoriously offer small cabins to maximize space. Not here. Most of the cabins have balconies and there are a few inside cabins. Aboard the Queen Mary 2, you will feel pampered even in modest accommodations. However, it pays to upgrade to The Queen or Princess Grill suites. These cabins feature wide balconies with teak deck furniture. The Grill cabins offer ample space, including a generous walk-in closet and plenty of drawers and storage. The large bathroom includes a powerful shower and a wide sink. The beds

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there were 22 men but no Lois. Interestingly, there appeared to be many more gay couples who never attended FOD meetings but nonetheless were on board with us.

10% most hardcovers, over 5 million books and 3 million eBooks available at queerbooks.com email: giovannis_room@verizon.net 345 S. 12th St. Philadelphia, Pa 19107 215-923-2960 Mon-Sat 11:30 - 7, Sun 1 - 7

are very comfortable with silky white linens. The Queen Grill cabins range in size and amenities: Some cabins have large decks overlooking the back pool. Queen and Princess Grill guests have a private dining area, priority embarkation and debarkation areas and private spaces throughout the ship, including a Grill lounge, Grill concierge and private Grill pool deck. As a Grill guest, you also are invited to special parties with the captain and complimentary sparkling wine and fruit in your cabin. If you are traveling with friends, a great insider tip is to reserve cabins next-door to each other. There are privacy dividers on the deck between the cabins that can be opened during the day. Opening the divider will give you and your friends an extraordinary doublewide deck with private access between rooms without going into the hallway. Ed and I threw an afternoon BYOB gay soiree on our adjoining decks with 14 guests. It was a smart way to get to know a few of our fellow travelers better.

White-glove service Among the true standouts of this journey was the Cunard professional staff and the hallmark white-glove service. Throughout the ship, guests are called by their formal names: “Good morning, Mr. Guaracino.” You don’t want to carry your own luggage to the airport? Cunard will ship it (for a fee). You’d like a wine recommendation for your Todd English meal? Cunard can do that, too. Want your favorite dessert? Not a problem. One thing Cunard staff doesn’t do is harass you to buy a drink. I’ve been on many cruise lines where all you hear is, “Buy a drink, buy a drink.” The crew is attentive but not pushy. So much to do, day and night I have to admit, I was afraid I would die of boredom on this voyage across the sea. Seven nights, eight days is a long time for any one trip, especially a nonstop voyage. There were daily fascinating lectures on astronomy, royalty and world affairs. There were demonstrations, behind-the-scenes tours and lots of activities. You will find places for stargazing, reading, meditation and live music. The QM2 even has a planetarium (although it was not working on this voyage).

PGN TRAVEL

Nightly entertainment aboard the QM2 is serious business. While some liners skimp on quality entertainment, Cunard programs the ship flawlessly. Each night, there are formal dances in the ballrooms, plus entertainers and a nightclub. The Canyon Ranch Spa is among the world’s finest spas. The gym is complimentary, with daily classes including spinning, stretching and yoga. The spa services are extraordinary. There are signature Canyon Ranch spa massages, manicures and pedicures and also acupuncture massage and Thai massage. Fine dining is found throughout the ship. Among the true highlights is a visit to Todd English, the restaurant by the famed chef. Meals here are culinary journeys with diverse menus, enjoyed in a gorgeous space that encourages you to linger. Great deals If you go, it pays to plan early. Sign up for

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

direct mail and Cunard specials online. You would be surprised at the many affordable deals and upgrades Cunard offers. Visit www. cunard.com. Another option is to book your cabin through a tour company that specializes in LGBT travel, such as Pied Piper Travel (www.piedpipertravel.com). The advantage of booking with a tour operator organizing an LGBT group is you are guaranteed to meet others in our community. British Airlines offers nonstop service between Philadelphia, Chicago and London. Don’t ruin your trip by flying coach: Splurge for business class. With a business-class ticket, you can also enjoy the lounge. Ultimately, a Queen Mary 2 transatlantic voyage is an essential trip of a lifetime. ■ Jeff Guaracino is vice chair of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and author of “Gay and Lesbian Tourism: The Essential Guide for Marketing.”

QUEEN MARY 2 Photos: Cunard

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

OUT & ABOUT The week ahead Fri. 09/21 Peter Gabriel The rock singer performs 8 p.m. at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543. September Stimulus: The second annual Back 2 School Edition! The monthly women’s party, 10 p.m.2 a.m. at Shampoo, 417 N. Eighth St.; 215-922-7500.

Sat. 09/22 An Evening with Maia Sharp, Garrison Starr and Adrianne Gonzalez The singer-songwriters perform 7:30 p.m. at Tin Angel, 20 S.

Second St.; 215928-0978. Earth Wind & Fire The R&B group performs 8 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Femme Fatale Philly Local female artists perform 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. Sugar Town The monthly show of lady DJs and rockers features performances by Nicky Click and Rachel Tension, 9 p.m. at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-9649675.

Sun. 09/23 A Reading with Sally Bellerose, Janet Aalfs, and Joseph Ross The authors, respectively, of “The Girls Club,” “Bird of a Thousand Eyes” and “Meeting Bone Man” host a reading 5:30 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960.

Mon. 09/24 Groove Night Local musicians join forces to bring the R&B, soul, jazz and funk, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Arrested Development 20th Anniversary Tour The hip-hop group performs 8 p.m. at

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Cabin in the Woods The horror film is screened 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888. Lipstick Mondays A weekly drag show featuring a changing roster of queens takes the stage 9 p.m. at The Raven, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 215-8622081.

GIRLS ROCK PHILLY!: Out singer-songwriters Maia Sharp, Garrison Starr and Adrianne Gonzales perform, with each singing backup for the other, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St. For more information or tickets, call 215-928-0978.

Tue. 09/25 Unlabeled: The Acoustic/ Electric Open Mic for Up and Comers Sign up and play, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St.,

Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400. Beth Orton The singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. The Gossip The punk rock band with the out singer performs 8 p.m. at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011.

Wed. 09/26 4W5 Blues Jam Local musicians get down 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400.

Thu. 09/27

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Marco Roth The author of “The Scientists: A Family Romance” hosts a reading 5:30 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960. Naomi Wolf The author of

“Vagina: A New Biography” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215567-4341. Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show The outrageousness begins 11 p.m. at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South St.; 215545-4511.

Wynonna The country singer performs 8 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-5727650.

The Temptations The R&B group performs 9 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Fri. 09/28 A Queer and Pleasant Danger: Shabbat Dinner with Kate Bornstein Dinner at 6 p.m. followed by a talk at 7 at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220. David Byrne The Talking Heads singer and author of “How Music Works” hosts a reading 7:30 p.m. at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215567-4341.

LOUD & PROUD: The Gossip, the acclaimed punk rock band with out singer Beth Ditto, performs in support of new album “A Joyful Noise,” 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at TLA, 334 South St. For more information or tickets, call 215-922-1011.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

Opening The Berserker Residents and Swim Pony Performing Arts The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the local comedic performance troupe, Sept. 28-29 at Harold Prince Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900. Hairspray Media Theater presents the musical based on the classic John Waters film, Sept. 25-Nov. 4, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-891-0100. La Bohème The Opera Company of Philadelphia presents a new production of Puccini’s ultra-romantic blockbuster, Sept. 28Oct. 7 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847. Shipwreck! Winslow Homer and The Life Line Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of 33 paintings by the American artist, Sept. 22-Dec. 16, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Love Story, The Musical Walnut Street Theatre presents an adaptation of the popular novel, through Oct. 21, 825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550.

hosts an exhibition exploring the work of the noted Philadelphia Inquirer editorial cartoonist, through Oct. 21, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215-3409800.

On My Honor: 100 Years of Girl Scouting The National Constitution Center presents an exhibition highlighting the history, contributions and traditions of Girl Scouts, including entrepreneurship, environmental awareness and civic engagement, through Dec. 31, 525 Arch St.; 215-409-6895.

Closing

Presidential Artifacts The National Constitution Center presents an exhibition of artifacts from collections around the country, through Dec. 31, 525 Arch St.; 215-409-6895. Prom Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of photographs by Mary Ellen Mark, through Oct. 28, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. To Stir, Inform and Inflame: The Art of Tony Auth The James A. Michener Art Museum RAPPERS’ DELIGHT: Socially conscious hip-hop group Arrested Development celebrates its 20th anniversary with two area shows, 8 p.m. Sept. 24 at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; and 8 p.m. Sept. 27 at The Blockey, 3801 Chestnut St. For more information or tickets, visit arresteddevelopmentmusic. com.

This is the Week That Is 1812 Productions present a special-election edition of its smash political satire, Sept. 27-Nov. 4 at Plays and Players Theatre 1714 Delancey St.; 215-592-9560.

Continuing Angels in America, Parts 1 and 2 Wilma Theater presents the Tony Awardwinning epic play, offering both parts on select dates, through Oct. 21, 265 S. Broad St.; 215-546-7824. Collab: Four Decades of Giving Modern and Contemporary Design Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition that includes some of the finest examples of European, American and Japanese design, through fall, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Cy Twombly: Sculptures Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of works from the Swiss sculptor, through March, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Sequence 8 by 7 Fingers The Montreal-based circus company performs through Sept. 23 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-7905800. ■

Dana Gould The comedian and producer from “The Simpsons” performs through Sept. 22 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Red, black & GREEN: a blues Marc Bamuthi Joseph and The Living Word Project present four performers with the idea that nurturing our lives and communities is the first step toward caring for our planet, through Sept. 22 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900. King Lear Amici Opera Company presents Cagnoni’s opera 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at Holmesburg United Methodist Church, 8118 Frankford Ave.; 215224-0257. Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger of The Doors Members of the classic-rock band perform through Sept. 22 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609317-1000.

VAGINA MONOLOGUE: Feminist author and former political consultant Naomi Wolf talks up her new book “Vagina: A New Biography,” 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St. For more information, call 215-5674341.

MELISSA ETHERIDGE

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NY CABIN AND LAND BARGAINS 6 acres- w/ stream- Was $29,995 Now $19,995. 3 acreslong range views- Was $29,995 Now $15,995. 5 acres“Alaskan style” river lodge- Was $89,995 Now $59,995. Many more deals now. Call anytime 800-229-7843 VISIT: LANDANDCAMPS.COM. ________________________________________36-38 Lake Property, NY: 6 acres Salmon River Lake $29,900. 7 acres 100’ on bass lake $39,900. 4 lake properties open house September 29-30 www.LandFirstNY.com 1-888-683-2626. ________________________________________36-38

12TH & DICKINSON AREA Furnished Townhouse for rent: 3 levels. Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bath. Very Unique. 1500. mo plus util. (negotiable). Call 215 468-9166 after 6 pm. or 215 686 3431 daytime. ________________________________________36-39 COLLINGSWOOD RENTAL Large second floor 2 Bedroom Apt. Brand new kitchen complete with new dishwasher and new microwave. All new air conditioners, hardwood floors, private deck and laundry facilities in basement. $1250.00 monthly + plus utilities. Call 856-858-3079 or 609-519-5288. ________________________________________36-39 ITALIAN MARKET/BELLA VISTA 2 BR, ultra modern. $1600/mo. Call Villa Realty 215271-0600. ________________________________________36-38 Sunny, large 3-story home three blocks from Main Street Manayunk is freshly repainted; features central air, hardwood floors, updated eat-in kitchen, LR/DR, 1st floor laundry, extra deep window sills and patio. All bedrooms are large w/ great closet space. Available Immediately. $1800/mo. + utilities. No smoking, pets negotiable. 610-457-8026. ________________________________________36-38 CENTER CITY: WASHINGTON SQUARE WEST Elegant three-level apartment in historic townhouse features dramatic spiral staircase; 1 bed + den; 1.5 baths, large eat-in kitchen w/laundry; small outdoor patio; 2 wood-burning fpls. $1,750/mo + ele. broker/owner email. kelwolf@verizon. net or call: 267-231-1974. ________________________________________36-41 HOUSE FOR RENT Mullica Hill, NJ Lovely two BR, 1.5 bath, laundry,eat in kitchen, private patio, off street parking, winter heat hot & cold water included.Restored farmhouse near park, shopping and transit $1250.00 MO & security (856) 404 0236. ________________________________________36-39 2 BEDROOM IN DREXEL HILL On site laundry, $900/mo. + utils. Call 610-449-2038. ________________________________________26-39

EARN COLLEGE DEGREE ONLINE *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV Certified. Call 888-220-3984. www.CenturaOnline.com ________________________________________36-38 AIRLINE CAREERS Begin here-Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualified-Housing available. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-834-9715 ________________________________________36-38 POWER WASHING! Local Company cleaning everything. Houses, Concrete, Wood and More. Call now for great summer savings! (412)346-2025 or (570)591-1933 PA094210. ________________________________________36-38

Apply Now, 12 Drivers Needed. Top 5% Pay. Need CDL Class A Driving Exp. 877-258-8782 www.drive4melton. com ________________________________________36-38 CLASS A DRIVERS APPLY NOW!!!! Up to 42 CPM. $1500 SIGN ON BONUS. Wkly Pay, Holidays, Vacation & MORE. 2 Years T/T EXP. 800-524-5051. www.gomcilvaine.com ________________________________________36-38 NOW HIRING CDL School Graduates. Recent CDL graduate. Top industry pay/Raises. Reach Top Pay in As little As 5 years. Student Bonus! (866)204-0648 Transportamericadrivers.com ________________________________________36-38 Driver: CDL-A Van & Flatbed *New Pay Package! *Very New Trucks *Benefits After 30-Days *Great Miles, Pay *Dependable Hometime *Start Immediately! CDL Graduates Needed! 877-917-2266 drivewithwestern.com ________________________________________36-38 Exp. Reefer Drivers: GREAT PAY /Freight lanes from Presque Isle, ME, Boston-Lehigh, PA. 800-277-0212 or primeinc.com ________________________________________36-38 Drivers: CRST offers the best Lease Purchase Program *SIGN ON BONUS! *No down payment or credit check *Great Pay *Class A CDL required *Owner Operators Welcome. Call: 866-403-7044. ________________________________________36-38 FOREMEN To lead utility field crews. Outdoor physical work, many positions, paid training, $17/hr. plus weekly performance bonuses after promotion, living allowance when traveling, company truck and benefits. Must have strong leadership skills, good driving history, and be able to travel in Pennsylvania and nearby States. Email resume to Recruiter4@osmose.com or apply online at www.OsmoseUtilities.com EOE M/F/D/V. ________________________________________36-38 Drivers- A. Duie Pyle Needs Owner Operators Regional Truckload Operations. HOME EVERY WEEKEND! O/O Average $1.84/Mile. Steady, Year-Round Work. Requires CDL-A, 2 Yrs. Exp. Call Dan: 877-910-7711 www.DriveForPyle.com ________________________________________36-38 Drivers-Co-O/Ops / Solos-Teams. Class A-CDL 1 yr exp in last 3. Long Haul, Regional. Refrigerated or Dry Van. New Pay Packages. 1-800-695-9643 or www.driveforwatkins.com ________________________________________36-38 Teams split $.513 per mile, Solos Earn $.437 per mile, Teams sign on $7,500, Solo sign on $2,000, 1 yr OTR Exp, CDL-A-HazMat 877-628-3748. ________________________________________36-38

Travel & Resorts OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800638-2102 Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com ________________________________________36-38

For Sale Promotional prices start at $19.99 a month for DISH for 12 months. Call Today and ask about Next Day Installation. 800-279-4383. ________________________________________36-38 SAWMILLS From only $3,997.00- MAKE/ SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1800-578-1363 Ext.300N. ________________________________________36-38 VIAGRA 100MG AND CIALIS 20MG 40 Pills + 4 FREE for only $99. #1 Male Enhancement! Discreet Shipping. Save $500. Buy the Blue Pill Now! 1-800-491-8509. ________________________________________36-38

Financial Services Gold and Silver Can Protect Your Hard Earned Dollars. Learn how by calling Freedom Gold Group for your free educational guide. 888-439-8212. ________________________________________36-38

Adoption Are you pregnant? A married couple (in their 30s) seeks to adopt. Full-time mom & devoted dad. Financial security. Expenses Paid. Ann & Michael. 1-800-505-8452. ________________________________________36-38

Roommates PGN WILL NOT PUBLISH RACIAL DISTINCTIONS IN ROOMMATE ADS. SUCH NOTATIONS WILL BE EDITED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. _____________________________________________ $100 MONTHLY RENT For the guy who wants to share my life and house in N.E. Phila. 215-677-5610. ________________________________________36-40

Help Wanted MERCEDES BENZ OF CHERRY HILL Is looking for an experienced salesperson to balance out our sales team. EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Submit resume to ealbertus@chmb.com or apply in person. ________________________________________36-39 LIVE-WORK-TRAVEL-PLAY! Hiring 18-24 girls/guys. $400-$800 wkly. Paid expenses. Signing Bonus. Energetic & Fun? Call: 1-866-574-7454. ________________________________________36-38 TRY SOMETHING NEW Positions open NOW to travel U.S.A. Earn Great $$$ & Have Fun. All Training, Travel & Hotel PAID! $350-$800/ Week 1-800-267-9033. ________________________________________36-38 AVERITT IS LOOKING FOR CDL-A DRIVERS! Weekly Hometime and Full Beneﬁts Package. 4 months T/T Experience Required- Apply Now! 888-362-8608 Visit AVERITTcareers.com Equal Opportunity Employer. ________________________________________36-38 Drivers-CDL-A Experienced Drivers: Up to $5,000 Sign-On Bonus! 6 mos. OTR exp. starts @ $.32/mile. New student pay & lease program. USA TRUCK 877-521-5775 www. USATruck.jobs ________________________________________36-38 Driver - Full or Part-time. $0.01 increase per mile after 6 months. Choose your hometime: Weekly, 7/ON-7/OFF, 14/ON-7/OFF, Requires 3 months recent experience. 800-414-9569 www.driveknight.com ________________________________________36-38

Placing Classiﬁeds Liner Ads In Person: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, By Phone or on the Web: 24 Hours, 7 Days

Deadline for Line Advertising is Friday at 3 p.m. for the following Friday’s issue. You may place your ad via our secure voicemail system, fax or e-mail at any time, or on our Web site. Please have the following information ready to place your ad:

YOUR AD COPY • YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS • DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER • CREDIT CARD INFORMATION PHONE: 215-625-8501 ext. 200 OR 215-451-6182 (DIRECT) • FAX: 215-925-6437 • E-MAIL: don@epgn.com GENERAL INFORMATION

All classified advertising must be in our office by 3 p.m. Friday for the next Friday’s paper. Ads arriving after that time will be held for the next available issue. PGN reserves the right to edit or rewrite ads as needed, to refuse any ad for any reason and to determine the final classification. Ads determined to be in bad taste, directed to or from persons under the legal age of consent or containing racially or sexually discriminatory language will be refused. We need your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number on the insertion order form for you ad. This information is confidential and will not appear in the paper. Any ads received without full information will be destroyed. Sexually explicit language will be edited or refused at the discretion of the management.

PAYMENT AND PLACEMENT

Classified ads may placed online or by mail, fax, e-mail or in person at the PGN offices at 505 S. Fourth St., Phila. Phone, fax and e-mail orders are accepted with credit/debit cards only. A $10 minimum applies to all charges. If you are paying in person with cash, please have the exact change as we cannot make change at the office. All ads must be prepaid for their entire run. NO EXCEPTIONS! DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL; IT’S NOT SAFE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED.

TERM DISCOUNTS - BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ISSUES PREPAID 4 weeks, 5% • 8 weeks, 10% • 16 weeks, 15% • 26 weeks, 20%

CANCELLATION POLICY All PGN Classified ads are cancelable and refundable except for “FRIENDS” ads. Deadline for cancellation is 3 p.m. Friday. The balance will be credited to your credit/debit card. Checks take two weeks to process. The date of the first issue the ad appeared in, along with the classification, your name, address and daytime phone number is required to cancel your ad.

CLASSIFIEDS PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Help Wanted

Tobey Team Open Houses September 23, 2012

12:00-2:30 PM 1808 Christian St., Philadelphia, PA 19146 3 Bedrooms, 2full, 2half Baths. Better than Brand New Construction in Quincy Court w/ GARAGE parking. $575,000 Search all Philadelphia area listings @ www.thephillyrealtors.com Dan Tobey

The Curtis Center • 1 401 Walnut St. 8th Floor • Philadelphia, PA 19102

215.546.2700 Business • 267.238.1061 Direct 215.432.7151 Cell • 215.546.7728 Fax dtobey@cbpref.com • www.cbpref.com

��

�� goes mobile Now you can read your favorite local LGBT news site on your Android or iPhone/iPad. Just go to epgn.com on your mobile device

Also check out our digital “ﬂipbook” of the full print edition at issuu.com/philagaynews with issuu’s Android app. 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.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

PGN’S

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. ________________________________________36-40 BM, 60 looking for British gent, 35-45 for intimate encounters. 215-763-3391, 6PM-Midnight. ________________________________________36-39 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________36-40 LOOKING For live-in companion and possible partner. 215-6775610. ________________________________________36-40 Senior GWM ISO male, 40+, any race for platonic friendship, to enjoy and learn from one another. Philadelphia area only. Write to PO Box 302, Merion Sta., PA 19066. ________________________________________36-38 I’m looking for a very well endowed top who is looking for a very nice white butt. 215-732-2108 8-11 PM. ________________________________________36-38

PGN Massage

David, 62, 6’, 200 lbs., educated. 215-569-4949. ________________________________________36-40 Hi, my name is Diego. I’m a black, native American male, thin with muscles, and a honey brown complexion. Looking to massage all types of guys regardless of size, age, or ethnicity. Chubby, thin, medium, tall, or short are all welcome. 30 min $35 1 hr. $55. Call 267-333-5026. ________________________________________36-37

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TWINKILICIOUS!

Saturday, Sept. 22nd, 2012 TIME: 11pm-3:30am

STUDY BREAK!!!!

STUDENT SPECIALS - Student Special Only Applies for Guys Ages 18-27 Years Of Age, Day Pass Waived for Students Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday-

FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHT: After Bar Special WHAT TO EXPECT: 6hr Rooms (2am to 8am) • DJ David Dutch Members/Students: $15.00 and Non-Members: $25.00 • Complimentary Food & Beverages (Special Not Eﬀective During Party Nights) • TWINK BOY ENTERTAINMENT SATURDAY: AFTERNOON DELIGHT • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & Soo Much More... 4 hour Lockers (8am – 4pm) $5.00 & Non-Members: $15.00 Members/Students: Rooms go quickly and are on a 1st Come, 1st Served basis. SUNDAY RELIEF So Check In Early if you want a room…

P.A.N.G.

(Philadelphia Area Nudist Group) Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 TIME: 3pm-6pm -Join PANG for an afternoon of Naked Socializing & Fun-

Half Price Rooms (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) Members/Students: $12.50 & Non-Members: $22.50

MANIC MONDAY

5 for 5 ($5 Lockers for 5Hrs) Members/Students: $5.00 Non-Members: $15.00 (4pm to 12 )

Check out our website for our HOT NEW WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events.... Also, RENOVATIONS are being done, So swing by & Check Out The Transformation!

Don’t forget to visit the Adonis Cinema right next door!! 2026 Sansom St/ PH: 215-557-9319

PGN

12-step programs and support groups Al-Anon

■

Pennsylvania Al-Anon Alateen Family Groups: Events, meeting times and locations at pa-al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

■ Acceptance meets 7:30 p.m. on Fridays at

Episcopal Church, 22nd and Spruce streets.

■ Community meets 8 p.m. on Thursdays at

Holy Communion Church, 2111 Sansom St. Gay and lesbian, but all are welcome. ■ Early Night Out meets 5:30 p.m. daily at Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St., second ﬂoor; 215-985-9206. ■ GLBT Alcoholics Anonymous meets 7 p.m. on Sundays and 8 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 100 W. Windsor St., Reading; 484-529-9504. ■ Living Sober meets 8:30 p.m. Saturdays at the William Way Center. ■ No Other Way Out meets 11 a.m. Sundays at the William Way Center. ■ Night Owl meets 11:30 p.m. daily at the William Way Center. ■ Stepping Stone meets 2:30 p.m. Mondays at the William Way Center. ■ Sober and Gay meets 8:30 p.m. SundayFriday at the William Way Center. ■ Young People’s meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mark’s Church, 1625 Locust St.

Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA)

■ Meets 7 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday,

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at the William Way Center.

Emotional Support

■ Pink and Blues, a free peer-run mental-health

support group for LGBT people, meets 7 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Luke and The Epiphany Church, 330 S. 13th St.; 215-627-0424. ■ Survivors of Suicide Inc. meets 7:30 p.m. on ﬁrst Tuesday of the month at 3535 Market St., Room 2037; 215-545-2242; www.phillysos. tripod.com. ■ Survivors of Suicide Inc., Chester County, meets 7:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at Paoli Memorial Hospital, Willistown Room, Medical Ofﬁce Building; 215-545-2242; phillysos.tripod.com.

HIV/AIDS

■ Strength In Numbers

Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ SINPhiladelphia.

Mondays: ■ Positive Brothers, a support group for men of color living with HIV/AIDS, meets 6 p.m. at 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215-496-0330. Tuesdays: ■ A support group for HIV-positive men and women meets 1:30-3 p.m. at BEBASHI — Transition to Hope, 1217 Spring Garden St., first floor; 215-769-3561. bebashi.org. ■ Encuentros, a group for HIV-negative Latino men who have sex with men, meets 6 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of the month at 1201 Locust St. ■ “Feast Incarnate,” a weekly ministry for people affected by HIV/AIDS, meets 5 p.m. at University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut St. Bible study follows at 6 p.m.; 215-3872885. ■ A support group for people recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS meets 6:30-8 p.m. at the Mazzoni Center; 215-563-0652 ext. 235. ■ Youth Outreach Adolescent Community Awareness Program’s Voice It Sistah, a support group for HIV-positive women,

meets 11 a.m. every ﬁrst and third Tuesday at YOACAP, 1207 Chestnut St., Suite 315; 215851-1898. Wednesdays: ■ AIDS Services in Asian Communities’ weekly volunteer work group meets 6-8 p.m. at 340 N. 12th St., Suite 205; 215-629-2300. ■ Project Teach, a peer-education and empowerment program for people living with HIV/AIDS, meets at Philadelphia Fight, 1233 Locust St.; ﬁght.org. ■ Positive Effect, for HIV-positive people 18 and over, meets 5-7 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-963-2432. Thursdays: ■ A support group for HIV-positive men and women meets 6-8 p.m. at BEBASHI — Transition to Hope, 1217 Spring Garden St.; 215-769-3561. ■ Diversity, an HIV/AIDS support group for all infected or affected, meets from 7-9 p.m. at Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad St.; call Zak, 215-848-4380; azaklad@craftech.com. Saturdays: ■ AIDS Delaware’s You’re Not Alone youth support group meets during the school year. Call 800-810-6776 for meeting location and time.

Debtors Anonymous

■ Meets 7-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday at the

William Way Center.

Overeaters Anonymous (OA)

■ Open meeting, Tuesdays, 5:45 p.m., and

7 p.m. Fridays, at Hahnemann University Hospital, 245 N. 15th St.; call Troy for ﬂoor/ room number, 215-514-3065; www.oa.org. ■ Meets 11 a.m.-noon at the William Way Center.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

Community Bulletin Board Community centers

■ The Attic Youth Center: For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-8 p.m. MondayFriday; case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. See the Youth section for more events. 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044; center@dolphin.upenn.edu. Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday.

and Allies Youth Center: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Doylestown Planned Parenthood, The Atrium, Suite 2E, 301 S. Main St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org

■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center: 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay.org. Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday through Friday Library hours: 12-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 12-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; 126 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning

■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377

Key numbers

■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221

■ Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK

■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851

■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555

■ 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 ■ The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 112 N. Broad St., third floor; 215-496-0330 ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378

■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; www.mazzonicenter.org. Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBTLAW; legalservices@mazzonicenter. org ■ Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 215-772-2000 ■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Stephen Johnson: 215-683-2840 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686; 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)

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

S.A.R.A.

■ Substance Abuse – Risk Assessment; day and

evening hours; 215-563-0663 ext. 282.

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous

■ Meets 7:30 p.m.Thursdays at All Saints

Church, 18 Olive Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.; 302-542-3279.

SEPCADD

■ Safe space to meet and discuss substance

abuse problems at the William Way Center.

Health

Alder Health Services provides LGBT health services on a sliding-fee scale; 100 N. Cameron St., Ste. 301 East, Harrisburg; 717-233-7190 or 800-867-1550; www.alderhealth.org. Anonymous, free HIV testing with Spanish/ English counselors, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayFriday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 3439 N. Hutchinson St.; 215-763-8870 ext. 6000. HIV treatment: Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents available 9 a.m.-noon Mondays and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1803. HIV health insurance help: Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing available at 17 MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610586-9077. Philadelphia FIGHT provides HIV primary care, on-site lab services, clinical trials, case management, mental-health services and support groups for people living with HIV regardless of insurance status or ability to pay; 1233 Locust St., fifth floor; 215-985-4448; www. fight.org.

Anonymous, free, conﬁdential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 3439 N. Hutchinson St.; 215-763-8870 ext. 6000.

Health

AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 340 N. 12th St., Suite 205; 215-629-2300. www.asiac.org. Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St. 215851-1822 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 and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1803. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing ■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia GALLOP holds board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; GALLOP also provides a free referral service; (215) 6279090; www.galloplaw.org. ■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, self-employed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city, invites speakers on various topics, partners with other nonprofits and maintains a Web site where everyone is invited to sign up for email notices for activities and events; www.gppn.org.

available by appointment at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Ofﬁce Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-5869077.

Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth ﬂoor; 215-563-0652. www.mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday except for noon-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m., and 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly businesses and professionals. Visit www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com for information about events, programs and membership; 215-557-0190; 1717 Arch St., Suite 3370. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association The Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and

students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgjaphiladelphia.org. ■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus A regional organization dedicated to promoting gay and lesbian tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region holds meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; P.O. Box 58143, Philadelphia, PA 19102; www.philadelphiagaytourism.com. ■ Philly OutGoing Professionals Social group for gay, lesbian and bisexual professionals meets for social and cultural activities, 856857-9283; popnews19@yahoo. com.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 21-27, 2012

PGN