PGN Sept.30 - Oct. 6, 2016 by The Philadelphia Gay News

pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976

Vol. 40 No. 40 Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

John Waters returns with ‘Multiple Maniacs’ in tow PAGE 29

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Local youth make their voices heard in the Fall LGBTQ Youth Supplement

PAGES 21-28

Family Portrait: Tim Johnson is working towards zero PAGE 41

Office of LGBT Affairs put on defensive PAGE 5

Trans inmate sues for transfer to women’s prison By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com A transgender woman from Philadelphia who has spent the last four years in men’s prisons filed a federal lawsuit this week, alleging ongoing sexual harassment and abuse at the hands of corrections officers and other inmates. Niara Burton, 28, filed the suit Sept. 26 against the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, three current and former prison superintendents and eight corrections officers. She is represented by the American

Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project and attorneys from Saul Ewing, LP. Burton contends her equal-protection rights and her right to freedom from cruel and unusual punishment were violated. She is seeking injunctive relief requiring her transfer to a women’s prison and mandating the state DOC enact and enforce policies to prevent sexual abuse and harassment of transgender inmates. Burton was sentenced in November 2012 to 25-50 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder, arson and

abuse of corpse. The charges stemmed from the 2012 killing of a Chester County man in the now-defunct Omni Hotel in Old City. Throughout her incarceration, Burton has been housed only in men’s prisons. She has presented as a woman since she was a teenager and has been on hormone therapy, which she has continued to receive in prison, since she was 16. According to the Prison Rape Elimination Act, a federal standard for addressing inmate sexual assault, individual evaluations are to be made about whether to house

transgender inmates in facilities that match their gender identity. The state DOC’s website says it has “developed policy and procedures in accordance” with PREA. “The DOC policy says that these decisions are to be made on a case-by-case basis,” said ACLU’s Sara Rose, one of Burton’s attorneys. “Every six months or so, she has met with someone who’s asked her whether she feels safe and things like that and she’s always said no. But nothing ever happens after that. There may have been a perfunctory review, but we don’t PAGE 16 think there’s ever been

Star power highlights PA’s pivotal role in election ‘OITNB’ stars encourage LGBT voter outreach in Philadelphia By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com A star from “Orange is the New Black” helped launch an LGBT voter-outreach initiative last weekend in the Gayborhood. Uzo Aduba, who plays Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on the Netflix series, kicked off a happy hour Sept. 24 at Knock, when officials announced the LGBT Leadership Council for “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” STAR UZO Pennsylvania. ADUBA (THIRD FROM RIGHT) SEPT. 24 AT Hillary Clinton’s campaign KNOCK Photo: Scott A. Drake spearheaded the council. Similar bodies will operate in “I don’t think it was as well-coordinated all 50 states. Thirty-five LGBT activists as it is in this election,” Stephen Glassman, from Pennsylvania form part of the coun- an early appointee to the council and a forcil. Each has committed to taking an action mer chairman of the Pennsylvania Human in support of Clinton’s campaign, such as Relations Commission, told PGN. “But I phone banking, knocking on doors, writ- think it builds on Obama’s legacy to mobiing letters or hosting an organizing event, lize voters at the grassroots level.” according to a news release. Glassman worked with the Clinton cam President Barack Obama’s campaigns in paign to recommend LGBT leaders for the 2008 and 2012 also utilized LGBT leaders council. to mobilize voters. PAGE 16 “We want to work

Elizabeth Banks stumps for Clinton at Liberty City meeting By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com

In her first time stumping at an LGBT community center, Elizabeth Banks looked at the wall behind her in the William Way ballroom Monday night; it was covered in Hillary Clinton campaign posters like “I’m with her” and “Love trumps hate.” The “Hunger Games” and “Pitch Perfect” actor said, “I don’t think I have to convince you anymore about Hillary.” Instead, Banks told the roughly 30 people gathered for the fall endorsement meeting of the Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club that “in this room we’re all really excited about her. But Hillary as inevitable is not correct, especially here in Pennsylvania.” “This election will be decided in this state by you guys and your friends and your families,” she said. “You’ve got to go to OutFest. You’ve got to work the tables. You’ve got to get out the vote for your community. Getting people to the polling station on Election Day, that has got to be your number-one goal.” Banks spoke for about 10 minutes at the Sept. 26 meeting, just before the first

ACTOR/DIRECTOR ELIZABETH BANKS AT WILLIAM WAY LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER SEPT. 26 Photo: Scott A. Drake

presidential debate. She peppered her presentation with humor, noting it only took 250 years for a woman to have a shot at earning the presidency. Banks said people who stay home on Election Day will be disappointed; not because Republican Donald Trump will win, but because they PAGE 16 did not participate in the

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Killer of gay man seeks reconsideration of death sentence By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Attorneys for Richard R. Laird last week asked a federal judge to reconsider his decision not to vacate Laird’s death sentence for killing Anthony V. Milano Milano, an openly gay artist, was brutally murdered by Laird and Frank R. Chester in 1987. A Bucks County jury in 1988 sentenced both men to death. But Chester’s death sentence recently was vacated, after Chester pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and agreed to remain incarcerated for the rest of his life. In 2007, due to a favorable ruling from U.S. District Judge Jan E. DuBois, Laird had a retrial in Doylestown, but was resentenced to death. Laird claims his retrial was unfair, and once again wants DuBois to vacate his death sentence. In a lengthy ruling issued in August,

Nellie Fitzpatrick first LGBT recipient of Professional Women’s Roundtable award The Professional Women’s Roundtable next month will give its annual PoWeR Award to Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs. It’s the first time an LGBT person will receive the honor that recognizes a trailblazing woman. “The choice to give Nellie the PoWeR Award was clear given her contributions to the LGBT community,” said Christine Soares, president of the women’s roundtable. The award ceremony takes place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Hard Rock Cafe, 1113 Market St. It will form part of the 14th-anniversary celebration for the Professional Women’s Roundtable. It costs $35-$55 to attend, depending on membership status with the group. The organization’s board of directors chose Fitzpatrick. Soares said Fitzpatrick’s whole career stood out, from the time she served as LGBT liaison with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to her work in the mayor’s office. “When she worked at the D.A.’s Office, she really worked two jobs,” Soares said, “one prosecuting cases and another really stepping up to the plate for the LGBT community. That was pretty impactful.” For more information on the Professional Women’s Roundtable or to register for the PoWeR Award ceremony, visit www. pwroundtable.com. n — Paige Cooperstein

DuBois declined to vacate the sentence. In an 18-page brief filed Sept. 16, Laird emphasized that at least four of his claims pertaining to ineffective assistance of counsel have merit. For example, Laird claimed his retrial attorneys should have sought a change of venue because jurors in his retrial read newspaper articles about his 2008 death sentence. “[DuBois] unduly minimized the prejudice from the jurors’ knowledge of an earlier death sentence,” Laird’s pleading states. Laird also claimed his retrial attorneys failed to emphasize his organic brain damage to jurors, which might have convinced them not to resentence him to death. According to Laird’s pleading, his organic brain damage and other mental-health challenges prevented him from forming a specific intent to kill

Milano. Laird’s pleading also stated that authorities shouldn’t have allowed Chester to be in the courtroom during Laird’s 2007 retrial, noting that Chester didn’t provide any testimony. Lastly, Laird’s pleading contended that he was subjected to “double jeopardy” during his 2007 retrial because he already had a third-degree murder conviction stemming from Milano’s death going into the retrial, yet was tried for third-degree murder once again. Such “double jeopardy” is impermissible under the U.S. Constitution, according to Laird’s pleading. As of presstime, DuBois hadn’t ruled on Laird’s request for reconsideration. Laird, 53, remains on death row at a state prison in Waynesburg. Chester, 47, remains incarcerated in the general-prison population at a state prison in Graterford. n

40 years ago in PGN Though uninvited, gay Catholics’ presence felt at Eucharistic Congress Adapted from reporting by PGN staff Though uninvited, Dignity, the organization for gay Catholics, distributed leaflets and held a Mass to coincide with the 41st International Eucharistic Congress held in Philadelphia Aug. 1-8, 1976. The theme of the gathering was “Hunger.” Dignity chose to express the hunger of gay people for justice and freedom within the Church and the secular world. The Rev. Paul Morrissey, a chaplain for Dignity/Philadelphia, said his organization supported the Eucharistic Congress. Its members simply wanted to demonstrate that gays are one of the minorities excluded from full participation in the Church. Members of Dignity distributed leaflets to participants entering the Civic Center that included pro-gay statements from Bishop Francis Mugavero of Brooklyn and the Rev. Gregory Baum from Canada. The Revs. Morrisey and Declan Daley held a Mass attended by at least 200 people. Aside from one priest pushing through the crowd before the service and saying, “This is not Catholic, you know,” there were no interruptions. Attendees included husbands and wives with their children, elderly nuns, priests and seminarians, women and men, straight and gay people. Representatives from six

chapters of Dignity participated in the Mass along with participants from the Eucharistic Congress. DYKETACTICS demonstrates at Eucharistic Congress Adapted from reporting by Harry Langhorne Ten women from DYKETACTICS staged three demonstrations during the 41st International Eucharistic Congress held in August 1976. Sherrie Cohen, a Philadelphia activist, described the actions as educational and non-confrontational. DYKETACTICS set up a booth in front of the Civic Center, offering lesbian and feminist publications for sale. Some feminists and lesbians stopped to offer support, Cohen said. But other women fought the group on its critiques of the Catholic Church for excluding women from power. DYKETACTICS also protested a Mass for the military and a Mass at which 100,000 people heard President Gerald Ford speak and Pope Paul VI relay a message by satellite. Cohen said protesters held signs reading, “Whatever happened to the separation of Church and State?” and “Pope’s Encyclical and Supreme Court decision conspire against homosexuals.” n — compiled by Paige Cooperstein

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O U T F E S T I S O C T. 9

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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QUEEN OF QUEENS: Mimi Imfurst took home the crown Saturday at Miss’d America in Atlantic City. Held for the second year at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, the show featured nine drag queens who competed for the top title. Imfurst, a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum, wowed with a live performance of “Sweet Transvestite” from “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The event raised funds for area LGBT and HIV/AIDS causes.

“We want as many folks as possible to come out. It’s not just for people with a trans identity or [gender-nonconforming] people, it’s also open to allies for their support. We want it to be huge and for the community to see that Philadelphia’s transgender community is vibrant.” ~ Nikki López, executive director of GALAEI, on the Trans* March Oct. 8, page 7

Out & About Thinking Queerly Dining Out Film Reviews Street Talk Day in the Life of ... Get Out and Play Crossword Gayborhood Crime Watch Gettin’ On Queer Faith Mombian 40 Years Ago Mark My Words Scene In Philly Out Money Family Portraits News Briefing Editorial Which parts of PGN are your favorites? Answer our survey from Oct. 7-Dec. 7 and you could win a $100 gift card!

The first incarnation of Bi Visibility Day welcomed about 50 people to Board Game Art Park in front of the Municipal Services Building Sept. 23.

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Coalition demands accountability from Office of LGBT Affairs on anti-racism strategies

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MEMBERS OF THE BLACK AND BROWN WORKERS COLLECTIVE LED AN ANTI-RACISM DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE CITY HALL AND IN THE GAYBORHOOD SEPT. 23 Photo: Scott A. Drake

By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Diversity training with bar owners in the Gayborhood is not a good-enough goal, said Shani Akilah Robin, a spokeswoman for the Black and Brown Workers Collective in Philadelphia. She said specific training on anti-black and anti-brown racism needs to take place. That way, people of color do not solely bear the weight of reporting discrimination. Responding to limited action on a fourpoint anti-racism strategy developed by Philadelphia Black Pride after town-hall meetings late last year, the Black and Brown Workers Collective delivered a letter Sept. 23 to Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs. The group set a deadline of one week for a response. Fitzpatrick was not immediately available for comment. City Hall action Collective representatives and community members stood outside City Hall for an hour that afternoon and shared experiences with racism in the Gayborhood. Abdul-Aliy Muhammad said people have recently been denied entry to ICandy for wearing Timberland boots and to Woody’s for wearing athletic pants. “We know who those policies actually impact,” he said. “They impact black people and brown people disproportionately. “We want to hold the Office of LGBT Affairs accountable because this is about intersectionality, right?” Muhammad added. “Those most vulnerable need to be at the table to discuss anti-blackness when it pertains to the Gayborhood.” Speaking a second time at the action, he said, “We know that any movement that’s

a social-justice movement, that’s a movement that is against oppression … needs to address the multiple identities that a person can hold.” The collective demands to Fitzpatrick, which are paraphrased here, include: • The Office of LGBT Affairs must compensate black and brown LGBTQIA community members who are advising the office on issues of racism in the Gayborhood. Robin said the collective is not aware of any specific people of color currently consulting with the office. But members want a policy put in place that stipulates payment for those who share their experiences. Robin said it could be an hourly rate, but stressed people asked to give advice should be able to set their own wage, if they wish. • More stakeholders besides Philadelphia Black Pride need to participate in creating anti-racism strategies. • Black and brown LGBTQIA youth without stable housing, youth who engage in sex work and youth who are not represented in major organizations should be invited to offer input on anti-racism strategies. • The Office of LGBT Affairs should formally recognize intersectionality and the fact that it makes black and brown LGBTQIA people more vulnerable in LGBTQIA spaces. Le Thomas, president of Philadelphia Black Pride, was not immediately available for comment. D’Ontace Keyes, former chief creative officer with Philadelphia Black Pride, attended a portion of the City Hall action. “People are activated for change and I’m in solidarity of that,” he wrote in an email to PGN after the action. “However, it’s challenging to supPAGE 15

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Bi community connects in Philly with visibility day, new nonprofit By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Sia’s song “The Greatest,” a tribute to the shooting victims at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, started playing from a loudspeaker midway through the first Bi Visibility Day Rally in Philadelphia. About 40 people gathered at the Board Game Art Park Sept. 23 in Center City. Some carried bisexual Pride flags and signs that said things like “I am bi-utiful the way I am.” Many said it was great to meet other bisexual people. “It’s easy for me to slip into pretending to be a lesbian or straight depending on what space I’m in,” said Emmy Morse of West Philadelphia. “It’s almost worse that the B’s in LGBT, but ignored.” Steven Johnston, a Montgomery County resident, organized the Bi Visibility Day Rally. While reading about the day online, he found out there wasn’t an event planned for Philadelphia. He put the rally together in two weeks and was happy with the turnout. “It bodes well for next year,” he said. Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs, read a proclamation for Bi Visibility Day last year outside the William Way LGBT Community

Center. But Johnston’s event represented the first time a community member led the effort to celebrate the day. Johnston also plans to start a nonprofit to build a visible bisexual community in the region. People can join the Facebook group “Philly BiVisibility” for more information. Johnston hopes to certify the group as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in January. He said the group would aim to advocate for bisexual needs. Morse wants to participate in more bisexual social events. Her friends Janice Rael, of Clayton, N.J., and Terri Clark, of Center City, also weighed in on what their ideal bisexual com-

Photo: Scott A. Drake

munity in Philadelphia would look like. Rael expressed an interest in a support group. She said a group called Bi-Unity used to meet at William Way 10 years ago, but it disbanded due to lack of attendance. Rael hoped bisexual people would come together more now. Noting stigma and misunderstanding surrounding bisexual people, Clark said she’d like to see educational programs develop for community members as well as health professionals. “People see us as sitting on the fence,” Clark said. She wants to dispel that myth. Later, she added, “Validation is what we all need.” n

PGN files appellate papers in Morris 911 case By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com PGN submitted appellate papers this week pertaining to its open-records request for 911 recordings relating to the Nizah Morris incident from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. Morris was a trans woman found with a fatal head wound in 2002, shortly after a Center City “courtesy ride” from Philadelphia police. Her homicide remains unsolved. In November, PGN requested a certified copy of all Morris 911 recordings in the possession of the D.A.’s Office. The matter was in mediation for several months, but mediation was unsuccessful. Now, the state Office of Open Records must issue a final determination on PGN’s request. Shortly after the Morris incident, PGN received dozens of 911 recordings from a private citizen that are believed to pertain to the Morris incident. But they’ve never been certified by local authorities. In 2009, PGN gave a transcript of the recordings to the D.A.’s Office. The office returned a copy of the transcript to PGN in response to the paper’s pending open-records request, but declined to certify any recordings contained in the transcript. PGN’s Sept. 27 filing contends that the D.A. is required by law to provide a certified copy of all

Morris 911 recordings, unless the office has taken reasonable steps and still can’t determine whether it has responsive records. “[I]f no one at the DAO has actual knowledge as to what was stated over the city’s 911 system during the Morris incident — and the DAO failed to reach out to individuals and/or entities that would reasonably be expected to possess such actual knowledge — then the DAO didn’t act reasonably,” PGN states in the filing. The filing goes on to note that in 2010, in response to an earlier open-records request by PGN, the D.A.’s Office declined to confirm or deny whether it had Morris 911 recordings. “The DAO may have declined to provide a certified copy of responsive records [in PGN’s pending request] because the DAO is adhering to its prior policy of refusing to confirm or deny whether it has Morris 911 recordings,” PGN states in the filing. “That would be impermissible because the DAO hasn’t invoked an exemption, privilege or judicial decree in this pending RTKL request.” Also, the filing states that if the D.A.’s Office has additional Morris 911 recordings not yet given to PGN, it must provide a certified copy of them to the paper. As of presstime, the D.A.’s Office hadn’t PAGE 7 responded to PGN’s filing.

LOCAL PGN

Community to ‘rise up’ at Trans* March By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

An inspiring new song by Grammynominated artist Andra Day will serve as the anthem for this year’s Philly Trans* March. The sixth-annual march begins at 3 p.m. Oct. 8 at Thomas Paine Plaza, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd. This year’s theme is “We Rise Up,” adopted from Day’s hit “Rise Up,” which espouses the power of inner strength to overcome obstacles. “That theme was meant to represent the resiliency of the transgender community, particularly here in Philadelphia,” said Nikki López, executive director of GALAEI, whose Trans-Health Information Project is organizing the event. “A lot of times the trans community will organize or rally or hold vigils around a trauma or loss that deeply affects our community,” López noted, “usually in response to the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color. The organizers wanted to recognize that epidemic but also showcase and celebrate members of the community who are doing amazing work day to day and rising up, despite perils.” TIP program coordinators Naiymah Sanchez and Aamina Morrison took the lead on organizing the march and convened a community-advisory board for support, López said, which has been meeting several times a month to plan. Before the march through Center City, local trans youth Hazel Edwards will deliver the opening keynote. “The Philadelphia Trans* March is important to me because you get to cele-

brate your identity with folks who understand and live in it with you,” Edwards said in a statement. Local organizations will offer resources at the rally, and food and drinks will also be available. Organizers are still looking for more food and water donations, as well as sound equipment. Attendees are also encouraged to donate clothing for those in need. A record several-hundred supporters turned out last year, and López said she’s looking for the crowd to again expand this year. “We want as many folks as possible to come out,” she said. “It’s not just for people with a trans identity or [gender nonconforming] people, it’s also open to allies for their support. We want it to be huge and for the community to see that Philadelphia’s transgender community is vibrant.” This is López’s first Trans* March at the helm of GALAEI; she was hired in August to the post, which was open for several months after former executive director Elicia Gonzales left. “GALAEI was under a huge transition phase and so Naiymah and Aamina organized all of this despite not having a leader. I’ve seen all the behind-the-scenes work they’ve been doing and I’m really excited and proud of them.” For more information or to learn about volunteering for the Philly Trans* March, contact NSanchez@galaei.org, Aamina. tip@gmail.com or 267-457-3912. Follow the event on social media with the hashtags #PTM16 and #TransLivesMatter. n

DNC Host Committee spent two-thirds of budget with diverse businesses The Philadelphia Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention spent 67 percent of its multi-million-dollar budget with diverse businesses, nearly doubling its 35-percent goal. It’s the highest proportion of spending on diverse businesses in convention history, according to the host committee. The committee released its financial information Sept. 26. The full report, on file with the Federal Election Commission, is available here: http://ow.ly/3b5U304CbpC. Out of $43.2 million that the host committee had control over spending, $29.1 million went to diverse businesses, meaning companies owned by people of color,

women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBT people and others. Nearly $138,900 went to businesses with LGBT owners. That number constitutes less than half of 1 percent of the budget but only includes those who self-identified as LGBT. The host committee simply required businesses to designate themselves as minority-owned. They could decide whether to further specify their identity. Overall, $4.4 million in diverse spending went to Philadelphia companies and $6.3 million went to those in the region, including the city. n

MORRIS from page 6

to ensure that any records provided by the D.A. are done so on the basis of “actual knowledge.” In 2013, after a 10-year review, the city’s Police Advisory Commission recommended state and federal probes of the Morris case. But no state or federal agency appears to be investigating the case. n

PGN also has an open-records request with the D.A.’s Office for a certified copy of its computer-aided dispatch records pertaining to the Morris case. That request is pending in Commonwealth Court. In both pending requests, PGN seeks certified copies of all responsive records

— Paige Cooperstein

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Out in Fishtown builds LGBT community By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Jason Cox and Joshua Borin met for the first time last week at Front Street Café. They shared drinks over a wood block table, flanked by fronds behind the restaurant as part of Out in Fishtown. Colleen O’Hara, a neighborhood resident, started the LGBT happy hour this year. “It’s not like a typical ‘scene’ thing,” Cox said. “It’s a good opportunity to meet people socially and naturally.” He walked from his house to the café and enjoyed the warm sunshine that’s lingered through September. Borin made the trip from Delaware. He helps organize Our Night Out Wilmington, a similar LGBT gathering on the third Thursday of the month. He said he wanted to come to Out in Fishtown to support his friend, O’Hara. O’Hara moved to Fishtown two-and-ahalf years ago with her fianceé, Jacqueline McDevitt. While O’Hara runs her business selling real estate at Space and Company, McDevitt coaches lacrosse and has started a tailgating business called Phan Cave. Their busy schedules, and desire to connect with other LGBT people in the rapidly growing neighborhood, led to the creation of Out in Fishtown. “Running those two businesses ourselves, it was like, when do we have time

to go out?” O’Hara said. “This was kind of like our excuse to say, ‘You’re going out in Fishtown at least once a month to go out and enjoy ourselves.’” The first event took place in May, also at Front Street Café. The June event was held at Martha, another bar in the area. Out in Fishtown took a summer break in July and August, then returned to Front Street Café Sept. 22. O’Hara’s in talks with other local establishments about hosting. Front Street Café works well because it has a large outdoor space, she said, noting 150 people came to the first event. “I feel like I walk down the street [sometimes] and I don’t know anyone,” O’Hara said. “For me, a lot of the people that are here are new to the area. My idea for this was, let’s bring everyone together, how can we help each other, but also support each other through all of the events that we have.” O’Hara said people can drop their business cards into a fishbowl at each happy hour, and she would like to start featuring local businesses on Out in Fishtown’s Facebook page. She also runs an Instagram account with the handle @visitfishtown to show off why she loves the neighborhood. Highlights include its openness, restaurant boom and walkability. For more information, visit the “Out in Fishtown” page on Facebook. n

Chesco LGBT group gets new office, name By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com

Our history is full of people speaking out.

Exclusive LGBT history coverage throughout the month in PGN helps to amplify their voices.

Leaders with the LGBT Equality Alliance cut the ribbon Sept. 22 on the organization’s first office in Phoenixville. A couple-dozen people, including local elected officials, were expected to tour the new space at 200 Lincoln Ave., Suite 104. The Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce co-hosted the celebration. “I’m excited,” said Rachel Stevenson, board president of the alliance. “I think it opens up so many opportunities for us to grow. It gives us validation in the community. We’re not just doing this as a hobby. We’re doing real work to improve the community.” The nonprofit’s operating budget will cover the rent for the property. The LGBT Equality Alliance used to be called LGBTea Dances, but changed its name in July. Stevenson said few young people were familiar with tea dances, which are social events usually held on Sunday nights in LGBT clubs. She also wanted the name to more fully encompass the mission of the organization, which she started in March 2015. Stevenson said the LGBT Equality

Alliance relies on three pillars: health and wellness; education and advocacy; and social connectedness. It’s the only countywide LGBT organization in Chester County. Stevenson said the office is great because it gets her out of her garage, her former working place. “We needed storage space,” she said. “We organize a lot of events and need [a place] to host our board meetings.” The alliance will have a celebration for National Coming Out Day from 5-10 p.m. Oct. 11 at Chipotle, 241 N. Pottstown Pike, West Whiteland Township. Also, the second-annual LGBT Health Fair takes place from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Phoenixville YMCA, 400 E. Pothouse Road, Schuylkill Township. Having an official workspace with a security buzzer enables the LGBT Equality Alliance to begin taking on interns to help with things like social media. Stevenson listed other upcoming goals for the organization like getting a mini-grant program off the ground, especially to fund local highschool GSAs, and funding scholarships for local LGBT students. For more information, visit www. lgbteachesco.org. n

LOCAL PGN

Out teen helps launch sexualhealth initiative for Philly youth By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Dionte Jerome Gill said he only remembers getting one lesson on sexual health in his educational career. “It’s mainly like, ‘Don’t have sex. You’re going to get pregnant.’ The end. That’s it,” said the senior at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. “I wanted to know more. But I also wanted to be able to actually help other people because I know what I go through myself.” Gill is gay and has spent the last several months working with other teens and the nonprofit Public Health Management Corporation to develop an outdoor and social-media campaign called Real Rap Philly. It targets ages 12-24. The sexual-health initiative launched Sept. 22 with a reception at City Hall. Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and Dr. N. Nina Ahmad, deputy mayor for public engagement, gave their stamps of approval to the engaged youth behind the project. Ads will run on SEPTA bus shelters for the next three months. They say things like, “Will I lose his trust if I suggest a condom? Real Rap: You won’t. Have the courage to talk about it!”

REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NONPROFIT PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT CORPORATION STAND ON EITHER SIDE OF PHILADELPHIA HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS JANYAH GREEN AND DIONTE JEROME GILL, AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON, AT THE SEPT. 22 LAUNCH OF REAL RAP PHILLY. Photo: Paige Cooperstein

Resources for having conversations about sexual health are also available online at www.realrapphilly.com, and youth-led programs will continue throughout the year. “Real Rap Philly takes a sex-positive, inclusive and empowering approach to prevention,” said Emmy Stup, director of Philadelphia Area Sexual Health Initiatives at the Public Health Management Corporation. “Rather than scare people out of doing something that we know they’ll do anyway, Real Rap Philly encourages youth to engage in sexual behavior if they choose, but to do so safely. We get to the heart of why making safer decisions can be challenging.”

Stup said young people want to feel free to ask questions about birth control or HIV and STI testing, and get accurate information in return, so they can make their own decisions about their health. “Talking about issues and barriers with parents, peers and partners encourages openness and equality in relationships,” she said. Janyah Green, another senior at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, said she had to get used to having open conversations. She used to avoid the word “sex” because it made her feel awkward. But recently, in talking with her mother, she’s even become more comfortable using anatomical terms. “Now I love saying I’m a safe-sex advocate for the City of Philadelphia,” Green said. “People say, ‘What does that mean?’ And I’m like, ‘Let me tell you.’” The mothers of Green and Gill were in the audience for the launch of Real Rap Philly. Both said it was important to let their kids know they could ask questions and talk to them about sexual health. “In our day, they said, ‘You’re not having sex.’ Period. It’s like a threat,” said Shavon Green, Janyah’s mom. “As a parent, I appreciate that they opened this up for us. It makes me a little more aware.” Denise Gill, Dionte’s mom, said she used to serve as a safe-sex advocate for Planned Parenthood when she was a teenager. “Because he’s finally coming out with his sexuality,” she said of her son, “I really wanted to support him in his advocacy for safe sex. I wanted to show him no matter who you’re becoming, I’m going to be there at any cost. He has somebody in his corner at all times.” Gill has begun some behind-the-scenes work on Chrome 2 Color, a video series that will share information on preventing unwanted pregnancy in the LGBT community. It’s expected to launch in May as part of the Real Rap Philly umbrella of programs. Gill added he recently met a teen who is living with HIV. That made him want to talk to his peers about sexual health even more. He said schools in Philadelphia need to expand their education on STIs. “Most people, they know what a condom is,” he said, “but … they don’t know that rubber is life or death. They need to know that you’re not only going to get pregnant if you don’t use one, but you could also die. It’s just that real.” Deputy Mayor Ahmad noted communication is often what’s lacking. She recently read an article about pre-exposure prophylaxis, a daily pill regimen that’s shown to be effective at preventing HIV. It made the point that people don’t know about the pill, so they don’t use it. “We’re known as the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, and we have the highest rates of STIs in the state,” Ahmad said. “Here’s my party line: We cannot have affection without protection.” n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Ken Paxton

Editorial

Get out the vote, Pennsylvania We’re as weary of the 2016 presidential election as the next folks. And as much space as we’ve dedicated to the election in this editorial, we have to add just a bit more to underscore the urgency of the situation we’re facing. As of this printing, there are 11 days left to register to vote in the general election in Pennsylvania. (Delaware residents, you have until Oct. 15, and New Jersey residents until Oct. 18.) Here in Pennsylvania, our votes are predicted to play an integral role in who will be sitting in the Oval Office come January. According to some leading political pundits, the entire election could boil down to what happens in the Keystone State. So no pressure, guys. We are considered the bellwether of the swing states in this election; if Hillary Clinton wins us, the White House is considered a lock, yet if Donald Trump secures Pennsylvania, he’s likely to be our next leader. Clinton still has a slight edge over Trump among most polls of Pennsylvania voters — but it’s narrow, and has gotten slimmer in recent days. Though we won’t be releasing our slate of endorsements for a few more weeks, it’s safe to say that Donald Trump does not stand for anything our community stands for, and is a very real threat to the continued evolution of the LGBT-rights movement, in addition to basic American democracy. It is imperative for Pennsylvania’s LGBT voters to make their voices heard on Election Day. Though some may think one vote doesn’t make a difference, in this election it does. In this election, where the very safety of our country, our cities and our LGBT community is at stake, every single vote matters. Register to vote by Oct. 11. Tell your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers that they need to register to vote by Oct. 11. (You can register online at www. pavoterservices.state.pa.us or in person at your county elections office, which you can find at www.votespa.com.) And on Nov. 8, take a few minutes out of your day to make your voice heard. n

LGBT people have heard the phrase, He shows no “Come out, come out, wherever you are” sign of slowing his over and over again for decades now. The roll on the antiidea, of course, is that coming out of the trans lawsuits, for closet is the only way to change hearts and example. He wants minds about who and what LGBT people Texans to be able are. After all, it’s hard to hate, say, lesbito discriminate ans, if you find out that your favorite aunt against trans peoor your sister or your favorite coworker ple, whether it’s in is playing for Team Lez. You’ve got to at the bathroom or the least take a step back and rethink all of the doctor’s office. In terrible assumptions you made and ideas his twisted moralyou’ve had about lesbians, right? ity play, it’s cool for doctors to be able Ideally, yes. And truth be told, the fact to refuse to treat trans patients, and for that the closet door is no longer the major trans men and women to stay out of public barrier it once was for so many people (but restrooms. not all people: We’ve got a long way to go Which is why he’s in a fight with Target still) has been key in advances in LGBT ever since the retailer announced that its rights, especially over the last five to 10 trans guests and employees could use years. whatever restroom they deemed appro But then there are always going to be priate. Not in Paxton’s Texas! He warned people who have their minds made up and in May that “allowing men in women’s no amount of people meetin’ is going to restrooms could lead to criminal and otherchange their minds — no sir, no how. wise unwanted activity.” Because he totally And one of those people is Texas gets it! And so Paxton must have been just Attorney General Ken Paxton. On Sept. 1, Paxton had dinner at the thrilled to have his warnings come to fruihome of a transgender boy. Now, in case tion in the form of reports that, on at least you didn’t know, Paxton two different occasions, is not a big fan of trans men in different Target Paxton is not a big folks. In fact, he’s pretty stores were trying to fan of trans folks. much a mosquito-bitten take cell-phone video taint about the whole of women in changing In fact, he’s pretty thing. He recently, along rooms. with attorney generals The only logical conmuch a mosquifrom other states, filed a clusion: Must be those to-bitten taint about trannies! lawsuit over the Obama administration’s recom“After this latest the whole thing. mendations that trans incident, I hope Target students be treated like finally recognizes the human beings while at school, for examimportance of protecting its customers, ple. Paxton doesn’t want people he deems especially in environments where they can perverts to pee next to “normal” Texas be at their most vulnerable,” Paxton said in children. a statement, alluding to his earlier “warn The family extended the invitation to ings” that trans men and women are perPaxton hoping that meeting a real trans kid verted heathens who should have to cross would “soften” his anti-trans stance. their legs and be chained to their home toi And so Paxton went over to their house, let forever and ever amen. But hey, at least he ate blueberry cobbler broke bread with them and had a come-toJesus moment where he wept about what with a trans kid. What a hero. n a shithead he’d been and vowed to change D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comehis ways. dian living in Michigan with her wife and son. Ha ha ha. Just kidding. In reality, he She has been writing about LGBT politics went over to their house, ate their food and for over a decade. Follow her on Twitter @ then continued to be a trans-phobic prick. MamaDWitkowski.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

LGBT journos want to censor Out Mag Out Magazine most likely is the most a megaphone from his perch at Breitbart, read LGBT publication in the nation. Its one of the most conservative media orgamajor bent or area of coverage is arts and nizations in the country (and whose CEO, fashion; it’s light and breezy with cozy Steve Bannon, is now running Trump’s Q and As. The publication also covers campaign). So out Yiannopoulos as the light news, and from the support it gets fool he is. via advertising and readers, it’s a formula Here’s where Out and the Think that works for them. Progress letter both went Recently some LGBT jourwrong. From the LGBT journalists took major offense nalists’ letter: “Out claims in with Out. Why? You’d think it its editorial note that this is an could have been a controver‘era of social-media tribalism’ sial issue — like anti-Semitism and that ‘we can’t shy away at this year’s Creating Change from covering queer people in Chicago, how immigration who are at the center of this reform is a necessity for the highly polarized election year.’ LGBT community (someThe idea that Yiannopoulos thing I learned at a Haas Fund is anywhere close to the cenLGBT Media Journalists ter of anything is in doubt, Convening), homelessness in but the more important point our community, the horrible is that it would be very easy murder rates among our trans to cover his political impact brothers and sisters, the lack without glamorizing him and Mark Segal downplaying the bigotry that of housing and abuse of our seniors … Nope, none of the he helps stir up. Instead, the above. profile panders to exactly the kind of It was a profile of Milo Yiannopoulos. attention that empowers his vile rhetoric, I bet most of you reading this don’t even hiding behind the veneer of false equivaknow who he is. The reality is, he’s a lency that has plagued 2016 election covcreep. How best to describe him? Think erage.” a gay Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Rick Breitbart is now at the cenSantorum all in one — and that’s not the ter of Trump’s campaign, and since half of it. He’s despicable. Yiannopoulos comes from that camp, he After the story appeared, a coalition of most likely will be its LGBT point perLGBT journalists issued a letter on Think son, or proof that they’re inclusive. For Progress condemning the “glorifying” that reason alone, the interview is warnature of the piece and the editorial that ranted, but maybe Out should have stated went with it explaining why the magathat point clearly in an editorial. zine published it. The group also objected Remember the Westborbo Baptist to the picture that accompanied the artiChurch? Media attention to that group made its members the pariahs they are cle, which the author said is “playing today. on the theme that he’s simply a clown.” The point is he is, but the point not made Q Syndicate runs a feature that PGN clear is that he’s a dangerous clown. picks up each week that usually features What concerns me here is that this the most outrageous statements from peoopposition to the story is close to censorple opposed to LGBT equality. It’s called ship. Should we only publish articles and “Creep of the Week.” Great feature, and interviews about “good” people in our maybe Out should have made it clear that community with the “right” positions? Yiannopoulos was one of them, and dan(Pun unintended.) gerous. Yiannopoulos is an out gay man sup Not letting our community know about porting Trump. He is the LGBT poster people like Yiannopoulos would be the child of the Alt Right. That makes him crime. n good copy! Our community needs to Mark Segal is the nation’s most-awardknow that as well, as we need to show the winning commentator in LGBT media. His people Yiannopoulos works with what we recently published memoir, “And Then I as a community think of him. Censoring Danced,” is available on Amazon.com, Barnes him doesn’t do that, since he already has & Noble or at your favorite bookseller.

Mark My Words

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Street Talk Would you vote for D.A. Seth Williams if he seeks reelection? "What happened seems shifty and suspicious. But from everything I've heard, I'd still consider Jennifer Bragan voting for restaurant manager him. But I'll Pennsport continue to monitor the situation, so I can be an informed voter."

"Yes. Why would I want a straightedge district attorney? I don't live straight-edge. If I can pay off someone to get out Matthew of trouble, Karrmann I'm all for pharmaceutical it. Most salesperson South Philadelphia politicians are crooked. He's no different."

"No, his integrity has been compromised. My preference would be to vote for someone else who's more Reena Shanker transparent actuary with their Queen Village morals and ethics. I'm optimistic that a more suitable candidate will step forward."

"No. He doesn't have my support. He acted too recklessly. With that type of status, you should know better. He Ashley Waters should have nurse been more West Oak Lane selective in the manner with which he accepted gifts."

Op-Ed

M. Joel Bolstein, PHRC Interim Chairperson

The importance of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) is the state agency with the statutory responsibility to address unlawful discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, educational opportunities and public accommodations. I’ve served as a commissioner since 1999, and I was named interim chairperson in April 2016 by Gov. Tom Wolf. I consider it a great honor and a great responsibility. The PHRC investigates thousands of complaints every year from people who feel they’ve been victims of discrimination. My task, and that of my fellow commissioners and the PHRC’s professional staff, is first to help educate, then if necessary, to investigate and adjudicate and, hopefully one day, eradicate discrimination. Based on what I’ve seen, we are unfortunately a long way away from living in a discrimination-free society. Discrimination is a very tough

enemy to defeat. I’ve seen very blatant and subtle acts of discrimination during my tenure on the commission. Imagine you are an AfricanAmerican man who reported to work today at a manufacturing company and found a noose hanging near your work station. You complain and your employer does nothing. Or imagine that you want to join your friends at a popular restaurant, but because you use a wheelchair, the only way you can enter the restaurant is through the kitchen in the back of the building. Or maybe you are working at a job you love, and when you become pregnant, your doctor says you can continue to work, but when you tell your boss, your boss says he thinks you cannot perform your job duties while pregnant and fires you. Those aren’t hypothetical situations. They are real-life PAGE 14 situations that resulted

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

LOCAL PGN

Court rejects Segal’s objections By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com The state Court of Judicial Discipline last week rejected Municipal Court Judge Dawn A. Segal’s objections to its findings that she brought disrepute to the judiciary and committed other ethics violations. Segal, an open lesbian, has been suspended without pay since February. She acknowledges having improper conversations with then-Municipal Court Judge Joseph C. Waters in 2011-12. Segal and Waters discussed three cases pending before Segal, and she allegedly considered Waters’ input prior to issuing rulings. In July, the court found Segal liable for seven ethics violations. But attorneys for Segal filed objections to her being found liable for four of those violations. The four ethics violations Segal objected to are: causing disrepute to the judiciary, interfering with the administration of jus-

“In determining Respondent Segal’s liability on the charges, her own words on the wiretaps speak much more convincingly than any claim that she generally has positive traits.” tice, acting in a biased manner and considering improper communications about a pending court case. In a nine-page opinion issued Sept. 23, the court dismissed all of Segal’s objections as meritless. “Respondent Segal clearly caused considerable disrepute to the judiciary by the repeated bad acts she committed,” the court stated. The opinion also emphasized that Segal interfered with the administration of justice. “The repeated [improper] calls and assur-

ances of compliance made to Waters are clearly an interference with the administration of justice,” the court added. Moreover, the court blasted Segal for not recusing herself from the cases at issue, and for not immediately reporting the improper conversations to authorities. “Such blatantly improper conduct is absolutely inexcusable,” the court opined. The court noted that Segal only reported to authorities her conversations with Waters after she realized the FBI knew about them. The court also said discussing the cases with Waters indicated bias on the part of Segal. In her objections, Segal refuted the testimony of an FBI agent relating to her conduct in one of the cases at issue. But the court said it found the agent’s version “more credible.” The court also rejected Segal’s assertion that it didn’t adequately consider testimony vouching for her good reputation. “[T]he wiretap evidence undermines any possible finding of innocence,” the court said. “Segal’s own words on the intercepted telephone calls are the strongest evidence against her. Extrinsic evidence concerning Segal’s reputation was considered here on liability and also will be of interest in deciding a sanction. In determining Respondent Segal’s liability on the charges, her own words on the wiretaps speak much more convincingly than any claim that she generally has positive traits. The character testimony remains in evidence to be considered concerning the appropriate sanction.” The next step is for the court to impose discipline on Segal, which could range from a reprimand to permanent dismissal from the bench. Segal continues to receive workplace health-care benefits, though she’s not permitted to report for work. If Segal disagrees with the discipline imposed by the court, she’s permitted to file a petition for review with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Waters, 63, was prosecuted criminally, and found guilty of fraud. He served a brief federal-prison sentence, but recently was released to a halfway house. n

News Briefing Philly folks plan to march in Orlando Pride Local out lawyer Angela Giampolo is organizing a group of Philadelphians to fly to Orlando for the city’s Pride celebration Oct. 8. She helped secure space for 200 people and one vehicle to participate in the parade. Giampolo asks interested LGBT people and allies to register at http://ow.ly/1Eeb304CirI. Participants have to pay for their flights to Orlando and lodging. Once there, the group will make 49 signs, one for each person killed by a gunman in June at Pulse, an LGBT nightclub in Orlando. “In the end, we call it Gay Pride,” Giampolo wrote on Facebook. “We march to spread hope that things will get better and in order to not forget our battles. Orlando was the biggest battle the LGBT community has survived in modern western history and it will be an honor to march alongside Orlando in their Gay Pride.” For more information, search “Philly Does Orlando Gay Pride!” on Facebook.

Men encouraged to rally against violence Lutheran Settlement House will hold a rally next week to engage local men in its work to reduce family violence. The Men Can Rally will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 5 at Board Game Art Park at 15th Street and John F. Kennedy Blvd. Fox29’s Mike Jerrick will emcee, and organizers will present an award to Todd Carmichael, co-founder of La Colombe, who has spoken out against domestic violence and donated to anti-violence programs. The rally is free to attend, and refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit www.lutheransettlement.org.

Explore LGBT history for free The National Park Service and William Way LGBT Community Center are teaming up to offer free walking tours of Philadelphia’s LGBT history. The tours will be offered at 10 a.m. Oct. 8, 10 and 15. The two-hour tours will leave from the Independence Visitors Center at Sixth and Market streets and conclude at William Way, 1315 Spruce St. They will be led by staff from the William Way Archives and a National Park Ranger and include stops in Old City and the Gayborhood. Space is limited, and interested participants are asked to RSVP to phillylgbtq@ nps.gov. n

— Paige Cooperstein

— Jen Colletta

What special challenges does the LGBT community face when it comes to the law? Whether it’s adoption, co-habitation agreements or a will, Angela Giampolo shares legal advice for our community each month.

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Online and in print every first Friday.

Out Law

Angela Giampolo

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

PGN

Thinking Queerly

Kristina Furia

needs your input! ‘BIG’ NIGHT AT BOXERS: Representatives of Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region, the local chapter of the mentoring program, networked with local LGBTs Sept. 21 at Boxers. The event kicked off the agency’s targeted effort to recruit new LGBT mentors. It also generated funds for a $35,000 staff-fundraising challenge, to cover background checks and other costs during the mentor-matching process. Boxers donated 20 percent of its proceeds during the event to the cause. Photo: Scott A. Drake

OP-ED from page 11

in complaints being filed with the PHRC. Every year, the PHRC receives thousands of claims of unlawful discrimination like these. There are currently 3,200 complaints pending, and PHRC has a statutory duty to investigate them all. The PHRC has been protecting civil rights since 1955, when the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) was enacted. Our mandate is to enforce the PHRA and the Pennsylvania Fair Education Opportunities Act. Those laws prohibit discrimination based on a number of “protected classes,” which include race, color, religion, ancestry, age (40 and above), sex, national origin, disability, known association with a person with a disability, use of guide or support animals or because the user is a handler or trainer of support or guide animals, possession of a diploma based on passing a general education development test, retaliation, familial status and refusal or willingness to participate in abortion procedures. The General Assembly is currently considering expanding the PHRC’s jurisdiction to add LGBTQ persons as a protected class. The PHRC supports such legislation, and I have personally advocated for that before the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee. It’s the right thing to do because no one in the commonwealth should be subjected to discrimination. The PHRC’s mandate also includes providing education, training and outreach to Pennsylvanians about the law we administer and their civil rights. In addition, the PHRC monitors and attempts to resolve civil tensions in local communities across Pennsylvania. We do that by working with a statewide task force, in addition to our many local advisory councils and

human-relations commissions throughout the commonwealth, who serve as our eyes and ears on activities causing tension in local communities, including the actions of hate groups. The PHRC exists to protect you, your friends and your neighbors from discrimination. If you ever need our assistance, please go to our website at www. phrc.pa.gov. We have regional offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. When I began my tenure on the commission, we had close to 200 paid professional staff. At last count, we were down to 72. You can imagine how difficult it is to investigate thousands of complaints and do education and outreach with a statewide staff that small, but we manage to do our best. In this year’s budget, the General Assembly gave the PHRC a 7.2-percent increase. We are grateful to all the legislators that helped us obtain the funding increase, which will be used by PHRC to hire additional investigators. As interim chairperson, I have tried my best to help make the General Assembly aware of PHRC’s need for a sustainable budget, which will allow us to most effectively do the work the law requires us to do. In summary, I’d like you to understand that the PHRC is an important resource for all Pennsylvanians. If you need our help, we will be there for you. At budget time next year, I’d ask that you reach out to your legislators to let them know that protecting civil rights in Pennsylvania is as important to you as it is to me. n M. Joel Bolstein, PHRC interim chairperson, has been serving on the PHRC since 1999. He was appointed by Gov. Wolf to serve as interim chair of the PHRC on April 18, 2016. Bolstein resides in Bucks County.

Thinking Queerly explores the psychological and social experiences of being LGBT in America and sheds light on the importance of LGBT community members prioritizing their mental health.

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PGN PROTEST from page 5

port contention of strategies and resources when they should be leveraged to propel the agenda. Crafted communications have sensationalized the conversation and provoked a divide that is not proactive. I hope we can soon move from a reactionary agenda to one that navigates and disrupts the cycle.” While Keyes is no longer involved in the daily operations of Philadelphia Black Pride, he helped lead last year’s town-hall meetings. He said the organization’s mission includes building equity for LGBT people of color, and hoped collaboration among activists could be possible. Keyes and Robin spoke privately while walking toward the Gayborhood. About two-dozen people marched to some LGBT bars after the Black and Brown Workers Collective delivered its letter to Fitzpatrick’s office. Muhammad said he also emailed the letter. They walked down the center of 12th Street with some police presence in tow. At ICandy, collective members left a pair of Timberland boots out front. Putting a plan into action Over the summer, Philadelphia received a $75,000 grant from the nonprofit Living Cities to improve racial equality in govern-

ment operations. Robin brought the grant to PGN’s attention. Ajeenah Amir, a spokesperson from the mayor’s office, said in a Sept. 23 email to PGN that she would look into how that money is being spent or what the city’s plans are for any remaining funds. As of presstime, information was not yet available about if or how the grant could be used to fund initiatives aimed at combatting racism in the Gayborhood. The city has some limits on how it can influence the operation of private businesses, officials have said. Robin said Fitzpatrick should consider lobbying City Council for funds to hire a policy analyst for the Office of LGBT Affairs. That person could review city laws for loopholes that make black and brown LGBT people vulnerable in public accommodations.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

group that produced a 19-page report on racism in Gayborhood bars in 1986, called it disappointing that the same discrimination continues today. The report made by the Coalition on Lesbian-Gay Bar Policies recommended that LGBT bars adopt a uniform policy on

Robin said Fitzpatrick should consider lobbying City Council for funds to hire a policy analyst for the Office of LGBT Affairs. That person could review city laws for loopholes that make black and brown LGBT people vulnerable in public accommodations.

History repeating itself Aaron Libson, who participated in a

requesting identification. Libson said he’d seen African-American men in their 30s turned away from bars because they didn’t have ID, while white men were permitted to enter without proving their age. He said the report was shared with representatives of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. Libson said some of those officials participated in test groups to observe bar policies in practice. It’s not clear if the human relations commission undertook further action as a

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result of the report. Rue Landau, executive director of the commission, was not immediately available for comment. Libson said people could also try petitioning the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. If the board finds certain bar practices discriminatory, it could take steps to remove an establishment’s liquor license. The liquor control board, in its “Identification Information” document, says carding is not required and licensees are permitted to establish “certain house rules,” as long as they are not “based upon illegally discriminatory reasons, such as race, gender or religion.” The board recommends “verifying the age of a patron by checking identification cards each and every time a patron is in the licensed establishment [to help] ensure that a licensee will not be in violation of the law,” meaning serving people under the age of 21. n Editor’s note: This story was changed from an earlier online version to reflect concerns from the Black and Brown Workers Collective. A quote from AbdulAliy Muhammad was not correctly transcribed from an audio recording of a public action at City Hall. It has been corrected. Other quotes arising from conversations that were not audio recorded have been removed, absent a method to double check their accuracy.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

PRISON from page 1

any kind of meaningful review.” Since 2012, Burton “has been subjected to pervasive sexual harassment and abuse because of her gender-related appearance, gender identity and transgender status — including being raped by another prisoner and forced by a guard to perform oral sex,” attorneys wrote in the complaint. She has been transferred a number of times and, at each facility besides Graterford — including Camp Hill, Fayette, Huntingdon, Albion, Somerset and Frackville — has encountered officials who partook in and allowed harassment because of her gender identity, attorneys state. According to the suit, at some facilities she was forced to shower in group stalls with no dividers and in one was denied a shower when she wouldn’t walk to the facility without a towel. PREA requires facilities to implement policies that prevent OITNB from page 1

toward unifying and coordinating our support for Clinton,” he said. “Pennsylvania is important and every day emerges as a more critical battleground state. Voter turnout is going to be key in who wins this election.” Other council members noted they got involved to prevent the election of Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has embraced an anti-LGBT running mate in Mike Pence. As governor of Indiana, Pence signed a religious-freedom measure that many saw as a license to discriminate. Pennsylvania’s representatives to the LGBT Leadership Council include activists like Sharron Cooks, Anne Wakabayashi and Malcolm Kenyatta, who were all delegates from the Philadelphia area to the Democratic National Convention. Also participating are state Rep. Brian Sims, Pennsylvania’s first elected openly gay state lawmaker; Mel Heifetz, the philanthropist who helped William Way LGBT Community Center purchase its building; and PGN publisher Mark Segal. People from Pittsburgh, Allentown,

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transgender inmates from showering, using the bathroom or changing clothes within view of non-medical staff of the opposite gender from that with which they identify, attorneys note in the suit. PREA guidelines also state transgender inmates should be searched by officers matching the inmate’s gender identity, unless there are extenuating circumstances. According to the suit, male corrections officers performed pat-downs during which they groped Burton. Burton contends corrections officers referred to her as “faggot,” “he/she” and “it”; intentionally called her “Mr. Burton,” while only referring to other inmates by their surnames; and made remarks about her breasts and other body parts, among other instances. According to the complaint, a corrections officer at Albion forced her to perform oral sex on him and threatened to kill her if she Reading, Lancaster and Altoona also form part of the council. In a statement, Lancaster-based transgender activist Joanne Carroll said, “Hillary Clinton has listened to our voices and knows what we’re up against, whether it’s violence targeted at our community or everyday hurdles like gender markers on identification documents. She has real plans to address our issues, and I’m proud to stand with her today.” For a full list of members in the LGBT Leadership Council for Pennsylvania, visit http://ow.ly/UEMS304zDdZ. Aduba wasn’t the only “OITNB” actor promoting LGBT voter outreach last weekend in Philadelphia. Diane Guerrero, who plays Maritza Ramos in the show, stopped by Equality Pennsylvania’s office at 12th and Chestnut streets to encourage young canvassers as they prepared to knock on doors in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties. She also shared her personal story; Guerrero’s parents were deported to Colombia when she was a child. n

told anyone. She did report the abuse to the DOC’s sexual-abuse hotline, but received no response. In May 2015, while at Somerset, Burton says a masked inmate entered her cell in the Restricted Housing Unit, where she was housed due to a minor disciplinary infraction, and forced her to perform oral sex on him and then choked and raped her. The two corrections officers on duty did not ensure the door was locked, the suit states. Burton reported the rape to DOC officials and state police, according to the filing. She utilized the sexual-abuse hotline a number of times in the last four years, to no avail, Rose said. Burton also filed a written request for a transfer to a women’s prison last year but did not receive a response from the Somerset superintendent, Rose said. She is now housed at Frackville.

According to the complaint, as a result of the sexual abuse and harassment, Burton regularly suffers nightmares and anxiety attacks that cause chest pain. Rose noted that transgender women are at increased risk of sexual violence; she pointed to a federal Bureau of Justice report that found, within one 12-month period, 40 percent of transgender inmates reported sexual abuse by other inmates and guards, which was about 10 times the rate of other inmates. “This is not just about Ms. Burton, but all transgender inmates in the DOC system,” Rose said. “There’s clearly a very high risk of sexual abuse for trans inmates and we want to make sure the DOC is taking steps to protect those inmates from sexual abuse and sexual harassment.” The defendants have the opportunity to respond to the complaint or file a motion for dismissal. n

LIB CITY from page 1

going to be the ones that have to do it. I just want them to know they have my support.” Banks’ Philadelphia trip also included a stop at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. In July, several-thousand students and alumni of the Wharton School signed an open letter to Trump, a graduate, saying they are “outraged that an affiliation with our school is being used to legitimize prejudice and intolerance.” “They wrote an open letter saying he does not represent us, stop saying you went to Penn,” Banks said. “I was like, retweet.” Liberty City also heard from Matt Darragh, who’s running for state representative in Northeast Philadelphia, and Mike Parrish, who’s running for Congress to represent parts of Chester and Montgomery counties. The club endorsed both, as well as Eugene DePasquale for state auditor general and Diane Cornman-Levy for a state representative from Delaware County. The Democratic club endorsed Clinton in the spring before the primary elections, along with a host of other local candidates. For more information, visit www.libertycity.org. n

historic moment of electing the first female president. “I think the rhetoric that Donald Trump brings up is life-threatening to people in your community,” Banks added. “I think it’s life-threatening to black people in America. I think his stance and support with the NRA is life-threatening … People’s lives are at stake. Hillary Clinton wants to protect those lives.” Banks said she grew up a “real product of the things that Democrats care about,” like subsidized childcare and affordable health care. In western Massachusetts, her father was “pink-slipped” three times while working for General Electric, and her mother worked first for a bank that got consumed by a larger institution then a toy company that went under due to market pressure from Amazon. She told PGN it was important to visit an LGBT space in Philadelphia. “The grassroots of the LGBT community, they get stuff done,” Banks said. “We’ve got to get every faction out to vote,” she added. “This group of people, these interested citizens, they’re on the ground. They’re

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

Gayborhood Crime Watch

HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIRECTORY rev. dr. Nadine

The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Sept. 12-18. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Crime Analyst Officer Robert Savino. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS.

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• 11:10 a.m. in the 500 block of Spruce St.; suspect was a bald black man wearing a gray T-shirt with “Party Reflections” written on back, tan shorts, white sneakers and carrying a blue duffel bag. • Aug. 23 in the 700 block of Walnut Street, Aug. 25 in the 700 block of Walnut Street and between Aug. 24-Sept. 5 in the 700 block of Walnut Street; suspect was a black man wearing a white baseball cap, a white T-shirt and faded black shorts. • Between 8:50 a.m.-5:22 p.m. Sept. 16 in the 800 block of Pine Street. • Between 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sept. 16 in the 800 block of Pine Street. • Between 9:50 a.m. Sept. 16 and 2 p.m. Sept. 17 in the 1200 block Pine Street. — Between 8:50 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. Sept. 16, someone broke into two separate buildings on the 800 block of Pine Street. Both were accessed by a common fire escape. The scenes were processed by a Sixth District crime scene-trained officer with negative results. Central Detectives is investigating the matter. — Between 9:50 a.m. Sept. 16 and 2 p.m. Sept. 17, an unknown individual gained access to an apartment window in the 1200 block of Spruce Street through a fire escape, stealing several items. A Sixth District crime scene officer lifted prints that will be analyzed. — At 2:15 p.m. Sept. 17, a man robbed the Dunkin Donuts at 808 Chestnut St. at gunpoint. He was described as black, about 45, with a slim build and dark complexion, wearing a dark

baseball cap and a blue jersey. — At 2:35 a.m. Sept. 18, police found a 22-year-old man suffering from a stab wound at 15th and Market streets and transported him to Hahnemann University Hospital. A blood trail was traced from 15th and Market to the 1200 block of Walnut Street. Central Detectives is investigating the matter. — There was one theft from a parked vehicle reported Sept. 12-18: in the 400 block of South Ninth Street. — There were three bicycle thefts reported Sept. 12-18: outside 1300 Irving St., 900 Clinton St. and 1300 Spruce St. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 5:50 p.m. Sept. 13, Center City District Officer Perkins arrested a 26-year-old man in the 200 block of South Broad Street for failure to appear on a prior criminal charge. — At 8 p.m. Sept. 16, Officers Seifert and Wenger arrested a 35-year-old man for committing a burglary inside Varga Bar, 941 Spruce St. The man was an employee and allegedly made an unauthorized entry into the establishment and stole money. SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 7:20 p.m. Sept. 12, a SEPTA Police Department officer arrested a 44-year-old man at 1100 Market St. for carrying a large amount of narcotics on the Market-Frankford Line. — At 8:20 a.m. Sept. 13, Center City District Officer Gough issued a summary citation to a 24-year-old man in the 100 block of South 12th Street. — At 11:40 a.m. Sept. 13, Sixth District Officer Downey issued a summary citation to a 45-year-old man for defiant trespass inside Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 111 S. 11th St. — At 1:37 a.m. Sept. 14, Sixth District Officer Coupas issued a summary citation to a 36-yearold man in the 1300 block of Locust Street for drinking from an open container of alcohol. — At 9:15 p.m. Sept. 18, Sixth District Officer Grant issued two summary citations to 48and 50-year-old men in the 300 block of South Juniper Street for drinking from open containers of alcohol. n

PGN LGBTQ Youth Supplement by our youth, for our youth, for our future

The case for gender-neutral bathrooms in Philadelphia high schools By Matthew Zarenkiewicz Age: 21 In November 2015, then-Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed a law requiring all new and renovated city buildings to scrap “men’s” and “women’s” bathrooms for gender-neutral bathrooms, a move in line with other major cities across the country such as Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas. Not yet known is to what extent this law has been effectively policed, or the number of $2,000 fines issued for non-compliance. However, this law raises an interesting question for other public and private Philadelphia institutions, specifically our public schools: Should they also have gender-neutral bathrooms as an option for students, faculty and

staff? And if the answer is yes, then should all their restrooms be converted to gender-neutral restrooms, or only some? The second question is more policy-based and something that should be

our society. That language may seem grandiose, but tied up in discussions of gender and sex politics are questions of morality and ethics. For example, those against bathroom choice or bath-

Quite simply, Philadelphia public and private high schools should be mandated to provide gender-neutral bathrooms to their students, staff and faculty, not as an option or alternative to “traditional” men’s and women’s bathrooms, but as their standard restroom for all. decided by people with knowledge about the logistics and cost of any proposed conversion. In fact, it is the first question that is of more importance to me, because inherent in it is a question about the moral bent of

room neutrality hurl invectives at transgender people whom they deem dangerous to society, specifically women and children. They are making a moral argument against bathroom choice and gender-neutral bathrooms.

Therefore, I want to meet them on their own moral terms. To be clear, I want to limit my advocacy in this piece to gender-neutral bathrooms in high schools. Colleges, public and private, have different choices to make and are not necessarily under the legal purview of Philadelphia City Council. And, while I may want to see gender-neutral bathrooms extend down to even elementary schools, this does not seem to be a political reality right now. Quite simply, Philadelphia public and private high schools should be mandated to provide gender-neutral bathrooms to their students, staff and faculty, not as an option or alternative to “traditional” men’s and women’s bathrooms, but as their standard restroom for all. Ideally, this would take the form of single-stall

bathrooms and common sinks, but I do not want to get distracted by the nitty gritty, and want to focus on why these bathrooms are a necessity. Our current sex-binary bathrooms hinge on flimsy moral ground and are based on a homophobic misunderstanding. First, the idea that bathrooms are currently divided by “the two genders” is incorrect. They are split by sex — anatomical, biological sex. The concept of gender is much more than organs or chromosomes and involves complex dynamics of expression and identity. Gender expression is how one displays gender to the world, and identity, one’s internal understanding of one’s own gender, requires thought as an individual and develops in conversation with the world outside PAGE 2

Trans teen recounts conversion camp By Eliana Berson Age: 16 Danielle Shade, 19, endured a full year of conversion therapy before even graduating high school. Shade was adopted from Yekaterinburg, Russia, by an American family when she was very young. She grew up in Philadelphia and primarily attended Abington schools. At the age of 12, Shade came out to her friends and family as gay. The response was mostly positive. However, at 14, Shade came out again, this time as transgender. “They [her parents] didn’t take it well,” Shade said. “It was easier to come out as gay than transgender. It created a lot of conflict in our house, and I was dealing with a lot of stress. My father especially did not accept it.” After years of tension between Shade and her parents, she awoke early one morning to find that her life had changed. Two men stood by her bed. Shade refers to these men as “transporters,” who promptly took her away to a conversion camp in Utah. Shade’s most prominent memories of Utah consist of abuse and neglect. She said she was made to feel inadequate. “I felt like I needed to change

who I was to meet other people’s standards — the standard of me not being myself, and being forced to live as a male,” she said. Upon arriving in Utah, her head was shaved and the therapy began. Among other things, Shade was left in a forest in the middle of the night, forced to find her way back through the dark with little sense of direction. She also had to sleep with the lights on and faced consequences if she covered her face. Escaping was no easy feat. Shade endured most of the therapy, which consisted of three programs. The first two did not allow any contact with the outside world. In the third, she was granted Internet access. She seized the opportunity and created a GoFundMe page. She raised money from friends and anyone else who happened upon the page. Eventually she amassed enough money to pay for a flight back from Utah. “I think what got me through the program the most was knowing who I was and that no one is going to make me change,” Shade said. “God put me on this earth just like he put everybody else. Everybody’s equal, and everybody deserves to wake up and be themselves. When you’re forced not to be yourself, you push 10 times harder to reach that goal. That’s what I hold onto.”

After her experience in Utah, Shade has taken a strong stance on the issue of conversion therapy. “It doesn’t change the person,” she said. “ As you can see, I’m back to living the way I feel like I was always meant to. Conversion therapy just delays the process of transitioning.” Shade said she is hopeful that her parents will come around. They are making slow progress towards understanding their daughter. Recently, Shade even attended church with her family, presenting as a woman. “They’ve learned that this is the way it’s going to be,” she said. Despite countless hardships, Shade keeps a positive attitude. She presents herself with confidence. “My confidence probably comes from my own opinion and viewpoint of myself,” she said, stating that she never lets other people’s opinions bother her. In high school, Shade dreamed of working at a beauty counter. She still wants to pursue this dream, and plans to attend school for beauty. She hopes to move back to the Philadelphia area and further her relationship with her parents. N Eliana Berson is a junior at Abington Senior High School. She is considering a college degree in English or social studies, with a minor in musical theater.

QSPOT SPOTLIGHT: About 20 local youth took to the stage Sept. 23 at William Way LGBT Community Center’s for “Next Wave.” Organized by QSpot, the concert allowed LGBT and ally youth to explore their talents through performance art. Proceeds from the event benefitted Q Spot, which hosts monthly social and educational events for youth. Photo: Scott A. Drake

What’s inside — Punk rock in Brooklyn: page 2 — Shing light on LGBT, African identies: page 3 — I voted for Bernie ... : page 5 — The Art of Drag: page 6 — A worldwide support system, poetry: page 7 — Youth Pride recap: page 8

Also:

College GSAs, scholarship info, fall happenings, HIV testing sites, youth safe spaces

PAGE 2

PGN LGBTQ YOUTH SUPPLEMENT

Punk cabaret band takes over Brooklyn By Eliana Berson Age: 16 A crowd of 5,000 gathered outside the Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y., last month. Everyone was there to witness the reunion of The Dresden Dolls. The band broke up in 2007, but returned in August to perform two reunion shows. The band consists of Amanda Palmer, who is a member of the LGBT community, and Brian Viglione. Palmer plays the keyboard and sings, while Viglione primarily plays the drums and occasionally the guitar. They coined the term “punk cabaret,” as their music has a punk edge, but also a very dramatic and rich sound. Before the concert, volunteer street performers stood around the venue entertaining the concert-goers. Living statues, singers and a tarot-card reader entranced the fans. This is a common practice from the early days of The Dresden Dolls when the volunteers were known as “the Brigade.” The audience sported dark clothes and eccentric makeup, emulating the style of The Dolls. BATHROOM from page 1

one’s self. Without entering too far into academia, the concepts of sex, gender expression and gender identity are three distinct and individual markers of one’s larger identity, which also includes race, ethnicity, age and other things. Our bathrooms are currently split as though the concept of women-ness is stable and in line with sex, gender expression and identity. And to be fair, for some people that is true — they have female sex organs, identify and express as a woman. But for others that is not true, and they are the ones in need of gender-neutral bathrooms. As those in opposition to bathroom neutrality and freedom have argued, the idea that gender-neutral bathrooms pose a risk to women because men will use it as a way to prey on them is completely false, not based on criminal evidence and homophobic. All men are not naturally searching for women in a sexual way, and the idea that men are also preying on women in general is a sign of our culture of rape and violence towards women. That claim says more about straight, cisgender men than it does about the transgender community. Finally, there has been a swift invocation by those in favor of gen-

Some wore Victorian-style corsets and suits, while many preferred the black-and-white-striped tights worn by Palmer. The opening act was PWR BTTM, a queer-core punk band composed of Liv Bruce and Ben Hopkins. They came onstage in lovely floor-length dresses and glitter-streaked faces. After cracking a few jokes, they began their set with an ear-splitting guitar riff, and launched into a series of upbeat songs off their album “Ugly Cherries.” They sang about falling in love with straight men (“West Texas”) and discussing your sexuality with your parents (“Serving Goffman”). The crowd responded positively to their strong vocals and lighthearted attitudes. Palmer and Viglione soon took their places. The stage was remarkably bare, and the two were seated opposite one another. As The Dolls started playing, their old chemistry was rekindled. Their eyes locked from across the stage, and they played as if they were 10 years younger in the midst of The Dolls’ golden age. Palmer attacked the keyboard with hands like claws, pounding out dissonant but harmonious tunes. Viglione kept the

rhythm with equal violence, both of their faces contorted in concentration. They mostly sang their classics, such as “Missed Me” and “The Jeep Song.” In addition, they jokingly dedicated a cover of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath to Donald Trump. The Dolls aren’t afraid to be political or controversial, as they sing about personal topics such as divorce (“Half Jack”), or even a jazzy number about abortion (“Mandy Goes to Med School”). Throughout the concert, the crowd screamed and cheered for the wonderful display of talent and raw emotion. The lights flashed wildly, accentuating each drumbeat. Palmer’s deep voice leapt from a whisper to practically a yell in a matter of seconds. The duo eventually left the stage, only to return for two encores. The Dresden Dolls put on a wonderful show. Before the final song, the band declared that they have future plans to play together. The world will surely see more of the Dresden Dolls. N

der-neutral bathrooms of the civil-rights movement of the 1960s and the racially segregated bathrooms of the time. I find this comparison more instructive about the psychology of discrimination than useful

ly not different, actually want the same things from life, and using a restroom, a simple request, does not need to be loaded with the baggage of superficial sex difference. Philadelphia high schools need gender-neutral bathrooms because the logic of sex-differentiated bathrooms does not follow. I will conclude with this: If we are indeed going to continue to allow a hegemonic gender binary regime derived from misogyny, heterosexism and homophobia control and restrict the fulfillment of human capacity, then certainly we must continue to allow that same regime to control our very base needs in the restroom. However, if we allow for a modicum of progressive, left-leaning imagination to take over, regardless of practicality or use, but simply based on the desire to fulfill the needs of a forgotten collective as the gender non-conforming/gender-queer/gender-neutral community, then we can have our city on a hill, our community of friendship and a city of brotherly (sic) love. N

The idea that gender-neutral bathrooms pose a risk to women because men will use it as a way to prey on them is completely false, not based in criminal evidence and homophobic. in comparing race and gender as oppressed entities. The racially discriminated bathrooms of Jim Crow were based on the inherent belief that people of color were inherently different from and also inherently dangerous to white people. The logic of bathroom sex distinction is similar: Men and women are inherently different, and also men are inherently after women. I would argue men and women are actual-

Eliana Berson is a junior at Abington Senior High School. She is considering a college degree in English or social studies, with a minor in musical theater.

Matthew Zarenkiewicz is a senior at Villanova University studying humanities and is in the Institute for Global Interdisciplinary Studies and Honors Department. He is also a co-chair for VU Pride, Villanova’s LGBTQ+ and ally organization.

FALL 2016

College GSAs Bryn Mawr College — Rainbow Alliance: A social, cultural and political group that fosters an LGBT-supportive environment; www.brynmawr. edu/pensby/AMORA.html. Bucks County Community College — Open Door Club: Provides a safe haven for LGBT campus community members and works to combat stigma on campus; max.probst@bucks. edu. Cabrini University — Spectrum: Strives to educate students about LGBT issues and teach the principles of “allyship”; www.facebook.com/ OutREACHGSA/. Chestnut Hill College —

H.E.R.O. (Helping Educate Regarding Orientation): Promotes awareness of and appreciation for the LGBT community and works to instill a sense of unity among the community and allies; kociszewskim@chc.edu.

Community College of Philadelphia — Gay/Straight

Alliance: Advocates for LGBT inclusion and acceptance on campus with programming and events, and offers resources for LGBT and ally campus communities; www.facebook.com/ CCPGSA.

Drexel University —

LGBTQA Student Center: Supports the development, growth and education of Drexel students with a safe and inclusive campus location for the community and allies on campus; Creese Student Center Room 48-C, inclusion@drexel.edu or 215-571-4653.

La Salle University — The Alliance: Pledges to provide a safe place and support for the LGBT members of the community; http://studentaffairs.lasalle. edu/umas/service-opportunities/ advocacy-groups/the-alliance/or gauss01@lasalle.edu. Philadelphia University — Gay/Straight Alliance: Connects LGBT campus community with resources throughout the university and region; lazorko8270@ mail.philau.edu or rusinkoc@ philau.edu.

Saint Joseph’s University — The Alliance: Fosters open and honest discussion about diversity and LGBT issues and works to affect an environment where homophobia and hatred are replaced by mutual understanding and respect; www.sju.edu/int/ resources/alliance/about.html; gsa@sju.edu. Temple University — Queer

Student Union: Strives to provide a safe environment on campus for all LGBT students; www.facebook.com/TempleQsu or templequeerstudentunion@gmail.com.

Thomas Jefferson University — Jeff LGBTQ: An educational

resource, a support and outreach group and a social/professional networking organization for LGBT students; JeffLGBTQ@ jefferson.edu.

University of the Arts — Queer Student Advocacy Group: Undergraduate and graduate students help build an inclusive environment through events, socials and meetings; www.uarts.edu/students/lgbt-resources or 215-717-6630. University of Pennsylvania — LGBT Center: More than 20 undergraduate and graduate LGBT student groups abound at Penn, with meetings and community events held at the Center, 3907 Spruce St.; www. vpul.upenn.edu/lgbtc/, center@ dolphin.upenn.edu or 215-8985044. University of the Sciences — Alliance: Increases awareness of LGBT issues on campus and provides support for LGBT students, faculty, administration and staff; orgs.usciences. edu/alliance/; alliance@mail. usciences.edu. West Chester University — LGBTQQA Services: Provides information, resources, support and programming for the campus community and is home to the LGBTQA Student Organization; LGBTQA@ wcupa.edu, www.wcupa.edu/_ services/stu.lgb/. N

PGN LGBTQ YOUTH SUPPLEMENT

FALL 2016

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION Lax Scholarship Fund for Gay Men

1. For more information, visit www.pointfoundation.org.

The Lax Scholarship Fund was established in 1994 by the late entrepreneur and inventor Jonathan R. Lax for the purpose of encouraging gay men to obtain additional education; aspiring to positions in which they contribute to society; being out about their sexual orientation; and acting as role models for other gay men with similar potential. Tuition scholarships are awarded in amounts $5,000 and $10,000 to men who live in the five-county Philadelphia region and Camden County; who are attending accredited colleges, graduate or professional schools anywhere; or to men attending such schools within the Philadelphia region. Email lax@breadrosesfund. org for more information. Visit www.breadrosesfund.org for the application form, which is due Nov. 1.

Frankel-Adair Scholarship for LGBT Students

Point Foundation Scholarship

IBA/DVLF LGBTQ Scholarship Award

The nation’s largest higher-education scholarship-granting organization for LGBT students offers direct financial contribution towards education costs and mentors for leadership development. Point Foundation evaluates academic performance, leadership skills, financial need, personal goals and involvement in the LGBT community. Students who have lost social support of their families or communities because of their LGBT identity are strongly encouraged to apply. The first part of the three-part application process opens Nov.

The Frankel-Adair scholarship provides $1,500 in support of post-secondary education to an LGBT student. The scholarship honors the late Larry Frankel, former executive and legislative director of the ACLU-PA, and the benefactor, Thomas T. Adair. Applicants must identify as LGBT; study or plan to study in the Greater Philadelphia area (preference given to those originally from this area); pursuing post-secondary education as a parttime or full-time student. For more information, visit www. aclupa.org/education/frankel-adair-scholarship/, email frankelscholarship@aclupa. org or call 215-592-1513. Applications will be accepted starting March 1.

The $2,500 scholarship is awarded for educational expenses to include tuition, books and supplies and/or room and board. Applicants must identify as LGBT or ally; be enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university in the Greater Philadelphia region; be pursuing an undergraduate degree in a business program; and be able to demonstrate leadership. Application deadline is in the spring. For more information, visit www.thinkiba.com.

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‘For Sizakele’ shines a light on LGBT, African identities By Jeremy Rodriguez Age: 25 Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene had a specific goal in mind when writing “For Sizakele.” “I started writing this story because I wanted to create what I did not see in libraries or bookstores: a story about Black dykes loving each other that wasn’t erotica,” she writes in the novel’s outroduction. Etaghene succeeds in this mission with her first novel, a mashup of a romantic love story and thought-provoking themes of what it means to be LGBT and black. The story focuses on Taylor, a Nigerian college student in New York City, as she struggles with her femme and African identities while in a relationship with her girlfriend, Lee. When Taylor meets Sy, a Cameroonian photographer, she feels an instant connection and develops romantic feelings. From there, Taylor deals with Lee’s jealousy and struggles to decide what she wants romantically and spiritually. The overall plot may take place in a soap-opera backdrop, but “For Sizakele” also showcases important issues that will resonate with anyone in the LGBT community. One important conversation about bisexuality comes to mind. During a heated discussion, Lee tells

Taylor, who identifies as bisexual and femme, about how she can “slip in and out of both worlds” and how Taylor has a “choice” to get away from the persecution faced by the LGBT community. Since Lee describes herself as “butch,” she feels she cannot “pass” like Taylor and also fears her girlfriend will leave her for a man. Taylor gets angry about Lee’s biphobia. In addition to these universal LGBT issues, “For Sizakele” also manages to illustrate the unique struggles of identifying as African. Early in the story, Taylor cooks plantains and gets upset when Lee refers to them as “plátanos,” since that particular word does not hold the same cultural significance as it would to a Latina. Taylor would rather take pride in her Urhobo heritage. But when Lee reinforces how “plantain” is an English word and how it doesn’t matter whether she refers to them with an English or Spanish word, Taylor doesn’t know how to reply and points out how she cannot speak Urhobo. This conversation may seem insignificant when taken out of context but through Taylor’s eyes, it illustrates how she perceives her identity. She even tells another character how she desires going home to Naija to escape her problems. Another aspect where “For

GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meets at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J. Schedule at www. glbtofhunterdon countyofnj. com; 908-300-1058.

the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J. Call Connie at 609-683-5155 (day); hitops.org.

HAVEN For GLBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20; meets 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-8682153.

Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center For ages 14-21; meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org.

HiTOPS A safe-space support program for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. on

Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 13-23 meets 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays at 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215-496-0330.

PRYSM Youth Center For youth ages 14-20. Meets 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610-357-9948.

Sizakele” succeeds is the balancing of multiple characters’ stories. Etaghene uses Taylor’s first-person narrative as the bulk of the story but also devotes entire chapters to Sy and Lee told through third-person perspectives. Additionally, she weaves multiple types of writing such as emails, instant messages and poetry. These different forms of writing add some variety to the story without slowing down the narrative. As for the overall plot, Etaghene’s storyline is not wrapped up in a pretty bow. With no designated beginning, middle and end, the focus becomes each character’s journey through healing rather than the destination of a happy ending. This open-ended form of storytelling makes “For Sizakele” a relatable read for all audiences. While Taylor, Sy and Lee don’t necessarily ride off into their own sunsets, “For Sizakele” will make the reader root for these characters to find inner clarity and self-love while also giving the reader hope of finding his or her own. “For Sizakele” is available for purchase at RedBonePress.com. N Jeremy Rodriguez is a freelance writer and blogger from Eastampton, N.J. Since graduating from Rowan University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he has had work featured in several newspapers and entertainment blogs.

Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Planned Parenthood of Chester County’s West Chester office, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267-687-6648. Young, Trans and Unified A support group for transgender and questioning youth ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center. Youth Making a Difference For GLBTQ African-American and Latino youth ages 14-24. Meets 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.

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PGN LGBTQ YOUTH SUPPLEMENT

FALL 2016

PGN LGBTQ YOUTH SUPPLEMENT

FALL 2016

I voted for Bernie but I’ll never be a Buster By Sean Morris Like many people, I was a fan of Bernie Sanders. His optimism and new ideas brought a breath of fresh air to the political process and gave me and many more a new a sense of hope for the future. However, he lost the Democratic nomination and will not be president of the United States. While this comes at a blow to many, including those who were voting for the first time, some have responded in what I view to be a drastic way. Some of Sanders’ supporters and others in between the parties have worked up such a hatred that they are unwilling to vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. These decisions have troubled me and so I decided to explore my reasons behind voting for Clinton to try to sway anyone who is having doubts — and to give Bernie or Bust supporters some information about the consequences their actions could have. Clinton is a great candidate; she is battle-tested with numerous years of experience and has many progressive goals. On her website, she has a clear agenda with detailed plans that leave me confident that she would be able to accomplish much of what she has set out to do. While some may view

her opinion on marriage equality (which she previously opposed) politically convenient, I fire back with the simple fact that she is a politician — a group of people who will keep their personal feelings out of politics and adapt to the times. And it’s worth noting that President Obama was previously against marriage equality until the year of his re-election which, in all honestly, sounds more politically convenient than clinton changing her mind a few years ago. But ultimately, the election isn’t so much about Clinton but the reality of if she looses — and that would be Donald Trump becoming the leader of the free world. Trump is a man whom we have heard about every single day for the past year, and every time he’s mentioned, my blood boils just a little hotter. His attacks against a grieving military family, his countless racist comments, his inability to make a clear position without changing it, his blocking of the press from his rallies and encouraging violence among his followers are troubling to even type, as I sit here worried about what it means that so many Americans support him. Trump and Clinton could not be a further dichotomy from each other and to say they are the same isn’t paying attention to

the evidence. For anyone who is considering a third-party candidate, I would dismiss those notions entirely. No third-party candidate has been elected to the office of president in more than a century and this year will be no different. Theodore Roosevelt — a living legend even in his own time — could not win the presidency under a third-party ticket when he ran for reelection. Instead, he split his former party’s vote and the president that did win would later play a film that glorifies the Ku Klux Klan. History is doomed to repeat itself for those who do not listen, and this time is no different. This election is particularly important when it comes to the rights of minorities. While there are endless accounts of Trump’s racism and bigotry, shall focus on the one that this newspaper focuses on: the LGBT community. Despite Trump’s claims that he supports LGBT equality, he has done nothing to support that notion. He has stated his opposition to marriage equality and would nominate a Supreme Court justice who would overturn marriage equality, among other important laws. Trump’s vice-presidential candidate has one of the worst LGBT-rights records out there and has supported “reli-

gious-freedom” bills and was recently revealed to encourage not hiring gay employees. Make no mistake: This duo could very well led to a turn back of the eight years of progress that our community has fought so hard to have. And let’s not doubt that they can do it. Congress is full of stubborn GOP politicians who are willing to do anything against the Democratic Party. One thing I know from history is that evil men will act as they wish even when we doubt their ability to do so. So to Bernie or Busters, while I understand your frustrations and pain, there is a larger picture here. Minorities in the United States cannot afford a Trump presidency. Sanders himself has actively campaigned for Clinton, and has pushed Clinton more to the left as time has gone. Don’t let his message and work be in vain by allowing a man who is the complete opposite of what Sanders believes in become the president in lieu of a woman who will actively work for a better America for all — and has a proven track record to do so. When the election results come in, I want to be hopeful for the future, and not fearing for the lives of myself and my friends. N

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LGBT Youth Supplement Read about the issues and ideas impacting local teens — from school bullying to campus safe spaces to legislative developments — written in their own words. The first-ever section created for and by LGBT youth appears twice a year.

Sean Morris is a freshman at Temple University studying film.

Welcome to Lansdowne Friends School (Pre-k through 6th)

Grounded in Quaker values, our curriculum engages children as they develop academically, socially and spiritually. It is designed so that each child has a personal stake in their education: Learning science and the outdoors, mathematics, language and discussion, art and physical education. This experience produces scholars comfortable asking questions, conversing with adults, courageously putting forth their ideas and believing that education is practical, relevant,meaningful and fun.

Only in Special Supplement Appearing Spring and Fall

PGN LGBTQ YOUTH SUPPLEMENT

PAGE 6

FALL 2016

Youth celebrate the art of drag at William Way By Stephanie Barron Age: 21 Two hours before the show, the room inside the William Way LGBT Center looks like any other town hall — one can imagine it hosting a bake sale or Bingo or a Bar Mitzvah reception. Parents set up snacks and baked goods on two long, plastic folding tables. Others set up black folding chairs facing a temporary stage. A woman hooks up DJ equipment next to the small stage, the piano pushed off to the side. Feather fans begin to cover a table. Dozens of curling irons, combs, make–up mirrors and brushes emerge on another, along with make–up and glitter in every color, and a Hello Kitty box. A bearded man in studded leather platform boots approaches and begins to apply make–up to the face of a little boy. This is Esai, and he is 11 years old. According to his mother, Dre, he has been sneaking her heels into his bedroom since he was much younger. Dre is a drag performer herself, having produced another drag show by the name of “Fierce” — the only queer burlesque festival in the world. She also produced the first non–gender binary talent show for kids, “Twinkle.” “Burlesque is the art of the strip tease,” she explains, “and drag is the opposite because you’re putting on a different gender.” Esai’s birthmother, who is transgender, is now his father. Dre said she hopes her son will perform in “Twinkle” next year. When Esai slides down from his chair, his blonde hair is in tight curls, his lips are purple and

Center City ActionAIDS 1026 Arch St. 267-940-5515 Mon. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tues. 10 a.m.-noon Wed. 1-4 p.m. Thur. noon-2 p.m. ActionAIDS North Office 2641 N. Sixth St. 215-291-9700 Third Tuesdays 1-4 p.m. The Attic Youth Center 55 S. 16th St. 215-545-4331

his eyes are lidded with pink and silver eye shadow against his rosy face. He teeters by in heeled boots far too big for him and changes out of his purple “We Are Made of Stars” T–shirt. He could be any little girl playing dress-up, save for the expert cosmetic application. Sofia, 12, is at the table too. “Hold still,” she says to her little brother Max, 8, as she powders his cheeks. Having grown up with two mothers interested in drag and even attending “RuPaul’s Drag Race” shows as a family, Sofia and Max each have their own drag personas. Max goes by “Moulin Rouge” because he likes the color red. Sofia’s faux drag — the art of a woman “dragging up to drag-queen level” — name is “Lady Poison,” which she developed after an assistant at a make– up store misread her surname. When it came time to choose a Bat Mitzvah project for her progressive synagogue, Mishkan Shalom in Mt. Airy, Sofia opted to combine her love of make–up with her family’s shared passion. “Which was drag,” she said. Part of the purpose of a Bat Mitzvah project, Sofia explains, is to “give back to the community.” She believes that, by organizing and developing a youth drag camp program, she can “help kids figure out who they are through the art of drag.” This whole event is her brainchild. “I don’t have another wing,” Max whines when Sofia turns from his uneven eyes to greet an attendee. “Just a minute,” says Sofia. “No glitter glue!” their mother, Lady Desire, warns. “I had to duct tape that off you yes-

terday.” Every few minutes you hear “hold still” or “ready?” — followed by the spray of a hairspray canister. Many of the adults present, aiding with make–up and setting up chairs, are burlesque performers. “Burlesque is fancy strippers singing a comedy story,” explains Lascivious Jane, the faux drag queen who donated the costumes. “But yes, we do go down to a G– string normally.” LJ, who is also a Ph.D. student of human sexuality at Widener University, believes that being exposed to drag offers young children a chance to explore and gain a “wider understanding” of gender. “They see the fabulous hair, the costumes, the rhinestones and that fuels creativity,” she said. She is careful, however, never to perform in front of her step–children. “I don’t talk to them about the burlesque,” she said. Her friend, Buster Britches, has developed a separate routine for underage audiences — he has performed at daycare centers and family events. He also works as a magician. “My partner has the same Muggle name as me so now my drag name is my Muggle name,” he said. “Now I’m Buster all the time.” Max emerges as Moulin Rouge in a long strapless ball gown with gloves. All red, all not quite fitting his prepubescent male body. LJ rushes over to tape the chest of his dress down. Max squats down to a mirror to place a gray feather in his hair and throws his bare shoulders and gloved forearms out in a pose. He spins around, then stops. “Oh God,” he says. “I’m dizzy.” He regains his balance and struts

over to Desire, striking a pose for the camera. “He just chooses to express himself in this way,” Desire said. “He isn’t gay. He crushes on girls.” It’s time to prepare for the show. LJ takes the children and a few of the volunteers into a back room. She gives all the children a stern look. “No more glitter throwing,” she says. “That’s non-consensual glittering.” Then she has them join hands to perform a ritual she does in preparation for her own burlesque shows. “Now,” she says, “we thank the god of glitter and goddess of moustaches.” She asks who else the children would like to thank. They name Sofia and the bearded and heeled make–up artist. “I want to thank everyone who put this together,” one child says. The children line up at the entrance to the hall and Sofia sits down to put on her black stilettos. “How is there glitter in my shoe?” she exclaims, holding one up. But she fastens the straps because it’s time for the show. “It’s been a pleasure to see how passionate and fierce they already are,” says Desire into the microphone, before Sofia comes out to dance and lip-synch to Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like A Woman.” She has a remarkable dexterity with heels for a girl of 12. Esai kicks off his heels as he lip-synchs to “Cheap Thrills” by Sia. Max dances to “No” by Meghan Trainor, periodically dropping into the splits in his long red dress. None of this is choreographed — it really is just kids dancing around, playing dress–up, having fun.

During the break, the children run to the snack tables. Esai shoves harvest cheddar potato chips into his purple mouth. Max models the purple glitter on his back for a family friend. “So many of us had a hard coming out because we came from more traditional families,” Desire says. “I think that Disney [and various other television networks] doesn’t address sexuality but it implies sexuality by featuring only heterosexual coupling. There’s still an implied sexuality.” And this can narrow children’s understanding of gender and sexuality, she contends. She believes that projects like “Fierce” have the power to break this cycle. “I think allowing kids to find out what makes them shine is really what a parent’s job is: being able to say, ‘You know, that skirt is a little too short right now,’ being gentle with them, being able to tolerate their fits when they come, to just let them know that they’re loved. They can withstand anything that comes from the world, because they have safety at home.” When the show starts up again, Esai and another child run in screaming, early on cue. They turn around, giggling. Now it’s time to “lip synch for your life.” Three children dance around in front of the stage. Esai and another child follow each other around, while Max struts away to isolate himself and strike poses. They all win, of course. N Stephanie Barron is an English major at University of Pennsylvania, pursuing a career in journalism. She is the culture editor of 34th Street Magazine.

Philadelphia HIV testing sites Mazzoni Center and GALAEI’s Washington West Project 1201 Locust St. Mon.-Thur. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat. 1-5 p.m. 215-985-9206 Planned Parenthood Elizabeth Blackwell Office 1211 Chestnut St. Suite 405 215-496-9696 Mon.-Wed. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thur. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Planned Parenthood Locust Office 1144 Locust St. 215-351-5560 Mon. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues. and Thurs. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Wed. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. William Way LGBT Community Center 1315 Spruce St. 215-732-2220 Mon. 4-7 p.m. Youth Health Empowerment Project 1417 Locust St., third floor 215-564-6388

South/West Philadelphia CHOP 3550 Market St., fourth floor 215-590-3537 Health Center #3 555 S. 43rd St. 215-685-7504 Health Center #4 4400 Haverford Ave. 215-685-7601/7654 Urban Solutions 1408 S. Broad St., first floor 215-755-0700

North Philadelphia Congreso 216 W. Somerset St. 215-763-8870 Walk-in hours Wednesdays and Thursdays Covenant House Health Services 251 E. Bringhurst St. 215-844-1020 GALAEI 215-851-1822 Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Maria de los Santos Health Center 425 W. Allegheny Ave. 215-291-2500 PHMC Health Connection 1035 W. Berks St. 215-765-6690 Planned Parenthood Far Northeast 2751 Comly Road 215-464-2225 Mon. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tues. and Thur. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed. and Fri. noon-3 p.m. Sat. noon-2 p.m. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, 3601 A St. 215-427-5000

PGN LGBTQ YOUTH SUPPLEMENT

FALL 2016

Poetry Corner By Timothy Wayne Moore Age: 29

Caterpillar into a Butterfly The process of growth feels more like The turning of a caterpillar into a butterfly, A complete melt down inside Boundaries erected serve to protect and cover The transformation from crawling to flying Healing can be ugly especially in the falling, In placing oneself in the depths of pain, Just to understand why not to come back again Others don’t feel the heavy rain The real process of filling holes Discovered while old, an adult with foundations missing Surviving, and falling, to learn how to one day keep soaring In time a healthier picture will be for the victor The one who is trying despite misconceptions Will grow with persistence, Due diligence will help nurture better options True wisdom is in leaving accustomed pain To turn and face the light of the sun again

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A worldwide support system By Shauna Longshore Age: 21 It is no secret that the Internet has captured the minds and souls of millennials. Social media has progressed rapidly, and we struggle to keep up with trends that come and go in mere weeks or days. These platforms such as YouTube have allowed ordinary people to become public figures, who entertain and influence the masses by posting short videos from home showing glimpses of their everyday lives. Some may find this intrusive or wasteful, but something valuable has risen from this new realm of mass media: a worldwide support system for LGBTQ+ youth. The LGBTQ+ influencers on this platform have created a safe space for questioning or closeted teens to interact with Internet personalities who have allowed them to relate to their own struggles, and have shown them that it is possible to live a normal and comfortable life as a queer individual.

One example of this is Ashley Mardell, a YouTuber who chose to center her content around both teaching others and learning more about the LGBTQ+ community. Recently, Mardell created a series on her channel called the “ABC’s of LGBT,” a series dedicated to exploring various types of sexuality and gender and their definitions. When asked about her favorite part of creating these types of videos, Mardell said, “I like learning. I get to learn from fellow YouTubers or viewers about the correct language, and it creates a two-way conversation. For example, I never understood how awesome and diverse the ace and aro community was until I began my series. It is such a supportive community”. Mardell went on to describe how her curiosity and passion for learning has allowed her to broaden her mind and how she views the LGBTQ community. She agreed that having a community where creators don’t

necessarily fit stereotypes provides great representation and helps younger people feel less alone in their thoughts and feelings. Mardell stressed, “Sometimes people think we all have to pick a label, but that is definitely not the case. You don’t have to box yourself in with labels, but if you do, then I am here to provide you with that language”. Even other YouTubers, such as Tyler Oakley and Hannah Hart, have shown similar support for LGBTQ+ youth with videos detailing their experiences of coming out and how their lives changed for the better, even if their experiences were not completely positive at first. While the outside world can be unpredictable in its responses, having public figures who can bring people together and support or educate them is paramount in creating change for the future. N Shauna Longshore is a mass-communications major at the University of South Florida.

Fall Out & About

My Side No one saved me, Not present in my breaking Yet people keep sharing how I can do better, Be further in serving the needs of others. Easy feedback regarding perceived weakness, Areas that need improving Relentless opinions will keep raining Yet so much attention on experiences only I lived in Helps others lose the focus in how they’re living N Timothy Wayne Moore is pursuing a nonprofit career as a case manager and aims to obtain a master’s degree in leadership. He is also a musician whose work can be found at www.soundcloud.com/ timwmoore87.

Youth Resources ■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331; atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. See the Youth section for more events. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044; center@dolphin.upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. ■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065 rainbowroom@ppbucks.org.

Back-to-School Mini Ball 6-8 p.m. Sept. 30 The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St. Strut the runway at this mini ball to mark the back-to-school season. For more info, visit atticyouthcenter.org. TNP’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” 8-10 p.m. Oct. 1 William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. Transylvanian Nipple Productions, Philly’s own Rocky Horror troupe, performs its annual show at William Way, with proceeds benefitting the center. Tickets are $10 for William Way members and $12 for non-members. Prop bags will be available for purchase for $2. For more info, call 215-732-2220, email info@ waygay.org or visit facebook.com/ PhillyRockyHorror. Philly Trans* March 3-6 p.m. Oct. 8 Thomas Paine Plaza, 1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard The sixth-annual march to celebrate the trans community is organized by Trans-Health Information Project, a program of GALAEI. For more information, visit http://ow.ly/4Fnv304due7. Indigo Ball 5:30-11 p.m. Sofitel Hotel, 120 S. 17th St. The William Way LGBT Community Center marks its annual gala with a black-tie-optional dinner, dancing,

an awards presentation and more. For more information, visit waygay. org. OutFest Noon-6 p.m. Oct. 9 Gayborhood The world’s largest celebration of National Coming Out Day takes over the Gayborhood, with games, performances, vendors and more. See www.phillygaypride.org for more info. Fall Ball Masquerade Fundraiser 7-11 p.m. Oct. 15 Loews Philadelphia Hotel, 1200 Market St. This over-21 event benefits Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus and features dinner, dancing and performances by PGMC. Visit pgmc.org for more information. ActionAIDS/ActionWellness 30th Anniversary Event 6-10 p.m. Oct. 21 Hamilton Hall, 320 S. Broad St. The community comes together to support the 30-year milestone of ActionWellness (previously ActionAIDS) with a black-tie-optional dinner, emceed by 6ABC’s Adam Joseph and featuring a performance by Broadway’s Ann Hampton Calloway. For tickets, visit actionwellness.org. Kemar Jewel Presents The Attic’s Annual Halloween Mini Ball 6-8 p.m. Oct. 28

The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St. Celebrate ballroom culture and the Halloween holiday with The Attic. See atticyouthcenter.org for more information. Philadelphia Family Pride Family Matters Conference 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 29 University of the Sciences, 600 S. 43rd St. The seventh-annual conference features workshops for LGBT parents and prospective parents as well as programming for youth ages 7-18, with a keynote by activist and performer Staceyann Chin. For more info, visit philadelphiafamilypride. org. Zombie Homecoming Dance GayBINGO 7-9:30 p.m. Oct. 29 Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St. AIDS Fund hosts its monthly Bingo extravaganza, this time with a Halloween them, to raise funds for its work on behalf of people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS. Election Nov. 8 Visit pavoterservices.state.pa.us to find your polling place, and make your voice heard as we pick our next president and other elected officials! The Attic programming Ongoing

Visit atticyouthcenter.org/calendar for a full listing of weekly groups and activities.

OUTFEST

IS OCT. 9 PGN’S PREVIEW ISSUE IS FRIDAY OCT. 7

Youth Pride evolves in Mazzoni Center’s second-annual event By Jeremy Rodriguez Age: 25 Sean Morris, an 18-year-old freshman at Temple University, did not have a Youth Pride celebration to attend when he was younger. “It might’ve helped me come to terms with who I was a little bit easier and maybe I would’ve been able to do more if I was introduced to more of [the LGBTQ community] in the beginning,” Morris said. Now, all LGBTQ youth in Philadelphia have a way to celebrate their pride. On Aug. 6, Mazzoni Center hosted Youth Pride at Palumbo Playground for LGBTQ individuals ages 13-24. The second-annual event featured a carnival theme and spoken-word performances from young performers. “I think it’s important for youth to have their own kind of event because they deserve to be able to celebrate who they are and they shouldn’t have to wait several years in order to do so,” said Morris, who was on the Student Leadership Board that helped organize Youth Pride. Morris also noted how this event could benefit LGBTQ youth. “It allows for community building at a younger age,” he said. “It creates positive reinforcement for their identity in who they are. It’s a great way to build unity and build strength in a younger generation and they can continue that unity and strength as they grow older.” Tasha Wirth, the Ally Safe Schools Coordinator at Mazzoni Center, said she sees a benefit in having a separate space for young folks that is removed from alcohol and older adults. “For young people as well as for sober people in the city, there aren’t a lot of oppor-

tunities for building community outside of the bars in Philadelphia,” Wirth said. “It’s really important to us to recognize that there’s a need for a space for young people to be able to hang out and not have to worry about people trying to aggress them or approach them.” Youth Pride has changed since the first event in 2015 when Mazzoni Center collaborated with Philly Pride Presents. The event began with a series of workshops at William Way LGBT Community Center and concluded with games, activities and other festivities. This year, in lieu of the workshops, Youth Pride consisted solely of the carnival theme with Mazzoni Center as sole coordinator. For future Youth Pride events, organizers hope even more changes go into effect. In addition to seeing an increase in attendance, Morris said he would like to see young people become better activists in their community, while having fun. “[Youth Pride] showed a testament to what youth can do when they put their minds to it, especially in a community that has been marginalized by so many people,” he said. Wirth took notice of the hot weather during Youth Pride and said the Student Leadership Board is taking this into consideration when planning next year’s event. “As far as moving forward, we’re going to try to do it later in September next year [when it is] a little bit cooler but still comfortable to be outside,” she said. LGBTQ youth will see how Youth Pride evolves when the Mazzoni Center hosts its third-annual event in 2017. N Jeremy Rodriguez is a freelance writer and blogger from Eastampton, N.J. Since graduating from Rowan University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he has had work featured in several newspapers and entertainment blogs.

The pre-OutFest edition of PGN has all the info about what’s going in Philly for OutFest weekend! From cover to cover, PGN will be your guide to help you celebrate being out and proud in the Gayborhood and beyond. To reserve ad space today, email greg@epgn.com or call 215-625-8501 ext. 201 (Issue date: Oct. 7; advertising/art deadline: Sept. 30)

A CHALKED-IN RAINBOW SIGN WELCOMED GUESTS TO THE SECOND-ANNUAL YOUTH PRIDE AUG. 6 AT PALUMBO PLAYGROUND. ORGANIZER MAZZONI CENTER IS PLANNING NEXT YEAR’S EVENT FOR SEPTEMBER. Photo: Scott A. Drake

AC ul t ure &

rts

FEATURE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly

Page Page Page Page

41 38 42 33

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John Waters classic to screen in Philly By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor A restored print of “Multiple Maniacs,” John Waters’ crude — and crudely made — classic underground “celluloid atrocity,” will screen at International House at 11:59 p.m. Oct. 1. The film, long out of release, features a helluva performance by Divine. The drag queen plays Lady Divine, proprietor of “The Carnival of Perversions.” She lures suburbanites into tents to see acts like “queers” kissing, or “the puke-eater,” and then robs them. She even kills one woman. However, Lady Divine is having trouble in her relationship with Mr. David (David Lochary). He has become more interested in Bonnie (Mary Vivian Pearce), so Divine conspires to kill Mr. David. “Multiple Maniacs” gets stranger in ways best left for the uninitiated to discover. But two classic moments involve Lady Divine getting a “rosary job” from Mink (Mink Stole), and raped by Lobstora, a 15-foot broiled crustacean.

Waters recently chatted about what he has claimed is his favorite film of his career. PGN: You struggled to show “Multiple Maniacs” in midnight venues in 1970 when it was made, and it’s long been unavailable. Now you are getting the Criterion treatment. What can you say about your experience with “Multiple Maniacs”? JW: It’s funny, the other day we were 100-percent [fresh] on Rotten Tomatoes and when it came out we were 100 percent the other way. The time capsule was kind. I guess it seems new again, which surprises even me. The re-release has been great. It’s in all the right theaters. Criterion has been the class act they always were. The first moment of comedy in the film is the Janus logo. That’s the most shocking thing! PGN: I see your film as an extreme comedy of manners. How did you come up with the film’s plot and characters?

JW: I watched it [again] and thought, What was I thinking? I was trying to make [a] movie that my friends and I would think is funny. It was made with humor to satirize hippy beliefs, even though I lived in that world. Bikers came to see it; it was not necessarily the gay audience. Many people were horrified, but they liked it. It was what was allowed — exploitation films were big then. I loved Herschel Gordon Lewis’ “Blood Feast” and “Two Thousand Maniacs”! PGN: Your film offers, as Mr. David promotes, “real filth” that will make viewers “recoil in disgust … a loathsome display that will be branded in your mind.” What can you say about creating the daring and risky acts that you asked your actors to perform? JW: I used to go to a freak show, the one Diane Arbus photographed. [The acts in “Multiple Maniacs”] aren’t that bad: smelling a bicycle seat, someone taking photos of a crotch, queers kissing is now on TV. It’s a joke of society being horri-

fied … The pitiful tents I rented. I noticed something in the restoration: the curtains Lady Divine opens have a glitter “L” and “D” on them. I don’t know who did that. I only saw that when it was restored. Good thing I wasn’t an interior decorator! PGN: You (comically) attack religion, sex, conformity and social taboos. People are still shocked by two queers kissing. Can you talk about how you think attitudes have changed between when the film was made and now when it has been restored? JW: Multiple Maniacs” is more shocking today because it’s politically incorrect. [The characters shout] “Kill the pigs!” There couldn’t be a worse time to say that, but in the 1960s that was a fairly common chant in marches. It’s shocking that no group today would say that. PGN: You have some great, quotable lines in the film, especially, “I love you so fucking much I could shit!” JW: That’s a Valentine card right there … PAGE 30

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

MANIACS from page 29

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PGN: You may be talking trash, but the dialogue is very precise and reveals the characters. Can you talk about writing the film? JW: I found handwritten scripts in Wesleyan, where my archives are. “Multiple Maniacs” was written as we went along. The Carnival of Perversions was written down. PGN: How long did it take you to make “Multiple Maniacs”? JW: The film was shot in eight10 days, but not in a row, like one day a week. We started in the fall and finished in the winter. I don’t know how I got any movies made. We had a crazy life at the time. It was harder to make films back then. There was no money, no food and no permits. We jumped out of the car, and shot [a scene] and ran. I filmed on my parents’ lawn. Divine’s apartment in the film was my apartment. We didn’t change anything. The dive bar where Edie worked was where she worked. The scene at the end was shot really early on a Sunday morning. You can see neighbors joining the crowd running down the street. PGN: Divine looks like Liz Taylor, acts like Mae West but has a style all her own. Can you discuss her performance? JW: Divine was in “Mondo Trasho,” but this was the first role with dialogue. He was nervous to say all the lines. He was not like [his character] in real life. He used the anger from being bullied in high school to bring the rage to the screen. He loved playing characters and wanted to be a monster. He loved that role. He was called Lady Divine, but the Lady never stuck. PGN: What can you say about the other star of “Multiple Maniacs,” Lobstora?

JW: Lobstora came from Provincetown that summer. They had postcards of the beach and in the sky was a broiled lobster. It came from tripping. Lobsters were often used in surrealist art by Salvador Dali and Jack Smith. Lobsters had a history of being in the art movement. I was influenced by The Theatre of the Absurd — and LSD. It was a perfectly believable plot to me! PGN: And what happened to Lobstora after filming? JW: I had Lobstora in my apartment in a spare room for a while, but it fell apart. So Vincent Peranio [the production designer] and I finally took it to the harbor — this was back before Baltimore’s Inner Harbor was developed — and dumped it in the water. We gave it a sea burial. n

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The

Guide to the Gayborhood

The Philadelphia Gayborhood is roughly centered at 12th and Camac streets. Look for the rainbow street signs at intersections and remember to be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. 1330 Walnut St. facebook.com/ boxersphl Sports bar with multiple plasma tvs, pool table, brick oven, more!

200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com Sports bar / drag shows and bar food

202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com American-style bar food and large dance floor

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Woody’s

1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Elegantlyappointed cozy bar with high-end cocktails

Chancellor St.

Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; pool tables pn two floors and big-screen sports action

St. James St.

m Locust St.

m Manning St.

Quince St.

Latimer St.

12th St.

Camac St.

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<—

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Voyeur

1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub.com After-hours private club; membership required

U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660

Relaxing corner bar, easy-going crowd, popular for happy hour and window watching

Tavern on Camac West of Broad Street Stir Lounge

1705 Chancellor St. 215.732.2700 stirphilly.com Fun two-bar lounge, DJ in the back, regular poker games and specials

255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Piano lounge with upstairs dance floor; Tavern restaurant below is open late.

Knock 225 S. 12th St. 215.925.1166 knockphilly.com Fine-dining restaurant and bar, outdoor seating (weather permitting), piano in back room

ICandy

254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com Three floors with a total of six bars; dance floor, lounge and rootop deck.

TURANDOT

The Attic Youth Center

255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org Safe space and programs for LGBTs age 16-23 weekday afternoons and evenings

Saturday, October 1, 2016 Independence National Historical Park R eg i st er f or FR E E t i c k et s a t Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

National Praise For MARK SEGAL’s Best Selling Memoir

AND THEN I DANCED TRAVELING THE ROAD TO LGBT EQUALITY

“Mark Segal’s work for LGBT equality is historic and significant. The fact that he is still connecting our community is a testament to the passion which he shares in this memoir.” --Billie Jean King “Mark Segal is a beloved and respected activist for the LGBT movement, and he’s a pivotal voice to tell our story,” --The Advocate “Mark Segal made national news on December 11, 1973 when he interrupted a live broadcast of the CBS Evening News by yelling ‘Gays protest CBS prejudice!’ at none other than Walter Cronkite. He was wrestled to the floor on live national television, an incident often credited as the beginning of the end of LGBTQ invisibility. In his new memoir, Segal looks back on that defining moment in history, as well as the many battles that followed.” --Queerty “If it happened in the gay rights movement, Mark Segal was probably there.” --ABC-TV “Mark Segal is one of the major actors in the struggle for LGBT equality in the U.S....A life as eventful as Segal’s demands that a book be written about it.” --South Florida Gay News “Segal’s And Then I Danced harkens back to the glory days of the gay liberation era. Current activists could learn a lot of useful lessons from reading this memoir, and any American who reads it will learn about some interesting chapters in our nation’s ongoing struggle to form a more perfect union.” --David Carter, Author of Stonewall, The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution “And Then I Danced is more than a memoir; it’s a revelation……….and that’s a huge part of why this book is so vital. Equally important is how Segal shatters mistaken beliefs about queer history. Segal really puts the movement in context for the post-Stonewall generation.” Lambda Literary Review --Lambda “Read Mark Segal’s memoir and you’ll get the inside story of how and why he interrupted a live broadcast of The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. What happened afterward will surprise you. It’s one of many surprises in this must-read first-person account of LGBT history as it unfolded after Stonewall. Segal was a witness to that history, and he made some of it happen, changing our country and our lives for the better.” —Louis Wiley, Jr., executive editor, Frontline (PBS)

“I have read about Segal in other places but nothing is like reading about it as he tells it....Because of Segal and others we have openly LGBT people working in the White House and throughout corporate America. He has helped make it possible for an entire community of gay world citizens to finding the voice that they need to become visible.” --Reviews by Amos Lassen “Segal’s writing style is engrossing and never ponderous....And Then I Danced is highly recommended for all LGBT history collections and especially for readers with interest in Pennsylvania/Philadelphia politics.” --American Library Association’s GLBT Round Table “And Then I Danced is a fascinating page-turner that prompted my tears, laughter, envy, and astonishment--but most of all left me feeling very proud of what our community has accomplished and grateful to Mark for sharing his intimate memoir. While there are many who have witnessed the extraordinary history of the LGBT community, few have played as major a role in creating it as has Mark. It is no exaggeration to say that there is no person alive today who has been a more central participant in as much of the contemporary LGBT rights struggle than Mark Segal.” --Sean Strub, author of Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival “Mark Segal has for decades been a pathfinder for LGBT journalists of all stripes. We’re indebted to him for his years of radical activism, helping to foster a movement for change that has had a dramatic and positive impact for millions.” --Michelangelo Signorile, author of It’s Not Over: Getting Beyond Tolerance, Defeating Homophobia, and Winning True Equality “Real change never comes without real guts and real vision and real leaders. Mark Segal is the real deal.” --Robert Moore, cofounder of Dallas Voice “Mark Segal’s ideas run from the alpha to the omega. Sometimes I think there’s got to be more than one Mark Segal: he has done way too much for one lifetime. I highly recommend this book. If you can’t get to meet Mark in person, this is the next best thing!” --Michael Luongo, author of Gay Travels in the Muslim World “Before there was Ellen, Will, Grace, Rosie, Andy, and Anderson, Mark Segal was the squeaky gay wheel of American television, pulling stunts that forced the medium to open its closet door. If Walter Cronkite were still alive, he’d say: Not HIM again! And that’s the way it is. And was. Read all about it.” --Bruce Vilanch, Six-Time Emmy Award Winner “Mark Segal has taken the LGBT aging world by storm, and in the process has made a remarkable difference for our community’s courageous pioneers. We’ve all learned so much from him.” --Michael Adams, executive director, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders “With gentle humor and the slightest touch of sardonicism….Segal lets readers into his personal life: his loves, losses, and (spoiler alert!) a very happy ending. “Drama seems to follow me,” he writes, and readers will be glad for it.” --Washington Blade

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

7th Annual Family Matters Conference Saturday, October 29, 2016

9am-4pm University of the Sciences, West Philly Workshops and programming for LGBTQ parents, prospective parents & our kids of all ages.

Keynote: Staceyann Chin

For more information and to register: phillyfamilypride.org/family-matters-conference

1412 Chestnut st. PhiladelPhia, Pa 19102 the

PrinceTheater.org/TheRRazzRoom 215-422-4580 NOveMber 18 An Evening With

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

locations in Philadelphia GAYBORHOOD BUSINESSES 12th Street Gym, 204 S. 12th St. • 2101 Condos, 118 S. 21st St. • AACO, 1101 Market St., 9th floor • Action AIDS, 1216 Arch St. • Apt. & Townhouse Rentals, 304 S. 12th St. • The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. • Bioscript Pharmacy, 1227 Locust St. • Boxers PHL, 1330 Walnut St. • Charlie Salon, 203 S. 12th St. • Charlie was a Sinner, 131 S. 13th St. • Chocolate Works lobby, 321 N. 3rd St. • City Hall NE Entrance • Club Body Center, 1220 Chancellor St. • Com-Har Living Room, 101 S. Broad St., 14th floor • Condo Shop, 1415 Locust St. • Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. • Cut Salon, 204 S. 13th St. • Danny’s Bookstore 133 S. 13th St. • DBHIDS, 1101 Market St. • Dignity/St. Lukes, 330 S. 13th St. • Dirty Frank’s Bar, 13th & Pine sts. • The Foodery, 10th & Pine sts. • ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. • John C. Anderson Apts., 249 S. 13th St. • Mazzoni Clinic, 809 Locust St. • More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St. • Optimal Gym, 1315 Walnut St. • Paolo Pizzeria, 1336 Pine St. • PAT@Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. • Phila. FIGHT/Aids Library, 1233 Locust St., 2nd floor • Planned Parenthood, 1144 Locust St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Salon K, 1216 Locust St. • Scorpio Books, 205 S. Juniper St. • Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St. • Square One, 249 S. 13th St. • Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. • Toast, 12th & Spruce sts. • Triangle Medicine, 253 S. 10th St., 1st floor • U Bar, 1220 Locust St. • Valanni, 1229 Spruce St. • William Way LGBT Community Center, 1325 Spruce St. • Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. •

OTHER BUSINESSES EAST OF BROAD Bean Café, 615 South St. • Bethel Community Home, 933-935 S. Third St. • Best Western Independence Park Hotel lobby, 215 Chestnut St. • Black N Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. • Bodhi Coffee, 410 S. 2nd St. • Bridgeview Place, 315 New St. • Class Act Auto Repair, 2042 S. Bancroft St. • Community Behav. Health, 801 Market St. 7th floor • Copabanana, 342 South St. • Essene, 719 S. Fourth St. • Famous 4th St. Deli, Fourth & Bainbridge sts. • Fuel, 1917 E. Passyunk Ave. • Hopkinson House, 604 S. Washington Sq. • Hyatt Regency Hotel lobby, 201 S. Columbus Blvd. • Independence Place Condos, 241 S. Sixth St., lobby in both towers • Independence Visitors Center, 6th & Market sts. • Jackson Place, 501 Jackson St. • One Independence Place, 241 S. 6th St. mailroom • Paper Moon, 520 S. Fourth St. • Philly Bagels, 613 S. Third St. • PGN offices, 505 S. Fourth St. • Philadelphia Java Co., 518 S. Fourth St. • Philly PAWS, 100 N. Second St. • Reading Terminal Market, 12th & Filbert sts. • Rockerhead Salon, 607 S. Third St. • Ruff Life, 25 N. Third St. • Two Independence Place, 233 S. 6th St. • Tiffin Restaurant, 1100 Federal St. • Ultimo Coffee, 1900 S. 15th St. • Wedge Medical Center, 1939 S. Juniper St. • Wireworks, 301 Race St. •

STREET CORNERS 2nd & Chestnut sts. • 2nd & Market sts. • 2nd & Poplar sts. • 2nd & Walnut sts. • 3rd & Chestnut sts. • 3rd & Market sts. • 3rd & South sts. • 3rd & Spruce sts. • 4th & Bainbridge sts. • 4th & Chestnut sts. • 4th St. bet. Arch & Market sts., by Holiday Inn • 5th & Chestnut sts. • 5th & Market sts. • 7th & Pine sts. • 8th & Market sts. • 8th & South sts. • 8th & Walnut sts. • 9th & Market sts. • 9th & Passyunk sts. • 9th & Pine sts. • 10th & Market sts. • 10th & Pine sts. • 10th & South sts. • 10th & Spruce sts.• 11th & Arch sts. • 11th & Locust sts. • 11th & Spruce sts. • 11th & Tasker sts. • 11th & Walnut sts. • 12th & Filbert sts. • 12th & Locust sts. • 12th & Manning sts. •12th & Market sts. •12th & Spruce sts. • 12th & Walnut sts. • 13th & Arch sts. • 13th & Chestnut sts. • 13th & Locust sts. • 13th & Pine sts. • 13th & Spruce sts. • 13th & Walnut sts. • 15th & JFK • 15th & Market sts. • 16th & Chestnut sts. • 16th St. & JFK Boulevard • 16th & Market sts. • 17th & Lombard sts. • 17th & Pine sts. • 17th & Spruce sts. • 18th St. & JFK Boulevard • 18th & Locust sts. • 18th & Market sts. • 18th & Walnut sts. • 19th & JFK • 19th & South sts. • 20th & Chestnut sts. • 20th & Locust sts. • 20th & Sansom sts. • 20th & Vine sts. • 20th & Walnut sts. • 22nd & Chestnut sts. • 22nd & Market sts. • 22nd & South sts. • 23rd & Market sts. • 23rd & South sts. • Broad & Cherry sts. • Broad & Chestnut sts. • Broad & Ellsworth sts. • Broad & Locust sts. • Broad & Lombard sts. • Broad & McKean sts. • Broad & Morris sts. • Broad & Race sts. • Broad & South sts. • Broad & Spruce sts. • Broad & Vine sts. • Broad & Walnut sts. • Main & Cotton sts. • Passyunk Ave & 10th & Reed sts. • Pine & Hicks sts. • South & Delhi sts. • Walnut & Dock sts., by Ritz Movies •

Would you like to be on our distribution list? Contact: don@epgn.com or 215-451-6182 ext. 200 for delivery of complimentary copies.

Theater & Arts The Birds Curio Theatre Company presents a stage adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s short horror story Oct. 5-29 at Calvary Center for Culture and Community, 4740 Baltimore Ave.; 215-5251350. Breaking the Waves Opera Philadelphia presents the worldpremiere chamber opera by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek based on the 1996 Academy Award-nominated film by Lars von Trier through Oct. 1 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999. The Bridges of Madison County Media Theatre presents the musical based on the best-selling novel through Oct. 23, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-8910100. Bruce Nauman: Contrapposto Studies, I through VII Philadelphia Museum of Art presents the premiere of a new work by Bruce Nauman, which continues the artist’s exploration of video, sound and performance, through Jan. 8, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Classical Splendor: Painted Furniture for a Grand Philadelphia House Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an

PHILLY GETS PUNKED: Against Me!, the punk-rock band fronted by transgender singer Laura Jane Grace, is on the road in support of its new album, “Shape Shift With Me,” and opens for punk legend Bad Religion 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 1100 Canal St. For more information or tickets, call 215-625-3681.

exhibition of furniture designed in 1808 by Benjamin Henry Latrobe through Jan. 1, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Damon Wayons, Jr. The comedian performs Sept. 30Oct. 1 at The Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215606-6555. How We Got On Azuka Theatre presents the Philadelphia premiere of the play set in the 1980s about three teens dreaming of fame and fortune in the new hiphop scene through Oct. 9 at Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St.; 215-5631100. Inside Out Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of large-scale, highquality replicas of favorite works from the museum’s collection to local neighborhoods through Nov. 1, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Justin Willman The comedian/ magician seen on “The Ellen Show” performs through Oct. 1 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Look Again: Contemporary Perspectives on African Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition drawing from the Penn Museum’s esteemed African collections through Dec. 4, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100.

4-30, 825 Walnut St,; 215-574-3550. Plays of/for a Respirateur Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an installation by Joseph Kosuth that includes a selection of his work, along with a group of seminal works by Marcel Duchamp, through Oct. 30, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100.

Opening Night: The Philadelphia Orchestra kicks of its new season with conductor Yannick NézetSéguin 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.

Rizzo Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the drama following Frank Rizzo’s trajectory from beat cop to police commissioner to mayor of Philadelphia through Oct. 16 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215985-0420.

The Other Place Walnut Street Theatre’s Independence Studio on 3 presents Broadway’s new thriller about a neurologist whose life is becoming unhinged Oct.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific Walnut Street Theatre presents the classic musical adapted from the Pulitzer Prizewinning novel through Oct. 23, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

locations in Philadelphia CENTER CITY BUSINESSES WEST OF BROAD

Adonis Cinema, 2026 Sansom St. • Art Institute, 1622 Chestnut St. • Art Institute, 2300 Market St. • The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St. • Bob & Barbara’s, 1509 South St. • Dan Tobey R/E, 1401 Walnut St., 8th floor • Dr. Wakefield’s Office, 255 S. 17th St., Suite 2306 • Drucker & Scaccetti, 1600 Market St., Suite 3300 • Drexel Partnership, 1427 Vine St., 3rd floor • Latimer Deli, 255 S. 15th St. • MANNA, 12 S. 23rd St. • Marine Club Condos lobby, Broad St. & Washington Ave. • Metropolitan, 115 N. 15th St. • PA Law Project, 2122 Chestnut St., Suite 1600 • Safeguards Lobby, 1700 Market St., 18th floor • Sansom St. Gym, 2020 Sansom St. • SOSNA offices, 19th & Christian sts. • Stir, 1705 Chancellor St. • U Do It Laundry, 15th & Spruce sts. • Westminster Arch Apts., Vine St., 3rd floor •

WEST PHILLY READY FOR HER CLOSE-UP: Actor and singer-songwriter Alicia Witt (“The Walking Dead,” “Cybil,” “The Sopranos”) is on the road performing songs from her debut LP, “Revisionary History,” 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 2 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St. For more information or tickets, call 215-928-0978.

Music Kansas The classic-rock band performs as part of its “The Leftoverture” 40thanniversary tour 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999. Ladies Sing the Blues Vocalists Catherine Russell, Brianna Thomas and Charenee Wade channel the pioneering vocalizations of four 1920s blues divas: Bessie Smith, Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey and legendary stage and screen icon Ethel Waters 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215898-3900. Wednesday 13 The horror-rock band performs 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at Hard Rock Cafe, 1113 Market St.; 215238-1000. The Levellers The alt-folk-rock band performs 8 p.m. Oct. 2 at The Foundry, 1000

Frankford Ave.; 215-309-0150. Kanye West The rapper performs 8 p.m. Oct. 4 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215389-9543. Bad Religion and Against Me! The punk-rock bands perform 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at The Fillmore Philadelphia, 1100 Canal St.; 215-6253681. The Faint The punk band performs 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St.; 215-9226888.

Nightlife Philly AIDS Thrift 11th-Anniversary Block Party DJ Robert Drake spins for the festivities noon-6 p.m. Oct. 1 at Philly AIDS Thrift, 710 S. Fifth St.; 215-9223186. The Rocky Horror Picture Show The cult cinema classic is screened 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at

William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220. Burlesque & Comedy Comedian and burlesque performers team up for a night of entertainment 8 p.m. Oct. 5 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215496-9001. OutFest Happy Bear The bear-themed happy hour, 5-9 p.m. Oct. 7 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215964-9675.

Outta Town Time Bandits The classic fantasyadventure film is screened 3 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228.

Theater of Blood The classic Vincent Price horror film is screened 2 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. The Town that Dreaded Sundown The classic horror film is screened 9:45 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons The crooner performs 9 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-3171000. n

Notices Send notices at least one week in advance to: Out & About Listings, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 fax: 215-925-6437; or e-mail: listings@epgn.com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.

Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St. • Drexel University, 4001 Walnut St. • Fresh Grocer, 4001 Walnut St. • Goodman Hall, 710 S. 42nd St. • International House, 3701 Chestnut St. • LGBT Center at Penn, 3907 Spruce St. • Metropolitan Community Church, 3637 Chestnut St. • Old Quaker Condos lobby, 3514 Lancaster Ave. • Oslo Hall, 510 S. 42nd St. • Penn Bookstore, 3610 Walnut St. • Redcaps Corner, 4812 Baltimore Ave. • Saturn Club, 3430 Sansom St. • Saxby’s Coffee, 40th & Locust sts. • Sheraton Hotel, 36th & Chestnut sts. • St. Mary’s Church, 3916 Locust Walk • University of the Sciences England Library, 4200 Woodland Ave. • Wilson Hall, 708 S. 42nd St. • World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. •

NORTH PHILLY

1 Shot Coffee, 1040 N. Second St. • 2601 Parkway Condos lobby, 2601 Pennsylvania Ave. • Barnes & Noble, 1700 N. Broad St. • Bebashi, 1217 Spring Garden St. • 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. • Front Street Cafe, 1253 N. Front St. • GALAEI, 149 Susquehanna Ave. • Logan View Apts. lobby, 17th & Callowhill sts. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Packard Apts., 317 N. Broad St. • Philadelphian Condos lobby, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. • Sammy’s Place, 1449 N. Fifth St., 1st floor • 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. •

SOUTH PHILLY

Bethel Community Home, 933-935 S. Third St. • Black N Brew, 1523 E. Passyunk Ave. • Essene, 719 S. Fourth St. • Famous 4th St. Deli, Fourth & Bainbridge sts. • Fuel, 1917 E. Passyunk Ave. • Jackson Place, 501 Jackson St. • Philly Bagels, 613 S. Third St. • Rockerhead Salon, 607 S. Third St. • Tiffin Restaurant, 1100 Federal St. • Wedge Medical Center, 1939 S. Juniper St. •

PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS — OTHER Almost Paradise, 742 Frankford Ave. • Awbry Aboretum, 1 Awbry Rd. • Caribbean Pharmacy, 3825 N. 5th St. •Elfant Wissahickon Realty, 8962 Ridge Ave. • Fantasy Island Books, 7363 State Road • Harry’s Natural Foods, 1805 Cottman Ave. • Infinity Jewelers, 3528 Cottman+ Ave. • Infusion Salon, 7133 Germantown Ave. • Morris House, 5537 Woodland Ave. • One Day At A Time, 2532 N. Broad St. • Philadelphia University KANBAR Center, 4201 Henry Ave. • Philly Pharmacy, 9475 Roosevelt Blvd. • Riverhouse Condo, 3600 Conshohocken 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 •

LIBRARY BRANCHES Andorra Branch, 705 E. Cathedral Road • Blanch A. Nixon Branch, 5800 Cobbs Creek Parkway • Donatucci Branch, 1935 Shunk St. • Falls of Schuylkill Branch, 3501 Midvale Ave. • Fishtown Branch, 1217 E. Montgomery Ave. • Frankford Branch, 4634 Frankford Ave. • Independence Branch, 18 S. Seventh St. • Joseph E. Coleman Branch, 68 W. Chelten Ave. • Kingsessing Branch, 1201 S. 51st St. • Lehigh Branch, 601 W. Lehigh Ave. • Lovett Branch, 6945 Germantown Ave. • Main Branch, 1901 Vine St. • McPherson Square Branch, 601 E. Indiana Ave. • Northeast Regional, 2228 Cottman Ave. • Ogontz Branch, 6017 Ogontz Ave. • Richmond Branch, 2987 Almond St. • Rodriguez Branch, 600 W. Girard Ave. • Roxborough Branch, 6245 Ridge Ave. • Southwark Branch, 932 S. Seventh St. • Welsh Road Branch, 9233 Roosevelt Blvd. • West Phila. Branch, 125 S. 52nd St. • Whitman Branch, 200 Snyder Ave. • Wynnefield Branch, 5325 Overbrook Ave.

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PROFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

Suzi Nash

Tim Johnson: Getting to zero, one step at a time I love living in the Northeastern United States, where we get to experience the changing of the seasons. Sure, I’m going to miss the dash from my air-conditioned house to my air-conditioned car and watching my flowers wilt in the heat. But fall is now here, and it brings apple cider, brightly colored trees and the 30th anniversary of the Philly AIDS Walk/5K. Once again, thousands of people will join to run and walk to help the AIDS Fund in its mission. “Getting to Zero” is the theme this year: zero new infections, zero deaths, zero stigma. One of the people responsible for helping achieve that goal is Tim Johnson. As the assistant director of AIDS Fund, Johnson will coordinate the logistics of the event. Teams and participants are still welcome for the Oct. 16 event, so be sure to check out the website and get involved! PGN: Do you remember the first walk that you participated in, and what was your impression? TJ: The first AIDS Walk I did was in 2011. I think going into it, I had a pretty naïve and narrow conception of what the demographics would be. Because of my very limited knowledge of what I perceived the AIDS epidemic was like, I assumed it was going to be mostly gay men but when I got there I realized, Wow, there are all sorts of people out here: all different races, all different ages, genders and gender expressions. It was an incredible thing to see, so many different kinds of people coming out to support the cause. PGN: I understand you originally got involved with the AIDS Fund through GayBINGO? TJ: Yes, I was a BVD, Bingo-Verifying Diva. The first time was for the Halloween Bingo in 2010. I didn’t really know what I was doing but I knew a couple of the drag queens that did it regularly. They invited me to come along and once I started, I didn’t want to stop. Again, like the walk itself, I got to meet so many different kinds of people. PGN: Had you ever done drag before? TJ: At that point, I’d been doing drag for about two months. One or two shows out in the suburbs but that was it. GayBINGO was how I really got my feet wet with performing. I began to meet other drag queens and they’d say, “Hey we’re doing a show, do you want to be in it?” or they’d invite me to different events, so I started getting a lot of bookings after that. PGN: Where in the suburbs did you perform drag? TJ: I was living out in Norristown and there was a bar there called The Beagle Tavern that wasn’t necessarily a gay bar but it was gay-friendly. They did drag

shows, and a lot of the themed nights, like trivia night, were hosted by drag queens. PGN: Is that where you’re from? TJ: Yes, right nearby in a quaint little town called Eagleville: one of those places where everybody has a beautiful little yard and trees. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. PGN: Tell me a little about the fam. TJ: My mom has been a registered nurse for about 40 years — working mostly in maternity — and she’s still doing it. My dad has been an operator for a waste water-treatment plant. I have two siblings: an older brother and a younger sister. [Laughs] So I’m the middle child and all that that implies. PGN: What was little Timmy like as a kid? TJ: I went to a small private school that was part of the church that my parents went to. A lot of my early experiences were centered around the church. I never really felt like I fit in. PGN: How so? TJ: I just wasn’t like the boys that I knew or that my parents wanted me to be friends with. They’d push me to go out and play soccer and I’d go play inside with the girls. PGN: What did you want to be when you grew up? TJ: My first ambition was that I wanted to be a mailman [laughs]. I have no idea why. When I got to college, I worked in the mail room on campus. Dreams do come true! PGN: What extracurricular activities did you participate in? TJ: I played the violin for years and was in a strings group. I started in first grade and played through high school. I also played clarinet and percussion and was a member of the handbell choir and sang in the choruses. I never competed in any sports but they would have these fine-arts competitions and I’d always go to them. There was a poetry reading that not many people participated in, so it was easy to win trophies! I was big into taking pictures so I’d enter photography exhibits as well. PGN: Very musical and something you’ve continued. TJ: Yes, I’ve been singing with the Gay Men’s Chorus since 2010. PGN: What’s a favorite song you’ve done so far? TJ: That’s hard, we’ve done so many good ones! There’s one song that we did years ago and it’s such a favorite we’re doing it again at our next concert. It’s called “Over the Skies of Israel.” It’s a Hanukkah song that we’re doing for our Christmas concert.

PGN: Where did you go to college? TJ: I went to Bob Jones University in South Carolina. PGN: What? A gay boy at BJ’s? The bastion of conservative values? Were you aware of your budding homosexuality? TJ: I was aware that something was different very young but because of the environment that I grew up in, I didn’t have any words for it. I’d say I started understanding what I was feeling, the attraction to boys, in middle school and somehow I still ended up at Bob Jones! PGN: When did you come out to yourself? TJ: I started working when I was about 16 and that was when I started meeting people that weren’t part of my church/ school bubble. That’s when I was able to put words to the things that I was going through. When I was a senior, we didn’t have proms at my school; we had more of a formal banquet. A friend brought a male

TJ: I ended up there because my church and high school had a really strong relationship with Bob Jones so they’d send their recruiters to our school. Plus, my parents told me they’d pay for college if I went to Bob Jones. Anywhere else and I was on my own. I figured it was smarter to get my education with their help so I found a major that I liked — book publishing — and went. PGN: Did you hear much homophobic stuff at home and church growing up? TJ: Daily. It was so ingrained in the culture, especially in middle school where boys can be ruthless and awful. They’d preach “Do unto others,” but they seemed to think that didn’t apply when it came to homosexuality. PGN: What was the worst incident? TJ: I remember one time when I was at Bob Jones, some guy came up to me after an event and said, “I need to talk to you.” He was a total stranger and he said, “I saw that you had your arm around another guy (I’d had my arms around the back of a friend’s chair), and that kind of behavior is not tolerated around here.” I responded, “I don’t know who you are or why you think it’s your place to talk to me like this. I wasn’t doing anything wrong.” Well, he went and reported me to the Dean of Men and I was called in and interrogated. They ended up putting me into conversion therapy to cure me. [Laughs] Didn’t work.

PGN: Wow! What did they do? TJ: Well, it was near the end of my last year and it was mainly … it’s so bizarre to talk about this. They assigned this guy to me and he mainly talked to me about the situation and gave me Bibles with certain verses pointed out, I was supposed to take note Photo: Suzi Nash friend as her guest. He was a gay guy so we could discuss them the next week. He also from another school. I brought a friend taught me “practical ways to not appear so who also was from another school and the two of them started saying, “I think feminine” as well. I know it was all nonTim’s gay.” He was the first openly gay sense but I only had a few months left, so person I’d ever met and at first I denied it, I pretty much went along just so I could but then he and I talked it out and I came graduate. around. PGN: Are there that many passages about PGN: So how does a gay boy from homosexuality in the Bible? Norristown end up at Bob Jones U, TJ: There are only a few, but they drill famous for it’s uber-conservative views? them in as much as they can. PAGE 42

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

PORTRAIT from page 41

PGN: So they didn’t have you hooked up to shock you whenever you saw a cute guy? TJ: [Laughs] It wasn’t that extreme! But I’ve heard of that happening, I’m sure it does. PGN: How did you get to Philly? TJ: After school, I had a hard time finding a job in my field so I moved back in with my parents and went back to the job I’d had in high school. PGN: How did you get involved with the LGBT community? The Beagle? TJ: Pretty much. There was also a little bar in the strip mall called the Blue Sky Café, and they did a gay karaoke night so I went and met people there. I also auditioned for a play at the community theater and got a role and, not to reinforce stereotypes, but it was a good way to meet other gay guys. PGN: Did your parents know anything? TJ: I hadn’t come out to them yet. To be honest, I was in my early 20s and still scared of what might happen because I knew how they were and what they believed, so I laid low. I didn’t know if they would throw me out, but decided not to risk it until I was ready to be on my own. In 2010, I moved into the city and that’s when I told them. PGN: How was it received? TJ: Um, it was weird. I told them I was gay and my dad carefully put down his paper and said, “No, you’re not.” I said that, yes, I was and my mother casually said, “You can’t be honey, that’s not the way we raised you.” I guess I was expecting anger or fireworks and they were just very calm and basically dismissive: “Nope, you’re wrong.” It was rough for a while; we didn’t talk for several months. I slowly started coming over again and spending time with them, but it was definitely “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” They didn’t want to hear anything personal. PGN: So you moved to Philly. What was the theme of your first bingo night?

TJ: It was the Witches of GayBINGO and the tagline was, “Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?” It was a blast. As I mentioned, I was just getting my feet wet with performing and the audiences at GayBINGO are great. To start out, they’re huge — 500700 people — and they all just throw love at you and want you to have fun. They take pictures with you and tell you how beautiful you are. I’d never had that, people who wanted to be around me like that. Or had a chance to be in the spotlight like that before. It was incredible. PGN: And now you’re doing the logistics for the AIDS Walk. That’s a big undertaking. What does it entail? TJ: I handle the logistics for GayBINGO as well, coordinating the volunteers and ordering snacks and supplies. You go through a lot of Bingo dabbers with a crowd that big. I make sure we have enough BDVs to help things run smoothly and entertain everyone. I make sure our Bingo license is up to date, negotiate the contract with the vendor, etc. I coordinate things, but I definitely don’t do it all myself, I get a lot of help. I do similar kinds of things for the AIDS Walk but there are a lot more volunteers for that. I handle all of the volunteers, make sure we have the correct permits, order the supplies for the event, check in with entertainment, make sure we have enough bathrooms, get tents set up. There’s a lot that goes into it. PGN: So if someone wanted to volunteer, what’s available for them to do? TJ: There’s something for everyone. We start the day at 5 a.m., so we need people to help set things up and get the supplies out. We need people to monitor the AIDS Memorial Quilt. We need folks to hand out water and stickers. We need cheerleaders to cheer people on at the end. There are a lot of different ways people can get involved. I’ve learned a lot of the job first by volunteering myself and then just being in the trenches, learning what works and what doesn’t. PGN: I read that before getting involved with all this,

you worked as a travel agent. Have you been to many places in your life and time? TJ: Yes, that was my first job when I moved into the city and it was great. I got to meet a lot of people. Ironically, I didn’t travel much when I was with the company, but I’ve been a lot of places on my own. PGN: What was a favorite adventure? TJ: I took a trip with my dad to Mexico and he considers himself to be someone who doesn’t vacation, he “travels.” So no lying on the beach for us. We traveled deep into the Yucatan to visit a series of ruins in areas most people have never heard of, never mind traveled to. We took a bus into some small town near ruins he wanted to see and we couldn’t get out. Despite my high-school Spanish, we couldn’t figure out the bus schedule and ended up there for an extra night and day, and it was the weirdest spot. It was a party town in the middle of nowhere. A bus covered in lights would drive around town at night and people would get drunk and ride around. There was also an enclave of German farmers for some reason who lived in the area. It was bizarre but fun. PGN: What’s a job you’d like to try for a month? TM: I loved that show “PanAm”! I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be a flight attendant back when air travel was still glamorous. PGN: You studied publishing. What magazine would you want to edit? TJ: Definitely Bon Appetit. PGN: What would someone do to woo you? TJ: I’m old-fashioned. Pick me up at my door and take me to dinner. For an extra bonus, flowers are always a nice touch. PGN: Indeed. n For more information on the AIDS Walk/Run, go to www. aidswalkphilly.org. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.

Q Puzzle Well-rounded Novel Across 1. “___ on a Log” (Randy Travis song) 5. The Oscars, e.g. 9. Purple, in an Alice Walker title, e.g. 14. Petty of “A League of Their Own” 15. Vows now legal for all 16. St. Teresa’s town 17. Gilbert, who wrote the novel spelled out in the circles 19. Partners of whistles 20. Author Maugham’s middle name 21. She can “Carey” a tune 22. Mountain top 23. Snow creation 24. “Tales of the City” author Armistead 28. k.d. lang record label 29. “Be prepared” org. 32. Bill T. Jones’ partner Zane 33. Outfit for Richard Simmons 35. Quote as a reference 36. Sailor’s rear 37. Flying fisher 38. Musical

featuring Edna Turnblad 40. Joe who played gay in “JFK” 41. Fruit sugar ending 42. Rupert Everett’s “Ready to ___” 43. Haul ass 44. Trust in, with “on” 45. Ben Vereen forte 46. Political analyst Maddow 49. Da Vinci signature piece 54. Wife of Portia 55. Leatherwear for the hands 56. Be a ham in “Hamlet” 57. Buffalo’s lake 58. Vichyssoise veggie 59. Like bacon 60. Will of “The Waltons” 61. Biters of Marc Antony’s girlfriend Down 1. Britten’s beers 2. Publisher of same-sex couples’ legal guide 3. Like a muscle Mary’s waist 4. XXL, e.g. 5. Gay pretender Mel of “What Women Want” 6. “Do” in “The Sound of Music” 7. Senator Trent 8. Grate expectation?

9. Minnelli movie 10. In-your-face 11. “Modern Family” adoptee 12. Chili pot 13. Possible STD symptom 18. “Glee” character Abrams 21. Bugs or Erin 23. Hot-tempered 24. Kind of man in a Village People hit 25. Oral performances 26. Release from bondage 27. Tying-up place 28. Use the Divine Miss M’s name in vain? 29. Explode 30. Cole Porter’s “___ I Kissed My Baby Goodbye” 31. Gave head at home? 33. Be unfaithful to your lover 34. Takes advan-

tage of pupils? 36. Dumbledore might cast one 39. Sondheim’s Todd 40. Like Jeremy Irons in “The Borgias” 43. Closet triangle 44. “Gone with the Wind” guy 45. Gus Van Sant film “___ For” 46. Where a sailor may hit bottom 47. Tennessee Williams’ “Summer and Smoke” heroine 48. Stop bleeding 49. Swampy area 50. Marlene’s “Blue Angel” role 51. Lithographer James 52. Trickle through the cracks 53. Wonders aloud 55. Frat boys tap it

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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Legal Notices Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, August Term, 2016, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on August 4, 2016, the petition of Rebecca Lewise Wood, was filed, praying for a decree to change their name to Phoenix Juno Wood. The Court has fixed September 30, 2016 at 12:00 p.m., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________40-40 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, August Term, 2016, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on August 31, 2016, the petition of Veronica Ann Lodise, was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Ron Augustine Lodise. The Court has fixed September 30, 2016 at 12:00 p.m., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________43-40

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

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1976 - 2 016

PGN

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Eating Out Should Be Fun! Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month - and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com.

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BIGGER, BETTER & MORE ENTERTAINING EVENTS...

PGN

Activism/Politics

ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) meets 6-9 p.m. Mondays at St. Luke and The Epiphany Church, 330 S. 13th St.; 215-386-1981, www.actupphilly.org. Delaware Valley Chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State seeks activists and supporters of church-state separation. Holds monthly meetings and events; www.dvau.org. Equality Pennsylvania holds a volunteer night 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month, 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 605; 215-731-1447, www.equalitypa.org. Green Party of Philadelphia holds general meetings 7 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month, except August and December; 215-243-7103, www.gpop.org. Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club meets seasonally; www.libertycity.org.

Arts

Library Book Club meets to discuss a new book 7 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month at William Way. Men On Tap, an LGBT group that performs with choirs, organizations and at the Fringe Festival, rehearses 8 p.m. Mondays at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St.; dale@ magicalfantasies.com. Philadelphia Freedom Band, an audition-free LGBT band that does concerts and parades, rehearses 7-9:30 p.m. Mondays; philadelphiafreedomband.com. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus rehearses 7-10 p.m. Wednesdays; 215-731-9230, auditions@pgmc.org. Philadelphia Voices of Pride, Philadelphia’s first mixed LGBT chorus, rehearses 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at William Way; www.pvop.org. Queer Writer’s Collective workshop and discussion group meets 3-5 p.m. the fourth Saturday of the month at William Way. Reading Queerly, open to all women and genderqueer/ trans people, meets 6:45 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.

Recreation

Gay Bridge Club non-beginners group meets Monday 2-5 p.m. at William Way; reservations required. Call 215732-2220. Gay-friendly Scrabble Club meets 5:30-10:30 p.m. at Abner’s Steaks, 38th and Chester streets; 215-382-0789. Humboldt Society: Lesbian and Gay Naturalists meets 7:30 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at William Way; 215-985-1456, www.humboldtsociety.org. Independence Squares LGBT square-dance club, modern Western square dancing hosts an open house and Tuesday classes in the fall at Lutheran Church, 2111 Sansom St.; philadances@gmail.com, www.independencesquares.org. Male Oenophile Group forming to discuss, appreciate and taste various wines. Will meet once a month to investigate the nuances and glories of the fermented grape; 267-2306750. Mornings OUT LGBT Senior Social activities for senior gay men are held 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesdays at William Way. PhilaVentures, Philadelphia’s LGBT outdoor group, meets for hikes in Wissahickon Valley and Valley Forge Park; philaventures.org.

Sports

Brandywine Women’s Rugby Club meets for practice at p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Greenfield Park, West Chester; www.brandywinerugby.org. City of Brotherly Love Softball League serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area with games on Sundays, beginning in April, at the Dairy and Edgeley Fields in Fairmount Park; www.cblsl.org. Frontrunners running club meets 9:30 a.m. Saturdays for a run and brunch at Lloyd Hall, No. 1 Boathouse Row; www.philadelphiafrontrunners.org. Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club, open to LGBT and allies, practices 8-10 p.m. Mondays and 2-4 p.m. Saturdays; www.falcons-soccer.org. Philadelphia Fins Swim Team, open to male and female swimmers, meets 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Friends Select School and 10:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays; www.philadelphia-fins.org. Philadelphia Gay Bowling League meets 8 p.m. Wednesdays September-April at South Bowl, 19 E. Oregon Ave.; 856-889-1434, philagaybowling@yahoo.com.

Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League plays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at FDR Park; www.phillyflagfootball.com Philadelphia Gryphons Rugby Football Club, open to players of all skill levels, meets 7:45 p.m. Thursdays at Columbus Square Park, 1200 Wharton St.; 215-913-7531, philadelphiagryphons.org, becomeagryphon@gmail.com. Philadelphia Liberty Belles women’s semi-pro full-tackle football league holds fall tryouts; phillybelles.com. Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association plays yearround, all skill levels welcome; philadelphialibertytennis. com. Philadelphia Firebirds women’s football team seeks players; www.philadelphiafirebirds.com. Philadelphia Women’s Baseball League seeks players, all skill levels and ages. Practice is 7 p.m. Thursdays at Marian Anderson Recreation Center, 17th and Fitzwater streets, with games at 2:30 p.m. Sundays; 215-991-5995 (day), 301-919-1194 (evening), phillywomensbaseball. com. Philly Gay Hockey Association Philadelphia Phury seeks players; 917-656-1936, phury@gayhockey.org. Philly QCycle LGBT bicycling club promotes organized recreational riding for all levels in the Greater Philadelphia region; contact the organization via Facebook. Rainbow Riders of the Delaware Valley motorcycle club meets regularly; 215-836-0440, www.groups.yahoo.com/ group/rainbowridersdv/. Rainbow Rollers gay and lesbian bowling league meets 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays at Boulevard Lanes in Northeast Philadelphia; rainbowrollers.com. Spartan Wrestling Club gay wrestling team meets 6:30-9 p.m. Mondays at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St.; 215-732-4545, www.phillyspartans.com.

Etc.

AIDS Law Project provides free legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS and sponsors free monthly seminars on work and housing at 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 600; 215587-9377, www.aidslawpa.org. BiUnity, Philadelphia-area social and support network for bisexuals, their family members and friends; http://biunity. org. Delaware Valley Pink Pistols, for LGBT people dedicated to legal, safe and responsible use of firearms for self-defense, meets 1 p.m. the third Sunday of the month at The Gun Range, 542 N. Percy St.; 610-879-2364; www.pinkpistolsdelval.org. Delaware Pride holds planning meetings 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the United Church of Christ, 300 Main St., Newark; 302-265-3020, delawarepride.org. Haverford College’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance holds open meetings 10-11 p.m. Mondays during the school year in the lounge in Jones Basement at Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave.; 610-896-4938. Men and Women for Human Excellence support group meets from noon-2 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of the month at 26th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue; 267-2733513, cmoore8300@yahoo.com. Long Yang Club Philadelphia, social organization for gay Asians and their friends, holds monthly socials; www. longyangclub.org/philadelphia. Our Night Out, a casual social networking party of LGBT professionals, friends and colleagues, meets in a different Philadelphia hot spot each month. To receive monthly event invitations, email OurNightOutPhilly@gmail.com; more information on Facebook. Philadelphia Bar Association Legal Advice offered 5-8 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month; 215-238-6333. Philadelphia Prime Timers club for mature gay and bisexual men and their admirers meets regularly; primetimersofphiladelphia@yahoo.com. Philadelphians MC Club, for leather men and women, meets 7:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of the month at The Pit at The Bike Stop, 201 S. Quince St.; philadelphiansmc.org. Rainbow Amateur Radio Association ARRL-affiliated, weekly HF nets, quarterly newsletter; www.rara.org. Silver Foxes, a social and educational group for gays and lesbians 50 and older, meets 3-5 p.m. the fourth Sunday of the month at William Way; 215-732-2220. SNJ Queers meets monthly for queer/queer-friendly folks in South Jersey to mix and mingle; 856-375-3708, wmf69@comast.net.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

Community Bulletin Board Community centers

■ The Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held 4-7 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 4-8:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday-Friday. ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St., 215-898-5044, center@dolphin. upenn.edu. Regular hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. MondayThursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

■ ActionAIDS: 215-981-0088

■ Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. Activities held 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays.

■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m. Monday-Friday Library: noon-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Volunteers: New Orientation, first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

Key numbers

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

■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org

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

■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378

■ AIDS Library: 215-985-4851 ■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215592-1513 ■ AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800662-6080 ■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: 215-685-1633 n The COLOURS Organization Inc.: 215-496-0330

■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658 ■ Office of LGBT Affairs — Director Nellie Fitzpatrick: 215-6860330; helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov

■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670

Health

Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 215-763-8870. ActionAIDS Provides a range of programs for people affected by HIV/ AIDS, including case management, prevention, testing and education services at 1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088, www. actionaids.org. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Washington West Project, 1201 Locust St.; 215-851-1822 or 866-222-3871, www.galaei.org. Spanish/English HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays (walk-in) and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays (by appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite

■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090, www.galloplaw.org. ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly busi-

108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077. Mazzoni Center LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652, www. mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Philadelphia FIGHT Comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines; 1233 Locust St.; 215985-4448; www.fight.org. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, rapid HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups nesses and professionals; 215557-0190, www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.org/ philly; philly@nlgja.org.

■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus Regional organization dedicated to promoting LGBT tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region, meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; 215-8402039, www.philadelphiagaytourism.com.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Sept. 30-Oct. 6, 2016

PGN

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