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