OutFest turns 25 PAGE 5
National National LGBT LGBT History History Month Month Project Project
P.L. Travers: “Mary Poppins” author PAGE 23
Bullying case plaintiff seeks settlement PAGE 2
Family Portrait: Dr. Sa’ed Atshan is a peace promoter PAGE 29
Oct. 2-8, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 40
New state policies for trans inmates By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
PAPAL-DELPHIA: Thousands awaited the arrival of Pope Francis last Saturday afternoon at Independence Mall. Before the pontiff’s motorcade arrived, Mayor Michael Nutter delivered a welcoming address outside Independence Hall in which he referenced LGBT rights. For full coverage of the papal weekend’s LGBT activities, see page 16. Photo: Jeff Guaracino
Papal weekend through an LGBT lens By Paige Cooperstein paige@epgn.com Margie Winters and her spouse Andrea Vettori both ended their speeches at last weekend’s Papal Picnic at John C. Anderson Apartments with a challenge to the Catholic Church to practice the love it preaches. “The LGBT community stands on the margins of the Church, yearning for and calling for wholeness, inclusion and justice,” said Winters, who was fired as the director of religious education at Waldron Mercy Academy in June because she’s mar-
ried to a woman. “Jesus went to the margins and reintegrated those men and women into their communities,” she added. “Pope Francis, will the Church do the same for this community? We hope that you say yes.” Vettori followed: “We are here to ask Pope Francis and the bishops of the Church to listen to our faith stories and the stories of countless numbers of LGBT [people] and allow the witness of our lives to inform their theology and reform Catholic Church teaching.” PAGE 16 The pair married in
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections recently instituted new policies in response to the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, but critics say the rights of trans inmates continue to be violated. The new policies ease restrictions on gender expression for trans inmates in state prisons, ensure appropriate health care and allow for trans inmates to be housed in facilities consistent with their gender identity. But the DOC has 147 transgender inmates, including one post-operative trans inmate. All of the pre-operative trans inmates are housed in facilities that are inappropriate for their gender identity. Critics say this situation indicates the DOC isn’t fully compliant with PREA. Julie Chovanes, a transgender advocate and attorney, expressed outrage that all of the pre-operative trans inmates are housed in DOC facilities inconsistent with their gender identity. “The DOC’s numbers for trans inmates speak for themselves,” Chovanes said. “It is simply unbelievable that no [pre-operative] trans inmate should be in a transgender-appropriate facility.” DOC Secretary John E. Wetzel released this statement about the rights of trans inmates: “Examining how we can better treat and respect transgender inmates in our
system is a priority of the administration and our department. Since Gov. [Tom] Wolf took office, significant changes have been made to keep up with best practices and to better ensure these inmates are treated with respect and dignity. In June 2015, the DOC removed an outdated blanket prohibition on sexual-reassignment surgery. At the same time, we also issued a revised PREA policy that allows for transgender inmates to make gender-appropriate commissary purchases.” Susan McNaughton, a DOC spokesperson, said the department houses 15 trans men and 132 trans women. She said a variety of factors are considered prior to housing trans inmates. “Placement decisions must carefully weigh all available information to include the health and safety of all incarcerated individuals,” McNaughton said in an email. “This is a difficult balance but we strongly believe Pennsylvania is progressing in the right direction and well ahead of many other states in this area.” McNaughton added: “[T]he DOC gives serious and thoughtful consideration to the views of transgender individuals as well as whether the placement would present overall management or security problems.” DOC policies ensure that trans inmates can shower in private stalls and have access to gender-appropriate commissary items, including bras, panties, make-up and barrettes. McNaughton also said the DOC provides appropriate health PAGE 17
New site set for Lehigh Valley community center By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com It was announced this week that the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center will be opening in just a few months — in a new, and much larger, home than was originally projected. In a press conference Wednesday, the organizers of the Lehigh Valley LGBT center announced that on Monday they finalized the purchase of a property at 522 W. Maple St.
in Allentown that spans 13,000 square feet. The center was originally set for a 7,000-square-foot space that backers planned to buy from the city of Allentown for $1; however, “significant environmental conditions” and high construction costs halted that plan. “It’s going to be a significant-sized community center,” Bradbury-Sullivan executive director Adrian Shanker told PGN. “It’s certainly larger than the previous building and also
doesn’t need any construction.” The new space is located in the heart of the downtown business district, and next to a parking garage that will be opening in January. Plans for the center were announced in June 2014, when a fundraising campaign was unveiled. The organization is named for longtime Lehigh Valley activists Liz Bradbury and Dr. Patricia Sullivan. When it opens its doors next year, it will PAGE 19