PGN Nov. 7-13, 2014 by The Philadelphia Gay News

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Vol. 38 No. 45

Wolf wins historic election

Trial begins in 2013 Gayborhood attack By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com

SOUND OF VICTORY: Governor-elect Tom Wolf and former Gov. Ed Rendell delighted crowds at Tavern on Camac with a sing-along with pianist Ghosha Oct. 31 during a get-out-the-vote Gayborhood crawl. Wolf claimed a decisive victory over incumbent Republican Gov. Tom Corbett in Tuesday’s election. At last Friday’s event, Wolf and Rendell canvassed a number of LGBT spots, including Knock, UBar and Woody’s. Photo: Scott A. Drake

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com For the first time since the two-term law was introduced more than 45 years ago, a Pennsylvania governor has failed to be elected to a second term. Republican Gov. Tom Corbett was ousted in Tuesday’s election, with a decisive win by Democratic challenger and now Gov.-elect Tom Wolf. Wolf captured about 55 percent of the vote, putting him approximately 332,000 votes ahead of Corbett. He captured about 88 percent of the vote in Philadelphia — which amounted to about 319,000 votes. The news was welcomed by LGBTs and allies, as Corbett has a poor LGBT record, while Wolf has pledged support on a wealth of LGBT issues. Liberty PA 2014 executive director Rick Naughton praised the LGBT support Wolf saw throughout his campaign. “It was a hard-fought election but I’m so very happy this morning,” Naughton said Wednesday. “This was a real community effort. The LGBT community and our friends and allies throughout the state rec-

ognized that, on a fundamental level, the governor, our state’s leader, should not just respect, but support, everyone in the commonwealth. This was an election about fairness, and Tom Wolf, from the very beginning of his campaign, said he would not just support and respect, but also fight, for LGBT Pennsylvanians. So it’s really exciting.” Ted Martin, executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, which endorsed Wolf, said the governor-elect is not only right on the issues, but has a genuine commitment to LGBT equality. “We really think he’s going to not only be an equality supporter, but a champion for equality,” Martin said. “Not only is he supportive, he’s knowledgeable about the issues.” Wolf will be joined by Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, also a strong LGBT ally. However, there were a number of key losses on Tuesday, including the ousting of openly gay state Rep. Mike Fleck. Fleck, a Republican, lost the primary in his Central Pennsylvania district in the spring — his first election after coming out — but won enough PAGE 21

The trial for two men accused of beating up a gay man near Voyeur nightclub in the Gayborhood last year began on Wednesday. Miguel Maldonado and Matthew Morris are both charged with aggravated and simple assault, conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person for the incident that took place in the early morning hours of Nov. 10, 2013. The victim, Nick Forte, a former PGN employee, suffered broken eye sockets and cheekbones, a broken nose, other facial fractures and a broken rib after Maldonado, then a bouncer at Voyeur, allegedly struck him in the back of the head with a flashlight and Morris allegedly beat him while he was unconscious on the ground. Security footage that captured the event was played for the court this week. Forte was called to the stand to testify,

and identified the two defendants as the two people who appeared in the video. Forte also testified that he had no recollection of what happened that night between the time he arrived at ICandy nightclub earlier in the evening and when he became conscious again after the beating. He could not remember if he was intoxicated or not, or whether he had actually entered Voyeur. He stated he was not normally a heavy drinker, and that he could have entered Voyeur — he said it would have been the only reason he was still out after ICandy closed — but could not remember because of the loss of short-term memory from the injuries he sustained. The manager on duty at Voyeur that night also testified at the trial. She said that Forte did in fact enter Voyeur, was visibly intoxicated, acted belligerently and threatened club patrons. She said she witnessed Forte’s escort out of the club by bouncers, includPAGE 21 ing Maldonado. She also

L&I violations keep Gayborhood hotel and bar closed By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com After a fire last month at the Parker-Spruce Hotel, the building, which also houses Westbury bar, remains closed until a new sprinkler system is installed. Shortly after the Oct. 20 fire, the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections issued a cease operations/ stop-work order for the ParkerSpruce and Westbury. According to the order, the adjoining fire pump/sprinkler system for both businesses is inoperable. The corrective action needed to remove the stop-work order is listed as “repair sprinkler system and provide certifications for fire alarm and suppression systems,” according to the order. L&I did not give PAGE 21 PGN a time-

BAR BROTHERHOOD: Tavern on Camac hosted a special Quizzo event Monday to benefit the workers of Westbury, which has been shuttered since last month’s fire at the adjoining Parker-Spruce Hotel. More than 100 people turned out for the trivia game and admission fees, plus the donation of 10 percent of the bar tab by TOC owners Stephen Carlino and Dennis Fee, amounted to fundraising of about $3,200. The money will be split among about 15 non-salaried Westbury employees, who depend on wages and tips. TOC has offered to host Quizzo, which Westbury usually stages, every Monday starting Nov. 17 if the Westbury remains closed. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

PGN LOCAL

Attorney in DUI case to subpoena city for Morris file By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Attorney Michael L. Doyle says he’ll subpoena the city for the police Internal Affairs file pertaining to the Nizah Morris incident. Doyle’s client, Richard Patterson, stands accused of driving while under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly sideswiped another vehicle in Center City in May 2002. Elizabeth Skala was the responding officer and arrested Patterson on suspicion of DUI, according to court records. Seven months later, Skala gave Nizah Morris a Center City “courtesy ride.” Within minutes, the transwoman was found by passing motorists with a fatal head injury. Patterson failed to show up for a subsequent court proceeding, and a bench warrant was issued, though it wasn’t served. In July 2012, Patterson attended a social event in South Philadelphia that became disorderly. Police were summoned, and after Patterson presented proof of his identity, he was arrested due to the pending DUI charge. His trial was scheduled to be held Nov. 3.

Skala entered the courtroom in street clothes, chewing gum while waiting for the Patterson case to be called. But after three hours, prosecutors told Municipal Court Judge Harvey W. Robbins they needed more time to review materials related to the case. Robbins postponed the matter until 10 a.m. Dec. 1 in Room 903 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Outside the courtroom, Doyle said having the complete Internal Affairs file of the Morris incident will put him in a better position to defend his client. He noted that Skala underwent additional police training due to the Morris incident. “There are questions about Officer Skala’s competency when evaluating the impairment of Nizah Morris,” Doyle told PGN. “If she needed re-training following the Nizah Morris incident, how could she have been competently trained at the time she arrested my client?” Patterson, who also was in the courtroom, faces significant jail time if convicted. Skala has been prepared to testify for several months, but the matter has been postPAGE 24

Appeal filed for Morris records By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com PGN filed an appeal last week in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, seeking dispatch records from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office pertaining to the Nizah Morris incident. Last month, the D.A.’s Office released a document pertaining to a vehicle stop by Officer Elizabeth Skala, who was involved in the Morris incident. The Office of Open Records ordered the document’s release after the D.A.’s Office indicated it’s complete. But the document appears to be missing a date, location, starting time, priority level and district-control numbers for Skala’s vehicle stop. In August, the D.A.’s Office provided an attestation under penalty of perjury, verifying that it couldn’t locate another copy of the document in its possession. This week, PGN offered to withdraw its appeal if the

D.A.’s Office will provide an attestation under penalty of perjury that it doesn’t have any dispatch records for the vehicle stop, other than the document already provided. The paper also requested explicit verification that the agency’s criminal files were searched. Four prior attestations from the agency haven’t contained such verification. One of those attestations vaguely alluded to files containing police-generated Morris records, and PGN also requested verification that those files were searched. The agency indicated it would consider providing another attestation to settle the matter. But the possibility of such a settlement remained pending by presstime. Skala initiated the vehicle stop during the early-morning hours of Dec. 22, 2002, while she was still assigned to handle Morris, who was extremely inebriated. Shortly before the vehicle stop, Skala gave Morris a Center City “courtesy ride.”

Minutes after the ride, the transwoman was found with blunt-force trauma to her head. Morris died two days later, and her homicide remains unsolved. Skala ticketed a motorist at 13th and Filbert streets rather than to Morris at 16th and Walnut streets, where she was in critical condition due to a head injury. It’s believed that complete dispatch records for Skala’s vehicle stop could help explain why Morris wasn’t promptly transported to a hospital. By the time medics transported Morris to a hospital — an hour after the first 911 call — she was brain dead. Complete dispatch records also could help explain why none of the officers who responded to Morris documented the courtesy ride, nor ensured a prompt investigation of her head injury. PGN’s appeal was filed Oct. 30. By presstime, the case hadn’t been assigned to a judge. n

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

Weekly features

News&Opinion 6 — News Briefing 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Letters/Feedback Mark My Words Street Talk 20 — Crime Watch 27 — International News Media Trail

AC &

40 41 43 46 48

C o l u m n s

— — — — —

Comics Family Portrait Scene in Philly Out & About Q Puzzle

12 — Out Law: The intricacies of procreation 16 — Before the Bells: Stressing the details

Classifieds 53 — Real Estate 54 — Personals 55 — Bulletin Board

The seventh-annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival formalized its LGBT lineup for this month’s fest.

8 THEY DO: Top of the Tower opened its doors to same-sex couples last weekend for the Say I Do! LGBT Wedding Expo. The event featured an array of wedding vendors, including photographers, caterers, florists, DJs and venues. There were several workshops during the expo, including on legal planning and wedding etiquette. Photo: Patrick Hagerty

This week in PGN 6 — Local synagogue says OK to gay marriages 7 — Asian American festival announces LGBT films 8 — “It Gets Better” at the Kimmel

Jason Landau-Goodman led a youth panel discussion Nov. 4 as part of the Kimmel Center’s “It Gets Better” program.

35 — Arts & Culture cover story: The annual community-chosen winners of the PGN Best of LGBT Philly awards are announced

“If people in their town do not feel comfortable, they can come to Philly. We want you. If you are an LGBT person in Pennsylvania and do not feel respected or comfortable, come to Philadelphia — this is a place where it gets better.” ~ Brian Sims, speaking about the “It Gets Better” program at the Kimmel, page 8

Next week Dining Out Get Out and Play Out Money Thinking Queerly

Two weeks Gettin’ On Outward Bound Paw Prints

PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506 Phone: 215-625-8501 Fax: 215-925-6437 E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Web: www.epgn.com

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Jen Colletta (ext. 206) jen@epgn.com

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The 2014 winners of PGN’s Best of LGBT Philly

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Scott A. Drake (ext. 210) scott@epgn.com Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com

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

LOCAL PGN

COVER BOY: New York Times best-selling author Christopher Rice personalizes copies of his latest book, “The Vines,” Nov. 4 at Philadelphia AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room. Rice opened with a nod to the organization, noting he was pleased when he’d heard the bookstore had been given a second life. After speaking to the two-dozen attendees about the thriller, suspense and horror genres, as well as some personal stories, he answered questions for about 30 minutes. Rice was the second author to return to the store under its new management and continue the decades-old tradition of author readings and signings. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Philly hate-crimes bill now in mayor’s hands By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Philadelphia City Council took the final step last week in its part of passing a citywide LGBT hate-crimes law. On Oct. 30, Council unanimously passed the hate-crimes bill introduced by Councilmembers Blondell Reynolds Brown and Jim Kenney. It now sits on Mayor Nutter’s desk, waiting to be signed into law. The mayor is required to take action on the bill before the next City Council meeting on Nov. 13. He must sign, veto or not sign the bill. Nutter’s press secretary, Mark McDonald, confirmed that the mayor will sign the bill. “The mayor will be signing the bill. We are for it,” McDonald said. “It is just a matter of when.” “A public signing before the next Council meeting would be difficult to do given everyone’s schedule, but it’s not out of the question,” McDonald added. Regardless of when the signing will take place, public or internally, the bill will become law. “We will sign this,” McDonald reiterated. Under the legislation, offered after two gay men were attacked in Center City in September, those whose crimes are motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation, gender identity or disability — the classes not protected under the state hate-crimes law — could face a maximum of 90 days

imprisonment and a fine of up to $2,000. While some have argued that the legislation does not go far enough in punishing offenders, Kenney noted that this is the most the city can do without a state law. “Let’s be clear. Councilwoman Reynolds Brown’s bill, which I proudly co-sponsored, gives the maximum punishment that a city in the state of Pennsylvania is allowed to administer,” he said. “We were told last year state law would preempt such a bill; otherwise we would have enacted it then. I am sympathetic to those who want even harsher penalties for hate crimes but this can only be achieved by the state legislature in Harrisburg.” Reynolds-Brown concurred. “Do I wish it could go further? Yes, but this bill is what we could legally achieve as a municipality,” she said. “There is no punishment or price tag that is ‘enough’ to offset the pain of victims of hate crimes, but I am proud that we discovered an injustice and took action to correct it.” With this latest legislative gain, Kenney said he and other ally lawmakers will continue to press for societal change, to stem the need for such laws. “Have we as a City Council pushed LGBTQ equality in Philadelphia as far as we can go without state approval? Absolutely, yes. Could we better use our mantle as public leaders to help continue to change hearts and minds? Of course,” Kenney said. “Equal rights are not the finish line, they are only the beginning of what must change.” n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

REGIONAL PGN

Bucks synagogue green-lights gay marriage By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com A Bucks county synagogue has opened its doors to same-sex couples. Last week, the board of Congregation Beth El, located in Yardley, unanimously voted in favor of marrying Jewish LGBT people. Rabbi Joshua Gruenberg said, “I have been an open proponent of gay marriage for years. I am proud to be a part of Conservative Judaism and the openness of Congregation Beth El in particular.” According to Gruenberg, the process of permitting same-sex marriages within his synagogue came about because of one couple’s request. “We have a few gay couples, but one couple in particular in the synagogue, who we have always treated as family members — never treated different — reached out to us after it became legal in Pennsylvania and said, ‘This is our community, this is our faith community, and we want to get married in this synagogue.’” Gruenberg then brought the issue to the congregation’s board of directors. “I brought it to the attention of our board, and made it clear that I wanted to perform the marriages in the sanctuary of our synagogue. Almost immediately, they decided in favor of it.” The congregation has been nothing but supportive of the decision so far, Gruenberg

News Briefing Court date set in Williams case A pre-trial conference has been scheduled in the case of Charles N. Sargent, who alleged stabbed to death, then dismembered, transwoman Diamond Williams last year. According to a statement Sargent allegedly gave to police, he acknowledged inviting Williams to his Strawberry Mansion residence during the early-morning hours of July 14, 2013. Sargent claims he stabbed Williams in self-defense, after she demanded a pre-arranged payment of $40 for having sex with him — which he refused to pay since she had male genitalia. He’s charged with murder, abuse of corpse and possessing an instrument of crime. Sargent, 45, has a lengthy rap sheet and remains incarcerated at the CurranFromhold Correctional Facility in

said. “I don’t think there is any question that the overwhelming majority of the congregation does support it,” he said. “They are very excited that they are a part of a community where this can happen, and that it can happen here at Beth El.” Should anyone object, Gruenberg says his office door is open. “There will always be a few people that do not agree, but so far no one has approached me. And I have made it clear that if anyone does have an issue with it, that we can sit down and talk about it.” The debate about marriage equality is gaining speed among religious circles as the number of states allowing same-sex marriage quickly increases. Gruenberg said he believes more Conservative Judaism synagogues will open their doors to perform same-sex marriages. “As it becomes legal in more states, I think you will see more synagogues in the Conservative movement doing it. I don’t know of anyone in my peer-age rabbinic group that does not support it. As much as our personal beliefs as rabbis might be in favor of it, we very much respect the law of the land,” he said. Ordination of gay, bisexual and lesbian rabbis was approved in 2006 and ordination of same-sex marriages under Jewish law in 2012. For more information on Congregation Beth El, visit www.bethelyardley.org. n Northeast Philadelphia. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 18 in Room 1105 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner will preside. A jury trial for Sargent is expected sometime next year. Prosecutors haven’t yet announced whether they’ll seek the death penalty.

Former Scoutmaster denies molestation allegations Charles “Chris” Morris, who’s accused of contributing to the suicide of an Eagle Scout by repeatedly molesting him, has denied all charges in court papers filed last week. Patricia Evasew says Morris repeatedly molested her son Thomas while he was a teenager in the 1980s. In February 2012, Thomas, 38, shot and killed himself in the parking lot of a building where his Scout troop met. Earlier this year, Evasew filed suit against Morris and the Boy Scouts of America in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court seeking more than $50,000 in damages. In a 28-page reply to her allegations, Morris acknowledged being a Scout leader for BSA Troop 67 of the Chester

LOCAL PGN

Asian American film fest formalizes LGBT lineup By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The seventh-annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival is adding a special segment to this year’s programming. The PAAFF Pride lineup includes LGBT-focused films, both features and shorts. This year’s festival will run Nov. 12-22. Main venues include International House of Philadelphia in University City and Asian Arts Initiative in Chinatown North. Festival director Rob Buscher said that adding the LGBT segment was a logical next step in the growth of the festival. “For us, it just made a lot of sense to include an LGBT section. We have been programming that content for years, but this year was the first in which we had two solid feature-length LGBT films,” Buscher said. Partnerships with area LGBT organizations also steered PAAFF towards formalizing the LGBT lineup. “A lot of the alliances we have built throughout the years have brought us in that direction,” Buscher said. “We have partnerships with qFLIX and the Leeway Foundation.” As the festival grows, including other

County Council from January 1987 to December 1992. Morris, of Paoli, also acknowledged knowing Thomas, but denied molesting him or contributing to his death. Jury selection is tentatively scheduled to begin 10 a.m. Sept. 8, 2015, in City Hall Courtroom 246. Judge Mark I. Bernstein will preside. — Timothy Cwiek

Learn about adoption Interested in learning more about adoption? A special LGBT information session would be a good place to start. The National Adoption Center’s LGBT Adoption Café will have a panel of experts and adoption professionals to

Asian subcultures, in addition to LGBTs, has presented its own set of challenges. “Looking at the Asian-American demographic, it is always a struggle to adequately represent the 28 different cultures,” Buscher said, referring to the number of different countries that make up Asian-American heritage. “But amongst the AsianAmerican communities here in Philadelphia, we heard a number of people speak up and want more LGBT films.” With an eye towards the future, Buscher said he hopes the festival, and its LGBT content, will continue to grow. “We are a submission-based festival. So the size of the festival each year depends on what is submitted. We have seen an increase in the number of LGBT films over the past couple years. This designation of the Pride section reflects that,” Buscher said. “We are absolutely committed to growing the Pride program in future iterations of the festival.” Pride lineup highlights include “Eat with Me,” 2:15 p.m. Nov. 15 at I-House, 3701 Chestnut St.; and “Kumu Hina,” 6 p.m. Nov. 22 at Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine St. For more information, visit www.phillyasianfilmfest.org. n

provide prospective parents with all the information they need to get started. The Café will take place 5:30-8 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Commodore Barry Club, 6815 Emlen Ave. in Mount Airy. The panel will also include members of the LGBT community who have already adopted children to share their experiences of going through the process. According to the NAC, there are more than 1,600 children available to be adopted in the Delaware Valley. The free event includes a light dinner. For more information, contact Gloria Hochman at ghochman@adopt.org or 215-875-0324. To register for the event, visit www.adopt.org. n — Ryan Kasley

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

PGN local

Kimmel, community partners tell youth ‘it gets better’ By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com An inspiring onstage message of hope and encouragement for bullied LGBT youth has made a stop in Philadelphia for a weeklong celebration. The “It Gets Better” project is in the midst of a weeklong residency at the Kimmel Center that will culminate in the onstage version of the internationally known message of hope, which is based on the viral YouTube effort of the same name. The public show will be held 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater. The project started as one YouTube video by Dan Savage and Terry Miller in which they shared their stories of being bullied in high school because they were gay, with the simple yet powerful message that “it gets better.” The video grew into a viral international phenomenon, with more than 50,000 people sharing their stories. The effort has since evolved into a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the message with the world. The stage version of the project was written and directed by Speak Theater Arts’ Liesel Reinhart and features the music of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. However, the Philly version of the production will feature a 125-member local community choir comprised of singers from the Philadelphia Gay Man’s Chorus,

Sister Cities, Voices of Pride, Rainbow Chorale of Delaware and the Anna Crusis Women’s Choir. As part of the residency, there were also a number of free events earlier in the week. Jay Wahl, artistic director for the Kimmel Center, described the week of activities as “the main part of the whole event, the culmination of which is the performance onstage.” A youth-led panel discussion hosted by the Pennsylvania Student Equality Coalition took place Nov. 4, and also that night students from University of the Arts presented their original works, inspired by the theme “It Gets Better.” The following evening, there was an open house featuring information- and resource-sharing from local LGBT organizations, health providers, parent-teacher organizations, meet-up groups, anti-bullying organizations and more. Education, Wahl said, is key in the effort. “We are going into these schools and parent organizations. We are aiming for a specific message, rather then a broad one. ‘It gets better’ is half the battle,” Wahl said. “The other half is educating the people who witness it, but don’t do anything. We want to let people know that even if they are not in a dark place, the resources are there for them to help those that are.” Wahl pointed to state Rep. Brian Sims (D-181st Dist.) as the driving force behind

promoting the event. “Brian has been crucial in helping spread the word and raising awareness of the event and of the challenges LGBT youth face,” he said. For Sims, the project resonates on a personal level. “My parents were lieutenant colonels in the Army. We were moving all the time, and I was always the new kid in my school. While I was not bullied — I was a pretty big, tall kid — I was very aware of it around me,” Sims said. When Sims learned that Kimmel was interested in being a hub for anti-bullying education, and would be fully supportive of

the initiative, he said “it was easy to get the community behind it. It grew very organically in that way.” Beyond the message of hope the project promotes, Sims hopes word will spread outside of Philly. “Philly is the most LGBT-friendly city in the country,” Sims said, referring to a Human Rights Campaign report that ranked cities according to LGBT-inclusive policies and programs. Philadelphia received the top score, but Sims noted, “We are literally an island in a state that otherwise does not support us.” “If people in their town do not feel comfortable, they can come to Philly,” Sims added. “We want you. If you are an LGBT person in Pennsylvania and do not feel respected or comfortable, come to Philadelphia — this is a place where it gets better.” Tickets for the live concert experience are available for $21 and can be purchased by calling 215-8931999, online at kimmelcenter.org or at the Kimmel Center box PANEL DISCUSSION ON NOV. 4 Photo: Scott A. Drake office. n

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Steve King

Editorial

Big wins, big losses The biggest news out of Pennsylvania’s election Tuesday was the ousting of Republican Gov. Tom Corbett in favor of Democrat Tom Wolf. It is a win that could signal the potential of real LGBT change in the coming years: with a governor on our side, longstalled issues like LGBT nondiscrimination and inclusion in the hate-crimes law could finally gain some traction, as could a sea of other efforts to ensure full LGBT inclusion across all facets of Pennsylvania policies and programs. But, while the Democrats in the nation mourn the loss of control of the U.S. Senate, our state has another loss that we should be focused on: the ousting of Republican state Rep. Mike Fleck. Fleck lost his primary earlier this year but won enough write-in Democratic votes to run on that ticket, although he still came in behind his opponent. Fleck was first elected in 2006 and again in 2010 to represent the 81st District in Central Pennsylvania. In the 2006 primary, he captured more than 50 percent of the Republican vote, besting three other candidates; and in that year’s general election, he received 65 percent of the vote over his Democratic challenger. Four years later, he was unopposed in both the primary and general election. So what changed? He came out. In 2012, Fleck announced publicly that he is gay, becoming the state’s first sitting openly gay legislator. Critics soon after sought to argue that Fleck was a Republican-in-name-

only and was more closely aligned with Democratic ideals, contrary to the conservative, largely Republican district he represents. Did his record change with his coming out? Did his plans for the district shift? Or his views on everyday issues affecting his constituents? All that changed is that he was willing to be open and honest with his district and his state about who he is. That should be a commitment that we value in our legislators but, apparently for the voters in the 81st District, it is not. Being gay should not be equated with being a Democrat or having liberal-leaning views, and gay legislators shouldn’t solely be relegated to urban areas. That the 81st District seemingly believes so is shameful — for them and for our entire state. While Pennsylvania saw a great victory in Wolf’s election, Fleck’s loss is equally momentous — and should be used as momentum for the investment in LGBT education and outreach to the parts of our state that are eager to turn back the clock on equality. In the days leading up to the election, one GOP official in Central Pennsylvania posted a crude drawing of two men having sex on a Facebook post related to the 81st District election; that type of uneducated, small-mindedness should not be permitted in our state. And it should be used as a rallying cry for aspiring LGBT candidates to — as opposed to being dissuaded — use this setback as further impetus to pursue elected office, and press for societal change, openly. n

I don’t believe in God. But I have a good-enough handle on his discography to know that “Heaven” is one of his greatest hits and that, for his fans, Heaven is a B.F.D. So when U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) told The Jefferson Herald Oct. 22 that he thinks homos aren’t going to heaven, some people were bound to get upset. The remarks were in response to some rumblings that the Catholic Church was all of a sudden proclaiming that gays are OK-ish. (Full disclosure: The Catholic Church is saying no such thing.) “I’ll just say that what was a sin 2,000 years ago is a sin today,” King said, “and people that were condemned to hell 2,000 years ago, I don’t expect to meet them should I make it to heaven. So let’s stick with that principle.” Mind you, King is talking not just about homos there, he’s also talking, according to the Herald, about “people who are divorced or living together without being married.” Because “lest ye be judged” and all that. But back to “that principle” that if it was so 2,000 years ago, it is so today. There are plenty of no-nos in the Bible like mixing fabric, trimming your beard (proof that hipsters are some of the most devout among us), touching dead rabbits, getting a tattoo (yes, even if it’s that one part of Corinthians) and working on Sunday. Another thing that’s frowned upon: slander. And Lord knows (because he’s gonna find out who’s naughty and nice), King has said more than his fair share of shitty things about gays in his lifetime. (Note: He’s been Creep of the Week many times over the years.) Not to mention he’s not very fond of Muslims or immigrants or ladies who want reproductive rights or anyone who uses critical-thinking skills. He is no fan. Still, it doesn’t hurt my feelings that he thinks I’m hell-bound. I already know I’m not going to heaven. Or to Neverland, or the Island of Sodor, for that matter.

But you don’t have to even believe in God (and yes, Mr. King, even some LGBT folks do) to find such a declaration dickish — and definitely arrogant. “Let me say it isn’t up to me to pass that judgment,” King told the Herald, “and those who choose a lifestyle that I’ll say is not one that’s anointed and favored by my faith — or their faith, for that matter — that’s between them and God.” Note to King: when you say that gays go to hell, you’re passing judgment. And if you really believed that things for people you disapprove of were “between them and God,” you’d never have made the hell comment to begin with. Here’s the thing. While it’s easy to laugh off King’s comments as the ramblings of a zealot, the man is an elected representative, which means he has actual power that he can use for evil. So when he says gays aren’t worthy of heaven, is it any surprise that he also doesn’t think gays are worthy of anti-discrimination laws? Of marriage equality? Of protection from violence? Of course not. He’s just another bigot hiding behind religion, and the God he claims to believe in so hard, who also just happens to hate all the same people he does. How convenient. n

So when he says gays aren’t worthy of heaven, is it any surprise that he also doesn’t think gays are worthy of anti-discrimination laws? Of marriage equality? Of protection from violence?

D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock and roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister and teaches writing at the University of Michigan.

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Silver lining in Republican rhetoric should be sanctioned under the law.” So how do you put a silver lining on Tuesday’s election? It’s not as hard as you Likewise, he told the Conservative Political Action Conference recently may think for the LGBT community. that “way too many people believe Let’s start with the big issue: LGBTs were not an issue in any campaign in the Republicans are anti-everything,” includnation. No Republican ran on attacking ing “antigay.” marriage equality. In fact, the conserva Now, there are certainly still possitive governor of Wisconsin tossed in the ble Republican candidates who proudly towel, and in purple Florida, Rick Scott oppose marriage equality, chief among side-stepped the topic, stating: them Rand Paul, who claims to “While I believe in traditional be a Libertarian. marriage, we’ve got to under When President Obama came stand people have different out in support of marriage views. It’s going through the equality in 2012, Paul said the court system. My understanding president’s views “couldn’t is it’s going right directly to the get any gayer.” He later called Supreme Court. Whatever the himself “an old-fashioned tradiSupreme Court decides, they’ll tionalist” who believes “in the decide what the law in Florida historic and religious definition is. I will abide by that law.” of marriage.” And in red Southern states, That’s hypocritical for a we weren’t an issue in state Libertarian if you look up the races in places like Virginia, definition of the word. North Carolina, Kentucky, The other leading contenders, Arkansas and even Louisiana. Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio and Mark Segal Ted Cruz, are all opposed to A short 12 years ago, George W. Bush won re-election cammarriage equality, but it should paigning at every stop with an anti-equalbe noted that none of the three were used ity message. That idea was the backbone as surrogates in this past Tuesday’s elecof Republicans. This year, they ran from it. tion, compared to Centrist Republicans. Translation: the Senatorial candidates did So how does this look for the 2016 presidential race? A total 180 by Republicans. not want to polarize the electorate in their After Tuesday’s election, let’s look at states, but rather wanted to keep the social where the leading potential Republican issues at bay. nominees for president stand on marriage As this column predicted early in equality. the 2012 race, with the defeat of Rick Chris Christie, who campaigned Santorum during the primary season, we for a number of ultimately victorious were seeing the end of hatred towards Republican gubernational candidates the LGBT community from Republicans, across the country, last year accepted the since they knew the tide had shifted. court ruling granting same-sex couples the I also predicted that Santorum would right to marry in New Jersey, declining not run again, as seems most likely, and will to appeal and thereby allowing marriage again lose the Republican primary — and equality in the Garden State. thus crumble the last vestiges of LGBT Scott Walker of Wisconsin is emerghate speech being allowed in a presidential ing as a major player for the nomination election. after winning re-election as governor on Even Karl Rove, who was the architect Tuesday, having also survived two other of George W. Bush’s antigay strategy of races to topple him in the last few years. 2004, has stated there “could” be a 2016 He has followed Christie’s lead on marRepublican presidential candidate who riage equality. supports same-sex marriage. Then there’s Jeb Bush. As the In the end, there is movement on our Washington Post described, his position issues and even Republicans are noting on marriage equality is complicated. Bush that. We can dwell on the negatives of stated, “I don’t think people need to be Tuesday’s election, but I’d rather look for discriminated against because they don’t the areas we can build on — and a roadshare my belief on this, and if people love map is there. n their children with all their heart and soul and that’s what they do and that’s how Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the they organize their life, that should be nation’s most-award-winning commenheld up as examples for others to follow tator in LGBT media. You can follow because we need it. We desperately need him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ it and that can take all sorts of forms. It MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter. doesn’t have to take the one that I think com/PhilaGayNews.

Mark My Words

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

Street Talk Should Ebola caregivers be quarantined for 21 days after returning to this country? "Yes. Something as contagious as Ebola definitely warrants caution, care and consideration. QuarCallen Clark antining is videographer the least we North Philadelphia can do, to help cut off the head of the beast. Any disease like this is a real concern to me."

"Yes. Ebola is a definite threat that merits necessary precautions. Quarantining doesn't increase Roger West panic. It dog walker will lessen Pennsport panic in the country. People will feel better, because something effective is being done."

"Yes, because you can be infectious without showing symptoms. I'm not a medical expert by any means but Shannon Fromm we should dog walker be taking all Washington Square West necessary precautions, within reason. Quarantining is appropriate. I would hope the caregiver would readily cooperate, because they don't want to infect anyone."

"Yes. Ebola is a very serious thing. It's not something to be taken lightly. From this point forward, the Timothy DeSario caregivers student should be Fairmount given fair warning that they'll be placed in quarantine when they return. That just goes with the turf. It's unfortunate if they're uncomfortable. But it's for the greater good."

Op-Ed

Chuck Volz

The Pride animal farm George Orwell would have been perfectly at home at the 2014 general membership meeting of Pride coordinators who plan events “for people identifying as Lesbian, Gay Men, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and/or other emerging sexual identities.” The recent Interpride Conference in Pittsburgh denied the trans community a spot on their board of directors notwithstanding having gender-identified board positions. All might be welcome, but some will not find seats at the table.

The current bylaws of Interpride provide for five vice presidents, four of whom are gender-identified: a vice president of member services; a vice president of operations, female-identified; a vice president of operations, male-identified; a vice president of operations, female-identified, nonU.S.; and a vice president of operations, male-identified, non-U.S. A proposal to amend the bylaws to include a “vice president of operations, trans-identified” was passed at the

2013 annual meeting in Montreal by 57 percent of the vote (the first stage requires a simple majority of 50 percent). This year the second stage required a super majority of 67 percent, but the effort failed with only 63 percent of the vote. Therefore, although the guaranteed vice-presidential positions for “female-identified” and “male-identified” remain, there are no seats for those otherly identified. Two very bizarre observations can be made: The two “male-identified” PAGE 21

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

LEGAL PGN

The road to childbirth is paved in good intentions The conception and birth of a child is viously been romantically involved with an adventure and a miracle for heterosexthe mother provided semen to a clinic for ual and same-sex parents alike. However, her insemination. The donor and mother the “adventure” to parenthood upon which entered into a contract relieving him of same-sex parents bravely embark is more any parental rights or responsibilities. Five like something out of “Indiana Jones” years after the child’s birth, the mother than TLC’s “A Baby Story.” In the quest sought child support. The lower court for second-parent or step-parent kinship initially found in her favor, relying on rights, the parent who adds no genetic the fairly universal rule that a contract material to the pot sometimes to waive child support where comes up empty-handed. the child is conceived through Heterosexual couples are not intercourse is not enforceable. typically faced with this unforThe Pennsylvania Supreme tunate outcome even when they Court, however, reversed use in vitro fertilization (IVF) and ruled that the contract because they sometimes have was enforceable. Although the required genetic material Pennsylvania does not have an to move forward. On the other Artificial Insemination statute hand, lesbian couples require clarifying the rights of donors a third-party sperm donor who and recipients, the court found may or may not have parenno meaningful distinction tal rights superior to those of between the circumstances the non-birth mother. This all this insemination (using a Angela of depends on the laws of the parphysician, with a contract) and Giampolo anonymous donation, where the ticular state in which conception occurs, the type of donor donor would be protected from used for the conception and the location claims for support. where conception takes place. Just to show how not uniform the laws Although heterosexual couples someare state to state, the opposite result times need to use sperm donors too, the occurred in New York in a case with law is on their side. In 1973, the Uniform almost the exact same facts. Parentage Act was passed, which, among And in Kansas, a man is currently payother things, stated that when a husband ing child support for a child he claims he consents in writing to the insemination of is not a “parent” to and instead simply his wife by a known third party, and the donated genetic material. In 2009, two procedure is done by a licensed physician, women were in a committed lesbian relathe husband is legally considered to be the tionship when they decided to become biological father of that child. The donor, parents together. They placed an advertherefore, has no legal parental right to tisement on Craigslist (yes, Craigslist!) in the child. The Act also allowed for the search of a man who would make a private mother and the donor to form a legally sperm donation to them. Although this binding contract in which the donor would may sound unusual, it is an increasingly formally relinquish all of his rights to the common practice among prospective parchild. In recent years, the Act has been ents seeking to save money. A year after extended to cover same-sex partners that the child was born, the two women broke are legally married or in a civil union. off their relationship. After the breakup, However, many states have failed to adopt the birth mother applied for welfare benthe Act, and Pennsylvania (being one of efits on multiple occasions. On forms those black-hole states) has been forced to requesting her to identify other household create its own parentage laws through case members, she did not include her ex-partlaw. ner and on forms requesting that she Under Pennsylvania law, if the mother identify the child’s father, she indicated of the child is inseminated with semen that the father was an unnamed “donor.” obtained from a sperm bank, and if the However, the donor’s identity was eventuinsemination is performed in a licensed ally revealed when the birth mother finally IVF facility, a sperm donor will have complied with the request by the Kansas no legal claim to any resulting child. Department for Children and Families that Moreover, the existence of a contract proshe turn over a copy of the sperm donor tects the donor from a claim for child supcontract. Once she did so, it became clear port. Conversely, this law has been held by to both that there was another female-inthe courts to mean that if the insemination tended parent and that the donor was not was done outside of a licensed facility, anonymous. or if the sperm was not obtained from a Although the three adults signed agreesperm bank, the donor is not considered to ments making clear that the donor’s role be a sperm donor, but is legally the father was to cease after he donated the sperm, of the child. the state of Kansas claims he is the father In the seminal case Ferguson v. of the child that was conceived with his McKiernan (2007), a friend who had presperm. Kansas won PAGE 23

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Before the Bells

Jen Colletta

Saving your sanity On the night I set aside for brainstorming for this month’s column, I was mired in wedding misery: a DIY guestbook project that fantastically failed … a list of appointments to squeeze in between the holidays, baby showers and other weddings … rumblings about bridal-party disagreements … a fruitless search for chair décor … all while surrounded by a sea of crumpled origami paper that, once-intended to serve as the basis for paper flowers, now was at risk of being hurled out the window. So, I figured, why not write about how easy it is to lose your mind amid wedding planning? Weddings are stressful, there’s just no getting around that. Large or small, weddings typically involve a lot of planning, a lot of money and a lot of cooperation with people you may not be used to dealing with — all on top of work commitments, family and friend obligations and whatever else is going on in your life. But wading through the sea of stress is possible. Devil in the details My fiancé and I did a two-year engagement to give ourselves plenty of time to plan. We got the biggest decisions out of the way early on — date, venue, size, budget — and were looking forward to pulling the details together. We’ve found, however, that the detail stage comes with its own headaches. The number of small decisions that need to be made for a larger-scale wedding is mind-blowing: guestbook, cardbox, place cards, invites (and invites for a rehearsal dinner if you have one), programs, centerpieces, ceremony wording, hairstyles for the ladies, photo list for the photographer, song list for the DJ, cake flavor, ringbox, gifts for the bridal party … the details

could literally be never-ending. While both my fiancé and I are pretty laidback, we’ve found ourselves getting wrapped up in these details. Never did I think I would care if we had mason jars filled with baby’s breath or burlap-andlace bows for our ceremony-chair décor, but we recently found ourselves in a debate about the matter. It’s easy to get lost in the decisions; everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect, and the more details that pile up, the more it seems like perfection is contingent upon making good decisions about the small things. We’ve been trying to put things into perspective as often as we can. When we walk down the aisle, we’re not going to even notice what hangs off the chairs; we’ll be focused on our loved ones in the seats and each other, and that’s what we have to keep reminding ourselves when we inevitably get carried away again. We also recently made a timeline to keep from getting too far ahead of ourselves. Exploring one detail can lead you to five more decisions you didn’t realize you need to make. For instance, in preparing to order ceremony programs, we realized we first needed to decide upon the readings for the ceremony, who would be doing the readings, how we would list our family members, how we plan to walk down the aisle … and 65 other details. So we sat down and made an exhaustive list of the teeniest details we could think of and listed what we’ll take care of each month; so far, it’s helped us keep some semblance of sanity. Counting the coin One of the biggest stresses of a wedding may involve its funding. This column previously outlined some

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of the budgetary lessons we learned early on, but we’ve recently run into another issue: how to balance other financial obligations while saving for a wedding. We’ve been working to squirrel away savings each week but are finding life getting in the way. In our case, we have three expectant bridesmaids, as well as one family member and another friend who are also pregnant — so that’s five baby showers (and five baby shower gifts) before the wedding, as well as a smattering of christenings. Mix in the holidays, birthdays and increased cable bills and insurance premiums, and you’ve got a recipe for stress. We’re trying to approach this as sensibly, and honestly, as possible. We’re putting some of the DIY and cost-cutting lessons we’ve learned through the wedding-planning process to good use when gifting to others. And, we’re not underestimating the value of the gift of time; being on a wedding budget may prevent you from giving extravagant Christmas gifts to one another or family, but instead you can offer “experience”-themed gifts: a homecooked meal by you and movie night for your beloved, a daytrip to local museums (tapping into the wonders of sites like Groupon) for the culturally inclined on your holiday list or time spent volunteering together at a local nonprofit for your philanthropically minded giftees. And be frank with your loved ones: If you can’t afford to attend a wedding or a gift-giving occasion, explain that you’re in the throes of wedding-saving; those who’ve been there will understand, and those who haven’t will one day.

ing out how to keep peace. While a wedding is essentially about the couple, it’s also a time for the joining of family and friends, many of whom may be closely involved in the planning process — which has its ups and downs. For the up, having the support, both tangible and intangible, of loved ones can be a great help. But, involving family and friends also means learning how to work harmoniously with a bunch of very different people who often have very different visions — no easy feat. Wedding-planning with others hearkens back to the group projects of grade school; not only do you have to come together to actually accomplish things — making up guest lists, deciding on bridal party attire, etc. — you have to do so while not compromising your own goals or visions in deference to those of others. Some people may have very strong opinions and be comfortable expressing them to you, but we’ve learned we have to be equally comfortable politely declining; 10 different people are going to have 10 different views on one subject — trying to incorporate them all is simply enough to drive anyone off the deep end. We’ve tried to bear in mind that offers of advice and assistance are usually rooted in a good place, and many people offering opinions may not realize how many other viewpoints are being directed at the couple from other people as well. But, at the end of the day, this is the wedding of just two people — and that’s an empowering thought that all couples should remind themselves of from time to time.

Opinions of others

Perspective is a powerful tool in overcoming the stresses of wedding-planning — as are steady supplies of patience and understanding. And wine. n

Perhaps the most challenging stress involved with planning a wedding is figur-

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PGN 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. Rosewood

1302 Walnut St. 215.336.1335 rosewood-bar.com Cozy, elegantly-appointed bar with high-end specialty cocktails

Voyeur

Woody’s

❍ ❍

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Tabu

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

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

200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com Sports bar serving bar food with frequent special events on second floor

The Bike Stop

Four-level leather bar; basement enforces a dress code; secondfloor pool table and big-screen sports action

Walnut St. Chancellor St.

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St. James St.

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❒❒

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Manning St.

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11th St.

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Quince St.

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William Way LGBT Community Center

1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org

A resource for all things LGBT

Westbury

261 S. 13th St. 215.546.5170 thewestburybar.net The original Philly sports bar/restaurant with 20 craft beers on tap and game-day specials

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

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

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 with outdoor seating (weather permitting)

ICandy

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

Venture Inn 255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Bar and restaurant with frequent entertainment

The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Oct. 20-26. Information is courtesy of Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS (8477). Follow the Sixth District on Twitter @ PPDBrianKorn. INCIDENTS — At 12:30 a.m. Oct. 19, a man was approached outside 1227 Walnut St. by two males who asked for the time, and when he took out his phone to check, they wrestled it from him and fled. The suspects were described as black males, one of whom was about 20, 5-foot-10, with a stocky build, short hair and dark complexion wearing a gold and red striped sweater. — At 4:20 a.m. Oct. 22, after leaving a casino, a man went to the spa in the 200 block of South Quince Street to “look for a prostitute” and when he left he was punched and had money taken from his pocket. The suspect was described as a white male, 5-foot-8, with a beard and wearing a gray hoodie. — At 3:50 a.m. Oct. 26, a group of women were walking south on the 300 block of South 13th Street when they were accosted by a male holding a knife, who demanded and stole their purses before fleeing north on 13th. He was described as a white male between 35-45, 5-foot-8, with a thin build and tattoos on his neck, wearing a baggie off-white sweatshirt and dark pants. — At 10 p.m. Oct. 26, security video at the parking lot booth at 1309 Locust St. showed a male attempting to unsuccessfully force open the door. The suspect was described as 6-foot-1 with dreadlocks and wearing a black suit. — There was one theft from a parked vehicle reported Oct. 20-26, outside 107 S. 10th St. — There were three bicycle thefts reported Oct. 20-26: outside 800 Spruce St., 102 S. Juniper St. and 301 S. Broad St. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS

Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.

— At 3:20 p.m. Oct. 20, a man was at 11th and Chestnut streets and was approached by a male he knew, who stole his bag and laptop. The victim followed the culprit to Ninth and Chestnut streets, where the suspect showed a handgun and told the

man to stop following him. Police were notified and provided with the suspect’s name, description and workplace. Sixth District Officer Romanczuk went to the suspect’s workplace at 500 S. Fourth St., made an arrest and recovered the laptop. No gun was recovered. The 38-year-old suspect with a West Philadelphia address was charged with robbery and related offenses. — On Oct. 21, someone stole a 2013 Nissan from the parking garage at 123 S. 12th St. A witness reported seeing an employee steal the vehicle at 5:30 p.m. On Oct. 22, the employee returned to work, and police were called and ascertained that the vehicle was at 10th and Winter streets. The vehicle was recovered and the 20-year-old suspect with a South Philadelphia address was arrested and charged with auto theft. — At 12:15 a.m. Oct. 23, a driver was sitting inside a vehicle outside the Loews Hotel, 1200 Market St., waiting to pick up an employee when a male opened the car door in an apparent attempt to take items from the front seat. The driver drove off and alerted Sixth District Sgt. Palma. The suspect was observed at the 7-11 at 12th and Chestnut streets and violently resisted being detained. During the struggle, several officers were injured and the 7-11 store sustained damage. The 23-year-old suspect with a Nicetown address was charged with attempted theft, assault on police and related offenses. — At 12:55 a.m. Oct. 25, Sixth District officers were called to an apartment in the 300 block of South Juniper Street and arrested a 24-year-old suspect with a Florida address for domestic assault. SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 1:35 p.m. Oct. 20, Center City District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 100 S. 12th St. — At 8:35 p.m. Oct. 21, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 251 S. 13th St. — At 2:20 a.m. Oct. 22, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 1200 Cypress St. — At 4:10 p.m. Oct. 23, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 912 Walnut St. — On Oct. 24, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 1:30 a.m. inside 123 S. Broad St. and 5:50 p.m. outside 1300 Locust St. — At 1:45 a.m. Oct. 25, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 1229 Locust St. n

PGN ELECTION from page 1

Democratic write-in votes to run on the Democratic ticket this week. Republican Rich Irvin captured about 54 percent of the votes, to Fleck’s 46 percent, a difference of about 1,500 votes. “Mike’s a good friend and his loss is personally sad for me and it’ll be a big loss to the legislature because he’s a good legislator,” Martin said. “I think he did the right thing by coming out and living authentically. I think there were other issues in the race beyond that that contributed [to the loss], but it’s disappointing regardless to lose him. But I don’t think his career is over, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with him.” On the national front, Republicans won enough Senate seats to take control of the chamber; the party now has a majority in both houses of Congress. Around the region, LGBT ally U.S. Sen. Cory Booker from New Jersey won re-election to his first full term, as did ally Christopher OP-ED from page 11

positions and the two “female-identified” positions, because they are identified by gender and not sexual orientation, could be held by straight individuals, and the positions disenfranchise individuals who self-identify as neither male nor female. The Philadelphia delegation voted in favor of the proposal and the logic behind the vote was self-evident: Once you no longer vote for simply the best-qualified individuals and carve out specific seats based on gender identity, you have to include a trans identity. Various arguments were advanced on the floor that this

Coons in Delaware. Maura Healy became the first openly gay attorney general in the country, with her win in Massachusetts, but Maine gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud lost his bid to become the first out governor in the nation. In Pennsylvania, there was a mixed bag of Democratic wins and losses. State Rep. Brendan Boyle, the prime sponsor of the state’s LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes bill, won his race for the open 13th Congressional seat, besting Republican Dee Adcock 67-33 percent. In the open Sixth District Congressional race, Democrat Manan Trivedi was defeated by Republican Ryan Costello 56-44 percent. Incumbent Republican Congressman Patrick Meehan fended off a challenge by Democrat Mary Ellen Balchunis, 62-34 percent, while incumbent Republican Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick defeated Democratic challenger Kevin Strouse 62-38 percent. n would inevitably lead to a “bisexual vice president of operations” and an “intersex vice president of operations.” Well, no and yes. A bisexual could be either maleor female-identified and would not be excluded. And an intersex individual, like the trans individual, because they are not female- or male-identified, are excluded. Admittedly, the alphabet soup becomes unwieldy, and the rational conclusion would be to have no gender-identified vice presidents at all. Interpride is not necessarily rational. Philly Pride Presents, the Philadelphia LGBT pride organization, is open to all

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

FIRE from page 1

TRIAL from page 1

line for when the department expects to lift the order, and calls to Parker-Spruce and Westbury were not returned. New details from the Philadelphia Fire Department incident report reveal a little more about what happened that day. PFD was dispatched to the ParkerSpruce at 3:32 p.m. for a report of a fire on the ninth floor. Firefighters arrived on location about two minutes later and saw smoke billowing from a window on the floor. PFD Executive Chief Peter Crespo told PGN that “the sprinkler system contained the majority of the fire.” The fire was under control by 3:51 p.m. No one was injured and everyone was accounted for. The PFD is still conducting its investigation, and could not comment on what caused the fire or the extent of the damage. L&I has reported about 50 violations at the building in the last few years. n

testified that Forte attempted to reenter the club at the end of the night, around the time the club was closing. She was also able to identify one of the defendants in the security-camera footage as Maldonado. And she testified that she received a call from Maldonado about an hour after the incident took place in which he informed her that “an incident had occurred with the same patron that was escorted out of the club earlier that night.” She also stated she has since been let go from her job at Voyeur, but did not know if the termination was related to the incident. The trial is scheduled to resume Feb. 27, at which time approximately five witnesses will be called to testify, including the woman who eventually helped Forte return to his parents’ home. As a waiver trial, Court of Common Pleas Judge Giovanni Campbell, will issue the verdict, not a jury. n

races and sexual identities. There was a time in our history when the discussion was joined about having female and male co-chairs and we handled it in a utilitarian fashion by eschewing all titles whatsoever — we are all simply “Pride coordinators.” Those who run our international organization have chosen otherwise and have carved out hyphenated positions so that they have seats at the table but all do not. Parenthetically, 45 pages of bylaws guarantee selective understanding and participation, so many have trouble finding the seats to begin with. There will be a wailing and gnashing

of teeth by Interpride in the future that there are not enough trans and intersex participation in our events. Participating Pride groups may and should withdraw their volunteer funding of Interpride projects. Public pressure may and should be brought. Until the inevitable change of hearts and minds, all Pride coordinators will be equal, but some will be more equal than others. All members of our community will be equal, but some will be more equal than others. n Chuck Volz is senior advisor to Philly Pride Presents.

locations in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA — Around THe gayborhood

12th Street Gym, 204 S. 12th St. • 13th Street Gourmet Pizza, 209 S. 13th St. • AACO, 1101 Market St., 9th floor • Action AIDS, 1216 Arch St. • Apt. & Townhouse Rentals, 304 S. 12th St. • ASIAC, 1711 S. Broad St. • The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. • Bioscript Pharmacy, 1227 Locust St. • Cafe Twelve, 212 S. 12th St. • Charlie Salon, 203 S. 12th St. • City Hall NE Entrance • Club Body Center, 1220 Chancellor St. • Com-Har Living Room, 101 S. Broad St., 14th floor • Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. • Cut Salon, 204 S. 13th St. • Danny’s Bookstore 133 S. 13th St. • Dignity/St. Lukes, 330 S. 13th St. • Dirty Frank’s Bar, 13th & Pine sts. • The Foodery, 10th & Pine sts. • Fusion Gym, 105 S. 12th St., 2nd floor • Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St. • I Goldberg, 1300 Chestnut St. • ICandy, 254 S. 12th St. • Independent Hotel, 13th & Locust sts. • John C. Anderson Apts., 249 S. 13th St. • Mazzoni Clinic, 809 Locust St. • Midtown II, 122 S. 11th St. • More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust St. • Pa. AIDS Law Project, 1211 Chestnut St., 12th floor • Paolo Pizzeria, 1336 Pine St. • Parker Hotel Lobby, 261 S. 13th St. • Phila. FIGHT/Aids Library, 1233 Locust St., 5th floor • Phila. Family Planning Commission, 260 S. Broad St., 10th floor • Planned Parenthood, 1144 Locust St. • Sansom Cinema, 120 S. 13th St., basement • Santa Fe Burrito, 212 S. 11th St. • Scorpio Books, 202 S. Juniper St. • Sisters, 1320 Chancellor St. • Spruce Street Video, 252 S. 12th St. • Packard Apartments, 317 N. Broad St. • Safeguards lobby, 1211 Chestnut St. #610 • Salon K, 1216 Locust St. • Sante Fe Burrito, 212 S. 11th St. • Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. • Tavern on Camac, 243 S. Camac St. • Toast, 12th & Spruce sts. • Triangle Medicine, 253 S. 10th St., 1st floor • U Bar, 1220 Locust St. • Valanni, 1229 Spruce St. • Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac St. • Westbury, 261 S. 13th St. • William Way LGBT Community Center, 1325 Spruce St.

All of these locations are now visible on a zoomable Google Map at

http://www.epgn.com/pages/where_to_find WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION ON THIS LIST? Contact Don at don@epgn.com or 215-625-8501 ext. 200 to arrange for delivery of complimentary copies.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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PGN OUT LAW from page 12

the first round in the litigation (which the donor said he will appeal), where the trial court ruled that the agreements between the donor and the two women are not enforceable, and that he is liable for child support dating back to the child’s birth. As such, while not always a couple’s preferred method, pursuant to the law, the legally safest route for lesbian couples is to use sperm-bank semen and be inseminated at a licensed IVF facility. While this is also the most expensive option, it beats fighting legal battles over parentage rights in the future. Still, some women will choose to use a known donor or will use sperm-bank sperm outside of a facility. In this situation, the rights of the donor grow to encompass the right to petition the court for visitation, and the right to petition for parental rights to the child. In such cases, there are numerous steps they can take to protect themselves, such as creating a written contract. This contract must detail the intentions of all parties involved and state that the donor relinquishes all rights to any child produced by the donation. That’s not to say that every contract is infallible.

However, they do provide the court with the mindset and intention of the parties before the time of conception, and give the birth mother more leverage against the donor’s assertion of parentage or protect the donor against a claim for child support. Childbirth should be an exciting time for a family to bond in their home with their loved ones — and not in a courtroom with a judge. The real lesson to take from this is that the decision to conceive with donor sperm has legal, in addition to medical, consequences. It is always best to keep the convoluted clear and abide by the laws of your state if you want to avoid heartache later on. By knowing the law, and obtaining legal representation, individuals can overcome and even prevent the common pitfalls associated with family planning. n Angela D. Giampolo, principal of Giampolo Law Group, maintains offices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and specializes in LGBT law, business law, real-estate law and civil rights. Her website is www. giampololaw.com and she maintains two blogs, www.phillygaylawyer.com and www. lifeinhouse.com. Send Angela your legal questions at angela@giampololaw.com.

Philadelphia Gay News

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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poned three times. She’s been off of street patrol for several years, and reportedly works in the police commissioner’s office. Doyle has provided prosecutors two Police Advisory Commission reports about the Morris incident, along with Skala’s 2006 PAC testimony. Outside the courtroom, he noted Skala’s “cavalier” way of filling out patrol-activity logs. In her PAC testimony, Doyle said, Skala acknowledged sometimes filling in log entries at the end of her shift, rather than contemporaneously as per police directives. Skala denied any culpability in Morris’ homicide. But the PAC’s 2013 Morris report raised multiple questions about her credibility. For example, onlookers told the PAC they helped Morris into Skala’s vehicle, because she couldn’t stand or walk unassisted. Yet Skala testified that nobody was at the scene except her and Morris, and that Morris could enter and exit her vehicle without assistance. Morris died two days after the courtesy ride, and her homicide remains unsolved. Two male officers also responded to Morris on the morning of her head injury, Kenneth Novak and Thomas Berry. Questions about their credibility also have been raised, partly because their Morris paperwork was based on the supposition that no one summoned medics for Morris prior to her head injury — which wasn’t true. Both officers are assigned to street-patrol duties, a police spokesperson said. Patterson remains free after posting $5,000 bail. If Patterson isn’t satisfied with the outcome of a municipal court trial, he’s permitted to appeal in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court. Advocates for Morris want a state probe of her homicide. But Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane hasn’t yet agreed to review the case. n

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Media Trail LGBT conference to be held in W.V. Charleston’s WOWK-TV reports Fairness West Virginia Institute plans to have a conference at the Charleston Civic and Convention Center. The conference is scheduled for Nov. 15 and will feature an address from executive director Andrew Schneider regarding the state of equality in West Virginia. Two panels will focus on relevant issues facing the LGBT community. There will also be a transgender legal clinic and a keynote address from Beth Littrell, lead attorney in Lambda Legal’s lawsuit for marriage equality in the state.

N.Y. school backs off Halloween cross-dressing ban The Journal News reports a suburban New York high school has reversed a ban on Halloween cross-dressing after an advocacy group complained. Eastchester High School had issued a statement to students about appropriate Halloween attire that stated “students are not allowed to cross-dress.” The ban was brought to the attention of Empire State Pride Agenda, which focuses on LGBT issues. It said, “Policing one’s gender expression has no place in schools,” especially on the one day students can express themselves freely. In a statement Oct. 30, the district said students had the right to cross-dress any day but cautioned that “Halloween costumes should not make light of this.”

AZ resorts woo gay couples planning to wed According to the Arizona Republic, destination resorts across Arizona are broadening their marketing strategies since gay marriage became legal last month. Hotels in Phoenix, Sedona and elsewhere are offering discounts or tweaking their advertising to lure same-sex couples. Michael McFall, publisher of Pride Guide, said he has been inundated with calls from Arizona businesses since the Oct. 17 ruling. Based in Phoenix, Pride Guide prints LGBT-oriented guides in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico. Most of the business owners

calling want to revise their ads or purchase an ad for the first time. “We’re seeing a lot of thinking outside the box or, as I like to call it, thinking outside the closet,” McFall said. Daniel Carrillo, sales director at Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa, said the 72-room resort is excited to broaden its appeal to more people as a wedding or honeymoon site. “Now, I can market it not only as a gayfriendly place to stay, but I can market it as an open venue for you to do your service, your wedding, your reception, your rehearsal dinner,’’ Carrillo said. U.S. District Judge John Sedwick last month struck down a 1996 state law and a 2008 voter-approved constitutional amendment that outlawed gay marriage. Sedwick’s decision came after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ Oct. 7 ruling that gay-marriage prohibitions in Nevada and Idaho violated the equal-protection rights of same-sex couples. Attorney General Tom Horne said the state would not challenge the federal court decision. His announcement immediately led to numerous same-sex couples lining up to wed at a courthouse in downtown Phoenix. While Las Vegas tourism officials and hotels along the Strip touted the ruling on social media, Arizona tourism bureaus have been a little more understated. The Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau appeared to be the only tourism office that called attention to the ruling on its Facebook and Twitter accounts with the message, “Scottsdale is proud to celebrate marriage equality. Love is in the air.’’ Some hotel owners are also reaching out to same-sex couples but with little fanfare. Dawn Delaney and Lisa Carlson, the married owners of the Prescott Pines Inn, offered a 32-percent discount, a nod to the number of states that now allow gay marriage, for same-sex newlyweds through Nov. 7. However, they are not actively promoting the discount online or elsewhere. “It’s a little bit scary,’’ Carlson said. “We want to celebrate, and we want to be out there. But on the other hand, there’s a lot of people out there that are not happy this went through.”

Idaho town passes LGBT law According to the Lewiston Tribune, officials in the North-Central Idaho city of Lewiston have passed an ordinance banning discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Lewiston City Council passed the ordinance Oct. 27 in a 5-2 vote. Lewiston is the ninth city in Idaho to pass an ordinance protecting LGBT people from discrimination. n — compiled by Larry Nichols

Philadelphia Gay News

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

International Gays march peacefully in Montenegro Protected by hundreds of riot police, about 200 LGBT activists marched peacefully in Montenegro, a staunchly conservative Balkan country seeking EU membership. Carrying banners reading “Let’s Love Each Other” or “This is Just the Beginning,” gay activists gathered Nov. 2 in the capital Podgorica, as police deployed heavily, practically blocking the city center. No incidents were reported, unlike in previous years when police fought right-wing extremists and gay activists had to be evacuated. Organizer Daniel Kalezic said, “This year we had better cooperation with the authorities.” Montenegro, like much of the Balkans, has a strong macho-male culture with little tolerance for gays. But, Balkan countries must protect human rights to advance in the EU membership bid. Massive police presence also marked a Pride event in neighboring Serbia in September.

attack.” One of the victims, 21-year-old Robbie Kingsford, needed hospital treatment after the attack. His father said, “I’m horrified there are still people out there who are homophobic. What’s more, they were the ones dressed as pink fairies. What can you say about that?” The investigation is ongoing.

Eight convicted for alleged same-sex wedding in Egypt An Egyptian court has convicted eight men for “inciting debauchery” following their appearance in an alleged same-sex wedding party on a Nile boat, sentencing each of them to three years in prison. The Internet video shows two men exchanging rings and embracing among cheering friends. In September, a statement from the office of Egypt’s chief prosecutor said the video clip was “shameful to God” and “offensive to public morals.” The Nov. 1 verdict is the latest in a crackdown by authorities against gays and atheists. The campaign also targets liberal and pro-democracy activists and violators of a draconian law on street protests. The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in September that Egyptian authorities have repeatedly arrested and tortured men suspected of consensual gay conduct.

Man arrested in ‘fairy’ antigay attack

Iceland: Lawsuit challenges blood ban

A 26-year-old man has been arrested by police investigating a homophobic attack by two assailants dressed as fairies. The thugs, who were wearing pink tutus and fairy wings, carried out the homophobic attack in Surbiton, in southwest London, early on Nov. 1. The pair hurled antigay epithets at their two victims before punching them and kicking them in the head. Metropolitan Police said the man arrested Nov. 4 on suspicion of common assault and grievous bodily harm is currently at a west London police station. Police have yet to arrest a second suspect. “At this early stage, it is believed that both victims were walking along Victoria Road when they passed a group of men and women,” police said in a statement. “They were subjected to homophobic abuse by the men in the group. The two victims walked away but when they reached the zebra crossing near Brighton Road, the two men from the group, who were both wearing pink tutus, approached them. They punched the 18-year-old victim. The 21-year-old victim was kicked and stamped upon. Passersby intervened to stop the

Describing the current policy as “a clear example of discrimination,” a man in Iceland is set to sue in order to lift the ban on gay men donating blood. Troy Michael Jonsson, 27, said he is seeking legal advice on how best to challenge the law. Currently, the rules state that a man cannot give blood “if you have had sex with the same gender.” Jonsson said the need for blood transfusions is at a high, and that there is no real argument against gay men being allowed to donate blood. He compared the ban on excluding an ethnic group from donating blood, saying: “Our blood is not infected. This is a completely clear example of discrimination based on sexual orientation.” Jonsson’s lawyer said the legal case is being built and that, because blood is screened before use, there is no need for the ban. He argues that the ban conflicts with the Icelandic Constitution and the country’s membership in the United Nations. n

epgn.com

— compiled by Larry Nichols

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly

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SOmE LOcAL RED-cARPET ROYALTY: Venture Inn (clockwise from top left), home of the Best Weekly Theme Night; Best Restaurant, Knock; Multiple Winner, Tabu; Washington West Project at Best LGBT Nonprofit, Mazonni Center; Best Ally, Councilman Jim Kenney; Best Weekly Theme Night, Double D Karaoke; Best Dance Club, Voyeur; and Best Drag Queen, Brittany Lynn, with Best Politician, state Rep. Brian Sims.

And the winners are … Best of LGBT Philly 2014 By PGn Staff The votes are in! We at PGN couldn’t be more pleased with this year’s Best of LGBT Philly, our biggest-yet readers’-choice contest! Thank you to all who voted — from those who cast votes for just one category to those who voted in every single slot, we truly appreciate your participation. PGN is a community newspaper, thus we love opportunities that let our community’s many voices be heard. And this year, that voice picked a number of first-time honorees, as well as backed return winners. We extend congratulations to all of the winners — the work you do for our community may not always get the credit it deserves, but take this award as an acknowledgment that our community appreciates your efforts! LGBT Event OutFest www.phillygaypride.org

It’s easy to see why OutFest takes the top sport for the city’s best LGBT event. The citywide celebration of National Coming Out Day has all the excitement of Pride (block parties, local performing artists, tons of nightlife) but without the sweltering temperatures and the frantic pacing. It also features a more diverse range of events and vendors. It doesn’t hurt that OutFest doesn’t have to compete with similar flashy, bigger-budgeted events in neighboring cities. Every city and their mother has a Pride Festival but OutFest is something that is uniquely Philly. LGBT Fundraiser Indigo Ball www.waygay.org William Way is the region’s LGBT community center, open 365 days a year. The Indigo Ball is the center’s major fundraiser, taking place each October. The ball is one of the

largest LGBT events of the year, and brings together people from all over the region to celebrate and support the mission of the center. In 2014, the Indigo Ball celebrated the William Way’s choices for Ally of the Year Mark Aronchick (marriage equality), Humanitarian of the Year Reggie Shuford (ACLU-PA), Lifetime Achievement Award John Dougherty (IBEW), Community Partner The Attic Youth Center and Corporate Partner Comcast. The center also gave a special award to longtime board member and William Way treasurer the Hon. Ann Butchart. Guests remembered and acknowledged longtime friend of the center Gloria Casarez. To find out more about the ball or to volunteer, visit the center at 1315 Spruce St. or contact 215-732-2220 or www.waygay.org. LGBT nonprofit Mazzoni Center www.mazzonicenter.org

Mazzoni Center is Philadelphia’s home for LGBT health and wellness. Our goal is to provide quality and comprehensive health and wellness services in an LGBT-focused environment. We offer a continuum of care to ensure that the LGBT community and others in Philadelphia have access to the essential services in every area of life: from primary health care and case management, to counseling and behavioral-health programs, to legal services and beyond. We’re always looking for feedback from patients and clients so we can improve upon our services. The common thread that emerges from so many of our patient stories is a feeling of sincere, personal attention to their individual needs. We think that makes us stand out. We work hard to communicate respect and dignity for each person that comes through the door. Just this month we were named a Leader in Healthcare Equality for the third consecutive year by the Human Rights Campaign — that’s a dis- PAGE 36

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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LGBT EVEnt, OUTFEST; BARTENDER, KENNY K. AT TABU; LGBT FUNDRAISER, INDIGO BALL

tinction we are proud to uphold, and that we work hard to keep earning every day.

whatever shape your family takes, Swiger Photography wants to be the one to capture it all and to show what a difference their family can make for yours.

LGBT Sports Organization Stonewall Kickball http://stonewallkickballphilly.leagueapps. com

Do-Gooder Dan Mangini

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Stonewall Kickball-Philadelphia launched this past spring and its impact can already be seen across the LGBT community in Philadelphia. We’re now finishing up our second season and have leagues that play on Wednesday night and Sunday. This winter, look for dodgeball and volleyball leagues. We wouldn’t have made it off the ground without our initial sponsor, Tabu Sports Bar, and are incredibly grateful to Penn 6 and Stir for their support. The past several months have been incredible. Our motto is “changing lives, one red ball at a time.” Anyone who’s been around the Gayborhood in 2014 can clearly see that’s been happening. The organization is expanding, but the goal remains the same. Anyone can play, anyone can be a part of an amazing group of people. LGBT-Owned Business Swiger Photography Swiger Photography is the company dedicated to capturing whatever shape your family takes! From parents expecting their first child, to the cast of a show at Tabu, to the growing-up moments like birthdays and graduations and everywhere in between, Swiger Photography hopes to be the company you choose to be a part of your family. When owner Amanda Swiger began her business, it was from the ground-up with no formal training and the camera she borrowed from a boss. Over the last five years, she has grown a business that now shoots more than 20 weddings and 45 portrait sessions a year. After planning her own DIY wedding to her wife Jordan, she realized she never wanted one of her brides to do as much as she did alone, and from there Ever After Brides was formed. Designed for the client looking for more than just wedding coverage, this division of Swiger Photography offers photography, planning services and a built-in BFF in both of the Mrs. Swigers! Whatever your ever-after may be, and

A million thanks to everyone who voted for me once again! Having recently departed Philly for Miami Beach to pursue my master’s of social work and to continue my work in the HIV/AIDS field there, this is the perfect farewell to me! Philadelphia has been my home for 31 years and I have spent the last nine years working diligently in the LGBTQ community to make a difference. I hope that I did just that and will carry forward all the memories, skills and wisdom I have gathered along the way. To everyone at UPenn’s HIV Prevention Research Division, including my mentor and supervisor, Annet Davis-Vogel, a million thanks for giving me the opportunity to take my passion to the streets and for your belief and constant support of my abilities. To my coworkers in the testing unit and my clients, I miss you all so much and your compassion and resiliency will inspire me the rest of my days. For everyone who voted for me, all my deepest gratitude and thanks. Your support makes my work so much more rewarding. Thanks to all the folks at PGN. I ask everyone to continue to know your status, get tested and to roll up your sleeves and join the fight to help us find a safe and effective vaccine against HIV by considering joining a clinical trial at UPenn. Healthy, HIV-negative adults, 18-50, are encouraged to see if you are eligible. Call 1-866-448-7366. Thank you again! Bartender Kenny K. at Tabu It’s four in a row for Kenny K., who picked up the Best of LGBT Philly award in the bartending category. Kenny has been part of the Tabu team since day one, when the establishment opened its doors in March 2010. A native of New Jersey who lives in Queen Village, Kenny brought to Tabu a wealth of experience in the restaurant/bar industry, specifically a dedication to establishing individual relationships with his guests. “I love my guests,” he said. “I chat with my

guests and want to make them feel like they’re at home. If a customer is sitting there next to a customer they don’t know, I make sure they get to know each other. That’s what keeps the bar crowded and keeps people having fun.” Kenny keeps in touch with his guests by sending out hundreds of texts a week to let patrons personally know when they can stop in to find him behind the bar: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. for happy hour Fridays; and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. When guests do come in, he always tries to be friendly and outgoing, keeping the conversation flowing and even making up witty nicknames for patrons. “I have a great rapport with our guests,” he said. Kenny expressed gratitude for the readers and patrons who backed him for this award. “Thank you for four years in a row,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without my guests and their love and continued support.” Politician State Rep. Brian Sims I can’t tell you how honored I am to have been selected by the Philadelphia Gay News readers as Best Politician. My first term in office has been a whirlwind, but I feel like we’ve all taken this ride together. Many of you were with me at City Hall during my ceremonial swearing-in, many of you were crowded outside the very same building when marriage equality came to the commonwealth, and many of you stood with me as we rallied together against a savage attack on a loving couple in our community. Everyday I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to represent this city in our state legislature. I appreciate every moment I have fighting for Philadelphia and its hardworking, engaged and diverse citizens. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you. Thank you for standing by me through this first term, and all the support you have given my staff and me. We’ve done so much together in two years, let’s continue to strive to do better. Ally City Councilman Jim Kenney There are few awards I have received that mean more to me than this one. Thank you. To borrow a line from the excellent new

movie “Pride,” “when you’re in a battle against an enemy so much bigger, so much stronger than you, to find out you had a friend you never knew existed … well, that’s the best feeling in the world.” That was exactly how I felt when the LGBT community rallied around my first campaign for City Council in the early ’90s. Long before that moment and ever since, I have fought opponents of LGBTQ equality (aka bullies with lobbyists) and proudly carried the “unlikely ally” banner as only a straight, cis male, Irish Catholic raised in South Philadelphia could. Public support for LGBTQ rights was not always what it is today. I have been laughed at, criticized by the media and even threatened with excommunication [from the Catholic Church] for my consistent position on equality issues. While this all pales in comparison to the daily struggles too many LGBTQ Philadelphians still face, I learned a valuable lesson while performing in drag for charity last year: When a friend is in trouble, nothing is more important than digging in your heels. Bar Bar Food Happy Hour Place to See a Show Tabu www.tabuphilly.com Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar was created to be Philadelphia’s very own sports bar that catered to not just the LGBT community, but our allies as well. Commended as one of the first spaces and atmospheres designed to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable, Tabu has been focused on our customers and providing them with exactly what they requested: a great space with great drinks at great prices. We are thankful to have the best staff and customers because they are what have made us the best bar in Philadelphia, with the best happy hour and the best bartender. As we move toward 2015, we have much more in store for everyone with new events and a whole new look! Restaurant Fine Dining Knock www.knockphilly.com What can be said about this restau-

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RESTAURAnT, KnOcK; BAR, BAR FOOD, HAPPY HOUR AnD PLAcE TO SEE A SHOW, TABU

rant that hasn’t been said last year, or the year before, or the two years before that? Year after year, Knock remains a favorite among our readers when it comes to places to enjoy a good meal or an adult beverage. This longstanding Gayborhood institution knows how to maintain a delicate balance of keeping their menu upscale, yet exciting and accessible to the diners who flock there night after night to delight their taste buds. Seriously, can you resist the urge to devour cinnamon chipotle-glazed shrimp or some wild-boar sausage? We sure can’t. Place for a Date More Than Just Ice Cream www.morethanjusticecream.com More Than Just Ice Cream is a casual restaurant/dessert bar that has been serving the Gayborhood since 1975. We have a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere and an eclectic staff that makes everyone feel at home. This makes it an ideal spot for a casual first date or date night with that special someone. We recently hosted our first gay wedding party (congrats, Peter and Dennis!), who three years earlier also had their first date with us. We hope to be able to tell more “dates turned into marriages” stories in the future. coffee Shop Café Twelve www.facebook.com/cafetwelve Cafe Twelve is a locally based café and espresso bar serving varieties of organic and fair-traded coffee, chai and teas. They also make great handmade, customized breakfast and lunch sandwiches on artisan-bread choices, as well as house-baked cookies, scones and muffins. Café Twelve is known as a quality and premier Italian-style coffee bar that makes customers happy by providing a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of comfy couches, friendly staff and free wi-fi. In a nutshell, Café Twelve is a neighborhood café that invites the diversity of people from the area to meet, study or just stay relaxed by sipping coffee and enjoying the calm music in the background — all at a fair price.

Breakfast/Brunch Green Eggs Café www.greeneggscafe.com Green Eggs Café has three locations, including one in the heart of the Gayborhood at 212 S. 13th St. The eatery serves breakfast, brunch and lunch — offering unique twists and daily specials that take the meals to the next level, like with its red-velvet pancakes, pumpkin-overload French toast or kale, bacon and mushroom frittata. The café is committed to serving high-quality food at a low cost and participates in buying fresh and locally. It is also a strong proponent of environmentally sound policies, recycling all paper products, aluminum, glass and plastics; composting all food and organic waste; and using only biodegradable take-out containers. You might not find green eggs on the menu, but you will find green practices. Weekly Theme night Double D Karaoke at Venture Inn www.viphilly.com Venture Inn is a community bar, a friendly place to feel at home and feel safe. We are a corner bar where pretension and attitude isn’t needed, nor is it wanted. Venture has been serving the community for over 40 years and we plan on continuing this for the foreseeable future. Our karaoke is fun, campy and inviting. Salotta Tee and Fanci Dismount do a wonderful job of including everyone; regardless of your singing level, everyone is included. It’s a perfect way to start off your week. monthly LGBT Party Stimulus www.facebook.com/TheStimulus Morgan Levine and Amber Hikes founded Stimulus more than five years ago to provide queer women a new nightlife option. The first Stimulus party was held in May 2009 and drew 150 diverse partiers — and now, Stimulus parties top more than 500 guests each month. Each Stimulus event has a unique theme and draws new guests every month. Its founders attribute the party’s success largely to the diversity of the event — LGBTQ and allies of all races, genders and PAGE 38

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

PLAcE FOR A DATE, mORE THAn JUST IcE cREAm; BREAKFAST/BRUncH, GREEn EGGS cAFÉ; cOFFEE SHOP, cAFE TWELVE; DAncE cLUB, VOYEUR BEST OF from page 37

backgrounds combine for a night of fun and socializing. Levine and Hikes would like to thank PGN readers for voting Stimulus the Best Monthly LGBT Party, as well as Stimulus staff and supporters who continue to make each party amazing. Join them at the Back 2 Basics party, 10 p.m. Nov. 8 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. Dance club Voyeur www.voyeurnightclub.com It’s closing in on 3 a.m. You are a tad sweaty and tired, maybe a little bit tipsy and making questionable decisions. You might be doing some serious damage to your health but, damnit, so far you’re having the time of your life. The DJ just put your jam on and you have to make one last trip to the dance floor. If this sounds like your night on the town, chances

On March 14, 2010, Tabu reinvented the scene with a space for everyone…

are you are at Voyeur. Size matters, especially if you are the biggest, best and sometimes most-notorious nightclub on the scene. Long after most clubs in the Gayborhood have closed for the night, Voyeur is still packed, thumping and pulsating with people keeping the party going until damn near the break of dawn. Other clubs try to keep up with Voyeur’s dizzying variety of events, their impressive roster of guest performers and the sheer intensity of a night out, but they are all just bi-planes buzzing around the King Kong-like presence of Philly’s premiere gay dance club. casino SugarHouse www.sugarhousecasino.com SugarHouse Casino opened in September 2010 as Philly’s casino and is currently under-

going a $164-million expansion that will bring more amenities and more ways to win to the Delaware Riverfront property. Located in Fishtown, a mile north of the Ben Franklin Bridge, SugarHouse offers beautiful waterfront views. With more than two-million visitors each year, the casino features 1,606 slots, 62 table games, a 24-table poker room, fun and unique dining options and free valet and self-parking. The casino also provides free transportation via its Sugar Express trolley from nearly two-dozen locations throughout the city. In addition to hosting a variety of events each week, ranging from live-music Fridays and Saturdays to meet-and-greets with Philly sports legends, SugarHouse is also an avid community supporter, sponsoring some of the city’s greatest traditions, including the New Year’s Eve fireworks and the Mummers Parade.

Tabu would like to thank all our partners for their support including

Where Everyone Belongs.

In 2015, Tabu will once again bring you changes you always wanted.

SugarHouse employs more than 1,100 people — which will increase to 1,600 after its expansion — and for three consecutive years has been voted a “Top Workplace” by Philly.com and a “Best Place to Work” in the Philadelphia Business Journal four years in a row. non-LGBT Hangout (TIE) New Heaven www.newheavenphilly.com Whether you’re looking for takeout, dine-in or drinks, New Heaven is a great spot for all. Located at 11th and Walnut streets, the restaurant boasts a menu that includes Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. From sushi to crab Rangoon to General Tso’s chicken, New Heaven offers fresh food and top-notch service. And the prices make a visit even more enjoyable.

All our non-profit partners Our media friends including PGN, GPhilly, & PhillyGayCalendar Philly Pride Presents

Our Philly LGBT sports teams

Philadelphia Liberty Tennis

City of Brotherly Love Softball League

Liberty Belle Bowlers Out Philadelphia Athletic League

Greater Philadelphia Flag Football League Falcons Soccer League

Winning Hearts & Awards Since 2010 200 S. 12th Street, Philadelphia Tabuphilly.com

Stonewall Kickball Fins Swimming Gryphons Rugby Team Lez Runs

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

DRAG KInG, TRAVIS LUVERmORE; nOn-LGBT HAnGOUTS (TIE), DIRTY FRAnK’S AnD nEW HEAVEn; DJ cARL mIcHAELS

With the close proximity to the Gayborhood and Center City, New Heaven draws a diverse crowd, from couples to businesspeople to tourists, as well as many LGBT diners. Dirty Frank’s www.dirtyfranksbar.com Known as the Cheers! of Philadelphia, Dirty Frank’s is an ideal locale for down-toearth socializing, affordable drinks and eclectic patrons. Despite the often-revolving door of Center City bars, Dirty Frank’s has been an icon at 13th and Pine streets for more than 80 years. While dress codes and expensive drinks are common throughout Center City, Dirty Frank’s prides itself on being different: You don’t have to break the bank going to Dirty Frank’s, and you can still have a fun night out of good conversation with old and new friends.

The venue seeks to give back to the community — showcasing local singers and bands and displaying artwork from painters, photographers and everyone in between on its walls. While not specifically an LGBT bar, Dirty Frank’s welcomes drinkers of all stripes. Drag King Travis Luvermore I have been performing as a drag king/male illusionist in the Philadelphia area since 2011. My first performance was with the Bro-lesque troupe at Picasso, and I have gone on to perform at such venues as Beagle Tavern, Dave & Busters and with Sandy Beach at Venture Inn. I have performed an array of musical genres and in the illusion of Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks and Sir Elton John. I am so thankful, blessed and honored to be a recipient of the Best of LGBT Philly 2014 for Drag King. The drag community of

IT GETS BETTER LIVE ON-STAGE EXPERIENCE

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SEATS W CODE ITH :

BETTE R

NOVEMBER 08 Kimmel Center for the performing arts

THE KIMMEL CENTER

ACADEMY OF MUSIC

The Philadelphia engagement of The It Gets Better Project™ has been supported by the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund.

MERRIAM THEATER

KIMMELCENTER.ORG

Philadelphia has been so supportive in welcoming me into their shows. I am blessed by the support I have received by the wonderful queens, advocates and fans who have supported me. I have been performing in the art of drag/male illusion since 2008 when I was introduced to it in North Carolina. I had hoped that when I came back to my hometown that I would have a chance to be welcomed into the drag community, and I have received a very warm reception. I look forward to more opportunities to grace the stage in the Philadelphia area. Drag queen Brittany Lynn www.phillydragmafia.com The founder of Philly’s infamous Drag Mafia — titled the “hardest-working drag queen” from City Paper and called “one of

the top faces of Philadelphia” by Philadelphia Weekly — Brittany has been seen all over the country since 1996. Brittany recently returned to the TV screen with her “Celebrity Hash Tag” show on the Scrapple Report, airing Friday nights. Two years ago, Brittany was asked to form the first all-drag brigade for the 2013 Mummers Day Parade. This past New Year’s Day, Brittany and her brigade were seen leading the parade, with the addition of drag kings and transwomen. For her work, the City Council of Philadelphia gave her a citation making March 15 Brittany Lynn Day. Brittany will lead the parade again in 2015. Brittany loves her charity work for PAWS, Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance and City of Hope and, on Dec. 12, she will host “Night of 100 Qweens” at the Trocadero to raise money for MANNA and Out Philadelphia Athletic League. PAGE 40

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Performance Group, Liberty City Kings Drag & Burlesque; DAY-TRIP DESTINATION, NEW HOPE; SUBURBAN BAR AND RESTAURANT, The RAVEN BEST OF from page 39

DJ DJ Carl Michaels www.djcarlmichaels.com DJ Carl Michaels plays fun and funky music for a broad variety of audiences, but

has most notably been a fixture in Philly’s LGBT nightclubs. He fuses dance music from across the spectrum to cater to the melting pot that is Philadelphia’s LGBT community. Michaels has been a consistent supporter of the community, donating his services for a variety of events benefiting Mazzoni Center,

Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance, William Way LGBT Community Center and more. You can find him at venues around the region including Voyeur Nightclub and Paradise Asbury Park. For more information, contact carlmichaels@gmail.com. Performance Group Liberty City Kings Drag & Burlesque www.libertycitykings.com We are thrilled to receive the PGN Best Performance Group award for the third year! Our mission is to produce fun, sexy, thought-provoking and fabulous performance art that blends, bends and blurs gender lines, satire and politics from a place that is sex-positive, body-affirming and gender-aware … as well as downright fun. As the most diverse performance troupe in Philly, we feel it is vital for our stage to reflect the different bodies, sexualities, kinks and genders in our diverse communities. A strong Glitter Family value we also hold is to give back to our community; each of our monthly Vixens & Vagabonds Queer & Kinky Cabarets (every first Saturday) raises money for local organizations. This year alone we have raised nearly $5,000 for our community.

We hope you will join us Nov. 15 at Voyeur for our eighth-anniversary show, “Tricks & Treats,” showcasing our best numbers from the past year. We would like to thank our longtime sponsor Sexploratorium/Passional and our performance home Tabu for all their support. Lastly, thanks ’n’ spanks to our fans; we love what we do and we love to do it for you! We are Philadelphia’s Genderfuck Royalty! Suburban Bar The Raven www.theravennewhope.com Owner Scott DeWitt and partner/manager Armando Martinez would like to thank the LGBT community for voting The Raven favorite ’burbs bar. Whether you’re taking a day trip to New Hope or coming for a long weekend, The Raven is where everyone ends up and, not surprisingly, we’re often the primary destination for many people coming to New Hope. During the warmer months, Sunday brunch and an afternoon at the pool are among the most popular ways to enjoy The Raven for the day, but we also have many special events going on throughout the year. We just introduced our new Latin Night on the third Friday of the month, but we still have Lipstick Mondays the first and third weeks, our AllMale Revue on Thursdays and quite an array of singers and pianists every week. Come visit this fall and winter, stay the night and enjoy one of our special events. The holidays are also a great time to come to The Raven and New Hope because the decorations and holiday cheer are unmatched. We will provide the food for the annual holiday Bingo to benefit FACT Dec. 10, and if you come to New Hope to see “Plaid Tidings,” playing at the Bucks County Playhouse, you can expect to encounter many of the cast at The Raven. New Hope is PGN readers’ favorite daytrip spot and we look forward to seeing you in the near future! Suburban Restaurant Poe Bistro Lounge/The Raven theravennewhope.com/poebistrolounge/ The transformation of the previous Raven restaurant into the Poe Bistro Lounge has been enthusiastically embraced by the LGBT community and allies since it opened during New Hope Celebrates Pride in May. Poe is a uniquely PAGE 42

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

Suzi Nash

Sara Ann Kelly: PR queen bee on building The Hive “Some leaders are born women.” — Geraldine Ferraro For this week’s Best of LGBT issue, for which our readers picked the best of the best among local leaders, organizations and businesses, I chose to highlight a business opening this week to help other businesses. The Hive is “Philadelphia’s first co-working space dedicated to ambitious business women, a chic co-working space for the self-made female entrepreneur to learn, network and thrive. The 900-square-foot space in Old City aims to inspire collaboration, growth and empowerment here in the City of Sisterly Love.” Sara Ann Kelly — in addition to running her own firm, S.A.K. PR — is the communications director and business development coordinator of The Hive. We did lunch and found out a little more about the fabulous SAK. PGn: As I was driving here, Katie Perry’s song “Roar” came on the radio and made me wonder, What is your theme song? SAK: Hmmm, at the current moment I would have to say Beyoncé’s “Flawless” and I will not be ashamed to say that. Female empowerment has been a major theme in my life and for the last couple of months it’s definitely been at the forefront. Feminism is alive and well and feeling good! PGn: You’re clearly a very positive person and very involved in the community. Is that something you get from your family? SAK: Definitely. I grew up in Cape May and my best friend, my original “O.G.” homie, is my dad and it’s been like that since I was born. They tell the story that, as I was being delivered, he was talking to me and as I came out I wrenched my head towards his voice. The doctor said, “Holy crap! We’ve never seen that before.” He’s very creative and when I was little we would brainstorm for fun, so I’ve been programmed to think creatively since I was a child. I learned how to interact and communicate with people from him too. My mother is the sweetest woman ever. She’s very caring and believes in giving back. She volunteers a lot in the Cape May community. She’s a hard worker, never complains and is always selfless. I feel like I get a lot of my better qualities regarding the way I deal with people and friendships from my mom. PGn: What do or did they do? SAK: My father owned a landscaping company until I was about 12 when he was diagnosed with a very rare, catastrophic cancer and we had to close our business. He was an entrepreneur and a brilliant beach landscaper/ designer. He was known for it all over the beach towns. My mother is now retired but she was a manager of a cute kitchen store in Stone Harbor. My parents believed it was important to have someone at home for the

kids so she left the business to take care of us. I’m definitely thankful because I learned a lot about life from her: the understanding of what a full day of work looked like, even if it was “technically” unpaid. PGn: How would your parents describe you as a kid? SAK: My dad would probably say the coolest little person ever. We were thick as thieves. I would go to city township meetings with him and to the bars from the time I was 4 or 5. He groomed me to appropriately interact with adults and taught me how to carry on a conversation. [Laughs] He’s been a fan for a long time. Now my mom would say that I’m a pickle. She thinks that I am overly dramatic and calls me Sarah Bernhardt, the stage and film actress from the 1800s. She laughs at me all the time. PGn: What’s a fond family memory? SAK: My sister and I used to memorize whole CDs and then create dance routines to them. We lived in a beach town so in the winter it was just the two of us, but in the summer there were a whole lot of girls to play with so we would recruit them to practice. Probably the most memorable was a Spice Girls concert that we put on in the cul-desac for all the neighbors. To this day, it’s still something we make fun of each other about.

million questions and for some reason politics always intrigued me. I was totally fascinated and enamored with Bill Clinton; 1992 was a good year for me to become cognizant about politics and with real-life explanations from my father. Politics seemed like the best way to help as many people as you could. As I got older, I was interested in becoming a campaign director of some sort and perhaps chief of staff for an elected official. My thinking was that communication and political science were the perfect combination for launching a career. Unfortunately, I graduated at the peak of the recession or I would have gone on to law school. But happenstance brought me to an industry and job that I am happy to be a part of. I love what I do and I’m good at it. I love the people I work with and the clients I’ve had. I think everything happens for a reason. PGn: So will we be seeing Sarah K. for Congress signs any time soon? SAK: [Laughs] No, but I’d love to be the communication director for a campaign.

PGn: How old were you when you left Cape May, and how did you end up in Philly? SAK: I had plans to go to military school that didn’t work out and so I ended up going to La Salle University. PGn: Wait, you in military school? SAK: Yeah, I kind of think of myself as the boy my dad never had. Both of my grandfathers served in the military and I have always found it an admirable and somewhat-romantic thing to do for your country. I was very gung ho about entering the military until some physical setbacks precluded me from attending military school. The congressman who had been helping me with my appointment to the school had connections at La Salle University and he was able to help me with my very-late application process. I got in and have been in Philadelphia ever since. PGn: What did you study? SAK: I graduated with a political science and communication degree. I love Philly, it’s been very good to me. PGn: Me too! SAK: [Fist bumps] Homie! PGn: I get the communication degree, but what made you study political science? SAK: I started reading newspapers at a very young age and was a super-inquisitive child. I was that annoying kid who was constantly asking, Why? Why? Why? I always had a

Hopefully for someone from our community! PGn: Tell me about your business, S.A.K. PR. SAK: I run a public-relations and branding and management firm. I’ve been doing PR for about seven years, first freelancing and then I decided to take the leap and get an LLC and open my own company. I made it official on Bastille Day three years ago so that’s the unofficial birthday for the firm. I primarily work in the entertainment, food,

nonprofit and start-up industry. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m still learning every day. It’s a lifelong journey in this industry. Things change on a monthly basis — the technology, apps, programs and social media, etc. I definitely enjoy the excitement. PGn: What’s a favorite project you’ve worked on? SAK: I’d say my favorite project so far was the first big client and campaign I worked on when I made S.A.K. official. I worked with Christina Wilson, who was the winner of season 10 on “Hell’s Kitchen” and became the executive chef at Gordon Ramsay’s BurGR Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. It was a lot of fun from the initial local PR outreach that was done when it was announced that she was a contestant, all the way up through her winning. I learned a lot about national PR campaigns from Gordon Ramsay’s team and Fox national. They were very kind about teaching me a lot along the way. It was a great experience. PGn: Give me the buzz about “The Hive.” Notice how I worked in that pun? I could do PR. SAK: [Laughs] You could. The Hive is my current baby. It’s an offshoot of Femme and Fortune, which is an online women’s business magazine. My best friend, Melissa, and I were shooting the breeze about her mentor, Antoinette Johnson from At Media. They were leaving their space at 222B Race St. and Melissa asked if we could open an all-female co-working space. We are excited to implement it in Philadelphia and hope to replicate it in other cities. Our grand opening is Nov. 7 and we’re having a ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick things off. I’ve really been impressed by the positive press we have received. We’ve certainly gotten our fair share of male hate through the social media but … PGn: [Interrupts] You’re getting hate mail for opening up a business to empower women? SAK: Oh yeah, but it only fuels the reason for needing this space even more. It’s going to be a wonderful space for female entrepreneurs and businesswomen. A place where they can come together and brainstorm without feeling belittled or oppressed. PGn: I’m still nonplussed that you would be targeted for helping PAGE 48

PGNOF BEST

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

A New Hope Tradition!

SUBURBAN DAY TRIP AND PRIDE, NEW HOPE BEST OF from page 40

OUR SISTER PROPERTY:

Martini Bar

appointed and comfortable dining space designed by Stephen Thompson, former president at Interior Design Force, Inc., and the new look and updated contemporary American menu have brought a fresh feel and a revitalized dining experience to this longtime favorite dining establishment. The seasonal lunch and dinner menus stretch the American cuisine boundaries, and the Sunday brunch is extremely popular and considered one of the best in Bucks County. Menu options are crafted to offer something for everyone across the spectrum of personal taste. Consistency in excellence is of course the most important ingredient in all dishes. Walk-ins are always welcome but reservations are strongly urged, as seating is limited to 100, which includes the patio and outdoor dining at the gardens. Dress attire is much like that of the rest of the resort, lounge, bar and pool — casual and even a little whimsical. Never more will dining at The Raven’s Poe Bistro Lounge be ordinary. We look forward to serving you soon, with the promise that you will have a delightfully memorable experience. Suburban Day-Trip Destination New Hope www.visitbuckscounty.com On behalf of the team at Visit Bucks County, the tourism office for Bucks, we thank the Philadelphia Gay News community for choosing New Hope as “Best DayTrip Destination” in the Best of LGBT Philly readers’-choice contest. The eclectic community of New Hope is the gay-friendly centerpiece of Bucks County’s breathtaking countryside. This artsy village buzzes with creative energy, independent spirit and a sophisticated yet casual vibe. With its history deeply rooted in the LGBT community, New Hope became a popular hangout for performers, musicians and actors when it was “discovered” in the

1940s. This vibrant town is now a melting pot of diverse artists, quirky shops, a robust theater scene and a celebrated destination for LGBT travelers. Art galleries, antique shops, vintage clothing stores and deliciously exciting restaurants and bars, complete with live entertainment, attract visitors and locals to its lively street scene and cultural events all year long. Each May, crowds gather for a week-long celebration during New Hope Pride Week and Parade presented by New Hope Celebrates, featuring live musical performances, dance parties, picnics, art exhibits and a grand parade down historic Main Street. We hope to see you in New Hope soon! Suburban Pride New Hope www.newhopecelebrates.com New Hope Celebrates is honored and proud to be the winner of Best of LGBT Philly readers’-choice contest in the Best Suburban Pride category for 2014! Thank you to all of our sponsors, supporters, volunteers and board members who work all year to promote the diversity of New Hope through regular events and, of course, our annual Pride celebration that kicks off each Mother’s Day. New Hope Celebrates Pride is full of great LGBT events, the area’s largest parade, block party, vendor fair, theater, arts, history, shopping, charming accommodations, great dining, live music, fantastic entertainers, dancing and Discover New Hope’s original gay resort — The Raven. Download our app on iTunes or Google Play (New Hope Pride) and visit our website (www.newhopecelebrates.com) for information on other activities New Hope Celebrates is a part of — including World AIDS Day, events co-promoted with The Bucks County Playhouse; our LGBT history project (www. retro-scope.org); art and bar crawls and other events. We look forward to seeing everyone for Pride, May 10-17, 2015! n

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

Be a part of PGN’s

Pet issue Nov. 21!

To reserve ad space today, email greg@epgn.com or call 215-625-8501 ext. 218 (Issue date: Nov. 21, advertising/art deadline Nov. 14)

Theater & Arts Anjelica Huston The Academy Award-winning actor and author of “Watch Me” takes part in a live Q&A 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215567-4341. Breakfast at Tiffany’s The classic film is screened 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888. Brian Posehn The comedian seen on “The Sarah Silverman Show” performs Nov. 13-15 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001. Caught InterAct Theatre Company presents the story of legendary Chinese artist Lin Bo’s imprisonment in a Chinese detention center through Nov. 16 at Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom St.; 215-567-2848. The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence Azuka Theatre presents the time-shifting Pulitzer Prizefinalist play, questioning how technology affects our ability to communicate, through Nov. 23, 1636 Sansom St.; 215-563-1100. Detroit Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Pulitzer Prizenominated story of the couple who befriends a transient couple, then moves in next door, through Nov. 9 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215-985-

WE GOT THE ‘BEAT’: International drag superstar Jackie Beat is coming to town to perform her brand-spankingnew comedy show “And The Beat Goes On,” 8 p.m. Nov. 14 at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St. For more information, call 215-735-5772.

0420. Isabella Rossellini — Green Porno The Sundance Channel personality performs a onewoman show about the reproductive habits of animals 8 p.m. Nov. 14 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the dance group from Israel Nov. 13-15 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900. Mary Poppins Walnut Street Theatre presents the musical based on the classic Disney film through Jan. 4,

825 Walnut St.; 215574-3550. Mitch Fatel The comedian performs through Nov. 8 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215496-9001. Patrick Kelly: Runway of Love Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition highlighting the works of the famed fashion designer through Nov. 30, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Paul Strand: Master of Modern Photography Philadelphia Museum of Art presents a major retrospective of the work of the critical figure in the history of modern art, photography and film-

making through Jan. 4, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. Tom Baker, Gabriel OjedaSague and Felice Picano The three novelists host a reading at 5 p.m. Nov. 10 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215923-2960.

Music O-Town The boy band performs 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011. Bebel Gilberto The Grammynominated songwriter performs 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.

PGN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS

Usher The R&B and pop singer performs 8 p.m. Nov. 11 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543. Alt-J The British rock band performs 9 p.m. Nov. 14 at Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby; 610-3522887.

Nightlife November Back 2 Basics: DJ Showcase Round 2 Guest DJs rock the dance floor 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Nov. 8 at Tabu 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675. Suicide Girls: Blackheart Burlesque Tour The group performs 9:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at TLA, 334 South St.;

dian performs 9 p.m. Nov. 7-8 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

215-922-1011. Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret The drag cabaret show, 8 p.m. Nov. 13 at L’Etage, 624 S. Bainbridge St.; 215-592-0626.

A Sense of Place: Paintings by Ranulph Bye The James A. Michener Art Museum presents an exhibition of paintings by Ranulph de Bayeux Bye Nov. 8-May 1, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800.

Jackie Beat: And The Beat Goes On The drag icon performs her new solo show 8 p.m. Nov. 14 at Voyeur Nightclub 1221 St. James St.; 215-735-5772.

Outta Town Billy Gardell The comedian seen on “Mike & Molly” performs 8 p.m. Nov. 7 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. The Dead Zone The 1983 horror film based on the novel by Stephen

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

SET FREE: Out indie-folk musician, Grammy nominee and former Christian-music star Jennifer Knapp tours in support of her new album, “Set Me Free,” and new memoir, “Facing the Music,” with a local performance 9 p.m. Nov. 13 at Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.; 215-9280978.

King is screened 9:45 p.m. Nov. 7 at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Signs of Life The Pink Floyd tribute band performs 8 p.m. Nov. 7 at Sellersville Theater 1984, 24

W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808. Wanda Sykes The out come-

I now pronounce you husband and husband ...

PGN is happy to publish your wedding/civil union/commitment ceremony announcement. E-mail information to editor@epgn.com or fax us at (215) 925-6437.

Starstruck: The Fine Art of Astrophotography The James A. Michener Art Museum presents a major exhibition treating astrophotography as an art genre Nov. 8-Feb. 8, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215340-9800.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The animated and live-action film is screened 2 p.m. Nov. 8 at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-0223. A Tale of Two Cities The film based on the classic novel is screened 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-0223. Rachelle Ferrell The R&B singer performs 8 p.m. Nov. 14 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N.

Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650. Exalted Nature: The Real and Fantastic World of Charles Burchfield The Brandywine River Museum of Art presents an exhibition of visionary landscapes by Burchfield (18931967), featuring more than 50 paintings borrowed from important public and private collections across the United States, through Nov. 16, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford; www.brandywinemuseum.org. 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.

PGN FUN & GAMES

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

Q Puzzle Pepper’s parties Across

1. Band that goes either way? 5. Bear lair 8. Can’t stomach 13. Pride member 14. Tutti-frutti holder 15. Juice for your pickle 16. Group with a mission 18. Toned down 19. With 30-Across and 9-Down, one of Pepper’s parties 21. Chapel Hill’s st. 22. Muscle

Mary’s pride 23. In the manner of Adrienne? 25. One who serves a dictator? 28. Latin dance 30. See 19-Across 31. S&M unit 32. Stimpy’s partner 35. Fly like a falcon 36. “At Seventeen” singer 37. Type of straits 38. “A League of Their ___” 39. TLC source 41. With 50-Across, holiday for one of Pepper’s parties 43. Pussyfoots 45. It is but

half 46. It may cream your face when you bite it 48. Mystery story pioneer 49. Excellent, in slang 50. See 41-Across 57. Scout’s recitation, and others 59. Da Vinci’s eatery 60. Balkan native 61. Dame of the piano 62. Teri of “Tootsie” 63. Lena played Glinda in “The Wiz” 64. Match a poker bet 65. Tireless carrier

PORTRAIT from page 41

women achieve their dreams. I’m assuming they’re social media comments? SAK: There’s a lot of stuff on Twitter and in the comments section of articles that have been written about us. A common theme is, “Why do lesbians need a place to work?” — insinuating that because we are women supporting each other and working together that we must all be lesbians — down to comments like, “Who do you think you are? What makes you think this is something you’re allowed to do?” The hatred is so infantile you have to laugh at it. There’s really no way to respond to something like that. PGN: True. Which brings up the point that both Femme and Fortune and The Hive are not lesbian organizations. SAK: No, though we do have a fair amount of people from the LGBT community who are interested in our programming. We’re going to be offering a lot of workshops that are open to both our members and the general public. It’s going to be a very diverse and inclusive community. And it’s going to be a safe space where women in business can ask questions without fear of being belittled or berated. So often, men will offer help and mentorship to other guys but not women in business. We are also finding that a lot of women who have been balancing a 9-to-5 job and doing their passion projects on the side never get proper business information such as how to get an LLC or how to run a business meeting with an agenda and minutes. We want to help find alternative educational routes to help fill in the gaps. We are not crying indifference and discrimination at every turn but we realize that for most women, us included, it’s just a little bit harder to reach the peaks that we want to reach in our careers. But if we grow together, we will rise together. That kind of camaraderie already exists in the Philadelphia women’s entrepreneurial

Down

1. Karen Carpenter, for one 2. Antigay prejudice, e.g. 3. Greenishyellow fruit 4. “Diana” singer 5. Rock costar 6. Business letter abbr. 7. Have an opening for 8. SDI weapon 9. See 19-Across 10. Thumb successfully 11. Tatum of “The Bad News Bears” 12. Wipe over 14. Gay rodeo guy 17. Liszt of piano pieces 20. Pitcher stats

24. Rilke’s I 25. One with a flat bottom 26. Tongue expert 27. Stud site 28. Junior or senior, e.g. 29. Solo among the stars 30. “___ it goes” 33. Debussy contemporary Satie 34. Keanu in “The Matrix” 36. Pen contents 37. Expected to come soon 39. Island necklace 40. Standard for a long golf hole 41. Hauls ass 42. It’s a steal 44. Lane, who plays Pepper

community; it’s just never had a home base, and we hope The Hive will become that for everyone. PGN: Nice! Let’s do some arbitrary questions. So why have I been seeing pictures of you in a wedding gown all over the Internet? SAK: Funny story! From the time I was 5, I told my mother that I was never having kids and didn’t want to get married and all I cared about was having a career. She was terribly distraught, so when the opportunity came up with Tara Beth Photography to model for a wedding photo layout, I agreed to do it. I figured it would be good to be photographed in a wedding dress before I turned 30. It seemed like a milestone you should have. I chose my best bud Tina to be in the shoot with me. We’ve known each other since we were 15 and I figured she would be the least-awkward person to pretend I was madly in love with. A lot of the pictures were unusable because we were laughing so hard, but it was a lot of fun — though my mother and sister got a lot of panicked phone calls from relatives and friends asking, “Why weren’t we invited?” PGN: Your worst nanny moment? SAK: That would be the first time I ever babysat. There were three sisters, ages 2-7, and the middle child locked the toddler in her room with an open window. I had to call 911 and have the fire department use a ladder to go in through the back window. I didn’t call the mother because it was the first time she’d gone out in forever and I didn’t want to ruin it for her. When we got into the room the kid had gotten a hold of a marker and drawn all over her face! The fireman said she was totally calm sitting in the corner drawing. I had to come clean to the mom because her brother-in-law was a fireman so she would’ve found out anyway. She was really cool about it and said, “Don’t worry, I know they’re a handful.” And that was the start of my nanny career.

on “Modern Family” 46. Memorable period 47. Singlenamed singer 48. Moon position 51. Quarters 52. It can bear fruit 53. Runs around the track 54. Siberian river 55. Old money, to Pasolini 56. Male enhancement exaggeration? 58. Canadian map trigram

PGN: Adventures in babysitting! Celebrity crush? SAK: This is going to be so boring but I just started watching “Ray Donovan,” and Katherine Moennig from “The L Word” plays the assistant to a Boston mobster-turned-good guy who fixes all the Hollywood-celebrity, big-money problems. She wears these great outfits and is truly badass. And of course there’s Martha Stewart, the original bad ass of female entrepreneurs. My mom was really into crafting and it was our favorite pasttime when we weren’t in school. I did a book report on [Stewart] in middle school and learned that she lives on a sustainable farm, she was a model and a single mother. She was America’s first self-made female billionaire and did it with grace and class and style. She has so many business milestones and over the years has helped tons of women’s small businesses along the way. Mad about her!

and the universal teachings that you apply to everyday life have taught me a lot. My father is deeply in touch with that side of himself. He says it’s part of our Irish inclinations. We are both very spiritual and connected to that side of the realm. A lot of people think it’s hooey but for people who are in need of something, there is a lot to learn.

PGN: What sign are you? SAK: Taurus.

The Hive launch party will be held 7-10 p.m. Nov. 7 at 222B Race St. For more on The Hive, visit www.thehivephilly.com.

PGN: Ah, I’m a fellow bull. I’ve never met a Taurus that I didn’t like! SAK: Yes, instant best friends. I’m really into astrology and universal ideology; it’s how I make a lot of my decisions. PGN: What is universal ideology? SAK: It’s something that has increased my learning and teaching about the universe since I started studying and practicing Kabbalah about seven years ago. An old boss of mine and I got into a conversation about astrology and he started telling me about the Jewish calendar and how the moon and the sun played into it. I grew up by the bay and have always been affected by the tide and been aware of how the moon affects everything in nature, including me. It intrigued me and sounded like an ideology I could get behind. Kabbalah

PGN: What’s in your wallet? SAK: Currently nothing, because I got pickpocketed at Woody’s during OutFest and they stole my wallet. I have to get back to Cape May to replace my driver’s license. PGN: What’s your motto? SAK: Well, my business motto is close to my heart and it’s “Slightly obsessed with success.” I think it’s something we need more of. People get satisfied with the status quo, but I want to help people look ahead and reach that next goal. n

To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.

PGn

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

Thank You for Voting Mazzoni Center

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PGN

Photos: Scott A. Drake

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PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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PGn

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

PGN

We put our energy into celebrating pride. At PECO, we’re proud to support the LGBT community. So much so that the Exelon family of companies was recently recognized with the “2014 Corporate Equality Index Best Place to Work for LGBT Employees” award. Not to mention, PECO received the “Best Business” award at the Pride Day LGBT Parade and Festival for the second year in a row. We’re committed to LGBT inclusion and equality because we believe that working with individuals with different perspectives and backgrounds drive some of the most powerful outcomes. It’s what makes us proud to be a part of Exelon and happy to celebrate the power of diversity.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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springmeadow@comcast.net/ phone number: 908-581-3973 VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________38-49 GAYFTLAUDERDALEREALESTATE.COM MARK EAGLE 954-203-2345 ________________________________________39-08 COUNTRY BARN/5 ACRES $29,995 Rustic “Country Barn,” Well-Built & Sturdy. On 5 Wooded Acres, Meadows, Apple Orchard. Frontage on State Rte 13, Mins to Salmon River. Adjoins NY Snowmobile Trails. Call 800-229-7843 or visit www.LandandCamps.com ________________________________________38-45

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Roommates

Real Estate Rent

Help Wanted

RESORT LIKE HOUSE IN CHADDS FORD, PA NEAR PA/DE LINE ON RT 202 PRIVATE BEDROOM. Four acres country setting but close to everything. Interior decorated with mix of antiques & contemporary. Elegant but relaxed formal living room/great room, wood burning ﬁreplace. Formal dining area/large eat in kitchen. Dishwasher/microwave. 2 full baths. Bedroom furnished with special pieces, may be rented unfurnished. Laundry room, lots of storage. IN GROUND POOL, large area to sunbathe/relax. Includes WIFI/CABLE. Price adjusted for couples sharing a room. Must be employed or show proof of income. PERFECT PLACE FOR HEALTHY RETIRED GUYS. $800 per month. Includes utilities. 1st month, last month one month deposit. $2400 to move in. (negotiable) Please call Fernando for information. Cell 302-345-0583 or email ffshowcase@aol.com ________________________________________38-45

SPRING GARDEN AT 11TH ON BRANDYWINE $1761/mo. 3 or 4 BR, 1 bath. Architectural redesign of 1840’s townhouse. Short walk to Reading Terminal/Chinatown. Ongoing improvements if agreeable.. Must see! Call 215-849-4049. _____________________________________________38-45

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PGN applicable law. PGN does not accept advertising that is unlawful, false, misleading, harmful, threatening, abusive, invasive of another’s privacy, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful or racially or otherwise objectionable, including without limitation material of any kind or nature that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.

For Sale SAWMILLS From only $4397.00-MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1-800-578-1363 Ext.300N. ________________________________________38-45

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Since 1976

PGN

Gay is our middle name.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

ADONIS CINEMA

Friends Men LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. ________________________________________38-49 Philly boy looking for mail correspondence with guys in Philly while I ﬁnish my incarceration. 6’3”, blond hair, hazel eyes. Lots to discuss. Will reply to every letter. Give this a try, I guarantee you’ll have fun. Kenneth Houck, #06743-015, Englewood FCE, 9595 W. Quincy Ave., Littleton CO 80123. ________________________________________38-49 BM with big tool wans to nail a bottom to the ﬂoor. BM has equipment to make a bottom wish he wants more. I’m 6 ft and 198 lbs. and have 8.5 inches and 1.25 girth and know how to use it. Call anytime 215-763-3391. All replies answered. ________________________________________38-49 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________38-50

“THE ONLY ALL MALE ADULT THEATER IN THE CITY”

2026 Sansom St (located 3 doors up from Sansom St Gym)

215-557-9319 4 Small Theaters with Video & Dark Room Area

HOURS OF OPERATION:

Massage

Monday - Thursday

7am-6am

David, 65, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________39-09

(closed an hour for cleaning)

Since 1976

Friday- Sunday:

PGN

Open 24hrs

ADMISSION: $12.00

THE BIGGER, BETTER & CLEANER CLUB IN THE CITY...

WEEKLY SPECIALS:

LATE NIGHT CREEP

Half Price Lockers (12 Midnight- 8am/ Monday- Thursday) • MEMBERS: $9.00 & NON-MEMBERS: $19.00

SATURDAY AFTERNOON DELIGHT

4 Hour Lockers (8am - 4pm) • Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00

SUNDAY RELIEF

Half Price Rooms (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) • Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50

MONDAY thru FRIDAY: Business Mans Locker Special (8am to 4pm) • Members: $5.00 and Non-Members: $15.00

TUESDAYS

Half Price Rooms (6am till 12 Midnight) • Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT CRUISE

$12 Flat Rate for Locker Admission & Clothing Optional (4pm-12 Midnight) Check out our website for our WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events.... Don’t forget to visit the Adonis Cinema right next door!! 2026 Sansom St/ PH: 215-557-9319

PGN

Men Delco Dudes A men’s social and support group meets 7-9 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of the month at Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County, 145 W. Rose Tree Road in Media; delco.dudes@uucdc.org. Gay Married Men’s Association Meets 7-9 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.; www.gammaphilly.com. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at William Way; 610-277-6595, www.MACTPhila.org. Men’s Coming Out Group, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at The Pride Center of New Jersey; njwarrior@aol.com. Men of Color United A discussion/support group for gay and bisexual men of color meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-496-0330.

Parents/Families Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Bucks County Meets 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Penns Park United Methodist Church, 2394 Second Street Pike, Penns Park, and hird Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Warminster UCC, 785 Street Road; 215-348-9976. PFLAG/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484-354-2448. PFLAG/Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609202-4622, pflagcollingswood@yahoo.com. PFLAG/Media Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Unitarian Universal Church, 145 Rose Tree Rd.; 610-368-2021. PFLAG/Philadelphia Meets 2-5 p.m. the third Sunday of the month at the LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania, 3907 Spruce St.; 215-572-1833. PFLAG/Princeton, N.J. Meets 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the George Thomas Room at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer St.; 609-683-5155. PFLAG/Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St.; 302-654-2995. Philadelphia Family Pride Advocacy, support and social network for LGBT families offers play groups, monthly kids and teen talk groups, activities and outings. Planning meetings held monthly; 215-600-2864, www.phillyfamilypride.org.

Trans Evolutions A drop-in support group for anyone on the transgender spectrum meets 6 p.m. Thursdays at 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652 ext. 235. Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine Primary health care and specialized transgender services in a safe, professional, nonjudgmental environment, 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. T-MAN People-of-color support group for transmen, FTMs, butches, studs, aggressives, bois, genderqueer and all female-born individuals with gender questions meets 7:30-9:30 p.m. Mondays, 1201 Locust St., second floor; 215-632-3028, tmanphilly.com. Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and and 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fridays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; 215-851-1822. Transgender Health Action Coalition Peer trans health-advocacy organization, 1201 Locust St., fourth floor; 215-732-1207. Young, Trans and Unified Support group for transgender and questioning individuals ages 13-23 meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at The Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, www. atticyouthcenter.org.

Women

Hanging Out With Lesbians A group in Central Pennsylvania that organizes concerts, camping, golf, picnics, hikes, plays and game

nights in nonsmoking environments; http://groups. yahoo.com/group/howlofpa/. Lesbian Community of Delaware Valley Social group meets monthly for activities for gay women of all ages in Delaware, Chester and Montgomery counties; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ LCDV/. Lesbian Couples Dining Group of Montgomery County Meets monthly; 215-542-2899. Mt. Airy Lesbian Social Club For lesbians in the Philadelphia area ages 35-plus; www.meetup.com/mtairylesbiansocial/. Queer Connections Social group for women in their 20s meets weekly; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/queerconnections/. Sisters United A social/support group for transwomen of color ages 13-24, with weekly social events, open discusson and monthly movie/discussions meets 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-4960330. Women Coming-Out Support Group Women, ages 18 and over, who consider themselves gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the coming-out process are welcome to meet 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday and third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of New Jersey; www. pridecenter.org.

Youth

40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meet at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J.; schedule at www. glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj.com, 908-300-1058. HAVEN LGBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20 meet 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Lehigh Valley, 424 Center St., Bethlehem; 610-868-2153. HiTOPS A safe-space support program for LGBT and questioning youth meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J.; 609683-5155, hitops.org. Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-1861, info@myaonline.org. Project Keeping it Safe LGBT youth drop-in center offers meetings, HIV and STD prevention and testing, counseling and other services on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-9632432, camden-ahec.org/. PRYSM Youth Center Youth ages 14-20 meet 6:30-8:30 p.m Wednesdays at the center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610-3579948. Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center Youth 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. Social X Change Social activity group for LGBT youth of color ages 1323 meets 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays at 1207 Chestnut St., third floor; 215-851-1975. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays at Planned Parenthood of Chester County, 8 S. Wayne St.; 267687-6648. 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; 215-545-4331, www.atticyouthcenter. org. You’re Not Alone Sponsored by AIDS Delaware, the group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth meets during the school year at 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington, Del; 800-810-6776. Youth Making a Difference A group for LGBTQ African-American and Latino youth ages 14-24 meets 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-963-2432.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Nov. 7-13, 2014

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 ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: 215-587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: 856-933-9500 ext. 221 ■ 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 ■ District Attorney LGBT Liaison:Helen “Nellie” Fitzpatrick, 215-686-9980, helen.fitzpatrick@

■ 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 phila.gov ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378 ■ GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization: 215-8511822 ■ LGBT Elder Initiative: 267-5463448; info@LGBTEI.org ■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; ■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658

■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 ■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670 ■ Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-686-3318 ■ 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)

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, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 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 Nov. 7-13, 2014

PGN