Philadelphia Gay News Nov. 12 - 18, 2010
Suicide epidemic claims another
Settlement possible in Scouts case
By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer
By Timothy Cwiek PGN Writer-at-Large The city Law Department has reached a tentative settlement with a local Boy Scouts of America council that would allow the council to purchase a building that’s been the focus of a protracted federal lawsuit. According to the proposed settlement, which still must be approved by City Council, the Cradle of Liberty Council has three years to pay $600,000 for the cityowned building and land at 231-251 N. 22nd St. In return, the council would drop its federal lawsuit and agree to relinquish its right to seek almost $1 million in legal expenses from the city under the proposed settlement. Once the council purchases the property, the city no longer would object to antigay discrimination taking place inside the facility under the terms of the settlement. The BSA council would be permitted to hold fundraisers inside the building, but if it doesn’t come up with the money needed to buy the building within three years, it must vacate the premises. The proposal also would permit the BSA to purchase the building for $500,000 if it does so within two years of signing a finalized agreement. Within 90 days of finalizing an agreement, the BSA council must stop administering programs inside the building that discriminate against individuals protected by the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance. However, the proposal doesn’t specify the activities the council can conduct in the building during the three-year period. Presumably, the BSA council would be permitted to continue administering Learning for Life, an educational and vocational program, which purportedly serves about 55,000 regional youths in a non-discriminatory manner. Learning for Life’s “policy on participation,” as posted on its website, declares that “color, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, disability, economic status or citizenship are not criteria for participation.” The city already contracts with the local BSA council to administer LFL programs See SETTLEMENT, Page 12
Vol. 34 No. 46
Honesty Integrity Professionalism
SOUL FOOD: Nearly 200 people turned out last Friday at Love Park in Center City for a Life Rally organized by national LGBT group Soulforce. The rally served as a kickoff for the agency’s weekend symposium that sought to shine light on the damaging effects of “ex-gay” reparative therapies. Out Christian musician Ray Boltz performed at the rally, which also included remarks from the Rev. Jeffrey Jordan and city director of LGBT affairs Gloria Casarez. About 100 people participated Saturday in Soulforce’s workshops, which brought together LGBTs and allies from throughout the country.
EX-GAY, NO WAY: LGBT activists converged on the Renaissance Hotel near the Philadelphia International Airport Nov. 6 to “welcome” the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, which advocates for reparative therapy for LGBTs, and which held its annual conference at the hotel last weekend. Demonstrators, led by Truth Wins Out, hoisted pro-LGBT signs along with pieces of luggage during their protest, calling attention to the recent scandal involving former NARTH board member George Rekers, who earlier this year hired a male escort for a European trip, but insisted the man only carried his luggage. Photos: Scott A. Drake
who often dressed in dark clothing and wore his hair longer. This “emo” style made him the A 14-year-old boy from Central target of school bullies, many of Pennsylvania killed himself late whom reportedly harassed him last week after facing bullying at with antigay epithets, although school, much of which allegedly his orientation was unknown. On a website set up to rememtargeted his perceived sexual oriber Bitner, his family entation. wrote that he was a “pasBrandon Bitner, a sionate, kind and unique freshman at Middsoul.” A Facebook page West High School in created in his honor has Middleburg, about drawn support from 50 miles north of more than 4,000 people. Harrisburg, stepped in His mother, Tammy front of an oncoming Simpson, told Sunbury’s tractor-trailer at about The Daily Item that her 3 a.m. Nov. 5. Police say he walked nearly 13 BRANDON son had been bullied for miles from his home in BITNER several years. Simpson said the family reported the middle of the night the bullying to his before jumping in the middle school and met with the path of the 18-wheeler. Bitner was a resident of Mount school guidance counselor. The harassment continued Pleasant Mills and a native of Harrisburg. His family has said he was an accomplished violinist See BITNER, Page 17
Two murder cases spotlight trans community By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer A transgender sex worker spent the last week in prison, awaiting arraignment on murder charges for a recent killing at a Center City hotel. Police arrested 22-year-old Herman Burton, who is reported to identify as a woman named Peaches, Nov. 2. The suspect is in custody at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and will be arraigned Nov. 24. Burton is charged with murder, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, arson, abuse of corpse and other charges in connection with the Oct. 30 murder of Patrick Michael Brady. Burton is accused of beating and strangling Brady, 49, in his room at the Omni Hotel in the earlymorning hours of Oct. 30. Burton allegedly set fire to Brady’s body
following the murder. Police still do not know what prompted the killing, which Homicide Capt. James Clark described as the result of an “extreme physical altercation.” Police said this week they were still unclear how Brady, a married father from the suburbs, knew Burton. B r a d y, a n IT specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, who frequently stayed at The Omni when he BURTON had morning work meetings, had no prior arrest record other than a DUI charge from 1999 in Chester County. See MURDERS, Page 16