pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 40 No. 48 Nov. 25 - Dec. 1, 2016
N.J. suit challenges trans birth-certificate law PAGE 2
The PGN staff gives thanks
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
2016 World AIDS Day events listing
PAGE 10
Indiana Queen breaks the country-music mold
PAGE 6
Center City man targeted in explosion
After Mummers dustup, groups undergo training By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com As a result of this year’s Mummers Parade, performers involved in the New Year’s Day event have undergone training about the effects of cultural appropriation, the proper use of satire and issues that are sensitive to the LGBT community. The 2016 parade was the subject of controversy after homophobic and transphobic displays by the Finnegan New Year Brigade. In one skit, a Finnegan member dressed as Bruce Jenner performed an Olympic victory routine before sitting in a wheelchair. Performers dressed as doctors and nurses pushed his chair into the crowd as the skit transitioned to Aerosmith’s “Dude (Looks Like a Lady).” As the song played, another performer dressed as Caitlyn Jenner emerged from the crowd to signify the transgender woman’s transition. Meanwhile, a sign compared Jenner’s Wheaties cereal box to a box of “Froot Loops” featuring a cutout of her June 2015 Vanity Fair cover. Additionally, a man from Finnegan chanted “f*** the gays” while holding the cereal-box sign to mock Jenner. In a statement, the Mummers said they banned the performer from future performances. “What we can expect this year is for the group of performers and the organization to be more informed about issues that might cause offense to different groups of people,” said Ajeenah Amir, the deputy communications director for the mayor’s office. “We are expecting a performance that will honor their traditions but also be done in the right way.” Amir said the groups were required to submit their skit themes as well as ideas related to costumes and makeup at the start of the application process. The city then made recommendations on acts that may be considered offensive. If a group did not comply with the guidelines, the Mummers leadership would prevent them from marching. Nellie Fitzpatrick, director of the Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs, attended a few trainings to discuss issues related to the LGBT community “in an effort to build awareness PAGE 2
PAGE 21
By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
KEEPING THEIR MEMORY ALIVE: The William Way LGBT Community Center was filled Sunday night with about 175 community member and allies paying tribute to the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. The event, held at the center for six years, included a reading of the names of the transgender lives lost to violence in the last year in the country, as well as recognition of local members of the trans community killed in recent years. Participants also were encouraged to share thoughts and concerns, which included a theme of a call for unity in the community and a plea for action from allies. Photo: Scott A. Drake
At a press conference Tuesday, a collection of local and federal officials pledged to track down whoever was responsible for an explosive device that seriously injured a Center City resident, who is reportedly gay. The incident happened at 4 a.m. Nov. 22 in a first-floor apartment at 1808 Pine St. Investigators say a 60-year-old man, who had just returned home from a trip, opened what he thought was a package of medication and the parcel detonated. The explosion and shrapnel caused injuries to his face, upper body and left hand. He underwent surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and was in stable condition at presstime. Multiple news sources identified the victim as Jim Alden, a gay man who works in the catering industry and lives in the home with his partner, though officials declined to confirm the victim’s name or sexual orientaPAGE 14 tion. Officials confirmed
City, state issue guidance on bias incidents By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The wave of bias incidents that has swept the nation since Donald Trump was elected president is drawing targeted responses from the local and state governments. The office of Gov. Tom Wolf last week outlined a formal “response plan” following a series of race- and religion-based incidents in Pennsylvania schools. According to a release from the governor, all school districts in the state have been directed to contact the Office of Safe Schools directly after any bias-related incident occurs. The office will then supply counselors to the school and work with the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations to evaluate if further resources are needed. “We need to fight racism and bigotry when it arises and my administration will work actively with school districts and other public institutions to stand up to intolerance,” the governor said in a state-
ment. “Our schools must be safe and open spaces where all children can learn and grow free of concerns for their physical, mental and emotional safety.” In the days following the election, reports surfaced of chants of “white power” at a York high school, racist and anti-LGBT graffiti at a Bucks County high school and several verbal and physical attacks at local colleges. According to the governor’s outline, representatives of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, Intermediate Units, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network and PHRC met to address the issue and formulated the response plan. The Pennsylvania Department of Education disseminated the plan Nov. 16 and urged superintendents to also come up with their own targeted efforts to “effectively prevent and address harassment, intimidation, violence and discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ances-
try, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, national origin or disability.” The department also intends to engage with nonprofits and commissions within the governor’s office to generate further suggestions on curbing hate-based incidents in schools. Its Office of Commonwealth Libraries has also forwarded a booklist of titles that “share a message of unity, acting with kindness toward others and promoting peace” to schools, which can be found at http://www.ala.org/alsc/booklists. If students or families feel that harassment is not being adequately addressed in their school, they are encouraged to contact the Office for Safe Schools’ Bullying Prevention Consultation Line at 1-866716-0424. Messages can be left 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams this week announced that his office has assigned a dedicated assistant district attorney in each PAGE 14