PGN Dec. 5 -11, 2014

World AIDS Day photos

Bucks for the holidays PAGE 33

PAGE 6

Family Portrait: Rusty Doll shines light on LGBT youth homelessness PAGE 35

Night of 100 Qweens aims to break Guinness World Record PAGE 5

Dec. 5-11, 2014

Since 1976

PGN Philadelphia Gay News Vol. 38 No. 49

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM

Family alleges HIV discrimination at PA practice

City seeks dismissal of police brutality suit

By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com The city has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit of Luis A. Berrios 3d, a gay man who says Philadelphia police arrested him in a brutal and homophobic manner.

In December 2010, police were summoned to Berrios’ Hunting Park residence, where Berrios was involved in a domestic dispute with his then-boyfriend.

Rather than calming the situation, police allegedly hurled anti-LGBT slurs at the couple and used excessive force when arresting them, according to Berrios.

In 2012, Berrios filed suit against the city, two police officers and a detective — alleging false arrest, false imprisonment, assault and battery, malicious prosecution and other charges.

But last month, the city asked U.S. PAGE 23 District Judge C. Darnell

Center gears up for 40th anniversary

By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com

BACKSTAGE BASS: Out NSYNC member Lance Bass (second from left) readied for his Pink Pub Crawl appearance Nov. 27 backstage at Trocadero Theatre. Before taking the stage, he met and greeted fans Brooke Robertson (counter-clockwise from left), Pink Pub Crawl organizer Bruce Yelk, Jen Colletta, Ashlee Turturro, Samantha Harris, Micheal Ward and event host Brittany Lynn. Bass performed in Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day Parade the following day. Photo: Scott A. Drake

By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com The William Way LGBT Community Center held its last public board meeting of the year last week, discussing plans for the organization’s upcoming 40th anniversary.

The meeting was held Nov. 25 at the center, 1315 Spruce St. Board members in attendance included Steve Brando, Anh Dang, Chris Durr, Rudy Flesher, Amber Hikes, Adam Hymans, Mandeep Jangi, Bob Lenahan, Jeff Sotland, Paul Steinke, Leona Thomas, Candice Thompson and Laurie Ward. Members Jocelyn Block, Tricia Dressel, Kim Keegan and Marshall Siegel were absent.

Executive director Chris Bartlett reported on the center’s upcoming anniversary. The center was incorporated in 1975, so it will celebrate its 40th anniversary in the New Year. The organization will launch its anniversary logo and materials at the Cornerstone Brunch and Annual Meeting Jan. 10, as well as unveil 40 stories from constituents that capture the center’s long-term impact.

Bartlett also announced the hiring of Will PAGE 21 Jordan as the center’s

A NEW AUDIENCE: The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus made history last week as the first-ever LGBT contingent to participate in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. The chorus performed “Jingle Bells” outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a performance that was telecast live on 6ABC. The chorus, which stages its holiday concert this weekend, is now in talks with parade organizers to participate in this year’s Fourth of July parade. Photo: Scott A. Drake

A local HIV/AIDS agency filed suit on World AIDS Day against a private Lancaster County medical practice for its refusal to treat an HIV-positive man.

The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania brought the suit against Stephen G. Diamantoni, M.D., & Associates Family Practice, co-owned by the Lancaster County coroner, Dec. 1 on behalf of a man, his wife and daughter. In the suit, the family chose to be identified as Husband Jones, Wife Jones and Daughter Jones, to protect the identity of their underage daughter.

The suit contends the practice violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, specifically by denying the husband and wife public accommodations based on his HIV status, as well as intentionally inflicting emotional distress on all three.

AIDS Law Project executive director Ronda Goldfein said the agency hoped to bring attention to the fact that discrimination is still alive and well by filing the complaint on World AIDS Day. “One of the components of why AIDS is still such a problem is discrimination,” Goldfein, co-counsel on the case, said.

“The stigma that people with AIDS face fuels the epidemic.

“Jones is just a conscientious family man,” Goldfein added. “He never expected to get shut out of a doctor’s office because he is HIV-positive.”

According to the complaint, Dr. Jeffrey Trost delivered a letter to Husband Jones Oct. 8, 2013, four days after the patient had blood drawn for the first time at the office. The letter stated that Jones left large amounts of blood in the office bathroom, “all over the sink, walls and floor,” and proceeded to ask him and his family to leave the practice.

“It seems you may not have appropriate concern for those who would like to take care of you and those around you,” the letter concluded. It was signed by one of the practice’s owners, Dr. William Vollmar.

“This outrageous story is just a false PAGE 12 pretext for denying care

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LOCAL pGN

self-defense, after she demanded a pre-arranged payment of $40 for performing oral sex — which he refused to pay due to her male genitalia.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 18 in Room 1105 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner will preside.

Sargent, 45, remains incarcerated at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia.

News Briefing No death penalty in Williams case The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office won’t seek the death penalty for Charles N. Sargent, who allegedly stabbed and dismembered Diamond Williams, a local transgender woman.

“As brutal as this case is, it doesn’t meet the parameters of a death-penalty case, which are defined by state law,” said assistant district attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur.

MacArthur said the office decided against pursuing the death penalty last month, after Sargent’s preliminary hearing.

Sargent is charged with murder, abuse of corpse and possessing an instrument of crime.

“At this point, it’s a first-degree murder case, which means Mr. Sargent will spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted,” MacArthur said.

A jury trial is expected to be held in late 2015 if a plea agreement isn’t reached, MacArthur added.

According to a statement Sargent gave to police, he allegedly invited Williams to his Strawberry Mansion residence during the early-morning hours of July 14, 2013.

Sargent claims he stabbed Williams in

Schneller denied participation in marriage case The Third Circuit Court of Appeals last month denied anti-LGBT activist James Schneller’s request to participate in a pending marriage-recognition case.

Cara Palladino and Isabelle Barker filed suit in 2013, seeking recognition of their out-of-state marriage in Pennsylvania. The case has been held in abeyance, pending the outcome of appeals in the Whitewood case, which established marriage equality throughout the state.

Schneller claims that marriage equality infringes on his religious freedoms. But last month, 13 Third Circuit judges signed an order denying Schneller’s request to participate in the Palladino case.

In an email, Schneller expressed disappointment with the order. But he noted that it’s still possible that the Whitewood decision will be reversed on appeal.

Schneller has also requested to become a participant in the Whitewood case. That request remained pending with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals by presstime.

Plans form for Morris event Sharron L. Cooks, a local trans activist, has agreed to speak at a candlelight march and vigil commemorating the 12th anniversary of Nizah Morris’ death.

The event, which is sponsored by the Justice for Nizah committee, will be held 5-6:30 p.m. Dec. 22 in Center City.

Morris was a transgender woman who sustained a fatal head injury shortly after entering a police vehicle on Dec. 22, 2002.

Her homicide remains unsolved.

The march will originate at the old Key West Bar at 207 S. Juniper St. and proceed north on Broad Street to the District Attorney’s Office at Three South Penn Square. Other speakers include former state Rep. Babette Josephs and the Rev. Jeffrey Haskins of Unity Fellowship of Christ Church.

In addition to seeking a state probe of the Morris case, the J4N committee is demanding that local authorities release all records pertaining to the Morris incident and meet with a contingent of J4N members.

For more information, contact April Murdock at aprilmurdock@hotmail.com.

— Timothy Cwiek

Gay man to stand trial for murder A trial has been ordered in the case of a murdered Roxborough cantor.

During a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Municipal Court Judge James M. DeLeon

ordered the accused murderer, Jonathan Williams, to stand trial on a general charge of murder and other counts related to the Sept. 30 incident.

Williams, 33, is accused of stabbing Ronald Fischman 10 times in the back with a kitchen knife. During this week’s hearing, Detective Timothy Scally read a statement in which Williams admitted his guilt to Philadelphia homicide detectives.

Williams and his now ex-boyfriend, Gordan Branch, were homeless before Fischman invited them live with him in his East Mount Airy home. Fischman later kicked Williams out after he believed Williams was stealing from him.

The incident took place when Williams allegedly broke in to Fischman’s home, prompting an argument between Fischman and Williams, while Branch, who was visiting, hid in a bedroom.

Health-insurance event Looking to sign up for health insurance in the New Year? Now you can do so in an LGBT-friendly environment.

Garden State Equality will host free workshops to help people enroll and become educated about LGBT-specific health literacy.

The first workshop will be held Dec. 8 at the Newark LGBTQ Community Center, 11 Halsey St. in Newark, and the second on Dec. 16 at Rutgers-Camden Campus Center Multipurpose Room, 326 Penn St. in Camden. Both are from 4-8 p.m.

To sign up, visit GSE on Facebook or email contact@gardenstateequality.org. ■ — Ryan Kasley

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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.

PGN

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Weekly features

News&Opinion 2 — News Briefing 7 — Crime Watch 10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Op-Ed Mark My Words Street Talk 29 — Media Trail

AC &

35 37 38 42 42

C o l u m n s

— — — — —

Family Portrait Scene in Philly Q Puzzle Comics Out & About

14 — Before the Bells: Those pesky miscellaneous costs 15 — Out Law: What do hate-crime laws accomplish?

Classifieds 37 — Real Estate 41 — Personals 43 — Bulletin Board

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

Two weeks Gettin’ On Paw Prints Outward Bound

World AIDS Day photos from around Philadelphia show the diversity of this day of remembrance and hope.

9 BUCKS COUNTY BEAUTY: Bucks County is putting on its holiday finest in the coming weeks. Just a hop, skip and jump from Philadelphia, the bucolic region offers a wealth of outings for folks looking to enjoy the beauty of the season without the bustle of the city. PGN runs down the highs of the holiday happenings, including where you can catch shopping deals, light displays, history lessons and activities for kids of all ages. Home to New Hope and towns large and small that are equally as progressive, Bucks County has long been a haven for LGBT travelers, who will be able to find something to fit every taste this month. See page 33.

This week in pGN

Photos from Thanksgiving celebrations focused on LGBT youth in the Philadelphia area.

7 — Morris officer testimony postponed 8 — LGBT holiday round-up

42

33 — Arts & Culture: Get your holiday grub on at Bucks County’s Yardley Inn

“I slept with a knife for about nine months, thinking [police] were going to come back.” ~ Luis A. Berrios 3d, on the brutality lawsuit filed against two Philadelphia police officers and the city, page 23

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

publisher Mark Segal (ext. 204) mark@epgn.com Executive Assistant/ Billing Manager Carol Giunta (ext. 202) carol@epgn.com

Editor

Jen Colletta (ext. 206) jen@epgn.com Staff Writers Ryan Kasley (ext. 215) ryan@epgn.com Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208) timothy@epgn.com

Advertising Manager Greg Dennis (ext. 201) greg@epgn.com

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“The Nutcracker” is one of the many holiday shows taking the stage this month.

Art Director/ photographer

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

National Advertising Rivendell Media: 212-242-6863 Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Suburban Newspapers of America

Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 2014 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-5155 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.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

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Largest drag performance ever to raise money for local charities

By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Drag queens throughout the tristate area are gathering in an attempt to set a new world record — and raise money for charity while they’re at it.

Philly’s own drag queen superstar, Brittany Lynn, is leading the pack for Night of 100 Qweens, to fundraise for Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance and Out Philadelphia Athletic League. The participants will also attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records’ current record for the most drag queens to perform on stage at the same time.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. Dec. 12 at Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. Besides doing drag, Lynn, aka Ian Morrison, spends a lot of time doing promotional work for various organizations and recently became event and marketing manager for Tabu. Shortly thereafter, Morrison said Tabu owner Jeff Sotland challenged him.

“He had received news that this group of queens out in Cleveland had set a record with only 40 girls or so,” Morrison said. “‘Are you going to let them get away with that?’ he asked me. So naturally I accepted the challenge.”

The roster of drag queens includes: Drag Mafia, Sinful Sundays, the girls of Bob and Barbara’s (Philly’s longest-running drag show), La Cage Aux Beach from the Venture Inn, the former contestants of Miss’d America, the Ladies of New Hope, the Leggs of NYC, the ICandy Girls, the girls of Miss Everything and many more, totaling to 100.

The event will culminate in a grand-finale performance with all the queens on the stage performing “I Sing the Body Electric” from the original version of “Fame.”

“It’s probably the gayest thing I will have ever done,” Morrison laughed. “But I think it really shows the struggle all performers — actors, singers, models — go through. Everyone, with all his or her struggles, comes together for this big moment. It kind of

reflects what I have gone through in gathering the girls for this event. We are all finally coming together despite our differences.”

Morrison has never been a part of something this big or this sig-

nificant before, he said.

“At ‘Dragapalooza,’ we have had 30 girls on the stage for a finale and opening number.

But this is on another level,” Morrison said. “It’s going to be

amazing to see us come together and sing, as one big drag family.

I have been doing this for about 18 years now, and it’s amazing that I can count most of these girls as friends, and that they are all going to be able to come.”

Yet it has not been a cakewalk for Morrison to manage each girl’s requests in the weeks leading up to the event.

“I’ve spent the last four weeks trying to accommodate each queens’ sometimes diva-ish needs,” Morrison joked. “But it’s all for a good cause, so I don’t mind.”

The two charities the event will benefit, MANNA and OPAL, were easy choices for Morrison.

“I’ve done a lot of work with MANNA in the past, especially whenever I do a big event here in town. And with the creation of OPAL this year, I was like, Why not?”

Regular tickets are $20, and VIP balcony tickets are $35 and include VIP seating and a meetand-greet with all the performers.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Trocadero website, www.thetroc.com. n

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AROUND THE WORLD (AIDS DAY): HIV/AIDS advocates around the region marked World AIDS Day Dec. 1. At Suburban Station (from top), Mariela Metz (left) and Kristen Gallagher, staffers of ActionAIDS, handed out red ribbons and the World AIDS Day Supplement, an annual joint project of PGN and ActionAIDS. At the 11th annual Red Ribbon Awards Ceremony at City Hall, Kevin (from left) and Keisha Diggs, pictured with their mother, Terrie Hawkins, accepted the Dale L. Grundy Youth Leader Awards. The program, sponsored by University of Pennsylvania’s Center for AIDS Research Community Advisory Board, also included awards to Dr. Roberta Laguerre-Frederique, Bertha Jackson, the Rev. Arthur White, Mari Ross-Russell and Waheedah Shabazz-El. At Doubletree Hotel, the FIGHT Gospel Choir and VOICES of Philadelphia FIGHT Choral Ensemble provided the music for diners at FIGHT’s annual Prayer Breakfast. Photos: Scott A. Drake

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the Sixth Police District between Nov. 17-23. 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. INCIDENTS — Between 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Nov. 19, someone entered a residence in the 200 block of South Sartain Street through a widow adjacent to a deck and stole a laptop and cash. Sixth District Officer Romanczuk attempted to lift fingerprints.

— At 2 a.m. Nov. 21 (reported 5:20 a.m.), a man left Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St., and was approached by two males who asked for money. When the man refused, the suspects struck him in the face and stole his wallet.

The suspects were described as

black males, both 5-foot-4. One was wearing a gray hoodie and black pants, and the other had braided hair and was wearing a dark blue shirt.

— On Nov. 20 (reported Nov. 22), artwork was stolen from Charlie Was A Sinner Restaurant, 131 S. 13th St. The suspect was described as a 5-foot-10 white male in his 30s with a medium build and dark hair, wearing a sweater and jeans.

— There was one theft from a parked vehicle reported Nov. 17-23: outside 1334 Walnut St. — There was one theft of a bicycle reported Nov. 17-23: outside 929 Clinton St. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 6:15 p.m. Nov. 19, Sixth District bike-patrol Officer Downey arrested a male outside Eighth and Market streets who was wanted on a warrant for probation violation. The 48-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address was charged with escape.

— On Nov. 23, members of the Citywide Vice Unit made two arrests for prostitution: 3:05 a.m. outside 300 S. 13th St. and one at

4:25 a.m. outside 1200 Spruce St.

Morris officer’s testimony in DUI trial postponed again

SUMMARY ARRESTS — On Nov. 18, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 10:30 a.m. outside 100 S. Juniper St. and 11:10 a.m. outside 200 S. Juniper St. — On Nov. 20, Sixth District officers issued citations for summary offenses at 2:05 a.m. outside 1222 Walnut St. and at 8:20 p.m. outside 1300 Locust St. At 7:05 p.m., Center City District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 900 Market St. — At 11:45 a.m. Nov. 21, Center City District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 151 S. Broad St. Sixth District officers issued citations at 2:10 a.m. outside 201 S. 13th St. and at 8:50 p.m. outside 209 S. 13th St. — At 2:15 a.m. Nov. 22, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 1202 Locust St. — At 1:55 a.m. Nov. 23, Sixth District officers issued a citation for a summary offense outside 201 S. Juniper St. at 1:55 AM. n

By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com For the fifth time, the trial testimony of Officer Elizabeth Skala in a pending DUI case has been postponed.

Prosecutors requested the latest postponement on Dec. 1, citing the need for more time to investigate the case.

In May 2002, Skala arrested Richard Patterson for allegedly driving in Center City while under the influence of alcohol.

Seven months later, Skala gave Nizah Morris a Center City courtesy ride. Shortly after the ride, Morris was found by passing motorists with a fatal head wound.

Michael L. Doyle, an attorney for Patterson, recently gave prosecutors two Police Advisory Commission reports about the Morris incident, along with Skala’s 2006 PAC testimony.

He contends the materials raise serious questions about Skala’s credibility.

Municipal Court Judge Gerard A. Kosinski set a new trial date for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 5 in Courtroom

903 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Skala quietly left the courtroom after the new court date was announced.

Last month, Doyle issued a subpoena for the Police Internal Affairs investigation file pertaining to the Morris incident.

“It’s common to request this type of information when there have been prior allegations of dishonesty on the part of an arresting officer,” Doyle said outside the courtroom.

Doyle said he hadn’t yet received the Morris Internal Affairs file from local authorities, and he didn’t know whether they’d comply with his subpoena.

If Doyle receives the Morris Internal Affairs file, he said he’ll consider releasing it to the public, upon request.

“If I can release it, I don’t see why not,” he said.

The city Law Department recently denied a request by PGN for a copy of the complete Morris Internal Affairs file.

In 2011, Mayor Nutter signed an executive order, PAGE 8

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Holiday roundup The streets of Philadelphia are sure to be bustling in the coming weeks with holiday shopping, sightseeing and soirees. Check out some of the LGBT offerings our City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection has this season: Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus: Down Home Holiday Concert 8 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6 and 2 p.m. Dec. 6 Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St. PGMC will fuse holiday classics with country-inspired selections. Tickets range from $30-$55; pgmc.org.

Beer & Cupcakes 7 p.m.-midnight Dec. 5 The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. The annual baked-goods festivity benefits Mazzoni Center’s Emergency Needs

Fund, which provides items like warm winter coats, shoes and basic hygiene kits for low-income clients and families living with HIV/AIDS, as well as at-risk youth who attend Mazzoni Center’s weekly drop-in health clinic. There is no cover.

Mazzoni will be accepting donations for the Fund all month at: http://mazzonicenter.org/fundraiser/0/other/emergencyneeds-and-end-year-holiday-drive.

Stand UP! Sing OUT! 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and 4 p.m. Dec. 7 First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St. Anna Crusis Women’s Choir, now in its 40th year, will be joined by Melanie DeMore, of renowned ensemble Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, for its annual winter concert. Tickets are $25; annacrusis.com.

TOY 7-10 p.m. Dec. 6 Fire & Ice, 312 Market St. Delaware Valley Legacy Fund’s annual toy drive and fundraiser moves to a new location this year. Guests are asked to bring an unwrapped toy, no plush. Tickets are $75 in advance or $95 at the door and include an open bar and light food; dvlf.org.

A Very Quince Holiday Cabaret 6 p.m. Dec. 8 Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. The LGBT-centric troupe puts its spin on holiday cabaret as a fundraiser for Quince Productions, which stages the annual GayFest! Tickets are $15-$25; quinceproductions.com.

Our Night Out 6-8 p.m. Dec. 9 XIX, 200 S. Broad St. The networking social returns, joining this month with partner Human Rights Campaign Philadelphia Steering Committee.

LGBT Night at the Nutcracker Market 6-8 p.m. Dec. 12 Kimmel Center, 30 S. Broad St. The Pennsylvania Ballet will welcome LGBT guests to its second-annual Nutcracker Market, which features holiday shopping and activities through Dec. 14.

Philly AIDS Thrift holiday celebration 1-4 p.m. Dec. 13 710 S. Fifth St. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus performs, and Santa Claus arrives in style, at the store’s annual holiday party.

LGBT Tree Lighting 5-10 p.m. Dec. 13 M Restaurant at Morris House Hotel, 231 S. Eighth St. The restaurant lights its trees for the first MORRIS from page 7

opening Internal Affairs files to the public.

But city attorneys say Nutter’s executive order doesn’t apply to the Morris Internal Affairs investigation, which took place from 2004-05.

Patterson faces significant jail time if convicted. But outside the courtroom, he expressed optimism about the case, without elaborating.

Patterson failed to show up for a court proceeding in 2002, which resulted in the issuance of a bench warrant for his arrest.

This past July, he attended a social event in South Philadelphia that became disorderly.

When police arrived and asked Patterson for proof of his identity, he was arrested.

Patterson remains free after posting $5,000 bail.

If Patterson isn’t satisfied with the outcome of his municipal court trial, he’s permitted to appeal in Philadelphia Common

time this holiday season and offers drink and food specials. No cover.

Independence Business Alliance Holiday Party 5:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 Arch St. Join LGBT professionals to ring in the holiday season. Tickets are $55 for IBA members and $65 for non-members; independencebusinessalliance.com.

QSpot Happy Hour 6-9 p.m. Dec. 19 William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The monthly happy hour benefitting the LGBT youth program will be holiday-themed.

The Attic Youth Center Holiday Party 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 19 William Way The Attic and its supporters will gather to celebrate the holidays with food and festivities.

Country Christmas GayBINGO! 7 p.m. Dec. 20 Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St. AIDS Funds stages its holiday-themed BINGO extravaganza, where guests are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy that will go to a child infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Tickets range from $20-$25; 215-731-9255.

QSpot Season Finale 8 p.m.-midnight Dec. 20 William Way The monthly LGBT-youth event will close 2014 with food, music and dancing, as well as resources and educational opportunities for youth. n

Pleas Court.

Morris, who was transgender, died two days after Skala’s courtesy ride. Her homicide remains unsolved, and advocates continue to push for a state probe. But so far, Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane hasn’t agreed to review the matter.

Skala has denied any culpability in Morris’ homicide. But the PAC’s 2013 report raised multiple questions about her credibility.

For example, onlookers told the PAC they helped Morris get into Skala’s vehicle, because Morris was too inebriated to 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.

A few years after the Morris incident, Skala was removed from street patrol. She reportedly works in the police commissioner’s office. n

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

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A YOUTHFUL THANKSGIVING: LGBT youth and their supporters celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday last month with full spreads. Dow Chemical (top) provided food for The Attic Youth Center’s Thanksgiving party Nov. 20 at the center, where company employees helped dish out the meal. On Nov. 25, QSpot hosted its own Thanksgiving affair at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Both organizations will host holiday gatherings later this month.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Racism

Editorial

Expanding Giving Tuesday Each year as the holiday season ramps up, we seem to be adding more themed days: Black Friday has now bled into Black Friday Weekend, which seems to now encompass Thanksgiving (and occasionally pre-Thanksgiving) as well. We’ve welcomed Cyber Monday and even Cyber Monday Week. It’s a time for holiday shoppers to pound the pavement, wallets to drain and stress to skyrocket.

But, one of the more season-appropriate new holidays is Giving Tuesday, as consumers around the world are urged to donate to causes and organizations working for the greater good.

The meaning of the holiday season, regardless of your religious affiliations or beliefs, often centers around giving thanks and love to those who make our lives rich. That notion is extended through Giving Tuesday, as we are asked to look outside our own small corner of society to the richness infused into our society by the countless nonprofits and nonprofit workers who labor to make our communities richer, stronger places for all people.

As Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales grow to span a seemingly innumerable amount of days, Giving Tuesday should be given the same opportunity for growth. While giving back — through monetary contributions, in-kind investments or donations of time — to deserving charities on a singular day is valuable, those efforts shouldn’t be limited to a 24-hour period.

Instead of rushing from store to store to find deals and steals just to give loved ones something to unwrap, think of all that time could be used doing something where the impact would go much further and last much longer: making fundraising calls for a community center, assisting with facilities repairs at a youth-serving organization, helping plan a holiday outing at a senior agency or delivering meals to homeless.

With so many of our LGBT organizations underfunded by government and private agencies, and with the depth and breadth of the work they do despite funding challenges, giving back throughout the year is paramount to our community’s ongoing progress. Giving can take on so many different forms, but however we interpret it, it’s key that we start building the spirit of supporting our supporters every opportunity we can. n

Oh, hey guys. I was just surfing the Interwebs looking for antigay idiots I can write snarky comments about. But then I read that Darren Wilson — you know, the cop who shot 18-year-old Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO, back in August? — will not be indicted. In other words, he won’t face any criminal charges for killing an unarmed black kid in the middle of a fucking street in front of witnesses.

Because justice.

You know what? This is why we can’t have nice things like marriage equality and anti-discrimination protections for LGB and T people. Because we live in a country where it is still basically fine and dandy to shoot to kill black children. You don’t even have to be a police officer! Just ask George Zimmerman. He’s a free man after shooting and killing 17-yearold Trayvon Martin, who was armed with a pack of Skittles and an iced tea. We really haven’t made much progress since 1955 when 14-year-old Emmett Till was beaten, shot and then tied to a cotton-gin fan and sunk in the Tallahatchie River, all for supposedly whistling at a white woman.

There are people who bristle at the idea that LGBT people are fighting for civil rights, as if the only civil-rights struggle that can legitimately exist is for AfricanAmericans. I reject this distinction and think it is foolish. Civil rights are civil rights, whether you’re fighting racism or you’re fighting heterosexism. It all comes down to respect. If you’re treating somebody like they’re less than you, whether it’s because they’re gay or because they’re black, that’s a problem. And, of course, if you’re an LGBT African-American, you’re all the more marginalized and discriminated against.

But I get it. I can guess why support for LGBT equality often doesn’t poll well with heterosexual African-Americans. I mean, racism isn’t exactly over in America, no matter what Ann Coulter says, and if you’re being oppressed from every fucking angle because of the color of your skin, I can see how whether two ladies or two

dudes can marry might not be your primary concern right now.

It’s a mistake, however, to see these fights as mutually exclusive. They aren’t.

Nor is there a queue for social justice where LGBT folks have to wait in line until racism is defeated before there can be marriage equality, for example.

I would argue, however, that most white LGBT folks, no strangers to discrimination, are not doing enough to combat racism in America. I say this because most white Americans aren’t doing enough, and to be white is to have privilege unavailable to people of color, even if you’re LGBT. And too often white people are oblivious to this privilege, and this obliviousness means that we only notice overt racism, like when someone uses the “n-word,” yet are blind to the institutional racism that plagues this country.

It prevents us from seeing how totally fucked up things are for AfricanAmericans.

It is impossible to live in America and not be touched by racism. This country is steeped in it. It is on you. You’re either benefiting from it or being hurt by it (or both, for some). To not challenge racism is to be complicit in it. To not challenge racism is to be racist.

White Americans benefit from racism every day yet get defensive at the very idea that they could be racist. They say things like, “I’m not racist, I voted for Obama” or, “I’m not racist, but … ” (You can fill that in with whatever you want. It’s probably racist.) Ignorance is no excuse. But ignorance also isn’t incurable.

So, yeah. I’m feeling sick and sad and frustrated. And I know full well that some will dismiss this as “white guilt.” But in a country with dead black boys lying on our streets and sidewalks, feeling a little guilt is literally the least white people can do. n

It is impossible to live in America and not be touched by racism. This country is steeped in it.

It is on you. You’re either benefiting from it or being hurt by it (or both, for some).

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.

Tell us what you think Send letters and opinion column submissions to: pgn@epgn.com; PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; fax: 215-925-6437.

Please include a daytime phone number.

Letters may be edited for clarity, style and space con­sid­er­ations.

Op-Ed PGN

Embracing hectic holidays This is the holiday season but our slugCenter, the heart of the community. The gish economy doesn’t seem to be having center has programs for almost any taste — any effect on the holiday schedule. from joint programs for LGBT youth with Just in the LGBT nonprofit community The Attic Youth Center to Silver Foxes and alone, there are more parties its SAGE programs for seniors and fundraisers planned than and everything in between.

I’ve ever seen. From Delaware And if you’re looking to give Valley Legacy Fund’s TOY, back this season, you can volunwhich rolls out this weekend at teer at William Way or any numa new venue, to Independence ber of community organizations.

Business Alliance’s holiWhile I might complain about day party and oh-so-many in my hectic schedule, I’m able to between — even a Christmas look back and remember a time Eve party this year — the comwhen none of those support sysmunity’s going to be out and tems above existed. And think, about a lot this month. Add to I’ve just touched the surface of that the corporate and personal the scores of organizations that parties, and it’s a very busy seaserve our LGBT community son. each day. That puts me in a fes Then there are always the tive and thankful mood. To all, Mark Segal thank you. n people who are not as connected. This is a good time to start that involvement. There is no reason Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commenfor people in our community to not be tator in LGBT media. You can follow connected unless that’s how they want it. him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ There is a waiting family for you at many of our organizations, chief among them our MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter. incredible William Way LGBT Community com/PhilaGayNews.

Mark My Words

Op-Ed

Stephen Seufert

Broadening the conversation on the Catholic family The announcement that Pope Francis will be visiting Philadelphia next September for the World Meeting of Families is a chance for Catholics and non-Catholics alike to have an honest, open discussion about what it means to be part of a family. Unfortunately, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia announced last month that there will be little focus on sexuality in relation to the family at the event.

Chaput, like many other traditionalist Catholics, seems to have a “Leave It to Beaver” mentality of the family. He believes any marriage not between one man and one woman is evil and sinful.

Trying to define marriage and the family in such limited terms makes the church seem obtuse to a diverse and complicated world.

In a 2009 interview, Chaput said many bishops were slow to condemn slavery and that some even owned slaves. To be clear, Chaput was relating this to many Catholics being slow to condemn abortion. But couldn’t the same be said for those who are slow to defend those who seek love and marriage regardless of sexuality?

Personally, I never would ask the Catholic Church to compromise its beliefs.

If the church doesn’t want to wed same-sex couples, that’s its right as a religious institution. However, the church crosses the line when it fires a gay teacher for seeking a civil marriage license — like the case last year with Michael Griffin at Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bucks County.

Griffin and his partner were seeking civil

marriage licenses and, therefore, were not infringing on the beliefs or customs of the Catholic Church. If Griffin was demanding a marriage within the church, I could see where Chaput and other church leaders would have grounds for taking action.

In an attempt to protest state-sanctioned same-sex marriage licenses, Chaput has urged other U.S. bishops to stop signing civil marriage licenses for all couples. This is a clear example of a religious leader trying to infringe on the rights of the people and the democratically elected government they’re represented by.

Another self-inflicted, needless embarrassment for the Philadelphia Archdiocese was when the principal of St. Andrew Elementary School in Bucks County emailed parents apologizing for using Ellen DeGeneres on fliers for an eighthgrade dance, calling her a “poor role model.” DeGeneres is an award-winning talk-show host who is nothing short of a positive role model. In this instance, the school judged a very successful, strong woman based on one small aspect of her life. Imagine what such a judgment could do to an LGBT child who was an otherwise happy, smart and productive member of society. It could be devastating.

That leads to my next point: promoting life. Opponents of same-sex marriage argue that, because LGBT couples can’t procreate, they’re not equal to heterosexual couples. I completely reject that argument.

LGBT people promote life by caring for and loving those around them, whether it

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

11

Street Talk Would you shop on Thanksgiving night?

"No. I'm not against it but my preference would be for everything to be closed.

I'd rather be with my family.

Maura Fauber We don't movie-theater spend time attendant North Philadelphia shopping together, so shopping wouldn't cross my mind."

"No. Stores should be closed and everybody should be home with family and friends.

People are becoming too Thomas Jakubowski greedy and waiter materialistic. South Philadelphia They can wait until Black Friday to go shopping. But they're shopaholics."

"No, it's more fun to be with family, friends and eat a lot of food. It's unfortunate that the country is moving Josef Oldakowski away from store clerk the spirit of South Philadelphia Thanksgiving; Black Friday is becoming Black Thursday. But it's a free marketplace and it's all game."

"Yes. I manage a restaurant.

I need to shop for my staff on Thanksgiving because I give them a family meal. Jake Wade restaurant manager But I'd never Penn’s Landing shop for non-perishable items on Thanksgiving. It's strictly food for my staff. They want to work on Thanksgiving; they make $500 that day."

be family, friends or coworkers. Too often, marriage-equality opponents forget about the life and dignity of an LGBT person.

Many Catholics I’ve talked to who oppose same-sex marriage say they won’t change their views simply because a majority of people approve of marriage equality. They claim that, just because advocates are in the majority, it doesn’t make them right. Fair enough. But realistically, I could use that reasoning for any issue.

Keep in mind, advocates of same-sex marriage have been in the majority for a mere fraction of this ongoing debate. In 1996, only 25 percent of the American public supported same-sex marriage, and support for the LGBT community took courage (not that it doesn’t still today).

Still, the attitude toward LGBT people back then was far from positive, and there were fewer allies. After recently watching the 1993 movie “Philadelphia,” I’m reminded of how far we’ve come since Denzel Washington’s character thought

catching AIDS was as simple as shaking a gay person’s hand.

For a good part of my life, I was guilty of not caring about the plight of the LGBT community. Yet the more I research, the more I come to respect the courage and strength of LGBT people as they persevere through persistent discrimination and persecution.

With an open heart and mind, Keystone Catholics welcome Archbishop Chaput and other Catholics of good will to join us in promoting mercy, joy and inclusion for the LGBT community. We join our words with the Holy Father: “Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.” n Stephen Seufert is the state director of Keystone Catholics, a new social-justice advocacy organization in Pennsylvania dedicated to promoting the common good.

For more information, visit www.keystonecatholics.org or email Seufert at sseufert@ catholics-united.org.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

PGN DISCRIMINATION from page 1

to a man because of his HIV status,” said Goldfein. “This fabrication depicts our client as a reckless person, but in fact he’s a conscientious family man who sought out health care before moving to the area.

It strains credulity that he would then do something like this.”

“The law is clear: You can’t refuse to treat a person simply because he or she has a disability — in this case, HIV,” added Sarah R. Schalman-Bergen, an attorney at Berger & Montague and co-counsel in the case. “Also, these protections extend to anyone else associated with a disabled person, including their family.”

In June 2013, Jones and his family moved to Lancaster County from South Carolina. Jones contacted the Diamantoni practice in advance of the move to secure health care for himself and his family. He made several visits to the practice in June, July and August without incident. At each visit, Jones discussed his medications and lab results with a Diamantoni physician.

During that time, prior to each visit, Jones had his blood drawn at a different facility other than a Diamantoni-practice office, by health-care providers unaffiliated with the practice.

Stephen G. Diamantoni, who has been

“The law is clear: You can’t refuse to treat a person simply because he or she has a disability — in this case, HIV. Also, these protections extend to anyone else associated with a disabled person, including their family.” the Lancaster County coroner since 2008, did not personally treat Jones.

On Oct. 4, 2013, Jones had his blood drawn at the Diamantoni practice for the first time during a routine visit to the practice’s Quarryville location. The phlebotomist drew his blood and applied a Band-Aid, consistent with protocol for this procedure, according to the complaint.

After the blood draw, Jones used the restroom and proceeded to the receptionist desk to check out. Before leaving the office, Jones returned to the restroom to retrieve a cup he had left behind, according to the complaint.

When he returned four days later to review the results of the blood work, he had a routine discussion with Trost about his lab results. At the end of the discussion, Trost said, “Let’s talk about the restroom” and handed Jones the letter dismissing him and his family from the

pGN

practice, according to the complaint.

Jones says he was not bleeding after the draw and had done nothing to himself to cause bleeding in the bathroom. No one at the Diamantoni practice mentioned he was bleeding either, even after he passed the receptionist desk twice.

Nor did anyone from the practice call Jones to inquire if he was experiencing any clinical complications, despite allegedly leaving “a large amount of blood in the bathroom,” as stated in the dismissal letter.

Jones protested to Trost, who directed him to the office manager, who was unavailable. Later that day, Jones received a call from the receptionist, who stated the decision to dismiss Jones and his family was final.

Goldfein is confident that the letter will make it extremely difficult for the defense to prove that their discriminatory actions were not based on Jones’ HIV status.

“I know that their letter, which is in our complaint, makes it pretty clear that they said, ‘You left large amounts of blood in the bathroom,’” Goldfein said. “I don’t know what they think he was doing in the bathroom. They said he ‘had no regard for the people around him.’ It’s hard to suggest that this case is about anything other than his HIV status. Sometimes you get into a messy ‘he said, she said’ situation, but when they send a letter like that, it’s hard to argue against it.”

Convenience, according to Goldfein, is what prompted Jones to use facilities other than Diamantoni locations.

“I think it was just a question of convenience. He was never intentionally not going to the practice to get his blood drawn. It was just logistics as he was relocating,” she said. “And then at his last regular visit, they were just like, ‘Oh, why don’t you do it here this time?’”

It is unclear whether or not the Diamantoni practice was aware of Jones’ HIV status prior to his having bloodwork done there.

“I know he arranged for an appointment before he moved, and he was accepted as a patient,” Goldfein said. “I don’t know how much they knew about his health before he got here. I know he had some conversations with Dr. Trost, but it was not until they had bloodwork done at their office did a problem arise.”

According to the complaint, Jones was diagnosed with HIV in 1992, is compliant with his antiretroviral medications and his HIV disease has been well-controlled since approximately 2006. Neither his wife nor daughter is HIV-positive.

Among other things, the suit seeks that the Diamantoni practice develop an anti-discrimination policy and conduct training for all staff regarding HIV disease, transmission and universal precautions. It seeks awards for compensatory and punitive damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.

A separate complaint has also been filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, according to Goldfein. n

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

Finally.

Now that marriage equality is the law of the land, make some history of your own this holiday. Choose from our amazing selection of engagement rings at prices that will beat anyone’s—even online. And give your true love the one gift Santa can’t.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

Before the Bells

WEDDING PGN

Jen Colletta

Prepping for hidden expenses No matter how detailed of a wedding budget you craft, and how stringently you try to stick to it, unforeseen expenses are unavoidable.

Solidifying your spending goals for your biggest expenses — venue, photographer, florist, honeymoon — is important, but it’s also helpful to budget some for a “miscellaneous” category. With all the decisions that have to be made upfront, it was hard for my fiancée and I to see at the onset what could fall under that list but, once we got into the nitty gritty of the planning details, we quickly encountered a wealth of smaller expenses that added up.

Budgeting extra at the beginning of your planning process to cover unexpected costs is one way to get out ahead of any problem-producing hidden expenses, as is thinking outside the box to learn about areas where you may have to shell out some extra cash.

Fees Just about everything has an added fee, which is why it’s important to allot a bit extra above the base prices for your big vendors.

If your ceremony and reception are taking place at the same location, your venue will likely charge a ceremony fee, which can range anywhere from $100-$1,000.

When crafting the food and drink menu for your reception, be prepared for added costs if you want to add another food

option above the standard, similar with drinks. Speaking of catering, packages will likely be upped for each server or bartender you add or, alternately, many venues charge added fees if you bring in your own alcohol. Fees may be charged if you have a coat check at the event, as well as valet service.

Looking good may come with its own costs. Wedding dresses are often exorbitant to begin with, but each alteration — adding or removing fabric, fitting to your height and weight — comes with its own price. For ladies having hair or makeup done by a professional salon, many charge added fees for hair and makeup trials, some up to $200, on top of the same or higher price for services for the day of.

(But, others specifically try to entice brides with free trials.) Gents (or ladies) renting a tux may face added fees if they deviate from the standard rental package, such as altering the tie or shoe style.

Added costs can be incurred with other elements, like wedding rings or even stationery; the more personalized you want your product, the more the fees may add up.

That’s not to say a couple can’t have their wedding-day details to their liking; instead, it’s important to read the fine print and be prepared that the first round of vendor quotes may grow higher — and that’s where negotiation, research, prioritizing and saving all come in.

Gifts and tips A wedding is often the result of teamwork among the couple, family, friends and vendors. As such, it’s customary for the couple to express their thanks for help with wedding planning.

Some couples gift to loved ones who monetarily helped out with the wedding, while others may offer gifts to all immediate family members regardless of financial contributions. Etsy and personalized-craft websites are treasure troves of sentimental gifts for parents or other loved ones from the soon-to-be-married couple.

If a couple has a wedding party, gifts are also customary for all members, who may have had to put money out for dress purchases, tux rentals, a shower, bachelor or bachelorette parties, a hotel rental, etc. There seems to be vast disagreement among wedding-etiquette advocates about whether the couple’s gifts are expected to be comparable to the amount the wedding-party members spent on the wedding; some advise trying to spend about the same the wedding party members spent, while others suggest the monetary amount is not as important as the thought behind the gift. My fiancée and I are fusing practicality with sentimentality for wedding-party gifts, with a few small items they can use the day of the wedding and a few that pertain to our individual relationships.

Apart from gifts, it’s also expected that

the couple tips some vendors: wedding officiant, transportation drivers, hair and makeup stylists and staffers working a reception (although this may already be included in the venue contract). Some couples also tip vendors like the photographer, florist and DJ; or, if you work more closely with these vendors, there’s also the option of giving personalized gifts instead of a monetary tip.

Miscellaneous of the miscellaneous Within the miscellaneous-spending category, there are a number of random expenses that may come up: accessories like jewelry and shoes, necessities like the marriage license, as well as reception items like the guestbook, cardbox and the basket of toiletries the couple typically provides for the women’s restroom.

Another added-on expense we didn’t initially count on is the shipping cost for all online purchases; with many couples now buying stationery, gifts, decorations and other items online, the shipping can add up. But, with the holidays now upon us, many sites are offering free or discounted shipping, and throughout the year many run specials that couples can keep an eye out for.

Extra costs are unavoidable, but careful planning and creative thinking can help defray some of the stress of unforeseen spending. n

Our present to you:

Counting down to the PGN Holiday Gift Guide

An early gift list of the latest books, CDs, movies and other entertainment with plenty of time left to buy them!

Coming Dec. 12

LEGAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

15

Do hate-crime laws really protect the LGBT community?

We recently saw some of the quickest criminalize motive, and the only way to and most efficient action I’ve seen in a prove motive is to focus on the criminal’s while when Philadelphia’s City Council speech, thought and associations, all of unanimously voted (17-0) to pass an which have been traditionally protected in ordinance that imposes punishments for the United States. As long as hate-crime violent attacks based on gender identity, laws criminalize motive (the reason an sexual orientation or disability status. individual commits a criminal act), they Mayor Michael Nutter summarily signed will criminalize constitutional forms of it into law. The measure was in response expression. This country has long held to the vicious antigay attack perpetrated that even the most objectionable beliefs this past fall, when as many as 15 peoare constitutionally protected. Not to menple physically assaulted a gay couple in tion, this is a slippery slope down a very Rittenhouse, hurling antigay steep slope, and no one knows slurs. where that slope ends. If some Then, in October, Jessica one harbors hatred toward Kelly and Bonnie Moran were obese people and hits an obese returning from a party on person walking down the Halloween night in Mayfair street, why is this not a hate when they were attacked by crime? I bet the person who yet another mob of people, was hit for no other reason both suffering injuries. The than he/she is obese will feel attack started after someone like it should be. in the mob yelled, “Look at A way around this would be those ugly lesbians”; while the to criminalize intent instead women were perceived to be of motive. This may seem like lesbians, they were simply two nuanced difference but it’s Angela aactually platonic friends who happened a very significant difGiampolo ference; “intent” is the desired to be walking arm in arm. result for a given action. States The mainstream LGBT are constitutionally allowed to provide movement often disagrees within itself and even fractions off to its own detharsher sentences based on varying levriment on political and social-justice els of intention, if that intention causes a greater harm than a crime committed issues, but one thing almost all agree on with a less-harmful intent. By focusing on is that hate-crime laws are helpful in prointent, hate-crime laws would no longer tecting the LGBT community and that we are safer because of them. Groups specifically target constitutionally prowho oppose hate-crime legislation tend tected expression and they would more to be Republican, highly conservative successfully punish criminals that intend and homophobic, and their opposition is to intimidate, harass or target a victim largely based in the fear that, if such legbecause of his or her membership in a islation is enacted, their beliefs will be group or community. stymied. With that said, support for hate Moreover, some people believe that crime laws is not universal among liberhate-crime laws expand and increase the als. There are several LGBT groups that power of our unjust and corrupt crimido not support them, such as the Sylvia nal-punishment system and that, like other Rivera Law Project. Despite which side criminal-punishment legislation, are used you find yourself on, the basic questions unequally and improperly against comremain: Do these laws work and do they munities that are already marginalized in actually deter violence against LGBT peo- our society. For instance, in places where ple? both racism and homophobia run rampant, There are two main reasons for opposithese very laws that are meant to protect tion. Jurisprudentially, the one I’m most the LGBT community are sometimes used fascinated with is the one advocated by against us. In Texas, an African-American lesbian was charged with a hate crime the American Civil Liberties Union. The when she got into a fight in a gay club ACLU has long objected to many hatewith a gay man. crime laws, contending they are predicated on punishing not only action, but on There are two primary arguments made by proponents of hate-crime laws. The punishing constitutionally protected free first is that their enhanced penalties work speech. One could argue that hate-crime to deter attacks on minorities. The second laws are unconstitutional because they

Out Law

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is that they are a fair and just way of dealing with criminal activity. Both seem like appealing arguments, but do hate-crime laws actually deter crime? We’ve already determined that the death penalty is not a deterrent to murder, so what makes us think that hate-crime laws will be? There have been a few studies thus far and none have demonstrated that they deter crime.

The increase in hate crimes is the result of growing social intolerance, prejudice and bigotry. Nevertheless, in an attempt to satisfy the social desire for a solution to the problem of a rising tide of hate-crimes, many states employ poorly worded hate-crime statutes that raise a series of potential constitutional problems.

In my opinion, combating hate crime will require changing public attitudes and truly getting to the root of the hatred. The solution is not arresting people — often young

people and even more frequently minorities — and placing them, for long periods of time, in prisons that make no attempt at rehabilitation.

The only way we can move beyond a culture of violence is to work within communities, schools and neighborhoods to examine the racial, economic and psychological reasons that are often underpinning these crimes. Hate-crime laws do none of this. 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.

PGN WWCC from page 1

new bookkeeper. Jordan has done nonprofit accounting for the Philadelphia Singers, Art-Reach and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Bartlett also gave the facilities report, addressing some of the center’s maintenance and repair issues. He reported that Dowd’s Heating and Air Conditioning was called in to fix the heating system for the lobby and Philadelphia Room. Due to a power outage, the unit had to be reprogrammed, and plastic will be put up on windows to weatherproof the building for the winter. Also, a new metal ramp with better traction was purchased and installed in the back of building, making it easier and safer for deliveries and wheelchair access.

Ward reported on board nominations. All existing board members who are running were approved for the slate or appointed to their respective positions. The board posi-

tions will be finalized at the Cornerstone meeting.

Brando reported on the human-resource committee’s plans, which included their annual meeting in February to plan for HR activities for the year as well as undertake reviews of salary, performance and health and welfare benefits.

Bartlett reported on the center’s finances.

The center reported a total income of $91,308.80 in October, less than the projected income of $107,406. The deficit was attributed to individual giving and program revenue falling below expectations.

Total expenses in October were reported at $63,382.44 and expected expenses were reported at $69,383, a difference of $6,000.56. The center came in under budget for the month due to less-than-expected general-operating and personnel expenses.

For more information, visit www.waygay.org. n

Philadelphia Gay News Our middle name is Gay.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

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PGN LAWSUIT from page 1

Jones 2d to dismiss Berrios’ suit as meritless.

Accompanying the city’s 22-page motion was a 59-page deposition given by Berrios, which provides more alleged details of the incident.

In his deposition, Berrios admitted being in a dispute with his boyfriend on the evening of Dec. 28, 2010. He said his boyfriend was very inebriated at the time.

Berrios said he had a neighbor summon police to calm the situation, but that he didn’t want his boyfriend arrested.

After police arrived and realized the men were involved romantically, they reacted brutally to the couple, according to Berrios’ deposition.

“They started hitting [my boyfriend] in the living room and they dragged him out,” Berrios said. “It went from zero to 100 so fast.”

Outside, officers allegedly threw Berrios’ boyfriend into the snow.

“Three officers were hitting him with batons,” Berrios said. “It just went so epically wrong.”

Berrios added, “I was scared to see my boyfriend getting beat up by the cops. This is not why they were called.”

Berrios went outside to see what he could do to help his boyfriend, he said.

While his boyfriend was prostrate in the snow, “one cop had his knee on [my boyfriend’s] back. The other cop was stepping on his ankles,” Berrios said.

Berrios said an officer directed him to keep his hands still, even though he has a habit of moving them while talking.

“Put your hands against the fucking wall, faggot,” the officer allegedly told Berrios.

Then the officer grabbed Berrios and dragged him to a police vehicle, where he was handcuffed in a painful manner, according to Berrios.

When Berrios told an officer, “You’re hurting my wrist, dog,” the officer allegedly replied, “I’m not your fucking dog.”

Berrios said the officer evidently used a baton to twist the handcuffs in a forceful manner behind his back.

Then, the officer allegedly said, “Let me hear you squeal, you fucking faggot.”

“I told him I had a dislocated wrist,” Berrios added. “He told me if I don’t shut

the fuck up I’m going to have a broken wrist.”

Berrios said the pain was so unbearable, “I banged my own head in the windshield [of a police vehicle] to try to knock myself out.”

When officers placed Berrios’ boyfriend in a police vehicle, they tried to shut the door on his legs, which were still outside of the vehicle, Berrios added.

While being transported to the 25th Police District, Berrios asked one of the officers if he had a problem with gay people. The officer allegedly replied, “Shut the fuck up.”

At the district, a police officer spoke about Berrios’ boyfriend in a disparaging manner and tried to induce Berrios to press charges against him, Berrios said.

“I’m not pressing charges on [my boyfriend],” Berrios replied, according to his deposition.

Berrios was charged with simple assault, reckless endangerment and possessing an instrument of crime. But all of the charges were eventually withdrawn, according to court records.

The traumatic effects of the experience linger to this day, Berrios said.

“I slept with a knife for about nine months, thinking [police] were going to come back,” he said.

Months later, Berrios saw one of the officers exit a police vehicle to handle an unrelated incident at Fifth and Wyoming streets.

“When he got out of the car, I pissed my pants and had to walk home like that,” Berrios said.

Berrios, 31, said he avoids being in the presence of police whenever possible.

“I go on the train, a cop comes on, I get off,” Berrios said. “I don’t walk through City Hall, I walk around City Hall.”

Berrios’ Hunting Park residence has been robbed four times. But he only called 911 on one of those occasions, due to his prior experience with police, he saw.

His neighbor was with him as a support person when he called 911, he said.

Efforts to settle the case have been unavailing, and Berrios is seeking a jury trial, according to court records.

As of presstime, Jones hadn’t ruled on the city’s request to dismiss the case. n

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

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PGN

Media Trail Attorney: Gay marriages should start soon in Miss.

According to WAPT in Jackson, Miss., an attorney for two lesbian couples and a gay-rights group says marriage licenses should be issued to same-sex couples in the state later this month.

A federal judge threw out Mississippi’s ban on same-sex marriages Nov. 25 but gave attorneys for the state about 10 days to appeal his ruling to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Attorney General Jim Hood and Gov. Phil Bryant have signaled they are preparing those arguments.

Hood says if the Fifth Circuit doesn’t rule in the case, Mississippi clerks may have to start issuing marriage licenses on Dec. 10.

Roberta Kaplan, an attorney for the lesbian couples in the case, says the licenses should start on that date because constitutional rights are more important than inconvenience to the clerks.

League’s first ad, placed in the Star Tribune in late September.

The Nov. 30 ad continued, “The MN State High School League is considering a transgender athletic policy forcing almost 500 MN schools, including private and religious, to allow transgender students to choose their gender team, locker room, showers, bathroom facilities and hotel accommodations. Student bodily privacy, safety, dignity and the future of athletics is at stake.”

The MSHSL draft policy, however, does not force schools to do anything related to facilities. The policy leaves those decisions to the discretion of individual schools: “Every student athlete and finearts participant should have access to a locker room, bathroom and shower facility in a safe, comfortable and convenient environment.

Such arrangements must be fully considered by member schools to ensure such access and privacy.”

The ad is the second one placed by the MNCPL in the last few months. On Sept. 28, the group took out a full-page ad in the Star Tribune insinuating that transgender students are sexual predators. MNCPL’s spokesperson, Michele Lentz, doubled down on that language in an interview with WorldNetDaily when she claimed that passage of the policy will result in rapes in locker rooms.

Antigay group takes out anti-trans ads in Calif. Chick-fil-A hosts LGBT fundraiser Minn. papers According to The Column, the Minnesota Child Protection League, a group that opposes LGBT rights, bought full-page ads in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as well as in many regional papers on Nov. 30. It’s the second time the anti-LGBT group has taken out ads that suggest transgender youth are predators.

The ad says, “The End of Girls’ Sports? Her dreams of a scholarship shattered, your 14-year-old daughter just lost her position on an all-girl team to a male … and now she may have to shower with him. Are you willing to let that happen?”

The ad is in response to a policy being drafted by the Minnesota State High School League, a nonprofit membership organization for schools that sets policy for extracurricular activities, that would establish a framework for eligibility for transgender students. The policy was originally slated to pass the MSHSL in early October but was tabled after the controversy surrounding the Child Protection

According to the Washington Blade, a Hollywood Chick-fil-A hosted a fundraiser for an LGBT advocacy group on Nov. 22.

The Hollywood franchise donated a portion of the proceeds from the event to Campus Pride.

The organization highlighted the fundraiser — which it coordinated with the Stand Up Foundation — on its website.

“The Hollywood Chick-fil-A store came to us and wanted to do something positive that supports anti-bullying,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride.

LGBT-rights advocates in 2012 sharply criticized Chick-fil-A after Dan Cathy, the company’s president, spoke out against marriage rights for same-sex couples during an interview with a Baptist newspaper. A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Frederick, Md., was among those vandalized during the firestorm of controversy that included calls to boycott the popular fast-food chain. n — compiled by Larry Nichols

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

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Dining Out Family Portrait Out & About Q Puzzle Scene in Philly

Page Page Page Page Page

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PAGE 42

HOLIDAY WHISTLE STOP: THE NORTH POLE EXPRESS ON THE NEW HOPE & IVYLAND RAILROAD, NEW HOPE’S CHRISTMAS PAST (CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT), PEDDLER’S VILLAGE LIGHTS, FONTHILL CASTLE DECKED OUT FOR THE SEASON

Bucks County turns on the charm for the holidays

By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

If the busy streets of Philadelphia aren’t “over the river and through the woods” enough for your liking this yuletide season, you might want to decamp for an evening, a day or even a whole weekend to the more idyllic and picturesque surroundings of Bucks County for some much-needed holiday cheer. The nearby countryside towns and hamlets are the perfect escape for some memorable holiday shopping, events and sightseeing.

Your average mall or shopping center has nothing on the independent mom-andpop stores when it comes to charm and uniqueness, which is why you should take in the Holiday Season at Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263), the 18th-century-style shopping village in the heart of Bucks County. Through Jan. 3, you can bask in the glow of 1-million holiday lights while you

visit with Santa at Giggleberry Fair, check out the Annual Gingerbread Competition and Display or attend the Christmas Festival Dec. 6-7. For more information, visit www. peddlersvillage.com.

For locally produced hand-crafted holiday items that look like they jumped straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting, check out Christmas at Byers’ Choice (4355 County Line Road, Chalfont), through Dec. 26, where you can enjoy cookies and warm beverages while you take in the sights. Also, during Nativity Weekend, Dec. 5-6, you can marvel at more than 250 nativity scenes from around the world in the Creche Room, as well as listen to the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens performing a reading of the classic “A Christmas Carol.” For more information, visit www.byerschoice.com.

There is no shortage of events in Bucks County this holiday season for the kids and the kid in you.

The North Pole Express on the New

Hope & Ivyland Railroad (32 W. Bridge St.) allows the little ones to live out their Christmas fantasies and hop aboard the titular locomotive for an unforgettable journey. They can wear their coziest pajamas and relax on the heated, vintage passenger coaches that will whisk them on a magical trip to the North Pole to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. For more information, visit www. newhoperailroad.com.

The little ones will probably love A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne), which runs every weekend through Dec. 31. The family-friendly amusement park comes alive with three special Christmas shows, rides, music and the illuminated Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade. For more information, visit www.sesameplace.com.

If you’re in search of events and sights that are a bit more historic, you can get medieval for the holidays at Mercer Museum (525 E. Court St., Doylestown) and Fonthill

Castle (84 S. Pine St., Doylestown), Bucks County’s two concrete castles, built by Henry Mercer more than 100 years ago. On Dec. 9, Mercer Museum partners with the neighboring James A. Michener Art Museum for a Holiday Open House, with free admission to both institutions. Also, through Jan. 4, you can stop by the Mercer Museum to visit “Under the Tree: A Century of Holiday Trees and Toys” exhibit. For more information, visit www.mercermuseum.org.

Another historic-themed holiday haunt is the Holiday House Tours and Craft Show at the Pearl S. Buck House & Historic Site (520 Dublin Road, Perkasie). Through Dec. 30, you can take a holiday tour of the farmhouse once lived in by the Nobel- and Pulitzer Prize-winning author and see the house’s Festival of Trees. Also through Dec. 7, you can check out the annual Holiday Craft Show, featuring wares from the region’s best artisans and crafters. For more information, visit www.pearlsbuck.org.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

PGN FEATURE

BUCKS from page 33

If you want to witness some history firsthand, check out the Annual Christmas Day Crossing Rehearsal (Dec. 7) and Reenactment (Dec. 25) a t Wa s h i n g t o n C ro s s i n g Historic Park (1112 River Road, Washington Crossing).

Witness history on the shores of the Delaware River with a re-enactment of General George Wa s h i n g t o n ’s d a r i n g r iv er-crossing on Christmas Night 1776. Attendees can also watch THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DAY CROSSING more than 200 re-enactors row across the river in the same style of Durham boats Washington lions of lights illuminating acres of farmland used in 1776. For more information, visit and take a horse-drawn carriage ride through www.washingtoncrossingpark.org. light displays filled with your favorite holi If you need some full-blown good day characters. You can also take the tour in old-fashioned holiday pageantry to lift your the comfort of your own vehicle, but come spirits, check out the Holiday Light Show on! Unlike the historic tours of downtown at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stoney Road, Philly, this type of trek is meant for more Yardley), where you can be dazzled by mil- flesh-oriented horsepower. For more infor-

RE-ENACTMENT AT WASHINGTON CROSSING HISTORIC PARK, HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW AT SHADY BROOK FARM, HOLIDAY TREE FEST mation, visit www.shadybrookfarm.com.

Another must-see spectacle is the Bucks County Visitor Center’s (3207 Street Road, Bensalem) Holiday Treefest, featuring 25 uniquely themed holiday trees lighting up the Main Gallery through Jan. 6.

Each tree showcased is designed by a local business or nonprofit organization and vis-

itors can browse the trees while enjoying musical entertainment and visit with Santa Claus himself. Pets are welcome for photos on select dates. For more information, visit www.visitbuckscounty.com.

What are you waiting for? Get out of town this holiday season and make some memories. n

Yardley Inn: Top-notch Bucks County fare

By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com

Scott A. Drake Photography

267.736.6743

Running around Bucks County this festive season can make one ravenous, so make sure to stop by the Yardley Inn (82 E. Afton Ave., Yardley) for some of the area’s best sustenance to get you through your holiday adventure.

Chef Eben Copple crafts the inn’s menu of contemporary American dishes utilizing ingredients sourced by local organic farmers and other food producers, as well as the inn’s own 2-acre farm — to ensure that every dish is fresh and free from chemicals and preservatives.

Diners can ease into their meal with the inn’s taste menu, featuring small plates that can be ordered individually ($7 each) or in a trio ($19). The devils on horseback — chorizo-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon — were sublime. We expected the chorizo or the bacon to take over the dish but the stars of the show were the dates, with a warm and sweet cake-like texture that complemented the fatty, decadent flavors of the meats. The fried calamari distinguished itself from the standard version, delivering a spicy and sweet rustic quality that was hard to resist.

The salads at the Yardley Inn are as diverse as they are complex. The marguerita salad ($8) was bright and fruity with field greens, grapes, melons, walnuts and bleu cheese. On the other end of the spectrum, the kale salad ($8), while not as visually engaging, was hearty and bold with adventurous levels of spiciness.

The full scope of the bounty offered by the Yardley Inn’s nearby farm comes into focus on the entrées, especially the vegetarian gnudi ($17), a gnocchi-like dish that will have you marveling at how the pasta dumplings can be both large and light at the same time. The dish had harvest-like charm and showcases seasonal vegetables like roasted

butternut squash and pumpkin seeds, bathed in sage brown butter and ricotta salata. The spaghetti with clams ($15) had a very fresh flavor profile that included mint, which sounds like it shouldn’t work but gave the dish a surprising depth.

One of the specials the night we visited was the chicken, bacon and mushroom stew ($18), which was as homey and delicious as it sounds. Another comfort dish was the franks and beans ($22), an earthier-tasting and more refined cousin of the familiar dish.

The Yardley Inn’s crab cake ($21 for one, $32 for two) is hands-down one of the best crab cakes you will find in the region.

The cake, almost all meat with a minimal amount of filler, is massive, lightly fried and fluffy, with a fresh flavor that will have you thinking it was just plucked from the sea.

Dessert at the Yardley Inn was an fancy affair. The apple cinnamon tiramisu ($8) was elegantly presented, layered beautifully with chilled, silky and delicate flavors. The bread pudding ($8), with dark chocolate and coconut, was delightfully decadent and velvety, without coming across as too rich or too sweet.

If you are looking for the perfect picture-postcard dining experience to cap off your trip to Bucks County, make sure to schedule a stop at the Yardley Inn. n

If you go Yardley Inn

82 E. Afton Ave. Yardley, PA 19067 215-493-3800 www.yardleyinn. com

Dinner: Mon.-Thurs.: 4:3010 p.m.

Fri.-Sat.: 4:3010:30 p.m.

Sun.: 4:30-9 p.m.

Lunch: Mon.-Sat.: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sunday Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

PGN PROFILE

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

35

Suzi Nash

Rusty Doll: Laying the foundation for LGBT youth We have had “Will & Grace,” “Modern Family,” Rosie, Ellen and Neil Patrick Harris. So everyone is fine with gay people, right?

Wrong.

The recent attacks in Center City and gay-marriage backlash paint a different story. And one of the most vulnerable sectors of our community is bearing the brunt of it: Gay youth are still being thrown out of their homes or running away at an alarming rate.

According to a 2012 UCLA study of homeless LGBT youth, 46 percent ran away from home because of family rejection and 43 percent say they were kicked out. LGBT youth are the largest community dealing with homelessness and poverty today, and the numbers continue to grow. Between 20-40 percent of the nation’s annual 1.6-million runaway and homeless youth identify as LGBT, according to studies by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In Philadelphia, there is no facility dedicated solely to the issue of LGBT youth homelessness. Rusty Doll is hoping to change that. An ex-military man, Doll has been working in the mental-health community for the last seven years. He took some time to tell us how a chance encounter changed his life.

PGN: OK, your name sounds like an old drag queen, Rusty Doll. Any story behind it?

RD: [Laughs] Not really. But I’m from Iowa. The name Rusty is fairly common there and I have a little red in my beard.

PGN: And you’re originally from a very suggestive-sounding place in Iowa.

RD: [Laughs] Yes, I’m from Cumming, Iowa.

PGN: That ranks right up there with Intercourse and Blue Ball, Pa. RD: I know, I have no idea what they were thinking or why.

PGN: So tell me about growing up in the Doll house?

RD: Life was good. I have a twin, so I had a best friend with me all the time.

We did our own little thing. We’d go hunting and exploring the terrain. We were in the middle of nowhere, in the wilderness and farmlands of Iowa, and we’d go exploring, camping out by the railroad tracks and making our own fun.

PGN: Double trouble! Were you identical or fraternal?

RD: Fraternal, but you wouldn’t be able to tell us apart. We had the same friends, same classes, we shared just about everything.

PGN: Any other siblings?

RD: I have an older brother and a younger sister.

PGN: What’s the most mischief you got into?

RD: I plead the Fifth! I will admit to attempting to trick our teachers on a few occasions by switching classes, but our classmates kind of ratted us out.

PGN: That was rude of them.

RD: I don’t think they meant to, they just weren’t fooled and gave it away.

PGN: Is your twin straight or gay?

RD: He’s gay as well.

PGN: Who came out first?

RD: He did, about four years before I did.

We both knew and expressed it to each other back when we were in school but I chose to take the straight path, so to speak, to get married and have kids … and then get divorced … and then come out.

PGN: How old were you when you first spoke about it with each other, and how long before you came out?

RD: We were high-school age when we first spoke about it, and I came out three years ago.

PGN: Oh wow! You gave it a nice period of time before coming out.

RD: [Laughs] Yeah, I’m new to the game.

PGN: So during those years, didn’t he ever whisper, “What are you doing?”

RD: Yes, but he understood the stigma around it and didn’t want me to have to go through it. He respected the fact that I chose not to go through some of that.

PGN: Did he face difficulties with the family?

RD: No. There were worries whether Dad was gonna be accepting or not but he was like, “Oh, so-and-so has a son who’s gay and cousin so-and-so is gay,” and he was fine with it. Mom’s fine with it, though she still felt that if she prayed hard enough, he’d be able to change one day. But for the most part, everyone was fine.

PGN: And yet you still didn’t feel comfortable enough to come out too?

RD: No. What finally brought me out was that my mother had a couple of strokes. I flew back to Iowa and realized that Mom wasn’t Mom anymore, she wasn’t lucid.

She was the last person I was concerned about and I figured if her mind’s not there … I’m not hurting anybody, I’m not breaking anyone’s heart. So that’s when I came out. Then the doctors figured out where the stroke was coming from and were able to correct it and she was fine!

[Laughs] But it was already out of the bag at that point!

PGN: That’s hysterical! So what were you involved in other than hanging out with your twin?

RD: I ran cross-country in track. Oh gosh, I forget what else. I’m sure there was something.

PGN: OK, let’s jump to present day. Tell me about your kids.

RD: I have three girls: two step-daughters and one biological kid. All three are amazing kids. I married into the family and both daughters accepted me as their father.

Their biological father actually went to court to petition to cut ties with them. We had to tell them that their biological father was trying to legally disown them and ever since then, they’ve always referred to me as Dad. My ex-wife is 17 years my senior so the oldest daughter is only six years younger than me! But I went to all the games and helped them through col-

RD: I joined the Navy right out of high school. I went to Illinois, North Carolina, California, Japan, Iraq. I got back from Iraq and they told me I needed to transfer again or deploy back to Iraq. So I transferred to New Jersey.

PGN: That must have been a hard choice — New Jersey or Iraq? (Just kidding, my Jersey people.)

RD: Ha! But that’s how I got here.

PGN: What was the most interesting or difficult situation during your time in uniform?

RD: My tour in Iraq. I was stationed with the Marines and I worked in the chaplain’s office as a religious-program specialist. My duty was to provide security for the chaplain; he didn’t carry a weapon so my job was to keep him safe. The most interesting thing was probably watching my friend get his leg blown off. We’re still close friends to this day.

PGN: Ouch! So you were right in the thick of action.

RD: Oh yeah, I was right next to him when it happened. He was the first injured soldier in the war in Iraq. He’s a Marine and also gay. He stood right beside President Obama when he signed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He knew about me when I was in the service, but it was during DADT [“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”], so you never actually said anything for fear of getting kicked out.

PGN: Just dropped a lot of hints I’d guess. We develop our own codes. I just watched a movie last night and in one scene a kid walked up to this gay guy and said, “My mom said you were a friend of Dorothy’s.”

Photo: Suzi Nash lege and taught them both how to drive RD: Yeah, though the and they’re wonderful kids. Now they’re kids today are like, both in relationships themselves and I do “What? Who’s Dorothy?” [Laughs] the step-grandfather thing, spending time, Though I guess it depends on what sending gifts to their kids, all that. bars you go to. If you go to some of the piano bars around town, you’ll get PGN: Are they nearby or back in Iowa? called Dorothy a lot more.

RD: Oh no, they’re in Jersey, out near Great Adventure.

PGN: So when did you get divorced?

RD: My actually divorce just went PGN: How did you end up on the East through in January but we separated Coast? three years ago.

PAGE 38

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

PGN

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

37

38

FUN & PGN GAMES

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

Q Puzzle Change for Nichols Across

1. Rainbow maker 6. “Mamma Mia!” band 10. Like sex with a condom 14. Hertz ___-Car 15. Falsies?

17. TV movie in which Patrick Wilson played a gay Mormon 19. Agenda listing 20. Totals 21. Straight, in a bar 22. Type of job 23. Tournament passes 24. Type of meeting 25. AOL or MSN, e.g.

28. Needing to be set straight 30. Movie in which Cher played a lesbian 32. Wetland birds 33. Camille screen-

writer Akins 34. Poet Seward 35. With 59-Across, Elizabeth Taylor movie 39. Upfront amount 42. Aardvark entree 43. Gets rough with 47. Williams-Lane movie, with “The” 50. “Long Walk to Freedom” writer 51. La mer, essentially 52. Part of Q and A (abbr.)

53. Tracks in mud 54. Pro Bowl side 55. Langston Hughes’ “Life Is ___” 57. Long division subject 58. All possible starting words 59. See 35-Across 62. He played Grace’s dad 63. Military muff 64. Actor Auberjonois 65. First to be counted 66. Actor Malcolm-___ Warner

PORTRAIT from page 35

PGN: That’s pretty recent. And how did you get involved with Change Philly Today?

RD: My ex-wife and I had bought rental property in New Jersey and after our divorce we sold it off, so I had some extra money. My mentality is that you need to own something so I bought a fixer-up house in North Philly to give me something to do. During that time, I was discovering the scene in Philadelphia and ran into a young man named Charles. He was 22 and he told me his story. He was homeless and living in a shelter and it wasn’t a good situation. He was facing some problems because of being gay and I thought, Wow, I can’t believe that there’s not a dedicated shelter or home for LGBT youth in the entire city of Philadelphia. I went home and did some research and the numbers were staggering: 1,300 homeless LGBT youth in the city of Philadelphia alone. I thought, This is BS, and called a friend of mine, Lisa Sipes. She did her own research and said, “We’ve got to do something. Let’s build a shelter.” Within an hour, we had a website and Facebook page and filled out the paperwork for nonprofit status and, since I already had the house in North Philadelphia, we were ready to get started.

PGN: Where are you now in the process?

RD: We had a strong GoFundMe campaign that raised over $3,000 in the first 24 hours, but that plateaued at about $6,000.

We just did our first, hopefully annual, fundraiser in November — during National Homeless Awareness week — in the Mark Segal Ballroom at William Way. I’ve been doing whatever work I can on the house but we need to raise money to repair the roof. In addition, we just recently did a camp-out at Love Park to bring awareness to LGBT homelessness in Philadelphia.

Down

1. Setting for Cather’s “My ¡ntonia” 2. Doing a show based on “La Boheme”?

3. Boxer Johansson 4. Pansy supporter 5. Baudelaire’s “Fleurs du ___” 6. Puts up with 7. Stock counterparts 8. Wraps around drag queens 9. SDI weapon 10. Barely move?

11. “Aida” solo 12. Group for same sect’s marriage?

13. Emissions-watching org.

16. Title character for Barbra 18. Affirms orally 23. B in Leviticus 24. Place on piles 26. Prince Hal, to Henry IV 27. Palm Pilot, e.g.

29. Copied a kitty 30. Needing Cialis?

31. Went in ankle-deep

33. Billy of “Cleopatra” (1999) 36. Doesn’t stay up 37. First name in mystery 38. Justice Fortas 39. “Guys and Dolls” co-creator Burrows 40. Peeples of “Fame” 41. Oral treat 44. White caps 45. Hay for a stallion, perhaps 46. Diplomatic 48. Like a real bitch 49. “End of” tail 50. Pirate uprising 53. Took away in cuffs 56. Bizet opera title character 57. Nichols, who directed the movies in this puzzle 58. Hebrides island 59. Water sports accessory 60. Would-be master’s test 61. Daily, for bears, for short

PGN: Who participated in the camp-out?

RD: We had folks from the Community College of Philadelphia and some GSA students from Temple.

PGN: I read that you hope to do programs to help young people attain GEDs and other services. Have you started any of that yet?

RD: Yes. Currently, because of certain legalities, we only work with youth between 18-22, but our goal is to work with kids 13-24. But we’ve started a GED study program at my place and at the William Way Center. Eventually, once we open, we hope to have other services: educational programs, a nurse, a life coach and a human-resources consultant who can help mentor the home’s residents and get them educated and on their feet. But it’s a long way out. There’s a lot of work needed first.

in the military. I was a lay minister and did Catholic services in Iraq. So yes, I was.

That’s changed a bit now.

PGN: Do you think the homophobia in the church is what delayed your coming out?

RD: Oh yes, definitely. We were told it was a sin to be gay or have those bad thoughts.

And my mother praying to cure my brother didn’t help.

PGN: So what’s the best part of now being an openly gay man?

RD: Just getting to be myself and not put up this front of what society thinks I should be as a man. I’m so much happier. I can cross my legs and not feel judged!

PGN: When was your first male kiss?

RD: That was something I did as a kid. Just exploring.

PGN: Maybe we can rally the community and do a Habitat for Humanity-type weekend in the spring where people can come help build and paint, etc.

RD: That would be great. We need a contractor first to make sure that we’re doing everything correctly. We had an architectural firm that drafted up all the plans for the house for free, which will save us a lot.

PGN: I remember the first time I went into a lesbian bar and it was like “Eureka! I’m home!” Did you have that moment?

RD: The first time I went to a gay event was at Shampoo on their gay night. I was the wallflower, overwhelmed to see the freedom people had expressing themselves with other men. It was too much for me, overstimulation!

PGN: Excellent, perhaps a contractor will read this and reach out to you. Then we can rally the community for an old-fashioned roof-raising!

RD: That would be great.

PGN: Were you married at the time?

RD: Yes, I’d come out to my wife and told her where I was going. At first she said it was fine — I think she was in denial — but when I came home she was upset. We’re best friends now; we talk several times a day.

PGN: Back to your time in uniform. You worked for the chaplain’s office; were you a religious person?

RD: I was. I was very, very Catholic. I went to church daily and I had a closeted dream of becoming a priest. I was the Eucharistic minister at my church and I even vacationed at a monastery when I was

PGN: And are you seeing someone now?

RD: Yes, we’ve been together for three years.

PGN: You just jumped right in, didn’t you!

What does he do?

RD: He works for Ikea in the corporate headquarters.

PGN: People are always telling me I need to stop …

RD: Working.

PGN: What’s the oldest piece of clothing you still own and wear?

RD: Probably some underwear!

PGN: Celebrity you’d want to do a love scene with?

RD: Shemar Moore.

PGN: Ah, “Criminal Minds!” Best concert experience?

RD: Seeing Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top. Years ago …

PGN: A word beginning with the first letter of your name that sums you up?

RD: Real. n For more information about Change Philly Today, visit www.changephillytoday.com.

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

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

39

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Enjoy

your holiday

meal.

Let someone

else

cook it.

Read PGN’s food reviews every second and fourth week of the month

- and check out our archive of past reviews on epgn.com.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

FIRE AND ICE WILTED WATERCRESS

RED OWL SHORT RIB

PENNSYLVANIA 6 YELLOWFIN TUNA TARTARE

StT. JAMES PEPPERONI PIZZA

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Food and Drink Directory

41

If your bar or restaurant has plans for special Holiday meals or a New Years Eve package, its not too soon to start to get the word out.

CONTACT YOUR PGN AD REP:

(215) 625-8501

SOWE CHICKPEA FRITTERS

Happy New Years?

Since 1976

PGN

Photos: Scott A. Drake

‘s Dining Out

A rainbow of flavors, every second and fourth week

42

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

Theater & Arts Christmas Spectacular The Philly Pops perform holiday songs Dec. 6-20 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800.

Curtis Chamber Orchestra The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society presents an evening of classical music 8 p.m. Dec. 5 at Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.

An Evening with Rachelle Lee Smith and B. Proud The two photographers host a book signing and reading 6 p.m. Dec. 9 at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-9232960.

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker The Pennsylvania Ballet performs its holiday show Dec. 6-31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215790-5847.

Hobo with a Shotgun and Trollhunter The two action grindhouse B-movies are screened 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888.

James Carroll The historian and author of “Christ Actually: The Son of God for a Secular Age” hosts a discussion 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215-567-4341.

Mary Poppins Walnut Street Theatre presents the musical based on the classic Disney film through Jan. 4, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550.

The Matter of Frank Schaefer Curio Theatre Company presents its new play about the Rev. Frank Schaefer, who was defrocked for officiating his son’s gay wedding, through Dec. 6, 4740 Baltimore Ave.; 215-525-1350.

Mummenschanz The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the Swiss performance troupe Dec. 11-14 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215898-3900.

Outside Mullingar Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Tony Award-nominated romance set in rural Ireland through Dec. 28 at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 S. Broad St.; 215985-0420.

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.

Parsons Dance The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the dance company through Dec. 6 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900.

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 filmmaking through Jan. 4, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

P.E.T.A.: Naked Ambition, 25 Years of Sexy Celebrity Ads Twenty Two Gallery presents an exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of the anti-fur campaign featuring celebri-

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

ties posing nude and proclaiming “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” through Dec. 6, 236 S. 22nd St.; www.twenty-twogallery.com.

Philadanco: Risky Business The dance company’s fall program boasts the premiere of a new work

by Christopher Huggins, as well as ballets that feature high-risk choreography, Dec. 12-14 at Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215790-5847.

The Second Annual Nutcracker Market The Kimmel Center offers free indoor shopping with more than 70 regional and national artists, complete with live entertainment, food and beverage courtesy of

comic

Garces Trading Co., Dec. 11-14, including a special LGBT night from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 12 with a free holiday-themed performance from Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, 300 S. Broad St.; 215551-7000.

Vitra-Design, Architecture, Communication: A European Project with American Roots Philadelphia Museum of Art presents some of the most innovative designs from the family-owned Swiss company through April 26, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100.

Yannick Conducts Brahms The Philadelphia Orchestra performs through Dec. 6 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5847.

THE ORIGINAL TOY STORY: The Pennsylvania Ballet gets into the holiday spirit with its most-beloved production, “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” Dec. 6-31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-790-5847. Photo: Alexander Iziliaev

You Gotta Eat Dirt Before You Die

The play, set in the 1980s about an African-American

business professional whose lover is dying from

PGN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS

AIDS while his mother simultaneously is diagnosed with an untreatable and aggressive cancer, runs through Dec. 7 at the Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom St.; www.eventbrite. com.

Music PGMC Down Home Holiday Concert The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus goes country for its annual holiday concerts, through Dec. 6 at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, 2111 Sansom St.; www. pgmc.org.

StandUP! SingOUT Anna Crusis Women’s Choir, the first and lon-

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

hosts an evening of drag performances 9 p.m.

Dec. 12 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215-922-6888.

gest-running feminist chorus in the country, performs 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St.; www. annacrusis.org.

Outta Town

Common The rapper performs 8 p.m. Dec. 8 at TLA, 334 South St.; 215-922-1011.

Q102 Jingle Ball Ariana Grande, Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea, OneRepublic, Meghan Trainor, Jessie J, Rixton, Kiesza, Rita Ora, Shawn Mendes and host Nick Jonas perform 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215389-9543.

Nightlife

WORLD CLASS (ABSTR)ACT: Dance Affiliates and the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts host the visually unique Swiss dance/performance group Mummenschanz Dec. 11-14 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-898-3900.

Gryphons Gay Ol’ Time The rugby team spreads holiday cheer 6-11 p.m.

Dec. 6-7 at Tavern on Camac, 243 S. Camac St.; 215-

545-0900.

A Very Quince Holiday Cabaret Cabaret performers celebrate the holidays with a performance 6-7:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675.

Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret The cabaret group

performs 7 p.m.

Dec. 11 at L’Etage, 624 S. Bainbridge St.; 215-592-0626.

Night of 100 Qweens!

Brittany Lynn

The Kinsey Sicks “Oy Vey In A Manger” The drag-comedy group performs through Dec. 6 at the Rrazz Room, in The Ramada New Hope, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; 888596-1027.

Lewis Black The comedian performs through Dec. 6 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

43

Scrooged The holiday comedy film is screened at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

Sully Erna The rock singer perfoms 8 p.m.

Dec. 10 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-5727650.

Patty Larkin The out singer-songwriter performs 8 p.m. Dec. 12 at Sellersville Theatre, 24 W. Temple Ave.; 215257-5808.

Les Misérables Media Theatre presents the classic musical through Jan. 11, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-8910100. n

44

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

Classifieds Real Estate Sale

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PGN Holiday Gift Guide

Coming Dec. 12 All real-estate advertising is subject to Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended. Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability). PGN will not knowingly accept any real-estate advertising that is in violation of any

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.

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PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

ADONIS CINEMA

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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.

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

P.A.N.G. (Philadelphia Area Nudist Group) Sunday, Dec. 14th • Time: 3pm- 6pm

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

WHAT TO EXPECT:

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

Saturday, Dec. 20th • Time: 11pm-3:30am • DJ David Dutch • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More

- ROOMS GO QUICKLY SO CHECK IN EARLY -

TUESDAYS

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 Dec. 5-11, 2014

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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 48:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. Case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available MondayFriday. See the Youth section for more events.

■ 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. Monday through Thursday; 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-

■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065 rainbowroom@ppbucks.org.

■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220; www.waygay.org.

Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays. Peer counseling: 6-9 p.m.

Monday through Friday Library hours: noon-9 p.m.

Monday-Thursday; noon-3 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.

Key numbers 9980, helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov ■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org ■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378 ■ LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK ■ Mayor’s Director of LGBT Affairs: Gloria Casarez, 215-6862194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: 215-686-2555

■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670 ■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000 ■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-6863318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288

■ Mazzoni Center: 215-563-0652; Legal Services: 215-563-0657, 866-LGBT-LAW; Family & Community Medicine: 215-563-0658

■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537

■ Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

■ 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.; 215763-8870.

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.

AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 1711 S. Broad St.; 215-629-2300; www.asiac.org.

Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through 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 appoint-

■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia GALLOP holds board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; GALLOP also provides a free referral service; 215-627-9090; www.galloplaw. org.

■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, selfemployed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city, invites speakers on various topics, partners with other nonprofits and maintains a website where everyone is invited to sign up for email notices for activities and

ment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215-685-1821.

HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing available 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays at 13 S. MacDade Blvd., Suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Office Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; 610-586-9077.

Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, 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 chronicdisease management, including comprehensive HIV care, 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658.

Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-noon Friday; 1-5 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups events; www.gppn.org; 215-9223377.

■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association The Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www. nlgja.org/philly; philly@nlgja.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 businesses and professionals. Visit www.IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com for information about events, programs and membership; 215-557-0190; 1717 Arch St., Suite 3370.

■ Philadelphia Gay Tourism Caucus A regional organization dedicated to promoting gay and lesbian tourism to the Greater Philadelphia region holds meetings every other month on the fourth Thursday (January, March, May, July, September and the third Thursday in November), open to the public; P.O. Box 58143, Philadelphia, PA 19102; www. philadelphiagaytourism.com; 215-840-2039.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 5-11, 2014

PGN