PGN Dec. 6 - 12, 2013 by The Philadelphia Gay News

Family Portrait: Tom and Lorenzo on celeb culture PAGE 49

Holiday suggestions: Staying safe in the ’hood Giving back to the community

Giving the gift of imagination, adventure, romance, humor, mystery and, of course, sex

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Dec. 6-12, 2013

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Vol. 37 No. 49

Surveillance released in Gayborhood attack By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

BEST IN BUSINESS: Philadelphia Business Journal unveiled its 2013 Top LGBTOwned Company Awards Dec. 2 at Cuba Libre. The publication, in partnership with PGN, honored 25 area businesses helmed by out LGBT owners, and whose companies range from four employees to more than 3,000. Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc., took the top spot on this year’s list. About 100 honorees and guests attended the reception. Photo: Scott A. Drake

Investigators this week released surveillance video of a brutal attack and robbery in the Gayborhood last month. Central Detectives Wednesday afternoon released a video of Nick Forte’s Nov. 10 attack in the 200 block of South Camac Street, first reported in PGN last week. The video shows Forte, 36, walking on the street at about 2 a.m. with a man walking next to him, appearing to engage him in conversation. Another man approaches from behind, carrying a flashlight, and strikes Forte on the head, knocking him to the ground and rendering him unconscious.

PA’s first out lawmaker, one year later

MontCo files brief with top court By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com The Montgomery County official who issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples this past summer this week filed a brief asking the state’s top court to find Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Attorneys for Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes filed the brief Dec. 2 in Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Hanes argued that the state Department of Health had no standing for its lawsuit against him, and that the court should invalidate the 1996 law defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Over the summer, Hanes issued more than 170 licenses to same-sex couples before a Commonwealth Court judge ordered him to stop, prompted by the state suit. The department argued that Hanes’ actions were in “direct defiance” of the state’s marriage law, with which Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini concurred. Pellegrini, however, did not issue a ruling on the actual constitutionality of the law. In his brief, Hanes argued that the Commonwealth Court was incorrect to conclude that the Department of Health had

legal standing to bring the action. “Where the duty of an officer under a statute is a public one, it can be enforced only at the suit of the Attorney General or the district attorney of the proper county or by a private citizen who has a specific and independent legal right or interest in himself different from that of the public at large or who has suffered an injury special and peculiar to himself,” the brief stated. Attorney General Kathleen Kane has declined to defend the state’s ban on samesex marriage. Frank Custer, Montgomery County director of communications, reiterated Hanes’ position that the department is not the proper party to bring the suit. “All the health department does is maintain marriage records, so whether Mr. Hanes issues licenses to heterosexual or same-sex couples has no affect on the Department of Health,” Custer said. “Our claim is that they don’t have standing to bring this case because they are not affected by his actions.” Custer said this case is not the county’s but a case involving Hanes. The state has 30 days to file its response brief, and the Supreme Court will then set a date for oral arguments. ■

The man who had engaged Forte in conversation then begins pummeling him while he’s unconscious. Both suspects fled, in different directions, on foot. Both men were described as white males of unknown age. The man with the flashight was wearing a red, white and blue jacket and dark pants. The other man had short hair and was wearing jeans, a dark dress coat, brown shoes and glasses. He appeared to meet with another individual further on Camac Street before fleeing. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call 215-686-TIPS (8477) or text information to PPD TIP (773847). Forte, a former PGN employee, told the paper he had left ICandy PAGE 16

By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com

SOLEMN HOMECOMING: Brian Green, director of SafeGuards, a program of Family Planning Council, welcomed about 40 guests to a World AIDS Day reception Dec. 3 at Family Planning Council’s headquarters. The event featured the unveiling of a hand-stitched panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt that was crafted in 1993 by Circle of Care, the predecessor of Family Planning Council’s HIV Services. The panel will be on display through the end of the week in the 18th-floor lobby of 1700 Market St., marking the first time it’s been back to Philadelphia in more than a decade. Photo: Scott A. Drake

In his first interview with the LGBT press, Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Fleck (R-81st Dist.) spoke to PGN about the professional and personal whirlwind he found himself in after Dec. 1, 2012, when he became Pennsylvania’s first openly LGBT state lawmaker, and the first out sitting Republican state legislator in the nation. Fleck, who hails from and represents a rural area of Central Pennsylvania, came out in an interview with his local newspaper last year, making state and national history, and taking the next step in his own storied journey to self-acceptance. Fleck, 40, was raised in Cromwell Township, about 80 miles west of Harrisburg, and still lives on the farm once owned by his ancestors. “My farm here belonged to my grandfather and his grandfather before that,” Fleck said. “Family was always important to me, traditions and different things like that. I heard stories from all of my ancestors and it all just became family folklore.” The area where he was raised is in the heart of Pennsylvania’s PAGE 6

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

REGIONAL PGN

Efforts underway to release lesbian inmate St. Luke’s to extend benefits Northeast Philadelphia. Keller added: “We’re hoping By Timothy Cwiek In 1974, Farquharson was con- the board will show compassion to same-sex couples timothy@epgn.com Advocates for Lois J. Farquharson, an 88-year-old lesbian who’s been incarcerated for 40 years, are scheduled to plead her case for clemency at a state Board of Pardons public hearing this week. Farquharson is believed to be the oldest female inmate in Pennsylvania. Her five previous requests for clemency have been rejected. Farquharson won’t be attending the Dec. 6 hearing, but BOP members were expected to interview her privately. Farquharson, a former psychiatrist, was convicted of firstdegree murder in the August 1971 shooting death of Leon Weingrad, a physician. Farquharson wasn’t the shooter, but authorities say she encouraged her then-lover, Gloria J. Burnette, to shoot Weingrad. Weingrad reportedly didn’t approve of Farquharson’s relationship with Burnette, who was much younger than Farquharson and a former patient of hers. Weingrad and Farquharson lived in the Society Hill Towers at the time of his death, and they were colleagues at the old Byberry State Hospital in

victed of first-degree murder and given a life sentence without parole. Burnette, who testified against Farquharson, was given a 20-year sentence and paroled in 1978. By all accounts, Farquharson has been a model inmate at the state prison in Muncy. In the past, she worked in the prison’s law library, played the organ and directed the choir for inmates’ Catholic and Protestant church services, volunteered as a literacy tutor and participated in numerous charitable events. Farquharson’s advocates hope BOP members will consider the positive changes in her life and recommend that Gov. Tom Corbett grant her clemency. Farquharson is currently housed in the prison’s infirmary due to her frail condition, said her longtime friend, Jane C. Keller. “She’s 88 years old, and weighs 86 pounds,” Keller told PGN. “She’s very frail, though is still able to walk. Always a highly intelligent woman, she’s beginning to show signs of dementia. Several prison staffers have encouraged me to look for a way to get her released. She’s clearly not a threat to society.”

and forgiveness.” Keller said she’ll provide housing for Farquharson if she’s released. “There’s just no point to her incarceration anymore,” Keller concluded. Susan Bensinger, a spokesperson for the state Department of Corrections, said information about Farquharson’s prison life will be presented at the public hearing. “We recommended that Ms. Farquharson have a [BOP] hearing,” Bensinger told PGN. “At the hearing, we’ll present the facts about her situation in prison.” The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 6 in Room 437 of the Main Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Relatives of Weingrad are expected to attend. A unanimous vote by the BOP is necessary if a clemency recommendation is to reach Corbett’s desk. The BOP members are Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley (who chairs the board), state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane, Louise B. Williams (victims’ representative) and Harris Gubernick (corrections expert). ■

By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com After almost three years of being pressured to provide domestic-partner benefits for employees, St. Luke’s Health Network announced this week its plan to implement such a policy. In a memo sent to employees this week, the Bethlehem-based St. Luke’s, the second-largest health-care provider in the state, said it will amend its health-care policies starting Jan. 1. Same-sex partners of employees who were legally married in other states will be eligible, as will non-married same-sex couples who have been together for at least one year and who are financially interdependent. The policy will also extend to children of same-sex couples. On Oct. 24, Pennsylvania Diversity Network delivered more than 1,200 letters from local LGBTs and allies to St. Luke’s president and CEO Richard A. Anderson and to the organization’s board of trustees, urging them to adopt spousal benefits for LGBT employees. In 2011, St. Luke’s adopted a nondiscrimination policy in its benefits

plan that included sexual orientation but the organization went on to say state law, which bans same-sex marriage, prevented it from extending spousal benefits to same-sex couples. This week’s message said the decision was made “in an effort to be more inclusive of the diverse nature of our employment population.” St. Luke’s spokesperson Denise Rader told PGN the decision had long been under discussion. “ We ’ve b e e n l o o k i n g a t reviewing this for some time,” Rader said. PDN executive director Liz Bradbury said she was pleased with the policy reversal. “It is unfair to deny gay and lesbian employees who are legally married these equal benefits, and recognizing that is the right thing for St. Luke’s to do,” Bradbury said. “Now all five of the largest local employers grant equal benefits. St. Luke’s is not only doing the fair and equal thing, but is now in a better position to encourage and retain the best employees in their system.” St. Luke’s employees will be able to enroll same-sex partners from Dec. 9-20. ■

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of Pennsylvania �� locations outside DELAWARE

Wilmington • AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th St. • Crimson Moon, 1909 S. Sixth St. • Rehoboth Beach • Canal Side Inn, 34 Sixth St. • Double L Bar, 622 Rehoboth Ave. • Proud Bookstore, 149 Rehoboth Ave. • Rams Head Inn, 35006 Warrington Ave. • Rigby’s Bar & Grill, 404 Rehoboth Ave. • Shore Inn, 37239 Rehoboth Ave. •

NEW JERSEY

Asbury Park • Georgie’s, 812 Fifth Ave. • Paradise, 101 Asbury Ave. • Atlantic City • Oasis, 32 S. Tennessee Ave. • Ocean House, 127 S. Ocean Ave. • Pro Bar, Resorts Casino, 1133 Boardwalk, 13th floor • Ritz Condo lobby, 2715 Boardwalk • Bordentown • Shoppe 202, 202 Farnsworth Ave. • Camden • Honor Box, PATCO Ferry Ave. Station • Cape May • Sunshine News, 7 Gurney St. • Cherry Hill • Unitarian Church, 400 N. Kings Hwy. • Andriotti’s Viennese Café, 1442 E. Route 70 • Collingswood • Honor Box, PATCO Collingswood Station • Honor Box, PATCO Ferry Ave. Station • Egg Harbour City • Red Barn Books, 1204 White Horse Pike • Galloway • Pride Alliance Stockton College, 101 Vera King Farris Dr. suite 240 • Gloucester City • Red Barn Books, 600 Rt. 130 South • Haddonfield • Honor Box, PATCO Haddonfield Station, PATCO Westmont Station, PATCO Woodcrest Station • Hammonton Club Revolution, 19 N. Egg Harbor Rd. • Highland Park • Pride Center of NJ, 85 Raritan Ave. • Lambertville• Body Tech, 80 Lambert Lane • Lebanon • GLBT of Hunterdon Co., 126 Petticoat Lane • Lindenwold • Honor Box, PATCO Lindenwold Station East • Honor Box, PATCO Lindenwold Station West • Morristown • Gay Activist Alliance, Unitarian Church, 29 Normandy Heights Road • Oaklyn • Sacred Green Earth, 511 Whitehorse Pike • Princeton • LGBT Center, Princeton University, 246 First Campus Center • Somerset • The Den, 700 Hamilton Ave. • Stratford • White Horse Books, 906 White Horse Pike • Vineland • J&J News, 729 N. Main St. • West Berlin • Red Barn Books, 597 Route 73 North • Williamstown • Book Bin, 3852 S. Black Horse Pike •

NEW YORK Blooming Grove • Help Inc., 48 Sylvan Trail • New York City • Lesbian and Gay Services Center, 208 W. 13th St.

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

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

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Rockin’ Christmas

DECADE OF DEDICATION: Dr. Donald Schwarz, the city’s openly gay health commissioner and Deputy Mayor for Health and Opportunity, delivered the keynote address at the 10th annual Red Ribbon Award Ceremony Dec. 2 at City Hall. The World AIDS Day observance, organized by University of Pennsylvania’s Center for AIDS Research Community Advisory Board, also featured the presentation of awards to Dr. Zupenda Davis, Jasmine Jacobs, the Rev. Dr. Wilson Goode and Dr. Anne Teitelman. Organizers also acknowledged a number of local high-school students who created artwork to support the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day, “Getting to Zero: Zero New HIV Infections.” Photo: Scott A. Drake NEWS

Crime Watch Local Media Trail News Briefing Regional

9 5 25 8 2

Contents

EDITORIAL/OP-ED

Creep of the Week Editorial Letters/Feedback Mark My Words Street Talk

10 10 11 11 11

What’s your biggest holiday-shopping day? Poll results from our online survey as of Dec. 4:

0% Black Friday 16% Small Business Saturday 16% Cyber Monday 5% Giving Tuesday 11% Christmas Eve 53% Other

December 6 & 7 Celebrate the holidays with the band Music News Weekly calls “A rip-roaring riot of rock-n-roll and slapstick.” Get your kicks as the Raiders mix high-energy holiday classics like Jingle Bell Rock and Run Run Rudolph with the band’s #1 hits including Indian Reservation, Just Like Me and Good Thing.

Tickets $20

Go to www.epgn.com to weigh in on this week’s question:

How did you observe Giving Tuesday? PGN 505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506

For advertising inquiries: advertising@epgn.com or 215-625-8501 ext. 218.

Art Director/Photographer Scott A. Drake (ext. 210) scott@epgn.com

Phone: 215-625-8501 Fax: 215-925-6437 E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Web: www.epgn.com

Advertising Director Dan Calhoun (ext. 218) dan@epgn.com

Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com

Publisher Mark Segal (ext. 204) mark@epgn.com Editor

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

Just the best deal in AC!

Staff Writers Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com

Boston Ave. & The Boardwalk | Atlantic City, NJ 609.347.7111 | AtlanticClubCasino.com |

Angela Thomas (ext. 215) angela@epgn.com

Subject to cancellation or change. See Casino Cage for details. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208) timothy@epgn.com

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Advertising Manager Greg Dennis greg@epgn.com Advertising Sales Representatives Prab Sandhu prab@epgn.com National Advertising Rivendell Media: 212-242-6863 Office Manager/ Classifieds Don Pignolet (ext. 200) don@epgn.com Executive Assistant/ Billing Manager Carol Giunta (ext. 202) carol@epgn.com

Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Suburban Newspapers of America Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 2013 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.

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Health-care help comes to Philly By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com With the Affordable Care Act now underway, many Americans still have questions about the new health-care reform law. And one national initiative is looking to answer those questions and get LGBT people, including those in the Philadelphia area, connected with health care. Out2Enroll is a collaborative effort of the Philadelphia-based Sellers Dorsey Foundation, the Center for American Progress and the Federal Agencies Project. The initiative aims to educate the LGBT community on its options under the ACA. Out2Enroll will host an information session at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Thomas Jefferson University, 1001 Locust St., to provide advice to both LGBT community members and navigators, who assist those who are applying for health-care coverage. Sellers Dorsey Foundation executive director Christopher R. Labonte said the foundation, whose mission is to improve the health of the LGBT community, recognized the education was lacking about the ACA, and its importance to the community. “We realized that one in every three lowincome LGBT Americans is uninsured and about three quarters of the LGBT population remained unaware of what their options were under the Affordable Care Act,” Labonte said. He added that Out2Enroll’s website offers useful resources, and the initiative is staging

events such as town-hall forums across the country to shed light on the seemingly daunting process of accessing health care under the ACA. “We sought to answer questions that the LGBT community will have that are specific to our lives and needs,” he said. “We know that there are areas with a large number of uninsured populations, so we’re teaming up to do a series of regional events to bring Out2Enroll to communities that need it the most.” Labonte said the program in Philadelphia will consist of two segments — one in which navigators will be given information on LGBT-specific needs and during which they can ask questions specific to serving an LGBT client, while the other part will allow LGBT community members to review the process for applying for health insurance under the ACA, with navigators available for help. Labonte said services such as Out2Enroll are meant to educate and empower LGBT community members. “We hope they learn that there are many options out there for the LGBT community that are important and that there are protections in the law for the LGBT community, such as plans cannot discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” he said. “On a broad scope, we hope the community can move towards enrollment and getting health insurance.” For more information, visit www. out2enroll.org or email info@out2enroll.org. ■

Elder group looks at HIV, aging By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com As a part of its Conversations series, the LGBT Elder Initiative will host “HIV + Aging: What’s New II” from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St. The event will feature updates on the latest information about HIV/AIDS treatment and resources and is geared toward older adults, long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS and healthcare and social-service professionals. The workshop will include a question-andanswer session and will bring together presenters such as Ian Frank of the Penn Center for AIDS Research, Baligh Yehia of the Penn Medicine Program for LGBT Health, John Del Rossi of Rossi Wellness, and John Lutz from the Mazzoni Center. By 2015, more than half of people living with HIV/AIDS will be over age 50, a primary reason LGBTEI wanted to focus on this topic, said Ed Bomba, the organization’s communications chair. The workshop will look at such topics as the long-term effects of living with HIV, side effects of HIV/AIDS medications, agingrelated medications, care options, nutrition and emotional issues. Bomba said the Conversations series, which included the first “HIV + Aging”

last September, was modeled after a similar program Philadelphia FIGHT hosted in the 1980s and ’90s to help people living with HIV/AIDS. “We thought that we needed to get that information to the LGBT older-adult community in a similar fashion so they could have resources and services that they needed to age successfully,” Bomba said. The LGBTEI currently has six Conversations series scheduled for 2014 on various topics affecting the LGBT older-adult community, such as technology, older women’s sexual health and navigating a residential community or nursing home. Bomba said the lack of LGBT-specific resources for the older-adult community makes the Conversations series essential. “There are so few resources that are LGBT culturally competent, and we want to empower people with information so they know what services are available and how to access those services to get the resources they need,” Bomba said. “Whether in regards to health, legal issues or housing, we just want people to have a source of information and education, and we hope to be that for people.” “HIV + Aging: What’s New II” is free and open to the public, with light dinner served. To register or for more information, contact the LGBTEI at info@lgbtei.org or call 267546-3448. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

FLECK from page 1

farm country, with the closest neighbors a mile away. “It wasn’t like even in a small town where you have neighbors alongside you and everyone knows each other,” Fleck said. “It was a very rural community.” Fleck said he came up in a time when the social stigma surrounding LGBT identity was pervasive. “As a child in the ’70s and ’80s, socially [being gay] was just considered wrong. You didn’t see great, positive, prominent gay men and women out there, especially not in rural communities. The locals here didn’t even think Liberace was gay. My version of gay in the early years was more of the flamboyance and drag queens — not that there’s anything wrong with drag queens, God bless ’em — but what I thought it meant to be gay wasn’t anything I could relate to.” Religion also played a role in his suppressing his burgeoning sexual identity as an adolescent. Fleck was raised in an evangelical Christian family, and said he was exposed to pervasive antigay messages rooted in religion. “I grew up in a home where I was taught gay people burn in hell,” he said. “No one wants to burn in hell.” The lack of exposure to positive LGBT images, Fleck said, made his own recognition of his sexual orientation itself a struggle. “I always knew I was different, I just certainly couldn’t identify my version of dif-

NEWS PGN

ferent as gay,” he said. “I grew up where you get married and you have kids. That’s what you did. When it came to homosexuality, I didn’t know that I was not not gay, if that makes sense. Whatever I felt, I just thought, you get married and you keep it in check and it goes away.” So Fleck embarked on that journey. He attended the evangelical Christian Liberty University, where he studied history and youth ministry. Upon his 1995 graduation, he went on to become a district executive for the Boy Scouts of America. Fleck’s family had deep roots in the local Republican Party, and he recalled his interest in public office germinating from as young as age 9, when he would read the newspaper, especially the political section, to his grandfather, who was nearly blind. Fleck was elected in 2006 after the retirement of his predecessor and took office the following January. He went on be re-elected three times, most recently in November 2012. But, during that time, he continued to struggle with his sexual identity, a fight that nearly overtook him. Fleck married in 2002 but, after several years, still wasn’t able to quell his same-sex attraction. “I thought that it would be OK as long as I didn’t act on it, that it would go away. I made great strides professionally, I married my best friend and it was just always like that gnat in my ear: I knew it was there. I don’t think being gay is a choice but I chose not to act on it and thought that, as long as

I suppressed it with work and family and didn’t have to face facts, it would be OK. But after I got married, it was like, OK, this isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It didn’t go away. I like to tackle problems head-on. So it was like, OK, this is a problem. And it wasn’t fair to my ex, nor to me. I became increasingly depressed and even suicidal.” Fleck sought counseling from a number of sources over several years. In a “last-ditch effort,” he attended a week-long intensivetherapy program several years ago that he likened to reparative therapy. “I went in with an open mind and thought, At the end of the week, I’m going to decide if I’m gay or straight. That’s how I decide a lot of things: I want to make a decision and stick with it, live with it and move on. Deep down, I wanted to believe it was a choice and I could figure out how to continue as I was and choose not to be gay.” But his initial encounters with fellow participants weren’t very encouraging. “The first several people I met in my group-therapy sessions the very first day were like, ‘Oh, you’ll love this, it’s really helpful,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait, you’ve done

this before?’ and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, this is my second time.’ But I was like, ‘I’m only doing this once, girlfriend.’” Much of the week was spent in reflection on past experiences, Fleck said, which functioned the opposite of how it was intended. “You spent a lot of time going back. Something that desperately helped me was remembering things like when I was at the county fair when I was 12, I asked for a photo of Burt Reynolds instead of Farrah Fawcett, like my friends did, as my prize. That didn’t make sense to me back then, nor did I at the time remotely think that made me gay. But thinking back and remembering all of those experiences, I came out of that week finally seeing, ‘OK, I’m gay. Now what?’” Among the next things to consider, Fleck said, was the effect of his realization on his religious life. “Reconciling my faith and my sexuality has, I think, been the biggest hurdle for me,” Fleck said. “You start questioning this one part of yourself, and then you’re stuck questioning everything you know. Right down to, Is God real? I had been to the point where I had hit rock bottom and wanted to

NEWS PGN

do myself in because I couldn’t come up with answers. But I finally got to the point where I saw that I never chose this, it was always a part of me.” Once he acknowledged his orientation, he began to tell his loved ones. While he said he long expected rejection from his family, he was surprised by their acceptance. He and his wife divorced in 2011. “That was very painful,” he said. “You’re divorcing your best friend and not because you don’t love each other, but because it’s no longer practical to stay married. It wasn’t your typical divorce with the, ‘I want out of this and I hate your guts.’ Not that that’s not painful, because divorce is painful no matter what.” Although he came out in his personal life, to friends and family, in other ways he was immersed in his newfound closet. “It wasn’t until I really accepted I was gay that I became a closet case, because before then, I didn’t know I was really gay.” He began dating his current partner and, while the pair would attend family events as a couple, he kept his sexual identity separate from his professional life, although he did tell some staffers. However, in May 2012, Fleck said, he began to have the first stirrings toward his public coming-out. “I was happy where I was in life; I had a great partner, a job I loved. I didn’t want to be some big poster boy for gay rights, especially in a district where 80 percent of the people are opposed to same-sex marriage. I thought I’d choose my battles carefully, finish out my term and let it go at that,” he said. “But then, President Obama came out for marriage equality. There were a lot of talking heads on TV at that time and I was watching Piers Morgan one night and he had Tony Perkins of Family Research Council on, who’s also a Liberty University grad. Piers asked him what he’d do if his son came home and said he was gay, and Perkins said that would never happen because he raised him right. That was the first time I really got this pit in my stomach; it just made me sick. I saw that I wasn’t helping anyone by being in the closet. I’ve always been very private in my private life, even though I’m on stage every day, but this just made me sick and it was the first time I had this recognition that I had evolved from, ‘Why me?’ to ‘How dare you? I have rights too.’” That weekend, he read a story about Obama’s evolution on the Altoona Mirror’s website that featured comments by a local gay man. When he got into work Monday morning, however, he said he saw the hard copy of the publication and noticed it was accompanied by a photo of a drag queen cloaked in a pink boa.

“That really ticked me off,” Fleck said. “That’s the only ‘gay’ this area sees; it looks like gay people are the go-go boys at Pride parades. They don’t see the people like me and the thousands, millions, of regular Joes who put on a suit and tie, go to work and come home to their partner. This was the first time I started to look at things and say, ‘Can I keep my job? Is it that important to me?’ And it was.” Fleck reached out to Ken Mehlman, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, who came out in 2010. The two met for coffee several times last year, Fleck said, and discussed the implications of his public coming-out. Mehlman connected him with several other sources, and he eventually met with officials at Victory Fund, which backs LGBT political candidates. While Fleck was ready to come out last summer, prior to his November re-election race, the organization advised him to wait. “I was running unopposed, so I didn’t see what the fallout would be. It’s a simple announcement of, ‘I’m gay,’ and those who didn’t want to vote for me because of that didn’t have to. But Victory Fund frowned upon that and said, ‘No, no, you’ve got a lot of people in tough races, your colleagues, and this isn’t an issue in their race. You can’t come out and put them like a deer in headlights, have them be asked things like, “Your best friend just came out, where are you on equality legislation?” and have them make any bad choices.’” But once he had decided to go public, Fleck said, the wait was tough. “It was difficult because it’s like, once you’re ready to come out, you’re just ready. So it got to be the week after the election, and I didn’t want it to look like I’d waited until the day after, but by mid-November, I was like, ‘Ok, it’s time, let’s do it.’ And I still got, ‘No, the timing’s not right, are you sure?’ All late summer and early fall, I’d put the whole election date as what I was aiming for, so when it passed, each day was tougher. But I finally wanted to do it on my own terms, and tell my story to my local press and leave it at that.” So the last week of November, Fleck sat down with a reporter friend of his from the Huntingdon Daily News. He then personally contacted a list of about 60 people — extended family, friends and campaign volunteers — to tell them the news before the publication of the story Dec. 1. Once the article hit the Web that day, it quickly went viral. Fleck said he was unsurprised that the story took off as it did — with details such as his background with the Boy Scouts, his education at a Jerry Falwell-founded college and his status as the nation’s only out Republican state lawmaker.

“I’m out there but I’m not waving a flag. I’m just living my life. People know I’m gay and they’re seeing it doesn’t define who I am; I’m still the same person and I think they’re coming to grips with that.”

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Responses came rolling in quickly, and were largely positive. “I heard from more Republican legislators than from Democratic legislators and that’s OK because those are the people I’m in caucus with,” he said. “I heard from all the female legislators with the exception of one, and she and I are not close. I heard from everyone under age 45. I heard from everyone in progressive districts. And the people I didn’t hear from were people like Daryl Metcalfe, but we know where he stands. We weren’t that close prior to my coming-out. But the negatives were minimal, surprisingly. Most of the fear I had was from myself, built up in my head. It was like my coming-out in my personal life; I didn’t think my evangelical family would accept me and they did. It’s that internalized fear that wasn’t valid.” After his coming-out, a constituent wrote a letter to the editor of his local paper using Fleck’s story to discuss the state’s lack of an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination law, noting he could be evicted from an apartment for his admission. “I had so many people ask me if that was true, and I was like, ‘Yeah, we’re not a recognized class,’ and that surprised so many people. Whether people agree with your socalled lifestyle — I don’t care for that terminology because it’s not a choice — but even those people who don’t approve don’t feel it’s right to discriminate,” Fleck said, noting that he has already seen the effect of his coming-out on the level of attention to LGBT issues in his district. “I’m out there

but I’m not waving a flag. I’m just living my life. People know I’m gay and they’re seeing it doesn’t define who I am; I’m still the same person and I think they’re coming to grips with that.” He said he also believes his coming-out can be used as an example — especially if he is re-elected next year — to his colleagues whose districts are traditionally conservative that they can support LGBTrights issues without political repercussions. However, he said he doesn’t see HB 300 advancing until Metcalfe, who had pledged to block the measure, no longer chairs the House State Government Committee. Fleck has been a strong supporter of LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying legislation, although he noted it has been “pigeonholed” as a gay-rights measure, which he said has made some lawmakers squeamish about getting onboard. Relationship recognition for same-sex couples, Fleck said, will likely be achieved through the courts, unless the state elects a governor who makes the issue a priority. Fleck asserted that, while his comingout has not swayed his allegiance to the Republican Party or to his rural district, both have work to do to fall in line with the rest of the country on LGBT issues. “The Republican Party has to get past this. Otherwise, I fear for the future of our party. The younger generation is certainly very supportive, and to be attractive to the 20- and 30-year-olds, you can’t discriminate. The Republican Party has had as its PAGE 16 platform for decades

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NEWS PGN

LGBT Caribbean program to launch By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com

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The Caribbean isles will get an influx of LGBT tourists, thanks to a new program inspired in part by Philadelphia’s LGBTtourism efforts. Bobby Bennett, a former senior tour operator w0ho is based in North Carolina, this summer is launching Islands of Pride, a series of LGBT events at destinations throughout the Caribbean. Bennett conceived of the effort after reviewing a tourism report from Community Marketing Inc. that detailed LGBT tourism patterns. Bennett said the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s, now known as Visit Philly, LGBT-specific tourism efforts in the past decade, which have largely been credited with heightening the city’s appeal as an LGBT travel destination, inspired him to pursue the same for the Caribbean. He touched base with DIVI Resorts to help get his idea off the ground. “We wanted to promote LGBT travel to the Caribbean, which has always had a dedicated LGBT following but never marketed to them,” he said. “We wanted to provide warm-weather destinations near the water during the few months that the LGBT community pursues travel, so we thought this was a can’t-miss opportunity.”

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Lesbian widow receives money Jennifer Tobits’ three-year struggle to obtain the death benefits of her deceased wife has ended. On Nov. 18, Tobits received a check for $43,822.35, said Christopher F. Stoll, an attorney for Tobits. “It’s a great result for Jennifer,” Stoll told PGN. “And the decision in the case is going to be very important for same-sex married couples all over the country who want to be treated the same as every other married couple for purposes of their employer-retirement plan.” Tobits and her late wife, Sarah Ellyn Farley, lived in Illinois, where Farley worked as an attorney at the law firm of Cozen O’Connor. They were married in Canada in 2006. After Farley died in 2010, Tobits and Farley’s parents clashed over the death benefits Farley had accrued at Cozen. Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge C.

Bennett said he and DIVI enlisted several destination marketing organizations from different islands to create four varied travel packages that will run from MayAugust and that cater to all segments of the LGBT community. From May 21-25, St. Maarten will play host to Isle of Women, which will feature breakfast, dinner and drinks daily, a white party for charity, pool parties and a snorkel trip to Prickly Pear. Dive with Pride will be held from June 7-14, with breakfast daily, welcome cocktails and beach towels at pool and beach. Aruba Palooza will be held from July 16-20 with DIVI Golf & Beach hosting a pool party, a white party, special events and more. And the final outing, St. Croix USVI The Rainbow Regatta, will take place from Aug. 27-31 with pool parties, snorkel day sails and giveaways. All trips, except for Dive with Pride, are four nights and all-inclusive, with rates starting at $1,000 per person. Bennett said a website and social-media sites for Islands of Pride will be launched soon. He added that he’s eager for community support to communicate the need for, and power of, LGBT tourism. “We need our community and our community leaders to prove that the value of our dollar is established and important.” For more information, visit www. islands-ofpride.com, which will be launched shortly. ■ Darnell Jones 2d awarded the benefits to Tobits, saying there could be “no doubt” she’s Farley’s surviving spouse. The case was adjudicated in Pennsylvania because Cozen is headquartered in Philadelphia.

Trans litigant still seeks jury trial Janis Stacy, a transwoman who alleges wrongful termination from her engineering job, continues to seek a jury trial in her case. Stacy claims she was terminated at LSI Corp. due to gender, gender identity and disability bias. But on Nov. 13, a three-judge panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s dismissal of Stacy’s case, citing insufficient evidence of discrimination. The judges who served on the panel are D. Michael Fisher, Kent A. Jordan and Dolores K. Sloviter. On Nov. 27, Stacy’s attorneys filed a 14page legal brief, asking that all the judges on the appeals court consider her case. Stacy’s attorneys maintain the panel incorrectly reduced the evidentiary value of Stacy’s testimony about discriminatory comments allegedly made by LSI officials. Additionally, Stacy’s attorneys said the panel overlooked a “crucial” 2008 email indicating that LSI offiPAGE 18

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Gayborhood Crime Watch The following incidents in the Midtown Village and Washington Square West areas were reported to the 6th Police District between Nov. 18-24. Information is courtesy of 6th District Capt. Brian Korn; Stacy Irving, senior director, Crime Prevention Service; Center City District; the Police Liaison Committee and Midtown Village Merchants Association. To report crime tips, visit www.phillypolice.com or call 215-686-TIPS (8477). INCIDENTS — Between 6 p.m. Nov. 17 and 9 a.m. Nov.18, someone smashed a side window of I. Goldberg, 1300 Chestnut St., and stole a helmet from a window display. Sixth District Officer Maiorano was unable to lift fingerprints. — At 1:45 a.m. Nov. 20, a complainant was accosted in the 400 block of South 10th Street and punched several times by two unknown black males. The victim walked to the South Street mini station and made the report. NON-SUMMARY ARRESTS — At 9 a.m. Nov. 18, the parking-garage attendant at 337 S. Broad St. was threatened by a male with a gun after the attendant asked him to pull his car forward. Sixth District Officers Gillespie and Gable apprehended the suspect when he returned to claim his vehicle. The 32-year-old with a Germantown address was charged with aggravated assault and related offenses. The gun was not recovered. — At 10:47 p.m. Nov. 18, a woman was walking at 11th and Pine streets when a male and female came up behind her, grabbed her handbag, punched her and fled south with the bag. The woman immediately called 911 and officers assigned to the South Street detail apprehended two suspects at 1001 South St. The victim’s stolen items were recovered. A 25-yearold male with a South Philadelphia address and a 23-year-old female with a Northeast Philadelphia address were charged with robbery and related offenses. — At 8:30 a.m. Nov. 19, SEPTA employees saw a male jump the turnstile at the station at Eighth and Market streets and attempted to eject him from the station when the male pushed the employee and threw hot coffee on him. SEPTA police arrested the 29-year-old suspect with a homeless-shelter address and charged him with aggravated assault and related offenses.

— At 12:55 p.m. Nov. 21, 6th District plainclothes Officers Wenger and Seifert, assigned to the Washington Square West area, observed a male steal an unattended bicycle in the 200 block of Alder Street. The officers arrested the 55-year-old man with a Southwest Philadelphia address and charged him with theft. The bike’s owner, a delivery man, was located.

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— At 12:30 p.m. Nov. 22, a woman stole another woman’s handbag that was left on a table inside McDonald’s, 942 Market St. The suspect was apprehended at Ninth and Ranstead streets by Center City District foot-beat Officer Moroney. The 29-year-old suspect with a Port Richmond address was charged with theft. — At 2:45 p.m. Nov. 22, a woman was outside 10th and Market streets taking pictures with her iPad when a young male snatched it from her hands and fled east. A suspect was apprehended in the 1000 block of Chestnut Street by Center City District Officers Moore and Gray. The suspect, age 13, with a North Philadelphia address, was charged with theft. SUMMARY ARRESTS — On Nov. 18, Center City District officers issued citations at 11:50 a.m. outside 100 S. Broad St., 3:45 p.m. outside 1326 Walnut St. and 4:20 p.m. outside 108 S. 13th St. Sixth District officers issued a citation at 9:55 p.m. outside 1300 Cypress St.

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— At 4:50 a.m. Nov. 19, 6th District officers issued a citation outside 1201 St. James St. — On Nov. 21, 6th District officers issued citations at 12:40 a.m. outside 1200 St. James St., 12:15 p.m. outside 400 S. Watts St., 2:30 p.m. outside 211 S. Broad St., 4:55 p.m. outside 200 S. 12th St., 6 p.m. outside 1300 Walnut St., 8:20 p.m. outside 200 S. 13th St. and 8:45 p.m. outside 1300 Sansom St. — At 4:05 a.m. Nov. 22, 6th District officers issued a citation outside 201 S. Camac St. — On Nov. 23, 6th District officers issued citations at midnight outside 201 S. 13th St. and 2:55 a.m. outside 1307 Sansom St. ■

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

EDITORIAL PGN

Creep of the Week

D’Anne Witkowski

Robert Ritchie

Editorial

Confronting crime Philadelphia’s Gayborhood was plagued by two high-profile crimes last month in almost the same spot — the rape of a woman who was living in Philadelphia for less than a week and the robbery and beating of a gay man. With no arrests yet in either case, the crimes have put the area on edge. Philadelphia, and the Gayborhood, are certainly no stranger to crime. A glance at the Crime Watch statistics PGN runs each week that cover the 6th District, which encompasses the Gayborhood, are often rife with cell-phone snatches, auto thefts and other crimes. Citywide, Philadelphia has seen 226 homicides so far in 2013. Just in the past two weeks, the city has seen 52 rapes and 161 gunpoint robberies. But, it is uncommon for those more violent crimes to occur within the seemingly safe confines of our rainbow-street-signed enclave — which made the two incidents, within four days of one another, all the more alarming. Crime can happen anywhere. Even bucolic settings far from the city have their own criminal elements. But that’s not to say neighborhoods should accept incidents such as last month’s as par for the course. Philadelphia has been called the City of Neighborhoods, and the Gayborhood, perhaps more so than any other area of the city, is comprised of a very well-connected, close-knit group of people. There are a sea of LGBT-owned businesses, bars and restaurants, LGBT people live on every street and LGBT people largely comprise the clientele at area companies and organizations. The LGBT community comes together for charitable causes, for celebratory events and to mark milestones, both triumphs and tragedies, in the LGBT movement. This is also a time when the LGBT community needs to present a unified front. These incidents will definitely have a pervasive impact on the two victims, but it is important that they do not also shape perceptions about, or realities of, the Gayborhood. Violent crime usually doesn’t, and shouldn’t, have a place in an area designated to be a safe space for LGBT people. LGBT residents, business owners and visitors to the Gayborhood should be taking an active role in ensuring incidents such as these remain anomalies — by installing video-surveillance equipment, reporting to police every instance of questionable behavior and remaining vigilant about their own safety and the safety of those around them. There is no way to completely eradicate crime from any community. But, the LGBT community has a history of confronting oppressors to protect its rights, and that attitude should also be employed to protect the community’s streets. ■

It was only a matter of time before someone made the connection between the fact that Illinois now recognizes marriage equality and the fact that Illinois was recently hit by tornadoes. Such a claim is, after all, in the right-wing whacko playbook. Any major disaster, be it natural or manmade, can always be traced back to the gays. Sept. 11? Gays, according to Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Hurricane Katrina? Gays, according to Pastor John Hagee. Sandy Hook? Gays, according to James Dobson. Sodom and Gomorrah? Gays, according to some book I found at Costco labeled “fiction.” And now, Robert Ritchie is laying the blame for the 24 tornadoes that wrecked havoc in Illinois Nov. 17 where it rightfully belongs: the gays. Ritchie is the executive director of America Needs Fatima, a Virgin Mary fan club of sorts (Our Lady of Fatima is a code name for Mary, birther of Jesus) that really, really does not like homos. In fact, Ritchie’s Blogger.com profile includes in his long list of interests: travel, wine, cheese, classical music, knights, French bread, arts, painting and, just in case this list seems a little too gay, “stopping homosexual ‘marriage.’” ANF’s website is also a treasure trove of antigay propaganda, including articles like, “The Bottom Line on Marriage,” “To Keep Our Honor Clean! Why We Must Oppose the Homosexual Agenda for the Military” and “1,049 Reasons to Oppose Same-Sex Marriage.” So I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that Nov. 18, the day after real people died in real tornadoes, Ritchie posted on the Fatima blog, “Do you think the massive Illinois tornadoes are linked to the passing of the same-sex ‘marriage’ bill?”

Um, no, I do not. But please do go on. “The massive tornadoes that hit Illinois after the passing of the samesex ‘marriage’ bill have stimulated many people to reflection. In it, some see God’s chastisement; others see it as yet one more merciful warning from Providence,” Ritchie wrote. “What do you think?” What do I think? Well, first of all, I’d like to point out your use of the word “stimulated” and ask you if “reflection” is some sort of euphemism. As in, “He was ‘stimulated’ to ‘reflection,’” wink, wink. Secondly, I think you should be ashamed of yourself. Here you are getting all excited about a violent storm that killed six people and injured about 150 more because you think it might be God’s or Jesus’ or Fatima’s or whoever the fuck’s way of throwing a hissy fit about the gays. It’s very telling that your blog post expresses no compassion for the victims. No call to aid or prayer. Just a myopic obsession with “the gay menace.” You, sir, are sick. For those of you who want to do something besides cast aspersions on the people of Illinois trying to put their lives back together, there’s the Red Cross chapter in Illinois (www.redcross.org/il/peoria) or you can find various relief efforts online, where you can donate something a little more helpful than “God’s chastisement.” ■

Ritchie is the executive director of America Needs Fatima, a Virgin Mary fan club of sorts (Our Lady of Fatima is a code name for Mary, birther of Jesus) that really, really does not like homos.

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 ’n’ roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.

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.

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OP-ED PGN

Above party politics If you’ve read “PA’s first out lawmaker, door in the future for support, and I’m sure one year later” on the front page of this many in the community feel the same. paper, there are two points that should Fleck represents one of the most rural, jump out at you and give you pause: First, conservative districts in the commonwealth. His bravery in coming out is only Pennsylvania has two out state representasurpassed by his support of equality while tives, one Democrat and one Republican. in the legislature, before he outed himself. With pride, we are the only state that can While many Republicans were claim that. Also of note in the outed by their own hypocrisy, story, a gay-rights organization Fleck proudly fought to out actually tried to keep a gay man in the closet. Since day one of himself. It is sad that one of the movement for equality, we our own community organizations kept him from doing so have fought for people to be earlier. Imagine the anguish that out. If this is true, this organization should hang its head in created. He is respected by his colleagues of both parties. He shame. While I won’t ponder has serious re-election challengthe reasons for, or even the evils of, that action, I will discuss the ers, from where you’d expect two aforementioned legislators. — the right wing. Fleck’s victory would go a long way for They are Brian Sims (D) and tolerance and equality. Think of Mike Fleck (R), and both are it, an out gay man elected in a up for re-election next year. For conservative district ... That is a me, it’s simple: We as a comMark Segal strong message. munity need to support both for re-election. Imagine the The point is that while one statement if two out representatives — one candidate is a Democrat and one is a from a progressive district, one from a con- Republican, those of you who support one servative district — are re-elected. That party over the other, as I do, might have sends an incredibly powerful message to differences with the other party, but that Harrisburg and has to send a shiver through should not prevent us as a community a political party that has not always cared from finally becoming pragmatic about about our rights. Now, as for the two out our politics. If we do not have people who candidates ... support our goal of equality in office, we’ll Sims represents the most progressive never gain equality. You cannot pass legislation with only one party. It takes both district in the commonwealth. It is overwhelmingly Democrat. Therefore, if he Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation. It is easier to be elected as an openly wins the primary, he faces only token gay Democrat than as a Republican. That opposition from any Republican. Let’s be is why Sims’ reelection is assured, and clear: There is little chance of any serious why the right wing is attempting to unseat challenge to Sims. The popularity of his victory is a matter of pride for the commu- Fleck. nity and, thus, any challenger faces a future This is a time for us to unite as a community. ■ of resentment from the LGBT community. This is not about Sims; his re-election is Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the a validation of the LGBT community and what it has built. Anyone considering a run nation’s most-award-winning commentaagainst Sims, 2014 is not the time. Anyone tor in LGBT media. He can be reached at who does so should not be coming to my mark@epgn.com.

Mark My Words

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Street Talk Do you feel safe in the Gayborhood? “I feel safe, but I’m aware of the crime that does happen. I feel there could be more security measures set in place. I’ve Jason Bailey been lucky corporate trainer in that I’ve Drexel Hill frequented the Gayborhood for 10 years and never [have] been assaulted. But I don’t want to deny the fact that there’s a problem in this area.”

“No, not after the rape. It was shocking to hear about. And the guy is still on the loose. I’d definitely Sara Nachman like to see student more police Gayborhood protection. Why is my rent so high when I’m not living in a safe area? I don’t want the Gayborhood turned into a police state. But that rape could have been prevented.”

“There’s always room for improvement. But for the most part, I feel the Gayborhood is one of the safer Louis Pisanio neighborcaterer hoods in Bella Vista Philly. I also realize that many people feel threatened in this part of town. If that’s the case, they should be accompanied by a support person, whenever possible.”

“No. A woman was raped within a few feet of where I work. It’s very unsettling. That rape was too close Leslie Sitkoff for comfort. mental-health In this area, therapist the LGBTQ Manayunk community is vulnerable to people full of hate and anger. Predators target the Gayborhood for crime. So we’re all at risk for their violence.”

Letters and Feedback Once again, Philadelphia has come out on top of the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, which is especially appropriate in light of the progress made this year on Council Jim Kenney’s LGBT-rights bill, as well as SEPTA’s removal of gender stickers (which was influenced by a City Council resolution calling for the policy change). Many would believe that we have “maxed out” on what we can do. However, as someone who was deeply involved with those two developments this year, I have to say, we aren’t done yet. Perhaps the current low-hanging fruit is urging the Philadelphia Prison System to amend its policies to allow transgender

people to be placed in a gender-appropriate wing of the jail, to definitively allow hormone treatment and to allow genderappropriate commissary items on both sides. Currently, inmates are classified based on genitalia in Philadelphia; other locales, such as Washington, D.C., Illinois and even Texas, have county jail systems that are sensitive to trans inmates’ needs. Gender self-determination in jails and prisons is not a radical concept; the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act mandates that transgender inmates not be placed based on genitalia alone, under pain of reduced federal funding. It’s time for the Philadelphia Prison System to step up and affirm that biology isn’t destiny, an impor-

tant first step that could be a model for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to follow. Another issue that can be addressed is getting tough on subsidized discrimination. Sure, the Boy Scouts saga is now moot; however, religious groups who are hostile to the LGBT community still regularly receive funding from the city to perform social services (i.e.: Salvation Army is contracted to operate a family shelter for the Office of Supportive Housing and receives city funding). This leads to discrimination when people most need help. A good idea would be to put strict enumerated penalties (similar to those in the Equal Benefits Law passed in late 2011) for any entity that

violates any portion of the Fair Practices Ordinance while receiving city funds, such as the termination of a contract, barring the entity from bidding for five years and forcing it to repay or forfeit any city funds it received/is receiving for the time it was found in violation. It would save the city valuable money and help to address a lot of issues surrounding the often-impoverished transgender community and access to social services. Other issues include, but are not limited to: • Enhancing the gender-neutral bathroom laws to require all single-occupancy restrooms to be gender-neutral, as there is no compelling interest PAGE 14

LEGAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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The Human Rights Campaign’s annual every spring benefiting ActionAIDS, is celMunicipal Equality Index, published Nov. ebrating its 23rd year of raising money to 19, is an introspective look at the comhelp men, women and children affected by parative treatment of LGBT individuals in HIV/AIDS. Philadelphia Black Gay Pride municipalities across America. The MEI is also a great fixture of the LGBT comranks cities based on their actions to promunity; each April, they host a weeklong mote and facilitate equality for their LGBT celebration, which draws upwards of 15,000 citizens, specifically on topics such as nonpeople to Philadelphia. The Attic Youth discrimination laws, relationship recogniCenter offers a great support system for attion, municipal services, law enforcement, risk LGBT youth; programming helps teens relationship with the LGBT community and with their identity in a safe and accepthow they are as an employer. ing environment. The William The MEI is graded on a scale of Way Community Center offers 0-100, with bonus points posprogramming for all LGBT sible. individuals, from mahjong and Philadelphia has been a repeat bridge clubs to adult-education all-star for the MEI. The City classes and peer-counseling serof Brotherly Love and Sisterly vices. Most important are the Affection scored a 109 in 2012, laws and regulations that City and this year we surpassed that Council continues to put on the figure with a 113. We crushed books to protect its LGBT citiSan Francisco and tied with zens: Councilwoman Blondell Seattle for the top spot— for Reynolds Brown fought hard being a welcoming place to for the Equal Benefits Bill that work, having LGBT municipal contractors seeking to Angela requires leaders, providing services to do business with the city provide Giampolo the same benefits to same-sex at-risk LGBT populations and overall city engagement with the partners of employees as they LGBT community. do to heterosexual spouses; Councilman “I am proud that the city of Philadelphia Jim Kenney introduced a landmark LGBTis the leading big city for LGBT law and Equality Bill that gave us gender-neutral policy in the nation, earning a perfect bathrooms and so much more; and, most score of 100 on the Municipal Equality recently, City Council unanimously passed Index,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. a Transgender Awareness Week resolution. “Philadelphia values its residents, employThis and so much more is what again proees and visitors, and promotes fair, equipelled Philadelphia to the very top of the table treatment for all of them. It is my MEI list. sincere hope that the Commonwealth of It’s important to remember that not everyPennsylvania will soon protect the rights one has the option to live in the “bluer” of LGBT people at the same level, which and historically more LGBT-friendly porincludes overturning the current statewide tions of our Keystone State — by virtue of ban on same-sex marriage.” their career, family or finances. Currently, New Hope also did phenomenally this Pennsylvania has no state law providing year in the MEI. In 2012, New Hope, with marriage equality, employment nondisjust over 2,000 residents, scored only a crimination, housing non-discrimination, a 48. After analyzing the disparity in scores ban on conversion therapy or the criminalbetween New Hope and Philadelphia, ization of hate crimes motivated by sexual LGBT advocates in the New Hope comorientation or gender identity. The absence munity and I strategized on how to bring of these state laws makes municipal protections all the more necessary. With that their score up to snuff with higher-ranked said, LGBT individuals deserve and should municipalities. As a result of this planreceive the same legal protections in Central ning, New Hope Borough Council, led Pennsylvania as those living in Philadelphia by Councilmember Geri Delevich, implemented a series of LGBT-friendly municipal and Pittsburgh. Efforts by LGBT leaders across the state are paying off, as less-popuactions and almost doubled their MEI score to an 89. New Hope fought hard to improve lated municipalities are ranking higher and higher on the Municipality Equality Index. the lives of their LGBT citizens and I trust ■ that a perfect score of 100 isn’t too far off. A high score is all well and good, but Angela D. Giampolo, principal of what does a score of 100 translate into for Giampolo Law Group, maintains offices in people living in or visiting Philadelphia? Pennsylvania and New Jersey and specialThe answer — an outstanding and welcoming community! Philadelphia’s Gayborhood izes in LGBT law, business law, real-estate is home to a multitude of LGBT businesses, law and civil rights. Her website is www. giampololaw.com and she maintains two restaurants and beautiful homes. Events like OutFest and Equality Forum draw large blogs, www.phillygaylawyer.com and www. lifeinhouse.com. Send Angela your legal crowds to celebrate the LGBT community. questions at angela@giampololaw.com. Dining Out for Life Philadelphia, an event

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PGN OP-ED LETTERS from page 11

for gender segregation of a restroom that is designed for only one use at a time. • Codifying a requirement that all city workers and contractors who have direct contact with youth or whose work directly affects youth undergo LGBT cultural-competency training. San Francisco has had such an ordinance since 1999. • Codifying a requirement that all city workers and contractors who have direct contact with elders or whose work directly affects elders undergo LGBT cultural-competency training. This should be yet another prong, along with LGBTfriendly senior housing, that would help

enhance the lives of LGBT seniors. • If it is legally at all possible, ban conversion therapy on the city level. Many of these issues affect some of the most marginalized in our community: youth, transgender people, people of color, elders, those with disabilities, etc. We need to do better in including those who do not have privilege in our policy discussions, and I invite all stakeholders to seriously consider these issues, for our society is judged by how we treat the least of us. ■ — Jordan Gwendolyn Davis Philadelphia

Philadelphia Gay News

LOCAL PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Staying safe this holiday season By the LGBT Police Liaison Committee The holiday season is upon us, but it is also the season to be wary of burglars, thieves, pickpockets and other holiday grinches. Nothing can ruin the holiday spirit faster that if you become a victim of a crime. Below are some basic crime-prevention tips that can help you enjoy a safe holiday season. But, if you are a crime victim, call 911. If you are out and about, be aware of your surroundings. Don’t be engrossed in texting or talking on your cell phone. They can be easily snatched out of your hand. Also, don’t leave your cell phone lying out

while you’re having a meal or a drink at your favorite bar or club. Don’t leave unattended packages while you go to a restroom. Have a friend, not a stranger, watch them for you. Better yet, if you drive, take the packages to your car and lock them in your trunk. Don’t flash cash when you’re standing in line to make your purchase. Better yet, use your credit or debit card when making a purchase. Shop before dark and park your car in a well-lit area, and have your keys ready when you arrive at your car. We like to wear our very best when out and about during the holidays, but don’t wear expensive jewelry when out drinking with friends. When you leave a bar or

Spreading cheer through charity Giving Tuesday this week kicked off the philanthropic holiday season, and there are a number of events and efforts in the coming week in which you can continue to use your holiday goodwill to help those in need. Beer & Cupcakes Mazzoni Center will stage its annual Beer & Cupcakes from 8 p.m.-midnight Dec. 6 at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. The event will support the Mazzoni Center’s annual coat and toy drive, which benefits low-income children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS. The organization is also assembling more than 1,000 hygiene kits and packages of other essential emergency items to be distributed to LGBT youth. The party features discount drinks, sweet treats and even sweeter Jell-O shots. For more information about Beer & Cupcakes, visit mazzonicenter.org/beerandcupcakes2013. To learn more about the drive, visit mazzonicenter.org/2013holidaydrive. TOY Delaware Valley Legacy Fund will stage its annual TOY celebration from 8-11 p.m. Dec. 7 at Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Filbert streets. Proceeds from the seventh-annual festivity benefit the LGBT grantmaking agency, and guests are asked to bring new, unwrapped, non-plush toys that will be distributed to local youth affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.

Tickets are $60 in advance or $70 at the door and include an open bar and appetizers. All TOY guests get free admission to Woody’s and Voyeur that evening. For more information, visit www.dvlf. org/#!toy-2013/c1o5l. BEBASHI Holiday Toy Drive BEBASHI: Transition to Hope is collecting new, unwrapped toys for its annual toy drive for children impacted by HIV/AIDS. Toys can be delivered to BEBASHI, 1217 Spring Garden St., first floor, through Dec. 11. The agency is accepting donations from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday. Gifts should be geared toward youth from 6 months to 17 years. For more information, call 215-8830270. Sugar Plum Fairies GayBINGO! This month’s GayBINGO! will be even more charitable than usual. Sugar Plum Fairies GayBINGO! will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St. Guests are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys that AIDS Fund will deliver to local children impacted by HIV/ AIDS. Tickets range from $20-$25. AIDS Fund will also work with schools, employers, churches and other organizations to stage drives at their venues. For more information, call 215-732-9255. ■

Philadelphia Gay News

restaurant, the criminal element will see you and you become a potential target of opportunity. While a lot of us have cell phones these days, we may still have the old-fashioned answering machine at home. If you go away for the holidays, don’t advertise it in your answering-machine message. Be extra-cautious about locking doors and windows in your home and apartment, even if you are gone for just a few minutes. Don’t openly display your Christmas tree and packages in your front window. It’s very tempting for a smash-and-grabber, or for someone planning a future break-in. When leaving a bar or club alone at clos-

ing, especially if you’ve had a few drinks too many, wait for a cab outside. Take that cab ride, even if it’s just for a few blocks. Try not to invite strangers into your home. We understand that is hard to ask sometimes, but at least get basic information from someone before opening your door. These tips are a guide for you. Bad things happen, but if they do, remember to call 911. Enjoy the holiday season. ■ The LGBT Police Liaison Committee can be reached at 215-760-3686. The organization can also be reached at facebook.com/ lgbtpoliceliaison or on Twitter at @ppdlgbtliacmte.

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

PGN FLECK from page 7

small government, and I look at this as the number-one issue when it comes to small government: You may not agree with it, but stay out of my bedroom life. Saying you’re for smaller government but that you’re perfectly fine with me not having the same rights doesn’t make sense. But I think people are starting to see how hypocritical that sounds and are beginning to evolve.” Next November’s election will be telling as to how far Fleck’s district has evolved. Even if he isn’t re-elected, Fleck said, he would continue to press for LGBT reform. “I think as far as civil rights go, I could even have a much bigger impact if I wasn’t in office. I would have a platform, given my unique background and my resume and where I come from. I think I could have a broader impact,” he said. “But I’ve always wanted to be in politics since I was a kid. Now I’m here, it’s different than what I envisioned. But I’m taking it one term at a time. If I get re-elected, I’ll decide where I go from there.” While Fleck acknowledged the historymaking nature of his pronouncement, and said he is eager to have an impact on the state’s LGBT-rights movement, he wants to make his political mark based on more than the LGBT title. “I hope that when my obituary is written someday, they’ll focus on the fact that I brought about sweeping education reform or massive development in Central Pennsylvania. I’m a proud gay man. I know that’ll be in there, that I’m Pennsylvania’s first openly gay legislator, and I’m OK with that. But for me the title’s not important. Yes, I’ll have a footnote in history because of it, but I also want to be remembered for what I’ve done.” ■ ATTACK from page 1

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Open daily for holiday tours NOVEMBER 23–JANUARY 5 Join today! Become a Member and attend Yuletide for free. Visit winterthur.org/membership for details. Shop the Winterthur Museum Stores. Members receive a 10% discount on purchases. Admission not required to shop. Closed Christmas Day. Open New Year’s Day. • Sponsored by

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and was going to hail a cab when he was attacked. The suspects stole his wallet, cell phone and diamond cross pendant. Forte was left with extensive injuries, including broken facial bones, a broken nose and broken eye sockets. Investigators are processing the victim’s ring that contained blood for DNA evidence. Forte indicated this week on social media that investigators said the suspect may be an employee of a local club; however, Forte did not respond to requests for further information by presstime. The detective assigned to the case and the department’s LGBT liaison were not available for comment. Sixth District Capt. Brian Korn confirmed on Wednesday that no arrest had been made in the case and could not confirm if a suspect had been identified or a warrant issued. Four days after Forte’s attack, a 29-yearold woman was beaten, raped and robbed in the 1200 block of St. James Street, near the earlier incident. The victim described her attacker as a well-dressed black man with shoulderlength braids and a dark complexion. Anyone with information about the Nov. 14 incident should contact Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251. ■

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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cials targeted Stacy for termination prior to assessing her skills. Stacy, of Kunkletown, worked at LSI for about 10 years prior to her termination in 2008. LSI maintained Stacy was terminated due to an “adverse economy” and because Stacy lacked the requisite skills to help move the company forward.

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The Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia will host its annual Tibetan Bazaar Dec. 6-7. The event will feature handmade goods from Tibetan communities-in-exile in India and Nepal, including silverwork, textiles and other wares. The festival will also include the creation of a sand mandala by an award-winning sand artist and a slide presentation by a Tibetan photographer. Proceeds benefit the Tibetan Association of Philadelphia. For more information, call 610212-4827 or email ivee@verizon. net. ■ — Jen Colletta

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PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

NEWS PGN

Media Trail Plaintiffs in marriage suit see progress WHSV.com reports a couple challenging Virginia’s gay-marriage ban says they believe public opinion is changing in their favor. Carol Schall, 53, and Mary Townley, 52, are plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed last summer in federal court in Norfolk. Schall says they experience no judgment or discrimination from their neighbors, but the law is a different matter. The two were married in California in 2008 and they have a teenage daughter, but their union is not recognized in Virginia. Schall says they’re not asking for anything special, just the same rights and privileges afforded other Virginians. Their lawsuit seeks to overturn a 2006 constitutional amendment prohibiting samesex marriage.

U.S. court reviews gay Russian’s asylum case According to ABC News, a federal appeals court in San Francisco has ordered immigration officials to review their decision not to grant asylum to a gay Russian man. The man said he was attacked for his sex-

ual orientation in Russia in 2002 and 2003 and feared he would be persecuted if forced to return there. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Nov. 27 that the man had shown government officials in Russia were either unwilling or unable to control his attackers. Court records did not identify the man. The 9th Circuit ordered the Board of Immigration Appeals to review the case and said federal officials had to show circumstances had changed in Russia to allay the man’s fears, or he could be relocated to a safe area in the country.

Couples challenge Texas marriage ban The Houston Chronicle reports two samesex couples are challenging Texas’ constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in a San Antonio federal court. A federal judge could hear arguments as early as January. Attorneys for the couples said Nov. 27 that the Texas ban violates the rights of the couples to enjoy the legal benefits of marriage. They argued that the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning a key provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act suggests bans on same-sex marriage violate the federal constitution. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has pledged to defend the law, which was approved by voters in 2005. Another lawsuit by a same-sex couple married outside of Texas has asked the Texas Supreme Court for the right to divorce in the state. Sixteen states allow same-sex marriage, along with federal agencies including the Pentagon.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Gay couple fined a penny According to USA Today, a gay couple from Kentucky who were arrested after refusing to leave the county clerk’s office, where they had been refused a marriage license, has been found guilty of trespassing and fined 1 cent. The Rev. Maurice “Bojangles” Blanchard and Dominique James were arrested in January after refusing to leave the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office at closing time. Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Prosecutor Matthew Welch said evidence was overwhelming that the pair trespassed. But he left it to the jury to decide the amount of the fine. Blanchard said after the verdict was returned, it seemed the jury understood their stance and called it “a big victory.” The men faced a maximum fine of $250 for the charge of third-degree trespassing.

recognize same-sex marriage. That had placed five National Guard facilities in Texas off-limits for same-sex couples seeking benefits. ■ — compiled by Larry Nichols

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Guard to let same-sex couples sign for benefits The San Antonio Express-News reports the Texas National Guard will immediately begin letting same-sex couples register for benefits. The Defense Department has approved a new procedure for enrolling National Guard members and their dependents for benefits. The decision came late Nov. 26. The Texas National Guard commander had ordered the Texas Military Forces, the umbrella command of all Texas National Guard units, not to process any applications from same-sex couples. Maj. Gen. John Nichols had said the Guard was a state agency bound by Texas law, which doesn’t

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

NEWS PGN

International Gay-rights office in Haiti attacked Amnesty International says the office of a gay-rights group in Haiti has been ransacked and two of its members beaten. The organization reported Nov. 27 that three men carrying handguns and machetes raided the office of the Haitian-rights organization Kouraj the previous week. Amnesty said the intruders said the center shouldn’t be allowed to operate and aimed antigay remarks at the two activists who were tied and beaten. The attackers also stole equipment, which included two laptops and files that contained sensitive information about the group’s members. Haiti’s small gay and lesbian community has long remained largely underground because of a strong social stigma that sparks fears of physical violence and loss of employment. Those negative sentiments spilled into the streets this past summer when thousands joined in an antigay demonstration.

Russian activists urge gay rights at Olympics International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has met with Russian gay-rights activists who urged an investigation ahead of the Sochi Olympics into laws there banning “gay propaganda.” International gay-rights group AllOut said Russian campaigners asked Bach in Paris “to launch an independent investigation on the legal implications of the antigay laws in effect in Russia during the Olympic Games.” AllOut says “the IOC will announce later” whether to investigate. The International Olympic Committee and its sponsors have been pressed to take a stronger position against Russia after President Vladimir Putin signed a law in June banning promotion of “nontraditional sexual relations” to minors. The IOC has previously said Moscow assured Olympic organizers that athletes and spectators will not face discrimination at the February 2014 Winter Games.

U.K. B&B owners lose appeal The Christian owners of a hotel in southern England have lost a U.K. Supreme Court appeal over their refusal to let a gay couple stay on their premises.

NEWS PGN

Peter Bull and his wife, Hazelmary, were ordered to pay damages in 2011 to Martyn Hall and his partner, Steven Preddy, for turning the couple away from Chymorvah Private Hotel in Marazion in Southwestern England. The Bulls, both devout Christians, had refused on religious grounds to let Hall and Preddy share a room. The Bulls had denied claims of sex discrimination and ultimately took their case to Britain’s highest court. Five Supreme Court judges ruled against them Nov. 27. Hazelmary Bull said she was “deeply disappointed and saddened” by the ruling.

Report documents Brazilian anti-trans bias A Washington, D.C.-based international human-rights organization released a report last month that documents violence and discrimination against transgender Brazilians of African descent. The Global Rights report includes statistics from the Brazilian Secretariat of Human Rights that indicate trans Brazilians accounted for slightly more than half of the 300 reported LGBT murder victims in the country last year. The group noted an estimated 52 percent of them were people of color. Grupo Gay da Bahia, a Brazilian advocacy group that has tracked anti-LGBT violence in Brazil for nearly two decades, said it saw a 21-percent increase in LGBT murders in the country between 2011-12. The organization reported 128 of the 338 LGBT homicide victims in Brazil last year were trans. Grupo Gay da Bahia further noted 250 LGBT Brazilians have been killed so far this year. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported 20 trans people were murdered in Brazil in August and September. The Global Rights report also cited additional statistics that show the homicide rate among Brazilians of African descent rose 5.6 percent between 2002-10, compared to the 24.8-percent decline in these crimes among white Brazilians during the same period. The Global Rights report also documented pervasive discrimination against trans Brazilians of African descent in law enforcement and employment and in the country’s education and health-care systems because of their gender identity and expression and race. The organization said Brazilian police frequently force trans women of color to strip naked in public and use racial, transphobic and homophobic slurs against them. The Global Rights report also documented cases where authorities transport trans suspects and detainees in the trunks of police cars and other confined spaces. ■

— compiled by Larry Nichols

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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PGN

New drag event a colorful success By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com To commemorate World AIDS Day, one local drag performer brought together more than 30 other drag stars for a new event to raise money for three local HIV/ AIDS organizations. Code Red, Dec. 1 at Voyeur

Nightclub, raised about $3,000 for Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance, AIDS Fund and Mazzoni Center. The event was organized by Michael Mikel Tambon, who performs under the alias Cherry Pop. Tambon, who has been performing drag for four years, was diagnosed with HIV in January

and said it reaffirmed his desire to fight for HIV/AIDS education and awareness. “I wanted to create Code Red because I wanted to reach out to my community and express the importance of safe sex and knowing your status,” he said. “I felt that I needed to speak up; if I didn’t say something, it would

continue to happen. I couldn’t sit silent anymore on the sidelines and watch this virus win. After I was diagnosed, I educated myself about HIV/AIDS and found out that my city is experiencing an all-time high of infection, a new epidemic.” Tambon conceived of a largescale fund- and awareness-rais-

ing drag event and enlisted friend Brandon Robert, who has produced shows around the city. Thomas McNamee, who has portrayed Crystal Electra for 10 years, was eager to get involved after hearing about the motivation. “Cherry Pop is good friend of mine and I’ve known her for a

CHERRY POP (FROM LEFT), MANNA’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SUE DOUGHERTY, DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ROB SAXON AND A PRODUCTION NUMBER DURING THE EVENT Photos: Scott A. Drake

PGN

ONE OF THE MORE-THAN 30 CODE RED PERFORMERS WHO TOOK THE STAGE DEC. 1 AT VOYEUR MORE CODE RED PHOTOS, PAGE 47

long time,” McNamee said. “She has been so open and honest about her diagnosis and there was just no way I couldn’t do it.” McNamee said the environment at Code Red was impressive. “The whole event was amazing from start to finish,” he said. “The audience had incredible energy that every performer fed off of, and the fact that 30 performers came together for a great cause was fantastic.” Tambon added that the performers brought an “amazing blend of talent.” In addition to their stage show, the drag performers, and bartenders, all donated a portion of their tips to the cause, and the audience member who won the 50/60 raffle also donated the winnings to charity. The beneficiaries, Tambon said, all provide a unique service to the city’s HIV/ AIDS community. “They do so much to help the community,” he said. “They provide food, medical care and counseling to those in need. That is a good-enough reason to give to the cause.” Code Red drew more than 200 people, all of whom Tambon said embraced the mission of the event. “Everyone that was at Code Red was there to make a difference to this city. As I looked out into a packed crowd, I was overcome with emotion because I knew that every person was there to make a difference in Philly. It proved to me that Philly is ready to stand up against HIV/AIDS. They are ready to speak up about safe sex, about knowing your status and about breaking the stigmas.” ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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Literary loot: LGBT titles to gift and be gifted By PGN Staff

If you didn’t check off all the LGBT giftees on your holidayshopping list on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday or Cyber Monday (or if, like some of us, you haven’t even started compiling that list), why not opt for gifting some of the latest and greatest of LGBT books? To help you on your quest for quality LGBT lit, PGN staffers got to reading some new and upcoming releases, and found a wealth of works that will make great stocking stuffers or perfect companion pieces for a night curled up by a fireplace. And if the titles don’t fit someone on your shopping list, ’tis the season for giving, even to yourself! Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution By Shiri Eisner Nonfiction Bisexuals tired of being told that they are just going through a phase or they are really gay will welcome Eisner’s book. Rather than providing a breezy survey of celebrities who have slept with both men and women, she addresses substantive issues, including the nature of bisexuality and its relation to feminism and the LGBT movement. Shiri Eisner, an unabashed radical, rejects assimilation and aims instead for liberation. She regards bisexuality as inherently destabilizing, a genuine threat to white, male, heterosexual privilege. She approaches the topic through the dual perspectives of activism and academics, a fitting method given the subject. Whenever she employs theoretical jargon, she defines it clearly and explains how it illuminates complicated matters. She recom-

mends that readers use the book as a resource, putting its arguments into action. Consequently, the main text is accompanied by a glossary, suggestions for further reading and an index. An important concept she introduces is monosexism, a social system dictating that everyone, gay or straight, be attracted to one sex only. This enables her to discuss instances of biphobia, including some by gays and lesbians, while still recognizing that all marginalized groups are oppressed by the dominant culture. Overall, Eisner’s book is a compendium of thoughtful, provocative arguments in favor of bisexuality, one that can be read with profit by anyone interested in progressive social change. — Ray Simon

“stomachaches every time the phone rings” as she hopes Emma will call, and being shamed by her friends who think she is a lesbian. The story is best when the girls are together, especially when Emma helps Clementine accept herself, but also when the lovers fight. An episode not in the film featuring Clementine’s parents discovering their daughter’s “secret life” is powerfully rendered in the graphic novel. Julie Maroh’s storytelling makes being queer both political and intimate, and her artwork notably reflects these qualities as well. — Gary M. Kramer

Blue is the Warmest Color By Julie Maroh Graphic novel

Born This Way By Paul Vitagliano Compilation

Chicago Whispers By St. Sukie de la Croix Nonfiction

Lady Gaga’s LGBT anthem is put to paper with Paul Vitagliano’s collection of stories about growing up LGBT. Each page of “Born This Way” contains one brief (truly brief — this reader got from cover to cover in one sitting) tale of selfacceptance, with writers talking about their first inklings they were “different,” their gradual acceptance of their sexual identity and their coming-out process. The stories represent great diversity: Some writers acknowledged same-sex attraction from early in childhood, while others didn’t recognize their orientation until middle-age, and some families disowned their children after their coming-out, while others celebrated their LGBT identity. The storytellers, too, run the gamut, with a number of famous faces, such as former Congressman Barney Frank, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton and drag performer Miss Coco Peru. Each story is set in a dif-

On Nov. 20, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed marriageequality legislation into law, making the Prairie State the 16th to legalize same-sex marriage. And with this new victory comes a spotlight on the state’s most populated city, Chicago, the LGBT history of which is detailed in “Chicago Whispers.” Journalist St. Sukie de la Croix gives a colorful and vivid account of LGBT life and love in the city from the late 1600s to the end of the 1960s. The book features accounts from many of the Windy City’s famous LGBT activists, musicians and artists, and de la Croix, a former Windy City Times writer, outlined the rich history of both the glamorous life of Chicago’s LGBT citizens and the dark stages in the fight for equality. “Chicago Whispers” gives readers a view into a city that was once closeted but now celebrates marriage equality for its LGBT citizens, which would

This striking graphic novel is the source for the hit film of the same name. Fans of the movie may be surprised to learn how the story, set in the mid-1990s, deviates from what was adapted for the screen. In the initial pages, Clementine (Adèle in the film) has passed away. Her great love, Emma, is instructed to read her diaries, which begin when Clementine was 15 and continue through their relationship. The vivid panels depict Clementine’s teenage angst. She finds herself fantasizing about the blue-haired Emma. The book’s sepia-toned panels are arrested, as Clementine is, by the shocking presence of azure. “Blue is the Warmest Color” chronicles Clementine’s coming-of-age, which includes

ferent year, which corresponds to a photo of the storyteller as a youth — one of the most engaging, and endearing, elements of the book. Most of the photos show the writers in poses that, while often stereotypical, illustrate their proclivity towards pushing gender barriers from a young age. “Born This Way,” based on a blog of the same name, is a relatable, humorous and insightful companion piece for an LGBT person of any age to see the often-common threads that tie community members together. — Jen Colletta

have been seen as impossible just a few short decades ago. This book is ideal for history buffs — especially those who are fascinated by Chicago’s history and LGBT history in general. — Angela Thomas The Complete Short Stories of James Purdy Introduction by John Waters Compilation “The Complete Short Stories of James Purdy” offers the queer writer’s perceptive tales, which often unfold as conversations between two people or, sometimes, the confession of one. Full of small, dramatic moments that have big emotions, and deep meaning, they illuminate sordid but true details of human nature. “You May Safely Gaze” has a man telling his friend over their regular Wednesday lunch about his Adonis-like coworker who irks and fascinates him. “Cutting Edge” features a son whose beard disturbs his parents more than his nakedness. These sordid stories are two of the volume’s many highlights. Purdy’s detached but authoritative storytelling is captivating, and he selects great names for his characters, introducing readers to Fenton Riddleway, Mrs. Hemlock and Parkhurst Cratty. He also has marvelous imagery, such as “wallpaper that shows some sacrifice of an animal by a youth.” John Waters’ fine introduction sets the appropriately dark tone for the book. It would be hard for readers of this irresistible volume to be disciplined enough to read just one tale a week, and then finish all five of his “Early Stories” at this impressive volume’s end. But it would allow PAGE 46

FEATURE PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

BOOKS from page 45

folks to savor all 56 tales for an entire year. — G.M.K. Fairyland, A Memoir of My Father By Alysia Abbott Memoir Alysia Abbott’s memoir is a valentine to her father, Steve. Bisexual and bohemian, he raised her on his own before succumbing to AIDS. Drawing on his journals and letters, she recalls the nontraditional but loving family life they shared. Abbott’s parents were activists in the late 1960s. Compared to ending the Vietnam War, her father’s sexuality struck the couple as an easily surmountable problem. After Abbott’s mother dies in a car accident, father and daughter move to San Francisco, where Steve immerses himself in the city’s gay culture. Many mornings, she finds strange men in his bed. But, neither his roommates nor his tricks are interested in raising a child. Eventually, the pair settles into a funky Haight-Ashbury apartment and begin attending readings together. Steve becomes a respected figure in the local literary scene, publishing his poetry and editing an influential magazine. As a girl, Abbott imagined that her life was a fairytale. By her teens, however, she was embarrassed by her father’s sexuality and their poverty. Some anecdotes reveal Steve as an obtuse parent, but Abbott is quick to admit she was sullen and ungrateful. Attending NYU brings her a measure of independence, at least until Steve reveals he is HIV-positive. Sooner than expected, she must return home to care for him. This book is a testament to her abiding love for him. — R.S. God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage By Gene Robinson Nonfiction With holiday dinners right around the corner, “God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage” may be

the best book to slip into the hands of the aunt or uncle still not yet onboard with your LGBT identity. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay person elected to the episcopate, used his own experiences to write the book, so it comes from a genuine voice. Among the many strengths of this book is that it tackles head-on the same arguments religious family members may use to condemn same-sex relationships — from a religious leader who happens to be gay. Robinson’s book is a perfect way to open dialogue about the concerns that parents, guardians or other family members may have about same-sex relationships, while maintaining a level of respect for all parties involved. Robinson outlines common issues raised against marriage equality by relying on clear theology, and also secular views to explain the positives and support for gay marriage — all without sounding preachy or confrontational. If, like many, you get redfaced or trip over your words when arguing with family about same-sex marriage, then Robinson’s book is also the perfect tool for you — arming you with clear, reasoned arguments you can bring to any debate or conversation. — A.T. The Heavens Rise By Christopher Rice Fiction Christopher Rice has crafted a four-star suspense thriller with just enough morsels of foreshadowing to entice and intrigue without revealing too much. Coincidentally, it’s difficult to say much about the story without giving away key points, but ask yourself this: What if you found you had the ability to control any animal, from birds to humans, and they would have

no recollection? Assuming they live through it, of course. Think carefully. Because there are always consequences and unless you know what is in a person’s soul, it can get ugly. The story is set in Rice’s native New Orleans and starts with some introductory casual pre-Katrina high-school friendships and romances. Those lives change in a car-crashing instant. And we know what the characters are up to now also, because we are also privy to the present-day action that is interwoven with the past through the first half of the book. Just wait until you get to that second half. In his own words a few weeks ago at Giovanni’s Room, Rice described the antagonist Marshall as “the most evil and scariest character I have ever written because he kills without any regret or conscience.” Indeed. And if that’s not enough to grab your attention, then maybe a scene where someone under control takes a blade to themselves will. Kafka-esque is the best word to describe this plausible and engaging story and it is one of Rice’s best writes to date. Buy two copies. You and a lucky friend will thank me. — Scott A. Drake Just Between Us J.H. Trumble Fiction “Just Between Us” may on the surface seem like a tale of teen angst, but the novel delves to much deeper and more valuable levels as it explores parental homophobia, school bullying, 21st-century HIV diagnosis and a wealth of other real-world issues faced by LGBT teens today. The story is a follow-up to J.H. Trumble’s “Don’t Let Me Go,” which introduced the character of Luke Chesser. In “Just Between Us,” Luke encounters Curtis Cameron, a college student working at Luke’s school, and together the pair confronts the realities of growing up gay — some experiences they share, and others vastly different. Whereas some stories focused on the high-school years are stunted by their attempts to

exemplify teen language and day-to-day dramas in and out of the classroom, “Just Between Us” succeeds because it allows the characters the internal space to explore just why each of the situations they face are impactful. We get to see the characters’ thought processes, divided by chapter, and learn alongside them as they change and adapt to their ever-evolving surroundings. “Just Between Us” is an engaging tale that takes readers on the roller-coaster of adolescent love and self-acceptance, and all the humor and heartbreak that accompany those journeys. — J.C. Legendary: Inside the House Ballroom Scene By Gerard H. Gaskin Nonfiction The coffee-table book uses Gerard H. Gaskin’s color and black-and-white photographs to take readers inside the culture of house balls, underground late-night pageant events where gay and transgender men and women, mostly African-American and Latino, come together in a safe place to see and be seen. Gaskin, who has been attending balls for 20 years, features photos taken at events in the New York City area, Philadelphia, Richmond and Washington, D.C. The book also features an introduction by Deborah Willis and an essay, “The Queer Undercommons,” by Frank Roberts. The black-and-white photos give the collection a documentary feel, while the color photography gives the book a glamorous high-fashion feel. Whether you are familiar with the house ballroom scene or not, “Legendary” makes for some interesting conversation and exotic eye candy. — Larry Nichols Perv: The Sexual Deviant in All of Us By Dr. Jesse Bering Nonfiction Out author and professor Dr. Jesse Bering explores the subject of sexual deviancy, from run-of-the-mill kink to the most

extreme of fetishes, in an effort to show that sexual deviance is commonplace and is something everyone experiences in one way or another. Bering draws on a lot of stories, historical references and his own personal reflections on growing up gay in America to illustrate and communicate his points. We can’t promise you that knowing the historical origins and the genetic predispositions of some of the scarier fetishes (zoophilia, amputees, etc.) will make them any more or less freakish (we’re not here to judge), but “Perv” will give you lots of ammo to defend your more vanilla fetishes. “Perv” should definitely be on your reading list if your academic mind wants to know about the seldom-talked-about corners of sex and sexuality. — L.N. A Queer History of Fashion: From the Closet to the Catwalk Edited by Valerie Steele Nonfiction You don’t have to be a fashionista to appreciate this stylish coffee-table book that traces queer presence and influence in fashion from the 18th century to the present. The essays and images in this elegant anthology address fops, macaronis and dandys (both male and female), as well as hipsters, clones and bears, butch-femmes, tomboys, androgynes and cross-dressers. Clothes, Steele and her contributors assert, “are gay signifiers” and queer people negotiate their sexual identity through their appearance and articulate their acceptance of sexual orientation through their dress sense and style. While clothes in the 18th century could “conceal or reveal a dandy’s sexual identity,” in the modern PAGE 50

PROFILE PGN

Family Portrait

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Suzi Nash

Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez: Sass and style, from No. Libs to Hollywood Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez, aka T-Lo, are style and culture bloggers whose insightful and humorous website is visited by almost 200,000 people a day. The couple has been featured in People, Marie Claire, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune, among other publications. Their first book, “Everyone Wants to Be Me or Do Me: Tom and Lorenzo’s Fabulous and Opinionated Guide to Life and Style,” is coming out in February. I sat down to talked to them in their swanky Northern Liberties apartment. PGN: Hmmm, I’m not used to doing two people at once. This is going to be tricky. TF: I’m not touching that line. PGN: [Laughs.] Bad! Just for that, I’m starting with Lorenzo. Where do you hail from? LM: I’m actually from Brazil. I’ve been here for about 18 years now. TF: Seventeen. LM: He always corrects me, I’m bad with dates. My background is in music. I played the violin and the harpsichord for a long time before I got bored with it. I came here to teach until I got tired of that too. And I love languages. I speak several and got into translating for a while until we decided to create a website and do our own thing. PGN: What languages do you speak? LM: Well, my native language, Portuguese, plus Spanish, French, Italian, German and, of course, English. PGN: Does it drive you crazy when people assume Spanish is your native language? LM: Yes, yes! Especially with my last name, people just assume I speak Spanish, which I do, but it’s not my culture; I just learned it because my harpsichord teacher was from Argentina and she couldn’t speak Portuguese so I had to learn Spanish to understand what the hell she was saying. PGN: What did you teach? LM: It was a business/culture program at Penn. I loved teaching, and the students loved my class, but I’m not suited for office politics or a business environment. PGN: Were you always interested in fashion? LM: Yes, I was a stylist and a personal shopper for a long time in Brazil and worked in the fashion industry for a while. PGN: What jobs haven’t you done? LM: I know. Looking back, I wish I’d stuck with some of them, but then I wouldn’t have what I have now and I love it. I do miss music, though. My whole family played music. People think that from Brazil, we’re all Catholics, but we were Protestant. My grandfather conducted a church choir and everyone played something.

PGN: What was coming out like? LM: Being from Latin America, it was tough. Everyone kind of knows, but you don’t talk about it. My mother figured it out and told me it was OK, my father had a harder time with it, but they now both accept it. It’s still not a subject we would really discuss openly, though. I remember having dinner with Tom’s parents the first time and everyone talking about when he came out and all sorts of gay topics and it was so foreign to me! Part of me wanted to tug his arm, “Oh my God! You’re not supposed to talk about that with family! You’re embarrassing me!” [Laughs.] I really had to get used to it. PGN: So let’s find out more about you, Tom and your familia. TF: I was born in New York, and when I was a year old, my parents moved to Levittown. We lived there until I was about 12 and then we moved into Philadelphia. They tell the story that they took us on a trip to Philly one day and my siblings and I — there were six of us — did not know how to cross a city street. As two New Yorkers, they looked at eachother and said, “These are not the kids we want to raise.” Levittown was so lilywhite, I’d never spoken to a black person until I was 13. It almost seems insane to me now, but that’s how segregated it was back then. To their tremendous credit, they saw the problem and moved us into the city. It was a hard adjustment for us, especially the older kids who had to leave school and friends, but I’ve thanked them a million times since then. Something like coming out would have been so much harder if we’d been in the ’burbs. What else? I went to Temple University, was a film-school grad. Moved to Los Angeles, worked for about a year on very, very low-budget, shitty films. Hated, hated Los Angeles. It’s a lovely city if that’s your thing, but it just wasn’t my world. Came back and did a little more film work. The last thing I worked on was “Philadelphia” with Tom Hanks. By the end of the shoot, I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I had a knack for proofreading, so I did that and moved my way up the corporate ladder until I became a copy editor. From there, I got into advertising and found myself as an account exec in an advertising agency, a job I was ill-suited for. It’s the one thing Lorenzo and I have in common: We have very little tolerance for office politics. At that point we were in our late 30s and realized that we weren’t happy in our jobs. PGN: Is that when you started the site? TF: Yes, we thought, Let’s just go for it! We didn’t think it was going to make money or become a career, it was just something we loved. In fact, the first four years, we didn’t make any money and weren’t looking to, but then we were putting so much time and

effort in, we realized we needed to figure out a way to make money from it or we’d have to put a stop to it and work on our careers. We figured out a way, and here we are! PGN: What year was that? LM: 2006. We were smart enough to combine our strengths. I wanted a site about fashion, celebrities and pop culture, and Tom added the television and movie-critic component. TF: We tell people tomandlorenzo.com is about whatever interests Tom and Lorenzo. People try to get us to cover other things, but we find that our formula works best for us. Our quirky tastes and take on things is what people like; no need to move away from that. PGN: Any hobbies outside of work? TF: I still read comic books. I’ve read them since I was 8. I was a nerd before it became cool and it still informs my life. Once you’ve been a nerd, it gets ingrained in your system. I understand nerd culture.

who’s telling the story but I say I walked up to him at the triceps machine and asked if I could work it ... [laughs] and I’ve been working it in ever since! LM: Yes, and I immediately asked you on a date. And he turned me down! I was like, “Oh, check him out!” TF: I had a blind date with someone who showed up dressed as Cher! He turned out to be a Cher impersonator but he really didn’t need to show up in full regalia — there was not a second date. I wound up with Lorenzo a day or two later and we hit it off immediately. We were sharing “I love you’s” in two weeks, not something I’d usually advise, but it worked for us. We were both in our 30s and had done our share of running around and were looking for someone to share a life with. I don’t believe in “the one” — I think it’s a horrible concept that puts too much pressure on people — but I knew this was someone I could build a life with. LM: And I felt the same way. I always wanted to have a life partner. It was a goal of mine and here we are 17 years later. PGN: Are you married? LM: Yes! In July in New York. TF: We just had a reception here two weeks ago to celebrate. Going back to coming out, I didn’t come out until I was 28. I wasn’t a virgin and had done my share of slutting around but hadn’t come out to family and friends. When I did, I told my friends — and most of them were straight — that I was on a hunt. My feeling was now that I was fully out, I wanted to do it right, to build a life for myself that included a life partner.

PGN: And now you have a hubby! Tell me a little more about the website. TF: Well, our initial site was all about “Project Runway.” We were huge fans of the show and, believe it or not, no one was writing about the show. This was in 2006 when “Project Runway” was super hot, on all the magaPhoto: Suzi Nash PGN: So I’ll assume you were the author zine covers, so when we put of the “Doctor Who” blog I read. up the site “Project RunGay” TF: Guilty. we got an audience like that [snaps fingers]. LM: Yes! He’s the huge “Doctor” fan. I just Overnight. We were so lucky. After a while, come along for the ride. Unfortunately, we people were asking what else we were going don’t have time for much outside of our to cover, so we started doing a lot of redwork. We like to travel and do cultural things carpet coverage and general fashion, which like museums when we have time. Lorenzo, being the fashion guy, took care PGN: How/when did you two meet? of, while I did TV and film coverage. So it’s TF: In 1996 at Bally’s at 15th and Walnut. a full-service fashion, celebrity pop-culture We’d been eyeing each other in the gym but website. It is not a gossip site in the Perez never did anything about it. It depends on Hilton mode. PAGE 58

PGN NIGHTLIFE

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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1. 12th Street Gym 204 S. 12th St. 215.985.4092 12thstreetgym.com 2. Adonis Cinema 2026 Sansom St. 215.557.9319 3. Alexander Inn 301 S. 12th St. 215.923.3535 alexanderinn.com 4. Attic Youth Center 255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org 5. The Bike Stop 206 S. Quince St. 215.627.1662 thebikestop.com 6. Club Philly 1220 Chancellor St. 215.735.7671 7. Danny’s Adam & Eve 133 S. 13th St. 215.925.5041

8. Giovanni’s Room 1145 Pine St. 215.923.2960 giovannisroom.com Oldest LGBT bookstore in the country 9. ICandy 254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com

15. Sansom Street Gym 2020 Sansom St. 267.330.0151

16. Scorpio Books 205 S. Juniper St. 10. Independent Hotel 215.525.2181 1234 Locust St. 17. Spruce Street 215.923.3535 Video theindependenthotel. 252 S. 12th St. com 215.546.6843 11. Knock 18. Stir Lounge 225 S. 12th St. 1705 Chancellor St. 215.925.1166 215.732.2700 knockphilly.com stirphilly.com 12. Optimal Sport 1315 Walnut St. (entr. on Juniper St.) 215.735.1114 optimalsporthealthclubs.com 13. Pleasure Chest 2039 Walnut St. 215.561.7480

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21. U Bar 1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660 22. Unite Fitness 105 S. 12th St. 215.733.0633 uniteﬁtnessstudios. com 23. Venture Inn 255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 24. Voyeur 1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub. com 25. Westbury 261 S. 13th St. 215.546.5170 thewestburybar.net 26. William Way LGBT CC 1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org 27. Woody’s 202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com

The holidays have only just begun and sion to both Woody’s and Voyeur after already my calendar is getting crazy! I have the party. Don’t forget an unwrapped toy something every night of the week and on appropriate for ages 2-17, which will be some days I’m double- and even triplegiven to a child at the Children’s Hospital booked. I love it — it’s almost like my of Philadelphia (no plush toys, please). calendar is getting gang-banged by the holFor more information, see www.dvlf.org. idays. (In my world, that’s a good thing!) With all the special events going on, A Very Quince Holiday Cabaret don’t forget to make room for Enjoy a night of twisted holithese timeless traditions — each day surprises from 5:30-7:30 one is totally free and totally p.m. Dec. 9 at Tabu Lounge Philly: the Wanamaker (sorry, & Sports Bar, 200 S. 12th I’ll never call it the Macy’s) St. Performers from Quince Light Show at 1300 Market St., Productions will entertain you at the top of every even hour with their own unique brand (10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., of holiday cheer during their 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.) through annual fundraiser. Tickets are New Year’s Eve; the Comcast $25 for reserved seats or $15 Holiday Spectacular on the corfor general admission. See poration’s ginormous HD video www.quinceproductions.com wall in the lobby at 1701 JFK for more information. Blvd., at the top of every hour Jim Kiley- OurNightOut from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. weekends Ring in the holidays with Zufelt your through New Year’s Day; and ONO family and friends the Christmas Village in Love from 7-9 p.m. Dec. 12 at XIX, Park at 1500 Arch St., modeled after tradi200 S. Broad St. They’ll have drink spetional German Christmas markets, from 11 cials, light hors d’oeuvres and plenty of a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. holiday spirit to spread around. Admission weekends through New Year’s Day. is free but professional attire is required.

Barcrawlr

PGMC Cool Yule You still have a chance to catch the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., as they perform all your old holiday favorites with a big-band jazz ensemble. There are three more shows — Dec. 6 and 7 at 8 p.m., plus a 2 p.m. matinee Dec. 7. Tickets are $30-$55 and are available online or at the door. See www.pgmc.org for ticket links and more information. Beer & Cupcakes IV Don’t have time to bake for the holidays? Let the case managers at Mazzoni Center give you a hand from 8 p.m.-midnight Dec. 6 at the Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. It’s the fourth annual Beer & Cupcakes, where you can get cheap beer, Jell-O shots and all sorts of naughty and nice baked goodies while raising money for a great cause: Mazzoni Center’s winter coat and holiday toy drive for children whose lives have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. TOY 2013 The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund hosts its annual holiday fundraiser 8-11 p.m. Dec. 7 at Reading Terminal Market, 12th and Filbert streets. It’s always an amazing night of friends, food, holiday cheer and an open bar, made even better with the knowledge that you’re helping to make a difference in the lives of children who can use a little hope and cheer around the holidays. Tickets are $60 in advance or $70 at the door, and your wristband gets you admis-

Mr. SEXO 2013 Join GALAEI and PhillyGayCalendar at 10 p.m. Dec. 12 at Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St., for some sex-positive goodness infused with some Latin holiday realness! Hostess Cyannie Famouz will bring you hot music and hot men competing for cash, prizes and the title of Mr. SEXO 2013. Independence Business Alliance Holiday Party Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT chamber of commerce celebrates the holidays from 5:30-8 p.m. Dec. 17 in the Philadelphia Room at the Hard Rock Café, 1113 Market St.. Meet the IBA board, members and a host of business owners, professionals and community partners. not to mention potential employers (and employees)! Tickets are $55 for members or $65 for non-members and guests, and include a champagne toast, appetizers, two drink tickets, door prizes and happy-hour pricing until 8. Festive business casual attire is suggested, and don’t forget to bring plenty of business cards! Tickets will not be available at the door so make sure you get your tickets in advance — this is a sell-out every year! For tickets and more information, see www.independencebusinessalliance.com. ■

Questions, comments, Black Friday horror stories? Contact Jim at barcrawlr@gmail. com or follow him on Facebook for links to back articles and totally bitchin’ music videos!

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

BOOKS from page 46

age, fashion designers emphasized sexuality — from Jean Paul Gaultier’s corsetinfluenced designs to Gianni Versace’s “bondage” collection. The photographs are as fabulous as the text. Icons like Marlene Dietrich in a tux or Lady Gaga in Alexander McQueen are showcased along with a gorgeous man’s silk waistcoat and coat c. 1770-79 and an original Hilary Knight illustration (“Workroom of Charles James”). The closing chapter, by Jonathan D. Katz, emphasizes queer fashion as a political statement, which reinforces the book’s savvy and sartorial points. — G.M.K. This is How You Say Goodbye Victoria Loustalot Memoir Victoria Loustalot’s debut work is an effort to finally lay to rest her father and his enduring and often-undecipherable impact on her life. A gay man who was dying of AIDS, Loustalot’s father committed suicide shortly before his daughter’s eighth birthday. While her father lacked a physical presence in her life, his absence became a defining element of her life; and it is through her memoir that she seeks to fill that gap by exploring the man her father was and the relationship that was, and could have been. The reader accompanies the writer as she travels to all corners of the world on her own journey of self-discovery, intrinsically linked to a discovery of her father. She looks at her life, and the life of her father, in an honest, no-holdsbarred manner; her often-witty, and justas- often-emotive, language eliminates the barrier that sometimes distances memoir-writers from their readers, as her family, her upbringing, her struggles and her triumphs become both real and relatable to the reader. Loustalot’s work is a treasure for all readers who’ve experienced loss — through death or other circumstances that have taken family members or friends out of their daily life. Her memoir illustrates the need for looking to and learning from, yet not living in, the past. — J.C. We Do! American Leaders Who Believe in Marriage Equality Edited by Jennifer Baumgardner and Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin “We Do!” is the type of book you read when you need reassurance that the world is on your side — or at least partly

FEATURE BOOKS PGN

on your side. Jennifer Baumgardner, author of feminist pieces “Manifesta” and “Grassroots,” and Madeleine Kunin, former governor of Vermont, present a series of texts from politicians on both sides of the aisle who support marriage equality and LGBT rights. “We Do!” includes historical speeches such as Harvey Milk’s “Hope” monologue, the 1996 Congressional debates on the Defense of Marriage Act, President Barack Obama’s statements on same-sex marriage throughout his political career and the seminal speech delivered by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Human Rights Day in 2011. The book provides insight into progress the LGBT-rights movement has made over the years, and the strides it has made with legislators of all backgrounds. And even better, not only can the book boost your own confidence, but it also boosts the support of marriage equality, as 10 percent of the profits of book sales will support Freedom to Marry. Now that is a win-win for marriage equality! — A.T. The WorstCase Scenario Survival Handbook: Extreme Edition By Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht Humor If you need the information in this book, you either live a fascinating life or you are making a lot of really bad decisions. Yes, the advice contained in the latest of this popular book series is as practical as it is improbable that you will ever need to use any of it. Well, actually, living in Philadelphia, details on how to successfully “take a bullet” or “recover a motorcycle spinning out of control” might be useful. But many of the other entries probably won’t ever come into play in your life unless you are Indiana Jones or 007. Sure, knowing how to survive an elephant stampede, an attack by a pack of wolves or being buried alive is helpful, but we’d like to assume that 99.9 per-

cent of us have the presence of mind to never, ever find ourselves in those situations. This is a funny, informative and entertaining read, but if you ever need any of this info, you have really screwed something up in your life. — L.N.

Best-Sellers Information is courtesy of Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; 215-923-2960; www.queerbooks.com. Ten-percent off most hardcover in-store sales.

Men’s Books 1. “In Bed with Gore Vidal: Hustlers, Hollywood and the Private World of an American Master” by Tim Teeman (Riverdale Avenue, $19.99 pb). Edmund White says this biography “is the perfect combination of racy gossip — from steamy celebrity liaisons to hustlers in Rome — What and penetrating analysis.” would you 2. “The Heavens Rise” by Christopher do if you Rice (Gallery, $26 hb, less 10 percent in realized the store; $12.99 ebook). New York Times you’d spent bestselling author Rice brilliantly conhalf your jures the shadowed terrors of the Louisiana life with the Bayou, where three friends confront a same man deadly, ancient evil rising to the surface, and you in this intense and atmospheric new superweren’t sure natural thriller. if you loved him any longer? And he 3. “Love Lost in Translation: was in exactly the same place? In fact, the two of you bickering seems to be the Homosexuality and the Bible” by T. only testament left of your original love. Renato Lings (Trafford, $28.44 pb, $3.49 ebook). Systematically examines the bibEnter Adam and Jesse, both 49, lical stories and passages that are generpolar opposites who live in Eastern ally assumed to deal with, or comment on, Pennsylvania. Adam is the tall, handhomoerotic relationships to convincingly some, workout-obsessed doctor who demonstrate that mistranslations of these drives a Porsche Carrera and likes to texts into Greek, Latin and other languages find bargain antiques on the weekend. occurred early, and that serious errors conJesse is under 6 foot, hair thinning, tinue to be committed by translators today. wears glasses and is more interested 4. “The End of San Francisco” by in researching liposuction. What Jesse Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore (City Lights, lacks physically, he makes up for with $15.95 pb, $10.69 ebook). An elegy for the his humor, energy and know-how for dream of a radical queer community and engaging a party crowd. the mythical city that was supposed to nurThe entire story takes place durture it. ing just two days, starting with a fight 5. “Baton Rouge Bingo” by Greg Herren about the car on Friday morning, which (Bold Strokes, $16.95 pb, $9.99 ebook). leads to a variety of bad decisions and Bomb threats, murder, a tiger, animal worse reactions. The 48 hours includes rights, missing money — all in a day’s a hustler, a cutter, some slashed tires, work for Scotty Bradley, P.I.! skipping work to drink and go bowling, 6. “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin stolen goods, an ambitious, hot, young (Delta, $14 pb). We think the resurgence of gym trainer and enough recollections our eponymous book is due to the rebroadand reminisces to bring the guys’ curcast of the excellent documentary about rent relationship status into focus. Baldwin on PBS this fall. I found myself trying to predict the 7. “Two Boys Kissing” by David Levithan outcome throughout the book. Would (Knopf, $16.99 hb, less 10 percent in the they settle down and realize they still store; $9.99 ebook). Tells the based-onloved each other or would one finally true-events story of Harry and Craig, two have the courage to “give up” on 24 17-year-olds who are about to take part in years together? Would one be arrested a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new and, if so, would the other come to his Guinness World Record — all of which is rescue or be the one who called the narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generapolice? Would there be one last knocktion of gay men lost to AIDS. down, drag-out fight that leaves one or both of them dead? The ending is very Women’s and Trans Books honest and true to the characters, some- 1. “The End of San Francisco” by thing that is not always the case in hap- Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore (City Lights, pily ever-after land. $15.95 pb, $10.69 ebook). An elegy for the Some words of wisdom from this tale: dream of a radical queer community, and If you’re in a bad relationship or job the mythical city that was supposed to nurthat makes you feel as though you are ture it. constantly running away from it or to 2. “Excluded: Making Feminist and something else, proceed with caution. Queer Movements More Inclusive” by Just being comfortable can be uncomJulia Serano (Seal, $17 pb). Explores the fortable. ■ notion that, while many feminist and queer — S.A.D. movements are designed to challenge sex“The Forever Marathon” By Jameson Currier Fiction

BOOKS PGN

ism, they often simultaneously police gender and sexuality — sometimes just as fiercely as the straight, male-centric mainstream does. 3. “Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama” by Alison Bechdel (Mariner, $15.95 pb). A poignant and hilarious graphic memoir of Bechdel’s becoming the artist her gifted mother always wanted to be. 4. “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” by Alison Bechdel (Mariner, $14.95 pb). Through narrative that is alternately heartbreaking and fiercely funny, we are drawn into a daughter’s complex yearning for her father. 5. “Blue is the Warmest Color” by Julie Marot (Arsenal Pulp, $19.95 pb). In this tender, bittersweet, full-color graphic novel, a young woman named Clementine discovers herself and the elusive magic of love when she meets a confident bluehaired girl named Emma. 6. “Silhouette of a Sparrow” by Molly Beth Griffin (Milkweed, $8 pb, $6.59 ebook). In the summer of 1926, 16-yearold Garnet Richardson is sent to a lake resort to escape the polio epidemic in the city but finds herself under the supervision of equally oppressive guardians — her father’s wealthy cousin and the matron’s stuck-up daughter. Only a liberating job in a hat shop, an intense, secret relationship with a daring and beautiful flapper, and a deep faith in her own fierce heart can save her from the suffocating boredom of traditional femininity.

7. “A Little Gay History: Desire and Diversity Across the World” by R.B. Parkinson, Kate Smith and Max Carocci (Columbia, $19.95 pb). When was the first chat line between men established? Who was the first “lesbian”? Were ancient Greek men who had sex with each other necessarily “gay,” and what did Shakespeare think about crossdressing? “A Little Gay History” answers these questions and more. Men’s DVDs 1. “Elliot Loves,” directed by Terracino (2012, 92 min., $19.95). A charming and wildly entertaining tale of wide-eyed gay Elliot at two different stages in life — as an inquisitive 10-year-old boy and an idealistic 21-year-old searching for love in all the wrong places. 2. “Behind the Candelabra,” directed by Steven Soderbergh (2013, 118 min., $19.98). Oscar winners Michael Douglas and Matt Damon star as the legendary Liberace and his young lover. 3. “Leave Blank,” directed by Todd Verow (2010, 77 min., $12.95). A lonely middle-aged man, Todd, hires a hustler named Paul to spend the weekend with him in New York City to help him experience everything he has never done before — unsafe sex, drugs, anonymous sex with multiple partners, etc. Both of their lives are forever changed after that weekend. 4. “Sagat,” directed by Jerome M. Oliveira and Pascal Roche (2011, 50 min., $19.95). Follows Francois Sagat — gay-

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

porn legend and sexual icon — from the set to his home. The provocative documentary sees Sagat opening up about topics from hyper-masculinity to his personal fetishes and the politics of the porn industry. French with subtitles. 5. “Out in the Dark,” directed by Michael Mayer (2013, 96 min., $24.95). One fateful night in Tel Aviv, Nimer, an ambitious Palestinian student in the West Bank who dreams of a better life abroad, meets Roy, an Israeli lawyer, and the two fall in love. As their relationship deepens, they are confronted with the harsh realities of a Palestinian society that refuses to accept Nimer for his sexual identity, and an Israeli society that rejects him for his nationality. 6. “Triple Crossed,” directed by Sean Paul Lockhart (2013, 90 min., $24.95). With a tour in Afghanistan behind him, war-addled Chris Jensen (Jack Brockett) struggles to assimilate back to life in California. Drifting and living out of his car, he soon discovers that few are willing to deal with the remnants of a damaged military career. 7. “Aleksandr’s Price,” directed by Pau Masó ($24.99). Traumatized by the death of his mother, Aleksandr, an illegal Russian immigrant living alone in New York, struggles to make ends meet and ultimately turns to escorting. As he descends into the dark world of the New York sex trade, he must also come to terms with who he is. But will his search for himself and a stable home come at a price?

Women’s and Trans DVDs 1. “Gun Hill Road,” directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green (2011, 88 min., $19.95). After three years in prison, macho Enrique returns to the Bronx to find the world he once knew has turned upside down. His wife struggles to hide an emotional affair, and his teenage son explores a sexual transformation well beyond Enrique’s grasp. 2. “Boys Don’t Cry,” directed by Kimberly Peirce (1999, $14.95). Hilary Swank won her first Oscar for Best Actress in this riveting film based on the life and death of Brandon Teena. 3. “RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 4” (2012, $57.95). Thirteen new queens begin their quests for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar,” but first must survive drag zombies and the end of the world. 4. “Margarita,” directed by Laurie Colbert and Dominique Cardona (2012, 91 min., $24.95).The tale of an undocumented Mexican nanny whose girlfriend is reluctant to commit and whose yuppie employers — a nice Toronto family, including a bi-curious mom — are about to let her go. 5. “Lovers & Friends Show, Season 5, The Final Season,” directed by Charmain Johnson (2012, 196 min., $19.95). The ever-popular lesbians-of-color series wraps up its fifth and final season with a bang as your favorite characters grapple with sex, love and friendships — and the usual wildly entertaining drama of lesbian life in Miami. ■

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Worth Watching NOMINATRIX: Stars from across the spectrum of music perform, including Drake, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (pictured), Robin Thicke and Keith Urban, at “The Grammy Nominations Concert Live,” 10 p.m. Dec. 6 on CBS.

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A VERY KELLY CHRISTMAS: Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire and Trisha Yearwood appear as guest stars in the upcoming holiday special “Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale,” 10 p.m. Dec. 11 on NBC. Photo: NBC/Justin Lubin

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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

OUT & ABOUT The week ahead Fri. 12/06 P!nk The pop singer performs 8 p.m. at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215389-9543. Hanzel Und Gretyl The industrial rock/ metal band performs 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at Mojo 13, 1706 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, Del.; 302-798-5798.

Sat. 12/07 Michael McDonald The rock singer performs a holiday concert 8 p.m. at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215-5727650.

Solas: Celtic Christmas The Irish-American band performs 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. A Tribute to Lou Reed Musicians perform a tribute to the rock artist 7:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. Wax The punk-rock band performs an all-ages show 7:30 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888. Johnny Mathis The singer performs 8 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Event Center,

1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Celeste Giuliano’s Pin-up Peepshow Enjoy the sights and sounds of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s with Celeste Giuliano and her burlesque show, 9 p.m. at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St.; 215-232-2100.

Sun. 12/08 A Rat Pack Christmas A holiday-themed tribute show 2 p.m. at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville, PA 18960 The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue The comedy group performs 7:30 p.m. at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple Ave.,Sellersville, PA 18960

PGN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS

Mon. 12/09

Tue. 12/10

A Very Quince Holiday Cabaret An evening of holiday music with a twist, 6-7:30 p.m. at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; quinceproductions.com.

Moya Brennan: An Irish Christmas The Irish folk singer performs 8:30 p.m. at Tin Angel, 20 N. Second St.; 215928-0770.

Free Quizzo and Board Game Night Roll the dice, 7 p.m. at World Cafe Live at the Queen, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del.; 302-994-1400.

Wed. 12/11

First Person StorySlam Spoken-word artists perform 7:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400. A Christmas Story The classic 1983 holiday film is screened 8 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888.

Rod Stewart The rock singer performs 7:30 p.m. at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215-389-9543.

Thu. 12/12 Debora Spar The author of “Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection” hosts a reading at 8 a.m. at Central Library, 1901 Vine St.; 215686-5322. The Burlesque Show The new event kicks off 9 p.m. at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000. Bob and Barbara’s Drag Show The outrageousness begins 11 p.m. at Bob and Barbara’s, 1509 South St.; 215-545-4511.

Fri. 12/13 Mr. SEXO LGBT Latinos compete for the title of Mr. SEXO,

CABARET ALL STARS: Quince Productions presents its third annual beneﬁt show, “A Very Quince Holiday Cabaret,” featuring 13 Quince veterans, including Deborah Billups, Carly Bodnar, John Hodges, Michael L. Medvidik, Jordi Wallen, Derrick Baldwin, Sean Thompson, Hillary Parker, AJ Luca, Peggy Smith, Tyler Riley, Elaine Fydrych and Alexander Kacala, 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St. For more information or tickets, visit http://quinceproductions.com.

a campaign created by GALAEI to promote sexpositive messages, with a performance by Jonathan Hernandez and hosted by Miss Philly Gay Pride Cyannie Famouz at 9 p.m. at Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St.; 215-545-1893. Hot Water Music The punk-rock band performs an all-ages show 7:30 p.m. at the

RISING AGAIN: Antigone Rising, the all-female rock band with out members, rocks in the midst of working on its upcoming album, due out early 2014, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at Tin Angel, 20 N. Second St. For more information or tickets, call 215-928-0770.

Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; 215922-6888.

Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.; 215572-7650.

Cheech & Chong The comedy duo performs 8 p.m. at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-343-4000.

Antigone Rising The all-female rock band performs 8:30 p.m. at Tin Angel, 20 N. Second St.; 215-928-0770.

Rick Springfield The pop/rock singer performs a stripped-down holiday concert 8 p.m. at Keswick

New Year’s Evil The 1980 horror film is screened 9:45 p.m. at Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-0223.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS PGN

Opening David Kim Plays Tchaikovsky The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with Spanish conductor and phenom Pablo Heras-Casado Dec. 12-14 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Jersey Boys The Tony Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons hits the stage Dec. 11-Jan. 5 at Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut St.; 215-923-1515.

Continuing Barbarism The multimedia project that celebrates gender-bending explores alternative representations of gender in an exhibit through Jan. 31 at Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine St.; 215-9223456. Brian Sanders’ Snowball The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the holiday show by the out choreographer through Dec. 15 at Harold Prince Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; 215-898-3900. The Enchanted World of German Romantic Prints Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of prints created by Austrian, German and Swiss artists through Dec. 15, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. From Philadelphia to Monaco: Grace Kelly, Beyond the Icon James A. Michener Art Museum hosts an exhibition tracing the unique path

Grace Kelly took from Philadelphia to Monaco, through Jan. 26, 138 S. Pine St., Doylestown; 215-340-9800. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Media Theatre presents the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical through Jan. 4, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-891-0100. Holiday POPS! The Philly POPS! perform through Dec. 21 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Léger: Modern Art and the Metropolis Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of 160 works and a multimedia exhibition of important paintings by the French painter Fernand Léger through Jan. 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Marc Newson: At Home Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of furnishings by the influential designer through April 20, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-7638100. Sophie Tucker: The Last of the Red Hot Mamas Walnut Street Theatre presents the story of America’s queen of the double entendre through Dec. 29, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. The Surrealists: Works from the Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of the museum’s unique collection of great masterpieces and lesser-known works of the movement, through March 2, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.

Closing Grimaud and Symphonie fantastique The Philadelphia Orchestra performs through Dec. 8 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. Lewis Black The comedian performs through Dec. 7 at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609-317-1000.

Notices ROCK ROYALTY: Rock icon Rod Stewart hits Philadelphia, performing hits spanning his long and storied career, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-389-9543.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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.

AMERICAN IDOLS: The Tony Award-winning musical “Jersey Boys,” the story of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Four Seasons, returns to the area Dec. 11-Jan. 5 at Forrest Theater, 1114 Walnut St. For more information or tickets, call 215-923-1515.

Nice & Fresh December Edition Smokey Scout Productions presents four new theater and dance works Dec. 6-7 at Moving Arts of Mount Airy, 6819 Greene St.; 215-842-1040. PGMC: Cool Yule Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus per-

forms a holiday concert through Dec. 7 at Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.; www.pgmc.org. PHILADANCO The dance company performs through Dec. 8 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; 215-790-5800. ■

FUN PGN & GAMES

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Q Puzzle Give a dam Across

1. Artist Bonheur 5. Peter by the piano 9. Like a bottom 14. Business VIP 15. Lysol target 16. Easily screwed 17. Adam Levine’s fiancee models for this company 20. Clock watcher 21. Family diagram 22. Verb of Verlaine 23. Heaped praise on 25. Answers an email, e.g. 27. Tops? 30. Most in need of some rays at Laguna Beach 31. Brady Bunch prefix 32. Puts down quickly 34. Silences for Bernstein 35. Adam Levine’s band 37. Garter tosser

41. Kind of log 42. Rupert Everett’s “The Next ___ Thing” 46. Go back on one’s word 48. Place to say “Ooh, long!” 50. Et cetera 52. Condom 53. Leave as is 54. Coward of “Blithe Spirit” 57. Memory units 58. Honor for Adam Levine from “People” magazine 61. Cara of “Fame” 62. Jerry Herman musical 63. Tributes in verse 64. German industrial hub 65. “How queer!” 66. Snug retreat

Down

1. Abuses with the tongue, perhaps

2. Rust producer 3. Place in solitude 4. Supported an org. for ending AIDS? 5. Neither companion 6. Ready for press 7. “The Lion King” sound 8. Brian of figure skating 9. Single, in gay Paree 10. Enclosure on a dirigible 11. Besmirches 12. Highest mountain top 13. Checks to make sure 18. Shaft output 19. Penetrate slowly 24. “It’s ___ vu all over again!” 26. Like the longest holes on the course 28. “Gilmore Girls” daughter 29. Like Edna Turnblad

33. Foot fetish target 35. “Let ___!” 36. Songwriter Holly 37. Two wood in Sheehan’s sport 38. Many summer residents of Fire Island 39. Research aids 40. Earmark 42. “___ 5” (sci-fi series) 43. One that comes out on the beach 44. They bear arms 45. Most closemouthed 47. Many, many moons 49. Marching band member 51. Shirker’s phrase 55. Web info source 56. Teacher in “The King and I” 59. Dusk, to Dickinson 60. Composer Rorem

PGN: I read several of the posts and they were really fun and witty. I’m a fan. TF: Yes, we’ve worked very hard to be opinionated and fun, and we even will use the word “bitchy” but we don’t get nasty. We try hard not to cross certain lines. We do a lot of red-carpet coverage and it’s never about criticizing the person, just the clothes, how the person is wearing them. We have very strict rules: You can poke fun at the fashion, but don’t make fun of the body in the clothes. Talk about the changeables — hair, makeup, the jewelry, the dress — but if it’s not something someone can change on the spot, don’t mention it. We’re very strict about that. Even in our comments section, we don’t want to be the kind of site where you would feel bad reading it. There are a lot of people out there making a living being nasty queens. More power to them, but it’s not who we are.

TF: Other bloggers make the mistake of trying to befriend the celebs they’re writing about and it ruins their voice. LM: As far as the details go, it’s a combination. I already knew quite a bit about fashion and often can look at something and know who designed it. But we also go to all the fashion shows in New York, so we see most of the dresses on the runway. I have a pretty good memory, so I can see it months later on someone and remember the details. We’re also at the point now that our site is so popular that designers and PR people send us emails, “So and so will be wearing... ” and they give us all the info, down to the bag and shoes. Our readers love that. They’ll watch the Oscars and then come to our site to learn all about what they’ve just seen. One thing that a lot of people tell us is that they’ve learned how to dress from our site, because we will comment on what’s new, what works and doesn’t work, so they’ll go shopping and think, Hmmnm what would Tom and Lorenzo think about this? TF: And it’s funny because people will meet us and think, Oh my God, I hope I look OK, but we don’t judge people in real life. We judge celebrities who have squads of people dressing them in $50,000 worth of borrowed goods. If you can’t get it right after all that, we’re going to talk about it!

PGN: One of my first thoughts looking at the site was wondering how you got such great photos and how you knew every detail of what the celebs were wearing? TF: We pay for it! LM: The pictures are licensed and we pay a monthly fee to use them. People love the visuals, the picture choices we make. We try not to go to too many things in person because we want to keep a separation between us and the people we cover. We have some celebrities who follow us, but we don’t tweet them or try to contact them.

PGN: I noticed that a number of the comments were pretty witty retorts. Ever get jealous when your readers have a better zinger? BOTH: No! TF: We love it! We encourage it. LM: The site is designed to be a group of people getting together around the proverbial water cooler and talking about things. So the comment section is a big part of our site. TF: We’re deeply proud of ii and we get a lot of compliments about our comment sec-

PORTRAIT from page 47

LM: It’s the site to go to to read what someone thought about what a celebrity wore the day before or an episode of “Mad Men” or “Glee” ... TF: Our voice has always been the gay best friend in the cubicle next to you who you can’t wait to dish with the next morning. That gay friend who knows the names of all the celebrities, who knows the names of all the designers and has an opinion on all of it.

tion. As I’m sure you know, a lot of comment sections on the Internet are just the pits. We take an active hand in moderating ours and weed out the people who are saying stupid shit or causing problems — arguing and bullying or making racist comments or homophobic comments. We have no tolerance for that. Out you go. And what you’re left with is people who want to have a fun conversation. LM: But it’s a full-time job, depending on the subject. When you write about certain subjects, people who aren’t regulars will come to your site and try to post comments. TF: It’s horrible what some people will post. If we put up a picture of Michelle Obama, you can’t leave the house. You MUST stay by the computer and delete, delete. It would turn your stomach. I’ve had people from other sites tell me I was crazy to post her pictures because of that and at first I thought, This is too much work. But then I became defiant and said, “I’m not going to let some racist assholes prevent me from writing about what I want to write about.” LM: And it happens when you write about TV shows people are passionate about. TF: Oh, if I post something about “Doctor Who,” the nerd rage is an awesome thing to behold! Dripping with condescension. It can be funny. But in order to have the site we want, we have to teach them to express thoughts without vitriol or out they go too. LM: We get about 200,000 views a day so you’re not going to please everyone, but we can try to keep it civil. PGN: Tell me about your book. TF: It’s called “Everybody Wants To Be Me Or Do Me: Tom and Lorenzo’s Fabulous and Opinionated Guide to Life and Style.” It arose from our unique take on celebrity culture, which started way before the website, back when we’d sit on the couch and talk about celebrities. About how despite what US magazine says, they’re not just

like us. We shouldn’t be looking to them for advice on raising children or heath issues, but we can look to them for the ability to tell their own story, for the ways in which they fiercely promote themselves to the world in the face of any negativity. They just stride through the world with this nuclear level of self-confidence; it’s given to them by an army of people who tell them how great they are, but our posit is that you should look in the mirror and do it for yourself. Each chapter has a different affirmation. The chapters mirror the life cycle of a celebrity from “working on your craft” to “Chernobyl- sized meltdowns” to “Lifetime Achievement Award” and apply it for our readers. Next time you have a job interview that doesn’t go well, learn how celebs deal with flops and just go on to the next thing as if nothing happened. We have a whole chapter on that. It’s a very funny, slightly bitchy take on celebrity culture that you can actually learn life lessons from. And just perhaps create the life you want for yourself. ■ For more information, visit tomandlorenzo. com. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.

T:10.125”

PGN

YOUR TABLES ARE READY.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

This

Dec.13 ��

��

answers the most important question of this holiday season . . .

WWCB?

(What Would Carol Buy?)

If you’ve ever met PGN’s own executive assistant and billing manager Carol Giunta, you know she’s not one to mince words. So this holiday season, Carol gives us the skinny on the some of the best (and possibly worst) gifts to give in 2013.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Classifieds Real Estate Sale

Real Estate Sale

Real Estate Rent

Beautiful Private 61.466 acres On private road located 3 miles from Beltzville State Park and 10 minutes from Exit #74 (Mahoning Valley - Northeast Extension) of the PA Turnpike. Address is conveniently located 82 miles from Philadelphia and 100 miles from New York City making for an easy commute in either direction. The home is situated on 2.5 cleared acres and consists of master bedroom with private bath, 2 guest bedrooms with shared bath, living foam with gas ﬁreplace, dining room, kitchen with breakfast bar and laundry area off kitchen. Owner added front, covered deck/porch, back deck and enclosed sunroom that doubles as breakfast nook/living/TV room and 1.5 car detached garage with electric. Property appraised in 2010 at $1,090,000 with 50 of the 60+ acres considered developable. Property can also be used for private hunting with deer, wild turkey and sometimes an occasional bear. Lots of options with this property. Borders gay campground. Being offered at $850,000

For more information call Suzie at (610)377-1721

John Apar $5,500

BRAND N already F RECOGN APARTM This is th PHILADE marvelou publicity.

COMMERCIAL JOHN C. ANDERSON RETAIL SPACE APARTMENT BUILDING 249 S. 13th Street-Retail, AVAILABLE Philadelphia, PA 19107 Building View-Front

$5,500 /Month

BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION! This new building is already FAMOUS and has received GLOBAL RECOGNITION. The JOHN C. ANDERSON APARTMENT BUILDING in Center City Philadelphia. This is the VERY FIRST LGBT SENIOR BUILDING in PHILADELPHIA. Be the first to open a business in thismarvelous space with plenty of built-in exposure and publicity. Free build-out options available. SECLUDED HISTORICAL DISTRICT OF LUMBERTON Beaut. rest. 1870’s home, 3 BR, 1.5 BA, 30 mins to Phila. 3 floors, all new HVAC, screened porch, 3/4 acre, mod. kit & baths, beaut. details. $285,000. 609-784-8324. _____________________________________________38-10 QUEEN VILLAGE SPACE Rare bi-lvl on charming st. Open floor plan. Kit w/SS appl, maple cabs. & granite countertops. 2 lg BR & spa like bath. Rear deck. $294,900. Sherry Nunez, Real Living Ramagli, 267-784-2535 or 215-949-3010. _____________________________________________37-49 VENTNOR, NJ House for sale in Ventnor NJ. 2 story 5 bedroom house, needs some repairs. Priced right. Call 215 468 9166. ________________________________________38-01 TURNKEY FAMILY CAMP FOR SALE Beautifully Finished Cabin on 5 Acres, Woods and Nice Lawn, Quiet County Road, Stocked Fishing Pond & Guest Cabin. On Snowmobile Trail. Only $69,995. Call 800-2297843 Or visit www.LandandCamps.com ________________________________________37-49

Services AIRLINE CAREERS Begin here-Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualiﬁed-Housing available. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-834-9715 ________________________________________37-49 EXP RELIABLE HOUSECLEANER Let me free up your valuable time by cleaning your house or apt. Weekly biweekly monthly. I have 10+ years exp. FREE estimates. Call Wayne 215-422-2654. Ref’s upon request. ________________________________________37-49

Total Space Available:

1,700 SF

Rental Rate:

$5,500 /Month

Property Type:

Retail

Property Sub-type:

Street Retail

Construction Status:

Under Construction/Proposed

Building Size:

1,700 SF

Build to Suit:

Yes

For Sale

Help Wanted

SAWMILLS from only $4897.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1-800-578-1363 Ext.300N ________________________________________27-49

EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETER State-registered or 3.5 or higher EIPA score. Apply: Superintendent, Juniata County School District, 75 S. Seventh St., Mifflintown, PA 17059; email: rmusselman@jcsdk12. org; fax 717-436-2777. ________________________________________37-49 Heavy Equipment Operator Training! Bulldozers, Backhoes, Excavators. 3 Weeks Hands On Program. Local Job Placement Assistance. National Certifications. GI Bill Benefits Eligible. 1-866-362-6497. ________________________________________37-49 Regional Owner Operators for dedicated run hauling plate glass needed. All Miles Paid! Also need regional stepdeck and RGN Contractors. Contact Daily Express 800-669-6414. ________________________________________37-49 $1,000 Sign-On Bonus for Regional Drivers! Averitt Offers Excellent Benefits & Weekly Hometime. CDL-A req. 888-362-8608 Apply online at AverittCareers.com Equal Opportunity Employer. Job based in Harrisburg, PA. ________________________________________37-49 Exp. Reefer Drivers: GREAT PAY /Freight lanes from Presque Isle, ME, Boston-Lehigh, PA. 800-277-0212 or driveforprime.com ________________________________________37-49 Owner Operator DEDICATED HOME WEEKLY! Solos up to $175,000/year, $2500 Sign-on Bonus! Teams up to $350,000/year, $5000 Sign-on Bonus! Forward Air 888-652-5611. ________________________________________37-49

GORDON TRUCKING CDL-A Truck Drivers. Up to $5,000 Sign-on Bonus & $.56 CPM ! Solos & Teams. Refrigerated Fleet, Great Miles, Full Benefits, Great Incentives. No Northeast ! EOE. Call 7 days/ wk! 866-554-7856 GordonTrucking.com ________________________________________37-49 CDL-A DRIVERS NEEDED Now hiring solos & teams in your area! Small Company, BIG Benefits! Top Pay for Hazmat. CDL Grads Welcome. 888-928-6011 www.TotalMS.com ________________________________________37-49 EARN $500 A-DAY Insurance Agents Needed; Leads, No Cold Calls; Commissions Paid Daily; Lifetime Renewals; Complete Training; Health/ Dental Insurance; Life License Required. Call 1-888-713-6020. ________________________________________37-49 Dedicated Class A CDL Drivers Wanted! Weekly Home Time, Competitive Pay, Excellent Benefits Package. Apply online at www.DriveJTC.com or call 866-511-1134 for more information. ________________________________________37-49 CDL-A Drivers: Looking for Higher Pay? New Century is Hiring Exp. Company Drivers and Owner Operators. Both Solo and Teams. Competitive pay package. SignOn Incentive. Also looking for experienced drivers willing to train. Call (888) 903-8863 or apply online at: www. drivenctrans.com ________________________________________37-49

Pets Sweet but rambunctious 6 month old cat needs forever home with no small children in it. Super loveable and cuddly, a bit rough with little people. Fixed and has his shots. Please call (315.790.0756) to give Dexter a tryout. ________________________________________37-50

Adoption ADOPTION Childless, loving couple pray to adopt. Stay at home mom, successful dad, great dogs & devoted grandparents. Legally allowed expenses paid. Bill & Debbie 800-311-6090. ________________________________________37-49

Business Opportunity GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN THE SUBURBS Full service salon has been in business for 41 years. Now looking for the right person to work and to build a clientele for themselves. Commissions as high as 75%. If interested please call 610-367-9686. _____________________________________________37-49

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.

PGN

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

Lgeal Notices

Notices

Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, November Term, 2013, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on November 21, 2013, the petition of Gladys Michelle Hernandez was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Liam Riley Hernandez. The Court has fixed December 18, 2013 at 12:30pm, in Room No. 478, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________37-49 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, October Term, 2013, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on October 10, 2013 the petition of Benjamin Joseph McIvor was filed, praying for a decree to change her name to Venyamína Harmonella McIvor. The Court has fixed December 18, 2013 at 12:30 p.m., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________37-49 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, November Term, 2013, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on November 12, 2013 the petition of Akeem Addul Betts was filed, praying for a decree to change her name to Mia Patrone. The Court has fixed December 18, 2013 at 12:30 p.m., in Room No. 691, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________37-49 Court of Common Pleas for the County of Philadelphia, September Term, 2013, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on October 21, 2013, the petition of Daria Alexandra Gerson was filed, praying for a decree to change his name to Darius Alexander Gerson. The Court has fixed December 18, 2013 at 12:30pm, in Room No. 478, in Philadelphia City Hall for hearing. All persons interested may appear and show cause if they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. ________________________________________37-49

Construction Bids. Statewide ezIQC, indeﬁnite quantity construction contracts. Prebids: December 9-13. Bid openings: January 3, 2014. Contact Keystone Purchasing Network for details: (888) 490-3182 or visit: www.theKPN.org ________________________________________37-49

Friends Men LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. ________________________________________37-49 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. ________________________________________37-49 Big tool BM top needs ginger boy bottom : Scottish or Irish men. Must be uncut for docking. Please call 6 PM to 2 AM weekends only, 215-763-3391. ________________________________________37-52

Massage David, 64, 6’, 200 lbs., attentive. 215-569-4949. (24/7) ________________________________________38-12 Hi, my name is Diego. I’m a black male, med. honey brown gold complexion. I’m interested in massaging guys, all different sizes, body types, ages and races. I’m 5’2”, 110, strong muscular hands. $50/hr, $30 1/2 hr. 267-333-5026. ________________________________________37-51

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

ICE ICE BABY Saturday, Dec. 14th - Time: 11pm-3:30am WHAT TO EXPECT: • DJ David Dutch • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More.

P.A.N.G. (Philadelphia Area Nudist Group) Sunday, Dec. 15th - Time: 3pm- 6pm BOYS WILL BE BOYS- AWAKEN YOUR INNER SPIRIT JOIN PANG FOR: • An Afternoon of Naked Socializing • DJ David Dutch • Special Guest Behind The Bar • Complimentary Food & Beverages & Much More.

For More Information On Group: www.phillynakedguys.com/

SEASON CELEBRATION Saturday, Dec. 21st - Time: 11pm-3:30am

WHAT TO EXPECT: • DJ David Dutch • Complimentary Food & Beverages • A Full House of Guys To Choose From & So Much More CHECK IN EARLY IF YOU WANT A ROOM... ROOMS GO QUICKLY!!!

BUSY TIMES FOR US:

These our are most popular days when people come-

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

SUNDAY RELIEF

Half Price Rooms (6am Sunday till 8am Monday) Members: $12.50 and Non-Members: $22.50 JOIN US SUNDAY MORNINGS for COMPLIMENTARY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST with Fruit, Pastries & Coﬀee TO START YOUR MORNING OFF RIGHT....

MONDAY thru FRIDAY:

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

TUESDAYS

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

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT CRUISE

$12 Flat Rate for Locker Admission & Clothing Optional (4pm-12 Midnight) Check out our website for our WEEKLY SPECIALS & JOIN OUR e-mail List to get the latest information on upcoming events....

Don’t forget to visit the Adonis Cinema right next door!! 2026 Sansom St/ PH: 215-557-9319

PGN

Men Delco Dudes A men’s social and support group meets 7-9 p.m. the ﬁrst 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 Wednesdays at the William Way Center; www.gammaphilly.com. Men of All Colors Together Meets 7:30 p.m. the third Friday of the month, September through June, at the William Way Center; 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. every Wednesday at 112 N. Broad St., third ﬂoor; 215-496-0330. Men of Standard Provides a place for gay men of color 21 and older to share issues of concern. Meets 7-9 p.m. Thursdays at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St., Camden, N.J.; 856-963-2432. Philly Dads An association of gay and bisexual fathers supporting each other meets 7:30 p.m. the fourth Friday of the month at the William Way Center; 215-6685239.

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; 215-348-9976. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Chester County Meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the Unitarian Fellowship of West Chester, 501 S. High St.; 484354-2448. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Collingswood, N.J. Meets 6:30-9 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at the Collingswood Public Library, 771 Haddon Ave.; 609202-4622; pflagcollingswood@yahoo. com. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Media Meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Unitarian Universal Church, 145 Rose Tree Rd.; 610-3682021. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/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. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/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. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/Wilmington, Del. Meets 7-9 p.m. the second Thursday of the month at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St.; 302-6542995. 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; 215-6002864; 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.; 215-5630658. 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, second floor, 1201 Locust St.; 215-834-9063; tmanphilly.com. Transhealth Programming Committee Meets 5 p.m.the second and last Sundays of the month at the William Way Center. Transhealth Information Project Sponsors a weekly drop-in center from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 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; 215-732-1207; www. critpath.org/thac. 1201 Locust street 4th floor. WeXist FTM support group meets 7-9 p.m. the second and fourth Friday of the month at the William Way Center; first hour is open, second hour is for people assigned female at birth who have gender issues; 267-250-1548. 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; 215-545-4331.

Women Hanging Out With Lesbians A group in Central Pennsylvania that organizes activities such as 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/. Sistah 2 Sistah A social/support group for lesbians of color, ages 13-24, with weekly social events, open discusson and monthly movie/discussions, 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 112 N. Broad St., third ﬂoor; 215-496-0330. Women Coming Out Support Group Women who consider themselves gay,

lesbian, bisexual or questioning and are at any stage of the coming-out process are welcome. Ages 18 and over. Meets 7:30 p.m. ﬁrst Tuesday and third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of NJ.

Youth 40 Acres of Change Discussion group for teen and young adults meets 6-8 p.m. Thursdays at The COLOURS Organization Inc., 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215496-0330. GLBT Group of Hunterdon County Social and support groups for youth, teens and young adults, as well as parents and family members, meets at North County Branch Library, 65 Halstead St. in Clinton, N.J. Schedule at www.glbtofhunterdoncountyofnj. com; 908-300-1058. HAVEN For GLBT, intersex, questioning, queer and allied youth ages 14-20; meets 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 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, meets 2:30-4:30 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays at 21 Wiggins St., Princeton, N.J. Call Connie at 609-683-5155 (day); hitops.org. Main Line Youth Alliance Meets from 7-9:30 p.m. Fridays at 106 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610688-1861; info@myaonline.org. Mountain Meadow For youth with GLBTQ parents. Monthly programs for ages 8-16, family programs and parent coffee groups. Residential program offered in August, 1315 Spruce St.; 215-7721107. PRYSM Youth Center For youth ages 14-20. Meets 6:308:30 p.m Wednesdays at center, 126 East Baltimore Pike, Media; 610357-9948. Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center For 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 13-23 meets 6-8 p.m. on Tuesdays at 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; 215-496-0330. Space to be Proud, Open, and Together Open to all LGBTQ queer youth and allies, ages 14-21, the SPOT meets Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Planned Parenthood of Chester County’s West Chester office, 8 S. Wayne St.; 610692-1770. 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. You’re Not Alone A group for gay, lesbian and bisexual youth that meets during the school year; sponsored by AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th St., Suite 315, Wilmington. Call 800-810-6776 for more details. Youth Making a Difference For GLBTQ African-American and Latino youth ages 14-24. Meets 5-7 p.m. every Tuesday at Camden AHEC, 514 Cooper St.; 856-9632432.

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

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 ■ The COLOURS Organization, Inc.: 215-496-0330 ■ District Attorney LGBT Liaison: Helen “Nellie” Fitzpatrick, 215-6869980, helen.fitzpatrick@phila.gov

■ 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

of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833

■ Equality Pennsylvania: 215731-1447; www.equalitypa.org

■ Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: 215-686-4670

■ Equality Forum: 215-732-3378

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: 1-877-pride-2000

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

■ Police Department liaison — Deputy Commissioner Kevin Bethel: 215-686-3318 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-760-3686 (Rick Lombardo); ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: 215875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-9209537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

Health

Anonymous, free, conﬁdential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St.; 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. GALAEI: A Queer Latin@ Social Justice Organization 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 appointment) at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; 215685-1821. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications and confidential HIV testing

■ Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia Board meetings at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month at 100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810; free referral service at 215-6279090; www.galloplaw.org. ■ Greater Philadelphia Professional Network Networking group for area business professionals, selfemployed and business owners meets monthly in a different location throughout the city; www. gppn.org; 215-922-3377. ■ Independence Business Alliance Greater Philadelphia’s LGBT

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 LGBTQ counseling and behavioral health services, HIV/ AIDS care and services, case management and support groups; 21 S. 12th St., eighth floor; 215-563-0652; www. mazzonicenter.org. Mazzoni Center Family & Community Medicine Comprehensive primary health care, preventive health services, gynecology, sexual-health services and chronic-disease management, including comprehensive HIV care, as well as youth drop-in (ages 14-24) 5-7p.m. Wednesdays; 809 Locust St.; 215-563-0658. Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 pm. Monday-Friday, 1-5p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206.

Professional groups Chamber of Commerce, providing networking, business development, marketing, educational and advocacy opportunities for LGBT and LGBT-friendly businesses and professionals; www. IndependenceBusinessAlliance. com; 215-557-0190; 1717 Arch St., Suite 3370. ■ National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Philadelphia chapter of NLGJA, open to professionals and students, meets for social and networking events; www.nlgja.

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

Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 6-12, 2013

PGN