pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976 Family Portrait: Film buff Gary Kramer PAGE 29
Vol. 40 No. 51 Dec. 16-22, 2016
Seven selected for LGBT Latinx program during Creating Change
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Bibliophiles are blessed with an abundance of goodies this season
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New Hope school district to consider transgender policy By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com
DARTH VADER LEGACY FUN: Delaware Valley Legacy Fund’s 10th-annual TOY celebration amassed hundreds of gifts for local children affected by HIV/AIDS. The holiday party also raised funds for DVLF, an LGBT grantmaking agency. The anniversary festivity drew a crowd of hundreds, including Michael Grosberg (clockwise from back row left), DVLF executive director Samantha Giusti, Ron Lucente, Stormy Lundy, Mark Mitchell, Joe Matthews and Perry Monastero Photo: Scott A. Drake
The school board of the New HopeSolebury School District next week will begin discussing a policy to protect transgender students. During a policy meeting Dec. 13, the school board announced it will consider a proposal to formally mandate equal access for trans and gender-nonconforming students. It is set for its first official reading Dec. 19. If the policy moves forward, it will continue to a second reading in January. The policy, entitled “Gender Expansive and Transgender Students,” would “provide an equal opportunity for all students to achieve their maximum potential through the programs offered in the schools regardless of, among other factors, gender, gender identity and gender expression.” It will also “foster an educational envi-
ronment that is safe and free from discrimination based on gender identity and expression.” Within the guidelines are definitions of gender identity, gender expansive, gender expression and transgender. Additionally, it outlines details related to privacy regarding transgender status and gender-nonconforming representation; changing school records; names and pronouns; restroom and locker-room accessibility; sports and physical-education classes; dress codes; school activities involving separation by gender and overnight field trips; discrimination and harassment; and professional-development trainings for staff members about transgender issues. “We have the transgender policy, which addresses as many situations as we can contemplate for the student,” said School Board President Neale PAGE 15 Dougherty. “This
Groundbreaking national trans study reveals Bill to ban conversion therapy intro’d in City Council ‘disturbing patterns’ By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The results of the largest-ever national study on transgender experiences were released this week, revealing systemic discrimination and disparities. Nearly 28,000 people took part in the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, spearheaded by the National Center for Transgender Equality. The study looked at experiences of transgender Americans in areas such as employment, education, health, housing, family life and the criminal-justice system. Among the findings were that transgender Americans reported pervasive mistreatment and violence; severe economic hardship and instability; detriments to their physical and mental health; and compounding impacts from other forms of discrimination. The positive effect of the recent
increase in visibility of transgender individuals and issues was also noted. Sharron Cooks, a leader in the local transgender community, participated in a live-streaming event and press conference about the survey, sharing her own experiences to give context to some of the survey data. Cooks connected with NCTE executive director Mara Keisling when both served as delegates at this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. “Being able to work with them and them work with me was just a really great opportunity,” Cooks said. “As was the opportunity to share my personal experiences in correspondence with the findings of the survey: from police encounters to violence against transgender people and harassment to such issues as unemployment, poverty rates, racial bias, homelessPAGE 13
By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com Councilman Mark Squilla is spearheading a bill to prohibit conversion therapy for individuals under age 18 in Philadelphia. The councilman introduced the measure at a City Council meeting last Thursday. According to the bill, it will prohibit “the practice of conversion therapy by mental-health providers on patients under 18 years of age, under certain terms and conditions.” Additionally, violators will receive a fine up to $2,000 and have his or her commercial-activity license revoked. The practice — involving a variety of means that seek to “change” the sexual orientation of patients — been disavowed by all leading mental-health and medical organizations in the country. “This bill sends the necessary and clear
message to all Philadelphians that ‘conversion therapy’ is a deceptive term for an unacceptable practice that employs psychological abuse, rejection and shame,” Squilla said in a statement. “No young person anywhere, and certainly not in Philadelphia, should be subjected to torture for who they are or who they love.” The legislation has been referred to the Committee on Public Health and Human Services. A committee vote on the legislation has not yet been announced. In an email, City Director of LGBT Affairs Nellie Fitzpatrick said: “This bill sends the message to everyone that it is not our LGBTQ young people who need to change, it is everyone else.” “As this bill was being entered in City Council this morning, I stood in the hallway looking out over Christmas Village in City Hall’s courtyard and PAGE 15