PHI LADELPHIA GAY NEWS

est. 1976 HONESTY . INTEGRITY . PROFESSIONALISM

January 31 - February 6, 2020 V ol. 44 N o. 5 pgn

O U R H I S T O R Y, O U R F U T U R E How PGN got its vending boxes PAG E 4

NEW ARCH- Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT

BISHOP Affairs names new executive director
OFFERS JESS BRYANT the city workforce on queer compe-
HOPE FOR jess@epgn.com tency.
“As a longtime advocate for the

CHANGE
VICTORIA A.
BROWNWORTH
PGN Contributor
“The diversity of the church is its
greatest strength,” so says Nelson
Perez.
Those words signal that Phila-
delphia Catholics are about to turn
the page in local church history. On
Jan. 23, Pope Francis appointed Pe-
rez, 58, currently bishop of Cleve-
land, to be the next archbishop of
Philadelphia, leading the area’s 1.4
million Catholics — the largest sin-
gle religious denomination in the
region.
Perez will be the first Latinx arch-
bishop in the city and is — politi-
cally and socially — diametrically
opposed to his predecessor, Arch-
bishop Charles Chaput. Chaput was
the first Native American archbish-
op in the U.S., but unlike Perez,
Chaput is a staunch traditionalist.
He was appointed in 2011 by Fran-
cis’ predecessor, the arch-conserva-
tive Pope Benedict XVI.
Philadelphia’s archbishops have
nearly always been promoted to
cardinal, giving them voting pow-
er in the church hierarchy. Fran-
cis’ refusal to promote Chaput or
to elevate him to cardinal has been
viewed as a statement about his dis-
approval of Chaput’s politics and
style and a virtual firing of Chaput.
Perez was made bishop of
Cleveland in 2017
by Francis. Carol page 17
Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT
Affairs is at long last no longer
vacant. Celena Morrison has been
named executive director and will
begin her tenure on March 2.
Morrison, a Black trans woman,
is a known force. She comes from
William Way LGBT Community
Center, where she led the charge to
open the Arcila-Adams Trans Re-
source Center, among other initia-
tives, in her position as director of
programs. She has also been on the
Philadelphia Commission of Hu-
man Relations (PCHR) since 2018
and is a support specialist for Maz-
zoni Center’s Pediatric and Adoles-
cent Comprehensive Transgender
Services program (PACTS).
Working for the city, Morrison
will lead the Office of LGBT Af-
fairs’ policy work and community
C E L E N A M O R R I S O N S P E A K I N G AT T H E L E E W AY F O U N D AT I O N ’ S engagement and advise the Mayor’s
“ L E E W AY @ 2 5 : T R A N S F O R M I N G I N C L U S I O N ” E V E N T I N 2 0 1 8 Office and Philadelphia City gov-
Photo by Kelly Burkhardt
P h o t o c r e d i t : K E N Z I C R A S H / L E E W AY F O U N D AT I O N ernment on the needs of LGBTQ+
people. She will also help educate
Philly area companies receive top
scores in HRC’s equality index
MICHELE ZIPKIN ers. As part of its 2020 Cor- gramming, networking events,
michele@epgn.com porate Equality Index (CEI), training sessions and overall
the Human Rights Campaign support systems for minority
More and more corporate (HRC) scored dozens of employees, including LGBTQ
companies have been step- Pennsylvania companies with people.
ping up their LGBTQ+ diver- strong LGBTQ-inclusive pol- Philadelphia companies that
sity and inclusion resources, icies and employee resource received a score of 100 per-
making for healthier, happier groups. Employee Resource cent include Aramark Corp.,
work environments for em- Groups, or ERGs, are in- Ballard Spahr MEMBERS OF LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP ERG
ployees, clients and consum- house groups that provide pro- LLC, Blank page 16 I N T H E P H I L A D E L P H I A P R I D E PA R A D E
LGBTQ+ community, I am thrilled
to have the opportunity to contin-
ue that work from within our local
government,” said Morrison in a
statement. “As a Black trans wom-
an, I have experienced first-hand the
transphobia, workplace discrimi-
nation and many other challenges
that face our community. All of this
motivates me to fight relentlessly for
my fellow LGBTQ+ siblings.”
Morrison also said her past expe-
rience and intersectional approach
will help to build on the “impressive
accomplishments” of her predeces-
sors.
Amber Hikes, the city’s former
executive director of the Office of
LGBT Affairs, publicly announced
her departure from her position in
July 2019. Shortly thereafter, she
finished her last day on Aug. 1 and
went on to become American Civ-
il Liberties Union’s (ACLU) first
Chief Diversity Offi-
cer. Evan Thornburg, page 17

PA G E 2 PA G E 7 PA G E 6

COLOURS CELEBRATES SUCCESS, FUNDRAISER COMMEMORATES PHILLY SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYS

LOOKS AHEAD DECEASED GAY DEPUTY SHERIFF $850,000 TO SETTLE CASE
COLOURS continues its outreach to some of the most On Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed Philadelphia public-school officials recently allocated
vulnerable members of the Philadelphia LGBTQ community. legislation that will streamline the adoption process for $850,000 from the district’s operating budget to settle the
The organization’s most recent event was a success. LGBTQ+ families. lawsuit filed by Amanda Wible.
2 LOCAL
RESOURCE LISTINGS
LEGAL RESOURCES
PHILADELPHIA COMMISSION ON
HUMAN RELATIONS —
Rue Landau
215-686-4670
PHILADELPHIA POLICE
LIAISON COMMITTEE
215-760-3686
ppd.lgbt@gmail.com
SPARC — STATEWIDE
PENNSYLVANIA RIGHTS COALITION
717-920-9537
ACLU OF PENNSYLVANIA
215-592-1513; aclupa.org
AIDS LAW PROJECT OF PA
215-587-9377; aidslawpa.org
AIDS LAW PROJECT OF
SOUTH JERSEY
856-784-8532; aidslawsnj.org
EQUALITY PA
equalitypa.org; 215-731-1447
OFFICE OF LGBT AFFAIRS —
EVAN THORNBURG
215-686-0330
evan.thornburg@phila.gov
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.
LGBT CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF PENNSYLVANIA
3907 Spruce St.; 215-898-5044
center@dolphin.upenn.edu
RAINBOW ROOM: BUCKS
COUNTY’S LGBTQ AND ALLIES
YOUTH CENTER
Salem UCC Education Building
181 E. Cour t St., Doylestown
215-957-7981 ext. 9065
rainbowroom@ppbucks.org
WILLIAM WAY
LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER
1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220
www.waygay.org
H E A LT H A N D H I V T E S T I N G
ACTION WELLNESS
1216 Arch St.; 215-981-0088 ac-
tionwellness.org
AIDS TREATMENT FACT LINE
800-662-6080
AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
1211 Chestnut St. #405
215-971-2804; HIVcare.org
AIDS LIBRARY
1233 Locust St, aidslibrar y.org
MOSAIC MEDICAL CENTER FOR
LGBTQ+ HEALTH AND WELLNESS
www.mosaicmedicalcenter.org
610-583-1177
AIDS CARE GROUP
www.aidscaregroup.org
610-583-1177
PrEP DELCO
www.prepdelco.com
610-872-9101
BEBASHI-TRANSITION TO HOPE
1235 Spring Garden St
215-769-3561; bebashi.org
COLOURS
coloursorganization.org
215-832-0100
CONGRESO DE LATINOS UNIDOS
216 W. Somerset St
215-763-8870
GALAEI
149 W. Susquehanna Ave
267-457-3912, galaei.org
Spanish/English
HEALTH CENTER NO. 2
1720 S. Broad St
215-685-1821
LGBT ELDER INITIATIVE
1315 Spruce Street, 4th Floor
lgbtelderintiative.org
215.720.9414
MAZZONI CENTER
1348 Bainbridge St
215-563-0652
mazzonicenter.org
NOVUS ACS
MEDICAL SERVICES
11 DUANE RD, STE A
DOYLESTOWN, PA
267-454-7086
NOVUSACS.COM
PHILADELPHIA FIGHT
1233 Locust St.; 215-985-4448
fight.org
WASHINGTON WEST PROJECT OF
MAZZONI CENTER
1201 Locust St.; 215-985-9206
TRANSGENDER HEALTH ACTION
COALITION
215-732-1207
OTHER
INDEPENDENCE BRANCH LIBRARY
BARBARA GITTINGS GAY AND
LESBIAN COLLECTION
215-685-1633
INDEPENDENCE BUSINESS
ALLIANCE
215-557-0190, independence-
businessalliance.com
LGBT PEER COUNSELING
SERVICES
215-732-TALK
PFLAG: PARENTS, FAMILIES AND
FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS
(PHILADELPHIA)
215-572-1833
PHILLY PRIDE PRESENTS
215-875-9288
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
Local LGBTQ organization
celebrates success, looks ahead
VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
PGN Contributor
COLOURS continues its outreach to some
of the most vulnerable members of the Phil-
adelphia LGBTQ community. The organiza-
tion’s most recent event was a success, and
the group hopes its upcoming Soulful Friday
event on Feb. 7 will
be equally effective.
On Dec. 21, CO-
LOURS held a
Winter Necessities
Drive at William
Way LGBT Com-
munity Center.
Abraham Tomo,
Jr., an HIV preven-
tion specialist at
COLOURS who
organized the drive,
which was spon-
sored by Subaru,
said it was a huge
success, far exceed-
ing his expectations.
“We collected
nearly 1,000 items
through all our ef-
forts,” Tomo said.
The event was a
donation and exchange, where people could
come and take what they needed or do-
nate clothes, coats and toiletries — or both.
“Many of the coats we received were brand
new, tags still on them,” Tomo said.
Attic Youth Center participated, providing
toiletry kits. The local Shoprite supermarket
chain, which is known for its philanthropy,
donated the food for the drive “which every-
one loved,” Tomo said. Shoprite also provid-
ed space for storing donated goods. Free HIV
testing was also offered.
“All in all,” Tomo said, “I’m so proud of
how everything turned out.”
COLOURS’ next event will be held at
the Mazzoni Center in honor of Black HIV/
AIDS Awareness Day. said Tomo.
He said the event “is centered on queer
Black youth, with storytelling, dancing and
other performances that focus on the experi-
ences of queer Black youth.”
Philadelphia is majority Black and, ac-
cording to the U.S. Census, 28 percent of
Philadelphians live at or below the poverty
level. The national average is 13 percent.
Tomo said Soulful Friday is dedicated to
“engendering an urgent need for compassion
and connection for a marginalized group of
people encumbered by socioeconomic bar-
riers like lack of access to food, housing,
healthcare, education and more than most
people could ever imagine.”
Tomo is focused on expanding the work
of COLOURS beyond HIV prevention to ad-
dress the poverty and homelessness among
LGBTQ people of color, particularly young
people and trans people. Resume building
toward job acquisition is something Tomo
wants to tackle next, and he is planning a new
drive for clothing people can wear for job in-
terviews. Dress clothes and shoes are integral
to finding a job.
But Tomo said the issues that need ad-
dressing are not just for LGBTQ people, but
cishet job purveyors as well.
He explained that there is “not much cul-
tural competence” in hiring practices in the
city, and he would like to hold seminars both
for people who need jobs and for business
owners to discuss how they can best include
LGBTQ people when making hires.
Tomo said this is particularly important for
trans people who are frequently discriminat-
ed against by both fellow employees and the
public. Statistics from HRC show that trans
and gender-nonconforming people face the
highest rates of poverty and joblessness.
“A lot has to happen in this area,” Tomo
said, explaining how the confluence of sexual
orientation, gender identity, racism and sex-
ism all blend to make it difficult and some-
times impossible for LGBTQ people to get
out of homelessness and poverty.
He said that this is a cycle that is hard to
break, and it can lead to substance abuse and
survival sex, which in turn can lead to HIV
infection. Tomo said he is always shocked
at how many LGBTQ people are “virtual-
ly homeless. They may not be on the actual
street, but they do not have a place of their
own to live. They are sleeping on other peo-
ple’s sofas and floors. It’s no way to live.”
COLOURS is a social justice organization
established in 1991 by and for Black LGBTQ
people.
Tomo said the organization’s stated mis-
sion is to “positively affect the decision-mak-
ing process of LGBTQ people of color
through the development of activities, train-
ings, programs and reading materials aimed
at attacking the underpinnings of disempow-
erment in our community.” n
Soulfoul Friday will be Friday, Feb. 7 from 5
p.m. to 8 p.m. at Mazzoni Center, 1348 Bain-
bridge St in Center City.
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
PGN
3
4 COLUMN
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

O U R H I S T O R Y, O U R F U T U R E
pgn
Publisher
How PGN got its vending boxes
JASON VILLEMEZ more cumbersome to
Mark Segal (ext. 204) PGN Contributor clean and maintain,
mark@epgn.com
the funds brought in
Those familiar purple vending boxes dot- were used for every-
Office Manager/ ting the streets of Center City weren’t al- thing from building
Distribution ways there. In the first nine months of its supplies to food for
Don Pignolet (ext. 200) existence, the Philadelphia Gay News was the staff.
don@epgn.com limited to a few local distributors and a sub- “The office we
scription service. It was difficult to inadver- had on 13th street
Editor tently stumble upon the paper as so many was renovated with
Jess Bryant (ext. 206) people do today. In 1976, like a lot of things those quarters,” said
editor@epgn.com in the gay community, one had to know Pignolet, who is cele-
where to find the PGN to get it. brating 44 years with
Staff Writers “From the beginning, I wanted every- the paper. “I’d go to a
Michele Zipkin (ext. 215) thing that any other newspaper had,” Pub- place like 84 Lumber,
michele@epgn.com lisher Mark Segal said. “I just didn’t think and I’d pay with not
Larry Nichols (ext. 213) vending boxes were a reality until the offer even rolls, but loose
larry@epgn.com from the Bulletin came along. We had no quarters. I’d put them
money. in stacks of four and
Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208)
timothy@epgn.com When the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin rows of ten.”
retired an aging fleet of their vending boxes, Philadelphia’s pro-
Mark Segal and Don Pignolet, PGN’s long- fessional gay news-
Editorial Designer/
Illustrator time distribution manager, made a deal to paper, thanks to the
Ash Cheshire (ext. 210) receive them for free. Pignolet fit five box- quarters brought in
ash@epgn.com es at a time into his truck and took them to from readers, could
Earl Shibe Auto for painting. When asked if finally afford some
Web Designer they would be willing to donate the paint, office repairs (early
Sean Dorn (ext. 211) the workers said sure, but only one color: PGN offices were of-
sean@epgn.com ten in cramped spac-
fresh plumb.
“No one else had that color,” Pignolet es without heat or
Photographer said, “and it just seemed so gay.” plumbing). However, insides still have the scars of the fire on the
Kelly Burkhardt The first batch of boxes numbered around beyond serving as a revenue source for the bottom, but as long as I got the smell out, it
burkhardtkelly@gmail.com 30. When they were ready to be deployed, staff, the vending boxes also became a pub- didn’t much matter.”
an announcement was made in the Septem- licity tool for the paper and, more impor- The constant destruction forced the staff
ber 1976 issue of the paper: “In order to tantly, for the entire community. to get creative and adapt. Pignolet repaired
Advertising Sales “We wanted them to be in high-profile the boxes where he could find space us-
ensure speedy and convenient local distri-
Joe Bean (ext. 219) bution of the Philadelphia Gay News, lav- places,” Segal said. “We realized they would ing all manner of tools. (The staff, having
joe@epgn.com
ender vending machines for the paper are be the first gay billboards in the city of Phil- heard the continual banging, nicknamed
Prab Sandhu (ext. 212) being purchased and placed in locations adelphia. Here they are, purple, with a huge him “Bam-Bam.”) To remove glue from the
prab@epgn.com throughout Center City. The first area to re- GAY splashed across them. We knew what coin mechanisms, a tungsten carbide rod
ceive the machines is Spruce St.” that was going to mean. We were prepared saw was deployed. And to prevent the clear
National Advertising Initially, the paper cost 50 cents per is- for any backlash. We expected it.” screens from being destroyed, PGN boxes
sue. Pignolet and his father attached the As recently as the 2000s, PGN vending were some of the first to feature Lexan ther-
Rivendell Media:
212-242-6863 coin mechanisms to the boxes, and while boxes had been used as trash cans, vandal- moplastic, a polycarbonate 250 times stron-
they were extremely difficult to set up and ized with graffiti, destroyed by fire. The ger than glass.
differences between then and Such herculean efforts are, fortunate-
1976 were volume and inten- ly, not as necessary today. The PGN now
Phone: 215-625-8501 PGN gets vending boxes from a steel manufac-
Fax: 215-925-6437 505 S. Fourth St. sity. Back then, people glued
E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Philadelphia, PA the boxes shut and scrawled turer. The paint, RAL-0007, is found easily
Web: www.epgn.com 19147-1506 homophobic graffiti such as enough. The garage at the PGN offices pro-
“Gay=Got AIDS Yet?” On vides ample space for repairs without worry
Philadelphia Gay News
is a member of: several occasions, the boxes of a leaky roof or frigid cold. The paper is
The Associated Press were blown up with home- free, eliminating the constant maintenance
Pennsylvania Newspaper of the coin mechanisms. It’s a far cry from
Association made bombs consisting of
Suburban Newspapers M-80 fireworks and a fuse lit 1976.
of America
by a burning cigarette. Twice When asked where he found the strength
the bombs failed to detonate, to handle the constant repairs and harass-
The views of PGN are expressed only in the unsigned
“Editorial” col­umn. Opinions expressed in bylined col- and Pignolet disposed of them ment in the early days, Pignolet said: “Per-
umns, stories and letters to the editor are those of the
writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of carefully. Repairing the boxes severance kept me going. What guided
PGN. The appearance of names or pictorial represen- became, for the most part, his me was a slogan from the early gay rights
tations in PGN does not necessarily indicate the sexual movement, ‘Never let them have the benefit
orientation of that named or pictured person or persons. full-time job.
“Fire was the hardest to re- of our silence again.’ I used that as a motto.”
Copyright © 1976 - 2019 Copyright(s) in all materials
in these pages are either owned or licensed by Masco pair. People would open the For the people today who see the purple
Communications Inc. or its subsidiaries or affiliate compa-
boxes up and set the paper on boxes on the street and feel embraced by
nies (Philadelphia Gay News, PGN, and its WWW sites.)
All other reproduction, distribution, retransmission, mod- fire. Most of them I was able the community, for those in the old days
ification, public display, and public performance of our
to strip off the burnt paint from who snuck around the corner and snatched
materials is prohibited without the prior written consent
of Masco Communications. To obtain such consent, email the outside, hose it all down a paper while nobody was looking, it’s easy
pgn@epgn.com. Published by Masco Communications Inc.
and repaint it. Sometimes the to see: Purple is perseverance. Purple is
© 1976-2019 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-515
PGN. n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
PGN
5

Johnson House,
Underground Railroad
stop in Philadelphia

BLACK HISTORY
IS OUR HISTORY
Start your journey at
6 LOCAL
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
PHILLY SCHOOL DISTRICT
PAYS $850,000 TO SETTLE
BULLYING CASE
TIMOTHY CWIEK
timothy@epgn.com
Philadelphia public-school officials re-
cently allocated $850,000 from the district’s
operating budget to settle the lawsuit filed by
Amanda Wible, a former student who claimed
she suffered severe bullying because she’s
gender nonconforming.
On Jan. 27, in response to a Right-to-Know
Law request, the district emailed to PGN min-
utes from the school board’s Nov. 21 meeting
showing that the board agreed to pay $850,000
to settle the case.
The school-board minutes don’t specify
how much of the money goes to Wible and
how much goes to her attorneys.
David J. Berney, an attorney for Wible, is-
sued this statement: “We are pleased that we
were able to vindicate Amanda's legal rights
and to bring this matter to a successful conclu-
sion. Amanda took a brave stand against bul-
lying, held the School District of Philadelphia
accountable for its role in it, and as a result,
she can now finally move on with her life. We
owe Amanda a debt of gratitude for her cour-
age in shining a light on this issue.”
Wible attended public schools in the city
between September 2003-13 and said she suf-
fered unlawful bullying by several classmates
beginning in 2008, according to court records.
In April 2015, Wible filed suit against the
district, citing numerous slurs and acts of vi-
olence directed at her due to her gender-non-
conformity. Those slurs included “lesbo,” “f--
-ot,” “it,” “b---h,” “d--e,” “she-he,” “homo,”
“freak,” “tr---y,” “she-male,” and “weirdo.”
“From elementary school to ninth grade,
Amanda had to endure violent, severe, and
pervasive sexual harassment to access an ed-
ucation,” Wible’s attorneys wrote in a court
filing. “Because she did not conform to ste-
reotypes about how girls should act and dress,
peers terrorized her”
Wible’s suit alleged that bullies punched
her, pulled her hair, broke her
glasses, vandalized her school supplies,
stabbed her with a pencil, ripped up her class-
work, spat on her, threw food at her, placed a
trash can on her head, pushed her into a locker
and ripped off some of her clothing.
Wible and her mother repeatedly com-
plained about the abuse, but school authori-
ties failed to implement corrective measures,
according to Wible’s lawsuit. In 10th grade,
Wible transferred out of the district to a cy-
ber-charter school.
In court papers, defense attorneys denied
that school officials were aware of Wible be-
ing subjected to systemic harassment and bul-
lying. They also argued that a school district
can’t be held liable for student-on-student
bullying under the Pennsylvania Human Re-
lations Act.
But in May 2018, Philadelphia Common
Pleas Judge Gene D. Cohen ruled that Wible
was subjected to unlawful harassment and
bullying. He wrote that the district was re-
sponsible for sex discrimination in a public
accommodation, which is prohibited by the
PHRA. It’s believed to be the first time a court
held a school district liable for student-on-stu-
dent bullying under the act.
In his 11-page ruling, Cohen wrote: “The
school district acted with deliberate indiffer-
ence to the discrimination and bullying suf-
fered by [Wible].” The judge added that Wible
suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, for
which she receives psychiatric care.
Philadelphia Public-School Spokesperson
Imahni Moise said, "The [school] district
takes reports of bullying and/or harassment
very seriously, and does not tolerate bullying
or harassment of any type. Students identified
as aggravators in such situations will be disci-
plined according to district policy."
Cohen awarded Wible $500,000 in damages
and $578,000 to her attorneys for their legal
fees and costs, to be paid by the school dis-
trict. The district filed an appeal in Common-
wealth Court, claiming the district is immune
from lawsuits such as Wible’s. Oral arguments
were scheduled for November 13, but they
were canceled. The case was officially dis-
continued on Dec. 4, according to Common-
wealth Court records. n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
Fundraiser commemorates
deceased gay deputy sheriff
MICHELE ZIPKIN
michele@epgn.com
Tabu Lounge and Bar will host a fund-
raising event to honor the legacy of be-
loved Philadelphia deputy sheriff and
LGBTQ+ leader Dante Austin, who died
by suicide last June. Austin’s close friends
Julian Domanico, Anthony Sanchez, Ed
Callahan and Gay Officer Action League
(GOAL) members Nicholas Tees and Ra-
sheed Darnell, co-organized the event —
Out of the Darkness and Into the Light:
In Honor of Dante Austin. The fundraiser
will take place on Feb. 15.
Domanico underscored Austin’s pas-
sion, dedication to the community and
ability to forge relationships as some of
his best qualities.
“This was our way of sharing [Dante’s]
legacy and doing something that pushes
his memory forward by invigorating oth-
ers to continue the work that he believed
in,” Domanico said.
In light of Austin’s love of Philadelphia
drag culture, the evening will encompass
performances by drag performers Asia
Monroe, Volkie Versace, Paula Deen-
White and Yari. Sasha Mala and Iris Spec-
tre will host the evening, the proceeds of
which will benefit the Delaware Valley
Legacy Fund (DVLF).
Amber Hikes, former executive director
of Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT Affairs,
will be guest bartending. The Dr. Magnus
Hirschfeld Fund gave Domanico and his
co-organizers the initial money to create
the event. President of dmh Fund is PGN
publisher Mark Segal.
In addition to being a loving partner,
son, brother, uncle and friend, Austin was
known as a leader in the LGBTQ com-
munity. He was the first openly gay dep-
uty sheriff of Philadephia and the depart-
ment’s first LGBTQ community liaison.
He served as vice president of GOAL and
was on the board for numerous Philadel-
phia organizations, including DVLF. He
had also aspired to become sheriff of Phil-
adelphia.
DVLF serves as a prominent fundrais-
ing body for LGBTQ communities in the
Philadelphia area. As a board member of
the organization, Austin helped the team
look at projects from a 360-degree angle,
including identifying the large-scale com-
munity impact of the organization’s work.
“He had a big picture kind of outlook
that he brought to the table,” said DVLF
Board President Fernando Gonzalez.
“Even while living, he was one of the
most inspirational people I’d ever met,
and aspirational.”
Domanico pointed out how the sudden-
ness of Austin’s death deeply affected his
family, friends and the general LGBTQ
community.
“Suicide is a really scary and misun-
derstood thing,” Domanico said. “[Dante]
was kind of omnipresent and knew every-
LOCAL
7
new year,
new job
Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) currently has immediate opening for advertising
sales position available for an energetic, self-motivated individual with outstand-
ing communication skills.
Our ideal candidate must have polished sales skills with experience in lead genera-
DANTE AUSTIN tion and cold calling, combined with a track record of closing the sale.
Qualifications: * Two years minimum of successful sales experience, former print
body and was really an inspiring person and/or advertising sales are a plus * Strong verbal and writing skills * Excellent at
all around. I think that’s why it shocked so relationship building * Ability to work independently and part of a team * Knowl-
many people — you just never know what edge of local media market and LGBT community a plus * Computer literacy a
internal demons people are facing.” must
Officials believe that Austin died by a Salary/Benefits: Competitive Salary based on your past experience, plus commis-
self-inflicted gunshot. sion. Our benefits package includes medical and dental insurance, paid holidays,
According to the suicide prevention or- vacation and a casual work environment.
ganization Suicide Awareness Voices of
Education, lesbian, gay or bisexual people Qualified individuals interested in applying are encouraged to send their résumé.
who are African-American, Latino, Na- to mark@epgn.com
tive American or Asian American attempt
suicide at notably high rates.
A 2019 study from the Williams Insti-
tute reported that just over half of death
by suicides in the United States occur by
firearm, and such attempts result in death
85 percent of the time. It also reported that
10-20 percent of LGB people said that
they tried to commit suicide at least once.
PROVEN. WINNER.
Ultimately, Domanico wants the public
to focus on what Austin left behind.
“He shouldn’t be defined by the last
decision he made in his life,” Domanico
said.
Gonzalez and the team at DVLF plan to Exciting job opportunities are available
have conversations with GOAL and Aus-
tin’s family as to how to allocate the pro- at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, the
ceeds from the event. The funds may be
given to a community member via schol- East Coast’s premier destination.
arship, provide direct assistance to those
experiencing family crises or assist com-
munity members seeking criminal justice, Explore current job openings at
Gonzalez said.
The fundraiser will take place at Tabu borgatajobs.com.
at 7 p.m. VIP tickets, which cost $65 in
advance and $75 at the door, include the
drag performances, an open bar and a buf-
fet. General admission tickets cost $15
and include only the performances.
“So many people just walk through
life,” Gonzalez said. “[Dante] ran through
life while shaking hands and hugging peo-
ple along the way.”
If you or someone you know has suicid-
al thoughts, call the National Suicide Pre-
vention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or the 1 BORGATA WAY, ATLANTIC CITY, NJ 08401
Trevor Project hotline: 1-866-488-7386. Borgata is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Subject to the rules and regulations of the NJCCC.
Trans teens can call the Trans Lifeline: Drug-free workplace. ©2020 Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. All rights reserved.
1-877-565-8860. n
8 LOCAL
JEFFREY E. GOLDMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW
SPECIALIZING IN PARTNERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT LAW
Proven track record of recovering millions of dollars for wrongfully treated employees!*
Experience litigating:
Jeffrey E. Goldman, Esq. Also handle: Rights Committee is collaborating with the
100 S. Broad St.
Suite 1330
Philadelphia, PA 19110
Jeff.Goldman@verizon.net
*Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
Philadelphia Bar Association
partners with CCP to host
name-change clinic
• Partnership & business disputes
• Non-competes
• Executive compensation MICHELE ZIPKIN
• Employment discrimination michele@epgn.com
• Real Estate Litigation
The Philadelphia Bar Association’s LGBT
• Wills, Living Wills, Trusts and Powers of Attorney Community College of Philadelphia to hold
a free name-change clinic for members of the
Put 18 years of experience to work for you! Philadelphia community who are transgender,
gender nonbinary or gender nonconforming
and wish to have their name legally changed.
The committee will also hold a continu-
ing legal education (CLE) training session to
teach attorneys how to litigate, on a pro bono
basis, the name change process for low-in-
come transgender or
gender-nonconforming
people. The CLE is free
Repairs, Renovations and Remodeling only to those attorneys
(215) 467-3335 who plan to volunteer
for the name-change
Pa. HIC #026545 clinic.
Considering the com-
Phila. Lic. #17895 mittee’s partnership
“Our” with CCP, the clinic
is partially geared to-
Family Plumber ward students as well
as members of the gen-
for over 30 years eral public, said Ian Ev-
ans, co-chair of the Bar
Association’s LGBT
Rights Committee.
For the purposes of
this clinic, attorneys
will be working with Illustration
Philadelphia residents
and are unable to take on clients who have a
criminal record. However, participating attor-
neys can offer referrals to non-Philadelphia
residents or those with prior criminal offenses.
“For the terms of this clinic, we wanted to
make it as streamlined as possible so we can
hopefully improve on the model as time goes
on,” Evans said. This is the first name-change
clinic the committee has organized since he
took on the role as co-chair.
Evans also pointed out that the legal name-
change process in Philadelphia is fairly acces-
sible.
“The judges in the Philadelphia Court of
Common Pleas that handle name changes are
really adapted to the process and really sensi-
tive to the needs of the transgender and gen-
der-nonconforming community,” Evans said.
According to weighted data from the Phil-
adelphia 2019-20 Resident Survey, 103 re-
spondents said they identified as transgender,
216 preferred not to say, 107 identified as non-
binary or a third gender and 32 preferred to
self-describe. A 2016 study by the Williams
Institute indicated that 0.44 percent of adults
living in Pennsylvania identify as transgender
and 0.6 percent of adults living in the U.S.
identify as transgender, which equates to
roughly 1.4 million people.
Lawyers participating in the CLE and vol-
unteering for the Philadelphia LGBT Bar
Association come from diverse backgrounds
— some are from the AIDS Law Project of
Pennsylvania, some hale from larger firms
such as Blank Rome, and others practice law
privately.
“It’s really good to have this diversity of ex-
perience because the clients that we anticipate
have a large diversity of experience and possi-
ble needs,” Evans said.
Because the CLE is open to all attorneys
regardless of whether they have previously
worked with LGBTQ+ clients, Evans empha-
sized the importance of cultural competency.
It is integral “to make sure that no matter what
the lawyers’ backgrounds, they [have] the
information necessary
to be able to deal with
transgender and gender
non-conforming clients
in a sensitive and pro-
ductive way,” he said.
The ability to legally
change one’s name is
paramount for members
of the LGBTQ commu-
nity who wish to have
their names match their
chosen identities, Ev-
ans said. He also noted
the need to show iden-
tification for everyday
things like registering
to vote or checking in
for a flight, and how a
by Ash Cheshire discrepancy between
a person’s legal name
and their presentation could incite discrimina-
tion or violence.
With the upcoming REAL ID requirements
going into effect Oct. 1, which establish min-
imum security standards for license issuance
and production, as well as the acceptance
of ID cards for boarding federally regulated
commercial aircraft, this issue becomes even
more critical. In 2019, the Pennsylvania De-
partment of Transportation said it will offer
the gender marker X as an option on drivers
licenses and that these ID cards will meet
REAL ID requirements.
“Beyond the basics, the legal necessity of
having identification documents that match
your identity and presentation, it’s just an
affirming quality that you are recognized for
who you are by your government,” he said. “If
we are working toward making a better and
fairer more open society where the closet is
not really a thing that people need to hide in,
it helps to be able to have something like that,
to be able to officially say, this is who I am
by law.” n
The CLE training will take place at 10 a.m.,
followed by the name change clinic at 1 p.m.
at CCP’s Center for Business and Industry at
1751 Callowhill Street. Those who seek name-
change services from the clinic must register
by Thursday, Jan. 30 at 12 p.m. via https://
forms.gle/aaTZaPvkNBpGbNzp7
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
PGN
9

Speed?
Oh, we’re way past that.
Xfinity delivers more than just fast Internet. With Xfinity xFi, you get the ultimate control
over your home WiFi network. See who is connected and even pause your WiFi with the xFi app. Choose from Download the
Get xFi Advanced
a range of fast, xFi app to easily
Plus, get peace of mind with an added layer of protection for all your connected devices. Security FREE with
reliable speed manage your
That’s Internet made simple, easy, awesome. the xFi Gateway
options WiFi network

Go to xfinity.com, call 1-800-xfinity or visit an Xfinity Store today.

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Actual speeds vary and are not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. Xfinity xFi is available to Xfinity Internet customers
with a compatible Xfinity Gateway. Ability to pause limited to home WiFi network. Does not apply to Xfinity WiFi hotspots. All devices must be returned when service ends. Call for restrictions and complete details.
NPA229988-0001 NED LG Q1 XFS V5a

136187_NPA229988-0001 xFi Super 79.99_PhiladelphiaGayNews_9.75x10.5.indd 1 1/16/20 5:38 PM

10 EDITORIAL
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

EDITORIAL BY JESS BRYANT

LOOKING FOR JUSTICE
Last week’s PGN editorial
mentioned Bayard Rustin as part
of an acknowledgment of Rev.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s fight
for equality.
Rustin was an out gay adviser
to King in the 1950s-60s and an
organizer for the March on Wash-
ington and the 1955 Montgom-
ery Bus boycotts. He also helped
King create the Southern Chris-
tian Leadership Conference.
A Quaker, Rustin is thought to
have been highly influential for
King’s pacifist ideologies and in-
troduced him to Mahatma Gand-
hi’s principles. But because of
his 1953 conviction of “sex per-
version,” many pressured King to
oust Rustin from his inner circle,
though Rustin remained working
with King. Rustin’s arrest was
the result of having sex in a vehi-
cle with at least one man, and his
case was made public when Sen.
Strom Thurmond of South Caro-
lina read Rustin’s arrest file into
the Congressional Record.
But now, over 50 years later,
California State Sen. Scott Weiner
and Assemblymember Shirley
Weber are asking California Gov.
Gavin Newsom to expunge Rust-
in’s record.
In a letter to Newsom on Jan.
21, Weiner and Weber wrote,
“Mr. Rustin’s conviction and
registered sex offender status
haunted him for the rest of his
life, and it continues to tarnish
his name, despite his death 33
years ago.” The letter also said,
“Despite Mr. Rustin’s heroic
contributions to the civil rights
movement, he fell victim to Cal-
ifornia’s homophobic criminal
justice system.”
Newsom said he would con-
sider the letter in a statement:
“History is clear. In California
and across the country, sodomy
laws were used as legal tools of
oppression.”
Rustin was an out gay Black
man during a time when it was
incredibly difficult to be one.
His fight for equality is one that
still resonates with the LGBTQ+
community and folks of color,
certainly when those communi-
ties intersect.
Now, more than ever, we need
heroes to admire. We need to
find our strength in the strength
of those who came before us
amid a Trump Administration
that has repeatedly attacked our
human rights, along with the
rights of many others. Rustin,
and anyone charged with sod-
omy, sexual perversion, lewd
behavior, etc. for being queer,
deserves to have a clean record.
For those brave people, being
LGBTQ+ was much more of a
risk than we face now, and we
all know the risks continue.
The City of Philadelphia
just named Celena Morrison, a
Black trans woman, executive
director of LGBT Affairs. Mor-
rison has long worked on the
ground for our community, and
her appointment is resonating
with many in our community
who know the extent to which
transphobia and racism still ex-
ist from outside our community
and from within it. But we still
have justice to address locally,
in the name of Rustin and our
other LGBTQ+ heroes. Nizah
Morris’ 2002 death in the hands
of or very near to the hands of
police, according to statements
and timelines provided on pub-
lic record, is one of them. n

CREEP OF THE WEEK BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI

PAUL GAZELKA
Genna Gazelka, a 31-year-old who iden-
tifies as bi-gender, knows firsthand the pain
of conversation therapy, calling it “harass-
ment” and “torture.”
According to a May 2019 interview with
the Star Tribune, as a teen, they were sent
to the counseling center of Marcus Bach-
mann, the husband of former U.S. Rep. Mi-
chele Bachmann, an outspoken opponent
of LGBTQ rights, and also to Janet Boynes
Ministries, which claims to “help those who
are trapped in the sin of homosexuality and
yearn to be set free.”
In November, Minnesota Senate Majori-
ty Leader Paul Gazelka was interviewed by
Truth & Liberty Coalition’s Andrew Wom-
mack and Richard Harris on their Truth and
Liberty live stream. They had quite the con-
versation about conversion therapy, some-
thing Gazelka stopped a ban of last year. He
was also the author of Minnesota’s anti-gay
marriage amendment, which failed.
The Truth and Liberty stream doesn’t have
the widest audience. So it took until Jan. 16
of this year for the Minnesota Reformer to
uncover and report on Gazelka’s interview.
A live stream viewer submitted a question
about how to prevent conversation therapy
bans, particularly in Minnesota, “and help
the youth live godly lives.”
“There’s a policy sweeping across the
country that says a counselor or pastor can-
not talk to a youth, an adolescent, about their
sexual, uh, feelings of identity,” Gazelka
replied. “For example, if a gay boy or girl
came into a counselor’s office or a pastor’s
office, under that law they wouldn’t be able
to help them if those were unwanted same-
sex attractions. Think about that: don’t offer
any help, you know, wing it.”
That’s not the most accurate portrayal of
conversion therapy. Also, Gazelka apparent-
ly assumes that the only way to help a gay
adolescent would be to de-gay them, not
help them accept themselves.
“I think the best place to land is let the your mom?” that,” Gen-
church have the total freedom to do as they “Because a lot of times [with] same-sex na Gazelka
please,” he continued. attraction there’s not a good connection to told the Tri-
Ah, yes. Let the church have “total free- the biological parent of the opposite sex,” bune of her
dom to do as they please” with adolescents Gazelka continued, then corrected himself. father. “Be-
and LGBTQ people. What could go wrong? “Of the same sex, I’m sorry. And he said, cause I’m
Gazelka then mentioned suicide rates for ‘It’s funny you say that because my mom like, ‘How
LGBTQ youth, as if the harmful practice of and my grandma raised me.’ And the point can you say you love me and still do this?
conversion therapy doesn’t contribute. I’m trying to make is we actually had a con- And do this at the governmental level, ex-
“Some people never shake a sexual attrac- versation that we could talk about the issues ercise your governmental authority because
tion that the Bible would say is sin,” Gazelka around the why and the what.” you can’t stop me in my individual life?’”
said. “They never shake it. You know, that What? Gazelka’s belief that homosexuali- Really hoping that Paul Gazelka finds it
doesn’t mean they have to give into it. Oth- ty is caused by a lack of both a mom and dad within himself to take this to heart. n
ers find a way to have total freedom. But my isn’t how sexual orientation works.
job is to walk alongside them speaking the Gazelka’s thoughts on sexuality and con- D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and
truth and love. I want them to know that I version therapy are backwards and harmful comedian living in Michigan with her wife
care for them and I’ll help them any way I for all LGBTQ people, but especially for and son. She has been writing about LGBT
can.” Genna Gazelka, his child. politics for over a decade. Follow her on
Like by championing their dehumaniza- “He says that he loves me, and I question Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.
tion and furthering the stigma against
them? By convincing them that the love
they feel for another person is sinful and
gross? Gosh, with love like that, who
needs hate?
Gazelka then told a story about hearing
a speaker talk about “a lady who was les-
bian, and he said before you judge her let
me just tell you her backstory. He was a
counselor and he said she was chained to
a toilet as a like 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-year-old girl
and raped by her dad, for years and years.
How do you think she’s gonna feel?” he
asked. “I really took that one to heart.”
Being chained to a toilet is horrific. Be-
ing raped by your dad is horrific. But nei-
ther of these things, alone or combined,
turn someone into a lesbian. It’s telling,
though, that Gazelka believes something
really truly heinous must’ve happened
to someone in order for them to be gay
or lesbian. He says he “took that one to
heart.” I wonder if he has one.
Gazelka recalled a time he asked a gay
man who’d come to his office, “Were you
raised by your mom and dad or was it just
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
MARK MY WORDS WITH MARK SEGAL
Welcome Archbishop Nelson Perez
We l c o m e
to Philadel-
phia, Arch-
bishop Nel-
son Perez.
You are the
breath of
fresh air that
the Arch-
diocese of
Philadelphia
needed.
I say that
after spending a great deal of time last
week researching Perez. He’s quite im-
pressive. He has a pastoral background,
and more importantly, for Philadelphia’s
Catholic LGBT Community, seems will-
TRANSMISSIONS BY GWENDOLYN ANN SMITH
A hair-raising talk of race, sex and gender
While I typically write about trans issues,
this particular piece will not start with a
story about a transgender or nonbinary per-
son. Rather, it begins with a story about hair.
Specifically, DeAndre Arnold’s hair.
Arnold is a senior at Barbers Hill High
Scholl in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The irony
of the school’s name is not lost on me, nor
will it be on you. Arnold has found himself
afoul of the school’s dress code because he
has lengthy dreadlocks.
For him and his family, his dreadlocks are
a large part of Arnold’s identity: Arnold’s
dad hails from Trinidad and wearing dread-
locks is a part of the culture. It is a sense of
pride.
The school, however, disagrees.
“Male students’ hair will not extend, at
any time, below the eyebrows, or below the
ear lobes,” reads the school’s current hand-
book, according to USA Today. “Male stu-
dents’ hair must not extend below the top
of a T-shirt collar or be gathered or worn in
a style that would allow the hair to extend
below the top of a t-shirt collar, below the
eyebrows, or below the ear lobes when let
down.”
Similar policies on hair length are not in
place for female students.
Even though Arnold has taken pains to
wear his dreadlocks up, keeping them off his
shoulder and out of his eyes as stipulated by
the school dress code,
we
wanna
know
Follow us on Instagram to be a part of our social polls and questions: @phillygaynews
OPINION
ing to engage dialogue, something his pre-
decessor, Archbishop Chaput, was always
against. I learned all this in telephone calls
between myself and the executive directors
of both DignityUSA, the national LGBT
Catholic organization, and New Ways
Ministry, which educates and advocates
for justice and equality for LGBT Catho-
lics. It seems to be a reconciliation within
the larger church and civil communities.
We all felt a certain optimism with Perez’s
appointment.
Between us, we discovered that he has
a very limited record on LGBT issues.
That’s exactly what it should be unless you
were an outspoken homophobe like Cha-
put. Perez seems to be patient in trying
to understand our issues and how that fits
he has nevertheless been threatened with in-
school suspension and told he may not be al-
lowed to walk during graduation ceremonies
later this year.
School Superintendent Greg Poole, via
CNN, claimed that the policy has been as is
for 30 years. In its defense, Poole claims that
the code was an “expectation of the commu-
nity,” and that such expectations lead to suc-
cess.
Arnold’s mother, Sandy Arnold, disagrees
wholeheartedly, noting that the only issues
her son has had in school have been because
of the length of his hair. She feels that the
policy is racist and violates her family’s be-
liefs.
“This is his belief,” Sandy Arnold told
KPRC-TV. “This is a part of who he is. This
is his culture. This is what we believe.”
As I mentioned, DeAndre Arnold is not
transgender nor nonbinary. His issue is not
specifically a trans issue — but there remains
a large double standard when it comes to his
hair. If he was a girl rather than a boy, the
length of his hair would be moot.
Now I’m not saying that Arnold should
transition. Far from it. If anything, he needs
far less people in his life right now telling
him what to do. In that way, he has a lot in
common with every trans student who is
right now facing bills that will restrict trans
athletes from participating in school sports in
their preferred gender, as well as far worse
Are you part of any faith-based community?
25% yes
into Catholic teachings. That’s a long pro-
cess and one that Pope Francis has started.
Chaput has been an agitator to the Pope on
this issue, going to the extreme at times.
He was unwilling to look beyond his ho-
mophobia.
Unfortunately, because of that issue,
Archbishop Perez inherits Chaput’s legacy
which includes: a policy of firing openly
gay or married Catholics from archdio-
cese schools, financially supporting what
is a Catholic conversion-therapy training
class for priests, not recognizing LGBT
families, fighting adoption by LGBT par-
ents. And, maybe the worst one, Chaput
fought against changes in statute of limita-
tion laws in Pennsylvania in order to keep
his abuser priests from being charged with
ones that seek to criminalize care for trans
and nonbinary students altogether.
The same sort of gender bias routinely af-
fects transgender people, but DeAndre Ar-
nold didn’t have to be trans to face regula-
tions about the length of his hair. He faced
them over his race and nationality, with the
policies of the school violating his beliefs
over an otherwise harmless thing: the length
and style of his hair.
I often talk about issues where forms of
bias cross, and this is one of those times.
While Arnold is not being discriminated
against as a trans person, we can certainly
see echoes of what we face in his story. This
is why, to me, we need to be there to stand
up against gender-based injustice whenever
it rears its head.
Consider what Caster Semenya has had to
go through. Semenya, a South African mid-
dle-distance runner, had a long fight over
being able to compete. After some success,
the International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF) changed their rules, de-
manding that Semenya chemically alter her
body to reduce the natural testosterone in
her system, else she will not be allowed to
compete.
Semenya is not transgender. Nevertheless,
it is Semenya’s name that comes up fre-
quently when people speak of trans athletes.
She is also Black.
Bias against transgender people af-
75% no
11
lawsuits. He continues to further victimize
those abused by his priests.
Hopefully, much of that will be in the
past, and the church under the leadership
of Archbishop Perez will be more like
2020 than 1950. With the appointment of
Archbishop Perez, Pope Francis has made
it clear that he wants a church that is di-
verse and inclusive.
One last point that highlights the dif-
ference between Perez and Chaput. While
Chaput supported his own type of conver-
sion therapy, a practice banned in 19 states,
Perez and the Cleveland Archdiocese has
an LGBT family ministry outreach. It’s
easy to see who is better for our commu-
nity and for the Catholic Church.
Welcome to Philly, Archbishop Perez. n
fects people who are not transgender. Bias
against people of color, especially folks of
color, often goes hand in hand with gender
biases. All of these things intersect in differ-
ent ways, much as Kimberlé Williams Cren-
shaw, a Black feminist scholar discussed
when she coined the term “intersectional-
ity” in 1989.
This is why anti-trans violence predom-
inately affects trans women of color, and
why caricatures of Black and other mi-
nority women often focus on “masculine”
characteristics. Consider stereotypes of
Serena Williams, who in addition to being
subject to racist cartoons and other forms
of anti-Black, anti-woman bigotry, has
been labeled and mocked as masculine.
She was even accused of being trans.
Or consider Michelle Obama — a whole
branch of conspiracy theorists claim she is
transgender and others consider her phy-
sique to be masculine.
The discrimination faced by Obama,
Williams, Semenya, and yes, Arnold, is
something we should be aware of. When
we see the actions that this administration
is undertaking against transgender people,
or the legislation being pushed by so-called
religious conservatives against trans rights,
understand that these bills are not solely
going to affect transgender people. They
will be used against anyone who doesn’t fit
into a perfect box labeled “male” or “fe-
male,” and they will most likely focus
most of their ire on anyone who belongs
to other so-called minority groups.
The hair of a non-trans boy in Texas is a
trans issue, and those of us who are trans
need to be there to stand up for him. n
Gwen Smith’s was never allowed long
hair before transition. You’ll find her at
gwensmith.com.
12 REGIONAL
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

Assailant in gay robbery seeks

new trial
TIMOTHY CWIEK arm. Moments later, the victim regained his
timothy@epgn.com composure and began chasing after Drum-
mond again and was able to see him run into
Rasheem J. Drummond, convicted of hit- a house. Once Drummond ran inside of the
ting a gay man over the head with a gun in house, the victim began calling out for help.
Harrisburg after they met through the dat- Eventually, someone saw the victim on the
ing app Grindr, has filed a petition with the sidewalk and called police. When police ar-
State Supreme Court for a new trial. rived on the scene, the victim told them what
PGN is withholding the name of the vic- occurred. Then police brought people out of
tim, who couldn’t be reached for comment. the home that Drummond ran into, and the
According to court records, Drummond victim identified Drummond as his assailant.
and the victim established contact through Drummond was arrested by police and
Grindr and agreed to meet to see if they charged with one count of robbery and one
were sexually count of carrying
compatible. On a firearm with-
Jan. 15, 2017, the out a license. On
victim met Drum- April 24, 2018,
mond at a Rite- Drummond’s jury
Aid store, and trial began and he
they both decided was subsequently
to go to the Hilton convicted of both
Hotel in down- charges. Dauphin
PHI LADELPHIA GAY NEWS town Harrisburg
to have sex —
County Common
Pleas Judge Deb-
with Drummond orah E. Curcillo
directing the vic- sentenced Drum-

pgn HONESTY . INTEGRITY . PROFESSIONALISM tim on how to get mond to a min-

there. imum of seven
since 1976 When they ar- years in a state
rived at the Hil- prison.
ton, Drummond Drummond
asked the victim filed a 57-page
for $60 before appeal for a new
they went inside trial with the
— and the victim Pennsylvania Su-

LET'S TALK
complied. Once perior Court in
inside, Drum- April 2019. The
mond decided RASHEEM J. DRUMMOND Dauphin County
the hotel was too District Attor-
expensive and the ney’s Office filed
two men left the premises. a 29-page response in May 2019, opposing
The men got back into the victim’s car a new trial for Drummond.

ABOUT
and drove to the Radisson Hotel in Camp In November 2019, the state Superior
Hill, to see if it was less expensive. They Court sided with DA’s office and said there
entered the Radisson, but Drummond told was no reason to have a new trial for Drum-
the victim that the hotel was too expensive. mond.
At that point, the victim asked that his $60 In December 2019, Drummond filed a
be returned, but Drummond only returned 72-page petition with the Pennsylvania Su-

PrEP, BABY.
$30. Then the victim gave Drummond a ride preme Court, asking the court to hear the
home, to see if Drummond’s housemates case. Drummond’s petition claims there was
were asleep and they could have sex there. insufficient evidence to convict him of the
Once Drummond and the victim arrived, crimes he was charged with. Drummond’s
Drummond promised to return the victim’s petition refers to the evidence as “incon-
remaining $30. Then he walked to his resi- clusive” and “fraught with discrepancy.”
dence while the victim sat in his car. When The petition also claims that Drummond
Drummond returned and reentered the vic- was denied proper legal representation and
One pill. Once a day. Prevents HIV. tim’s vehicle, he pulled out a firearm and that the victim’s testimony was unreliable.
pointed it to the victim’s chest, demanding For example, the victim said Drummond
that the victim give him all of his money and threatened him with a gun yet he still chased
his cell phone. The victim complied with Drummond for his cell phone, according to
Drummond’s command and gave him $100 the petition.

PrEPdelco.com plus his cell phone. As of presstime, Drummond’s petition re-

Chester: 610.872.9101
Sharon Hill: 610.583.1177
Drummond then exited the car and began mained pending with the high court.
running. The victim also exited the car, in an According to state Department of Cor-
attempt to retrieve his cell phone, which he rections information, Drummond, 35, re-
believed was necessary in order to make it mains incarcerated at a state prison in La-
home and call for help. At some point Belle, Pennsylvania. His appellate attorney
during the victim’s chase of Drummond, couldn’t be reached for comment. A repre-
he was able to reach him, and Drummond sentative of the DA’s office declined to com-
smacked the victim in the head with his fire- ment for this story. n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
Out State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta endorsed by
local Service Employees International Union
MICHELE ZIPKIN
michele@epgn.com
In his reelection campaign for Pennsyl-
vania House of Representatives, Malcolm
Kenyatta received an endorsement from
the Service Employees International Union
Pennsylvania State Council. The SEIU an-
nounced its first round of endorsements on
Jan. 22 of this year. Kenyatta has had the
support of the SEIU state council since he
initially ran in the primary.
The SEIU is an organization that values
the worth of workers and their services, and
is devoted to ameliorating the lives of work-
ers and their families.
“I am so proud to have this distinction
from SEIU PA State Council,” Kenyatta
said in an email. “I will continue fighting
for poor and working people, and the right
for workers to receive a living wage while
standing up against harmful policy ideas like
Pay-Check Protection and Right-to-Work.”
Kenyatta said that working to protect
these rights is a keystone in his reelection
campaign.
“My district is comprised largely of hard-
working union men and women and it is
my honor to go to Harrisburg and fight for
them,” he said.
One pill for us.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
can reduce your risk of getting
HIV by about 99% when taken daily.
PrEP, HIV Testing and Treatment is available at
the Einstein Community Practice Center.
To learn more about services
call or text 267-785-0892.
LOCAL
Kenyatta’s work fighting to increase the
Pennsylvania minimum wage to $15 an hour
and improve education as well as his advo-
cacy for immigrants’ rights are some of the
values that garnered him the endorsement
from the SEIU.
“He’s really time and again been there
with our members as they’ve been fighting
every place [for] workers who are trying
to fight their way out of poverty, said Gabe
Morgan, president of the SEIU Pennsylva-
nia State Council and vice president of SEIU
Local 32BJ. “Supporting him, to us, is just
as obvious and easy thing to do as it could
possibly be.”
Kenyatta is also the first openly LGBTQ+
person of color to be elected to the Pennsyl-
vania General Assembly, and as such advo-
cates for cultures of equality and inclusion.
He spearheaded the diversity and inclusion
13
initiatives for the Chamber of Commerce of
Greater Philadelphia and has worked as a
member for organizations including Equali-
ty PA and Liberty City Democratic Club.
As of late last year, Kenyatta is facing
Democratic rival Charlotte Greer-Brown,
former aid to state Rep. Curtis Thomas, Ken-
yatta’s forerunner.
A Facebook video captured Greer-Brown
lauding her first endorsement from Sher-
iff-elect Rochelle Bilal, and asking for do-
nations from a small crowd. However, when
asked if she created a campaign account,
Greer-Brown neglected to answer. Pennsyl-
vania election code dictates that candidates
must register their election committee with-
in 20 days of amassing $250.
In deciding who to endorse, the SEIU
state council members interview new candi-
dates and administer surveys to keep track of
their values and voting habits, Morgan said.
“Representative Kenyatta has a great re-
cord on all the progressive and worker is-
sues that our union focuses on,” Morgan
added. “Our members see him all the time
at schools, they see him when they’re out
working demonstrations to raise their wages
and benefits – he’s there all the time. In his
case, he’s a very active legislator. He works
very hard.” n
14
Parenting on ‘The L Word: Generation Q’
DANA RUDOLPH
PGN Contributor
“The L Word: Generation Q,” the sequel
to the groundbreaking queer television dra-
ma “The L Word,” just ended its first sea-
son on Showtime. There is much to praise
about the new show, including more varied
representation in many dimensions of identi-
ty. Here, I want to explore the parenting sto-
rylines of both series to see what they might
tell us about the changing representation of
LGBTQ parents.
The main parenting storyline of the orig-
inal series, which ran from 2004 to 2009,
centered on characters Bette (Jennifer Beals)
and Tina (Laurel Holloman). In season 1,
they go through various antics while search-
ing for a sperm donor — an overused trope
among shows that depicted two-woman cou-
ples in the mid-2000s. Fast forward through
some break-ups and reunions, and they have
baby Angie in season 2.
We see only a few storylines related to
Angie, however, notably one in which her
moms try to get her into an elite preschool by
showing that they’re the most diverse fam-
ily vying for the spot. That same storyline
was used by ABC’s “Modern Family” two
years later for gay dads Mitchell and Camer-
on and their daughter Lily. In a later season,
too, Bette and Tina try to adopt, but this falls
through.
Character Helena Peabody (Rachel Shel-
ley) also had children, but they didn’t live
with her and played a minimal part in the
show.
About transgender character Max’s (Dan-
iela Sea) pregnancy, the less said, the better.
While a trans man being pregnant could
make a fine storyline, this one was handled
clunkily and only served to underscore the
character’s otherness. The original “L Word’
did not handle trans issues well.
Shane (Katherine Moennig) also acts for
several episodes as guardian of her 9-year-
old half-brother Shay. We see Shane struggle
with that responsibility, though, and Shay
eventually goes back to live with their father.
The new show has brought parenting even
NEWS First trans person elected to public office in Penn.
BRIEF endorses Warren
JESS BRYANT
jess@epgn.com
Erie School Board Director Tyler Titus,
the first trans person elected to public office
in Pennsylvania, endorsed Sen. Elizbeth
Warren for president on Jan. 28.
COLUMN
( L - R ) L A U R E L H O L L O M A N A S T I N A K E N N A R D, J E N N I F E R B E A L S A S B E T T E P O R T E R A N D
J O R D A N H U L L A S A N G I E I N “ T H E L W O R D : G E N E R AT I O N Q : L O O S E E N D S .”
Photo Credit: Hilar y Bronwyn Gayle/SHOWTIME.
more fully into characters’ lives, as all of
the returning cast members are now dealing
with children in some fashion. (Minor spoil-
ers for the season follow.) The new cast also
includes Angie (Jordan Hull), now 16, with
storylines of her own. Bette and Tina, though
no longer together, are both very involved in
her life. We find out, too, that Angie has a
crush on her best friend Jordi — a sign that
we’re moving beyond fear of perpetuating
the myth that LGBTQ parents will create
LGBTQ kids. Statistically, some of us will
have them, though, and that’s just fine.
We also see Alice (Leisha Hailey), from
the original series, now in a relationship
with Nat (Stephanie Allynne, a real-life
queer mom), who is sharing custody of her
two kids with her ex. Alice tries to learn par-
enting skills like dealing with a sick child or
packing snacks for a swim meet, while also
figuring out how she fits into the family.
And Shane, who struggled in the original
show to balance her guardianship respon-
“As a transgender male from a small rural
town in Pennsylvania, I know the value of
representation in a democracy,” Titus said in
statement. “I know how vital it is to have
a voice and the impact of not being heard.
I ran for public office in 2017 to elevate
those who had been silenced, overlooked
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
sibilities with the freedom she wanted in
her life, is facing the same struggle again
because her ex-wife Quiara, who wants
to reunite, is pregnant. Shane must decide
whether to help her parent.
Shane is hesitant, but after advising An-
gie on her relationship with Jordi, sees that
there’s something rewarding about parent-
ing. She says she’ll do it. After Quiara’s first
ultrasound, however, Shane is afraid that she
isn’t feeling the deep emotions a prospec-
tive parent should. Quiara wisely advises,
“You’ll feel exactly what you’re supposed
to feel on your own time.” That’s as good a
piece of parenting advice as I’ve ever heard.
Parenting wisdom among the show’s
melodrama shouldn’t surprise viewers.
New showrunner and co-executive pro-
ducer Marja-Lewis Ryan and her wife had
a baby last year, and original showrunner
and “LW:GQ” co-executive producer Ilene
Chaiken is a mom as well.
While “LW:GQ” will never be focused on
and left behind. Being a public servant re-
quires commitment, humility, vulnerability
and tenacity. It means you show up, you lis-
ten, and you fight like hell for equity for all
constituents.”
Titus said he expects the same commit-
ment from a candidate he supports which is
MOMBIAN
parenting in the same way as, say, “Modern
Family” or “The Fosters,” Freeform’s 2013-
18 drama about a two-mom couple and their
five kids, it feels natural that several of the
“LW:GQ” characters have or want kids or
are trying to decide if they do. Advances in
acceptance, legal protections and reproduc-
tive technologies have made it increasingly
easy for queer people to become parents
(even as we recognize that out LGBTQ par-
ents have existed for decades and our full
history goes back, arguably, to Sappho).
And a 2019 study by Family Equality has
shown that 63 percent of LGBTQ millen-
nials — the “Generation Q” of the show’s
title — are considering starting or growing
their families.
The show’s writers recognize this shift. In
the season finale, real-life writer and profes-
sor Roxane Gay guest stars as herself, being
interviewed by Alice on her talk show. Alice
asks her, “Can you be a bad queer?” refer-
encing Gay’s book “Bad Feminist,” which
calls for broadening what “feminist” means
to include those who may not adhere to
some perfect ideal. Gay answers, “Histori-
cally, in the queer community, we’ve tried to
resist heteronormative ideas. And, so, these
days, to be a bad queer is probably to want a
wife and two kids and a picket fence.”
We see the tension of that in Shane, the
least conformist of the three original char-
acters, as she grapples with whether she can
be a parent and still be herself. Yet Bette
and Alice are also parents. Are they “bad
queers”? Hardly.
But the definition of “queer” now in-
cludes parents as well as those who aren’t,
by choice or circumstance. It makes sense,
then, that even on a queer show that’s not
“about” parenting, we’re seeing more par-
ents and more “every day” parenting mo-
ments. Yes, some of us may want a picket
fence — but we can paint it in rainbow col-
ors. n
Dana Rudolph is the founder and publisher
of Mombian (mombian.com), a GLAAD Me-
dia Award-winning blog and resource direc-
tory for LGBTQ parents.
why he chose to endorse Warren. “She has
shown up, she has listened, and she fights
like hell for equity,” he said.
Aside from his position with the school
board, Titus is vice chair of Gov. Wolf’s
LGBTQ Affairs Commission and the Erie
Mayor’s LGBT Council. n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
MEDIA TRAIL
Arizona bill would ban trans-
gender girls, women from teams
10TV.com reports transgender girls and wom-
en would be barred from participating in sports
on the team that aligns with their gender identity
under a proposed Arizona law.
The proposal announced by GOP Rep. Nancy
Barto on Jan. 24 is co-sponsored by 22 other Re-
publican House members and is the latest on a
growing list of more than a dozen states with bills
that focus on transgender young people.
The Arizona legislation allows only biological
women or girls to play on female teams and re-
quires a doctor’s note to prove a person is female
if their birth sex is disputed. It allows lawsuits by
students who believe they’ve missed opportuni-
ties because a transgender person is on a school
team.
The measure is intended to prevent female ath-
letes from being forced to compete against bio-
logical males, Barto said in a statement. It would
apply to K-12 schools, community colleges and
state universities but only to female teams.
“When this is allowed, it discourages female
participation in athletics and, worse, it can result
in women and girls being denied crucial educa-
tional and financial opportunities,” Barto’s state-
ment said.
Republicans make up the majority in the state
House and Senate.
Similar legislation has been proposed in Ala-
bama, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, New Hamp-
shire, Tennessee and Washington state, according
to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Several national women’s rights and sports or-
ganizations are pushing back, saying in a letter
distributed by the American Civil Liberties Union
that barring transgender people from sports teams
aligning with their gender identity often means
they are “excluded from participating altogether.”
Court rules for gay couple in
Indiana birth certificate suit
The Journal & Courier reported a federal ap-
peals court sided with a gay married couple who
challenged Indiana’s birth records law, arguing
that it discriminates against them and their chil-
dren because birth certificates don’t account for
same-sex spouses as parents.
The decision from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court
of Appeals on Jan. 17 reaffirmed a lower court’s
ruling in a 2015 case filed by Ashlee and Ruby
Henderson that required the state to recognize the
couple’s children as their own.
The Hendersons, of Lafayette, alleged that lo-
cal and state health officials discriminated against
them when the Tippecanoe County Health De-
partment declined to put both of their names as
parents on their son’s birth certificate in Decem-
ber 2014. The county at the time allowed only
Ruby Henderson, the birth mother, to be listed as
N AT I O N A L
15
Because life
a parent.
The three-judge panel appeals court rejected
the state’s appeal, upholding U.S. District Court
Judge Tanya Walton Pratt’s 2016 ruling.
is more
“The district court’s order requiring Indiana to
recognize the children of these plaintiffs as legit-
imate children, born in wedlock, and to identify
both wives in each union as parents, is affirmed,”
the appeals court wrote in its 10-page ruling.
Ashlee Henderson said that she was surprised
nightlife
when she heard about the decision, which she has
been waiting on since the case was argued in May
2017. art
“My first reaction was such relief and shock,’’
comedy
said Henderson, who now also has a daughter.
“After such a long wait, it was such an indescrib-
able feeling to finally have answers. Good an-
swers at that.”
The Indiana attorney general’s office is “dis-
appointed” in the ruling and will consider next
television
steps, spokeswoman Melissa Gustafson said.
The state could seek to appeal to the U.S. Su-
preme Court.
Karen Celestino-Horseman, Indianapolis at-
literature
torney representing the Hendersons, praised the
ruling.
“This one is just further affirmation of these
cabaret
families,” Celestino-Horseman said. “You’d
think this would be settled. ... But we’ll wait to
see what the state does. Wait, again.” film
Hallmark media CEO leaves
a month after same-sex ad
theater
backlash
ABC News reports the head of Hallmark’s me-
food
dia business is leaving the company after 11 years,
music
just a month after its flagship Hallmark Channel
faced an outcry over a decision to pull an ad with
a lesbian couple kissing.
No reason was given for Bill Abbott’s departure,
and no replacement was immediately named.
In a statement, Mike Perry, president and CEO
than just gay
of Hallmark Cards Inc., said that with immense
competition from TV networks and streaming ser-
vices, it is important for the company to find “rel-
news.
evant new ways to grow our business.”
Abbott was CEO of Crown Media Family Net-
works, a company controlled by Hallmark Cards.
Crown Media’s flagship cable channel is The
Hallmark Channel, known for family-friendly
programming, particularly made-for-TV Christ-
mas-themed movies.
In December, the Hallmark Channel’s decision
to pull an ad featuring the same-sex couple led to
an outcry online. The company later reversed the
decision.
Crown Media also operates the Hallmark Movies
ARTS & CULTURE
& Mysteries, Hallmark Drama networks, subscrip-
tion streaming service Hallmark Movies Now and
e-book publishing division Hallmark Publishing. n
Reporting via Associated Press
16
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
South Korean military
decides to discharge
transgender soldier
South Korea’s military decided Jan. 22 to
discharge a soldier who recently undertook
gender- affirmation surgery, a ruling expected
to draw strong criticism from human rights
groups.
It was the first time in South Korea that
an active-duty member has been referred to
a military panel to determine whether to end
her service due to her operation. South Korea
prohibits transgender people from joining the
military but has no specific laws on what to do
with those who have gender-affirmation sur-
gery during their time in service.
The army said in a statement that it conclud-
ed that the soldier’s surgery can be considered
as a reason for discharge.
The statement said the decision went
through due process and was based on a relat-
ed military law on personnel changes. Army
officials cited the law’s provision that allows
the military to discharge a member with phys-
ical and mental disabilities.
The non-commissioned officer had a gen-
der-affirmation surgery abroad late last year.
HRC EQUALITY INDEX SCORES
from page 1
Rome LLP, Chubb Ltd., Comcast NBCUni-
versal, Cozen O’Connor, Dechert LLP, Drink-
er Biddle and Reath LLP, Duane Morris LLP,
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, FMC
Corp., Fox Rothschild LLP, Montgomery Mc-
Cracken Walker and Rhoads LLP, Morgan,
Lewis and Bockius LLP, Pepper Hamilton
LLP and Saul Ewing Arnstein and Lehr LLP.
The highest number of companies in the 18
years the CEI has existed earned scores of 100
percent in this year’s survey, an increase of
over 100 companies from last year.
The law firm Blank Rome was founded by
a group of attorneys who had trouble finding
work due to their religious affiliation, ex-
plained Partner and Chief Diversity and Inclu-
sion Officer Sophia Lee.
“From our perspective, diversity and inclu-
sion has been a foundation of our core values
since our founding,” she said. “We wanted to
create a place where people of diverse back-
grounds can bring their whole selves to work.
I like to say diversity and inclusion is in our
DNA.”
Blank Rome’s LGBTQ employee resource
group, BR Pride, facilitates educational, net-
working and recruiting events throughout
the year. During last year’s pride month, the
group organized a panel with representatives
from LGBTQ organizations including Whit-
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
The staff sergeant has since been hospitalized
at a military-run facility and expressed a de-
sire to continue serving as a woman soldier,
according to the army.
South Korea’s state-run human rights
watchdog recommended Jan, 21 the army
postpone its decision. The National Human
Rights Commission said in a statement that re-
ferring the soldier to the military panel would
be an act of discrimination over sexual identity
and affect the soldier’s basic human rights.
Public views on gender issues in South Ko-
rea have gradually changed in recent years.
Several gay-themed movies and TV dramas
have become hits and some transgender en-
tertainers have risen to stardom. However, a
strong bias against sexual minorities still runs
deep through South Korean society.
Activists say transgender people are like-
ly to face harassment, abuse and insults, and
many suffer from depression and have at-
tempted suicide.
Israel signs pact to bar
gay couples from adopting
Russian babies
Israel signed an agreement with Russia on
man-Walker Health and The Trevor Project.
BR Pride also serves to let LGBTQ-identified
Blank Rome employees know of each other’s
existence, said Brady Craig, intellectual prop-
erty and technology associate and co-chair of
BR Pride.
“To be able to have your personal life not to
be completely separate from your office life —
that’s something very important to me, to be
able to be open about who I am and talk about
my partner,” he said.
Blank Rome is also proudly a Mans-
field-certified firm, in reference to Diversity
Lab’s Mansfield Rule. The rule dictates that a
firm should strive to have women, people of
color, LGBTQ people and people with dis-
abilities comprise at least 50 percent of their
candidate pool while considering leadership
positions and outside counsel. Blank Rome
was one of the pilot firms for the first version
of the Mansfield Rule, Lee said.
Though not in Philadelphia and in neigh-
boring Delaware County, Lincoln Financial
Group instituted its ERGs in 2011 — the
LGBTQ group was among the first, said Brian
Truelove, the company’s assistant vice presi-
dent of diversity and inclusion.
According to Truelove, one of the social
media comments Lincoln received in response
to its LGBTQ resources reads: “I can’t tell
you how happy it makes me to see a company
[moving] to make the lives of transgender peo-
ple a little easier. It gives me great hope for my
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
Jan. 22 that precludes LGBTQ parents from
adopting Russian children. While the agree-
ment does not spell this out, it notes that adop-
tions will be done in line with the laws of both
countries. Since in Russia, LGBT parents are
barred from adopting children, this will now
apply to Israelis seeking to adopt in Russia.
Before the signing of this agreement, Rus-
sia was the only country allowing Israelis
to adopt children, with the procedure being
managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs.
In practice, members of the LGBTQ commu-
nity could not adopt Russian children even
before this was formalized. Sources familiar
with these issues said that in the past, Israel
rejected a demand by Russia that this prohibi-
tion be anchored in a formal document. This
would have implied that if the law in Russia
changed, LGBTQ parents from Israel could
have started adopting in Russia.
The signing of the agreement between the
two countries after 10 years of negotiations
is expected to make it easier and faster for
straight couples in Israel to adopt in Russia.
It will probably also increase the number of
adoptions, according to knowledgeable sourc-
es. The new agreement was signed by the
Minister for Environmental Protection and
Jerusalem Affairs, Zeev Elkin, who also heads
an inter-governmental Israel-Russia commit-
tee, and senior Russian officials, including
several deputy ministers — for foreign affairs,
economy, education, labor and welfare — and
the deputy heads of Russia’s pension fund and
customs. The signature took place on the eve
of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s arrival
in Israel on Jan. 16 for the World Holocaust
Forum.
In 2017, Israel made a commitment to
Russia not to allow same-sex couples to adopt
friends and family who tout themselves as part
of the transgender community.”
Lincoln also instituted an updated transgen-
der inclusion policy, which is comprised of
guidelines for transition, educational resourc-
es and gender-inclusive restrooms.
“We’re trying to make sure that everyone
feels part of the organization, and included
and engaged,” Truelove said. “We have train-
ing for our managers so they can learn a little
bit about what it takes to manage someone
who’s transgender and understand all the lan-
guage and the idea of pronouns.”
Aramark’s ERG, PRIDE has been facilitat-
ing inclusivity, allyship and support of career
development for the last seven years or so. The
ERG has between 600 and 700 members na-
tionwide as well as in Canada, according to
Assistant Vice President and Chief Diversity
Officer Jameel Rush.
“One of the great things we’ve had from our
ERG is going into and creating safe spaces for
our employees to talk about their unique expe-
riences,” Rush said.
In addition to providing training sessions
and facilitating diversity within their sup-
ply chain, the team at Aramark vies to take
“real” action to better the lives of its LGBTQ
employees. Members of PRIDE came to the
diversity and inclusion team in search of sig-
natures on the amicus brief asking the federal
legislature to include sexual orientation and
gender identity in its nondiscrimination laws.
Russian children. State representatives prom-
ised to ensure that the Russian family model,
which excludes same-sex parents, would be
abided by after the adopted children reached
Israel. At the request of nonprofit groups that
regulate overseas adoptions, representatives
of the ministries of justice and social affairs
signed documents that were presented to
Russian courts, committing to obey Russian
laws that prohibit same-sex couples from
adopting.
Oz Parvin, chairman of the group Gay Fa-
thers, said in response to the signing: “We’re
disappointed by and protest the state’s de-
cision to sign this discriminatory adoption
agreement with Russia, knowing that it
would deepen the inequality of LGBT com-
munity rights in Israel. It’s inconceivable that
in 2020 we are not able to benefit from the
option of adoption, in addition to the discrim-
ination we face in the surrogacy law, as well
as in the overall attitude of the state to parents
in the LBGT community. It’s high time that
the rights to parenthood apply equally to all
Israelis, from all groups and sectors.”
In February 2014, then-Prime Minister
Dmitry Medvedev signed an ordinance pro-
hibiting homosexual and lesbian couples,
or single people from countries allowing
same-sex marriage, from adopting Russian
children. The ordinance was meant to pre-
vent people in a same-sex relationship from
posing as single to adopt a child. This pre-
cluded citizens of France, Canada and Spain
from adopting Russian children. Citizens of
the United States, in which many states allow
same-sex marriage, had been excluded a year
earlier. n
Reporting via Associated Press
“That’s a signal to us to say, ‘This is really
critical for us as a community and this is a way
that you, Amarmark, can show that diversity
isn’t something you preach about in theory,
it’s something that you’re actually going to put
your name and your power and the organiza-
tion behind,’” Rush said.
Another locally-headquartered law firm,
Cozen O’Connor, bumped up its last CEI
score from 75 to 100 by making its employee
benefits information more readily accessible
and clearly defining a benefit partner.
The firm has two LGBTQ ERGs, one for
attorneys, which focuses more on business de-
velopment and one for staff members.
Shakema Appleton, the firm’s diversity data
analyst, said two ERGs help to “provide more
education for employees not just throughout
that group but throughout the firm as a whole.”
She added, “[People] really came out and said
‘Hey, this is what we need to see within Cozen
O’Connor.’”
In 2019, Appleton was named Philadelphia
Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Ris-
ing Star for her work in diversity analytics and
her initiatives in support of Cozen O’Connor’s
LGBTQ employees.
“We’ve seen a shift in the culture, as far as
people coming forward and saying ‘What can
I do to help,’” Appleton said. “Especially in
the legal field, it can be a little tough. People
are feeling comfortable coming forward, even
myself. I’m an ally.” n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
OFFICE OF LGBT AFFAIRS
from page 1
former deputy director of the office, took over
Hikes’ duties on an interim basis while simul-
taneously working on training and program
development initiatives. As of Dec. 17, ac-
cording to the City of Philadelphia and an au-
tomated email response from Thornburg, she
was no longer the deputy director of the Of-
fice of LGBT Affairs, leaving top positions in
the office vacant. Now, the LGBTQ commu-
nity has leadership again in city government.
Mayor Jim Kenney told PGN, “Leading
the Office of LGBT Affairs is by no means
an easy job. Even in a progressive city like
Philadelphia, there are a number of challeng-
es still facing the LGBTQ+ community, and
we’ve also seen that this position brings an
unmatched level of visibility. It can be hard
to execute important work when you are in
the public eye, but Celena is joining a long
line of strong, amazing women who have led
the Office of LGBT Affairs — Gloria, Nellie,
Amber and now her.”
He added, “At a time when trans women —
particularly trans women of color — are fac-
ing an epidemic of violence across this coun-
try, I am proud to have a leader like Celena
at the helm. Her vast experience in program
development and service delivery, paired with
PGN
her lived experience, will help inform a smart,
strategic approach to our work that elevates
the most marginalized individuals with the
LGBTQ+ community.”
Mirroring Kenney’s words, Morrison told
PGN, she “will continue the work of the
office and focus on the most marginalized
members of our community. As many of us
do, I am going to have a particular focus on
trans women of color.”
Originally from North Carolina, Morri-
son has lived in Philadelphia for more than
a decade. Before her position at William
Way, Morrison was a community engage-
ment specialist at the Mazzoni Center, where
she provided support services to members
of the transgender community. She contin-
ues to work with Sisterly LOVE and OUR
Way at Mazzoni and recently partnered with
the group TMAN, whose mission is to uplift
transmasculine folks of color. Additionally,
Morrison has been involved with TransWork,
“since its birth,” she said. TransWork, found-
ed by Marcus Iannozzi, connects transgender
and nonbinary job seekers and entrepreneurs
to supportive employers and business part-
ners.
In her new role as executive director, Mor-
rison said she wants to continue working with
these community efforts and organizations.
“One thing that I have really thought about
is how some of the initiatives that I have
worked on or am presently working on —
how can I support those initiatives from this
standpoint and continue to work along the
folks that I built these positive relationships
with over the years.”
Thinking big picture, “I would love to
see more unity and support from within our
community — a more solid unit,” Morrison
told PGN. “We have so many entities that are
fighting against all of us, things that we’re up
against every day. Some of us can’t meet our
basic needs. ...I mean we’ve come a long way,
we’ve made a lot of accomplishments, but I
believe we can do so much more if we were
just more united.”
She added that it takes the willingness of
the entire spectrum of identities to stand to-
gether.
Rue Landau, executive director of PCHR
and an out lesbian, said, “One of Celena’s
main strengths is that she sees the world
through an intersectional lens and knows that
people bring many parts of their life experi-
ences to any situation. She is compassion-
ate but strong, and I think she’s going to do
a fantastic job in this role.” Landau said, “I
was not part of the hiring committee, but I am
thrilled by her appointment. In my experience
working with Celena on the commission,
she’s smart, kind, caring, and she has a pas-
17
sion for justice. She was the first trans person
appointed to the commission. She quickly
jumped into her role; she actively participated
in meetings, discussed cases recommended
for closing and served on a hearing panel to
decide an employment discrimination case
based on sex. She takes her responsibilities
seriously.”
Additionally, Landau noted the loss for
PCHR with Morrison’s new position but
pointed to a project that will involve further
collaboration.
“At the PCHR, we know we’re going to
continue working closely with her, especially
because, among other projects, PCHR will be
partnering with the Mayor’s Office of LGBT
Affairs and Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs
to write regulations for the new law requiring
institutions and organizations serving youth
to adopt nondiscrimination policy guidelines
to better serve transgender and gender-non-
conforming youth. “
Landau’s excitement on future work with
the Office of LGBT Affairs pairs with what
Morrison said in a release from the Mayor’s
Office — “I want Philadelphians to know that
I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to
work from the moment I step into my new
office, and I plan to do so with a focus on en-
gaging the most marginalized members of our
community.” n

NEW ARCHBISHOP
from page 1
Kovach, who heads communications for the
Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, said of Perez
in a statement to PGN, “A kind, joyous and
hard-working person, Bishop Perez is best de-
scribed as proactive, involved and supportive
in his leadership style.”
Of his work in Cleveland, she said, “In the
Diocese of Cleveland, he made the visitation
of parishes, schools and many other Catholic
and community organizations a top priority.
He was tireless in his desire to get to know the
people and places of the diocese.”
Perez comes to Philadelphia — a renowned
sanctuary city — with a track record of stand-
ing for immigrants and working in Cleveland
to prevent deportations. Unlike Chaput, who is
a supporter of President Trump, Perez has said
of Trump’s immigration policies and treatment
of the poor, “We’ve lost our moral compass.”
As a part of the U.S. Conference of Cath-
olic Bishops, Perez serves as chair of the
Bishops’ Standing Committee on Cultural
Diversity in the Church. In November 2018,
Perez began a three-year term as the bishop
liaison for the National Federation for Catho-
lic Youth Ministry.
Cuban-American Perez was born in Miami,
raised in New Jersey and ordained in Philadel-
phia. Perez spent 23 years in Philadelphia as a
priest and as a teacher at LaSalle University.
Perez also did pastoral counseling while in
Philadelphia.
For LGBTQ Catholics, Perez’s appointment
is a momentous change. Chaput is widely re-
garded both in and out of church circles as one
of the most virulently homophobic and trans-
phobic members of the Church hierarchy.
Ann Reilly, a longtime member of the
LGBT Catholic group DignityUSA, said, “We
know [the appointment of Perez] will disseminated, and in it, he urged the church
be a step forward for us as LGBTQ to cease making references to LGBTQ
Catholics because Pope Francis could Catholics in published materials.
have chosen someone else, someone This stance is at odds with Pope Fran-
older, more conservative. But he chose cis, who has been more open to embracing
a Latinx bishop who cares about sex LGBTQ Catholics and even gay priests.
abuse victims, cares about immigrants, The Cleveland Diocese has an LGBT Min-
cares about poor people and cares about istry, but it has not been active since 2018.
opening the church to everyone.” Perez had no involvement with the ministry,
She added, “Perez’s opening state- which is largely one of pastoral counseling
ment to us was one of warmth and and events for parents.
humility. He immediately spoke to Church analysts view Perez’s appoint-
sex abuse victims, spoke in Spanish to PHILADELPHIA ARCHBISHOP-ELECT ment as yet another sign that Francis is con-
NELSON PEREZ Credit: AP / The Philadelphia
our large Latinx community. I feel so Inquirer / Michael Br yant
tinuing to move away from conservatism
hopeful.” to shift the ideological tone of the Catholic
Out Rev. Naomi Washington doctrine. While archbishop of Denver and church in the U.S. to one that is more pro-
Leapheart is an adjunct professor of theol- before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gressive and inclusive.
ogy and religious studies at Villanova Uni- the issue, Chaput worked to defeat legisla- In Cleveland, Perez doggedly routed
versity and served as the faith work director tion that would have granted same-sex cou- priests accused of sexual abuse — nearly
for the National LGBTQ Task Force. She ples civil unions in Colorado. two dozen in his brief stint as bishop there.
was hired as director for Faith-Based and Chaput also pushed for a parochial In his opening statement in Philadelphia,
Interfaith Affairs for Philadelphia in Octo- school student to be expelled because les- Perez spoke directly to victims, apologizing
ber. bian mothers were raising him. Chaput said to them. Philadelphia has been the locus of
Washington Leapheart expressed her ex- of his decision, “Sexual intimacy outside a massive cover-up of priest sex abuse.
citement over Perez. “This is an important marriage is wrong ... and marriage can only “Perez couldn’t be more different from
appointment,” she said. “It’s exciting to occur between a man and a woman.” The Chaput,” said Michael Sean Winters, author
welcome the first Hispanic person to lead preschooler was banned from entering any of the “Distinctly Catholic” blog for the Na-
the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Archbish- Catholic kindergarten. Chaput said the child tional Catholic Reporter. Winters, a visiting
op-Elect Perez has a track record of strong would present a problem in classrooms. fellow at Catholic University’s Institute for
engagement with everyday people, particu- Chaput also said recently that mass Policy Research and Catholic Studies and
larly immigrant communities, both here in shootings are caused by a “culture of sexual the author of several books on Catholicism,
the city and on the national stage.” anarchy” and “perverted freedoms.” said that “Perez is Francis’ first legacy ap-
She added, “I’m hopeful that this transi- In October 2018, Chaput gave a speech at pointment” in the U.S. Winters cited Pe-
tion will signal a continued commitment to the Youth Synod in Rome. He said, “There rez’s relative youth and the prominence of
diversity, compassion and justice within the is no such thing as an ‘LGBTQ Catholic’ the Philadelphia Archdiocese, which is the
local Catholic community.” or a ‘transgender Catholic’ or a ‘heterosex- fifth-largest in the country.
Many Philadelphians found such com- ual Catholic,’ as if our sexual appetites de- Winters said, “Philadelphia is the
mitment lacking under the conservative fined who we are; as if these designations high-water mark for clericalism in the U.S.,”
Chaput. He is known for anti-LGBTQ described discrete communities of differing and Francis wants to break that down.
stances. He has led what many have termed but equal integrity within the real ecclesial Perez will be installed at a Mass at Ca-
a campaign against LGBTQ Catholics, who community, the body of Jesus Christ.” thedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on
he has stated do not exist in terms of church The text of Chaput’s speech was widely Feb. 18. n
18 PGN
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

DANA MARTIN
JAZZALINE WARE
ASHANTI CARMON
CLAIRE LEGATO
MUHLAYSIA BOOKER
TAMEKA “MICHELLE” WASHINGTON
PARIS CAMERON
CHYNAL LINDSEY
CHANEL SCURLOCK
ZOE SPEARS
BROOKLYN LINDSEY
DENALI BERRIES STUCKEY
TRACY SINGLE
BUBBA WALKER
KIKI FANTROY
JORDAN COFER
PEBBLES LADIME “DIME” DOE
BAILEY REEVES
BEE LOVE SLATER
JAMAGIO JAMAR BERRYMAN
ITALI MARLOWE
BRIANNA “BB” HILL
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN REPORTS 22 TRANSGENDER PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN VIOLENTLY KILLED IN 2019. PGN WILL CONTINUE TO SAY THEIR NAMES.
 Arts & Culture
Q PUZZLE : PA G E 2 6 THEATER :
F A M I LY P O R T R A I T Derrick Smith: Making music and riding high
Philly art-house theater Ritz at the Bourse closes
GARY M. KRAMER
PGN Contributor
Earlier this month, Ritz at the Bourse
management delivered this statement to
moviegoers: “We regret to inform you that
the Ritz at the Bourse is closing. Thank you
for your continued patronage and we look
forward to serving you at the Ritz East and
the Ritz Five.” The message relayed the last
showings would be on Jan. 26, and the the-
atre officially would close on Jan. 31.
It was a disheartening loss for cinephiles,
who saw LGBT films, documentaries and
independent features at the venue for three
decades.
The art-house cinema opened Sept. 19,
1990, under the aegis of Posel Manage-
ment, which owned the Ritz Theater. Four
films unspooled — yes, back in 1990, cel-
luloid was projected — on five screens:
“Metropolitan,” “White Hunter, Black
Heart,” “Jesus of Montreal,” and out gay
filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli’s 1982 screen
adaptation of Verdi’s “La Traviata.”
Landmark bought the three Ritz Theatres
in 2007. In December 2018, Landmark sold
the Ritz chain to Cohen Media. The future
‘CHURCH OF DYKE’ COLLECTIBLE CARDS: PAGE 26
PA G E 2 7 HOROSCOPES : PA G E 2 3 EVENTS : PA G E 2 0 SCENE IN PHILLY : PA G E 2 1 pgn
PAG E 2 5
of the Bourse is pending;
there are whispers it may re-
open.
However, the closing of a
cinema in general, and an art
house in particular, is cause
for alarm. In this day and
age of streaming and “dine-
in” theaters, with IMAX and
heated seats, the art house
holds a special status. The
Bourse has long been a place
where queer films thrived.
Documentaries, like the
classic “Paris Is Burning,”
screened back in 1990 to
packed houses. “Boys Life,”
a collection of three short
gay films, played at the the-
atre in 1994. Queer Film Fes-
tivals at the Bourse screened
the films of out gay direc-
tors Todd Verow and Marco
R O D N E Y E VA N S
Berger, among many others; Photo by Kjerstin Rossi
their work would never play
Philadelphia otherwise.
Out gay filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar’s Robert Drake, the out gay host and pro- Filmmaker talkbacks were essential to
“Pain and Glory” will have the distinction ducer at WXPN-FM and longtime art film the Bourse’s mission.
of being the last fan, said that, “The amazing TNP - Philly’s Trans writer and director Kimberly
image to flicker Own Rocky Horror Cast were just about Reed, who did Q&As at the Bourse when
on the theater’s to mark their seventh anniversary at the her documentary “Dark Money,” played in
screens. Bourse location. It offered a community of Philadelphia in 2018, acknowledged, “Our
Film critic fans a gathering spot week after week.” The screenings became organizing rallies for
Carrie Rickey, Midnight Program moves over to the Ritz campaign finance reform, and showings
observed, “For East starting Jan. 31; the next “Rocky Hor- of ‘Prodigal Sons’ became something like
LGBT as well ror” screening will be Feb. 21. group therapy sessions for LGBTQ folks.
as straight mov- The idea of community that Drake men- Art-house theaters become centers of the
iegoers, theaters tions is essential to seeing films on a big local community, especially in cities like
like the Bourse screen in a theater. Out gay filmmaker Lu- Philadelphia that have a rich history of
offered films cio Castro, whose queer romance, “End of LGBTQ culture.”
off the beaten the Century,” played at the Bourse last year, Out gay filmmaker Rodney Evans, con-
track. Now we’ll acknowledged, “Watching movies has his- curred, “The Bourse gave us the oppor-
have five fewer torically been a communal experience. The tunity to have a weeklong run of ‘Vision
screens — and film’s soul is suspended in the darkness of Portraits’ and engage with Philadelphia au-
opportunities — the room and sensed by the strangers that diences in person for Q&As moderated by
to see Almodó- have physically convened to witness these knowledgeable critics and filmmakers. This
var and Céline lights flickering. Any threat to this experi- probably wouldn’t have happened without
Sciamma films.” ence is sad news.” the Ritz on the Bourse available to us as a
One of the Jesse Cute, a longtime film publicist at venue.”
highlights of the Allied Global Marketing, echoed the idea Out gay writer and director Ira Sachs,
Bourse’s pro- of community, “It is such an important part whose film “Frankie” screened at the
gramming was of the moviegoing experience for everyone Bourse a few months ago, added, “Without
its Midnight — and that includes LGBTQ audiences the exhibitor, it becomes harder and harder
Madness pro- who find comfort in the ‘it’s OK to be me’ for queer films, foreign films, avant-garde
gram, which, of environment places like the Bourse pro- and truly independent cinema to find au-
course, included vide. Queer content has had a home at Ritz diences — or income. As filmmakers, we
regular screen- Theatres, so losing some of our art houses are part of an ecosystem that relies on the
ings of camp is troublesome.” art-house movie theater, and so when we
classic, “The Last year, Cute brought out gay film- lose a cinema like the Bourse, the impact is
Rocky Horror maker Michael Engler to the Bourse for a immediate and devastating.”
IRA SACHS
Photo by Rui Xavier Picture Show.” screening of “Downtown Abbey.” While filmmakers suffer,
page 28
20
T H E AT E R & A R T S
BLUE HEAVEN COMEDY FESTIVAL
FringeArts hosts two nights of provoc-
ative performances, multimedia stand-
up, dynamic sketches and more, Feb.
7-8, 140 N. Columbus Blvd.; 215-413-
1318.
CHRIS HARDWICK
The comedian and TV host performs
through Feb. 1 at Helium Comedy Club,
2031 Sansom St.; 215-496-9001.
CROSSING BORDERS: PAINTING IN
THE CROWN OF ARAGON, 1400–1500
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents
an exhibition exploring a vast Medi-
terranean region encompassing much
of present-day Spain and Italy, through
Feb. 23, 26th Street and the Parkway;
215-763-8100.
DESIGNS FOR DIFFERENT FUTURES
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents
an exhibition exploring visionary and
sometimes controversial designs that
promise to transform how we live, eat,
heal, travel and even love, in any num-
ber of possible futures, through March 8,
26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-
8100.
DIEGO RIVERA: FRESCOES
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an
exhibition of murals the revered Mexican
artist created in New York for display in
an exhibition at the Museum of Modern
Art in 1931, through spring, 26th Street
and the Parkway; 215-763-8100.
DRAG DIVA BRUNCH: THE BRADY
BUNCH
Mimi Imfurst and special guests perform
a tribute to the classic family comedy,
noon Jan. 25 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E.
Laurel St.; 215-606-6555.
GREY ROCK
The Kimmel Center presents the sto-
ry of a young Palestinian so enamored
with the 1969 American moon landing
that he sets out to build his own space
shuttle, Feb. 6-8 at SEI Innovation Stu-
dio, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.
KOGEI: ART CRAFT JAPAN
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents
an exhibition celebrating Japanese
kogei — one-of-a-kind, handcrafted ob-
jects made with traditional techniques
and natural materials, through summer
2020, 26th Street and the Parkway;
215-763-8100.
THE LUCAS BROTHERS
The comedians perform 8:30 and 10
p.m. Feb. 1 at Good Good Comedy The-
ater, 215 N. 11th St.; https://goodgood-
comedy.com.
MAN OF GOD
InterAct Theatre Company presents the
NOTICES: Send notices at least one week in advance to: Out & About Listings, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 fax: 215-925-6437 or e-mail: listings@epgn.com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
story of four Korean-American teenage
girls on a Christian mission in Bangkok
who discover a hidden camera in their
hotel bathroom and decide they are go-
ing to do something about it, through
Feb. 16 at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks St.;
215-568-8079.
MARISA MERZ
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents
an exhibition of sculptures and draw-
ings celebrating the life and legacy of
the pioneering Italian artist, through
Summer, 26th Street and the Parkway;
215-763-8100.
OFF THE WALL: AMERICAN ART TO
WEAR
Philadelphia Museum of Art presents
an exhibition of works by mixed-media
artists exploring nontraditional materi-
als and methods to create adventurous,
deeply imaginative works, through May
17, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway;
215-763-8100.
SECOND NATURE
The William Way LGBT Community
Center presents a solo exhibition from
photographic collage artist Briana She-
wan, through Feb. 28, 1315 Spruce St.;
215-732-2220.
VERDI’S REQUIEM
Opera Philadelphia presents the classic
opera, 8 p.m. Jan. 31 and 2 p.m. Feb. 2
at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S.
Broad St.; 215-893-1999.
WELCOME TO THE IRONSIDE PLAY-
HOUSE
The William Way LGBT Community
Center presents an exhibition of photos,
film and ephemera from the Jack Van
Alstyne Collection, through April 24,
1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220.
WHIRLPOOL
Strides Collective presents an original
queer play written by Jonathan Ed-
mondson examining key elements of
adolescent friendship and exploration
of sexuality, Feb. 7-15 at The Iron Fac-
tory, 118Fontain St.; 267-702-8709.
A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE
Walnut Street Theatre presents Os-
car Wilde’s classic comedy of errors,
through March 1, 825 Walnut St.; 215-
574-3550.
MUSIC
COLD WAR KIDS
The indie rock band performs 8 p.m.
Jan. 31 at The Fillmore Philadelphia,
29 E. Allen St.; 215-625-3681.
LITTLE BIG TOWN
The country band performs 8 p.m. Jan.
31 at The Met, 858 N. Broad St.; info@
TheMetPhilly.com.
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
OUT LAUGHING
LOUD:
Comedians Emily Sans, Sol-
ange Azor, Gara Lonning, Kate
Sisk and Dylan Adler join forces
for the Sophomore LGBTQ+
Comedy Tour, which makes two
stops in Philly 7 p.m. Feb. 3
at Tattooed Mom, 530 South
St. and 8 p.m. and Feb. 4 at
Connie’s Ric Rac, 1132 S.
Ninth St. For more information,
call 215-238-9880.
Penny Tration from Season 5 of
“RuPaul’s Drag Race,” makes a
guest appearance at Paula’s Drag
Kitchen when she performs, 7:30
p.m. Feb. 6 at L’Etage, 624 S.
Sixth St. For more information or
tickets call 215-592-0656.
SOMEONE’S IN THE KITCHEN WITH PAULA
events
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA
The Latin jazz group performs 8 p.m.
Jan. 31 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Wal-
nut St.; 215-898-3900.
THERE, THERE
The Radiohead tribute band performs and
celebrates the 20th anniversary of “Kid
A.” 8 p.m. Feb. 1 at World Cafe Live,
3025 Walnut St.; 215-222-1400.
ABBA: THE CONCERT: A TRIBUTE TO
ABBA
The music of the pop group is celebrated,
8 p.m. Feb. 6 at The Tower Theater, 69th
and Ludlow streets; 610-352-2887.
TANYA TUCKER
The country singer performs 8 p.m. Feb.
6 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.;
215-222-1400.
NIGHTLIFE
DEVIL DRAG
The alternative drag show goes horns-up,
9 p.m. Jan. 31 at Tabu, 254 S. 12th St.;
215-964-9675.
BEV’S BITCHFEST
BEV’s monthly drag showcase returns,
10 p.m. Feb. 1 at Tabu, 254 S. 12th St.;
215-964-9675.
LIZARD OF OZ
The Wizard of Oz gets the drag treatment,
8 p.m. Feb. 7 at Painted Bride Art Center,
230 Vine St.; 215-925-9914.
lnut St.; 215-898-3900.
O U T TA T O W N
VOYAGE
The music of Journey is celebrated and
performed 8 p.m. Jan. 31 at Keswick
Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside;
215-572-7650.
GROUNDHOG DAY
The comedy is screened, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 1
at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St.,
Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.
KAL PENN
The actor and political activist hosts a
speaking engagement 8 p.m. Feb. 1 at
Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave.,
Glenside; 215-572-7650.
HORROR BOWL
The classic John Carpenter films, “Prince
of Darkness,” “In The Mouth of Mad-
ness” and “The Thing” are screened, 1
p.m. Feb. 2 at The Colonial Theatre, 227
Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.
CHOPPING MALL
The B-Horror film is screened, 9:45
p.m. Feb. 7 at The Colonial Theatre, 227
Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610-917-1228.
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
S C E N E I N P H I L LY
21

PHILADELPHIA FALCONS 2020 ANNUAL

BANQUET AT WILLIAM WAY
PHOTOS BY KELLY BURKHARDT

C a i t l y n , C r o s s l ey, M a n d a , Au b r ey a n d M a u r e e n

Mar tin, Efrain and Jane Juan, Eva and Krissy Gregor y

G a b by w i n s R o o k i e o f t h e Ye a r S c o t t D r a ke w i n s t h e D r e w A d a i r A wa r d E m w i n s M o s t I m p r o v e d P l ay e r
22
Queer
photographer
talks creative
process,
debut at
William Way
LARRY NICHOLS
larry@epgn.com
William Way LGBT Community Center
is presenting “Second Nature,” the first solo
exhibition by artist Briana Shewan. The
artwork explores the artist’s methodical pro-
cess of deconstruction and reconstruction,
creating works composed of “scales” made
from strips of her film photography. PGN
talked to Shewan about her creative process
and how it relates to the community gallery
that is hosting her exhibition.
What is the significance of the title,
“Second Nature?” It’s a play on the
phrase. The idea is that this art is second
nature to me. It’s a visual extension of my
self-expression and my inner self. It’s also
a play on that the work itself is inspired by
nature, which is my primary inspiration.
Additionally is the other layer in terms of
the second — this art is photographic col-
lages made from repurposing my original
film photography into new work.
Did you have collage in mind when
you were taking these pictures, or is
the resulting artwork unrelated to the
inspiration for the original photos? I
did film photography for the better part of
a decade in my 20s and up and stopped
doing photography in 2015 when all of
my equipment broke, and my housing
wasn’t stable. It wasn’t practical enough to
continue. So it wasn’t until four years later
that I decided to revisit the photography
and see what I could do to use it and make
something different out of it. I had a box of
A RT S
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
prints that were in my closet, and I just took person is having to read past a lot of initial therapist, artist and writer, and these past
it out and started going through it, thinking barriers and stereotypes and the heteronor- few years have been huge in terms of me
what kind of collages I could make with mativity that gets put on me. My work and more fully coming into myself, including
the imagery itself. Then I got this idea in art is an extension of that experience. I coming into my femme identity. So this
my head about working with the color from like being a queer artist and being at the work is a reflection of the boldness and
them, and that’s when I had this vision of William Way because people need to look joy of this time of my life, while being
the first collage I made with this style. I was at it in a queer context and ask themselves made up of the past that’s made me who I
able to execute it from cutting out the color about the work not being as explicitly am now. n
from the prints that I had in a way that was queer itself. I really look at this work as a
really close to what I imagined in my mind, culmination of my formative years, when “Second Nature” is on view through Feb.
which was exciting. After the fact, I realized I moved to San Francisco, came out and 28 at The William Way LGBT Community
I made an abstract landscape, and there was fell in love. [This] new, original work I Center, 1315 Spruce St. For more infor-
nature coming through that. started in 2019 represents who I am today. mation on Briana Shewan, visit www.
I started Mophead Femme in 2017 as a mopheadfemme.com.
What makes the William Way
Center the ideal space to pres-
ent these works? It’s a queer
gallery and a queer community
space. I like to be really explicit
about being a queer artist. It means
a lot to me to have my first solo
show at a queer gallery and to have
it rooted in the queer communi-
ty. I’m excited for the opening
as a chance to bring community
together in a shared physical space
because of my art.
Are these works intended for
an LGBTQ audience? I think
there’s a more universal message
to it. My experience as a bisexual
femme, my lived queer experience
involves a lot of femme invisibility
and bi-erasure. The work being
abstract, there is a lot that is rep-
resented that is queer in the work
without being explicitly queer.
My lived experience as a queer ‘GREEN AND ORANGE’ & ‘LUSCIOUS LANDSCAPE’
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
BY INEZ CARVALHO
ARIES
(Mar. 21 - Apr. 20)
Your headstrong nature, honesty
and good intentions will take you
places. Never give up your child-
like wonder of the world and the
people in it. Lightheartedness and
playfulness could be the mood
this week. Venus preparing to en-
ter Aries by Friday, brings about the courage to be your-
self, go for what you desire and seek transparency and
simplicity in your relationships. You have the right stuff.
TA U R U S
(Apr. 21 - May 21)
Romance, communication and
self-worth are some recent themes
for you. Your mind has been active
and alert. Dreams or ideas feel
vivid and emotionally charged.
Before Mercury goes retrograde
next week and Venus shifts out of
its comfortable seat in Pisces, you should take advantage
of the current astrological climate to get some of your sil-
lies out. Do something spontaneous, be more social than
usual or plan a small gathering. Shake things up because
next week will have to be a bit more mellow.
GEMINI
(May 22 - Jun. 21)
You oscillate between your ide-
alism and pessimism during this
Aquarius season and have been
spending a lot of time thinking
about the future. It piques your
curiosity but may also be quite
anxiety-inducing. It can be hard to tell what is true for
you and comes from your heart versus what has been cre-
ated by outside forces that may be negative or unhelpful
influences. You may find this quandary intriguing to pick
apart. Feelings, more than logic, will provide you with
clarity.
CANCER
(Jun. 22 - Jul. 22)
Good feels abound this week.
Venus, Mercury and the moon
transit positively in your sun sign.
Compassion and self-compassion
are thematic this week, starting
with one will make the other fol-
low. When we can forgive our-
selves, we learn to forgive others. When we can celebrate
the accomplishments of others, we are teaching ourselves
also to acknowledge our own efforts. Affection, romance
and creativity flow this week. More structured, material
matters like business and planning may not feel so ap-
pealing during this cycle.
ASTROLOGY
LEO
(Jul. 23 - Aug. 22)
The sun in your sister sign (or
opposite sign) of Aquarius turns
you upside down, in a good way!
A dreamy, free-flowing mood can
take hold. Mercury and Mars also
form positive, energetic aspects
with your sun sign during the
week. There is no need to try to cram things into the
places you think they should be. By taking a step back
instead of focusing on one aspect, you may find the larg-
er picture more pleasant. A crunchy granola feeling of
peace and love can be obtained, even if just for a few
minutes a day.
VIRGO
(Aug. 23 - Sep. 23)
This week is a mixed bag full of
seemingly conflicting emotions.
Tense moments of misunderstand-
ing, bursts of motivation, spacey
daydreams, doom ‘n’ gloom, and
party mode may seem to come
on quite suddenly and leave just
as abruptly as when they showed up. Don’t let it take
you for a ride. Staying in the present will help you play
it by ear and cross bridges only when you get to them.
Self-awareness and a bit of vulnerability may lead you to
the truth of certain personal matters with some help from
Mercury entering Pisces on Feb. 3.
LIBRA
(Sep. 24 - Oct. 23)
The forecast for you is overall
shiny and sparkly. The sun, Mars
and Mercury all seem to have
something good to say about Li-
bra. While the week feels fun and
easygoing, Chiron and the moon’s
interaction may also help you to reveal the roots of
deep and otherwise quiet emotions. It can feel difficult
to synch up with people this week. When you have free
time, they are busy; when they are down, you are up, and
vice versa. Don’t let that keep you from trying. Don’t
forget that people are happy to hear from you.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)
Emotional and mental energy run
hot this week with a boost from Ve-
nus and Mercury. Your words and
imagination seem to flow freely.
Keep literal actions to a minimum,
however, because they can be more
drastic than you think. People are very curious about you
and particularly drawn to you. Don’t feel pressured to have
all of the answers for those around you, but don’t snub them
either. You feel focused on motivation and productivity. Just
don’t be too hasty.
23
S A G I T TA R I U S
(Nov. 23 - Dec. 21)
Some bitter souls may try to
make you regret your outspo-
ken-ness and enthusiasm, but
don’t let them extinguish your
flame. True souls will recognize
and appreciate this in you. This
week there is a light at the end
of the tunnel for your discontent, as you have had a lot
of questions lately. There is a bit of static on Sunday,
Feb. 2, due to a Saturn conflict, but the rest of the week
serves you well for work, creative projects and social-
izing. Still, romance seems to be on hold.
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22 - Jan. 20)
Companionship, mutual sup-
port, romance and relationships
of all types are highlighted for
you this week. Pay special at-
tention to the types of conver-
sations you are having and how
you feel around certain people. Comfort and familiarity
take precedence for you. Words and actions seem to
mean more than they used to. Simplify your routine,
and don’t overload yourself with demanding tasks.
With Mars in your 12th house, you feel the need to
streamline, and perhaps not every battle that you have
decided to fight is worthwhile.
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 21 - Feb. 19)
This week feels spiritually pen-
sive. With Mars transiting your
11th house, the house of society
and community, you may find
yourself wondering how to feel
more connected in meaningful
ways to the things that you val-
ue. You wish to live with greater freedom. The midweek
brings many positive alignments for such thoughts and
feelings. Mars and Venus bring you out of your shell
and can have you feeling confident and more outgoing
than usual.
PISCES
(Feb. 20 - Mar. 20)
There is a sweet spot around
Feb. 3 this week when both
Venus and Mercury will be
in your sun sign of Pisces. A
much-needed boost in confident
communication occurs. Seize
this opportunity to speak your mind, shoot your shot or
get a bit experimental with your sense of fashion. Your
aura seems to expand around you.
24
Out gay entertainer talks Great
American Songbook
GARY M. KRAMER
PGN Contributor
Out gay entertainer Michael Feinstein is
known for his work archiving and chroni-
cling the Great American Songbook. Over
the course of his illustrious career, he has
won five Grammy Awards, and has per-
formed all over the world with a who’s who
of singers. For his latest concert, “Michael
Feinstein: ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ From Ger-
shwin to Carole King and Beyond,” he teams
up with “American Idol” contestant Haley
Reinhart. They will be at the Keswick The-
ater in Glenside on Feb. 7.
PGN spoke with Feinstein on the phone
from New York about his upcoming perfor-
mance.
You have made a career out of chroni-
cling the Great American Songbook.
This performance expands on your
work to include songs by Carole King
and others, from James Taylor to Ste-
vie Wonder. What can you say about
branching out in this way? I think as an
artist, it is important to continue to grow. I
have great joy and stimulation from music,
and to expand the palette is exciting. There’s
so much music out there. I don’t feel I’ve
mined all of the classic American songbook,
but people want to hear the songs of Carole
King, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Webb and Paul
Williams. We now have years of perspective
from that time and the incredible craft and
the lasting resonance of those songs.
What was your criteria for the songs you
chose to perform in this concert? Some
of the songs, it’s looking at the lyrics from a
new perspective. “You and Me Against the
World,” I liked the Helen Reddy recording
when I was a kid, but now when I sing it, I
sing it gently, and with great investment. And
I see people crying. So, it’s finding a song I
can bring something to and add something
to or interpret in a way that makes it fresh
or brings out the depth that people might not
have recognized.
Is there a particular number that has
special resonance for you? There are a
A RT S
lot of songs that have resonance. There’s a
medley I just put together, “Don’t Let Me Be
Lonely Tonight”/“One Less Bell to Answer.”
Thematically, they worked. I love singing
that; it’s very challenging and not easy to
sing because of the acting — you have to go
so deep into it. The other thing is that songs
themselves mean different things in different
times.
What makes a great arrangement? Any
song I choose is one that has been thought-
fully approached — in that I have to not only
make sure I have something fresh to say with
it, but it is something I can adapt to my mu-
sical style. I love reinventing songs. I try to
bring through the essence of what the writers
intended, but I might have a different musi-
cal approach, use different tempos, rhythms,
beats or instrumental forces. All of those
components give an artist a big sandbox to
play in. It’s living with something for a while
and seeing what comes up from the creative
well and winnowing it.
You have dedicated your life to archiving
researching cataloging and preserving
the American songbook, and the works
of Gershwin, in particular. What can
you say about the itch that that perform-
ing scratches? I have the blessing — or
the curse — of knowing the original version
of a song. I say it that way because it can be a
straitjacket. I adore the way the song “Fasci-
natin’ Rhythm” was written. There’s a 1926
recording, which is one of the most perfect
Gershwin performances I’ve heard. But if I
performed it in that style, audiences would
not find it as resonant as if I played it with a
different beat and made it a little more jazzy.
So, while I often prefer the original versions
of the songs I sing, I find I have to do mod-
ern interpretations to have mass audiences
appreciate them. In many instances, I prefer
to sing the original versions. It depends on
the context.
How did you come to work with Haley
Reinhart, and collaborating with her on
the songs? I found Haley online and was
very impressed with her approach to music
because she is much younger than I am, yet
she has a deep connection with tell-
ing a story with a song. She has a
gorgeous voice, and that attracted
me to collaborate with her. She is
very different from who I am, and
it makes it exciting when we sing
together. We don’t know what to
expect. It’s spontaneity. When we
do “My Baby Just Cares for Me,”
she’s doing Nina Simone, and I’m
doing 1930 Eddie Cantor. We come
to a hybrid of that, and that makes
it a lot of fun. n
For tickets and more information,
visit: www.keswicktheatre.com/
events/detail/385672
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
TV teens breaking ground
F R O M “A M I L L I O N L I T T L E T H I N G S ”
VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
PGN Contributor
It was just a kiss. Or was it?
The premiere episode of the new season of
ABC’s “A Million Little Things” on Jan. 23
was titled “The Kiss.” Danny (Chance Hurst-
field) was nervous because he was about to
have his first kiss live in front of everyone in
his school’s production of “Grease.”
But that isn’t his only concern. His first
kiss is going to be with a girl and Danny likes
boys. He wants his first kiss to be with Elliot
(Bodhi Sabongui), the boy he has had a crush
on since last season. The two went on a date in
an episode last season, but nothing advanced
because Elliot felt uncomfortable with Dan-
ny’s mom, Delilah (Stéphanie Szostak), say-
ing they “looked cute together.”
Although Danny has been working with El-
liot on the musical, they have barely talked,
which upset Danny.
Before the big kiss scene on stage, the at-
mosphere between them is tense as they wait
in the wings. Then Danny finally confronts
Elliot about their relationship.
After Danny said to Elliot, “All I did was
like you. You barely talked to me all rehears-
al… I’m just so sick of people hiding their
feelings. I’m about to have my first kiss with
Skyler Burns, and I kinda wish it was
with --,” Elliot leaned in to kiss him.
That first kiss for Danny and Elliot wasn’t
just meaningful for them, it was part of a new
trend of showing kids coming of age queer on
TV.
Danny and Eliot are 13-year-old junior high
school kids — the age when crushes begin in
earnest. But TV has been slow to acknowl-
edge that
happens much younger than high school.
In the ‘90s, “Dawson’s Creek” broke ground
with a gay high school coupling. But having
kids come out in the context of their families
and in real adolescent time is new.
Danny came out to his family last season,
and it was a complicated experience for him.
So when he comes home post-after-party
and tells his mother about his first kiss, it’s a
breakthrough for him and her.
Danny jumped on his mother’s bed, where
she is holding his new baby sister and said, “I
had my first kiss!”
She smiled and said she knew; she was at
the performance. Then Danny said no, not
that and told her all about Elliot.
The performances by Hurstfield (13) and
Sabongui (14) were realistic and deeply
moving.
NBC’s Emmy-winning drama “This Is
Us” has a lot in common with “A Million
Little Things.” The ensemble drama set
in Philadelphia and Los Angeles is now in
its fourth season and has had two complex
queer storylines, both in the same family.
Tess Pearson (Eris Baker) is the 14-year-
old daughter of one of the series main char-
acters, Randall (Sterling K. Brown). We have
seen her grow up over four seasons, from a
small child to an adolescent with a cool hair-
cut and hip attitude. It was Tess who figured
out that Randall’s birth father was gay, and
his “friend” was actually his partner.
In the show’s Thanksgiving episode in
2018, Tess comes out to her family in one of
the most realistic coming out scenes in TV
history. Like all real-life coming out scenes,
it happens in stages.
Tess is riding in a car with her aunt Kate
(Chrissy Metz), who is chatting away. Kate
says, “Pretty soon you’re gonna have your
first kiss. And your first boyfriend.”
Tess blurts out, “Or… girlfriend.” To her
credit, Kate barely takes a shaky breath be-
fore she repeats, “Or girlfriend.” There it
is: Tess says it, Kate accepts it. The door is
opened, and Tess is relieved, even if we can
see that a lot is happening for Kate.
When the two get back to Tess’ house,
Tess asks Kate not to tell her parents, Ran-
dall and Beth. Kate agrees, but assures
Tess that Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) and
Randall will love her no matter whom she
chooses to love.
When the episode first aired, Issac Ap-
taker, executive producer of “This Is Us”
and screenwriter for the gay teen rom-com
“Love, Simon,” said in an interview, “That
wasn’t a premeditated decision to tell Kate,
[Tess] kind of got swept up in this conver-
sation, so then [she had] a second to think
about it and go, ‘Uh oh, I’m not ready yet.’
She needed to make sure that Kate got that.”
At the end of the episode, Tess decides
to tell her parents. They handle it well, but
after she goes upstairs to bed, they look at
each other — it’s not as easy as with Aunt
Kate.
In the current season, the family moves
to Philadelphia. Tess wants to start at her
new school authentic and open and out. But
she finds it is more complicated than she
expected. With the help of her uncle Kevin,
she figures it out, and the support she gets
from her new classmates is affirming and
positive.
These depictions of young teens finding
their sexual identities at the same time as
their straight peers are critically important
to the
TV landscape. Danny, Tess and Elliot
are realistic teens coming of age in what
their respective series show us is real-time.
It makes the storylines more believable as
well as more moving.
But in addition to being good drama,
these storylines offer queer kids role models
for their own coming out, as well as messag-
ing that it’s OK to be LGBTQ. n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
Derrick Smith: Making music and riding high
SUZI NASH
PGN Contributor
Music’s the medicine of the mind.
— John A. Logan
If John Logan is correct, then call this
week’s portrait Dr. Smith. Derrick Smith
is a renaissance man — a singer, performer
and cyclist, who helps keep the music flow-
ing as the senior director of development at
Curtis Institute of Music.
Tell me a little about yourself. I’m
originally from New York. I was born in
Queens, and then we moved around quite
a bit throughout my childhood. So I lived
in Queens and then the Bronx, and then in
middle school, we moved to Maplewood,
which is a suburb in New Jersey. I went to
public school for middle school and then
went to a private all-boys high school for
high school.
What did the folks do? A combination of
things, so my father did business operations
for Pitney-Bowes management services.
My stepmother was an educational consul-
tant in our school district. My biological
mother passed away when I was young, but
she was a conductor for the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA). She actu-
ally drove the A Train.
Wow! From the Duke Ellington song
“Take the A Train”? Yes! The one and the
same.
My grandmother was a conductor too,
but of music, though she probably con-
ducted that song since she worked with
a lot of the greats from Harlem. That
must have been cool to have a conduc-
tor mom. Yeah, it was. Sometimes when
I’d be on my way home from school, I’d
catch the train my mom driving, and that
was pretty special. I love New York City
trains to this day because of that.
What’s a trait that you think you got
from your parents? I think I got my pos-
itive disposition from my parents and also
my willingness and ability to work hard.
I’ve always been able to focus on the task at
hand, even with things swirling and spiral-
ing around me. They taught me that people
depend on you, so you have to make sure to
get things done. I’ve always felt that that re-
silience and focus and dedication to my job
— whatever the job was — is something
they instilled in me.
What did you want to be when you grew
up? I actually wanted to be a physician.
Really? That or a pop star! And I’m nei-
ther a physician nor a pop star, though I still
sing, and I did all of my pre-med work. I
PROFILE
just didn’t take it to the next level and go to
med school.
Oh, I could never. I see a paper cut,
and I’m like, blah! [Laughing] See, I’m
OK with blood and gore, it just wasn’t the
lifestyle I wanted for myself. As I grew up
and progressed and went to college, I still
wanted to find a way to help people, but I
realized that I could do it in other ways, and
I’d be happier.
You casually mention college, but I
looked at your LinkedIn and saw Dart-
mouth and Harvard listed. Not too
shabby, mister! [Laughing] And I went to
the University of Salamanca in Spain! I did
a semester there that was great.
What was one of the high points of
your Spain adventures? Oof, maybe we
“I’VE ALWAYS LIKED MEN, AND
I’VE ALWAYS OPERATED WITH
THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
GAY WAS A THING, AND THAT
IS WHAT I WAS.”
should keep those off the record! Let’s talk
about the culture shock of a city boy going
to school in New Hampshire!
Dartmouth? Yes, it was a very rural envi-
ronment, and I absolutely fell in love with
it. There was always something new for me
to discover. The thrill of being outside in
the winter and seeing your breath frozen
in the air and your scarf actually freeze to
your face was wild. I’d never been in a cli-
mate like that before, ever. I actually got
frostbite my freshman year.
Yikes! Where? I was walking from a park-
ing lot to my dormitory carrying a box, and
I wasn’t wearing gloves.
Wow, do you still have all your dig-
its? Yes, technically what I had what was
called “frostnip.” I did some damage to the
nerves in the tips of my fingers, but I didn’t
lose any fingers, thank God.
That would have put a damper on your
nonexistent medical career! You spent
time in Europe, do you speak any oth-
er languages? Yes, I speak Spanish. I
don’t like the phrase “fluent in” because I
FA M I LY P O R T R A I T
consider language to be a living and chang-
ing entity, and because I don’t live in Spain,
I can’t be fluent with the new nuances. But
yes, I can speak it.
Do you have siblings? I’m number two of
six kids. There are four boys and two girls.
We’re a blended family.
Like the Brady Bunch.Yes! We’re the
Latino and Black Bradys. My older brother
and younger sister and I have the same bi-
ological mother and father. From my step-
mother, I have two stepbrothers, and from
my father and stepmother, I have a half-sis-
ter, and we had a dog to complete the group.
What was the family dynamic like?
Truthfully, we were a little crazy. I don’t
know how we didn’t end up more bonkers
than we are! We were all very strong-willed
people living together under one roof.
There was a lot of competition between the
siblings, [laughing] but I always won! I was
“that” child. I was not very close to my fa-
ther growing up, but now my father is one
of my best friends.
What were some of the extracurricu-
lar things you were into in college? Oh
gosh, I sang in an a cappella group called
the Dartmouth Aires; I was in a fra-
ternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon. I
was in the pre-med so-
ciety; I was in a
musical
25
theater performance group. I was also in a
hip-hop dance group, and I was in a couple
of student societies for leadership and vol-
unteer work.
So you kept a little busy when not
getting frostbitten. Ha! I’m used to an
over-programmed life. I’ve always been
that way. I like having a really busy sched-
ule. I like having things to look forward to.
Tell me about your main occupation
now. I’m the senior director of develop-
ment at the Curtis Institute of Music. I
oversee all of the fundraising operations —
donations from individuals, corporations,
governmental programs, foundations, etc.
It’s great. I never thought that fundraising
is something I’d do professionally, but it’s
the perfect fit for me. I get to participate in
events and meet people, do monetary trans-
actions at a high level. I’ve always been
a connector, and now I connect donors to
philanthropic strategies that make them feel
good and help us meet our needs as an or-
ganization. Whether it’s to directly fund a
production or set up a scholarship or fund
health and wellness programs on campus,
I help them find what fits with what their
interests are best.
Do you get to see a lot of performanc-
es? Yes, all of our performances are student
only, and we have some amazing artists!
Sometimes you go to a recital and think,
wow, this student has something special —
that extra factor that makes them stand out,
and you can’t wait to see them soar in the
music world.
And in your spare time? I sing in the Or-
pheus Club, which is an all-men’s choir,
the longest-running all-men’s
master choral group in the
country. It’s almost
150 years
old. We
page 30
26 Q PUZZLE
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

church of dyke
prayer cards
BY ASH CHESHIRE

Q Puzzle Mummy”
42 Tinkerbell por-
costume
13 Hoover hookup
41 Math degree
42 Second draft
trayer Julia that sucks 45 Meat on a bun
DOLLY WOULD! 43 “___ small world” 18 Suffix with proj- 47 Fran Drescher
44 “Now and ___ “ ect show, with “The”
46 Verb ending 19 “___ be my plea- 48 “Cat ___ Hot Tin
Across
47 Gomer’s “not at sure!” Roof”
1 Untouchable
all” 24 Hrs. in P-town 49 Egg head?
head
49 HRC, e.g. 25 Disney deer 50 Composer Ned
5 Gomer Pyle’s
51 Kidron of Wong 26 Say without 51 Kid needing a
branch
Foo fame thinking butt-whipping
9 Thomas who
55 “Hairspray” actor 27 Iwo ___ 52 BrontÎ woman
wrote “334”
59 Venue for The 28 Put in a position 53 Respondents to
14 Beginning of
Grande Ole Opry 29 Lube brand 911
“Wicked”
61 “... who ___ 30 Historic Stone- 54 Tease
15 Cause of Pinoc-
heaven” wall disturbances 56 Not much, to a
chio’s 8-incher
62 Chance begin- 31 Saint-Saens “___ Lincoln kid?
16 Sound of a facial
ning Macabre” 57 Harbor pushers
discharge
63 Beat, but barely 33 TV actress Diet- 58 “My Cup Run-
17 With 38-Across,
64 Like Albert, in rich neth Over” singer
with “The,” venue
“The Birdcage” 34 Lemon that isn’t Ed
for Dolly memora-
65 Getting on in a fruit 60 Poet Dorothy ___
bilia
years 36 Second word of a Ratcliffe
20 Superman’s
66 Manhandle, with fairy tale
beard?
“with” 37 Snatch
21 Part of the head
22 Seed spilled on Down
the farm 1 Chemist’s condi-
23 Gay ski weekends ment
rides 2 Rubber stamp
25 “Lip Service” 3 Lots of people go
network down on them
27 Sources of de- 4 Pantywaist
light 5 Bone in a limp
28 Like an erect wrist
nipple 6 Joins the team
32 Disney lamp 7 No more than
rubber 8 Tennessee’s coun-
35 Barbary Coast try, once (abbr.)
country 9 Ophelia and
38 See 17-Across Hamlet or Claire
39 Dolly of this puz-
zle’s theme
40 Fraser of “The
10 SALT subject
11 Visit Barneys, e.g. COLLECT THEM ALL!
12 Part of Batman’s
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
Out actor talks new role, Philly career
CAMERON KELSALL
PGN Contributor
Out actor Keith J. Conallen didn’t have to
travel far to build a successful career as an en-
tertainer. The Philadelphia native and Temple
graduate has been a fixture on local stages for
two decades, picking up several Barrymore
nominations and earning acclaim from crit-
ics and audiences alike. Conallen’s career has
encompassed everything from world premiere
plays to the classical canon, with no end in
sight.
Although Conallen has appeared with most
of the major theater companies in the city, in
recent years he has found success as a mem-
ber of Wilma HotHouse, the Wilma Theater’s
resident acting company. He will next be
seen onstage at the Wilma in Rajiv Joseph’s
“Describe the Night” (running Jan. 28-Feb.
16), playing a character with a curious con-
temporary cultural significance. Other recent
credits with the HotHouse include “Dance
Nation,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “When the
Rain Stops Falling,” for which he shared the
Barrymore Award for Outstanding Ensemble.
PGN spoke with Conallen about his ap-
proach to acting, the kinds of roles he’s drawn
to and why he prefers the stage to other me-
diums. Some responses have been condensed
and edited for clarity.
What drew you to a career on stage? I
suppose it started back in high school. I
thought when I was younger that I was go-
ing to be a writer, and I also enjoyed singing.
Somehow the musical came around my senior
Wilde’s play
falls flat in
Philly
production
CAMERON KELSALL
PGN Contributor
What do you do when a play feels like a dis-
covery, but the production of it comes across
as a hindrance? Oscar Wilde’s “A Woman of
No Importance,” on the Walnut Street The-
atre’s main stage through March 1, left me to
ponder that predicament.
History regards Wilde as one of the En-
glish-speaking world’s most notable queer
artists — yet revivals of his plays beyond the
seminal “Importance of Being Earnest” are
comparatively rare. “A Woman of No Impor-
tance,” which debuted in 1893 and first came
to Philadelphia shortly thereafter, suggests
that lesser-known entries in the playwright’s
canon deserve a second look.
A drawing-room comedy of manners, the
script contains the crackling wit that came
to define Wilde’s literary style. Bon mots fly
fast and loose, and there’s hardly a stretch that
doesn’t include an eminently quotable line or
T H E AT E R
year and I thought, “Why not?” I found that
I really enjoyed being on the stage. I thought
that even if I did want to continue pursuing
writing, I could move that into playwriting in-
stead of novels or journalism. Acting then sort
of took over all my focus.
Did you know from the beginning that
you wanted to build your career in Phil-
adelphia? Yes. I’m definitely a hometown
boy. I really didn’t have any intention of
moving to New York or pursuing that angle
of the acting business — especially because,
as part of my training at Temple, I had to go
around to different theaters in the city and
view the shows that were being produced. I
got to look around and see there was work
here. When I left Temple, and after taking
some time off to have a job and put some
money in the bank, I started auditioning. It
became very clear to me that if you did the
work and put your face out there, that you
could have a very strong career here without
having to do the New York or Los Angeles
scene.
You’re now a core member of Wilma
HotHouse. What prompted you to join
the company? Before the company was of-
ficially formed, Blanka [Zizka, the Wilma’s
artistic director] was inviting certain actors
from around town to be part of larger work-
shop training sessions with gurus she would
find and do her research on. I was invited
to a couple of those early workshops. One
was very specifically about primitive voice
and another focused on your core training,
two. (A personal favorite: “The happiness of
a married man depends on the people he has
not married.”)
Perhaps inspired by his travels in Ameri-
ca a decade before the play’s writing, Wilde
probes class consciousness by considering
the clash between waning Eurocentrism and
the supposed egalitarianism of the new world.
This takes two forms: in the person of Hes-
ter Worsley (Audrey Ward), who scandaliz-
es British society by calling its virtues into
question; and by the familial triangle involv-
ing the caddish Lord Illingworth (Ian Merrill
Peakes), the pious Rachel Arbuthnot (Alicia
Roper) and their now-grown love child, Ger-
ald (Brandon O’Rourke).
Wilde bakes considerable humor into the in-
teractions between Miss Worsley and her aris-
tocratic hosts, who boast ridiculous-sounding
names like Lady Caroline Pontefract (Mary
Martello) and Lady Strutfield (Jessica Bed-
ford). But these scenes exist for more than
their comic potential.
The American interloper holds a mirror up
to a dying breed of nobility, much as Wilde
himself forced his culture and class to ex-
amine their values (or lack thereof) by his
iconoclastic way of living. In many ways, “A
Woman of No Importance” anticipates the
politically charged plays of George Bernard
Shaw, who would taste his first solid success
a year later with “Arms and the Man.”
But, the current production, under the di-
27
which is a very phys-
ical practice. From
that, because we were
focusing so much
on the voice and the
body without relying
just on predetermined
choices, that drew me
into a real organic
way of thinking about
theater. It connects to
the reason why I was
never really interest-
ed in TV or film — it
didn’t live for me in
the way that I needed KEITH J. CONALLEN
Photo by Bill D’Agostino
art to live.
Can you talk a lit-
tle about “Describe
the Night” and the character you’re As an actor, what do you look for in
playing? “Describe the Night” spans about a role? For the most part, when I’m cast
90 years, going from 1920 to 2010. My char- in a play, I try to find my personal con-
acter, Vova, is introduced in 1989. We’re not nection to it and find the humanity in that
doing a complete mimic, but he is Vladimir person. Even playing Putin, there still has
Putin very specifically. But I’m not doing an to be something inside of him, because he
accent or wearing a hairpiece or anything is a human being. There has to be some-
like that. It’s essentially about Russian pow- thing that’s me walking into the role and
ers and the concept of truth and lies. How saying, what is it about me that can live
are lies masked as truth, or how does saying here. I’ve been able to do that a number of
something make it true, even if it’s false? Es- times, luckily. I always try and find some-
pecially with our era of fake news right now, thing in the character to connect to and
to consider all of that, and the way Russian hold onto. n
politics have buried truths over the years, it’s
a great allegory for the time. “Describe the For tickets and information about “De-
Night” is basically about truth and lies, and scribe the Night,” visit wilmatheater.
how we tell what’s real and what’s not. org.
rection of Walnut Street
Theatre’s president and
producing artistic director
Bernard Havard, privileges
style over substance. The
crackle of the text rarely
translates to the perfor-
mances or the static stag-
ing, which mostly finds the
actors arranged in symmet-
rical tableaux, delivering
their lines directly to the
audience. Ward, a sopho-
more at Temple, doesn’t
yet possess the firebrand
IAN MERRILL PEAKES AND KAREN PEAKES
spark needed to commu- Photo by Mark Gar vin
nicate Hester’s rebellious
nature. Similarly, O’Rourke’s performance as Veteran local actor Peter Schmitz takes
the status-minded Gerald is stylish but bland. on the relatively minor role of Archdeacon
The action gains in importance whenever Daubeny and proves that there are no small
the woman of no importance herself takes parts. His every line is a master class of comic
center stage. Roper locates a quiet dignity in understatement and Wildean élan. Mary Foli-
Rachel Arbuthnot’s determination to wrest no’s costumes look good enough to eat.
her child from the claws of the man who Yet the overall production resembles Ro-
abandoned her to ignominy 20 years earlier. man Tatarowicz’s trompe l’oeil sets — hand-
Although Wilde’s writing for this character some from a distance but shallow up close.
can sometimes turn lugubrious — and his pol- Oscar Wilde, a queer playwright of great im-
itics surrounding childbirth outside marriage portance, deserves better. n
are surprisingly reactionary, even by Victorian
standards — Roper commits to the part with “A Woman of No Importance” continues
admirable restraint. It makes a welcome con- through March 1 at Walnut Street Theatre,
trast to the frenetic, and frankly distracting, 825 Walnut Street. For tickets and informa-
antics of Peakes, her frequent scene partner. tion, visit walnutstreettheatre.org.
28
Health and Wellness Directory
Small businesses can afford special
attention in our PGN directories.
pgn
Spaces this size are
only $50 per week when
you run for a
minimum of 8 weeks.
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020
RITZ AT THE BOURSE
from page 19
so too, do the passionate movie-
goers. Natalie Hope McDonald,
an out gay journalist and fine
artist, recalled the importance
a theatre like the Bourse had for
her, “One of the first perks of mov-
ing to Philly from a small town
20 years ago was being able to
see independent, foreign and art-
house films so easily. In fact, until
I physically moved to the city, it
wasn’t unusual for me to drive an
hour and half one way just to see a
movie, like ‘I Shot Andy Warhol,’
at the Ritz.”
Brad Windhauser, a queer pro-
fessor in the gender, sexuality
and women’s studies program at
Temple University, also had fond
memories of seeing key films at
the Bourse. He reminisced, “When
the buzz surrounds a queer film, I
have to see it. And in 2009, when
‘A Single Man’ finally debuted in
Philly, I was fortunate to be able to
walk a few blocks to see this lush
story on a big screen. An indie
film, the movie did not play in the
multiplexes, which is insulting, be-
cause the content then discouraged
larger chains from screening it.
But in that darkened Ritz theater,
the film unspooling was a light of
hope that our lives were breaking
through to the mainstream — and
so exquisitely rendered.”
Likewise, William Way Exec-
utive Director Chris Bartlett ef-
fused, “The Bourse has played
a key role as a venue for the
viewing of LGBTQ and other
outside-the-mainstream films.
I remember seeing “Milk,” the
Harvey Milk biopic, at that the-
ater in 2008. We were all lined
up on Ranstead Street waiting to
get in. It was such an experience
of community and excitement —
knowing we would get to see our
story, finally, told. The Bourse is
part of a legacy of queer-friendly
art-house theaters where we could
see films that might not show up
at other theaters. I’ll miss the cozy
feeling of descending that escala-
tor to enter into our dreams.”
But all may not be lost with the
closing of the Bourse. J. Andrew
rev. dr. Nadine Rosechild Sullivan, ph.d. Greenblatt, executive director of
the Philadelphia Film Society,
emphasized the need to keep cin-
Spiritual Counseling emas alive.
drsullivan@rosechild.org “We love the Bourse and the-
aters in general — and we whole-
215.704.4264 heartedly believe in the theatrical
www.rosechild.org experience. We are committed to
preserving the theatrical experi-
Spirituality • Sexuality • Relationships • Self-Esteem ence as we did with the Roxy and
expanding the Philadelphia Film
Center. We want more theaters in
Philadelphia, not less.” n
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
Revolutionary
1915 play
makes
Philly
debut
CAMERON KELSALL
PGN Contributor
Contemporary theatergoers might not
recognize the 1915 play “Rachel” or the
name of its author, Angelina Weld Grimké.
The work, while obscure today, was revolu-
tionary in its time. At its premiere, it was the
first piece of theater with an all-Black cast to
be performed before an integrated audience.
Grimké — a queer woman of color who also
worked as a journalist and poet — was also
interested in crafting a work with political
dimensions, in line with the trend of agitprop
theater popular at the time.
“Rachel” receives a much-belated Phil-
adelphia premiere this month at Mt. Airy’s
Quintessence Theatre, where it runs through
Feb. 16. At the helm of the production is
Alexandra Espinoza, an out theater artist who
has already found success in Philadelphia as
a performer, playwright and dramaturg.
PGN recently spoke with Espinoza about
connecting the themes of “Rachel” to the
present moment in history, as well as per-
forming works about Black life and expe-
rience for predominantly white audiences.
Some responses have been condensed and
edited for clarity.
“Rachel” is probably not as familiar a
title as some of the other plays Quintes-
sence has presented. Can you talk a little
about the play’s background? The play
is a propaganda play, which was a style that
T H E AT E R
was pretty popular in the early 20th century.
It was written specifically as an anti-lynching
play, actually in direct response to the film
“Birth of a Nation.” Its early life was actually
more literary, since Angelina Grimké actually
has more of a literary legacy. She was quite a
prolific poet and essayist. The play was actu-
ally first published before it was produced in
“Crisis,” which was the NAACP’s newspa-
per. The editor-in-chief of that newspaper
was W. E. B. Du Bois. In terms of its position
historically, I think it’s just a really great
example of the intersection of art and politics
at that moment. The other thing that’s true
about the play in terms of its production
history is that it’s the first play produced with
an all-Black cast for an integrated audience.
Some of that shows in the way it was writ-
ten. A lot of what I think Grimké is going for
is an argument about humanity.
As a director, what are some of the
things you’ve been considering as you
prepare to present this play to a 2020
audience? I am also a performer, so know-
ing the history of the play — being some-
thing that was written for a white audience
in a lot of ways — that was something I
wasn’t super comfortable with at first. Even
in working with new plays, it can sometimes
feel like the Black experience is used as a
lesson or a parable for white audiences. That
can feel pretty isolating for the people on-
stage. As a director, my top priority when we
started was to figure out what this play does
for us, and how do we make it ours. What
that has turned into is that the play in its cur-
rent form, in our production, is really about a
family. It’s about people who make choices.
It’s about people who are forced by their
society to make incredibly hard choices, but
who do so in a very human way. That’s been
the biggest charge for me: I want this piece
to exist primarily for the people making it.
Grimké was known to be queer in her
personal life. Does that influence the
play too? I am also queer, so for me,
absolutely. And that was a really big draw
to want to work on the piece. In a lot of
ways, she did a lot of hiding in plain sight.
She [Grimké] was also someone who could
have probably passed for white but did
not. I think the structure of the piece in a
lot of ways hides in plain sight, which is
exciting for me. I think maybe in someone
else’s hands, certain aspects of the piece
might read differently. But just because of
my personal experiences, I do see it as a
queer story. And I think it’s actually queer
in a very contemporary way, just because
of how the definition of queerness is
expanding in the 21st century. She’s really
questioning institutions, including the in-
stitution of marriage, in the face of a world
that offers so few choices. In that way, it is
very queer and very refreshingly political
in its queerness. I think this play encom-
passes the political agency that queerness
is part of.
29
ALEXANDRA ESPINOZA
Photo by Linda Johnson
How do you balance your life as a per-
former, writer and director? I think the
easiest way to answer that question is that
ultimately, what I love is storytelling. The role
I play in storytelling changes based on the
story. There are always logistical challenges.
I try and pay attention to what I miss most
when I’m doing something else, and I try to
follow my gut in that way. It’s still a puzzle
and I’m trying to figure it out.
How did you start out? I would say in the-
ater, I started out as a performer, but I’ve al-
ways been a writer. I actually came to theater
as a career relatively late. I thought I would
actually do human rights law or academics as
a history specialist. It took me some time to
listen to what I actually wanted, but in all of
the other iterations of what I was doing, I was
always writing. Writing has just always been a
part of what I do, but performing was always
my favorite hobby. I just streamlined things.
In terms of directing, I’ve done a lot of drama-
turgy and directing readings and workshops.
In a lot of ways, this production is a first that
doesn’t feel like a first as much as I thought it
was. Directing is so play-dependant. For me,
I think the best thing to direct is something I
have a lot of love for, but that I don’t think is
perfect. Or something that I think hasn’t been
seen from a certain perspective. In that way, I
think a play like “Rachel” is a perfect fit. n
For tickets and information about “Rachel,”
please visit quintessencetheatre.org.
30 PGN
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

FAMILY PORTRAIT A friend recently passed away, and I

from page 25
Wedding Services have a mid-winter concert coming up
Directory in March and a spring concert at the
Kimmel Center in May. I also perform
in a few a cappella groups within the
choir. I’m also a big cyclist. You can
usually find me riding my bike on
weekends, weather permitting. I do
the New York City Five Boro Bike
Tour with my dad each year. It’s a
40-mile ride through all five of New
York’s boroughs and across five major
bridges and draws over 30,000 riders.
We’re doing it again this year, and I’m
bringing some friends from Philadel-
phia. And I’m training for the AIDS/
Life Cycle ride from San Francisco
to Los Angeles. I did it last year for
the first time, and I loved it so much
I’m doing it again, and I’m putting to-
gether a Philadelphia-based team to
go. It’s a 545-mile ride to raise mon-
ey for two AIDS/HIV organizations.
It’s pretty cool. My picture is on the
cover of their Facebook page ad! Oh,
and when I’m not on the bike trying
to dodge cars, I’m out trying to dodge
hits on an LGBT dodgeball team. My
still over-programmed life!
When did you have time to come
out? [Laughing] I’ve always known
I liked men, and I’ve always operated
with the understanding that gay was a
thing, and that is what I was. I didn’t
talk to my family at first, because they
were very religious. I knew that other
people thought it was a bad thing, but
I never felt that way. I officially came
out to my family after Dartmouth. My
stepmother asked me about my sexu-
ality in front of my father, and I, being
bold and brave, said, “Actually, I’m not
questioning my sexuality at all. I know
exactly who and what I am.” Surpris-
ingly, the thing they were most upset
about was the fact that other people
knew before them.
How did that work in the fraterni-
ty? I grew up with a lot of male pres-
ence, between my brothers and my dad
and my all-boys high school, so when
I went to college, I wanted to join a
male-oriented organization. I value the
sense of brotherhood that it brings. I
didn’t think anything of it, but appar-
ently, I was the first openly gay guy to
rush at my fraternity. There were other
guys who were gay, but they weren’t
out. But after I joined, some began to
come out, and down the line, we’ve
had some openly gay pledges. Later I
went back to Dartmouth and worked
as an administrator and was the house
advisor for Sigma Phi Epsilon for five
years.
Are you a packrat or purger? I’d say
I’m a hybrid. I like keeping things of
sentimental value, but I keep them hid-
den. My place is kept neat, but there
are drawers and closets filled with
memorabilia.
Do you collect anything in partic-
ular? As a kid, I collected coins and
rocks, but nothing as an adult, unless
2-3 bikes are a collection.
Your go-to karaoke song? It depends
on if I’m happy or sad! “She used to
be Mine” from the musical, “The Wait-
ress” by Sara Bareilles. I also like to
sing, “All of Me” by John Legend and,
on occasion, some good old Celine
Dion.
What range do you sing? I’m a high
tenor.
Ever have any paranormal experi-
ences? Like ghosts? No, but I’ve had
times when I’ve dreamt things that
have come true. It’s happened a few
times.
The last good letter you received?
took some time off from the choir as a
result. A bunch of the men got together
and sent me a card that had the choir’s
crest hand-drawn on the cover with ev-
eryone’s signature inside. It was nice to
know that even though I stepped away
for a minute, there were people who
cared for me and loved me and wanted
to express it. It got me to tear up for a
minute when I received the card.
Who would you want to be stuck
on a deserted island with? Oh! My
immediate thought was Beyoncé be-
cause I want to meet her, but maybe I
should pick someone with building or
trade skills to help me survive! Wait,
are there resources there? Is it a social
situation or a survival thing? OK, for
pleasure, in reality, I’d pick my dad.
If it was for survival, maybe one of
those home-improvement people or
good-at-architecture types who could
make plans to build a boat.
What was your craziest cycling mo-
ment? I was in a ride, and all along
the route, people are lined up, holding
signs, cheering you on and handing out
water and snacks. I was coming down
a hill, and there was a stoplight at the
bottom. A kid was standing in the in-
tersection giving out Twizzlers, and I
remember thinking, “Aww, that’s so
cute!” So I rode in to get a Twizzler
from him, but as I grabbed the can-
dy, the way I was riding in I couldn’t
stop, and my feet were clipped into the
pedals, so I ended up sideways on the
ground in the middle of traffic with
hundreds of people asking if I was OK.
All I could do was laugh and say yeah.
I thought it was hysterical and fortu-
nately, I really was OK. But I learned
my lesson!
Which was ...
Don’t take candy from children on the
side of the road! n

First Presbyterian Church of Lansdowne

is a beautiful old stone church located
just outside the city. It can add a special
romantic touch to your wedding. We fly a
pride flag and are happy to welcome your
special celebration.
We offer a special wedding package for $1,350 which in-
cludes sanctuary for wedding service, one rehearsal, sound
system, pastor, organist and reception hall (up to 5 hours).
Contact us at fpclrental@rcn.com. Please specify “wedding”.
lansdownepresbyterianchurch.com/contact
JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 . epgn.com
PGN
31

Services & Home Improvement Directory CLASSIFIEDS Services

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
ONLY other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national
origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the
IN 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
pgn applicable local, state, provincial, national or international law or
regulation, or encourage the use of controlled substances.
Real Estate Sale
HOUSE FOR SALE - Huntingdon Valley, PA
4 bdr, 2.5 bath split level including LR, DR, Sun Room,
ONLINE Large Tiled Den, Hardwood Floors throughout. Great,
convenient neighborhood to shopping, trains and Rydal
AND Elementary School, Abington School District. Serious?,
come take a look! Call for appt. 215 570 8836 By Owner.
IN ________________________________________44-05
PRINT For Sale
EVERY Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most
advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a
FIRST FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing
A PLACE FOR MOM: The nation’s Largest senior living
referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today!
Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1-855-400-1032
________________________________________44-04
GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ To hunt your
land. Call for a FREE info packet & Quote. 1-866-309-1507
www.BaseCampLeasing.com
________________________________________44-04
Real Estate Rent
Beautiful house in Overbrook for $1400/month. 3 b.r., 2.5
baths, refinished basement, deck, backyard, dishwasher,
washer/dryer. Utilities not included.
Available Feb. 1. Call 215-879-1071.
________________________________________44-04
Help Wanted
BM 75 sks v housecleaner/handyman with car. SJ, PA area
needed. WM OK. Dr. Pete 856-397-9416, NP#.
_____________________________________________44-04
AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
NOW HIRING MUSEUM GUIDES
The American Philosophical Society is located at 104 S.
5th Street, in the heart of Old City.
Help visitors explore the collections of the American Phil-
osophical Society as a paid Museum Guide. We’re hiring
reliable and friendly staff to engage, educate, and inform
guests in the gallery of our museum exhibitions.
This is a paid, part-time, seasonal hourly position, April
through December (with paid training in March). The pay
rate is $15/hr.
Learn more online at: https://www.amphilsoc.org/about/
career-opportunities.
________________________________________44-04
Immediate opening for cashier/clener at the Adonis Cinema/

John Wissinger Inc. Advertise your business FRIDAY for those who qualify. PLUS Senior & Military Discounts.
Call 1-855-569-3087.
________________________________________44-04
Sansom Street Gym. Immediate intereviews. Call 215-557-
9319. 2026 Sansom St. Philadelphia.
________________________________________44-07
HARDWOOD FLOORS Dental Insurance: Call Physicians Mutual Insurance
company for details. NOT just a discount plan, REAL
Old Floors, Sanded & Finished
Floors Stained
in our directories coverage for 350 procedures. 855-890-4914 or http://
www.dental50plus.com/Penn Ad# 6118
Friends Men
________________________________________44-04 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call
New Floors Laid 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM.
Steps Scraped for only $25 per week ________________________________________44-06
when you run for Auto Retired GWM looking for married men to give oral sex.
(215) 335-4472 Airport area. Call Jim at 215-850-7900.
Donate your car, truck or van. Help veterans find jobs or
(215) 887-2899 a minimum of 8 start a business. Call Patriotic Hearts Foundation. Fast,
________________________________________44-06
Active retired GWM seeks g/bi, any age/race for steady
Cell: (215) 816-4472 weeks. FREE pick-up. Max tax-deduction. Operators are standing FWB, nsa. Can host SE of Rittenhouse Sq or travel, George.
Free Estimates by! Call 1-866-990-1557. secure vm: 267-970-2095.
________________________________________44-04 ________________________________________44-07

Legal & Professional Directory Health Services Directory

When It PARTNERS IN LAW
PARTNERS IN LIFE
Comes To
Your Money…
Experience
Counts
15 2 8 W A L N U T S T • S U I T E 14 10 • P H I L A D E L P H I A
Serving our LGBT Community
for over a decade. MINSTER & FACCIOLO, LLC
• Retirement Income Planning Addiction Treatment with Results!
• Investment Management
• WILLS & ESTATES •
• DISCRIMINATION • MOST INSURANCE CARRIERS ACCEPTED.
• Estate Planning
• SMALL BUSINESS •
• Insurance and Annuities
2018 Five Star Wealth Manager
• DIVORCE •
• EMPLOYMENT •
LGBTQ Recovery Support Group
Philadelphia Magazine • REAL ESTATE • Every Thursday at 6 pm
Award details at www.fivestarprofessional.com • CIVIL ACTIONS •
Jeremy R. Gussick, MBA • AUTO ACCIDENTS • C A L L T O D AY F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N :
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ • POWER OF ATTORNEY •
856-452-0060 • PRE-NUP AGREEMENTS• 8 6 6 • 2 4 7• 3 3 0 7
jeremy.gussick@lpl.com 215-627-8200 PA O R V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E AT :
302-777-2201 DE WWW. PROVIDENCETREATMENT. COM
521 S. 2ND ST., PHILA., PA
A Registered Investment Advisor Member FINRA/SIPC
APPT. ALSO AVAIL IN DE & NJ

SEE PAGE 4 FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

32 PGN
Philadelphia Gay News . JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6, 2020

December ‘63 Piano Men: Generations - The Music

Saturday, February 8 • 8pm
of Billy Joel & Elton John
Sunday, March 9 • 7pm

The Fray Michael Carbonaro Live!

Saturday, March 14 • 8pm Sunday, March 15 • 7pm

Andrew Dice Clay 2nd Annual Bucks County Food

Saturday, March 21 • 8pm
& Wine Festival
Friday, April 17 & Saturday, April 18

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit parxcasino.com

Street Road Exit off I-95 or PA Turnpike

MANAGEMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR CANCEL PROMOTIONS AND EVENTS AT ANY TIME. MUST BE 21 OR OLDER.

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER