PGN July 31 - Aug. 6, 2009 edition by The Philadelphia Gay News

Philadelphia Gay News July 31 - Aug. 6, 2009

Honesty Integrity Professionalism

Vol. 33 No. 31

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Community rallies behind tour launches in Philly Giovanni’s Room By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer

The nation’s oldest LGBT bookstore is beginning to show its age. One of the brick walls that borders Giovanni’s Room, at 12th and Pine streets, is in dire need of replacement, the store’s owner says, and a construction project expected to begin in the next two weeks will provide a much-needed facelift for the building — but not without a hefty price tag. Ed Hermance, Giovanni’s Room owner, said the 12th Street wall will need to be entirely torn down and replaced, which he expects will cost about $50,000. About 30 people attended a planning meeting July 28 at the William Way LGBT Community Center to brainstorm about fundraising for the project. “I personally just don’t have the HOMETOWN HERO: U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania Patrick Murphy (D-8th resources to be able to afford this and Dist., center) discusses the effort to repeal the military’s ban on openly gay service- it just brings the day closer that I can’t members during a July 27 press conference in Philadelphia to kick off the national afford to run this place,” Hermance said. Voices of Honor tour. The tour features such former servicemembers as Human Rights “So I’m hoping people will help out Campaign’s public-policy advocate Jarrod Chlapowski (left) and Servicemembers United executive director Alex Nicholson, who, along with other LGBT and ally cur- just as they have for more than 30 years rent and former servicemembers, will visit a dozen cities in the next two months, now.” speaking to the public about the importance of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Since Murphy took over as prime sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act — the bill to repeal the ban — two weeks ago, he’s been able to garner more than 20 new cosponsors. Photo: Scott A. Drake

By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer Philadelphia this week was the ﬁrst stop on a national tour aimed at raising awareness about the importance of repealing the military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers. The Human Rights Campaign and Servicembers United’s Voices of Honor tour launched July 27 and will travel to more than a dozen other cities in the next two months, utilizing the voices of LGBT and ally servicemembers themselves to educate the public about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The local event began with a press conference in the morning, in which U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), the prime sponsor of the legislation to repeal the law, was joined by tour participants and former servicemembers Jarrod Chlapowski, Alex Nicholson, Joe Soto, Anuradha Bhagwati and Stephen Vossler. The servicemembers also met that evening with about two-dozen people at the WHYY Studio in Center City for a town-hall discussion on the law and the effort to repeal it. Murphy told PGN before the press conference that since he signed on as the lead spon-

sor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act two weeks ago, he’s recruited more than 20 new legislative cosponsors, bringing the total cosponsorship number to 164. “We’re making progress every day,” Murphy said. “Besides the 164, I also got some commitments from people who weren’t willing to cosponsor it but who said that when it comes up for a vote, they will be willing to vote for it.” The bill will need 218 affirmative votes to pass. Murphy also announced during the press conference that the Senate Armed Services Committee agreed this week to hold hearings on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this fall — the first time the Senate will hear testimony on the law since its 1993 implementation. A repeal bill has not yet been introduced in the Senate. Murphy, a Philadelphia native and Iraq War veteran, said the selection of this city as the first host of Voices of Honor holds special importance to him, not just because it’s his hometown, but also because of its rich history.

ED HERMANCE AND ARLEEN OLSHAN Photo: Scott A. Drake

Hermance said that so far Butch Cordora has agreed to host a fundraising poker tournament and openly gay writer Christopher Rice, son of author Anne Rice, has offered to be a guest of honor for a “Famous Authors Dinner.” Hermance said the store is looking to launch a series of fundraising dinners with other well-known writers and is working on securing the talent. And the local community has already begun to show its appreciation for the See GIOVANNI’S ROOM, Page 9

NJ gov picks LGBT advocate as running mate By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) announced his running mate last weekend, a choice that was met with praise by LGBT advocates. Corzine selected state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D) to run alongside him N.J. LT. GOV. as lieutenant govCANDIDATE ernor in his bid for reelection in LORETTA WEINBERG November, marking the ﬁrst time in New Jersey history that a governor will be joined on the ticket; the lieutenant governor position was created by a constitutional amendment approved by voters in the 2005 election. Weinberg, 74, was elected to the New See VOICES, Page 6 Jersey Assembly in 1992 and the Senate in

2005, representing Bergen County in North Jersey. She has garnered a reputation for her strong voice on LGBT issues in the legislature, most recently cosponsoring the 2006 bill that amended New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination to include protections based on gender identity. She also served as the prime sponsor of the 2006 law that created civil unions for same-sex couples in the state, and of a bill currently in a Senate committee that proposes the legalization of same-sex marriage. Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, called her the “prime force” behind the push for marriage equality and the strongest legislative ally the New Jersey LGBT community has ever had. “Loretta is quite frankly and simply the greatest civil-rights champion for the LGBT community that has ever held public ofﬁce in this state,” he said. “She has been the architect of every single LGBT civilrights law enacted in New Jersey in this See WEINBERG, Page 9

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

THE REGION’S LEADING BMW DEALERSHIP FROM DOWNINGTOWN TO DOWNTOWN

Regina M Longo Client Advisor Devon Hill BMW Direct 484-654-1226 Email rlongo@devonhill.com

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JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

News

PGN

Editorial 10 International News 14 Letters/Feedback 11 11 Mark My Words 7 Media Trail 5 News Briefing 7 National News 10 Other Views 5 Regional News 11 Street Talk

505 S. Fourth St. Philadelphia, PA 19147-1506 Phone: (215) 625-8501 Fax: (215) 925-6437 E-mail: pgn@epgn.com Web: www.epgn.com

Out and clear

Adoption Corner

Town-hall meeting moderator Tobias Wolff led the discussion Monday night during the second part of the “Voices of Honor” tour kickoff at WHYY.

Courtney Love is an 8-month-old Lab-Terrier mix who has plenty of hugs and kisses to share.

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Detour Comics Diversions Meeting Place Portraits Q Puzzle Scene in Philly Worth Watching

Editor Sarah Blazucki (ext. 206) sarah@epgn.com

Staff Writers Jen Colletta (ext. 215) jen@epgn.com

22 28 27 20 22 21 26

Larry Nichols (ext. 213) larry@epgn.com Writer-at-Large Timothy Cwiek (ext. 208)

Family Portraits:

Didn’t get enough bed scenes during QFest? “Humpday” is a chance to get some more — this time with straight guys.

Kar-Chan Choong

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Columns

Classifieds Directories

mark@epgn.com

Art Director Christopher Potter design@epgn.com

Reichen Lehmkuhl hasn’t done it all yet, but his latest foray puts more pressure on the rest of us.

Adoption Corner Mombian Offline On Being Well Out Online Work It Out

Publisher

Mark Segal (ext. 204)

12 19 25 13 25 8

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Graphic Artist Sean Dorn (ext. 211) sean@epgn.com Photographer/Graphic Artist Scott A. Drake (ext. 216) scott@epgn.com Advertising Manager Greg Dennis (ext. 201) greg@epgn.com Advertising Sales Representatives Morgan Levine (ext. 212) morgan@epgn.com Kelly Root (ext. 207) kelly@epgn.com

On Being Well

Work It Out

Out Online

Offline

Mombian

What (not) to do at the shore

Do it anywhere

Twitter me this, gay man

Out in the last frontier

Watching a lesbian mom on television

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I’m going to Gay Day at the Phillies because:

Diversions: Sir Elton John

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Poll results from our online survey as of July 29: 33% all of my friends are going 33% hot guys in tight pants 11% I love baseball 0% last year’s dollar hot dogs. 22% you’d never catch me at a sporting event

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

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How do you feel about LGBT representation on network television?

National Advertising Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Office Manager/Classifieds Don Pignolet (ext. 200) don@epgn.com Executive Assistant Credit/Billing Manager Carol Giunta (ext. 202) carol@epgn.com Philadelphia Gay News is a member of: The Associated Press National Gay Newspaper Guild Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Published by Masco Communications Inc. © 2009 Masco Communications Inc. ISSN-0742-5155

The views of PGN are expressed only in the unsigned “Editorial” column. Opinions expressed in bylined columns, stories and letters to the editor are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of PGN. The appearance of names or pictorial representations in PGN does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that named or pictured person or persons.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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News Briefing

Regional

Leach to discuss marriage bill Philly for Change, the local afﬁliate of Democracy for America, will host state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17th Dist.) next week for a discussion about his proposed marriage-equality bill. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at Tritone, 1508 South St., and is open to the public. The legislation, which Leach introduced in May, currently has two cosponsors: Sens. Larry Farnese (D-First Dist.) and Jim Ferlo (D-38th Dist.). CHECKING OUT: LGBT grantmaking organization Sapphire Fund dispersed more than $20,000 in grants to several local organizations during a check presentation July 23 at the William Way LGBT Community Center. Accepting on behalf of the groups were Foyer of Philadelphia board president Leigh Braden (from left); Nurit Shein, executive director of the Mazzoni Center; and Ken Mullner and Gloria Hochman (from right), executive director and director of communication and marketing, respectively, at the National Adoption Center. The grantees are pictured with Sapphire Fund’s newly elected board president, Ryan Maxwell (third from left), outgoing president Wayne Hamilton and board members Dan Costa and David Schellenberg. Photo: Scott A. Drake

New Jersey LGBT advocates unhappy with new civil-rights head By Jen Colletta PGN Staff Writer The New Jersey Commission on Civil Rights approved the nominee for the director of the state’s Division on Civil Rights last week, despite criticism by several public figures that the new pick may not have enough experience in LGBT issues. The commission voted 6-0, with one abstention, to approve Chinh Q. Le as the new head of the agency July 22. New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram nominated Le, a practitioner-in-residence at Seton Hall University School of Law’s Center for Social Justice, to the position earlier this month. Le previously served as assistant counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Legal Defense & Education Fund. C. Carlos Bellido took over as the acting director of the division after openly gay former division head Frank Vespa-Papaleo resigned in January. “Chinh Le has an extraordinary background and commitment to justice and civil rights,” Milgram said in a statement. “His experience and involvement in the important social and civil issues facing our state make him well-qualified to lead the division.” State Sens. Nicholas Scutari (D) and Raymond Lesniak (D), however, were not as enthusiastic about the new director. Prior to Le’s confirmation, the pair sent a letter to the commission and to Gov. Jon Corzine, requesting a halt to the approval process.

In the letter, the senators argued that Le “has either done no advocacy on gay issues or he deems them not important enough to mention in his profile.” Le told PGN this week that he cannot comment on his new position until he begins working later this summer, but provided a statement he gave to the commission during his confirmation hearing. “Although there have been some questions raised in recent days about my commitment to LGBT rights, let me be clear: I am personally committed to these issues,” Le said, noting that he and his wife have donated to such LGBT organizations as Queers for Economic Justice, Empire State Pride Agenda and the Human Rights Campaign. “I am thrilled by the prospect of now working affirmatively on behalf of the state to enforce these rights that I have a proven record of supporting.” The senators asserted that Le’s record on LGBT issues pales in comparison to that of Vespa-Papaleo, whom they contended Milgram “forced out” of the position. Scutari and Lesniak also protested the fact that Le, who recently moved to Jersey City from Brooklyn, is not licensed to practice law in New Jersey. As director of the division, however, he will not be required to personally try cases. Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, echoed the senators’ sentiments that Vespa-Papaleo did not leave of his own accord, which he said further fueled his concerns over the appointment of the new director, a “complete unknown” to the

state’s LGBT community. “It’s an open secret that the attorney general forced out the previous director, who was the highest-ranking openly gay agency head in New Jersey and was without a doubt the finest director of civil rights this state has ever seen,” Goldstein said. “Frank revolutionized the agency and was beloved and respected across the state, far beyond just those in the gay community. For a state that does not yet have equality, a state where our civil-union law is being disrespected left and right by employees and hospitals across the state who refuse to recognize civil unions as the equivalent of marriage, the position of the director of civil rights is extremely, extremely important. I don’t think this process should have been rushed.” Vespa-Papaleo, who is currently serving as senior counsel to the Office of the Public Advocate, could not be reached for comment. “Our concerns have nothing to do with Chinh Le himself,” Goldstein said. “Every indication is that he is a first-rate lawyer with excellent credentials. It’s merely the atmosphere in which Mr. Le was appointed.” Goldstein said he’s looking to set up a meeting with Le in the coming weeks to discuss his views on LGBT issues in New Jersey, and that the “LGBT community in the state and Garden State Equality are looking forward to building a close working relationship with him.” ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn. com.

LGBT legal group receives grants Equality Advocates PA was notiﬁed this week that it will receive two grants, totaling $10,000, which will be used to help the group continue to provide legal services to LGBT individuals and defend LGBT-rights issues. The board of The Philadelphia Foundation, a grantmaking organization that invests in organizations committed to working for social change, voted July 27 to provide Equality Advocates a $4,000 grant from its David S. Mathers Fund and a $6,000 grant from its Jonathan C. Neff Fund. “We are extremely grateful to the generous people who have established the Mathers and Neff Funds at The Philadelphia Foundation and honored to be the recipient of their trust in our mission of improving and protecting the lives of LGBT individuals and delivering free legal services to low-income LGBT individuals,” said Equality Advocates executive director Lynn Zeitlin.

Suburban couple charges harassment A gay couple in Levittown filed complaints against two police officers and are considering filing a lawsuit against their landlord stemming from an altercation last weekend that they believe was motivated by antigay bias. Robert Breining and his partner, Joseph Tittel, owners of Spirit Man Productions, were hosting a psychic-medium session at the company’s office July 27 when, they say, the landlord of the office space, a neighbor that the landlord rents living space to and friends of theirs were being disruptive outside the office. The couple says the landlord roped off the parking lot with police tape to make it difficult for event participants to park, and that he See NEWS BRIEFING, Page 15

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

VOICES From Page 1 “This is the cradle of liberty and where our Constitution was written, and that Constitution provides equality for all Americans, whether they’re gay or straight,” he said. “It’s especially fitting that it’s here in our nation’s original capital that we’re kicking off the fight for the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’” In his remarks, Murphy emphasized numerous arguments for the repeal of the bill that go beyond basic fairness — such as the fact that the discharge of the more-than 13,000 troops under the policy has cost taxpayers more than $1.3 billion in the past 16 years, and the loss of servicemembers is a direct threat to national security. Murphy said hundreds of those discharged were multi-lingual translators, 60 of whom were fluent in Arabic, such as Nicholson, a former intelligence agent with the U.S. Army. Now the executive director of Servicemembers United, Nicholson said he’s hoping that by telling his story at Voices of Honor events throughout the country, he’ll shed light on the security threat the law has created. “My experience is exemplary of the unquantifiable cost of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ that the general public rarely hears about firsthand,” he said. “I want to show the American public that this is the face of a gay solider and that this is the cost of maintaining ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ — a multi-lingual human-intelligence collector who speaks Arabic, has an advanced degree and would go back into the military in a heartbeat if ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ were repealed tomorrow.”

ROLL CALL: Participants in the Voices of Honor tour — a national campaign to build support for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” — address members of the press and passersby during a July 27 press conference in front of Independence Hall (left). Pictured are former servicemembers Stephen Vossler (from left), a heterosexual ally; Anuradha Bhagwati, executive director of Service Women’s Action Network; Joe Soto, a Philadelphia resident and Marine and Naval Academy graduate; U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-8th Dist.), prime sponsor of the bill to repeal the policy; Jarrod Chlapowski, an HRC public-policy advocate; and Alex Nicholson, a multi-lingual former Army member kicked out under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Right: Nicholson, Soto, University of Pennsylvania law professor and moderator Tobias Wolff, Chlapowski and Vossler participate in a town-hall discussion about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at the WHYY Studio Building. Photos: Scott A. Drake

Soto, a Philadelphia resident and former Marine, spent more than eight years in the service but said the pressure of having to keep his personal and professional lives separate eventually overwhelmed him. He said he would drive hours away from the base on free weekends to ensure that no one would spot him at gay bars or functions, and that he got into the habit of switching pronouns to discuss people he was dating. “The difficult thing is you spend four years at the academy learning about integrity and honor and being honest, and the biggest thing about yourself you have to lie about,” Soto said. “That was grueling.” Soto served in the 1980s, prior to the enactment of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” when servicemembers could be court-marshaled for homosexual behavior. He said the final straw came when he was filling in as the officer on duty one night and had to sign an order to

imprison one of his fellow servicemembers for engaging in homosexual behavior. “When I signed my name, they handcuffed her. That put me over the edge. The next day I started exploring my options for resignation.” Soto said he’s participating in the tour to shed light on the servicemembers who weren’t kicked out of the military but who left of their own accord. “We know that over 13,000 have been discharged because of this cruel law, but we can never put a number on those like me who left because they didn’t want to hide anymore,” he said. “Imagine what we could have done and the contributions we could have made and the lives that could have been saved if we were allowed to serve.” Chlapowski, now an HRC public-policy advocate, also chose not to reenlist, although he said

he was completely open about his sexuality during his service; he noted the “arbitrary enforcement” of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” further proves the law is a “failed policy.” Vossler, a heterosexual ally and Chlapowksi’s best friend, said when he enlisted in the Army at age 18, he was probably one of the “least likely candidates for becoming a gay-rights advocate,” having grown up in a deeply religious family from a town in rural Nebraska with a population of just 1,000. While studying at the Defense Language Institute in California, however, Chlapowski was assigned to share a room with a gay servicemember who was undergoing the discharge process because of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Vossler said the friendship he developed with his roommate and later with Chlapowksi motivated him to take a stand against the law.

30 years ago in PGN

N.J. lesbian wins custody battle

Community divided over D.C. march

A panel of a New Jersey state appeals court voted 2-1 to grant a lesbian custody of her two daughters on July 23. The Gloucester County Superior Court gave the woman’s ex-husband — who contended that her lesbianism made her an “unﬁt” parent and embarrassed her children — custody of the kids in 1976. The appellate court, however, found that custody should not be dependant upon social norms. “It may be that the community is intolerant of [the mother’s] differences and these girls may sometimes have to bear themselves with greater-than-ordinary

fortitude, but this does not necessarily portend that their moral welfare or safeguard will be jeopardized,” the opinion stated. The judges went on to write that living with their mother will prepare the children to face adversity and to understand that the “majority is not always correct in its moral judgments.”

About 25 men and ﬁve women gathered July 18 to discuss plans for the proposed LGBT march on Washington, D.C., in October, and many attendees asserted that the local community should not support such an event. “I just don’t think it’s a very practical thing to do,” said Maggie Childs of the Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force, who went on to express doubt that the local effort would be inclusive enough of women.

Several others in attendance also raised the concern that the march was being staged without a signiﬁcant trigger event and that a National Third World Lesbian Conference had already been scheduled in D.C. for the same weekend, whose supporters were planning to lobby Congress in support of a gay-rights bill. Despite the concerns raised, the meeting resulted in the formation of an all-male 12-member local committee to provide support and advocacy for the march. The march occurred Oct. 14, 1979, and drew nearly 100,000 people.

Fed. probe ignores gay complaints A lawsuit ﬁled Aug. 13 by the U.S. Department of Justice against then-Mayor Frank Rizzo and other city and police ofﬁcials that charged police brutality against minorities made no mention of anti-LGBT bias in the police force.

“In today’s military, sexual orientation just isn’t a big deal,” he said. “We learn and grow from the diversity within the military that we encounter. We are all welltrained and professional, and we are more than capable of handling that diversity.” Bhagwati, a former Marine officer, is also an ally, who said her advocacy on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was precipitated after her close friend was discharged upon the discovery that she was a lesbian. Bhagwati is the executive director of Service Women’s Action Network, an advocacy agency for female servicemembers and veterans. She noted that although women make up just 15 percent of the armed forces, they accounted for 50 percent of all the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” discharges last year in the Army and Air Force, and that African-American servicewomen are discharged at three times the rate of their involvement in the military. “These statistics are not evidence that the military is upholding unit cohesion, good order, discipline or any of the other convenient catchphrases used by proponents of this archaic and useless policy,” Bhagwati said. “These statistics are at the least shocking and at the most shameful. I was proud to wear the uniform and proud to serve my country, but ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is a blemish on the spirit with which Americans choose to serve and the values that we defend.” For more information on the Voices of Honor tour, visit www. hrc.org/voicesofhonor. ■ Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com. U.S. Attorney Peter Vaira said, “Blacks and Hispanics were the ones that most often received harsh treatment” by police, and that while he had heard of some instance of police brutality against LGBT people, “it wasn’t that significant.” The U.S. Commission of Civil Rights held two days of hearings that spring to investigate police brutality, during which numerous LGBT leaders testified in regard to cases of raids at gay bars and bathhouses, illegal searches and seizes and indifference by police to LGBT crime victims. Mary Ann Hoopes, legal counsel for the commission, said the agency had “no direct input” in the Justice Department suit. ■ — Jen Colletta

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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National

Media Trail

Lesbian helps get life sentence for rapist

Suspect held in gay seaman murder

By Timothy Cwiek PGN Writer-at-Large Last month, when an Idaho judge imposed a life sentence on Jeffrey J. Marsalis for raping a young lesbian, many Philadelphians reacted to the news with approval. Marsalis, 36, a former city resident, had been described by Philadelphia police as the worst serial rapist in the city’s history. But because he knew his local victims before allegedly raping them, it was difficult to get him convicted of rape, police said. “When you’re talking about acquaintance rape, it sometimes turns into a he-said, shesaid for the jurors,” explained Capt. John R. Darby of the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit. “Questions may come up about the consensual nature of the act.” It wasn’t until last month — four years after Marsalis moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, and raped a 21-year-old lesbian — that he finally was sentenced for raping someone. The victim, known as “Jody” in published reports, declined to comment for this story. She received praise from law-enforcement officials in Pennsylvania and Idaho. “She did an awesome job and held her own in facing down her attacker at trial,” said Jim J. Thomas, Blaine County [Idaho] prosecuting attorney. “I am very proud of her.” “She was very courageous and stayed the course,” said Sun Valley Assistant Police Chief Mike Crawford. “Her story was always consistent. She was a very reliable witness.” In 2006 and 2007, 11 local women pressed charges against Marsalis in two highly publicized trials. The women said their rapes occurred between 2003-05 in Philadelphia and Northampton counties. But Darby believes Marsalis raped many more women who didn’t press charges. “In regards to the numbers, he’s the worst we’ve had,” Darby said, stopping short of citing a specific number of victims. Marsalis managed to dupe his local victims by assuming various professional identities, including surgeon, Naval officer, CIA agent, Secret Service agent and astronaut, Darby added. “He presented this façade of a standup guy, someone in the community who wouldn’t be a threat,” the captain said. Citing other evidence in the Philadelphia cases, Darby said Marsalis also may have drugged many of his victims, so they wouldn’t have a clear memory of any rapes. But after two local trials, Marsalis was convicted of two felonies and a misdemeanor on charges of sexual assault and unlawful restraint. There was no mandatory minimum for the convictions, and Marsalis

could have been sentenced to probation. However, about two years earlier, Marsalis had raped the Idaho lesbian. Police believe that incident helped convince Common Pleas Judge Steven B. Geroff to impose the maximum sentence of 10-and-a-half to 21 years in state prison for Marsalis. Geroff was on vacation this week and unavailable for comment. Last month, when sentencing Marsalis for the Idaho rape, Idaho Fifth District Senior Judge Daniel Hurlbutt Jr. took into account the convict’s Philadelphia crimes and imposed a life sentence, according to court records. But Hurlbutt also crafted the sentence to permit Marsalis to seek parole after serving 22 years in prison — ﬁrst in Pennsylvania, then in Idaho. Crawford, of the Sun Valley Police Department, said the Philadelphia cases were particularly challenging. “In Philadelphia, several victims contin-

“He presented this façade of a stand-up guy, someone in the community who wouldn’t be a threat.” CAPT. JOHN R. DARBY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT

ued to have a relationship with [Marsalis], even after he allegedly raped them,” Crawford said. “That deﬁnitely was a hurdle to overcome in securing a rape conviction. In our case, it was totally different. Our victim went directly to the hospital as soon as she was feeling well enough to go there. At that time, she consented to a rape kit, which linked Mr. Marsalis to her rape.” Kevin E. Hexstall, an attorney for Marsalis, implied that law-enforcement ofﬁcials led Marsalis’ acquaintances. “All but one of his accusers didn’t have any belief they were drugged and raped until they were contacted by law enforcement,” Hexstall told PGN. “It’s a logical inference that something was suggested to them. I haven’t seen anything produced in discovery to think otherwise.” But Crawford refuted that claim. “Everyone, including the FBI, conducted professional, forensic interviews,” the assistant chief said. “There were no leading questions. The integrity of everyone’s

JEFFREY J. MARSALIS

statements was maintained.” Matthew E. Fredback, Blaine County deputy prosecuting attorney, said Marsalis’ victims didn’t know each other, yet their efforts managed to bring about the life sentence. “It was a combined effort of all the women who had to undergo this experience with Mr. Marsalis that brought about the ultimate sentence of life imprisonment,” Fredback said. “Without the determination and courage of Jody, we never would have been able to get a conviction in the Idaho case. And the victims that came forward in Philadelphia also contributed to keeping Mr. Marsalis behind bars, potentially for the rest of his life.” Darby expressed hope that other victims won’t be deterred from coming forward because of the difﬁculty in securing the rape conviction against Marsalis. “As daunting as the task might seem, victims of sexual assault need to come forward,” he said. “Yes, I wish it didn’t take so many victims before we got this guy behind bars. That’s the disappointing side of this. But the persistence paid off. Ultimately, the system worked.” Joseph J. Khan, the local special prosecutor of Marsalis, also praised Jody and the other testifying victims. “The fact that Mr. Marsalis raped Jody so close to his ﬁrst trial date was instrumental in our getting him held without bail,” Khan said. “Since October 2005, when he raped Jody, Mr. Marsalis has never been on the street, able to rape someone again. I know how impressed and grateful the local victims are for Jody’s persistence. They’re universally grateful to her for her courage in seeing this through, after so many years.” ■

Timothy Cwiek can be reached at (215) 625-8501 ext. 208.

San Diego’s TV 6 reports Navy officials have formally charged a suspect in the murder of gay seaman August Provost. Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Campos, 32, who is also gay and was the gas-system technician at Camp Pendleton, has been charged with the murder and burning of Provost as well as arson, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful entry and 16 other offenses. Provost was found shot to death and his body burned at his guard post at Camp Pendleton on June 30. Many thought his death was a hate crime, but the Navy has a different story. Officials claim Provost was killed not because he was gay, but because he happened to be in the way of a man on a crime spree. Campos has been held in a Navy brig at Miramar, Calif., since July 1.

First gay member joins Academy board 365gay.com reports Jared Polis, a Democrat from Colorado, has become the ﬁrst openly gay non-incumbent elected to Congress on the U.S. Air Force Academy’s supervisory board. The board provides reports to Congress and the Pentagon on the academy’s performance and recommends changes. Poils opposes the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” ban on gay, lesbian and transgender servicemembers. Some board members have welcomed Poils with opened arms, but others are perplexed by his appointment, claiming he would be kicked out if he were a student at the Academy.

Gays heckled at Palin speech Advocate.com reports gay protesters who attended a picnic marking the resignation of Sarah Palin as governor of Alaska were heckled by supporters of the former Republican vice-presidential nominee. Larry Landry of Fairbanks claims he was standing next to a friend when suddenly he was taunted by a passerby who made a rude slur about them being gay. Palin has been an opponent of marriage equality both as governor and as a vicepresidential candidate and has said in interviews that she believes marriage should just be between one man and one woman. She resigned as governor with just a yearand-a-half left on her term. ■ — Khaliff Featherstone

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

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Work It Out

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You don’t need the gym

General Practice Progressive HIV Care MARK T. WATKINS, DO JOHN DEL ROSSI, PA-C

(215) 829-0170 253 S. 10th St. First Floor Philadelphia

EWS

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Lately, I have come across many people who want to get in better shape for the summer. Unfortunately, they keep telling me they cannot do anything about it because they do not have a gym membership. My response is always the same: “That’s great! You can enjoy so many more options than people who always work out in the same place.” It’s true. You absolutely do not need a gym membership to improve your health and ﬁtness. All you have to have is a desire to get better. Getting in better shape is dependent upon your physical activity, not where you perform it. While a ﬁtness center does provide lots of options and equipment, it’s not always the best place for you to exercise. Many people feel self-conscious and

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uncomfortable going to a gym. Many times there isn’t a health club close to your home or work, making it inconvenient to get to. If any of these apply to you, I suggest that you try working out in the two largest and most convenient gyms available: the great outdoors and your house. In order to exercise safely, you will need some equipment. At a minimum, you should invest in a pair of quality walking or running shoes. Other equipment is optional, but I would highly recommend a stability ball and a couple of resistance bands. With this small and inexpensive collection, you can do almost any exercise you’d find in a gym. These are extremely versatile and can be tailored to your specific needs. Now you need to figure out where to work out. If convenience is a major factor, find an open space in your home that you can use. You don’t need much room, but it should be large enough that you can lie down and move around a little while stand-

ing. If using an exercise band, be sure to use a door anchor or attach it to something sturdy and heavy. If you like to spend time outdoors, why not exercise there? Exercising outside is great and it is very easy to find enough space. One of the things I enjoy about exercising outside is the ability to make your workout portable. For example, I can go for a run, carry an exercise band with me, do a few exercises and then continue on until I want to stop and do some more. Of course, the biggest benefit to exercising outside is that you get to spend time outdoors, rather than cooped up inside. A simple search of the Internet will provide you with multitudes of exercises easily performed in your home or outside. There are also many different pieces of equipment specifically designed for these situations. Personally, I am not a big fan of home gyms. They are great pieces of equipment, but can be too limiting. For my home workout, I prefer versatility and the ability to be indoors or out. For that reason, I like to use bands, medicine balls, kettle bells and other such pieces of equipment. But do not limit yourself to these; exercise with things you like. When trying to improve your fitness level, the first thing to consider is your desired goal. Once you find something that really motivates you, then think about where you would like to exercise. A gym is great for many people, but not everybody. If working out in a gym is not for you, think about trying it at home or enjoy the summer weather while getting fit. While some equipment is necessary, you do not need much. Find what works for you and focus on consistency. That is key to reaching your goals. ■ Jared Carter, CSCS, is the owner of Move Forward Fitness Personal Training Studio, 1616 Walnut St. Visit www.moveforwardfitness.com or reach him at (215) 399-3541 or jared@moveforwardfitness.com.

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Philadelphia Gay News

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

GIOVANNI’S ROOM From Page 1 longstanding LGBT institution: Within several days after making the announcement of the renovations, the store brought in more than $1,600 in donations. The story has been picked up by local and national media outlets and Hermance has gotten calls of support from as far away as Oakland, Calif. “It’s just been so overwhelming,” he said. “We’re off and run-

WEINBERG From Page 1 generation. It’s almost impossible to portray to people who live outside of New Jersey who may not be familiar with her what a legend she is for the LGBT community.” Goldstein noted that Garden State Equality named its highest honor, given during its annual fundraising dinner, after the state senator — the Loretta Weinberg Prize for Lifetime Achievement. Goldstein said Weinberg’s support for the community is sincere; when he and his partner ﬁrst moved to New Jersey, Weinberg stopped by their house within an hour after they ﬁnished unpacking with a welcome dinner. “What’s particularly wonderful is that she’s not a member of

PAGE 9

ning but we still have a long way to go.” The store will also have an “increased presence” at this year’s OutFest, on Oct. 11, and plans to work with a professional photographer who will take photos of attendees and the event, which could then possibly be compiled into a calendar. In the immediate future, Giovanni’s Room will host a tribute to out writer E. Lynn Harris, who passed away last week, from 5:30-7 p.m. July 31, where dona-

tions will be welcomed. Giovanni’s Room originally opened its doors at Second and South streets in 1973. Hermance and former co-owner Arleen Olshan took over ownership three years later. In 1979, Hermance moved the store to its current location, a building that dates back to 1880. He said he believes the wall in question is the original. Hermance said a representative of a local historical agency informed him of the need for the

project in June. “Randy Baron from the Philadelphia Historical Commission came in probably six weeks ago saying he was really concerned about the stability of the wall. So I called my architect and she got an engineer who came out and looked at it and agreed that it was unstable, and drew up some plans,” he said. Hermance hired a contractor who specializes in historic restoration. The owner expects that after the renovations, the “building will

look better than it has looked in 100 years.” The construction is expected to last three or four weeks, with additional time needed to work on the wall from the interior of the building. Hermance said the store will be open during construction. Those looking to get involved in a planning committee should call Aquila Alexander at (215) 923-2960. ■

the LGBT community and doesn’t have any particularly close LGBT family members, but she simply supports the LGBT community because she believes in equality,” he said. “She’s the living symbol of a civil-rights champion who understands that one does not have to be a member of a community to champion the rights of that community. She feels our struggles for equality with every bone in her body.” Openly gay New Jersey Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D) acknowledged that while Weinberg has been a strong advocate for LGBT issues, she also has a wide-ranging appeal to voters from a variety of demographics. “Loretta has been a dynamo in the legislature. I enjoyed my tenure with her in the Assembly;

she and I were always deemed the ‘liberal caucus,’” he said. “But she has so much governmental experience that New Jersey voters of all stripes should rest assured that she would be able to take over the reins of governor in a heartbeat.” Corzine’s Republican challenger, Chris Christie, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, announced on Monday that he selected Kimberly Guadagno, 50, as his choice for lieutenant governor. Christie has said he believes that marriage should be between one man and one woman and would veto a marriage-equality bill if he were elected. He also has noted that if the state’s marriage laws were changed through the court system, he would favor a constitutional amendment to ban

same-sex marriage. Corzine, however, has long been a proponent of marriage equality. Data released Tuesday by Public Policy Polling found that Corzine trails Christie by about 14 percentage points, with a margin of error of +/-4.2 percent, a 4-point increase from the end of June. Goldstein said he anticipates Corzine’s selection could help to close that gap. “None of us who support Gov. Corzine are wearing rose-colored glasses; we know the ﬁght we have before us,” he said. “But Loretta Weinberg energizes the Democratic political base like few other people could. She’s just beloved. There are hundreds of thousands of people across this state that Loretta has helped over the years who would just walk across coals

for her.” Gusciora asserted that Weinberg’s aptitude for connecting on a personal level with her constituents is just what the Corzine campaign needs. “Gov. Corzine deserves to be reelected; he has the ﬁscal maturity to lead the state and has stabilized the budgetary crisis that New Jersey has been suffering. But a lot of people have criticized the fact that he’s not a people person or a polished politician,” he said. “What Loretta adds is that political dimension; she has a great personality, people like her and she has a reputation as being honest, a hard worker and a progressive thinker. I think she adds an exciting element to the Democratic ticket and makes up for any shortfalls the governor may have.” ■

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PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 10

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Editorial Health and marriage A new study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior ﬁnds that a stable marriage can be good for one’s health, while divorce or widowhood may have irreversible damage. The study, published by Linda Waite and Mary Elizabeth Hughes, looked at four aspects of midlife health: chronic conditions, mobility limitations, selfrated health and depressive symptoms. The researchers analyzed data from over 8,600 white, black and Hispanic people between the ages of 51-61 in a health survey from 1991. In their ﬁndings, divorced or widowed people had a 20-percent-higher incidence of chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer than married people. Those surveyed also had 23-percent more mobility limitations, such as trouble climbing stairs or walking a block. In interviews, the researchers stated that losing a marriage through divorce or widowhood is extremely stressful and that the high stress takes a prolonged toll on health, which might never be recovered. One drawback the authors noted was that the study did not address marriage quality; previous studies have indicated those who stay in unhappy marriages might have increased risks of health problems such as high blood pressure, depression and heart disease. There are several reasons why this study, and those like it, relates to the sexual-minority community. First, the reporting on the data does not state if any of those surveyed were gay or lesbian. This may be because the question wasn’t asked or because gays and lesbians checked the “never married” box. Either way, the data (or at least the reporting on it) is not complete. Second, while studies have begun to look at trends in committed same-sex relationships, same-sex marriage is still relatively new; the data this study is based on pre-dates gay marriage in the U.S. Certainly, anecdotal stories have shown that civil unions aren’t equal to marriage in terms of access to healthcare, which would imply that health would also be negatively impacted. On the surface, it appears this study supports the argument for same-sex marriage over civil unions or similar partnerships (other studies have drawn similar conclusions). But other studies have asserted that encouraging marriage to promote health might be misguided, as they have found the health of never-married individuals has improved over the past decades. On the other hand, for same-sex couples, if divorce or widowhood has a greater negative health impact than the dissolution of a partnership, it might be wise to skip the marriage and opt for the union. ■

PGN

Glenn Lash (glennlash@yahoo.com)

Other Views

Paul Varnell

Gay agenda after marriage Some of my friends have been discussing what should be the “gay agenda” — or even if there needs to be such a thing — after we obtain marriage and military access. While there are a number of concerns that will need to be addressed, I think the whole discussion is premature. Nationwide marriage will be a long time in coming. It is still not permitted in 45 states, and expressly forbidden in a majority. So obtaining marriage will be a long, hard slog through the courts and legislatures, and probably several public referenda. States with sizable evangelical populations, especially in the South, will be resistant. And the Supreme Court is not likely to rule on the issue until a substantial majority of states have already approved gay marriage — just as it ruled against sodomy laws only after most states had already struck down their own sodomy laws. And while I hope I am wrong, I fear that any change from “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will not be a clean rejection of the antigay policy but some sort of compromise measure that doesn’t allow complete freedom for gays. Even if there is a clean rejection of the policy, there are plenty of pockets of antigay sentiment in the military that will need to be addressed.

But, putting those issues aside, are there other issues of concern to gays that our community should address? One obvious issue is second-parent adoption for gay couples. It is absurd and simply discriminatory to say that one parent can adopt a child but not the other if the adopting couple is gay or lesbian. The main person who would beneﬁt from such a policy change would be the child, who would be guaranteed a loving parent with legal rights to the child if the adopting parent dies. Another issue is the decent treatment of aging gays in nursing homes and elder-care facilities. All of us, if we are lucky, will live into ripe old age, and we want to be treated with dignity and respect. The elderly are the least gay-accepting demographic in the country, and while that may slowly change, it is not changing very fast. Aging gays will need patient advocates to make sure they are getting treated as they deserve and have visitors to keep up their spirits and do occasional small favors. In addition, many aging gays have a need to feel useful and relevant in some way, not that they are being put out to pasture. A third issue is the treatment of gay and lesbian youth in and around schools. We all know plenty of stories of young gays and lesbians who

are bullied and harassed in schools but whose schools do little or nothing to correct the situation. The youths need mentors and people willing to take their concerns to school administrators. We also need to press for the inclusion of gay materials in school curricula to prevent the development of antigay attitudes. Even assuming that every gay person who is in prison or jail is there for a good reason, no prison sentence should carry the additional penalty of sexual assault. Several studies have attested to the prevalence of sexual assault of gays and other vulnerable prisoners — assault by other prisoners and sometimes even by guards and prison staff. This is a situation that needs to be monitored and addressed. And finally, we need to find ways to address the homophobia in evangelical and Pentecostal churches in the black and Latino communities. This is not something white gays can do. It is something that African-American and Latino gays themselves can do most effectively. But we can help (when asked) with financial contributions, advice, etc. ■ Some of Paul Varnell’s previous columns are posted at www.indegayforum.org. His e-mail address is Pvarnell@aol.com.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Mark My Words

Street Talk

Mark Segal

Why care about healthcare reform? Let’s start out with healthcare — especially since I now have new ﬁrst-hand experience due to my fractured heel and surgery. The healthcare that I’ve received has been wonderful, but I’m in that middleclass-employed sector that has health insurance. By the way, we have had bureaucratic problems there, but we’ll leave that for another column. But why should you, as an LGBT person, support the president’s program of universal healthcare? Simply, it includes the LGBT community, and will create inclusion for LGBT health centers. But what about that line the Republicans keep tossing out about a separate government plan to cover the uninsured, underinsured and compete with the current insurance and HMO companies? The line is, “It’s unfair for government to compete with private companies and won’t work.” That, my dear

readers, is what is called political double-speak. Those same Republicans have already pushed government control of some healthcare. Anyone recall the Republican bill to give seniors prescriptions through a choice between their insurance company or a government plan? That’s one. The Republicans also passed a bill to give what they call the best care possible since our military deserves it. That’s a government-run program. Then there’s Medicare and Medicaid, both government health plans that both houses of Congress have continually supported. The truth is, we pay more for healthcare and prescriptions than most of the countries in the world, including for drugs that are manufactured here in these 50 states. So that should tell you who’s getting our healthcare dollars, and answer who the Republicans are answering to. Isn’t it time for us — and Congress — to say no to the pharmaceutical and HMO lobby? ■ Mark Segal is PGN publisher. He can be reached at mark@epgn.com.

Letters and Feedback In response to “Online extortion: Police search for Craigslist user posing as detective,” July 24-30, 2009:

start making moves on those sites too.

Wow, what a clever scheme. This shows that people are getting very cagey when it comes to online predation. Other sites, like backpage.com and gumtree.com, haven’t been in the news as much as Craigslist, but if Craigslist continues with the reputation it’s acquiring, people will probably

In response to “Enough already,” July 10-16, 2009:

Want to let mom, dad and all of your exes know you’re tying the knot?

— Alex Corazon

I see nothing wrong with news on Michael Jackson. After all, he was a great entertainer (perhaps the greatest) and an icon. I grew up with his music starting with the Jackson 5. Most people do not

E-mail information to editor@epgn.com or fax us at (215) 925-6437.

have amnesia when it comes to the negative issues, which you made us aware, but we’d rather remember the music and great performances. In a world where there is constant ﬁghting about rights and wars, which will be solved soon enough, if we want others to listen to us, and ﬁght with us then we need to have patience and sorrow with others. Isn’t this what we seek for ourselves?

Please include a daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, style and space considerations.

Is there a need for an LGBT-specific bookstore?

Crystal Harris foster-care supervisor South Philadelphia

Lina Moysis graphic designer Jeweler’s Row

“No. I don’t think we need separate facilities. When we do that, we’re telling a group of people that their books aren’t good enough for the larger stores. That’s just perpetuating segregation. We’re all supposed to be equal. Why keep that sense of division going?”

“Yes. It’s great that the chain stores are expanding their LGBT collections, but they’ll never have the depth and breadth of LGBT literature like Giovanni’s Room. And there’s much more sense of community in an LGBT bookstore, rather than a chain store.”

John Reddig pastry worker Washington Square West

Pauline Tate certified nursing assistant Yeadon

“No. I’m not into identity politics. So obviously I don’t see the need to segregate literature on the basis of sexual orientation. The information is out there, if you really want it. I don’t see the necessity of a niche bookstore.”

“Yes. There are lots of specialty stores, so why not one for the LGBT community? True, there are other ways to get those books. But an LGBT bookstore gives a necessary support for the community. Sometimes it’s better to make a personal visit to a bookstore rather than sitting behind a computer surfing the Internet.”

— Dan Ravenel

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

PAGE 11

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Adoption Corner

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Scott A. Drake

Name: Courtney Love Breed: Lab-Terrier mix Age: 7-8 months old Sex: Female Health: Excellent, with up-todate vaccinations Other information: Courtney Love will be spayed prior to adoption and microchipped so other shelters and veterinarians with microchip reading equipment or the SPCA can identify her.

PGN

GAY IS OUR MIDDLE NAME.

History: Courtney Love arrived at PAWS on July 15. She was a stray found on the street and the person who took her in did not have the time and energy needed for an energetic puppy. She needs some obedience work and still needs some housebreaking. Courtney Love is a very happy, loving puppy who is always eager to greet people and give lots and lots of kisses. After a short time,

she is content to sit with her head on someone’s lap. She would likely be ﬁne with male dogs but may be too hyper to live with cats. On walks, Courtney Love is excited by every bird, leaf, squirrel, dog and person she encounters, and also has strong urges to go shopping. Benefit for Bo PAWS recently rescued Bo from Philadelphia’s animal control center. Bo was born with a congenital defect in his front

legs, which require reconstructive surgery while he is still young, so that he can lead a normal, happy life. Tax-deductible donations are being sought to cover the $5,000 cost of Bo’s surgery and care. A special beneﬁt fundraiser will be held for Bo from 8-10 p.m. Aug. 6 at Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse, 1823 Sansom St. A $20 donation will include a buffet, premium open bar, DJ, giveaways and a chance to meet Bo! The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society is dedicated to promoting public welfare and saving the lives of Philadelphia’s homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals and has a no-kill policy. ■ PAWS 100 N. Second St. (215) 238-9901 Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. www.phillypaws.org

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

On Being Well

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

A Loving Family of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Catholics & our allies invites you to celebrate

Dr. Robert Winn

Cancer is more than skin deep All up and down the Eastern seaboard, at beaches from Provincetown to Poodle Beach, Rehoboth and beyond, a silent killer is stalking its prey. [Cue music.] Dunh ... dunh, dunh ... dunh, dunh, dunh, dunh, dunh, dunh ... Wait, wait, hold on a minute! We’re not talking a remake of “Jaws” here. But the killer I’m talking about is just as insidious as the mythical Great White shark that terrified those fictitious ocean bathers — and real-life theatergoers — in that ’70s summer movie classic. We’re talking about cancer here — specifically, skin cancer — and every year this killer takes a bigger “bite” out of the population. Incidence of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, was up nearly 8 percent in 2005 (the last year for which statistics are available) over 2003 among men and 3 percent among women for the same period. While deaths from this type of cancer have remained level over the past two decades, the fact that we continue to see spikes in the incidence of this preventable disease means we aren’t doing enough to protect ourselves. First, a few facts: The three most common forms of skin cancer are basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas and melanoma, which is the most deadly of the three. Basal-cell carcinomas are the most easily treated, usually by surgical excision or “freezing” them off. While they are the least likely to spread, they have a high rate of recurrence. Squamous-cell carcinomas are the second-most common type of skin cancer. They tend to be slow-growing and difficult to distinguish from rough, scaly skin, especially in the early stages of growth. Both basal- and squamous-cell carcinomas are primarily caused by exposure to the sun’s damaging rays. However, exposure to chemical toxins, radiation or immunosuppresant drugs can also be factors.

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Both basal- and squamous-cell carcinomas are highly curable, but left untreated, can cause damage to nearby tissue, nerves and even bone. Untreated squamous cell carcinomas can destroy healthy tissue and even spread to the lymph nodes and other organs. Rarely, it can even be fatal. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, usually develops in the cells that produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color. The exact cause of all melanomas isn’t clear, but exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning lamps and beds greatly increases your risk of developing it. About 65-90 percent of melanomas are directly due to exposure to ultraviolet light or sunlight. Who’s at risk? As you can probably surmise, anyone who is regularly exposed to sunlight or UV rays and does not take precautions is at risk for skin cancer. Folks with light or fair skin, which has a propensity to freckle or redden easily, have an increased risk for the disease. Likewise, those with light eye and hair color are more likely to get skin cancer. Possessing a certain type or large number of moles is also an indicator for these types of carcinomas and melanoma. Those with a personal or family history of skin cancer are more likely to get it as well. Also, persons with HIV (or for other reasons) are at higher risk for a particularly aggressive form of squamous-cell carcinoma. What to look for There are some general things that one can be on the lookout for in the early detection of skin cancers, but there are many variations of these symptoms, and they may — or may not — indicate a carcinoma or melanoma. Generally speaking, however, if you notice a change in the appearance of a mole or other mark on the skin, particularly in areas that are exposed to sun and UV light, it’s a good idea to have a doctor check it out. Can we prevent it? Most deﬁnitely. The sun’s UV

rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. In Rehoboth, it might take you that long just to ﬁnd a spot to park your towel! Put on sunscreen before you go outside, even on cool or cloudy days. Remember what your mother always said? She was right! And don’t waste your time with anything lower than 15 SPF. The higher the number, the greater the protection. Shaved heads may be sexy, but not when they’re covered with scars from surgical excisions. Wear a hat, preferably one that covers the ears. If baseball caps are your preference, however, don’t forget about your ears and nose when applying sunscreen. Long-sleeved, loose-ﬁtting clothing may not create quite the fashion statement you were hoping for, but it’s a good idea all the same. Just to put things in perspective, a typical T-shirt actually has an SPF rating of 15 or less. A T-shirt without additional sun protection is not a great solution. Sunglasses protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect that tender skin around your eyes from sun exposure, and if you’ve ever gotten bad sunburn on your face, you know what I’m talking about. Speaking of shades, why not spend some time in the shade? Use the shade of an umbrella or tree to prevent getting too much sun, not as relief from too much sun. Protect yourself now, so when you’re older, you can have it made in the shade! ■ Robert Winn, M.D., is the medical director at Mazzoni Center, Philadelphia’s only LGBT health center.

Sunday Mass, 7:00 PM Social immediately following Mass Please Join Us! - Services are held at St. Luke & the Epiphany 330 S. 13th Street, between Spruce and Pine streets, Philadelphia, PA Communion in the form of Consecrated bread, wine and grape juice. Gluten-free communion available upon request. Information: 215-546-2093 www.dignityphila.org www.dignityusa.org

First Baptist Church SERVICES: Wednesdays Noontime Sundays 11a.m. Contemporary Service: Last Sunday of month Breathing Room Wednesdays 7 p.m.

17TH & SANSOM STREETS PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103

Pastor Jerry deJesus

215.563.3853

www.fbcphila1698.org

CONGREGATION BETH AHAVAH

at Rodeph Shalom

A GLBT synagogue welcoming people of all gender and sexual identities since 1975

JOIN US TWICE MONTHLY FOR SHABBAT SERVICES AT 8:00 PM Coffee, cake & conversation at the oneg following services

Friday, August 28th, 8:00 PM: BA Shabbat service. Please join us for a lay-led BA service, followed by the oneg (social hour). Please watch this space for information on High Holy Day Services including a special Rosh Hashanah BA luncheon on Saturday, September 19. Beth Ahavah and Rodeph Shalom are afﬁliated in spirit and share a sacred home. In July 2007 Beth Ahavah afﬁliated with Rodeph Shalom. Beth Ahavah retains its congregational status within the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and proudly offers its congregation dual membership at both synagogues. Visit www.bethahavah.org for additional information, programming and directions

615 North Broad Street, Phila., PA 19123-2495 Phone: 215.923.2003 E-mail: BethAhavah@rodephshalom.org

Free secure parking: Cross Spring Garden at 13th St., left at next light, Mt. Vernon St. Parking lot entrance on left.

Gay is our middle name.

PGN

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AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY EVENING HOURS AVAILABLE

The Women’s Programming Committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the William Way Community Center. � PHILADELPHIA Youth in Transition, support GAYaNEWS group for transgender and questioning youth ages 12-23, will meet from 7:30-9 p.m. at The Attic Youth Center. �

(215) 740-4311

PAGE 14

support group for gay and bisexual men of color, will meet from 6:308:30 p.m. at 1201 Chestnut St., 15th oor; (215) 496-0330. � Sistah2Sistah, a discussion/ support group for sexual-minority women of color ages 16-24, will meet from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1201 Chestnut St., 15th oor; (215) 4960330. Wednesday, government’s expected to remainJan. in 9custody �blocked You’re by Not the Alone, a support � support group for HIV-positive Internetfor ﬁrewalls. forA the remainder of the nine-day group lesbian, gay, bisexual, women willevent. meet from 9:30-11:30 transgender China bars potential youth, blood Outgames and questioning a.m. at the Arch Street donors from bloodp.m. once meet fromgiving 6:30-7:30 at Outgames organizers sayUnited secu- will Methodist Church, Broad and Arch Rehoboth ticked the226 gayRehoboth and lesrity has been increased in the wake they have Library, streets; (215) 387-6055. Ave., Rehoboth, Del.; (800) form, 810bian box on the application of the attack. � The Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS 6776. according to a spokesperson for Education Initiative will offer free, � Pink and Blues, a free depression the Beijing Red Cross Blood on-site walk-in HIV testing from and bipolar group fornamed, sexual Center, whosupport refused to be 3-6 p.m. at 1233 Locust St.; (215) minorities, will meet at 7 p.m. at St. citing policy. 985-3382. Luke The Epiphany Church, “It’sand a practical law because the � The library and reading room will 330 S. 13th St.; (215) 627-0424. gay community has much higher be Lesbians open from in 3-9China p.m. at have the William orga- � Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus rates of sexually transmitted disWay Center. calling for will nizedCommunity an online petition rehearse at 7 p.m. at the William eases. We must take our precau� a peer-education gayProject peopleTeach, to be allowed to donate Way Community Center; (215) 731tions wisely,” she said. “Even if and empowerment program for blood. 9230. they lie on the form and say they people living with HIV/AIDS, will The petition, asking the govern- � The Temple University Lambda are straight, everyone’s blood will meet 3-5 p.m. at the William ment from to remove a law enacted in Alliance will meet from 7-8 p.m. Way goThe through a ﬁnal screening test 1998Community banning theCenter. gay community at Village outside the Lambda � A smoking-cessation support group for diseases.” from donating blood, has drawn ofce, SAC 205, 1755 N. 13th St.; for sexual minorities, conducted by (215) The204-6954. government and UNAIDS 540 signatures from lesbians and the Mazzoni Center, will meet at � estimate the number of Lesbian people The Trenton Gay and aims to reach 1,000. 5:30 p.m. at the Washington West Civic livingAssociation’s with HIV in card China about andis games A vast majority of China’s gay Project, 1201 Locust St.; (215) 563- night 700,000 and, of those, about will be held from 7-10 p.m. and lesbian 0663 ext. 242.population faces dis- at 85,000 have AIDS. 986 S. Broad St., Trenton, N.J.; crimination and stigmatization, � AIDS Services in Asian (609) The638-7264. HIV virus that causes AIDS with many LGBT residents deeply Communities’ weekly volunteer � Thea foothold Women’s Center of gained in China largely closeted in a highly conservative work group will meet from 6-8 p.m. Montgomery County’s lesbian because of unsanitary blood society. Web St., sitesSuite are often at 1201 Gay Chestnut 501; support group will meet from 7(215) 563-2424 ext. 10. 9 p.m. at 101 Washington Lane, � Coming Out, a support group for Jenkintown; (215) 885-8440. gay, bisexual or questioning men, � A men’s coming-out group will will meet from 6-7:30 p.m. at AIDS meet at 7:30 p.m. at The Pride Delaware, Suite 315, 100 W. 10th Center of New Jersey. St., Wilmington; (800) 292-0429. � Survivors of Suicide Inc. Chester � A gay-friendly Scrabble Club will County, a support group, will meet meet from 6-11 p.m. in the P.I.C. at 7:30 p.m. at Paoli Memorial Building, 42nd and Locust streets; Hospital, Willistown Room, (215) 382-0789. Medical Ofce Building, Lancaster � The LGBT Discussion Group will Pike, Paoli; (215) 545-2242; Web meet from 6-8 p.m. at the United site: phillysostripod.com. Church of Christ, 300 E. Main St., � Under the Rainbow, a discussion Newark, Del.; (800) 292-0429. and social group for 18-25-year-old � A meeting/activity night will gays and lesbians, will meet at 7:30 be held for gay, lesbian, bisexual, p.m. at The Pride Center of New transgender and questioning youth Jersey. and their friends from 6-8 p.m. � The Gay Married Men’s at the Rainbow Room of Planned Association support group will OOK B ETTE R(215) NAKE D Parenthood in Doylestown; meet at 8 p.m. at the William Way 348-0558 ext. 65. Community Center; (610) 626THREE WEEK FITNESS PROGRAM: � A men’s support group for those 2577. • LOSE FAT! with HIV/AIDS will meet from � The steering committee of Team 6-7:30 p.m. • at Mercer County Philadelphia, a gay sports league, GAIN MUSCLE! Area Early Intervention Services will meet at 8 p.m. at the William • SPEED in Trenton, N.J. For location, METABOLISM! call Way Community Center. Jared Carter, CSCS

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Outgames attack injures three

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The library and reading room will be open from 3-9 p.m. at the William Way Community Center. � Alcoholics Anonymous meetings JULY 31 -8:30 AUG. 6, 11:30 2009 will be held at 5:30, and p.m. at the William Way Community Center. � Breaking the Chain, a smokingcessation group, will meet at 6 p.m. at The Attic Youth Center. plasma-buying schemes and � Gay Coffee Hours will be held tainted transfusions hospitals. from 6-9 p.m. at JoeinCoffee, 1100 The government remains sensiWalnut St.; (215) 592-7384. � counseling services will tivePeer about the disease, regularly be available fromon6-9activists p.m. at and the cracking down William Center; patients Way who Community seek more support (215) 732-8255. and rights. � A support group for formerly incarcerated sexual minorities will meet from 6-8 p.m. at Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues, 1217 Spring Garden St.; (215) 769-3561. TheAcres United Nations granted � 40 of Change, a discussion ofﬁcial status to a gay and lesgroup for youth of color, will meet bian organization on from 6:30-9 p.m. atfrom 1201Brazil Chestnut July15th 27, allowing to participate St., oor; (215)it 496-0330. in Twenty U.N. meetings ranging � Times, a group for from men health to human rights. and women of color ages 20-29, will meet 6:30 p.m.for at 1201 Chestnut Theat victory the Brazilian St., 15th oor; Association of(215) Gays,496-0330. Lesbians and � Diversity, anmarks HIV/AIDS support Transsexuals the third congroup foryear all infected affected, secutive the U.N.orEconomic meets fromCouncil 7-9 p.m.has at Arch Street and Social overturned United Methodist Church, Broad a decision by a 19-country comand Arch streets;gay callgroups Zak, (215) mittee blocking from 848-4380, or Paul, 307-0347. participating in the(215) global body’s � The Men’s Peer Support Group debates. will meet forand topical discussion at Swedish Spanish groups 7 p.m. at The Pride Center of New were accredited as recognized Jersey. non-governmental organizations � Rainbow Adult Children of in 2007 and 2008, years Alcoholics and breaking Alcoholics of resistance from some governAnonymous will hold a 12-step ments. At U.N. in meeting at one 7 p.m. at debate Limestone 2003, Pakistan’s ambassador even Presbyterian Church, 3201 suggested use of Wilmington, the term “sexual Limestone Road, Del.; disorientation.” (302) 456-9129. OneHumboldt of the U.N. council’s � The Society, a gaymain and powers naturalist is granting lesbian club,consultative will meet status organizations so theyWay can at 7:30to p.m. at the William Community Center. participate in formal U.N. meet� Sex and Lovethan Addicts Anonymous, ings. More 3,000 groups aalready 12-stephave program, meet at 7:30 such will rights. p.m. AllU.N. Saints Church, 18 Olive “Ifatthe cannot be open and Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.; (302) diverse, then we are really set for 542-3279. failure,” said Guilherme Patriota, a � The Women’s Support“There Group senior BrazilianPeer diplomat. will meet at 7:30 p.m. at The Pride are another 400 NGOs seeking the Center of New Jersey. same status next year. We need to � keep The workingBisexual/Gay/Lesbian on making the U.N. Alliance at Rutgers University will more open to plurality and divermeet at 9:30 p.m. in Murray Hall, sity.” Room 211, 13 George St., New Patriota N.J.; said (732) the organization Brunswick, 932-1306. � �

U.N. allows LGBT group to debate

was a valuable partner of Brazil’s government in AIDS campaigns, condom promotion and other social causes, and questioned why the application was rejected in the ﬁrst place.

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Lesbian event bans men

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A company in Australia specializing in lesbian parties has won a case allowing it to ban men from its events. The judgment comes just days after an incident involving a gay

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bar in Torquay, where a lesbian was turned away. The ruling has been slammed by the Australian Men’s Rights Agency, whose director, Sue Price, said it contradicted Attorney General Rob Hulls’ move to open up elite men’s venues, including the Melbourne and Athenaeum clubs, to women. In May, Hulls attacked the private men’s clubs as “a throwback to a bygone era,” saying he wanted to use antidiscrimination laws to remove their exemptions. The directors of the events company, called “Pinkalicious,” hailed the decision as a landmark. Director Julie MacKenzie said Pinkalicious was now the sole women-only party in Australia. MacKenzie had complained to the tribunal that she couldn’t stop men attending the parties “even if I know they intend to hit on women.” “The feedback I was getting from the girls was that they wanted something exclusive for women to be able to express themselves in a

safe environment,” she said. Fellow organizer Samantha Stevens argued that men should be banned from the events because they intimidate the women there. “In my experience, feminine lesbians are often the target of heterosexual male fantasy, and therefore subject to more intrusive attention from them,” she said. “It is a major concern that heterosexual males will attend the Pinkalicious event in the hope they can achieve their desire for a sexual experience with multiple women.” Price, however, said she was “enormously angry” about the law and the “special treatment” Pinkalicious has been given. The Human Rights Commission in Australia has backed the ban. Dr. Helen Szoke, chief executive of the commission, said it supports the event, as it is allowing “a disadvantaged group the chance to experience supportive social occasions, feel safe in public spaces” and to develop its own “sense of belonging.” The Victorian Civil and

Administrative Tribunal, which ruled on the ban, has also given some gay men’s pubs in the country permission to ban women.

NEWS BRIEFING

plan to seek assistance from the Network of Victim Assistance, a Bucks County agency. Breining and Tittel are also considering ﬁling a lawsuit against the landlord and the others present at the outdoor party. Breining said the harassment has been ongoing since the pair moved into the space one year ago, and they

already have another pending suit against the landlord for an incident last fall in which they say he spray-painted their fence and vehicle. The pair’s lease is up next week and they are currently looking for a new ofﬁce space. ■

From Page 5 and the several individuals who were gathered outside the building were drinking alcohol and revving their motorcycle engines to create a disturbance. When Breining and his partner went outside to confront the group, the landlord and others called them “faggots” and made comments about AIDS and several lewd remarks, all of which the couple caught on videotape. Throughout the afternoon, Breining and Tittel called the police twice; the first time, Breining said, the officer who arrived was not open to hearing their concerns and cited the landlord and Tittel for disorderly conduct when they engaged in a verbal argument. Breining said the second officer was more understanding but did not take any action to quell the situation. “We were told just to stay away from them,” Breining said. “But something more should have been done. People should not be permitted to behave like that just because we’re gay.” Police did not respond to a request for comment by press time. The couple filed complaints Tuesday against both officers and

PGN

Russian couple fights to marry A lesbian couple has made plans to wed in Canada in an effort to test whether their marriage will be recognized in their home country of Russia. Irina Fedotova-Fet and Irina Shepitko ﬁrst applied for a marriage license in May but were eventually denied. “We’re a couple of girls who have been together for a long time, who live together. We’ve been together ﬁve years,” said Fedotova-Fet. “We’re a family — our relationship is in every way a marriage, just like all those heterosexual couples. We have a joint household, a life together, vacations, everything. We’re a family, but the right to marry has been

— Jen Colletta

PAGE 15

taken away from us.” Russia has a family code, established in the early 1990s, which does not grant civil unions or any equivalent to gay couples, but does not explicitly prohibit foreign marriages of same-sex couples. The couple is attempting to use this loophole to their advantage. “Somebody has to start it sometime. We are the ﬁrst real couple to ﬁght for same-sex marriage [in Russia],” Fedotova-Fet said. “We

hope that we can set a precedent.” Russia decriminalized homosexuality only in 1993 and its gay Pride parades are usually met with signiﬁcant opposition. Anticipating that their marriage will not be recognized, FedotovaFet and Shepitko have hired a lawyer from France to bring their case to the European Court of Human Rights. ■ Larry Nichols can be reached at larry@epgn.com.

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Detour PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

A departure from the ordinary

TV personality fights in fiction, real life By Larry Nichols PGN Staff Writer

Photo: Blue Water Productions

With the exception of a few shining examples, most comic books are content to be more about flash and style than substance. Luckily for us, out television personality and gay activist Reichen Lehmkuhl is on a mission to turn a piece of his family history into a comic book and feature film with a timely message. The model and former Air Force officer first launched into the public gaydar in 2003 as a winning contestant on the reality competition “The Amazing Race.” (He also dated one of the guys from N’Sync, but that’s not all that important now or ever, is it?) Lehmkuhl then went on to appear on a number of television shows, like “Frasier,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Days of Our Lives” and “The Young & The Restless.” He can currently be seen starring as Trevor on Here!’s “Dante’s Cove.” Not content to just soak up the limelight, Lehmkuhl has used his heightened profile to draw attention to the ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers and issues that affect them. He’s hosted a number of cable-TV shows on the subject and wrote a book in 2006, “Here’s What We’ll Say,” detailing his time in the military, hiding the fact that he was gay and highlighting what he needed to do to make it through the U.S. Air Force Academy. Since leaving the military, Lehmkuhl has devoted a great deal of his time to speaking out against the military ban, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“I’ve been speaking at colleges, universities and Congressional functions,” Lehmkuhl said. “I’m basically giving people my side of the story, what I went through under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and being in the military. I educate and bring as many people as I can up to date on the present situation of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ — what the current laws are, how many people continue to be discharged on a daily basis, being court-marshaled or being treated like animals. One of the first things that happens when you are accused of being gay in the military is a mental evaluation. They really shook down someone’s dignity on top of being disrespectful to someone who has served our country.” Lehmkuhl’s latest project probably means as much to him as his fight against the military ban, as it addresses issues of marginalized servicemembers as well as shines a light on a piece of World War II history that is seldom talked about and very personal to him. “The Wasps” — Women AirForce Service Pilots — written and produced by Lehmkuhl and gayowned Bluewater Productions, is a time-travel comic-book adventure inspired by the Lehmkuhl’s grandmother and WASP pilot, Betty Turner Stagg. “I’ve had it in my head for a couple of years now,” Lehmkuhl said. “I wrote a book called ‘Here’s What We’ll Say,’ which in the beginning is about my grandmother and how she was a pilot in World War II. I dedicated the book to her because she taught me how to fly. When I got the call from Bluewater Comics to talk about doing some kind of comic-book

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

series related to my book and my life, this is what we came up with. My dream was a fantasy situation where I get to go back in time and actually fly with my grandmother back in 1942, when she was learning how to fly and getting her wings.” In the early years of World War II, the WASPs broke down gender barriers in the Air Force as the military branch faced a significant problem: Thousands of new airplanes were coming off assembly lines and needed to be delivered to military bases nationwide, but most available pilots were overseas fighting the war. The government launched an experimental program to train women pilots — the WASPs — to fly military aircraft. The WASPs would eventually number in the thousands, freeing up male pilots for combat service. Lehmkuhl said that while the WASPs played a significant role in the war effort, the military didn’t recognize their contributions until much later.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

“When the WASPs existed, there wasn’t a system set up where they were respected or honored for what they did,” he said. “The WASPs were disbanded in 1944 by the U.S. Army Air Corps, which is not the present-day Air Force. The women were given no rights, no veterans’ beneﬁts and they even had to pay their way home after serving their country. It was a tough situation for them. It wasn’t until 1976 that they were given veteran status through Congress. And then it wasn’t until 2009 that women who served in the WASPs received a Congressional gold medal. My grandmother’s dead but we’ll be receiving her medal as a family in her honor.” Creating “The Wasps” is a dream come true for Lehmkuhl, who admits spending a considerable part of his childhood as a comic-book reader. “I was a big fan of Marvel Comics when I was a kid,” he said. “I think it’s cool that a lot of these characters are being pitched as movies.”

PAGE 17

Because this story is ﬁrst coming out in the form of a comic book and then a motion picture, Lehmkuhl said the details of his grandmother’s “adventures” will veer more toward the fantastic than real life. “The comic series will bring to light how the WASPs played a role, but a secondary role as far as everyone was concerned in the military at that time,” he said. “A lot more of a big deal is made about my grandmother. That’s part of the fantasy for me. She’s actually put on a pedestal, when in the real time she wasn’t.” He also said the WASPs and their struggle can be seen as a reﬂection of how gays and lesbians serve and yet still struggle for acceptance in the armed forces. “There is a huge parallel to the way gays are treated in the military today,” he said. “They need you there just like they needed the WASPs to ferry the planes from base to base and for maintenance. But when it came right down to it, they just discarded them at the end and didn’t give them the respect

The buzz behind ‘The Wasps’ they truly deserved for serving like everybody else. It’s the same with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ The military deﬁnitely needs the soldiers.” As an example, Lehmkuhl points to the stop-loss policy, which allows the military to unilaterally extend a soldier’s commitment beyond his/her discharge date. “Even if someone was found out to be gay,” he said, “they were allowed to serve until the end of their tour and then they had to go. They weren’t discharged right away, which really exposes the hypocrisy of the whole policy.” Lehmkuhl’s character in “The Wasps” is intended to be gay but his sexuality, while signiﬁcant, isn’t crucial to the plot, he said. “My character is gay just by association. It’s not a huge part of the comic series to make him a gay character. We’re handling it in a very cool way. It’s kind of like a ‘So what? He happens to be gay.’ He’s an F-16 pilot and he happens to be gay — it’s really great that no one cares. He has a love interest in the comic and that will be the only other gay character. It’ll be implied that he’s gay. LEHMKUHL You won’t see any pages with the

Photo: Blue Water Productions

character marching in a gay Pride parade, but you’re not going to see any pages where the character denies in any way that he’s gay.” Lehmkuhl added that even though he is one of the main characters, it doesn’t necessarily mean he will be cast in the lead, or any role for that matter, for the big-screen, live-action version of “The Wasps.” “I’m deﬁnitely going to be a producer on the project,” he said about the movie. “I requested that I get to narrate the ﬁlm if there is any [narration] necessary. It

would be great if there was a role that were right for me, but I’m not the kind of person who would push myself into the ﬁlm just so I can be in it. I want it to be perfect, so the right people will be cast for the right roles. I would only want to do that if it was fair and square.” “The Wasps” is scheduled to hit bookshelves in 2010. For more information, visit www.bluewaterprod.com. ■ Larry Nichols can be reached at larry@epgn.com.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 18

In new film, straight pals are ‘gay for art’ By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor There is plenty of nervous laughter for both the viewers and the cast of “Humpday,” a hilarious indie comedy about “two straight dudes who agree to bone each other.” Written and directed by Lynn Shelton, this remarkably perceptive film about masculinity and sexuality has two former college buddies — Ben (Mark Duplass) and Andrew (Joshua Leonard) — reuniting and agreeing to make a gay-porn film. Because they are both resolutely heterosexual, they feel their undertaking is not only “beyond gay,” but that it will be a work of art. Really. Modestly made, “Humpday” is shot mainly with a handheld camera and features little background music — mostly when a radio is on in a particular scene. This casual but deliberately intimate style allows viewers the opportunity to listen to, observe and get to know these interesting characters. Ben is married to Anna (Alycia Delmore), and they are trying to

BEN (MARK DUPLASS, LEFT) AND ANDREW (JOSH LEONARD) IN “HUMPDAY”

have a baby. Then, Andrew arrives unexpectedly and rings their doorbell at 1:30 in the morning, waking them. When he and Ben reunite, they can’t stop hugging and touching each other. They compare hair and body fat. It goes on perhaps a little too long, and the overly friendly nature of their antics is almost unsettling. Whereas these guys once fancied themselves to be Sal and Dean from Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Ben has settled into conventional married life while Andrew is still

full of wanderlust. The next day, Andrew befriends Monica (director Shelton), who lives in a sexually ﬂuid house where her girlfriend Lily (Trina Willard) allows her to have some “boy time” with Andrew. When Ben arrives, he is initially put off by the weird vibes, but is soon seduced by the liquor, drugs and free love. By the end of the night, he is making hotel reservations to create an “erotic art ﬁlm” with Andrew and “express” his longtime love for his friend.

Of course, this “project” has the effect of getting both guys to test how well they know themselves and each other — and how far they are willing to go in the name of friendship. Andrew cannot quite believe the more conservative Ben is going to have sex with him and there is considerable debate — and laughs — as these guys get into an escalating pissing contest to see who is going to back down first. Likewise, once they are in the hotel room, tension mounts to see which guy is going to make the first move. The rub here is how these two very competitive, very insecure men are daring each other to take things to the next level. Even on the basketball court, where a simple game becomes a wrestling match, Ben and Andrew are trying to one-up the other. Does Ben have deep-seated homosexual feelings for his friend? Is Andrew mad at Ben because of something from their past? These are some of the questions Shelton shrewdly posits, and there are no easy or right answers. Yet as “Humpday” finds drama in what is going on with the characters, there is plenty of humor

in how their situation unfolds. Ben gets in trouble with the nononsense Anna because he is less than honest with her once Andrew arrives on the scene. He cannot admit his fear about having a baby when it is obvious that he is very much an adolescent himself. Her reactions to his behavior constantly surprise him, and many of the best jokes in the ﬁlm stem from the couple’s interactions. Because the audience knows both characters’ perspectives, the humor is derived from scenes of Ben telling Anna less than the whole truth about his “project.” Likewise, Andrew, who wishes he were “more gay,” is threatened by a dildo Monica and Lily plan to use when he participates in a threesome with them. If a fake penis in the room is a mood breaker, how is Andrew going to react to a real cock when he has to “perform” on camera the next day? For all the polyamorous activity on display in “Humpday,” little of it is sexy and none of the characters is satisﬁed. The audience, however, will likely be chortling See ‘HUMPDAY,’ Page 24

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Mombian

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 19

Dana Rudolph

‘Nurse Jackie’: The cure for common lesbian moms Finally, someone got it right. Showtime’s new dark comedy series “Nurse Jackie” has portrayed lesbian moms in a way that is both believable and doesn’t fall prey to overused stereotypes. Most programs that have featured lesbian parents, including “ER,” “Friends,” “NYPD Blue” and, more recently, the short-lived “Cashmere Mafia,” show them trying to get pregnant or caring for infants. Even LGBT-specific series such as Showtime’s “The L Word” and “Queer as Folk,” or Logo’s “Exes and Ohs” and “Rick and Steve,” didn’t avoid the trap: All involved madcap escapades in the search for a sperm donor. “Nurse Jackie,” starring “The Sopranos’” Edie Falco as the titular character, breaks new ground both by showing an adult child of lesbian moms and by not making his family the central focus of his character. For the first few episodes, we don’t know anything about the family of Dr. Fitch “Coop” Cooper (Peter Facinelli). We simply see him in the context of his job, an overconfident, self-absorbed young doctor with a form of Tourette’s Syndrome, which gives him a tendency to grab his female coworkers’ breasts when he gets nervous. He is, in all honesty, a bit of a prick. HOW IT GOES When his moms show up at the hospital after one has a gallbladder attack, however, fellow doctor Eleanor O’Hara (Eve Best) overhears him refer to them both as “Mom.” “You have two mothers?” she asks. When he replies in the affirmative, she responds, “Bravo, Dr. Cooper.” Having two moms could be the one redeeming thing about him, she implies’ the one characteristic that makes him stand out from all of the other self-important young doctors who have come through the doors. But the show goes further in its

exploration of lesbian families. While Coop and his non-biological mom, Leslie Scheinhorn (Swoosie Kurtz), are waiting for his biological mom (Blythe Danner) to awaken after surgery, he reflects on his childhood desire to have Leslie’s last name. That way, he figured, he would be assigned to a different homeroom, where the kids would not tease him about his Tourette’s, obsessive-compulsive disorder or having two moms. Leslie observes that they probably would not have been any different. The scene acknowledges the difficulties children of LGBT parents may face, but does so without pedantry. It also conveys that Coop is defined by more than simply being the son of lesbians, and that the teasing he endured in childhood had many roots. Complicated? Yes, but the best characters always are. With characteristic lack of diplomacy, Coop then confesses to Leslie, “I loved you more,” while Danner lies next to them, unconscious. Leslie takes it in stride; she is his mother and knows him. “The reason I was more fun was because she wanted us to bond. She gave me all the fun stuff,” she explains. “She gets the credit, not me. And you know what? It worked. Here we are.” HOW IT FEELS To me, that moment hit a nerve. Every lesbian family I know that has one bio mom and one non-bio mom has pondered whether there will be differences in the bond between each of them and their children. The answer varies from family to family, but the question is the same. “Nurse Jackie” manages to raise this shared issue and yet present it in a way that makes it specific to the characters, especially the socially inept Coop. It is clear, however, that his understanding of both his moms runs deep. He knows his bio mom wants the medical details of her procedure and will want to see her gall bladder afterward. He duly saves it in a jar for her. There is an easiness about the

relationship among the three of them despite the stressful situation. They are a family and know each other well, quirks and all. Dr. O’Hara later refers to Danner’s character as Coop’s “vagina mom,” “the one that actually gave birth to him.” She continues, “The other one is ... the other one.” At ﬁrst, it seems like a line thrown in just for laughs. Falco’s Jackie chuckles vaguely and the scene ends. At the same time, however, it highlights that it is easy for people to identify a biological mother’s role with respect to her children, however shallow such a view might be. The nonbiological mother’s role is more difﬁcult for people to assess. She is often indeed simply “other.” As Coop and Leslie show us, however, sometimes our real relationships belie our titles. HOW IT WORKS The show’s deft handling of a lesbian family should come as no surprise. Two of the episode’s writers, Nancy Fichman and Jennifer Hoppe, are out lesbians. Yet another writer has two moms and put much of his own story into Coop’s character, as executive producers Liz Brixius and Linda Wallem, out lesbians themselves, revealed to online television guide Zap2it. The show also features gay Muslim nurse MoMo (Haaz Sleiman) as Jackie’s close friend, and includes bearish gay nurse Thor (Stephen Wallem) in a smaller role. It is unclear if we will see Danner and Kurtz again on “Nurse Jackie.” It would be a shame if we don’t; the Emmy Award-winning actors bring both believability to their roles, and have great chemistry with Facinelli. The CooperScheinhorns have the potential to teach us something not only about lesbian families, but about families and human relationships in general. That’s good medicine. ■

Dana Rudolph is publisher of Mombian (www.mombian.com), a blog and resource directory for LGBT parents.

Your city, your lifestyle, your paper.

Family Portraits K.C. Choong has been out, loud and proud for as long as he can remember. Choong is a member of Out & Equal, an advocacy organization that works with businesses and individuals to ensure LGBT individuals have safe and accepting workplaces. A member of his employee LGBT group, Choong helps others ﬁnd dignity and pride on the job. A charming man with an infectious laugh, a welcoming smile and a musical accent, he spoke to PGN about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. PGN: So what does the K.C. stand for? KCC: It stands for Kar-Chan, but most of my friends call me Casey or K.C. Recently, I have been calling myself “Kaysea.” My friends made fun of me that I “Americanized” my name to Casey, and now I am “Africanized” to Kay-sea! PGN: Where are you originally from? KCC: I was born and raised in Malaysia. PGN: Are you an only child? KCC: No, we have four kids. I have two older sisters and one younger sister. I am the only boy in the family, and I happened to be gay. How ironic for my family! I was always gay. I reject the nurture concept of homosexuality. I have been 100-percent pure, natural gay all my life and I grew up in a perfectly healthy family with loving parents and siblings. On the Kinsey scale, I am a rating of six [exclusively homosexual]! I never have seen the private part of a woman (I like to call it vajayjay) in person, and am not planning or curious to do so. [Laughs.] The last time I was anywhere near a vajayjay was when I was born, and trust me, I screamed my lungs out! PGN: [Laughs.] What were you like as a kid? KCC: OK, I guess I will tell you a page of my life story, which isn’t that interesting or out of the ordinary so far. I was totally a “sissy boy” when I was a kid. I have to admit I loved my sisters’ Barbie and paper dolls growing up! I enjoyed making dresses for the dolls and I remember I hosted many tea parties for my cousins and sisters. I vaguely remember it bothered me when I was being made fun of in school (though

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Suzi Nash it couldn’t be that bad if I can’t remember most of the comments or jokes, right?). In high school, I had four really good friends: I can now confirm that all of them are gay. We really spent most of high school together to avoid bullies (I went to an all-boys’ Catholic school). We stood up for each other when it was needed. It probably was good training for me to be made fun of when I was younger, because I learned how to bite someone’s head off when they harass me in any way. Mess with me and you will see the true colors of “Kay-sea” come out. PGN: When and how did you come out? KCC: I am asked often when or how did I come out. Honestly, I have no idea what a coming-out process is like. My best friend, Joe, told me “you have to be ‘in’ to ‘come out,’” and he is right: I was never in. My closet was always too full with clothes to let me hide inside. Everyone knows I’m gay. You can have a 1920s gaydar and still be able to detect me a mile away. PGN: What brought you to the States? KCC: I came to the U.S. for college in 1998, and completed an undergraduate and master’s in chemical engineering at SUNY Buffalo, N.Y. I was so flamboyant that the administrative assistant, who I knew for years in school, thought I majored in theater. I remember the second week of school in Buffalo, a classmate was shocked to find out I was actually not a girl. He found out when he saw me walk into the men’s room! I excused him, considering I loved to wear turtleneck sweaters, had hair length down to the shoulder and it wasn’t uncommon to see a flat-chested Asian girl. I had a nickname of “Chiquita” in college, because once my hair was dyed a yellowish-banana color. I spent most of college life in the library and I always regretted that I didn’t party hard during spring break or go on more dates when I was young and stupid. PGN: What do you love about your job? KCC: After I graduated from college, I started working for Merck, a pharmaceutical company, as a research biologist. I love my job, which involves early drug

discovery. Besides the innovative science, more importantly, my company truly respects each individual and their differences. I feel comfortable being myself at work, either being an Asian or gay. I am totally out at work (you will ﬁnd a handful of pink triangle magnets on my desk). We have an LGBT employee afﬁnity group (GLEAM) that assures that LGBT employees can work comfortably. Not having to worry about their jobs lets employees work to their full potential. I have met so many wonderful people there. Being relocated to Pennsylvania from New York, they really made me feel a little more like home here. I would like to involve myself more with LGBT organizations like Out & Equal.

KAR-CHAN CHOONG Photo: Suzi Nash

PGN: What issues are important to you? KCC: I am very passionate about hospice care. I believe everyone should live life to the fullest until he or she dies, and everyone should leave this world with peace, dignity and someone on their side. I was an active hospice volunteer for a few years, and now I mainly do fundraising for the hospice care. They are not “trendy” or “cool” charitable organizations and have been largely ignored. I mean, no one will say dying patients are “the hope of the future.” I guess being single, gay and not wanting a child, my deepest fear is being sick, alone, to possibily die in an apartment where the neighbor will ﬁnd me a couple weeks later when the corpse starts smelling.

some day? KCC: Yes. I believe in marriage and I have my dream wedding cake and a wedding song picked out! Now I need to work on ﬁnding a husband. But I don’t want to have any kids right now! Maybe I will consider adopting when I achieve a certain ﬁnancial stability. Hmm. My adopted son will be a quarterback and my daughter will be a Broadway superstar. Won’t that be nice?

PGN: Favorite thing to do in Philadelphia? KCC: My favorite things to do in Philadelphia are probably to walk around the city, go to a fabulous restaurant (I prefer a BYOB), enjoy live music and peoplewatch.

PGN: I can’t live without ... KCC: I can’t live without freedom of speech, the right to freely express my opinions and thoughts. I have a big mouth full of unﬁltered thoughts.

PGN: I feel safest when ... KCC: I feel safest when I am around my friends, because no matter what happens, they are always there. And of course with money! Money brings a sense of security. From a car breaking down (tow truck, repair bills) to a break-up (shopping therapy), I feel safe when I have a rescue plan. PGN: Do you want to be married

PGN: Yeah, free tickets to Broadway and the Super Bowl? Sweet. What’s your favorite season? KCC: I love the summer; I love the heat, the short-shorts, the ﬂip-ﬂops, the sunny days on the beach. I feel melancholy in the fall and winter.

PGN: What is your least favorite word? KCC: My least favorite word is “whatever!” This is a common response from a sore loser who can’t think of any better word to dismiss a conversation in a passive-aggressive way. Err. I hate it! PGN: If you could go back in time to any era, what date would you choose? KCC: [Sings the Cher tune] If I could turn back time, if I could ﬁnd a way, I’d take back those

words that’ve hurt you, and you’d stay. If I could reach the stars, I’d give them all to you, and you’d love me, love me, love me, like you used to do. [Laughs.] No, I don’t want to go back in time. I don’t want to be a slave, a gold miner or live without the Internet or a cell phone. I am happy with 2009. PGN: What was your ﬁrst car? KCC: My ﬁrst car was a white Geo Metro. My friends and I named her Reba. She was probably seven or eight years old at the time I got her, but she only cost me $800. I never had to honk when I was waiting outside to pick up my friends: They could hear her roaring miles away! The only way the front passenger could get in the car was from the driver’s door or the back door, whichever was more convenient. The heater needed to be turned on all the time, even on a 95-degree summer day, to help cool down the overheated radiator. PGN: Do you have any phobias? KCC: I don’t like height, I don’t like roller coasters. I don’t understand why so many people would spend money to buy fear-induced excitement? It is crazy! PGN: Have you ever been bashed or harassed because of being gay? KCC: Interestingly, I am rarely harassed for being gay by straight folks, or at least they don’t harass me in front of my face. They might screamed out “faggot” See PORTRAITS, Page 24

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Q Puzzle “Orientation Express” Across

PGN PGN PGN

1. The only reason to tolerate heterosexuality? 6. Bunch of stallions 10. Time line divisions 14. Became erect 15. Poet Khayyám 16. Pain in the derriere 17. South Korea’s capital 18. Telethon request 19. ___ buco 20. Start of a quip from Samantha 23. More of the quip 26. David Hyde Pierce and peers 27. Stump 28. Rosie’s “ Sleepless in ___ ” 30. Morse’s long one 31. Some commuter trains 32. Lily Tomlin’s “A Prairie ___ Companion” 33. Nirvana fans in awkward positions? 35. Samantha’s HBO series 41. Like some jackets 42. Fits your first mate’s mast 44. Caesar’s perfect bowling score? 47. Leather sticker 48. Robert Goulet musical 51. Give a hard time to 53. Lacking meat 54. More of the quip 55. End of the quip 58. Blow it 59. Some eagle feathers 60. Richard, of “Survivor” 64. Harvey’s “Hairspray” role 65. French I verb 66. In concert 67. Gives in to gravity 68. Longtime lesbian couples often do this 69. Isn’t quite straight

Down

1. U. degrees 2. Land of O. Wilde 3. Pal of Pooh 4. Poet Kitty 5. Protection for your head 6. Prepare for S and M porking? 7. Islamic leaders 8. Sitarist Shankar 9. Equestrian event 10. Sticky stuff 11. Data for a headhunter 12. Lash out at 13. Wraps for female impersonators 21. “I Could Have Danced ___ Night” 22. Code of conduct 23. Suffix with bear 24. Durocher and Tolstoy 25. Liberace fabric 29. Student’s book 30. “Stupid me!” 33. From Jan. 1 until now

SOLUTION

PGN PGN

Your city, your life, your newspaper

34. k.d. lang record label 36. Up to one’s ears 37. Bit in the Windy City Times, e.g. 38. Martin of the Daughters of Bilitis 39. Pinball Wizard foul 40. “Son of Frankenstein” character 43. Swine cooler? 44. Forgets to use a lube? 45. Where PrideVision originated 46. “For ___ out loud!” 48. Lost passion 49. Beebo Brinker creator Bannon 50. Chaplain Judge of the NYFD 52. Son of Uranus 53. Nightclub employee 56. David’s brother on “Six Feet Under” 57. Make less difficult to bear 61. “Get thee ___ nunnery” 62. Anderson Cooper’s network 63. Cocks and bulls

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CDs

Maxwell BLACKsummer’s night Columbia Records Attention all neo-soul artists! Maxwell has pretty much cemented the blueprint for you all on how to navigate your postbreakout/second-stage success. Erykah Badu is excused from this meeting because she’s in a freaky “Mothership Connection”style class all by her fabulously freaky self. But everybody else needs to listen up. Follow Maxwell’s playbook step by step. Put out one or two great albums, then drop off the map for anywhere from ﬁve to eight years. Let your fans and the record-buying public miss you for a while. Then, just when most casual listeners have all but forgotten about you, come back with a damn-near ﬂawless new record. And that record only has nine songs on it. Why? Because you don’t need 10.

On “BLACKsummer’s night,” Maxwell is restaking his claim as one of the foremost soul-singing heartthrobs of the genre, and making it look just too effortless and easy in the process. The best surprises come when Maxwell flexes outside of the standard neo-soul comfort zone, like on the atmospheric yet gritty funk of “Love You” and “Cold.” He also incorporated some modern flavor without losing his fleshed-out grooves on the peppy synth-laced instrumental “Phoenix Rise.” But it’s being one of the smoothest cats in the game that keeps Maxwell on track to someday being the closest thing this generation has to Marvin Gaye. And to that effect, ultra-stripped-down and soulful tracks like “Stop The World” and “Playing Possum” seem perfectly at home next to some of the more lush slow-burners like “Pretty Wings” and “Fistful of Tears.” As it stands right now, the only person who stands a chance of stealing Maxwell’s considerable quiet thunder is D’Angelo, and even then he’s going to have to go back to the drawing board to top this effort. — Larry Nichols

Ciara Fantasy Ride La face Records Ciara’s new pop album, “Fantasy Ride,” speaks for itself. The very talented singer/ dance phenom’s latest effort takes you on the ride of your life with A-list guest artists along for the trip, including Justin Timberlake in “Love Sex Magic,” Ludacris in “High Price,” Chris Brown in “Turntables,” Young Jeezy in “Never Ever,” The Dream in “Lover’s Thing” and Missy Elliott in “Work.” Given her reputation for tearing up the dance ﬂoor, of course Ciara has some songs that will have you jumping out of your seat. But there are also songs on “Fantasy Ride” that prove how she has grown musically. Two of the best songs on the album are “Never Ever” and “Like A Surgeon.” The former

is about being in a long-term relationship with someone who hasn’t expressed his/her love for you. Who hasn’t been there before, wondering if they are going to ever love you? Yes, it’s a timeworn subject in R&B, but Ciara really makes you feel it like it’s happening to you for the first time. The single “Like A Surgeon” is a sultry slow-burner in which Ciara convincingly boasts about how she feels when it comes to love and how she’s an expert, leaving her patients stable and content. Ciara has definitely stepped up her game since her first album, “Goodies.” “Fantasy Ride” not only shows how Ciara has matured as a young artist, but also how she has matured vocally.

LaKisha Jones So Glad I’m Me Starstruck Management

Who would have thought that someone who didn’t win “American Idol” would still give the show a huge shout-out on her latest album? Jones’ ﬁrst full-length album, “So Glad I’m Me,” tells the story of a talented “American Idol” hopeful and mother with a dream of becoming well-known in the music industry. Here, she expresses how grateful she is to do what she always wanted to do — sing. Her rousing remake of Whitney Houston’s classic “You Give Good Love” shows how truly soulful she is as an R&B artist. The album also expresses how glad she is that she can be herself and how much her daughter means to her. While many people let a little bit of fame go to their heads, Jones’ effort shows she hasn’t forgotten those who helped her on her path to success: She is truly an inspiration, striving to do what she loves the most and not giving up. “So Glad I’m Me” is a breakthrough album for Jones. ■ — Khaliff Featherstone

These sizzlin’ hot issues are coming up in August:

Our advertising Philadelphia Gay News representatives are hot and to help you make this East Passyunk Avenue Business summer a success! Improvement District

(215) 625-8501 Greg Dennis ext. 201 Kelly Root ext. 207

Morgan Levine ext. 212

present on Aug. 21 our ﬁrst

East Passyunk/South Philly Issue Celebrate the revitalization of the newest gay area in the city!

Ad reservation due by noon Aug. 14 David Augustine ext. 219

and on Aug. 28 PGN presents our

Menu Pullout Guide Ad reservation due by noon Aug. 21

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S & H Kebab House

Tuesdays Live Music @ 7:30 and on Fridays and Saturdays: Belly Dancing Show @ 8:30pm and 9:30pm Private Party Room up to 50 People Lunch Specials $7.95 Dinner Starting at $11.95 B.Y.O.B • Reduced Parking Rate Call 267-639-3214 for more info.

‘HUMPDAY’ From Page 18 happily as Ben and Andrew are repeatedly emasculated by women and each other. What makes the film so clever is how these guys find a kind of enlightenment through their efforts to have this artistic same-sex experience. The strong performances by the trio of leads contribute to the film’s success. Duplass, himself a filmmaker (“Baghead”), is fantastic as Ben, a man who allows his anxieties to prompt him to make rash and bad decisions. Duplass’ expressions are priceless, especially when he recounts a reveal-

ing story about his obsession with a video-store clerk. Furthermore, his foolish efforts at smooth talk are pricelessly funny. Delmore is also terrific in her role: Her reactions to Ben and Andrew are spot-on. Anna exhibits intelligence, but there is no question why she loves Ben — even when he says and does dumb things that make her angry. Her performance anchors “Humpday” and gives audiences an identification point. In the film’s most pivotal role of Andrew, Leonard is also perfectly cast. His goofy charm is just seductive and passive-aggressive enough that Ben falls in step

with him. And viewers will too. A scene where he and Anna get drunk together is a highlight, but it is his last moment on screen that is the most haunting, and open to interpretation. How viewers react to “Humpday” certainly depends on their own comfort level with the subject. Women and gay men will likely laugh at these straight guys behaving badly. Bisexuals and the polyamorous may have a more guarded opinion. Heterosexuals are sure to squirm. Such is the ﬁlm’s brilliance: It will certainly provoke a response — be it laughter or annoyance — from everyone who sees it. ■

PORTRAITS From Page 20

611 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, 19147

Published the 2nd and 4th week of every month.

Scott A. Drake Photography

267.736.6743

in the car driving by, something chucked up after I passed by. But I ignore them most of the time; words don’t hurt unless we allow them to. The truth is I think I’ve been more belittled by gay men because of my femininity and/or race more than from any other group of people. From my personal experiences, the hatred of feminine gay men can be more severe among the gay community than straight folks. Gay men are judgmental. There is a subgroup of gay men who believe that the feminine gay men and cross-dressers are “bringing” the gay community down: If we are not straight-acting, masculine, the gym muscle guys or the Abercrombie & Fitch male-model wannabe, we are not accepted. I have seen too many disgusted looks and heard some harsh words on gay or lesbians with opposite gender expression of their own. It saddens me during this critical time when the lesbian, the transgender, the fem, the butch gay men are supposed to unite in pushing for equality, yet we cannot respect individualism and embrace the differences among us. But I’ll tell you, if you wonder if I am happy, here’s something you should know. If there is rebirth after death, and God gives me a choice to be whoever I want to be in my “next life,” I would want to be myself all over again — a gay man full with a loving family, great friendships and a good job. Well, maybe 10 pounds lighter. ■ To suggest a community member for “Family Portraits,” write to: Family Portraits, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 or portraits05@aol.com.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Out Online

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 25

Jason Villemez

Bringing advertising and ideas together I’ve been enjoying Stockholm Gay Pride’s new promotional tool, “How Hetero is your Twitter feed?” The site ( w w w. s t o c kholmpride.org/howhetero) shows, based on the usage of clichéd keywords, how heterosexual a given Twitter user is based on what they write. For example, users who consistently use words like “gay” or “LGBT” would land near 0-percent heterosexual, while those who write about “trucks” or “steak” land higher on the scale. Some famous Twitter users’ results may surprise you, while some may not. Kathy Grifﬁn is

Offline

16-percent heterosexual for using words like “gay,” “Prop. 8” and “ass” on her Twitter page, while Oprah scores a whopping 70 percent with hetero norms like “wedding.” Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert scores 42 percent with “bear,” “gala” and “New York.” And, for the record, the PGN Twitter feed is only 1-percent hetero, with multiple uses of “gay,” “LGBT” and “pride.” (Hey, the gay news should be gay, right?) As a purely promotional device, “How Hetero” has certainly succeeded. The site has been featured on blogs like Queerty and AfterElton.com, and has even been criticized on Entertainment Weekly’s Web site. By capitalizing on the popularity of Twitter and creating an easily accessible and unique tool, Stockholm Pride has

gained incredible exposure with minimal expense — an advertiser’s dream come true. Another success is that, whether they agree or disagree with the results, users are discussing the theme of the site, the fact that language is inherently tied to our perceptions of gender and sexuality. A heated discourse over whether or not using the word “brilliant” is gay or straight may not affect the outcome of pressing political or economic issues, but it certainly helps bridge the gap between our hetero counterparts and us. Stockholm’s attempt to court gays is similar to our very own City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection’s efforts to attract gay and lesbian travelers. The famous “Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay” television

ad, which showed a Colonial man writing a love letter and then waiting for his lover (who is revealed to be another male), did many of the same things. It raised awareness of Philadelphia as a welcoming city for gays and lesbians, and fostered discourse about two Colonial men having an intimate relationship. Each campaign has brought attention to its respective destination as a gay-friendly locale. But, when it comes to being cost-effective, Stockholm is the hands-down winner. The Web site uses a cheap programming engine and minimal design, as opposed to all the expenses of ﬁlming and airing a television commercial, and the site can be viewed worldwide, as opposed to only in select markets. While both efforts are commendable, it’s clear the Internet medium

trumps traditional TV. Regardless of whether one lauds or laments the rise of the ’Net, it’s hard to deny what it brings not just to advertising, but also to culture in general. On the Internet, we can discuss more ideas with more people more often. We can bridge gaps between generations and cultures and break stigmas while breaking the ice. Whether it’s something as silly as how heterosexual a Twitter feed is or a serious debate about sexuality in general, it’s all happening thanks to the marvel that is the Web. And the possibilities are just beginning. What will be the next big breakthrough? Chances are, we’ll ﬁnd out on Twitter. ■ Contact Jason with feedback at outonline@gmail.com.

Bruce Yelk

What I did on my summer vacation As those of you who frequent my blog (nightl i f e g a y. c o m ) already know, I had the privilege to cruise on the R Family Va c a t i o n s ’ Alaskan Cruise from July 11-17 (rfamilyvacations.com). It was an incredible adventure, and one that I hope all my family members, friends, colleagues and readers can experience once in their lives. R Family Vacations organizes cruises that cater to LGBT families and children, a successful venture started six years ago by Gregg Kaminsky and Kelli O’Donnell. From onboard entertainment with stars like Sharon Gless, Caroline Rhea and Cheyenne Jackson to a series of incredible day stops throughout Alaska, my trip was one for the ages. In a departure from my usual “Ofﬂine” formula highlighting regional LGBT-friendly diversions and events, I’d like to use this opportunity to share some highlights from my trip. If you ever consider taking an Alaskan cruise,

this should give you a good starting point. (Coincidentally, RSVP Vacations is hosting a gay Alaskan cruise from Aug. 23-30. According to its Web site, there is still availability onboard. Visit rsvpvacations.com to book your cabin.) Incorporated in 1889 and best known as Alaska’s capital city, Juneau was the most intriguing stop on my cruise. Here’s a quick rundown of the sites and attractions I enjoyed. For a comprehensive list of everything Juneau has to offer, visit traveljuneau.com. — Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area (fs.fed.us/ r10/tongrass/districts/mendenhall): Overseen and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area includes trails, forests, open lakeshore and a variety of exhibits. The activities are as educational as they are breathtaking. — Mt. Roberts Tramway (mountrobertstram.com): To snap some amazing photos, take the Mt. Roberts Tram cars “Raven” and “Eagle” to Juneau’s Mountaintop Visitors Center. The 1,800-foot ascent provides inspiring views

of local wildlife, Douglas and Admiralty Islands, Gastineau Channel and the Chilkat Mountains. Once at the top, visitors can dine, shop and hike their way through Alaska’s native culture. — Macaulay Salmon Hatchery (dipac.net/visitor): Alaska is home to many of the country’s most productive salmon hatcheries — centers dedicated to the fertilization, incubation and growth of a variety of salmon, the majority of which are released into the wild. Visitors can tour the facility, view salmon runs and learn about the local ﬁshing industry. — Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure (glaciergardens.com): One fact about which most of us are probably unaware is that Juneau is home to one of the world’s largest rainforests. Featuring towering hemlock forests, botanical gardens and waterfalls spread across 50 acres of wilderness, Glacier Gardens is unlike any other outdoor adventure in the U.S. — Tracy’s Crab Shack (kingcrabshack.com): As an unofﬁcial foodie, my one “mandatory” rec-

ommendation while in Juneau is a visit to Tracy’s Crab Shack. Simply stated, I have never tasted crab legs that even approach the quality and ﬂavor of Tracy’s. King crab is seasonal, so Tracy’s is only open from May 4-Sept. 25 each year. If you can’t make it to Alaska, take a look at Tracy’s online ordering options. You won’t be disappointed. The second major land stop on my cruise was in Ketchikan. Though it’s the rainiest city in the country, I was lucky enough to get clear weather for the entire day. Ketchikan is a much smaller town than Juneau, so if you plan to invest your hard-earned money in some land-based excursions during an Alaskan cruise, make sure to do them in Juneau. (You can enjoy quite a bit there without breaking the bank.) Alternately, the smaller stops have fewer options and the truly unique among them, helicopter and seaplane tours, can be costprohibitive. In smaller towns like Ketchikan, I recommend a guided tour by kayak or on foot. While the land-based excursions are exciting and often a needed break from the repetitiveness of sea, you will most certainly spend

TRACY’S CRAB SHACK Photo: Bruce Yelk

the majority of any Alaskan cruise on the boat. Apart from planned activities, some of your most memorable experiences will take place sightseeing from the deck. You can view hanging glaciers, humpback and killer whales, seals, bald eagles and even bears. I hope my recommendations help you think outside the box when planning upcoming travel. If you are seriously considering an Alaskan cruise, write Bruce@nightlifegay. com with any questions. ’Til next time, get ofﬂine and see what your community has to offer! ■

If you have comments or information on upcoming events, e-mail Bruce@nightlifegay.com, reference Ofﬂine.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

PAGE 26

Queer TV you can always see:

Q on the tube: Still unspeakable By Victoria A. Brownworth PGN Contributor Merce Cunningham died in his sleep late Sunday night, June 26, at his home in New York. He was 90. When famous people die there is much to be said, and Cunningham was quite famous. As one of the pre-eminent choreographers and dancers of the 20th century, Cunningham’s death rated a prime spot on every TV network and cable news outlet. Not as in-depth as Walter Cronkite, perhaps, but then Cronkite was one of their own. Cunningham was a leader in an art form that few understand but nearly everyone is impressed by. He began as a soloist in the Martha Graham Dance Company and, later, his own company spawned such dancers as Paul Taylor. He worked with myriad composers and musicians, both popular and avant-garde. Much was said about Cunningham’s illustrious career on ABC, CBS and NBC. The clips of Cunningham on CBS were especially breathtaking. ABC showed Cunningham in his wheelchair at his most recent piece, “Nearly Ninety,” which premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in April. Much attention was paid to the way Cunningham incorporated other art forms into his work — from music to the literary to the visual arts, he pioneered a movement in dance that crossed interdisciplinary lines. What was not said about Cunningham by those reporting for the national TV news was that he was gay. Not just gay, but openly gay at a time when being openly gay was far from de rigeur. Not just gay, but gay and a genius. When Cronkite — a contemporary of Cunningham — died, his late wife Betsy was mentioned. She’s dead, but they’d spent 50 years together, so of course she was mentioned. But when Cunningham died, his partner of 50 years who predeceased him went unmentioned. And yet Cunningham’s spouse wasn’t just his lover of 50 years, he was illustrious in his own right — the composer John Cage. The two began working together in the early 1940s and continued to collaborate until Cage’s death in 1992. TV news doesn’t just report the way we live, it also reports the way we die. Cunningham was, quite simply, a giant in the dance world, a genius. He’d been awarded the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. He also had been awarded the National Arts Medal and its British and French versions — the Olivier Award and the Legion of Honor. So why the elision of his being gay? Are there not thousands of boys and girls out there dancing their hearts out in “Chorus Line” — fashion who need to know that one of the most famous dancers and choreographers of their lifetime was gay? One needn’t lead with “gay dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham died last night” but could note, “Cunningham was pre-deceased by his life partner of 50 years, John Cage.” Reporting the news is about reporting detail. How many LGBT people have had to read between the lines when a person of prominence described as “life-long bachelor” or “she never married” dies? Cunningham had the courage to come out in the 1930s. Shouldn’t his death be honored with noting that he had a personal life outside of dance that included a beloved spouse for decades? Few artists of Cunningham’s caliber have had spouses for as long as Cunningham did. The longevity of his relationship with Cage — as well as the collaborations born from it — merit at least a passing mention. Our lives will continue to mean less as long as how we live, and with whom, doesn’t even merit a footnote to our personal histories. ■

DARK DAYS ON TELEVISION: It’s official: Heterosexuals really need help. How else can you explain “Dating in the Dark,” a new reality show where three single women and three single men looking for love move into a house to meet each other in a darkroom? The show is supposed to be about whether love is blind, but we already know from the cast that it’s stupid. Check it out, if you must, at 9 p.m. Aug. 3 on ABC. Photo: ABC/Adam Larkey

worth watching: FRIDAY Southland Re-runs of the NBC mid-season hit begin. Starring Michael Cudlitz as John Cooper, a butch cop who is also gay with a Latino lover. 8 p.m. on NBC. Jeffrey and Cole Casserole Gay blogger Jeffrey Self goes bananas. 11 p.m. on Logo. SATURDAY Edmond Adaptation of David Mamet’s play. New York Times film critic Stephen Holden said William H. Macy “is perfectly cast” in the title role. 9:30 p.m. on IFC. Dirty Sexy Money The pan-sexual antics continue. 10 p.m. on ABC. My Effortless Brilliance Lynn Shelton’s ode to the complexities of broken friendships finds former buddies Eric and Dylan spending an uncomfortable weekend together. 10 p.m. on Sundance. SUNDAY Defying Gravity Series premiere. Eight astronauts begin a journey to Venus. 9 p.m. on ABC. True Blood Betrayed by Daphne, Sam finds himself in trouble with Maryann and her zombie minions. Imprisoned with Hugo at the Light of Day camp, Sookie uses

her telepathic powers to reach out to Bill. 9 p.m. on HBO. MONDAY Gimme Sugar: Miami The LA Truck Stop gals are in Miami to hook up lesbians for love. 10 p.m. on Logo. Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List Our diva champions gay rights, trying to raise funds. 10 p.m. on Bravo. Weeds Having a queer daughter adds to Nancy’s parenting struggles. 10 p.m. on Showtime. Nurse Jackie Jackie’s addiction to pills worsens, causing trouble with Zoey. 10:30 p.m. on Showtime. (Edie Falco also appears on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” at 12:30 a.m. on CBS.) TUESDAY Hell’s Kitchen Gordon Ramsay abuses gay and straight chefs with relish. 9 p.m. on Fox. America’s Got Talent The best talent show on TV. 9 p.m. on NBC. WEDNESDAY So You Think You Can Dance? Part one of the season-five finale. 9 p.m. on Fox.

Guiding Light Natalia’s son Rafe verbally attacks Olivia when he runs into her in the park. He reveals to Ashley that Natalia and Olivia are lovers. Ashley tells her mother — the closeted Doris, who was about to reveal her own secret to her daughter. Monday-Friday 10 a.m. on CBS. The Young & The Restless Phillip’s coming out has alienated him from his son, Chance, and now he wants to return to Australia. Nikki reveals to Victor that Adam and Rafe are lovers. Monday-Friday, 12:30 p.m. on CBS. As the World Turns Mason and his lover break up, which gives him extra time to “advise” Noah on his final project. The rift between Luke and Noah could widen as Luke begins to work for Damian. Monday-Friday, 2 p.m. on CBS. The Rachel Maddow Show Monday-Friday, 9 p.m. on MSNBC. The Philanthropist Charitable donations in San Diego are fraudulently charged to Teddy’s credit card. Teddy and Dax follow a trail of receipts through fancy hotels, tattoo parlors and strip clubs. 10 p.m. on NBC. The Real World: Cancun Bronne is a nude model from Penn State who likes to get naked. Derek is very pretty and openly gay. 10 p.m. on MTV. THURSDAY Big Brother Gay contestant Kevin Campbell stirs everything up. 8 p.m. on CBS. So You Think You Can Dance? A winner is chosen in part two of the finale. 8 p.m. on Fox. Burn Notice In the season finale, Sharon Gless, who received an award at QFest, meets up with “Cagney & Lacey” pal Tyne Daly. 9 p.m. on USA.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Meeting Place A community bulletin board of activities, facilities and organizations

Community centers ■ The Attic Youth Center: For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. Groups meet and activities are held from 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; case management, HIV testing and smoking cessation are available Monday through Friday. See the Youth section for more events. 255 S. 16th St.; (215) 545-4331 ■ Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania 3907 Spruce St.; (215) 898-5044; center@dolphin.upenn.edu, Summer hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. ■ Rainbow Room — Bucks County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Youth Center: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays: Doylestown Planned Parenthood, The Atrium, Suite 2E, 301 S. Main St., Doylestown; (215) 348-0558 ext. 65; rainbowroom@ppbucks.org. ■ William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center: 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220; www.waygay.org. Peer counseling: Monday through Friday, 6-9 p.m. Library hours: Mondays 3-9 p.m., Tuesdays 3-6 p.m., Wednesdays 3-9 p.m., Thursdays 3-9 p.m., Fridays 3-9 p.m., Saturdays noon-6 p.m., Sundays noon-6 p.m. Volunteers: New Orientation: First Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.; Volunteer Velada, third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

Health Anonymous, free, confidential HIV testing Spanish/English counselors offer testing 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 166 W. Lehigh Ave.; (215) 763-8870 ext. 6000. AIDS Services In Asian Communities Provides HIV-related services to Asians and Pacific Islanders at 340 N. 12th St., suite 205; (2215) 536-2424. Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative Free, anonymous HIV testing from 9:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays at 1207 Chestnut St., fifth floor; (215) 851-1822 or (866) 2223871. Spanish/English. HIV testing Free, anonymous testing and counseling is offered from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment at AIDS Resource, 520 W. Fourth St., suite 2A, Williamsport;

Key numbers ■ AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania: (215) 587-9377 ■ AIDS Law Project of Southern New Jersey: (856) 933-9500 ext. 221

(570) 322-8448. HIV treatment Free HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment for Philadelphia residents are available from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays and 5-8 p.m. Thursdays at Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad St.; (215) 685-1803. HIV health insurance help Access to free medications, conﬁdential HIV testing available at 17 MacDade Blvd., suite 108, Collingdale; Medical Ofﬁce Building, 722 Church Lane, Yeadon; and 630 S. 60th St.; (610) 586-9077. Mazzoni Center Free, anonymous HIV testing; HIV/AIDS care and treatment, case management and support groups; 1201 Chestnut St.; (215) 563-0652. www.mazzonicenter.org. Washington West Project Free, anonymous HIV testing. Walk-ins welcome 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; 1201 Locust St.; (215) 985-9206.

ties: Gloria Casarez, (215) 686-2194; Gloria.Casarez@phila.gov; Fax: (215) 686-2555 ■ Mazzoni Center: (215) 563-0652; www. mazzonicenter.org

Activism/Politics

ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) Meets at 6 p.m. every Monday at St. Luke and the Epiphany Church, 330 S. 13th St.; (215) 386-1981; www.critpath.org/actup. Delaware Valley Chapter, Americans United for Separation of Church and State Seeks activists and supporters of church-state separation. Holds monthly meetings and events; (856) 863-3061; www.dvau.org. Equality Advocates Philadelphia Holds a volunteer night second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m., 1211 Chestnut St., Suite 605; (215) 731-1447; www.equalitypa.org. Green Party of Philadelphia Holds general meetings fourth Tuesday of each month (except April) at 6:30 p.m., 4134 Lancaster Ave.; (215) 243-7103; www.gpop.org. Log Cabin Republican Club of Philadelphia Meets at 7 p.m. third Wednesday of the month at the William Way Community Center; (215) 465-5677; www. phillylogcabin.org. Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club Meets seasonally; (215) 760-7184; www.libertycity.org.

Arts

Gay Men’s Book Discussion Group Meets at 6:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month at the Independence Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 18 S. Seventh St.; (215) 685-1633. Library Book Club Meets to discuss a new book at 7 p.m. on third Wednesday of the month at the William Way Center. New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus Chorus rehearses at 7:30 p.m. Mondays in Princeton, N.J.; (609) 675-1998. Open-mic night An amateur poetry, music and storytelling event sponsored by The Pride Center of New Jersey, meets at 8 p.m. every third Friday at the George Street Playhouse, 1470 Jersey Ave., North Brunswick, N.J.; (732) 846-0715. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus Chorus rehearses from 7-9:30 p.m. Wednesdays; (215) 731-9230; auditions@pgmc.org. Philadelphia Gay Men’s Opera Club Meets to share and listen to recordings at 6:30 p.m. on last Saturday of the month; (215) 224-6995. Philadelphia Voices of Pride Philadelphia’s first mixed GLBT chorus rehearses at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the William Way Center; (888) 5057464; www.pvop.org. Queer Writer’s Collective Workshop and discussion group meets 4-6 p.m. on fourth Saturday of the month at the William Way Center. Women’s Book Group Meets first Thursday of the month at 6:45 p.m. at Giovanni’s Room, 345 S. 12th St.; brassygrrl@hotmail. com.

Recreation

Diversity Dancers Ballroom dancers meet the ﬁrst Sunday of the month for tea dance and lessons. Other events scheduled throughout the year; (215) 922-2129; DiversityDancers@aol.com. Gay Bridge Club Non-beginners group meets Monday afternoons at the William Way Center; (215) 985-4835.

■ Mazzoni Center Family and Community Medicine: (215) 563-0658

Gay-friendly Scrabble Club Meets from 6-11 p.m. in the P.I.C. Building, 42nd and Locust streets; (215) 382-0789.

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

Gay and Lesbian Scrabble Players in the tri-state area gather for socializing and friendly/competitive games; ScrabbleGroup@excite.com.

■ AIDS Treatment hot line: (215) 5452212

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

■ Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection at the Independence Branch of the Philadelphia Free Library: (215) 685-1633

■ Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force: (215) 772-2000

Gay Opera Guys of Philly New group for opera appreciation meets last Sunday of the month at 2:30 p.m. in Roxborough/Andorra area; (215) 483-1032.

■ AIDS Library: (215) 985-4851 ■ ACLU of Pennsylvania: (215) 5921513

■ The COLOURS Organization Inc. 112 N. Broad St., 11th floor; (215) 4960330. ■ Equality Advocates Pennsylvania: (215) 731-1447; (866) LGBTLAW ■ Equality Forum: (215) 732-3378 ■ Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Peer Counseling Services: (215) 732-TALK ■ Mayor’s liaison to LGBT communi-

■ Philadelphia Police Department liaison — Chief Inspector James Tiano: (215) 685-3655 ■ Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: (215) 494-LGBT; ppd.lgbt@gmail.com ■ Philly Pride Presents: (215) 875-9288 ■ SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: (717) 920-9537 ■ Transgender Health Action Coalition: (215) 732-1207 (staffed 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays, and 6-9 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays)

Humboldt Society: Lesbian and Gay Naturalists Meets second Thursday of the month at the William Way Center; (215) 985-1456; www.humboldtsociety.org. Indepedence Squares GLBT square dance club, modern Western square dancing. Monthly open house. Tuesday classes in the fall; Lutheran Church, 2111 Sansom St.; (215) 7355812; www.independencesquares.org. Male Oenophile Group Male group forming to discuss, appreciate and taste various wines. Will meet once a month to investigate the nuances and glories of the fermented grape. Call (267) 230-6750 for more information. Mornings OUT LGBT Senior Social Activities for sexual-minority seniors are held every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the William Way Center.

PAGE 27 PhilaVentures Philadelphia’s GLBT outdoor group meets for a hike in Wissahickon Valley Park on Sundays at 2 p.m. at Borders Books, Music and Café, 8701 Germantown Ave.; (215) 271-8822. Rainbow Room A meeting/activity night held for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth and their friends Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. at the Rainbow Room of Planned Parenthood in Doylestown; (215) 348-0558.

Sports

Brandywine Women’s Rugby Club Meets for Tuesday and Thursday practice at Greene Field, Howell Street and Moore Road, West Chester; www.brandywinerugby.org.

first Wednesday of the month at The Pride Center of New Jersey. Boomers and Beyond A support and event programming group for sexualminority seniors meets at 7:30 p.m. every first and third Monday at The Pride Center of New Jersey. Global A political, community and social group that also works to promote Bordentown as a gay-friendly community meets on the first Saturday of the month at Firehouse Gallery, 8 Walnut St., Bordentown, N.J.; jerseyglobal@yahoo.com. Delaware Pride Meets at 7 p.m. on first Thursday of the month at the United Church of Christ, 300 E. Main St., Newark, Del.; (800) 292-0429.

City of Brotherly Love Softball League GLBT softball league serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Games are played Sundays, beginning in April, in Fairmount Park; (215) 462-2575; www. cblsl.org.

Delaware Valley Pink Pistols For LGBT people dedicated to legal, safe and responsible use of ﬁrearms for self-defense; meets at 2 p.m. on third Saturday of the month at Classic Indoor Range, 1310 Industrial Blvd., Southhampton; (267) 386-8907; www. pinkpistols.org.

Frontrunners Running club meets Saturday mornings at 9:30 for a run and brunch. Lloyd Hall, No. 1 Boathouse Row; www. frontrunnersphila.org.

Friday Feast and Fun Dinner hosted by St. John’s Lutheran Church at 6:30 p.m. second Friday of the month, 24 N. Ridge Ave., Ambler; (215) 576-8008.

Gay and Lesbian Bowling League Bowls at 8 p.m. Thursdays in the Norristown area; call Doug Schneidig; (716) 864-4393.

Haverford College’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance Open meetings 10-11 p.m. Mondays in the lounge in Jones Basement at Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave.; (610) 896-4938.

Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club GLBT and allied soccer club; practices Saturdays 10 a.m.-noon and Wednesdays 6-8 p.m. at Edgeley Fields in Fairmount Park;www.falcons-soccer.org. Philadelphia Fins Swim Team Male and female swimmers meet at 7 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. Saturdays in Center City; (610) 564-6661; www.philadelphia-ﬁns.org. Philadelphia Gay Bowling League Meets 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays September through April at Brunswick Zone, 1328 Delsea Drive, Deptford, N.J.; (856) 889-1434; www.philagaybowling.com. Philadelphia Gay Flag Football New group forming. Contact Jered at gayﬂagfootball@gmail.com or (214) 770-5373. Philadelphia Gryphons Rugby Football Club Team seeks players; all skill levels welcome; (215) 9137531; info@phillygryphons.org. Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association Meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday at William Way Center; into@plta.us. Philadelphia Phoenix Women’s football team seeks players; (267) 679-9535; www.philadelphiaphoenix.org. Philly Gay Hockey Association Philadelphia Phury seeks players; (917) 656-1936; phury@gayhockey.org. Rainbow Riders of the Delaware Valley Motorcycle club meets regularly; (215) 836-0440; www. groups.yahoo.com/group/rainbowridersdv/. Rainbow Rollers Gay and lesbian bowling league meets 9 p.m. on Tuesdays September-April at Laurel Lanes, 2825 Rte. 73 South, Maple Shade, N.J.; (856) 778-7467. South Jersey Gay Bowling League Gay and lesbian bowling league meets 7 p.m. on Fridays September-April at Laurel Lanes, 2825 Rte. 73 South, Maple Shade, N.J.; (856) 778-7467. Spartan Wrestling Club The gay wresting team meets from 7-9 p.m. Mondays at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St.; (215) 732-4545; www.phillyspartans.com. Team NJ Meets at 7:30 p.m. third Thursday of the month at the Pride Center of New Jersey; (908) 234-1481. Team Philadelphia Meets at 8 p.m. second Wednesday of the month at the William Way Center; www.teamphiladelphia.org. Women’s Table Tennis New group forming. Interested women are encouraged to e-mail michelesimone19144@yahoo.com.

Etc.

AIDS Law Project Provides free legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS and sponsors free monthly seminars on work and housing; 1211 Chestnut St., suite 600; (215) 587-9377; www.aidslawpa.org. BiUnity Philadelphia area social and support network for bisexuals, their family members and friends meets at 7 p.m. the ﬁrst and third Tuesdays of the month at the William Way Center; www.biunity.org. BiZone A group open to all bisexual, bi-curious and bi-friendly people and their partners has meetings at 7:30 p.m. the

Latina/o Virtual Community Local listserv offers various information and resources; (215) 808-2493; Zorros_mail@yahoo.com; LatinPhillyL GBT@yahoogroups.com. Lesbians and Gay Men of New Brunswick A social, educational and potluck group meets at 8 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at The Pride Center of New Jersey. LGBTQ and Friends Activity Group Meets at 7 p.m. on third Friday of the month to plan outings and potlucks at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County. Long Yang Club Philadelphia Social organization for gay Asians and their friends holds monthly socials; P.O. Box 401, Philadelphia, Pa. 19105; www.longyangclub.org/philadelphia. Metropolitan Community Church Christian education program is held Wednesdays from 6-10 p.m. at the William Way Center. Our Night Out A casual social networking party of LGBT professionals, allied communities, friends and colleagues meets in a different Philadelphia hot spot each month. To receive monthly event invitations, send e-mail to OurNightOutPhilly@gmail.com; PhillyGayCalendar. com/org/OurNightOut. Philadelphia Bar Association Legal Advice Offered from 5-8 p.m. on third Wednesday of the month; (215) 238-6333. Philadelphia Prime Timers Club for mature gay and bisexual men and their admirers meets regularly; (610) 344-0853; www. primetimersphiladelphia.org. Philadelphians MC Club for leather men and women meets 7:30 p.m. first and third Mondays of the month at The Pit at The Bike Stop, 201 S. Quince St.; (215) 627-1662. Philly Paw Pals Gay and lesbian dog owners and their dogs meet on first Saturday of the month at a dog park; (215) 618-5290; PhillyPawPals@aol.com. Rainbow Amateur Radio Association ARRL affiliated; private; weekly HF nets, monthly newsletter, e-mail server; (302) 539-2392; www.rara.org. Rock ’n’ Roll Queer Bar Party A party for gay and lesbian rockers with host Psydde Delicious starts at 10 p.m. every second Wednesday at N. 3rd, Third and Brown streets; (215) 413-3666. Silver Foxes Social and educational group for gays and lesbians 50 and older meets from 3-5 p.m. on fourth Sunday of the month at the William Way Center. Stonewall Model Railroad Club Meets monthly; (215) 769-4230; k3k@yahoo.com. Temple University Lambda Alliance Meets from 7-8 p.m. on Thursdays at The Village outside the Lambda office, SAC 205, 1755 N. 13th St. Trenton Gay and Lesbian Civic Association Meets at 7 p.m. on third Wednesday of the month at the Mill Hill Saloon, 300 S. Broad St., Trenton, N.J.; (609) 396-9788. Thirsty Third Tuesdays Collingswood Out in the Neighborhood meets at 7 p.m. on third Tuesday of the month for coffee, dessert and conversation at Three Beans, 40 N. Haddon Ave., Haddonfield N.J.; (215) 439-8337.

PAGE 28

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

Diversions

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Your guide to arts and entertainment

Theater

End Days People’s Light and Theatre Company presents an outrageous comedy about acceptance and the importance of family ties, with “guest appearances” by Jesus and Stephen Hawking, through Aug. 3, 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern; (610) 644-3500. A Midsummer Night’s Dream Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival presents a production of Shakespeare’s masterfully orchestrated comedy, through Aug. 2 at Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley; (610) 282-9455. Respect: A Musical Journey of Women Act II Playhouse presents a high-energy celebration of just how much women have changed using the best songs of the past 100 years, through Aug. 2, 56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler; (215) 654-0200. The Rock Tenor The Wilma Theatre presents a show fusing rock ’n’ roll anthems, Broadway classics, opera favorites, country rhythms and classical melodies, through Aug. 2, 265 S. Broad St.; (215) 546-7824. The Tempest The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents William Shakespeare’s magical and mysterious romance, through Aug. 2 at the Greek Theatre on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morris Township, N.J.; (973) 408-5600.

Music classical

Eric Plutz The Kimmel Center presents the acclaimed organ-

ist at 7 p.m. Aug. 6 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 7905847.

PGN

Pick

Slavic Soul Party! The Kimmel Center presents the virtuosic new brass band at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at Kimmel’s Perelman Theater, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.

Music other

Splintered Sunlight The Grateful Dead tribute band performs at 7:30 p.m. July 31 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 2221400.

Alo Brasil The African- and Brazilianinﬂuenced group performs at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400. Elton John and Billy Joel The two piano-playing megastars perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way; (215) 463-1000. Keith Urban and Taylor Swift The country superstars perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Wachovia Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; (215) 336-2000. Depeche Mode The electro-pop pioneers perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and

Chestnut St., fourth ﬂoor; (215) 923-1242.

The Lovell Sisters The acoustic trio performs at 7 p.m. Aug. 6 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

Folk Art The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College presents an installation focusing on examples from Dr. David Bronstein’s collection of Pennsylvania and Northeast folk art and artifacts, through Aug. 29, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville; (610) 409-3500.

Say Good Morning Tiger Lily Art Star Gallery & Edwin McCain Boutique presents an exhiThe hit singer-songwriter bition of works from Amy performs at 7:30 p.m. Aug. Rice, through Sept. 13, 623 5 at World Cafe Live, 3025 N. Second St.; (215) 238Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400. 1557.

Erykah Badu The neo-soul singer performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 6 at House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 236-2583.

Hall & Oates The ’80s rock duo performs at 8 p.m. July 31 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 317-1000. Dream Theater The prog-rock band performs at 8 p.m. July 31 at the Tower Theatre, 19 S. 69th St., Upper Darby; (610) 3522887.

Laura Izibor The R&B singer-songwriter performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 4 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds The rock band performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 6 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple St.; (215) 2575808. Author Jeffrey Escoffier and porn star Rod Barry take over Giovanni’s Room for “Porn Stars Are Made, Not Born,” an event centered around Escoffier’s book “Bigger Than Life: The History of Gay Porn Cinema from Beefcake to Hardcore,” at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 1, 345 S. 12th St. The two will show clips and answer questions about the history of the gay porn star. For more information, visit www.giovannisroom.com or call (215) 923-2960.

Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; (609) 317-1000. 7 Bridges The Eagles tribute band performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple St.; (215) 2575808. Schoolhouse Rock Jr. The Saturday-morning educational cartoon series is now one of the most energetic musicals ever to hit the stage, at 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at Sellersville Theatre 1894, 24 W. Temple St.; (215) 2575808.

Tracy Chapman The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 3 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 572-7650. Hippiefest ’09 Felix Cavaliere (of The Rascals), The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), Denny Laine (of The Moody Blues) and Badﬁnger perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 4 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 5727650.

Nicky Egan & The Majority The Philly-based singersongwriter performs at 8 p.m. Aug. 6 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.

Exhibits

The Art of Japanese Craft: 1875 to the Present The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition surveying the rich diversity of 20th-century Japanese craft, through Oct. 18, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 7638100. Bodies The James Oliver Gallery presents an exhibition uniting the works of Julia Day, Brooke Hine, Sky McDonagh and Dallas Shaw, through Aug. 22, 723

Frenz Fleisher/Ollman presents an exhibition of works selected by Will Oldham, the proliﬁc singer-songwriter who records and performs under the moniker Bonnie Prince Billy, through the end of summer, 1616 Walnut St., Suite 100; (215) 545-7562. Hello! Fashion: Kansai Yamamoto 1971-73 The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of the work of one of the founding fathers of Japanese contemporary fashion, through July 31, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100. Metallic Motion AxD Gallery presents an exhibition of artwork by Nancy Schall, through Aug. 15, 265 S. 10th St.; (215) 627-6250. A Modern Eye Part II Edge Gallery presents an exhibition of abstract paintings by the gallery’s stable of artists, through Aug. 30, 72 N. Second St.; (215) 413-7072.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Notices Send notices at least one week in advance to: Diversions, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147; fax them to (215) 925-6437; or e-mail them to diversions@epgn. com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.

Outgrowths AxD Gallery presents a solo sculpture exhibition by artist Carey Netherton, through Aug. 2, 265 S. 10th St.; (215) 627-6250.

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

multi-artist exhibition merging and morphing of artistic genres and culture — high art with street art, underground with pop, ﬁne art with street culture, through Aug. 2 at 1219 Vine St.; (215) 557-0455.

presents the opera in Italian at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at Garden Church Trinity Methodist, 82 N. Lansdowne Ave.; (610) 623-1644..

What Were They Thinking: 160 Years of Bad Taste Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts presents an exhibition of styles that were the height of fashion at some point in recent history, through Nov. 8 at The Carriage House Gallery at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May, N.J.; (609) 8845404.

Red Dust The 1932 comedy-drama starring Clark Gable and Jean Harlow is screened at 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 917-0223.

Opera

La Cena delle Beffe Amici Opera Company

Film

Hud Bryn Mawr Film Institute presents a screening of the ﬁlm starring Paul Newman as a hard-driving, harddrinking, woman-chasing Westerner whose life is one long revolt against his stern father, at 7 p.m. Aug.

PAGE 29

4, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr; (610) 5279898. Modern Times Bryn Mawr Film Institute presents a screening of the classic Charlie Chaplin ﬁlm at 7 p.m. Aug. 5, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr; (610) 527-9898.

Books

Museum lectures internationally on the subject of the realist painter, at 6 p.m. Aug. 3 at Independence Branch Free Library, 18 S. Seventh St.; (215) 6851633.

Cabaret

Joe Posa The versatile entertainer performs at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 1 at Harlans at The Nevermore, 6426 Lower York Road, New Hope; (215) 862-5225.

Richie Unterberger The author of the Velvet Underground book “White Light/White Heat” hosts a reading at 7 p.m. Aug. 4 at Robin’s Books and IndepenDance Moonstone Arts Center, 110a S. 13th St.; (215) 735- The Rock School for Dance 9600. Education performs a free youth concert at 11 a.m. Erwin Joos Aug. 4 at The Mann Center The author and curator of for the Performing Arts, the Eugeen Van Mieghem 5201 Parkside Ave.; (215)

Richard Schultz: Five Decades of Design The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of works by the legendary outdoor furniture designer, through Aug. 23, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100.

Dance

893-1999

Etc.

Liberty Stampede 2009 Rodeo Liberty Gay Rodeo Association hosts three days of calf roping, bareback riding and dancing, July 31-Aug. 2 at the Lu Lu Shriners Rodeo Grounds, 5140 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, and at Loews Philadelphia Hotel, 1200 Market St.; www.libertygra. org. Fourth Annual Philly’s Funniest Person Contest The city’s up-and-coming comic talents battle for supremacy Aug. 1 and 7 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; (215) 496-9001. ■

The Collaborative Act Studio The Pulitzer Prize Winner

ANGELS IN AMERICA “a gay fantasia on national themes”

Shopping in Paris: French Fashion 18501925 The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the American experience abroad between 1850 and 1925, through Oct. 25, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100. Something to Wear: Fashion in Print 18501925 The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the world of fashion and consumer culture through printed publications, through Sept. 7, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 763-8100. A Taste for Modern: The Jeanne Rymer Collection of 20thCentury Chairs The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an installation of 23 chairs by the acclaimed designer, through Sept. 20, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; (215) 7638100. Urban Convergence Asian Arts Initiative hosts a

Part One: Millennium Approaches AUGUST 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 AT 8:00 PM AUGUST 9, 15 AT 2:00 PM SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALL RIGHT FOR ... : It should be an evening of wall-to-wall hits when piano-playing rock stars Elton John (pictured) and Billy Joel team up to perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizen’s Bank Way. Personally, we think Sir Elton has the higher-powered hit catalog, but Billy is nothing to sneeze at, especially when he and John team up for a few songs at some point during the show. For tickets, call (215) 463-1000.

FUSION PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 1931 OLNEY AVE., SUITE 100 CHERRY HILL, NJ TICKETS; ADULTS $16., SENIORS $13. ONLINE AT www.webtrec.com/ collaborativeactstudio/ PHONE: 856-417-6741

PAGE 30

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

Classifieds

With Real Estate, Help Wanted, Services and Personals

Existing home sales show signs of recovery By Alan Zibel The Associated Press The U.S. housing market is finally on the mend after its most far-reaching collapse in 70 years. That could help rebuild consumer confidence and revive the economy. For the first time in five years, sales of previously occupied homes rose for the third consecutive month in June, while foreclosure sales and the glut of homes on the market both declined. The figures, released last Thursday by the National Association of Realtors, and a string of rosy corporate-earnings reports sparked a rally on Wall Street as the Dow Jones industrials rose above 9,000 for the first time since January. “People believe that the worst is behind us,” said Julie Longtin, a real-estate agent with Re/Max Professionals in Providence, R.I., an area that has suffered deeply from record foreclosures of risky loans. Sales also have risen for three straight months in 40 out of 55 major

metropolitan areas tracked by the Associated Press-Re/Max Housing Report, also released last Thursday. Prices rose during that period in about half of those areas. Still, unlike past recessions, the turnaround in the real-estate sector is likely to have a muted effect overall. That’s largely because homebuilders are expected to keep bulldozers idle as long as they face competition from bargain-priced foreclosures. And it’s likely to take at least another year before job losses and foreclosures peak. The Labor Department said last Thursday the number of newly laidoff workers seeking jobless beneﬁts rose 30,000 to a seasonally adjusted 554,000 last week, though the government said its report again was distorted by the timing of auto-plant shutdowns. Unemployment insurance claims have declined steadily since the spring, but most private economists and the Federal Reserve expect jobs to remain scarce and the unemployment rate to top 10 percent

by year-end. “We’re not going to see much growth in [home] sales until the labor market turns around,” said Patrick Newport, an economist with IHS Global Insight. “People don’t move as much when they can’t find work.” But companies should start hiring as their fortunes improve — and there were some early signs last week that it’s starting to happen. Ford Motor Co. surprised investors with a profit of $2.3 billion, due mainly to a huge gain for debt reduction, while manufacturing conglomerate 3M Co. and candymaker Hershey Co. raised their profit forecasts for the year. Analysts said signs that the housing market is finally, gradually turning around could help spur demand as buyers become less fearful of losing their shirts. “It’s been the abject pessimism about house prices that has placed a pall over the housing market,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com. “As that

psychology reverses itself, things start to work in the opposite direction.” Home sales rose 3.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million last month, from a downwardly revised pace of 4.72 million in May. Sales are now around the same level as before last fall’s financial crisis. Foreclosures, however, continue to put pressure on home prices. About one out of three homes sold in June was foreclosure-related, down from nearly half earlier this year. And despite some buyers’ optimism, some still see potential problems ahead. A tax credit of up to $8,000 for first-time homebuyers expires Nov. 30. Mortgage rates are up from record lows reached last spring, and companies are still shedding jobs. The nationwide median sales price was $181,800 in June, down 15 percent from year-ago levels but up slightly from $174,700 in May. And an Associated Press analysis shows that the gap is narrowing between the sellers’ asking price and the final

sales price, indicating homeowners have ﬁnally accepted that their homes are worth far less today. Investor activity is helping to pare the number of homes on the market. Nationwide there are about 3.8 million, or a 9.4-month supply, at the current sales pace. When the market balances at a seven-month supply, prices should begin to stabilize. A healthy housing market is characterized by prices that rise a relatively modest 4 to 5 percent every year. But this year’s sales prices are still far lower than they were last year. Those low prices, combined with mortgage rates around 5 percent and a tax credit for ﬁrst-time homebuyers, have made homeownership more affordable than it’s been in decades. “We are seeing contracts like crazy,” said Valerie Huffman, a vice president of Weichert Realtors in Montgomery County, Md., where home sales are up by 42 percent over last year. “We’re having multiple bids on anything that’s priced well.” ■

Location! Location! Location! This week’s featured property

1129 Spruce St. #1 - Washington Square West

Beds: 3 Baths: 3 Square footage: Approx. 3,000 Cost: $899,000 Age of property: New construction Realtor: Suzanne Petruzel Real-estate co.: Prudential Fox and Roach Phone: 215-790-5671

Check your ad

PLACING ADS Using voicemail? Please be sure to have the following information ready when you call: • Your ad copy • The type of style you want • Desired abbreviations • American Express, Discover, MasterCard or VISA information • Your name and mailing

Ultra-modern historic conversion in Washington Square West — 3 bedrooms, 3 baths — full ﬁnished basement & patio. All new super-upgraded home on 3 levels — fabulous!

address • Daytime telephone number Having all this information ready will speed your order and help to avoid errors. Phone calls can only be returned during business hours. For more information, see the coupon page in this section.

Philadelphia Gay News assumes responsibility for errors in classified ads only when notified by noon the Tuesday after the ad first appears. To receive credit for errors, please notify PGN by then. Credit only will be extended in the form of additional advertising space. Any cash refunds, for any reason, are subject to a $10 service charge. PGN will publish no classified ad — in any category — that contains sexually explicit language. Obviously excluded are traditional four-letter words that relate to sexual activity. Other words may be excluded at the discretion of the publisher, who reserves the right to edit or rewrite any ad that, in his opinion, violates this policy or its intent.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009 PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS

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�� Real Estate

�

REAL ESTATE �� SALE ��

UPSCALE VALLEY FORGE COLONIAL Attention Hunters! 60 Acres$99,900 Timber 5co. BR, 3.5 BHUtilities $599,999 Well appointed liquidating a hunting loaded w/big 20AC with & paradiseCountry Road w/Cawas thedral gorgeous granite, hardwood whitetail deer. hardwood setting, trails me$99,900ceilings, Now All $69,900 BLM access. Deer & flandering oors, SPA room & view fin.pristine daylite w/o basement. throughout, mountain views. elk galore! Call to 877-229-7840 www. Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc.minutes 610-225Old state road frontage, just 20 to 7400. Call town. BestMarie buy in610-513-0049. West Virginia! Easy owner _______________________________32-16 _______________________________33-31 financing. Call now 1-877-526-3764. GREAT INVESTMENT _______________________________33-18 Luxury four bedroom, four bath. Fully furnished. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Mountain and lake views. $678,000. Call Dave NEAR 11TH & LOCUST, $599K Come see this wonderful bldg w/2 spacious _______________________________32-16 rental apartments and large commercial space 721st acres McKean/Potter County line on floor.along In the heart of Center City. Currently Shinglehouse. Mostly wooded, some anear doctor’s office, zoned C-1. Great condition, open location. area, includes old hunting cabin, price, Call for appointment. electric, $199,000. Field and Stream RE. JULIE WELKER COLDWELL BANKER WELKER �� _______________________________32-16 REAL ESTATE �� 215-235-7800 �� _______________________________33-35 �� SECLUDED HOME FOR SALE �� in Gloucester County, NJ. Want privacy? This solar designed home in the middle of 13 acres of woods is for you. More info www.greenhomesforsale.com �� enter ID#18897 or call 609-471-7181. �� _______________________________33-32 A Bank Repo! 4 Br �� 3Ba $10,000! Only $225/ �� Mo! More Homes from $199/Mo! 5% down 15 �� years @ 8% APR. For listings 800-546-8656 �� Ext R944. _______________________________33-31 Bank Foreclosure! 4 Br 3 Ba $10,000! Only $225/Mo! More Homes from $199/Mo! 5% down 15 years @ 8% APR. For listings 800546-8656 ext 1482. _______________________________33-31 NYS LAND SALE JULY SPECIAL! 10 Acres- Lakefront WAS: $79,900 NOW: $49,900. 5 Acres w/ Rustic Camp Salmon River Area $19,900. 46 Acres- Borders Stateland, ponds, foodplot $59,900. 4 Acres in Southern Tier #1 Deer County! WAS: $16,900 NOW: $8,900. Over 100 different properties. Many sizes & areas. Trees, ponds, lakes & streams. www.landandcamps.com 800-229-7843 Christmas & Associates _______________________________33-31 Potter County - 5 acres in Hebron Twp, adjacent to State Game Lands, Electric, Perc, Hard Road Frontage, Small Stream $34,900 Owner financing. 800-668-8679 _______________________________33-31

BD/1 BA, erry wood . BD with ows in $4 , Realtor, 348-0000, 3, 1-3 ___33-18

PHIL

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Maybe it’s time to relax.

ealth Directory eck out HDiversions.

REAL ESTATE �� SALE ��

��

Areas include Shawnee, Camel Back, �� Mt. Airy�� Casino and Rainbow Mt.

��

Corners of Routes 390 & 447 • Candensis, PA 18325 ��

��

BRETT BENDER

Realtor® ABR ALHS E-Mail: brett.bender@prufoxroach.com

��

Hello Gorgeous! Conrad Kuhn

Broker/Sales Rep. Since 1987 NJAR Circle of Excellence Sales Award 1991- 2007 Weichert President’s & Ambassador’s Clubs

At the Rittenhouse

210 W. Rittenhouse Sq., Suite 406, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Bus 215 546-0550 Cell 215 850-2088 Direct 215 790-5513 Fax 215 545-5768 An independently owned and operated member of the Prudential Real Estate Aﬃliates, Inc.

�� 1608 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19103 www.philarealtyexchange.com �� TIRED OF YOUR COMMISSION ONLY REAL ESTATE SALES JOB???? PROPERTY MANAGER POSSISION AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY. GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE MANAGEMENT RENTALS AND SALES SKILLS. �� CALL US TODAY FOR A CONFIDENTIAL INTERVIEW. 215-545-6111 xt10 �� REAL ESTATE LICENSE REQUIRED.. SOUTH PHILADELPHIA AVENUE OF THE ARTS �� 1904 S. 9th St2br home in Bella Vista w/ large 250 S. 13th Street- 1 br, doorman building, hw fl, living room, $139,900 John Perno �� tenant occupied $230,000 Kera Ritter WASHINGTON SQUARE �� 1213 Pine St- 3br,2.5bth, in Washignton Sq West 1326 SPRUCE ST (Center City One)-2br, 2 bth, 29th fl w/ private garden and garage $529,900 John views $399,000 Tom Gangemi �� Perno 226 W. RITTENHOUSE SQ -2 br/den. 2 bth, newly �� GERMANTOWN renovated, with park view, $895,000 Tom 502 W. Harvey Street- Large home, 4br Twn, 2.5 baths,hw floors, servant’s stairs, porch, yard Gangemi �� $249,000 Janis Dubin

�� FOR RENT 240 S. 13th St-. Sunny studio, new kitchen, hardwood ﬂoors, $1000 includes heat-Kera Ritter �� 250 S. 13th St #13C-2br,2bth in Lenox Bld designated parking, heat incl $2500mo Kera Ritter �� 3512 BARING ST – Studio, utilities included in rent starting at $900 mo Kera Ritter

502 W. HARVEY ST-4br Twin w/ porch, yard avail July 1 $1700 mo Janis Dubin �� 1919 GREEN ST- Various apts available. Great for students close to university Kera Ritter 644 N. 32nd St-Bilevel- 4br/3bth, close to Drexel and�� UPenn. w/d, g/d, micro $2000 mo Kera Ritter CAREER OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL TIME SALES AGENT- FOR INTERVIEW CALL OFFICE SPECIALIZING IN PROPERTY MANAGEMENT-CONDOS AND APARTMENTS 2-10 UNITS

Ofﬁce: 856.227.1950 ext. 124 Cell: 609.221.1196 www.conradkuhn.com Realtor856@aol.com satellite TV, heat and hot water, all included.

WashingtonYou Township pay; gas Ofﬁce cooking and electric. Subway 42 door. $1,200 / month. and 5070 bus atRoute the front 215-416-5545. Available May 2008. This is a Turnersville, NJ 08012

��

_______________________________32-18 5 bedroom, 2 Baths Bank Repo only $45,000! Payments from $199/month! 5% down, 20

�� _______________________________32-16

3 Bedroom Bank foreclosure only $207/month! 4 bedroom, 2 bath home only $238/month! 5% down, 20 years @8% apr! For listings ��

Open House – Aug. 2, 2-4 p.m. ��

�� Art Museum Area-- off 26th St. (800 N. Bambrey, 19130) Corner house on quiet street, close to public transportation. Newly renovated, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, hardwood floors, AC, laundry, deck, PARKING, wired. $1600+ call 215-990-4850. Go to kratzworks. com for pix. _______________________________33-20 �� Two bedroom split-level apartment on second floor of row home at 20th and Christian streets. LR, kitchen/dining, bath, small foyer. On-street parking, pets okay. Utilities separate. $875+two months deposit. Scott 267.736.6743. _______________________________33-18 �� 1 BR apts. avail. Various choices. $750 to $1000/mo. Call soon, 215-901-0041. _______________________________33-21 �� 3 room apartment, living room, kitchen, bath, and bedroom (all Large rooms) 2nd floor, private entrance. $1000.00 month, includes utilities. Call 215 686-3431 or 215-468-9166 evenings. _______________________________33-24 �� Entire 3rd floor apartment for rent has large eat-in kitchen with ice maker, built in micro, d/w, garb disp. lots of counter and storage. hall closet, very large living room, rent includes all channel Tevo. bathroom has a washer/dryer, another hall closet and two bedrooms with more closets. Heat and hot water is also included. $1,200.00/month. This is a non-smoking building. 215-416-5545. _______________________________33-20

_______________________________32-16

�� ___________________________________ �� Have your own bedroom in a beautiful split level home with 2 gay men. House is 4 BR, 2 Lovely 3 W/D, bd. 1upper ba. fully furnished home in full baths, and lower decks, use of beautiful secluded gay court. 2 blocks to kitchen. Property is by Welsh & the Boulevard, 1 beach, jitney at corner. Long season-12,500. min. to 58 bus. We ask only that you be at least reasonably neat and employed. Rent is $600 + _______________________________32-17 1/3 utils. Contact Dave at 215-698-0215. _______________________________33-19 Lg. twhnse, 3 BR, 2.5 BA. No pets or smoking. NE Phila. house to share. $350/mo. Call Jim, _______________________________32-19 215-821-1062. _______________________________33-18 Best selection�� of affordable rentals. Full/partial weeks. Call for free brochure. Open daily. Beach blk. Share lovely 3 BR house w/senior Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-638-2102 Online citizen. Full house privileges. Must be employed. $950/mo. Call Jim at 609-458-3711 _______________________________32-16 to discuss details. eld, Debordieu, The _______________________________33-19 Jewels of the South Carolina Coast. House/ condo 2rentals. Beach start cable. here! Share BR apt. Uppervacations Darby, W/D, www.lachicotte.com. For availability call 1$350. Call 610-352-1188. _______________________________33-21 _______________________________32-16 Roommate wanted to share home in Norristown. $600/mo. + half utils. Ref. req. Must love cats. call 610-270-0288. No drugs. _______________________________33-21

Ultra Modern 3,000 Sq. Ft. Condo Classic Beauty in Washington Sq. West 1129 Spruce - Unit 1 $899,000

3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 3 Levels, Finished Basement & Patio

Sophisticated, Sleek, Customized For The Urban Buyer . . . Granite, Steel, Walnut, Bamboo, 13’ Ceilings

Amazing one of a kind!

��

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2001 Toy made or miles, 6 corysmo 977-9080 _______

��

PAGE 32

REAL ESTATE

SALE

��

�� REAL ESTATE ��

SALE

�� CLASSIFIEDS �� REAL ESTATE ��

SALE

��

E-mail us: pgn@epgn.com

��

REAL ESTATE

SALE

��

GREAT BUILDING GAYBORHOOD GREAT INVESTMENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

NEAR 11TH & LOCUST, $599K Come see this wonderful bldg w/2 spacious rental apartments and large commercial space on 1st ﬂoor. In the heart of Center City. Currently a doctor’s oﬃce, zoned C-1. Could be used made into condo’s or large single dwelling. Great condition, price, location. Call for appointment.

JULIE WELKER

�� . Furness Flats. Large 2 bed, 1 bath. last unit left in this highly desirable building. Close to all Center City Hospitals. Low fees and taxes ................................�� “George T. Sale Condo” Unique Garden level 1 bd, 1 ba. unit w/ private entrance.. Low fees & Tax Abatement. Lowest price 1 bd. in area ........................��. �� . New open style 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo with low taxes and condo fees. Great small pet friendly building. .........................................................................�� Old Swedes Court. New Listing Large 3 Bedroom 2.5 Bath with Garage, roof deck and hardwood ﬂoors. Low association fees in –Queen Village ....................�� Regency – One ﬂoor condos – elevator building Each home a corner with ample windows closets ��. NEW/ LISTING. Large update 4 bd. 2 ba. with 2 Br & 2 Full Baths / huge HWF /garden Granite and Topswonderfully = more / 1,630+ sq. ft with - $379,900 roof deck city skyline views.

2 BR & 2 Full Baths /.................................................................................�� Former Model Home w/ Many Upgrades - 1630 +sq ft - $399,900

��

3 BR & 2 Full Baths / Penthouse / 1800+ sq. ft Many Upgrades - $449,900 ��

��

PGN

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

COLDWELL BANKER WELKER REAL ESTATE

215-235-7800

REAL ESTATE

12TH & DICKINSON ST. 3 Room Apt for Rent. Living Room, Kitchen, Bath and Bedroom w/walk-in closet (very large rooms). $800. mo plus util. Call 215 468-9166 after 6 pm. or 215 686 3431 daytime. _______________________________33-38 12TH & DICKINSON AREA Furnished Townhouse for rent: 3 levels. Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, 2 bedrooms , bath. Very Unique. 1500. mo plus util. (negotiable). Call 215 468-9166 after 6 pm. or 215 686 3431 daytime. _______________________________33-38 SOUTH PHILA. 2/3 BR HOUSES Beulah off Tasker: LR/DR, EIK, lg. back yard, window air, W/D, storage in bsmt. Close to Italian/Asian markets. $763/mo. + utils. Durfor bet. 3rd & 4th: award winning street! C/A, EIK, LR/DR, back yard w/flower beds, W/D, plenty of storage. $995/mo. + utils. 27th & Reed: 3 BR. open porch, LR/DR, EIK, window air, back yard, ample storage, W/D.$730 + utils. Hemberger at Passyunk: LR, DR, closed in porch, EIK, window air, W/D, ample storage. $922/mo. + utils. CALL 215-849-4049 OR 215-990-3405 _______________________________33-32 OLD CITY LUXURY CONDO Gay owned & friendly gated comm. 2 BR, 1 BA, F/P, granite/SS, hdwd/stone flrs. Avail. Sept. 09. $1950/mo. + utils. 215-518-9318 details. _______________________________33-32 FISHTOWN 11XX EYRE ST. Stunning 3 BR, 2.5 BA with original columns and appliance package. Completely rebuilt, new hdwd flrs, spacious gourmet kit. w/granite counters & SS appl. Conv. loc. 1 blk riverside of Girard Ave. Next to pub. trans. & I-95 ramp. Mins. to CC & major bridges. Gas ht. & C/A. Good credit & refs. a must. $1400/mo +. Linda, 609-332-6546. _______________________________33-33

FRENCHTOWN Stunning, large NY style loft, 3 bed, 2 bath, award winning restored mill on creek. Open ﬂoor dining/living plus great room. Marble tile bath, designer kitchen, W/D, D/W, off st. parking. Center of town. $1950/mo. Call 609-397-6800. _______________________________33-33

RENT

ROOMMATES PGN WILL NOT PUBLISH RACIAL DISTINCTIONS IN ROOMMATE ADS. SUCH NOTATIONS WILL BE EDITED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. ___________________________________ GREATER NE PHILA. Have your own bedroom in a beautiful split level home with 2 gay men. House is 4 BR, 2 full baths, W/D, upper and lower decks, use of kitchen. Property is by Welsh & the Boulevard, 1 min. to 58 bus. We ask only that you be at least reasonably neat and employed. Rent is $600 + 1/3 utils. Contact Dave at 215-698-0215. _______________________________33-39 2614 W. MONTGOMERY AVE. Rooms for rent ranging from $350 to $500. Located on 2nd & 3rd ﬂoor. Utils. paid by landlord. Please contact Mrs. Johnson. 917825-7761 _______________________________33-33 SPRINGFIELD, DEL.CO Avail. immed. $550/mo. incl. utils. HSI, digital cable avail. in room. Nice built in pool in yard. On st. pkg. Walk to trans. No pets, no smoking in home. For appt., call 610-328-2255. _______________________________33-31 Have 2 priv. rms. in 15 rm. hist. house. 4575 + 1/2 el. Share 1st ﬂ. w/2 others. 215-8448118. _______________________________33-33

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VACATION RENTALS

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real Estate. 1-800-638-2102 Online reservations www.holidayoc.com _______________________________33-31

GIBSON WEEKEND GETAWAY 1 bdrm efﬁciency, up to 4 ppl., 1 mile from Hilliside Camp. Call Jeanne, 570-465-4321. _______________________________33-31

PGN

PAGE 110 PAGE 110 JULY - AUG. 6, 2009 PAGE31 110 PAGE 110

CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS

PAGE 110

CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 25 25 - MAY MAY 1, 1, 2008 2008 APRIL PAGE 33 APRIL 25 - -MAY 1, 2008

LEGAL & PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

AMY F. STEERMAN Attorney at Law

Concentrating in Planning for Lesbian and Gay Couples • Probate • Wills • Living Wills • Powers of Attorney

215-735-1006

1900 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 www.amysteerman.com

CLASSIFIEDS

Terence S. Brady, Esq. Legal Representation In New Jersey Drunk Driving, Speeding, All Traﬃc Cases, Family Matters, Divorce, Visitation, Custody Criminal Matters, Real Estate Purchases, Foreclosures

Mt. Holly, N.J. 609 504 6310

CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008

William A. Torchia, Esquire Attorney-at-Law

Estate & Tax Planning

GENERAL PRACTICE FOR THE COMMUNITY ��

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215-546-1950 (Voice)

215-546-8801 (Fax)

James M. M. Quesenberry, Quesenberry,MA, MA,CRC, CRC,CVE CVE James Disability Consultant James M. Quesenberry, MA, CRC, CVE Disability Consultant Disability Consultant

James M. Quesenberry, MA, CRC, CVE Disability Consultant

Social Security Security Disability Disability Social Social Security Disability ClaimsAppeals Appeals Claims Claims Appeals

Social Security Disability Claims Appeals

215-629-0585 215-629-0585 215-629-0585

Suite 202 202 Suite Suite 202 Rd. Oxford Valley Rd. Oxford Valley Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA19030 19030 Fairless Hills, PA Fairless Hills, PA 19030

Are You Facing: Overwhelming Debt? Foreclosure? Repossession?

The Law Oﬃce of Alfonso Madrid

725 Bainbridge St., Philadelphia Pa 19147 215-925-1002 • alfonsomadrid.esq@gmail.com As a federally designated Debt Relief Agency, I assist people with ﬁnding solutions to their debt problems, including, where appropriate, the ﬁling of petitions for relief under the Bankruptcy Code. Weekend and evening appointments available.

215-629-0585

APRIL 25 - MAY 1, 2008

Suite 202 Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA 19030

PROVIDING DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES, EDUCATION & POLICY REFORM FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY. FREE LEGAL HOTLINE (215) 731-1477

www.equalitypa.org

James M. Quesenberry, MA, CRC, CVE Disability Consultant

Social Security Disability Claims Appeals

215-629-0585 Suite 202 Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA 19030

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today!

PAGE PAGE 108 34

PAGE 108

PAGE 108 CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS

CLASSIFIEDS

SERVICES DIRECTORY ��

Is it time to Is it time to Is it time to look for a look for a look for a new doctor? new doctor? new doctor?

this space: only $25 per week*

Your ad dollars go further when you target your audience

APRIL 25 -- AUG. MAY 1, CLASSIFIEDS JULY 31 6, 2008 2009

Want to let W mom, dad m and all a of your o exs know ex you’re tying the ty knot?

*when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks

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Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today! BUSINESS

FINANCIAL

ALL CASH VENDING! Do you earn $800 in a day? Your own local candy route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy All for $9,995. 1-800-460-4027. _______________________________33-31 Major National Insurance Company has a limited number of local agencies for sale in PA. A Great Business Opportunity! Please send inquires to: agencyforsalePA@aol.com or/Fax:866-296-7535. _______________________________33-31

Settle IRS Back Taxes for less than you owe! If you quailify we can: Stop wage garnishments. Remove bank levies, tax levies, property seizures. Stop payment plans that get you nowhere. Settle state and business payroll tax problems. Eliminate penalties, interest charges & tax liens. If you owe over $15,000 in back taxes, call now! Free consultation! No Obligation! Conﬁdential! American Tax Relief 1-800-317-9712. _______________________________33-31 Buried in Credit Card Debt? Balances never seem to go down? Only making the minimum payments? We can get you out of debt in months instead of years. We can save you thousands of dollars. We can help you avoid bankruptcy. Not a high-priced consolidation loan or one of those consumer credit counseling programs. Call for your FREE consultation! Credit Card Relief 1-866-475-5959. _______________________________33-31

OPPORTUNITIES

AUTOS DONATE VEHICLE Receive $1000 Grocery Coupon. Noah’s Arc Support No Kill Shelters. Research to Advance Veterinary Treatments. Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners accepted 1-866-912-GIVE _______________________________33-31 Buy Police Impounds! 99 Honda Civic $500! 00 Toyota Camry $700! 97 Nissan Altima $600! Hondas, Chevys, Jeeps & More! For listings 800-546-5204 ext 3553 _______________________________33-31 $500! Police Impounds for Sale! Cars/Trucks/ SUVs from $500! Hondas, Toyotas, Must Sell! for listings call 800-546-5204 ext V980. _______________________________33-31

SERVICES

Placing Classiﬁeds Liner Ads In Person: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, By Phone or on the Web: 24 Hours, 7 Days

Deadline for Line Advertising is Friday at 3 p.m. for the following Friday’s issue. You may place your ad via our secure voicemail system, fax or e-mail at any time, or on our Web site. Please have the following information ready to place your ad:

Send us your S wedding/civil union/ wedd YOUR AD COPY • YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS • DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER • CREDIT CARD INFORMATION c PHONE: 215-625-8501 ext. 200 OR 215-451-6182 (DIRECT) •commitment FAX: 215-925-6437 • E-MAIL: don@epgn.com ceremony GENERAL INFORMATION announcement an All classified advertising must be in our office by 3 p.m. Friday for the next Friday’s paper. Ads arriving after that time will be held for the next available issue. PGN reserves the right to edit or rewrite ads as needed, to refuse any ad for any reason and to determine the final classification. Ads determined to be in bad taste, directed to or from personsit and we’ll share and under the legal age of consent or containing racially or sexually discriminatory language will be refused. We need your full name, mailing address and daytime phone number on the insertion order form for you ad. This information with the City of wi is confidential and will not appear in the paper. Any ads received without full information will be destroyed. Sexually explicit language will be edited or refused at the discretion of the management. Brotherly Love. Br PAYMENT AND PLACEMENT Classified ads may placed online or by mail, fax, e-mail or in person at the PGN offices at 505 S. Fourth St., Phila.

E-mail information to in TERM DISCOUNTS - BASED ON THE NUMBER OF ISSUES PREPAID 4 weeks, 5% • 8 weeks, 10% • 16 weeks, 15% • 26 weeks, 20% editor@epgn.com edit PETS CANCELLATION POLICY All PGN Classified ads are cancelable and refundable except for “FRIENDS” ads. Deadline for cancellation or fax us at is o 3 p.m. Friday. The balance will be credited to your credit/debit card. Checks take two weeks to process. The dateWeekly of the first issue the adAs appeared in, along with $25.00 the classification, name, address and daytime phone Reach �� Over 40,000 Readers For Little As A your Week. (215) 925-6437. number is required to cancel your ad. (21 English Bulldog rescue needs foster and forever families in PA, NJ, DE, MD. 215-9685530, 609-234-0916. _______________________________33-31

Phone, fax and e-mail orders are accepted with credit/debit cards only. A $10 minimum applies to all charges. If you are paying in person with cash, please have the exact change as we cannot make change at the ofﬁce. All ads must be prepaid for their entire run. NO EXCEPTIONS! DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL; IT’S NOT SAFE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED.

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

PAGE 35

CLASSIFIEDS

SERVICES DIRECTORY this space: only $25 per week*

Your ad dollars go further when you target your audience *when you run for a minimum of 8 weeks ��

��

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today! ��

PGN now offers FREE online classifieds. Go to www.philagaynews.com for the details. You can also place your print ad through the Web site - it’s fast and easy!

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Classiﬁeds Liner Insertion Order

Select the TYPE STYLE you want from the examples below, and begin each line under the arrow to the left of the letter representing that style. Write to the end of the line (hyphenate words correctly. Do not stop at any other arrow, as each arrow represents a starting point. Allow one block for each letter, number, punctuation mark and space. Be sure to skip a space between words. PHONE NUMBER MUST INCLUDE AREA CODE. Be sure to circle one of the classiﬁcations and compute the cost of your ad. Liner advertising is on a PREPAY BASIS ONLY, and payment must accompany this form. PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL. Type STYLE A Type STYLE B TYPE STYLE C

HEADLINE (24 SPACES PER LINE) FREE WHEN PLACED ONLINE 40 spaces Per Line 36 spaces Per Line 24 SPACES PER LINE

7 point 7 point 7 POINT

NAME ADDRESS CITY PHONE

PLEASE PRINT STATE

ZIP

AMEX • MASTERCARD • VISA • DISCOVER CARD NUMBER EXPIRATION SIGNATURE NAME ON CARD #

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week.# #

“A” LINES @ $5.50 - $ “B” LINES @ $7.50 - $ “C” LINES @ $10.00 - $ BOX YOUR AD $5.00 SUBTOTAL NUMBER OF WEEKS X SUBTOTAL % TERM DISCOUNT AD TOTAL TOTAL PAYMENT ENCLOSED

CLASSIFICATION (CIRCLE ONE) REAL ESTATE FOR SALE • REAL ESTATE FOR RENT • ROOMMATES • SEASONAL RENTALS • SERVICES • FINANCIAL SERVICES HELP WANTED • JOBS WANTED • BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES • FOR SALE • AUTOMOTIVE • AUCTIONS • TRAVEL RESORTS ADOPTION • PERSONALS • FRIENDS MEN • FRIENDS BISEXUAL • FRIENDS TV/TS • FRIENDS WOMEN

Return form and payment to: Masco Communications 505 S. Fourth St., Phila., PA 19147 or fax: 215-925-6437 or email: don@epgn.com

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week.

Social Security Disability Claims Appeals PAGE 36

215-629-0585 CLASSIFIEDS

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY Suite 202 Oxford Valley Rd. Fairless Hills, PA 19030

PAGE 106

CLASSIFIEDS

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today!

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009

CLASSIFIEDS

HOME IMPROVEMENT DIRECTORY ARE YOU HOT!

PAGE 37

Dowd Heating & Air Inc. 215-752-3638

2490 Williamson Court Bensalem, Pa 19020

Fax : 215-501-8306

“Gay owned and operated”

Reach Over 40,000 Readers Weekly For As Little As $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today! ADOPTION

HELP WANTED

ADOPT Happily married couple wants your baby to be the love of our lives. Well educated. Financially secure. Expenses paid. Please call Gina/Paul, 1-888-442-3194. _______________________________33-31 Pregnant? Considering adoption? We are a childless couple seeking to adopt. Will provide FULL-TIME/AT-HOME parent. Financial security. Expenses paid. Steve & Robert. 1-888-836-3639. _______________________________33-31

RV delivery drivers needed. Deliver RVs, boats and trucks for PAY! Deliver to all 48 states and CN. For details log on to www. RVdeliveryjobs.com _______________________________33-31

Driver- CDL-A. Great Flatbed Opportunity. OTR Runs, Professional Equipment, Competitive Pay & Regular Hometime. Also Hiring Van Drivers. Western Express/SMX CDL-A, 22 YO, 1 yr. exp. 888-839-2013 www.smxc.com _______________________________33-31

IHOP – ALL POSITIONS (CENTER CITY LOCATION) NEW CENTER CITY LOCATION 1320 WALNUT ST. HIRING ALL POSITIONS. BENEFITS Apply in person. Hiring Center located at 1528 Walnut St., Suite 1401, Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm, Saturday-Sunday:Noon-5pm IHOP is an EOE _______________________________33-32

FOR SALE SAWMILLS From Only $2,990.00--Convert your LOGS TO VALUABLE LUMBER with your own Norwood portable band sawmill. Log skidders also available. norwoodsawmills.com/300n. Free information: 1-800-578-1363-Ext300-N. _______________________________33-31

SERVICES MAKE MONEY PLAYING THE LOTTERY Guaranteed System. FREE report. Call toll-free 1-877-526-6957 ID#B4679 or go to: www.flalottomagic.net/?=B4679 for more information! Very small investment. Many other extras and discounts are included, as well as a Free 30 min M4M massage for signing up for every month that you are a member, if you contact JT at (856)397-1089. _______________________________33-32 ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE From Home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Computers, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 866-858-2121 www.CenturaOnline.com _______________________________33-31 AIRLINES ARE HIRING Train for high paying Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified -Housing available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888)349-5387. _______________________________33-31

Reach Over 40,000

Advertising Sales Representative PGN, one of the country's most award-winning Gay and Lesbian publications, is looking for a special candidate to fill this position in our advertising sales department. Applicants should have previous advertising sales experience, preferably in a similar environment. You should have a strong work ethic, good communication skills (both written and verbal), and an aggressive desire to sell advertising in this very special niche market. Most important, you should aspire to become an integral part of our successful sales team. We offer a competitive salary plus bonus, as well as Health Insurance. Applicants should call Greg Dennis at 215-625-8501, ext. 201. Email resume to greg@epgn.com or send resume to: PGN, 505 S. 4th St., Phila. PA. 19147 Attn.: Greg Dennis Readers WeeklyEOE For As Little As

PGN

HELP WANTED

Janitor

Maintenance person for full time work in Center City real estate ofﬁce. Job includes cleaning ofﬁce, apartments and light maintenance work. Experience and recent references required. Call Mel at 215-990-5800, lets talk!

CASHIERS + CLEANERS

Full or Part time All shifts available Apply in Person

Sansom St. Gym 2020 Sansom St. $25.00 A Week. Call 215-625-8501 Today! Philadelphia, PA 19103

other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. THE PLAYGROUND _______________________________33-28

PAGE 38

NE. 215-264-1058 LM. _______________________________33-19 WM, NE Phila. If you’re looking for hot action, call 215-934-5309. No calls after 11 PM. _______________________________33-19 �� You: big equipment! Me: real nice white butt. 215-732-2108, 8-11 PM. _______________________________33-20

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LOOKING FOR ROMANCE Attractive GWM, warm, sensitive, caring, 48 y.o. with a smooth gymnast build looking for other GWM, 30-50, who is also in good shape. I live in NE Phila. I’m looking for guys who are also sensitive, caring with a fun personality. If this sounds interesting to you feel free to call me, David, 215-698-0215. _______________________________33-38

6’, 165 lbs., 60 year old Master, greek active, french passive requires obedient slave for training, S&M, B/D, W/S, etc. Limits respected and expanded. Assistant Master wanted. Call Dave at 215-729-6670, day or evening. _______________________________33-48 Xdress sex party. CD house orgy every Sat. nite. GWM couple ISO GWMs 18-40 yrs. for FRIENDS 1 on 1 and group sex. Stockings, pantyhose, etc. Starts 9 PM Sat. Call Sat. 7-8 PM 856910-8303, ask for Mark. Yo! I’m Jay. Masculine, attractive BM ISO _______________________________33-24 masc. 35-50 y.o. to fulﬁll7”my fetish. GWM, BMs, Italian, top or bottom, cut.foot Also into Iassplay, want to toys give you a foot massage, close body & water sports. Bi, straight, out contact andwelcome. also hot J/O Call Jeff me at at of towners Daytogether. or night. Call 267-882-5018 215-850-7900.after 4 PM to 12 AM. _______________________________33-31 _______________________________33-18

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Fantasy

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Shuttle service within city limits, personal shopping, help with bags, companion service, lite cooking, dog walking & house sitting, any reasonable request. 215-205-5453. Refs. avail. Reasonable rates! JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009 _______________________________33-18 60 y.o., 5’7”, 160, 7” crossdresser looking for casual sex. Northern suburbs. 215-538-2040 ask for Zeta. _______________________________33-21

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PAGE 40

PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS

JULY 31 - AUG. 6, 2009