pgn Philadelphia Gay News LGBT NEWS SINCE 1976
Vol. 41 No. 52 Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
Attorneys for Amtrak engineer continue to proclaim innocence PAGE 2
Trump picks former Scouts lawyer as U.S. Attorney By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com President Donald Trump last week nominated William M. McSwain to serve as U.S. Attorney for Philadelphia, despite McSwain’s prior record of minimizing the civil rights of LGBT people. During a two-week federal trial in 2010, McSwain represented a local Boy Scouts organization that sought to exclude gay participants while remaining headquartered in a city-owned building without paying any rent. When LGBT advocates opposed the arrangement, McSwain castigated them as somehow acting improperly. He took particular aim at LGBT advocate Arthur Kaplan, claiming he wanted to “destroy” Scouting. McSwain also spoke dismissively about the civil rights of Greg Lattera, a gay PAGE 12 Scout in Philadelphia
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
The year in LGBT movies
Drag queen accuses salon of racial bias
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Person of the Year: Amber Hikes By PGN Staff Amber Hikes moved from Philadelphia to California in 2015. While she found her place as director of the Upward Bound program, Hikes ultimately moved back home to take on a new role: Director of the Office of LGBT Affairs. Hikes came into the position during a time of racial tension in the city’s LGBT community. This included the owner of ICandy using the N-word in a leaked video the previous October. The new director spoke at a press conference in March to introduce herself to the community. During the presentation, Hikes said the audience may have felt a range of emotions in regard to the LGBT community’s relationship with city government. Hikes ensured the crowd that she would stand by their side. “For those of you who have not felt like you’ve been heard, I hear you,” Hikes said. “For those of you who haven’t been seen, I see you. For those of you who haven’t
PLAYING FAVORITES: The annual recap through photographs really shouldn’t include one of the staff, but what can we say? It was one of our favorites because we all got together to collectively accept the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association’s Newspaper of the Year Award. Our real favorite photos are on pages 16-17.
had a seat at the table, I say pull up a chair. Because in truth, we need all of the voices in this conversation. We need all of us.” The new director noted the importance of uniting during these circumstances. “We owe it to ourselves to come together and to fight for a better tomorrow for all LGBTQ Philadelphians. So let’s get to work.” And then she got to work. A more “outward-facing” office “Amber’s impact to the city and our LGBT community has proven to be invaluable and immense,” Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement to PGN. “Amber returned to our city during challenging times and took up the mantle of leadership with equal parts grace and grit. She’s a superstar and the city is blessed to have her on our team.” After the Mayor’s Office announced Hikes would take on the post, city spokesperson Ajeenah Amir told PGN that “there was a very vocal need for someone to be more outward-facing and more community-engagement-based.” One of Hikes’ first forays into creating this type of office was through a “Pop-Up Love Party.” The Office of LGBT Affairs, along with several other community organizations, hosted a demonstration in March to counteract the messages of an anti-trans bus tour. Three conservative groups — The National Organization for Marriage, the International Organization for the Family and CitizenGo — sponsored an orange bus painted with male and female stickers along with the message: “Boys are boys.. and always will be. Girls are girls.. and always will be. You can’t change sex. Respect all.” “We feel it is principally important to center the voices, experiences and narratives of trans people at this event,” Hikes told PGN prior to the event. “Too often, cisgender people take front stage when it comes to trans issues. While it is essential to support the trans community, we encourage people to be intentional about their efforts. At this event, we ask cisgender people to show their support and solidarity with our trans siblings with signs and their physical presence.” Hikes also demonstrated allyship for the trans community after President Donald
AMBER HIKES THROWS OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT THE AUG. 22 PHILLIES LGBT NIGHT. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Trump unleashed a tweetstorm with his intent to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The Office of LGBT Affairs hosted a demonstration in front of City Hall, featuring speeches and presentations from LGBT veterans. “We are here for one purpose only and that’s to wrap our loving arms around our trans brothers, sisters and siblings,” Hikes said at the August demonstration. “I ask that we take the time to lift each other up, show all the love that we can and listen to the voices of our servicemembers and our veterans. Today, we need to make sure that love is louder than hate.” Difficult conversations Hikes also demonstrated her outward-facing approach through Community Conversations. So far, the Office of LGBT Affairs has hosted three of these forums. In the first event, held in June, Hikes demonstrated to more than 200 attendees that she is not afraid of difficult conversations. Prior to the event, the commission removed Sharron Cooks from her chair PAGE 8 position due to her
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
Resource listings Legal resources • ACLU of Pennsylvania: 215-592-1513; aclupa.org • AIDS Law Project of PA: 215-587-9377; aidslawpa.org • AIDS Law Project of South Jersey: 856-784-8532; aidslawsnj.org/ • Equality PA: equalitypa. org; 215-731-1447
• Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations — Rue Landau: 215-686-4670 • Philadelphia Police Liaison Committee: 215-7603686; ppd.lgbt@gmail.com • SPARC — Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition: 717-920-9537
• Office of LGBT Affairs — Amber Hikes: 215-686-0330; amber.hikes@phila.gov
Community centers • The Attic Youth Center; 255 S. 16th St.; 215-545-4331, atticyouthcenter.org. For LGBT and questioning youth and their friends and allies. • LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania; 3907 Spruce
St.; 215-898-5044, center@dolphin.upenn.edu.
• Rainbow Room: Bucks County’s LGBTQ and Allies Youth Center
Salem UCC Education Building, 181 E. Court St., Doylestown; 215-957-7981 ext. 9065, rainbowroom@ppbucks.org.
• William Way LGBT Community Center 1315 Spruce St.; 215-732-2220, www.waygay.org.
Health and HIV testing • Action Wellness: 1216 Arch St.; 215981-0088, actionwellness.org
• AIDS Library:
1233 Locust St.; aidslibrary.org/
• AIDS Treatment Fact line: 800-6626080
• Bebashi-Transition to Hope: 1235 Spring Garden St.; 215769-3561; bebashi.org
• COLOURS: coloursorganization.org, 215832-0100 • Congreso de Latinos Unidos;
216 W. Somerset St.; 215-763-8870
• GALAEI: 149 W. Susquehanna Ave.; 267-457-3912, galaei.org. Spanish/ English
• Health Center No. 2, 1720 S. Broad
St.; 215-685-1821
• Mazzoni Center:
1348 Bainbridge St.; 215-563-0652, mazzonicenter.org
• Philadelphia FIGHT: 1233 Locust St.; 215-985-4448, fight.org
• Washington West Project of Mazzoni Center:
1201 Locust St.; 215985-9206
• Transgender Health Action Coalition: 215-732-1207
Other • Independence Branch Library Barbara Gittings Gay and Lesbian Collection: 215-685-1633 • Independence Business Alliance; 215-557-0190, IndependenceBusinessAlliance.com
• LGBT Peer Counseling Services: 215-732-TALK • PFLAG: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Philadelphia): 215-572-1833 • Philly Pride Presents: 215-875-9288
Attorneys for embattled Amtrak engineer proclaim his innocence By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
duct of criminals who were terrorizing the passenger trains that were coming into Philadelphia. The train operators Attorneys for an openly gay train who drive into this line of fire should not engineer, who potentially faces criminal and must not be criminally prosecuted for charges for his role in a deadly Amtrak this tragedy.” Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge train derailment in Philadelphia, continue Kathryn S. Lewis is expected to render to proclaim his innoa decision Feb. 6 on whether criminal cence. charges against Bostian are permissible. Eight people were In September, a Philadelphia Municipal killed and numerous Court judge said they weren’t. others were injured Bostian, of Somerville, Mass., appeared in May 2015 when at a court proceeding Dec. 20 and is an Amtrak train operexpected to attend the Feb. 6 proceeding. ated by Brandon In court papers, state prosecutors said Bostian, 34, derailed the SEPTA incident Bostian’s attorneys at Frankford Junction. cited doesn’t excuse his alleged crimState prosecutors want to charge Bostian with one count inal conduct. They contend he should of risking a catastrophe, eight counts of have oriented himself to his surroundings involuntary manslaughter and 246 counts before manually increasing the throttle to 106 miles per hour at Frankford of reckless endangerment. But in a recent defense filing, attorneys Junction, adding the train would likely for Bostian maintained he was distracted have derailed if it were traveling 98 mph. “A reasonable, prudent engineer would by projectiles thrown at a nearby SEPTA not have accelerated the train to such train around the time of the derailment. According to the defense filing, “the a speed without being absolutely cerfact that Mr. Bostian may have lost tain that he was traveling the permissiawareness while driving his train through ble speed for the location,” prosecutors stated in the fila crime scene — ing. thereby regret- “This was an accident that “[Bostian] tably causing a exhibited a comserious derailment would not have occurred plete lack of vigand loss of life but for the criminal conilance where he — does not someignored or failed how transform this duct of criminals who were to recognize tragic accident terrorizing the passenger numerous physinto a criminal act. reference Mr. Bostian lost trains that were coming into ical awareness in the Philadelphia. The train oper- points that he was required to memmidst of an emergency situation ators who drive into this line orize in order to prevent the very that was not of his of fire should not and must type of catastromaking.” In the Dec. 5 not be criminally prosecuted phe that occurred. When a train filing, Bostian’s for this tragedy.” engineer fails attorneys also to adhere to the contend that an unknown person or people “assaulted” applicable speed restrictions, disaster is an engineer of the SEPTA train around virtually certain.” Jeffrey P. Goodman, an attorney for the time of the Amtrak derailment. “[T]his accident occurred only after an 24 victims of the derailment, issued emergency where another train was being this statement: “Our clients believe that attacked by projectiles, during which an all of the victims of the devastating engineer was assaulted,” the attorneys 2015 Philadelphia Amtrak Train No. 188 wrote. “[Bostian] was careful and pru- derailment — and their loved ones — dent in the operation of his train for a deserve the full measure of justice. This period of hours [before the derailment]. extends beyond the civil litigation, and [H]e had a momentary lapse in judgment means a Pennsylvania jury should also be after being confronted by an unforeseen able to hear the criminal charges against the engineer of the train that was excesemergency at night.” In addition, they wrote: “Train engi- sively speeding and violently derailed. neers and pilots are not infallible and The fatal derailment of the speeding sometimes they make mistakes in the Amtrak train — going nearly three times midst of emergencies. Human error is the legal limit near Tacoma, Wash. — last not a crime — especially when it occurs week underscores the need to ensure that all those responsible for such catastrounder duress. “This was an accident that would not phes are held completely accountable have occurred but for the criminal con- through our justice system.” n
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New Year New You
News & Opinion
10 — Creep of the Week Editorial 11 — Positive Thoughts Mark My Words Street Talk 12 — Obituary 14 — Media Trail 15 — International News
Whether your New Year’s resolution was to shed a few pounds, work on stress-relief or boost confidence at work and at play, our New Year, New You guide gives you tips on how to face 2018 in the best possible physical, mental and emotional health. Jan. 19, 2018 edition of
Arts & Culture
19 — Feature: 2017 on the big screen 29 — Comics 23 — Scene in Philly 24 — Out & About 27 — Family Portrait 28 — Q Puzzle
“We are trying to make an effort to seek out materials from underrepresented communities and to make a space where everyone feels like the material in the archives is their’s and part of their community.” ~ John Anderies, on the William Way archives, page 7
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Creep of the Week: Kevin Swanson is worried because the top “porn” search word in Alabama is lesbian.
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Angela Nelson is taking her positions to a new position and moving to Colorado.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
Drag performer claims racial bias at salon By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com Vincent Leggett, a Philadelphia-based drag performer, says he’ll no longer entertain at a South Jersey salon due to alleged racial bias at the establishment. On Dec. 20, Leggett emceed a holiday party at Louis Christian/Robert John Salon in Cherry Hill, N.J., while patrons received salon services. Leggett said everyone appeared to be having a great time and multiple videos were taken of the drag performances.
The salon is located on Route 70 and offers a variety of services including hair coloring, make-up, organic tanning, pedicures and manicures. Leggett wore a Kwanzaa-themed outfit on Dec. 20. But, he said, a salon co-owner told him not to wear it for a Dec. 22 follow-up party there. “It’s my signature drag persona. It’s my African tribal look,” Leggett told PGN. “I actually toned it down [for the Dec. 20 party].” Due to alleged racial bias on the part of salon co-owners, Leggett declined to appear at the Dec. 22 follow-up party. His two co-performers also declined to appear. “They were completely appalled by what happened,” Leggett said. Leggett said he’s considering filing an
antibias complaint in New Jersey. “I’m pretty much leaving my options open on what to do. I’m still working on this and talking to people about it and working through it.” Leggett also expressed hope that by speaking out, he’ll bring about positive change. “I don’t want to bash the salon. But I do want the LGBT community — particularly LGBT people of color — to know about this and that discrimination is not OK.” Salon co-owners Robert John and Louis Christian posted this statement on Facebook: “We loved having Vincent and his friends at Louis’ birthday party [held prior to the Dec. 20 party]. They were so glamorous and elegant that we decided that they would be great for our holiday party. As gay men, we are very comfortable with drag. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for all of our clients who were guests at our holiday party. Once it became clear to us that some of the people in attendance were uncomfortable with the drag performance, we conveyed that to Vincent. “This incident had nothing whatsoever to do with race or religion. It had everything to do with certain people being uncomfortable with drag. We loved having Vincent and his friends, and consider them our friends. “We have not told any employees to speak on our behalf regarding Vincent’s post. Any employee who has posted has done so on their own. We have reached out to Vincent privately and will continue to do so until we can have a conversation with him. We truly value our relationship with him. We are sorry if we caused him any pain.” An associate of Christian and John conveyed to Leggett that the men felt his Kwanzaa outfit was “too ethnic,” but the men deny using those words. “After reading [a published account], it is clear that this situation stems from a miscommunication,” Christian said in an email. “The salon’s owners did not use the terms ‘ethnic’ or ‘too ethnic’ to describe Vincent’s drag performance. The owners’ concerns were based on certain clients’ comfort level with drag. As we said previously, this situation has nothing whatsoever to do with race or religion.” Leggett emphatically disagrees that drag caused any discomfort at the salon. “I feel worse that [Christian and John] are putting out there that drag was the issue, when that’s not the case,” Leggett said. n
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William Way receives grant to support archiving efforts By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com A local community center received a grant to coordinate archiving efforts. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the William Way LGBT Community Center with nearly $12,000 to host two archive digitization days and three public programs focusing on underrepresented LGBT communities in the center’s John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives. “The humanities offer us a path toward understanding ourselves, our neighbors, our nation,” said NEH Acting Chairman Jon Parrish Peede in a statement. “These new NEH grants exemplify the agency’s commitment to serving American communities through investing in education initiatives, safeguarding cultural treasures and illuminating the history and values that define our shared heritage.” The center’s Archives Advisory Committee identified the need to serve underrepresented communities. According to the center’s grant proposal, the committee wishes to “redouble efforts to support and seek out materials from three underrepresented groups within the LGBT community: women, people of color and transgender individuals.” “Many collecting institutions that focus on LGBT material will have primarily material of white gay men,” said John Anderies, William Way’s director of archives. “We are trying to make an effort to seek out materials from underrepresented communities and to
make a space where everyone feels like the material in the archives is their’s and part of their community.” The grant proposal also outlined the archivists’ intent to “do better” to represent these groups. It notes that throughout the center’s personal papers, roughly 70 percent have gay male subjects while lesbian and transgender subjects comprise only 17 per and 13 percent, respectively. Across these groups, people of color are only represented in 17 percent of the collections. With this grant, the center plans to recruit a liaison for each of the three communities; use internal and external efforts to advertise the project; and schedule two digitization events. For the latter effort, participants will have the opportunity to create digital files of their personal archives. These events will be held in close proximity to popular local LGBT events, including Pride, Outfest and LGBT History Month in 2018. Additionally, Anderies said the center will host public programs tentatively scheduled for spring 2019. He said these events will provide lectures, lessons on preserving archives, and the opportunity for individuals to discuss their digitized materials. Anderies said the center hopes to build “and further enhance relationships” through this project. “William Way and the Archives have a long history of engaging with all different aspects of the community,” he said. “But there is always room for improvement. I’m really hopeful this will be a means to develop and enhance those relationships for us.” n
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LGBT community center receives grant to develop nursing program By Adriana Fraser PGN Contributor A Lehigh Valley-based LGBT community center received a grant to develop a program for nurses dedicated to promoting LGBT health equity. The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center received a grant from the Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association Promise of Nursing for Pennsylvania. The funds will help the center provide a cohort program for 10 nurses. Healthy People 2020 defines “health equity” as the “attainment of the highest levels of health for all people.” “The LGBT community lacks health equity due in part to numerous barriers to care from the health-care systems,” said Adrian Shanker, founder and director of the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, in a statement. The program is dedicated to developing champions of LGBT health equity, promoting LGBT health and providing health-lead-
ership opportunities for nurses. Shanker said this cohort program is the first step in restructuring the health-equity framework. “The [current] health-equity structure wasn’t made for LGBT people. Health- care professionals don’t learn about LGBTspecific health needs,” Shankerhe said. “Nurses are on the healthcare frontlines. We want to help develop these nurses into leaders in their community. The goal is to have these nurses sit on nonprofit and government boards championing LGBT equity.” The eight-month-long nursing cohort program will start in February 2018 and finish in September 2018 with eight weeklyand include monthly meetings. The two-hour meetings will cover information needed in order to provide better knowledge on treating LGBT patients. The program is looking for high-quality candidates who are interested in learning and expanding their knowledge about LGBT health equity. Ten applicants will be chosen, including
one from a nursing baccalaureate program and one from a nursing associate’s or diploma program. Established nurses are encouraged to apply as well. Each program participant will receive a $400 stipend upon completion of the program. The principle mission of the cohort is to promote more inclusion in health-care practices with the hope of attracting applicants who already have a strong background working in diversity and inclusion. Shanker’s goal, along with the organization that funded the program, is to help prevent the outcomes of inadequate health-care treatment. This group is left vulnerable to a system that does not speak to the unique health needs of the LGBT population. “We want these nurses to be champions of health equity for LGBT people in their own fields of study as well as beyond,” Shanker said. n Visit www.bradburysullivancenter.org for more information. The deadline to submit an application is Jan. 8.
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PERSON from page 1
unwelcome social-media posts. While the decision was met with controversy, that did not stop Hikes from going on with the event as scheduled. “It’s time for accountability,” she said during her presentation. “It’s time for transparency. We have to do better as a community and it’s going to start tonight.” Hikes did not waste time addressing what she called “the elephant in the room.” She said the decision to remove Cooks the previous week was not “taken lightly,” adding that “it was done with so much pain and so much hurt.” “We are heartbroken but we are prepared to move forward,” Hikes said. “We are prepared to get to the work of this community. It’s very important. I will answer your questions openly and honestly. I promise that. I will not ever speak ill of another community member. I will not speak disparagingly about another community member and I sure as hell will not do it of a black woman.” Barrett Marshall, a co-chair for the Commission on LGBT Affairs, noted
PERSON PGN OF THE YEAR
Hikes’ ability to discuss challenging topics. “People appreciate how direct she is and that she is willing to discuss difficult topics in a generous way,” Marshall said. “She holds a very important position, but is down-to-earth, approachable and gracious.” Later on at the event, a community member spoke about seeing “prostitution” taking place in the Gayborhood. After audience members murmured in disapproval of his comments, Hikes responded to his concerns while also addressing the comment. “I want to make sure we are not speaking disparagingly about sex work,” Hikes said, resulting in applause. “I do understand what you were saying but I want to make sure we are honoring all members of this community. And I understand that you are speaking from your experience but understand that we have all people represented in this room. Sex work is a reality for folks. We don’t look down on people who participate in sex work and in fact, we empower sex work.” Afterward, she pointed out the individual nodding in agreement. “I see you hearing it, taking it in and respond-
ing in that way because this is how it happens,” Hikes said. “This is how change happens.” Race and inclusion A subsequent Community Conversation focused on controversies within the Mazzoni Center. While she was in attendance, Hikes took a backseat during this forum as it allowed former and current Mazzoni staff to voice their frustrations. The most recent Conversation centered on race and inclusion, marking one year since the fall 2016 Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations hearing on racism in the city’s LGBT community. Hikes and PCHR Executive Director Rue Landau discussed the progress their offices have made in the past year. Hikes testified in support of a bill in April to give PCHR more teeth against businesses that discriminate. Councilman Derek S. Green introduced the bill the previous year after the fall hearing, and after hearing informal stories about racism and discrimination in the LGBT community. The bill, which has since been signed by
the mayor, gives PCHR authority to issue cease-and-desist orders to organizations with records of discrimination. Landau said that even though Hikes only started her work in the Office of LGBT Affairs a few weeks before that testimony, the new director proved herself to be an ally nonetheless. “Even though she was very new to her position, she had already proven to me to be a teammate to help resolve issues of racism and discrimination in the community.” Asa Khalif, head of the Pennsylvania chapter of Black Lives Matter, also testified in support of Green’s bill. He met Hikes for the first time at this meeting. “I was pleased that she was very welcoming, very open,” Khalif said. “She actually heard what I was saying. I’ve only known her for a very short time but based on every time we’ve been in each other’s presence, there has always been love and respect and I appreciate it.” Another initiative Hikes helped spearhead, along with local advertising agency Tierney, gained national attention — the addition of black and brown stripes to the
Person of the Year Honor Roll By PGN Staff Black & Brown Workers Collective As racial justice has continued to rise to the forefront of national conversations, it also factored heavily into local dialogue, largely thanks to the Black & Brown Workers Collective. In the last two years, the direct-action social-justice organization has led the call for increased attention on racial tensions in the LGBT community, as well as for concrete action. The BBWC organized a series of protests to call out racism at Gayborhood bars and organizations, and repeatedly and very publicly called for the resignation of high-profile figures they said enabled racist institutions; BBWC member Abdul-Aliy Muhammad even declined their HIV medications until Mazzoni Center CEO Nurit Shein’s ousting came to fruition. Though those demands weren’t universally supported throughout the LGBT community, it is without question that the BBWC’s work significantly raised the bar for diversity and inclusion at LGBT institutions. A black queer woman now leads the Office of LGBT Affairs, with a queer woman of color as her deputy director, and the city’s rainbow flag now bears black and brown strips. Mazzoni Center revamped its board policies and makeup, named a woman of color as its medical director and is in the process of a national search for a new CEO. Bars in the Gayborhood, as well as Mazzoni and Philadelphia FIGHT, have all undergone training on diversity and implicit bias,
though many agree there is room for more education, as well as a need to expand the effort outside the Gayborhood and to other nonprofits. There were a lot of tough discussions to be had in the community in the past year and, even when people were resistant to such introspection, BBWC kept the spotlight on the issues — and, in turn, brought about real change. Councilman Derek S. Green
the Fair Practices Ordinance. The legislation added a new penalty for businesses found to have violated the LGBTinclusive anti-bias measure: the revocation of an entity’s commercial-activity license. A City Council committee held a hearing on the legislation in April, prompting testimony by city officials and community members about personal instances of discrimination, as well as systemic issues. The occasion helped elevate and formalize the conversation about a topic many in the LGBT community have addressed informally for decades. Council voted unanimously to adopt the legislation, and Mayor Jim Kenney signed it into law in June. In a conversation with PGN, Green tipped his hat to local community activists who called for action on the issue. “Sometimes we need an additional push to keep these issues on the forefront and they have done that,” Green said. Councilwoman Helen Gym
The city this year strengthened its antibias law, in light of ongoing allegations of racist policies and practices in the LGBT community. Weeks after a fall 2016 city hearing on racism in the community, Councilman Derek Green introduced a bill to beef up
Among her legislative accomplishments this year, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Helen Gym spearheaded the first-ever resolution to mark Transgender Day of Visibility. The March 30 measure, which passed unanimously, paid tribute to the
trans community’s accomplishments and pioneers, while also looking to the future. She was also the prime sponsor of a bill that seeks to expand health coverage for city employees to include in-vitro fertilization, egg-freezing and related infertility treatments, a bill with particular interest to LGBT parents-to-be. “I am incredibly proud to be part of a city that is setting a standard of care that should be the model for the nation — particularly for our LGB and trans communities,” Gym told PGN. She also cosponsored Councilman Derek Green’s bill, along with Councilman Mark Squilla, to add increased penalties in the LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination law. Outside of City Hall, Gym was very active on a number of social-justice fronts. She took part in several demonstrations against federal-level issues, such as a 24-hour vigil in the summer outside the office of Sen. Pat Toomey to fight against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. “When they go low, we go local,” Gym led the demonstrators in a chant. She was also a key figure in the effort to remove or relocate the statue of former Mayor Frank Rizzo, whom critics say embraced racist and homophobic positions. n
PERSON PGN OF THE YEAR
rainbow flag. The new flag expanded on creator Gilbert Baker’s original design to symbolize racial diversity within the LGBT community. “The new design is a symbolic representation of Philadelphia’s commitment to centering the experiences, contributions, activism and dedication of black and brown members of our community,” Hikes told PGN in an exclusive interview prior to the flag’s unveiling. “To me, this flag says: ‘We see you. We honor you. We celebrate you. You’re not just a part of us. You are us.’” While some applauded the addition of the new stripes, other community members expressed disapproval. Landau said Hikes was “skillful and adept” at shutting down these conversations. “Amber received thousands of explicit and implicit racist responses to the addition of the black and brown stripes on Philadelphia’s rainbow flag,” Landau said. “She responded to each email and post in a way that wasn’t antagonistic, but instead highlighted the bias or racism and actually encouraged dialogue.” Policy work While Hikes has proven to be more community-focused, she has also helped coordinate inward-facing policy work. This includes serving on the search committee for Mazzoni’s medical director. Back in June, she also testified in support of Councilman Mark Squilla’s bill to ban conversion therapy for minors. She noted research that has found a risk for substance abuse, depression and suicide among individuals exposed to the controversial practice. She also said the “archaic form of treatment is based on the abhorrent ideology that same-sex attraction and behavior is a chosen abnormality and is inherently wrong.” “After 40 years of this harmful practice, there remains no evidence that efforts to alter sexual orientation are effective, beneficial or necessary,” Hikes said. “There is only evidence to suggest harm.” The Committee on Public Health and Human Services ultimately approved the legislation, which the mayor has since signed.
She has also done some behind-the-scenes work with Morris Home, a drug and alcohol recovery center for trans and gender-variant individuals. Residents, one employee and unrelated individuals reported attacks in July involving firecrackers, an M-80 and paintball guns. Under Hikes’ leadership, the Office of LGBT Affairs worked closely with the Philadelphia Police Department and Morris Home residents to investigate the incidents and increase safety. Hikes has a degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania and Landau noted how that is “an incredible gift for all of us.” “Amber is a great listener and people [feel] that if there is anything she can do for them, she will do it,” Landau said. “She will connect the person to resources. She will help set up appointments. She will take on an issue and bring it to another city department or agency to say, ‘I think we have a problem here, what can we do about it?’” Khalif said Hikes also created a welcoming environment for others. “She had an open-door policy, not only to me, but also to other activists. That was really important that we knew we could call upon her with issues of concern.” Looking to the future Hikes’ office is developing a leadership pipeline series with Independence Business Alliance and William Way LGBT Community Center to address the lack of representation on boards and organizations. The initiative is tentatively set to launch in the spring, Hikes said at October’s Community Conversation. “What we will be doing as a community is providing opportunities for historically marginalized groups — people of color, trans folks, youth and elders — and making sure that they have the skills and resources they need to serve on these boards, serve in upper-level management and actually have a voice and a seat at the table in a way that they haven’t before,” Hikes said. Khalif shared positivity for what would come next for the director. “Everything that she said she would do coming into this job, she has kept her word.” n
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
EDITORIAL PGN EDITORIAL
Creep of the Week
D’Anne Witkowski
Kevin Swanson
Editorial
What is the greatest lesson you learned in 2017? Don: The greatest lesson I learned in 2017 is that global warming is REAL! The unstable weather of this year is a direct effect. Jeremy: It’s OK to let go of people who have dimmed your light. Likewise, it’s OK to surround yourself with people who make your light shine brighter. Joe: That life is all about the journey and less about the destination. Many times in life, we get so focused on huge dreams and goals we set for ourselves that we forget to enjoy the journey called life. Always remember that life is all about this moment. Kyle: The greatest lesson I’ve learned from 2017 is that literally anyone can become president, even if you have bad hair. Larry: It gets worse and better and worse ... so buckle up. People are mindless sheep. Karma is a merciless beast. And it’s better to cut people out of your life than to try and find a middle ground with their toxic behavior. Mark: Don’t allow negative outside forces to derail community goals. While other places in the country were paralyzed by the Trump administration, Philadelphia moved forward on a host
of issues, including race relations, hosting national LGBT conventions, and being named one of America’s most LGBT-friendly cities, just to name a few. Prab: All good things come to those who persevere in spite of insurmountable challenges. Sandy: That crap happens — even unbelievable crap. Here’s to less crap in 2018. Scott: The greatest lesson for me from 2017 was to learn to count my blessings. Our inability to afford Christmas gifts, or even go out to eat or to a concert occasionally, is nothing compared to those who lost their homes, their jobs, or members of their family. Someone will almost always be in a worse place than you are. Sean: The best thing I learned in 2017 is that the secret to doing just about anything is to start it. Unfortunately, I sometimes have a hard time remembering that as well. Tim: I’ve learned that we cannot take anything for granted and that the cost of freedom is high but the LGBT community will never choose submission or surrender. n
Welp, Roy Moore (R-Pedophile) lost to It is amazing that Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama, a true Swanson can utter Hanukkah miracle, probably prompted the words, “Doug from Roy Moore’s wife saying Moore isn’t Jones is so in favor anti-Semitic because he has a Jew lawyer! of sexual perverBut man are conservatives taking it hard, sion” out loud and including Moore himself — who, as of this not instantly disapwriting, still hasn’t conceded the race to pear into a poof of Jones. Moore is waiting for God to decide, sex-offender dust. which He will do by sending Jesus back “There’s a probto earth in order to smite Jones supportlem with hypocrisy ers with hanging chads and strict voter-ID in this country that laws. goes very, very deep,” Swanson says withUnfortunately for Moore, the joke is on out irony. “Unless there is a spiritual awakhim for not realizing that God is a 14-year- ening, I think these conservative states are old girl who doesn’t want to touch his prigoing to become liberal in their moral valvate parts. ues within another five, 10 or 20 years.” Even Donald Trump and Steve Bannon I vote for five years, though even that have said Moore should accept defeat and feels like too long. move on. After all, the Republican “Sore “By the way, the top porn search word Winners” brand can’t afford to be tainted in Alabama and Mississippi is ‘lesbian,’” by losers. Swanson reveals. “So another indication But not everyone is ready to call Moore that the father’s generation is dabbling a loser. Kevin Swanson, for example, in porn, the children’s generation will go would rather call the people of Alabama head-over-heels for some of the most egrethe losers. Frantically masturbating losers, gious sexual crimes that men ever engage at that. in.” “The 2016 assessment of pornography Weird, but not making Swanson’s list of sites have found that the top-three states “egregious sexual crimes” for some reason that spend the most time in pornography is making a 14-year-old girl touch your are Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas,” 30-year-old dick. Swanson said on his radio show Dec. 14. “If the fathers are doing pornography, [Side note: The 2016 Assessment of the kids are going to turn into homosexPornography Sites uals,” Swanson was an initiative says. “The fathers “There’s a problem with spearheaded by will hide their sin Jeff Sessions after hypocrisy in this country and the children he was shocked will come out of to learn that black that goes very, very deep,” the closet with it.” men could not There’s so Swanson says without irony. only vote, but they much wrong with could also look at “Unless there is a spiritual that claim. What daguerreotypes of awakening, I think these con- does Swanson naked white ladies mean by “doing servative states are going to pornography”? on the Internet machine.] “the fathers” become liberal in their moral Are “As we conporno actors? Is values within another five, 10 he saying that sider the reasons why a state would dads who do or 20 years.” tip toward Doug porno will have Jones,” Swanson kids who will continues, “we’ve got to conclude that that one day stumble onto their Dad Porn and state probably has significant sexual probthe act of watching it will make them lems, especially since Doug Jones is so in gay? That’s not how that works. Then favor of sexual perversion, transgenderism again, if Swanson wanted to drastically and homosexuality. Evidently, the state of cut the amount of porn the next generation Alabama must have a problem with sexuwatches, having as many of their dads as ality.” possible doing porn would be a good way Yes, a state where more than 650,000 to accomplish that. people vote for a man who has multiple So get out there and do porn, dads. For women accusing him of being a sex creep the sake of the children. n to them when they were teenagers and who was BANNED FROM THE MALL for D’Anne Witkowski is a poet, writer and comedian sex-creep behavior definitely does have living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBT politics for over a decade. Follow a problem with sexuality — especially a her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski. woman’s right to control her own.
OP-ED PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
Goals for the upcoming New Year OK, someone has to say it. We’ve only need to do one thing to make 2018 survived the first year of this adminisa stellar year. tration, but it has done damage to both Just vote. the country’s reputation and our comAnd let’s be even clearer. Since many munity. And if you feel that way, 2018 Republicans have been part of this is your year to correct that path. country’s debauchery and have blocked This New Year’s, you have any attempt at accountabilreason to celebrate because it ity, there is only one way is the year of resistance and that can change: You need to you are a part of that resisvote Democrat for both your tance. It doesn’t matter if Senate and House races. you’ve been to a demonstraSo there is no confusion, tion, posted on your personal the election I’m referring to social media, or protested is the November election, any of the hate-filled actions not the primaries. The situaof Donald Trump’s first year. tion we are in now happened None of that counts, but your because few people came action this year is how you do out to vote. If you want to be count. part of the resistance, or just Let’s take a phrase that want a solution to this madmany Republicans and ness, make voting in the 2018 right-wingers like to use and General Election your New turn it on them: 2018 is the Mark Segal Year’s resolution. That will year we take our country back make it a great 2018. n and, to make it clear, back to inclusion Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s mostand appreciating diversity. And most award-winning commentator in LGBT media. You importantly, let’s bring back our sanity can follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ and accountability. MarkSegalPGN or Twitter at https://twitter.com/ Now, here’s where you come in. You PhilaGayNews.
Mark My Words
Positive Thoughts
Kenyon Farrow
Looking back on 2017 in HIV/AIDS – and what’s in store for 2018 I can safely say this was a year for the record books, and in some ways that we’d never expected. Given the Trump administration and the Paul Ryan (R-WI)/ Mitch McConnell (R-KY)-led House and Senate, we were in danger of losing so much ground by the efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The president’s budget called for major cuts in domestic and global HIV spending. Work to end mass imprisonment and the war on drugs was set back by the appointment of Jeff Sessions as attorney general, who vowed to ramp up the full prosecution of people under criminal drug laws, no matter how minor. The threats to immigrants in the United States have created an even more hostile environment, particularly for people of color, and the list can go on and on. But the HIV community fought. Not only did the community fight, we won several key battles. HIV/AIDS organizers Jennifer Flynn, Jaron Benjamin and Paul Davis created a national, grassroots strategy of civil disobedience that mobi-
lized thousands of people to demonstrate against the rollback of the ACA. And their strategy — which many believe was the deciding factor in pushing back round after round of terrible bills — helped do what many of us always say we want to do: Move HIV out of its silo and connect it to larger movements for social justice. Positive Women’s Network, under the leadership of Naina Khanna, created toolkits and mobilized call-in days for people living with HIV around the country to become local leaders in the fight. In conjunction with the grassroots mobilizing, The Federal AIDS Policy Partnership worked tirelessly on The Hill to advocate against the regressive bills that would have left millions without health coverage. It’s no exaggeration to say that if it were not for the HIV community stepping up with those waves of civil disobedience, reproductive rights/justice, disability justice organizations and the entire country could have lost all of the unnamed benefits and protections that the Affordable Care
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Street Talk What was the top LGBT story for 2017? "Trump's ban on transgender people in the military. I'm really inspired by the strength of the opposition Corey Brooker to Trump's information tech bigotry. Even specialist Mount Airy though he's attempting to do something reprehensible, the courts and the populace are rejecting his scheme. I find that very encouraging."
"The record number of trans women of color who've been murdered. The lack of attention to these crimes has been Isabella Jayme appalling, student disheartening Bella Vista and very concerning. I fervently hope that more people will take notice and that justice will be achieved."
"Germany, Australia and Malta all approved same-sex marriages. I was very impressed. It restored my faith in Jeremy Kaplan humanity. Realtor There's been Fishtown so much negativity lately. But those countries proved that good things can still happen, despite the political climate in our country."
"Philadelphia adding [black and] brown stripe[s] to the city's rainbow flag. I'm always hopeful when intersectionality is Martha Schlatter elevated. educator It made me Mount Airy ever prouder to be a Philadelphian. It's a point of pride for Philadelphia to be the first city to do that."
Act put in place. Not just defense: progress in the preTrump HIV agenda Not all the work that happened was fighting against losses. Many people in the community continued to pursue the fights that were important before this administration and Congress took office. Advocates in several states introduced legislation to end or severely reduce the use of HIVcriminalization laws. We were most successful in California and Colorado, where we won clear victories. Advocates across the country continued to support Michael Johnson in Missouri; though he remains in prison, he won an appeal, which led to a reduced conviction of 10 years and an admission by the prosecutor that the law (one of the most severe in the nation) should be repealed. Missouri advocates are currently working to build off the momentum to develop a new bill to repeal this law. Other activists continued to join the
national movement to develop local, county and state “ending the epidemic” or “getting to zero” plans. The ACT NOW: END AIDS coalition led a fiery plenary session at this year’s USCA conference, showing the collaborative leadership of activists, providers and health-department leadership. Treatment Action Group and Southern AIDS Coalition partnered to support key jurisdictions in the South to develop End the Epidemic plans; Nashville, Alabama and Louisiana have held meetings to begin working on those in 2018. And in New York state, the first to launch a plan, there’s evidence that the strategy is working: Officials there recently reported drops in new HIV diagnoses — even among black and Latino gay and bisexual men, where very few jurisdictions have seen success. Unfortunately, rates of HIV remain extremely high among black gay/bisexual men nationwide, and HIV rates for Latinx gay/bisexual men and transgender women continue to climb for PAGE 13
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
Gettin’ On
PGN
Obituary Ron Presby, Penn Museum director of service, 62 By Jeremy Rodriguez jeremy@epgn.com
We’re all getting older. For LGBT seniors, being out in the golden years can pose a whole new set of challenges. Each month, Gettin’ On brings you insights on aging, from legal issues to sexual health.
Ron Presby died Dec 12 after a battle with ALS. He was 62. Presby’s husband, Bob Schuman, was inspired by some of Presby’s last words to him. Schuman said the couple had to deal with a few inconsistent caretakers after Presby was diagnosed with ALS. One of these individuals disappeared for a few days and then showed up for work with no explanation. Schuman was visibly angry with this person but Presby talked him down with two words: “Don’t fight.” “That’s going to be my mantra whenever I feel anger or negative feelings coming up,” Schuman said. “I’m going to try to get in touch with what he said to me — not to fight with anybody and control my anger. That’s the way he was.” Presby died surrounded by family and friends. Schuman said his husband was “polite and gentle,” which resulted in many “terrific” friendships. According to Schuman, some of Presby’s favorite moments with friends included humorous conversations over chocolate cupcakes with a pal named Gary, gourmet meals with his friend Burell and sharing glasses of wine with buddy Joe. Schuman noted that Presby hired Joe for a job at the Kimmel Center. Hiring was one of his main responsibilitiesthroughout his career, which included the Philadelphia Museum of Art and, most recently, a job as director of service at Penn Museum. “There were a lot of people who sent me messages on Facebook, telling me ATTORNEY from page 1
Only in Online and in print every third Friday.
who was expelled from the organization after coming out. McSwain never apologized for his attacks on the local LGBT community during the 2010 trial. The Scouts subsequently left the cityowned building, which reportedly is used by city workers for office space. The national Scouts since have enacted updated membership policies that accept LGBT participants. McSwain, 48, didn’t immediately respond to a reporter’s inquiry about whether he agrees with the Scouts’ current policy of accepting LGBT participants. McSwain’s nomination still must be approved by the U.S. Senate, which appears likely. Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators expressed their approval.
how grateful they are, how much they owe to Ron for hiring them and how much they loved him, respected him and how they always loved working with him,” Schuman said. “He was always the favorite captain to work with. He was very easygoing.” Presby was also the favorite of a furry friend, a 9-year-old Maltese and Pomeranian mix named Sophie. “He loved his little dog Sophie and when he passed, Sophie was laying on him for three hours and not moving,” Schuman said. “She followed him everywhere and would sit on his lap all day.” Presby was also known for being artistic. Schuman said his husband created “gorgeous” mosaic paintings for their home. This included designs on furniture, bread boxes, breakfast trays, bowls, bureaus and other household items. Additionally, family and friends would look forward to Presby’s gourmet meals every Christmas when the couple hosted a brunch for more than 50 people. “People would come even if they weren’t invited, or if they didn’t get their invite the following year, they would call and ask if he was having a Christmas party because they knew how fabulous it was going to be,” Schuman said. The couple met 38 years ago at a bar in Philadelphia. They dated for a while and parted ways. However, they reunited 18 years later when Presby recognized his future husband’s voice while overhearing a television broadcast of an interview for an “American Bandstand” 40th-anniversary celebration. Presby called Schuman’s parents’ home to speak with him. Later on, the two met for a drink. “When our eyes met, we knew we were still in love,” Schuman told PGN shortly after their Aug. 4, 2015 wedding. Presby also noted his feelings for Schuman in 2015. “I wake up in the morning and think, I can’t believe I have a spouse now,” Presby
said. “I get a little thrill when I wake up every morning.” Throughout their entire relationship, Schuman said, the two never had a fight. “He was just a gentle, sweet person and he sincerely loved me. So whatever I did for him in comparison is no comparison for what he has done for me. “People keep saying that I took care of him. And in comparison, as difficult as it was with the ALS, he took care of me. He really spoiled me and loved me like I never have [experienced] before.” Schuman said that while both of them worked a lot, neither of them disrespected the other’s space. “He never put pressure on me and vice versa. He worked a lot of hours and I never put pressure on him because he loved what he did. We always had time allotted together where neither of us worked. We always took vacations. We made sure that we took time for the two of us, even if it was just going to the Borgata for two or three days.” Schuman said others would often praise their relationship due to Presby’s caring nature. “I wish that for everyone,” he said. Presby is predeceased by mother RoseMarie Byrne and brother Stanley. He is survived by his son Adam Presby; grandson Adam “AJ” Presby; sisters Michelle Presby and Sharon PrzybyszewskiHuffert; brother-in-law Alan Schuman; sister-in-law Arlene Timons; niece Beth Ballentine and her husband, Steve; niece Sherri Wentzel and her husband, Jim; niece Mindy Segal; niece Rikki Bishop; many great-nieces and nephews; and several close friends. Memorial contributions can be sent to the Greater Philadelphia ALS Association, 321 Norristown Road., Suite 260, Ambler, Pa. 19002. A memorial will be held at noon. Jan. 8 at Penn Museum, 3260 South St. A reception will follow. n
“I am pleased that this important post has been appointed,” said U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D) in a statement. “Mr. McSwain has extensive legal and prosecutorial experience and I believe he will work to uphold the rule of law and ensure the fair administration of justice.” U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R) made a similar statement: “In addition to his vast amount of experience in both the private and public sectors, Mr. McSwain is committed to the rule of law and is dedicated to ensuring everyone is treated fairly under it. I have no doubt that Mr. McSwain will serve the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with honor and distinction.” McSwain, who lives in West Chester, works at the Center City law firm Drinker, Biddle & Reath. Prior to joining Drinker in 2006, he served as a federal prosecutor in
the region. McSwain has a law degree from Harvard University, according to published reports. As the region’s top prosecutor, he would set priorities for a workforce of about 130 attorneys and oversee federal prosecutions and civil matters in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Berks, Bucks, Lancaster, Lehigh and Northampton counties. n
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
National adoption org raises awareness of LGBT families By Angela Burns PGN Contributor For the third year in a row, the National Adoption Center hosted “Adoption Means a Lifetime of Love: How LGBTQ Individuals Can Create a Family Through Adoption.” The Wells Fargo Foundation-funded program, held Dec. 18, included a panel of LGBT adoptive parents who shared experiences and answered questions from the audience. Panelists included Philadelphia-based attorney David Blum and 6ABC reporter Jeff Chirico, along with his husband Danny. National Adoption Center communications director Gloria Hochman said the organization has been adopting out to LGBT couples since “before it was OK,” adding the organization has seen an uptick in LGBT couples interested in adopting since the legalization of same-sex marriage. “We’ve been at the forefront of working with this community from the very beginning,” she said. According to the National Adoption Center, more than 100,000 children in the U.S. wait for permanent families — including 1,600 youth in the Delaware Valley area alone. Hochman said there are several different types of adoption, including foster care, open adoption and international adoption. THOUGHTS from page 11
reasons we have yet to find. Resources for transgender women and men facing HIV remain low. One of the most significant game-changers in HIV happened this year when the CDC announced it was adopting the science that shows people who are undetectable are also untransmittable. This change happened not just because of the incontrovertible science on this issue. The Prevention Access Campaign, which launched the U=U movement, organized for more organizations and health departments to sign on to this statement and continued to advocate for CDC leadership to do the same. Issues brewing for 2018 While there were some major successes in the field through 2017, we still have major issues developing in 2018 to which we will be paying close attention. In addition to the outright attacks on the ACA, the tax-reform bill threatens to upend the individual mandate upon which the ACA depends. This would mean that individuals could choose not to purchase insurance, removing the incentive for insurers to offer plans on the ACA marketplace to begin with. This would leave fewer options in plans for people living with HIV, and make the existing plans largely unaffordable. And people with HIV living in states that did not expand Medicaid have even fewer options for coverage. Other issues brewing for 2018 abound,
Costs range anywhere from low-cost/sliding scale for adoption from foster care up to $40,000 for adoption from an attorney or agency. Chirico, who grew up in Bucks County, began his journey to becoming an adoptive parent in Atlanta, Ga. Chirico and his husband delved into adoption after taking care of their nephew for several weeks. “After he left, we sat down and thought maybe this is something we should do,” he said. “We enjoyed having him there.” The couple felt even more inspired after seeing LGBT parents leading families at his former church in Atlanta. The two originally explored the option of adopting a newborn but decided to adopt from the foster-care system. They ended up adopting their son R.J. when he was 12. Chirico said it wasn’t difficult to get approved for adoption due to his sexual orientation, and that the state gave him and his husband the stamp of approval to adopt. Blum, who has two teenaged children with his partner, recalled conversations the couple had about raising children. “This was in the ’80s and I think there were a lot of couples who were talking more about HIV than about kids,” he said. “Both of us always wanted to have kids. We are very close to our parents, so that seemed natural.” Chirico said his family does the same
things other families do, including dinners together, hiking and marching-band competitions. “Things very similar to my life growing up,” he said. One part of the adoption process is the home study, in which prospective parents meet with a social worker to prepare them for parenting an adopted child. Hochman said she prefers to call this step a “family assessment” instead. “It’s a chance for a social worker and you to get to know each other and learn more about what you are looking for and what adoption is like,” she said. Chirico said the home study helped with expectations on what you may encounter. But so far, he added, his son R.J. has yet to prove those expectations to be true. “He is one of the nicest people I know,” Chirico said. “He is compassionate and has a huge heart, and is intelligent and funny, and those horror stories we were told about didn’t happen.” Chirico said the home study is a good way for prospective parents to talk about their own expectations and what they would accept. “It is a good way to come together, reflect and answer some questions you never thought of before.” n
with many direct threats to existing HIV research, prevention and care. Recent news reports have suggested Congress is considering moving resources from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program into opioid-addiction treatment and services. Indeed, evidence-based harm-reduction models and drug treatment are critical to a comprehensive strategy to prevent HIV. But there are debates about whether the focus on creating more infrastructure on opioid use in rural and white America would come at the detriment of resources for urban and black and Latinx communities — including resources for HIV care. While federal spending on research through the NIH is often touted as one of the few areas of bipartisan support in Congress, HIV research funding has specifically been questioned by Republican members of Congress and may not be receiving overall increases to the NIH budget that have been appropriated in recent years. And while AIDS research funding itself remains in question, the NIH has begun its process of restructuring and setting priorities for its global AIDS research networks, which will affect the HIV research portfolio through 2027.
may be going back to explicit or implicit gag orders on word usage, Bush-era style, including words central in HIV like “transgender” and “evidence-based.” The Federal Communications Commission voted to end net neutrality, which means even public-health news sources like TheBody.com could be blocked by internet providers because they don’t like the content that provides news and information about sexual health for people and communities living with HIV. But the reason I’ve remained in HIV for so long is not just because I’m a black gay man. It’s not just because, despite being HIV-negative, it remains a primary issue that impacts me and my community. I have continued to do this work because I have found community in some of the bravest, smartest, most strategic people I’ve ever known, despite being among those who are the most socially maligned. The HIV community knows how to show up, despite our many differences, when we need to save people’s lives. We remain committed to facts and to evidence, and to sharing information as resources to help people feel less alone, less afraid. In the HIV media, we will continue to provide the news, the analysis and the opinions of the community. We don’t have a choice: Lives are at stake now. But for us, they have been for a long time. n
News and facts matter We have a lot of things happening at once that may challenge our ability to keep making gains in ending the epidemic, even as we’re beginning to see some new possibilities for success. We end the year with news that we
For more information, visit www.adopt.org.
Kenyon Farrow is the senior editor of TheBody.com and TheBodyPRO.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ kenyonfarrow.
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Media Trail Man who fought gay-marriage ban running for Texas senate NBC News reported that a man who sued over the right to marry his partner will run as a Democrat in 2018. His bid would make him the first openly gay state senator in Texas if elected. Mark Phariss, a lawyer from the Dallas suburb of Plano, said he is encouraged by recent high-profile Democratic upsets in Virginia and Alabama as he launches his first run for public office in Dallas’ conservative northern suburbs. Phariss and his partner, Vic Holmes, were the lead plaintiffs in a 2013 lawsuit over a Texas ban on gay marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide two years later. His candidacy sets up a possible race next year against Angela Paxton, the wife of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Phariss and Angela Paxton, a school guidance counselor, face primary challengers.
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“We’re spending too much time on issues that do not affect the daily lives of Texans like education does,” Phariss said of the Republican-controlled state legislature and Texas GOP leaders. Winning will require flipping a Senate district that has been reliably Republican: Outgoing senator Republican Van Taylor won with nearly 80 percent of the vote in 2014. Ken Paxton also held the seat before becoming attorney general in 2015, when he advised county clerks following the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage that they could deny same-sex marriage licenses over religious objections. Phariss’ lawsuit over the Texas gay-marriage ban put him against an old friend, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who was the state attorney general at the time and defended the ban in that role. Abbott was friends with Phariss in law school and said in 2014 that he still considered him a friend, even though they had lost touch years earlier.
Ex-Kentucky judge reprimanded for stance on gay adoptions According to WKYT.com, a Kentucky judge who raised moral objections to handling adoption cases involving same-sex couples has quit the bench, but he still received a rebuke from a judicial disciplinary commission. The Kentucky Judicial Conduct
Commission publicly reprimanded former Judge W. Mitchell Nance on Dec. 19. The commission said that was the only sanction available due to Nance’s previously announced retirement, which took effect last Saturday. Nance offered no defense last week at a disciplinary hearing, which he and his attorney did not attend. Civil-rights advocates urged Nance’s ouster after he declared that “under no circumstance” would a child’s adoption by a same-sex couple be in the youngster’s best interest. Nance heard family-court cases in Barren and Metcalfe counties.
PA school district settles bullying suit for $45K A Pennsylvania school district has agreed to pay $45,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the parents of a former student who say she was relentlessly bullied over her sexual orientation, according to The Progress. Russell and Tammy Bittenbender filed the suit against the Bangor Area School District in 2015. The Bittenbenders’ daughter attended Bangor schools from third through eighth grades. The lawsuit maintained the family had to move out of the school district so their daughter could escape the bullying. The suit alleges the girl was called a les-
bian and other names she found offensive beginning in third grade. The harassment allegedly continued for five years, with students saying things like she had a disease and telling her to kill herself. Under the settlement released Dec. 14, the school district didn’t acknowledge wrongdoing and both sides agreed not to discuss it.
Transgender intern: Congress member sent fake letter According to U.S. News, a transgender former intern says an apology letter from her to Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico is fake. Riley Del Rey said Dec. 19 she never wrote the letter and that Lujan Grisham’s office is circulating the bogus letter to divert attention from claims the Congresswoman fired her because she is transgender. According to the letter released by Lujan Grisham’s office, Del Rey apologized for “unprofessional and unacceptable behavior” and for “shame” she brought to the Congresswoman’s office. Del Rey maintains she never wrote the letter nor signed anything like it, despite pressure from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Del Rey said she plans to file a new ethics complaint against Lujan Grisham over the letter. n — compiled by Larry Nichols
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International Saint Helena passes same-sex marriage The small island of Saint Helena has passed same-sex marriage by an overwhelming parliamentary vote. The South Atlantic Ocean island of about 4,500 people saw its legislative body approve of marriage equality by nine votes to two. With Gov. Lisa Phillips’ approval needed to sign the bill into law, weddings could happen within weeks on the volcanic island, according to St. Helena Online. The British Overseas Territory, which measures just 10-by-5 miles, hit the headlines earlier this year when its tortoise Jonathan, the oldest in the world at 186, was discovered to be gay. And now the territory — which also includes the islands of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha — has taken a huge step toward LGBT equality. The move comes at the end of a year in which Germany, Australia and Austria — and others, including Finland and the Faroes Islands — legalized marriage equality. Kylie Hercules, a representative who supported the marriage bill, said simply: “We are dealing with people’s lives and emotions.” One of the two councilors to vote against the bill, Cyril Leo, warned it would cause a “deep divide” on the island. He was afraid of the negative reaction from “homophobic elements,” but bowed to the majority’s decision. Councilors should “make love our greatest quest,” he said in a statement, which seemed to contradict his previous ones. Christine Scipio-O’Dean, who voted in favor of the bill, agreed it was time for the island to accept all its citizens. The marriage bill will not compel ministers to marry same-sex couples if doing so conflicts with their religion.
Two couples tie knot in Australia’s first same-sex weddings Two lesbian couples tied the knot in Australia’s first weddings under new legislation allowing same-sex marriages. The first possible date for same-sex weddings was initially expected to be Jan. 9 due to a fourweek waiting period since the landmark law was passed. But the two couples were married in Sydney and Melbourne Dec. 16 after being granted permission to waive the notice period. Lauren Price, 31, and Amy Laker, 29, exchanged vows in Sydney because their families had to travel from Wales in the U.K. to attend what was to have been their commitment ceremony. Amy and Elise McDonald were given an exemption to marry in Melbourne since their
relatives also had flown in from overseas. West Australian couple Anne Sedgwick and Lyn Hawkins were due to wed on Dec. 17 after being together for 40 years. They were given dispensation as Hawkins, 85, is in the final stages of her battle against ovarian cancer. “Anne has been very supportive through all this and marrying her, it’s Anne’s way of saying, ‘Let’s finally do this,’” Hawkins said. Cas Willow, 53, and Heather Richards, 56, will marry in Melbourne. Willow is receiving treatment for breast cancer, which has spread to her brain. The couple, who have been together for 17 years, say marriage will make their last precious few weeks or days together “complete.’’ “It means our relationship won’t just be tolerated, it will be accepted,” Richards said.
Brazilian transgender player debuts in top volleyball league While playing in men’s professional volleyball leagues in Europe, heavy-hitting Brazilian player Tiffany Abreu accumulated dozens of trophies. But she says that among her most important accolades was being named most valuable player for a match with a countryside team Dec. 19 as rain leaked from the roof in a half-empty gymnasium. “I had two of those [MVP] awards playing in the men’s league. But this is a special one,” Abreu said in an interview after the match. “I didn’t even know until recently that I could play volleyball again.” Abreu, 33, is the first transgender athlete in Brazil’s Superliga, the country’s top women’s volleyball tournament. She is sure to turn heads in Brazil, Latin America’s most populous nation that has often struggled to curb violence against gay and transgender people. Abreu’s first game as a starter Dec. 19 was a strong effort: She had 25 points for Volei Bauru in its 3-sets-to-1 victory over Pinheiros. Abreu played in men’s leagues in Brazil, Portugal, France, Indonesia, Spain, France, Holland and Belgium. In 2012, the volleyball player decided to stop her career and transition to female. In Italy, she went through hormone treatment to control the levels of testosterone in her blood stream, had sex-reassignment surgery and changed all her previous identification to her new name. Soon after, she was informed she could play again. “I took every needed step after my agent said I could play women’s volleyball. He knows the rules and said other transsexual athletes play in smaller leagues. So I decided to come back,” she said. “I am obeying the rules; it is not as if I could just say I am a transsexual athlete and want to play.” After her transition process was finished, Abreu got authorization from the International Volleyball Federation in 2017 to play on women’s teams. Earlier this year, Abreu played for a second-division team in Italy. While she found support, she also said she felt pressure from heavy criticism, as well as from fans and teammates. She decided to return to Brazil to be closer to her family, who live in the rural state of Goias. n — compiled by Larry Nichols
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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FAVORITE PGNPHOTOS
Our favorite photos of 2017 By Scott A. Drake scott@epgn.com
When the favorite photos feature began, we had just enough to find ten really good ones and a few runners-up. Each photo had its own story on why it made the cut and some personal input on the backstory to each one. Subsequent years gave us tons of pics: marriage equality, the DNC, Pulse and other high-profile moments. There are always more than enough to choose from. This year, the biggest news photographically was the seemingly nonstop protests. It made sense to collect our favorite protest/ protester photos up front and start with those representing all of our worst fears and nightmares. The pictures on this page show the diversity of crowds, locations, themes, times of day and times of the year. We protested Trump. We protested cuts to the ACA. On Tuesdays, we protested Toomey. We protested bathroom bills, environmental piracy, senators, judges, North Carolina, an anti-trans bus, women’s rights, children’s health coverage, antigay politicians, and a whole simmering melting pot of issues. In cold weather and warm, at City Hall and the Municipal Service Building, days, nights and over lunch hours: We filled plazas, disrupted traffic and waved hundreds, if not thousands, of signs and marched. On the opposite page are other moments that help remind us that while the country is crumbling under the weight of politicians paid for by Russians, the NRA and energy companies, there’s still a lot of other cool things happening in and around Philadelphia. From top left: 1. The line outside Little Pete’s as they give away free lunches on its last day. This was the site of LGBT sit-ins during the 1960s. 2. Henry Sias, the first transgender man to run for judgeship, with Gov. Wolf at Stir Lounge. 3. The AIDS Walk 2017 was a first for Walter Fralix (left) who was greeted at the finish line by Mayor Jim Kenney. Fralix plans to lead Team Wheelz in 2018. 4. The Rev. Jeffrey Jordan of Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church, megaphone in hand, counters anti-LGBT protestors at Outfest. 5. Groundbreaking for the Gloria Casarez Residence, an LGBT youth home in north Philly. Casarez’ wife, Tricia Dressel, and Gloria’s mom, Elisa Gonzalez, are far left. 6. New historic markers went up for Dr. John Fryer and the anniversary of the AIDS Library. Founders and first volunteers shown here were honored during the dedications. 7. DA-elect Larry Krasner celebrates victory at the William Way LGBT Community Center. 8. Philly AIDS Thrift comes in second out of two teams in the annual Thrift Bowl, but they still celebrate. PAT also celebrated hitting $2 million in donations for the AIDS Fund. 9. A 35-foot-tall Trump rat stares down the statue of Frank Rizzo. Most are hoping both disappear (Trump and the statue) in 2018. 10. The high-heel drag race in New Hope is one of the more fun fundraisers in the greater Philadelphia area. Money goes to the New Hope Celebrates LGBT Pride organization. Enjoy this look back on 2017. n
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A year in review for LGBT film By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor
This year featured no shortage of fine LGBT films, documentaries and shorts that spoke to queer life in the age of Trump. Here is a roundup of LGBT films that played in (or passed through) Philadelphia in 2017. “Call Me by Your Name” was a sensual, astonishing romantic drama brought to the screen with class and emotion by gay filmmaker Luca Gaudagnino. Adapting André Aciman’s book, out writer/director James Ivory captured the palpable romance between Elio (Timothée Chamalet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) in 1983 Italy. The film is seductive, heartbreaking and spellbinding all at once. Another great film this year was out filmmaker Dee Rees’ “Mudbound,” which played briefly in theaters, but is currently available on Netflix. While not a queer film in terms of content, Rees’ period drama chronicles two families. The friendship that develops between the African-American Ronsel (Jason Mitchell) and white Jamie (Garrett Hedlund), both war veterans, formed the emotional center of this poignant and powerful film, which addressed issues of race, class and family in 1940s Mississippi. Also among the best films of the year was Raoul Peck’s phenomenal documentary “I Am Not Your Negro” about gay writer James Baldwin. An urgent, cogent film about race relations, the film opened in February and played for several months, a testament to the power and legacy of Baldwin’s voice. Other outstanding documentaries depicting queer African-American experiences this year included “Whose Streets?” a moving film
about activism in Ferguson, Mo., featuring a lesbian activist, and “Quest,” a touching portrait of an African-American family in North Philadelphia. Over the course of the film, which unfolds during the eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency, Quest’s daughter, PJ, comes out to her parents. One of the year’s highlights was “Handsome Devil,” a film that unfortunately never received a proper release in Philadelphia. However, it did open QFLix, the city’s LGBT film fest, back in March. Out writer/ director John Butler’s film has a gay teenager sharing a room with a closeted athlete at an Irish boarding school. “Devil” charms in part because the boys becomes friends, not lovers. This sweet comedy-drama deserves a look. It is one of the year’s best queer films. Also from the United Kingdom was “God’s Own Country,” which depicts the tough and tender romance between a young, closeted British farmer and the Romanian immigrant who comes to help out at his farm. The film is gorgeously made by out director Francis Lee, and features strong performances by the leads. One of the most unusual films this year was gay Portuguese filmmaker João Pedro Rodrigues’ “The Ornithologist,” an experimental film about the title character (Paul Hamy) who has a series of adventures while birding. He encounters mystical spirits, women who want to kill him, as well as a hunky deaf shepherd (Xelo Cagiao), with whom he has an erotic tryst. The film also includes bare-breasted female hunters, a golden-shower scene and shape-shifting. It’s an imaginative reworking of the allegory of St. Anthony of Padua, and it’s pretty hypnotic. From France, “BPM” was queer
writer/director Robin Campillo’s Cannes Award-winning drama about the Paris ACT UP. A sprawling, entertaining film, with a sensitive romance unfolding amid actions by the ACT UP members, “BPM” was magnifique. In France, the film has been a big success; in America, where it failed to attract a large audience, it is more of a succès d’estime. Out French enfante terrible, François Ozon, was represented this year by “Frantz,” his handsomely mounted romantic melodrama. A remake of Ernst Lubitsch’s “Broken Lullaby,” the film has Anna (Paula Beer), a young woman in 1919 Germany, mourning the death of her fiancé, Frantz (Anton von Lucke). After she spies Adrien (Pierre Niney) at Frantz’s gravesite, Anna becomes intrigued by the handsome stranger. His connection to Frantz forms the central drama. “Frantz” may not have been typically cheeky Ozon, but it was still a worthwhile, moving film. Another period piece that generated some attention this year was gay British filmmaker Terence Davies’ “A Quiet Passion,” a biopic about the poet Emily Dickinson (played by out actress Cynthia Nixon). Beautifully lensed, and featuring strong performances by Nixon and a scene-stealing Catherine Bailey as Dickinson’s tart-tongued friend, Vryling Buffam, “A Quiet Passion” ended up on several critics’ Top 10 lists. Rounding out the international period dramas, “Maurice,” James Ivory’s lush adaptation of E.M. Forster’s posthumously published gay novel, received a re-release in 2017 for its 30th anniversary. The film looked as splendid as ever. James Wilby played the title character, a man grappling PAGE 20
“CALL ME BY YOUR NAME,” “HANDSOME DEVIL,” “BPM,” “MAURICE,” “A QUIET PASSION”
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FEATURE PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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with his desires for his friend Clive (Hugh Grant) as well as a sexy gamekeeper, Alec Scudder (Rupert Graves). One of the biggest hits in Mexico this year, “Hazlo Como Hombre,” about a gay man coming out to his friends, did better in the box office at home than abroad. A broad but amusing comedy that pokes fun at straight machismo, “Hombre” was criminally overlooked in America. Perhaps something got lost in translation. American independent cinema included some interesting and exciting queer-themed titles that dealt obliquely with true crime. “Beach Rats,” the sophomore effort by Eliza Hittman, was an absorbing character study about a closeted Brooklynite played by Harris Dickinson in a star-making turn. However, the film depicted a real-life killing a bit too closely for comfort. “My Friend Dahmer,” which played briefly in theaters in November, was Marc Meyers’ sharp, smart adaptation of Derf Backderf’s graphic novel about the teen years of gay, cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. This outstanding drama benefits from Ross Lynch’s unflinching performance as the title character. Three biopics of note this year had mixed success, critically or commercially. “Battle of the Sexes” was an entertaining film about then-closeted tennis star Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and her onand off-the-court rivalry with male chauvinist Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) in 1973. The film scored with critics and viewers who saw it, but under-performed at the box office. Likewise, in the year that saw “Wonder Woman” lasso the box office, out filmmaker Angela Robinson’s origin story, “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,” failed to make much of an impact. It was a shame because this story — that recounts the polyamorous relationship the comic book’s creator, Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), had with his wife, Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall), and their lover/student, Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) — was a
nifty film that deserved to be more widely seen and known. From Finland — where else? — came “Tom of Finland,” a shrewd biopic about the gay artist Touko Laaksonen, whose homoerotic drawings pleased and excited many gay men. The film resists being overly sexual, focusing more on the emotion than the erotica. Speaking of erotica, one of the hottest lesbian films of this (or any) year was “Below Her Mouth,” which sadly bypassed Philadelphia during its brief theatrical release. The film, which is currently available on Netflix, depicts the passionate romance between Dallas (Erika Linder), a roofer, and Jasmine (Natalie Krill), a fashion-magazine editor with a fiancé. Honestly, it’s glossy soft-core porn but it pulses with erotic energy. While there was no overtly queer content in gay director Todd Haynes’ “Wonderstruck,” the adaptation of out writer Brian Selznick’s young-adult novel was visually stimulating as it recounted two tweens’ stories, 50 years apart. The film never quite found a large audience, but the kids and adults who connected to “Wonderstruck” defended it zealously. Another film for kids and adults this year was out filmmaker Bill Condon’s blockbuster, the stylish live-action remake of the Disney musical “Beauty and the Beast.” The film charmed many viewers, but it also prompted a kerfuffle with its gay subtext regarding LeFou’s (Josh Gad) sexuality. Alas, the only prominent trans character on screens in Philadelphia this year was Frank Kitchen (Michelle Rodriguez), a hitman “punished” with unwanted gender-reassignment surgery in “The Assignment.” The film angered the trans community, and deservedly died at the box office. But the transgender community only has to wait until February, when the excellent Chilean drama “A Fantastic Woman,” starring trans actress Daniela Vega, is scheduled to open in the area. See? There are already queer films to look forward to in 2018. n
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Ringing in 2018, big Philly style By Larry Nichols larry@epgn.com We don’t know about you, but we are more than ready for this year to be over. Well, there’s no guarantee that 2018 is going to be any better, but … yeah, adios, good grief and good riddance to 2017. Still, there are a few moments left to wring out the last drops of fun, and Greater Philadelphia is a great place to get it in before we close it out. If you want to laugh your way out of 2017, Sommore from “The Queens of Comedy” brings her Chandelier Status Tour to town with special guests TuRae, Skeet Cater and Talent opening the shows, 7:30 and 10 p.m. at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St. Comedy Central comedian Godfrey is set to bring down the house 7:30 and 10 p.m. at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St. A triple bill featuring Missy Grynkiewicz, Simply Dee and Bill Chiang are part of the Wet Your Pants Laugh-In celebration 8 and 10:30 p.m. at Comedy Cabaret Comedy Club Northeast, 11580 Roosevelt Blvd. For some reason, there seem to be a lot of tribute acts converging on Philadelphia for New Year’s Eve. If your inner hippie wants to party, Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra brings the spirit of the long, strange trip to Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St., at 8 p.m. The Blues Brotherhood invokes the classic soul and R&B spirit of the Blues Brothers, 7 and
THE GET UP KIDS 10:30 p.m. at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville. Up in New Hope, Steven Brinberg is “Simply Barbra!” performing as the legendary Barbra Streisand, 8 p.m. at The Rrazz Room, 385 W. Bridge St. If you want something more sonically original to make your ears ring well into 2018, Phillybloco brings its signature mix of Brazilian percussion, bluegrass, funk, samba and reggae to the stage 9:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. Indie pop/punk rockers The Get Up Kids throw down for an all-ages show 9:30 p.m. at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St. For something a little different, check out Silent Philly, a unique party experi-
ence where three DJs, Red (’80s, ’90s and 2000s), Green (Top 40 and EDM), and Blue (hip-hop), all spin music pumped into channels you can flip through on your lit-up col-
“SIMPLY BARBRA!” or-changing headphones, turning the event into a silent disco where everybody is singing and dancing along to something, 9 p.m. at TLA, 334 South St. For the suit-and-tie set, the Philadelphia Orchestra performs a New Year’s Eve concert 7:30 p.m. at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St. There are plenty of parties to end the year. Celebrate with three events under one roof at Tabu at the monthly Sinful party, Burlesque Ball and NYE Party all kicking off at 8 or 9 p.m., 200 S. 12th St. DJ Boo Boo provides the tunes for the Toasted New Year’s party, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. at Toasted Walnut Bar & Kitchen, 1316 Walnut St. Back 2 Basics teams up with Her Philly Moves for a New Year’s Eve event featuring burlesque performances and music by Deluxx, Dior and Jamz, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. at the Foundry at the Fillmore, 29 E. Allen St. This party has a strict mantra of no homophobia, ableism, racism, sexism, transphobia or fatphobia, so behave accordingly. If you want to get bowled over for New Year’s, check out Resolution 2018, a New Year’s Eve party at Lucky Strike, 1336 Chestnut St., featuring three hours of open bar, hors d’oeuvres and multiple DJs covering two floors of fun and entertainment. Another bowling alley getting in on the end-of-the-year action is Revolutions at Penn Treaty, 1009 Canal St. From 9 p.m. until close, you can enjoy bowling, arcade games, live DJs and billiards with a premium open bar and buffet to keep things festive. If you like to dress to impress, get your tickets for the Glitter City Gala featuring multiple floors of party space and many DJs to keep the party going. VIP upgrades to enhance your experience are available for this event, kicking off 8 p.m. at Hyatt at The Bellevue, 200 S. Broad St. OK, be safe out there. Take a taxi or an Uber/Lyft home if you can’t drive yourself home. Have way too much fun and we’ll see you in 2018. n
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The
Guide to the Gayborhood
The Philadelphia Gayborhood is roughly centered at Locust and Camac streets. Look for the rainbow street signs at intersections and remember to be aware of your surroundings wherever you go. Boxers
1330 Walnut St. facebook.com/ boxersphl Sports bar with a dozen huge TVs, pool table, brick pizza oven, sports teams specials
Toasted Walnut
Tabu
Woody’s
1316 Walnut St. 215.546.8888 Festively lit women-owned bar complete with a “beer” pong table
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200 S. 12th St. 215.964.9675 tabuphilly.com Sports bar with food and shows upstairs
202 S. 13th St. 215.545.1893 woodysbar.com Mixed crowd Attatched to Walnut St. bars Rosewood and GloBar
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William Way LGBT Community Writer’s Block Rehab Center
AC ul t ure rts
Nightlife, Concerts, Art Exhibits, Readings, Cabaret, Films, Theater, Food, Books, Music, Sports and Travel
1342 Cypress St. 267.603.6960 A cozy, comfortable bar and lounge perfect for escaping the norm
<— <— West of Broad Street Stir Lounge
1705 Chancellor St. 215.732.2700 stirphilly.com Fun two-bar lounge, DJ in the back, regular poker games and specials
The Attic Youth Center
Because Life Is More Than Just Gay News
1315 Spruce St. 215.732.2220 waygay.org A resource for all things LGBT
255 S. 16th St. 215.545.4331 atticyouthcenter.org Safe space and programs for LGBTs age 16-23 weekday afternoons and evenings
Voyeur
Knock
U Bar
ICandy
1221 St. James St. 215.735.5772 voyeurnightclub.com After-hours private club; membership required
1220 Locust St. 215.546.6660 Relaxing corner bar, easy-going crowd, popular for happy hour and window watching
225 S. 12th St. 215.925.1166 knockphilly.com Fine-dining restaurant and bar, outdoor seating (weather permitting), piano in back room
254 S. 12th St. 267.324.3500 clubicandy.com Three floors with a total of six bars; dance floor, lounge and rootop deck.
Tavern on Camac Bar X 255 S. Camac St. Bar and dancefloor
255 S. Camac St. 215.545.8731 Piano lounge with upstairs dance floor; Tavern restaurant below is open late.
Pa. bars close at 2 a.m. unless they have a private-club license. Please drink responsibly.
PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
locations outside Pennsylvania DELAWARE Rehoboth Beach • Canal Side Inn, 34 Sixth St. • Proud Bookstore, 149 Rehoboth Ave. • Rigby’s Bar & Grill, 404 Rehoboth Ave. • Shore Inn, 37239 Rehoboth Ave. • Wilmington • AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th St. • Crimson Moon, 1909 S. Sixth St. •
NEW JERSEY
Asbury Park • Georgie’s, 812 Fifth Ave. • Paradise, 101 Asbury Ave. • Atlantic City • Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, 1 Borgata Way • Oasis, 32 S. Tennessee Ave. • Ocean House, 127 S. Ocean Ave. • Rainbow Room, 30 S. Florida Ave.• Ritz Condo lobby, 2715 Boardwalk • South Jersey AIDS Alliance. 10 Gordon’s Alley • Bordentown • Shoppe 202, 202 Farnsworth Ave. • Brigantine • Laguna Grill, 1400 Ocean Ave. • Camden • Honor Box, PATCO Ferry Ave. Station • Cherry Hill • The Bagel Spot, 600 N. Kings Hwy. • Collingswood • Honor Box, PATCO Collingswood Station • Groove Ground, Haddon Ave. • Egg Harbour City • Red Barn Books, 1204 White Horse Pike • Egg Harbour Twp. • Atlanticare, 6550 Delilah Ave. • Galloway • Pride Alliance Stockton College, 101 Vera King Farris Dr. suite 240 • Gloucester City • Red Barn Books, 600 Rt. 130 South • Haddonfield • Honor Box, PATCO Haddonfield Station, PATCO Woodcrest Station • Hammonton Club Revolution, 19 N. Egg Harbor Rd. • Highland Park • Pride Center of NJ, 85 Raritan Ave. • Lambertville • Buck’s Ice Cream, 25 Bridge St. • St. Andrews Church, 50 York St. Lebanon • LGBT of Hunterdon Co., 126 Petticoat Lane • Lindenwold • Honor Box, PATCO Lindenwold Station East • Honor Box, PATCO Lindenwold Station West • Mountainside • Rivendell Media, 1248 Rt. 22 West • Oaklyn • Sacred Green Earth, 511 Whitehorse Pike • Princeton • LGBT Center, Princeton University, 246 First Campus Center • Vineland • J&J News, 729 N. Main St. • West Berlin • Red Barn Books, 597 Route 73 North • West Cape May • Gables of Cape May, 600 Park Blcd. • Westmont • Honor Box, PATCO Westmont Station •
NEW YORK Blooming Grove • Help Inc., 48 Sylvan Trail • New York City • Lesbian and Gay Services Center, 208 W. 13th St.
honor box locations 2nd & Chestnut sts. • 2nd & Walnut sts. • 3rd & Chestnut sts. • 3rd & Market sts. • 3rd & Spruce sts. • 4th & Bainbridge sts. • 4th & Chestnut sts. • 4th St. bet. Arch & Market sts., by Holiday Inn • 5th & Spring Garden sts. • 5th & Spruce sts. • 6th St. & Washington Square West • 7th & Pine sts. • 8th & Market sts. • 8th & South sts. • 8th & Walnut sts. • 9th & Market sts. • 9th & Pine sts. • 10th & Market sts. • 10th & Pine sts. • 10th & South sts. • 10th & Spruce sts.• 10th & Reed sts. • 11th & Arch sts. • 11th & Locust sts. • 11th & Pine sts. • 11th & Walnut sts. • 12th & Filbert sts. • 12th & Locust sts. • 12th & Manning sts. •12th & Spruce sts. • 12th & Walnut sts. • 13th & Arch sts. • 13th & Chestnut sts. • 13th & Locust sts. • 13th & Pine sts. • 13th & Sansom sts. • 13th & Spruce sts. • 13th & Walnut sts. •15th & Spruce sts. • 16th St. & JFK Boulevard • 16th & Market sts. • 17th & Lombard sts. • 17th & Pine sts. • 17th & Spruce sts. • 18th St. & JFK Boulevard • 18th & Locust sts. • 18th & Market sts. • 19th & South sts. • 20th & Fitzwater sts. • 20th & Locust sts. • 20th & Pine sts. • 20th & Sansom sts. • 20th & Vine sts. • 21st & Walnut sts. • 22nd & Chestnut sts. • 22nd & Market sts. • 22nd & South sts. • 22nd & Walnut sts. • 23rd St. & Fairmount Avenue • 27th & Poplar sts. • 28th & Girard sts.• 29th & Girard sts. • 30th & Market sts. • 34th & Spruce sts. • 34th & Walnut sts. • 36th & Walnut sts. • 37th & Spruce sts. • 38th & Chestnut sts. • 38th & Spruce sts. • 38th & Walnut sts. • 40th & Walnut sts. • 40th & Spruce sts. • 63rd St. & City Ave. • 69th St. SEPTA station • 505 S. Fourth St. • Broad & Chestnut sts. • Broad & Ellsworth sts. • Broad & Race sts. • Broad & Spruce sts. • Broad & Walnut sts. • Front & Girard sts. • Germantown & Girard sts. • Juniper & Market sts. • Main & Cotton sts. • Main & Levering sts. • Passyunk Ave & 10th & Reed sts. • Passyunk & Mifflin sts. • University City SEPTA Station • Walnut & Dock sts., by Ritz Movies • Welsh Road & Roosevelt Boulevard • Wyndmoor SEPTA Station •
All of these locations are now visible on a zoomable Google Map at
http://www.epgn.com/pages/where_to_find Would you like to be on our distribution list? Contact: don@epgn.com or 215-451-6182 ext. 200 for delivery of complimentary copies.
DANCE REVOLUTIONARY: International superstar DJ and producer Tiësto drops the bass on Atlantic City when he performs 11 p.m. Dec. 29 at The Borgata Premier Nightclub, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J. For more information or tickets, call 609-317-1000.
Theater & Arts Annie Walnut Street Theatre presents the beloved musical about the charming orphan through Jan. 7, 825 Walnut St.; 215-574-3550. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Media Theatre presents the musical adaptation of the Disney classic through Jan. 14, 104 E. State St., Media; 610-8910100. Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream Characters from your favorite Disney films take to the ice through Jan. 1 at Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St.; 215336-3600. George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker The Pennsylvania Ballet performs the beloved holiday classic through Dec. 31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999.
Godfrey The comedian seen on Comedy Central performs through Dec. 31 at Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom St.; 215-4969001. Ms. Pat The comedian performs Jan. 4-6 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215-606-6555. Old Masters Now: Celebrating the Johnson Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of European art from the likes of Botticelli, Bosch, Titian, Rembrandt and Monet through Feb. 19, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215763-8100. Pablo HerasCasado Returns The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with the acclaimed
conductor Jan. 5-6 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St.; 215-893-1999. Patricia Urquiola: Between Craft and Industry The work of acclaimed designer Urquiola, who creates cool, innovative objects for the home and office, is on display through March 4 at Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Parkway; 215-763-8100. Peter Pan Arden Theatre presents the classic children’s story through Jan. 28, 40 N. Second St.; 215922-1122. Sommore The comedian seen on “The Queens of Comedy” performs 7:30 and 10 p.m. Dec. 31 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215606-6555.
STOMP Broadway Philadelphia presents the blockbuster percussive-dance musical through Dec. 31 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.; 215-8931999. This Is The Week That Is 1812 Productions presents its annual political comedy show through Dec. 31 at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St.; 215-592-9560. Transcendents: Spirit Mediums in Burma & Thailand The Fine Art Galleries at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center present internationally known and acclaimed photojournalist Mariette Pathy Allen for the first public exhibit of her new works documenting transgender lives and experiences around the world, through Jan. 2, 522 W. Maple St., Allentown; 610347-9988.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PGN LISTINGS
7 and 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808.
Nightlife Happy Bear Celebrate with the bear-themed happy hour 5-9 p.m. Dec. 29 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-9649675. ‘CAN’ DO ATTITUDE: STOMP makes the last few days of 2017 gloriously loud when the percussive-dance Broadway-musical phenomenon hits Philly through Dec. 31 at Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St. For more information or tickets, call 215-8931999.
Music Dark Star Orchestra The Grateful Dead Tribute Band performs Dec. 2931 at The Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.; 215627-1332. Bilal The R&B artist performs 7 p.m. Dec. 29 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; 215222-1400. Flosstradamus The DJ and producer performs 9 p.m. Dec. 29 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St.; 215232-2100. Live Wire The AC/DC tribute band performs 3
and 8 p.m. Dec. 29 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808. Beatlemania Now! The Beatles tribute band performs 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 30 at Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville; 215257-5808. The Genesis Show The Genesis Tribute band performs 8 p.m. Dec. 30 at Keswick Theater, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; 215-572-7650. Blues Brotherhood The Blues Brothers tribute band performs
Notices Send notices at least one week in advance to: Out & About Listings, PGN, 505 S. Fourth St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 fax: 215-925-6437; or e-mail: listings@epgn.com. Notices cannot be taken over the phone.
Mimi Imfurst Presents Drag Diva Brunch Mimi Imfurst, Bev, Vinchelle, Sutton Fearce and special guests perform 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 30 at Punch Line Philly, 33 E. Laurel St.; 215-606-6555. The Gentlemen’s Club The male burlesque group entertains this holiday weekend 9 p.m. Dec. 30 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-964-9675.
music by Deluxx, Dior and Jamz, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 31 at the Foundry at the Fillmore, 29 E. Allen St.; 215309-0150.
Outta Town Ben Bailey The comedian seen on “Cash Cab” performs 8 p.m. Dec. 29 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. Gov’t Mule The rock band performs 8 p.m. Dec. 29 at The Borgata Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609 3171000. Tiësto The superstar DJ performs 11 p.m. Dec. 29 at The Borgata’s Premier Nightclub, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.; 609 317-1000.
Sinful Burlesque Ball/ NYE Party The burlesque show and more ring in the New Year 9 p.m. Dec. 31 at Tabu, 200 S. 12th St.; 215-9649675.
The Lion in Winter The classic drama starring Katherine Hepburn is screened 1:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228.
Toasted New Year DJ Boo Boo turns up for this New Year celebration 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 31 at Toasted Walnut Bar & Kitchen, 1316 Walnut St.; 215546-8888.
Steven Brinberg is Simply Barbara! The cabaret singer channels Barbra Streisand 8 p.m. Dec. 31 at The Rrazz Room, 385 W. Bridge St., New Hope; 888-5961027.
New Queers EVE 2017! Back 2 Basics teams up with Her Philly Moves for a New Year’s Eve event featuring burlesque performances and
Suspiria The classic Italian horror film is screened 9:45 p.m. Jan. 5 at the Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; 610917-1228. n
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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Doc takes viewers behind the scenes with the Trocks By Gary M. Kramer PGN Contributor “Rebels on Pointe,” screening 7 p.m. Dec. 29 at the International House of Philadelphia’s Lightbox Film Center, is director Bobbi Jo Hart’s crowd-pleasing documentary on Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the all-male drag-comedy ballet company. Hart takes viewers on stage, behind the scenes and around the world with the gay men in the Trocks (as the dancers are called). She focuses on a handful of company members with inspiring stories, such as Robert Carter, who was particularly proud (and tearyeyed) that he could earn enough money dancing to bring his parents to see him perform in New York. Hart and dancer Robert Carter spoke with PGN about Hart’s latest film. PGN: Bobbi Jo, where did you first see the Trocks perform? How did you learn about them? BJH: The truth is that before I did the film, I had never seen them perform. I saw an ad for their performance and this picture of these fabulous men in ballet drag. I wondered, Who are they and why have I not heard about them? I called New York and asked if I could hang out backstage to do some research filming. Luckily, Tory [Dobrin, the company’s artist director] said, “Sure.” That footage was the opening scene of the film. I saw them perform for the first time from the wings. It was pretty amazing. PGN: Robert, how or why did you get involved in the film? RC: I was approached by Tory to see if I wanted to be a part of it. I jumped at the chance. There have been so many guys who have come and gone through the company, and their personal stories will never be told or known. This was my chance to be immortalized. PGN: Bobbi Jo, what prompted you to tell the Trocks’ story? BJH: No one had done a film about them. They are so unique and they had been around for 40 years. I knew there was some great archival footage and there was a great backstory. I am an observational filmmaker. It’s a risk in a lot of ways, because you shoot a lot of footage waiting for the drama to unfold. I got to know the dancers and realized that they have incredible and inspiring personal stories — a lot of it related to the sacrifices they made to be part of the company. So where did they come from to pursue such a unique and wonderful life, growing up gay and wanting to dance in pointe shoes and being part of this company? I weaved the company’s story with their personal stories. Bobby was
fascinating to me. He has been with the company for so long. He’s from Charleston and is African-American, and an incredible dancer. When he said he’s a prima ballerina, I fell in love with him. PGN: The film works to remove the stigma about male ballet dancers, men in drag
and men adhering to masculine/feminine codes of behavior. Can you talk about that, Robert? RC: I have said about myself in the past that my artistry does not have a gender. Through [the Trocks], I get to express the drag side of my personality in my work, but I prefer to look at myself as just an artist. We break down the barriers and blur the lines a bit because our dancing is so welldone. We trick the eye because we look like girls. It makes people question what they understand about other people and themselves. The company is known for drag, but it’s only one element of what we do, and not the main purpose. The main purpose is to show that art, however expressed — through music, dance or writing — is the one thing that binds the human spirit. This is why I think we’re so successful internationally. PGN: The comedy is key to the Trocks’ ballet, and what makes it universally beloved. You have to be great dancers to parody “Swan Lake.” What observations do you have about the comedy element to the Trocks? RC: You have to know a lot about what you’re doing to send it up. To our core, we adore the work and glorify it. We’re ambassadors for dance. Our shows inspire [audiences] more often than not to see others dance. It broadens their perspective. We bring it to you in a way that you never had to see the ballet to enjoy it. We break the ice in a good way with our ridiculous opening announcement. We break down that barrier for people who are apprehensive to see it. BJH: It’s a send-up of traditional ballet. The dancers are all classically trained. It’s an intense dedication. Not only are they performing these ballets, they are infusing them with parody. But it’s respectful, and it make the moves the dancers do often more difficult than the traditional moves. n
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PGN
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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Family Portrait
Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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Suzi Nash
Angela Nelson, taking a yoga-inspired stretch into a new chapter As we enter a new year, I thought I’d take time to speak with someone who deals in both spiritual and mental health: the founder of Studio 34 Yoga, Angela Nelson. I caught up with Nelson as she was driving to Colorado to start a new chapter. PGN: I read that you were into athletics when you were young. AN: I was always physically active as a kid, but never any organized sports. I grew up in the country, so we were always running around. When I was in high school, I used my bike for transportation, which was a little unusual for the area. And then when I went to college, I became a runner and ran almost obsessively. I’d go to the gym and I played a lot of racquetball. Looking back, I was running away from healing work that I hadn’t been able to do. I’d run for several miles, then play racquetball and then go to the gym. The intensity allowed me to find a way into my body, I guess. When I started practicing yoga, that slowly started to unwind and the intensity began to fade, which for me was very helpful. It brought everything to a healthier balance. Now I’d almost call myself a lazy yogi. I love to practice, but I go very slowly now. I’ve mellowed out a lot. PGN: What caused that intensity? AN: Trauma, from my youth. For a long time, I was just finding ways to cope with it, which is fine. Coping is great, and luckily I picked pretty healthy coping mechanisms, but healing requires space and skill and being OK with getting a little messy. In the past few years through yoga, I’ve been able to do that. PGN: Where did you grow up? AN: I grew up in a small town in central PA. There were six of us, a big family out in the country. A place where you could just wander through the field and woods for hours, walk across multiple people’s properties and that was OK. There was a lot of freedom that kids today just don’t have. PGN: What were some of the best times? AN: I have a lot of good wintertime memories — sledding especially. We had these big tractor-tire inner tubes that could hold about 10 people and we’d slide down the hill. And we made homemade ice cream. We’d go to a little stream nearby and break the ice off and carry it back to the house where we had a hand-cranked machine and we’d take turns making ice cream. When we got older and no one wanted to stand there, turning the crank for hours, my dad rigged up an old lawn-mower engine that would crank the wooden handle and make the ice cream on its own! PGN: What did he and your mom do? AN: He was an equipment operator: He
ran backhoes, etc. for the Army Corps of Engineers at a local lake and my mother was a mail carrier. PGN: When did you first leave home? AN: College. I went to Penn State but it wasn’t a good fit for me. It was too big. There’s a very aggressive energy there too. It’s a big party school and I ultimately failed out because I stopped going to classes. I didn’t know what I wanted to do and then I found my way into a one-year nursing program and became an LPN. The first day I realized, Oh, this is what I’m supposed to be doing. It was such a relief. I eventually ended up going back to Penn to get my masters. PGN: You came full circle. AN: Yeah, I bypassed a few years from ’94 to ’98 in New York working with people with HIV/AIDS. It had a huge impact: it’s where I found my people and where I realized that I wanted to become a nurse practitioner. It was a hard time to be doing AIDS care, but it was beautiful because the people I worked with really wanted to be doing it. The dedication was incredible. It was a time of intimacy and vulnerability. I worked at the Rivington House on the Lower East Side, and because of the nature of the disease, it stripped you. People were willing to see and be seen. It could be heartbreaking, but it was a very special place. PGN: I’m sure. Were you out at the time? AN: I actually didn’t come out until I was 36. I think when I was in New York, I realized that I had an attraction for women but I hadn’t opened up to it yet. I was in a relationship with a man for 10 years and it was not easy to walk away from something that was like a marriage. We owned a house together, a dog … so it was tough but we’re still friends. I’d always felt comfortable in the queer community. I had permission to be myself — the parts I could see and the ones that I couldn’t yet see. PGN: How did you end up in Philly? AN: I moved here for a boyfriend and we broke up a month after I got here. I almost moved back to New York, but I just felt like I was supposed to stay here. That’s when I met my partner of 10 years. He was a really important part of my life and continues to be. He’s married now with an amazing son. PGN: That’s great. AN: Yeah, Philly is such a special place. People are real here. I love it. After moving here, I went to finish my degree and got my RN, bachelors and ultimately, my masters. Through it all, I continued working with HIV/AIDS patients. The last position was with Philadelphia FIGHT. PGN: What’s the craziest thing that happened during your time working in the ICU?
AN: She wasn’t my patient, but there was a woman who was pronounced dead. Quite some time passed and the death certificate had been signed when suddenly, her heart started pumping again. The Catholic Church tried to investigate it to have it declared a miracle. I wasn’t directly involved, but I was there that day. There are many fascinating stories but it’s mostly the relationships that you form with the families that stay with you. Often you have more interactions with them than the patients who may be unconscious or sedated. PGN: How did you get involved in the yoga studio? AN: My partner at the time, James, and I had a friend, Steven, whom we met at the dog park. Steve was the one who wanted to open a yoga studio. James was a sculptor and I was a nurse and we had both fantasized about opening up a space that could be a place for people to come and get an understanding of basic health. They could get screenings and art classes and knowl-
rent out, etc. The vision was inspired by the needs of the community. It’s always been a joint effort. When we were building it out, we did most of the work ourselves and had volunteer days. We taught free yoga classes at Steven’s house in exchange for help. We offered the structure of the place and made space for other people’s voices and ideas. The community became invested. That input made the place bigger and better than we could have imagined. People will bring in their plants or favorite artwork. I’ll come in and there’ll be a new chair in the lounge and I won’t know where it came from. It’s beautiful. People think of it as their own place and they take care of it and each other. You can’t plan that: you can only make space for it to happen. PGN: I found you when I read about your queer and trans yoga program. How did that get started? AN: We had Jacobi Ballard from New York do a queer and trans workshop class and it was very well-received. So I asked Qui and Shay, two people who came to the studio and completed a teacher training to start a regular program here: they did and it was amazing. PGN: Why is it so needed? AN: What I’ve realized is that if you want to have diversity in your space, you have to ... it has to be intentional. So if you want people of color to feel comfortable in your studio, you better have people of color teaching at your studio. If you want people who are queer or gender-nonconforming to feel comfortable in your space, then you need to let them know that there is space that is specifically for them. It is important for people to be in community in a way that is safe and validates. And from that, diversity happens in all the classes.
PGN: The biggest fight I ever had with my former Photo: Suzi Nash business partner was when edge about physical and mental health — we were shooting a coma place where people could find a sense mercial for Dining Out for Life. He didn’t of peace. There was a lot of performance cast a single queer person or person of color stuff happening in West Philly in people’s for any of the couples dining. He said that homes — salon-style — but we wanted he didn’t see color and just worked with something larger. We talked about it with the actors that showed up to audition. He Steve for about a year and then planned and thought I was being biased and that he was envisioned and ultimately found the space. the least racist because he didn’t care what It’s 5,000 square feet, which allowed us to color the actors were. [Laughing] His wife create the yoga studio and a lounge with a had to come to the studio to mediate before stage, library, meditation room, four wellwe disbanded the ness rooms that health practitioners can PAGE 28
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
PORTRAIT from page 27
company. P.S.: We ended up using a mixed and gay couple. AN: Oh, wow. Yeah, you better see color. It’s important. People of color see white people all around them so we need to be sure we see them too and make space when there’s none. I don’t know what a person of color goes through from that aspect, or a trans person, but I know we can do a better job of making room and being intentional about it. PGN: You’ve done so many things at the studio, from art showings to performances to fundraisers. Is there a favorite? AN: Fun-A-Day, which is coming up soon has always been special. It’s run by the Artclash Collective. For one month, you have to make some kind of art every day in January — take a picture, sing a song, write a story — and then in February, we display all the artwork. That’s actually how we found the space. James went to the Fun-A-Day event when it was still a boarded-up warehouse with no heat and said, “I think I found a space for us!” We acquired the building and were building it out all year. We ran out of money. We’d mortgaged our homes. We got shut down by L&I. It was a low time for us and then Artclash came and asked if they could still use the space for the event. We got permission from L&I and it was amazing. So many people came through that weekend. It truly reinvigorated us. We knew if we built it, people would come. That one weekend, when the space came alive, let us know it would be worth it. And now, every year, Fun-A-Day is a reminder to us of the energy we try to carry through the year. PGN: What prompted you to make your latest move? AN: It was a calling. I didn’t have any intention of moving to Colorado, but I felt compelled. [Laughing] I never really knew what a calling was until I got one. I’m supposed to come and get land here. Kind of like with the studio, it’s going to be a place where people who need to heal can come. It won’t be advertised. It won’t be a retreat center, but the people who are supposed to know will find it. It won’t be something they have to pay a certain amount of money for. It will be something we make together. That’s all I know. And it wasn’t an intellectual decision. Like, I should do this thing because it’s really needed. It was more of a tap on the shoulder telling me that I’m supposed to create a safe place for whoever needs it. And here I am. PGN: And you’re leaving the studio to ... AN: Two wonderful people. There were a lot of logical ways I could have approached deciding who should hold the space next. I’ve been in the very precise world of medicine, and I can do that, but my nature for this was more intuitive. It was really a case of just listening to my heart. Adrienne Dolberry was in one of our teacher trainings and there was just something about her. She’d been in academia
PROFILE PGN
and left it to work on sharing the practices of yoga and meditation and mindfulness. When I got the call to leave for Colorado and needed to find someone, I just got the feeling that Adrienne was supposed to take over. It was so fascinating, it just felt right and then I had Kari Thompson who has been with the studio for a while, so I know them very well. They were very supportive of me the past year doing the teacher trainings. They understand the philosophy of practicing abundance, which we’ve always practiced at the studio. If someone wanted to take a class but didn’t have the money, we found a way to make it happen. If we’re about healing, then money can’t be a factor. And when you do that, you find that there’s always enough. Abundance really works. It comes back in the end, and they both get that. I’m really excited. The studio is in a good place and there’s fresh energy taking over. I am confident that they’re going to make it even better. PGN: It sounds like “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” AN: Yes, I hope they both feel like they found the golden ticket! It’s not going to be easy, especially since this is like an arranged marriage. They didn’t pick each other as partners. They were put together. But I think there’s beauty in that. I’m already seeing some exciting communication happening between them. It’s an exciting time. PGN: My favorite quote is from “Willy Wonka”: ‘So shines a good deed in a weary world.’ What’s your favorite quote? AN: I love Maya Angelou’s quote, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” PGN: The last person you gave a gift to? AN: It was an hour ago! I stopped to visit a friend in Boulder and gave her some dried mugwort. PGN: Last time you danced? AN:[Laughing] Also an hour ago! I danced with her 7-year-old son to something called “Kidz Bop.” PGN: A tradition from a religion you admire? AN: In the Native-American culture, there is a tradition of putting cedar down in teepee meetings. When someone makes a mistake or has a transgression, you go in and there’s a cedar man in charge. He will put cedar on the fire and call the person out on the incident and then it’s considered cleared. It’s a beautiful way of saying, When something happens, just speak it, say it out loud and then let it go. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all do that? PGN: Something to work on for 2018! n For more information, visit www.studio34yoga.com. To suggest a community member for Family Portrait, email portraits05@aol.com.
Q Puzzle Oliver! ... and Elio Across 1. “The Glass Menagerie” segments 5. Where two bones touch 10. Peters out 14. The Indigo Girls’ “___ Line” 15. Half sib of Liza 16. Angelina’s tomb-raiding role 17. Clothing designer Chow 18. Gay rodeo target 19. Passed with flying colors 20. Cause winter isolation 22. With 24-Across, actor who plays 17-yearold Elio 24. See 22-Across 27. Made of rough wool fabric 28. Kneeler before a queen 29. Made oneself hard to find 30. Playwright Orton
31. Jason of “Chasing Amy” 32. Serenaded 34. Alfred Douglas’ title 35. Actor who plays 24-yearold Oliver 38. Manhandle, with “with” 40. Former editor of “Lavender Magazine” 41. Capt. von Trapp’s home 42. Octave ends for Bernstein 44. It means nothing 45. What Tim might call Tyne 48. Sisters of Greek myth 50. With 52-Across, film about summer love between Elio and Oliver 52. See 50-Across 54. Spilled one’s seed 55. Not impotent 56. Intense sounds of lovers 59. Shoot off a flare, e.g. 60. Goes to seed
61. International Male’s business, e.g. 62. Lake of Ohio ferries 63. Part of GPS (abbr.) 64. Deviate 65. World War II turning point Down 1. Top floors 2. LaRue of gay porn 3. Metallic organ? 4. One who comes slowly 5. Some commuter trains 6. Sodomite in Genesis 7. Somers of “The Match Game” 8. “Tell me ___ haven’t heard!” 9. Start to like 10. Tickle pink 11. James Buchanan, notably 12. Straight 13. Looking heartbroken 21. Old Testament prophet and book 23. Get behind
25. It reveals a drag queen’s thighs 26. They cut leaves of grass 30. “Into the Woods” Tony winner Gleason 32. MTF operation 33. Cole Porter’s “All Through ___ Night” 34. Was out in front 35. Presidential sexual activity 36. Chains around a knight 37. Considers carefully, with “over” 38. Budapest dwellers
39. Gay porn site 42. Bear lair 43. Bitter fruits 45. William of Lincoln’s “Team of Rivals” 46. Peninsula where the rain falls mainly on the plain 47. Waterside opera house location 49. Wave top 50. “The Gay Caballero” star Romero 51. Shortened leaves of grass 53. “South Park” co-creator Stone 57. Zadora of “Hairspray” 58. Cunning
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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Our New Year, New You guide gives you tips on how to face 2018 in the best possible physical, mental and emotional health. Jan. 19, 2018 edition of PGN.
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Philadelphia Gay News www.epgn.com Dec. 29, 2017 - Jan. 4, 2018
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