This preliminary vote ended in a 12-4 loss for opponents of the arena — including many who cite the negative impact the project could have on marginalized locals who live, work and spend time in Chinatown and the Gayborhood. Legislation that would allow for the construction of the Sixers’ downtown arena advanced, and a final vote to approve the package of bills required for construction will take place on Thursday, Dec. 19. The final details were not available by the the time PGN went to press.

It’s unlikely that opposition will make a difference in the outcome. Just five city council members oppose the plan — including Gauthier and Landau plus Nicolas O’Rourke and Jeffery Young (who voted against the legislation) and Kendra Brooks (who was absent).

“The 76ers and the Administration should have more thoroughly engaged the community before transmitting legislation to Council, especially while negotiating the Community Benefits Agreement,” adds the statement by Gauthier and Landau about the plan that is intended to offset the negative impact of the project on neighboring communities and businesses. “The divisive atmosphere around this proposal is a direct consequence of the rushed process [the 76ers and the Administration] imposed.”

The 76ers initially offered a $50 million community benefits agreement. Negotiations included a proposal of $300 million, which gained community support. This decreased to a plan announced by City Council President Kenyatta Johnson that asked the Sixers for $100 million — but that figure settled to $75 million by the morning of Dec. 12. Ultimately, just $60 million was included in the legislative package passed by city council’s preliminary vote. The funds will be distributed over 30 years.

“It is deplorable to learn the 76ers and their billionaire owners think our communities are worth only $60 million over 30 years,” Gauthier and Landau said in their statement, underlining that, in contrast, the Sixers recently gave a single athlete $193 million over just three years.

During the Dec. 12 vote, activists chanted together. One held a sign that said “$60 million is a sellout deal.”

“It’s literally a drop in the bucket compared to the total budget,” said Yoojin Park — a Korean-American drag king and social worker who has been active in the No Arena movement.

The money — which might sound like a big number to marginalized Philadelphians — could get eaten up quickly, especially because the deal also includes funding for citywide programs that are not related to the arena at all.

Park said the community benefits agreement largely includes “random stuff” that leaders who are not directly impacted by the arena came up with on their own — including the addition of programs community members don’t need without addressing many of their asks. One example is a $3 million allowance for students to attend games for free while those same students deal with major issues in their school buildings — such as a lack of air conditioning, asbestos and closures.

“You’re not even asking us what we want,” Park underlined, explaining that neither the development group nor Mayor Cherelle Parker has met with the No Arena Coalition.

“The city council and the local government don’t want what’s best for the people,” he added, underlining that projects like this — which put the wants of developers and billionaires above average Philadelphians — are happening all over the city. “And this arena is just one example of ignoring and denying them a voice.”

Activists organizing with No Arena Gayborhood previously cited the lack of community spaces, LGBTQ+ erasure, LGBTQ+ safety concerns, and issues with accessibility as just some of the reasons they oppose the project.

“We still deal with a lot of racism in the Gayborhood,” Park said during a panel hearing at City Hall in November. “And a huge reason is that half of it was literally erased.”

During his testimony, he explained that a police officer hit him without any verbal warning and another swung a baton at him twice during an action planned by No Arena Gayborhood, where the group delivered over 1200 anti-arena petitions to councilmembers. He noted that this experience is just one example of the city’s failure to take a democratic approach with the project.

“Do the people of Philadelphia really feel safe enough to come here and share their opinions?” he asked during his testimony.

Park believes the deal is bad for local and small business owners — including those in the Gayborhood. Although a portion of the community benefits agreement is being set aside for Chinatown businesses that will be affected by the project, Washington Square West and the Gayborhood weren’t included in economic impact studies and were not granted funding in the legislative package.

This comes as the only two Gayborhood bars owned by people of color, Cockatoo and Level Up Bar & Lounge, are shuttering. Park noted this as a sign that it’s already too costly to do business downtown. Rising costs make way, he said, for more gentrification — which he said will continue as a result of this arena project.

Park explained that many of the nightlife venues closest to the arena site are establishments in the Gayborhood, and he worries that they could be overrun with cis-het patrons who make LGBTQ+ people feel unsafe. He noted that this already happened with Woody’s — an historically LGBTQ+ bar that he said is no longer a queer-centered space.

“I have concerns that non-queer people will end up invading those spaces,” Park said, noting that the lack of concern over preserving LGBTQ+ safety and community makes it feel that Philadelphia City Council doesn’t view those people as valuable or valid.

“There is a real physical safety threat happening across the country for queer — and especially trans — people right now,” added Park. “So it’s definitely a real fear.”

“City Council’s preliminary arena vote demonstrated a failure of city leadership to advocate for the people of Philadelphia. City Council caved to the whims of billionaires and voted out of committee an embarrassing $60 million “community benefits agreement” (after themselves setting a floor of $100 million), which still hasn’t included any negotiations with the communities in Chinatown or the Gayborhood and doesn’t even come close to mitigating the harms that an arena would cause to the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Emily Goddard of No Arena Gayborhood.

This is a point Gauthier and Landau also noted in their statement before vowing to continue working with community groups to address their concerns as the project advances.

Gauthier and Landau also highlighted a failure to create a legitimate traffic plan — threatening ease of travel within and around the neighborhoods that surround the proposed arena as well as access to Jefferson Hospital’s emergency room — the only Level 1 trauma center in the city.“No Arena Gayborhood, along with the rest of the Save Chinatown Coalition, vows to continue fighting this disastrous arena project, and all Philadelphians, the vast majority of whom oppose the arena project, will remember City Council’s behavior at the ballot box,” Goddard added.

The post 76 Place Arena gets a likely greenlight — but activists say this isn’t the end appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

There is no age group untouched by alcohol use. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that “a significant portion of the population over 12 years old reports using alcohol in the past year” and that “Alcohol is considered the most commonly used substance in the United States, meaning more people use alcohol than any other drug or substance.”

As PGN reported, for LGBTQ+ people, AUD is a very serious problem, yet one that gets little attention. Alcohol is present in our queer and trans lives in ways other drugs are not.

Data on LGBTQ+ individuals is still developing, as many federally funded research studies have only recently started asking for participants’ sexual orientation and gender identity. According to the National Library of Medicine, about 30% of the LGBTQ+ community has moderate alcohol dependency, compared to 5-10% of the general population. Within the community itself, there are groups that report heavier AUD than others. Gay and bisexual men under 35 have a 55% rate of alcohol use while 25% of bisexual women reported heavy drinking. Yet only 7.4% of addiction treatment programs offered specialized services for LGBTQ+ patients.

LGBTQ+ people with AUD speak out

PGN interviewed LGBTQ+ people for this series, some of whom are in recovery and some who aren’t. All agreed that alcohol had been present in their lives from a young age.

Lena Miller told PGN that she had her first drink at 13 and began drinking regularly throughout high school with friends and in clubs.

“I knew I was a lesbian by the fifth grade,” Miller said. “I was at an all-girls Catholic school and there were a few of us who just knew we were gay. I gravitated toward those girls and they introduced me to the gay scene in the Gayborhood.”

With that scene — and purloined ID — Miller said she found a couple drinks “made me more confident, more able to interact with strangers. I wanted to have a community, to meet other lesbians outside my high school. It was a heady time for me and alcohol definitely helped fuel my introduction to gay life. Alcohol was all around me, it was cool and I felt cool when I was drinking.”

LBQ women and AUD

Research has shown that lesbians are more likely to misuse alcohol over their lifetimes. They have reported heavier alcohol use, more frequent use and more binge drinking than heterosexual women. Data suggests that lesbians are more likely to develop an alcohol use or drug dependency disorder than heterosexual women, but they are also more likely to seek treatment for the substance problem.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that LGBTQ adults in the U.S. were more likely to engage in binge drinking in the past year and that they began drinking alcohol at earlier ages than heterosexual adults. In addition, LGB adolescents were 90% more likely to use alcohol and illicit substances than heterosexual youth. Lesbian and bisexual females were four times as likely to use these substances than heterosexual females of the same age.

While ‘minority stress’ is often cited as a key factor in explaining LBQ women’s high rates of alcohol consumption, one recent study in Science Direct found “Drinking is gendered for LBQ women, enabling both performance of and resistance to gendered norms. Additionally, alcohol emerged as a tool for navigating gendered vulnerability in public spaces, with some participants shaping their alcohol intake to their environment. Our findings highlight the need for approaches to LBQ women’s health that recognize alcohol as a social tool that can facilitate confidence, pleasure, and community connection.”

This description is exactly how Miller explained her own introduction to both alcohol and concomitantly, the gay club scene as a teenager.

“All the dykes I know drink beer,” noted one lesbian in the Science Direct study. Miller said having a long-neck beer in her hand in a club always made her feel “just a little more butch and in control.”

Bisexual women report elevated alcohol and drug use compared to other sexual minority women. The National Library of Medicine at NIH explained that “bisexual women experience unique sexual discrimination (i.e., binegativity) and are at heightened risk for other forms of victimization and other stressful life events. Given this heightened experience with stress, bisexual women may use alcohol as a maladaptive coping mechanism. Further, disclosure of one’s sexual identity may produce opportunities for connecting with the LGBTQ+ community, but such openness may increase exposure to discrimination and stigmatization among bisexual women.”

Tanya Morales, a Latina bisexual graduate student at a local university, told PGN she began drinking in high school at parties and found “it freed me up to explore my bicuriousness.”

Morales laughed as she said, “I definitely kissed a girl and liked it. But it was having a few drinks that loosened me up. It also gave me plausible deniability — ‘oh did that happen? I must have been wasted’ — in case I wanted to backtrack.”

Trans people and alcohol

The 2015 US Transgender Survey, the largest assessment of transgender health status and needs to date, found a high prevalence of binge drinking overall, with binge drinking levels much higher in transgender communities of color than in white non-Hispanic peers.

According to a 2024 NIH study, “transgender and non-binary people may be at increased risk of alcohol harms, but little is known about motives for drinking in this community. This study explored the relationship between risk of alcohol dependence, experience of alcohol harms, drinking motives, dysphoria and discrimination.”

In addition, “coping motives, enhancement motives, and drinking to manage dysphoria [among trans people] were associated with higher Alcohol Use Disorders (AU) Identification Test scores. Social, coping and enhancement motives alongside discrimination and drinking to have sex were associated with harms.”

For Maya, a Black trans woman who designs clothes and works in a hair salon in West Philly, alcohol was part of her transition process.

“It made me feel safer to have a couple shots of tequila or gin or vodka — something that would hit me quick and give me just enough of a buzz that I could get myself together and get dressed and go out and feel like I was myself,” Maya said.

Maya says she “wasn’t high — just had enough in me to feel grounded, which I now understand is what alcoholics say. But I can’t really imagine how I would have been able to come to terms with who I was without that security to begin with — I really don’t.”

She adds, “And I know a lot of girls feel the same — this is not an easy process. You’re dealing with family, friends, lovers — it’s a lot. And it takes its toll on you. You just need that help, you know?”

“Sobriety meant I was breaking up with my own life”

At 43, Jack Simmons says he’s been sober for almost three years after nearly 20 years of “drinking every day and being drunk most  weekends. I literally just woke up on the day I turned 40 and said, ‘what am I doing?’ and went looking for help.”

Simmons said as a gay man, finding help was much harder than he expected and he had less support for getting sober within his queer circle than he needed.

“I had surrounded myself with people who also drank a lot or who were into recreational drug use,” he said. “It wasn’t great to realize that I had been coasting through my entire adult life on partying as my foundation instead of building stability and family and solid relationships.”

Simmons said having to cut toxic people from his life was even harder than it was to get sober.

“I felt so isolated and alone,” he said. “My partner of five years and I eventually split because he thought I was judging him for not getting sober, too. Two of my closest friends were so harsh, I had to step away from those relationships. It was a very tough time — like a series of break ups. In some respects, I was breaking up with my own life.”

But for Simmons, it was worth it.

“I don’t know how I spent so many years in denial about my addiction, but at least I came to terms with it before it killed me. I’m living such a better life now. It’s a whole new chapter.”

Next week: Seeking help is harder for LGBTQ+ people, but there is help out there.

The post LGBTQ+ people speak on alcohol abuse, addiction appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

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First, on a personal note, the holiday season is a time for joy, family and friends. While we celebrate in various ways, this time can also be challenging, especially if it’s the first holiday after losing someone close. It’s important to embrace that loss by celebrating the memories of your loved one and the holiday traditions you shared. Reflect on the happy moments you experienced together and raise a toast in their honor. For those feeling lonely during this season, consider joining a support group or volunteering with a nonprofit organization that resonates with your interests; it’s a meaningful way to give back and possibly make new friends along the way.

For those shopping for gifts, I encourage you to shop local and support LGBTQ+ businesses. A thoughtful idea for a gift could be a membership to a nonprofit as a holiday present.

Now, let’s briefly discuss a few current headlines. As it’s the holiday season — a time for miracles and giving — I want to share some wisdom that comes from enduring difficult times. As older individuals, we often say we’ve seen it all. When faced with the unusual, we turn to our past for perspective. Right now, we find ourselves in a moment of backlash against our community, but many of us have faced similar challenges before. From Anita Bryant and the Moral Majority to the Tea Party and the HIV/AIDS crisis, we’ve experienced significant adversity, often with our lives at stake while leaders remained inactive. In each of these instances, we united as a community and emerged stronger. Therefore, I see this moment as a potential time of rebirth, with a strong belief that brighter days lie ahead after this backlash. Happy holidays to all.

The post Holiday wishes appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Yes, it’s time for another show at one of my favorite theaters here in Philly. Quintessence Theatre is currently running the popular musical “Kiss Me Kate” now through Jan. 5. The company will be hosting a special Queer Affinity night on Jan. 2 with conversations and cocktails with members of the cast and crew after the show. The community guest for the evening will be The Attic Youth Center. I had a chance to speak with Quintessence Theatre co-founder Alex Burns, who directs this production, after a recent matinee. Some responses have been edited for length or clarity.

I understand that you grew up as a theater kid right in the shadow of the theater you now operate?
Yes, I was born in the Chestnut Hill Hospital and grew up on Devon Street, next to the Mt. Airy train station and about a half mile from the theater.

What was life like on Devon Street?
It kind of was the most perfect place to grow up. Living on Devon Street in the ’80s was great. Mt Airy has historically been celebrated for its diverse community. And diversity on many fronts, religion, race, class, etc. There was an idea that you could really have communities that embraced diversity in its most exciting sense.

So that was my childhood, and we were a very communal block. All the kids would stay out for as long as we possibly could together, playing in the street or making up fantasy games and things to do together. I would always drag all of my neighbors into doing plays with me on our front porch or in the basement of our house. It was magical, a really wonderful place to be a kid. I get kind of sad when I go around Mt. Airy today. You don’t see kids out in the street playing like we did. I think technology has changed that. But the spirit of that is present here!

What was the first show you remember wrangling your friends into doing?
I very famously would try to do Stephen Sondheim musicals with my friends. We did both “Into the Woods” and “Sweeney Todd” in full costume with a lot of ridiculous special effects created with household objects [laughing]. But we did everything and anything. Anytime we had a day off from school, like for Martin Luther King’s birthday, we’d do a play about the true meaning of the holiday! The fun of making theater with my fellow block mates was wonderful.

Uh, “Sweeney Todd” is a little dark. How old were you?
[Laughing] Well, yeah, I think I was 11 at the time. We would play the original cast recording on a little cassette tape in a boom box as we walked around awkwardly.

Who’s in the family and what do they do?
My mother was a director/costume designer in the theater when I was growing up so I actually grew up in a playpen at People’s Light & Theatre company in Malvern. Many of the actors that were part of that ensemble still claim that they changed my diapers and taught me how to talk. So I really was born into the world of the theater and never ever pictured a life outside of that.

My father worked in the world of stocks and commodities trading, which I think helped give me my business sense and got me excited about being an entrepreneur in the nonprofit cultural world. I have two sisters who live in the city of Philadelphia. One was a dancer most of her life, and now does life organization, helping organize people’s homes and the other sister does health, food and wellness — better eating, better life — kind of thing.

Was the Marie Kondo-type sister neat as a kid?
She was not! She was a very free-spirited artist but as her life transitioned, she became more interested in order.

And where were you in the order?
I was the oldest, so I was the caretaker. Both of my parents were very busy so when we were little, I was the one to take care of them. A lot of my childhood memories are of trying to help my mom, cooking food and keeping order. So I’ve always had a life of feeling responsible and running the show. I’ve always enjoyed that.

When I was in middle school, my father got a job in London so we lived there and that’s where my excitement for live theater became more of a discerned passion. I spent every free second I had there going to the theater and seeing some of the greatest British actors on stage. It was the heyday of British theater and I got to see people like Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi in Royal Shakespeare Company productions. My mother would make me write about each show — what worked, what didn’t. It was really impactful. I can’t quite imagine who I would be as a person or an artist if I hadn’t spent that time there.

Which show or performance really stood out?
Well, my mother let me see almost anything, but at that time, the European premiere of “Angels in America” was opening with the incredible Declan Donnellan directing so I told my mother I was going to see it and she was like, “Oh no you’re not. You’re 13, you’re not seeing that show.” [Laughing] So I lied and said I was going to see “Phantom of the Opera” and snuck down to the National Theatre and stood in line for day-of seat tickets. It was completely overwhelming at that point in my life, but I still remember so many moments from the show. It sent me on a journey of understanding the many ways you could tell a story on stage, and I got to direct the first part of the show in college.

Were you involved in other things outside of theater?
My father was a celebrated amateur athlete in high school and college and was a great basketball player. We were about the same size so there were a lot of expectations that I would be a similarly great athlete. I tried but it just was not for me. Photography was what I enjoyed most, I loved taking pictures of the world and printing them myself. I found a lot of solace in the darkroom after the chaos of being a teenager.

I had a darkroom in the basement too, so I understand. There’s something magical about seeing the photo slowly appearing on the blank paper. Which sister caused the most chaos?
My middle sister Kaki was always my best friend. We’ve traveled the world together and especially when we were younger, she had no fear. We’d walk into a situation and I’d be hanging back analyzing all the danger that might be lurking and she’d be the one to walk right in and meet whoever was there. I remember one time, there was this Olympic diving board and she just climbed all the way to the top and jumped off!

Yikes!
I know! I was horrified, but ultimately joined her and jumped off too. And that was our childhood together. She was always the one to crash through the wall, not always with good results, but it was amazing to be her partner in crime through all our adventures.

Fast forward, did you go to college?
I went to Northwestern, which at the time had the top non-conservatory theater program in the country and they also allowed undergrads to direct, which is something you usually only get to do in grad school. And a number of my directing idols had attended there, so I was hoping to find mentors there who would propel me into the world of professional/commercial theater. I was in Chicago for four years.

How did you handle the cold?
It was rough! Chicago is Miami Beach for about three weeks and the rest of the time, you’re wrapped up. But the city had a spectacular theater scene, maybe because of the cold, so it was a great place to learn and to see a lot of good theater.

Did you do much/any acting?
No, I got dragged into a few projects because I love to sing. I was in the premiere a cappella group, Melodious Thunk, so when people heard me sing, they’d try to rope me into musical theater projects.

What brought you back to the east coast?
In 2002, I was supposed to have been the assistant director of a new musical called, “The Visit” starring Chita Rivera. We were headed to Broadway when Sept. 11 happened. Broadway shut down. It was a non-traditional, edgy musical which wasn’t really wanted after 9/11. In 2003, I moved to New York and started freelancing, and the joke is that as soon as you get an apartment in New York, you start getting jobs everywhere but there. I started getting jobs doing predominantly Shakespeare in Dallas, Chicago, D.C. — you name it.

I led that nomadic life for about seven years when the idea for Quintessence Theatre came about. I was an artistic fellow at the Shakespeare Theatre in D.C. and we wanted to create a place that looked at classic theater from the perspective of my generation. I knew that the Sedgewick building was not being used, and I convinced the property owners that we could start a regional theater there. They said “go for it” and we’re currently celebrating our 15th year!

I love the building. It reminds me of that old grand dame who is not as spry as she once was. Her mascara is a little smudged, but she still has such dignity and character.
[Laughs] Yes, and the plays we do are such epic stories with often larger-than-life characters, so to bring people into what once was a movie palace already transports the audience. And then we get to take them further with the stories we tell.

And I’ll say your staff is wonderful, from the box office to the management to the concession stand and ushers. I’ve always found everyone so pleasant and effervescent. That usually comes from the top-down so kudos to you. And I love the fact that you can bring your food and drinks into the theater! You can kick back and have a good time — but quietly, folks…
Well, thank you.

“Kiss Me Kate” is getting great reviews. Tell me a little about the show.
The version that we’re doing is a revised version done most recently on Broadway. It’s a play within a play that really puts a focus on the joy and the zaniness and struggle of creating theater. It’s a celebration of the tenacity of the American spirit meeting classical actors trying to do Shakespeare and the absurdity of that idea. All of the characters are outsiders in a way and taking great risks to figure out who they are and how they fit in this world.

I was always curious about Cole Porter and his life, with what we now know about him; his journey as an artist and a queer person and how that affected the creation of these characters. To have so many free-spirited beings in a traditional musical is something avant garde, even today.

Jennie Eisenhower is one of the leads and she’s incredible. She was also a classmate of mine at Northwestern. She’s a seven-time Barrymore nominee, two-time winner and a true leading lady. It’s a gift to watch her take on the dual roles in this play. Her co-star is Renee McFillin and she’s also a total powerhouse.

What’s happening on Queer Affinity Night?
It’ll be a fun night. We usually concoct a cocktail that’s themed for the show we’re doing. There’ll be good music and some of the cast members and I will be there after the show. And possibly a sing-a-long to some of Cole Porter’s music. His songs are so queer and filled with double entendres. I love to sing them.

Speaking of queer, what was your biggest coming-out moment?
I was always very present in my sexuality, but probably when I read playwright Joe Orton’s diary entries, which were very graphic — well, pornographic — in front of the entire school at an assembly. I’d say that was the biggest declaration. I got in a lot of trouble for it! I also staged his play, “What the Butler Saw” as my senior project. But I had a girlfriend in high school and though I was intimate with some male friends, it wasn’t until college when I met my first real boyfriend that I was like, “Nope, I’m a gay man.”

An interesting thing: In college, I got hired to be an assistant director at Goodman Theatre in Chicago and I brought my then-boyfriend to an event there. The director and the artistic director pulled me aside and said, “Do you know how dangerous it is for your career if people perceive you as gay? You can NOT bring him to functions with you.” And they were both gay. They were trying to protect me but I brought him to the opening-night celebration anyway. And that was only about 20 years ago. Can you imagine?

It’s crazy how relatively rapidly things have changed. So what’s a favorite gift you’ve received?
For Christmas one year, my parents gave me a lighting panel, which allowed me to control all the lights for my plays that I would put on. I could dim the lights and change colors. It was cool.

If you could make a cameo appearance in a movie or play, which would you choose?
“All About Eve” with Bette Davis. It’s one of my absolute favorite films and I’d love to be in the room with any of the artists in that film.

I know that you’re newly married to actor, singer, dancer and previous Portrait profile Daniel Miller. What’s your favorite picture of the two of you?
The night he asked me to be his boyfriend, it was the night before Thanksgiving and we were in NYC. They have a tradition where all the balloons for the parade are being inflated and you can go see them up close, so I have an amazing picture that I love of us in front of Snoopy. And Pikachu, because that’s his favorite!

Have you ever asked anyone for an autograph?
I’ve asked a lot of people for their autographs. I have Patti LuPone’s autograph on my wall. These are the gayest answers ever!

Two favorite places to hang out in Philly?
Tavern on Camac for the show tunes, and I’ve always loved the Franklin Institute. I’ve gone there since I was a kid and I still think it’s one of the most magical places.

Something you say on repeat?
I don’t know where it comes from, but apparently I often respond to things with, “What a world…”

Quintessence Theatre Group presents “Kiss Me Kate” through Jan. 5 at The  Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit quintessencetheatre.org/kissmekate.

The post Alex Burns: The essence of Quintessence Theatre appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Author, illustrator (if relevant), and publisher are listed after each title. An asterisk (*) indicates a sequel (check out the whole series!) and a carat (^) indicates a graphic novel.

Many tales embrace the supernatural. “Benji Zeb Is a Ravenous Werewolf” (Deke Moulton, Tundra) is a smart, layered tale about a gay, Jewish werewolf and his family. Vampires feature in “Blood City Rollers”^ (V. P. Anderson, Tatiana Hill, Labyrinth Road), about a paranormal roller derby team; and “The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew”* (Kalynn Bayron, Bloomsbury), where lines of good and evil blur. For ghosts and monsters, try “Jasmine is Haunted” (Mark Oshiro, Starscape), with many queer characters; “The Ghostkeeper”^ (Johanna Taylor, G. P. Putnam), with a two-man romance; “Wishbone” (Justine Pucella Winans, Bloomsbury), with a transgender demiboy protagonist; “The School for Invisible Boys” Shaun David Hutchinson, Labyrinth Road), with a gay protagonist; “Camp Twisted Pine” (Ciera Burch, Margaret K. McElderry), a mystery with a first (two-girl) crush, and “Hart & Souls” (Lisa Schmid, Carolina Vazquez, Andrews McMeel), which weaves LGBTQ+ history into its mystery.

Mysterious buildings feature in “Scrimshaw: A Deephaven Novel,”* (Ethan M. Aldridge, Quill Tree), about a nonbinary student at an exclusive boarding school; “Puzzleheart” (Jenn Reese, Henry Holt), with a nonbinary protagonist and a house full of deadly puzzles; “The Curse of Eelgrass Bog” (Mary Averling, Razorbill), a twisty tale starring a queer girl; “The House on Yeet Street” (Preston Norton, Union Square Kids), which blends a contemporary gay coming out story with a historical mystery; and “Night of the Living Zed”* (Basil and Kevin Sylvester, HarperCollins), with a flamboyant nonbinary protagonist.

Other spooky adventures include “The Pale Queen”^ (Ethan Aldridge, Quill Tree), where a queer girl is drawn into a fairy bargain; “Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors” (Gail D. Villanueva, HarperCollins), with a bisexual protagonist and influences from Tagalog myths; “Jaden Powers and the Inheritance Magic” (Jamar J. Perry, Bloomsbury), about a queer boy at a West African-influenced magical boarding school; “The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines” (Mo Netz, Clarion), with a gender non-conforming protagonist who uses a wheelchair; “Nightmares in Paradise”* (Aden Polydoros, Inkyard), with a gay protagonist and creatures drawn from Jewish folklore; and the Doomsday Archives series, “The Wandering Hour” and “The Heart-Stealer Mask”* (Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos, Zando), with several queer (or queer-parented) characters. Two titles are set during an apocalypse: “The Flicker” (H.E. Edgmon, Feiwel & Friends), with nonbinary, trans, and gay characters; and “Alex Wise vs. the Cosmic Shift” (Terry J. Benton-Walker, Random House), with a gay protagonist as reluctant hero.

Find sword-swinging adventure with nonbinary protagonists (and other queer and diverse representation) in “Splinter & Ash” (Marieke Nijkamp, Greenwillow); and “Sir Callie and the Witch’s War”* (Esme Symes-Smith, Labyrinth Road). Magic and queerness also abound in “The Ghostwing’s Lie”* (Rebecca Mix, Balzer + Bray), a return to a deeply imagined fairy world; and “House of Elephants”* (Claribel Ortega, Scholastic), continuing the Dominican-inflected Witchlings series.

For magic and silliness, try “Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Tiny Forest Adventure”*^ (Emma Steinkellner, Labyrinth Road), set in an offbeat magical land; “PetWizards”^ (Kirk Scroggs, Union Square), about a glam-rock loving queer tween who can control (some) animals; and “Unicorn Boy”^ (Dave Roman, First Second), about a unicorn-horned boy and his nonbinary best friend.

Other adventures include “Paige Not Found” (Jen Wilde, Scholastic), a techno-thriller with a queer, autistic protagonist; “The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues”* (Beth Lincoln, Claire Powell, Dutton/Penguin), an art-theft mystery starring a hilariously eccentric family; and “Lunar Boy”^ (Jes and Cin Wibowo, HarperCollins), about a trans boy in a future Indonesian-based society.

Performing arts provide a backdrop in “Stand Up!”^ (Tori Sharp; Little, Brown), about two queer, neurodivergent best friends; “Upstaged”^ (Robin Easter; Little, Brown), a drama camp story with a nonbinary protagonist; and “Camp Prodigy”^ (Caroline Palmer, Simon & Schuster), about a nonbinary tween at orchestra camp.

Queer characters and friends create social change in “Jamie” (L.D. Lapinski, Little Bee), with a nonbinary protagonist; and “Not Another Banned Book”* (Dana Allison Levy, Delacorte), which includes a gay boy and another with two dads.

Foster families feature in “Gooseberry” (Robin Gow, Amulet), where a nonbinary, autistic tween finds a kindred spirit in a shelter dog; and “My So-Called Family” (Gia Gordon, Farrar, Straus and Giroux), where a gender non-conforming girl seeks safety and belonging.

Numerous titles explore other aspects of family, friendships, and sometimes crushes:

One centering queer girls include “Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine” (Nicole Melleby, Algonquin); “Mallory in Full Color” (Elisa Stone Leahy, HarperCollins); “Noah Frye Gets Crushed” (Maggie Horne, Clarion); “Emma and the Love Spell” (Meredith Ireland, Bloomsbury); “Crushing It” (Erin Becker, Penguin Workshop); “The House on Sunrise Lagoon: Halfway to Harbor”* (Nicole Melleby, Algonquin); “Falling Hard”* and “Perfect Revenge”* from the Saddlehill Academy series; “How It All Ends”^ (Emma Hunsinger, Greenwillow); “Turning Twelve”*^ (Kathryn Ormsbee, Molly Brooks, Random House); and “Crush”*^ (Tegan and Sara Quin, Tillie Walden; Farrar, Straus and Giroux).

Ones centering queer boys include “The Truth About Triangles” (Michael Leali, Sunbird); and “Sink or Swim”*^ (Veronica Agarwal, Lee Durfey-Lavoie, Random House). 

For nonbinary protagonists, try “Just Shy of Ordinary,” (A.J. Sass; Little, Brown); “Asking for a Friend” (Ronnie Riley, Scholastic); and the novel in verse “Murray Out of Water” (Taylor Tracy, Quill Tree).

Additionally, “Linus and Etta Could Use a Win” (Caroline Huntoon, Feiwel & Friends) stars a trans boy and a goth girl; “A for Effort”* (Jarad Greene, HarperCollins), has an asexual boy protagonist; and “The Ribbon Skirt”^ (Cameron Mukwa, Scholastic), stars a two-spirit Anishinaabe youth.

For full reviews, further details on representation, plus nonfiction titles and more, visit my Mombian Database of LGBTQ Family Books.

The post A Holiday Gift Guide to 2024’s LGBTQ+ Middle-Grade Books appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

In the early stages of their rise in the 1990s, Tegan and Sara — known for their infectious indie-rock songs in the early 2000s — became iconic figures within the LGBTQ+ community, at a time when openly queer musicians were still a rarity. Their deep connection with queer fans was particularly strong, given the scarcity of such representation in music. Their mainstream breakthrough came with the release of “Heartthrob” in 2012, marking their shift to synth-pop and earning them millions of new fans, including Taylor Swift, with whom they later performed during her “Red” tour that same year.

But behind the scenes, the Quins were facing a disturbing betrayal. Tegan discovered in 2011 that someone with access to deeply personal details of their lives — details they hadn’t shared publicly, like their mother’s cancer diagnosis — was impersonating her and had been since 2008. This “fake Tegan,” the name they used within their inner circle to keep track of the imposter sister, befriended fans on social media, even engaging in romantic conversations, all while feeding them false information and ghosting on planned meetups. Things escalated further: their passports were leaked, private photos were made public, and the invasion of their privacy continued. Beyond the Quins, their closest friends, cyber security specialists, the FBI and numerous victims who were deceived by fake Tegan, no one knew the sisters were living through this real-life nightmare. “Just so frightening and overwhelming,” Tegan shares. “And I’m really good at dissociating from scary things.”

On a video call with Tegan, who I interviewed in 2013 while this was happening in the background, she admitted why they chose to stay silent about being catfished at the time. Primarily it was out of necessity for the safety of them and the numerous people — from fans to lovers — deeply affected by fake Tegan.

“We didn’t talk about it publicly, because it just seemed like it would be worse,” she says. “It would make it worse, it would draw too much attention. It might attract more predators.”

The other reason is simple, and once you watch the film, it becomes clear — it unfolds like a whodunit game of “Clue,” or as the documentary itself references, given the Myspace-era time frame in which some of this is happening, the 1995 cyber-thriller “The Net.” Except this wasn’t a movie.

“It’s not an easy story to sit down and tell,” Tegan explains. There were other difficult decisions they had to make, too, like figuring out who they could trust with sensitive details. What if they confided in the person who was actually the imposter, posing as Tegan? She adds, “I certainly couldn’t email about it, because I wasn’t 100% sure my emails weren’t being constantly hacked.”

Their catfishing ordeal is compelling in its own right, but director Erin Lee Carter frames this disturbing story within the larger context of how fame can amplify situations where fans feel entitled to the most intimate details of the artists they admire.

“It’s just so unnatural to be famous,” Tegan reflects, acknowledging that the artist-fan relationship should be centered on the music — yet stardom often complicates that dynamic, making it something far more invasive or even parasocialistic. Given this, can we really blame Chappell Roan for setting stricter boundaries with fans and photographers? “Fanatical” may just challenge your perspective on whether these boundaries are an act of ingratitude or simply a necessary part of doing the job of an artist who also happens to be a person.

“There were just expectations on artists,” she reflects. “There’s always been, and I think these days the younger artists are stepping up and going, ‘Actually, I don’t want to do this.’ I love how Mitski handled this record cycle. They virtually did no press.”

She says that Mitski, a fellow queer artist, is “an example of an artist who said, ‘The world’s my oyster, and everyone is listening to me and talking about me right now, and I’m not going to take every opportunity. I’m not.’ And I think some of these younger artists are prioritizing themselves and their health and their families over fame. A lot of queer artists and women, specifically, are speaking out right now, which is so inspiring and amazing.”

She adds that Roan is “just one artist basically saying, ‘Leave me alone.’ I mean, you think every famous person likes having to spend six or seven figures a year on security? Have their houses camped out at? They can’t go for dinner or to Disney World with their kids without people coming up and asking for selfies. We’re at a point in our culture where we have to ask ourselves if that’s OK. People will tell you, ‘Well, that’s your job, and you owe that to us.’ And I’m not interested in playing that game because I don’t feel that way. It’s absolutely not my job, and I’m absolutely not.”

Chalk it up to Tegan and Sara being 43 now — and also being inspired by a new generation of artists like Roan. “I don’t feel like I owe anyone anything except for what I choose to put out in the world, and you can take it or leave it, you know, so I don’t…,” she says, laughing. “I think we’re old.”

“We’re not those kinds of people where you can scour our social media,” she adds. “You don’t see us with our friends. You don’t see us with our family. You don’t see us with our partners. We keep the majority of ourselves private, but I think we do a really excellent job of still making you feel like you’re a part of what we’re building and the music and our story, but we’re very, very protective of our personal life now.”

Tegan recognizes how vastly different being a public figure would feel in the 1990s; for one major reason she’s grateful the duo did make waves before information was tweeted and dissected on Reddit. The sisters built relationships with their loyal queer following offline, through more direct, personal and physical methods, like in small clubs, in magazine interviews and during meet-and-greets.

“Culturally, everything has shifted so much in the last 20 years,” she says. “We’re so glad there was no Internet when we were teenagers,” she says, “because we would have absolutely filmed ourselves and put ourselves on the internet. It’s no judgment of people that are doing it. We would have done it. We filmed ourselves all the time, but we just played it for our friends.”

The violation of their privacy that would come later serves as a stark reminder of how drastically the internet can alter someone’s life. While stealing intimate details once required breaking into a filing cabinet by first breaking into someone’s house, now it only takes a few clicks.

The film asks, with urgency and abiding relevancy: What exactly is the “job” of a pop star? The follow-up question it seems to ask is just as important: Is that job different for queer pop stars? For queer artists in the pre-digital age of the 1990s, when social media did not provide a window into the lives of their favorite artists, fans of queer artists felt the need to understand the identities of those they admired. To love them was to know them, fully. Tegan and Sara became mirrors for fans, reflecting their own identities and experiences — a connection I can personally relate to. While many queer artists wouldn’t overtly label the pressure of this representation as a burden, and many express gratitude for offering visibility to those who need it, this responsibility often comes at the cost of privacy and the erosion of personal boundaries.

During their career ascension especially, Tegan acknowledges that she and Sara kept some healthy distance from fans, but their very presence as openly queer artists created a deep connection with many in the queer community. For many queer people, finding a queer-to-queer experience was rare, and this made their bond with Tegan and Sara even more significant.

“I definitely think we made a lot of space for queer people, for sure,” she says. “I think they were feeling very realized and seen by us, and we felt the same. I was looking out into an audience of people who looked like me, who lived the same lifestyle at times where we didn’t even have equal rights. There was a pretty epic energy exchange and love felt.”

The film takes you through a maze of potential suspects, including those closest to them and die-hard fans. But it also shifted course during the actual filming of it, the primary reason being “it’s a complicated portrait that we have of this person,” Tegan says. “I think this person was young and confused and has issues. It just felt time to move on.”

“By the end of production, I think we all had a really complicated understanding of everyone in the movie,” she adds. “I mean, many of the victims had also victimized me. Many of the victims were also deeply apologetic, and were like, ‘What was I doing on Tumblr, looking for your personal email?’”

Tegan describes “Fanatical” as “a bit of a time machine” that examines just how “commonplace and normalized” it has become to pry into the lives of public figures. Even as they were making the documentary, she says, “we just recognized that this film ended up being a human story about the internet and fame.”Although the film provided Tegan with “the closure I needed” regarding fake Tegan, new evidence has surfaced regarding that person’s identity. People have come forward with additional information, leading to breakthroughs.

“We had some pretty revelatory meetings with an FBI profiler and investigator with 25 years of experience,” she says. “They reviewed everything and created a fascinating map, which is why we think we know who the fake Tegan is.” According to the film, which Tegan again confirmed during our interview, all the physical evidence so far points to someone in the U.K.

With this saga mostly behind them, Tegan and Sara are considering their follow-up to 2022’s “Crybaby.” “We’re still going to make music,” Tegan assures. “We’re just going to do it on our own terms, like we always have.”

The post The Horror Behind the Music: Tegan and Sara’s Unbelievable Real-Life Catfishing Saga appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

“Am I OK?” (Max) is a charming comedy co-directed by the married couple Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne about Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno), two besties who know everything about each other. However, their close dynamic changes when Jane accepts a job in London. That same night, Lucy confesses that she thinks she is a lesbian. While they each respect — and are even happy for — the other, tensions creep into their relationship. Jane hopes Lucy will start dating before she leaves, and Lucy is trying to read the signals her flirty coworker Brittany (Kiersey Clemons) is sending. Meanwhile, Lucy is trying to get Jane to be less controlling. “Am I OK?” is amusing with the characters’ quick banter, and poignant when it comes to Lucy’s struggle for self-acceptance. Both Johnson and Mizuno have a winning rapport in this feel-good film.

“Close to You” (Netflix) is an intimate, improvised drama about Sam (Elliot Page) returning home for the first time after transitioning. He is anxious about the trip, and he becomes more emotional en route after an unexpected reunion with Katherine (Hillary Baack), whom he knew and loved years ago. As Sam processes those feelings, he must also contend with a mother (Wendy Crewson) who loves but misgenders him, his father (Peter Outerbridge), who is proud of him, and a brother-in-law, Paul (David Reale), who disrespects him. “Close to You” gives Page a terrific showcase for his acting talents as well as a platform to address trans issues, but director/co-writer Dominic Savage employs dark lighting and handheld camerawork that can often be distracting.

“Crossing” (MUBI) by out gay writer/director Levan Akin (“And Then We Danced”) is a compelling drama that follows a retired Georgian teacher, Lia (Mzia Arabuli), who is looking for her trans niece, Tekla, in Istanbul. She is accompanied by Achi (Lucas Kankava), a young man who claims Tekla gave him her address before leaving. As they travel to Turkey, the film also introduces Evrim (Deniz Dumanli) a trans lawyer who works for Pink Life, an NGO. (Evrim is so ingratiating, one wishes for a whole film about her.) “Crossing” immerses viewers in these characters’ lives as they all roam the streets of multicultural Istanbul and establish — or miss — connections. The trans/queer community is presented as a close-knit network, and Akin emphasizes the idea of found family as supporting characters such as Izzet (Bünyamin Değer), a street urchin, intersects with Lia, Achi and Evrim. Akin captures the emotional journeys of these three interesting protagonists as they each search for something that may be out of reach. The actors are fantastic, and the film delivers a strong sense of time and place.

Cynthia Erivo may be triumphing in “Wicked” right now, but earlier this year, she gave a riveting performance in the little-seen character study, “Drift” (Kanopy). Broke, hungry, and homeless, Jacqueline (Cynthia Erivo) wanders the streets of a picturesque Greek island, stealing food and trying to earn money. She is a long way from Liberia, where her family lived, or London, where she was romantically involved with Helen (Honor Byrne Swinton). When she meets Callie (Alia Shawkat), an American who works on the island as a tour guide, the two develop an easygoing friendship. But there is an unspoken tension, possibly sexual, amid the comfort and connection as both women seek healing. “Drift” is an intimate, affecting drama.

“The Missing,” (Netflix) is a powerful animated drama from the Philippines, written and directed by Carl Joseph Papa. Eric (voiced by Calo Aquino) is missing his mouth. It is both a physical and symbolic absence; he cannot speak because of a trauma he suffered in his past. His mother, Rosalinda (Dolly De Leon), is unaware of the source of Eric’s pain, but he is treated with patience and care by his coworker, Carlo (Gio Gahol). The two young men share a mutual attraction, but Eric can’t act on it because he is re-traumatized after finding his uncle Rogerio (Joshua Cabiladas) dead. Eric starts seeing “aliens” who want to take his body. The rotoscope animation works very well to convey the physical and emotional states of the characters —especially as Eric experiences bouts of mental illness. Moreover, flashbacks to Eric as a 9-year-old boy — which are cleverly depicted in a different, rougher style of animation — reveal what trigger Eric. Papa has crafted a moving and potent story, and he tells it with sensitivity and compassion.

“Stress Positions” (Hulu) is trans writer/director Theda Hammel’s clever and very funny comedy about Terry (John Early), who is first seen rolling a giant disco ball — like a gay Sisyphus — out of his soon-to-be-ex-husband’s Leo’s (John Roberts) Brooklyn house. Terry is homebound because he is isolating during the pandemic (it is summer 2020), and because he is currently caring for his nephew, Bahlul (Qaher Harhash), a straight teenage model from Morocco who has a broken leg. Terry’s best friend Karla (Hammel), however, creates some chaos when she tells Leo about Bahlul and cheats on her girlfriend Vanessa (Amy Zimmer) with Ronald (Faheem Ali). The laughs are generated from slapstick moments involving Terry throwing his back out (repeatedly), some dexterous wordplay, and a running gag about countries in the Middle East. There is also a narrative about Bahlul’s memories of his mother that add a wistfulness that balances out some of the cringe-inducing humor. Early’s expressions and physicality are perfectly pitched, and Hammel shrewdly plants gags that have a nice payoff later. For viewers who appreciate frustration comedy, this is a gem.

The post LGBTQ+ films you may have missed in 2024 appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

The world outside our skulls pays no deference to our habit of making everything about us. So while people indulge themselves with the comforting story of the ox and ass in the stable on a snowy night bowing to the Christ child, and the narrator in a hymn talks humbly of her poor offering, actual Palestinian children are getting the crap bombed out of them.

I have been careful, when criticizing Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Force, to note that Hamas is a terrorist organization that began the current conflict. I support the two-state solution, a longstanding American policy. Yet any criticism of the Israeli government, even echoing protesters who fill Israeli streets, brings accusations of antisemitism. I wonder how many antisemites have contributed to the purchase of a Torah scroll for a gay synagogue.

Trump’s ambassador-designate to Israel is former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a premillennial dispensationalist zealot. The fact that the End Times narrative includes Jews does not mean it has a place for them in heaven, any more than it adheres to the teachings of Christ.

I was glad to see Syrians celebrate the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, which was a blow to both Russia and Iran. The Salafi jihadist group ISIS is still active there. Time will tell if the celebrations turn sour like those in Egypt years ago. The United States has 900 soldiers in Syria.

I interrupt this discussion of violent conflict in the Middle East to wish you Peace On Earth.

We take so much for granted while fools and fanatics who call themselves patriots do all they can to turn our country’s constitutional government on its head. To them, diversity is not a simple reality of our country’s population, but a radical leftist plot to be conquered with cruel policies.

Trump’s slogan is “Make America Great Again.” There is no greatness in the attitude that any Republican official who opposes a thing Trump does is an enemy, nor in the endless nursing of grievance and prejudice by people who pose as victims when their bigotry is pointed out.

In this season of “Messiah” sing-alongs, I think of Psalms 2:9, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Pardon the violent biblical imagery. I am grateful to the Democratic opposition for their mounting resistance to the Trump-hijacked GOP’s cruel and heartless policies.

I think Trump’s dictatorial demands and contempt for medical science and all other expertise make him vulnerable. Even Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, is pushing back against opponents of that proven life-saving vaccine.

Those of us who expect better of our country than endless scapegoating of trans people and immigrants of color need to step up. The prospect of having to fight to protect gains already made is dispiriting. We must turn to one another for support. The social media used by others to spread disinformation and hate can be used to organize and fight back.

Here in the bleak early winter, I pause for self-care. This means taking things day by day and finding comfort in books, movies, music and friends. I think of my fiancé and his son across the sea; I will see them in the new year.

I skipped a Dec. 12 National Faith Advisory Board prayer call with Mike Huckabee. I also did not buy a Christmas ornament from President-elect Scrooge, nor anything from Time’s Person of the Year Collection.

Instead, on the darkest night of the year, I light a candle and renew the oath I took as a federal employee to defend the Constitution. I also embrace the words of Abraham Lincoln quoted by Congresswoman Barbara Jordan at the Democratic National Convention in 1976:

“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is not democracy.”

I do not know how long the current struggle will last. But ultimately, freedom and equality will remain the right of every American, both native-born and immigrant — not automatically, but because you and I fight to uphold them.

The darkest of nights is illumined by the stars. Amid our beloved country’s encroaching darkness, let us be points of light and hope.

The post Hope in the bleak winter appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

But both of those things happened when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality in 2015.

Granted, today’s Court is openly hostile to LGBTQ+ rights and that’s scary. There’s no reason to believe that they won’t overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, which made marriage equality the law of the land. It’s not like the radical conservatives who have been fighting against LGBTQ+ rights suddenly stopped in 2015. In fact, they’ve actually gained more power in the government and in our courts. Also scary!

I am reminded of that oft-quoted piece of wisdom from Mister Fred Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

Granted, that advice is intended for children who cannot be helpers themselves in such situations. But I am reminded of the many people over the course of history who have fought in one way or another against oppression and for progress. A lot of people had to sacrifice a hell of a lot to advance LGBTQ+ rights.

I get it. Being told to “keep fighting” is exhausting. But I think it’s still important to look for the people who are helping. Who are looking at discriminatory laws and hateful rhetoric and saying, “Nope.”

One such person is Ohio elementary school teacher Karen Cahall, who has a 30-year career in the New Richmond Exempted Village School District.

Cahall, like many elementary school teachers, has a lot of books in her classroom. And four of those books contain “LGBTQ+ characters in the plot line.”

A parent complained and her district suspended her for three days without pay. So Cahall is suing.

The four books, reports The Advocate, are “Ana On The Edge” by A.J. Sass, “The Fabulous Zed Watson” by Basil Sylvester, “Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea” by Ashley Herring Blake and “Too Bright to See” by Kyle Lukoff.

The books “have LGBTQ+ characters in them but do not otherwise advocate for or against any particular lifestyle or endorse an LGBTQ+ lifestyle,” reads the lawsuit, which was filed Dec. 2.

I should note that I take issue with the term “lifestyle” here as it has long been used to reduce LGBTQ+ people to a way of living that one adopts, rather than an inherent identity, e.g. vegetarianism.

“None of these books can fairly be considered ‘obscene,’ ‘offensive’ or appealing to prurient interests,” the suit continues. “None of these books describe sexual conduct or sexual activity. Each of these books has serious literary, artistic, political and scientific value. These books each deal with characters who are LGBTQ+ and are coming to terms with feeling different and excluded simply because they are LGBTQ+ and serve to reinforce plaintiff Karen Cahall’s sincerely held moral and religious beliefs that all children, including children who are LGBTQ+ or the children of parents who are LGBTQ+, deserve to be respected, accepted, and loved for who they are.”

Wait, what? A “sincerely held moral and religious belief” that doesn’t hate LGBTQ+ people? Can you imagine?

Well, you don’t have to. Because Cahall is hardly the only person who feels this way.

Her lawsuit is challenging the school district’s “controversial issues” policy which, according to the lawsuit, “vaguely and ambiguously defines a ‘controversial issue’ as ‘a topic on which opposing points of view have been promulgated by responsible opinion or likely to arouse both support and opposition by the community’ — a definition that is so vague and all-encompassing that it could extend to virtually any topic upon which any two random individuals or groups of individuals might find something to disagree about.”

These kinds of policies, which exist to block topics related to LGBTQ+ people and the history/existence of racism, are reactionary and do not actually protect children. If anything, they put children who are in minority groups in greater danger by positioning them as an “other” whose lives aren’t worth learning about and thus not worth considering.

Cahall is taking a risk here. But doing the right thing in the face of opposition is rarely easy. So the next time you are feeling hopeless, look for the helpers like Karen Cahall and remember that there are good people in this world. Even good Karens.

The post Creep of the Week: An Ohio Parent appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

The staff and board of AIDS Fund issued the following statement to the press: “Since our founding during the peak of the AIDS epidemic, significant medical advancements in HIV care and prevention have dramatically transformed the landscape, reducing the number of new infections, and improving quality of life for those living with HIV disease. Although our work is concluding, the pursuit of Getting to Zero: Zero Stigma, Zero New Infections, and Zero Deaths, remains a vital task that requires ongoing commitment and resources. 18,658 of our friends, family and neighbors in Philadelphia are currently living with HIV disease, many of whom lack stable housing. It is our hope that local leaders — in government, non-profits, and industry — will put greater effort and resources into supporting this vulnerable community.”

In a separate statement sent to PGN, AIDS Fund Executive Director Robb Reichard commented on why the organization is closing.

“Since its founding, AIDS Fund has remained laser focused on the HIV epidemic,” Reichard said. “As a result of this singular focus, we always hoped that one day our work would be completed. We are proud of our contributions to the fight against HIV in Philadelphia, and believe that with the advances in both the prevention and treatment we can conclude our work at this time.”

Action Wellness Executive Director Mary Evelyn Torres, who took over the nonprofit last year after the retirement of then-director Kevin Burns, issued the following statement about the nonprofit taking over GayBINGO events: “We are honored that AIDS Fund has chosen Action Wellness to uphold the legacy of GayBINGO. We are dedicated to ensuring its ongoing success and utilizing the proceeds to support individuals living with HIV. The LGBTQ+ community has played a pivotal role since the onset of the HIV epidemic, and this dedication remains steadfast, as evidenced by 28 years of GayBINGO. We extend our gratitude to AIDS Fund, its staff, volunteers, and Board for their unwavering commitment to the community and the remarkable contributions they have made in the battle against HIV.”

The organization’s roots trace back to 1987, when volunteers from Penguin Place, Philadelphia’s lesbian and gay community center, organized the city’s first Walk-A-Thon to support local AIDS agencies and raise awareness about the disease. That inaugural AIDS Walk Philly raised $33,000. Since then, thousands of participants have gathered annually for the region’s largest HIV/AIDS public awareness and fundraising event. It has gone on to raise more than $18 million in the fight against HIV.

When asked about the future of the AIDS Walk, Torres responded with the following statement to PGN: “Like so many in our community, we’ve loved participating in the AIDS Walk for many years. AIDS Fund is sharing its AIDS Walk resources and information with us. But for now, we are focusing on delivering a great 2025 GayBINGO lineup starting with January’s Rhinestone Cowgirls theme, Black-Tie GayBINGO in March, and our annual Dining Out for Life in April.”

In 2017, AIDS Fund initiated a program of giving micro-grants (averaging just $394) to the most vulnerable of those living with HIV: those who found their health threatened because of impending evictions or the loss of health insurance or utilities. Over the past seven years, AIDS Fund provided 1,830 grants totaling over $721,013.

The press release from AIDS Fund also included a comment looking toward the future.

“We deeply respect and trust Action Wellness, and know they will continue to deliver high quality essential services to people living with HIV disease in our communities along with continuing the tradition and evolution of GayBINGO,” the release reads.

For more photos of AIDS Fund’s final GayBINGO event, check out Scene in Philly.

The post AIDS Fund to cease operation at end of 2024 appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Jurors deliberated Jones’ fate for five days before telling Common Pleas Judge Charles A. Ehrlich on Dec. 13 they were unable to reach a verdict on first-degree murder or third-degree murder. Ehrlich declared a mistrial.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Jones remains incarcerated at a jail in Northeast Philadelphia pending a decision on whether he should be retried for murder.

In June 2020, Jones allegedly stabbed Fells to death inside his Powelton Village residence, then dismembered her corpse with a jigsaw and deposited her remains in the Schuylkill River.

Jones served as his own attorney during the trial, though he had a standby attorney, Walter C. Chisholm.

For four days, jurors heard testimony from a variety of prosecution witnesses, including experts in the areas of crime-scene testing, DNA analysis, cellular phone analysis and video analysis. A representative from the medical examiner’s office also testified, along with three civilian witnesses.

The experts testified about evidence allegedly connected to Jones, including a bloody jigsaw, a bloody mattress, a folding knife and other objects such as green plastic wrapping material that were utilized in the crime.

Jones, 40, maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, claiming another person killed Fells. However, no other person has been charged in the crime.

Fells, 27, was a beloved figure in the LGBTQ+ community. Numerous relatives and friends attended court on a daily basis as a demonstration of support for her.

She was a passionate dancer, artist and fashion designer who had dreams of going back to school and designing her own clothing line. Her death shocked the Philadelphia community and beyond.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

The post Hung jury in Rem’mie Fells case appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Taurus: It’s all about going with the flow as Gemini’s full moon shines on the 15th. If you’ve been holding onto something that’s holding you back, ask yourself why. Are you compromising your boundaries to make something “work”? It might be time to admit it’s not working.

Gemini: When the spotlight lands on your sign with the full moon on the 15th, everything feels aligned. Your efforts are paying off, and your investments seem wise. This is a time to enjoy friendships and romance — being around others brings inspiration and renewal.

Cancer: This week’s lunar energy reminds you just how much you thrive on connection. Processing emotions is easier when you talk them out, and brainstorming with someone you admire can spark fresh ideas. It’s time to leave behind the old tricks that aren’t cutting it anymore.

Leo: Balancing contradictions is your challenge under the Gemini full moon on the 15th. As new ideas take shape, you may struggle to reconcile them with old ones. Remember, holding space for opposing truths can lead to clarity. The future is complex — embrace it.

Virgo: The Gemini full moon on the 15th brings surprises in the form of new friends and opportunities. A desire for spontaneity may push you out of your comfort zone. This week’s focus on the new and experimental can free you from energy-draining ties to the past.

Libra: This week’s lunar spotlight encourages you to explore yourself on a deeper level. The full moon on the 15th kickstarts a phase of self-awareness and honesty about your inner workings. With this clarity, you’ll feel empowered to refine your goals and strengthen relationships.

Scorpio: A hidden urge for change rises to the surface as Gemini’s full moon unfolds on the 15th. If you’ve been quiet, it’s time to get loud. If you’ve been staying in, it’s time to step out. Use this dynamic energy to set bold plans into motion.

Sagittarius: Relationships take center stage with the Gemini full moon in your sister sign on the 15th. Big conversations may arise this week, but your open mind and synergy between heart and brain make compromise and resolution feel natural.

Capricorn: A wave of change sweeps over you as the full moon in Gemini shines brightly on the 15th. You find it easier to trust the path unfolding before you. This week, you’ll let go of second-guessing and step into a sense of calm contentment.

Aquarius: New and exciting connections come your way under this week’s full moon in Gemini. Inspiration flows as you collaborate with others, brainstorming creative projects or finding solutions outside your usual comfort zone. The answers you seek lie in fresh perspectives.

Pisces: Routine gets a shake-up as Gemini’s full moon takes over on the 15th. Even small detours can bring unexpected inspiration. This lunation carries a social, outgoing energy, making it a perfect time to plan something fun with friends.

The post Horoscopes: Dec. 13-19, 2024 appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Masters is a well-respected and award-winning journalist and publisher with decades of experience, mostly in LGBTQ media. He founded Gay City News in New York City in 2002 and relocated to Los Angeles in 2015. In 2017, he became the founding publisher of the Los Angeles Blade, a sister publication of the Washington Blade, the nation’s oldest LGBTQ newspaper.

His family released a statement to the Blade on Thursday. 

“We are shocked and devastated by the loss of Troy,” the statement says. “He was a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ community and leaves a tremendous legacy of fighting for social justice and equality. We ask for your prayers and for privacy as we mourn this unthinkable loss. We will announce details of a celebration of life in the near future.”

The Blade management team released the following statement on Thursday:

“All of us at the Los Angeles Blade and Washington Blade are heartbroken by the loss of our colleague. Troy Masters is a pioneer who championed LGBTQ rights as well as best-in-class journalism for our community. We will miss his passion and his tireless dedication to the Los Angeles queer community.

“We would like to thank the readers, advertisers, and supporters of the Los Angeles Blade, which will continue under the leadership of our local editor Gisselle Palomera, the entire Blade family in D.C. and L.A., and eventually under a new publisher.”

Troy Masters was born April 13, 1961 and is survived by his mother Josie Kirkland and his sister Tammy Masters, along with many friends and colleagues across the country. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.

Story courtesy of the Washington Blade via the National LGBTQ Media Association. The National LGBTQ Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country with a collective readership of more than 400K in print and more than 1 million + online. Learn more here: https://nationallgbtmediaassociation.com/.

The post Los Angeles Blade publisher Troy Masters dies at 63 appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Tributes to Giovanni flooded social media, with notable writers, former students and others posting their meetings with her, excerpts from her poetry and performances she had given.

Giovanni was a towering figure in the Black Arts Movement as well as in the lesbian feminist movement. In the 1970s, she spent a period of time in Philadelphia studying social work at the University of Pennsylvania while also broadening her poetic reach on TV and radio.

Her final project, a documentary about her life and her fascination with space, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” was made in Philadelphia for MAX last year. In the documentary Giovanni says, “I remember what’s important and I make up the rest. That’s what storytelling’s all about.”

A true icon

Giovanni was among our most quotable figures. Her work was as accessible as it was different from anyone else’s. She wrote a series of children’s books in addition to her collections of poetry and essays — she wanted to reach everyone with her messaging of Black love, female resilience and resistance and political action. In 2020, she wrote and performed a poem, “Vote,” where she declared herself a “thug” and said a vote says you are a citizen and that “folks vote to make us free.” It’s a dazzlingly sharp and incisive treatise on the fight for the vote that is ongoing. It is declarative of Giovanni’s breadth of political activism even at, as she notes, “77 and I hope to be 78.”

A Black lesbian voice

She self-published her first two books, “Black Feeling Black Talk” and “Black Judgment,” in 1968. Her son, Thomas, was born in 1969: “I had a baby at 25 because I wanted to have a baby and I could afford to have a baby,” she told Ebony magazine with vehemence. “I didn’t want to get married, and I could afford not to get married.” She never publicly identified the father.

For decades, Giovanni was partnered with Virginia Fowler, who she later married. Fowler was with her when she died in a Virginia hospital.

In 1987, Giovanni was recruited by Fowler to teach creative writing and literature at Virginia Tech. There, Giovanni later became a University Distinguished Professor, before retiring in 2022. And it was there that she delivered a poem to the university after the mass shooting on campus in 2007.

“We know we did nothing to deserve it. But neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS. Neither do the invisible children walking the night awake to avoid being captured by a rogue army. Neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory. Neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water….We are Virginia Tech…. We will prevail.”

Giovanni frequently spoke out against hate-motivated violence. At a 1999 Martin Luther King Day event, she said of the 1998 murders of James Byrd Jr. and Matthew Shepard: “What’s the difference between dragging a Black man behind a truck in Jasper, Texas, and beating a white boy to death in Wyoming because he’s gay?”

Hers was a riveting voice and presence. From 1970, she began making regular appearances on the television program “Soul!,” an entertainment/variety/talk show that promoted Black art and culture and for which Giovanni interviewed diverse figures from Muhammed Ali to James Baldwin. She authored a memoir, “Gemini: An Extended Autobiographical Statement on My First Twenty-Five Years of Being a Black Poet,” which came out in 1971, when she was only 28.

As the New York Times reported, in 1972, when she was 29, Giovanni sold out the 1,000-plus seats at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, reading her poems alongside gospel music performed by the New York Community Choir. It was an unheard-of event. A year later she sold out all 3,000 seats at Philharmonic Hall (now David Geffen Hall).

A poet. The poet.

What made Giovanni so compelling was her verve and her electric presence. She was captivating and pulled in an audience from her first words. At the beginning of her career as a writer and performer, Giovanni made herself a public intellectual — appearing on TV and talk shows and panels. She talked with other figures in the Black Arts Movement and Black civil rights movement.

One heady exchange was a two-part interview she did with Baldwin, where she laid out how the Black woman was undermined and discounted. It’s an extraordinary commentary in which Baldwin’s innate inculcated misogyny is revealed and yet Giovanni is gentle with him as she makes her case for female equality and equity.

“Two of the most important artist-intellectuals of the twentieth century were engaged in intimate communion on national television,” The New Yorker wrote of the interview.

She also co-wrote a book with Baldwin titled “A Dialogue.”

Giovanni’s love for Baldwin and his work was lasting and several months ago, she spoke at length about him for Penguin Books to celebrate the centenary of Baldwin’s birth.

The work

The early works of Giovanni are often described as “militant.” But throughout her long career, Giovanni addressed issues in her work — notably of gender and sexuality — that were always outside that of mainstream literary constructs.

Giovanni published numerous collections of poetry — from her first self-published volume, “Black Feeling Black Talk” (1968), to New York Times bestseller “Bicycles: Love Poems” (2009). She wrote several works of nonfiction and children’s literature and made multiple recordings, including the Emmy-award nominated “The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection” (2004).

Her most recent publications include “Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose” (2020); “Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid” (2013); and, as editor, “The 100 Best African American Poems” (2010). She also published more than two dozen volumes of poetry, essays, and edited anthologies and 11 illustrated children’s books, including “Rosa,” an award-winning biography of Rosa Parks.

Giovanni received numerous awards, including the 2022 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the inaugural Rosa L. Parks Woman of Courage Award, the American Book Award, the Langston Hughes Award, the Virginia Governor’s Award for the Arts, the Emily Couric Leadership Award, a Literary Excellence Award. She was a seven-time recipient of the NAACP Image Award. Her autobiography, Gemini, was a finalist for the 1973 National Book Award. In 2004, her album, “The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection,” was a Grammy finalist for Best Spoken Word Album.

The marriage

When she spoke at the premiere of “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Giovanni spoke briefly about the isolation of being a writer. But she also spoke about her long marriage to Virginia “Ginnie” Fowler, who first brought her to Virginia Tech, then became her biographer, partner and wife.

Beandrea July writes about how in the documentary “Giovanni is able to speak about being a lesbian without shame. In a scene that takes place in a church pulpit, she hypothesizes the extinction of the penis, while also affirming her marriage to fellow academic Virginia Fowler: ‘I’m very fortunate to have somebody who loves me. I don’t care what anybody has to say about it.’ Fowler is interviewed in the film and we see Giovanni give her a sheepish peck on the cheek in their kitchen.”

Queer writer Hilton Als noted in the New York Times that Giovanni’s commentary on Black love and Black cohesion and family “was a voice you didn’t hear a lot then, this desire for home.”

Als referenced hearing Giovanni read her poem “My House” in the early 1970s. “Later, as she ditched the Black nationalist rhetoric, she became more herself. She was saying something really profound to me, a member of the gay community and the Black world and whatever. She was the first warrior in terms of talking about queer love — not specifically, but it was there.”

Black love, lesbian love, gender and sexuality, political action and historical crimes against Black people and women — these were the subjects about which Giovanni dedicated her decades of writing and speaking. She leaves a lasting legacy that is long, complex, foundational and not a little incendiary.

There are more readings on Nikki Giovanni’s website nikki-giovanni.com and a series of her poems and prose on The Poetry Foundation at poetryfoundation.org.

The post Nikki Giovanni: Remembering an icon appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

A few weeks ago, I received an email that was so sincere and relevant to a subject with which I had a personal connection, though the sender had absolutely no idea about that connection. When I contacted them, they were as surprised as I was.

Here’s the story: It was one of those nights when you find yourself sitting in your living room, looking for a movie to stream. In this case, I searched the LGBTQ+ section and found a film titled “Firebird.” Here’s the description of the movie: “At the height of the Cold War, a troubled Russian soldier forms a forbidden love triangle with a Soviet fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet air force base.”

I’ve traveled to Russia on three occasions, and on the first two trips, it was during the Soviet era or at its end. Some of the experiences I had there at times had military implications. Before you get the wrong idea, let me explain. There was the time the State Department arranged for me to enter the Kremlin, with the KGB guarding me, or the time my good friend Patsy Lynch almost got us arrested in the streets of St. Petersburg for attempting to buy a military watch. Then, of course, there was my visit to a military base in Moscow. I believe the full stories of these events are in my memoir, but there’s too little space here to write in detail. To say the least, the film’s description caught my attention. It’s a great film, and I can attest that it captures the feeling of Soviet Russia to a tee. I urge you to watch it.

Then I received this email from the film’s director, Peeter Rebane:

“I was recommended to contact you about a book that we published recently.

“I directed and co-wrote the feature film Firebird (distributed by Lionsgate & Roadside Attractions). It’s a forbidden love story set in the 1970s Soviet Air Force about a young private falling in love with a fighter pilot. Based on a true story, it is a memoir by the Russian actor Sergey Fetisov. Both the book and the film are forbidden in Russia.

“We screened Firebird at close to seventy festivals around the world and released it in cinemas across the UK and US in April 2022. We partnered with AllOut to help their cause.

“Next, we self-published Sergey’s original memoir, ‘The Story of Roman,’ as our last promise to Sergey (he passed away in 2017), with backing from over 500 Kickstarter supporters.

I decided to do a bit of personal outreach to get the word out about Sergey’s book.”

I rarely recommend products, but I’m happy to recommend this one. You can stream it on many platforms, but best yet, go to the website and get a copy of the book, DVD, Blu-ray, and so much more at firebirdmovie.myshopify.com. The point of the story is that we are everywhere, and a country cannot just wish us out of existence. Our love will persevere, even in Russia.

The post ‘Firebird’: I urge you to watch this LGBTQ+ film appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

Advertising on TV and online is pushing the holiday spirit — and holiday spirits. It seems like every other ad is for alcohol: those fabulous Bailey’s drinks with shaved chocolate on top, some straight-up Jim Beam whiskey, the enticements of bubbly wines or an impromptu party outside with a bottle of Johnnie Walker or Remy or Crown Royal. And what about that amazing machine, Bartesian, that makes more than 50 different mixed drinks so you can mingle with your guests while they just pop in the pod of choice for their own cocktails?

The enticements of alcohol are touted subliminally — it makes the partying more fun, more sparkly, just…more. Have a drink and join the party.

The hard partying of the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s will lead many to declare a “dry January” as their first resolution of the New Year. But for many people, the holiday drink-a-thon isn’t a one-off. It’s a year-long behavior and a serious and often life-threatening addiction.

There are no ads for hard drugs on TV or YouTube, Twitter/X or Instagram, either, like there are for alcohol. Alcohol is embraced as a normative part of American life. That softly admonishing line at the end of some — but not all — alcohol ads to “drink responsibly” is a caveat easily ignored.

America’s most common addiction

Alcohol is the most common addictive drug in the U.S. Alcohol is both a “gateway” drug to other addictions like meth and opiates and its own one-stop addiction. And while those hard drugs get the most press and alcohol abuse is rarely discussed, alcohol addiction and alcoholism, now called alcohol use disorder (AUD), kills more Americans than those other drugs annually. It is the most likely first drug tried by teenagers and even tweens and it’s a common addiction among the elderly.

There is no age group untouched by alcohol use. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that “a significant portion of the population over 12 years old reports using alcohol in the past year” and that “Alcohol is considered the most commonly used substance in the United States, meaning more people use alcohol than any other drug or substance.”

In addition, the CDC reports a 29% increase in deaths attributed to alcohol use in just the past five years, with the pandemic a defining factor in that increased use.

The CDC cites the accessibility of alcohol and how policies in many cities and states have expanded options for carry-out alcohol and home delivery as factors in increased use, particularly among younger people. They also note that throughout the shut-downs during the pandemic, places that sold alcohol to drink elsewhere like liquor stores were considered essential businesses and they stayed open. Stresses related to the pandemic, like loneliness, social isolation or certain mental health conditions also contributed to more alcohol use.

According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), in the U.S., more than 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year with about 120,000 male deaths and 59,000 female deaths.

The causes of alcohol deaths are varied and include alcohol poisoning from binge drinking — a particular problem among people under 25, motor vehicle crashes due to drunk driving, cancer, cirrhosis and other illnesses.

In addition, excessive alcohol use shortens the lives of those who are addicted to alcohol by an average of 24 years. It is, states the NIH, one of the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S., right behind tobacco use.

Alcohol and the LGBTQ+ community

For LGBTQ+ people, AUD is a very serious problem, yet one that gets little attention. As people PGN interviewed for this series said, alcohol is present in our queer and trans lives in ways other drugs are not. One gay man told PGN, “No one is going to the fentanyl club to meet people. No one is going to the heroin hangout. But alcohol is very much the background of our lives — the bars and clubs are where we socialize, where we meet each other. It’s where many of us were first introduced to our own queerness. And along with that has been many a drunken night or more.”

According to the National Library of Medicine, about 30% of the LGBTQ+ community has moderate alcohol dependency, compared to 5-10% of the general population. Within the community itself, there are groups that report heavier AUD than others. Gay and bisexual men under 35 have a 55% rate of alcohol use while 25% of bisexual women reported heavy drinking.

The reasons for the intensity and prevalence of alcohol abuse in the LGBTQ+ community is defined in various medical studies as succinctly related to external stressors like discrimination. The impact of bigotry that the LGBTQ+ community faces both collectively and as individuals leads many people to self-medicate. Addiction centers state that this is especially true for older LGBTQ+ individuals or those who live in areas that are more prone to anti-LGBTQ+ biases.

The CDC cites this anti-LGBTQ mindset as causal and resulting in emotional distress, including anxiety, fear and feelings of low self-esteem. The initial attempts to self-medicate can intensify these bad feelings and also alcohol consumption in a vicious spiral. As one trans woman told PGN, “The worse you feel, the more you drink, the worse you feel. It’s hard to break free of that.”

Alcohol and queer society

Just as the holiday ads make alcohol a welcoming and even necessary part of the season, alcohol has provided a backdrop for queer society and socializing throughout history. It was at house parties and private clubs and then a broader gay bar culture that queer and trans people found each other and with that, community. Much of LGBTQ+ history and culture was born in the bars — and over many drinks.

The modern gay-rights movement itself began at a small New York bar in Greenwich Village. The Stonewall riots/rebellion was birthed at that gay bar where police interference was finally too much. How many of those involved that night and in the subsequent days of rage were drunk?

Because bar and club culture has been so much a part of queer community, because those have always been safe spaces for queer and trans people to be themselves sans judgement and discrimination, alcohol abuse became normalized in subtle and endemic ways within the queer community.

Minority stress and access to care

Concomitant with this alcohol culture that has allowed for wider abuse is minority stress and lack of access to care or support networks. As PGN has reported over recent years, the lack of familial support is especially damaging for young LGBTQ+ people who subsequently experience depression and even suicidal ideation as a consequence.

Self-medicating is a common response to such feelings. PGN has reported in several series that abandonment by families of origin can lead to homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth when they either leave home or are forced out.

Minority stress impacts the rate of alcoholism as well. Minority stress is defined as the negative impact of adverse social conditions experienced by a marginalized social group. Such stressors impact a person’s sense of identity and relationship to the world around them. As a result of such social pressures, several co-occurring disorders, or mental illnesses that are present alongside alcoholism, are more common among members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The NIH notes LGBTQ+ people experience forms of minority stress shared with other marginalized groups, such as discrimination, expectation of rejection and prejudice-related life events like hate crimes, as well as unique stressors such as identity concealment and internalized homophobia.

In addition, the impact of minority stressors on people who live at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities like LGBTQ+ people of color, who experience stress associated with both racism and heterosexism and thus may be at heightened risk for even more adverse health outcomes.

The breadth of the alcohol problem within the LGBTQ+ community has yet to be fully examined, but PGN has interviewed both people dealing with that addiction and those trying to provide access to care, support and recovery.

Next week: Who is most impacted? LGBTQ+ people speak about AUD and their experiences.

The post Tis the Season: America’s Most Common Addiction appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

The Mazzoni Center recently withdrew a lawsuit it filed against two funding companies that previously sued the nonprofit over breach of contract. According to court documents, the center hoped to prove that the business model used by both funding companies, LCF and Fundkite, is usurious in nature. That lawsuit had also requested restraining orders to prevent the companies from blocking payments to Mazzoni Center via UCC liens.

Mazzoni Center is still dealing with the lawsuits filed by LCF Group and Fundkite — who according to court documents have sought a collective sum of $1.3 million.

Both companies entered into “merchant cash advance” agreements with Mazzoni in Sept 2024 after Rachelle Tritinger, Mazzoni’s former CFO, signed contracts with the companies in order to make payroll. But Mazzoni claims Tritinger did not have the authority to enter into these agreements — which offered Mazzoni relief in exchange for future profits at an alarming interest rate.

The parties could now be in negotiations to settle outside of court, but Mazzoni declined to comment on the matter. As the organization navigates the challenges, it has been communicating with the LGBTQ+ community, reminding the center’s patients and advocates that it will continue to provide care — including low-cost and no-cost services — and is not at risk for closing.

The organization is now asking community members to become ambassadors for the center by creating a personal fundraising page to collect donations and spreading awareness about the good Mazzoni does for the community.

“The most important thing we want to impart to the community is that we are still here, day in and day out, providing comprehensive, whole-person care for our LGBTQ community, including never turning anyone away from care who lacks the resources to pay,” a spokesperson for the organization told PGN. “For 45 years, it has been the community’s support and confidence that has enabled us to do this vital, life-saving work; and, with the community’s continued support, we have every intention to do this work for another 45 years to come.”

The city, which is not involved in the litigation, is now working to assist Mazzoni in their efforts to get on better financial footing — but their own systemic and long-term problems working with nonprofits may have contributed to Mazzoni’s hardship.

Although representatives from Mazzoni previously declined to answer whether or not the organization’s current cash-flow issues are related to excessive wait times for city reimbursements, this issue is a common problem for Philadelphia’s nonprofits. On Dec. 10, the Non-Profit Provider Task Force, which has convened six times since it was established in June 2024, announced its findings and recommendations for improving the way the city does business with nonprofit partners.

During a press conference on the matter, AnnMarie McDowell, president and CEO of CORA Services — a behavioral health and education provider that partners with Philadelphia schools — spoke about the impact on her organization. She was informed last fall that CORA would no longer receive an advance from one of its largest contracts — and the organization’s bank would not increase their line of credit.

McDowell said that her organization went into “emergency mode” in order to make payroll and continue providing services and noted that she was terrified about possible further delays. She added that as the leader of a large organization, she has more options for troubleshooting financial concerns — but other nonprofits are not as fortunate.

“I have seen board members of these small organizations that I’ve been a part of give their own money in order to keep the organizations going,” she said about an opposite experience.

She also underlined the importance of the city addressing interest rates that accumulate as nonprofits take out lines of credit in order to make payroll and continue to provide services as they await contract conformance and payments. The task force’s report noted that the costs of borrowing money cannot be recouped.

“We do not turn people away when we have not yet been paid or paid the true cost of care,” added Anne Rice-Burgess, Chief Executive Officer of Episcopal Community Services — which she described as an anti-poverty organization. “And when we talk about the true cost of care, it’s not just the services, it’s the administrative cost and the cost of compliance.”

These administrative costs, the task force’s report points out, cannot be billed to the city.

“Effectively, this means non-profits are losing money and underinvesting in staff and infrastructure by working with the city to provide crucial services,” the report notes.

At the city’s first LGBTQ+ equity hearing on Oct. 29, Sultan Shakir, Mazzoni’s president and executive officer, echoed the same. He noted during this testimony that at one point, the organization had advanced $600,000 in care and struggled to pay employees due to difficulty receiving city reimbursements. He said the city’s failure to reimburse the center in a timely manner has resulted in an ongoing cash-flow issue.

Representatives for Mazzoni Center did not provide insight about whether or not they’re considering bankruptcy as a response to their current challenges. Bankruptcy would not necessarily shutter the center but would allow for a financial reorganization to take place. However, the organization has taken other steps in an attempt to make ends meet.

“As a part of our commitment to providing life-saving care for the community, Mazzoni Center had to make the difficult decision to adjust staffing levels to ensure we can continue offering critical services for many years to come,” Shakir said in a statement that was sent to PGN. “All currently anticipated staffing adjustments have been announced and shared with affected employees and with the Union for individuals who are represented. We are grateful for our staff members both current and past – who have served our community with compassion, love, and respect.”

A spokesperson from Councilmember Rue Landau’s office previously told PGN that around $1 million was believed to be owed to Mazzoni Center; however, the number has not been confirmed and the spokesperson said only Mazzoni and the departments familiar with each specific invoice would know the exact number. A Mazzoni spokesperson declined to comment on how much the city owes or owed the organization and didn’t comment on whether or not the city has paid any of the outstanding debt to the organization.

Mayor Cherelle Parker announced on Nov. 1 that all departments must “conform and approve every remaining overdue contract” by Nov. 8 and pay all due invoices by Nov. 29. At the time, the remaining contracts totaled $389,303,503 owed to various organizations.

“Working with city leadership, elected officials and nonprofit leaders, we brought about 600 contracts into conformance with just about 100 still remaining,” said Tiffany Thurmond, Mayor Parker’s chief of staff, at the press conference. “We have paid out over $221 million today and that work is still ongoing.”

City representatives declined to answer whether or not Mazzoni Center has been paid at this time.

“Because this matter is involved in litigation, we cannot comment at this time,” said Joe Grace — director of communications for the mayor’s office.

When meeting with the task force, some nonprofit leaders noted that it has taken several months to be paid in full by the city. The task force noted in its report that the average time for vendors to be paid is now 80-85 days. This is down from 114 days a few years ago but, the task force admits, still needs improvement.

This time to contract completion mostly refers to new contracts and existing invoices — not renewals. When delays in renewals occur — which Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson said has caused wait times of up to a year — nonprofits are forced to continue to provide services without a contract until that new contract is developed and approved. This goes against the city’s stated policies but is necessary for many organizations if they hope to continue serving their communities without disruption.

This, she noted, can have devastating consequences for organizations that operate on “really, really tight budgets and most often have to take out lines of credit to continue to do business with the city.”

The task force uncovered that there is very little consistency across and within each department relating to vendor contracts. This makes it difficult for both nonprofits and city workers to navigate systems effectively and efficiently. The task force also noted that updated technology — which will be rolled out in 2026 — will solve many of the issues vendors experience by significantly improving the city’s ability to manage data and pay vendors in a timely manner.

The task force recommends prioritizing staffing — both by hiring more workers and training all procurement employees on customer service, policies and procedures. Streamlining processes, creating more oversight, and implementing more consistent policies and procedures across departments would also improve delays and communication issues. This, the task force noted, needs review and overhaul.

Gilmore Richardson noted that although the task force’s work is now concluding, she is committed to “addressing the findings outlined in the task force’s report — both legislatively and budgetarily.”

“A lack of monitoring for conformance and payment tracking have been identified — and long-term solutions are being developed now in coordination with the majority leader so that we do not find ourselves here again next year or the year after or ever again,” Thurmond said about tackling obstacles the city faces when working with nonprofits. “We will not go back to simply triaging — and that was the mode that we’ve been in historically.”

“We are laser-focused on addressing inefficiencies, reducing delays, and ensuring clearer communication and accountability throughout the entire contracting lifecycle end-to-end,” she underlined.

The post Task force highlights city’s debts to nonprofits, like Mazzoni Center appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

It can be challenging to embrace the peace on earth and goodwill of the season when it feels like disdain and disrespect are becoming normalized across the country.

One person working to combat the divisiveness and anger is this week’s Portrait, Sean Harvey. Harvey is the senior strategic advisor and founder of the Warrior Compassion Institute, an organization whose mission is to work with men to dismantle hate, bridge polarization, and humanize hypermasculine systems, organizations and communities.

A noted author and sought-after speaker, Harvey was voted one of the top 15 coaches in Philadelphia by Influence Digest and received the Saul A. Silverman 2021 Award for Conflict Resolution and Healing from the International Organization Development Association. His book, “Warrior Compassion: Unleashing the Healing Power of Men,” offers a roadmap for men’s soul healing as a catalyst for change.

Some responses from this conversation have been edited for length or clarity.

Tell me where you’re from.
I’m from a small farm town of about 1,500 that’s basically west of Toledo, Ohio. And then when I was seven, I moved to the suburbs of Dayton, Ohio. So I went from rural to suburban.

What are some favorite memories from life in the country?
We had an acre in the backyard, and I remember riding in a wagon with my grandfather down this huge hill, a lot of pussy-willow trees, and living across the street from the cemetery. We had three cats and my godparents were farmers in the town over. And my father was a long-distance truck driver, and he would take me on the road with him. He hauled sailboats for most of my life.

That’s pretty cool. Did your grandfather live with you or near you?
No, he lived in Detroit but he would come up and visit. He was very playful.

Do you have any siblings?
No, I’m an only child.

What did mom do?
My mom didn’t work back then. My dad wouldn’t let her. He left us when I was young. Actually he divorced her and before he died, I asked him, “Why’d you leave us?” And he was like, “Because your mama, you know, she started going to college, started having ideas. She started thinking for herself, and I couldn’t deal, so I left.” At least it was honest. That was in the 1970s, so that was typical at the time.

Yeah, things were changing, and I’m sure that probably upset a lot of people. How would your mom describe you as a kid?
Curious, playful, stubborn. She would always say that I always found and followed my own path.

A favorite family memory or tradition?
My mom would take me on a backpack and take me hiking in the woods in Toledo, and also being on the road with my dad. He would be smoking a cigar and talking on the CB, while I was riding in the passenger seat, and he would have these really deep, profound conversations. Another is with my grandfather. I write about this in my book. Every night before bed when I was in Detroit, my grandfather would pull up a cot next to his side of the bed for me to sleep on and he would tell me the stories of Little Red Chief. He was a Cherokee warrior, and I’m part Cherokee. Red Chief was a young boy being developed by the chief and the warriors who were teaching him how to be a compassionate warrior.

What were some of the extracurricular things that you participated in at school?
Well, I was a high-school cheerleader. I also started the first gay and lesbian youth group for the city of Dayton, Ohio when I was 16. I was a teen crisis counselor. I was in the Honor Society. I was also in an arts and culture group, but actually, I was pretty much a loner. I mostly just kept to myself.

Why was that?
I mean, being a queer kid in the 1980s, in suburban, redneck Ohio is not the easiest thing. It wasn’t like I really fit in. So I just created my own thing. I created YouthQuest, which still exists today and now serves 80 youth across the entire Southwest Ohio.

That’s excellent. Tell me a little bit about your coming-out journey.
I had a friend of mine who kind of pulled me out. When I told my mom, she said [with an accent], “Ah, you have kids. Sometimes they’re gay, sometimes they’re straight. So, you gay. Get out my face.” And that was it. But then I told her that I didn’t like chocolate. And she was like, “How can you be my son! My child? How could this happen? Who are you?”

I hear your mother. My nephew came out to me, and I was his biggest cheerleader. But then he told me that he didn’t like cheese. I was like, “What kind of monster doesn’t like cheese?” But back to you, tell me a little bit about what started you on your path to the work that you do now.
I left Wall Street. I was a management consultant, and I’d gotten to the point where I was just done. I was the vice president, and head of the talent consulting division of a firm in New York and our clients were media Wall Street firms, but I’d had enough of that environment and I resigned on my 40th birthday. It was my birthday present to me.

I left Wall Street and went to work for Eileen Fisher, the women’s fashion company. I went on an eight-month interview process. I really wanted to work with them because they were innovative and I always thought it’d be cool to work in fashion. I was very type A, had a great resume, and I went on a five-year journey at Eileen Fisher. On my first day on the job, my two bosses sat me down and said, “We just want to let you know that you have proven yourself in the interview process. Now we want you to stop proving yourself and learn how to be who you actually are. You’ve shown us your polish but we hired you for your heart. We don’t care about your accomplishments. We want to know who you are.” I experienced so many things there, including when they sent me to an artist commune in Canada for five months to learn how to incorporate the arts in a creative facilitation.

Wow, that’s pretty incredible.
Yes, I left Wall Street to never work with men again. But going to Eileen Fisher and the commune I got the spiritual calling to do the work I do now. I was given the message that I was meant to work with men, to address the issues that don’t get talked about. So that led me to seminary. I went to seminary in New York and became an interfaith minister for the sole reason of doing soul healing work with men.

I knew, as a systems thinker, as an organization development practitioner, if we were going to create true societal systems change — and not just replace crumbling, oppressive systems with outdated models — we had to reimagine them from deeper consciousness and collective wisdom. And the Achilles heel to all of this work would be white men in power, holding on to power from wounding, and not healing. We need to heal those men to start creating a movement of societal change.

So I finished seminary, and two days after saying my vows, through a buddy of mine, I was contacted by the chief of police of the Asheville Police Department. He said, “If you’re a member of the community and you want to be part of our police-reform efforts, email me directly.” I responded, “My best friend in London, who’s mixed race, will visit me in New York, but won’t visit me in Asheville because he’s afraid of being murdered by your police.” This was June 2020, after George Floyd. So all my friend saw was that in America, our officers killed Black men, right? So that led to a one-on-one with the chief of police. He had two asks. One — can you help deepen the level of compassion among my officers? And two — can you create conversations that humanize officers and community members for new relationships going forward. I said yes.

That led to me meeting FBI agents and military officers and police officers, and we formed what we called Project Compassion, which was a national initiative to deepen compassion in police departments, federal law enforcement and military security forces. I started meeting white nationalists and hate-group extremists, and I started realizing that I have a way with conservatives. And then I met my ex-boyfriend, an ultra-conservative MAGA conspiracy theorist, and that relationship really taught me how to love the person, even if I hate the views.

Since then, I have started working more and more with hate-group extremists and talking to my spiritual guides to bring love to hate. Just last week, I met with a founder of the neo-Nazi movement in America. He left the movement and is now pulling guys out. We compared notes on our de-radicalization practices. He’s been doing this work for 20 years, and it was kind of a passing of the baton. Working with leaders to support men, and also to identify men that might be vulnerable to radicalized ideology.

I would imagine sometimes it can be scary going into some of these spaces or speaking to some of these people.
No, for a couple of reasons. I was just talking about this earlier today. I’ve made peace with the fact that I could get killed doing this work, and I made peace with the fact that this work is worth dying for, because it will save lives by doing it. So I made peace with death in this work a long time ago, and I don’t really walk in fear. I also know that most of these guys find me non-threatening and feel safe opening up with me, I think partly because I have a certain privilege as a white, gay, cis man with a particular look or demeanor and masculine energy. I’m able to walk into spaces a lot of other people can’t.

What’s one of the most surprising responses you’ve received and what’s one of the most fulfilling ones?
I think one of the most interesting was working with a gay dude who wanted to be the face of the white power movement, and I think what surprises me is that I can do this work so effortlessly, and somehow know what to say and how to say it, and understand the complexity of it. It’s always interesting to me to be able to hold their hate and push back love, and then to see their reactions when they can start to see things from a different perspective. As a minister, I’m able to speak with evangelical Christians.

What’s coming up on the agenda?
I’m starting my Bridging Divides incubator. With a small group of folks and change-makers from across the globe, we want to determine the models needed that haven’t been thought of. What are the practices that haven’t been created for the level of hate and polarization we are currently experiencing in society? How do we amplify the power of compassion as a tool for building bridges across cultural, political and ideological divides?

You’ve been doing this for a little bit now. It feels like the level of hate in this country, in the world, but especially in the U.S. right now is heightening to crazy levels. What’s your perspective on that?
We are deeply polarized and not able to really see each other. And I think there’s a political aspect. But when I look at it globally, probably our most polarized divide is gender. And I think we’re at a point where we’re just not willing to engage with people that hold different ideas or different perspectives from our own. We’re just not able to get past if we don’t believe our values are in sync, and so the more we stick with our like-minded groups, and the more we “other” those who don’t hold our beliefs, we discount or diminish or close them out. We do it on the left and the right and I think the power players like it that way. Because the more divided we are, the easier it is to manipulate people.

For sure.
When I do this work, the reality is that people want to connect. I often say that the key to what I call the bridging mindset is the four C’s — curiosity, compassion, courage and community. Where I’m most successful with the people that I reach is by having open-hearted, non-judgmental curiosity.

Right on. So let’s move on to some random questions. What historical event do you wish you had witnessed?
My grandfather was in World War II under General Patton. I’m fascinated by that era, I’m fascinated by that war. I’m fascinated by a combination of what happened in Europe, what happened in the Holocaust, how it could have happened.

What stuff do you do for fun?
I’m learning how to white water kayak. I am a big animal person. I love to dance, I was just in New York this weekend for a dance party. I’m a foodie, and I like to just go. I love both the beach and the mountains. When I lived in North Carolina, I loved going on the Blue Ridge Parkway and getting lost in the mountains. I think if I were to do it over again, I either would have been a dancer or a race car driver.

You’re a foodie. Who are three people you’d like to invite for dinner?
I would want my father, my grandfather and my great-grandfather on my father’s side. I would really love to have dinner and talk about things to do the generational healing of our ancestors. My grandfather’s half Cherokee, half Irish and what I’ve inherited from him and my father is the art of storytelling. I’d probably want to go whitewater rafting with them. And then sit around the fire at a campground telling stories.

Oddest job?
I was a valet at a fondue restaurant. That’s where I learned how to drive an automatic stick shift. It was on someone’s BMW. And I used to be a rabbit educator. I would prep people for their first bunny rabbits.

Favorite type of clothing?
Hoodies and shorts. That’s my favorite outfit.

You’re going the Fetterman way.
Yeah, I actually want to reach out to him. I’m on the regular briefing calls with Homeland Security, so we get the updates on domestic terrorism, hate activity and extremist activity across the Commonwealth of PA. It’s interesting to think about connecting with both local and state officials on how to address hate across the state.

A lot of people don’t realize that Pennsylvania has one of the largest numbers of hate groups in the country, right?
Yes, number-one is California, number-two is Florida, and then number-three is Pennsylvania.

What’s a pet peeve?
When people have such a need to be right that the need supersedes the desire to be curious.

An interesting fact…
In Asheville, I was renting a room from a shaman, who had a chapel in the backyard. This is on Cherokee land and the chapel was built for families of gay men who died of AIDS in the ’80s and ’90s, who didn’t have a house of worship because down in the South, they wouldn’t allow funerals for gay men. So this was built for the families of gay men who died of AIDS. And that’s where I gave my TED Talk on Compassion Makes the Warrior.

Beautiful.

The post Sean Harvey: Cultivating compassion for all appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.

In a statement released to the press, Murphy said, “The Freedom to Read Act cements New Jersey’s role on the forefront of preventing book bans and protecting the intellectual freedom of our educators and students. Across the nation, we have seen attempts to suppress and censor the stories and experiences of others. I’m proud to amplify the voices of our past and present, as there is no better way for our children to prepare for the future than to read freely.”

In addition to other provisions, the bill prohibits removing books based on “origin, background, or views” reasoning, and make library staff immune to civil and criminal liability for decisions they make in good faith.

The bill’s primary sponsor in the State Senate, Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex), was one of many dignitaries and supporters who attended the signing ceremony at the Princeton Public Library. In a prepared statement, Zwicker said, “Public and school libraries have come under attack by a small number of individuals hoping to erase diverse materials from bookshelves, usually targeting works focused on race and LGBTQ+ themes. Today, New Jersey stands firmly in defense of the freedom to read and the importance of inclusive educational spaces. A library is a place of voluntary inquiry and provides equitable access to learning resources. Today, we ensure that every New Jerseyan has the freedom to choose what they want to read, and parents will continue to have the freedom to choose what their children read.  But no one else gets to decide for you. That, quite simply, is the ‘Freedom to Read.’”

The bill faced fierce opposition from Republicans, but was shepherded through passage with the assistance and support of a wide coalition of pro-library and freedom to read organizations, including the EveryLibrary Institute, the New Jersey School Librarians Association, New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey Library Association, and the ACLU-New Jersey, among many others.

In a press release, EveryLibrary Institute’s Executive Director John Chrastka said, “The passage of the New Jersey Freedom to Read Act is a powerful statement that censorship has no place in a democratic society. It reaffirms the essential role of libraries as centers for voluntary inquiry, intellectual growth, and access to information.”

“At its core, the Freedom to Read Act will ensure that LGBTQIA+ youth see themselves reflected back in the pages of books, feel safe in our sacred libraries, & ensure that they can read freely to allow themselves to live openly. Representation matters & access is essential,” said Robert Martin Seda-Schreiber, Chief Activist of the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice, who was in attendance at the signing ceremony.

Other states that have similar bills on the books include Delaware, Maryland, Illinois and Vermont. A similar bill was introduced in Pennsylvania, but has been stalled in committee for months.

The post N.J. governor signs law protecting state’s public and school libraries  appeared first on Philadelphia Gay News.