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Pa. Anti-discrimination Bill Advances
Out of Committee
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HARRISBURG, PA - This past Wednesday a House committee approved a bill that would protect people who live or work in Pennsylvania from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
The bill would address discrimination in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations.
House State Government Committee Chairwoman Babette Josephs, D-Phila., led the committee in today's 12-11 vote to send the bill (H.B. 300) to the full House of Representatives. State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Delegation, reintroduced the legislation last week. Josephs held hearings around the state on it in the 2007-08 session.
The bill has more than 70 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House, including all members of the majority leadership. (Full Story)
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queerVOICE
Celebrating Our 10,000 queerNEWS Link
James Duggan
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Here I am just steps away from completing my 50th year in this world and what a journey it's been, but I'll leave that for another time. Funny thing was that when I was a child I use to think that thirty was extremely old and I'd surely never live that long. Well a lot has changed since those days of my youth to where I experience myself today.
It seemed like just yesterday that I came to Philadelphia while preparing to become a Catholic priest and now sixteen years later I'm writing a queer-centric opinion column in a queer-centric online weekly. I've jokingly called myself an "accidental activist," because the last thing I imagined myself doing was being an advocate for equal rights for those of us who are homosexual, bisexual, or transgendered.
Some have seen me all worked up in a frenzy as I stand against anti-queer protestors, often being driven to the heights of passion while growing ever more incredulous because the police continue to facilitate these protesters, and the protestor's underlying message advocates that any same-sex sexual activity should be punishable by death. But the majority of you know me from here on QUEERtimes.
For almost two years I've attempted to share my thoughts and opinions on queer civil rights while expressing frustrations and indignation with governments that either seek to limit our rights as citizens or refuse to provide them to us. I've tried to take a stand on issues that affect our status in society while attempting to call elected officials to task concerning queer civil rights . . . each week finding inspiration and encouragement in the hundreds of queer-centric news stories we review each week while preparing links for our queerNEWS section.
It is in these stories that I find inspiration and courage to write queerVOICE as they enlighten me on the ever growing international queer civil rights movement that has been awoken in so many nations. They share with us the struggles, setbacks, and victories along our march to equality and they give testimony to the far too many that have been bashed or even killed simply for being queer. The stories expose the homophobia that is deeply rooted in far too many governments as our basic civil liberties (this includes the governments of Pennsylvania and Delaware) are denied us.
Just a cursory review of this week's headlines gives a clear picture of where we are in our fight . . . Gay Israeli couple allowed to adopt, Kentucky's Anti Gay Adoption Bill is D.O.A., Gay man beaten in heart of Atlanta, Ban on anti-gay bias advances in Pa. House, Gay Pride Flag Desecrated in Pennsylvania, Gay partners' benefit advances in Colorado, and Nigeria toughens Anti-gay laws. They tell of the battles yet to be won.
As QUEERtimes celebrates its 10,000th queerNEWS link we hope that they have inspired you as they have us. And as we look to our next 10,000 links may they continue to provide us with strength and encouragement to join the fight for our equality . . . doing some to help others achieve the equality we seek.
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What It Looks Like From Here
Thom Cardwell
copyright 2009 |
Philosophy was my minor in college. I was fascinated by the idea of people being considered "thinkers" as an academic pursuit or, even better, as a career. Perhaps that's what our contemporary society so greatly lacks--no philosopher kings!
 Biographer Alexander Waugh, grandson of English literary giant Evelyn Waugh, takes on "The House of Wittgenstein: A Family at War" (Doubleday, 2009) reviewed by Jim Holt for The New York Times Book Review (March 1, 2009) with a focus upon Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Queer Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), "a supremely rigorous thinker who, by paying minute attention to the structure and limits of language sought to clear away the conceptual confusions that plague philosophy," according to Holt, is not afforded the respect by Waugh who, like queer film director Derrick Jarman in his 1993 "Wittgenstein," reduced the genius into a caricature, a guru, influential because of "his striking looks, manner and extraordinarily persuasive personality."
The real story of this Austrian family is truly the stuff of an epic movie. The family fortune, one of the largest of that of post-World War II Europe, thanks to the American investments of the father, Karl Wittgenstein, amassed his money from the diversified pursuits in steel, banking and military arms.
The tyrannical patriarch brought nine children into the world. The males of the family did not fair well in life, Hurt relates the biographical facts that "of the five boys, three certainly or probably committed suicide and two were plagued by suicidal impulses throughout their lives."
In this traditionally bred family, the boys were the beautiful peacocks, with the colorful plumage, in the sense that they were the high performers, not only Ludwig, but his brother Paul, a brilliant concert pianist brother, who not only wowed audiences with his own developed one-arm technique (he lost in World War I), but had the leading composers of the day, from Hindemith (whose works he rejected as "unplayable") to Prokofiev, even accusing Benjamin Britten and Richard Strauss of "over-orchestrating."
 Homosexuality was one of the other characteristic that the Wittgenstein boys shared, two of the three who committed suicide, Hans and Rudi were, according to biographers, including Waugh, "closeted gays" though they married and raised their own families, though it's unclear about Paul, the genius of them all, Ludwig was beguiled by "adoring young men" at Cambridge who the leading philosopher of his day and perhaps the age responded to their advances for the "purely physical" experience. (The debate about Ludwig's attraction to "rough trade in public parks" is still debatable if not unfounded by biographers, including Waugh, who doesn't address the issue.)
Jarman's "Wittgenstein" approaches the philosopher, who some say is actually incomprehensible" and "unreadable," in a "solemnly reverential" manner in contrast to Waugh's which to Wittgenstein, according to Holt's reading, is "mocking and somewhat philistine."
Suicide rears its ugly head a few more times in the Wittgenstein family for the two of the three daughters who married, both husbands became insane and one "died by his own hand."
"For all their quarreling, madness and self-destruction, the Wittgensteins were at least spared one sort of dysfunction: there is no trace of incestuous impulses among them," notes Holt.
Still, no matter what Waugh credit or discredits, compliments or criticizes the Wittgenstein family for or about, Ludwig remains "the greatest philosopher of the 20th century."
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speakOUT on the Qt!
copyright 2009 |
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This Week's Contributor: Thom Cardwell, President, BUCKmonkey
WHY WE HOST "KISS ME I'M IRISH AND GAY"!
 While most of you already know that "Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay II" will return to Kildare's Manayunk (4417 Main Street, 215.482.7242, kildarespub.com), 4 p.m., Sunday, March 15, at $10 per person at the door admission, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF).
This twist to celebrating St. Patrick's Day is quickly becoming a tradition all its own in Philadelphia (this year on the same day as the city's parade), an event that is being fueled by BUCKmonkey's founders James Duggan and myself in cooperation with Dave Magrogran, Kildare's founder and CEO president of Dave Magrogran Group, and sponsored by QUEERtimes, this weekly e-newsletter.
"Each year we want to add something new to the event," said Duggan, who got the idea of adding the new dimension of a Sunday afternoon Tea Dance to "Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay II."
Duggan said that the Sunday Afternoon Tea will include socializing and dancing, drink specials, complimentary appetizers from Kildare's celebrated 20 bar menu selections, free collectible tee-shirts designed and printed exclusively for this year's event, and door prizes.
"It's all about green shamrocks and pink triangles," I joked in response to the first "Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay" which was so incredible that the BUCKmonkey team decided to host another one for 2009 at Kildare's Manayunk as the gay-friendly location for "Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay II."
But why do we bother hosting this event each March?
The truth is that the event is also really in response to the queer community here and elsewhere not being embraced or included in annual celebrations like St. Patrick's Day parades in Philadelphia, New York City and other places.
Last year the controversy over officially banning of a queer contingent from marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City, led primarily by the Archdiocese of New York, led to the ousted group being invited to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland.
This year isn't any different from last year. Despite the fact that our city has become more diverse and inclusive than it ever has been, you won't be seeing any identified queer contingent marching in the St. Patrick's Day parade this Sunday in Philadelphia or New York City or anywhere else where queers are not welcomed.
"Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay II" is a party but it continues to be a subtle political statement, too. Last year the crowd who attended the party was enthusiastic, fun-loving, celebratory and sexually diverse. "There were a lot of queer-friendly party-goers who joined us that night, even a bachelorette party of 12 young ladies from the suburbs were drinking and dancing the night away," recalled Duggan.
He also said that the beneficiary of a portion of the proceeds each year will be a different nonprofit. "This year we chose DVLF because they raise money to distribute to groups and organizations within the region's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Besides, Cardwell serves on the DVLF advisory board."
Remember--all are welcome, you don't have to Irish, you don't have to be Gay, at "Kiss Me, I'm Irish and Gay II."
We hope to see you there for the party!
The DVLF strives to increase philanthropy and grant making to support the community needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) and straight-allied communities.
DVLF advances philanthropy for the LGBTI community through endowment building, fundraising, community outreach and education, with a donor-advised endowment fund at The Philadelphia Foundation (dvlf.org).
For more information for Kiss Me, I'm Irish and Gay II, visit queertimes.net
[speakOUT on the Qt is a new opinion column, by guest writers. Do you have something to say that you wish to share with fellow QUEERtimes readers? Then submit your column by Tuesday, noon, for publication in the Friday of the same week. The publishers reserve the right to accept, decline or edit, for content, style, accuracy, and space, from what you submit. Anonymous submissions will be rejected without being read. A byline posting is required. Up to 450 word submissions accepted which must be accompanied by your personal contact information for verification.] Send copy to james@QUEERtimes.net
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Featured Arts Events on the Qt!
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> Recession-Proof Benefit UArts Inaugural Art Expo/Sale
 Even in this economy, we can't live without art! So join us when the University of the Arts, Hamilton Hall, 320 South Broad St., host the Inaugural Art Expo/Sale, featuring 150 works by faculty, alumni and students, in a wide range of media, including book arts, ceramics, fibers, glass, metals, jewelry, wood, illustration, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, worth more than $250,000, but ranging in price from $30 to $20,000, to satisfy every taste, style and budget, with a presale event, 9 a. m. to 5 p. m., on March 18, and exclusive previews for collectors and early shoppers, and the community sale, open to the public, free of charge, from 8 to 10 p. m., on March 19.
A partial list of artists being featured at the recession-proof art expo and sale will include: Charles Long, Heather Mae Erickson, Alida Fish, Harris Fogel, David Graham, Jeanne Haffe, Elsa Johnson, David Kettner, Rod McCormick, Carol Moore, Barry Parker, Diane Pepe, John N. Phillips, Thomas Porett, Phyllis Purves-Smith, Michael Rossman, Anthony Shostak, Rachelle Lee Smith, Stephen Tarantal, Mark Tocchet and Susan Viguers.
Co-chaired by UArts trustees Ira Brind and Eleanor Davis, proceeds of the sale will directly benefit the Promising Young Artists Scholarship Fund that supports financially the university's most talented and deserving students, from the 2,300 currently enrolled at the nation's first and only university dedicated exclusively to the visual, performing and communication arts, so that their talent and ambition in the arts can be realized.
For more information, call 215.717.6145; or visit uarts.edu/artsale
> Jewish Film Festival debuts "Jerusalem is Proud to Present"
Queer filmgoers shouldn't miss seeing this film!
 Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival will debut "Jerusalem is Proud to Present," a documentary about the struggles for acceptance and respect by Jerusalem's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community as they attempted to host "World Pride" in the "Holy City," for one screening only, 7 p.m., March 16, at the Gershman Y, 401 South Broad St., with guest speakers Malcolm Lazin, founder/executive director of Equality Forum and Mark Segal, publisher of Philadelphia Gay News.
In a rare moment in the summer of 2006, Jerusalem's Jewish, Muslim and Christian religious leaders joined together to promise to declare war against the events, "World Pride" and Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade, to protect the "Holy City" from being defiled.
Directed by Nitzan Gilady, the film "gives a voice to both sides of the conflict, and reveals the difficulties faced by Jerusalem's LGBT community."
Tickets are only $10 general admission; $7 for seniors and students; and $6 for Facebook friends.
For tickets, call 215.446.3019; or visit pjff.org
> Invitational Furniture Show Marks 15th Anniversary
 The Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show will mark its 15th anniversary as the nation's first craft show dedicated exclusively to furniture and furnishings, from March 27 to 29, at the Cruise Ship Terminal at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, featuring a special exhibition of works by George Nakashima, Wharton Esherick, Dan Jackson and other area pioneers who contributed to the city's legacy in the furniture renaissance in post-War World War II America.
The three-day show and sale will be highlighted this year with talks presented by Mira Nakashima, daughter of the world-renown designer, Mark Sfirri, wood turner and professor of Bucks County Community College, Bob Abel, owner of Moderne Gallery and Don Miller of the University of the Arts, who has assembled an exhibition of works by area high school students.
Proceeds from the show and sale will benefit the Wharton Esherick Museum, the Wood Turning Centerand the Legacy Fund of the University of the Arts Wood Program.
For tickets or more information, visit pffshow.com or PhilaIFS.com.
> Berks Jazz Fest returns for 19th Year
 Jazz aficionados unite! And the place to be in the Keystone State will be The Berks Jazz Fest, from March 27 to April 5, in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Presented by the Berks Arts Council and sponsored by VF Outlets, Vanity Fair, Wrangler and Lee, the music festival will mark its 19th year.
This year's headliners will feature David Benoit with Warren Hill, Phoebe Snow, Richard Elliot, Bela Fleck, Gerard Albright with Kirk Whalum, Tierney Sutton, Joe McBride with Kenny Blake, Peter White with Mindi Abair, Victor Wooten, Doc Mulligan and Friends, McCoy Tyner Quartet, Boney James, Derek Trucks Band, Jonathan Butler, Rick Braun, and the Soul Survivors.
Hotel packages are available from The Abraham Lincoln Hotel, the festival headquarters, Homewood suites Hilton, EconoLodge and Holiday Inn Express.
For tickets or more information, visit berksjazzfest.com
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What They Said:
copyrighted 2009 |
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 Queer designer Jay McCarroll, the bad boy of Season 1: Project Runway who won, rejected the $100,000 cash deal, now lives in South Philadelphia and has never looked back, is now talking--again. The Michael Selditch/Robert Tate documentary on McCarroll called "Eleven Minutes" (not even 15 minutes that Andy Warhol afforded everyone who wanted a morsel of fame) that originally premiered at the Philadelphia Film Festival 2008, was released last weekend. The media who adore McCarroll for his edginess and I'll-say-whatever-I-want attitude makes him a darling of sound bites. Tine Chadha (Metro Philadelphia, March 6-8, 2009) interviewed McCarroll about his thoughts of being a subject of a documentary, his latest project (fabrics instead of clothing "so that the public can make it own 'cute stuff'" at JayMcCarroll.com and his no-regrets and, yes, he'd do it all again-exactly the same way. "No, I mean, right now I'm in New York, someone paid for the trip, someone is paying for my drinks--I must not have done anything wrong."____________________________
 Ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov has done it all, dancing with the world-famous Russian Kirov Ballet, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in "The Turning Point," and played a love interest for Carrie Brandshaw in the hit TV series, "Sex and the City," doesn't care much for birthdays, and had this advise to offer to young men interested in becoming ballet dancers, as told to Jeff Gordinier (Details, March 2009): "You're a dancer or you're not. Young man or young woman--it doesn't matter. This disease hits everybody. No gender is spared. When a young man is a dancer, gay or straight does not matter anymore in our society, luckily. The dance would was always much more open about being queer. In a way, it still is--but more open to straight guys. You know what I mean?"
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 The "first lady of the fashion industry" Donna Karan recently gave her "10 Rules of Style" to the editors of Details (March 2009) about the importance of Zen, spirituality and having an effortless sartorial splendor. Karan doesn't like baggy pants on guys, adhering to trends just for the sake of it, and mistreating women by "leaving them hanging." What should the American man have in his closet--gay, straight or otherwise? Of the essential men's must-have wardrobe, she advised: "Everyone should have the seven easy pieces: great pair of black pants, great jacket, white shirt, tie, great cashmere sweater, great pair of jeans, and a piece in leather--things that are amorphous. They can be simple and modern and yet comfortable and elegant."
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Events on the Qt! |
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Sunday (March 15)
Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay II
An Irish Tea Dance
This year's Kiss Me I'm Irish and Gay event is bigger and better then last year! Don't miss out on the number one t-shirt give-away in Philadelphia. . . everyone wants one . . . ARRIVE EARLY because supplies won't last.
Just a $10 donation . . . more if you have it . . . gets you the following:
Dancing · Drink Specials · Food · Collectible Tees* · Prizes · Free Drink
Tickets only available at the door.
Benefits Delaware Valley Legacy Fund
For more information, visit QUEERtimes.net/Kiss_Me
* While Supplies Last / Drink specials end at 8 p.m.
Saturday (March 28)
 Shut Up & Dance 2009
For the seventeenth consecutive year, dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet join forces for Shut Up & Dance - a one-night-only benefit performance for MANNA at THE FORREST THEATRE (1114 Walnut Street) on SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009 at 8:00 PM.
MANNA prepares and delivers delicious, nourishing meals and counsel for people at acute nutritional risk due to life-threatening illness, empowering those individuals to battle their illness and improve their quality of life.
Hosted by WXPN Morning Show Personality Michaela Majoun, Shut Up & Dance features original works, choreographed and performed by the dancers. Reserved seating tickets to Shut Up & Dance range from $50 to $100.
The evening's excitement will continue at the Shout with Sole: a spicy after-party with The Dancers from 9:30 PM to midnight at SoleFood Restaurant at Loews Philadelphia Hotel, 1200 Market Street. Hosted by DJ Robert Drake from WXPN, reserved after-party tickets can be purchased for $100.
All tickets can be purchased by calling 215-496-2662 x136, online at mannapa.org, and at MANNA (12 S. 23rd Street, Philadelphia, entrance on Ranstead Street), or at The Forrest Theatre Box Office on 3/28/09 beginning at 12:00 NOON.
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