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ELECTION ROUNDUP: THE LGBT BREAKDOWN

We break down the winners and losers in LGBT politics following Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary election.

Posted by Brandon Baker on 5/22/2013 at 12:14PM | No Comments

Ben Allatt is set to serve as Harrisburg City Council's second-ever openly gay councilman.

You win some, you lose some. When it comes to gay candidates in Pennsylvania’s primary yesterday (Tue., May 21), we literally won one, and lost one — according to Equality Pennsylvania’s list of LGBT-friendly candidates, at least. READ MORE

FORMER SHAMPOO PARTY PROMOTER GAY BASHED IN NYC [UPDATED]

Dan Contarino becomes victim of the recent wave of hate crimes sweeping through the Big Apple.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/21/2013 at 10:22AM | No Comments

What on Earth is happening in New York City? The metropolis is supposed to be the epicenter of LGBTQ rights in New York, but lately it has become a veritable gay-bashing battle zone. Over the weekend, reports surfaced about a man who was fatally shot in Greenwich Village — allegedly for being gay — and today I’m getting word that the string of abuse has hit close to home.

Bruce Yelk at nightlifegay.com reports that Dan Contarino, former promoter of Shampoo Nightclub’s Shaft Fridays, was assaulted last night in the East Village, at Avenue D and 4th Street — on the same night that a rally was held in NYC in response to five other bias-related attacks in the last month. According to Yelk, witnesses have said that Contarino was kicked and beaten by an attacker who was yelling “faggot.” Those same witnesses said they rushed to his aid, but the assailant got away.

Yelk reports that Contarino is shaken up with a nasty black eye. I reached out to him for comment, but haven’t heard back yet. Stay tuned for updates.

UPDATE [4:54 p.m., 5/21/2013]: Contarino still hasn’t returned my calls, but I’ve been following a string of comments on his Facebook feed. Here’s what he’s reported so far:

1. “THANKS FOR CALLS…. GAY BASHED LAST NITE…. back from small surgery…. CHEST XRAYS THIS AM…. suspect still at large… police n media waiting to interview me… U JUST WANNA CRY N MOVE ON….”

2. ”UGH…. THIS IS JUST AS BRUTAL AS the ATTACK…. 3 hours… 8 detective interviews… now waiting for Hate Crimes Unit main interview… THEN BACK TO HOSPITAL….”

3. “NBC JUST CALLED ME… another HATE CRIME ATTACK in SOHO this morning !!”

4. “Still at precinct…. I NEED A FAB BIG PAIR OF D&G or GUCCIS during this healing process… LOL”

5. “Just signed official police report at 4pm…. the incorrect one some newsreels posted earlier… INCORRECT”

6. “NYC POLICE COMMISSIONER HOLDING PRESS CONFERENCE FOR ATTACKS…. been informed to expect all newsstations to interview me at hospital tonite..”

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Have gay news you’d like to share with G Philly? Send tips to jmiddleton@phillymag.com.

PHILADELPHIA’S LGBT VOTING GUIDE FOR PRIMARY ELECTION DAY

The list of Equality Pennsylvania's endorsed candidates includes two openly gay men running in Harrisburg.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/20/2013 at 6:27PM | No Comments

Is it just me or did Primary Election Day just slip up totally unexpected? Whatever the case, it’s tomorrow (Tue., May 21) and Equality Pennsylvania has released this LGBTQ voting guide of endorsed community leaders across the state who have “all pledged to work hard to advance the policies that matter most to LGBT people.” In Harrisburg, there are two openly gay men running for office: Ben Allatt (above, left), who’s running for City Council, and mayoral hopeful Dan Miller (above, right).

There aren’t many terribly exciting elections happening here in Philly, but every office counts if we want to make some major moves on the LGBTQ civil rights front this year. Here’s the list of Equality PA-endorsed candidates, starting with here in the 215. READ MORE

METRO MEN’S CLOTHING WINS IBA LGBT BUSINESS AWARD

The Passyunk men's fashion boutique will use the $5K prize to add online-shopping capabilities to its website.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/20/2013 at 12:14PM | No Comments

Metro Men's Clothing owner Tom Longo with Mayor Nutter and East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District's Renee Gilinger.

This afternoon, at a luncheon at the Sofitel Hotel, the Independence Business Alliance (IBA) announced that its annual LGBT Business Award will go to Passyunk men’s fashion boutique Metro Men’s Clothing (MMC). READ MORE

PHOTOS: MAYOR NUTTER SIGNS PHILADELPHIA’S LGBT EQUALITY BILL

"This is now the law in Philadelphia."

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/10/2013 at 10:03AM | 4 Comments

Philadelphia LGBT history was made yesterday afternoon, when Mayor Nutter signed Bill #130224, otherwise known as the LGBT Equality Bill, into law. The brief ceremony was packed with excited spectators, tons of reporters and orated by a team of local lawmakers who helped pave the way for the bill. The sentiment that was on all of their lips was the bill’s trailblazing efforts to make Philadelphia, as Nutter put it, the “most LGBT-friendly city in the world.” The mayor said he is “proud to be working in this area again,” and vowed to continue using his platform to promote LGBT equality. READ MORE

MAYOR NUTTER TO SIGN PHILLY’S LGBT EQUALITY BILL TODAY

Philadelphia is one signature away from being the most gay-friendly city in the country.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/9/2013 at 1:34PM | No Comments

This afternoon, Mayor Nutter and Councilman Jim Kenney will meet up in the Municipal Building to sign into law Bill #130224, more commonly known as the LGBT Equality Bill that will make Philadelphia the rainbow-iest city in the United States — especially when it comes to rights for the trans community. READ MORE

IT’S ALMOST ILLEGAL TO FIRE PEOPLE FOR BEING GAY IN PA.

A record number of Harrisburg legislators support a bill that would ban LGBTQ discrimination in the state.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/7/2013 at 3:35PM | No Comments

A small army of Harrisburg legislators gathered in the Capitol this afternoon to announce that they’re ready to fight for the passage of House Bill 300 and Senate Bill 300, two pieces of legislation that would finally “ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression statewide in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations.”

I can’t believe I just had to type that. READ MORE

TEMPLE STUDENT WRITER RACKS UP AWARDS FOR G PHILLY

Brandon Baker snagged a couple accolades at the 2013 Student Journalism Awards Ceremony at Temple.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 5/2/2013 at 1:29PM | No Comments

Brandon in the office of The Temple News, where he works as the Living copy editor.

G Philly‘s alit with pride today after Temple student writer Brandon Baker snagged not one but two accolades for stories he contributed to our quarterly magazine. READ MORE

STATE DEPT. GRANTS MARIELA CASTRO VISA TO ATTEND EQUALITY FORUM

Organizers confirm that the Cuban LGBTQ civil rights leader will attend this year's festivities

Posted by Josh Middleton on 4/30/2013 at 10:18AM | No Comments

Last week, I told you about the U.S. State Department’s refusal to grant Mariela Castro a visa to attend this year’s Equality Forum, where she was to be honored for her work promoting LGBTQ civil rights in Cuba. But it looks like they’ve changed their minds.

Just got word from Equality Forum organizers that Castro has been authorized and will be attending this year’s festivities. They are confirming that she will speak at the Cuba: Featured Nation Panel on Sat., May 4 at 2:30 p.m., and on that same evening, starting at 6:30 p.m., she will presented with the International Ally for LGBT Equality Award at the International Equality Dinner. The award recognizes Castro’s work as director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), and for her outspoken advocacy for LGBT equality in Cuba.

The Equality Forum kicks of Thu., May and runs through Sun., May 5. For info on events, visit equalityforum.com. READ MORE

TWO GAY ARTISTS WIN HUGE KNIGHT ARTS GRANTS

Meet the two gay artists who walked away with sizable grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Posted by Josh Middleton on 4/30/2013 at 9:31AM | 1 Comment

Dito van Reigersberg's Pig Iron Theatre Company was among this year's Knight Arts Grant winners.

Way back in January, I posted about six LGBTQ-related artistic groups up for the 2013 Knight Arts Challenge, an annual contest run by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation that doles out tens of thousands of dollars to local creative types who have “the best ideas for engaging and enriching Philadelphia through the arts.” Well, the awards were finally announced last night and I’m happy to say that two gay artists walked away winners, two who just so happen to be boyfriends.

Dito van Reigersberg‘s (aka Martha Graham Cracker) Pig Iron Theatre Company won $60,000 “to merge two indie-arts genres by translating the music of rock band Dr. Dog into a theatrical spectacle.” READ MORE