Leach to discuss marriage bill
Philly for Change, the local affiliate of Democracy for America, will host state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17th Dist.) next week for a discussion about his proposed marriage-equality bill.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at Tritone, 1508 South St., and is open to the public.
The legislation, which Leach introduced in May, currently has two cosponsors: Sens. Larry Farnese (D-First Dist.) and Jim Ferlo (D-38th Dist.).
LGBT legal group receives grants
Equality Advocates PA was notified this week that it will receive two grants, totaling $10,000, which will be used to help the group continue to provide legal services to LGBT individuals and defend LGBT-rights issues.
The board of The Philadelphia Foundation, a grantmaking organization that invests in organizations committed to working for social change, voted July 27 to provide Equality Advocates a $4,000 grant from its David S. Mathers Fund and a $6,000 grant from its Jonathan C. Neff Fund.
“We are extremely grateful to the generous people who have established the Mathers and Neff Funds at The Philadelphia Foundation and honored to be the recipient of their trust in our mission of improving and protecting the lives of LGBT individuals and delivering free legal services to low-income LGBT individuals,” said Equality Advocates executive director Lynn Zeitlin.
Suburban couple charges harassment
A gay couple in Levittown filed complaints against two police officers and are considering filing a lawsuit against their landlord stemming from an altercation last weekend that they believe was motivated by antigay bias.
Robert Breining and his partner, Joseph Tittel, owners of Spirit Man Productions, were hosting a psychic-medium session at the company’s office July 27 when, they say, the landlord of the office space, a neighbor that the landlord rents living space to and friends of theirs were being disruptive outside the office. The couple says the landlord roped off the parking lot with police tape to make it difficult for event participants to park, and that he and the several individuals who were gathered outside the building were drinking alcohol and revving their motorcycle engines to create a disturbance.
When Breining and his partner went outside to confront the group, the landlord and others called them “faggots” and made comments about AIDS and several lewd remarks, all of which the couple caught on videotape. Throughout the afternoon, Breining and Tittel called the police twice; the first time, Breining said, the officer who arrived was not open to hearing their concerns and cited the landlord and Tittel for disorderly conduct when they engaged in a verbal argument. Breining said the second officer was more understanding but did not take any action to quell the situation.
“We were told just to stay away from them,” Breining said. “But something more should have been done. People should not be permitted to behave like that just because we’re gay.”
Police did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
The couple filed complaints Tuesday against both officers and plan to seek assistance from the Network of Victim Assistance, a Bucks County agency.
Breining and Tittel are also considering filing a lawsuit against the landlord and the others present at the outdoor party. Breining said the harassment has been ongoing since the pair moved into the space one year ago, and they already have another pending suit against the landlord for an incident last fall in which they say he spray-painted their fence and vehicle.
The pair’s lease is up next week and they are currently looking for a new office space.
— Jen Colletta