Trans teen loses bid for homecoming king
The decision to ban a transgender teenager from running for homecoming king at a Pennsylvania school will stand.
The Richland Area School District on Monday announced it would not intervene in the Richland High School’s decision to disallow Kasey Caron from running for the spot, forcing him instead onto the homecoming-queen ballot. The 18-year-old senior identifies and presents as male and his state-issued driver’s license includes a male gender marker.
Earlier this month, school officials told Caron he had to run for queen for legal reasons, prompting the student to appeal to the school board. At least one board member misgendered Caron during a public meeting and suggested he would need to undergo sexual-reassignment surgery in order for the school to consider him male.
Caron has not announced if he plans to pursue the issue in court.
— Jen Colletta
Rosewood reopens
Rosewood, an upscale LGBT restaurant that was closed in June due to building-code violations, reopened Sept. 20.
Rosewood is located at 1300-02 Walnut St. and is contiguous to Woody’s Bar, a popular LGBT establishment.
It was closed June 5 by the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections due to alleged electrical, plumbing and licensing violations.
L&I inspected the building Sept. 19 and issued a certificate of occupancy for Rosewood.
“A certificate of occupancy has been issued, which reflects that all the work that’s been done on the property is code compliant,” said L&I spokesperson Rebecca Swanson. “They’ve remedied the violations and passed inspection.”
Rosewood’s owners, Michael and Billy Weiss, who also own Woody’s, couldn’t be reached for comment.
The Weiss brothers purchased the 1300-02 Walnut St. building last year. In addition to Woody’s and Rosewood, the building also houses a yogurt shop.
PAC still needs more commissioners
The city’s Police Advisory Commission continues to operate with fewer than half the number of commissioners it’s supposed to have, despite repeated requests for additional commissioners.
The PAC, which investigates police-misconduct complaints, is supposed to have 19 commissioners and alternates but currently only has seven.
Mayor Nutter has the responsibility of directly filling six vacancies and another six from recommendations by City Council.
The PAC hasn’t had a full complement of commissioners for more than two years.
Last month, Mark McDonald, a spokesperson for the Nutter administration, said an announcement of new commissioners was “imminent.”
McDonald had no comment for this story at presstime.
The next PAC meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at 714 Market St., fifth floor.
— Tim Cwiek
Flag-raising returns
The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations and the Office of LGBT Affairs will host the fourth annual LGBT History Month Celebration at City Hall.
The traditional raising of the rainbow flag will take place from noon-1 p.m. Oct. 3 at the northeast corner of City Hall.
The flag will stay raised until the end of the month to signify LGBT History MOnth. The event will spotlight the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, The Attic Youth Center and the Philadelphia Dyke March for their accomplishments.
The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus and Philadelphia Freedom Band will perform, and the Rev. Jeffery Haskins of the Unity Fellowship Church will speak.
Lobby for ENDA
Americans for Workplace Opportunity will host a lobby day Oct. 3 in Washington, D.C., to press for a federal law banning LGBT employment discrimination.
The agency is organizing LGBTs and allies to lobby the Senate to pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, which would ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Matt McTighe, manager of the campaign, said most Americans believe ENDA does, and should, exist.
“Americans believe all hardworking employees should be judged on their talents and job performance, not their sexual orientation or gender identity,” McTighe said. “Lobby day will serve as a reminder that the Golden Rule applies in the workplace: Everyone should be treated the same.”
The legislation passed out of a Senate committee earlier this year, and activists are working to secure a Senate vote on ENDA in October.
For more information, visit www.workplaceopportunity.org/.
—Angela Thomas