Walmart suit withdrawn
An antibias lawsuit filed by trans woman Samantha Azzarano against Walmart Stores Inc. has been withdrawn.
Azzarano worked at a Walmart store in Deptford, N.J., as a service associate from 2012-14. She claimed wrongful termination after enduring anti-trans harassment at the store.
In October, Azzarano filed suit against Walmart in New Jersey Superior Court. But last week, Kevin M. Costello, who served as an attorney for Azzarano, confirmed the suit was withdrawn in November. Costello declined additional comment.
D.A. drops charges in sex case
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office recently dropped all criminal charges against Percival Outland, who was accused of inappropriately touching a boy at the Kimmel Center in 2015.
Outland had been charged with unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of a minor, indecent assault, simple assault and related offenses.
The criminal case against Outland was officially concluded on May 31, when his bail money was returned to him.
J. Michael Farrell, an attorney for Outland, said: “We praise the D.A.’s decision.”
Cameron Kline, a spokesperson for the D.A.’s Office, declined to comment.
Outland still faces a civil suit filed by the boy’s mother, who seeks in excess of $50,000 from him and/or the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Outland was employed as a counselor at BGCP at the time of the alleged incident.
In the civil case, Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Shelley Robins-New recently ordered attorneys for the boy’s mother to produce discovery items by June 12, or face sanctions.
Demonstrators urge legal reform for child sex cases
Dozens of people from the region participated in a 2-mile walk in New York June 5, urging legal reform in the area of child sexual abuse.
“We had survivors from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, who joined forces in New York to support this vibrant movement,” said Marci A. Hamilton, academic director of CHILD USA, a new thinktank to deter and prevent child abuse and neglect.
Hamilton said about 300 marchers crossed the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan, where they held a rally at Pace University.
She said the event added momentum to a growing call for the enactment of legislation in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania easing time limits for filing civil suits regarding child sexual abuse.
“It was easier to ignore victims when they stood alone in their solitary misery,” Hamilton said. “But now that organizations, survivors and their supporters are uniting, they are much harder to ignore. The bottom line is whether lawmakers will protect children — or perpetrators and their enabling institutions. The June 5 march sent a clear message that is the choice survivors are putting to legislators.”
— Timothy Cwiek
’20s theme for GayBINGO’s 20th anniversary
AIDS Fund will celebrate the 20th anniversary of GayBINGO at 7 p.m. June 11 with a Roaring ’20s theme. The games takes place at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St.
Tickets cost $25 for reserved seats on the floor or $20 for general admission in the balcony. The money supports HIV/AIDS services in the Delaware Valley.
“AIDS Fund is so grateful to the approximately 25,000 people who have supported GayBINGO over the last 20 years,” said Robb Reichard, executive director of AIDS Fund. “We never could have imagined this fun event could have raised so much money and awareness around HIV/AIDS.”
GayBINGO has raised $3.3 million in the last two decades, not counting this season. Each season typically brings in $125,000-$150,000, Reichard said in September.
For more information about the 20th anniversary GayBINGO or to purchase tickets, call 215-731-9255 or visit www.aidsfundphilly.org/gaybingo.
Obergefell to speak at Constitution Center ahead of book release
Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the case that affirmed marriage equality nationwide, will speak at the National Constitution Center next week alongside the journalist who chronicled his story in a new book.
The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. June 16 at the Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. It costs $20 for members, students or teachers or $25 for non-members. Admission includes a copy of the book “Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality,” by Debbie Cenziper of the Washington Post.
Carrie Johnson, justice correspondent for NPR, will moderate the discussion between Obergefell and Cenziper. A book signing will follow the discussion.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
Reading Pride marks 10th year in July
Pop singer-songwriter Tom Goss will headline the 10th-annual Reading Pride, set to take place from noon-6 p.m. July 17 at Centre Park, 733 Centre Ave., Reading.
Tickets cost $5. Children 12 and under can attend for free. Reading Pride plans to put the proceeds toward organizing next year’s festival.
Reading Pride is smoke-free this year, in response to an LGBT health survey that showed LGBT Pennsylvanians smoke at significantly higher rates than non-LGBT residents.
The pre-Pride pool party takes place at the Crowne Plaza, 1741 Papermill Road, Wyomissing. It costs $5 to attend, or free for children 12 and under. The post party takes place in the ballroom at the Double Tree, 701 Penn St., Reading. It’s also $5 to attend.
For more information, visit www.readingpridecelebration.org.
— Paige Cooperstein