When talking about myths of people with disabilities, Katherine Allen says there’s more to deafness and blindness than people think. “Just about everything [is on] a spectrum,” said Allen, who is visually impaired. Allen, 68, is active in the Philadelphia-area disability and LGBTQ+ communities. She is an accessibility consultant for Philly Touch Tours, an organization that […]
Author Archives: Michele Zipkin
Michele Zipkin is a staff writer for Philadelphia Gay News, where she reports on issues including LGBTQ youth issues, housing insecurity, healthcare, city government and advocacy organizations, and events.
Posted inHistory
The evolution of LGBTQ+ online dating
Special to News is Out from the LGBT History Project. From casual hook-ups to friendships to meeting the love of your life, LGBTQ+ online dating was created out of a need for community. When I first messaged my wife of six years on OkCupid in 2014, I didn’t realize I was taking part in an online […]
Posted inLGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness Crisis
Morris Home connects trans, nonbinary people of color to housing resources
Morris Home is the only residential recovery home in the U.S. that provides services specifically for trans and nonbinary people experiencing addiction. But the program’s services go much deeper than recovery. “A lot of statistics show that a lot of trans folks don’t necessarily go traditionally through the homeless system by accessing shelters or some […]
Posted inArts and Entertainment
Chef Marcu: Bridging the gap between Black trans people and the culinary industry
When Chef Marcu, also known as Marcuz James, first started his private catering business Palate Marcu: International Kitchen in 2019, he felt like he was thrown into a pool of cold water when he agreed to cater for 500 people at the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference. “I had no idea what I was doing,” Marcu […]
Posted inBIPOC LGBTQ+ Artist Spotlight
Aeryanah Von Moi: Finding liberation through theater
Aeryanah Von Moi has lived in Philadelphia for 27 years and has had a wealth of creative and professional experiences, including as an assistant to Family Court Judge Tiffany Palmer, where she still works. But it was acting that liberated her “in so many different ways.” Von Moi’s experience in theater began in the early […]
Posted inNews
Valley Youth House works to mitigate homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth of color
The Pennsylvania housing and youth resource organization Valley Youth House provides multiple programs that mitigate youth homelessness, including for LGBTQ+ youth and youth of color. Valley Youth House began in 1973 by offering one youth shelter in the Lehigh Valley. Now, 50 years later, the organization offers a wealth of programs across 14 counties in […]
Posted inCaring for Community
Philly’s queer running groups build community with LGBTQ+ seniors
To create a more inclusive, accepting running environment for LGBTQ+ folks in Philly, Cain Leathers started the running group Queer Run in April 2022. Leathers was motivated by some patterns of discrimination he noticed while working in the athletics industry, so he took a break to run across Pennsylvania to raise money for the Trevor Project, a crisis prevention organization geared toward LGBTQ+ youth.