Generally one thinks of Switzerland in terms of mountains, cheese and chocolate. While this is true, one could also think of it in terms of Gay women and men. German, French and Italian yet all Swiss!
I won't belabor you with in depth recaps about your recent media involvement or even about this most recent incident when you were reportedly arrested in an attempt to solicit a male prostitute - as you, unlike the rest of us, were present for it all. I would like to focus less on your actions and more on the things that it seems you are not doing - or perhaps unable to fathom.
Women's Way 36th Annual Powerful voice awards was last night. Women's way envisions a world where all girls have the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, valued and positioned to be the next generation of leaders. The Lucretia Mott award recipient is Christy Turlington Burns], former fashion icon, global maternal health advocate and founder of Every Mother Counts campaign to end preventable deaths cased by childbirth and pregnancy around the world. [Photographer: Tara Lessard from Freedom G Photography]]
Video added: The Attic Youth Center "To be perfectly honest, without The Attic, I think I'd be dead. I wasn't a happy person before I came here. I just didn't see a future for myself. And once I started coming here, I started to see a glimmer of a future. And now it's big, bold, and bright: full color." Kevin, 20 Attic Youth
The Attic Youth Center has been serving Philadelphia's lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and questioning youth for over 20 years.
"I was truly miserable. I thought about killing myself all the time. Here I don't have to worry about violence, I don't have to worry about people getting on me, or saying things that are hurtful or mean. Whereas anywhere else, I might have to. Here there is a concerted effort to try and be inclusive and welcoming, which I think is a rare thing. Having that back up, having that energy behind me... all those well meaning people is what, kind of, gave me the will to continue, because there was something to continue for. " Kevin, 20 Attic Youth
The Attic offers job readiness, academic enrichment, leadership, arts, counseling, supportive services, and education and training programs.
"Philly definitely still has lots of discrimination, lots of homophobia, lots of bullying that goes on in the school system, lots of ignorance, people just not knowing what the consequences are of some of their actions. The Attic is definitely a safe place for young people who, often times, feel so unsafe out in the world and even sometimes within their homes." Monique Walker, Counseling Coordinator
The Attic is the only community center in the Philadelphia region that exclusively serves LGBTQ adolescents and young adults, ages 14 -23.
Each year, over 1,000 young people use The Attic's on site services; and over 5,000 participate in our off-site education and training program.
"Without The Attic I'd be lonely, bored, still looking somewhere to be myself. The Attic: you just love it. Like one big carnival with all your cousins, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, uncles, everybody. The staff are really supportive, they're just like one big support group in a box. They're here to be real with us, they're here to educate us, and they're here to love us, and they do a great job doing that, every single day." Dalyla, 17 Attic Youth
"Gay kids, just like every other kid, are in need of love and are in need of support. They are some of the most creative, some of the most articulate, some of the most loving, some of the most accepting young people that I've had the privilege of talking to and working with. They can overcome large amounts of pain and hurt and still be able to, somehow, be happy." Monique Walker, Counseling Coordinator
"Here we're all accepting, we're not going to judge you. If you're having a problem elsewhere, then our arms are open for hugs and our ears are open to listen." Dalyla, 17 Attic Youth
"This place truly changes youth's lives- this is not an exaggeration, this is not hyperbole, this is the truth. People are different because of this place, people are better." Kevin, 20 Attic Youth
Nine amazing queens vied for the title of Miss Gay Pride Philly 2013. The Goddess Isis handed off the crown to the new champion - Cyanni Famouz [Photographer: Steve McCann]
