Rita was born September 12, 1945 and died July 9, 2022. She was the longtime Executive Director of The Pennsylvania Lesbian and Gay Task Force. Because of her work in the Task Force, she succeeded, in 1994, in passing our Gay Rights Bill. Rita was a fearless, fierce advocate for peace, social justice, and civil rights for all. Many regarded her as a pit bull, irascible, resolute, abrasive, and difficult, but she got the job done — a pioneer, a miracle of modern social activism. She believed that everything was possible. She was tough and infuriating while alternately sweet and insightful! A force of nature, a mighty warrior. The LGBTQA+ Community is a stronger, safer place thankfully to Rita Addessa.
Joe Beam was born on December 30, 1954, and died on December 27, 1988. He was a good friend and employee of Giovanni’s Room during some of the years I was a partner in the bookstore. He was inspired by the trailblazing Black lesbian writers who formed Kitchen Table Women of Color Press and yearned for the camaraderie of Black gay male writers to build community. After proposing to Alyson Publications, an independent, small press that published LGBT manuscripts, they supported Joe in finding writers of various lifestyles, from all over the country, to compile “In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology” (1986). Beam began a second anthology, “Brother to Brother,” but died of AIDS- related complications before it was completed. Essex Hemphill and Joe’s mother, Dorothy, completed the collection, which was later published as “Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men” (1991). Joe researched and interviewed Black activists and authors, including Audre Lorde, Pat Parker, Bayard Rustin, and so many more. He accomplished an impressive amount in his short life. It was an honor to know Joe Beam.
Victoria A. Brownworth
1989, Giclee on canvas, framed (original in private collection), 21 x 15”
Victoria Brownworth was born on February 21, 1956, and died on May 22, 2025. Victoria managed to live a long time with several illnesses, but her death still came as a shock. She had been a powerful voice in our community since her late teens and early 20s. In her teens, Victoria co-founded Amazon Country, Philadelphia’s lesbian radio show, which still airs today, 50 years later. She was a prolific journalist, poet, and author of short stories, as well as a compiler of several anthologies. Her writing won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize, for the Philadelphia Gay News. Even though Victoria was housebound for several years, her writing appeared in both local and national feminist and gay publications. Her writing is as relevant today as ever.
Gloria Casarez was born on December 13, 1971, and died on October 19, 2014. She was raised in the Kensington section of Philadelphia and was very aware of the inequities in the lives of Latinos and all people of color. She initially worked in grassroots organizations such as Empty the Shelters, which focused on housing rights. Gloria became the Executive Director of the Gay & Lesbian Latin@ AIDS Education Initiative (GALAEI) from 1999 to 2008. This organization provided resources for people of color, including transgender community. In her activism, she sought to uplift and empower marginalized and oppressed people in our communities. Gloria’s devotion to our communities led to her becoming the first LGBTQA+ liaison in Philadelphia City Hall, where she served as the Executive Director of the Office of LGBT Affairs. Because of her work with the Mayor, she helped create a stronger Gay Rights Bill with added protections for transgender people. Gloria Casarez helped to make Philadelphia one of the safest cities for LGBTQ folks in the country.
Gil Forman (standing in the above portrait) was born in September 1942 and died in New York City on July 9, 1995. Some entries in this series are personal for me. Gil inspired this project when he began failing from AIDS. He gave me the beautiful photo that I painted from — he asked me to paint his portrait because he “did not want to be forgotten.” We met in our youth in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Logan. We both graduated from Olney High School. While dreaming of being artists, Gil and I moved to NYC, where we both came out in the LGBT community. We remained friends all those years. We had a lot of fun. He introduced me to a wealth of culture — dance, theater, and other forms of live entertainment. We danced and laughed together for so many years. I miss him, and he is truly in my heart!
Butch Lee (Linda Lee Norwood) was born on October 31, 1949, and died on October 20, 2022. Butch Lee was both an extraordinary individual and very down-to-earth. She was a proud “Dyke,” never tried to “pass” as straight, and was unapologetic for who she was. In her early 30s, she worked on a crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth, helping them navigate the challenging times of coming out and teaching them self-acceptance by example. For 29 years, Lee worked as a 911 operator for Baltimore County, MD. Lee was active for many years in the LGBTQ+ and Leather Communities, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. She was a longtime leader of the women’s club FIST (Females Investigating Sexual Terrain) and other organizations. She traveled, volunteered, actively worked on fundraising, and led many leather events. Butch Lee and her wife were together for 32 years. They had numerous commitment and wedding ceremonies in multiple states, culminating in an amazing, outdoor wedding ceremony at their Maryland home in 2013. Lee, with her wife, Buz, were part of the Ebony Wolf Family. They had hundreds of friends, and many members of her chosen family surrounded her at the time of her death.
Colleen O’Connell was born April 5, 1947, and died December 28, 2021. Colleen was a writer, educator, and out lesbian feminist. She and her wife, Connie Yukon, were together for 42 years. In the 1990s, Colleen was the Executive Director of the Community Women’s Education Program, the Executive Vice President of the Private Industry Council, and the Editor/Publisher of Au Courant LGBTQ+ magazine. In 2000, Colleen became a cherished member of the Won Institute, a Korean Buddhist acupuncture community and educational institution. As Chief Administrative Officer, she worked to establish an Acupuncture Studies Master’s Degree Program, a certificate in the Chinese Herbal Program, and an Acupuncture Studies Doctoral Degree. She emphasized the respect between the Korean and English-speaking populations, as well as the religious and secular aspects of the school. She was a brilliant administrator and truly cared for everyone who knew her. Colleen fought for progressive causes — a passionate advocate for women, particularly those from low-income and working-class backgrounds. She was an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood
Carol Moore was born on December 5, 1951 and died on April 3, 2025. She was a bold feminist leader and lesbian activist, a healthcare worker with children, a fiber artist, a positive role model, and a loving human being. Carol was active in Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ community since the 1970s. Although she and her family eventually settled in New Jersey, Carol continued to fight for women’s rights and work within the Women’s Music Festival circuit both locally and internationally. Carol exhibited her crochet craft at Michigan Women’s Music Festival for many years. She eventually opened her own shop, The Fiber Arts Cafe, in Bridgeton, her home. Carol was also an organizer of Sisterspace Weekend in MD. She had a fantastic personality, both fun loving and joyous. We miss her wonderful spirit.
Michael Weltmann was born February 28, 1949, and died January 27, 1992. Michael was an LGBTQ+ activist in Philadelphia. In the 1970s, he advocated for LGBT kids in foster care, beginning with a program in the division of Youth and Family Services. Michael was also part of Lesbian & Gay Social Workers, as well as a social worker with The Eromin Center (the first of its kind, LGBT counseling center). He was the Adolescent Services Director and served on the Board of Directors. In the 1980s, Michael returned to school to study nursing and became an RN. He then moved to NYC, where he became active in the International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA). Michael worked on issues of health and human rights. He founded the Gay Community Services Center of ILGA in NYC. He was the first openly gay delegate to the UN on World AIDS Day in 1991. Michael was loved by many men and women from all over the world. He was a hard worker and had a wonderful sense of humor. His life was beautiful, but it was cut short.
Su O was born on February 25, 1937, and died at the age of 80. She was a dancer, visual artist, storyteller, teacher, wild woman, and a dear friend. When I first met Su, in her Germantown home, she exercised daily to Cher tapes. She would dress up to match Cher’s style. Su also set up a childcare center in her home. Later, when she moved to Center City, she went to the 12th Street Gym daily, walked dogs, made art, and took care of her mother in her final years. Su overcame the homophobia her parents subjected her to at an early age. She was also a single mother of three, all of whom are living healthy, productive lives and published an autobiography, “Yo, I’m A Philly Girl.”
The Gay Crusaders (Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen)
2025, Acrylic on canvas over board, 9 x 9”
Barbara Gittings was born in 1932 and died in 2007. Kay Tobin Lahusen was born in 1930 and died in 2021. Barbara and Kay were gay civil rights pioneers and devoted partners in life for over 46 years. Before Stonewall, in 1965 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Barbara and Kay were marching for “homosexual” rights at the Annual Reminder protests. Barbara was an activist and public speaker, traveling the country, urging people to “come out.” She often used the phrase “We are everywhere!” which encapsulated her goal to make LGBTQ+ individuals visible and prove that we were integral members of every community. She lobbied the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality as a classified mental disorder (1973), and she fought for the incorporation of LGBTQ+ books in libraries so that young people and families would have information that was accurate and positive. Kay was an openly gay photojournalist during these early Pride marches as well as throughout her life, documenting so many of our struggles and triumphs. Kay co-authored The Gay Crusaders in 1972 and, more recently, in 2019, she published a photobook, Love And Resistance: Out of The Closet in The Stonewall Era. Both Barbara and Kay inspired courage for so many of us. It felt important to paint them together and recognize their legacies as “Gay Crusaders.” Barbara, along with another prominent activist Frank Kameny, challenged the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnosis of homosexuality as a disease. In 1973, this classification was removed. Barbara also collaborated with the American Library Association to provide the public with more information about the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals. Together, Barbara & Kay served on numerous organizations, including: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund; the Human Rights Campaign Fund; the American Civil Liberties Union, and more. Barbara started the East Coast chapters of The Daughters of Billitis and helped to edit its accompanying magazine, The Ladder. Barbara and Kay were totally dedicated to LGBTQA+ Liberation — caring and available to all. They were the instruments behind so many people coming out and fighting tirelessly for our rights.
Emery Turmel was born on March 19, 1935, and died on October 28, 1997. This 1964 painting of Emery is the earliest work in the exhibition. For a short time, when I lived in New York City, we became dear friends. He taught me how to paint, how to set up my palette, and how to clean and care for my brushes, among many other things. Emery’s family was French/Canadian, although they moved to Maine, where he was raised. Emery became a French scholar. As a young person, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to France. During our friendship, he would make seven-course French dinners, and we would grand waltz in his tiny West Side apartment. We became good friends, and he shared his fascination with S/M. This was the first time I heard of it — I was 19. Emery was a French teacher at the West Lake High School in Mt. Pleasant, NY, for over 20 years. He was loved by the school district, his coworkers, and, particularly, the students. He only spoke French in the classroom. Each summer, he brought students with him on tours to France. When he retired, Emery gifted thirteen sculptures to the school that came from all over the world. They are displayed, with his name, in a permanent hall case at the school. Back in the day, being an out gay teacher would have been dangerous. I went to his school as his date for a school play, and it was an honor. This was an exquisite friendship. Emery left his mark on so many — I was one of the lucky ones.
I was unable to find records on Maria’s birth and death. Maria Henon was a chef in Philadelphia and part of the South Street Restaurant Renaissance, working at Lickity Split for several years. She eventually moved to The Garden French Restaurant, which was originally located on Spruce Street in downtown Philadelphia. The owner sent Maria to France to study with pastry chefs. She and her then-partner, Sam Morse, rebuilt their home on Kater Street in the South Street area of Philadelphia. Maria was active in the original Gay & Lesbian Center on their block. She was also very supportive of Giovanni’s Room, which had moved from South Street to Spruce Street. She donated and supplied the most delicious food for the bookstore’s community events. The portrait of Maria was drawn in the early 1970s.
Dorothy (Dot) McHugh was born August 14, 1907, and died July 19, 1995. Dot was a dear friend and surrogate mother to my partner in the 1980s. The portrait was done when she was in her 70s. She was not a lesbian, but still very much part of the queer community. Both her brothers were gay. She owned homes in the gayborhood, renting and filling them with gay and lesbian tenants. She would walk her dogs everywhere, talking to both the dogs and her neighbors — a true neighborhood character. At different times, Dot became a mother to us all. Dot was an actress and dancer in her early years, performing in the Ziegfeld Follies. As a senior, she was hired for a television commercial for Life Alert. Her famous line was “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” It is wonderful to commemorate this lovely person who embraced our young dyke selves.
Dr. Ethel Allen was born on May 8, 1929, and died on December 16, 1981. She had an illustrious career that began as an osteopathic physician, calling herself a “ghetto practitioner” in some of the most dangerous communities of Philadelphia. In the early 1970s, after becoming politically active plus wanting to combat crime in her community, Ethel ran for City Council in Philadelphia. She was strong and outspoken, often clashing with Mayor Frank Rizzo and the City Council President. Although Dr. Allen did not come out as a lesbian, she lived with one woman for nearly 30 years. She introduced the first Gay Rights Bill in Philadelphia in 1975 (which did not pass). She continued to be an active feminist and made herself available to the lesbian and gay community. She eventually went on to serve as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Sharyn LaBance (Sharky La Chance) was born on October 25, 1949, and died on November 6, 1999. She was a working-class butch, bar dyke, performance artist, feminist activist, and intellectual. Sharky kept up with the art trends and activities of the bohemian cultures through the alternative press and The Village Voice. She was smart as hell, funny, a great dancer, and a strategic flirt. Sharky’s performance presentations reflected her philosophy and the world seen through her eyes — both the irony and the humor around us. She was an active lesbian feminist, fiercely independent, and self-employed. She died at 50 from a cancer that might have been caught if she had health insurance. To quote Sharyn, she “would have made a hell of a 50-year-old.” She is dearly missed.
Maryanne Parson was 60 years old when she died on March 14, 2008. Mars was an incredible visual artist, performance artist, and craftswoman. She was an out butch lesbian, rode a motorcycle in her younger years, and was delightfully flamboyant at a time when that attitude was not accepted. Mars was charming and soft-spoken, so many adored her. Her artwork spanned a wide variety of mediums, but her paintings were exquisite, including erotic scenes of women loving women. Mars gave demonstrations at women’s gatherings, including sexual and spiritual/SM activities. At the Michigan Women’s Music Festival, she and several leather women led an SM erotica workshop. She was brave and gentle — a unique combination. We were all lucky to have known her. I am including this second image of Mars taken in her studio back in the 1980s, a photo that portrays her powerful individuality in her non-binary persona. Behind her is a self-portrait of both her masculine and feminine selves. On her chest (of the tank top) is her painting of both her and her lover flying in sexual embrace. Mars was my inspiration at a time when I was at a crossroads. She convinced me to apply to the PAFA to continue my art education. I will always be grateful for the times we shared, as she is so dear to my heart.
Marlene “Mike” Miller was born on September 11, 1934, and died on July 30, 2025. She was a working artist, an early pioneer in our 1970s lesbian feminist Radicalesbian community, and an organizer with a tremendous sense of both seriousness and humor. Mike lived and worked in Bucks County, PA. She taught art at Bucks County Community College for approximately 30 years and was loved by both the school staff and students. In 1976, at the Bicentennial Women’s Center in Philadelphia, Mike exhibited her woodcuts of prominent women from herstory (a feminist term written from women’s perspectives, emphasizing women’s contributions). Mike was adept in multiple art mediums — printmaking, drawing, painting, and three-dimensional work. She depicted realistic, large-scale Holocaust installations that featured papier-mâché figures. Her work can be found in collections at the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Michener Museum in Doylestown. Mike was loved and accepted in her Jewish family. Her being gay was just a normal part of their lives. She delighted her nieces and nephews with pranks, games, art projects, scary movies, and goodies. Their family life was filled with joy and laughter. To paraphrase her niece, “She was an indomitable spirit with a sense of humor.” The way Mike created her art and led her life was an inspiration to me.
Tee Corinne was born in 1943 and died August 27, 2006. Tee was a working artist her entire life, specializing in photography, drawing, and painting. She was a prolific writer. She authored numerous books of poetry, novels, short stories, and, at the end of her life, essays on her struggle with cancer. Some of her books include: The Cunt Coloring Book, Women Who Loved Women, Yantras of Woman Love, and Dreams of the Woman Who Loved Sex. The list goes on. Her work is everywhere. Tee won numerous awards, particularly in 1997, the Women’s Caucus for Art’s President’s Award for Service to Women in the Arts. Tee was an activist for both women’s rights and lesbian and gay rights. She was at the forefront, fighting for the presence of lesbian art in the art world.
William Way LGBT Community Center
1315 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
P: 215-732-2220