. view Q nor Spo
west
Monthly newsmagazine celebrating diversity and dances of the human spirit
April 2009
Going Forth & Coming Home removing the training wheels on sexual ethics Transgender Profiles: Gina Marie Young everything but
Marriage?
queer sounds
spinning the tunes with
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 |
Qview
northwest SPOKANE EDITION April 2009 Vol. 3 Issue 8
Monthly newsmagazine celebrating diversity and dances of the human spirit Distributed free throughout the Pacific Inland Northwest and online at
www.qviewnorthwest.com Publisher MIKE SCHULTZ Advertising STEVEN SANFORD Layout MIKE SCHULTZ Mail Room Clerk Trainee MIKE SCHULTZ
Contributors
JORDY BYRD CAT CARREL NICOLE HENSLEY JOAN OPYR ERIKA PRINS STEVE RODENBOUGH JUSTIN TANIS DAVID R. WEISS NATALIE WENDT
C O N T E N T S 3 Going Forth and Coming Home by Natalie Wendt 4 Queer Goggles: Music Defense System by Joan Opyr 5 Removing the Training Wheels on Sexual Ethics By David R. Weiss
STEVE RODENBOUGH
6 Taking a Stand of Compassion for our Transgender Community by Justin Tanis
Distribution
7 Transgender Profiles: Gina Marie Young By Erika Prins
Front Cover Photograph
STEVEN SANFORD
Website MIKE SCHULTZ Q View Northwest is published by Q View Media, LLC. 1506 W. Mission Ave Spokane, WA 99201 Phone: 509.570.8768 E-mail: mail@qviewnorthwest.com Website: www.qviewnorthwest.com All contents © 2009. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written consent from the publisher. Neither Q View Media LLC nor Q View Northwest publication assumes responsibility for errors in content, photos, or advertisements. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or advertisers.
8 Everything but Marriage? by Natalie Wendt 11 The LGBT Center Open Letter to the Community: Time for a New Era of LGBT Center Leadership by Cat Carrel 12 Thursday Night Promenade: Spinning the Tunes with Queer Sounds by Joan Opyr 17 Tales from an Herbivore by Jordy Byrd 21 Calendar 22 Resource Directory
| April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
Going Forth and Coming Home by Natalie Wendt
When I was twentyfour, I moved into one of the world’s only Buddhist monasteries for Westerners. Part of the Buddhist monastic ordination ceremony translates literarily to “going forth into homelessness.” Buddhist monks and nuns are trained to interact with their environment without thinking of anything as a possession. Any “my” or “mine” are reduced to their robes and alms bowls. While I lived there, “my” room was anonymous in decor like any other in the monastery, none of it reflecting me. If a guest or visitor needed the small cabin where I slept, I got a roommate or spent the night on the wooden floor of the meditation hall. Everything I could call “mine” fit in two boxes. The year before I moved into the monastery, I spent seven months traveling around the world, living out of a battered blue suitcase and an old backpack. It was a
turtle existence, my world on my back. I trekked across India studying Buddhism, visited a cousin who worked for UNICEF in the Maldives, schlepped through Europe thanks to hostels and the couches of friends and extended family. Almost every week, I went to a new city, province, or country. Sometimes I accidentally started speaking the wrong language, my confused brain unable to keep up with my changing geography. Nomadic life had been my dream for years. I grew up itching to escape my small north Idaho hometown. At eighteen, I fled to a hippie college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and at nineteen, I traded it
for College of Santa Fe’s painted deserts, artists, and eclectic melting pot of cultures. Santa Fe, New Mexico was a wonderful home for my student days, but as I set out into unsteady adulthood, I wanted to see who I was without anything familiar. I didn’t go traveling or move to the monastery to find myself. I went to lose my old ideas about who I was or was supposed to be. Stripping home away, I could uncover my unquestioned assumptions. For the most part, it worked. I’d grown up thinking I was shy, HOME continued on page 20
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 |
Queer Goggles by Joan Opyr
Music Defense System
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or those of us over 40, there needs to be some sort of musical early warning system. We need to know in advance when some modern, punk-ass band is about to release a radical cover of some cherished, sappy song from our youth. I’ve had a shock today that has thrown me off my writing and forced me to lie down with a cool rag on my forehead. Back in 1986, my first serious girlfriend broke up with me. Actually, it wasn’t so much a break-up as a kick in the teeth followed by a pummeling followed by her shipping me to Misery, Alaska to freeze into a solid block of desolation that would shatter into a million pieces as soon as the first snowflake fell upon me. In short, I was fairly certain that my life was over, and because I was a melodramatic soul, after every wretched, drawn out phone call, I would lie in my dormitory bed with my headphones on and listen to the most miserable and melodramatic song I knew – Wham!’s Careless Whisper. Like George Michael, I was never going to dance again. Never mind that it was her guilty feet that had no rhythm, I was miserable, I was a fool, and, at the ripe old age of 20, I knew that I would never find anyone else, ever. My life was over. So, night after night, I hit the rewind button until I wore a groove in the cassette tape. We didn’t have iPods back then, so
we really had to work at being unhappy. (To give props to the heartbroken of the 60s and 70s, they had to be devastated using albums and 8-track tapes. That’s a lot of hard work, and it may be one of the reasons why free love was so popular.) I listened to Careless Whisper for weeks. I listened until I could hum it in my sleep. I listened until it lost all power to make me melancholy. I listened until it became shorthand for “how dare she.” At some point, I threw my Wham! cassette in the trash can, looked out the window, and realized that my life was far from over. There were girls everywhere. Cute girls. Girls with far better taste in music than I had. I forgot about Wham! and woke up to The Ramones. But sometimes the past is like the IRS. Twenty-five years ago, you forgot to report ten dollars in tips you earned bar-tending a bar mitvah and there you are, looking at taxes and penalties the size of the A.I.G. bailout. As I was writing the Q View piece on Queer Sounds, I began thinking about gay artists, and that led to the Indigo Girls, Bronski Beat, The Smiths, Erasure, and, inevitably, George Michael. I couldn’t resist. I loaded up iTunes, I typed in Careless Whisper . . . and I pulled up a cover by a bunch of skanky punks called Seether! That had me bouncing backwards. It was like finding that the Sex Pistols had covered Doris Day’s Secret Love.
| April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
There they were, three of them. The lead singer looked like a cross between Billie Joe Armstrong and Kurt Cobain. His hair was dyed red with what appeared to be Kool-Aid, so make that Billie Joe, Kurt, and Cyndi Lauper. But I’m no fogey. I downloaded Seether’s cover of Careless Whisper, and damned if I don’t like it. Why? Because for all the grinding guitars and deep-throated, cheese grater delivery, I can still picture the 19-year-old me lying in my dormitory bed, listening to it and feeling miserable. Proof, I suppose, that there is nothing new under the sun. Still, I expect I’ll like Seether’s version even more after the Valium kicks in. These little reminders that you’re 40something are hard going.
Joan Opyr is a gigantic crank. Her life is frequently weird, and she enjoys writing and talking about that. She’s a transplanted Southerner who dreams of golden beaches, sweet iced tea, and sunny skies. She believes that Eva Cassidy should be beatified. Oh, and she’s also an award-winning novelist.
removing the training wheels on sexual ethics by David R. Weiss
Life beyond rules can be exhilarating—even for straight people—and not because it’s breaking rules but because this is how life is meant to be lived. Rules may be necessary “training wheels” on the bicycle of sexual ethics (appropriate as we enter adolescence), but we all know that to ride a bike the way it’s ultimately intended to be ridden, you take the training wheels off.
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s churches, locally and nationally, make slow but sure strides in welcoming GLBTQ persons of faith, there looms a conversation that many wish could remain quietly hidden in the corner but is sure to become the elephant that crowds the entire room. You can sum it up in a single word: monogamy, but in truth it’s much broader, concerning the “acceptable” variety of sexual expression. Bluntly put, the question is whether churches will welcome GLBTQ persons of faith … only so long as they can fit their sexual expression within the approved norms of straight sexuality. And whether GLBTQ persons of faith are willing to accept these terms … and what if they don’t? ETHICS continued on page 10
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 |
T ransgender Community taking a stand of compassion for our
by Justin Tanis, National Center for Transgender Equality
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he laws and policies of the federal government have a tremendous impact on all people in the United States, including transgender people. With the swearing in of the new Congress and the new Presidential Administration, we have an unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of transgender people and our families. We have made great strides thus far, finding acceptance among family and friends; educating policy makers about the needs for legislation that includes gender identity and expression; working with compassionate and capable health care providers; expanding
opportunities in schools and much more. Yet there is still a lot of work to do. Discrimination: Numerous studies have shown that transgender people face disproportionate amounts of discrimination in all areas of life, especially in employment and health care. As the American economy worsens, the discrimination faced by transgender people is becoming even more acute. Often forced into already unstable jobs and careers, and often facing compounding bias because of race or age, the economic wellbeing of transgender people is being challenged today like never
| April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
before. What can be done about it? One critical step is passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Future legislation will address other civil rights issues, such as public accommodations, housing, credit, education, and federally-funded programs. Hate crimes: Transgender people face well-documented and unconscionable levels of bias-motivated violence. This is especially true of young, lowTRANS continued on page 16
Transgender profiles:
Gina Marie Young “Self-acceptance is vital to gaining tolerance and respect from others. Know who you are, whether you’re transgender or anything else in life.” by Erika Prins
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his woman knows what she wants. Today, it’s a doubleshot caramel macchiato and the quietest table in the coffee shop. Last May, it was coming to work as her “true self”—a woman. Being, by appearances, a man at the time, doing so was not as simple as sliding on a pair of pumps in the morning and strolling into the office. Many of Gina Marie Young’s close friends told her Spokane was not the place to go through a gender transition. She believed them, but says she was mistaken. “I was really surprised that I was wrong. I was happy that I was wrong,” she says. “I’ve lived here all my life and it’s home.” She received overwhelming support from many coworkers and friends as she transitioned—more than she expected. photo by Steve Rodenbough
GINA continued on page 18
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 |
Marriage? everything but
by Natalie Wendt
Granting domestic partners the legal rights of marriage without the name makes sense to lawmakers. It allows them to appeal to the majority that believes in the legal recognition of gay couples and the majority that opposes gay marriage.
| April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
“It is the intent of the legislature that for all purposes under state law, state registered domestic partners shall be treated the same as married spouses,” say two bills currently being considered in Washington state. These essentially identical bills known as SB 5688 and HB 1727 passed February 17th and February 12th in the state Senate and in the state House respectively. They’ve since been referred to Senate and House Rules Committees for a second reading. These ambitious bills aim to significantly expand the rights and responsibilities of domestic partners in the Evergreen State. According to the ACLU, which supports the bills, “Washington couples who are allowed to legally marry benefit
from 425 rights and protections granted under Washington law. These include pension rights, tax benefits, adoption rights, employment benefits, lower insurance premiums, and more.” Presently, hundreds of those rights are denied to domestic partners. SB 5688 and HB 1727 would close the gap, giving registered partners the rights of marriage without the name. Washington couples first got the chance to register as domestic partners in 2007. Partners must share a home, and both need to be over eighteen, unrelated to each other, capable of consenting, and not married to or in a registered domestic partnership with anyone else. The couple must be of the same sex or one partner must be sixty-two or older. Partners already have some important rights in Washington, including community property rights, hospital visitation rights, and in the case of partnership dissolution, child support and parenting plans requirements if either partner has minor children. Soon, registered partners may have effectively all the rights of marriage, which raises a question: why not just let these couples marry? Since the requirements for domestic partners are the same as marriage and the legal protections are likely to match, why insist on a different term and a separate, parallel institution? One reason for this tricky bit of semantics is Washington’s “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), which passed in 1998 over the veto of Governor Garry Locke. This restricted marriage to the union of one man and one woman. But even before the DOMA, Washington state statues defined marriage this way. While legal rights associated with marriage can be extended to other unions, who can call it “marriage” is limited. Calling it “domestic partnership” rather than “marriage” also
reflects the feelings of voters. According a CBS poll last summer, advocates of samesex marriage, though more numerous now than ever before, remain a minority at only 30% of the general U.S. population. Westerners are more likely to support same-sex marriage than those in other regions, with about 40% of Western respondents supporting gay marriage. What’s interesting, though, is that another 28% of people support civil unions and other legal arrangements to recognize samesex partners but don’t want these unions called marriage. Granting domestic partners the legal rights of marriage without the name makes sense to lawmakers. It allows them to appeal to the majority that believes in the legal recognition of gay couples and the majority that opposes gay marriage. Of course, avoiding the term “marriage” doesn’t please everyone. Conservative groups are still lobbying hard to kill the bills. Maureen Richardson of Concerned Women for America of Washington objects, “Marriage is a unique relationship intended to protect women and children,” and claims that extending legal rights for same-sex couples will jeopardize this. Gary Randall, president of the Faith and Freedom Network, says he thinks domestic partnership “deteriorates society.” He objected to the initial creation of domestic partnership laws in our state, saying, “Over time it takes away from what is the most important cornerstone of society, and that’s marriage between a man and woman.” Meanwhile, some gay marriage activists are frustrated that the bills avoid taking on Washington’s limited definition of marriage. They worry that domestic partnership will lead to complacency in the fight for full marriage equality. As Japhy Grant blogged on Queerty.com, “Are expanded domestic partnership
rights genuine progress or bribe to gays to keep them from protesting?” Despite the objections, prospects for the domestic partnership bills are good. Other than a Republican minority, the bills have been widely supported in the House and Senate. The Senate bill has already been placed on the floor calendar for a second reading. The “everything but marriage” bills are likely to pass in April, and Governor Christine Gregoire has said she will sign the bills into law. Gay marriage itself may soon be up for legal debate in Washington too. Three more bills related to same-sex couples were introduced this January. SB 5674 and HB 1745 would recognize “the right of all citizens of Washington state, including couples of the same gender, to obtain civil marriage licenses.” The opposing side introduced HJR 4204, which would ratify, or reject, a Washington state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman only. Though these bills have idled in committees, they or bills like them will be popping up again in the future. So will Washington’s samesex couples have domestic partnerships with rights like marriage, civil marriages, both, or neither? It’s probably a good time to call up your representative and ask.
Natalie Wendt grew up in Idaho and graduated from College of Santa Fe in 2005. She is a substitute teacher and lives in Spokane.
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 |
ETHICS continued from page 5 This conversation won’t happen quickly or easily. But, as is true of most crises, it represents at least as much opportunity as peril—and a lot hinges on whether we move forward with confidence or wait with trepidation as it approaches us. Between this month and next, I want to highlight several convictions that can help persons of faith move forward with confidence toward a new, more whole understanding of sexuality. I’ll start with three observations that can help us frame the conversation so that it’s possible to say and hear some genuinely new things. (1) It’s time we acknowledge that human sexuality is simply, profoundly, and mysteriously part of the fabric of who we are. It is not, as Christian tradition has often been tempted to regard it, some alien and untrustworthy force ever tempting us to sin. But it is much more than merely the psycho-biological means of attraction-mating-reproduction. Ultimately, human sexuality is far more complex than either the puritanical strands of Christianity or the mechanistic descriptions of science have suggested. There are some things sexual we can “measure” objectively, but sexuality itself is one facet of the human eco-system in which we dwell. We discuss sexual ethics from the same vantage point as which we study it, reflect on it, and experience it—as participants in its mystery. (2) It’s time to grow up and kiss the rules good-bye. Adults—real, mature, self-directed adults— don’t live by rules. I’m not saying “anything goes.” Rather, as we mature into real adults in every area of our lives we learn to navigate more by principles or virtues than by rules. That’s part of what it means to grow up. And it’s time for straight Christians to realize that. It may not be easy,
because for most of us who are straight the “rules” have largely reflected our experience (they were, after all, developed mostly by straight men). But life beyond rules can be exhilarating—even for straight people—and not because it’s breaking rules but because this is how life is meant to be lived. Rules may be necessary “training wheels” on the bicycle of sexual ethics (appropriate as we enter adolescence), but we all know that to ride a bike the way it’s ultimately intended to be ridden, you take the training wheels off. (3) Finally, it’s time to recognize, however uncomfortable it may be, that sex, like light, seems to be fundamentally paradoxical in nature. Light doesn’t behave neatly as either a wave or a particle; instead, it sometimes acts like one and sometimes acts like the other. And it seems that whether it is wave-like or particle-like in any given setting is determined at least in part by the expectations we bring to it (that is, the experiment we use). Many of us find this bewildering and frustrating. We want light to be neatly one or the other. That’s the way we like our world. But physicists, who find light’s ambiguity more intriguing than threatening, tell us that light simply doesn’t fit into the neat categories we’d prefer. And, if we turn off our moral filters long enough to just listen to the voice of sexual experience, we hear something similar. For some persons sex has a sacred, creative, unitive character to it. For others, it is a deeply human, immensely satisfying, but not at all mystical experience. For others, it has a quality of ecstatic pleasure that is not necessarily tethered to marriage or monogamy. Bottom line: at the level of honest observation, of sincere listening to others, it simply doesn’t matter whether I “approve” or not. Sometimes sex is wave-like. Sometimes it’s particle-like. That’s
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just the way it is. This is not a huge leap for us. Sometimes bread and wine and water are holy for Christians. And sometimes they’re not. But we don’t consider them sinful whenever they’re not holy. It’s possible for something to be wonderfully mundane. And even mundane fresh-baked bread is a delicacy. Even a fine glass of wine by sunset or candlelight can be transcendent. Even a waterfall can be awe-inspiring. And even sex that doesn’t aspire to be sacred can be beautiful. All of us—straight and gay— stand to gain by speaking with clarity and convictions about the values that guide “the diversity and dances” of our sexual lives. Might we not be intrigued, like the physicist, by the rich and multifaceted ways that people testify to experiencing sexuality? That way, when we do turn to the task of making choices about what types of sexual expression are healthy and whole, we don’t do so by first silencing a whole range of voices even before they speak.
David R. Weiss is a theologian, writer, poet and hymnist committed to doing “public theology” around issues of sexuality, justice, diversity, and peace. His first book is To the
Tune of a Welcoming God: Lyrical reflections on sexuality, spirituality and the wideness of God’s welcome (2008 / www.davidrweiss.com).
A lifelong Lutheran, David is a graduate of Wartburg College, Wartburg Seminary, and the University of Notre Dame. He has taught religion and theology at the University of Notre Dame, Luther College, Augsburg College, and Hamline University. Beyond his professional work, David has been active in local peace work and both locally and nationally as an ally for GLBT persons in faith communities. He lives with his wife and children in St. Paul, MN.
Open Letter to the Community By Cat Carrel, Board President, Inland Northwest LGBT Center
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hree years ago in March, I joined the board of directors of the (then) Rainbow Regional Community Center when the organization was facing imminent closure. A community meeting brought out about 50 outspoken individuals who all felt that an LGBTQ community center was important and worthy of keeping open in Spokane. Although a resulting Community Advisory Committee decided the only logical course of action was to close the Center immediately, I and three other people joined John Brindle (who was the only carryover from the old RRCC board of directors) on the board of the RRCC and we tabled the vote while we gathered more information, keeping the doors open for the time being. The board found that the Rainbow Center was on the brink of losing its charitable status and owed hundreds of dollars to the state in back taxes. Confusing matters even worse, the lack of financial, legal and tax documents from the Rainbow Center’s past was shocking. We began to think that the organization couldn’t be revived under its existing charter, but applying for a new non-profit charter seemed expensive and time consuming. Over the course of the next year, we had to make some difficult decisions. During Pride Weekend, the structure flooded,
Time for a new era of LGBT Center leadership leaving bulging plaster on the ceilings and walls. Coupled with other environmental hazards that existed in the building, the board voted to close the doors. In June 2006, the physical location at 508 W. 2nd Avenue was closed permanently. Bit by bit, we set about putting things back together at the state and federal level. It took time, energy, resources and even a little begging. At one point more than six months passed before getting a single response from the Internal Revenue Service. We raised money and had fundraisers, looking to the future. We began the process of changing the name and rebranding the organization to the Inland Northwest LGBT Center. That original “new” board, Ginny Foote, John Brindle, Kim Stankovich, Edbera Wood, and myself, worked hard to get the Center out of the old place and on its way to a new place, wherever that might be. Along the way, life got in the way of board service. Ginny and Edbera left the board after the first year for personal reasons. Kim hung on even though she had a tough school load and conflicting schedules. John was steadfast, even though he worked two jobs and served on two other boards. Over the course of a couple of months, Joe Reilly, Donna LaJoie,
Melinda “bob” Maureen and Joni Brown joined the board. Each board member brought a breadth of experience to the team, as well as diversity. Every one of them contributed to the restructuring of the Center; from rewriting bylaws, sorting out our financials, organizing and helping with fundraisers, to writing grants. I am grateful to each and every one of them for their individual contributions. This was an exciting time for the Center; we launched our new identity and website, at www.theLGBTcenter.org. After receiving grants from the Eastern Washington Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and the State of Washington Department of Health, the LGBTQ Wellness Program was initiated with two components: The Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Women’s Wellness Program and the LGBTQ Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program. We began to develop our online LGBTQ-friendly Health and Wellness Provider Directory, a first for ANY queer community center in Washington. Additionally, we developed our search-based Resource Directory as a companion to the Provider Directory on the website. In 2008, the Center received matching funds from Komen and Pride to CENTER continued on page 16
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Irey and bob pose in front of a gong in the Community Building where they host “Queer Sounds” on KYRS. Thursdays 6-8pm photo by Nicole Hensley, who also hosts her own radio show on KYRS. “Save the Moon” is a weekly music variety show adding in a twist of history and education in an exploration of all music under the moon. Sundays 10am-Noon. 12 | April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
thursday night
Promenade spinning the tunes with
Queer Sounds
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or more than five years, Irey has hosted Queer Sounds on Spokane’s community radio station, KYRS. She began the show on her own, terrified to be on the air for the first time, voice shaking, playing the only gay music the station had at the time – Elton John and the Indigo Girls. While the show is about music – a showcase for queer artists, for music outside the mainstream, and for material that might not otherwise get a hearing in the wider radio world – Irey and bob have also created a cultural sounding board. by Joan Opyr
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hen I tuned in to Queer Sounds on kyrs.org on March 19th, the hosts, Irey and bob, were playing a retrospective of songs from k. d. lang’s long career. To my surprise, they didn’t seem to like all that many of them. Too slow, was bob’s assessment. Too jazzy, too adult contemporary, and not nearly punk enough for bob’s taste. Sacrilege? Maybe. I listened, waiting for Irey’s response. There was a long pause and then she agreed, but Irey tempered her analysis by making a distinction between lang’s recording career and her live performances. The latter, Irey observed, were very camp, with lang appearing on shows like VH1’s Live by Request “in drag” as a girl. What followed in a sometimes halting but always friendly back
and forth between Irey and bob was an interesting exchange, two casual deejays laughing and spinning discs as they hammered out a fairly complex theory of gender performance. The music k. d. lang chooses, the songs that best suit her voice, don’t always jibe with her stage persona. She’s a radical lesbian dressed up as a torch singer, and that’s very queer indeed. For more than five years, Irey has hosted Queer Sounds on Spokane’s community radio station, KYRS. She began the show on her own, terrified to be on the air for the first time, voice shaking, playing the only gay music the station had – Elton John and the Indigo Girls. But she gained confidence and she gained listeners, and those listeners brought music for Irey to play – queer music, and music by Indie artists recording with
Indie studios. The show grew and Irey grew with it, expanding the show to encompass interviews with members of the LBGTQ community. Irey did Queer Sounds on her own for nearly three years before bob joined her in the studio. Bob had been volunteering for the station, and Angela, KYRS’s Program Director, put them together on air for a fall fund drive. Bob’s background was in community radio in Utah. Irey is a Spokane native. The two hit it off, and Queer Sounds has gone from success to success. Irey focuses more on the music, bob on politics and the issues, though both cross-pollinate as it suits them. The show has attracted both listeners and fundraising dollars. Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page Irey reports that during KYRS’s two-week fund drive, the station raised an overall $20,800. For Queer Sounds’ two shows in that time, the first raised $1400 and the second raised $800. To put that in perspective, Queer Sounds raised more money than any other show on the station. Irey says, “It’s good to know that we had the listeners and that they were supportive.” It’s difficult to gauge the effect of Queer Sounds on the Spokane LGBTQ community. The show is about music – it’s a showcase for queer artists, for music outside the mainstream, and for material that might not otherwise get a hearing in the wider radio world – but Irey and bob have also created a cultural sounding board. They’ve interviewed up
and coming musicians like Ellis but also the Director of Equal Rights Washington. They’ve had the organizers of the Spokane LGBT Film Festival on the show. Irey says that Queer Sounds tries to focus on region, but that they often broaden their reach both musically and politically to encompass issues of interest across the state and the nation.
Spokane. If you turn on the TV, you don’t hear about us, or you don’t hear us talking about us.
In Irey’s opinion, the most interesting and perhaps important show Queer Sounds has done to date was the two-part transgender focus series. The impact on the community was strong, and the interviews played to the strength of Queer Sounds – letting people hear about themselves, about LGBTQ issues from an LGBTQ perspective.
Irey: It was hard at first because I’m kind of a control freak. I had to give a few things up, but bob is often better at questions in interviews. There are some days when I’d like to do the show on my own, but then it’s easy to kind of get burned out doing that. I’ve only missed one show in five years, and that was for snow.
Irey: People just like to hear us talking about LGBTQ issues around the country and in
Me: Your show is family? Irey: Yeah. Me: You worked alone in the studio for three years. Tell me about bob joining the show.
Me: I did a community radio show down here in Moscow (Idaho). The focus wasn’t specifically gay. It was political
bob and Irey hosting “Queer Sounds” Thursday, March 12th. The audio board allows DJs to adjust the different sound elements from cds, microphones, computers and record players. photo by Nicole Hensley
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with gay bits thrown in as I saw fit. I had a partner on the air, and I couldn’t have done it without him. Even so, I burned out after two years. It’s really tiring – the nerves before you go on air, the high afterwards. It’s hard to relax on show day. Irey: Yeah, it is. Me: Tell me more about being a control freak. Do you have to be in charge of the radio when you’re on a car trip? Irey: You mean in my car? Me: I mean in any car. Irey (laughing): Yeah. Me: So what’s on your musical bucket list? Irey: You mean my desert island disc? Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors, some Bjork, Le Tigre – I really like Madonna’s Ray of Light. I like a lot of different music. I spend a lot of time on Real Rhapsody looking for classic rock or whatever. Me: Queer Sounds is a call in show. Any callers you particularly remember? Any regulars? Ever had to hit the “Off” button very quickly?
Irey (laughs): The station is on an 8-second delay, and we have a cut-off button, but we try not to put anyone live on the air. You know about the FCC fines for swearing. We’ve only had two or three negative callers. We do have a few regulars, and they all have nicknames – Astro Dave, Stonewall Mary. We look forward to them each week. Me: What’s your all-time favorite interview? Irey: Ellis. That was the first interview I did, and it was with a person I thought of as a real, big-time musician. I was very nervous. If you want to know my worst interview, that was with Margaret Cho. She apparently hates doing radio, and I think I rubbed her the wrong way because she was really short with me. Me: I’m sorry to hear that. I love Margaret Cho. Irey: It was a hard interview. Irey is being modest. All interviews are hard, even the ones that go well. Finding that commonality, that space where you connect with another person and together you convey something of interest to the
community – that’s a skill. To do that in partnership with a co-host is a kind sleight of hand, a matter of trust and of timing. In listening to Irey and bob last Thursday, it was clear that they’d reached that level of effortless comfort. When one dropped the thread of conversation, the other picked it up and moved on. How do you reach the gay community? How do you create an LGBTQ space that feels like home? You do it by creating that feeling on air. Community radio, with its low wattage and its low budget, is just enough low-key to make listeners feel as if they’re a part of what’s happening on air. It should be no surprise that Irey and bob are KYRS’s best fundraisers. It’s easier to get money from your family than from strangers. Queer Sounds, like the Spokane LGBT Film Festival, has become a regional fixture. Part political salon, part dance party, Irey and bob have created a pretty attractive monster. I don’t agree with a word they have to say about k. d. lang, but I do hope they’ll be around for a long time to come. Next Thursday, I’ll be listening.
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Timothy M. Coleman, Esquire/email: tim@rothcoleman.com
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 | 15
TRANS continued from page 6 income transgender women of color. The stigma associated with being transgender requires transgender people to maintain constant vigilance against sudden brutal violence. For years, transgender people have been murdered on an average of more than one person per month; many more have been assaulted. While the government cannot entirely resolve a deep societal issue like hate, it should play a role in moving us toward safety. What can be done about it? Congress will consider legislation this year called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act; this would increase prevention funding and activities. NCTE is also calling on the Bureau of Justice Statistics to track bias-motivated crimes against transgender people and for Congress to recognize the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, when victims of anti-transgender violence are commemorated. Health Care: While healthcare access is a crisis in America, broadly speaking, it is especially acute for transgender people. We face significantly disproportionate job loss and job fragility and, therefore, a much-higher-thanaverage lack of insurance. Additionally, most public and private health insurance plans, when they are available to transgender people at all, have discriminatory exclusions for transgender-related care that often is used to exclude virtually all care. Finally, due to the lack of research data about transgender people there is a lack of funding for transgender health care that often precludes effective public health services. What can be done about it? The Administration and Congress should ensure that the healthcare reform debate includes and fairly considers the needs of transgender people including the importance of medically necessary transitionrelated care. More immediately,
Congress should amend the Public Health Service powers and duties to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people as a “population marked by health disparities.” If amended, both the National Center for Health Statistics and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality should study the specific health needs and disparities of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Education: Despite the American promise to educate every person, numerous barriers exist that prevent transgender students from accessing this opportunity and prevent transgender educators from contributing to this shared goal. Transgender students face discrimination from systems that fail to acknowledge who they are and they face verbal harassment and violence from fellow students leading to absenteeism and dropping out. Adults face discrimination in hiring practices and access to job training programs, which reduces our economic competitiveness. What can be done about it? Passage of anti-bullying legislation, such as the Safe Schools Improvement Act and anti-discrimination policies, among other changes, would go a long way towards creating a safer and healthier climate for transgender students. We can all play a role in creating communities that are safe, fair and free. Transgender people, like everyone else, want meaningful employment, quality education, competent health care, and safe streets. There are important advances being made every day to make that a reality. Justin Tanis has worked in the LGBT nonprofit field for over 20 years as a community organizer, manager, educator and program specialist. He holds degrees from Mount Holyoke College, Harvard University, and San Francisco Theological Seminary, as well as a certificate from the Maryland Institute College of Design. He is the author of Transgender Ministry, Theology and Communities of Faith.
16 | April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
CENTER continued from page 11 hire an Americorps volunteer to expand the Wellness Program. Since then, although the Center is in one of the best financial positions in its recent history, with more than $16,000 in the bank, our board has dwindled. I firmly believe that for effective and transparent leadership, a board must look like the community it serves. The community must be represented, in all its diversity. And, the board must be built by its community, not just by a few people. I am proud of how far we have come over the course of three years. But now it’s time for a new era of leadership. With a new leadership at the helm, the Center can focus on our LGBTQ Wellness Program by continuing to build our Provider Directory, hiring an Americorps staff person to train providers in cultural competency and educate nursing students about LGBTQ healthcare issues, and continuing outreach in the community to educate our own women about their unique risks of breast cancer. We can also look ahead to the future, and plan for a physical location for the Center, by utilizing the foundation that has already been put in place. The new leadership will have an exciting future before them, a future where the Inland Northwest LGBT Center will not only be a virtual resource on the Web, but a visible resource in the community. For more information on board leadership, please visit our website at www.theLGBTcenter.org. If you would like to learn more about the state of the Center, please attend an LGBTQ Community Forum, Monday, April 20, 5:30-7:30 pm in the Meeting Room at the South Hill Public Library, 3324 South Perry. Meet new board members 5:306, forum and discussion 6-7:30. Light snacks. Free.
herbivore tales from an
Jordy’s favorite Spokane veggie hangouts:
M
y newest and most favorite veggie hangout is Bennidito’s Pizza. Their Six Cheese Pizza with whole milk mozzarella, feta, ricotta, fontina, Parmesan and Romano cheese over sauce and spices is to die for.
Some of my other favorites: Huckleberry’s 9th Street Bistro: Delicious vegetarian food and huge servings. I would recommend any veggie soup, salad, omelet, or sandwich. One World Spokane: Locally grown, organic food, and a seasonal menu. Need I say more. This place and their mission is fabulous. Mizuna: Vegetarian fine dining. Pricey but good food and colorful entrees. Taste of India: Delicious curry, mild, medium and spicy veggie dishes. Their veggie list is extensive and I’ve tried them all! Latah Bistro: Fine dining, good wine, delicious salads. Luna: Slightly upscale dining in a more relaxed atmosphere. The Vietnamese Tofu Bun is delicious. Soulful Soups: Best soup and bread bowls in town. Veggies options the likes of Tomato Bisque, Brazilian Black Bean, Cheesy Broccoli and Lentil. Picabu Neighborhood Bistro: Cute place, good food. Try the Thai Spinach Pasta Salad with Small Planet Tofu. Brooklyn Deli: Try any number of their veggie sandwich options (all drenched in sunflower seeds) or make your own. The grilled cheese is delicious. Azteca: Aside from a lengthly veggie menu what I like about this place is that most dishes can substitute beans for meat.
I
find that on my happiest days, I’m a megalomaniac. When the sun shines directly on my face, and the earth’s axis tilts in just my direction, I’m content. The pathological egotists my parents, my friends, and my culture has nurtured over these last twentytwo years is…undeniably selfish. As Americans, this ideal of individualism manifests into all aspects of life. Because of this, I can say without shame that yes, being a vegetarian makes me unique, and yes I thrive in being my own, special snowflake (did your parents feed you that line too?) Although I understand the detrimental affects this philosophy does, and will continue to have on my life, I don’t plan on changing anytime soon. Plus, I give myself extra points for at least acknowledging that I embrace this lifestyle. That being said, let’s get on with the show.
non-scolded fingers to a slightly cleaner house. The only problem (aside from expensive food) is that being a vegetarian means there are few restaurants that cater to my palate. By and large, many restaurants offer no vegetarian dishes. Everything from their appetizers, to entrees and even soups and salads are meat saturated. On my worst days the second my eyes hit the menu I turn into a crying, spoiled child. I’m simply hungry. So why, might I ask, does no one want to feed me? I’m not asking for a complete restaurant revolution. I’m asking restaurants to at least be veggie conscious, and at most be veggie friendly. Finally, for all you meat maniacs out there, don’t take your restaurant food for granted. You need it. Plus, it’s delicious.
I love to make myself happy and I’m worth it. I’m capable of being a pretty fabulous person when I want to be. You are too, I’m sure of it. It’s just, most days we don’t’ give ourselves enough credit. For instance, I love going out to eat. Letting someone else burn their fingertips and make a mess in their kitchen gives me great joy when I return home with
Jordy Byrd received her B.A. in Journalism from Washington State University, and is now in Spokane enjoying long seasons, good friends and family.
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 | 17
GINA continued from page 7 A year after transitioning, Gina Marie Young is stronger and happier than she has ever been. She says she cannot believe how good it feels to be at home in her own skin. Young consulted with her manager and her counselor before sending out an office-wide email to inform coworkers of her decision to live as a woman full time. She fully expected to have to relocate to another real estate office where she could start fresh without anyone knowing her past. The letter said she expected colleagues to treat her with respect, and that they were free approach her with questions. “I wasn’t asking for permission to be me,” she says. Young did not have to change offices. She had to cut coworkers a little slack with things like pronoun use while they learned to respond to an unfamiliar situation, but they asked her questions, tried to understand, and were respectful of her decision. Young was president of the Spokane Association of Realtors at the time she transitioned. “As president of an association, I was the figurehead for over 2,000 members who, for the most part, do not know anything about transgender,” she says. Colleagues and her managing realtor rallied around her as she made her decision known to more and more members of the association. Two male coworkers—very manly men, says Young—told her to “let them handle it” if a particular member created problems for her at the first meeting she attended as Gina Marie. “A lot of people told me the
reason why my transition went as well as it did is my willingness to talk about it and not be ashamed, not be embarrassed, not be confrontational, but say ‘This is who I am.’” Young was named 2008 Spokane Realtor of the Year by Tomlinson Real Estate—with a plaque containing her previous name. But Tomlinson soon replaced the original Realtor of the Year award with a second one inscribed with the name “Gina Marie Young.” Her office walls were empty since she had removed evidence of her male persona from her workspace. Now she had a single, very meaningful plaque to hang. “I was quite proud,” says Young. “Not as much for the recognition, but of how professional they were in dealing with something that is not an everyday situation.” Every woman has an ugly day here and there, transgender women included. “You’re terrible with your makeup, mannerisms— you just don’t present well, you don’t pass well,” says Young. “You go to places like Starbucks and you hear ‘Hey Marge, I think that’s a man dressed up like a woman!”
transitioning that her brotherin-law had listed his house with another realtor even though he had previously listed with Young. Young has considered “going stealth”— or going back into the closet, as she puts it— and living her life simply as a woman rather than distinguishing herself as transgender. Young has taken a second job where her past is, thus far, unknown. She knows she could avoid negative reactions from people simply by keeping the fact that she is transgender under wraps. But so far, her passion for activism keeps Young connected with the LGBT community. “I know so many people who are unemployed, who are underemployed, [who have been] murdered,” she says. Young traveled to Washington DC to participate in lobbying after the murder of transgender highschool student Lawrence King last year. She regularly speaks to local groups about her experience. Self-acceptance is vital to gaining tolerance and respect from others, she says. “Know who you are,” says Young, “whether you’re transgender or anything else in life.”
Those are the days a transgender person may be asked to use the restroom of the opposite gender or referred to with the wrong pronoun. Young was once asked to try on an armful of dresses in the male dressing room. Situations like these are becoming infrequent as she perfects feminine mannerisms and appearance, but being transgender in Spokane is far from socially acceptable. Clients lost when she transitioned add insult to injury during a tough time for the realty business. Young discovered shortly after
18 | April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
Erika Prins is a writer, local small business manager and novice marathon runner. She is a recent graduate of Whitworth University, where she tirelessly advocated for chartering a Gay-Straight Alliance club, sometimes instead of doing her homework.
Wendy A. Biondi, LHMC Mental Health Therapist Adults, Youth, Diversity
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www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 | 19
HOME continued from page 3 but I talked to strangers every day while I traveled. I’d been convinced that I was afraid to be alone, but I relished solitude in my gypsy life and in the silence of the monastery. Each place and experience forced me to try new ways of thinking and dealing with the world, to become someone who could exist in that environment, and amazingly, I did. I found new words for myself, and scrubbed old ones off like dead skin. My devotion to Buddhism drew me to the monastery, but it wasn’t just that. It was also the lure of an uprooted life in one place. The monastery was meant to challenge the easy habits of identity that play out in ordinary life. Monasticism is supposed to shake up how you see yourself.
Living in community, meditating more than three hours a day, sharing almost everything with a dozen other people, and giving up control over your schedule, activities, even your meals, you find sides of yourself that you never knew existed. Though I didn’t ordain, I underwent the training, which brought unexpected results. During my several months of training, I was shocked to realize that I wanted to make a home as the new person I’d become. Despite believing myself a lover of the itinerant life, through living at the monastery, I saw that I actually wanted a home of my own, a job, and all the things I thought I didn’t care about. So I did exactly what I’d practiced so many times before: I followed my heart.
The Sexual Assault & Crime Victims Center is seeking individuals who want to make a difference in their community by becoming Victim Advocates. Volunteers provide medical and legal advocacy, crisis intervention, and information referral to victims of sexual assault and other crimes. Commitment of two evening or weekend shifts per month required, stipends available. Our next comprehensive 35-hour training is scheduled to begin in May. For more information, please contact Mandy Iverson at 343-5005.
20 | April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
That was six months ago. I’m now living in a small city and working in elementary schools. I like what I do, and even more, I like coming home. My walls are draped with saris I got in India, and my shelves burst with pictures and tokens from all the places I’ve been. The heart of my bedroom is an altar mirroring the one I sat in front of at the monastery, a small golden Buddha in the center. Looking around my apartment, I see all the things I’ve tried, and I know I couldn’t have gotten here any other way. It was only through losing what I knew about myself that I found myself, only by going forth into homelessness that I found home. This article first published online at WOW! Women On Writing as a submission to their Fall 2008 Essay Contest. Wendt won first place. Their website can be found at www.wow-womenonwriting.com
Pacific Inland Northwest
Calendar Apr 1 - 31 2009
We’re pleased to share non-profit events on this calendar of interest to the GLBTQA community. Additional calendar events and updated listings can be found on the online Q View Northwest calendar at www.qviewnorthwest.com. Think an event should be added? Drop us a line: mail@qviewnorthwest.com
Worship services at 9:15am 11:00am. Please call for summer worship service times. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane is a designated GLBT Welcoming Congregation by the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. We welcome faith diversity. Westminster Congregational UCC 8:30am – 9:30am Early Worship 10:30am – 11:30am Traditional Worship No matter who you are or where you are in your faith journey, all are welcome. EMCC Worship 5:00pm Worship 301 S Freya (509) 838-0085 www.emccspokane.org
MONTHLY First Sat
RECURRING EVENTS WEEKLY Tue WSU GLBTA - Pullman 7pm – 8pm The Center, Smith Gym, WSU Campus, Pullman, WA. Coordinates much of the social programming for the campus community such as BBQ’s, camping trips, National Coming Out Day, and Homecoming parade
Wed Alcoholics Anonymous-LGBT 6:30pm – 8:30pm At Bethany Presbyterian Church, 310 S Freya St, Spokane, WA
Thur Eagle Pride 3:30pm (Added Dec 2008)
A group for LGBT men and women and their allies at Eastern Washington University. Women’s and Gender Studies Lounge, 207 Monroe Hall Call: (509)359-6429 QueerSounds 6pm – 8pm KYRS FM 92.3 or 89.9 Online at www.live365. com, search for KYRS Inland NW’s only radio show dedicated to playing music by and for LGBTQ people. Music, interviews, community events. Hosted by DJ Irey and “bob”.
Sat SNO-Saturday Night Out - 5pm – 1am MCC Diversity Pride Center (Gettman Hall), 2626 W Bruneau Pl, Kennewick, WA Alcohol-free environment, GLBTQI & S friendly, Kid friendly, couple & single friendly.
Sun Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane (Added Feb 2009)
4340 W Fort Wright Drive, Spokane, WA Call: (509)325-6383
Potluck - LGBTQ Family and Friends 6pm – 8pm Westminster Congregational UCC, 411 S Washington, Spokane, WA. Family-friendly non-alcoholic potluck to celebrate being with LGBTQA community. All are welcome. For more info: Westminster Congregational UCC 624-1366 or Inland Northwest LGBT Center 489-1914 www.thelgbtcenter.org
First Sun Bowling! LGBT & Friends 10:30am – 12:30pm North Bowl, 125 W. Sinto Ave. LGBT & Friends $10.00 covers 3 games, shoes and ball. No RSVP required but lanes are limited! Contact: www. inwgbl.org or Mark at 509 879-8747 ISCS Board Meeting (Added Dec 2008)
At Dempseys Brass Rail. 5:30pm Board Meeting, 6:30pm General Membership Meeting, 7:30pm By-Law Meeting
Second Tue Inland NW LGBT Center Board Meeting (Updated Jan 2009)
6pm – 8pm Please see website for location. Meetings of the board of the Inland Northwest LGBT Center are open to the public. www.thelgbtcenter.org
Third Tue OutSpokane Meeting (Updated Dec 2008)
7:15pm – 9:00pm Robert H Cooke Building, 503 East 2nd Avenue. Open meeting for planning and coordinating Pride and Fall into Pride events.
Third Mon Pride Foundation Inland NW Steering Committee Meeting 7:30pm – 8:30pm (monthly) Courtyard Office Center - Conference Room, 827 W 1st Ave, Spokane WA.
First Tue Gay & Lesbian Book Group 7:30pm Auntie’s Bookstore - 402 W Main St, Spokane, WA
Second Wed INBA Luncheon 11:30am – 1:00pm at Dempseys Brass Rail. Great opportunity to network with other business people in the area. www.inbaspokane.org Vista Youth Center Board Meeting - Kennewick 5:30pm – 7:30pm Vista Youth Center, 2625 W Bruneau Pl, Ste E, Kennewick, WA`
Last Thur Tri-Cities PFLAG Meeting 7pm – 9pm (monthly, last Thur of the month) Gettman Hall, 2625 W Bruneau Pl, Kennewick, WA www. tcpflag.org
NON-RECURRING EVENTS April Sat 4 ISCS Fundraiser “Hooray for Hollywood” 8:00-10:00pm Show and fundraiser for ISCS at Dempseys Brass Rail.
Sun 5 Friends of SAN annual Palm Sunday Brunch 11:30am - 2:00pm at Dempseys Brass Rail. A Fundraiser for SAN. Couples $25, Individuals $13. And while you’re there, remember to purchase your raffle tickets for the fabulous Easter basket!
Wed 8 INBA Luncheon (Unique monthly speakers) 11:30am – 1:00pm at Dempseys Brass Rail. This month’s guest speaker: Marley Eichstaedt— Northwest Fair Housing Alliance—will present info from the perspective of what landlords should be aware of to avoid having fair housing complaints filed against them. www.inbaspokane.org
Sun 12 Easter
SAT 18 ISCS Kenny Mealer Cancer Fundraiser 8:00 -10:00pm Show and fundraiser for ISCS at Dempseys Brass Rail.
MON 20 LGBTQ Community Forum 5:30 - 7:30pm at South Hill Public Library, 3324 South Perry. Learn more about the state of the Center. Meet new board members 5:30-6, forum and discussion 6-7:30. Light snacks. Free. www.theLGBTcenter.org.
www.qviewnorthwest.com | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | April 2009 | 21
Pacific Inland Northwest
Resources
SPOKANE AREA BiNet Spokane A social support group for bisexual men and women. Call: (509) 217-1271 Eastern Washington University (Updated Dec 2008) EAGLE Pride A group for LGBT men and women and their allies at Eastern Washington University. Weekly meetings: Thursday at 3:30pm at the Women’s and Gender Studies Lounge, 207 Monroe Hall Call: (509) 359-6429 EMCC – (Updated Oct 2008) Emmanuel Metropolitan Community Church Christian church with outreach to the GLBT community. Call: (509) 838-0085 Web site: www.emccspokane.org
Support services for LGBT community and individuals exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Web site: www.thelgbtcenter.org Inland Northwest Men’s Experience (IN MX) (Updated Jan 2009) The Inland Northwest Men’s Experience (INMX for short) is a social group for young gay & bi men 18-29 in the Spokane and surrounding area. INMX provides weekly activities ranging from parties to camping trips to personal wellness discussions and service projects. 928 W Spofford, Spokane, WA 99201 Call: (509) 455-8993 ext 231 E-mail: SpokaneINMX@yahoo.com Web site: www.myspace.com/theinmx Integrity Gay and lesbian Episcopalians meet monthly for communion and simple meal. Call: Chuck: (509) 326-7707 or Ann: (509) 624-6671
Friends of SAN Fundraising organization for people living with HIV/ AIDS to improve the quality of their lives. Write: 1212 E. Front Ave. Spokane, WA 99202
Lutheran Communtiy ServicesSafeT Response Center Call: (509) 747-8224 Crisis line (509) 624-7273
Gay/Lesbian Info Line Call: (509) 489-2266 Immediate Crisis: (509) 838-4428
Odyssey Youth Center Our mission is to work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth and their allies to provide a safe place, education and advocacy to promote positive growth and self empowerment. 1121 S Perry, Spokane WA 99202 Call: (509) 325-3637 Web site: www.odysseyyouth.org
GLBT Book Group (Updated Oct 2008) Discusses selected works at Auntie’s Bookstore at 7 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. Call: (509) 838-0206 Web site: www.auntiesbooks.com/ Gonzaga University GLBT Resource Center For information and to contact resource organizations on the GU campus, September-May. HERO (Helping Educate Regarding Orientation) gay-straight alliance. SODA (Sexual Orientation Diversity Alliance) law school support group. Call: (509) 323-5847 Hospice of Spokane Physical, emotional and spiritual care for the terminally ill and loved ones; bereavement support and HIV/AIDS counseling services. Call: (509) 456-0438 ISCS – (Updated Nov 2008) Imperial Sovereign Court of Spokane The Imperial Sovereign Court of Spokane (ISCS) and Eastern Washington is a licensed non-profit and the oldest organization of its kind in the Spokane area to provide support for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning communities of Eastern Washington. PO Box 65, Spokane, WA 99210-0065 Web site: www.easternwashingtoncourt.com INBA – Inland Northwest Business Alliance A Professional GLBTQ/Allied Business Alliance. Monthly luncheon meetings and annual community resource directory. PO Box 20163, Spokane, WA 99204 Voice mail: (509) 455-3699 E-mail: info@inbaspokane.org Web site: www.inbaspokane.org Inland Northwest LGBT Center
OutSpokane Committee organizes annual Pride march and celebration and other community events. Web site: www.OutSpokane.com Papillon Social support group for the transgender community. Call: (509) 292-8852 PFLAG - Spokane – Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays Support group for parents, family, friends and members of the GLBT community. Call: (509): 624-6671 Web site: www.pflagspokane.org PJALS – (Updated Oct 2008) Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane Independent, membership organization building foundations for a just and nonviolent world. Call: (509) 838-7870 Web site: www.pjals.net Planned Parenthood of The Inland Northwest HIV antibody testing and counseling. Call: Clinic for Appt.: (800) 788-9128 Administration: (509) 326-6292 Pride Foundation/Inland Northwest The Pride Foundation connects, inspires and strengthens the Pacific Northwest GLBTQ community in pursuit of equality by awarding grants and scholarships and cultivating leaders. Call: Spokane office (509) 327-8377 or (888) 575-7717
22 | April 2009 | Q View Northwest - Spokane Edition | www.qviewnorthwest.com
E-mail: outreach@pridefoundation.org Website: www.pridefoundation.org Ryan White CARE Consortium HIV care education and planning group. Call: (509) 444-8200 SAN – (Updated Oct 2008) Spokane AIDS Network 905 S Monroe St, Spokane, WA Call: (509) 455-8993 Web site: www.san-nw.org Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium A private, nonprofit organization with members from a variety of professions who have come together to end intimate partner violence. Call: (509) 487-6783 Spokane Falls Community College - The Alliance GLBT and allies group to provide a safe space; to educate our community. Call: (509) 533-4507 Spokane Human Rights Commission Call: Equity Office: (509) 625-6263 Spokane Regional Health District (Updated Oct 2008)
Providing health services and referrals for the public. HIV testing. Call: (509) 324-1542 or 1-800-456-3236 Web site: www.srhd.org/ Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane (Updated Feb 2009)
A GLBT Welcoming Congregation Sunday Worship Services at 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. Please call for summer worship times. 4340 W Ft Wright Dr, Spokane WA 99224 Call: (509) 325-6383 Web site: www.uuspokane.org Westminster Congregational UCC (Updated Oct 2008)
An Open and Affirming Congregation of faith in downtown Spokane. Informal worship at 8:30am, traditional worship at 10:30am. 411 S Washington St, Spokane, WA Call: (509) 624-1366 Web site: http://wcunited.qwestoffice.net/ Write: P.O. Box 4795,IDAHO Spokane, WA 99202 Idaho for Basic Rights Citizen action group to work for civil and legal equality on basis of sexual orientation. Call: (208) 343-7402 NIAC – (Updated Oct 2008) North Idaho AIDS Coalition HIV/AIDS prevention, education and assistance for people infected with, affected by HIV. 410 Sherman Avenue Suite 215, Coeur d’Alene, ID Call: (208) 665-1448 or (866) 609-1774 Web site: www.northidahoaidscoalition.org NIGMA North Idaho Gay Men’s Association Creating community by providing real time social activities for gay men in the Moscow/Pullman area,
visitors, and allies. E-mail: NIGMA@yahoogroups.com Panhandle Health District STD/HIV testing, condoms, and other methods of birth control, physical exams, shots, cancer screening, resource nurse voucher program, referrals to area resources and education. All services are confidential. • Kootenai County Call: (208) 667-3481 • Boundary County Call: (208) 267-5558 • Shoshone County Call: (208) 786-7474 • Bonner County Call: (208) 263-5159 • Benewah County Call: (208) 245-4556 PFLAG - Sandpoint Support, education and advocacy group for Sandpoint gay people, parents, family and friends. Call: (208) 263-6699 Planned Parenthood of The Inland Northwest HIV antibody testing and counseling. Call: Clinic for Appt.: (800) 788-9128 Administration: (509) 326-6292
LEWISTON/CLARKSTON PFLAG - Lewis-Clark Support, education and advocacy group for Lewis-Clark gay people, parents, family and friends. Meets in Lewiston. Call: (509) 758-6437
MOSES LAKE AACW – Alternative Alliance of Central Washington A social and support group to help bring together people in the GLBT community. Write: P.O. Box 1282, Moses Lake, WA 98837
PULLMAN/MOSCOW Associated Students of (Updated Oct 2008) Washington State University GLBTA Socializing and educational outreach for WSU students. Call: (509) 335-4311 E-mail: glbta.aswsu@wsu.edu Web site: http://glbta.wsu.edu Inland Oasis (Updated Dec 2008) Inland Oasis organizes many social events on the Palouse including such as Palouse Pride and Community Thanksgiving. Inland Oasis provides free HIV testing on a regular basis, and is working to form a community center in Moscow’s 1912 Center. 1912 Center: Friendship Hall, 412 East 3rd Street Moscow, ID 83843 E-mail: Info@InlandOasis.org Web site: www.inlandoasis.org Out There (Updated Oct 2008) Sponsored by Whitman County Health and WSU, Out There is a social and educational program for college-aged men who have sex with men. Call: (509) 335-6428 Planned Parenthood of The Inland Northwest HIV antibody testing and counseling. Call: Clinic for Appt.: (800) 788-9128 Administration: (509) 326-6292 University of Idaho Gay-Straight Alliance Promoting a fabulous, positive and inclusive environment for all people on campus and encouraging individual growth and understanding by developing
outreach programs, improving visibility and recognition of queer issues and history. Call: (208) 885-2691 Washington State University (Updated Oct 2008) Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center Provides education, advocacy, and support for the WSU community. Call: (509)335-6388 E-mail: giesorc@wsu.edu Web site: www.thecenter.wsu.edu
TRI-CITIES Benton-Franklin District Health Department Confidential and anonymous HIV testing, case management, educational and referral services. Call: (Pasco) (509) 547-9737, ext. 234 Confidential voice mail also. River of Life (Updated Oct 2008) Metropolitan Community Church Christian church celebrating diversity and affirming GLBTQ people. Sunday services at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. 2625 W Bruneau Pl, Kennewick, WA Call: (509) 628-4047 E-mail: info@riveroflifemcc.org Web site: www.riveroflifemcc.org Tri-Cities Chaplaincy/ Tri-Cities CARES Columbia AIDS relief, education and support. Survivor support group and HIV/PWA support group. Call: (509) 783-7416
WALLA WALLA Blue Mountain Heart to Heart AIDS prevention education, support and services. Call: (509) 529-4744 Toll Free: (888) 875-2233 (pin #4744) Spanish: (509) 529-2174 PFLAG – Walla Walla Support, education and advocacy group for parents, family, friends and members of the GLBTQ community. Call: (509) 529-5320 Write: 527 E. Oak Walla Walla, WA 99362-1248 E-mail: pflag_walla2wash@hotmail.com
WENATCHEE SHYNE (Added Jan 2009) An organization that strives to eliminate all forms of prejudice and discrimination by promoting awareness, education and self-empowerment through the use of the arts. Call: (509) 860-7354 1250 N Wenatchee Ave, Ste H-131, Wenatchee, WA 98801 Web site: www.hatefreeworld.org
YAKIMA PFLAG - Yakima/Yakima Valley Promotes the health and well-being of GLBT individuals, their families and friends. Call: (509) 576-9625 Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church An MCC Seattle parish extension. Call: (509) 457-6454
MONTANA Flathead Valley Alliance (Updated Oct 2008) Northwest Montana information and referral services. PO Box 2815, Kalispell MT Call: (406) 758-6707 Web site: www.flatheadvalleyalliance.org Lesbian Avengers A direct action group focused on issues vital to lesbian survival and visibility. Call: (406) 523-6608 Pacific NW Gay Rodeo Association (Updated Oct 2008)
For people who enjoy the country & western lifestyle. 1012 Four Mile Road • St. Regis, MT Call: (206) 428-7104 E-mail: info@PNWGRA.org Web site: www.pacificnwgra.org PFLAG Billings Meets monthly Sept. - May. Call: (406) 255-7609 PRIDE Celebration Group in charge of annual Montana June PRIDE celebrations. Call: (406) 442-9322 Western Montana Gay & Lesbian Community Center (Updated Oct 2008) 127 North Higgins, Suite 202 Missoula, MT 59802 (406) 543-2224 E-mail: wmglcc@gaymontana.org Web: www.gaymontana.org
WASHINGTON Bi MEN Group Bi and bi-curious men and gay men who enjoy and support bisexual men. Web site: www.egroups.com/group/bi-men-west Equal Rights Washington Fighting for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. Call: (206) 324-2570 Web site: www.equalrightswashington.org GLSEN Washington State The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network E-mail: mail@glsenwa.org Web site: www.glsenwa.org Legal Marriage Alliance Working to achieve the right of same-sex couples to marry legally in Washington. Web site: www.lmaw.org PositiveVoice Washington Advocates for programs and services needed by people with HIV. Offers self-advocacy training. Call: (888) 704-0099 Washington State GSA Network The Washington State Gay-Straight Alliance Network is a youth-led organization created to help connect public and private GSA-based clubs and other community groups throughout Washington State. Call: (206) 330-2099 Web site: www.wagsa.org
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