aligned to help them find the perfect house and about their engagement, and I am more a spectator than participant, as their eyes are on one another instead of the interviewer. It is sweet and beautiful, and it demonstrates that these are two men who are very much in love.
Although each of them has struggled a bit with accepting his own sexual orientation in the past, they have grown together over the course of their relationship. Their support for each other’s endeavors—education, career choices, and the recent adoption of two precious dogs—has brought them closer to each other and more in tuned with their own personal identities.
Trevor
Trevor was raised by his mother and step-father and had to move a lot for his step-dad’s job. Having grown up Catholic, he decided to attend Gonzaga after graduating from Walla Walla High School. When asked how he reconciled his faith with his sexual orientation, he tells me that while his family didn’t attend church regularly, he did hear the dogma related to homosexuality. “Ultimately, I think I just detached myself from the message.”
In some ways, Trevor also detached himself from his sexual identity for a long time. “I felt like it was something I thought I could manage or control,” he says. While he didn’t feel a sense of self-loathing, he remembers that “I just wanted to be like everybody else.” Being like everyone else meant getting married to his best female friend from college. That lasted about a year and a half before he realized that he just could not deny certain aspects of himself any longer.
While the parting was amicable, his ex-wife was not terribly shy
about telling others the reason for the divorce. Since then, Trevor has become comfortable with his sexual orientation and is completely out in his job at Red Lion Hotels Corporation where he works in Brand Management. “It’s not an issue for me,” he says and has found that simply introducing Ronnie as his partner or husband seems to discourage others from making it an issue, too.
Ronnie
Ronnie also moved around a lot as a child, due to his father’s job in gold mining. From the fourth grade on, the family resided in Montana, where Ronnie attended Catholic church weekly for most of his youth. He was confirmed during law school at Gonzaga, he says, “for myself and for my mother.” Regarding his sexual orientation, Ronnie remembers, “I knew that there was something different about me, and I didn’t know what it was—it wasn’t defined.” He dated girls in high school, even had serious relationships, but he knew that he was interested in boys.
According to him, he was “found out” more than he “came out.” Upon breaking up with a girlfriend, she took it upon herself to tell Ronnie’s mother “that there was this Trevor in the picture.” While his mom had a little adjusting to do, he now jokes that she actually likes Trevor more than she likes her. Both of his parents have been understanding and supportive. Trevor was able to act as a sort of mentor during Ronnie’s coming out, paying forward a blessing he’d received from an old friend. “I was a law student at the time, and I just started taking Trevor to functions; and I didn’t apologize.”
Ronnie has his own criminal defense and personal injury practice with Ronnie Rae and Associates and is also a partner at Diamond Law LLC. He has
focused quite a bit on DUI law but has expanded his practice into major felonies and misdemeanors. He and Trevor were nervous when it came to hanging out Ronnie’s shingle, but the effort has paid off. “I figured if I just worked hard enough…got in there and did well, the phone would ring. And it rang and rang and rang,” he says. “Sometimes it rings at 2:00 on a Sunday morning,” Trevor adds with a smile.
the Engagement
The story of how these two made it down the aisle is both funny and poignant. For Christmas of 2007, Trevor purchased a loose diamond for Ronnie in hopes of opening up a conversation about marriage. What he didn’t realize was that Ronnie had secretly had the perfect wedding ring made to present the following week on their vacation in New Orleans. “I was the one who got to go down on one knee, though” Ronnie laughs.
The biggest laugh, though, was at their expense, as several friends knew about both purchases and had been sworn to secrecy by both sides. The end result, however, was an affirmation that both were ready to take that step.
the Wedding
Unlike most newlywed couples, there was less gushing about the food and décor (that’s not to say that there was no gushing—there were peacocks roaming the castle grounds) and more conversation about the procedural aspects of a same-sex wedding in a foreign country. For example, Canada has a wedding commissioner, and ceremonies there are either religious or secular. For Ronnie and Trevor this seemed like a very reasonable approach, and both
TREVOR & RONNIEContinued on Page 16
as Trevor remembers
My friend Rachael (my roommate) worked evenings in a local restaurant. She had recently been fixed up on a date with a coworker named Cliff who was a friend of Ronnie’s from the Gonzaga-inFlorence program. Her Gaydar was telling her that this one coworker might be gay, but she wasn’t sure. So, she started inviting me to come to the restaurant on nights when the employees would be off work and hanging out.
Instantly, I was drawn to Ronnie’s sense of charisma and the way he interacted with people. It was beautiful. He was charming and sincere and engaging on a level that drew people to him. He was also very handsome. This interaction happened off and on for a while, and we ultimately became familiar with one another and got to be friends. One night, Cliff and Rachael decided to put their hypothesis to the test.
It was a Friday night, and I was home at the house Rachael and I shared, fixing a faucet. She and Cliff were finishing up a date with a nightcap at a local watering hole. She called to invite me down, but I declined, citing the fussy faucet and everything that goes with that—namely, grease and sweat. She closed the deal by saying, “Ronnie’s going to come down for a bit.”
My response was, “Rachael, I’ll be right there, just let me clean up a bit.”
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, Cliff and Ronnie were having a similar conversation that ended with the same outcome. After drinks, we all went back to Cliff’s apartment to watch a movie. Both he and Rachael went to bed, and Ronnie and I stayed up talking all night. We spent the entire weekend together and have been nearly inseparable ever since!
how we met
as Ronnie remembers
When I met Trevor, I was a server at the Bayou Brewing Company. I remember what he was wearing the first time I saw him, and between the black shirt, the silver hooped earrings, and his physique, I instantly had a crush. He came into the restaurant to visit his roommate Rachael, and even though I knew he was gay, I figured he was unobtainable. Still, I made sure his service was great and that he and his friends had extra time with me.
He came in several times over the next few months, I assumed to see Rachael. One night, after a long day of class, Rachael and her boyfriend invited me out for a drink. I declined initially, but when Cliff conveniently added that Trevor was going, my rubber arm twisted and I was there after a quick shower. It was my first opportunity to hang out with him when I wasn’t working, and I was excited at the chance.
We sat across from one another, and I bought him a drink. Cliff invited us all back to his house for “after hours,” and that evening turned into an eight-anda-half year relationship. I remember that there were times when we would just lay in each other’s arms crying with happiness that we had found each other. At that point in my life, I feel like I was on a collision course with destruction, and I believe that Trevor was able to “save” me in a very real way.
CHRISTIAN - Continued from Page 9
GLBT suicides fueled by faith is on your hands right now, and that is NOT what unity looks like. It may be a while before unity is a reality, but to act as though the massive “collateral damage” (emotional, familial, spiritual, and physical) inflicted on the GLBT community is not in itself a grotesque sign of an already present disunity is a bald lie.
#3 – Be honest about the full meaning of procreation as both a Christian and civic virtue within marriage. To really honor procreation means supporting all couples in their desire to give some creative energy back to their community. It means supporting all families that are trying to raise children. And it means honoring and encouraging all efforts to build strong, sustainable communities where all persons can flourish. Straight couples do not have a monopoly on procreative energy, and our children, communities, and planet need all the procreative energy they can get.
#2 – Recognize that the mysteries behind this issue—how we inhabit our sexuality and gender—are not “problems to be solved” either by allowing or forbidding marriage to our GLBT brothers and sisters. In fact, if you really want to display leadership, rather than lurk back in the pack, listen to and wrestle with the voices, both within and beyond the GLBT community, who see options for sexual integrity that do not make marriage the final measure. You may not agree with everything you hear, but you will be wiser for listening. In its long history marriage has only seldom (even recently) been a truly life-giving arrangement for both parties. And sexuality and gender are wonders quite a bit more vivid and vital than marriage has ever been. Sometimes you find insight in queer places—if ever there was a case in point, this is it.
#1 – Wake up to the greater needs of the world! Yes, this is a pressing, personal, political, and primal issue, BUT the world desperately needs your best energy as it moves into a future fringed by ecological peril and economic injustice. Certainly the church has a word to speak about how we act well in the bedroom, but you have an equally (I would aver a more) pressing word to speak about how we act well in the boardroom, the marketplace, and the ecosystem. And the longer you stay fixated on this issue the less your voice is likely to speak wisely or be heard willingly on these others. This issue needs your leadership now because these other issues have been needing your leadership already too long, and the planet and its people cannot wait much longer.
That’s my evangelical agenda for facing marriage equality. If churches were actually to attend to it, that would be good news indeed.
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.
& RONNIEContinued from Page 14
wish that the U.S. would adopt a similar policy in order to open up marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples in our country.
Planning a wedding over the border was a challenge, but choosing Hatley Castle was simple. The two traveled to B.C. on Memorial Weekend of 2007 to check out venues, but they never got past the first one, having fallen in love with the castle. It was so perfect, in fact, that they chose the same weekend of the following year to hold the ceremony. They had Ronnie’s ring cast from the one he’d so painstakingly had created for Trevor, Trevor’s in yellow gold, and Ronnie’s in white gold. (“A gold mining family does not wear platinum!”)
As the two joined their lives together, it was with the words of Roy Croft’s poem I Love You, which says, in part, “I love you, for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart, and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help dimly seeing there, and for drawing out, into the light, all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite far enough to find.” Such words are a wonderful reflection of this couple who strove so hard to find themselves, and discovered it in one another.
Lorna Doone Brewer is a freelance writer living in Spokane, Washington. After earning a B.A. in Theatre Arts at Gonzaga University, she took her love for the arts and social justice one step further by pursuing an M.A. in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Nonprofit Organizations. She is a co-owner of the Berry-Brewer Freelance Agency, producing a variety of materials for businesses, with a special focus on nonprofits.
David
June 18th was the first wedding anniversary of my 17-year marriage. If you find that confusing, then either you’re not gay, or you haven’t been in a relationship for very long. My partner, Melynda, and I were one of those 18,000 samesex couples who were married in California last year during that very brief window of opportunity between the State Supreme Court’s May 15th decision to overturn the ban on gay marriage and the November 4th passage of Proposition 8, which again revoked our right to wed.
Anniversaries can get confusing for gay folk. What to celebrate and when? Melynda and I used to celebrate June 5th because that’s when we officially became a couple way back in 1992. We celebrated the traditional way by duly forgetting about it each year and/or having a pointless argument over nothing much. We were very young and very poor. We couldn’t afford fine bottles of champagne, no one had invented Netflix yet, and arguments were both free and thrilling. No one can slam a door like a 25-year-old lesbian. It’s an art form, it really is.
Later, we had September 14th, 1996 to remember. That’s when we had a church wedding with 150 guests and engraved invitations. It was a religious statement; it was a political statement; it was a way to declare to our friends, our relatives, and our co-workers that our marriage was a real marriage. Our relationship not only deserved to be solemnized by a minister, it also deserved to be registered at The Bon Marché. We were bold. We used local shops in Moscow, Idaho. We walked in, we placed our wedding orders, and we made our plans without apology or explanation. No one batted an eyelash, not at the engravers where we ordered our invitations, not at the department store where I rented my tuxedo. Only one relative refused to attend the
Queer Goggles
Our Anniversary
by Joan Opyr
ceremony, but as he was an idiot uncle who’d last attended a family wedding wearing a pair of Junior Sample overalls and smelling like a three-day old dead elk, we were more relieved than sorrowed. (To be fair, he later sent us a long letter of apology. It was ten years later, but who’s counting?)
For now, we have settled on June 18th and our California wedding. Why? I don’t know. Perhaps because it’s legal. Although the California Supreme Court recently upheld Proposition 8, the Justices also upheld the legality of those 18,000 marriages, including mine. In a frame on our wall is our California wedding license with the judge’s signature on it and that of our witness, a young security guard who was so pleasantly blasé about the whole thing that we felt normal. In fact, we felt boring. It was as if gay marriages happened every day and everywhere. The security guard didn’t see what all the fuss was about – she was only 19, and she thought gay marriage was already legal nationwide. I asked her if she’d ever heard of a place called Alabama, but she just looked at me – a Los Angeleno, born and bred.
We were married in the Beverly Hills Courthouse, a beautiful and imposing structure. They were ready for a big influx of gay couples, with deputy commissioners on the spot to marry the excess, but we arrived during a lull. We waited in line for our licenses with couples both gay and straight. Perhaps because it was Beverly Hills, everyone was universally happy for us – the people in line, the clerks behind the windows, the guy I met on
the elevator who was being arraigned for grand larceny. He and I wished one another luck and went on our respective ways. We were married in a quick but weighty civil ceremony. The courthouse, the judge, the security guard – when we left there, we felt it. We laughed a great deal, but that was not a light moment. When something is legal, you feel it. It’s a bit like signing your will, or putting your name on mortgage documents. Legal marriage is a huge commitment. It’s something we’ve tried as gay and lesbian people to construct with one another, but without the imprimatur of the state, we’ve done this knowing full well that homophobic relatives or some perfect stranger in a hospital emergency room could tear our world apart.
June 18th, 2008. The other dates will be memories. This will be our anniversary. And I expect much the same sort of shift is happening right now in Iowa, Connecticut, Maine, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Q
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.
Public Health, Personal Responsibility and Perception
HIV assault case demonstrates need for
more education, advocacy
By Cat Carrel
Every now and then, something happens that reminds us why we fight the hard fight. Last month that “something” came in the form of Zuriel Roush, a 22-year-old man arrested on first degree assault charges for “knowingly exposing another man to the virus that causes AIDS.”
According to the media coverage, Roush met a man in the park for anonymous sex and later, when the man found out that Roush was HIV positive, filed charges against Roush. That, in and of itself, may not have garnered front page news, had not Roush admitted that he possibly had unprotected sex with dozens more “victims”.
For those of us who work in HIV prevention and LGBTQ advocacy, the story and its subsequent reporting in the news brought up two issues that we face and fight every single day: HIV prevention and the use of negative gay stereotypes that contribute to retaliatory violence and hatred against us queer folks. The inflammatory nature of the reporting, that is, the inflation of the number of participants and their portrayal as “victims” both undermines and inspires our continued work in the community.
First and foremost, this is a public health issue, not a gay issue. Every attempt should be made to contact the men who participated and test them for HIV. This could prove to be a daunting task, as Roush often used hook up sites like Manhunt to anonymously connect with his sex partners. Prevention workers have their work cut out for them.
Second, this is a personal responsibility issue. The men with whom Roush hooked up cannot be called “victims”. In this day and age, who does not know that unprotected sex puts a person at risk for various STDs? Who hooks up with someone for anonymous sex on Manhunt and puts their life in a total stranger’s hands? Protection is not just the responsibility of the “giver” but also of the “receiver,” which brings up a third point.
Some kinds of sex are riskier than others. Depending on who is giving, receiving, where that giving or receiving is taking place (in the body, not in the park), and other factors, unprotected sex between discordant (positive and negative) individuals can
be low risk, high risk, or somewhere in between. Of course, the safest sex is protected sex, period.
Fourth, the hidden message in the story is that gay men are dangerously promiscuous. That may be true for some, but certainly not for all. This negative stereotype has been used over and over to support conservative arguments of the far right to deny LGBTQ people of our civil rights, to berate us, and to portray us as immoral. What is more, individuals who have a propensity for violence may be angered by hearing such stories and commit hate crimes against men they perceive to be gay. Advocacy workers strive to reduce negative stereotypes and educate the general public about LGBTQ people, in spite of stories like these.
Will there always be people who participate in risky sexual behaviors? Yes. Will there always be negative stereotypes attached to LGBTQ people? Probably. For me, and others who fight the hard fight, we call this “job security.”
Cat Carrel is Board President of the Inland Northwest LGBT Center and a former employee of Spokane AIDS Network.
Wendy A. Biondi, LHMC Mental Health Therapist Adults, Youth, Diversity
(509) 534-1731
140 S. Arthur, Suite 690 Spokane, WA 99202-2260
Fax (509) 535-7073
apg@asbellgroup.com www.asbellgroup.com
Northwest Support Uniting
Transgender Community
more information please contact us: (509) 230-4076 http:// ftmspokane.ning.com http://www.myspace.com/spokanetranssuppor spokane_trans@rocketmail.com
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 online on the Q View Northwest calendar at www.qviewnorthwest.com.
RECURRING EVENTS
WEEKLY
Mon
Inland NW LGBT Center Board Meeting 6-8pm
Location: Inner Journeys, 334 S Grant. More Info: www.thelgbtcenter.org
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.
Sun
Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane 4340 W Fort Wright Drive, Spokane, WA Call: (509)325-6383 Worship services at 9:15am 11:00am. Please call for summer worship service times. 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
BI-WEEKLY
Every Other Wed
Bi-Social in Spokane (Added May 2009) at Coffee Social, 113 W Indiana Ave 6pm – 8pm Bi-Social in Spokane is mixed gender, social, support and discussion group. We foster a visible community for bisexual, bi-affectional, bi-questioning people (including transgender bi folks) and their families in the Greater Spokane area. More info: Joe Reilly, gettingbi@gmail.com, 509-536-7518
First Sat
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
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.
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
HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS
JULY
Sat 4
Potluck Picnic - LGBTQ Family and Friends
5:00-8:00pm at Grant Park. This month, the potluck is a picnic! Join us for the first annual 4th of July LGBTQ Family and Friends Picnic, from 5-8 pm at Grant Park, located off of E. 11th Ave. and South Perry St. Hot dogs and fixin’s provided, bring something to grill if desired and a side dish to share if able. No alcohol, please!!!
Family-friendly non-alcoholic potluck to celebrate being with LGBTQA community. All are welcome. Sponsored by the Inland Northwest LGBT Center and the Westminster Congregational UCC. For more info: Westminster Congregational UCC 624-1366 or Inland Northwest LGBT Center 489-1914 www.thelgbtcenter.org
5:00-8:00pm at Dempsey’s Brass Rail. Open Show. All performers welcome. Tips and donations go to ISCS General Fund which covers our operating costs.
INBA Luncheon (Unique monthly speakers)
11:30am – 1:00pm at Europa Pizzaria, 125 S Wall (downtown Spokane). This month’s guest speaker: Cheryl-Anne Millsap, Spokane Metro Magazine editor and contributor to KPBX, Spokane Public Radio, joins us for our July lunch. Cheryl-Anne will tell us how internet social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Launch Pad and LinkedIn work for her as business tools and as a writer. Great opportunity to network with other business people in the area. www. inbaspokane.org
Wed 8 & Wed 22
Bi Social in Spokane 6:00-8:00pm at Coffee Social, 113 W Indiana. Biidentified folks gathering socially to share community and make friends. We typically get together at Coffee Social (or some other agreed upon location) in Spokane every other Wednesday evening. We chat, we play games, we plan activities, etc. All bisexual and bi-friendly people are welcome to join us. We are an eclectic group with varied interests. We strive to be poly-, trans-, mono- friendly. Have a fun idea? Try us!
Bi-Social in Spokane is mixed gender, social, support and discussion group. We foster a visible community for bisexual, bi-affectional, bi-questioning people (including transgender bi folks) and their families in the Greater Spokane area. We strive to create a safe space for all cultures and diversities. For more info: Joe Reilly at (509) 536-7518 or gettingbi@gmail.com.
Fri 24 - Sun 26
LGBT Youth “Conference for Hope” Fri July 24 to 26, 2009 at ITRON, 2111 N Molter Rd, Liberty Lake. A series of workshops and gatherings for youth, teachers, leaders, parents, community members, service providers and others in the community. Free early bird registration until July 10th. After July 10th, registration cost is $10 (scholarships are available) To register or for more info: www.odysseyyouth.org or call (509) 325-3637.
Please see Schedule and Workshop Descriptions next page...
LGBTQA Youth “Conference for Hope” Schedule and Workshop Descriptions
For up to date info or to register call (509) 325-3637 or visit Odyssey Youth Center online at www.odysseyyouth.org
Fri 24 - Sun 26
FRIDAY - JULY
5pm - YOUTH ONLY registration (adult registration is on Saturday at 8am).
6pm - Supper
7pm - Welcome - Caitlyn Ryan - Youth Voice
SATURDAY - JULY
8am - ADULT REGISTRATION
8:30 - 9am - Breakfast (Everyone)
9:00 - 9:30 - Welcome - Caitlin Ryan (Everyone) **Participants go to separate workshops after the welcome**
YOUTH TRACK - WORKSHOPS
9:30am - Noon - Relationships - An Overview - Andrea Fallenstein
There isn’t a moment in our lives where we are not in relationship with someone or our very self. We will be exploring the different units of relationships we pass through in our individual life time and the choices we have in how much involvement we choose.
Noon - 1pm - Lunch
1pm - 2:30pm (Choose One Workshop)
Healthy Self-Exploration - Wendi Biondi
Who do you think I am? Who do my parents think I am? we will look at the different aspects of self, and what choices we have in developing the “self” we want to be.
Communication Boundaries - Heather Robinson
How do we fight fair? How do we get our
postion across witht an argument? We will be looking at methods and strategies to use when we are having conflicting postitions.
Bedroom Etiquett - Emily Christensen
From the big screen to the bedroom. What can we learn about intimacy from pop culture? An examination of sexual relationships--the good, the bad...and the ugly--that are in the limelight of popular news media and a discussion of how those fictitious romantic (or repulsive) encounters shape our reality with our own partners.
2:30 - 3:00pm - Break
3:00pm -4:00pm (Choose One Workshop)
Relationships with Others
They say, “the buck stops here.” The experts in the country say all relationships are created inside of us. Let us, together, take a look at our relationships with others and learn what we can do to make those relationships good from the beginning.
How to Have a Relationship - Heather Dazell Why does it seem to be so hard at times to have a meaningful relationship? In this workshop, we will learn the steps to creating good relationships that can last a lifetime.
Spiritual Connectedness - Marj Johnston Yes! You CAN be gay and spiritual! You are created in the image of the Holy One, and you are created for a purpose. Maybe it’s to teach others how to love without conditions.
Stress Management - Francie Light
Stress is a part of our existence as human beings. In this workshop we will create a definition for human stress and learn some interactive tools for dealing with the personal stresses of our lives.
4:00pm - 5:30pm - ART/BOOTH/PLAY
5:30pm -7:00pm - Dinner
7:00pm - 8:00pm - Drag Show/Competition
8:00pm - 11:00pm - Dance
PARENT TRACK - WORKSHOPS
9:30am - Noon
Keynote Speaker Caitlyn Ryan - Parents With Gay Children
An extensive study, The Family Acceptance Project, has been completed and published, giving us information on how the life of a gay child, all the way into adulthood, is often determined by the relationship that child has with his/her parents. Caitlyn Ryan is the Project Director of this study and has come to share her wealth of knowledge and experience about parent-child relationships. For more info on this groundbreaking study, visit The Family Acceptance Project website.
Noon - 1:00pm - Lunch
1:00 -2:00pm - Religion and Homosexuality - Marj Johnston
The Bible and Homosexuality. The Bible is not an excuse to hate people, so do we read scripture in light of the reconciling words of Jesus?
2:00 -3:00pm - Celebrating your LGBTQ Child - Helen Bonsor
This workshop for parents will explore the coming out process - for both parents and their LGBTQ children. In our time together we will talk about the facts of sexual orientation and gender, as opposed to the myths and stereotypes with which we were raised. Together we will look at acceptance and moving beyond acceptance to activism and celebration.
3:00 -5:00pm - Bullying and Harassment in Schools - Tracy Flynn M.ED.
Parents and teachers will come together in this workshop to learn strategies for ensuring the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ youth and knowing school related law and policy regarding LGBTQ youth issues.
EDUCATOR TRACK - WORKSHOPS
Presented by The Safe Schools Coalition - Tracy Flynn M.ED.
9:30 -10:45am - Addressing LGBTQ Issues in Schools
Critically examine the rationale for addressing LGBTQissues in school, understanding sexual and gender identity development,and the terminology of sexual diversity.
10:45am - Noon - Establishing a Supportive School Climate
Learn innovative tactics for establishing a school climate to ensure the success of LGBTQ youth, and how to work with LGBTQ families.
Noon - 1:00pm - Lunch
1:00 - 2:00pm - Issues Faced by LGBTQ Youth Explore the specific physical and mental issues LGBTQ youth face.
2:00pm - 3:00pm - Answering Student Questions
Learn strategies and language for answering student’s questions about LGBTQ issues.
3:00 -5:00pm - Bullying and Harassment in Schools
Teachers and parents will come together in this workshop to learn strategies for ensuring the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ youth and knowing school related law and policy regarding LGBTQ youth issues.
SUNDAY - JULY
9:00 - 10:00 am - Breakfast 10:00 - 11:00am - Segments of the LGBTQ Community 11:00am - 1:00pm - Group Activities & Lunch 1:00 - 2:00pm - Closing Ceremony & Kick-Off for Next Year
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
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
Gay/Lesbian Info Line
Call: (509) 489-2266
Immediate Crisis: (509) 838-4428
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.
SODA (Sexual Orientation Diversity Alliance) law school support group.
Call: (509) 323-5847
HIV/AIDS Speakers’ Bureau (Added July 2009) (a 501(C)3 Non-Profit Organization) puts a “Face to the Disease” through education and personal stories of what is like to live with HIV/AIDS to schools and other venues. We also train and certificate staff members in Blood Borne Pathogens and HIV/AIDS. Call: (509) 455-8405 or cell (509) 979-3786
E-mail: jbilove@earthlink.net
P.O. Box 8758, Spokane, WA 99203
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 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
Inland Northwest Support (Added July 2009)
Uniting the Transgender community. We are located in Spokane but welcome our neighbors from Idaho and Montana.
Call: (509) 230-4076
E-mail: spokane_trans@rocketmail.com
Web site: www.myspace.com/spokanetranssupport Web site: http://ftmspokane.ning.com
Integrity
Gay and lesbian Episcopalians meet monthly for communion and simple meal.
Call: Chuck: (509) 326-7707 or Ann: (509) 624-6671
Lutheran Communtiy ServicesSafeT Response Center
Call: (509) 747-8224
Crisis line (509) 624-7273
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
Outreach Center (added Dec 2008)
Spokane Regional Health District
We offer 1 for 1 needle exchange, condoms, lube, bad trick lists, referrals and more. All are welcome to use our services. 1101 W College (please use southwest entrance), Spokane, WA 99201
Open: M-T-Th-F from 3-5 pm and Wednesday from 3-7 pm
Call: (509) 324-1686
OutSpokane
Committee organizes annual Pride Parade, festival 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
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
