Issue 05 Volume 39
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Celebrating 38 Years!
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Increased services aim Pentagon “Don’t Ask, Don’t to make big difference Tell” repeal plan on table for homeless by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Pentagon officials have released their plan to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy and it looks like the implementation process will happen sooner, rather than later. At a 45-minute briefing on January 28, Vice Chairman General James E. Cartwright of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Clifford L. Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, announced the implementation process to the press. Pentagon officials said that the process would move “expeditiously and quickly,” conceivably within a matter of months. During the implementation process, Gen. Cartwright said the service chiefs would provide feedback every two weeks on requirements such as troop training that could affect the pace of the process. DADT repeal becomes official only 60 days after the president, secretary of defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Cherie Cullen
©2009 Jan Sonnenmair/Do1Thing.org
companied youth are often unconnected to services or shelters. As they do not have a safe, stable place to call home, many wind up “couch surfing” with friends, relatives, or acquaintances. Having said that, there does appear to be agreement that 20%-40% of youth experiencing homelessness self-identify as LGBTQ, which is disproportionate by Shaun Knittel to the percentage of LGBTQ youth SGN Associate Editor in the general youth population. Like many homeless youth, Youth homelessness is a prob- LGBTQ youth either run away or lem that doesn’t fit neatly into a are forced out of the home due to box. The exact number of youth severe family conflict, abuse, neexperiencing homelessness is difficult to determine; they are undercounted in national data, as unacsee homeless page 20
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James E. Cartwright Jr.
sign off that the policy changes cruiting and retention of the Armed are “consistent with the standard Forces.” of military readiness, military efsee dadt page 18 fectiveness, unit cohesion, and re-
OUR HISTORY – The Imperial VICTORY – Illinois gov. signs civil unions law Sovereign Court of Seattle courtesy of the Court of Seattle
Olympia 1 Scotty and her royal court in 1971
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor John Scott, 68, is a gentle man. He is easy to talk to. Over a cup of coffee on a rare sunny Seattle afternoon, John told me that his friends call him Scotty, and his even closer friends know him as Olympia I Scotty – the very first empress of the Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & the Olympic and Rainier Empire. Forty years ago, Scotty reigned supreme. Today, dressed conservatively in a blazer and button-down shirt, it would be hard to imagine him in a gown and a tiara – but the gleam in his eyes when he talks about “the good old days” immediately gives him away. Much more than a pre-Stonewall Gay man, greater a person than a mere drag queen, Scotty is a wonderful historian. We talked for quite some time, and I felt lucky to be having coffee with royalty. Scotty is aglow, and for good reason: he was recently bestowed the prestigious title of Queen Mother of Washington state by the International Court System. He joins only see court page 17
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ing ceremony. “We believe in civil rights and we believe in civil unions.” Quinn was joined by 20 Illinois political leaders and a standing-roomonly crowd of nearly 1,000 supporters in a hall at the Chicago Cultural Center. Among those attending the signing were Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, Illinois Democratic Governor Pat Quinn holds up the House Speaker signed Illinois Religious Freedom Protection Mike Madigan, and Civil Union Act Rep. Deborah by Mike Andrew Mell, Rep. Greg Harris, and Sen. SGN Staff Writer Dave Koehler. The Chicago Gay Men’s chorus Illinois Governor Pat Quinn performed at the ceremony. signed his state’s new civil unions “This legislation represents a gibill into law on January 31. ant step toward equality,” Illinois The law will take effect on June Attorney General Lisa Madigan 1. said. “Here we are in 2011 on the “If you enter a civil union, you eve of Abraham Lincoln’s 202nd can now visit your loved one in the birthday and I think this is very see illinois page 21 special,” Quinn said at the sign-
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Deadlines Classifieds - Thursday at noon Calendar - Tuesday 6pm Display Ads: Space Reservation - Monday 5pm Ad copy (non-camera ready) - Tues. 5pm Ad copy (camera ready) - Wed. 5pm Letters to the Editor - Tuesday 5pm Obituaries - Call the SGN office All others - Tuesday 5pm
Editor In Chief George Bakan Associate Editor Shaun Knittel Editorial Assistant Nick Ardizzone Production William Creswell Calender Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Travel Editor George Bakan Advertising Manager Marty Weisbrod Advertising Department Maggie Bloodstone Executive Assistant Mike Andrew Staff Writers George Bakan, Albert S. Rodriguez, Nick Ardizzone, Shaun Knittel, Miryam Gordon, Tim Peter Contributing Writers
Rev. Barbara Allen, Mike Andrew, Eric Andrews-Katz, Madelyn Arnold, Maggie Bloodstone, Beau Burriola, Jessica Davis, Ron Anders, Jessica Price, Milton W. Hamlin, Nevin Jefferson, Keen News Service, Jason A. Miller, Liz Meyer, Rod Parke, Don Paulson, Scott Rice, Leslie Robinson, Richard Kennedy, Romeo San Vicente, Rex Wockner
Classifieds Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Photographers Nick Ardizzone, Nate Gowdy, Joseph P. Herron, Shaun Knittel National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Website Designer Barry Thorsness/Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published weekly by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2011, Frogs and Ink, Inc., all rights reserved. Reprints by permission. Publication of names, photographs or likenesses of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your subscription or ad. However, credit towards any size ad will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
In Loving Memory Of
Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold
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Iowa House passes antimarriage-equality amendment “What’s ugly is giving up what you believe in, that everybody has the same rights. Giving up on that? That’s ugly.” Gronstal has only a two-vote majority in the Senate, however. If he were out-maneuvered by Republicans, no one can predict how a Senate vote would turn out. Same-sex marriage is now legal in Iowa under a unanimous Iowa Supreme Court decision handed down on April 3, 2009. The point of the bill passed by Iowa’s House is to change the state constitution to explicitly forbid legal recognition of samesex relationships. Domestic partnerships and civil unions would also be banned, as well as marriage. In the 2010 election, three of the seven justices who participated in the marriage equality decision were tossed out of office after a campaign spearheaded by NOM (National Organization for Marriage). Iowa Democrats also lost 16 seats in the
House, putting them in the minority. With Republicans now having a 60-40 majority in the House, they were able to deliver on their campaign promise to repeal same-sex marriage. Activists were quick to condemn the House vote. “The proposed amendment devalues families and divides Iowans,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison. “The Constitution is meant to protect the freedoms and liberties of all Iowans. It is inappropriate to use the political process to single out and deny a group of Iowans of their constitutional protections.” “This goes beyond politics,” said Iowa City resident Katie Imborek. “This is about our family and the ability for Paula and me to care for one another and our two children. At a time when so many Iowans are struggling just to make ends meet, I don’t understand why legislators would choose to take up this issue.” Even Iowa business leaders were critical of the House action. “From a business perspective, we do have a history of civility, tolerance and respect for the individual. I believe these same values mark the path to economic recovery,” said Suku Radia, CEO and president of Bankers Trust.
view of opponents of marriage equality, is that it still allows Wyoming to recognize same-sex marriages concluded out of state. On January 27, Wyoming’s Senate voted 20-10 in favor of Joint Resolution 5, proposed by Republican Sen. Curt Meier, amending the state constitution to explicitly ban recognition of same-sex marriage. While the constitutional amendment had initially sought to ban civil unions as well, this clause was stripped from the language in committee. The amendment now goes to the House where its future is uncertain. The 20-10 vote in the senate was the bare two-thirds majority required to pass a constitutional amendment, and it remains unclear whether its supporters have the necessary 40 votes in the House. If it is also passed by the House and signed by Gov. Mead, the proposed amendment will go before voters in a 2012 referendum. On the House side, lawmakers gave initial approval to legislation forbidding the state to recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions concluded out of state.
According to the rules of the Wyoming House, the bill must now pass two additional votes before heading to the Senate. While this measure has the same aim as the senate’s constitutional amendment, it is considered less stringent because it would not enact a permanent constitutional ban on same-sex marriages. It also would not require a referendum as a constitutional amendment would. A same-sex civil unions bill narrowly failed in the Wyoming house judiciary committee on January 28. The 5-4 vote rejecting a civil unions bill followed in the wake of debate on the outof-state marriage ban. A proposal to legalize same-sex marriage was rejected on a procedural motion without a vote by the committee. According to the Casper Star Tribune, the vote against civil unions followed hours of testimony in committee about the merits of same-sex relationships including remarks from a chiropractor that “went into anatomical detail about the health risks of Gay sex.” Openly Lesbian Rep. Cathy Connolly, a Democrat, said she would introduce two bills to legalize same-sex marriages and to establish civil unions. Conceivably, the legislature could decide to give some legal recognition to same-sex couples in Wyoming, while prohibiting recognition of such relationships if they originate out of state.
Senate Majority Leader vows to block it by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer On February 1, the Iowa House of Representatives passed a constitutional amendment that would prohibit any form of legal recognition for same-sex couples. The vote was a lopsided 62-37. The bill now goes to the Iowa Senate. If it is passed by both houses of the state legislature in two consecutive sessions, it will go on the ballot for a popular vote. The soonest it could reach the ballot would be November 2013. Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Democrat, has promised not to bring the measure to the Senate floor. “The easy political thing for me to do years ago would have been to say, ‘Oh, let’s let this thing go. It’s just too political and too messy,’” Gronstal said last November when the anti-marriage amendment was first proposed.
Wyoming legislature hates same-sex couples
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Both houses of Wyoming’s legislature took actions against equal rights for same sex couples last week. On January 27, the Wyoming Senate passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in the state. The same day, the Wyoming House of Representatives advanced a bill forbidding the state to recognize same-sex marriages and civil unions concluded in other jurisdictions. On January 28, the Wyoming House Judiciary Committee also voted down a proposed same-sex civil unions bill. Shortly after that vote, the committee rejected a same-sex marriage bill without a vote. Wyoming currently has a law on the books dating from its territorial days saying that marriages concluded in the state must be between one man and one woman. The law was originally designed to thwart Mormon polygamists. That law’s weakness, from the point of
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Celebrating 38 Years!
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Celebrating 38 Years!
NORTHWEST
NEWS
compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
CORNISH COLLEGE PRESENTS TRIBUTE TO MERCE CUNNINGHAM Cornish Dance Theatre will present a series of free public events in February, March and April to honor the legacy of modern dance choreographer Merce Cunningham. The Merce Cunningham minEvent will be a dance of uninterrupted excerpts drawn from three Cunningham masterworks: Roaratorio (1983), Fabrications (1987) and Enter (1992) to music by John Cage performed by the Cornish Music Department’s Indeterminacy Ensemble. The minEvent performance will run 20 minutes. The minEvent will be performed on Friday, February 4, and Saturday, February 5, at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., at ACT Theatre, Bullitt Cabaret, 700 Union St., on Saturday, February 5, at 10 a.m., at the Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St. On Friday, March 4, at 12:15 p.m., at Cornish College Main Gallery, 1st Floor, 1000 Lenora St., an interdisciplinary conversation with Seattle artists Catherine Cabeen, Tonya Lockyer and Jarrad Powell will look at the legacies of Merce Cunningham, John Cage and Yves Klein. The minEvent will be performed again on Thursday, April 7, and Thursday, April 21, at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Seattle Art Museum, 3rd Ave. and University St. (free with museum admission). For more information, visit www.cornish. edu.merce/ NOTE: The Merce Cunningham Dance Company will make a stop in Seattle on its final Legacy Tour, appearing at the Paramount Theatre on October 24. When Cunningham died in 2009, plans were initiated for a final farewell tour by his company. It will be the last opportunity to see the choreographer’s works performed by dancers he personally trained. LGBT CHRISTIAN CONCERT AT GRACE GOSPEL CHAPEL On Saturday, February 5, at 6 p.m., Grace Gospel Chapel (2052 NW 64th St.) welcomes Nashville recording artist Pastor Sam Sampson for an evening of celebration, music and inspiring message for all of God’s children – a free concert open to the community. For more information, contact Pastor Thom at pastor@gracegospelwa.org or visit www.gracegospelwa.org. BLUESTREET JAZZ VOICES AT EDMONDS YACHT CLUB On Saturday, February 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Seattle’s top community vocal jazz ensemble presents “Love for Sail,” a pre-Valentine’s evening of glamor, food, music and bargains-bargains-bargains. Held at the beautiful waterside Edmonds Yacht Club (326 Admiral Way, Edmonds), the event includes all your food (including BlueStreet’s famous chocolate buffet), your first drink, a mini-concert by BlueStreet and toe-tapping music and dancing all night long by the Andy Carr Quartet and BlueStreet soloists. A silent auction will be available where you can bargain hunt among $15,000 worth of goods and services. This great value evening is only $45 prepaid in advance ($50 at the door). www. brownpapertickets.com/event/144569; www.bluestreetvoices.com. The vocal ensemble has several Gay and Lesbian singers in their group and they would love to see GLBT guests joining them for the evening. MS. & MISS GAY WASHINGTON HOST WESTSIDE SHOW FUNDRAISER IN OLYMPIA On Sunday, February 6, door at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m., at Jakes on Fourth (311 4th Ave. E., Olympia), Ms. Gay Washington, Sir Antonio Awesum, and Miss Gay Washington, Ifeelya Cummings, host a Western Washington show leading up to the Mr., Ms. and Miss Gay Washington Pageant weekend April 8, 9 and 10 at the Poodle Dog (1522
54th Ave. E., Fife). Their Eastern Washington show will be held on Friday, March 11 at Out and About (327 W. Lewis St., Pasco). Sponsored by the Imperial Sovereign Court of Tacoma, Diamond Empire of the Cascades. THE ELITE HOSTS FREE ASL LESSONS FOR BEGINNERS Have you ever wanted to learn basic American Sign Language? If so, you can get some beginning ASL instruction at the Elite (1520 E. Olive Way). The FREE lessons will be held every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the loft. EVERYTHING BUT MARRIAGE FOLK-INDIE BAND AT SKYLARK On Tuesday, February 8, doors at 8 p.m., Skylark Cafe and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW) presents Everything But Marriage, a new Seattle-based folk-indie band whose strong set of originals blend a unique and toe-tapping acoustic sound with the vocal harmonies of Laura Jean Robinson and Reese Tanimura accompanied by Emily Westman, Laurel Snow, and Roy (aka Roy Boi) Garcia. Everything But Marriage formed in June of 2010 just before their first gig at the Seattle Dyke March. POZ SEATTLE’S 2ND ANNUAL MARDI GRAS DE CARNIVALE SOCIAL On Wednesday, February 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Cuff Complex (13th Ave. & E. Pine St.), join POZSeattle for their monthly social. This month’s theme is “Mardi Gras de Carnivale.” Meet in the downstairs bar for light snacks, socializing, catching-up with old friends, making new friends, and a whole lot of fun (Mardi Gras beads included)!! This event is free (except for the cost of beverages) and is for all HIV-Positive men and their friends, regardless of age, shape, size, or color. POZSeattle is a social organizaton run for and by Seattle-area HIV-Positive men that is committed to planning and promoting fun, social activities. Our primary social event is always held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. For questions or more information about this event, to plan your own social event, or to be added to the POZSeattle event promotions email list, email info@ pozseattle.org or visit www.pozseattle.org. SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB AT DUNSHEE HOUSE The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Dunshee House (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). All GLBTQ folks in the community are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. The book for February is Alan Hollinghurst’s The Line of Beauty, the novel that surprised the English-speaking world by running away with one of the most honored annual literary prizes on this planet, the 2004 Booker. This is a big Gay novel with hot sex scenes, catty comments, relentless realism and hilarious perceptions. Hollinghurst writes like a Gay Iris Murdoch, with gorgeous sentences, hilarious stinging satire, and flawed fascinating characters. For more information, e-mail nickdimartin@earthlink.net or contact Dunshee House at 206-322-2437. SHAMELESS READING AT TOYS IN BABELAND On Thursday, February 10, at 6 p.m., at Toys in Babeland (707 E. Pike St.), Pamela Madson reads from her fearless and funny memoir, SHAMELESS: How I Ditched The Diet, Got Naked, Found True Pleasure and Somehow Got Hom in Time to Cook Dinner. Madsen’s memoir lifts up the hem of shame and secrecy to reveal the underground world of sexual healers (mostly Gay men) and the legitimate and important
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Tickets: $150 individual at party size tahealing service they can provide women. In SHAMELESS, she shares her remarkable ble; $350 for private party seating for two. For more information, visit www.rosehjourney of how she found sexual, personal, and spiritual wholeness through the little edge.org. known world of sacred sexuality and senLIFELONG AIDS ALLIANCE’S sual touch. “MAKING A DIFFERENCE” ANNUAL BENEFIT BREAKFAST ST. VALENTINE’S DAY WITH GREG LOUGANIS SEMI-FORMAL DINNER/DANCE On Thursday, February 24, from 7:30 a.m. FUNDRAISER FOR to 9 a.m. (registration begins at 7 a.m.), join COMMUNITY SUPPER On Friday, February 11, from 6 p.m. to 10 emcee Jean Enerson, guest speaker Greg p.m., at All Pilgrims Christian Church (509 Louganis, the Lifelong AIDS Alliance board 10th Ave E.), join the Sisters of Perpetual and staff, and caring community members Indulgence, the Abbey of St. Joan, the eve- for a fundraising breakfast in support of ning’s chaperones, for a delightful semi- Lifelong AIDS Alliance at The Red Lion formal St. Valentine’s Day dinner dance Hotel, 1415 5th Ave. Dr. Lawrence Corey, president and direc– couples and singles welcome. Enjoy live entertainment by Captain Smartypants, tor-elect of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Resilent auction, raffle. Tickets $25 (or what- search Center, an American physician-scienever you can afford). For reservations, call tist and an internationally recognized expert 206-322-0487. (Please RSVP no later than on infectious diseases, whose discoveries have been recognized as having advanced February 6.) the understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of diseases caused by viruses, esTHE BEARATONES pecially the human immunodeficiency virus PRESENT (HIV), will receive the 2011 Ned Behnke “MY FUZZY VALENTINE” On Friday, February 11, and Saturday, Leadership Award. For more information, contact 206-957February 12, at Erickson Theater (1524 Harvard Ave., between E. Pike & E. Pine 1742; www.lifelongbreakfast.org. SuggestSts.), join the Bearatones, a Seattle-based ed minimum donation is $150. group of five bearish guys who sing, dance, ALLYSHIP and just plain have fun, for their second SeSEEKING VOLUNTEERS attle show, “My Fuzzy Valentine,” a new Allyship is an organization that does cabaret-style show that takes a musical look at love and the people and things that multi-issue organizing in the social justice inspire it, all served up with bearish good community as out Queers and connects humor. Tickets are $18 advance or $25 cash social justice issues within LGBTQ comat the door. www.brownpapertickets.com/ munities. For several years Allyship has been sponsoring a discussion series called event/142708. “Queerly Classed,” as well as mobilizing for marches and actions, and building relaDAVID WOJNAROWICZ’S tionships in the labor, feminist, immigrant CONTROVERSIAL VIDEO, rights, housing and health care movements. A FIRE IN MY BELLY, This year Allyship will be creating camSHOWING IN SEATTLE David Wojnarowicz’s controversial video, paigns around health care, workers’ rights A Fire in My Belly, that was part of a show of and Queer youth and is looking for volunGay and Lesbian related art at the Smithso- teers to help with campaign research, social nian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery media, and outreach. For more informarecently, until it was removed from the exhi- tion, including a description of tasks and bition in response to a deluge of unfavorable time commitment for volunteer positions of calls and e-mails from the Catholic League researcher, social media assistant, and outand its partisans, is being shown with other reach assistant, email ladyking6k@yahoo. less controversial works by Wojnarowicz at com or allyship@yahoo.com. the Greg Kucera Gallery (212 Third Ave. S.) FORECAST: COMMUNICATING and the Henry Art Gallery (15th Ave. NE & WEATHER AND CLIMATE – NE 41st St.) through February 13. The video ARTS & SCIENCE EXHIBIT AT can also be seen online by Googling “David WASHINGTON STATE Wojnarowicz,” including http://vsthepomeCONVENTION CENTER granate.blogspot.com/2010/12/fire-in-myThrough Saturday, April 9, EcoArts Conbelly-by-david-wojnarowicz.html nections presents an arts and science based exhibit, Forecast: Communicating Weather IMPERIAL COURT OF SEATTLE and Climate, at the Washington State ConSCHEDULE OF vention Center, 800 Pike St. (North and CORONATION EVENTS On Sunday, February 13, from 11 a.m. to 6 South Gallerias). Commissioned by the p.m., at the Richmark/12th and Pine Build- American Meteorological Society for their ing (12th Ave. and E. Pine St.), King County 91st AMS annual meeting at the WSCC residents who are 18 and over with valid ID, (January 24-27), the exhibit features the are encouraged to vote for their candidates work of 36 regionally, nationally, and interof choice. Later that evening at 7 p.m., at nationally recognized artists based in WashR Place (619 E. Pine St. at Boylston Ave.) ington state whose work has been inspired the Court presents their In Town Show and and/or informed by weather and climate. Eight scientists from four states and two Awards. On Thursday, February 17, at 7 p.m., at countries collaborated with the artists for Neighbours, the Court presents the Denver/ the exhibition. “I can say from personal experience that Salt Lake City show. On Friday, February 18, at 7 p.m., at R Place, the Court presents working with an artist, you discover the commonality between the sciences and the the Out of Town Show. On Saturday, February 19, the Court arts. The creative process is similar: both presents Coronation 2011: “The 40th An- can end up looking at our world in way that nual President’s Ball - An American Gala” no one has before, and both are compelled to at 5 p.m., at Seattle Renaissance Hotel (515 communicate that insight to others,” comments Peggy LeMone, 2010 AMS President Madison St., at 6th Ave.) Tickets are $40. On Sunday, February 20, at 10:30 a.m., at and Senior Scientist Emerita at the National the Renaissance Hotel, the Court presents Center for Atmospheric Research. “These the Victory Brunch in celebration of the new scientist-artist dialogues give us a better Emperor and Empress. www.imperialcour- chance of communicating this vision – and through the arts we can avoid the barriers tofseattle.com. people might have to learning something new.” ROSEHEDGE HOUSE PRESENTS Forecast works will range from docu“LOVE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES” On Sunday, February 13, doors at 6 p.m., menting nature or science, to science injoin Rosehedge House for “Love Without forming and/or inspiring art, to co-equal sciBoundaries” at the Renaissance Seattle ence/arts collaboration. In addition to being Hotel, Madison Ballroom, 515 Madison an exhibit that is exciting, interesting, and St. Enjoy a romantic champagne and hors attracts new audiences, Forecast is designed d’oeuvres reception, gourmet dinner, silent to engage scientists, artists, and the general auction and Valentine’s Day dance with pro- public in cross-disciplinary dialogue on inceeds to benefit Rosehedge House, with em- novative ways to communicate and undercee Pulitizer Prize-winning cartoonist David stand weather and climate issues. www.box. net/shared/rgz4mos84j Horsey and the Dina Blade Jazz Quartet.
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INTERNATIONAL Bomoon Lee/IPS
NEWS
by Rex Wockner SGN Contributing Writer
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Russia appeals Euro Court’s Pride ban ruling On the last possible day, the Russian government on January 22 appealed a European Court of Human Rights ruling from last October that struck down Moscow’s yearly bans of public Gay pride events. The government asked the court’s Grand Chamber to reconsider the ruling that had been made by a smaller group of the court’s judges. Plaintiff Nikolai Alekseev, founder of Moscow Pride, predicted the Grand Chamber would deny the request for a rehearing within two to three months, “which means the verdict will come into force before the sixth Moscow Pride on May 28,” he said. In its decision, the court said that former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov’s routine bans of Gay pride violated guarantees of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in the areas of freedom of assembly and association, right
to an effective remedy and prohibition of discrimination. The court ordered payment to Alekseev of 12,000 euros ($16,313) in damages and 17,510 euros in costs and expenses. The judges rejected Moscow’s excuses for the bans, which included the alleged need to protect public order, health, morals, and the rights and freedoms of others – as well as the desire to prevent riots. In reality, Luzhkov had vowed to never allow a Gay pride parade in Moscow no matter what. He called Gay parades “satanic” and “weapons of mass destruction,” and called Gay people “faggots” (“gomiki”). “[T]he main reason for the bans on the Gay marches had been the authorities’ disapproval of demonstrations which, they considered, promoted homosexuality,” the court’s registrar said in a summary of the ruling. “In particular, the court could not disregard the strong personal opinions pub-
licly expressed by the Moscow mayor and the undeniable link between those statements and the bans. Consequently, the court found that, as the government had not justified their bans in a way compatible with the convention requirements, Mr. Alekseyev had suffered discrimination because of his sexual orientation.” At the time, Alekseev said: “This decision is a major victory for us because no judge, no lawyer and no politician will any longer be able to tell us that the bans of our events were lawful. This decision is the first to recognize that the Russian law on freedom of assembly contradicts with the European Convention. It is a gift to all democrats and human rights activists in Russia.” Small groups of LGBT activists defied Luzhkov’s bans each of the past five years, provoking him to send riot police to arrest and sometimes beat them. The gatherings also were routinely attacked by anti-Gay hooligans. Philippines activists request international lobbying Activists in the Philippines are seeking international pressure to encourage a committee vote in the House of Representatives on a bill to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. House Bill 1483, “An Act Defining Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Providing Penalties Therefor,” would protect Gay and Trans people in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, health care, transportation, social services, civil service, the military and other areas. “Discriminatory acts against LGBT citizens in the Philippines are rampant yet are largely unreported and not provided corrective measures,” said the activist group ProGay Philippines. “Gay men are constantly harassed by police officers, Transgendered women are not allowed to use their preferred gender on identity papers, and Lesbians are paid lower wages. These are the result of the lack of protective laws that can punish discrimination and allow the courts and government agencies to receive complaints. ... We need your help in getting our honorable representatives in the House of Representatives to pass this bill through the Committee on Justice quickly so that the entire House can vote this bill and send it to the president for signing.” To e-mail the Justice Committee, visit tinyurl.com/philcoj. Address comments to the committee chair, the Hon. Niel Tupas
Jr., and the committee secretary, Narcisa Guevarra. For a sample letter, see tinyurl. com/progayfil. For more information on the bill, see tinyurl.com/filbill. U.N. secretary-general speaks up for Gays At a special session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council on January 25 in Geneva, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an end to human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It was believed to be the first time that a secretary-general directly addressed an official U.N. body specifically on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. “We must reject persecution of people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity – who may be arrested, detained, or executed for being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender,” Ban said. “They may not have popular or political support, but they deserve our support in safeguarding their fundamental human rights.” “I understand that sexual orientation and gender identity raise sensitive cultural issues,” he added. “But cultural practice cannot justify any violation of human rights. Women’s treatment as second-class citizens has been justified, at times, as a ‘cultural practice.’ So has institutional racism and other forms of inhuman punishment. But that is merely an excuse. When our fellow humans are persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, we must speak out. That is what I am doing here, that is my consistent position. Human rights are human rights everywhere, for everyone.” The council’s representative from Nigeria, Ositadinma Anaedu, was surprised by Ban’s statement. “I must point out, Mr. Chair, that the [Africa] Group did not expect that the secretarygeneral would address these issues concerning Lesbians, Gays, bi-gender, or indeed the issue of gender identity, as these issues have not been universally accepted,” Anaedu said. “While we strongly support that no individual or group should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation, [this] should not be used to impose on us or on the cultural ethos of everyone that have it, especially for us in Africa. It is also important to mention that we all equally accept the relationship inherent in that orientation and that it is unique and special, but it is not and will never be accepted as marriage, which is between a man and a woman.” With assistance from Bill Kelley
NEWS
Gay groups react to Obama’s State of the Union address President Barack Obama made one reference to Gay people during his January 25 State of the Union address. “Our troops come from every corner of this country,” he said. “They’re black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American. They are Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. And, yes, we know that some of them are Gay. Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving the country they love because of who they love. And with that change, I call on all our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.” Gay groups were quick to react to Obama’s words. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said: “[T]onight’s announcement is welcome news for all Americans ready to close the book on discrimination in the ranks. ... Tonight is the culmination of a promise kept by this president.” Solmonese added, however, that Obama also needs to commit to “ending the unfair taxation of partner health benefits, prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, 8
Seattle Gay News
rex wockner
NATIONAL by Rex Wockner SGN Contributing Writer and ensuring that all married couples have access to the same federal benefits and protections for their families.” GetEQUAL Director Robin McGehee expressed disappointment over the address. “Tonight, President Obama missed an opportunity to lay out an agenda and strategy that continues progress made toward LGBT equality – removing the burden of being second-class citizens and acknowledging our families,” she said. “Sadly, while national hero Daniel Hernandez sat with the first lady to witness this historic speech, he did not have the luxury of sitting there as an equal – for that, our elected officials should be ashamed. It is time for the president to put the power of the White House behind the passage of legislation that would give the right of full federal equality to LGBT Americans.” “We refuse to accept the political excuses that ‘now is not the time’ for ‘difficult’ issues like equality or that these issues are too ‘complicated’ or ‘controversial’ to take on right now,” McGehee said. “Equality is never convenient. Justice is never easy. Each day that we wait until discrimination is ‘easier’ to combat, another LGBT person dies unequal. Each day that we wait, another couple is pulled apart at the border by American immigration policies. Each day that we wait, another of our Transgender neighbors
February 4, 2011
GetEQUAL Director Robin McGehee
is left without a paycheck under discriminatory employment policies.” National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said that “if the president is truly serious about job creation and boosting America’s economic well-being, he must provide leadership and action in helping to pass employment protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people and ending the costly and unjust federal marriage ban.” “Fact is, the state of the union for [LGBT] people remains largely one of inequality, as we can still be fired from or denied employ-
ment in many parts of the country for nothing other than bias, and marriage inequality relegates our families to second-class status,” she said. The National Center for Transgender Equality issued a statement pointing out that the pending repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ban on open Gays in the military “still does not allow Transgender people to serve openly or to join the military.” For video of Obama’s Gay reference, see tinyurl.com/653pz4j. With assistance from Bill Kelley
Celebrating 38 Years!
Three Gay appointments Barbara Bush supports by Obama administration same-sex marriage
J. Paul Oetken
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer On January 26, President Obama announced the appointment of three openly Gay or Lesbian federal officials. Roberta Achtenberg, who co-founded the National Center for Lesbian Rights, was chosen to sit on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Achtenberg had previously been Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration. Before serving at HUD, she had been a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and a Trustee of California State University.
Breakfast Without Bigotry protests National Prayer Breakfast and The Family pridesource.com
of Congress and organized for them by The Fellowship Foundation – better known as “The Family.” President Obama attended this year’s Prayer Breakfast, as he did last year. No U.S. president has declined an invitation to attend. In past years, the Breakfast has been picketed by the American Atheists organization and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. What made this year’s Breakfast particularly controversial – and what drew the attention of LGBT rights activists – was the report that UganMitchell Gold protests outside the National Prayer Breakfast. dan Member of Parliaby Mike Andrew ment David Bahati would also be a guest. SGN Staff Writer Bahati is the sponsor of Uganda’s infamous “Kill the Gays” bill. Like Uganda’s Sixty activists protested the National president Yoweri Museveni, Bahati is a proPrayer Breakfast outside the Washington tégé of The Family. Hilton Hotel on the morning of February 3. Not the innocuous prayer group its sponThe protest, Breakfast Without Bigotry, sorship of the Breakfast might suggest, The was called by the LGBT direct action group Family is a secretive Christian-right group GetEQUAL, and supported by several other that wields enormous influence through its organizations, including the NGLTF, the many powerful members, including many Unitarian Universalist Association, and congressmen and senators. Soulforce. Through contacts with foreign leaders like A tradition since 1953, the National Museveni, it has also run what amounts to Prayer Breakfast is sponsored by members its own foreign policy – a policy decidedly
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Her current appointment is not likely to match the controversy that attended her appointment by President Clinton. In 1993, Achtenberg was the first openly Lesbian official to serve at such a senior level, and she won confirmation in spite of contentious Senate hearings in which Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) denounced her as a “militant extremist.” Jeffrey Levi, AIDS researcher and executive director of Trust for America’s Health, will become a member of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. During the Clinton administration, Levi served as deputy director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. J. Paul Oetken was appointed to the U.S. District Court for Southern New York. If he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Oetken will become the third openly Gay federal judge in the country. Like Achtenberg and Levi, Oetken also served in the Clinton administration, where he was associate counsel to the president in the office of the White House Counsel. Oetken is currently a senior vice president and associate general counsel at Cablevision Systems. According to activists, President Obama has appointed more LGBT officials than any president in U.S. history. With some 150 appointments so far – from agency heads and commission members to policy officials and senior staffers – Obama’s record surpasses the previous high of about 140 reached during two full terms under President Bill Clinton.
Barbara Bush
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor President George W. Bush’s daughter Barbara broke ranks with her conservative father’s ideals to endorse same-sex marriage in a video released February 1 by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). As president, Bush pushed for an amendment to ban same-sex marriage. unfriendly to LGBT people in other countries. GetEQUAL charged that The Family was using the positive image of the Prayer Breakfast to disguise its responsibility for anti-Gay campaigns abroad. “While its organizers would have you believe the National Prayer Breakfast is an ecumenical gathering absent a policy agenda, it is in fact the signature event of the year for the clandestine operation ‘The Family,’” GetEQUAL said in a statement issued on January 30. “This fringe group uses the visibility and support from the National Prayer Breakfast (attended by many politicians and business leaders) and other events to further its world-wide campaign against LGBT individuals. Associates of The Family continue to promote a proposed law in Uganda that would imprison for life and murder LGBT people – just for being who they are – while also criminalizing knowing an LGBT person without reporting them.” GetEQUAL’s D.C. organizer Charles Butler said that the brutal murder of Ugandan Gay activist David Kato on January 26 added to the urgency of the protest. “It demonstrates why this is important,” he said. “It really highlights the situation in Uganda is really dire for people like us.” Gay philanthropist Mitchell Gold agreed. Holding a sign that read “End the harm from religion based bigotry,” Gold told reporters that religious fanaticism was responsible for Kato’s murder. “I’m here because too many of the people
The online video is part of the HRC’s “New Yorkers for Marriage Equality” campaign, and features several prominent figures – from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg – speaking out in support of Gay marriage. “New York is about fairness and equality, and everyone should have the right to marry the person that they love,” says the former first daughter in the video. who are inside the National Prayer Breakfast don’t understand the harm they are doing by trafficking their religion-based bigotry,” he said. “David Kato’s death shows the slippery slope of people who claim to interpret the Bible literally.” As it turned out, Bahati did not attend the Breakfast. According to reports first published by Family supporter and anti-Gay “therapist” Warren Throckmorton, Bahati had been invited before his “Kill the Gays” measure became public knowledge, and he was subsequently disinvited. Prayer Breakfast organizers issued a brief statement distancing themselves from Bahati. “The National Prayer Breakfast is an organization that builds bridges of understanding between all peoples, religions, and beliefs, and has never advocated the sentiments expressed in Mr. Bahati’s legislation,” it read.
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Sen. Murray standing up for Washington state vets by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Senator Patty Murray was named chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee January 27, and said she is the one who will “hold any president accountable – regardless of political party – accountable for making sure that veterans get the care they need.” Murray was voted chairwoman by Democrats on the committee. Murray is the first woman to lead the panel. According to Murray, she and Obama have a history on the committee. “This president used to sit next to me as a junior member of the committee, and I remind the president of that all the time,” she said. “Believe me, I take him on when he doesn’t do things right.” As chair, Murray says she will work to keep V.A. programs fully funded, and also scrutinize its handling of benefits claims and services at a time when large numbers of war veterans are seeking help. As part of that effort, she wants the committee to examine the “seamless transition” program, which seeks to improve cooperation between the Defense Department and
the V.A. by creating a shared digital medical record system, aligning military and V.A. disability rating systems and other steps. She also wants the committee to continue to examine veterans’ unemployment, homelessness, and the difficulties faced by women who have served. Murray takes over the committee at a time of great challenge due to rapidly escalating taxpayer cost for medical care and benefits for the nation’s veterans, and a huge federal deficit that has increased the pressure to reduce federal spending among Democrats and Republicans. She joined the Veterans Affairs Committee in 1995, three years after being elected to the U.S. Senate. Since then, she has tackled a number of veterans issues in Washington state, which is home to some 670,000 veterans, she fought efforts to close three state Department of Veterans Affairs facilities and also helped gain approvals for several new V.A. clinics. The last time a Washington senator chaired a full committee was in the 1980s, when Sen. Warren Magnuson chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee and Sen. Henry Jackson led the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee.
Dan Choi ordered to pay the Army
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Despite the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), former Army Lt. Dan Choi remains a target of the armed services. Under DADT, not only does an openly Gay servicemember get kicked out of the military, but he or she may have to repay the Defense Department for any unfinished service – and according to the Army, this is the case with Choi. Choi, who came out as Gay on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show in 2009, was an outspoken advocate for the repeal of DADT, which passed Congress late last year but remains in effect until a lengthy certification process is completed. Late last month, Choi says the Defense Department sent him a letter – or a bill, as it were – saying he owed the U.S. government $2,500 for the “unearned portion of [his] enlistment or reenlistment bonus.” According to the letter, if Choi does not pay the debt within 30 days, the Department could possibly refer his account to a private collection agency, follow up with the Justice Department for legal action, and report the delinquency to credit bureaus. As one would expect from the fiery advocate for Gay equality, Choi says he has no intention of repaying one cent to the Department. Instead, Choi wrote President Obama
a letter explaining, “By flagrantly and repeatedly violating an immoral law, I have flagrantly and repeatedly saluted the honor of America’s promise. At West Point, when we recited the Cadet Prayer, we reminded ourselves ‘always to choose the harder right over the easier wrong.’ It would be easier to pay the $2,500 bill and be swiftly done with this diseased chapter of my life, where I sinfully deceived and tolerated self-hatred under DADT. Many thousands have wrestled with their responsibilities and expedient solutions when confronted with issues of this magnitude. I understand you also wrestle with issues of our equality. But I choose to cease wrestling, to cease the excuses, to cease the philosophical grandstanding and ethical gymnastics of political expediency in the face of moral duty. My obligations to take a stand, knowing all the continued consequences of my violation, are clear. I refuse to pay your claim.” The military maintains that Choi cannot get out of paying the bill because when he came out as Gay in 2009, DADT was the law of the land. The $2,500 could be deducted from any tax refund Choi may receive. When servicemembers have an outstanding debt to the federal government and are serving at the time, the debts are often taken right out of their paychecks.
16 Seattle Gay News
February 4, 2011
AVER to offer lifetime membership to all vets 80 and over by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor To commemorate the end of the United States military’s nearly 90-year policy of discrimination against Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual military servicemembers, and to honor senior LGBT veterans for their many contributions to our nation and our community, American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) will institute free lifetime memberships to all veterans age 80 and over the organization announced this week. “AVER wishes to grant this privilege to our LGBT seniors, a group which has often been undervalued by our community despite their struggles and sacrifices to forge the freedom that Gay people experience today,” said the organization in a written
statement to Seattle Gay News. According to AVER officials, any certified veteran (DD214 or other proof of service required) who supports the mission and goals of AVER and reaches his or her 80th birthday will be eligible for AVER Lifetime Membership. “The AVER National Board celebrates those courageous and dedicated men and women who built – against great opposition – the foundation of the freedoms that we enjoy today, including, most recently, the right to serve in our nation’s armed forces with integrity, pride, and honor,” said AVER officials. Eligible veterans may apply to AVER’s national president or be nominated by their chapter president to receive this honor.
Queer beer debuts in Mexico
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Mexican microbrewery says it has successfully marketed a line of beer aimed at Mexico’s LGBT community. Jalisco-based Minerva brewery released and immediately sold out of its first 500 cases of Purple Hand beer. Purple Hand, and its companion brew Salamandra, are brewed with 100% organic honey and malt, with a recipe that “infuses the beer with a citrus flavor that appeals to the taste of the LGBT community,” according to brewery president Dario Rodriguez Wyler. The name “Purple Hand” is a reference to Halloween night, 1969, when 60 members of the Gay Liberation Front and the Society for Individual Rights protested in front of the San Francisco, California, Examiner newspaper in response to a series of news articles disparaging San Francisco’s Gay bars and clubs. What began as a peaceful protest turned tumultuous when Examiner employees doused the crowd with purple printers’ ink. The protestors used the ink to stamp purple handprints all over downtown San Francisco, in what became one of the most visible demonstrations of Queer power. Minerva’s Rodriguez said the new line of beer has been controversial. “We’ve received a lot of criticism about whether we were excluding heterosexuals, and yes, it is a product directed exclusively to the LGBT community,” said Rodríguez. “It’s been a great challenge, they tell us we are very brave for developing in México the first drink directed exclusive for such an interesting and badly tended to community.” “It is very interesting that an entrepreneur has dared to release a product like this; and that he has the vision to release it for a specific market like the Gay market, seems even more interesting to me. It shouldn’t be necessary to have a Gay-specific prod-
uct, but in a society like the Mexican, where there’s such a resistance to get involved in LGBT affairs, it is a very commendable initiative,” a local LGBT bar owner told Hispanically Speaking News. Minerva has received offers from importers in the U.S., Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, and Japan, interested in introducing the beer to their markets. The brewery says it wants to supply local demand before exporting their “LGBT Line” which will also include red and rose wines. This is not the first time that Minerva has released a product with a controversial target audience. In 2007 the brewery released “Malverde,” a light Pilsener named after the so-called “Narco-saint” Jesús Malverde. Malverde is a Robin Hood-type figure in Mexican popular culture, and is venerated by Mexican drug traffickers as their patron saint. Beer is the leading alcoholic beverage in Mexico. Ninety-five percent of the beer market is controlled by the two largest breweries: the Modelo Group and Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma. To compete with these giants, smaller breweries such as Minerva have started to target their products and produce specialized beer for niche markets. Revolución Brewery has several revolutionary-inspired beers, such as the Maquiavelo English Brown Ale, Zapata Black Lager, Ché Guevara Pilsener, and 10 Marado Pilsener inspired by Argentine soccer revolutionary Diego Maradona. A Guadalajara brewer, Rodrigo Contreras, has been locked in a legal battle with The Simpsons creator Matt Groening since 2006 over rights to produce Duff Beer. Contreras designed the bottle to be identical to the one portrayed on The Simpsons. Groening has refused to allow Contreras to market the beer.
Celebrating 38 Years!
court
continued from cover
courtesy of the Court of Seattle
HISTORY NEVER LOOKED SO ENCHANTING “In the late 1960s, I didn’t really feel like I belonged,” Scotty said sheepishly. Then he brightened. “But then I made the connection with the Court. We were like a small family. Over the years there have been times when we were forced to become political, but we never strayed from our mission of raising money through entertainment. The current Court of Seattle has gotten back to family.” Scotty and I spoke at length about a very different reality: Gay Seattle in the late 1960s and early 1970s. For him, some of the memories are bittersweet. “There are very few of us left,” he said. “I’m still here, and my partner, John, but there really aren’t many of us still around.” But, like any true historian, Scotty began to tell me stories of days gone by. “Forty years is a milestone, and there are so many wonderful things we were involved with that I am very proud of,” he said triumphantly. Although he covered a plethora of people, places, and times, the stories were absolutely amazing. Scotty says the early days of the Court of Seattle were not as they are today. “We had to have secret meetings and pay off the cops,” he said. “We’d meet at the Mocambo [a Gay bar and restaurant] … we kept a lot of secrets.” Scotty tells me of the days when the Court of Seattle took on the police (and won) by
to find some common ground. Since Olympia XXX LaTrina Bidet on, I’ve cultivated friendships with them. Empresses like Olympia XXIX Gaysha Starr and Olympia XXXV Aleksa Manila are always out and about. I don’t know how they do it. They are everywhere, and they are very smart and talented.” Scotty admits that with all of the sudden interest in drag, many of the young queens bypass the Court and just perform. He says the biggest challenge facing the Court of Seattle is getting new people to join. “Drag used to be exotic, but it isn’t anymore. I want the younger queens and potential emperors to know that we are a fun bunch of people doing good work,” he said, “and most of us aren’t as bitchy as you might think. We need to get back to community because that is what it is all about.” Indeed it is. The Imperial Court of Seattle has a very clear mission: to provide funds and services to other non-profits within the THE EVER-EVOLVING Gay and Lesbian Community of Seattle and King County, Washington. COURT OF SEATTLE To that end, the Court is a great place for “When the Court first began, we were all just being anyone who would like to get involved with kind of silly,” he said. “It felt the community to do so. In fact, the Court is great to win a title and wear a currently raising money to help send LGBT crown. Nowadays, the more people to school. The JC/Lady Graytop recent empresses do it all. Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in They make the rounds at the 1977, is a permanent memorial to Emperor clubs, do outreach, and raise J.C, James Christiansen, and Empress Lady Graytop, James Torchia, vibrant members money.” of the LGBT community and The Imperial Court of Seattle. Since its inception, the court has awarded over Scotty and her partner John Frangello $60,000 in various pose at an Imperial function in 1988. scholarships to deserving students. In a particularly “I’m proud of the politically motivated work we do through piece of the Court’s the scholarship fund,” history, Scotty said Scotty. “Anything reminisced about helps when going to their involvement school.” with Initiative 13. This is a big year for In January of 1978, the Court, as it turns 40 two Seattle police years old. Scotty and officers filed Initiathe College of Montive 13 and called archs plan on throwing their organization one big party as they Save Our Moral celebrate the last 40 Ethics. In response, years and elect a new the Seattle comempress and emperor. munity launched an Please join the Court of aggressive “No on Seattle for Coronation (l to r) John Frangello, Precious Cargo, and Scotty 13” counter cam2011, The 40th Annual paign against the effort to repeal the City’s According to Scotty, it wasn’t until the President’s Ball – An American Gala, at the new anti-discrimination ordinances. If Ini- fourth coronation that the Seattle Court got Madison Renaissance Hotel on February 19 tiative 13 passed, you could again be fired an emperor – a tradition that had continued. at 5 p.m. For more information about the solely on the assumption or admittance that Emperors, like empresses, have been of all Coronation, please visit the Court of Seattle you were Gay or Lesbian. On November 7, ages, shapes, and sizes. Some women have online at www. imperialcourtofseattle.com/ Seattle voters rejected Initiative 13 by 63% even served as emperor. “The Court is open coronation. to 37%. “Come join us,” says Scotty. “Let’s have to anyone,” said Scotty. Socially, the Court of Seattle stood up to Scotty admits he’s seen the Court of Se- fun, raise money, and give help to those who bigotry, as well. “We picketed channel 7 attle go through a lot of changes. “I was need it – and entertain!” when the station manager Lloyd Cooney empress before some of these queens were The Seattle Gay News would like to wish went after Gays,” said Scotty. even born,” he joked. “But I really get along The Imperial Court of Seattle many more Much like the rest of the Gay commu- with the younger queens. We always seem happy and prosperous years. nity, the Court of Seattle would not remain immune to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. “AIDS decimated us,” Scotty said sorrowfully. “We lost quite a few members. There was just so much loss during those days. After 40 people died, I couldn’t bring myself to go to any more funerals.” Scotty said that he remembers how important it was for the Court to participate in the first Seattle AIDS Walk, but that the mood had little to do with Pride – instead, he said the walk was “more like a funeral procession.” These days, he says he is happy to see the important changes that have come about in the fight for a cure. The AIDS Walk, he pointed out, is now a walk of defiance and hope. courtesy of the Court of Seattle
five other queens (from California, Colorado, Nebraska, New York, and Nevada) to hold such a post. After 40 years of pageants, fundraising, and mentoring, his day has finally come, and it is a beautiful thing. “Forty years ago, I beat 22 contestants to become the first empress of Seattle in the Spanish Ballroom at the Olympic Hotel,” Scotty told Seattle Gay News. With a hint of disbelief, he continued. “I won, and I still don’t know how.” Scotty won, and it thrust him and the newly formed Court of Seattle into history. From that first Coronation Ball in 1971 till now, the organization has had its ups and downs, but one thing has remained intact: tradition. The Court System is more than just a club for drag queens and their guards and emperors; it has become synonymous with community, friendship, and family. All one has to do is look over the photos that adorn the College of Monarchs page on the Court of Seattle’s website (www.imperialcourtofseattle.com) to see just how many lives have been touched through the years.
exposing a corrupt SPD for shaking them down for payoffs. “We got tired of it,” he recalls. “In those days, if you didn’t pay off the cops, they would harass you and you could be arrested just for being Gay.”
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Seattle Gay News 17
Lesbian couple and Minnesota school district reach agreement courtesy WGLB TV
United States Constitution and Minnesota law and ensure the event goes on as it has in the past, stated NCLR officials. The two students were both selected by their classmates as “royalty” for the Snow Days winter formal dance at CPHS. In an effort to prevent them from participating as a same-sex couple, the school told Desiree and Sarah that it would cancel that part of the festivities. Traditionally, at the school-wide Snow Days Pep Fest and Coronation, CPHS holds a processional in which the members of the court enter the assembly walking in pairs. Historically, CPHS has allowed students elected as royalty to choose their processional partner if they have a preference. When two students who are boyfriend and girlfriend are selected, it has been common practice to allow them to walk in the processional together. This year, after the students were selected, the school cancelled this part of the festivities to prevent Dez and Sarah from participating as a same-sex couple. “Preventing Lesbian student couples from participating in school dances and assemblies on an equal basis with other couples violates their First Amendment right to express their affection for each other, and also violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act,” said Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. “Dez and Sarah were chosen by their peers as ‘royalty’ for the Snow Days Pep Fest and Coronation, and Champlin Park High School’s refusal to accept them as a couple shows that the school administration’s attitudes lag far behind those of the students they serve.” According to NCLR officials, the Minnesota Human Rights Act explicitly prohibits schools from discriminating against students based on their sex or sexual orientation. Such discrimination is also prohibited by the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution and the equal protection pro-
Desiree “Dez” Shelton
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Just 24 hours after a letter sent by the Southern Poverty Law Center, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), and Faegre & Benson, LLP, urging the Anoka-Hennepin School District and Champlin Park High School (CPHS) to immediately restore the rights of two Lesbian students, Desiree “Dez” Shelton and Sarah Lindstrom, all parties announced in a joint statement that “we have worked together, collaboratively, to arrive at an arrangement for introductions of elected royalty that is respectful and inclusive of all students.” The letter, sent in response to the school’s effort to prevent the students from participating as a same-sex couple at a school assembly, asked the school to rescind these discriminatory actions by noon on January 31, 2011. If they failed to do so, an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order would have been filed to prevent the school from violating the students’ rights under the
vision of the Minnesota Constitution. The school’s actions, stated NCLR, also violated the First Amendment, which protects the rights of students to bring same-sex dates to school-sponsored events. The groups also requested that the district make clear to the school’s principal and to all district staff that it is unlawful and a violation of the First Amendment for schools to censor student expression of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or support for LGBT rights. “Each member of the Royalty Court will select a meaningful person in their life to escort him or her in the coronation procession following introductions at this year’s Pep Fest. This will enable Sarah Lindstrom and Desiree Shelton to walk together in the processional,” said the Lesbian couple, their counsel, the Anoka-Hennepin School District, CPHS Principal Michael George, Superintendent Dennis Carlson, and their counsel in a joint statement.
“The school district and its administrators and staff view this arrangement as an opportunity for ongoing conversation about school events and activities and for consideration of other ideas that will make our school communities inclusive and will enable us to realize the district-wide objective of honoring all students,” said NCLR. In addition, district administrators and staff will include all students, including LGBT students, in that conversation. “Sarah and Des are pleased with this positive outcome and gratified by the school district’s commitment to honoring all students,” read the joint statement. The lawsuit will be dismissed amicably without admissions of fault or wrongdoing and without further proceedings or expense to either side. The parties wish to acknowledge and appreciate the role played by Minnesota Federal District Court Judge Susan R. Nelson in facilitating the conversation leading to this resolution, said NCLR.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
PSAK added that “such practices do not promote the sport, but convert [it] into a Roman arena.” Iraklis management struck back with their own statement quoting team captain Vladimir Petrovic that “the players don’t deserve to wear this team’s jerseys.” Management’s statement went on to say that “a club is not a contract, a car, and house with internet,” and ended with “our players don’t need a pimp,” referring to the union. PSAK did not immediately respond. Last October, the union declared a oneweek strike which delayed the opening of Greece’s national basketball championships. PSAK called off the strike after riot police intervened to remove striking players from the court during the first game of the series. Gay sex has been legal in Greece since 1951. Lesbian sex has never been addressed in Greek law. The socialist PASOK party, which forms the government, is preparing a registered partnership law covering same-sex couples, but has delayed introducing the legislation while it struggles to deal with Greece’s economic crisis.
Greek basketball players protest homophobic remarks
The Greek basketball players’ union, PSAK, denounced homophobic remarks made by the management of Iraklis basketball team after a bizarre incident in which the team manager publicly humiliated his players after a loss to rival PAOK. Iraklis lost to PAOK 87-68 in a game on January 29. The loss was not exactly unexpected, since Iraklis has the worst record in its league, with only three wins and 12 losses. Nevertheless, Iraklis manager Giorgios Kalafatakis ordered his players to strip off their jerseys and leave them at center court before going back to their locker room. He later apologized to Iraklis fans for play he described with the Greek word “aderfistiko,” which means something like the American slang “Gay,” signifying weak or effeminate. In response, the players’ union, PSAK, issued a statement condemning “the attitude of the team administration and those who foster and tolerate homophobic statements.”
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February 4, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
Oral sex: how safe is it? by Dr. Joanne Stekler Special to the SGN Joanne Stekler, MD, MPH, is deputy director of community services for the HIV/ STD Program at Public Health – Seattle & King County. She is also an internal medicine and infectious disease physician at Harborview Medical Center, and assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Washington. This is the third in a series of articles focusing on HIV and other STD prevention and care topics for Gay/Bisexual men and Transgender individuals in Seattle and King County. I recently heard someone say that most guys didn’t know they could get gonorrhea in their throats from oral sex. Well, you can … because gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection and oral sex is sex. Which means that oral sex can lead to STDs and other things that can really, well, suck. You may have decided at one point or another to have oral sex with someone instead of anal sex because there’s a lower risk of
getting HIV. You can get HIV from giving oral sex, but the chance is small – it’s thought to be about one in 10,000. But I know a few guys who were definitely infected through oral sex, so the risk could actually be higher. It may be more likely if someone has a high HIV level or if you have a cut in your mouth or a cold sore. It’s much easier to get syphilis from oral sex – about one in seven guys who have syphilis got it from oral sex. We are seeing more and more syphilis among Gay and Bi guys in Seattle. And although syphilis has increased, HIV rates have stayed the same. This could be because more guys may be using condoms for anal sex, but they’re having lots of oral sex. Like syphilis, gonorrhea has increased in Gay and Bi men in Seattle. Gonorrhea of the throat can feel just like strep throat, or you may have no symptoms at all. Both gonorrhea and syphilis can be cured, but gonorrhea may be more difficult to treat when it’s in your throat. Also, some gonorrhea are becoming less sensitive to the antibiotics we have always used. Last but definitely not least, you can get herpes from oral sex – both giving and re-
ceiving. Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), the virus that typically causes cold sores, can also cause genital herpes. Not only does herpes lead to genital ulcers, but getting infected with herpes increases your risk of getting infected with HIV even if you never have an outbreak. Some possible ways to decrease getting or giving an STD through oral sex: 1) Have fewer partners. 2) Get tested regularly for HIV and other STDs. Make sure you get your throat swabbed for gonorrhea! 3) Ask your partners what STDs they’ve tested for and when they last tested. 4) Don’t brush and floss your teeth right before giving head. Don’t give head if you have bleeding gums, cold sores, or other sores in your mouth. Take care of your teeth and gums, especially if you use meth. Use condoms for oral sex. Don’t laugh. I know that using condoms for oral sex isn’t fun for many reasons, but the fact is that condoms will decrease your chance of getting one of those STDs I just told you about. Most Gay and Bi guys tell me that they’ve tried it, but flavored condoms taste horrible. So what do you think about making it tasty with jam or honey? Just remember not to use oil-based products that could damage the condom. Give it a try … it might be more fun and scrumptious than you thought. If you’re a guy who has sex with other guys, you can get tested for HIV and other STDs at Public Health’s STD Clinic, Gay
Health and Counseling Services
City, the baths, and at your doctor’s office. For hours and locations, call 206-296-4649 or go to www.kingcounty.gov/health/hiv. You can read more about the risks of oral sex at www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/ PDF/oralsex.pdf.
dadt
continued from cover According to officials, Friday’s press conference coincided with the release of two Pentagon memos sent by Defense Secretary Gates to all military service chiefs and Stanley tasking them with implementing the repeal strategy. The guiding principles that Gates ordered Stanley to follow specify that “no policy will be established that is solely based on sexual orientation” and that “harassment or unlawful discrimination of any member of the Armed Forces for any reason will not be tolerated.” In his memo, Secretary Gates wrote that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and all secretaries of respective military branches are required to assist Stanley in forming a concrete plan for implementing the repeal. Conduct standards related to dress and appearance, as well as public displays of affection, will be sexual-orientation-neutral under the new policy. Stanley further ordered service branch chiefs to “immediately review” all conduct policies having to do with those standards, as well as policies regarding “zero tolerance for harassment and hazing.” The creation of separate living or bathroom facilities based on sexual orientation also will be prohibited.
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February 4, 2011
Seattle Gay News 19
homeless
continued from cover
glect, mental health issues, or physical disabilities. Once they are homeless, they are more at risk for sexual abuse and exploitation. There is a high incidence of depression, suicide attempts, and other mental health disorders among all youth experiencing homelessness, and chronic physical health conditions and high rates of substance abuse disorders are common. In spite of all this, if you’ve ever had the opportunity to hang out with LGBTQ youth in a drop-in center or elsewhere, you know homeless youth are energetic, funny, thoughtful teenagers who have the same hopes and dreams as their peers. “Across the country, there are programs aimed at reaching out to and assisting LGBTQ youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness,” states the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH). “There are people and programs across the federal government working to provide housing and services that will best help LGBTQ youth to become stable enabling them to lead safe, healthy, and productive lives.” In a collaboration between the USICH and 19 federal agencies, a group called Opening Doors: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness has set a goal of ending youth homelessness by 2020.
“We are working together to make sure that all youth, including LGBTQ youth, do not fall through the cracks, and that they receive low barrier housing, education that helps lead to employment, ongoing support services connected to mainstream resources, independent living skills training, connections to supportive and trusting adults, and a support network,” states the USICH. In collaboration with the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, USICH will draft a framework to specifically address the housing and service needs of youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness. This group will also examine ways that federal agencies can better collaborate and allow better access to existing resources for those most at risk, including LGBTQ youth. LGBTQ TEENS AT RISK It is well known that LGBTQ youth are disproportionably represented in youth homelessness, but a shocking new trend is emerging which has caught the attention of officials in every state. “We are seeing a new epidemic of LGBTQ youth homelessness largely because youth are coming out earlier,” said Jeff Krehely, director of The LGBT Research and Communication Project at the Center for American Progress. “They are coming out to their families at age 12 or 13 instead of 18 or 20. In some ways this is a good thing; it means they are getting societal cues that it is OK to be Gay, but they are not old enough to be able to live independently yet and they
Legal Services
20 Seattle Gay News
February 4, 2011
face rejection by parents and families and emotional and/or physical abuse at school. They fall through a series of failing support systems. It’s a chain reaction. Rejection leads them to run away from home (if they aren’t physically locked out) and then they end up dropping out of school, and tumble from a stable life in a family to couch surfing, living at a shelter or in foster care, and ultimately end up on the street. Because at each step they are discriminated against, they just keep falling.” Tackling homelessness across the board is very important, and the Federal Strategic Plan released last year is hugely invested in this goal. “These kids have exhausted the usual safety nets (family, schools, often foster care). We need to make sure we catch them at the level of shelter and/or service provider,” said Krehely. “Service providers are often the last stop before the streets, and if a youth’s very identity is attacked here as well, it can be very damaging. Providers need to understand gender identity issues on a basic level.” Krehely says there are three basic components that are needed at the service provider level. The first step is to provide staff with basic cultural competency awareness training and to make service providers around the country are aware that this population is out there and they have special needs. Most studies show that they make up 20%-40% of the homeless population, which is well more than double the LGBTQ percentage in the general population. They have higher rates of suicide, depression, abuse, and are more likely to engage in risky social behaviors. These kids don’t need all staff to become advocates for Gay rights, but they do need the staff to look at them and their needs as individuals, and they need a safe space free of attacks on their identities, says Krehely. The second component is to provide a programming package of services that can address the special needs of this population. LGBTQ youth benefit from the same best practices that service providers offer, from education help and job training to clothes, beds, and food. But there are three services that are especially helpful for this population: The first is to offer a program for family acceptance and reunification. The second is to offer HIV testing and safe sex programs. The third is to offer robust mental health support that has an understanding of the needs of the population and the identity crisis, abuse, and rejection these kids face as a part of their daily life. Together, the three services provide a fundamental basis of care and health that can then allow these kids to get back into regular development and success at school and at a job. Finally, providers should be aware that at many shelters, LGBTQ youth are both physically and mentally abused by their heterosexual peers. “This is a common and serious problem,” said Krehely. “Provider awareness is the first step, but extra care needs to be taken to
make sure that LGBTQ youth don’t end up fleeing the shelter that is their last chance at stability.” “Many of us are in this fight because we believe deeply in the moral obligation we have as a society to protect our most vulnerable, because we feel a personal connection to these kids, but there is also an economic benefit over time as well,” he said. “These kids don’t disappear once they pass beyond the age that we count them as youths. They cycle in and out of homeless shelters – and often the criminal justice system and emergency health care offices. If we can break the cycle for these kids at a young age and get them on a better path, it can save them personally, but it can also save money over time.” Krehely says he is optimistic about the future because “we are finally seeing an accumulation of data on this issue and we are seeing a new awareness in the field on how to address it.” “However, we are at the same time going through a tough time economically as a nation, and that leads to cuts in social services in general. It makes it that much more important for us to make clear that these programs need to be viewed from a long-term perspective economically. The cost is not high, and the results can be dramatic,” he concludes. “If you are serving homeless youth as your mission, you must be aware of this population and address their needs. You need to be aware of the unique backgrounds of LGBTQ youth – the rejection and abuse they experience as a part of everyday life. You need to help them break that cycle by not rejecting them because of their gender identity and sexual preference.” KING COUNTY FINDS THAT HOMELESS NUMBER DECLINED Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless (SKCCH) Director Alison Eisinger announced early January 28 that the number of people counted outside in King County is down 11% compared to last year’s count. Volunteer teams working through the night counted 2,442 people living on the streets of King County. The people were of every age, race, and gender. Some were huddled in doorways, some sleeping in cars, camped in parking lots, or sheltered in makeshift campsites. The One-Night Count of People Who Are Homeless is conducted each January to produce a snapshot of the total number of unsheltered individuals on the streets of King County. Eisinger was joined at the announcement by Bill Block, the director of the Committee to End Homelessness, the regional coalition implementing the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County. Beginning at 2 a.m. on the morning of January 28, 2011, 886 volunteers in 137 teams counted the people sleeping outdoors in King County. The volunteers were organized through 10 area headquarters. Counters returned to historical and new count areas in Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Woodinville, Shoreline, Kenmore, Bothell, Seattle, White Center, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, and Auburn. In addition, the 2011 One-Night Count also collected information from select hospitals about emergency room usage and from Metro night owl buses operating throughout the county. The numbers released today are understood to represent the minimum number of unsheltered people on this single night. Some factors that may have contributed to fewer people being counted this year include the fact that winter shelters were open in downtown Seattle and Redmond, filled with 149 people who would otherwise have been outside overnight. This year, the 194 bus – a route long described as a “rolling shelter” – was replaced by light rail service to SeaTac airport. And in Auburn, Renton, and Kent, high water flooded out several areas that are usually counted. The coordinated efforts under the TenYear Plan to End Homelessness to create permanent, supportive housing continue to show strong progress. Local investments in housing and services have resulted in 400 new apartments for homeless people opening in King County in just the last six
Celebrating 38 Years!
months of 2010. Over 3,600 units have opened since the start of the plan five and a half years ago. Organizers also note that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included substantial funding for local rental assistance programs and other programs designed to help prevent homelessness. While all of these programs can be credited for making strides in addressing the problem of homelessness, the expiration of ARRA investments at the federal level, and recently implemented cuts to Washington’s safety net – with more expected – will likely put many more people at risk of homelessness and make it more difficult to help people leave homelessness in the coming years. The number released by the study does not include the estimated 6,000 people staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing overnight. The coalition is also tracking the number of families turned away from shelters because they were full. The complete One-Night Count tally will be released as soon as the other data is compiled. At the announcement, Eisinger stated, “The unifying reason that volunteers from all walks of life show up to participate in the count is that we all sincerely hope that our efforts will result in more housing and less homelessness. While our state legislature is preparing to cut billions of dollars from vital services, I hope that people speak up to say that we must continue to create needed housing and jobs, and support our neigh-
bors.” Block added, “As we do this annual count, we have to remember that homelessness as we saw it tonight is a very recent phenomenon. We did not used to have widespread homelessness, and many nations around the globe provide the supports necessary to prevent it. The count reminds us that we can and we must end homelessness.” SKCCH and other groups are urging volunteers and community members to demand that the State Legislature support the efforts that address the most urgent needs of our community residents, and particularly the people who are homeless in Washington. Major funding for the One-Night Count is provided by the King County Committee to End Homelessness.
illinois
continued from cover
hospital to make medical decisions and not be turned away. You can take time off to care for your partner and not lose your job.” According to the State Journal-Register newspaper, supporters of the new law worried that they might not be able to accommodate everyone who wanted to attend the signing ceremony. “Our biggest problem right now is public
response of people who want to be there to witness the ceremony. They feel this is part of history,” Rep. Greg Harris told reporters. The new law, titled the “Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act,” allows both same-sex and opposite-sex couples to enter into civil unions, giving them some of the same benefits automatically available to married couples, including the right to visit a sick partner in the hospital, disposition of a deceased partner’s remains and the right to make decisions about a partner’s medical care. According to Illinois LGBT activists, the new law provides more than 650 spousal benefits and protections. The law also allows religious institutions to define marriage as they choose. Illinois law will continue to define marriage as a one man-one woman relationship. Illinois joins 17 states, plus the District of Columbia, in recognizing some form of protection for committed same-sex couples – from limited partnership rights through civil unions to full marriage equality. Human rights activists greeted the new law with enthusiasm. “Today marks a tremendous step towards equality for all families in Illinois,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “HRC commends Governor Quinn for his commitment to ensuring civil unions became law. Congratulations to Rep. Greg Harris, lead sponsor of the bill, who fought for years to ensure civil unions would become a reality,
and thank you to Equality Illinois and the ACLU of Illinois for their tireless efforts on behalf of the LGBT community.” “This new law reflects the triumph of hope and fairness over distortion and division,” said Jill Metz, president of the ACLU of Illinois Board of Directors. “Today marks yet another victory in the clear trend line of achieving fairness for families across the country,” said James Esseks, director of the ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project. Lambda Legal announced a new program to help Illinois families protected by the new law to obtain the full range of benefits they are entitled to. “We have had a surge of calls to our Legal Help Desk since November when the law passed the legislature,” said Camilla Taylor, senior staff attorney at the Midwest Regional Office of Lambda Legal in Chicago. “By launching Civil Union Tracker with our partners at Equality Illinois, our goal is to provide a much-needed service to samesex and different-sex couples in civil unions, and to their children. Many will have questions about what the law means. We also know from experience in other states with civil unions that many families will encounter difficulties in getting respect for their status as legally recognized families after the law goes into effect. Our goal is to help these families navigate Illinois’ new legal landscape with as few challenges as possible.”
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Seattle Gay News 21
22 Seattle Gay News
February 4, 2011
Celebrating 38 Years!
Visit us online www.sgn.org
February 4, 2011
Seattle Gay News 23