Celebrating 41 Years! Issue 15 Volume 42
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Community Member Spotlight: Aleksa Manila Nate Gowdy
Aleksa Manila
Aleksa Manila said she reminds all of her drag children to be whenever they find themselves in a tough situation. “Be gracious. Always.” I think it is only fitting to begin That is what local drag icon
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
this community spotlight feature on Aleksa Manila with that quote, because as those of you who know her would agree, Aleksa really is gracious – always.
She is often referred to as “The nice one.” No, I’m not talking about the comparison some locals might have between Aleksa Manila and the fabulous Gaysha Starr. (Seriously, racist people who think all Filipinos look alike get them confused all the time.) I’m talking about people referring to Aleksa and whomever. She is the nicest one. And it’s not an act. She’s the real deal. I’ve been around Aleksa for five years now. We’ve produced shows, co-hosted fundraisers, marched down the street for equal rights and more. If she were fake, I’d know it. In fact, we would all – every single one of us in the Gayborhood – know it, because she is everywhere, hosting everything, and raising awareness about anything. When Aleksa is at her best (which is almost always) no one can touch her. She is magnificent. “There is no need to run,” Aleksa told Seattle Gay News, adding, “Gracefully walk through life, and enjoy every step.” “I think sometimes there’s a hurried sentiment to being young and queer (LGBTQ), but if you do it too fast, you might miss the wonderful moments along the way,” she said.
It’s important, said Aleksa, for young LGBTQ folks to “listen to your elders – your parents, your role models, and your pioneers – the ones that have your best interest at heart; especially when we say, ‘Be safe. Wear a condom. Get to really know someone first.’” That’s good advice coming from a person who has an incredible amount of “street cred.” Aleksa doesn’t just talk about it, she is about it. During the day she is a counselor of the utmost professionalism at Seattle Counseling Service. Her annual fundraising event ICON raises tens of thousands of dollars for the mental health and substance abuse counselling service serving the LGBTQ community since 1969. Aleksa Manila and philanthropy go hand in hand. Around Seattle, Aleksa has raised well over $100,000 for the community or causes that she cares about. “I believe I get this from my mom,” she told SGN. “I grew up Roman Catholic so this was also instilled going to private school. After mass, we would always give something to the poor. Of course, it feels good – it makes the heart warm. That’s an incentive for sure.” see Aleksa page 4
Pocatello, Idaho fights SCOTUS turns down appeal of against Proposition One “Christian” New Mexico photographer Bruce Ellefson, Alliance Defending Freedom \ NY Times
fairpocatello.com
Elaine Huguenin
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer by Victor Bogatko SGN Contributing Writer In December of 2011, Sandpoint, Idaho became the first city in the state to pass a non-discrimination ordinance protecting the LGBT community from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Since then, more
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from a New Mexico photographer convicted of violating the state’s anti-discrimination laws when she refused to photograph a samesex wedding ceremony. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson later told SGN that the court’s decision not to hear the see Pocatello page 13 case confirms his decision to prose-
cities in the state have pursued similar ordinances, including Boise, Idaho’s capitol and largest city. Though these extraordinary victories in our more traditionally conservative neighbor are encouraging, they have not come without aggressive opposition from Idaho’s
cute a Richland florist for refusing to provide flowers for a Gay wedding. In the New Mexico case, Elaine Photography v. Willock, the photographer filed suit in a state court, claiming that her refusal to photograph the 2006 wedding of Vanessa Willock and Misti Collinsworth was protected on religious grounds. The ceremony itself was symbolic, since same-sex marriages were not yet legal in New Mexico. The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled against the photogra-
pher, saying that her business service can be regulated because it is a public accommodation. Following that decision, Elane Photography asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the lawsuit based on First Amendment protections under the U.S. Constitution. The legal principles are essentially identical to the Washington case in which Alene’s Flowers refused to provide service to a Gay see New Mexico page 5
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April 11, 2014
Celebrating 41 Years!
The “sore winners” fallacy Stephen Shankland
Brendan Eich
by Richard J. Rosendall SGN Contributing Writer Several prominent Gay writers deplored the furor that brought down Brendan Eich as CEO of Mozilla Corp. last week for supporting California’s anti-Gay Proposition 8. Andrew Sullivan blogged against “a fanaticism more like the religious right than anyone else.” Jonathan Rauch (@jon_ rauch) tweeted, “I agree with @RameshPonnuru: trying to punish dissenters like Brendan Eich is no way to advance civil rights.” Frank Bruni wrote in the Grey Lady, “Such vilification won’t accelerate the timetable of victory, which is certain. And it doesn’t reflect well on the victors.” I have no wish to embrace what Sullivan calls “McCarthyism applied by civil actors,” but I disagree. Eich’s resignation exemplified the operation of the free market that conservatives usually celebrate. Fox News reporter Todd Starnes made Sullivan look restrained: “Why not demand that those who oppose gay marriage relinquish the right to own property? Why not take away their right to vote? Why not take away their children? Why not just throw them in jail? Why not force them to work in chain gangs? Why not call for public floggings? Or better yet, let’s just strap them down on gurneys, stick a needle in
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their arm and rid the world of these intolerant anti-gay bigots once and for all.” Actually, I oppose such traditional conservative measures. If vilifying those who disagree with you is wrong, Sullivan and Starnes might consider toning it down themselves. No major LGBT group even weighed in on the controversy before Eich resigned, unless you’re somehow counting the OkCupid dating site. To agree with Ponnuru, Rauch had to overlook his denial that marriage equality has anything to do with civil rights. The victim mongering is preposterous. Eich is not being publicly flogged. He is not denied access to a loved one during a hospital visit because his marriage is not recognized in the state he is passing through. He is not forced to wonder whether a court will allow for-profit companies at whim to bar him from buying products and services like other people. He is not being smeared as a traitor in a Senate hearing room, as so many of Senator McCarthy’s victims were in the 1950s. That cheap comparison dishonors those who make it. Portraying a Gay left as intolerant as its persecutors is hyperbolic and reinforces the right wing lie that anti-Gay discriminators are the true victims. They are not. There is no movement to deny recognition to straight people’s marriages. People attracted to the opposite sex are not targeted for hate crimes. LGBTQ Nation recently reported an Alabama case in which a mother who disapproved of her son’s same-sex marriage is fighting to exclude his widower from his estate. Thank goodness the widower has the Southern Poverty Law Center on his side. Brendan Eich supported a law like Alabama’s denying recognition to Gay people’s marriages. Such disgraceful treatment of loving couples is still happening, thanks to people like Brendan Eich. (And spare me the facile jibes; Barack Obama opposed Prop 8.) This is not about speech. It is about our lives. To the extent speech is involved, Eich is not the only one with the right to his own views. The developers who balked at creating apps for Mozilla Firefox were seriously troubled over it. I am on the side of those
who fight for equal protection for our families, a fight that is not over. America did not disarm in the Pacific after its victory at Midway; it fought on to the end. Those who call Gay people intolerant for defending ourselves are twisting the concept beyond recognition. Civility is a virtue; but tolerance does not require us to treat a relentless assault against our rights as citizens like a disagreement at the dinner table.
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Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist. He can be reached at rrosendall@ starpower.net. Copyright © 2014 by Richard J. Rosendall. All rights reserved. Related Links: “The Hounding Of A Heretic,” Andrew Sullivan, The Dish, April 3, 2014, http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2014/04/03/ the-hounding-of-brendan-eich/ Jonathan Rauch, Twitter, April 6, 2014, ht t ps://t w it t e r.com /jon _ r auch /st atus/452817397095755776 “The New Gay Orthodoxy,” Frank Bruni, The New York Times, April 6, 2014, http://tinyurl.com/gayortho [McCarthyism applied by civil actors] “Dissents of the Day,” Andrew Sullivan, The Dish, April 4, 2014, ht t p://d ish.a nd rewsu l l iva n. com/2014/04/04/dissents-of-the-day-63/ “Mozilla Chief Learns, if You Don’t Support Gay Marriage, You Don’t Deserve a Job,” Todd Starnes, Townhall.com, April 4, 2014, http://tinyurl.com/qxbub3b OkCupid free dating site, https://www.okcupid.com “Mother who opposed her deceased son’s same-sex marriage intervenes in lawsuit,” LGBTQ Nation, April 3, 2014, http://tinyurl.com/nkyccj5
“REVEALING QUEER” – LGBT HISTORY AT MOHAI FEBRUARY 14-JULY 6 Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry (860 Terry Ave. N. in South Lake Union) presents “Revealing Queer,” a landmark exhibit on the history of the Puget Sound region’s LGBTQ community. Admission: $14 general; $12-student/senior/military/ teacher; children under 14 free when accompanied by an adult. Museum hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Thursdays until 8 p.m. First Thursdays FREE. www.mohai.org. “DINA MARTINA: HER GREATEST VIDEOS … AND MORE!” On Fridays and Saturdays, at 8 p.m., and Sundays, at 2 p.m., through Sunday, April 27, at Re-bar (1114 Howell St.), this show, hosted by Miss Martina herself, celebrates Dina Martina’s legacy by featuring all her best film and video segments plus new video, live singing and dancing. Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/546683. NORTHWEST BEARS – “SPRING THAW XX” APRIL 10-13 www.nwbears.org ‘MO WAVE FESTIVAL 2014 APRIL 10-13 & 18 www.mowavefestival SEATTLE CLINIC DEFENSE On Saturday, April 12, from 8 a.m.-11 a.m., at Madison Planned Parenthood (2001 E. Madison St.), Seattle Clinic Defense will be holding a demonstration in support of the Madison Planned Parenthood. If you are there by 8 a.m., we will be meeting at the Starbucks located one block away inside the East Madison Safeway in order to discuss tactics for the demonstration. www.seattleclinicdefense.org. (See Community Calendar for information on additional pro-choice demonstration today at noon sponsored by StopPatriarch.org.) SEATTLE PRIDE IDOL On Sunday, April 13, Seattle Out & Proud (SO&P) hosts the 6th annual Seattle Pride Idol talent showcase and competition. The event will be held at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway) – with contestant registration beginning at 6:30 p.m., doors at 7 p.m. and contest at 8 p.m. Registration is free, and contestants may bring their own musical accompaniment. There is no cover charge. The amateur voice competition will feature up to 10 different competitors at each event through the June 8 finale. Each competition winner will advance to the Finale to compete for the title of 2014 Pride Idol, while the runners-up will face off in the Wild Card Night on June 1 for two coveted spots at the Finale. A panel of three to four judges will rate the contestants weekly based on vocal ability, overall performance and stage presence. The first place winner each night will win $100, second place $50 and third place $25. Contestants may choose from over 10,000 songs (covering the 1950s to the present) from an extensive karaoke song list. Contestants may also bring their own music on audio compact disc (CD). Audio track must be instrumental without lead vocals. All accompanying music not selected from the karaoke music library must be submitted on CD at least 30 minutes prior to the begin-
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ning of the evening’s contest. The 2014 Pride Idol winner will perform in the Seattle Pride Parade on June 29, at the Pride Picnic on June 14, and potential performances at other events representing Pride Idol, and receive the grand prize of $1,000 and a vacation package from Alaska Airlines. The first runner-up will receive $500 and a T-Mobile iPad Mini, and the second runner-up will receive $250 and a Microsoft Surface Tablet. All competitions will be hosted by Miss Gay Seattle, Olivia LaGarce. Regular competitions will be held every Sunday, April 4-May 25 (except May 18) at Neighbours Nightclub. Regular competitions will also be held on Thursday, May 1 at Baltic Room (1207 Pine St.), Wednesday May 7 at The Lobby Bar (916 E. Pike St.), and Thursday May 22 at OutWest Bar (5401 California Ave. SW). The Wild Card Night will be held on Sunday, June 1 at Neighbours and the Finale on Sunday, June 8 at Neighbours. For more information, call 206-3229561, email info@seattlepride.org, or visit www.seattlepride.org. CONGREGATION TIKVAH CHADSHAH – 2ND NIGHT COMMUNITY PASSOVER SEDER On Tuesday, April 15, at 6 p.m., at The Graham Visitors Center, Washington Park Arboretum (2300 Arboretum Drive E.), Congregation Tikvah Chadshah, Puget Sound’s LGBT Jewish Chavurah, will be holding a Community Seder on the second night of Passover. This will be a meat potluck – no hametz, please! CTC will provide ritual foods, juice, and wine. Come prepared to participate, even sing. All are welcome. Suggested donation $20 adult, student/low income $10, children under 13 free. RSVP for the Passover Seder is requested by Sunday afternoon, April 13. Please email ctc@tikvahchadasha. org or call 206-355-1414 for complete information. If you can help with set up, please arrive a bit early. www.tikvahchadasha.org INSPIRE YOUTH PROJECT – “THE BIG BAIL OUT” On Wednesday, April 16, from 4 to 9 p.m., at The Lobby Bar (916 E. Pike St.), help raise money to send children affected by HIV/AIDS to Camp Rise n’ Shine! Grab your team of four and come on down to our jail located at The Lobby Bar. Our sheriff will sentence you to an hour of jail time where you will call friends and family to raise your bail and help send a kid to Camp Rise n’ Shine! Sign up your team of 4 today! Contact Mandy at mandy@inspireyouthproject.org. Donations to Inspire Youth Project and the “The Big Bail Out” event are also welcome. www.inspireyouthproject.org
registration: $10 members, $20 nonmembers, $10 students. GSBA Prime Time Mixers are designed to bring together the best and brightest business professionals in the Greater Seattle area, giving them a fun and relaxing environment to network, socialize and build business relationships. Register online at www.thegsba.org or call 206-363-9188. SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – TELL THE WOLVES I’M HOME AND THE NORMAL HEART The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday from 6-7:30 p.m., at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). In April, the club will discuss Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Riftka Brunt. It’s 1986. The world is terrified of the new plague. We learn in the very first sentence that the fourteen year-old girl narrator loves more than any other person alive her Gay uncle who is dying of AIDS. Which is walloping in itself – but wait until Uncle Finn’s lover seeks her out as the only one who loved her uncle as much as he did. Get your handkerchiefs ready. As Gay literature enters the mainstream, let’s think about how we describe ourselves and how straight people describe us. We will be able to talk for hours about the way Brunt uses her Gay characters in her novel. DON’T read the back of the book – the blurb gives away half the surprises. Bring your opinions! [NOTE: The group will not be meeting on Wednesday, April 30. Instead, that week, the group will meet on Tuesday, April 29, at 7 p.m., at the University Bookstore (4326 University Way NE) for a book launch and book signing by book club group leader Nick DiMartino for his new novel, Student Union.] In May, the club will discuss Larry Kramer’s 1985 AIDS play, The Normal Heart. On May 7, the group will read aloud Act One; on May 14, the group will read aloud Act Two; on May 21, the group will discuss the play; on Sunday, May 25, HBO will telecast the made-for-television movie, The Normal Heart, with Julia Roberts and Mark Ruffalo; on May 28, the group will discuss the made-for-television movie. All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. For more information, visit http://faculty.washington. edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/
QLAW 9TH ANNUAL BANQUET On Thursday, April 17, at The Fairmount Olympic Hotel (411 University St.), join QLaw: The GLBT Bar Association of Washington for their 9th annual banquet. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a reception and no-host bar, and continues from 7 to 9 p.m., with dinner, entertainment and program, with special entertainment by Sylvia GREATER SEATTLE O’Stayformore. The QLaw Banquet is one BUSINESS ASSOCIATION – of the best-attended minority bar events, PRIME TIME: with more than 400 guests attending each ARGOSY HARBOR CRUISE year, including judges, elected officials, and On Wednesday, April 16, from 5:30 to community leaders. General admission: 7:30 p.m., join the GSBA, Greater Seattle’s $125 per person; QLaw member rate: $95 LGBTQA Chamber of Commerce, for their per person. www.q-law.org. annual Prime Time cruise sponsored by Argosy to welcome new GSBA members and thank GSBA’s amazing volunteers. Welcome aboard the Spirit of Seattle of Pier 55 (1101 Alaskan Way). Boarding begins at 5:30 p.m., the ship leaves promptly at 6 p.m. Come have a drink, take in the views and play some mingle bingo! This event is open to all and is FREE for anyone who has joined or volunteered for GSBA since April 2013. Individual
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GAY CITY ARTS – “KEEFEE’S HOUSE OF CARDS” APRIL 17-19 & 24-26 On Thursdays-Saturdays, April 17-19 and April 24-16, at 8 p.m., Gay City Arts presents “Keefee’s House of Cards,” an improvisational, interactive, blackjack theater experience at Calamus Auditorium at Gay City (517 E. Pike St.) Come watch or play blackjack live with Keefee, your sassy, unpredictable and often intoxicated dealer. Tickets: $15. www.gaycity.org OUT FOR SUSTAINABILITY – EARTH GAY SEATTLE On Saturday, April 19, from 9:30 a.m.noon and noon-2:30 p.m., at Cheasty Greenspace on Beacon Hill (meet at the open lawn off Cheasty Blvd. S. approximately 2 blocks east of Beacon Ave.), OUT for Sustainability will be partnering with Beacon Bike Park to restore Cheasty Greenspace, an urban forest located on Beacon Hill, in preparation for the implementation of bike trails. During Earth Gay, volunteers will be removing invasive species like blackberry and English ivy, weeding, mulching, protecting tree systems from invasive species, and planting native species. Wear sturdy shoes, smart layers, and bring your own water bottle. Gloves and tools, water and snacks, and direction will be provided, with possibly a few musicians. www.out4s.org. BURKE MUSEUM – NATIVE ARTS & ARTISTS DAY APRIL 19 www.burkemuseum.org CAMP TEN TREES – “S’MORE FUN!” 2014 CAMP TEN TREES DINNER & AUCTION EVENT Each summer, LGBTQA youth and youth of LGBTQ families come together to strengthen inner courage, build life skills, and find community through the fun of the Camp Ten Trees summer camp sessions. Get a taste of that same camp magic by being a part of our 2014 dinner and auction event, “S’more Fun,” and you’ll be letting our campers know that their joy, resiliency, and well being are of paramount importance to you. On Saturday, April 19, at 6 p.m., at Herban Feast’s Sodo Park (3200 1st Ave. S.), join us at “S’more Fun” to raise the vital funds necessary to ensure that every youth who needs this camp can attend, regardless of ability to pay. Camp Ten Trees changes lives. Our supporters make it possible. Go to www.camptentrees.org to donate an auction item, purchase a ticket, sign up to be a table captain, become an event sponsor, or make a tax-deductible donation. Act now to save your spot at “S’more Fun.” Event tickets are $60 individual; VIP individual $125. RSVP for “S’more Fun” requested by April 4. Register online at www.camptentrees.org or call 206-288-9568. Help sustain for this year and years to come, the camp that’s not just a camp … it’s a revolution! Q-SQUARED MEN – Q-SPRING 2014 APRIL 25-27 Q-Spring, a celebration of self and Spring for Gay, Bisexual and Transgender men, is a chance to gather with other men to reflect on, embrace, and celebrate who you are, where you have been, and where you are headed. Discover new parts of yourself and enjoy the company of other men in a nonjudgmental, attitude-free atmosphere. For more information and to register, visit www.qsquared.org or phone 253-216-3997.
Celebrating 41 Years!
April 11, 2014
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Although the drag queen, LGBTQ equal rights activist, and counselor we see standing before us today is larger than life, Aleksa Manila comes from humble beginnings. Barely 20-years-old, Aleksa immigrated to the U.S. in 1995. “And there’s the magical answer about my age,” laughs Aleksa. “My family had already been living in the U.S. for quite some time and I was just finishing college in the Philippines,” she said. “At the time, I had my eyes set on becoming a physical therapist. But that changed when I moved, because I still had a couple of years to complete, and my credentials didn’t transfer, so I switched and set my academic goals with nursing,
which I had been avoiding because my siblings were already nurses – one a pediatric nurse, the other an anesthesia nurse. I was definitely like, ‘Not another one.’” Aleksa recently had the opportunity to return to the Philippines late last month. “I have only been back to the Philippines twice and a decade apart each time,” she said. “To say the least, the first visit was a total culture shock. Ironically, I had not anticipated that at all. I was convinced that since I was born there, I didn’t need to re-assimilate, but things – a lot of it – did change.” “I suppose when you leave a place you’ve been accustomed to since childhood and leaving as a young adult, not only have you changed, but your environment as well,” said Aleksa. “This last visit was wonderful,” she continued. “My boyfriend, Jason, joined me on this trip. He was really instrumental in encouraging me to go for many reasons. It was his first trip outside of the U.S., not counting Canada, of course. So, I was all giddy being his tour-guide. And he finally met my mom, who decided to retire there.” “I hadn’t shared with my mom yet about our relationship, so I was a bit nervous about the news, like coming out all over again,” she recalled. “But, of course, to no surprise – my mom just adores him. I couldn’t be happier.” According to Aleksa, who joked, her mother’s idea of approval was affectionately kicking my leg under the dinner table. “As always, she shared her words of wisdom and just letting me know how happy she is for both of us,” she said. “In addition to the usual family visit, we actually spent the time exploring and enjoying the islands. We spent a good chunk of our time at a beach resort in Subic Bay, where the former U.S. Naval Base was.” “My boyfriend, being the adventurer himself, convinced me to do a lot of things like feeding tigers, petting dolphins, especially snorkeling,” she said. “This may not sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but from someone who doesn’t and can’t swim this was a big check off on my bucket list.” This trip was also extra special because her boyfriend and family got to see Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse in concert at her Manila debut. Arnaldo! is one of Seattle’s best known drag queens and is arguably, the best known drag queen cabaret act. “The who’s who of Philippine entertainment was there from Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran to Julie Borromeo, who discovered Lea Salonga,” said Aleksa. “I had the honor of hosting Arnaldo’s question and answer panel where we discussed the intersections of music, family, and of course, queer culture.” Life is good for Aleksa Manila. “I don’t believe in regrets,” she told Seattle Gay News. “It’s too negative and takes you two steps back. I just do better next time.” “Although there was this one time in high school, after a speech in front of the nuns and others, I turned around, missed a step, and yelled a not-so-niceword,” she laughed. “And maybe I should have auditioned for RuPaul’s Drag Race – Season 2 when I was recruited,” she laughs fabulously. For now, she says she will leave all of you with a smile and a “thank you.” For more information about Aleksa Manila, visit her official website at www. AleksaManila.com.
Aleksa Manila
aleksa
continued from cover “Although philanthropy doesn’t have to only mean money,” said Aleksa. Volunteering is as powerful, if not more.” Recently, in response to the destruction caused by typhoon Haiyan, which became the strongest land-falling tropical cyclone ever recorded as it crossed the Central Philippines on November 7-8, 2013, Aleksa Manila co-produced a benefit for the family members of her drag daughter, Atasha Manila, at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway). Haiyan is the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record, killing at least 6,268 people in that country alone and leaving scores of people without a home, electrical power or food. While it was proper to mourn the dead, Atasha and Aleksa Manila pointed out that there were millions that survived and needed our help. The event raised over $5,000. If that seems incredible to you (because it is!), then what is more incredible yet is that Aleksa has used her time and talent hundreds of times to produce, host and star in fundraisers for a good cause. She has indirectly, and directly, improved the lives of countless people across the world. And she does it while wearing high heels and a dress. “Drag is definitely transformative for me at so many levels from internal to external, personal to professional,” Aleksa said. “It’s more than just donning a wig, make-up, outfit with matching accessories.” “Surely, you can limit it to a lip sync performance onstage, but it has the potential to be more powerful on the streets of life,” she continued. “Drag is a fabulous way of expressing one’s self-identity. It encompasses the individual; it represents community. It has the capacity to educate about history and culture. Drag can be philanthropic and
political, sassy and socially-aware.” Some of Seattle’s best-known drag queens have been at it for twenty – or much more – years. How long does Aleksa Manila have until she is done? “Honestly, I’ve sometimes asked that myself,” she laughs. “Over a decade later since I grabbed that mascara wand... I’ve come to realize it’s an extension of who I am.” “Drag isn’t just the traditional definition for me anymore,” said Aleksa. “It’s grown up with me so to speak. But more importantly, it’s fun and fabulous. That’s why it’s a big part of my life.” And she’s done well. Some of her most notable accomplishments include: • 2013 Dr. Bob Wood Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention, Public Health – Seattle & King County • 2012 Legacy Award Recipient, HIV Vaccine Trials Unit • 2012 Founded Pride ASIA • 2010 Keynote Speaker, LGBT Week – University of Montana, Missoula • 2009 Sainted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Abbey of St. Joan • 2007 Community Service Award, Washington State Men in Leather Organization • 2006 Jose Honors Recipient, International Court System • 2006 Empress of Seattle, Olympia XXXV – Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle • 2005-2006 Honorable Commissioner, LGBT Commission – City of Seattle, Office of Civil Rights • 2005-2007 Performing with Pink Martini band • 2004 Miss Gay Seattle XL – Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle • 2003 Peach Award for Volunteerism, Seattle LGBT Community Center • 2002 Founded Casa de Manila “House
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of Manila” • 2001 Miss Gay Filipino, Filipino Community of Seattle In addition to all of those (you can see the full list at http://aleksamanila.com/ awards.html) awards and honors, Aleksa Manila is also a fierce advocate for LGBTQ equality, having served on the following boards and commissions: • Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle • International Court System • Seattle Counseling Service • Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities (LGBT Commission) – City of Seattle • Official Pride ASIA • Ingersoll Gender Center • Lambert House • Lifelong AIDS Alliance • Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) • Gender Round Table of Washington • Seattle LGBT Community Center • Seattle Out & Proud • Greater Seattle Business Association • Neighbours Nightclub
Senator Patty Murray blasts Republicans for blocking equal pay bill Washington Senator Patty Murray blasted her Republican colleagues for blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act in a statement released April 9. The measure was intended to help reduce the wage gap between women and men. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, women earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. The measure failed to win a key procedural vote with no Republican Senators voting for it, and will not be brought to the floor for debate. “This isn’t over,” Murray said in her statement. “Equal pay for equal work is going to remain at the forefront of our agenda in the months ahead and we aren’t going to let Republicans off the hook on an issue this important. This won’t be the last time they have to go home to their constituents and explain that they don’t think this is a worthy issue or something that actually impacts women. “The truth is that women do care deeply about this lingering injustice. They make up nearly half of our workforce and, more than ever, are likely to be the primary breadwinner in their families. Women are making a difference across our economy, in boardrooms and lecture halls and small businesses. At a time when more and more families rely on women’s wages to put food on the table, stay in their homes, build a nest egg for retirement, and help pay for their chil-
dren’s education – it is absolutely critical that we do more to eliminate pay discrimination and unfairness in the workplace. It’s time for Republicans to stop discounting women and give them the fair shot they truly deserve.” The bill would have made it illegal for employers to retaliate against workers who exchange information about wages prior to filing a complaint. It would also make employers liable to civil actions for discrimination in wages. As part of the enforcement mechanism, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission would be required to collect pay information from employers. The measure came to the Senate with 52 co-sponsors, and got 54 votes for the motion to proceed to a debate, short of the 60 votes needed under Senate rules. Democratic Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid later changed his vote to “No” to preserve his right to reintroduce the bill. The bill’s prime sponsor, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), responded to the setback with an angry speech on the Senate floor. “Now I’ll tell you what I’m tired of hearing, that somehow or another we’re too emotional when we talk,” Mikulski said. “You know, when we raise an issue, we’re too emotional. Well, I am emotional. “I am so emotional about this. I am telling you, if we don’t pass this bill, I’m so Senator Patty Murray emotional, I’m going to press on,” she continued. “It brings tears to my eyes to know of these phony reasons – some are mean and split on the issue. Senator Angus King of how women every single day are working so some are meaningless – I do get emotional. Maine voted with Republicans to block the hard and are getting paid less. It makes me I get angry, I get outraged, I get volcanic.” bill, and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont emotional to hear that. Then when I hear all The Senate’s two Independent members voted with Democrats to move it forward. Youtube
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
New York appeals court upholds employment discrimination judgment Facebook
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A New York state appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling that a restaurant owner violated the New York City Human Rights Law when he forced his Lesbian chef to attend on-the-job prayer meetings, and told her she was going to hell because of her sexual orientation. In the original trial before a New York City court, chef Mirella Salemi was awarded $400,000 in compensatory damages and an additional $1.2 million in punitive damages. Her attorney called it “the largest employment verdict in 2012 in New York.” Salemi’s boss, Edward Globokar, appealed the 2012 decision, alleging he was only exercising his First Amendment free speech rights, but the appeals court dismissed his claim. “The trial court properly protected Globokar’s First Amendment rights by instructing the jury that he had ‘a right to express his religious beliefs and practice religion, providing that he does not discriminate against his employees based on religion or sexual orientation,’” the threejudge panel of the Appellate Division’s First Department wrote.
“Additional evidence demonstrated that as a result of Globokar’s improper conduct, plaintiff was retaliated against for objecting to his offensive comments, choosing not to attend workplace prayer meetings and refusing to fire another employee because of his sexual orientation,” the judges concluded. Consequently, the appeals court upheld the original finding by trial judge Carol Huff, and the monetary award to Salemi. According to court documents, Globokar was principal owner of Gloria’s Tribeca Inc., and Gloria’s Tribecamex, which operated a chain of restaurants called Mary Ann’s. Salemi worked at one of the restaurants between 2004 and 2007. In her filing, Salemi complained that Globokar held weekly prayer meetings that were essentially mandatory because the restaurant staff feared they would lose their jobs if they did not attend. At these meetings, which were held behind locked doors, Globokar would repeatedly call homosexuality a sin, and say that “gay people” were “going to go to hell.” Globokar also told Salemi to dress more “effeminately,” and to marry a man and have children, Salemi’s attorney said. Salemi quit in 2007, and Globokar reportedly no longer owns the restaurant chain.
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Mozilla fallout: OKCupid CEO apologizes for supporting anti-Gay pol OKCupid CEO Sam Yagan has apologized for having donated $500 to an antiGay Utah Republican. OKCupid blocked Mozilla’s Firefox browser because of that company’s appointment of Brendan Eich as its CEO. Eich had donated $1,000 to the Prop 8 campaign to repeal marriage equality in California, and his appointment touched off a torrent of protests until he ultimately stepped down from his new position. Soon after Eich resigned, Uncrunched blog broke the story that Yagan himself had donated to anti-Gay causes, raising the possibility that his company blocked Firefox merely to gain publicity rather than from motives of conscience. In an April 8 statement to the Huffington Post, Yagan said he gave money to Utah Republican Chris Cannon without knowing the lawmaker was anti-Gay. “A decade ago, I made a contribution to Representative Chris Cannon because he was the ranking Republican on the House subcommittee that oversaw the Internet and Intellectual Property, matters important to my business and our industry,” Yagan wrote. “I accept responsibility for not knowing where he stood on gay rights in particular; I unequivocally support marriage equality and I would not make that contribution again today. However, a contribution made to a
candidate with views on hundreds of issues has no equivalence to a contribution supporting Prop 8, a single issue that has no purpose other than to affirmatively prohibit gay marriage, which I believe is a basic civil right.” In other Mozilla fallout, NOM launched a boycott of Mozilla on April 4, just after Eich announced his resignation. “Eich has been the target of a vicious character attack by gay activists who have forced him out of the company he has helped lead for years,” NOM President Brian Brown wrote on the group’s website. “This is a McCarthyesque witch hunt that makes the term ‘thought police’ seem modest. “We urge all consumers to remove Mozilla’s Firefox web browser from their computers as a sign of protest. This attack to deny Mr. Eich his livelihood for supporting true marriage is a continuation of the shameful pattern we have consistently seen from gay activists. It basically says to all those in America and around the world who believe in a view of marriage that is consistent with the teachings of their faith that they are all bigots and haters and there is no place for them in civil society. This is the totalitarian worldview we will all be under if marriage ultimately is redefined in the law.” Former NOM Chairman Robert George called for a boycott of Mozilla on April 1, in retaliation for anti-Eich protests led by Gay Mozilla employee Hampton Catlin. NOM launched a similar boycott of the Starbucks coffee empire in 2012 after the company announced its support of R-74, which legal-
OkCupid
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Sam Yagan
ized same-sex marriage in Washington state. Another anti-Gay group, Faith Driven Consumer, which has used HRC’s corporate equality index to compile its own list of pro-Gay companies to boycott, also turned on Mozilla
in the wake of Eich’s departure. In a posting on their website, the group posed a series of combative questions for Mozilla, and then urged its supporters “While we wait to hear back, let’s make sure they HEAR from YOU.”
Sixth Circuit may fast-track marriage appeal
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Michigan state officials have asked the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to allow an en banc hearing in the case of DeBoer v. Snyder, in which a federal district court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. An en banc hearing – in other words one before the full appeals court rather than a three-judge panel – would expedite
the appeals process and possibly bring the case before the U.S. Supreme Court before similar cases pending in other states. According to Michigan’s filing, since all states that fall within the Sixth Circuit’s jurisdiction have marriage equality cases pending there, an initial hearing that results in a decision by all Sixth Circuit judges would avoid duplication of effort and possible confusion. The legal issues in the case are of “exceptional importance,” Michigan offi-
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cials told the Sixth Circuit in their April 4 filing, and “the question’s importance is highlighted by the fact” that each of the four states in that circuit had adopted a similar ban on such marriages and that each has been wholly or partly nullified. “To resolve this issue swiftly and to preserve the resources of the court and the parties, Michigan petitions for initial hearing en banc,” the state filing said, noting that all four cases from courts within the circuit “are proceeding swiftly in parallel and will have briefing completed within weeks of each other.” On April 8, the Sixth Circuit asked the plaintiffs in the case to respond to the state’s request. They have until April 21 to do so. Federal district courts in Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee have ruled in favor of same-sex marriage claims – sometimes broadly, sometimes more narrowly – and each of those rulings has now been appealed. The Sixth Circuit has put each of them on an expedited review schedule. The normal procedure for cases in the federal appeals courts begins with review by a three-judge panels. If the case is of major importance, it may subsequently go before the full tribunal. It takes a majority vote of all of the active judges on the full court to grant en banc hearings. According to the Equality on Trial website, such review is “not common, but it also is not rare.” Michigan officials have asked only for en banc review in their own case, but if the Sixth Circuit took on that case, appeals from other states would probably be put on hold in the meantime, legal experts said. While the facts in each of the cases dif-
fer, the legal issues are essentially the same in each, and would be the same before an en banc court. The ruling in the Michigan case was broader than those in the other three states, where judges only dealt with recognition of same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions. Meanwhile, District Judge Timothy Black, who ruled in the Ohio case, said on April 4 that he would soon expand his ruling to order full marriage equality in Ohio. Ohio state officials said they would appeal any such ruling to the Sixth Circuit. Ohio Congressman John Becker has introduced a House resolution to impeach Black because of his ruling in the marriage case, Henry v. Wymyslo. To date, he is the only sponsor of the resolution. While most observers believe the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately decide the slew of marriage cases now being fought out in federal courts, they are under no obligation to do so. In fact, the Supreme Court will normally intervene only if several federal courts reach different conclusions on points of law. To date, only one District Court in Nevada has refused to find in favor of samesex couples seeking marriage rights, and the Ninth Circuit, which has jurisdiction over Nevada, has already found in favor of marriage equality in the Prop 8 case from California. In every other case, federal courts have found in favor of same-sex couples, and there is no reason to believe that any circuit court will reverse them. Consequently, the Supreme Court may well pass on the marriage cases, allowing Circuit Court rulings to stand. At least four Supreme Court Justices must agree to hear a case before the high court will take it up.
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Tenth Circuit said to be split on Utah marriage case freedomtomarry.org
Derek Kitchen (l) and Moudi Sbeity, plaintiffs in Utah’s freedom to marry case
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Journalists covering the Tenth Circuit Court hearing of t– the Utah marriage equality case – report that the threejudge panel seems to be split on the crucial legal issues. The appeals court heard oral arguments April 10. Federal District Judge Robert Shelby ruled on December 20
that Utah’s ban on same-sex marriages violates the equal protection and due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution. More than 1,300 couples were married in Utah before the Tenth Circuit issued a stay in the case. State officials admit the marriages are legal, but will not accord the couples legal marriage rights pending appeal. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the federal government would recognize the marriages, however.
Although no recordings or photos were allowed in the hearing, reporters exiting the court chambers said the justices appeared to be split on the case. “First take: A split 10th Circuit panel heard today’s arguments about Utah’s marriage ban, with two judges leaning toward striking the ban,” BuzzFeed’s Chris Geidner Tweeted. “Lucero is totally on board w plaintiffs, Kelly is leaning toward the state, & Holmes is leaning toward heightened scrutiny based on sex,” Geidner added. Justice Carlos Lucero was appointed by Bill Clinton. Justices Paul Kelly and Jerome Holmes were appointed by George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively. Holmes, said to be leaning toward striking the ban on same-sex marriage on the basis of his questions and comments in the April 10 hearing, has a conservative record on the appeals court, but he astonished court-watchers by refusing to stay Judge Shelby’s ruling in the Utah case. “Heightened scrutiny based on sex” – if Holmes is indeed leaning towards that finding –means that Utah’s law could be declared unconstitutional unless the state could show some compelling interest in preventing two men or two women from getting married. That line of reasoning would seem compatible with the arguments of plaintiffs’ attorney Peggy Tomsic, who argued that the marriage ban violates the rights of one class of citizens, namely same sex couples. Gene Schaerr, the attorney representing the state of Utah, told justices that children raised by someone other than their natural parents
have a higher rate of criminal behavior. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, whose office did not handle the appeal, said the federalism argument will be the key to the court’s decision – in other words, that individual states have the right to determine what constitutes a valid marriage.
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couple who wished to be legally married in Richland. State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit against the florist under state consumer protection laws, saying she was illegally discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. “The Supreme Court’s refusal to take up this case is further confirmation that there is nothing exceptional about states applying their laws to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation,” Ferguson told SGN about the New Mexico case. “As Attorney General, I will continue to pursue our lawsuit against Arlene’s Flowers because, under Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against customers on the basis of sexual orientation. If a business provides a product or service to opposite-sex couples for their weddings, then it must provide the same product or service to same-sex couples.” The Washington case has not yet gone to trial. The state is seeking $2,000 in penalties and a permanent injunction requiring the florist to comply with state laws.
FlorAbundance back at Magnuson Park Region’s largest plant sale returns to the renovated Building 30! will have an amazing array of epimediums. And this is just a small taste of the cornucopia of botanical treasures awaiting shoppers at FlorAbundance.” Vendor list: See a full list of featured vendors on the FlorAbundance event page<http://www.arboretumfoundation. org/?page_id=240> of the Arboretum Foundation website, www.arboretumfoundation. org<http://www.arboretumfoundation.org/>. If you’re unable to make it to the Saturday sale, then do consider coming on Sunday. Many of our vendors will be restocking their inventory for the second day of the sale – so we’ll still have a great selection of plants to choose from on April 27. Free parking and admission: As always, parking and admission for FlorAbundance is free. For the best parking spots on Saturday, come early. Our Saturday sale starts at 9 a.m. this year, so that our shoppers can get a head start on other events happening at Magnuson Park on the same day. All sales at FlorAbundance support the maintenance and children’s education programs at Washington Park Arboretum. For more information about the sale, call 206-325-4510.
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Arboretum Foundation
After two years at its interim location at the Washington Park Arboretum, the FlorAbundance Spring Plant Sale will return home to the newly renovated Building 30 at Warren G. Magnuson Park (7400 Sand Park Way NE). On Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. please join us for the region’s biggest and best plant sale, and help support the Arboretum Foundation’s mission. We’ll have our full complement of specialty nurseries back to offer gardeners and landscapers an unbeatable selection of locally grown edibles, annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs. “There’ll be at least 38 nurseries in attendance,” says our volunteer Event Chair Bob Lilly. “Expect a unique selection of highquality plants, including lots of veggies for your kitchen garden. As always, Langley Fine Gardens will have an amazing array of vegetable starts. In addition, for the first time in quite a while, they’ll be offering a diverse crop of ornamental salvias.” “Look for a great selection of fine shrubs and fuchsias from Lee Farm and Nursery and Robinwood Nursery,” continues Bob. “You’ll find wonderful plants for the shade garden at Growing Girls Nursery and Keeping It Green. Bouquet Banque Nursery and Sundquist Nursery
Courtesy of Washington Park Arboretum
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Seventh Republican backs ENDA
Americans for Workplace Opportunity working on more, including Washington Congressman Dave Reichert cbs
Mike Coffman
“I see this legislation as the workplace equivalent of the Golden Rule – do unto others, as you would have them do unto you,” Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO) Coffman said in a statement to Politico became the seventh Republican Congress- blog. “In the workplace, in 2014, we should man to sign on to ENDA (the Employment judge employees the way we would want to Non-Discrimination Act) on April 10. be judged – based on our qualifications, our by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
contributions and by our character, period.” The bill, which would add protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to federal anti-discrimination laws, now has 203 co-sponsors, of whom only seven are Republicans. ENDA was passed by the Senate last year, but House Speaker John Boehner has vowed not to bring the measure to the floor for a vote. According to Politico, Coffman has reversed positions on immigration, abortion, and LGBT rights, as he tries to fend off an electoral challenge from Democrat Andrew Romanoff in Colorado’s competitive sixth district. A coalition called Americans for Workplace Opportunity is lining up Republican Congressmen, in hopes of bringing ENDA to a vote before the end of the year. “We really see this as an important piece of unfinished business for LGBT workers and people around the country,” said campaign manager Campbell Spencer. HRC has contributed $1.36 million to the campaign while Republican billionaires Paul Singer and Seth Klarman have each put up $375,000 to pay for the effort. Spencer
said that another major donor is expected to be announced in the near term. Other organizations involved in the group include Log Cabin Republicans, AFSCME, ACLU, and SEIU. According to Spencer the group has identified seven additional Republican Congressmen, including Washington Congressman Dave Reichert, as priority targets to convince them to support ENDA. The group has more than 30 field organizers on the ground in seven states and has hired eight Republican-leaning public affairs firms. Over the past month, the campaign claims 1,000 calls to members’ district offices, sent post cards, and held several district meetings. In the coming weeks they plan to hold more than 100 volunteer events, including 56 canvassing events, 43 phone banks, and 14 community meetings in priority districts. Besides Reichert, the group includes Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (FL), Mike Fitzpatrick (PA), Jim Gerlach (PA), Joe Heck (NV), Leonard Lance (NJ), and Frank LoBiondo (NJ). Democratic Representative Dan Lipinski (IL) will also be a priority.
Federal judge orders Indiana to recognize Lesbian marriage Indiana must immediately recognize the marriage of Amy Sandler and her wife Niki Quasney, a Federal District Court ruled on April 10. Sandler and Quasney have been in a committed relationship for 13 years, and have two children. They were married in Massachusetts in 2013, but Indiana law prohibits the state from recognizing their marriage. Almost five years ago, Quasney was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. She had more than 100 tumors surgically removed in 2009, and spent years taking chemotherapy. On March 10, Lambda Legal filed suit on their behalf, seeking emergency relief so their marriage could be legally recognized in Indiana. Quasney said she wants certainty that Sandler will receive an accurate death certificate so that she can handle her final affairs and access the safety net available to a surviving spouse and young children. Lambda Legal asked that the case be heard on an emergency basis due to Quasney’s medical circumstances. In his ruling, Federal District Judge Richard Young said the couple had proved the
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Republican Party. Last summer Pocatello became the sixth Idahoan city to pass such an ordinance and Idaho’s ruling party decided it had had enough. Shortly after the ordinance passed on a 4-2 vote, Republican Party leaders called on the state legislature to invalidate local city ordinances that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This spring Republican Party leaders are at it again, now threatening to roll back Pocatello’s new found human rights ordinance using another tactic – a ballot proposition. With early voting already taking place, Pocatellans will decide the fate of last summer’s non-discrimination ordinance next month.
potential of immediate harm, and that a reasonable likelihood exists that Quasney and Sandler will win their overall case. His order to the state will be in effect for 28 days. A preliminary injunction hearing will be scheduled by that time, though Young could choose to extend the order. “We are so relieved,” Niki Quasney said. “We are so thankful that we can move forward and concentrate on being with each other. Our time together and with our daughters is the most important thing in the world to me. I look forward to the day when all couples in Indiana have the freedom to marry.” Paul Castillo, Staff Attorney for Lambda Legal, said: “We’re greatly relieved for Amy, Niki and their two young children. “They are a loving family coping with a terminal illness. The State of Indiana has no justification for denying them dignity, legitimacy, and respect as a family during this inexpressibly difficult time. They’re married, they love each other and they are doing their best to protect their family. The local hospital defers to Niki Quasney (l) and Amy Sandler state law to determine whether a couple is valThe suit is one of five legal challenges states. They join more than 60 others filed idly married, and Niki worries that she won’t be able to be with Amy when it counts. Niki filed last month to the Indiana law that bans nationwide since the U.S. Supreme Court also wants to make sure Amy has the protec- same-sex marriage and prohibits recogni- decision ruled last year that Section 3 of tions of a surviving spouse under Indiana law.” tion of such marriages performed in other DOMA is unconstitutional. Associated press
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
In response to the ballot proposition, a group of Pocatello residents has formed a campaign called Fair Pocatello, with one goal in mind – keeping the non-discrimination ordinance in place. Knocking on doors, making phone calls, and encouraging people to vote, the group is challenging Proposition One the old fashioned way. Hoping to win the hearts and minds of voters, Fair Pocatello has an important mission to accomplish and an even more important precedent to set. Jonny Carkin, the group’s manager says “protecting this ordinance has implications beyond Pocatello and beyond Idaho … If Prop One passes, it could very likely send a message to other groups in other places that this is a viable strategy for rolling back the tide on these basic protections against discrimination.”
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With decision day nearing, both big money and scare tactics have been employed by proponents of the initiative, but Fair Pocatello is showing no signs of being bullied. Carkin says he is “confident that they can speak with enough voters and let them know that this law is about fairness and opportunity and that no one deserves to be treated as a second class citizen for who they are or who they love.” Meanwhile, Idaho’s governor requested the State Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee approve $1 million to defend the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. A 2006 voter-approved constitutional amendment is being challenged by four couples, arguing that the ban violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection and due process guarantees. Idaho’s governor, how-
ever, argued in legal filings that states, not the federal government, have the right to define marriage. Adding that only opposite sex marriages encourage “stable, husband-wife unions for the benefit of their children,” Idaho’s governor is banking on an argument that has already been thrown out by several federal judges in several states, including Utah. Though the committee approved the request by Idaho’s governor, not everyone agrees it is a good idea. Democratic representative Shirley Ringo of Moscow voted against allocating the money to defend the ban, saying “I wasn’t interested in spending money on supporting a bad decision.” She added, “It won’t hold up constitutionally.” A judge is expected to hear the case this summer.
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Dear Kiki with D, I started seeing someone exclusively a year ago. We met through a dating website and hit it off. He was new to the area and we started to see each other a few times a week, spent weekends together, went on trips, etc. We got along really well. About 10 months into the relationship, he went back home for a few days for the first time since moving here. The entire time we had been dating, we never discussed religion. Although I was brought up Catholic and attended Catholic school for most of my life, I have considered myself to be an agnostic. He was raised as a Christian by very conservative and evangelical parents. But after moving to college, he became more liberal and Christianity became a lot less important in his life. Anyway, he went to church with his parents while visiting and had an epiphany of sorts. He decided that God and Christianity are an incredibly important part of his life. When he came back from visiting home, he told me that he no longer wants to be in a relationship with someone who isn’t Christian. This was very unexpected for me. I decided to re-open myself to Christianity and to explore some of the doubts I had. Things were looking promising for us until he told me that he no longer wants to have premarital sex, no exceptions. He believes sex is sacred and only for marriage. We are both 25 and I don’t see myself getting married for another four to five years. I strongly believe that sex is essential in a long-term, exclusive relationship and told him that this was a deal-breaker for me. He is very upset about this. He argues that abstaining from sex shouldn’t break a relationship when both parties are in love. Before he became abstinent, I could honestly see myself marrying him down
the road (and vice versa). Am I being unfair for leaving him solely based on no-sex? It really hurts me to know that he feels I’m being unfair and selfish to breakup over this. –Am I Being Unfair? Dear Am I Being Unfair? You’re not being unfair. You have a legitimate reason to break up with this man. If you want sex and he doesn’t, this isn’t going to work. When you started this relationship, you had similar philosophies about religion (at the very least, they meshed), but he changed his priorities and now you’re incompatible. You saw yourself marrying him, but he’s no longer the “him” you knew months ago. Tell him that your religious interests just don’t match anymore, and that while you’re open to more religion in your life, you’ll never rule out premarital sex. He might call you selfish, but that doesn’t mean he’s right. Your gut knows best. Trust in that. Life is constant change when things change we have to adapt to those changes. Hope this helps. Remember be true to you, love yourself, encourage yourself and others. –D
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Argentine Catholic Church baptizes child of Lesbian couple President Kirchner is godmother DIEGO LIMA / AFP / Getty
Umma Azul’s baptism in Cordoba, Argentina
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Catholic church in Cordoba, Argentina, has baptized the child of a Lesbian married couple. Cordoba’s Catholic Archbishop, Carlos Nanez, gave permission for the ceremony. Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was the godmother.
The infant girl, Umma Azul, is the first child of Carina Villaroel and Soledad Ortiz. The couple later told BBC News that Umma’s baptism was a sign of “social change” in the Catholic church. “This has set a record, the Church has opened a big door after much struggle and discrimination,” Villaroel said. “Umma Azul is like all children. That is the message: we are all equal, all are
equal in the world, heterosexual and gay, we all have the same rights.” Ortiz personally asked the President to be the godmother “because it is a way to thank her and former President Nestor Kirchner for that law that gave us rights,” she said. Ortiz told reporters that “now we hope to get married by the church and we will fight for that.” Kirchner, who succeeded her late hus-
band Nestor in 2007, spearheaded the drive to legalize same-sex marriage in 2010. She also sponsored the country’s landmark Gender Identity Law, which requires the country’s healthcare plans to pay for reassignment surgery and hormone therapy. The law also allows citizens to change the names and gender markers on official documents without getting prior approval from a doctor or a judge. Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, has signaled he wants a more tolerant attitude toward Gays and Lesbians in the Roman Catholic Church. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he opposed Kirchner’s same-sex marriage law, but hinted he might support civil unions as an alternative. In March, the Pope returned to the issue in an interview with the Italian magazine Corriere della Sera. “Marriage is between a man and a woman,” the Pope insisted, but he added that, “We have to look at different cases and evaluate them in their variety.” Civil unions are a way to provide economic security to cohabitating couples, the Pope added, and to ensure rights like access to health care. In a January speech to leaders of religious orders, Francis recalled meeting a girl whose mother was in a Lesbian relationship. “The situation in which we live now provides us with new challenges which sometimes are difficult for us to understand,” the Pope said, adding that the church “must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith to [children in such families].”
Egypt sends four Gay men to prison by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer An Egyptian court has sentenced four men to prison terms for “habitual debauchery” – code for being Gay in a country where same-sex relations are legal, but harshly discouraged. The men were accused of participating in “deviant” sex parties, dressing in women’s clothes, and wearing make-up. Three defendants were given prison sentences of eight years, and the fourth was sentenced to three years. The men were reportedly arrested in a private apartment in Nasr city within the last month, although Egyptian activists and court papers did not list an exact date of arrest. An Egyptian LGBT activist told BuzzFeed blog that the men had attended a party in an apartment that doubled as a meeting point for the local LGBT community when they were arrested. “Police have been increasingly targeting us in areas in which we were previous safe,” said the activist, identified only as Ahmed. “These areas that we could previously go to and gather and police would turn the other way, now they are coming to arrest us there. “There have been nearly a dozen cases of arrest in the last few months and we aren’t sure when this arrest happened,” Ahmed added. “There are arrests we don’t even hear about, it seems police are actively searching for gay men to arrest.”
Egyptian men who are accused of being Gay are often forced to undergo brutally intrusive medical tests to establish if they are “habitual” Gays. Human rights groups like Amnesty International have condemned the practice as abusive. Egyptian human rights activists told BBC News that the severe sentences the four Gay men received on April 7 were part of an ongoing crackdown on personal freedoms. Their convictions came a day after another court in Cairo upheld three-year prison terms imposed on three pro-democracy activists convicted of organizing an unauthorized protest. The U.S.-based Human Rights First group said it was “alarmed and disappointed” at the verdicts handed down in the most recent case. “We are alarmed and disappointed to hear of the verdict convicting these men based on their sexual orientation and identity,” said Human Rights First’s Shawn Gaylord. “Egypt is a bellwether state in the Arab region; what happens in Egypt sets a trend for developments throughout the Arab world. “The United States has a long-standing, close and complex relationship with Egypt, and it must use its leverage to protest the expansion of the crackdown on political dissent and now LGBT people. We urge the Obama administration to immediately condemn this ruling and to calculate these latest sentences in its assessment of how to take concrete steps to advance human rights and the rule of law in Egypt. When President Obama spoke in Cairo in 2009 about
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protecting ‘the principles of justice and progress; tolerance and dignity of all human beings’ he certainly meant all Egyptians, including LGBT people.” Since the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 there has been a rise in the number of arrests of people based on their sexual orientation, the group added. The latest case calls to mind a mass anti-Gay trial in 2001, in which 52 men were accused of “debauchery” and other offences under Egyptian law. Twenty-three of the men were sentenced to up to five years in jail with hard labor, drawing international condemnation. Between 2001 and 2004, Hosni
Mubarak’s regime launched a crackdown on homosexual conduct, arresting and torturing thousands of people. Now that anti-Gay campaign seems set to be repeated. In August 2012, Egyptian police arrested a man for leading a “gay sex network,” and later that year vigilantes beat and detained four young men who were accused of having sex in a car. The vigilantes got off, and the four young men were arrested. In October of last year, a group of 14 men were arrested in the Cairo suburb of al Marg in a highly publicized incident. They were charged with participating in drug-fueled sex parties.
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