Celebrating 39 Years!
Issue 17 Volume 40
HARVEY MILK p. 7
NUNS FIRM p. 17
kristin chenowEth p. 25
Seattle Gay News
FRIDAY April 27, 2012 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands
SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
North Carolina to EEOC rules Trans workers vote on marriage are protected by Title VII amendment May 8
Travis Dove for The New York Times
Pro same-sex demonstrators in Raleigh, North Carolina
tionship when they vote on a proposed constitutional amendment. Amendment One, as the proNorth Carolina voters will de- posal is called, would add a new cide on May 8 whether to ban “Section 6” to the North Carolina same-sex marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships, and almost every other possible human relasee marriage page 20
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled on April 24 that Title VII, the federal sex discrimination law, protects employees who are discriminated against because they are Transgender. In its unprecedented decision, the EEOC concluded that “intentional discrimination against a Transgender individual because that person is Transgender is, by definition, discrimination ‘based on … sex’ and such discrimination … violates Title VII.” The EEOC is the federal agency that interprets and enforces federal employment discrimination law, and this decision marks the first time it has issued clear guidelines on Transgender discrimination. The EEOC ruling came in response to a complaint filed by the Transgender Law Center on behalf of Mia Macy, a Transgender see eeoc page 20
Ohio Lesbian Cub Scout leader fired, fights back associated press
Jennifer Tyrrell and her son, Cruz Burns
courtesy Transgender Law Center
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Mia Macy (l) with her wife, Trish
Five things you can do for full marriage equality now
In March, the Boy Scouts of America removed den leader Jennifer Tyrrell, 32, from her position, telling her that because she is Lesbian, she “did not meet the high standards” of conduct set by the Boy Scouts of America. Tyrrell announced that her 7-year-old son Cruz would not remain in the national organization because of its discrimination against LGBT leaders and scouts. “We can no longer support an organization that has these policies and we hope to get them changed,” said Tyrrell. “That is our main goal.” According to Tyrrell, Cruz is “a little sad” because he “loved scouting.” The boy says he enjoyed camping and earning badges with his local Bridgeport, Ohio, Tiger Cub Pack 109 since September 2011. Now, Tyrrell is fighting back. by Shaun Knittel The mother of four has waged a SGN Associate Editor campaign to bring awareness to Equal Rights Washington the Boy Scout policy on Change. org. Already, the petition has gar- (ERW) officials say they aren’t willing to wait until November 2012 to preserve marriage equalsee scouts page 21 ity – and neither should you. There
are things that we can all be doing right now that would help ensure that same-sex marriage foes are not successful in rolling back the current marriage equality law, see equality page 19
e t o v o t R e t s i g e R
www.myvote.wa.gov
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Earth Gay 2012 Gerod Rody
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Seattle Gay News
OUT for Sustainability under the Aurora Bridge by Lake Union
by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer OUT for Sustainability, the one-of-a-kind Seattle-based LGBT green organization, held its most successful Earth Gay ever on April 22. More than 300 people came out to volunteer for a trail restoration and trash pickup project on Lake Union. This year’s Earth Gay project, a continuation of last year’s, entailed restoring the Cheshiahud Loop around Lake Union. The Cheshiahud is a six-mile trail named in honor of a Duwamish chief of a village that once stood on the lake. “The lake is the heart of Seattle,” said Gerod Rody, board president and founder of
April 27, 2012
OUT for Sustainability. Unlike the Green Lake Trail, a popular recreational lake loop in Seattle, Lake Union’s loop serves as a heavily traveled transportation route as well. Thus OUT for Sustainability’s cleanup was not only an effort to beautify the landscape, but to encourage alternative transportation, such as cycling, as well. “It’s an area that has been historically quite sketchy. We found a lot of needles and trash,” Rody told Seattle Gay News. “We wanted to bring healthy, safe, and beautiful access along that stretch of the lake.” Now in its fourth year, Earth Gay, which coincides with Earth Day, offers LGBT folks a chance to volunteer together. Ac-
cording to Rody, this was part of his reasoning for founding the organization – it combined the two things central to him, who he was and what was important to him. “I was looking for an organization like it to get involved with and to meet people who had the same values,” Rody told SGN. “I didn’t even find any organization that I could start a chapter of.” Thus, Rody founded OUT for Sustainability in 2008. “People either got it or they didn’t. There were a lot of people, all over the country really, who were waiting for an organization like this,” Rody told SGN. “Some people liked the theory and were curious about what we would do with it.” The inaugural Earth Gay – which Rody said was “very event-focused and experimental” – saw only 10 volunteers. But as people began to understand, the word stated to spread. In only four short years, the Seattle organization is already dealing with sustainability issues around the globe. Companies like Starbucks, Duos Catering, and Tutta Bella Pizzeria partnered with OUT for Sustainability this year to donate $3,000 worth of food and drink to the volunteers who cleared trash, removed invasive plants and weeds, and planted more than 200 new native plants, donated by King Conservation District (KCD). “They’re [KCD] a wonderful organization, it’s our second year partnering with them,” Rody told SGN. “It’s great to continue these partnerships that make Earth Gay the great, meaningful event that it is.” Partnerships are key for the small, but up-and-coming OUT for Sustainability. It’s through partnerships that they’re able to do one of their biggest projects – making Gay Pride a greener event globally. In 2009, OUT for Sustainability partnered with Seattle Out and Proud (SO&P) to distribute information at Pride. In 2010, the organization partnered with PrideFest to bring compostable cups to the widely popular beer garden. Members and volunteers of OUT for Sustainability vote on ideas about how to make Seattle Pride greener. This year, they’re striving to encourage cycling and partnering with various organizations to cut back on bottled water use at the event. “We want to do it on a bigger scale, to make it international program. We’re looking at what Prides around the world are doing,” Rody told SGN. Pride organizations from all over the world are now talking with OUT for Sustainability, and the organization is cataloguing these stories, emails, and requests in order to put out comprehensive information and guides on making Pride greener. Learn more about Earth Gay and Out for Sustainability at www.out4s.org.
Celebrating 39 Years!
Space Needle workers demand job security by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Eight people were arrested in a sit-in outside the Space Needle’s 50th anniversary celebration on April 21. While the eight, who included Space Needle workers and union activists, blocked the Space Needle driveway, more than 100 supporters chanted “U-N-I-T-E! We want job security!” Among those arrested were Lynne Dodson, secretary-treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council, and Erik Van Rossum, principal officer of UNITE HERE Local 8, the union that represents Space Needle workers. Atop the Space Needle, repainted in is original “Galaxy Gold” color scheme, Seattle’s elite celebrated the anniversary of the iconic monument, the symbol of the 1962 World’s Fair. Jeff Wright, chairman of the company that owns and operates the Needle and son of Space Needle builder Howard S. Wright, was joined by Mayor Mike McGinn and an assortment of political, financial, and cultural leaders to toast the Needle’s first 50 years and look forward to another 50. Each year the Space Needle attracts more than a million visitors, making it one of the top tourist destinations in the region. The Needle’s Sky City Restaurant is the most patronized in Seattle, with dinners costing as much as $60 a plate. Space Needle workers took a more skeptical view of the Needle’s next 50 years,
however. They have been working without a contract since May 31, 2011. Negotiations with management have proceeded sporadically, union sources said. Last summer, Space Needle management gave in to union demands to include enhanced anti-discrimination language to protect LGBT workers, but to date they have refused to rule out subcontracting work to non-union companies. In February, workers rejected a so-called “last and final” proposal by management that failed to include job security provisions. Spokespeople for Needle workers said that without guaranteed job security, other contract provisions – including the LGBT language – offer little protection for workers. “I could be replaced any day with temporary workers making lower wages and no benefits,” said Space Needle server Sanjeet Thebe. “Living under this stress has not been good – for me and for my family.” Workers have said they will not accept a new contract unless the employer pledges not to contract work to outside non-union companies. The two sides recently met with a federal mediator in an attempt to resolve the standoff, and a new mediation session is scheduled for May 22. On April 18, the activist organization Puget Sound SAGE released a new report titled “Our Pain, Their Gain: The Hidden Costs of Profitability in Seattle Hotels.” While Seattle’s hospitality industry is one of the cornerstones of the local economy,
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industry practices keep workers in poverty with low wages and sketchy health benefits that require public money to subsidize their health care costs as well as their food and housing, the report reveals. In a speech before she was arrested, Dod-
son noted that “when the Space Needle was built, a corporate CEO earned 24 times what an ordinary worker earned. Now it’s 380 times. The Space Needle is a Seattle icon and we expect it to embody Seattle’s values and to treat its employees accordingly.”
AN OPEN LETTER TO ARCHBISHOP SARTAIN
It would mean being able to earn my living in social work without worrying about paying thousands of dollars in legal fees just to ensure that my family will be protected. It would mean sharing in the “unique, fruitful, lifelong union” between two people who deeply love one another. For us, “the word marriage isn’t simply a label” either. I am not writing to change what marriage personally means to you. I am writing to ask you to stop misusing your power to take away rights that we have already won in Washington state. I am writing to explain to you that your actions are spreading intolerance and hate toward the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people who support and seek help from the Catholic community. I am asking you to stop wasting valuable resources to attack my family rather than lift up the vulnerable communities that you and I both care deeply about. I am asking you, instead, to use your power to create a world in which someone like me can do compassionate, rewarding, missiondriven work without feeling ashamed of the name under which I am doing it. I am choosing to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation by the Archdiocese.
Dear Archbishop Sartain, I have worked for Catholic Community Services of Western Washington for several years. I was drawn to your mission of dignity and respect for all people and I love my job. I put my heart and soul into my work, as I know you do. I could see myself working with your agency for a long time, dedicating years of my career to your mission and the vulnerable communities we serve. However, your recent actions against marriage equality in Washington state, particularly your letter calling on parishioners to sign the Referendum 74 petition, make me feel ashamed to be a part of Catholic Community Services. You have made it extremely difficult for me, as a Gay person, to continue working for you and I am seriously considering bringing my skills and talents elsewhere. My partner and I have been together for almost 10 years and we hope to get married when the state of Washington makes that possible for us. Our families and community stand behind us in this hope. Marriage for us would mean having access to the rights and respect that all families deserve.
April 27, 2012
Anonymous CCSWW Employee
Seattle Gay News
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Obama endorses federal anti-bullying laws on Day of Silence by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer President Obama used the occasion of the Day of Silence, April 20, to endorse the federal Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA). “The president and his administration have taken many steps to address the issue of bullying. He is proud to support the Student Non-Discrimination Act, introduced by Senator Al Franken and Congressman Jared Polis, and the Safe Schools Improvement Act, introduced by Senator Bob Casey and Congresswoman Linda Sanchez,” White House spokesperson Shin Inouye said. “These bills will help ensure that all students are safe and healthy and can learn in environments free from discrimination, bullying, and harassment.” The SNDA, modeled after Title IX of the 1972 federal Education Amendments, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal education nondiscrimination law. The SSIA would amend the Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to include bullying- and harassment-prevention programs, including ones based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Inouye added that for the Day of Silence, “the White House Office of Public Engagement is holding a screening of the documentary Bully at the White House with bullying prevention advocates from a wide range of communities.” The White House had previously said Obama supports the goals of the two bills, but until the April 20 announcement he had not indicated a specific endorsement for either measure. GLSEN executive director Eliza Byard said the president’s announcement “is a vital show of support to students everywhere of all identities, backgrounds, and beliefs who face bullying and harassment in school. “By speaking out on GLSEN’s Day of Silence in support of these two critical bills, the president has given greater hope to students who often feel that they have nowhere to turn. It is deeply moving to know that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender students who face the multiple threats of harassment, violence, and discrimination have
the president as an ally in their efforts to win all of the protections that they deserve.” “The president’s endorsement of the SNDA and SSIA recognizes the importance of providing LGBT students with the same civil rights protections as other students,” HRC President Joe Solmonese said. “No student should feel scared when walking into their school and these bills would address the discrimination and bullying that our youth have endured for far too long.” The ACLU, which has strongly supported the SNDA, called the president’s endorsement “key to getting this necessary legislation passed into law.” “Having the White House stand behind the Student Non-Discrimination Act is key to getting this necessary legislation passed into law,” ACLU legislative representative Ian Thompson said in a statement.
“Our public schools should be a safe harbor for our youth, not a place of exclusion and ridicule. By passing the Student NonDiscrimination Act, Congress can have a profound and very real impact in improving the lives of LGBT students. It’s time to make passage of this bill a priority.” “We applaud the Obama administration for endorsing this critical piece of legislation,” Lambda Legal said in a statement. “We thank Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Jared Polis, Rep. Barney Frank, and Rep. Tammy Baldwin and over 50 other current sponsors for their leadership on this bill and we urge Congress to pass it.” “Parents, educators, policymakers – all of us – need to stand against this unacceptable behavior. The president did that today. We urge him to now help get these life-saving bills through Congress,” NGLTF said.
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April 27, 2012
Celebrating 39 Years!
courtesy washington post
Marine charged in fellow Marine’s death Police say suspect used anti-Gay slur by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Lance Corporal Phil Bushong
Police in Washington, D.C., say one Marine stabbed another Marine, Philip Bushong, to death last week. The two men fought after the suspect used an anti-Gay slur to refer to the victim. The alleged homicide occurred early on the morning of April 21 on Barracks Row, a neighborhood near the Marine Barracks in Southeast Washington. According to the police, the suspect is 20-year-old Michael Joseph Poth – a resident of the barracks. A spokesman for the Marines, Capt. John Norton, said Bushong’s death is “obviously a tragedy” and said the Marines are “cooperating with local authorities.” Police believe the two men did not know
each other before the fight. OutServe, the association of actively serving LGBT U.S. military personnel and one of the largest LGBT employee resource groups in the world, released a statement on Bushong’s death, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the death of Lance Corporal Phil Bushong at the hands of a fellow Marine. We are troubled by the specter that this might have been a hate crime; if so, we anticipate the authorities will pursue it to the fullest extent of the law. This is particularly upsetting since, overall, Gay and Lesbian Marines have been accepted and treated equally in the force since repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ We look forward to the results of a swift and thorough investigation of this tragic incident.”
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Congressman Bob Filner (D-Calif.) has joined several prominent LGBT civil rights leaders from San Diego and across the country to call on the U.S. Navy to name “the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.” Late civil rights icon Milk was a Navy veteran who began his service during the Korean War, serving aboard the submarine rescue ship USS Kittiwake as a diving officer. He was later stationed at Naval Station San Diego, where he was a diving instructor. Milk, whose parents both also served in the Navy, was honorably discharged at the rank of lieutenant, junior grade. The GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego County sent an official letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus last week requesting that Harvey Milk be considered as the namesake of a naval submarine, carrier, or other vessel named “in his honor and memory.” San Diego City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez, a longtime Gay and Latino rights activist and chair of the task force, announced the launch of a national campaign in partnership with the Harvey Milk Foundation and the International Court System. The Task Force is also leading a movement to make San Diego the first city in the U.S. to name a street in honor of Milk. “We in San Diego are very proud that Harvey Milk was stationed in our city and fell in love with California here,” said Murray Ramirez, who has served the last five mayors of San Diego. Murray-Ramirez was a friend of Harvey Milk in the 1970s and is co-chair of the Harvey Milk Foundation’s International Advisory Council. Acting on behest of the task force, Rep. Filner urged top military officials to support the naming of a naval vessel in honor of Milk. In letters to Mabus and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Filner wrote, “I … urge the Dept. of the Navy to name the next appropriate ship after Harvey Milk.” Filner, whose district is in San Diego, also stated that “this action would be a fitting tribute to Milk’s support for equality,
an ideal exemplified in the military’s recent repeal of its former ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.” Fittingly, the congressman is past chair and the current ranking member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Harvey Milk’s father, William Milk, also served on a submarine during World War II. His mother, Minerva Karns, was an early feminist activist who joined the Yeomanettes, a group agitating for the inclusion of women in the U.S. Navy during World War I. “We have launched a national letter-writing campaign to the secretary of the Navy, whose decision it is when it comes to naming Navy vessels,” said Murray Ramirez. On another front, he serves as national chair of an ongoing letter campaign that is striving to convince the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp in honor of Harvey Milk. “The U.S. Postal Selection Committee has informed us that Harvey Milk will be put into consideration for the possibility of a stamp in his honor,” Murray-Ramirez said. Murray-Ramirez works with Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, and the Harvey Milk Foundation to preserve Milk’s legacy and to “continue his work.” “On behalf of both the Harvey Milk Foundation and the Milk family, it is inspiring to be joined by leadership in San Diego as we work together in support of the naming of a U.S. Navy ship after my uncle, Harvey Milk,” said Stuart Milk in a written statement provided to San Diego LGBT Weekly. “As an American hero who proudly wore the uniform of a Naval officer, the naming of a major vessel after Harvey will add that most American value of equality and democracy to the proud message of inclusion for which military service now exemplifies.” According to Stuart Milk, the christening of a ship USS Harvey Milk would boost the military’s image while also boosting a sense of esteem among its Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual members. “This action by the U.S. Secretary of the Navy will further send a green light to all the brave men and women who serve our nation that honesty, acceptance, and authenticity are held up among the highest ideals of our military,” Stuart Milk stated. Murray-Ramirez likened Harvey Milk to other civil rights leaders of the 20th century.
daniel nicoletta
Congressman asks Navy to name a ship after Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
“As a person of color, I am proud of the legacy of César Chávez and Martin Luther King,” he said. “It’s long overdue that Harvey Milk takes his rightful place in the history of our great nation.” In 2009, Harvey Milk was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Milk was further enshrined in officialdom when the state of California designated May 22 “Harvey Milk Day.” Milk was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame.
“I urge all Americans to write to the secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, and urge him to name a ship after Harvey Milk,” said Murray-Ramirez. Letters should be sent to The Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20350-1001. Murray-Ramirez especially urged Milk’s fellow LGBT veterans to write to the secretary.
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April 27, 2012
Seattle Gay News
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Tony Perkins: Mike and Ike “divorce” is “sexualizing candy”
dies are the latest target of Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins. This story was too ridiculous to pass up. Seattle Gay News just had to include it in Candy. That’s right – Mike and Ike can- this week’s edition.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
Zack Ford, a Gay writer for www.thinkprogress.org, said, “It’s unclear whether Mike and Ike are a married Gay couple or merely business partners, but for now, they have split up, opting to pursue competing
by Dan Woog SGN Contributing Writer A school on the list of America’s 10 least inclusive colleges for LGBT students would seem an unlikely host for a conference called “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Sport.” But that’s exactly what took place over two days earlier this month. Some of the leading academic researchers and activists in the Gay sports field traveled to Texas A&M University for panel discussions and meetings. Topics included the experiences of LGBT athletes and coaches; the intersection of LGBT athletes and the media; strategies for inclusiveness, and even Transgender issues in sport. I was one of the panelists. But even though I’ve spent my professional life around Gay athletes, I learned plenty. So,
I’m sure, did the 13 other invitees, and the students and professors who packed the meeting room. I learned that Texas A&M is a paradoxical place. It hosted this conference on an important type of diversity, but it is a fairly non-diverse place. I saw very few blacks, Hispanics, or Asians. The LGBT presence on campus appeared to be quite small. Yet our group spent a wonderful afternoon at the ranch of the A&M provost. She and her partner seem to be a well-accepted, much-loved part of the university community. They are proud of their work there. Much work remains to be done. In her opening remarks, a school administrator admitted there is “not much tolerance” for sexuality differences on campus. But speaking words like that out loud – to an audience of students, some of whom attended solely
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to pursue. Our panel also featured a controversial presentation. Eric Anderson, a former California high school track coach now conducting Gay sports research at the University of Winchester, presented findings on the changing attitudes of teenage males in England. He called the increasing prevalence of cuddling, bed-sharing, even kissing among straight friends a harbinger of things to come in the U.S., adding that young athletes are driving this paradigm shift. The panel addressing LGBT sports and the media offered further hope. Outsports.com’s Cyd Ziegler said that a tipping point has been reached: The media now treats homophobic athletes and coaches much harsher than Gay ones. Athletes and fans, he said, are nowhere near as homophobic as stereotypes would have us believe. In fact, journalists’ perception that Gay issues are no longer “a story” may be the biggest obstacle to more coverage. The final session examined inclusiveness. Sue Rankin, an associate professor of education and former softball coach at Penn State University, said that a campus climate – institutional, and within the athletic department and individual teams – goes a long way toward determining the success of each team and every athlete. Climate is determined by many factors, but straight allies play a powerful role, she said. The last speaker, former NFL player Wade Davis surveyed the room, which had emptied out of students as the day wore on. He cited the reason: Most straight people don’t care about LGBT issues – especially hearing about them from people they really don’t relate to, like those of us on the panel. The way to get straight people involved, he said, is to reach them through people they know and care about: their Gay teammates and Gay coaches. It was a sobering message, but it was one that needed to be delivered. And that it was delivered in College Station, at Texas A&M University, was most impressive of all. courtesy q syndicate
The OutField: Texas A&M tackles diversity
interests.” “The candy bearing their names has launched an ad campaign about the fictional invisible characters’ breakup, with Mike pursuing a career in music and Ike pursuing one in art,” continued Ford. “The Huffington Post chimed in that the two are heading for a ‘Gay divorce’ (language so far not found anywhere in the ad campaign), and now the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins is very concerned about the ‘fruity pair’ and their ‘sexualizing candy.’” Here is what Perkins had to say on his radio broadcast of Right Wing Watch, “These days, you can’t get a sugar high without experiencing a cultural low. … There’s trouble in candy land. After more than 70 years together, Mike and Ike are calling it quits. The duo is staging a Gay divorce as part of a new ad campaign to draw in younger customers. In this society, even candy has an agenda! From Facebook to Tumblr, the fruity pair says, ‘The rumors are true. We just couldn’t agree on stuff anymore.’ Starting this summer, the company will spend $15 million on billboards and TV commercials that poke fun at the breakup. It’s just another subtle example of society chipping away at the value of marriage. And I don’t know what’s more disturbing – that advertisers think divorce appeals to kids or that sexualizing candy will make people buy more. After a year-long buildup, the company will reveal if the couple reconciles. Until then, look for Mike and Ike to have a distinctly liberal flavor.”
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Pat Griffin
to gain extra credit in class – is an important step toward achieving that tolerance. Keynote speaker Pat Griffin – a former coach, emeritus professor of social justice at the University of Massachusetts, and director of the “Changing the Game” sports project – described her own self-loathing as a Lesbian athlete at the University of Maryland. She noted the gains that have been made since then – including the embrace of straight male allies – but worried about the absence of straight female allies. “You don’t need to be a Lesbian to feel what it’s like to be called one,” she said, tying the denigration of one group to that of all others. The Transgender panel offered glimmers of hope. Karen Morrison, who works on diversity issues for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), noted that the powerful governing organization is doggedly addressing questions like banned substance (testosterone) use. At younger age levels, trans policies are already in place. The Washington state high school federation is very inclusive, and the U.S. Soccer Federation quickly moved to adopt trans-positive policies as soon as the issue was raised. My own panel – on the experiences of LGBT athletes and coaches – discussed the many ways in which homophobia affects, defines and limits everyone in sports, including straight people. For example, the fear of being called a Lesbian prevents some women from playing sports they would love
Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, Gay activist, and author of the “Jocks” series of books on Gay male athletes. Visit his website at www.danwoog. com. He can be reached care of this publication or at OutField@qsyndicate.com.
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Seattle Gay News
April 27, 2012
Celebrating 39 Years!
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NEWS
compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer
BORN THIS WAY KAFE FOR URBAN QUEER TEENS AT CAL ANDERSON PARK On Fridays, 5-9 p.m., at Cal Anderson Shelterhouse (1635 11th Ave., one block north of E. Pine St.), Seattle Parks & Recreation hosts Born This Way Kafe, a welcoming place where LGBTQ youth, friends and allies (ages 13-19) can gather, be themselves, and have fun. Meets every Friday. For more information and to help make it happen, contact Randy at Seattle Parks, 206-883-6110 txt/phone, email randy.wiger@seattle.gov or Google “SeattleParksCOD.” RE-ACT THEATRE – “A LANGUAGE OF THEIR OWN” On Fridays and Saturdays, April 20-May 12, at 8 p.m., at Richard Hugo House (1634 11th Ave.), ReAct Theatre, Seattle’s only Multi-Ethnic Philanthropic Theatre Company, proudly presents a new staging of the newly revised edition of “A Language of Their Own,” the award-winning 1995 play about the lives and relationships of four Gay men written by Chay Yew. In every relationship, a new language is forged and this early AIDS play explores the nature of desire, sexuality, race and self-definition. Wonderfully simple yet beautifully complex, “A Language of Their Own,” looks at the universal aspects of love, particularly how the past can affect the present in matters of the heart. Tickets: $15-general admission; $12-students/seniors/military/ disabled – with a $3 discount for advance purchase through www.brownpapertickets. com/event/239555, 800-836-3006 or Elliott Bay Book Company (1521 10th Ave.), 206624-6600. SEATTLE GIRLS OF LEATHER “KINK NIGHT” TAKEOVER On Friday, April 27, from 9 p.m.-2 a.m., at Bar Myx (1212 California St., Everett), Seattle Girls of Leather will be taking over “Kink Night” at Bar Myx, a new club very eager to serve its kinky community. Enjoy DJ, dancing and debauchery. Must be 21+. www.sgol.org. “FLORABUNDANCE” SPRING PLANT SALE AT ARBORETUM On Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, April 29, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Washington Park Arboretum, Graham Visitors Center (2300 Arboretum Drive E., at the north end of the Arboretum), the Arboretum Foundation sponsors “Florabundance,” the Arboretum’s annual spring plant sale featuring herbs and vegetable starts, annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. This event is FREE and open to the public. In conjunction with the sale, the Foundation is hosting a member pre-sale and party on Friday, April 27, from 5-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35-early-bird/$40 after April 20 and includes first pick of the plants, live music, wine and snacks. For tickets and membership, call 206-325-4510 or visit www.arboretumfoundation.org. Proceeds from this weekend event benefit the Washington Park Arboretum. “BARE: A POP OPERA” – A BENEFIT FOR WASHINGTON UNITED FOR MARRIAGE On Saturday, April 28, and Wednesday/ Thursday, May 2-3, door at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m., Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway) presents “Bare: A Pop Opera,” a compelling story of a group of high school seniors at a Catholic boarding school facing issues of sexuality and personal identity. As they struggle to come to terms with who they are, and who the world thinks they should be, they seek answers from their Church, their friends, and ultimately, from within themselves. Its rich, vibrant score draws on many styles of popular contem-
porary music. The show is directed by Yeeshin Huang and features a talented cast, including SGN Associate Editor Shaun Knittel. Tickets: $20 suggested donation at the door to benefit Washington United for Marriage. This is an ALL-AGES show. PHOTO CENTER NW – “AUTHOR AND SUBJECT: CONTEMPORARY QUEER PHOTOGRAPHY” Photo Center Northwest (900 12th Ave.) presents “Author and Subject: Contemporary Queer Photography.” The exhibit runs April 7-May 27 and highlights ten regional and national photographers and video artists who focus on identity, gender, sexuality, courage and the human form. The exhibit has been organized in response to “HIDE/ SEEK: Gender and Sexuality in American Portraiture” currently at the Tacoma Art Museum. The gallery is open MondayThursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and FridaySunday, 12 noon-8 p.m. FREE admission. www.pcnw.org. TACOMA ART MUSEUM – “HIDE/SEEK: DIFFERENCE AND DESIRE IN AMERICAN PORTRAITURE” THROUGH JUNE 10 The Tacoma Art Museum (1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) presents the groundbreaking exhibit, “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture,” that debuted at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in 2010 and is the first major exhibition to address the question of how gender identity and sexual orientation have shaped the creation of modern American portraiture. “Hide/Seek” offers an unprecedented survey of nearly 150 years of American art and includes more than 100 works by masters, including Thomas Eakins, John Singer Sargent, Georgia O’Keefe, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and more. The exhibit was co-curated by noted Gay historian, Jonathan Katz, and Smithsonian curator, David Ward. The exhibit will include special events and guest lectures. For more information on the exhibit and special events, call 253-272-4258 or visit www.tacomaartmuseum.org. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday). On the third Thursday of each month, the museum is open until 8 p.m., with free admission form 5-8 p.m. Admission: $10-adults, $8-students, military, seniors 65+, $25 family rate (2 adults and up to four children under 18), children 5 & under free. For bus riders, the museum is accessible from Seattle by Sound Transit bus routes #594 and $586. EMERALD CITY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION www.seattlegaysoftball.com PRIDE IDOL 2012 On Sundays through June 10 (no Pride Idol May 20), doors at 6 p.m. (with open community karaoke), contest at 8 p.m., at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway), join Seattle Out & Proud and your hostess Gaysha Starr for Pride Idol 2012, Seattle’s annual LGBT Pride karaoke contest – weekly $100 cash prize; $1000 grand prize. For complete details and to register for the contest, visit www.seattlepride.org/pride-idol. No cover charge to watch. EMERALD CITY PRIDE BINGO TO BENEFIT CAPITOL HILL PRIDE FESTIVAL On Sunday, April 29, from 7-9 p.m., at Julia’s on Broadway (300 Broadway E.), enjoy an evening of bingo and drag entertainment to benefit Capitol Hill Pride Festival 2012. Must be 18+.
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SEATTLE FOUNDATION GIVE BIG 2012 – MAY 2 On Wednesday, May 2, The Seattle Foundation sponsors their one-day, online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations who make our region a better place to live. Each donation made to the more than 1200 organizations profiled on The Seattle Foundation’s website between midnight and midnight on May 2, 2012, will receive a prorated portion of the Foundation’s matching funds (or “stretch”) pool. The amount of the “stretch” depends on the size of the stretch pool and how much is raised in total donations on GiveBIG day. For example, if a nonprofit organization receives 3 percent of the total donations during GiveBIG, then it will receive 3 percent of the stretch pool. Throughout GiveBIG, donors will be chosen at random to have an additional $1,000 given to the charity that received their donation. The selected donor will also be eligible to win a Starbucks gift card worth $100. For complete details and list of nonprofit organizations, including a number of LGBT community organizations, visit www.seattlefoundation.org. SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – ARE YOU MY MOTHER? The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday, at 6 p.m., at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). May selection will be Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel (author of Fun Home). All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this free book club. For more information email nickdimartin@earthlink.net, visit http://faculty.washington.edu/switter/ SGLBookClub/ or contact SASG at 206322-2437; www.sasgcc.org. For discount on cost of books, email Nick. TRANSLATIONS: THE SEATTLE TRANSGENDER FILM FESTIVAL MAY 3-6 Three Dollar Bill Cinema is proud to announce the line-up for the 7th annual “Translations: The Seattle Transgender Film Festival.” This ground-breaking festival is one of only a very few Transgender film festivals in the world. The 12 programs and 27 films that make up this year’s “Translations” slate tell unique and fascinating stories that are poignant, witty, tragic, comic and inspirational. The festival opens on Thursday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m., with The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye at SIFF Cinema at the Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave. N.), followed by an opening night party at Solo Bar (200 Roy St.). The festival continues Friday-Sunday at Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave.). Friday, May 4: The Last Summer of La Boyita at 7:15 p.m.; Rockin’ Roles: Short Films at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 5: “I’ve Got a Story” – FREE panel discussion at 1 p.m.; Radio Wars at 2:30 p.m.; Free to Be (short films) at 4:30 p.m.; I Stand Corrected at 7:15 p.m.; Doing It Ourselves: The Trans Women Porn Project at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, May 6: Angel at 1 p.m.; I Am a Woman Now at 2:30 p.m.; Austin Unbound at 4:30 p.m.; Facing Mirrors at 7:15 p.m. Cost: $50-festival pass; $11-opening night (includes post-screening opening night party at Solo); $9-single tickets; $7-Three Dollar Bill Cinema members. For more information and complete description of films, visit www. threedollarbillcinema.org. CINCO DE MAYO FIESTA 5K OLE! AND TACO TRUCK CHALLENGE AT VOLUNTEER PARK On Saturday, May 5, Volunteer Park (14th Ave. & E. Prospect St.) hosts the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta 5K Ole! Run/Walk and Taco Truck Challenge. Registration for the run/ walk begins at 7:30 a.m.; the run/walk takes off at 9:30 a.m. The 107.7 The End beer garden and concert opens at 10:15 a.m. Must be 21+ ID required. The Taco Truck Challenge begins at 11 a.m. – open to all ages. Live music starts at 1 p.m. The event ends promptly at 9 p.m. This is a CASH ONLY event; ATM’s will be available onsite.
April 27, 2012
“BLACK TIE & SEQUINS” – FLYING HOUSE PRODUCTIONS AKA SEATTLE MEN’S CHORUS’ & SEATTLE WOMEN’S CHORUS’ ANNUAL DINNER, DANCE & AUCTION GALA On Saturday, May 5, at 5:30 p.m., at Fremont Studios (155 N. 35th St.), stroll back to the Golden Age of Hollywood for “Black Tie & Sequins,” Flying House Productions’ 16th Annual Dinner, Dance and Auction. Enjoy an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and conversation, silent auction, sit down gourmet dinner, live auction, entertainment, dessert and dancing. Tickets: $175 to $250. 206-388-1400; www.flyinghouse.org. RADICAL FAERIES FILM FESTIVAL On Saturday, May 5, at 7 p.m., at the fabulous Fred Wildlife Refuge (127 Boylston Ave. E., across from C.C. Attle’s), the Radical Faerie Short Film Festival will feature approximately 80 minutes of creative, outrageous, moving and colorful films about the Radical Faerie experience. Cost: $8. www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/242151. 206-200-3020. Conveniently offered on the evening before Goddess Ravenna Ravine. www.goddessravennaravine.webstarts.com. GLSEN WA – 7TH ANNUAL AUCTION & AWARDS RECEPTION On Sunday, May 6, from 5-8 p.m., at Bell Harbor, Pier 66 (2211 Alaskan Way), join GLSEN WA (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, Washington State chapter) board members, GSA (GayStraight Alliance) Washington State chapter members and LGBT and allied community members for an evening honoring the work of GSA chapters and chapter members around the state. The event will be hosted by the always fabulous Gaysha Starr, with keynote speaker Seattle City Council President Sally Clark and entertainment by the Seattle Men’s Chorus ensemble, Captain Smartypants. Enjoy a fun vegetarian/vegan-friendly taco bar where you can build your own tacos, nachos or salads with a delicious ice cream bar for dessert. A silent auction with some great items will also be held. Tickets: $35-general admission; $20-students. www. brownpapertickets/com/event/213231. SEATTLE’S ANNUAL LGBTQ PINK PROM FOR YOUTH AGES 13-22 On Saturday, May 12, at 8 p.m., at All Pilgrims Christian Church (500 Broadway E.), Lambert House hosts Seattle’s 2012 LGBTQ Pink Prom for youth ages 13 to 22. You do not have to come with a date. Creative dress is encouraged, but you do not have to buy fancy clothes. This is a drug, alcohol and hate free event. Suggested donation is $15. Advance tickets include a 10-minute touch-up session with a makeup artist. For more info and to purchase advance tickets, visit www.seattlepinkprom. com. GENDER ODYSSEY 2012 CONFERENCE ART SHOW CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS The Gender Odyssey conference art show is seeking works of art for their summer conference art show. Last year’s art exhibit included drawings, mixed media painting, photography, wood carving, textiles and video by artists from around the U.S. The conference and art show will be held August 2-5. Gender Odyssey, held at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (800 Pike St.), is an international conference focused on the needs and interests of Transgender and gender non-conforming people. Packed with thought-provoking workshops, discussion groups, social events and entertainment, this one-of-a-kind annual gathering attracts people from all over the world for an uplifting weekend of skill sharing and community. For more information about the conference, the art show, and for an online art show submission form, visit www.genderodyssey.org. Deadline for art show submission is Saturday, June 30.
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Celebrating 39 Years!
Come down and see me for your best deal! Yeah Baby! -Vik 3715 East Valley Rd. Renton, WA 98057 425-988-2100 800-474-HOGS
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Broadway & E. Pine at Seattle Central Community College Sundays, 11am - 3pm, April 22 - Dec 23. April 27, 2012
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Celebrating 39 Years!
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Celebrating 39 Years!
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Seattle Gay News 15
courtesy Saint Paul Area Synod
Lutheran bishop opposes Minnesota marriage amendment by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Bishop Peter Rogness
The Lutheran bishop of St. Paul, Minnesota, has published a pastoral letter opposing that state’s proposed constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriages. In a 2,000-word letter, Bishop Peter Rogness told Minnesota Lutherans, “I do not support this amendment that prohibits the marriage of same-gender couples. I believe such a position is consistent with the work our church has done on these matters.” The amendment will appear on the Minnesota ballot in November. About one-third of Minnesota’s population identifies as Lutheran, largely because of settlement by immigrants from Scandinavia. Rogness represents the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest of several Lutheran groups in the U.S. Noting that “it is now widely accepted that same-gender attraction is not a choice, it’s an orientation,” Rogness goes on to say that “‘marriage’ between two same-gender partners only seeks to provide the same depth and richness in their relationships as good marriages do among heterosexual couples. “If anything, more open support for samegender, life-long committed relationship … enhances stability in our society by including the homosexual community in its affirmation.” The ELCA voted to ordain Gay and Lesbian clergy in 2009, but has stopped short of endorsing equal marriage rights for Gay and
Lesbian couples. In his letter, Rogness notes that while the ELCA as a whole supports the traditional one man-one woman view of marriage, some Lutheran congregations are taking a broader view. “We embrace and affirm marriage as being between a man and a woman,” Rogness writes. “Our recent [2009] social statement makes that clear: ‘The historic Christian tradition and the Lutheran Confessions have recognized marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman.” “Yet this same statement, adopted in 2009, isn’t so quick to close the door on the traditional understanding of the church in not supporting [same-sex] relationships. The statement acknowledged that healthy and faithful congregations are coming to different conclusions.” Rogness also dismisses the charge that same-sex marriage somehow threatens family life and jeopardizes children. “Allowing for the possibility of life-long, committed same-gender relationships poses no threat to faithful heterosexual marriage or healthy settings for our children,” he writes. In a jab at anti-Gay groups who have poured money into the Minnesota amendment campaign, Rogness adds that “our whole society would be well-served if the energy and money spent on this political fight were to be spent instead on support for marriage and the well-being of the children of this state.”
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed a complaint with the IRS, asking the agency to pull the taxexempt status of the Roman Catholic diocese of Peoria, Illinois. Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria said recently that President Obama was “intent on following a similar path” to Hitler and Stalin, and insisted that “every practicing Catholic must vote, and must vote their Catholic consciences.” “Bishop Jenky’s intervention in the election wasn’t just extreme and mean-spirited, it also seems to be a clear violation of federal law,” said Americans United Executive Director Rev. Barry W. Lynn. “Churches are tax-exempt institutions, and they aren’t allowed to intervene in partisan politics.” Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code prohibits tax-exempt charities and churches from intervening in political campaigns in support or in opposition to any candidate. Even though the bishop never explicitly told Catholics to vote against Obama in 2012, his statement still ran afoul of the law, Lynn said. “Bishop Jenky compared Obama to Hitler and Stalin and accused him of pursuing policies that will close Catholic institutions,”
Lynn noted. “Moments later, he exhorted members of his flock not to vote for candidates who fail to uphold Catholic values. It is impossible to interpret this as anything but a command to vote against Obama.” While a spokesperson for the Peoria diocese said Jenky’s remarks had been taken out of context, legal scholars said he probably had violated federal law. Writing on a law blog, Prof. John D. Colombo of the University of Illinois College of Law concluded “that Jenky violated five of the six factors identified by the IRS in Rev. Rul. 2007-41, and therefore violated the campaign prohibition rule. “Since he clearly was acting in his capacity as a leader of the particular exempt organization at issue here (the Diocese of Peoria), my conclusion is that the IRS should indeed investigate this matter and should conclude a violation occurred.” Americans United is not the only group challenging Jenky. More than 90 faculty members at Notre Dame University – a Catholic institution – signed a letter calling on the bishop to take back his remarks or to resign his seat on the school’s Board of Fellows. The Chicago branch of B’nai B’rith’s Anti-Defamation League has also demanded an apology.
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Holy Cross Office of Vocations
Group challenges tax-exempt status of Peoria Catholic bishop
Bishop Daniel Jenky
Celebrating 39 Years!
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Cardinal Edwin O’Brien, formerly Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore, has issued a letter to Maryland churches supporting the petition drive to repeal the state’s marriage equality law. Headed “To be read at Masses the weekend of the petition drive,” the letter is signed by O’Brien as Apostolic Administrator of the Baltimore Archdiocese. O’Brien was archbishop there until elevated to a more prestigious position by Pope Benedict XVI, and continues to oversee the archdiocese until his successor, William Lori, is formally installed. In the letter, O’Brien says that Catholics “have no recourse but to attempt to overturn [the marriage equality bill passed by Maryland’s legislature] by petitioning the bill to a statewide referendum in November 2012.” “Today after Mass,” the Cardinal continues, “you will have the opportunity to sign this petition, and I strongly encourage you to do so.” The Archdiocese of Baltimore has more than half a million parishioners and about 150 churches. O’Brien was a vocal opponent of equal marriage rights for Gay and Lesbian couples when the measure was defeated in the Maryland legislature in 2009, and he has been equally hostile this year. O’Brien’s successor, Lori, also earned a
reputation as a spokesman for conservative Catholic ideology when he was bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut. On March 15, O’Brien was appointed Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, an order of knighthood sponsored by the Vatican. In spite of the name, it is based in Rome and the appointment will bring O’Brien into closer contact with the pope. According to the Washington Blade, Mormons in D.C. and Maryland are also gathering signatures to challenge Maryland’s marriage equality law. The Blade published an email sent to Mormons in D.C. and southern Maryland alerting them that petitions were being circulated by Martha Schaerr, who is identified as “a member of the LDS Church.” Mormon officials denied that their church was officially participating in the campaign to repeal Maryland’s marriage law. “While the Church’s position in support of traditional marriage is well established, the effort in Maryland is not being organized through the Church’s headquarters in Salt Lake City,” LDS spokesperson Dale Jones said. “Members, of course, will make their own Cardinal Edwin O’Brien decisions regarding their involvement in loRecent polling on Maryland’s marriage in March showed voters nearly split on the cal issues.” issue. Even more worrisome for equality The Baltimore Catholic archdiocese was law has shown mixed results. A poll by Hart Research showed Mary- supporters, the Post poll showed that equalinvited to comment for this story, but they did not return Seattle Gay News’s voice land voters supporting the new law by 51% ity opponents felt more intensely opposed to 43%, but a Washington Post poll released than supporters felt in favor. message by press time.
Nuns stand firm, archbishop evasive courtesy stjames-cathedral.org
Archbishop J. Peter Sartain
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Three groups of U.S. nuns charged by the Vatican with “serious doctrinal problems” have spoken out, categorically denying they departed from Catholic teachings, while Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, the prelate charged with disciplining them, sounded a note of conciliation. On April 18, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) – the Catholic disciplinary body once headed by
courtesy forbes
Maryland Cardinal orders churches to read letter against marriage equality
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became Pope Benedict XVI – issued a report severely critical of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), the largest group of U.S. nuns. The nuns were charged with supporting both contraception, because some of them lobbied for President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, and homosexuality, because some of them set up an LGBT-affirming ministry. The LCWR said it was “stunned” by the Vatican report, because the CDF had never
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raised any issues in their annual meetings with the nuns. NETWORK, a Catholic lobbying group mentioned in the CDF report, said they had not been contacted by the Vatican either. “We are deeply puzzled by the findings in the Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), which were just released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Despite its references to NETWORK, we were never asked to provide any information about our mission or activities,” NETWORK said in a statement. NETWORK apparently provoked the ire of the Vatican by lobbying for the Affordable Care Act. NETWORK’s executive director Sister Simone Campbell said it was “painfully obvious” the Vatican was “not used to having educated women form thoughtful opinions and engage in dialogue.” “We will keep doing our mission,” she insisted, “caring for the least among us on the margins of society.” “We haven’t violated any teaching,” Campbell added. “There seems to be a major disconnect, where [the Vatican] seem to think that faith can only lead to one political approach,” NETWORK “speaks for our members, not for a church. Helping others is at the heart of our faith,” she added. “We are a political, not doctrinal, organization: we don’t teach theology.” New Ways Ministry, an LGBT-affirming Catholic organization which has long feuded with the Vatican, was also cited in the CDF report, and also rejected the CDF’s conclusions. “If the leadership of the Catholic Church is unwilling to listen to the idea of the leaders of some of its most dedicated members, then our Church will never be able to grow or to respond in a Gospel way to the needs of our world,” New Ways said in a statement. “The CDF’s repressive action towards
LCWR further erodes Catholicism’s ability to be a vital force in the world. “ Echoing NETWORK, New Ways suggested the Vatican was not receptive to women’s views. “Why are Vatican leaders afraid to hear what women religious think on topics such as homosexuality that is being so widely discussed in all other quarters of society?” they asked. New Ways co-founder Sister Jeannine Gramick was investigated by Ratzinger in 1999, and ordered to suspend her pastoral work with LGBT people. In 2001, her order instructed her not to make public statements. She refused to comply, and changed her affiliation to another order of nuns who would allow her to continue her advocacy work. “I choose not to collaborate in my own oppression by restricting a basic human right [to speak]. To me this is a matter of conscience,” she said at the time. Meanwhile, Archbishop Sartain, who has been charged by the Vatican with bringing the nuns into line, sounded some conciliatory notes. In Rome for consultations with the CDF, Sartain said he hoped he could “help the sisters and the LCWR recognize that we are all in this together.” The CDF investigation is actually a “great opportunity” for U.S. nuns, bishops, and the Vatican to “strengthen and improve all of our relationships on every level,” Sartain claimed. The archbishop also dismissed reports suggesting that the Vatican’s action was a response to widespread support by nuns for the Obama administration’s health care reform law, which U.S. bishops have condemned because it makes contraceptives available to women patients. “There’s been nothing in any conversation that I have had about the [CDF] assessment that would indicate to me that there would be any truth to that,” Sartain said.
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A familiar issue needs to vent by Leslie Robinson SGN Contributing Writer I’m Gay Marriage, and I’m mad. Those alleged experts over at the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press – and what a stupidly long name that is – conducted a national survey to find out which issues matter most to voters, and I’m certain the pollsters were drunk and the respondents were house pets. C’mon, what other explanation can there be for putting me, Gay Marriage, at the bottom of the list? The BOTTOM, for chrissakes. Oh, I get it that Economy takes the top spot, followed by Jobs. Those show-offs.
Freakin’ 86% of voters rated Economy as “very important” to their vote. Don’t they know what really counts? I’m Gay Marriage, with the power to bring down civilization! Prioritize, people! And such pretenders are next on the list. Budget Deficit, Health Care, Education, Medicare, Energy, Taxes. Amateurs, one and all. Taxes earned a 61% rating, so you’d think I’d be showing up at least in that range, but nooooo. Instead, it’s a different fear that gets the love: 59% of these dolts decided Terrorism is “very important” to their vote. What does Terrorism have that I don’t? The people of Pew – so aptly named – conducted this so-called survey from April 4 through April 15. It’s crystal clear to me that a bunch of those surveyed had given up thinking for Lent. The impossibly boring Foreign Policy collected a 52% rating, with Environment just behind. Please. Environment? Like whether the earth can continue to sustain life could possibly matter as much as whether two men can register at Crate & Barrel. Iran is next on the appalling list, then Gun Control and Afghanistan. Looks to me like Afghanistan is getting the shaft, too, seeing as the U.S. is fighting a war there. I wish
we could join forces – Gay Marriage in Afghanistan – and double our numbers. You’re just dying to know what my score is, aren’t you? To see how low I’ve sunk? Well, Immigration comes in at 42%, then Abortion at 39%, and Birth Control at 34%. And. Then. There’s. Me. I, Gay Marriage, bring up the rear at 28%. Less than 30% of voters consider me critical to their vote. I could die for the shame. Once I was in the big-time. I’m talking a mere two presidential elections ago. In 2004, Karl Rove made me a star. I firmly believe I gave George W. Bush Ohio, which won him re-election. Now? Now Bush’s wife says Gays should be able to marry and his campaign manager has come out! How can a wedge issue work under these conditions? Can’t give up. Must regroup. Abortion and Birth Control are down here in the cellar with me. The economic situation has everyone’s attention. If it turns around, I bet the hot-button social issues will rise again
in the polls. At least past Foreign Policy. Sheesh. But the Pew-y president said I don’t energize the conservative base like I used to. Some older Americans have even changed their minds about me. Turncoats! Poltroons! Sissies! Maybe I really have lost my mojo. I’m deeply depressed. Abortion and Birth Control and I should join a therapy group for social issues whose hot buttons have cooled. How else can I, Gay Marriage, recover my self-esteem? I could fight back – threaten that in addition to bestiality, I’ll lead to mandatory sex with unicorns – but my heart isn’t in it. I have to face it. I’m not the issue I was. I’m impotent. And there ain’t no Viagra for me. Leslie Robinson loves the word “poltroon.” Email her at lesarobinson@gmail. com, and visit her blog at www.generalgayety.com for (almost) daily funnies.
Religion & Spirituality Sojourner Truth Ministries
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April 27, 2012
Sunday Service 11:15 am Rainier City Bldg 1265 South Main St #106 (14th & Main) Seattle, WA 98144 Phone: Rev. Walden @ 206 380-1710
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California to test PrEP pill by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The state of California will test an HIVprevention pill, researchers announced April 17. The pill, which is already being used to treat HIV patients, will be prescribed to 700 Gay men, Bisexual men, and Transgender women in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Long Beach who are considered highrisk for HIV infection, but are not currently HIV-positive. “With this new prevention pill, we have another intervention to put in the arsenal to try and impact this epidemic,” said George Lemp, director of the California HIV/ AIDS Research Program with the University of California president’s office. There are an estimated 140,000 people living with HIV or AIDS in California, including about 30,000 who don’t know they are infected, Lemp said. Lemp’s program awarded $11.8 million in state grants for the prevention pill studies, and efforts to get about 3,000 HIVpositive people in Southern California into treatment and keep them there. The grants will go to a group of U.C. schools, local governments, and AIDS organizations. The pill is now sold under the brand name of Truvada, and is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating HIV but not for prophylactic use. In 2010, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine said that it reduced the risk of contracting HIV by 44% to as much as 73%, depending on how often participants took their medication. The prevention pill combined with counseling would have “enormous possibilities” for high-risk people, said Phil Curtis of AIDS Project Los Angeles, which will recruit participants. However, more research
of course, the most important thing you can be doing now is having personal conversations with your friends and family about the importance of marriage equality and ‘approving’ Referendum 74.” The organization and the Approve 74 Campaign are asking marriage equality supporters to ask their friends to have similar is needed to measure the effects in the real conversations with their social networks as well. world, he said. “Much of Equal Rights Washington’s “It is unrealistic to expect that a patient without HIV is going to see a doctor every work in the months to come will be done in month [to monitor the success of PrEP med- conjunction with the Washington United for Marriage Campaign and our coalition partication],” Curtis said. Because Truvada is expensive – costing as ners,” said officials. Here are five things you can do to help much as $26 a day – a recent Stanford University study suggested protect marriage equality in Washington that PrEP methods using state. the drug would make PLEDGE TO APPROVE economic sense REFERENDUM 74 only if prescribed ERW officials are asking supporters to to people at high risk, such as take the pledge to approve Referendum 74 those with mul- and protect marriage equality in Washington State this November 6. tiple partners. “As we continue to ramp up our operaThe two-drug pill, produced tions in the state, we’re going to need all by Gilead Sci- hands on deck to ensure that our efforts are ences in the Bay successful,” said officials. “Your pledge will Area, has side effects help ERW and Washington United for Marthat include nausea and riage identify hundreds of thousands of supvomiting, and possible kid- porters needed to win.” In addition, they say, “Of course we need ney problems when used with other you to share the pledge with your friends anti-HIV drugs. Michael Weinstein of the AIDS Health- and family.” Take the pledge at http://equalityfederacare Foundation, which has emphasized condom use as a preventive method, was tion.salsalabs.com/o/35037/p/dia/action/ public/?action_KEY=900. critical of the study. “Men – Gay, straight, Bisexual – don’t COLLECT APPROVE want to use condoms,” Weinstein said. REFERENDUM 74 PLEDGE CARDS “That’s universal. If they are given another ERW officials want to show just how reason, then they won’t.” strong the support is for marriage by gathering signatures on Pledge to Approve 74 postcards. Officials say there are two ways continued from cover to help: sign up to volunteer and come out with other volunteers to collect the postwhich legalizes same-sex marriage in Wash- cards, or print our copies of the PDF postcard and have all your friends, family and ington state. “Now is the time to be taking action,” said neighbors fill one out. Or arrange to get a whole bunch of preERW officials in a statement to supporters. “For many, moving to support marriage for printed postcards directly from the Washsame-sex couples is a journey, and we must ington United for Marriage campaign by make sure that we provide enough time so emailing volunteer@washingtonunited.org. “Collect as many as you can,” said ERW. that voters can complete their journey beBe sure to mail them back to Washington fore they mail in their ballots.” According to ERW, “The work you under- United for Marriage, PO Box 21022, Seattake today and every day until the election tle, WA 98111. will ensure that loving committed couples ORDER A FREE will be able to express their love and protect BUMPER STICKER their families through legal marriage. And,
“With this new prevention pill, we have another intervention to put in the arsenal to try and impact this epidemic.”
equality
ERW officials say they will send you a free bumper sticker so you can show your support or Marriage Equality. Go to http://equalityfederation.salsalabs. com/o/35037/p/dia/action/public/?action_ KEY=64, fill out the form, and they will mail it to you. “When you get your sticker, take a picture of your car or laptop with the sticker on it and post it on Facebook,” say officials. “Its important that we show our public support for marriage equality and invite our friends to take similar actions.” VOLUNTEER TO APPROVE REFERENDUM 74 “To defend marriage equality in Washington state, we need you to volunteer with our efforts to Approve R-74,” said ERW officials. “While the election may not be until November 6, ballots mail earlier.” “The hard work of identifying supporters has begun and must continue to grow over the next seven months,” said ERW. According to officials, the campaign needs to identify 1.5 million voters to cast their ballots in our favor “and we need your help to do it.” The Washington United campaign has lots of opportunities all across the state. To volunteer send an email to volunteer@washingtonunited.org. ONGOING EVENTS IN YOUR AREA Volunteer with the Washington United for Marriage campaign by showing up at the ERW hosted Wednesday night phonebank in Seattle. RSVP at http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35037/p/salsa/web/ common/public/content?content_item_ KEY=8853. Phone Banks Seattle: Monday through Thursday 5:30 8:30 p.m. Tacoma: Tuesday 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Spokane: Tuesday through Thursday 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Phone From Home Program If you have a phone line and computer with internet access, you can help us make calls from anywhere in Washington State. Phone From Home Training: Every Tuesday 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Door-to-Door Canvassing Help us collect postcards pledging to Approve Referendum 74. Seattle: Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
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eeoc
continued from cover woman who was denied a job as a ballistics technician at the Walnut Creek, California, laboratory of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). An Army veteran and a former police detective, Macy applied for the position as male and was told that she virtually was guaranteed the job. She was exceptionally qualified for the position, having a military and law enforcement background and being one of the few people in the country who had already been trained on ATF’s ballistics computer system. After disclosing her gender transition mid-way through the hiring process, Macy was told that funding for that position had been cut. She later learned that someone else had been hired for the job. Macy now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her wife, Trish. She struggled to
find work after she was denied the ATF position, she says, applying for more than 300 jobs but finding few leads. “As a veteran and a police officer, I’ve worked my whole career to uphold the values of fairness and equality,” Macy said in a statement after the EEOC ruling. “Although the discrimination I experienced was painful both personally and financially, and led to the loss of my family’s home to foreclosure, I’m proud to be a part of this groundbreaking decision confirming that our nation’s employment discrimination laws protect all Americans, including Transgender people. “I’m grateful for the help of Transgender Law Center, which believed in me from the start and helped guide me through this process. No one should be denied a job just for being who they are.” “It’s incredibly significant that the Commission has finally put its stamp of approval on the common-sense understanding that discrimination against Transgender people is a form of sex discrimination,” Transgen-
der Law Center Legal Director Ilona Turner explained. “That’s true whether it’s understood as discrimination because of the person’s gender identity, or because they have changed their sex, or because they don’t conform to other people’s stereotypes of how men and women ought to be.” Noreen Farrell, executive director of Equal Rights Advocates, a legal organization that has been fighting for women’s rights since 1974, also celebrated the ruling. “Today’s decision helps our discrimination laws fulfill their purpose of ensuring that no one loses a job based on sex,” she said. “Women have fought for decades to be judged in the workplace by our abilities, not by our sex, gender identity, or gender stereotypes. We are thrilled that the EEOC has confirmed that Title VII protects Transgender people from job discrimination, thanks to the work of Transgender Law Center.” National Center for Transgender Equality executive director Mara Keisling called the ruling “a major victory.” “As many as 90% of Trans people still face tremendous discrimination in employment according to our National Discrimination Survey, and it will help so much that the EEOC agrees with what more and more courts have been saying, that discriminating against Trans people because of their sex, or their perceived sex, or what an employer thinks about their sex, is clearly sex discrimination, illegal, and wrong,” Keisling said. Tico Almeida, founder of Freedom to Work, a group pushing for employment protections for LGBT Americans, said Tuesday that the EEOC decision should be applied to all federal agencies, and called on Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to issue new guidelines for federal contractors to protect against anti-Transgender discrimination. “There is no need for Secretary Solis to wait for President Obama to fulfill his campaign promise to sign such an executive policy because the EEOC has just given the Labor Department the legal reasoning and authority to interpret the existing executive order, created by President [Lyndon B.] Johnson many decades ago, to now protect Transgender Americans,” Almeida said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Secretary Solis will not have the legal authority to protect Gay and Lesbian Americans from discrimination at federal contractors until President Obama corrects the mistake announced by White
House staff a few weeks ago and issues a new executive order banning workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation,” he continued. “Gay and Lesbian Americans who face prejudice and harassment in the workplace of federal contractors should not have to wait on the president any longer.” The EEOC decision follows a trend set by federal courts in recent years, holding that Transgender people are protected by Title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination. In October 2011, HUD issued guidelines saying that it would use the federal Fair Housing Act prohibition against sex discrimination to investigate complaints brought by Transgender individuals.
marriage
continued from cover constitution. “Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state,” the new section would say. “This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.” President Obama announced last month that he opposes the amendment. Newt Gingrich, on the other hand, said on April 24 that he supports it. Most polls show that North Carolina voters are ready to pass the amendment, but also that many voters do not understand the implications. The latest PPP poll, released April 24, shows that 54% of respondents favor the measure, a drop of 4% from previous polling. Forty percent of respondents said they opposed the amendment, up from 38% in previous polls. Black voters favor the amendment twoto-one, and even Democratic primary voters are split evenly. The poll’s margin of error is 2.9%. Voters are still confused about Amendment One, however. Ten percent erroneously believe it legalizes same-sex marriage and another 27% said they are unsure what it would do. Previous PPP polling showed the proposed amendment winning 58%-38%. A Survey USA poll, taken at about the same time, showed a margin of victory of 58%36%.
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In contrast, an Elon University poll showed voters rejecting the amendment by a margin of 62%-31%. Observers explained the radical difference between the Elon results and those generated by the other polls by the difference in how pollsters asked the question. While PPP and Survey USA simply read the text of the amendment and asked if respondents supported or opposed it, Elon, asked a more explanatory question: “Would you support or oppose an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution that would prevent any same-sex marriages, domestic partnerships, or civil unions?” Elon also polled far fewer respondents – only 534 as opposed to 1,191 surveyed by PPP and 1,001 by Survey USA. Protect All North Carolina Families, the coalition fighting Amendment One, put up its first two TV ads on April 24. Both ads highlight how the amendment would hurt children. One ad features a woman concerned over the possibly of losing health insurance for her daughter.
“My fear with Amendment One is that my daughter would lose her health insurance. And that she would lose it immediately simply because we’re unmarried,” she says, referring to her off-screen same-sex partner. “And that’s really unfair and it is completely arbitrary.” In the second ad, a woman fears the amendment would invalidate the protective order she took out against her abusive boyfriend, putting herself and her daughter at risk. “And that would not only put my life in danger but it would put my daughter’s life in danger,” she says. “It makes me feel like I’m being victimized all over again.” Dozens of Christian pastors have also publicly opposed to the amendment, saying that it runs counter to Christian principles of justice and fairness, and would harm children. Jay Bakker, the son of evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, is scheduled to headline a faith-centered rally in opposition to the amendment April 29 in Durham, which will include a march to cast early ballots.
scouts
continued from cover nered 140,000 signatures plus celebrity endorsements. “I hated feeling that my family had been discriminated against, so I started a petition on Change.org asking the Boy Scouts of America to stop discriminating against Gay people,” she wrote on the Change.org petition. “After I was asked to leave, other parents from my pack were outraged. Some of them even waited for hours to voice their concerns to Boy Scout officials, but they were turned away. As for Cruz, he doesn’t really understand why there’s a problem. He made a sign that says, ‘I love my two Gay moms.’” “Other organizations like the Girl Scouts and Boys & Girls Clubs of America welcome Gay kids as well as adult leaders – I know that if thousands of people sign my petition, the Boy Scouts will see that it’s time for them to adopt a policy that incorporates their own core values of compassion and respect,” she said. “I had no idea this would take off like it has,” said Tyrrell, who lives with her part-
ner of five years. “It’s humbling and very exciting that so many people are finally agreeing with us.” Ohio does not recognize same-sex marriage. On April 21, Tyrrell and her family made an appearance at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, where they were honored for taking a stand. “We want to get the word out,” she told ABC News. The Boy Scouts of America released the following statement, “Scouting, and the majority of parents it serves, does not believe it is the right forum for children to become aware of the issue of sexual orientation, or engage in discussions about being Gay. Rather, such complex matters should be discussed with parents, caregivers, or spiritual advisers, at the appropriate time and in the right setting. To disagree does not mean to disrespect and we respect everyone’s right to have and express a different opinion. Scouting will continue to teach our members to treat everyone with courtesy and respect.” The Girl Scouts of America has had a diversity policy and non-discrimination clause since 1980.
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